Nine luxury timepieces to watch out for
From stunning scenes of automaton magic to chic and stylish hi-tech wonders, some of the recently released movements stand worlds apart from the rest
W atches are as much about making a personal statement as they are about timekeeping. They also reflect changing times and technological progressions. Here is a selection of timepieces for different styles, sentiments and needs.
COLOURFUL TIMEPIECES
Irresistibly charming and the highlight of our year.
Floral Tourbillon
Flowers are in full bloom. A few, located at 8, 9 and 12 o’clock, rotate as if twirling in the wind. Each petal is hand-cut from white gold and then individually painted and enamelled. This 38mm timepiece has a tourbillon visible at 5 o’clock, and comes with a 68-hour power reserve. Dials are available in blue, pink or Tahitian mother of pearl.
Piaget
“Jackie”-inspired watch
To celebrate the life of style icon Jackie Kennedy, and to mark the international release of the movie, Jackie, Piaget has released two watches this year featuring the traditional oval-shaped dial.This one features natural cornelian on the dial, complemented by a pink gold case and a pink gold fabric-like bracelet with ‘palace’ décor. A white gold version with natural turquoise dial, is also available.
Omega Seamaster
Planet Ocean ‘Big Blue’
The electric blue is paired with vibrant orange accents to create a stunning and irresistibly sporty watch. The watch lives up to its name – the case is 45.5mm. The timepiece, created from a single block of blue ceramic, is driven by the Omega Master Chronometer calibre 8906.
YELLOW GOLD
Yellow gold is back and brands are eager to showcase it.
Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Extra-Thin
Audemars Piguet is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its iconic Royal Oak with new Extra-Thin versions in yellow gold. The 18ct yellow gold “Jumbo” is complemented with a “Petite Tapisserie” dial in either blue or Champagne. It is driven by the self-winding calibre 1121, and offers 40 hours of power reserve.
Dior La Mini D
de Dior Satine Tressée
Haute couture meets haute horlogerie at Dior. This timepiece, created as a tribute to the maison’s 70th anniversary, features a yellow gold case with a bezel and crown set with diamonds. The dial features golden sun brushing, while the bracelet is made with polished and chased polish mesh that is incredibly flexible.
SMART WATCHES
So far, most smart watches have been pioneered by brands squarely within the technology sector, like Apple and Samsung. However, a few key players from the watch industry have recently started to answer the siren’s call.
TAG Heuer
Connected Modular 45
TAG Heuer is fusing smart watches with a touch of traditional watchmaking. The most fascinating aspect of its new Connected Modular 45, created in collaboration with Intel, is that the module, or the case, can be taken out. The digital module can be replaced with a COSC-certified chronograph Heuer-02T mechanical module that features a tourbillon.
Tambour Horizon
Louis Vuitton is giving smart watches a run for their money. The 42mm smart watch, which operates on Android Wear and is powered by Qualcomm, mimics the curves and shape of the brand’s Tambour watch collection. It also features a city guide app, which highlights key points of interest in cities, including New York and London.
PICTURESQUE DIALS
Art stirs emotions, and it is always a delight to find a great painting you can connectwith for that big white wall at home. How about wearing a work of art on your wrist which you can muse over while on the go?
Chaumet Creative Complication Colombes
At the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, this month, Parisian jeweller Chaumet showed a new exceptional dial piece featuring a night-blue enamel sky with opalescent clouds and gold-spangled stars, and two sculpted, engraved and diamond-set doves as the dials. The two birds hold a ring
in their beaks, and every hour, they meet, and join their rings together to form the auspicious number eight. In a limited edition of 12 pieces, this watch comes in a white gold case set with 300 brilliant-cut diamonds (2.54ct).
Jacquet Droz Tropical Bird Repeater Watch
As an extension to this automaton watch collection, first unveiled in 2012, Jaquet Droz has recently released the limited-edition (eight pieces) Tropical Bird Repeater watch with a three-dimensional scene of flora and fauna on a mother-of-pearl dial.
At the touch of the crown, the watch comes alive as the hummingbird flutters its delicate brass wings at up to 40 times per second; the peacock, with its intense blue feathers, fans and closes its tail; and a toucan emerges from the palm leaves at 3 o’clock to open its beak. Three elegant dragonflies located at 9 o’clock glow in the night for a beautifully mesmerising effect.