Sandra‘s Closet

In the second collaboration between the Swiss watchmaking manufacture and the brilliant American artist Shepard Fairey, HUBLOT presents the Classic Fusion Chronograph Shepard Fairey timepiece. A veritable titanium sculpture to be worn on the wrist, it symbolises the natural cycles of life and the unity between different cultures.

Hublot is staying true to its motto «Be the first, be unique, be different» by deepening its commitment to its «Hublot Loves Art» programme. After unveiling new collaborations with artists Takashi Murakami and Richard Orlinski, Hublot is today presenting its third watchmaking work of art of the year, the Classic Fusion Chronograph Shepard Fairey.

As its name indicates, it has been designed by American artist Shepard Fairey. Painter, graphic designer, DJ, illustrator, street artist, skateboarder and founder of the OBEY Clothing company, Fairey – also known by his pseudonym Obey – is probably the most politically influential artist of his generation. His works include the famous «Obama Hope» poster, an iconic image from Barak Obama’s electoral campaign in 2008, as well as the piece entitled «Liberté, égalité, fraternité» which he created as a symbol of hope for France after the 2015 terrorist attacks.

His works are on show in the world’s most prestigious museums such as the Smithsonian in Washington, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the MoMa in New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, to name but a few. He has been a Hublot ambassador since 2018.

Hublot and Shepard Fairey chose a watch from the Classic Fusion collection as the basis for their second collaboration. On this piece, the American artist, greatly involved in the project, chose to bring to life a piece symbolising a mandala, an ornamental symbol whose origins can be traced back simultaneously to several cultures across the planet. The mandala represents harmony, the cycle of life and the elements, as well as the precious nature of time in the mind. Here, this pattern is brushed and engraved into the titanium, the material used to create the bezel and the 45-mm diameter case. This work continues on the dial, which has also been finely cut to reveal the self-winding chronograph movement, a calibre HUB1155 offering a power reserve of 42 hours. In the centre, the hands display Fairey’s signature «Star Gear» mark. Fitted on a lined black rubber strap, the black stainless steel deployant buckle is also brushed.

The Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Shepard Fairey timepiece is available now as a limited edition in the Hublot e-shop and boutiques. Hublot and Shepard Fairey have agreed that this timepiece will help to raise funds for Amnesty International, an NGO formed of over 10 million people in 150 countries, which campaigns to put an end to human rights violations, in accordance with the theme of global harmony represented by the design engraved on the watch.

Price: € 21.700 – Limited Edition of 50 Pieces

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hublot

Today, I received the Pre-Watches & Wonders 2021 preview from Cartier that I wanted to share with you immediately. It is all about precious diamond watches, that are all standing out for their elegance, mastery of design, and fiery stones.

«Because Cartier is above all a jeweller, Cartier watches, whether they are for men or women, blur the lines between these two founding professions of the Maison, allowing for the best of both worlds. This is why our creations transcend all categories. They are not just instruments for telling the time, nor are they simply jewellery. They are a third type of object with their own uniqueness. Cartier watches only resemble themselves.
The complexity of Cartier watchmaking is due to its duality. It is being able to express creative freedom while working under technical constraints. This intellectual challenge is exciting. And the challenge is all the greater when aesthetics take precedence over the rest. It means that we must master the technical side, making it feel like second nature so that emotion is able to emerge. This intuitive intelligence has always been evident in our designs. The creative process is the result of a controlled tension between the head and heart, an alchemy from which meaning and identity emanate.» – MARIE-LAURE CEREDE – Director of Design for Watchmaking at Cartier

REPTILIS WATCH

Like a precious brocade, the diamond-paved chevrons weave into each other, edged with princess-cut diamonds. Like precious scales, these mobile elements snake around the wrist like a flexible, hinged ribbon. At the centre, a rectangular dial accentuated by four diamond hour markers. Light bursts forth, reflects and resonates all over.
12.8 mm, thickness: 6.6 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case and bracelet set with
232 brilliant-cut diamonds (3.75 cts)
and 70 princess-cut diamonds (6.06 cts)

