Hermès Arceau Mon Premier Galop Watch

Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, the timeless Arceau watch revels in playing the transformation game. Epitomising Hermès style, its round case with stirrup-shaped lugs welcomes several highly creative and demanding artistic crafts. Enhanced with leather marquetry, silk threads and miniature painting, the Arceau Mon Premier Galop watch thus unites a diverse range of skills. Its singular aesthetic reveals a joyful interpretation of the Mon Premier Galop shawl by artist Tong Ren.

Fascinated by traditional basketry work, the Chinese-born designer combines simple lines, colour blocks and refined decorative-trimming motifs. His drawing depicts a horse moving across the sand, accompanied by a fluttering butterfly and lit up by a mischievous sun playing with the clouds. Its faltering gait imbued with a sense of fragility and daring evokes the moment of grace of those first steps of horseback.

This magical moment comes to life on the dial of the Arceau Mon Premier Galop watch with its 30-piece jigsaw-like nature uniting several skills deeply cherished by Hermès. The sky and the radiant sun are crafted in enamel, a meticulous technique that involves applying a multitude of enamel layers with a brush and drying them in a kiln to guarantee unique colours and contrasts.

Standing out against this radiant blue background, the horse composed of silk threads along with fine tesserae in various shades of leather that are first trimmed to just 0.5 mm thick. Individually assembled on the dial, the leather and silk threads form a delicate, colourful decor enlivened by a tiny hand-painted gold mobile applique.

Issued in a 24-piece limited edition, the Arceau Mon Premier Galop watch in white gold set with 82 diamonds beats to the rhythm of the Manufacture Hermès H1912 movement. The sapphire case-back reveals the finishes and the «sprinkling of Hs» motif adorning the bridges and oscillating weight. Adding a final touch, a Zephyr blue Swift calfskin strap accentuates the play on light and textures adorning the watch face.

I am loving it!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
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Hermès Arceau Petite Lune Ciel Etoilé

Adorned with textured mother-of-pearl, midnight blue lacquer and sparkling diamonds, the Arceau Petite Lune watch in gem-set steel extends an invitation to embark a journey beneath the starry canopy of space.

The Arceau watch designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978 combines understatement with creativity in a round shape resting on a stirrup, a nod to the brand’s equestrian roots. Its steel case featuring asymmetrical lugs and a gem-set crown is adorned with 70 diamonds using a cut-down setting technique that highlights the diamonds’ many facets. This setting frames a celestial dial that captures the gaze and propels it into a star-studded night sky.

In a play on chiaroscuro effects, the textured mother-of-pearl reveals its nuances and reliefs in shades of blue lacquer. The moon appears in an iridescent glow, while a constellation of seven diamonds lights up the surrounding darkness. Swept over by slender leaf-shaped hands, this starlit universe is brought to life by the Manufacture Hermès H1837 movement powering the hours and minutes as well as the moon-phase functions appearing between 10 and 11 o’clock. The sapphire crystal caseback reveals the circular-grained, snailed and satin-brushed finishes, as well as the ‘sprinkling of Hs’ motif adorning the bridges and oscillating weight. This timepiece with its fascinating deep hues is fitted with a sapphire-blue alligator strap crafted in accordance with the brand’s saddlery and leather goods expertise.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
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Audemars Piguet x Tamara Ralph

Congrats to my friend Tamara Ralph on her collaboration with Audemars Piguet. Both unveiled a new Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon. Inspired by the Haute Couture designer’s aesthetic merging bold femininity, boundless creativity and timeless elegance, this limited edition in 18-carat pink gold shimmers with Frosted Gold and takes on a unique palette of graded hues ranging from brown and bronze to golden tones. This collaboration, which will be revealed on 22 January 2024 during Tamara Ralph’s runway show in Paris for the S/S 2024 Haute Couture Fashion Week, celebrates the natural synergies between Haute Horlogerie and Haute Couture, while furthering the strong ties that Audemars Piguet has woven with creative worlds over the years.

