Sandra‘s Closet

The Louis Vuitton Escales Autour du Monde collection continues to be inspired by the world’s most evocative destinations – and now travels to the land of the rising sun with the Escale au Mont Fuji.

After discovering the Amazon rainforest and Paris the next stop on the Escales Autour du Monde pocket watch collection is the Far East, and one of the world’s most breathtaking landmarks.
The Escale au Mont Fuji pocket watch is an ode to Japan, where the sun rises behind the famed Mount Fuji, illuminating the sky in a gorgeous pastel palette that evokes a peaceful spring dawn. This scene is celebrated through the pocket watch’s Jacquemart mechanism, minute repeater, and tourbillon, alongside the most exceptional Métiers d’Art.

Like all the one-off haute horlogerie masterpieces in the Escales Autour du Monde collection, this latest novelty was imagined and crafted at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Based in Geneva, the facility’s in-house La Fabrique des Boîtiers (case making), La Fabrique des Mouvements (movement components making) and La Fabrique des Arts (dial making and Métiers d’Art) all united to create this one-of-a-kind, haute horlogerie masterpiece.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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True to its original «square within a rectangle» outlines, the HERMÈS Cape Cod watch redefines the contours of an iconic design.

Born of Henri d’Origny’s bold pencil strokes and inspired by the anchor-chain link, the Cape Cod watch appears in revised proportions vividly showcasing its personality. Endowed with the same graphic typology, visual language and timeless sassiness, the new Cape Cod features all the architectural vocabulary of its 1991 predecessor, reinterpreted with exquisite finesse in a «mini» version.

Appearing in a 27 x 20 mm format that accentautes the curve of its case and its finishes, sometimes smooth and at others shiny, gem-set or polished, this watch with its iconic link is available in steel or yellow gold. The argenté, étoupe or ardoise dials lend their understated elegance to the steel case, while the yellow gold version glows with a doré or Rouge H hue. Crafted in the Hermès Horloger workshops, a single or double tour strap in Swift calfskin or Chamkilight goatskin highlights the subtle nuances of each individual dial.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
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SWATCH x GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION

Pulsing with the creativity of legendary artists, the Swatch x Guggenheim Collection brings art to everyday life. Discover the four masterpieces captured as vibrant art-inspired watches and turn time into a captivating art journey.

MONET’S PALAZZO DUCALE
Inspired by Claude Monet’s The Palazzo Ducale, Seen from San Giorgio Maggiore (1908), this watch features Venice’s iconic palace on the dial. When exposed to UV light, the dial glows vibrant orange, evoking the city’s radiant beauty.

Monet’s The Palazzo Ducale CHF 100 – Monet’s The Palazzo Ducale Pay CHF 110

KLEE’S BAVARIAN DON GIOVANNI
Paul Klee’s whimsical geometry and symbolic forms from The Bavarian Don Giovanni (1919) are playfully displayed on this timepiece. A special calendar wheel changes color daily reflecting the artist’s ever-changing inspirations.

Klee’s Bavarian Don Giovanni CHF 90

POLLOCK’S ALCHEMY
Pollock’s revolutionary poured technique from Alchemy (1947) is captured in details printed across this watch’s dial and strap. A raw expression of freedom, it reflects the artist’s bold, avant-garde spirit.

Pollock’s Alchemy CHF 100

DEGAS’S DANCERS
A tribute to Edgar Degas’s masterpiece Dancers in Green and Yellow (1903), this art-inspired timepiece echoes the artist’s focus on the ballet dancers’ body language. Luminous hues infuse the watch with a sense of fluid motion.

Degas’s Dancers CHF 90

Swatch was a true collector’s icon when I was young, and I still own many of those pieces today. Seeing collaborations like the Guggenheim collection makes me believe the next Swatch revival is already on its way.

The Swatch x Guggenheim Collection is now available online and in Swatch stores worldwide.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Swatch
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise! Four masters. One collection. Paul Klee, The Bavarian Don Giovanni, 1919. © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York ​- Jackson Pollock, Alchemy, 1947. © Pollock-Krasner Foundation / 2024, ProLitteris, Zurich​ – Edgar Degas, Dancers in Green and Yellow, ca. 1903​ – Claude Monet, The Palazzo Ducale, Seen from San Giorgio Maggiore, 1908​

Hublot and legendary brand Yohji Yamamoto unite once again to redefine the art of black. For the fourth time since their first collaboration in 2020, they elevate black from a color to the Classic Fusion Yohji Yamamoto All Black Camo. A limited edition of 300 pieces where every texture and contrast are intentional. Matte black ceramic sculpts the 42mm case into light and depth, a monochrome camouflage pattern adds rhythm and motion while fabric and rubber fuse seamlessly on the strap.

