The 2010 Pont des Amoureux watch offered a nightly Parisian scene. In the sleeping city, two lovers rush through streets bathed in a nocturnal glow, walk along the Seine and then strike out onto the bridge that will bring them together. At the stroke of midnight, they finally meet with a kiss in the soft moonlight.
In 2019, Van Cleef & Arpels is adding a new daytime version to its permanent collection: on its dial, the lovers come together in radiant surroundings. The young lady moves forward progressively to mark the hours, while her beloved crosses his half of the bridge in 60 minutes. They set out through busy squares, past facades tinged with soft colors. Reaching the riverbanks, they kiss at midday in the enchanting setting of a Parisian bridge.
To recreate the poetry of that instant at any time, the watches of the Pont des Amoureux collection now have an animation-on-demand module: the decisive kiss can be relived at the press of a button. The self-winding mechanical movement is fitted with a retrograde module, developed exclusively for Van Cleef & Arpels.
To bring these charming scenes to life, Van Cleef & Arpels has combined traditional skills requiring patience and expertise. The grisaille enamel technique – developed in France from the 16th century onwards – is showcased in different ways on the two dials. On the original watch, is it used in its traditional version, with white enamel powder – known as “blanc de Limoges” – placed on a dark background. The resulting play of contrasts strikingly depicts the light and shade effects of the Parisian night.
On the dial of the daytime version, the Maison has used colored grisaille enamel for the first time: the craftsmen in the workshops used pink and blue enamels against a white background, to evoke the gentle quality of daylight.
In the foreground, the silhouette of the bridge has been finely carved in gold, and stands out from its surroundings to create an effect of perspective. Diamonds set around the dials bring a touch of sparkle to these romantic scenes. As finishing touches, a star of gold flakes twinkles in the sky on the nocturnal version, while two graceful swallows – depicted in miniature painting – fly over the city on the daytime one. The spectacle continues on the back of the watches, where the lovers are pictured reunited on the bridge.
The day and nighttime watches of the Pont des Amoureux collection are both fitted with interchangeable bracelets. In shiny navy blue or purple alligator skin, or paved with diamonds, they can easily be replaced by another bracelet, chosen from five shades that range from shiny white to dark black.
Tender seasons
Four new jewelry watches depict the two lovers at the center of a landscape, whose details and colors change with the seasons. In spring, the city is adorned with pink flowers, while in summer delicate butterflies flutter through the streets. In fall, leaves dance around the couple, before snow covers the roofs in winter. On each watch, the light and the colors of the sky create different atmospheres. The characters are pictured in relief on the bridge, in attire that also varies with the seasons.
Each dial is finely decorated using the colored grisaille enamel technique, in a varied palette of shades. Some of the scenery’s details are reproduced in miniature enamel painting, while the motifs of flowers, leaves, butterflies and snow beneath the bridge are carved in gold and painted by hand. The dial’s theme continues on the jewelry bracelet, which is fully set with diamonds and colored stones.