ROSARY WATCH

Geometric elegance with the richness of random paving all the way to the heart of the dial. Everything is treated graphically; the refined design is pushed to the extreme between round and square. The tempo of its forms is born from the rhythmic succession of curved discs, paved and set with a small black square, evoking an Art Deco influence. At 12 o’clock lies a singular hour marker, also a black square.
17 mm, thickness: 8.26 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, dial, and bracelet set with
1191 brilliant-cut diamonds (5.57 cts)

PANTHÈRE SONGEUSE WATCH
Making its emblematic animal the guardian of its precious hours is the approach that Cartier has taken this year, presenting a new interpretation of the feline through three exceptional timepieces. Designers, artisans… when it comes to this incarnation, jewellery and watchmaking speak the same language. Since 1914 when it first appeared on a wristwatch in the form of a spotted coat of diamonds and onyx, now, more than ever, the feline is THE Cartier signature.28.4 mm, thickness: 7.8 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, dial and panther head set with
1116 brilliant-cut diamonds (4.57 cts)
Pear-cut emerald eyes (0.04 ct),
black onyx nose and sapphire spots (0.25 ct)
Bracelet set with
325 brilliant-cut diamonds (9.15 cts)28.4 mm, thickness: 7.8 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, buckle, dial and panther head set with
734 brilliant-cut diamonds (2.95 cts).
Case and dial with enamel
Pear-cut emerald eyes (0.04 ct),
black onyx nose and sapphire spots (0.38 ct)
Blue alligator leather strap
Numbered limited edition of 30 pieces28.4 mm, thickness: 7.8 mm
18K rhodium-finish white gold
Case, dial, buckle and panther head set with
1039 brilliant-cut diamonds (4.67 cts)
Pear-cut emerald eyes (0.06 ct),
black onyx nose and black lacquer spots
Black alligator leather strap

All five watches have quartz movements.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Cartier

GEM DIOR, Victoire de Castellane‘s new collection, celebrates her love of stones by presenting pieces with singular and surprising shapes. This amazingly beautiful line of abstract, 1970s-flavored watches and jewelry features patches of various gemstones — marking the first time the Dior designer has created a watches and jewelry collection together.

Each creation, inspired by couture and Mr. Dior’s colorful fabric samples, is made up of asymmetrical and angular sections set side by side like mineral strata. This collection celebrates natural and authentic beauty through unique, strong pieces.

The new Gem Dior line includes seven watch models with irregular, octagonal faces and clasp-less bracelets, as well as 11 pieces of jewelry — rings, bracelets and earrings, that draw inspiration from the geometry of stones. Additional interchangeable alligator bracelets come for the watches.

I am loving it.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Dior

For the occasion of the Tank Cintrée’s 100th birthday, Cartier presents a limited edition of 150 numbered pieces, all sold before the launch, illustrating the success of the new editions of Cartier watchmaking’s signature designs. A very faithful tribute to the original model that marks its entry into the 21st century. Its simple and curved design, the scope of its vertical case and the elegance of its «eggshell» dial made it destined for aesthetes from the outset. For this new watch, the Tank was elongated and is characterised by the curvature of its case. Comfort and ergonomics, its name comes from its curved shape which allows the watch to mould itself naturally to the wrist.

Tank Cintrée in 1921

While the thickness of its case measures 6.40 mm today, all of its signature aesthetics remain: the «rail track», Roman numerals, apple-shaped hands, beaded winding crown set with a sapphire cabochon and ardillon buckle bracelet. An aesthetic signature that remains unchanged since its creation in 1921, it is a watchmaking classic that is now equipped with a Manufacture movement with manual winding, the calibre 9780 MC.

LoL, Sandra

Limited to 150 pieces: Cartier Tank Cintrée (2021)

Photos: © Cartier and © Sandra Bauknecht

When a watch becomes a work of art: The Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black blurs the lines! For its first collaboration with a Japanese contemporary artist, Hublot has pushed at the boundaries of creation by developing a new dynamic on the theme of Murakami’s artistic emblem, the smiling flower.

Hublot loves Art! Before we know how to talk, we sing. Before we know how to write, we draw. We can barely stand up and we dance. Art is at the very foundation of human beings, a truth that has been embraced by the Hublot manufacture through its «The Art of Fusion» motto. The watchmaking manufacture regularly draws on great creative spirits. Their team of ambassadors is now joined for the first time by one of the most internationally renowned living artists and my personal favorite: Takashi Murakami. His visually very modern style offers a subtle reflection between Japanese tradition and pop culture. He masterfully achieves this result by combining leading-edge multimedia tools with traditional Japanese techniques such as gold leaf. A real rock star in the contemporary art world, he coined the name Superflat for the artistic movement he began.

