In 2016, the DeWitt manufacture has given pride of place to its women’s collections. The brand has added a number of new references to one of its existing lines, as well as launching two new ranges exclusively for women. First, there are the new jewellery watches in the elegant Alma collection, characterised by their oval case and cambered profile. In total, four new watches – two small and two medium, each in black or white – have been added to the Alma range. Then there is the new Blue Empire collection in a choice of 18K rose gold or two-tone rose gold and steel, with a quartz or an automatic mechanical movement. But it was the Lady Pressy, DeWitt’s latest creation, that I had the pleasure of wearing for a few days.
The concept of timeless femininity, as it has been painted, chronicled and serenaded by artists down the ages, evokes ideas of elegance, grace and gentleness, adjectives that all apply to the Lady Pressy. The watch is subtle in its simplicity, playing on the contrast between curved and straight lines. Its traditional round case is encircled by a row of round-cut diamonds, offset with stylised crown-shaped geometric figures at 6 and 12 o’clock, and bold attachments for the bracelet. The delicate mother-of-pearl dial of the Lady Pressy is enhanced by the rose gold case and the luxurious red alligator strap.
Mother-of-pearl is a very fragile material that demands delicate and precise handling. The skill of the dial maker resides in adapting the techniques of working mother-of-pearl to the limited canvas of a watch dial. DeWitt has its own dial makers to perform this exacting task, a team of artists and artisans who exercise their rare skills alongside guillocheurs, enamellers, electroplating specialists, painters and other craftsmen and women. The DeWitt manufacture located in Meyrin, Geneva, is one of the very few watch companies able to make their dials internally (just four out of around 600 watchmakers have the resources to make dials in-house!).
The Lady Pressy also comes with a blue or green mother-of-pearl dial, complete with Roman numerals, fitted with either a gold bracelet or a black alligator strap. The watch is driven by an automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve.
