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For her…
Watches and Wonders

For her…

Thursday, 08 October 2015
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Christophe Roulet
Editor-in-chief, HH Journal

“The desire to learn is the key to understanding.”

“Thirty years in journalism are a powerful stimulant for curiosity”.

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3 min read

The overarching theme to emerge at the Watches&Wonders Haute Horlogerie Exhibition in Asia was a homage to beauty. The beauty of women and the beauty of precious stones. Watchmakers that left their timepieces unadorned found other ways to shine.

Attendance is one measure of a fair’s success, and with 20,000 visitors (+25%) to the recently-ended third edition in Hong Kong, Watches&Wonders certainly achieved its goal. Were the number of carats on display another gauge of success, the verdict would be equally glowing; almost literally, as the precious stones that lined the aisles shimmered like a mirage rising through the heat. Inside the booth of each exhibiting Maison, display cases were lit up as though for Christmas. Not, however, with candles and twinkling fairy lights but watches laden with precious stones, diamonds for the most part, as though a plain case or an unadorned dial would have been out of place in this temple of good taste. In a word, at Watches&Wonders 2015, sparkle was de rigueur!

A glittering array

The most fantastical demonstrations were, of course, to be found among those Maisons that bask in their reputation as both watchmaker and jeweller. What else could explain this glittering array other than the conviction that Asian women entertain a love of bejewelled timepieces that borders on obsession? Certainly they would not have been disappointed by the marvels awaiting them at Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier or Piaget. Among the new launches alone, they could admire a breathtaking Lady Arpels Peau d’Âne Forêt Enchantée at the first, three magnificent Heures Précieuses one-off pieces at the second, and a stunning Secrets & Lights collection at the third. And this was just the tip of the diamond-dipped iceberg.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Ivy Secret

Some may contend that the 2014 Watches&Wonders had been more spectacular still, as the launchpad for three unprecedented women’s collections: 37 for IWC, Bohème at Montblanc, and Promesse from Baume & Mercier. No and no again. Jewelled watches were the star of this year’s show, raising the seduction stakes among exhibitors. Vacheron Constantin put on its most sophisticated face with Heures Créatives, a vintage-inspired line which, for the moment, lends itself to three irresistible styles. At Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Rendez-Vous Ivy took to the floor in its glimmering gown, in a tourbillon version and as a secret watch. As for Roger Dubuis, a new interpretation of the Astral Skeleton theme gave rise to the exuberant Excalibur Star of Infinity double tourbillon that plays on the transparency of a skeleton movement accentuated by the translucency of 312 diamonds.

A winning hand

Rare were the brands that chose not to venture into the diamond-studded realms of watches “pour elle”. True, names such as Panerai, Richard Mille or A. Lange & Söhne are not the first that spring to mind in terms of women’s watches. Not that they lack the necessary charm to capture female hearts, on the contrary. Rather, their priorities lie elsewhere, whether by vocation or tradition. And so they chose to shine not with diamonds but for their technical expertise, whether a deliciously vintage chronograph at A. Lange & Söhne, a totally off-the-wall erotic watch from Richard Mille, or new iterations of the Radiomir 1940 at Panerai. Likewise at Montblanc with its Heritage line, and at Baume & Mercier which broke the mould with a Clifton 1830 pocket watch.

Brands dealt a feminine hand.

The only “real” launch for men came from Jaeger-LeCoultre, which introduced the first two models in its newly minted Geophysic collection. Timing dictated that the Le Sentier firm chose Hong Kong for the official presentation of this line of contemporary technical watches that now joins its catalogue. Were any additional proof needed that Watches&Wonders is now part of the horological calendar, one need look no further than the tone the event takes year after year, and the themes that emerge. In what are challenging times for the China and Hong Kong markets, brands dealt a feminine hand… and came up trumps!

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