Takashi Murakami visits the manufacture

An initial visit to the Hublot manufacture in February 2020 enabled Takashi Murakami to familiarise himself with the work of a watchmaker and timepiece design. This triggered a creative process that resulted in the very innovative Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami, inspired by Murakami’s icon, the smiling flower. Here, it is present both in and on the watch. Thanks to an ingenious ball-bearing system developed by Hublot’s engineers, its petals start turning. The center of the smiling flower is inserted onto the sapphire glass, creating a unique three-dimensional effect to go along with its wide prominent smile.

The Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black takes up one of the most evocative Hublot signatures, the All Black! Invented by Hublot in 2006, it turns out that the «All Black» style is also one of Murakami’s artistic signatures. For an even more pronounced effect, the petals (456 brilliants) and face (107 brilliants) are here set with black diamonds.

The watchmakers in Nyon have installed their manufacture Unico calibre in the case with its Classic Fusion emblematic design, a movement offering a 72-hour power reserve. As the first collaboration between Hublot and a Japanese artist, the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black will quickly become a real collector’s item since it is limited to only 200 models.

LoL, Sandra

Takashi Murakami wearing the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black

Photos: © Hublot
#Hublot #ClassicFusionTakashiMurakami 

The Nantucket watch has been forming solid attachments for almost 30 years. Its story, all about links, began in 1991, when iconoclastic Hermès designer Henri d’Origny boldly sketched the outlines of a companion to the Cape Cod watch, an equally distinctive model named Nantucket.

This assertive timepiece featured a «rectangle within a rectangle», forming an unprecedented case inspired by the anchor chain links of the Chaîne d’ancre bracelet, an Hermès classic imagined by Robert Dumas in 1938.

Nantucket’s story continues today with the Chaîne d’ancre, evoking its early days. This model offers a new take on the iconic link, which merges seamlessly into a light and supple steel or rose gold bracelet. The faithful hours and minutes hands sweep over numerals whose font is also inspired by
the Chaîne d’ancre universe.

The case of the Nantucket is crafted from gold or steel in the Hermès watchmaking workshops, and freely adorned with diamonds. Light plays across the sandblasted silver-plated dial itself thanks to a sprinkle setting, or sparkles brightly in a jewellery setting around a mother-of-pearl dial. With a light and natural touch, Nantucket interweaves its own codes of rebellious elegance.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès

This year has taught us to keep it super simple. My dear Carolina Bucci has taken this message further and created K.I.S.S., a collection inspired by a fascination with the inner workings of a watch. In 2016, she launched with Audemars Piguet the famous Royal Oak Frosted Gold. Its shimmering sparkle reminiscent of diamond dust, that I love so much, comes from a surface treatment process rooted in an ancient gold hammering technique, also called the Florentine technique, which is an iconic style element used by Carolina Bucci for her eponymous jewelry line.

In 2018, when she was working with the master watchmakers at Audemars Piguet to finalize the designs for her limited edition Royal Oak, she began to ask herself a hypothetical question: What would these craftsmen and craftswomen create if they were let loose in the world of fine jewelry?

There is a word often used in high-end watchmaking to describe the technical aspects and achievements of the craft: complication. Whereas the word carries a negative meaning in most other areas of life, for the watchmaker, it is something to be pursued and acclaimed. This inspired the K.I.S.S. collection, specifically the balance spring, which is also called the heart of the watch. At Carolina Bucci, gold does things it shouldn’t do. So in this case, gold is elastic. Each bracelet and necklace is at its simplest, one single coil of 18k gold, just like a spring. Its minimalism means you can stack it with a timepiece or other jewelry.

Much as one tells the time on one’s watch, without thinking too much about it, these pieces are designed to be the opposite of complicated… to keep it super simple.

