Top three complicated women’s watches at SIHH 2018

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Top three complicated women’s watches at SIHH 2018 - SIHH 2018
3 minutes read
Women’s watches, especially complicated ones, have come a long way, Baby.

It’s no secret that watch brands have been focusing on complex watches for women close to a decade.  In fact, I remember spotting the trend and writing extensive articles about the coming of women’s watches for a host of American consumer magazines back in 2008.  Well, it seems, the women’s watch revolution has come a long way in a short time.  As more and more brands understand that women care what is under the hood almost as much as men do, we are witnessing the emergence of a plethora of complex and beautiful women’s watches on the market. Here we bring you three top complicated watches as seen at SIHH 2018.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon

Audemars Piguet is no stranger to the idea of unveiling concept watches. This brand has regularly seduced watch lovers with its technical prowess and its incredibly avant-garde thinking and design when it comes to watches for both men and women.  After all, this is the brand that brought us the Royal Oak Concept SuperSonnerie several years back after investing countless sums into the world of “better sound” from a wristwatch.  It is also the brand that brought us the trilogy of fantastic women’s diamond watches that were simply “punk,” “Outrageous” and more. 

This year, Audemars Piguet blends its most coveted arts of complicated watchmaking and incredible gem-setting for the release of its first women’s concept watch: the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon.  The 38.5mm concept watch for women builds in brain, brawn and beauty.  The new movement, caliber 2951, marks the first time the brand has unveiled a flying tourbillon escapement developed totally in house.  The movement, visible both partially from the front and from the case back, is a stunning work of art and elegance, with lacquered, satin-brushed bridges and diamond accents.

Top Three Complicated Women’s Watches at SIHH 2018

As if all of the mechanics were not enough, Audemars Piguet dressed the watch in diamonds. In fact there are two 18-karat white gold versions of the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon: one with baguette diamonds on bezel, case and certain movement parts; and the other has the same watch parts decked out in more than 450 diamond brilliants.

Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Planetarium Watch

This year, Van Cleef & Arpels pulls out all the stops with the Lady Arpels Planetarium wristwatch, with astronomical planet display and caliber designed by watchmaking great, Christiann Van Der Klaauw.   Van Der Klaauw was the brains behind the first Midnight Planetarium watch unveiled by Van Cleef & Arpels four years ago. Now, he works with the brand again to develop a feminine take on poetic astronomy.

The new Lady Arpels Planetarium watch is created in a 38mm size and features individually cut and placed aventurine glass rings, on which the planets reside and rotate.  Each planet rotates on the dial at the same speed the real planet rotates around the sun in life. Mercury, created in pink mother of pearl, completes a full rotation every 88 days; Venus, created in green enamel, rotates every 224 days, and Earth – crafted in turquoise – completes its orbit every 365 days. There is also a diamond-set moon that rotates every 29.5 days.

Top Three Complicated Women’s Watches at SIHH 2018

Part of the brand’s Poetry of Time collection, the mechanical self-winding watch is offered in 18-karat white gold with a diamond-set bezel either on a strap ($245,000), or on a gold bracelet ($330,000).  Each watch is numbered.

Richard Mille RM 07-01 Diamond-set Black Ceramic

Independent watch brand, Richard Mille, has created complex women’s watches almost since the inception of his brand. This year, however, the eponymous watch company introduces a new women’s watch that is also a world premier: the RM 07-01 Diamond-set Black Ceramic ladies automatic watch.

Not only is this watch a complex caliber with high-tech materials, but also – and more importantly—the watch represents the first time that a watch brand has set diamonds in the very brittle ceramic bezel. This is no easy feat to accomplish because in drilling into ceramic, the material can crack. Richard Mille artisans have developed a prong setting that – while difficult and time-consuming to do – enables the brand’s master artisans to set the diamonds in the black TZP ceramic bezel.

Top Three Complicated Women’s Watches at SIHH 2018

Further enhancing this watch is the fact that the open-worked movement is made of grade 5 titanium, and the watch utilizes such luxurious materials   5N 18-karat rose gold, and an onyx dial.  Each watch retails for approximately $199,000.

These three fine examples of complicated watchmaking demonstrate the watch world’s on-going commitment to offering women complex calibers.

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