Sandra‘s Closet

Since clocks were first miniaturised to be carried or worn as watches, women have played a pivotal role in determining the aesthetic of time and the ways in which it is worn. Thanks to the pioneering spirit of its founder, LeCoultre & Cie recognised the tremendous aesthetic and technical potential of timepieces that could also be worn as jewels and accessories and, at an early stage in La Grande Maison’s history, began creating watches for women as well as men. Blending the arts of horology and jewellery, the Maison has continued to marry technical sophistication, creative design and aesthetic beauty in a process of constant evolution.

Underlining this commitment to feminine expressions of fine watchmaking, the Reverso – although originally conceived for the gentleman polo player – began to appear in feminine form very soon after its launch in 1931. Among the many variations were models that could be worn on a cordonnet bracelet or transformed into brooches, handbag clips or pendants. In 2023, presented at Watches & Wonders, Jaeger-LeCoultre takes this creative legacy to a new level, presenting a new interpretation of the Reverso in the form of a magnificent piece of High Jewellery – the Reverso Secret Necklace, which transforms the design icon into a graceful and exquisitely feminine sautoir, or long necklace.

The cordonnet, the original black textile bracelet (literal translation: fine or small cord) seen on Reverso models of the 1930s has been reimagined as a supple chain of intricate diamond-set links and polished onyx beads, from which a richly gem-set Reverso is suspended. Two pendants of polished onyx charms add a refined flourish to this elegant new way of wearing the time.

Among High Jewellery watches there is a long history of secret watches – watches with a gem-set cover hiding the dial until the wearer wishes to read the time. The swivelling case of the Reverso is a twist on this idea, concealing the time when turned over. Although initially designed for purely practical reasons, the blank metal flip side of the case offers almost limitless potential for decoration with gem-setting, enamelling or engraving.

Worn with the case back turned to the front, the Reverso Secret Necklace is a beautiful Art Deco-inspired jewel that conceals its secret power of time-telling until the wearer chooses to reveal it; worn with the front dial showing, it is an exquisite timepiece that hides its reverse side like an enchanting, personal pleasure. It is notable that while the dial appears to observers to be upside-down, it is set that way so that the wearer can read the time naturally as she lifts the watch to her line of sight.

Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the very few watchmaking Maisons to have its own Métiers Rares® (Rare Handcrafts) atelier, bringing multiple craft skills together in a specialised workshop within its Manufacture.

Recalling the Art Deco origins of the Reverso, the reverse side of the pink gold case is set with white diamonds and black onyx in an intricate pattern of geometric repeats, contrasting with the warm tone of the metal. Vertical rows of grain-set diamonds wrap around the convex sides of the case and frame the dial. Contrasting with the richness of black onyx and pink gold, the centre of the dial is set with white diamonds, as are the signature brackets that define each corner of the dial. With over 3,000 diamonds, the gem-setting on the Reverso Secret Necklace requires over 300 hours of meticulous work for our Métiers Rares® atelier artisans.

Concealed within the case, the movement that powers the Reverso Secret Necklace is testament to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s commitment to mechanical excellence. Developed and produced entirely in house and comprising 93 parts, the manually-wound Calibre 846 was created specifically for the Reverso and, in keeping with the Manufacture’s philosophy of product integrity, is shaped to follow the contours of the rectangular case.

The Reverso Secret Necklace is an exquisite creation that represents a rare and noble marriage of high jewellery, rare handcrafts and fine watchmaking.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Jaeger-LeCoultre
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The new Sixième Sens par Cartier collection showcases that extra touch of soul unique to High Jewellery, an expression of art that inspires like no other.

Trompe-l’oeil or graphic games, optical effects or evocative power, the compositions play with Earth’s gravity. Disrupting our perceptions, this collection draws us into a world where our senses are stimulated and awakened. Even our sixth sense, that exhilarating rush of emotion that touches the heart.

With the Imperio necklace, Cartier continues its reflection on movement: how do you give rhythm to a composition and create a sense of speed? To answer these questions, Cartier borrows from the codes of kinetic art. Lines of tension, brisk strokes, geometric shapes and mirrored construction.

Graphic patterns are further accentuated by colour contrasts such as the black of the onyx and the green of the emeralds.  A chromatic combination that has been part of the Maison’s stylistic repertoire since 1910 and which accentuates the effect of perspective. It all combines to confuse the gaze that converges on the central stone: an exceptional 23.55-carat Colombian emerald with no inclusions. This octagonal stone has a perfectly homogeneous green colour with bluish undertones that harmonise with the other emeralds. Since my visit to an emerald mine in Muzo, Colombia in 2015, I have so much appreciation and love for those amazing, powerful green stones.

