The Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Romani was the winner in jewelry watch category of the 2019 Grand ... [+]
If you’re looking for something to out-sparkle the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, here are 10 ways to do it. The high jewelry watch has been capturing the spotlight recently as a sure investment with intrinsic resale value, despite being occasionally overshadowed by more newsworthy record-breaking men’s watches like Rolex Daytonas and Patek Philippe grand complications. The diamonds and colored gemstones in these watches, combined with the design value, particularly if it is from a top brand, imbue them good resale value. Not that you would ever want to give up one of these sparklers. The following ten jewelry watches are guaranteed to add maximum sparkle to your favorite female’s holiday season, and beyond.
The Beauregard Lili.
Beauregard, based in Montreal and Geneva, is a newcomer with an authentic hook: instead of being dominated by diamonds or faceted gems, like most high jewelry watches, it is set with opaque gems that are more sculpted than cut, rising above the watch dial like a rolling landscape in three dimensions. The turquoise, mother-of-pearl or onyx gems are carved and polished by hand in the shape of flower petals and invisibly set in a uniquely overlapping pattern around a center tourbillon in a pink gold case.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Dazzling Rendez-Vous Red.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Dazzling Rendez-Vous Red is set with 132 diamonds and 36 rubies. What gives the rubies their extraordinary glow is the way they are set. Rather than sinking them channel-style into the metal, they are prong set, which lifts them slightly above the surface and allows light to penetrate the sides and reflect back out through the top. The dial is mother-of-pearl and the movement is automatic, with a 38-hour power reserve. Limited to eight pieces.
Gem-set Chanel J12.
Every inch of this one-of-a-kind Chanel J12 is set with diamonds. Case: 77 baguette diamonds. Dial: 168 baguette diamonds. Bezel: 46 baguette diamonds. Crown: one round-brilliant diamond. Bracelet: 502 baguette diamonds. Total: 44.26 carats. The rotor of the movement, which can be viewed on the caseback, is set with a further 52 baguette diamonds. Nothing but pure dazzle here.
The Chopard Imperiale.
In the spirit of imperial Rome at its most decadent, the Chopard Imperiale is decked out to the max. The colored sapphires in the bezel are graduated, with the markers on the dial matching the hue of the gem adjacent to it. The case, crown and lugs are set with round and baguette diamonds, and the dial is white mother-of-pearl with a central ring of diamonds.
Patek Philippe Ref. 4899/901G.
The mother-of-pearl dial on the Patek Philippe Ref. 4899/901G is engraved in a feather motif, surrounded by a spray of blue sapphires and diamonds. Case, crown and pin buckle are set with a total of 348 diamonds and 354 blue sapphires. It contains Patek’s signature ultra-thin automatic Caliber 240 with an integrated micro-rotor, silicon-based components and a 70-hour power reserve.
The Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow.
The Hublot Big Bang One Click Rainbow is an extroverted presentation of the beauty of colored gemstones. It is set with 388 gems, including rubies, pink sapphires, amethysts, blue sapphires, blue topazes, tsavorites, yellow sapphires and orange sapphires. The bezel alone is set with 48 baguette cut gems in gradient color blocks. The 39 mm watch contains a self-winding movement and 50-hour power reserve. This watch was a finalist in the jewelry category of the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
The Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Romani was the winner in jewelry watch category of the 2019 Grand ... [+]
The Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Romani was the winner in jewelry watch category of the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the Academy Awards of watchmaking. It is a one-of-a-kind cuff-style secret watch designed in the serpent motif. The snake head is adorned with a 10-carat Sri Lankan sapphire, and two pear-shaped sapphire eyes. The rest of the watch is set with 674 sapphires and 63 carats of diamonds. The movement is quartz.
Van Cleef & Arpels Jardin de Glace.
Van Cleef & Arpels is one of the most important makers names when it comes to jewelry watches sold at auction. This beauty, the Jardin de Glace secret watch, is a tribute to the cool colors and sparkling snowflakes of winter. It is set with a single Sri Lankan sapphire weighing 10.30 carats, along with several more sapphires in round, marquise-cut and pear-shapes. There are also turquoise beads and cabochons, and round and baguette-cut diamonds. The movement is quartz. It is a unique piece. This watch was a finalist in the jewelry category of the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
Jacob & Co Mystery Tourbillon.
Jacob & Co has a knack for combining high complications with dazzling gemsetting. The Mystery Tourbillon is so-called because it tells hours and minutes via hexagonal cut sapphires that seem to float around the dial as they rotate on diamond-set disks. The dial and case are set with just under 20 carats of diamonds, along with 12 rubies as hour markers. The movement is a world-first: two linked triple axis tourbillons placed back to back in the center of the dial. This watch was a finalist in the jewelry category of the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
The Hermès Arceau H Deco.
The Hermès Arceau H Deco is so-named because of the stylized H at the center of the dial, with a black and white color scheme inspired by the Art Deco ironwork adorning the boutique on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. The black mother-of-pearl dial is set marquetry style, and surrounded by an intricate interlacing of diamonds. It contains an automatic movement made by Hermès. This watch was a finalist in the jewelry category of the 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