This collaboration is more than fashion or watchmaking. It’s about vision. About how far you can strip something down to its essence. Both Hublot and Yohji Yamamoto have built their legacies on the same foundation: questioning the meaning of luxury. Both create through deconstruction. Hublot first broke Swiss tradition in 1980 with its Art of Fusion, blending gold with rubber, innovation with heritage. Since its debut at the Paris Fashion Week in 1981, Yohji Yamamoto redefined the conventions of fashion, using black as a response against excess and fashion’s norms.

For both creators, black is not absence, it is essence. Hublot pioneered the All Black concept in 2006, where light is defined by volume and texture, beyond its color. When Yohji Yamamoto first presented the collection in Paris in 1981, the black silhouettes were seen as revolutionary, an anti-fashion statement that freed creation from decoration. At Hublot, black is sculpted through material: matte ceramics, smoked sapphire, surfaces that play with shadow. For Yohji Yamamoto, black is woven through fabric: wool, silk, cotton layered to breathe and shift. Both treat black as visible and invisible.

Camouflage, reimagined in Yohji Yamamoto’s language, becomes a study in movement and material. On the Classic Fusion Yohji Yamamoto All Black Camo, the pattern appears as monochrome relief, black on black, dynamic under changing light.

« Black is modest and arrogant at the same time » affirmed Yohji Yamamoto.

The 42mm matte black ceramic case absorbs light and sculpts shadow. The black-on-black camouflage dial shifts subtly with movement, alive with contrast. The smoked sapphire caseback unveils the MHUB1110 Hublot automatic calibre and its skeletonized rotor while preserving a monochrome mystery. The strap, crafted from fabric and rubber, echoes the Japanese designer’s tactile couture and Hublot’s technical precision. The signature of Yohji Yamamoto is incorporated into the design of each of the 300 custom All Black boxes.

The new Classic Fusion Yohji Yamamoto All Black Camo is available at a selection of Hublot points of sale and online at hublot.com.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot 
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Framed by white gold, the profile of a horse stands out in coloured pad printing against an azure enamel sky.

The stylised reinterpretation of a horse by designer Dimitri Rybaltchenko, the house’s partner in dreamy creativity, echoes Hermès’ 2025 theme, Drawn to craft. It is an open invitation to travel and wonderment. On the dial of the Slim d’Hermès Cheval brossé watch, its design hovering between dreams and reality is artistically revealed through enamelling and pad printing.

Designed in 2015 by Philippe Delhotal, the Slim d’Hermès expresses the very essence of the house: a singularity composed of rigour discipline and balance.The radiant sky takes shape beneath the artisan’s meticulous touch, using a brush to apply a blue enamel base: crushed coloured glass powder mixed with natural oils, dried and fired in the kiln to stabilise the pigments.

The horse’s profile is then applied in successive layers of colour. The motif has been previously engraved on a hollow base called a cliché or image plate, which is filled with paint. The colour is then picked up with a flexible pad and transferred to the dial, using subtle layering to obtain the perfect shade and brilliance. An ultra-thin mechanical self-winding H1950 movement from the Manufacture Hermès workshops brings this playful watch to life.

Vividly expressing the house’s leatherworking expertise, the matt Bleu Abysse alligator strap highlights the bright colours of the Slim d’Hermès Cheval brossé in a limited edition of 24.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès / Anita Schlaefli
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Finely engraved in yellow gold, the Hermès ship’s colourful unfurled sails and emblematic bow glide beneath a star-studded aventurine sky.

Viewed through a telescope, the Hermès flagship – its hull inspired by the historic boutique at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris – steers its way through the starry night with its blend of miniature painting and engraving. Its bow bearing the effigy of the famous firework maker and its billowing sails come to life at the virtuoso hands of Hermès artisans.

Created in 2015 by Philippe Delhotal, the Slim d’Hermès watch vividly expresses the singularity of the house with its blend of understated elegance and visual balance. Modern yet timeless, its pared-down lines highlight Hermès’ inimitably creative, fanciful touch, offering a subtle interpretation of the patterns adorning its iconic silk scarves.

