Assembling a Graff emerald and diamond secret watch, a form of jewellery long favoured by women who didn’t want to draw attention to the fact they were wearing a timepiece. Photo: Graff
Explainer |
What are secret watches and why are they so coveted? Queen Elizabeth I wore locket rings and Bulgari, Cartier and Chanel still craft stunning high jewellery watches today
- The queen’s rings hid a portrait of her mother Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII – and women in the 19th century discreetly checked the time with jewellery watches
- Breguet made the first wristwatch for the queen of Naples in 1810, then brands like Graff and Van Cleef & Arpels started hiding the dials in fabulously ornate pieces of jewellery
Assembling a Graff emerald and diamond secret watch, a form of jewellery long favoured by women who didn’t want to draw attention to the fact they were wearing a timepiece. Photo: Graff