Tamara and I at lunch at Gigi Ramatuelle in the summer

INSPIRING SYNERGIES
Believing in the power of creativity to feed culture, connect people and broaden horizons, the Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer has always looked to the larger world for inspiration. Over the years, the Manufacture has fostered enriching dialogues amongst fields of creative practice, including Haute Couture, with which it shares a strong commitment to uncompromising craftsmanship, precision and excellence. In 2020, Audemars Piguet began its partnership with designer Tamara Ralph, pairing several of its watches with her S/S 2021 Prêt-à-Porter collection. Pursuing their enduring relationship, Audemars Piguet and Tamara Ralph have collaborated this year on the design of a Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon inspired by Ralph’s Couture universe.

«My intention for the design of this piece is for it to capture the spirit and craftsmanship ofboth my brand as well as Audemars Piguet. The complications of watchmaking orchestrate a foundation which can be played with in terms oftextures, colours and designs, allowing for the savoirfaire of couture to shine through. Rich materials, unique colour palettes and ultimate precision are combined, creating an exquisite limited edition of the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon, inspired by Haute Couture
Tamara Ralph – Creative Director and Founder of Tamara Ralph

A REFINED PLAY OF TEXTURES AND LIGHT
The Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon «Tamara Ralph» Limited Edition showcases an 18-carat pink gold case adorned with Frosted Gold. This ancient Florentine jewellery technique was revisited by jewellery designer Carolina Bucci and adapted by Audemars Piguet artisans in 2016 to decorate the Manufacture’s timepieces. Tiny indentations are created on the gold surface with a diamond-tipped tool, giving a sparkle effect similar to that of precious stones. lts visual power is accentuated by the polished bevel outlining the octagonal bezel, while the case’s satin-brushed flanks provide added contrast. The juxtaposition of finishing techniques-a meticulous operation which required perfect alignment between the hammered, brushed and polished surfaces-gives sumptuous texture to the case, while bestowing it with endless plays of light. For its part, the caseback’s glareproofed sapphire crystal is held in place by an 18-carat pink gold octagonal frame, finished with satin brushing and polished chamfers and engraved with «Royal Oak Concept Limited Edition.» Lastly, the hexagonal crown, whose shape recalls the stainless steel screws punctuating the bezel, also plays with light thanks to its satin-brushed and polished finishing. lts translucent cabochon-cut sapphire adds yet another touch of feminine elegance to the case design.

A HARMONY OF COLOURS AND LAYERS
The multi-layered dial takes inspiration from the bold femininity and textured detailing of Tamara Ralph’s Couture creations. lt is composed of four overlapping circular pink gold plates, creating a ripple effect as they emanate from the flying tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock. Each layer presents a different colour, evolving from brown in the centre to bronze in the middle, to reach golden tones towards the dial’s extremity. While the brown and golden colours have been achieved through galvanic treatment, the bronze layer is covered with bronze lacquer. The dial is finished with a continuous sunburst satin-finishing radiating from the hands outwards, in seamless alignment from one plate to the other. Pushing details to the limit, each plate is adorned with a thin diamondpolished gold thread that adds depth to the dial. Matching with the circular, multi-layered architecture of the dial, the flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock merges technical mastery with sophisticated aesthetic.

The cage’s upper frame incorporates three rings radiating from a decentred disc paved with 19 brilliant-cut diamonds (~ 0.04 carats). lts pink-gold-toned hue echoes the 18- carat pink gold hour and minute hands, both filled with luminescent coating for optimum legibility in the dark. At 12 o’clock, the applied pink gold AP monogram adds the final touch. Hour-markers have been left out to accentuate the purity and harmony of the dial design. The timepiece comes with a bronze-toned hand-stitched «large square scale» alligator strap. lt is also supplied with an additional brown alligator strap recalling the centre of the dial for a refined look. The two straps are decorated with a pearly finishing adding subtle elegance and glamour. The timepiece’s glittering hues and intricate details will catch the eye from up close and afar, just like a Couture piece would.

