While these are things we do spontaneously all year round, there is one day in particular when the romantically attached like to celebrate their “other half”. We are, of course, talking about Valentine’s Day.
Do we need a Valentine’s Day? Opinions are divided but for couples, this is still the most romantic day in the calendar; a chance to show our love with a sweet intention or a thoughtfully chosen gift.
Chocolate shops, florists, jewellers et al rise to the occasion with products ideally suited to declaring our love or simply letting our partner know how much they mean to us.
And to help you choose, here’s our selection of watches that any Valentine would be thrilled to receive.
For Her, Ladybird Colors by Blancpain
For more than two decades, Blancpain has made it a point of honour to create a limited series for Valentine’s Day. This year’s Ladybird Colors is a celebration of romance. Framed by white gold, the pearly-grey dial is the colour of the cloud we float on when we are in love. Two hearts drive the romantic message home: one, in ruby, has been shot through by the arrow-shaped seconds hand; another, in the lower part of the dial, is picked out in diamonds, with more diamonds sparkling on the bezel and horns. An alligator leather strap in red, the colour of passion, echoes the rich red of the Roman numerals of this sophisticated timepiece, for just 99 lucky recipients.
For Him, Complete Calendar Moon Phases GMT by Blancpain
The red gold case of this Blancpain watch is beautifully complemented by the brown of the alligator leather strap. Its complete calendar complication counts the date, day of the week and month while the moon-phase display is a reminder of the couple watchmaking forms with astronomy. A constant feature of the night sky, the moon becomes a symbol of everlasting love, depicted here with different expressions for a touch of whimsy. The red tip of the seconds hand hints at the arrow Cupid shoots to lovers’ hearts.
For Her, Charms Extraordinaire Vendôme Watch by Van Cleef & Arpels
Once upon a time, in 1895, the daughter of a dealer in precious stones, Estelle Arpels, fell in love with and married the son of a diamond broker and cutter, Alfred Van Cleef. Alfred went into business with his beloved’s brothers and opened a boutique at 22, Place Vendôme where, for more than a century, Van Cleef & Arpels has charmed customers on this legendary square in Paris, the most romantic city in the world.
This Charms Extraordinaire Vendôme transforms its dial into a miniature tableau of a couple cuddled together on a bench, deep in conversation, oblivious to the world around them. The column that famously stands in the centre of Place Vendôme is silhouetted, in white gold, against a night sky that has been meticulously painted on white mother-of-pearl. The sumptuous yellows, blues and purples of sapphires and spessartite garnets bring the entire scene to life. Subtle variations in the colour of the stones make each of the 22 watches in this limited edition unique. An interchangeable strap in glossy alligator leather, in purple or black, will match this delightful watch to every outfit, including for a Valentine’s dinner date.
For Him, Pierre Arpels Heure d’Ici & Heure d’Ailleurs by Van Cleef & Arpels
In 1949 Pierre Arpels designed a watch that would epitomise masculine elegance and take his name. The slim case in white gold is secured by two central lugs to a black strap in glossy alligator leather. Perfect for long-distance relationships, this refined timepiece shows the time in two different parts of the world by means of jumping hours in apertures, paired with a retrograde hand for the minutes. Literally time here and time elsewhere (heure d’ici and heure d’ailleurs) but also a metaphor for the way time is transformed when we are with our soulmate.
For Her, Reine de Naples 8925 Valentine’s Day Edition by Breguet
Breguet proposes a new rendition of the Reine de Naples, with a glamorous 28-piece limited edition for Valentine’s Day. Light is softly reflected by a red strap in glossy alligator leather, complemented by the glow of the 66 rubies which have been individually hand-set on the flange. The crown is set with a cabochon-cut ruby and an abundance of sparkling diamonds highlights the oval shape of the bezel.
Set against the white mother-of-pearl dial, the Breguet Arabic numerals are graduated in size, in harmony with the oval form. Twelve tiny red hearts mark the hours on the off-centred subdial, swept by Breguet’s open-tipped “apple hands” which are varnished red.
For Him, Héritage Grande Complication by Breguet
There are many metaphors for love contained in this watch.
The curve of the tonneau case alludes to romantic evenings and long conversations over a glass of wine. The figure of eight formed by the two subsidiary dials is the symbol of infinity; delivering a message of our eternal love to the one who wears it. As for the warm glow of the rose gold, it mirrors the warm glow of love.
For Her, Lili Bouton Red Coral by Beauregard
The dial of this Lili Bouton watch represents a dahlia whose petals, like love, blossom and become more beautiful with time. They are made from the finest branches of red coral, a material steeped in legend. Indeed, red coral from the Mediterranean has been sculpted since Antiquity. During the Renaissance, the royal palaces of Europe were adorned with magnificent objects carved from red coral. In the fishing village of Torre del Greco, near Pompeii, it is still referred to as "red gold". According to Greek legend, Perseus beheaded Medusa whose blood transformed the Mediterranean seaweed into red coral. This precious resource grows just one centimetre in ten years and is only harvested between May and October, when divers sometimes venture up to 100 metres in depth. Elegantly attired with a satin strap, this Lili Bouton is a union of 36 River diamonds with 33 red coral petals.
For thousands of years, love has touched our hearts and enriched our lives… but friendships are just as important so let’s not forget that February 13th is Galentine’s Day, when we celebrate female friendships, and that Valentine’s Day is a chance to tell not just our significant other but all those we love how special they are!
Happy Valentine’s Day and a big thank-you to the watchmakers for the beauty and poetry of these exceptional models.