Like every piece of Cartier High Jewellery, the choice of stones pays tribute to their beauty. All must meet the highest standards of excellence and quality set by the Maison’s experts. A duty and a responsibility, both social and environmental that Cartier has pioneered, by being committed from the very beginning in terms of sourcing coloured stones. Therefore the Maison is a founding member of the Responsible Jewellery council (RJC), an organisation created in 2005 that sets standards in the areas of social and environmental responsibility for the jewellery and watchmaking industry.

With almost thirty different ways to wear it, this was the challenge the Cartier design studio and workshops had to face. This approach to jewellery has been part of the Maison’s history since the appearance of the first headbands that could be transformed into necklaces and, around the 1920s, bracelets that could be dismantled into brooches. Each new High Jewellery collection is an opportunity for Cartier to push the boundaries of innovation and ingenuity.

This necklace allows itself to transform. It can be worn short, long, split in two to be worn either together or separately. Opt for the diamond or emerald alone as a pendant, multiple combinations further increased by the possibility of unfastening the triangular motif that can be worn as a brooch… When worn, the jewellery piece reinvents itself, divides its charms and multiplies its appearances.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier

You know that I have a big thing for rainbow watches and today I would like to present a new one that has absolutely caught my eye.
Since 2017, Hublot has been setting its watches with all the colours of the rainbow. However, the watch brand has never combined all of its seven colours in one piece. Until now! Two exceptional High Jewellery pieces adorned with the full rainbow spectrum, from the case to the dial and to the bracelet. Two Big Bang Tourbillon models made from King Gold or white gold, which allow a glimpse beneath the sapphire to reveal the fascinating automatic tourbillon manufacture movement.

While Hublot is now completely synonymous with its Art of Fusion, the watch brand is also a master of the Art of Colour. It excels at imbuing all the materials it uses with colour, from those it has built expertise in, such as sapphire, to those it has patented, like vibrantly coloured ceramic.

Polishing of the stone

With a Pop Art spirit and a penchant for bright tones, Hublot loves its watches to really show their colours. Juxtapositions, gradations, contrasts, no Pantone is out of reach – not even the palette required for «Rainbow Maximalism». While the Rainbow trend has recently taken the fashion world by storm, for Hublot, this love of polychromy is anything but fleeting – unlike the rainbow itself – with the first Big Bang Rainbow released in 2017.

Stone heating

This piece totals almost 36 carats, with 484 invisibly set baguette-cut stones of seven different types to echo the seven visible colours of the spectrum: bright red rubies, fuchsia pink sapphires, ultraviolet amethysts, topaz in Klein blue, leaf green tsavorites, lemon yellow sapphires and bright orange sapphires. Two striking creations with generous dimensions of 43 mm; two unique pieces crafted from King Gold or white gold, with the integrated bracelet further reinforcing the visual impact, as the graduated spectrum of colours radiates outwards from the bezel to the bracelet.

Gem setting

The colour gradation is expertly executed, subtle yet captivating. It would be impossible to choose a favourite colour or stone. It must be said that, when it comes to perfectly combining and harmonising colours, nature knows best. The continuous transition between the seven types of stones further accentuates the piece’s artistic appeal. To reproduce the perfection of nature takes 1200 hours of work, selecting the stones, choosing their colours, cutting them and setting them to ensure the perfect gradation of colours. Nothing is left to chance in this work of art, including its mechanism, a manufacture movement entirely designed and manufactured in-house. It features a tourbillon at 6 o’clock which is no less striking than the piece itself: self-winding, with a micro-rotor visible on the dial side, and three bridges made from transparent sapphire. Once again, Hublot has fused innovation with expertise, combining Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie in a truly stunning watch.

Multicoloured is no longer a fashion faux pas; rather a deliberate multifaceted style. With all the colours of the rainbow combined in a single watch, are you ready for a look versatile enough for your every mood?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot

This week, I was invited for Breakfast at Tiffany’s in Zurich to view their amazingly stunning travelling collection that will be here until the end of May 2019. Because it’s not every day you get to appreciate high jewellery pieces in person, I was extremely happy to explore those exquisite creations from the House of Tiffany. Needless to say, if they get sold, the travel will come to an end in Switzerland.

Have a look at this rare and refined jewelry that brilliantly blends beautiful gems and unparalleled craftsmanship. And as rare as they are, Tiffany & Co. invites you to discover those masterpieces.