I am absolutely in love with this timepiece!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Audemars Piguet and © Sandra Bauknecht
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HUBLOT Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon

Drawing inspiration from the traditional Chinese art of paper cutting, the Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon layers its hands, wheels and H-shaped screws to form a 3D silhouette of an eastern dragon. Hublot presents a rubber strap with a marquetry design for the very first time. Created in collaboration with the Chinese artist Chen Fenwan, this limited edition of 88 pieces is the perfect fusion of tradition and modernity, combining metaphors and symbols in the spirit of Hublot: first, unique, different!

In the Chinese calendar, 2024 marks the return of the Dragon, which comes around every 12 years. This celestial creature, revered in Chinese culture, is associated with prosperity. A symbol of luck, strength and wisdom, the dragon is also an imperial icon that embodies life and immortality. Loong is a symbol, an icon, and the universal auspicious meaning is the foundation of Loong culture. Equivalent to the year 4722 in the Chinese calendar, 2024 marks the year of the Wood Dragon. Through artist Chen Fenwan’s paper-cutting expertise, Hublot pays homage to wood through the natural fibres that form the soul and spirit of paper.

So, can you recognise what’s hidden within the dragon?
This piece is a metaphor for the ‘Art of Fusion’ and the art of continually reimagining materials and their areas of expression. A symbol of Hublot’s philosophy, the Hublot creates a different way to interpret times, through its distinctive features. The components of its pieces: hands, cogs or screws, are positioned in multi-dimensional layers to form a dragon’s silhouette created in paper cut-outs by the Chinese artist Chen Fenwan. The dragon’s head made up offive layers that alternate between hands, wheels and H-shaped screws, with a body and scales that extend onto the strap. The colours, reflect those of the paper cut-out sculpture created by Chen Fenwan.

A metaphor for the «Art of Fusion»
Celebrating the Year of the Dragon, this watch is also a metaphor for the «Art of Fusion» embodied by the eastern dragon. Also known as the Loong, it takes on the features of nine different animals—the eyes of a prawn, the horns of a deer, the mouth of a bull, the nose of a dog, the whiskers of a catfish, the mane of a lion, the long tail of a snake, the scales of a fish and the claws of an eagle. A dragon whose metamorphosis has taken place over several thousands of years. Under Chen Fenwan’s touch, this sacred animal, talisman and totem, celebrates one of the greatest cultural legacies of Chinese art: the art of paper cutting. This is a craft that originated in China around 2,000 years ago, coincinding with the invention of paper. Chinese paper cutting has been on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2009 and is used to express the moral principles, philosophies and aesthetic ideals of its creators. It is used in festivities to honour events such as weddings and births, and paper-cut decorations symbolising happiness and good luck are intrinsic to Chinese New Year celebrations.

Hublot invites Chinese Tradition into 2024 with a Hublot first: a rubber strap with a marquetry design
Hublot has invited Chinese artist Chen Fenwan to combine traditional Chinese «sculpture in the round» with contemporary art, creating a majestic and dynamic loong, which conveys an auspicious atmosphere as it rises to the heavens. This artwork symbolizes the ever-renewing totem of life. Expressing Hublot’s philosophy ‘Be First, Unique and Different. In a 42 mm titanium case, Hublot transposes the layered effects of paper cutting into a multi-level dial construction overlaying a base panel with several levels of appliqués that incirporate the aesthetic codes of Hublot’s components.The dragon’s silhouette extends onto the rubber strap, which features a rubber marquetry motif—a first for Hublot. Each of the dragon’s scales is coloured and nano-vulcanised to be integrated into the strap. This delicate decorative operation is carried out entirely by hand and takes around 8 hours per strap.