TO SHOP THE CAROLINA BUCCI K.I.S.S. COLLECTION, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Carolina Bucci
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When the art of jewellery-making encounters that of watchmaking, poetry is never far away. Like a summer sky after a storm, the Big Bang Unico High Jewelry Rainbow is embodied in a rainbow of brightly coloured gemstones on a backdrop of 18ct pink gold. When scarlet blends into fuchsia to become ultraviolet, a tiny bit Klein blue, turquoise, then sky, the green is shaded in chlorophyll to become soft, seize upon a vibrant yellow and blossoms in a warm orange. In an invisible closed 24 carats setting, 290 precious and fine gemstones draw an audacious, vibrant and joyful spectrum around the dial where the House’s iconic movement is revealed. The coordination and mastery of exceptional skills—selecting, cutting, sorting and setting—which totally encompass the radical plans of Hublot micromechanics.

«It requires meticulousness, expertise and dexterity to obtain this harmonious gradation of the gemstones and create a perfect connection between the emotion they arouse and the watchmaking technique. Draughtsmen, gemologists and setters worked together to achieve this setting in which pink gold is present only to gently emphasise the contours. The Big Bang Unico High Jewelry Rainbow condenses the purity and precision of these incredible professions.»
Ricardo Guadalupe
HUBLOT CEO

A symbol heralding optimism, wisdom and balance, the rainbow stretches across the entire 45-mm case; one hundred rubies, pink sapphires, amethysts, blue sapphires, blue topazes, tsavorites, and yellow and orange sapphires line up in a radiant chromatic composition. 112 baguette-cut gemstones edge its bezel in studied hues that echo the subtle shades of the 48 gemstones set on the dial and the indexes. The UNICO manufacture HUB1242 chronograph flyback mechanism with double clutch mechanism and column wheel appears in contrast. Putting the finishing touches to this jewellery piece, the celestial phenomenon unfolds across the alligator and natural rubber strap and illuminates the buckle clasp set with 30 other gemstones. Available for CHF 330.000.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: ©Hublot #Hublot #HublotHighJewellery

Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, the Arceau round watch lends its singular design to a new stylistic expression. Its round case with stirrup-inspired asymmetrical lugs, along with its sloping numerals evoking a galloping horse, secure its place in a timeless and playful universe.
Season after season, this discreetly elegant model, offering a quintessential expression of Hermès style showcases the full extent of artistic crafts cultivated by the Maison.

The result of Hermès’s saddlery and leathermaking expertise, 395 mini studs – individually placed on the leather dial of the new Arceau Horse – compose an equestrian motif. The meticulous studding is complemented by the delicate crafting of the black or white leather, both miniaturised to the scale of the dial. The spirited horse comes to life framed by a steel case set with 100 diamonds and secured to the wrist by a calfskin strap matching the dial colour – all produced in the Hermès Horloger workshops. In a fascinating blend of understatement, brilliance and careful attention to every demanding detail, the Arceau Horse boldly flaunts its singularity both by day and by night.

I am loving it and you?

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès

The trunk table clock is the latest addition to today’s objects of desire. The perfect combination
of the art of travel, close to Louis Vuitton’s heart, and watchmaking craftmanship. Rather than just an accessory, a timepiece showcased in its tailor-made trunk.

The table clock, made to the same high standards as a watch, reproduces the Tambour Moon Dual Time concave dial and makes the perfect gift for a watch-loving connoisseur.

Similarly, it features a double time-zone, essential for globetrotters, and a bright dial displaying coloured flags. These emblematic Louis Vuitton symbols call to mind the customised patterns of the trunks of bygone days. As for the 80 mm-diameter hemispheric steel case suspended in its trunk, it draws inspiration from 18th century navy chronometers – indispensable, high-precision tools for long-distance navigators, allowing them to calculate longitude. A counterweight makes this table clock automatically turn towards the person opening the trunk for the utmost visibility. Once extracted from its case, it will keep this orientation when placed on a table or desk.

The trunk, a travel icon since the House was founded in 1854, acts as a case. Covered in Monogram Eclipse canvas on the outside, the trunk’s interior is lined in microfibre, reproducing the flags on the dial and the Louis Vuitton signature. With its symbolic trunk, the Trunk Table Clock sits perfectly in tune with Louis Vuitton’s heritage and further celebrates the exceptional Art of Travel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton / ©Philippe Lacombe