“Glowing Ember” is the name given to the new set available exclusively from watch and jewellery retailer Gübelin. The collection is inspired by microphotographs of the inside of a ruby, showing the inclusions that make every precious stone unique. The specific inclusion that served as the inspiration for this collection takes the form of two circles with an almost regular outline, created from a drop of basalt that was imprisoned in the ruby crystal as it formed. The reference to a glowing ember recalls this prehistoric process that combined extreme heat and extreme pressure to create the ruby that has now been incorporated into a luxury watch and jewellery design.
Parmigiani Fleurier – Tonda 1950 Gübelin
A highly feminine version of Parmigiani’s Tonda model accompanies the bracelet and earrings in the collection. Cased in rose gold, like the matching jewellery, it reflects the concentric circles of the inclusion in the form of two off-centre rings on the mother-of-pearl dial, the outer ring in rose gold and the inner ring set with diamonds. In the south-east corner of the dial is a single ruby, whose deep red tinge is subtly reinforced by a red lacquer base beneath the dial that gives the mother-of-pearl a red tinge.
The red of the glowing ember is also manifest on the watch movement, which is visible through a transparent sapphire crystal case back. For the first time ever, Parmigiani Fleurier uses a red lacquer on the micro-rotor powering the ultra-thin PF 702 movement. Thanks to Parmigiani Fleurier’s close association with Hermès, the brand has been able to source a strawberry red alligator leather Hermès strap that perfectly fits the glowing ember theme. The design is rounded off by a ruby cabochon on the winding crown.
As Anne-Laure Parmigiani, the designer of this special watch, explains, “the jewellery and the watch were developed in parallel. We met on a first occasion in Lucerne and I took different models to show Gübelin the possibilities. We decided to take the Tonda 1950 because it had the biggest dial and offered the biggest possibility for expression. I also took the strawberry Hermès strap to show how it could fit in with this design theme with the ruby and the inclusion.”
Both the watch and the jewellery are limited editions of just 28 but there is no obligation to buy the full set.