The Spirit of Big Bang Titanium Dragon, offered in a limited edition of 88 pieces, comes with a second, titanium-grey Velcro fabric strap. This Chinese New Year celebration features an HUB1710 automatic movement and power reserve of 50 hours.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot
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Hermès Horloger – Arceau Costume de Fête

Graced with pearls, sequins and coloured leather, the Arceau watch appears decked out in festive finery inspired by Polish folk culture.

The Arceau watch created in 1978 by Henri d’Origny mingles classicism with singularity. Its round shape set on a stirrup lends itself to infinite expressions of creativity and expertise. Framed by this case with asymmetrical lugs, the Arceau watch embodies the Hermès style and highlights original forms of craftsmanship. Miniature painting, leather marquetry and sequins reinterpret the Costume de Fête silk scarf designed by Warsaw-born artist Jan Bajtlik.

Two versions – one in white gold, the other in rose gold – set with 82 diamonds feature a dial combining craft techniques as creative as they are demanding, expressed through colours varying according to two respective palettes. The lively, joyful equestrian motif is inspired by Polish folk culture. Illustrator, typographer and graphic designer Jan Bajtlik’s imagination is nurtured by traditional Krakow costumes and ornaments. His characters, animals and flowers draw on his native country’s popular art of paper cut-outs (wycinanki).

Miniaturised to dial size, the horse comes to life at the hand of Hermès artisans. Brightly coloured beads take shape on a sculpted metal base that is uniformly painted, a process punctuated by innumerable layers of micro-paint successively applied with a brush.

Emerging from this floral decoration, the spirited steed is revealed through equally meticulous piece of work: leather marquetry. Slim tesserae cut from different coloured leathers previously trimmed to just 0.5 mm thick are individually juxtaposed on the dial. This patient craftsmanship is complemented by delicately applied sequins. Six tiny, precisely selected shiny discs are pierced and sewn together with copper wire. As a final touch, the details of the harness are meticulously hand-painted on the leather.

Housed in a case measuring 38 mm in diameter, the Manufacture Hermès H1912 movement reveals the finishing and the ‘sprinkling of Hs’ pattern adorning its bridges and oscillating weight through the sapphire crystal caseback. A sakura pink or electric blue Swift calfskin strap complements the lively tones of these two watches, respectively issued in 24-piece editions.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
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Hermès Arceau Belles du Mexique

An ode to joy and movement. A dial where time dances and gives life to the mischievous, colourful Arceau Belles du Mexique.

There are two core elements in any dance: movement and rhythm. The Arceau Belles du Mexique watch pays tribute to the men and women who perpetuate the tradition of the hat dance. Originally from Jalisco, the central Mexican region on the shores of the Pacific, it features these dancers, renowned for the relative immobility of their torsos contrasting with frantic footwork. They are depicted from above on a Hermès silk scarf released in 2017. The virtuoso design celebrates dance, movement and exhilaration.

The Arceau Belles du Mexique watch places this motif inside in a round, 38 mm-diameter white gold case. The dancers’ agility is showcased, as seven of them arranged around the hours and minutes are mobile and whirl freely in step with wrist movements. Watchmakerchoreographer Hermès thus stages a show combining body movement mastery with total freedom of expression – the very def inition of a choreography whose gestures are codif ied and that each dancer executes according to his or her own sensitivity. This free, colourful circle dance is performed around a ring of 23 diamonds surrounding the central hours and minutes hands. Like the seven others surrounding them, these dancers are entirely hand-crafted. Their relief is created by successive individual layers of paint. All fourteen dancers are then applied to the base of a painted dial.

The seven central figures are mounted on a free axis that makes them twirl at the slightest movement. The other seven catch and hold the light emanating from a bezel set with 82 diamonds. They are the motionless spectators of a central scene where the hat dance vies with the dance of time for the privilege of ticking off the hours and minutes. Beneath the stage beats a selfwinding movement that perpetually charges the watch with new energy. The poet Virgil was so right when he wrote that spirit endows matter with movement.

