Sandra‘s Closet

Chopard Alpine Eagle Eden Rock St Barths: 100 Reasons to Book a Flight

You cannot buy these watches in Geneva. Not in Paris, not in Zurich. Chopard’s four new Alpine Eagle Eden Rock – St Barths editions, each limited to 25 pieces, are sold in exactly one place on earth: at Eden Rock St Barths itself. I call that the most elegant sales strategy of the year.

Full disclosure: I am hopelessly biased. Eden Rock is one of my favourite hotels in the world, and I treasure the memory of being there with David Matthews, whose family turned this rocky promontory above St Jean Bay into Caribbean legend.

Chopard Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele I have known for years. One of my favourite photos shows us on a boat together with Anna Netrebko and Petra Němcová. So yes, this collaboration speaks to me on every level.

The watches themselves? Pure Alpine Eagle, dressed for the islands. 36 mm with diamond set bezels or 41 mm in clean polished metal, in Lucent Steel™ – Chopard’s high-performance alloy with an 80% recycled content – or 18 karat ethical rose gold. The white iridescent dials carry the collection’s signature sunburst inspired by an eagle’s iris, while a red seconds hand winks at the hotel’s famous red and white identity.

The sapphire caseback is engraved with the Eden Rock name, and both COSC certified movements, the 09.01-C and the 01.15-C, deliver the precision Chopard is known for.

Caroline says, «she wanted each piece to feel like a warm Caribbean breeze carried on the wings of the Alpine Eagle.» After last year’s Happy Sport edition, this is the second chapter between the Maison and the hotel, and clearly not the last.

Alpine soul, island light. See you in St Barths.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Watches: © Chopard
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Since 1978, the Arceau collection has been celebrating asymmetrical lines, equestrian inspiration and the exploration of watchmaking craftsmanship. Beneath its apparent simplicity, the round case provides a veritable canvas for design. With the Arceau Cavalier en Formes watch, time combines sophisticated horological complications with the decorative arts.

Set directly onto the dial, a sapphire crystal graced with a dainty miniature painting on either side portrays a scene comprising various layers of radiant fragments and subtle shades. Finely engraved leaves unfurl and the surface is enlivened by hand-painted blue flat-colour blocks in square and round shapes. An engraved yellow gold horse stands out at the heart of this visually balanced depiction. Through the interplay of superimposed engraving, painting and transparency, the dial captures the light and reveals an almost sculptural depth.

In Gianpaolo Pagni’s intriguing design, a rider concealed beneath a set of circles and squares is vividly suggested through these cubist-style shapes. Originally conceptualised for a silk scarf, this graphic composition finds a new setting here while losing nothing of its evocative power. The artist was inspired by an equestrian lithograph from the Émile Hermès collection, choosing to retain only the mount before recomposing the figure of the rider into geometric motifs.

This pictorial dance is performed above a Lift tourbillon positioned at 6 o’clock, with a carriage picking up the «double H» motif of the historic lift in the Hermès boutique at 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris.

Invisible to the eye yet essential to the soul of the timepiece, a minute repeater orchestrated by the hand-wound H1924 movement lends its voice to the watch. Presented in a 43 mm white gold case and issued in a limited edition of six, the Arceau Cavalier en Formes is adorned with a bleu abysse alligator strap, crafted in the Hermès workshops.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
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Between Parisian effortless elegance and Brazilian ease, Isabel Marant and Havaianas unveil their first limited-edition collaboration, imagined as the must-have of the summer.

The collection introduces two distinct silhouettes: a reinterpretation of Havaianas’ classic styles through Isabel Marant’s signature prints and textured finishes, bringing a refined yet directional edge to the brand’s iconic designs; alongside the new Havaianas Puffed, adding bold volume and a contemporary edge while preserving the comfort and lightness that define the brand.

Designed to move seamlessly between beach destinations and city streets, the collection captures a relaxed yet elevated vision of summer dressing, where ease, personality, and style naturally converge.

