The cocktail watch is well and truly back. It used to be that a pretty, tiny watch with gemstones was an old-fashioned notion. Something that our mums, perhaps, might save for fancy occasions. It’s not the case any more, and a tiny jewelled timepiece is fresh all over again. We’re seeing it on major carpet events like the Met Gala and Oscars, with celebrities pairing glamorous gowns and statement jewels with elegant cocktail watches on the wrist. Cartier is, unsurprisingly, a front-runner in this category. In fact, the renaissance of the cocktail watch might even be credited with the runaway success of the reintroduced Baignoire—so popular that it took even the Parisian maison by surprise.
With an icon in hand, Cartier has now added new levels of preciousness to its sublime oval design. The Jewelled Baignoires are gently sized up and set on every conceivable surface with gemstones. See, above, Cartier ambassador Anna Sawai wearing a model with 229 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 7.70 carats, 272 blue sapphires weighing 4.4 carats, complemented with aquamarines and spessartite garnets; and a gold dial covered with 162 diamonds totalling 1 carat and a spessartite garnet at 12 o’clock to indicate the right side up.
Jewellery houses, unsurprisingly, offer some of the best in class when it comes to the sensitive proportions and balance of design on a cocktail watch. Tiffany & Co. recently introduced the Tiffany Rope, a radical new timepiece that is entirely powered by light—no batteries or winding, thank you. It features an advanced solar movement that charges indoors and out, and the inimitable look of Jean Schlumberger‘s rope jewellery motifs. The American luxury brand is making moves into watchmaking, with the distinct propositional bent of fully retaining and honouring its identity as a jeweller first and foremost.
Other places you might find this sensibility of cocktail elegance are heritage watch brands. If a watchmaker has been around for, say, more than a century, odds are it has in its history produced exactly the kind of old-world jewelled timepieces for women that are back in trend. Audemars Piguet, for one, revived a tradition of miniaturised watches last year with its trio of Royal Oak Minis in a frosted gold finish. The change in proportion and finish turns a sporty silhouette on its head, imbuing the Royal Oak with a jewelled sensibility even without any gem-setting.
Or consider Jaeger-LeCoultre, which has in its broad array of Reverso models a line like the Reverso One with a taller, elongated proportion. It makes all the difference, transforming the Art Deco design from its origins as a watch for polo players into something more feminine and chic. The ultimate touch of beauty to a Reverso One might be the Precious Flowers designs from Jaeger’s Métiers Rares workshops. The gold cases are fully diamond-set, with works of art on the reverse dial: floral illustrations writ in black lacquer, grand feu champlevé enamel and snow-set diamonds.
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Cartier Baignoire jewellery watch mini model in white gold with diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and blue tourmalines, price upon request
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Boucheron Serpent Bohème in white gold with diamonds, $81,200
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Tiffany Rope 27mm in yellow gold with diamonds, $25,700
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Mini Frosted Gold in pink gold, $53,200
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Franck Muller Round Skeleton Baguette in white gold with diamonds, $133,000
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Piaget Limelight Gala Precious in white gold with diamonds, $60,000
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Van Cleef & Arpels Fleurs d'Hawaï secret watch in white gold with aquamarines and diamonds, $185,000
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Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso One Precious Flowers in pink gold with diamonds, price upon request
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Chanel Première Ribbon in yellow gold and titanium with diamonds, $16,550
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Chopard L'Heure du Diamant Moonphase in white gold with diamonds and an aventurine dial, $154,000
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