Numbered limited edition of 12.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of HERMÈS
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Hublot MP-15 Takashi Murakami

FLORAL SAPPHIRE AND CENTRAL TOURBILLON: HUBLOT UNVEILS THE MP-15, DEVELOPED WITH TAKASHI MURAKAMI

With just 50 pieces available, the MP-15 is the first limited edition Hublot watch with a central flying tourbillon. This quirky, playful, yet high-tech model offers a magnificent interpretation of the visual effects of sapphire.

According to the adage, the dial is the face of the watch. Yet, on the MP-15 Takashi Murakami, there is no dial in the true sense. For this model, Hublot has fused the case, movement and dial in a unique arrangement.

In the dial’s customary location sits the complication, with the hands occupying a peripheral position. At the centre, Hublot’s first series-produced central flying tourbillon – unique and different from anything the Manufacture has created in its 40 years.

It is surrounded by Takashi Murakami’s iconic motif, a flower composed of 12 petals made entirely of sapphire. The flower features soft curves and bold, generous volumes. Hublot’s aim was to create absolute transparency in order to maximise the luminosity of the MP-15: sapphire case, sapphire case-back, sapphire crown, translucent flange and strap. The sun will never merely shine on this floral work of art: it will pass straight through it, illuminating its curves and reliefs.

This central flying tourbillon features an impressive power reserve of 150 hours, almost a full week, an exceptional technical achievement for this type of complication. To enable it to be fully wound, Hublot has created a special stylus. Supplied with the piece, for which it has been specially designed, and rechargeable via a USB socket, the stylus is placed on the crown, which it winds through 100 revolutions smoothly and easily until both barrels that drive the central tourbillon are fully wound. The position of the latter embodies its function: a visual pleasure, visible at all times. Takashi Murakami has ably underlined its mischievous nature by incorporating two twinkling eyes and a broad smile.

Around the edge, the hours and minutes are indicated by the tips of two hands. These are peripheral, rather than central. Aficionados will appreciate the technical feat: the hands literally pass beneath the tourbillon cage, in a bold affront to the basic principles of traditional watchmaking science. Here, the escapement and the hour and minute hands vie for position in a single central space. To accommodate them, the cannon pinion and the hour wheel had to be pivoted around the tourbillon support by creating a co-axial construction.

Hublot has also designed its tourbillon without an upper bridge. All of its components are skeletonised. This makes it easy to appreciate just how much work has gone into developing the MP-15, in which some of the gears and all of the tourbillon components – which appear to float in space – are visible.


The deeply innovative MP-15 nevertheless features the standard markers that enable it to be worn and read naturally and easily. Twelve white indices appear on the flange, while black-plated hands with white SuperLuminova guarantee perfect legibility both day and night. The model is traditionally wound and set using a crown at 3 o’clock. Moreover, the modest 42 mm diameter of this piece makes it supremely easy to wear, not least thanks to its integrated rubber strap which offers optimal comfort.

LoL, Sandra


«Up until now, my work has focused on colour new chapter focussing on absolute transparency. The forms and volumes are perceived completely differently. With Hublot, we were able to preserve the individuality of my floral motif, but with a unique and different identity which was purer and perfectly in tune with Hublot’s mechanical universe. I’m very proud of the result!»
Takashi Murakami

Photos: © Hublot #Hublot
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Hermès Kelly Watch

The padlock-shaped Kelly watch appears in a whole new light expressing its free-spirited attitude.

On a slender metal bracelet, set with diamonds or worn as a sautoir, the Kelly watch born in 1975, is reinvented in a light- hearted way. This mischievious, daring and fashionable jewellery watch reveals new facets of its femininity in motion. Inspired by the emblematic handbag designed by Robert Dumas in the 1930s, its ideally sized padlock case lends itself to new ways of being worn. The clean-cut lines and original gemsetting approaches reaffirm the rigorous yet playful style of this Hermès watchmaking icon.