Here is your exclusive early access to discover and shop the collection online ahead of its official in-store and online launch on May 22.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Isabel Marant and Havaianas
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Gabriela Hearst and Paul Smith release a limited edition collection, developed organically from a mutual passion for craftsmanship and tailoring.

The collection came to fruition from their longstanding friendship, stemming from a shared inspiration of family with archival images of Paul’s father serving as the narrative thread, reflecting their personal histories and the values that connect them.

Reflecting on the essence of the Gabriela Hearst woman, Paul Smith instinctively returned to two photographs taken in the British countryside by his father – a textile professional and amateur lensman – during the 1950s and 1960s. One captures the quiet majesty of a mountain; the other, the fluid movement of a waterfall. Nature has influenced Hearst’s work since the beginning, in both spirit and practice. A long-time admirer of Paul Smith’s work, she grew up on a ranch in Uruguay where objects were made to last and every piece had a purpose.

Across fourteen men’s and women’s pieces, traditional tailoring becomes a canvas for exploration. Silk satin trench coats and bias-cut slip dresses evoke shifting horizons. Virgin wool barré suiting carries all-over landscape prints. And soft cashmere crewnecks in spaced-dyed Welfat yarn are hand-knit by Manos del Uruguay, a nonprofit cooperative supporting economic independence for women in rural communities.

The limited-edition collection is now available at Gabriela Hearst flagship stores in Beverly Hills, New York,and London, and at gabrielahearst.com as well at Paul Smith boutiques and paulsmith.com.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gabriela Hearst / Paul Smith
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Royal Pop: I Called It. And Here Is What Comes Next.

Well. The watch world just got its answer and I have to say, I called the pocket watch. If you read last week’s post, you know I spotted the lanyard and the «clac!» for exactly what they were: a nod to the original 90s Pop Swatch, the one you could clip, hang and wear any way you wanted. That modular DNA is alive and well in 2026.

The Royal Pop turns out to be a collection of eight Bioceramic pocket watches, priced at CHF 350 and CHF 375 depending on the configuration, powered by a new hand-wound SISTEM51 movement with 90 hours of power reserve. Two case styles: the Lépine with the crown at 12, and the Savonnette with the crown at 3 and a small seconds subdial. Eight colorways, Royal Oak octagonal bezel, Tapisserie dial, eight screws. Everything you hoped for, just not on your wrist.

And yes, two of the models look remarkably like the AI concepts I created right here on Sandra’s Closet.

At launch there is no official strap option, but I am convinced that dedicated watch straps will follow as accessories, allowing the Royal Pop to sit on the wrist as well. That would complete the concept beautifully.

What excites me most though is the bag charm potential. The Royal Oak silhouette in BioCeramic, in eight pop colors, hanging from your bag? That is not a watch anymore. That is a statement piece. And that market is enormous.

One more detail worth noting: Audemars Piguet is donating 100% of its proceeds to support the next generation of watchmaking talent. For a maison built on independence and savoir-faire, that is exactly the right footnote on the most unconventional thing it has ever put its name to.

The Royal Pop drops on May 16 exclusively in selected Swatch boutiques worldwide. One watch per person, per store, per day. No online sales at launch. The full list of participating stores can be found here.
So – would you queue for one?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Swatch and © Sandra Bauknecht
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Ralph Lauren and the USPS Just Made Stamps Worth Collecting
For nearly six decades, Ralph Lauren has been synonymous with American style. Now he is leaving his mark on something even more quintessentially American: the postage stamp.

To celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service invited the designer, and 2025 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, to curate «American Icons,» a 13-stamp commemorative pane. It is the first time in USPS history that a single individual has been handed the creative reins over an entire official stamp issuance, and the result feels exactly as considered and layered as you would expect from Lauren.

