Girls don’t just wanna have fun – Part 8

In this series we showcase mechanical and artistic wonders that were especially designed for women and others originally for men that come alive on spirited ladies’ wrists.

Based on the pre-SIHH announcements as well as the style of invitations to previews it was quite clear that women could expect to receive a special treatment from most of the brands this year. News circulated about the arrival of complicated and artistic pieces as well as exciting collaborations that fuse watchmaking and fashion. Companies approached women and their needs differently, matching their brand’s identity with the targeted archetypes of the myriad of personalities. Another factor that we can benefit from is that many brands introduced new, smaller men’s models, which make certain hot watches more wearable for women, who do not like to be put in a pink box.

We just left the big week in Geneva behind and I made a subjective selection from the novelties introduced at SIHH 2016 in the spirit of the Girls don’t just wanna have fun series. We’ll cover the individual pieces in separate articles as we process our SIHH adventure. Come along with us!

Clé De Cartier Panther Décor Watch

Panthers have climbed, lazed, yawned, hunted and played on Cartier’s jewellery and timepieces since the 1920s. The dignified cat was introduced as a characteristic Cartier motif by Jeanne Toussaint, “La Panthère de Cartier”, who joined the Maison in 1910. She became the Director of Fine Jewellery in 1933 and her strong vision was a great influence on the creative world of the company. Just as “Mademoiselle Chanel” left her mark in the world of fashion, Jeanne left her legacy in the jewellery field.

The panther reigns over some of this year’s timepiece novelties, too. The magnificent silhouette of the Clé de Cartier meets the run of the wrist perfectly imitating the warm cuddle of the panther nesting on the dial. The pear-shaped emerald eyes stare at you with the glance of the animal’s smart intellect calling for care, but which may flash at everyone else to protect you. The details are breath-taking: strands of fur are prominently visible on the engraved white gold, surrounded by enamel black spots. The aura of the cat is quite hypnotic, which is further enhanced by the 148 brilliant-cut diamonds set in concentric circles, including the bezel.

A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Moon Phase

There are nights when both cats and ladies (and men) are moody – who knows, perhaps the moon has something to do with it. The next fantastic timepiece includes a moon phase complication with a beautifully detailed disk and a huge date window. They all adhere to the design codes of A. Lange & Söhne, which are so dear to me. The two digits on the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Moon Phase are framed in gold, and stand out from the surface of the dial. Just like the case, the moon disk is made of white or pink gold and it has a special transparent coating which gives the treated gold a blue reflection. An entire star system is cut out from the blue coating with a laser cutter, undoubtedly creating one of the most impressive moon phase disks around. The timepiece, operated by the L086.5 movement, is self-winding. I admire the contemporary, sleek design and the level of sophistication this watch represents.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Duetto by Christian Louboutin

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso celebrates the 85^th anniversary this year and as they say, with the passing of the years it has only become more mature, not older. In fact, it does live a vibrant life with new models to appear every year that – thanks to the careful design considerations and long-term thinking – do not alter the main character but play with the lines and surfaces. To tell the truth, it is rather interesting to see how the endless possibilities in such a signature Art Deco model change the go-to-market model of a well-established brand like Jaeger-LeCoultre: the company announced that it would offer the “Atelier Reverso” personalization services for Duo and Duetto versions allowing free mixing of a great selection of exciting dials, straps and engravings via touchscreens in flagship stores. I can envision this being a great success soon.

The 85^th birthday also desired a few new unconventional dresses, which Jaeger-LeCoultre asked shoe-designer big gun Christian Louboutin to create. The newborns became the phenomenal love-children of their super talented parents, and undoubtedly wear the markings of both. Louboutin did not only create the straps, but took them as inseparable parts of the timepieces and therefore imagined the watch and the strap as a whole. He used his forms, patterns, colours – like iridescent – and even materials such as transparent plastic for the strap that have never appeared on a Reverso before. In all cases, the back-side of the leather is in the trademark Louboutin-red.

 

The SIHH 2016 selection continues here with Piaget, Roger Dubuis and Audemars Piguet.

You can find all articles of the series here.

 

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