Produced in a limited edition of 12, the Slim d’Hermès Flagship is inspired by Dimitri Rybaltchenko’s eponymous design for a silk scarf. Surging ahead amid a shower of shooting stars, the vessel reflects the artist’s poetic universe navigating between the imaginary and the real.

After a multitude of layers of micro-paint are applied with a brush and then heat-dried in a kiln, the aventurine dial reveals a bronzed decoration featuring unique nuances, volumes and details. The ship evoking the legendary Parisian boutique is carved in relief by the engraver’s burins and chisels, then handpainted and delicately placed on the night sky. A mischievous star at 4 o’clock comes to life in step with wrist movements. Housed in a slim yellow gold case measuring 39.5 mm in diameter, this eloquent expression of horological expertise beats to the rhythm of the Manufacture Hermès H1950 self-winding movement and is fitted with an elegant abyss blue alligator strap matching the maritimeinspired dial tones.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
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Louis Vuitton’s passion for travel and daring creativity takes flight with the Montgolfière Aéro, a remarkable horological object that marks a new chapter for the Maison. Soaring to new heights, the Montgolfière Aéro is a precious fusion of the Maison’s distinct high jewelry and trunkmaking savoir-faire, combined to Swiss watchmaking.

The hot-air balloon – an imaginative, emblematic symbol of the Maison – now ascends into the world of Haute Horlogerie at Louis Vuitton, inspiring two incredible horological objects. Exploring a new way of telling the time, the piece’s creation began with a simple question: What is more precious than time ? As ever, the Maison looked to its dynamic, innovative founder. Before becoming a famed trunkmaker, Louis Vuitton himself cut his teeth as a packer, where he helped store and prepare his clients’ most cherished objects for travel, ensuring their safe and secure transport on their journeys.

A deep appreciation for adventure and discovery ensured that Louis Vuitton trunks were designed to be functional as well as elegant, innovative and expertly crafted. This led Louis Vuitton, in 1906, to create the Aéro Trunk, a state-of-the-art piece that attached to the basket of a hot air balloon. Light and durable, the trunk also featured a watertight seal, ensuring that in the event of a fall into the sea, the basket would float. Tapping into the fascination for hot air balloon flights, the Louis Vuitton Aéro Trunk captured the imagination of daring individuals keen to explore the world.

An invitation to dream
Two extraordinary Montgolfière Aéro horological objects now channel that very craft and creativity which enraptured Louis Vuitton over a century ago. A gorgeous balloon – in either traditional red and transparent glass, or another in precious wood – incorporates a Swiss mechanical clock. The balloon rests on a basket fashioned as a miniature Louis Vuitton trunk, which has been handcrafted using all the same centuries-old trunkmaking savoir-faire, completed with the Maison’s signature elements and design codes. The trunk also houses the movement’s winding mechanism. The clock embraces multiple codes of the Maison. A Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower indicates the hours and minutes, which are displayed on an upper and lower disc.

At the centre of the openwork balloon is a prominent Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower, while the underside of the trunk also features an Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower lever, which unfolds to wind the clock. An imaginative object that invites one to dream, the Montgolfière Aéro can be displayed in two ways. It’s either a table clock for a desk or shelf, or can be suspended from the ceiling. Floating in the air as the hot-air balloon intended. Designed by Louis Vuitton, the Montgolfière Aéro was manufactured with L’Épee 1839, the historic and award-winning Swiss clockmaker that this year celebrates its 185th anniversary.

A traditional balloon
With a playful transparent and white motif, the Montgolfière Aéro pays homage to a traditional object that has inspired Louis Vuitton campaigns and creations over the years. Each of the Montgolfière Aéro’s glass wings are fully handcrafted, meticulously and precisely made to fit the balloon’s structure. Like a watch or piece of jewelry, the structure incorporates different finishes, allowing for a wonderful play of light and reflections.

At the center of the balloon is a distinctive Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower, a dynamic motif that delightfully spins on its axis with a gentle push. Meanwhile, the remarkable Louis Vuitton trunk is among the smallest trunks ever created by the Maison. Though miniature in size, it retains all the codes of Louis Vuitton’s trunkmaking savoir-faire. Each trunk is entirely handmade from lozines embossing to nailing. The Maison’s emblematic Louis Vuitton Monogram canvas adorns the trunk.

