Gone are the days when watches were only synonymous with time indicators, and welcome to watches which are the luxury accessory by definition. Each one more sparkling and technical than the next, this year some of them stand out from the crowd.
The interest in Haute Horlogerie is to witness a perfect marriage between tradition and innovation, between history and modernity, and this is the main challenge for the players in this sector. Which of the digital watches, traditional watches or wallet watches have caught the attention of our editorial staff?
Even if the new trend of digital watches has been on the rise in recent years, in terms of watches, aesthetics still prevails over functionality. Here is a selection of the most beautiful timepieces of 2020.
The Ballon Blanc de Cartier watch cannot fail to catch our attention and it is this watch that has brought the jeweller to the top of fine watchmaking. The watch is then offered in gold or white gold and is composed of both quartz and diamond. It is available in 3 models, one at 38,000 euros, one at 141,000 and one at 126,000. The dazzling solitaire diamond set in the curve of the dial only makes the creation sparkle further by adding an original touch.
Roger Dubuis does not do things by halves and once again departs from the codes of traditional dials and calibres. His creation “Excalibur Superbia” , which brings together a total of 600 11-carat gemstones, cut in the shape of tetrahedrons, is equivalent to more than 1000 hours of craftsmanship and is worth €902,500. The shape of the stones thus gives the watch a three-dimensional pyramid, but they are also all of different sizes so that each pattern is unique. Its author is the first person in the world to have created a curved case set with triangular gemstones using an invisible technique.
This year Bulgari has bet on the difference to stand out from its competitors. The brand is presenting a sublime women’s jewellery watch with a satin strap and a dial paved with diamonds in “snow” setting. The jewellery is composed of diamonds but above all of rubellites, giving the perfect feminine touch. This 2020 model follows the continuity of the Serpenti line, which began in the 1930s and sells for 45,200 euros. The watch’s name “Serpenti Incantati” (“bewitching snakes”) and the dial celebrate the brand with its fetish animal: the snake, which radiantly surrounds the watch dial.
Piaget Altiplano, true to form, has once again impressed us with the creation of the “Tourbillon Infinite Blue”, , a watch whose deep blue dial is composed of ribbons of 179 diamonds, weighing over three carats. The bezel and bars are made of 18-carat white gold and are set with 72 brilliant-cut stones. The watch is extremely technical as it is equipped with a tourbillon escapement; it is guided by an internal ultra-flat 670P hand-wound movement. This mechanism gives its user off-centre hours and minutes at eight o’clock and a flying tourbillon at two o’clock. The seconds are indicated by the tourbillon cage. The watch is part of a collection of 3 limited edition watches and is only available in 18 pieces, each individually numbered. To know the price of this jewel, please contact the boutique.
At the end, the famous king of diamonds : Harry Winston, whose very name is associated with an atmosphere of luxury and silver in the United States. The dial of this work, “Premier Majestic Art Deco”, is composed of mother-of-pearl, black jade and 88 brilliant-cut diamonds. A black jade stone dominates the dial. Its elegant bracelet is in satin-finished black alligator leather, and the buckle is set with 17 brilliant-cut diamonds. A total of 162 diamonds weighing almost 3 carats sublimate this watch.
The year 2020 will not have been an exception and jewellers are once again allowing our wrists to shine brightly with their creations assimilating themselves to art.
Featured photo: © Marin Laborde