SIHH: women and diamonds first in line

Is it not a sign of great progress for a woman to be able to give a man the time while extracting a jaw-dropping “wow!!” from him as he marvels at the mechanical beauty on her wrist? Or to have a conversation with him, as equals, about the mainspring, the barrel, or even the sinks—no, not the kitchen kind—equipping the movement of her watch? Such progress is being driven by watchmakers who are ready to swap the usual equation of “quartz + mother-of-pearl + diamonds = woman’s watch” for chic, high-tech alternatives. And as is customary, Richard Mille is leading the pack with a strong and bold timepiece: the barrel-shaped RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur. Five hand-crafted, hand-painted petals of a magnolia blossom delicately enclose a flying tourbillon developed by Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi. An automaton ushers the flower guarding the tourbillon carriage to open and close every five minutes, and can be manually activated on demand by a push-piece at 9 o’clock. The coordination between the five levers linked to the tourbillon is one of the most striking features to blossom thus far in 2015.

At Roger Dubuis, meanwhile, the forest of Brocéliande is the underlying theme of a poetic trilogy showcasing ivy leaves. Offering a feminine version of the skeleton watch, the Excalibur Brocéliande required close collaboration between two very different professions: watchmaking and jewelry. Released in a limited edition of 28 timepieces and set with approximately 3.44 carats, it combines a world dedicated entirely to precious stones with expertise that demands precision to 1/100th of a micron. You might think of it as a real mix of genres. You’d be wrong. The temptation to marry diamonds with beautiful mechanics is an essential part of these new codes. Of course women want to wear jewelry creations. But they also prefer models that men wouldn’t refuse—or rather, models that put them on a par with their male counterparts.

The impact of women on turnover

Ever the good students, watchmakers have figured it out: factoring in women means increasing market share. Jaeger-LeCoultre places women on a pedestal with its Rendez-Vous Moon watch equipped with a moon-phase complication. The poetic charm of the moon is heightened by a dial that depicts the night sky calibrated to remain accurate for 972 years! Vacheron Constantin is celebrating its 260th anniversary in style with an elegant and feminine interpretation of a watchmaking complication: a new dual push-piece chronograph in its Harmony collection powered by the manually wound 1142 caliber. Released as a limited edition of 260 numbered timepieces, the watch features a graceful gem-set bezel offering 1.20 carats of splendor. The icing on the cake is the prestigious Geneva Seal stamped on the chronograph’s movement. At Audemars Piguet, women take center stage with the Millenary watch and its inverted movement; even if this model is somewhat eclipsed by its sister, the Diamond Punk, with its scintillating diamond-studded cuff bracelet.

And this list would not be complete without a mention of Cartier and its “vibrant” Ballon Bleu. Three patents and five years of development were required to perfect this revolutionary new gem-set model whose diamonds seem to shimmer and glow. It was one of the greatest sensations at this year’s SIHH. Each of its 123 stones is mounted on a microscopic spring, which moves at the slightest tremble. The watch is equipped with an ultra-thin 430 MC movement, a best-kept secret amongst women in the know who recognize fine craftsmanship when they see it. So welcome to the club, as it were.

Article published in WtheJournal.com