Perfect Palette

EDITOR’S PICKS Dials become miniature canvases in these remarkable métiers d’arts timepieces, compelling the wearer to look at their wrist more often, not necessarily to check the time

Dials become miniature canvases in these remarkable metiers d’arts timepieces, compelling the wearer to look at their wrist more often, not necessarily to check the time

JAQUET DROZ

The Swiss brand enriches its collection of automaton Bird Repeater watches, an exceptional line it started in 2012, this time with hand-engraved birds placed in a lush tropical setting that has been micropainted in vibrant colours. This piece can only be fully appreciated, though, when the minute repeater is activated, which triggers the peacock’s tail to open and close as a toucan emerges from the palm leaves to open its beak, followed by flying dragonflies at 9 o’clock—a mesmerising sequence that lasts for more than 12 seconds.

ULYSSE NARDIN

In a collaboration with comic book artist Milo Manara, Ulysse Nardin has created a set of erotic timepieces with micro-painted dials that narrate a love story between a mermaid called Ulyssa and a human named Nadia. There are 10 models, with production of each limited to 10 in rose gold and 10 in steel, all equipped with an automatic movement.

BOVET

With the mother-of-pearl dial of the Fleurier Amadéo watch as his canvas, Russian jewellery artist Ilgiz Fazulzyanov has illustrated koi carp in a lake surrounded by water lilies using the grand feu enamelling technique. By virtue of its convertible Amadéo system, the timepiece can be transformed into a wrist, pocket or pendant watch or a table clock with an easy-to-use tool.

DIOR

One of 10 unique pieces that make up Dior’s Grand Bal Jardins Imaginaires collection, this watch features a dial and a functional but embellished rotor where a combination of gold, precious stones, glass, petals and the wings of a butterfly and a scarab beetle create a garden. Its white-gold case and crown are pavéd with snow-set diamonds and matched with an elegant black satin strap lined with leather.

CHANEL

To be launched at Baselworld this month, the Boy.friend Tweed Art is a very chic piece with a tweed pattern dial in grand feu enamel. Its case is rendered in beige gold and its crown is set with an onyx cabochon. The watch is fitted with a mechanical movement and is limited to 20 pieces.

VACHERON CONSTANTIN

The Les Cabinotiers Imperial Tiger watch is one of the sublime Mécaniques Sauvages creations Vacheron Constantin unveiled late last year—one-ofa-kind pieces crafted by its Les Cabinotiers department. The Imperial Tiger, which comes in white or rose gold, features a tiger hand-engraved in pink gold set against a background rendered in white gold and blue wood marquetry.

HERMÈS

This Arceau Awooooo watch follows a motif from an Hermès scarf designed by Alice Shirley showing a wolf howling at the moon. The dial is rendered in enamel and framed beautifully by a white-gold case fitted with a matte graphite alligator strap. This piece of art is equipped with an automatic movement that guarantees 50 hours of autonomy.

CARTIER

The Ronde Louis Cartier Regard de Panthère was unveiled at SIHH in January, a watch with a dial beautifully presented in tessellated mother-of-pearl marquetry, each square meticulously cut and painted in gradations. It also comes to life in the dark as the panther’s eyes are painted with Superluminova. Adding further vibrancy are brilliant-cut diamonds on the dial and bezel. Production is limited to 30 numbered pieces.

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

The Lady Arpels Nuit Féerique watch is a whimsical timepiece that features a fairy, a moon and a shooting star on a dial set with rose-cut diamonds, faceted round blue sapphires, buff-topped round blue, pink and violet sapphires, aventurine, onyx and mother-of-pearl. Turn the watch over and the narrative continues with an engraving of a fairy fluttering in a garden under a crescent moon.