Long known as the mavens of the finest haute couture and haute joaillerie, the French have exquisite design taste. Such is the case with some of the greatest French-based jewelry houses like Boucheron, Chaumet and Van Cleef & Arpels that delve into timepieces with grand flare.
The French recognize luxury and elegance in a way only they can. As such, long-time jewelry houses whose distinctive tastes and styles were born in France offer up classic elegance in the form of luxurious women’s watches. Among them are Boucheron, Chaumet and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Perfect for any lifestyle – from business to the boardroom and from weekend to wedding – these brands remain on the cutting edge of luxe and allure. Each brand offers an array ranging from everyday wearable timepieces, to high-jeweled beauties and even complex calibers for women who want both form and function. It is, however, in the classic looks that these brands show their sophisticated style.
Boucheron, for instance recently released its all new Epure collection of timepieces. The line is a subtle blend of contemporary and classic. Reinterpreting its signature gadroons, the Epure line is exactly as it sounds – namely pure and enjoyable – while symbolizing life and unity. The Epure line offers classic round shapes with beveled and curved cases. Each watch is powered by a Girard-Perregaux Caliber GP 4000, manufactured by Girard-Perregaux in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The specially developed signature cabochon further enhances the radiance of this model. The watch collection is available with or without diamonds, and each piece is finished with an alligator strap.
Similarly, Chaumet unveils its Liens de Chaumet watch – designed as a link to the brand’s emotionally appealing emblematic jewelry collection. The new watch line features a round bezel set within gently rounded openworked gold pillars that connect the case to the strap and create a sophisticated profile that draws together the dial, case and strap. The visually creative and architecturally inspiring timepiece features a clean dial with stick markers, Arabic numerals at 12 and 6, and a tiny date at 4:30. The 33mm watch collection is offered in either 18-karat pink gold, or in stainless –steel – with or without diamond adornments. The watches house self-winding Swiss-made mechanical movements and are water resistant to 100 feet. The model seen here features a bezel set with 64 brilliant-cut diamonds, a mother-of-pearl cabochon crown and a transparent sapphire caseback.
Another brand true to its roots is Van Cleef & Arpels. While this much-beloved Maison offers a host of scintillating styles, it never sways from its tried-and-true signature lines. As such it has recently unveiled the new Alhambra Talisman Pavée watch for women in 18-karat white gold. The Alhambra is a floral-inspired iconic motif that has enjoyed more than half a century of success in Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry and watches. The newest piece joins an entire ultra-feminine collection of women’s watches. The new Pavée version features a snow-setting of 496 brilliant-cut diamonds to achieve a sparkling pavé dial. The 40mm watch is accented with a black satin strap and a gold Alhambra buckle paved with another 60 round diamonds.
Each of these timepieces is a prime example of French flair and inimitable taste, reinterpreted for today’s lifestyles.
Roberta Naas is the founder of atimelyperspective.com.
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