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Leather saving its skin? No chance!
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Leather saving its skin? No chance!

Sunday, 01 February 2015
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Mathilde Binetruy
Freelance journalist

“And yet, it moves.”

Galilée

From the 1998 World Cup, her first big event, to SIHH and Baselworld today, she reports from where the action is.

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3 min read

Crocodile is swimming against the current—the latest watch straps opt for precious, glamorous and visionary materials. What time does your mink say it is?

Romantic, liberating and totally addictive, this is a trilogy for all femmes fatales. But what is it exactly? The new Velvet Haute Couture collection from Roger Dubuis, of course!

At SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) in Geneva, observers were slightly disconcerted by the new products presented by the Genevan watchmaker. Three limited editions have nonetheless launched the trend of 2015: wrists will either be adorned with daring or not at all. For example, the Velvet Haute Couture Mink Fur proves that mink isn’t just worn on the shoulders and gives the wrist an incomparably soft feel. The Velvet Haute Couture Corsetry, a hymn to femininity, brings an iconic piece of lingerie up to date: the corset. With its strap incorporating black lacing and delicate pink leather, everyone sees what they want to see. As for the Velvet Haute Couture Passementerie, it endorses the fact that any self-respecting woman has a few pairs of fishnet stockings in her wardrobe. The watch’s beige strap is dressed in silk-thread fishnet bordered by braided trimming reminiscent of stocking seams.

The Velvet Haute Couture Passementerie by Roger Dubuis: the irresistible charm of fishnet stockings
Grandiose materials

Roger Dubuis was not the only one to present original watch straps. Piaget marked the return of its watch icons, including the Black Tie “Vintage Inspiration” with its gold bracelet. Finished with hand engraving and “palace” decoration, the bracelet appears to be a raw-silk ribbon. At Van Cleef & Arpels, where a whole cult is dedicated to the brand’s historic pieces, a new chapter is beginning for the Cadenas watches launched in 1935. The 2015 edition gives the time in gold with a double snake chain as a tie. As for Richard Mille, the brand is reviving the fashion for chain bracelets with its RM 07-01. After its first gold bracelet destined for its two women’s watches, the RM 07-01 and RM 037, in 2014, the watchmaker is completing the range with a chain bracelet model that Jean-Paul Belmondo in Breathless wouldn’t have turned down.

A bridge between mechanical watch and smart watch

English tailor Timothy Everest, inspired by the world of Urwerk, brought his own touch to the UR-110. “Martin Frei was passing through London and, as a friend, he showed me the piece on which the team was currently working, the Eastwood. The watch deserved to be combined with the finest of textiles, tweed.” Precious wood, extremely chic tweed and extraordinary mechanics—the ingredients were combined to make the UR-110 Eastwood an exceptional piece. Finally, following the tobacco leaves it incorporated into a watch, Hublot has opted for fine St. Gallen embroidery produced by Bischoff for its Hublot Big Bang Broderie! From the dial—featuring a floral skull motif—to the rubber strap, the entire piece is embroidered in a tribute to the needlework produced by our ancestors.

The sleek and desirable Urwerk UR-110 Eastwood combines tweed, the finest fabric, with a curved wooden bezel

From one century to another—Montblanc is connected to the latest technologies thanks to its e-Strap, which works via an Android or iOS smartphone and Bluetooth. The e-Strap is made up of a Florentine leather strap (leather reinforced with carbon) and a DLC (diamond-like carbon) plated steel module. This gadget, which equips the three Timewalker models in the Urban Speed collection, vibrates to notify the wearer of incoming calls, enables him to read texts and emails and connect to social networks. It also has a physical activity tracker, an audio and video remote control for smartphones, as well as a “Find Me” function. So who’s for a game of hide-and-seek?

Article published in WtheJournal.com

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