The pane draws from his personal archives and the visual touchstones that have shaped his career over the decades. Twelve stamps line the outer edges, each one a quiet portrait of American life: Jackie Robinson’s worn baseball glove, a Diné blanket woven by Naiomi Glasses, a pickup truck, the Empire State Building. At the centre sits a 13th stamp, larger and anchoring the entire composition, featuring Lauren’s own knit flag design framed in blue denim and marked simply «1776 to 2026.»

Separately, the USPS is also releasing a 2026 U.S. Flag Mail Use Stamp, its design pulled directly from the distinctive knit texture of Lauren’s iconic Flag Sweater.

A Ralph Lauren project without a wearable counterpart would be incomplete, and so a limited edition capsule collection launches globally on June 9, the day of the official dedication ceremony. The lineup brings back a reimagined American Flag Sweater alongside a classic Polo Shirt and a tailored Ball Cap, each piece rooted in the same heritage the stamps celebrate.

The stamps are available now for pre-order through USPS locations and online. The apparel drops June 9 at select Ralph Lauren stores and on ralphlauren.com.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren #AmericanIconsStamps
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It’s summer 2026 at its brightest, giving expression to every style: this season, the Louis Vuitton Resort Collection journeys through the many facets of a summer’s day. In the spirit of the summer holidays, this wardrobe, featuring ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes and accessories, lends itself to seaside play, chic getaways and sunset cocktails.

A day at the beach

Drawing on a sporty-chic aesthetic, this summer wardrobe mixes vibrant colours and surfer vibes, always elevated by Louis Vuitton’s chic and creative twist.

A terry-knit summer ensemble with Bermuda shorts pairs effortlessly with backless loafers. Deep-hued orange and pink tie-dye polo shirts sport a macramé Louis Vuitton patch. An oversized jersey T-shirt featuring a half-eaten ice lolly print slips over a neo-sixties swimsuit with a Monogram floral print, finished with a cap and a sand-coloured leather vanity case in hand. A denim playsuit with the Monogram motif plays off the LV Mare thong sandals in orange or fuchsia leather, adorned with gold-tone LV initials, partially overlaid with leather.

Carrying their boards decorated with Monogram flowers and an ocean blue LV, vintage-chic surfer girls seek out the best spot, sporting a tied triangle swim top and shorts with a smocked waist and micro-flower print. Their sand-coloured canvas Antigua tote features a V-shaped leather patch and a luggage tag in the shape of a yacht buoy.

A hallmark design this season, the limited-edition Ace Ball will entice collectors. Reminiscent of a volleyball made from 18 leather and Monogram canvas panels, it brings together playful creativity and exceptional craftsmanship.

Another collector piece, the Bag-Alow is a nod to California beach bungalows. Crafted from leather and adorned with refined details, this bag is shaped like the stilt houses found along the American West Coast, distilling the excellence of Louis Vuitton’s savoir faire.

Accessories infuse this LV summer with a playful touch, from terry bucket hats in vibrant hues to rose-tinted Monogram sunglasses. LV Cube necklaces in enamelled stone composite with colourful rhinestones and Damier engravings draw inspiration from the House’s archival Patéki game, an avant-garde puzzle designed by Gaston-Louis Vuitton in 1932.

A holiday getaway

Ideal for exploring the Riviera by motorcycle, bike or even convertible, denim is an elegant and contemporary staple, expressed through jeans, a peplum top or baggy shorts, coordinated with cropped polo shirts or youthful tennis skirts. In footwear, the LV Sneakerina offers a new rubber sole for enhanced comfort and a sleek style.

A must-have for a summer excursion, the Alma BB bag in Epi leather comes in flashy colours, finished with a colourful braided cord and enamelled charms.

For a romantic mood, thin-strap dresses trimmed with scalloped lace revive the charm of vintage linens, accented with LV embroidery revisiting the monogrammed initials of a traditional trousseau. Inspired by the 1982 Picnic Trunk, the iconic Capucines bag is imagined in a basket version made from handwoven rattan using traditional French savoir faire.

