A ladies’ timepiece used to be a bit of an afterthought for many watchmakers. Going by the releases and design trends this year at Watches and Wonders, the world’s biggest horological showcase, that is surely no longer. Pursuits of beauty, poetry and (surprise!) usefulness are making the ladies’ category perhaps the most exciting it’s ever been. In this series of Vogue Watch Reports, we curate 2025’s most noteworthy releases from Geneva. Here, high jewellery watches that pack a serious punch in the aesthetic arena.
There are those who hold the short-sighted view that high jewellery watches are unserious. That’s far from the truth. The pursuit of beauty in its extremes can inspire the creation of watches so beautifully, elegantly and masterfully crafted that they make almost banal the function of hours and minutes.
As watch brands continue to hone and improve their offerings for women, and as men’s interest in jewellery looks set to grow, there’s a point where the interests to join to create high jewellery pieces that are spectacular highlights.
Rather than fuss over reference numbers and one- or two-millimetre differences in case sizes, or the hours in a power reserve and how many metres of waterproofness, how about a more indulgent spread of vital statistics in the form of carats and gemstones?
1 / 7
Patek Philippe ref. 5811/1460G Nautilus Haute Joaillerie
In this new Nautilus Haute Joaillerie model, Patek Philippe has paired the silhouettes of round brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds to create a watch that’s as mesmerising as it is structured. It’s crafted in white gold and set with a total of 1,285 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 6.43 carats total, and 195 baguette-cut diamonds weighing 13.27 carats.
The case is set with 100 brilliants, with 32 baguette-cuts on the bezel; 13 baguette-cuts and 297 brilliant-cuts on the dial; and finally 150 baguettes and 888 brilliants on the bracelet.
2 / 7
Van Cleef & Arpels Ruban Mystérieux
The Parisian high jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels counts the world of haute couture as one of its core inspirations, and this new watch evokes the delicate fold of a ribbon on the wrist. It’s crafted in white and rose gold, with a virtuosic snow-set arrangement of diamonds. On its left edge, a line of emeralds; and on the right edge of this ribbon, the house’s signature Traditional Mystery Set with emeralds and sapphires. The dial, with a base of mother-of-pearl, is its most subtle but breathtaking detail. It is, in fact, an oval-cut 3.72-carat DIF diamond so internally flawless that it reveals a perfect, clear view of the dial.
3 / 7
Cartier Panthère Bangle
One of Cartier’s inimitable skills with its Panthère icon is sculpting jewellery into functional objects of artistry. This bangle design in white gold places the Parisian house’s cherished feline in a gentle stretch, one paw reaching for the cleverly angled dial of the watch. It’s animated with emerald eyes, an onyx nose and spots, and 1,103 diamonds weighing 11.90 carats in total that have been snow-, pavé-, and fur-set to give its sparkling coat a bristly, living effect.
4 / 7
Chopard Precious Lace
Chopard continued this year to enrich its Precious Lace collection of high jewellery with this new timepiece, a masterpiece in ethical white gold that arranges diamonds in such a delicate manner as to evoke lace. The piece is set with 436 diamonds in total, weighing 9.13 carats. Most strikingly, it features a scalloped guipure lace design on the rim of the dial and the bracelet, with lines of larger diamonds accented by smaller stones. The sapphire crystal, in keeping with this spirit of sculpted brilliance, is faceted to resemble the shape of diamond.
5 / 7
Chanel Toi & Moi The Lion of Mademoiselle ring watch
If an haute joaillerie timepiece already doubles as both a jewel and a watch, why not consider other types of wearing it besides the wrist? Chanel had the bright idea to craft a veritable statement of a cocktail ring as a watch.
Yellow gold is exquisitely sculpted and shaped to create a pair of lion ‘sculptures’, each of them set with a 0.42-carat princess-cut diamond. The rest of the ring-watch features 134 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing around 3.21 carats; a dial with 57 baguette-cut diamonds of 0.89 carats; and a bezel with 20 baguette-cuts weighing 0.6 carats.
6 / 7
Hermès Maillon Libre
Hermès may have debuted its Maillon Libre as a non-traditional, nomadic brooch, but it’s also come up with a more classic wristwatch style that turns its links into a structured cuff bracelet. This model in rose gold is bezel-set with four cushion-cut terracotta tourmalines, 218 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing around 3.96 carats, and 12 baguette-cut diamonds weighing around 1.08 carats.
7 / 7
Piaget Essentia
Piaget has dedicated its thematic focus this year to shapes, and in its high jewellery timepieces the most charming expression is perhaps this Essentia. Instead of a definite, geometric shape, this cuff watch has a biomorphic fluidity, like pebbles that have been shaped by running water—the hands of the divine. It’s a testament to the maison’s gold crafting savoir-faire to create such an organic feeling. The yellow gold case and bracelet are accented by gentle, wavy lines of brilliant-cut diamonds, and a resplendent opal dial.
Vogue Singapore’s June 2025 ‘Gold’ issue is available on newsstands and online.
