Paving the way
Chanel took everyone by surprise with the launch, in 1987, of its first watch: the aptly named Première whose angular case is shaped like the stopper of a N°5 perfume bottle, in turn modelled on Place Vendôme. Unlike the majority of women’s timepieces then, the Première wasn’t a scaled-down version of a men’s model but designed specifically for women. Both time-teller and fashion accessory, famously worn by Inès de la Fressange, the Première launched the grand adventure of Chanel Watchmaking.
Super serpent
The snake is a wellspring of inspiration for Bulgari, lending its sinuous forms to watches as early as 1948. The reptile’s oval head forms the case while the bracelet wraps around the wrist, courtesy of the infinitely supple Tubogas bracelet, a complex construction of metres of metal wire wound into coils. Three-quarters of a century later, Bulgari continues its creative exploration of the serpent motif, in its Serpenti watches as well as in jewellery and leather goods.
Curated curves
A watchmaker and jeweller known for its love of unusual geometric shapes, in 1912 Cartier added a rectangle with rounded corners to its repertoire. Carrying the idea further, the soft curves of the Ovale Cintré watch, introduced in 1958, echoed the natural curve of the wrist and laid the foundations for the watch that would take the name of Baignoire in 1973. The latest of many incarnations is worn on a bangle bracelet.
A new spin on diamonds
Since 1993, Chopard’s best-selling Happy Sport collection has riffed on the Happy Diamonds concept that saw daylight in 1976. Appearing first on jewellery, these free-floating diamonds were then transposed to watches where they skate across the dial, seemingly suspended above the hands and set free by the movement of the wrist in an improvised choreography that overturns traditional watchmaking convention.
Recto/verso
The Reverso made history when, in 1931, it became the first modern watch to be designed for players of a particular sport. Thanks to its reversible case, British officers stationed in India could indulge their love of polo with no fear of their watch being smashed to smithereens. The appropriately named Reverso combines the elegance of a design inspired by Art Deco with an ingenious case that pivots to protect the dial and crystal. Simple and effective.
Ladies only
The round-the-clock companion for a busy, active lifestyle, the Twenty~4 matches every occasion, from daytime casual to evening sophistication. Joining the original cuff or “manchette” model that was introduced in 1999, since 2018 this endlessly stylish watch has sported a round case. Now proposed exclusively with an in-house automatic movement, the Twenty-4 is a modern classic with style and substance.
Show time!
Launched exactly fifty years ago, in 1973, the Gala is the epitome of 1970s exuberance. Its generous curves and a bezel that extends into asymmetrical lugs that sparkle with precious stones - one side stretching up, the other down – were an instant hit. Half a century on and it is still the ultimate in glamour.