The elegant nonchalance of day pyjamas with Palazzo pants in pastel peach silk lends itself to any outing, accessorised with the Speedy LV Stamp. Pairing a signature chain with fine-striped canvas and a mini Monogram, the bag showcases a circular seal in baby pink, stamped with the historic trunk inscription: Louis Vuitton Trunks & Bags. Inside, it reveals a delightfully fresh vintage-inspired floral pattern.

Cocktails at sunset

Echoes of this sun-drenched day linger into cocktail hour with the collection’s silk prints. In Louis Vuitton’s summer garden, floral arabesques and ornamental chain details define lustrous silk patterns on a shirt-and-shorts ensemble, a shirt dress, an asymmetrical short dress, as well as on square silk scarves designed to be worn in your hair. On your arm, the Minigram bag in supple calf leather, elevated by a small-scale Monogram, comes in ethereal colours – light pink, banana yellow and hazelnut – capturing the energy of free-spirited, contemporary youth.

Finally, aesthetes who favour black in summer against sun-kissed skin can slip on a little black evening dress with details borrowed from lingerie, together with a sculptural pendant necklace in gold-tone metal, echoing the jewels on the LV Treasure thong sandals. In your hand, the Capucines Sunbeam bag catches the eye with its multicoloured beads and hand-assembled jewel chain. Now, nothing stands in the way of your summer night.

Personally speaking, I am completely obsessed with these four collector’s items, Match Point bag charm (€ 950), The It Can (€ 2000), Bag-Alow (€ 4500), and Ace Bag (€ 4000).

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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A Return to Time: Notes from Watches and Wonders Geneva

There are few places where time feels as tangible as at Watches and Wonders Geneva. For one day, everything revolves around it, interpreted through craftsmanship, design, and an almost obsessive attention to detail.

This year, the fair revealed more than technical innovation. It signaled a shift in mood, subtle, but unmistakable.

Patek Philippe New Models 2026

BVLGARI celebrates old-school glamour with its newest Serpenti watches.

There is a clear return to old-school glamour and with it, a strong retro influence. Not nostalgia in its simplest form, but a deliberate reinterpretation of the past. Vintage codes are everywhere: softened silhouettes, intricate bracelets, and, most notably, the reappearance of the secret watch.

These pieces conceal their dials beneath decorative covers, blurring the line between jewelry and timekeeping. They are intimate, almost private objects, designed to be discovered rather than displayed. It is a language that echoes the elegance of earlier decades, yet feels entirely contemporary in its execution.

At the same time, craftsmanship is moving back to the center of the conversation. Not just as a technical necessity, but as a form of artistic expression. The level of detail, the patience, and the human touch behind these pieces feels more important than ever.

One example that stayed with me came from CHANEL. A chess set, already sold and therefore no longer on display in its final form, was presented through prototypes. Each figure was meticulously crafted, with the Gabrielle Chanel silhouette wearing a tweed jacket, entirely set with diamonds, that emphasized the effect of the material. It was less an object and more a demonstration of what true craftsmanship can achieve: intricate, precise, and deeply intentional.

Audemars Piguet Etablisseurs Galets

At the same time, a structural shift within the industry is becoming increasingly visible. The market is stretching apart.

Van Cleef & Arpels is expanding its Jour Nuit collection with a new timepiece in honor of the Moon. Within the Midnight case, the watch features two overlapping complications: the first one animates the Jour/Nuit display, while the second one illustrates the actual Moon phase. 

BVLGARI

On one end, brands are leaning heavily into haute horlogerie, producing exceptional, highly complicated, and often extremely limited pieces. These watches are not simply products; they are statements of craftsmanship, created for collectors who value rarity as much as technical mastery. Prices reflect this shift, reaching levels that position these timepieces firmly within the realm of art and investment.

Celebrating 100 years of the Rolex Oyster with this beautiful and affordable Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 «Jubilee Edition».

On the other end, the more accessible segment remains present, but quieter, almost overshadowed by the spectacle of high-end innovation. The middle ground is thinning, and the contrast between the two extremes is becoming more pronounced.

