By Michèle Brunner and Cloé Mugny
Glashütte Original – Lady Serenade
This Valentine’s Day, the German haute horlogerie manufacture has chosen to spotlight a Lady Serenade model. Ardent lovers have the opportunity to give the woman of their dreams a token of their affection produced in a limited edition of just 50, with the dominant colour red. While diamonds, rubies and the natural white mother-of-pearl of the dial may be a classic choice for women’s gifts, the steel case adds a more modern touch. Fifty-two rubies (for the 52 weeks of the year) and the cabochon set into the crown symbolise passion. Their meaning is magnified by the infinity symbol decorating the counterweight of the white gold seconds hand. Diamonds are forever, and rubies are too – this watch is a declaration of eternal love. The Glashütte Original self-winding mechanical movement, with 40-hour power reserve, drives the three time functions and a date. After all, when your goal is eternity, details are superfluous.
Jaquet Droz – Lady 8 Petite Ruby Heart
According to the Jaquet Droz slogan, some watches tell time while others tell a story. The story of the Lady 8 Petite Ruby Heart can be guessed from its name: the symbols of love are all there to see in this red-hued jewellery watch. From the red gold case to the natural ruby dial, not forgetting the ruby cabochon set into the crown, the red leather strap and the red gold rotor visible on the base, the omnipresent red is offset by 91 brilliant-cut diamonds around the bezel and on the strap buckle. The ruby sphere in the upper loop of the symbolic figure 8 provides the finishing touch. It rotates under the fingers like time itself which, when you’re in love, tends to pass either too quickly or too slowly. But the time displayed on the watch’s hands remains precise, thanks to the automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve.
Breguet – Reine de Naples 8905 Valentine’s Day
For Valentine’s Day, Breguet has eschewed the colour red, instead opting for shades of pink and mauve. This special Valentine’s Day version of the wristwatch created by Abraham-Louis Breguet for Caroline Murat, the Queen of Naples, is in the traditional ovoid case, with an iridescent pale pink mother-of-pearl dial. The moon peeps out of an aperture at 12 o’clock, where it appears to watch over the hours and minutes dial and the off-centre small seconds register beneath. The asymmetrical architecture is accentuated by an imposing crown with inset pink sapphire at 4 o’clock. The discreet power reserve indicator can be identified by its blued steel needle, which matches the hour, minute and second hands. The 18 karat white gold case houses the self-winding calibre 537DRL2 with a power reserve of 45 hours. The diamond-set bezel and dial periphery illuminate the curves of this unusually shaped watch, which comes with a mauve alligator strap.
Blancpain – Villeret Women Quantième Phases de Lune Valentine’s Day 2019
As it has each year since 2001, Blancpain is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a limited edition of 99, featuring the universal symbols of love. The perpetual calendar with moon phases is recognised as a poetic complication, which is why it has a place on the billowy cloud-like white mother-of-pearl dial. The dial is topped by four carefully chosen red gold hands: the hour and minute hands are in the shape of openworked sage leaves; the running seconds hand is a Cupid’s arrow, while the date hand is finished with a red lacquered heart. At 6 o’clock, the moon phase display reveals a smiling moon against a star-studded midnight blue sky. The 64 brilliant-cut diamonds set into the lugs and bezel of the 33 mm red gold case accentuate the femininity and opulence of the watch. This special edition, driven by the self-winding 913QLP movement, which supplies a power reserve of 40 hours, comes with two interchangeable alligator straps – one red and one white – because variety is the spice of life.
Bulgari – Lvcea
The watch dedicated to “Light” by the Roman jeweller is seeing red this year. This completely new 33 mm model has a sunburst lacquered scarlet dial, accented with eleven diamond markers. The colour continues onto the crown, which is decorated with a pink cabochon and a diamond. Bulgari has placed this new model in its Chinese New Year range – red being associated with good luck and happiness in China – but it fully deserves a place in our collection of watches in the colour of passion. The steel of the case, warmed up by the red gold around the bezel, is repeated in the Tubogas bracelet borrowed from the Serpenti, whose slender scales sensuously hug the wrist. The self-winding mechanical movement has a 42-hour power reserve.
HYT – H0
The vocabulary of love is full of superlatives. So, when you run out of words, why not choose a superlative watch? The stunning H0, with its imposing diameter of 48.8 mm, certainly fits the bill. When a surface this big is completely paved with irregular snow-set diamonds, there’s clearly no reason to keep count. (But we will anyway – the 1206 diamonds weigh a total of 7.423 carats.) The domed crystal placed over the dial like a display case provides a view of even more diamonds cascading down the sides. The opulence of the gemstones is balanced by the high technology of the patented micro-fluidic module and mechanical calibre that combine forces to propel the blood-red liquid that indicates the hours. The minutes and seconds hands and power reserve indicator (65 hours) are in the same vibrant red hue, which continues onto the alligator strap.
Omega – De Ville Trésor Quartz
When you just can’t find the words, a carefully chosen gift can sometimes supply the necessary eloquence. The name of this watch could help to express how much your Valentine is truly treasured. Sparkling diamonds are juxtaposed with glinting steel, and a red dial and strap. The elongated Roman numerals follow the curve of the dial, leaving a neat circle in the centre. The asymmetrical diamonds give the timepiece a unique appeal, and the mirror-polished back is decorated with the “Her Time” design. By lucky accident – or perhaps not – the Omega 4061 quartz movement features a “Long Life” function. All these little signs and details make this De Ville Trésor the perfect token of your love.
Piaget – Possession
Presented by ambassador Olivia Palermo, with whom the brand has worked for some time, the Possession collection plays around with colours, materials and textures. In 2019, the model is back with a warm pink gold case, accentuated by a cerise dial and strap. This brightly coloured watch features the signature rotating bezel, also in pink gold, providing the lucky wearer with a playful distraction. Driven by the in-house 56P quartz movement, this ultra-feminine timepiece is seductively understated, with eleven simple diamonds marking the dial in place of numerals. The case is available in diameters of 29 mm or 34 mm to suit all wrists, and the dusky pink alligator strap can be swapped with a different one at any time (the watch is supplied with a second strap).