An elegant rose gold or steel bracelet composed of elaborate metalwork embraces the wrist in a delightfully companionable manner. Its links pick up the design of the legendary four-studded clasp serving to secure and open the padlock.

Adorned with diamonds or fine regular striations, the case beautifully frames a dial in natural white mother-of-pearl on the rose gold models and in spangled white lacquer on the steel models. The gemset watches feature a diamond at 12 o’clock, matched by studded hour-markers, echoing the decoration on the clasp. The distinctively daring Kelly watch plays with complete freedom on its pluralistic nature.

I am completely obsessed with this watch and had to share it with you!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
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The 1931 Golden Flowers

Continuing to expand its cultural universe, Jaeger-LeCoultre announces the latest instalment in its Made of Makers program: a new collaboration with Brendi Wedinger, a Los Angeles-based multi- media artist recognised for her work in 3D digital arts, sculpture and floristry, to celebrate the design of Reverso.

Expanding the Dialogue Between Watchmaking and the Arts
Through a series of collaborations with artists, designers and craftsmen from disciplines outside watchmaking, Made of Makers explores and extends the dialogue that naturally exists between horology and art. The programme focuses on artists who share Jaeger-LeCoultre’s values of creativity, expertise and precision, with nature at its core, exploring new forms of artistic expression through different and often unexpected materials and media. Like the watchmakers of La Grande Maison, these artists and innovators have a deep respect for the past as their creative foundation and a springboard for their trailblazing work. This year, Jaeger-LeCoultre further explores the world of contemporary art with an unexpected new collaboration.

A Distinctive Artistic Vision that Unites Nature with Technology
Based in Los Angeles, Brendi Wedinger is a multi-disciplinary artist and designer whose three-dimensional, digital artworks blur the boundary between real life and fantasy. Taking inspiration from nature as her primary theme – with an emphasis on biodiversity, sustainability and renewal, and a particular love of flowers – she combines various elements to form a new and surreal visual reality that is almost tangible, occasionally abstract, often highly sculptural, and always emotionally captivating.

While the virtual world of Brendi Wedinger’s art and the technical tools employed to create it, appear to be the antithesis of the organic world that she portrays, a strong affinity with traditional craftsmanship underpins her creative process.

«Rather than using a computer programme to design the work from the outset, I always begin by using the technical tools to hand-sculpt the larger three-dimensional elements, such as the petals of a flower, and hand-draw the fine details. Once I have completed this stage, I use a lot of mathematical equations to create textures, transparency and layering effects,» she explains. «What drew me to the digital medium is that it gives me more tools to play with and a wider scope for experimentation, so that my work becomes a more expressive homage to nature rather than a literal representation of it.»

New 3-D Artworks Inspired by the Flora of the Vallée de Joux
For each Made of Makers collaboration, Jaeger-LeCoultre commissions an original work, inviting the artist to express a theme of interest to the Maison through their particular craft. Given Brendi Wedinger’s deep affinity with the natural world it was self-evident that the theme of the new work would be nature – one of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s core values – and flowers, specifically.

Like all Made of Makers collaborators, before starting work on the commission Brendi Wedinger spent time at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux, discovering the crafts of watchmaking and exploring the natural world that surrounds the Manufacture. She combined elements from every aspect of the visit to create her new work – a series of three surrealistic flowers.

«Everything about that visit – from the wildflowers in the fields, to the incredible complexity and tiny scale of the watch components and the patience and skill of all the different craftsmen in the Manufacture – was like a romantic fantasy world, so far from the lightning-fast pace of modern life,» says Brendi Wedinger. «Aside from the natural beauty of the valley, I felt very inspired by the high- complication watches and the unique details you find in them. I wanted the flowers to be complex and one-of-a kind, like the watches, with all of the beauty and immense detail that can be found in both.»