A Testament to Métiers d’Art: Van Cleef & Arpels, with its latest Perlée Extraordinaire Fruits Enchantés collection, is capturing the ruby-red intensity of perfectly ripened raspberries.

Yet within this high-end focus, creativity is flourishing. Freed from the need to appeal to a broad audience, brands are allowing themselves to be more expressive, more daring, and more niche. Watchmaking, in this sense, is becoming increasingly cultural. These are no longer just instruments or even luxury goods, they are narratives, identities, and statements.

Collectors today are not simply buying watches; they are engaging with meaning.

Walking through the fair, it quickly becomes clear that the experience goes far beyond the watches themselves. Some booths are consistently extraordinary, fully immersive environments that tell their own story. Officine Panerai, known for its diving heritage, brought that world to life with a stand that felt like stepping into the depths.

Van Cleef & Arpels created something entirely different, a poetic garden, complete with a swing, where time seemed to slow down.

And Audemars Piguet offered a more introspective atmosphere, with a library-like setting that invited you to pause, reflect, and look closer.

I leaned into the spirit of the fair with a Moschino look, complete with a watch-shaped bag and a hat featuring a clock detail. A subtle nod to the theme of time, and one that, quite unexpectedly, drew a lot of attention throughout the day. I was frequently stopped, photographed, and even interviewed, an unusual but fitting part of the experience.

Yves Piaget with me (click here for a previous post from 2012).

Amidst all of this, it is often the quieter, more personal moments that stay the longest. Seeing Yves Piaget again was one of them. Having been for many years an ambassador for Piaget, it made the encounter feel all the more meaningful.

Relaunch of the Piaget cocktail ring collection, for which I hosted an private garden party in my house in 2013.

There was something genuinely special in being recognized, in that brief moment of familiarity within such a fast-moving environment. A small exchange, a shared memory, and somehow, it stays. I still have the Piaget rose.

Ulysse Nardin

And perhaps that is what defines the fair as much as the watches themselves. It is not just an industry event, it is a cultural moment, where craftsmanship meets storytelling, and where timepieces become part of a larger narrative.

I predict a huge success for the BVLGARI Octo Finissimo Watch in satin-polished 18 kt yellow gold case.

What remains after a full day is not simply a memory of products, but a clear impression:

The future of watchmaking may well lie in its past.

In craftsmanship over scale.
In rarity over ubiquity.
In intimacy over display.

And in the enduring desire to make time feel, once again, timeless.

Trying on Cartier‘s latest Bagnoire collection, that I am completely obsessed about.

Some of the most remarkable pieces deserve a closer look, and I’ll be returning to a few of them in more detail over the coming weeks.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Louis Vuitton unveils a new Horological Masterpiece: an Automata Watch that transcends time and imagination and that made me fall in love with it.

La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton shatters the codes of conventional watchmaking aesthetics with its latest in-house exploration of colour and movement. The Tambour Taiko Arty Automata embarks on new adventures through contemporary high watchmaking, in nimble pursuit of the unique rhapsodies of horological automata and grand feu enamel. Taking inspiration from the House’s numerous artist collaborations, the audacious dial design is characterised by the vibrant interplay of shape and form, evoking the springtime in all its sensorial splendor.

Since 2021, the finely honed use of horological automata has distinguished the exceptional high watchmaking creations of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Unmatched as a mechanical means of expression, horological automata have featured in milestone pieces such as the Carpe Diem and the Fiery Heart to amplify their inherent dynamism and technical mastery. The new Tambour Taiko Arty Automata is the latest timepiece to channel Louis Vuitton’s in-house expertise in complex animated dials, conveying a message of unrestrained delight and shared joy through generous volumes of brightly hued champlevé enamel. Driving the watch is the automatic in-house Calibre LFT AU05.01, developed and manufactured by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. A total of seven animated elements make up the dial automata, creating an expertly orchestrated mechanical dance, in addition to the continuous rotation of a one-minute tourbillon.