A precious Montgolfière Aéro
Limited to only eight pieces, an exceptional Montgolfière Aéro creation pays homage to the beauty of precious wood. Complementing this craftsmanship, time and patience is Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry savoir-faire. Two exquisite gemstones were directly sourced by Louis Vuitton’s in-house stone department, which has been custom cutting Louis Vuitton Monogram-shape diamonds for over 15 years. A magnificent 9.06-carat citrine briolette adorns the Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower at the heart of the openwork balloon. With a fiery orange and brown hue that recalls the bursting flame of a hot air balloon, the citrine emanates a brilliant play of light and transparency from 80 custom-cut facets.

Perfectly matching this stone is another square-cut citrine that’s set on the Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower that indicates the time. Meanwhile, additional preciousness comes courtesy of 1,200 diamonds that embellish the balloon’s structure. Finally, the bespoke trunk is also crafted in precious wood. Miniature in size, the trunk incorporates all the historic codes of the Maison’s trunkmaking expertise: coins, nails, even tiny Louis Vuitton signatures on the lozines.

To complement the preciousness of the Montgolifère Aéro, the trunk comes studded with diamonds – a first ever for the Maison. To accompany this exclusive clock, a trunk was specifically handcrafted in Louis Vuitton’s historic workshops in Asnières. A new milestone for Louis Vuitton, the Montgolfière Aéro embodies a fusion of the finest savoir-faire, where Swiss watchmaking meets high jewelry, further imbued with Louis Vuitton’s singular trunkmaking know-how. Channeling Louis Vuitton’s daring spirit and passion for travel, the Montgolfière Aéro joyously welcomes a new way of telling the time – and an exciting new adventure for the Maison.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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Personally speaking, I am always in love with the watchmaking creations by Hermès. The round Arceau watch with its asymmetrical stirrup-shaped lugs was created by Henri d’Origny in 1978 appears in a subtly reinvented interpretation. Vividly embodying the Hermès style, its slender gold and diamond case frames a silver embroidered horse, which free and untameable, rears up with a flowery coat adorned with silver-spangled enamel.

Inspired by the Robe Légère silk scarf designed by French artist Théo de Gueltzl, the deep navy-coloured dial highlights the rare and meticulous technique of paillonné enamelling, which consists of inserting silver flakes or spangles between enamel layers to create transparent, shimmering depth effects.

This evening version of the Robe Légère Scarf in silk twill with hand-rolled edges is hand-embroidered with glass micro-beads (100% silk) and requires over 45 hours of hand-embroidery.

The equestrian figure that appears to be rearing up in the wind reveals its swirling, sparkling finery. To create this flowery motif on the watch, the artisan uses a brush to apply a dark enamel base consisting of coloured glass powder that is ground, mixed with natural oils, dried and fired in a kiln to fix the pigments in place. The flowers are then shaped from silver leaf and applied to the enamel before setting the tiny spangles by successive firings.

The airy steed comes to life in a 38 mm white gold case set with 71 diamonds and powered by the Manufacture Hermès H1912 movement. Crafted in accordance with the House’s leatherwork expertise, a matt abyss blue alligator strap accentuates the finesse of this 24-piece limited edition.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / © Hermès/David Marchon
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 The latest creation from HUBLOT and celebrated Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami is finally here – and it may well be the duo’s most eye-catching and exceptional creation to date. Introducing the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow, reimagining the artist’s iconic smiling flower as a sapphire sculpture set with colorful gemstones and fitted with HUBLOT’s first central tourbillon movement.

Takashi Murakami in front of the Hublot Ginza Boutique with Julien Tornare, Hublot CEO

Transcending the preconceived notions of contemporary art, Takashi Murakami created his own art movement dubbed «Superflat», extending from fine arts such as painting, sculptures and installations to more commercial media such as fashion and animation. Blurring the line between high and low arts, Murakami melds the aesthetic of the Japanese artistic tradition with contemporary art and culture. Of all his works, the most iconic is the smiling flower, which HUBLOT has sought to bring into a watchmaking context through several collaborative pieces. 

The MP-15 is the symbol of a friendship in full bloom, born from a shared passion for breaking down boundaries and going beyond expectations. HUBLOT first began working with Murakami in 2021, with a shared drive of breaking down boundaries and going beyond expectations with their respective artforms. After his eponymous Classic Fusion models and a series of NFT artworks paired with unique pieces, HUBLOT and Takashi Murakami took their partnership to the next level with the unveiling of the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon for the Only Watch 2023 charity auction. Reimagining one of Murakami’s most emblematic motifs, the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon took on the «smiling flower» and transfigured it from Murakami’s signature aesthetic into a wearable sculpture that seamlessly merges contemporary art, avant-garde watchmaking and exceptional gem-setting; the latter of which HUBLOT has pioneered with unexpected techniques and a mastering of the perfect rainbow effect. This requires carefully selecting gemstones that work together in a perfect transition of tones. 

