This year’s Watches and Wonders, the annual horology event at Geneva where the crème de la crème of the watch world gather, chose to spotlight an array of jewellery watches that have transcended the utilitarian aspect of time-telling to become objets d’art. Timepieces from leading brands such as Chopard, Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier took the centrestage—Tatler GMT brings you a glimpse of six such stellar jewellery watches that dazzled with their elegance and craftsmanship.
Read more: Watches and Wonders 2024: Hermès, Van Cleef & Arpels and Tudor are among the highlights on Day 4
Cartier’s Reflection de Cartier
Cartier’s Reflection de Cartier collection (Photo: courtesy of Cartier)
High jewellery and watchmaking meet harmoniously in Reflection de Cartier. As its name suggests, the timepiece plays with reflections; on one end of the architectural open bracelet is the dial covered with gem-like bevelled glass, which reflects a mirror image onto the other polished gold end. Reflection de Cartier is available in several versions: yellow and rose gold, one in diamond-set white gold and two in white gold paved with coloured stones.
Chopard’s Imperiale in 18-karat white gold
Chopard’s Imperiale in 18-karat white gold (Photo: courtesy of Chopard)
The first thing you’ll notice in this year’s Chopard Imperiale collection is the dial with its exquisite mother-of-pearl and enamel marquetry. This 36mm 18-karat white gold version stands out for its dial which is made with deep blue-green enamel, contrasted by a raised white gold decorative fillet forming arabesques filled with white enamel. Soft pink padparadscha sapphires and pink mother-of-pearl flowers are dotted across the dial, which is framed by a bezel set with diamonds. The watch is powered by the Chopard 96.17-C movement, equipped with a 65-hour power reserve.
Chanel’s Bobbin Cuff Couture
Chanel Bobbin Cuff Couture (Photo: courtesy of Chanel)
One of the most dazzling of jewellery watches this year is Chanel’s Bobbin Cuff Couture, which is part of the maison’s Couture o’Clock theme of timepieces inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s atelier and the tools used by her seamstresses. Look a little closer and you’ll notice how the shape of this cuff made in yellow gold takes inspiration from a spool of thread. The brilliant-cut diamonds are set in a pattern of interlocking lines all over the cuff that calls to mind the way threads are cross-wound. To read the time, lift the central 17.73-carat emerald-cut yellow sapphire to reveal a dial set with diamonds.
Piaget’s Swinging Sautoir watch necklaces
Piaget Swinging Sautoir watch necklaces (Photo: courtesy of Piaget)
The sautoir necklace, also known as a long necklace or opera necklace, has a rich history that dates back to the late 19th century. The term sautoir is derived from the French word sauter, meaning to jump or to leap. It alludes to the way the necklace gracefully drapes and falls on the wearer’s body. It was this particular page of history that Piaget turned to with its Swinging Sautoir watches. Two of the three sautoir watches launched this year are ingeniously designed to be transformed and worn on the wrist. One of them boasts a double chain design while another is adorned with diamonds. The watch case is suspended from a kaleidoscopic white opal cabochon weighing 11.68 carats. To further elevate its opulence, an exuberant tassel composed of diamonds, gold and chalcedony swings from a rare emerald-cut yellow sapphire. The entire composition exudes elegance that one typically associates with jewellery watches.
Van Cleef & Arpels’ Lady Arpels Nuit Enchantée
Lady Arpels Nuit Enchantée watch (Photo: courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels)
Encased in a 41-mm white gold frame set with diamonds, the Lady Arpels Nuit Enchantée stands out for its use of interesting materials and craftsmanship. The dial is a panoramic tableau crafted from white gold, rose gold, sapphires and rock crystal, each element meticulously placed to narrate a celestial fairy tale. The fairy, depicted in white gold, rests in a sapphire cave, her wings crafted from plique-à-jour enamel creating a luminescent pearlescent effect. This, combined with the façonné and grisaille enamel techniques, brings the night sky and its twinkling stars to life on the watch’s surface. Each component on the dial has been thoughtfully integrated, with fancy-cut sapphires enhancing the depth and allure of the scene, mirroring the natural ruggedness of a cave. The watch’s self-interchangeable alligator leather bracelet adds a practical touch of luxury, allowing the wearer to customise its appearance. The movement is a traditional manual-winding mechanical type, emphasising the classic watchmaking elements embraced by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla watch and necklace
Vacheron Constantin Grand Lady Kalla watch and necklace is one of the most versatile jewellery watches shown at the fair with an interchangeable middle piece (Photo: courtesy of Vacheron Constantin)
The Grand Lady Kalla watch worn as a high jewellery bracelet (Photo: courtesy of Vacheron Constantin)
The Grand Lady Kalla can be worn as a watch and a bracelet, and can be interchanged with the centre piece of a sautoir necklace (Photo: courtesy of Vacheron Constantin)
The Grand Lady Kalla necklace affixed with the watch (Photo: courtesy of Vacheron Constantin)
The Grand Lady Kalla necklace affixed with the diamond studded centre piece instead of the watch (Photo: courtesy of Vacheron Constantin)
The Grand Lady Kalla when worn as a high jewellery parure (Photo: courtesy of Vacheron Constantin)
The Grand Lady Kalla re-emerges in 2024 paying homage not only to its illustrious predecessors but also to the maison’s dedication to the craft of haute joaillerie. The timepiece flaunts 268 diamonds totalling more than 46 carats. The brilliance of emerald-cut diamonds enhances the dial, while the sautoir necklace—adorned with Akoya pearls and onyx—creates a stunning interplay of light and shadow. It offers four distinct ways to adorn your ensemble, seamlessly transitioning from a classic wristwatch to a striking necklace. This versatility, coupled with the craftsmanship of the master jewellers at Vacheron Constantin, allows the Grand Lady Kalla to transcend the boundaries of a timekeeping instrument to became a piece of wearable art.
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