Femme Fatale
Producing watches for women as early as 1883, Audemars Piguet knows well how to entice them with sparkling timepieces crafted by employing an array of gem-setting techniques such as closed, snow, claw and grain settings.
Its 2017 feminine novelties include the dazzling 33mm Royal Oak and avant-garde Diamond Outrage.
The sporty Royal Oak has elegantly been redesigned with a swirling diamond relief pattern that glides beyond the dial and bezel to the bracelet.
At first seemingly random, the wavelike pattern of diamonds is precisely considered and set within the Royal Oak’s distinct design in the same way that an abstract painter might approach a canvas.
The unique gem-setting technique does not treat diamonds as merely a decorative touch, and the precious stones are integrated into the entire watch to create a design continuity.
Available in pink gold and white gold versions, the new Royal Oak gleams with 541 brilliant-cut diamonds whereas the white gold Diamond Outrage is loaded with 9,923 brilliant-cut and 354 baguette-cut diamonds.
The third in a trilogy, the magnificent cuff watch follows Diamond Punk and Diamond Fury that demonstrate Audemars Piguet’s futuristic designs for high-jewellery watches.
Inspired by Vallée de Joux’s icy winter, the structure is set with precious stones in a brilliant array of cuts, as well as the inclusion of three baguette-set spikes on the full-diamond version.
A rare technique, invisible setting, is used for each of the baguette-cut diamond points. Thus the linear-cut diamonds appear to float, held perfectly in place as if no setting were required.
The other spectacular spikes in varying sizes (ranging from 29.3mm to 40mm) are created using the snow setting technique, where diamonds are set so close together that the jewel’s white gold frame seems almost invisible.
A variation of the futuristic cuff watch features 11,043 brilliant-cut sapphires that explosively become blue stalactites on the wrist.