September 27, 2018
Much time is devoted to exploring the intricacies of a luxury Swiss watch – who makes the movement and how, what finishes it has, how accurate it is, which novel technologies it introduces, and so on. But as well as being leaders in the field of mechanical watchmaking, many of the high-end watch maisons are also master jewellers, as this edit demonstrates.
Since it was introduced in 1932, Patek Philippe’s Calatrava has taken many forms, becoming the famous marque’s flagship collection. Most commonly, the Calatrava is a sober, form-follows-function kind of watch, but with this mechanical ladies’ model, the Geneva company has let its hair down, creating a watch that’s as much a work of art as a timekeeper. Its epicenter may be the sunny arrangement of its rose-gold applied dauphine hands and hour markers, but in reality they are the prelude to the gem-set symphony performed by the cascade of 162 baguette-cut diamonds draped around the dial. The effect is Art Deco decadence at its best.
Those who know their watch industry history will recognise the significance of decorative versions of the Royal Oak. Originally designed as a high-end steel sports watch in 1972, the Royal Oak was not immediately welcomed by watch buyers – the idea that a steel watch could be considered a luxury took time to take hold. Fast forward nearly half a century, and it’s now a design icon, its utilitarian form, octagonal bezel, exposed screws and Grande Tapisserie dial now a luxury calling card. These days, there are all manner of material executions of the Royal Oak – both the 33mm case and bracelet of this quartz model are cast in 18-carat white gold. The application of 648 brilliant-cut diamonds (totalling 4.30 carats) into the hour markers, case and bracelet confirms this model as a bona fide luxury status symbol.
Most of the headlines generated by F.P. Journe’s remarkable Élégante focus on its revolutionary inner workings. It has an electro-mechanical movement that senses whether the watch is being worn or not (the sensor is visible at 4 o’clock). If it’s been at rest for half an hour, the watch switches into standby mode to save power. Pick it up and put it back on, and it wakes up and adjusts automatically to the correct time. This system gives it a battery life of eight to 18 years, depending on how regularly it’s worn. But the 48mm titanium watch is also a startling gem-set tableau, with diamonds and one of rubies pave-set into the dial and tortue-shaped case.
So good, they named it twice. The Italian company says its original 1977 Bulgari Bulgari, a style icon in its own right, was inspired by Roman coins, which carried victorious-sounding words stamped around an effigy of the emperor’s head. Likewise, most models in the line carry the inscription Bulgari Bulgari around the bezel. In this case, the words have been replaced with brilliant-cut diamonds, which take on star-like quality against the twinkling blue aventurine dial. An 18-carat rose gold case, automatic movement and blue alligator strap complete the picture.
Much like its haute couture creations, Dior’s haute joaillerie watches fashion astonishing, natural-looking elegance from architectural forms. This version of the Grand Bal makes liberal use of ‘snow-setting’ (hence the des Neiges suffix), powdering the dial and bracelet with diamonds in an artful, random arrangement that reflects light like freshly fallen snow. The watch’s other trick is its inverted automatic calibre. In the Grand Bal, the movement’s swinging rotor sits on top of the dial where typically it would be installed over the back of the movement. And it’s no ordinary rotor – it’s cast in filigreed pink gold, and decorated with opal and mother-of-pearl, and paved with snow-set diamonds, pink sapphires and yellow sapphires. As it spins playfully around its central axis, it also charges the watch’s movement.
