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Bling it on! 6 of Baselworld 2018’s most extravagant watches

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona

1. Jacob & Co Astronomia Maestro

This year, Jacob & Co.’s signature Astronomia collection has been given a musical update.

The Astronomia Maestro features not only the collection’s tell-tale gravitational triple axis tourbillon movement, but also comes with a minute repeater carillon. 

The timepiece has three gongs, instead of the usual two, to produce a melodic “do-re-mi” effect. 

When it plays, it sounds as if you have your own church bells ringing on your wrist. 

The timepiece, which is powered by the manufacturer’s JCEM03 calibre, comes with a power reserve of 60 hours. 

It is limited to 18 pieces. The price is on request. 

2. Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona

The new Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona is a stunner. 

The timepiece comes dressed in 18ct Everose gold, Rolex’s blend of rose gold, and decorated with 36 coloured baguette-cut sapphires arranged in a rainbow gradient on the bezel. 

At 12 o’clock on the dial is Rolex’s signature crown. Three chronograph counters in pink gold crystals give it an extra layer of shimmer. 

With its 40-millimetre (1.57-inch) diameter face – which we think is the perfect unisex size – we predict many women will also be eyeing this beauty. 

It is driven by the Perpetual calibre 4130, an in-house self-winding chronograph movement used since 2000, offering 72 hours of power reserve. The price is on request.

3. Jaquet Droz Parrot Repeater Pocket Watch

 

Whimsical complications are one of Jaquet Droz’s strongest suits – and this parrot repeater pocket watch, which celebrates the maison’s 280th anniversary, is the definitive proof. 

The red-gold pocket watch case comes with two beautifully-crafted covers: an enamelled portrait of a parrot against a jungle-green background on one, and a bejewelled open-worked cover on the other. When you open the bejewelled cover, it reveals a family of five parrots (well, four parrots and one hatching egg) that moves when the minute repeater is activated. 

The front and back covers are opened using a patent-pending secret mechanism.

This pocket watch showcases all of Jaquet Droz’s signature savoir-faire: miniature painting, gem-setting, Grand Feu enamelling, haute horology and automata. 

The timepiece, made up of no less than 668 components, runs on the calibre RMA 88. 

This is a one-of-a-kind piece. And the price is a staggering HK$8.52 million (US$1.08 million).

4. Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic

Bulgari knows how to make a statement with the launch of its fourth world record breaking timepiece. The new Octo Finissmo Tourbillon Automatic is the world’s thinnest self-winding watch with a tourbillon, measuring only 3.95 millimetres thick. 

It is based on the brand’s Finissimo Tourbillon movement launched in 2014, but has since been improved. 

The new Calibre BVL 288’s automatic winding is done via a peripheral oscillating weight that is located at the back of the movement. 

Made of white gold and aluminium, the contrasting density of each material helps to maintain a more regular oscillating manner. 

The open-worked skeleton movement can be admired every second of the day, via the skeleton dial that shows off the entire movement. 

The movement is housed inside a 42-millimetre sandblasted titanium case and comes with a power reserve of 52 hours. 

It is limited to 50 pieces and priced at HK$940,000.

5. Chanel Code Coco

Following Chanel’s successful launch of the Code Coco late last year, the brand has already released new updates to the line that is barely six months old. 

The collection, inspired by Chanel’s iconic 2.55 bag, features the buckle as a key design element of the new timepieces. 

This year, black ceramic is introduced as a new case material, but the show-stopper was the fully paved diamond version that almost hurt our eyes to look at it. 

From baguette-cut diamonds on the case and bezel, to the brilliant-cut diamonds on the dials and the princess-cut diamonds on the bracelet, the watch has a total of around 54.76ct.

And the price for this much ice? A cool 990,000 (US$1.1 million).

6. Harry Winston Travel Time

Travelling in style takes on a new meaning with Harry Winston’s high jewellery Travel Time alarm clock. 

The portable clock is created to be the perfect travel accompaniment for any jet-setter, from the small size (measuring 66 millimetres by 30 millimetres when closed) to the useful alarm function. 

When the white-gold case with its blue aventurine panels is slid open, a mother-of-pearl dial, decorated with a ring of blue sapphires, is revealed. 

The emerald-shaped silhouette of the box is a reference to founder Harry Winston’s preference for that specific cut. 

The clock is driven by a quartz movement, which makes this an extremely easy-to-care-for timepiece – perfect for any frequent traveller. The price is on request.

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Jaquet Droz’s US$1 million parrot pocket watch and offerings by Jacob & Co, Rolex, Harry Winston, Bulgari and Chanel certainly make a design statement