Meticulously crafted from a block of Sapphire crystal, the modestly sized 42mm smiling flower case features twelve petals. True to Murakami’s highly chromatic palette, the twelve petals feature polished Titanium inlays that are set with 444 colored gemstones in total, including brilliant-cut Rubies, Pink Sapphires, Amethysts, Blue Sapphires, Blue Topazes, Tsavorites and Yellow or Orange Sapphires. These stones are grouped together so that each petal is in a different vibrant color, just like the original Murakami smiling flower. 

More than just an incredible feat of gem-setting however, the MP-15 features a truly revolutionary mechanical caliber. At the heart of the HUB9015 calibre is the central flying tourbillon, which can be admired through the domed sapphire crystal engraved with two twinkling eyes and a smiling mouth. A first for HUBLOT, the central tourbillon is an exceedingly rare type of complication that demands advanced engineering and reimagining how a mechanical movement is built. In the MP-15, it is animated by means of a manual-winding caliber that boasts an exceptional power reserve of 120 hours – enough to run for nearly a whole week. To make the winding experience as effortless as possible, HUBLOT has created a special rechargeable stylus that’s placed on the crown, which winds the twin barrels in 100 revolutions. 

With this work of sculptural, wearable art, the notion of innovative and original watchmaking nonetheless takes center-stage. Surrounding the MP-15’s central flying tourbillon and keeping its view unobstructed, the hours and minutes are indicated by two hand tips that revolve around its periphery. The hands are actually positioned beneath the tourbillon cage, with just their tips bent upwards and outwards thanks to an intricate co-axial construction. Making the reading of time effortless and intuitive, the opening features a flange ring set with twelve baton hour markers, each continuing the color of the petal. The visual intrigue of the MP-15 is further enhanced by the fact that most of the movement’s components have been skeletonized, which appear as if floating in a vacuum. A true feat of superlative watchmaking. 

The finishing touch comes in the form of the strap, which is transparent and decorated with Takashi Murakami’s signature flower motif. Like the case, the deployant buckle is crafted in Sapphire crystal and Titanium. 

An artistic endeavor that’s bound to garner the appreciation of contemporary art lovers for its audacity and discerning watch aficionados for its complexity, the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow is a limited edition of 20 pieces, available to HUBLOT boutiques and authorized retailers around the world upon request. 

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot #Hublot
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CHANEL and The Boat Race Company Ltd have announced the signing of a long-term partnership with CHANEL as Title Sponsor and official Timekeeping Partner. The 2025 event will become The CHANEL J12 Boat Race. 

The historic race between Oxford and Cambridge Universities was established nearly 200 years ago in 1829. It is the oldest major sporting event in the UK, with the dark and light ‘Blues’ crews of eight rowers pitted against each other on the River Thames every year in the Spring. 

The 2025 edition of The Women’s Boat Race and The Men’s Boat Race will take place on Sunday 13 April along the 4.25 miles of the Championship Course between Putney and Mortlake in London. The Boat Race is attended by over 250,000 spectators on the riverbank, broadcast live on the BBC, and watched by millions globally on television. It has become a treasured highlight in London’s sporting calendar. 

The long-term partnership is an expression of a shared philosophy, one of an uncompromising pursuit of excellence which relies on collective effort to succeed. Boat Race Day encapsulates the raison d’être of Oxford and Cambridge: to develop and showcase exceptional talent, in the same way the House of CHANEL supports outstanding creative expertise. 

CHANEL has had its roots in sport since it was founded in 1910. Inspired by sporting attire predominately worn by men of the time, Gabrielle Chanel was an active sportswoman herself and used materials such as jerseys, and tweeds and created trailblazing designs. These designs gave women the freedom of movement – to ride horses, cycle, and most importantly to choose how they dressed and who they wanted to be. 

CHANEL was the first luxury house to launch its own fragrance in 1921 and its own high jewellery collection in 1932. Decades later in 2000, CHANEL launched the iconic J12 unisex watch – the name inspired by the J Class 12-metre race boats from the early 20th century. 

The iconic J12 watch is produced in the ‘CHANEL Watch Manufacture’ in Switzerland and is powered by self-winding movements from the Swiss Manufacture Kenissi, co-owned by CHANEL. 

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © CHANEL
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