Each of the three creations is an idealised homage to a variety of flowers found in the Vallée de Joux throughout the changing seasons, rather than a particular species that exists in nature.

«When people look more deeply at each work, they will see that every element is recognisable and traceable to a natural flower, but I remixed and layered the details to emphasise their surreal nature,» Brendi Wedinger explains.

Another important element of the commission was that the flowers should be (digitally) rendered in one of the precious metals used at Jaeger-LeCoultre, which creates a hyper-realistic illusion of the shadows and reflections created by light falling on polished gold, further amplifying the surreal effect. In creating this work, the artist has deliberately played with contrasting notions – the opposition between the organic softness of nature and the cold solidity of metal, the digital and the physical, the ephemeral and the static – adding subtle layers of tension and intrigue that heighten the emotional impact of each piece.

From Nature to Art…and Back to Nature
In a play on botanical tradition, the flowers have each been given official Latin names with formal English counterparts. Linking them back to the Maison’s history, Jaeger-LeCoultre has added an official name to each flower, which pays tribute to the Reverso’s year of origin. Thus, elements of poppy, alpine pasque and grass of parnassus have been combined to create Flos Montis Fluit (Flower of the Mountain Flows), known as the 1931 Golden Poppy. Poet’s daffodil, red hemp nettle and late spider orchid are blended to create Gemma Vallis (The Jewel of the Vallee), known as the 1931 Golden Orchid. For the third flower, water mint, pincushion flower and alpine thistle have been combined to create Rhapsodia Petalorum Alpinorum (The Rhapsody of Alpine Petals), known as the 1931 Golden Thistle.

Further blurring the lines between the real and surreal, Jaeger-LeCoultre commissioned a French plant breeder to identify a flower that closely resembles the form of the 1931 Golden Orchid and to breed a hybrid exclusively for the Maison. Named the 1931 White Orchid, it is a natural and physical representation of Brendi Wedinger’s art piece. The flowers – in both their physical and virtual forms – will become part of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s visual identity and seen in a wide variety of initiatives in the future.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Jaeger-LeCoultre
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Hublot Classic Fusion High Jewelry 2023 Watch

The latest addition to Hublot’s High Jewelry collection of watches is a Classic Fusion High Jewellery 42 mm. Combining iconic design with the most remarkable gem-setting techniques, the watch is embellished with baguette-cut diamonds and enhanced with sleek lines of white gold.


The highest form of sophistication is simplicity, so Hublot has chosen to go back to basics and to the very shape that epitomised its creation in 1980. The result is now one that offers an acclaimed expression of high jewelry, accentuating the timeless purity of the Classic Fusion model. What a stunning piece! Master gem-setters have brought this new Classic Fusion High Jewellery 2023 to life with no fewer than 431 baguette-cut diamonds—around 14.6 carats in total. These gemstones adorn the watch’s case, bezel, dial and clasp. On the dial alone, it took 120 hours of painstaking, meticulous work to set the 241 baguette-cut diamonds. That’s almost three weeks of full-time work! Then came the task of setting the 60 additional diamonds around the bezel.

The 42-mm case is set with 94 baguette-cut diamonds and contains the HUB1710 calibre, which is visible from the back of the watch through the sapphire glass. The self-winding movement oscillates at a frequency of 4 Hz (or 28,800 alterations per hour), offering a power reserve of no fewer than 50 hours.

Of course, watchmaking of this quality must be perfect in every detail: even the black rubber-lined alligator strap features a deployant buckle adorned with 36 baguette-cut diamonds.

All in all, it takes over 200 hours to set all the 431 diamonds that grace this exceptional piece of high jewellery, the perfect fusion of watchmaking excellence and jewellery artisanship. The Hublot Classic Fusion High Jewellery watch is available for CHF 330’000.00.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot #Hublot
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