On Her Watch: How new materials are revolutionising watchmaking, as Chanel, Rolex, Van Cleef & Arpels, Omega and more brands create exciting women’s timepieces with modern elements and techniques
It’s often been argued that there have been few truly novel and impactful technical advances in horology over the last 300 years. Save for the invention of quartz, there was not much – mechanically speaking – that the revered master watchmakers of the mid- to late- 18th century hadn’t already figured out.
But watchmaking is not just about the movement, but creating devices that are beautiful and creative, and in those respects, it’s never been a more thrilling time for horology. We’ve seen in the last few decades the emergence of a number of unconventional material choices, at the same time as witnessing the staying power of age-old ones. Here are just a few stand-outs.
Sapphire crystal
A material that’s broken into the watchmaking world in a big way is sapphire crystal, a synthetic glasslike material known for its extreme hardness and transparency. The hefty price tag has less to do with its intrinsic value, but rather the arduous process of polishing and cutting the extremely hard material, and the expensive tools it requires.
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Used mainly in watch cases, sapphire crystal is either combined with other precious materials, or used on its own – such as in Hublot’s sleek Big Bang Unico Sapphire watch – rendering the piece completely transparent. In Jacob & Co’s Astronomia Tourbillon Black Ceramic & Red, its complex tourbillon movement is highlighted within a ceramic case with four sapphire crystal windows arranged around its periphery.
Chanel’s J12 X-ray Red Edition is delicate but no less robust, where the case highlights the baguette-cut ruby hour markers, making it appear as though they’re floating. Another is Chanel’s Boy·Friend X-ray Red Edition, the case giving this otherwise reserved model an edgy aesthetic, while affording the wearer an amazing view of the calibre’s inner workings.
Lightweight materials
Innovative industrial materials such as carbon, titanium and ceramic is used in watches that are strong enough to withstand every day wear and extreme sports, all while being lightweight and ergonomic.
Richard Mille has been one of the front runners, making watches that can be worn during professional tennis matches and F1 races. The RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1 weighs less than 40 grams. It uses titanium, the brand’s own Carbon TPT, and graphene, a revolutionary nanomaterial that’s six times lighter and 200 times stronger than steel.
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For a lightweight piece for leisure sports that won’t break the bank, the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra Light is a great option. Using titanium and aluminium, it weighs a mere 55 grams with its fabric strap, and was built with comfort and versatility in mind.
For a chic take with a hint of masculinity, there’s Chanel’s J12 Paradoxe, made from hi-tech ceramic, granting a glossy look, lightness and durability.
Enamel
A watch’s dial – or face – is the most prominent part of course and so a lot of attention is given to its adornment. While most watches use printed dials and lacquer embellishments, more luxurious models typically use enamel, which requires exceptional skill to execute.
Some watches go beyond just coating (or baking) the dials with enamel, such as a few of Chanel’s Mademoiselle Privé Coromandel watches. Grand feu enamel is applied alongside other noted techniques, such as gold appliqué and gem-setting.
There are also Patek Philippe’s distinguished World Time watches, which have often used grand feu cloisonné enamel to detail maps. Jaeger-LeCoultre through its Reverso Tribute Enamel Hidden Treasures trio of watches, including the newest, the Hokusai “Amida Falls”, likewise demonstrates its expertise with grand feu and guilloche translucent enamelling.
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Another stellar examples is Van Cleef & Arpels’ Lady Arpels Poème Tulipe watch, where between and around a cornucopia of coloured gemstones is exceptionally applied coloured grisaille, paillonné, vallonné and champlevé enamel, all atop the watch’s sapphire glass.
Paved diamond
Granted, this is not technically a material, but a setting technique where diamonds are set tightly and anchored by tiny prongs so that the metal is hardly visible, resulting in a “sheet” of diamonds.
Unconvinced? Indulge me with a look at Chanel’s J12 Baguette Diamond Star, an astounding timepiece blanketed in baguette-cut diamonds – its case, bezel, dial, all the way down to its bracelet. Certainly not for the understated, this diamond-drenched masterpiece is truly mesmerising.
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Audemars Piguet’s diamond pavé version of the Code 11.59 drives home this point, with its gem-setters using different stone diameters to completely cover the round dial, from the largest at its periphery, progressively smaller as you near the centre.
And finally one last one for the ladies: the Rolex Lady-Datejust Diamond Pavé, where the gem setting running down to the bracelet highlights the profile of the beloved Oyster case.
- In the fourth of STYLE’s series on timepieces for women, we look at how experimentation in materials is ushering in an exciting time for watchmaking
- From sapphire crystal enabling skeletonised watches to the ultra-luxe feel of paved diamonds, and whisper-thin models made with industrial materials, this is a thrilling era for horology indeed