Within the confines of its 42mm white-gold case, the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata runs riot with colour and movement. A multi-tiered dial comprises 20 miniature elements spread over four different height levels, giving the watch its extraordinary richness of texture and dimension. On this artisanal canvas, luscious swirls of pastel shades create a subtle backdrop, while the hours and minutes stand out against a subdial tinted with the warmer end of the spectrum. Four Monogram Flowers with diamond pistils are scattered around the time display, gradient-blended and outlined in a palette reminiscent of 1970s-era sunburst tie-dye.

A flying tourbillon at the 6 o’clock position of the dial balances its ceaseless motion by introducing an emblem of harmony and repose. The upper tourbillon bridge is in the shape of the peace symbol, first designed in 1958 and subsequently adopted as visual shorthand for universal love. The word «LOVE» is prominently spelled out in pink enamel just above the tourbillon aperture, the fluid form of its letters evoking the spontaneity and authenticity of human emotion in the moment.

Most striking of all are the three elements to the left of the dial and their depth of detail, an eye with a dramatic fringe of lashes made from real feathers, a pair of glossy red lips with perfectly white teeth, and wedged between those teeth, a shiny candy-pink heart.

The ultra-sensorial design does not end with a static tableau, as multi-layered and visually captivating as it already is. It takes a single touch of its wearer to bring the Tambour Taiko Arty Automata to life.

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Arty Automata highlights exceptional hand craftsmanship, combining multiple artisanal techniques, most notably the complex champlevé enamel process.

This technique requires hollowing out surfaces, carefully layering enamel, and firing each color at specific temperatures in a precise sequence. Particularly challenging are the vivid red, pink, and purple tones, which are highly sensitive to heat. Creating elements like the glossy, curved lips on the dial demands multiple enamel layers and great expertise.

In total, the dial uses 23 enamel shades and requires over 250 hours of meticulous manual work, reflecting the rarity and technical mastery behind the piece.

Male model’s wrist size: 18cm/7.09 in
Female model’s wrist size: 15cm/5.91 in

The Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Arty Automata carries the reference W9WG71 and is offered as a limited edition through Louis Vuitton boutiques. The 42 mm white gold case is water-resistant up to 50 meters. The price is approximately $ 485,000, which corresponds to around € 420,000, depending on the market.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton Still life visuals: Ulysse Frechelin Know-how visuals: Piotr Stoklosa
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I am delighted to present Eclettica, Bvlgari’s latest High Jewelry and High-End Watches collection, unveiled this year in Milano as a bold expression of creativity, imagination and craftsmanship.

Eclettica, derived from the Italian word for «eclectic,» embodies Bvlgari’s philosophy of embracing contrasts, combining diverse inspirations and blending audacity with elegance. It represents a fearless approach to beauty, where artistic intuition guides technical mastery and imagination transcends traditional boundaries.

The collection brings together over 50 multimillion creations, including 14 transformable pieces, the highest number ever presented by the Maison and is crowned by nine exceptional High Jewelry «Capolavori» – masterpieces crafted from the world’s rarest gems with extraordinary skill and passion.

Rooted in Rome’s rich artistic heritage, Eclettica draws inspiration from sculpture, painting and architecture, transforming these disciplines into a creative playground. Designers and artisans explore form, color, light and structure to create pieces that are both technically extraordinary and emotionally expressive. Each work becomes wearable art, a dialogue between imagination and expertise where innovation and elegance coexist naturally.

Since its founding in 1884, Bvlgari has embraced eclecticism as a method rather than a style, turning contrasts into harmony and daring ideas into enduring beauty. Eclettica elevates this vision, offering High Jewelry and High-End Watches as a celebration of artistic freedom, visionary design and the Maison’s enduring pursuit of excellence.

Those pieces are true art. Let’s start dreaming …

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © BVLGARI
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