Tiffany & Co. Traveling Collection – Green Tourmaline Handcuff
45,44 carat for the green tourmaline

Tiffany & Co. Traveling Collection – Necklace in Platinum with Emerald-Cut, Pear Shaped and Round Brilliant Diamonds of over 100 Carats
Each of the diamond strands varies in length and ends in pear-shaped diamonds to emulate the force of water rushing over the rim of the pavé diamond necklace.

Tiffany & Co. Travelling Collection – Round Diamond and Sapphire Ring
Central diamond of 5,05 carats, platinum ring

Tiffany & Co. Travelling Collection – Octopus Brooch in Platinum with a Baroque Pearl and Round Blue Sapphires and Diamonds
A beautifully formed and unusually large baroque pearl is masterfully transformed into an octopus. Set amid jeweled tentacles swirling with hand cut diamonds and sapphires, this lustrous gift of the sea takes on a powerful presence and playful spirit. The diamond tentacles are finished with bands of blue sapphires. Each stone is hand set along the curved surface, demonstrating the artisans’ skill in crafting this intricate design.

The best thing? Besides being able to ogle to your hearts’ content, mostly everything in the store sparkles beautifully, especially apt with Mother’s Day just around the corner, no? Treat the woman who does it all to a gift wrapped in the famous Blue Box. There are so many options in all price ranges…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Andrea Monica Hug (Instagram @andreamonicahug)
Stills: Courtesy of Tiffany & Co. – Photo of the Ring: © Sandra Bauknecht

Every second year, the Biennale des Antiquaires takes place in Paris in the gorgeous halls of the Grand Palais. Whenever I look at its sinuous, cast-iron Art Nouveau balconies and curlicue stairways, I feel like being in another century. Personally speaking, it is one of the most fascinating places in the French capital and I couldn’t imagine a better backdrop for the most important event in the jewelry calendar. I was invited by Piaget as in 2012 (for the previous post, please click here) and was able to discover the house’s amazingly beautiful EXTREMELY PIAGET collection firsthand.

For the 27th edition of the Biennale des Antiquaires, interior designer Jacques Grange paid homage to Versailles and its French gardens with flowerbeds and foliage. The most stunning part was the scented indoor fountain in the center under the gigantic glass dome that master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian had transformed into an olfactory experience.

At the Piaget booth, I indulged in the most stunning High Jewellery pieces you can imagine. This year, Piaget is celebrating its 140th anniversary and to celebrate this occasion, the company seeked inspiration for its EXTREMELY PIAGET collection from its stellar period in its creative history from the 1960s and 70s. The pieces are enhanced by the most precious materials: diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, hard stones and gold.

The collection is also characterized by great freedom of movement and multiple ways of beings worn. Personally speaking, it was the youngest and most modern collection at the Biennale des Antiquaires this year. You could easily imagine to wear it to a black tie gala or with jeans and a white tee like for example this beautiful bracelet with turquoises from Arizona above.

Let me show you my favorite pieces of the 125 that were presented:

Necklace in 18k white gold set with 46 turquoise beads (approx. 301cts), 48 chrysoprase beads (approx. 42cts), 1 emerald-cut cabochon (approx. 23.14cts), per-shaped chrysoprases, pear-shaped turquoises and brilliant-cut diamonds.

Sautoir exceptional High Jewellery watch in platinum set with 195 marquise-cut diamonds (approx. 66.20 cts), 282 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 33.20 cts), 35 cushion-cut diamonds (approx. 16.30 cts) and 16 pear-cut diamonds (approx. 7.60 cts).  Piaget 56P quartz movement.

Necklace in 18K white gold set with 84 blue sapphire beads from Sri Lanka(approx. 127.40 cts), 490 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 41.69 cts) and 1 cushion-cut emerald from Columbia(approx. 19.39 cts).

Sautoir watch fishnet mesh in 18K white gold set with 404 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 31.30 cts).  Piaget 56P quartz movement.

Bracelet in 18K pink gold set with 8 pink opal plates (approx. 23.25 cts), 18 turquoise beads (approx. 5.31 cts) and 220 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.81 cts).

Cuff watch in 18K white gold set with 1’699 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 20.50 cts) (snow-setting). Natural opal dial. Piaget 56P quartz movement.

Ear cuffs in 18K white gold set with 28 marquise-cut diamonds (approx. 11.59 cts) and 20 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 4.48 cts).

Ring with a sapphire (approx. 7 cts) and 10 diamonds in pear cut and 2 marquise diamonds (approx. 7.5 cts together).

I fell not only in love with this piece… The EXTREMELY PIAGET collection marks the continuity of the brand’s presence in the world of High Jewellery. The 1960s and 70s were some of their most innovative years – and the same is true of 2014. Congratulations, Piaget, for this amazing collection!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht