How luxury watch brands work with jewel artisans: from Queen Elizabeth’s pearl bracelet Patek Philippe timepiece to Serena Williams’ diamond Audemars Piguet watch and Cartier’s Panthère Crash

Jan 9 , 2023

Graff’s Diamond Hallucination watch is a flamboyant timepiece that doubles as jewellery for women. Photo: Graff

XXIV 2022

Women have long worn watches but whereas in the past they were artfully hidden by necessity, today you can flaunt the dial as well as the ornament – especially with a sprinkle of diamonds

Some notable timepieces that doubled as jewellery include Cartier’s bedazzling Panthère, Chaumet’s swivelling Souveraine and Van Cleef & Arpels’ secretive Cadenas

There’s something inherently masculine about watches. Perhaps it’s the precision engineering that goes into them or maybe it’s simply the obsession with performance.

Starting centuries back though, watchmakers sought to soften this effect, beautifying their creations with feminine touches, transforming timepieces into coveted jewellery, all in the name of masking the stigma of the once unladylike act of wearing a watch.

Today, timepieces doubling as jewellery remain an important segment in the industry. Watchmakers and jewel artisans come together to create sensational designs that transcend the limitations of their respective crafts.

Audemars Piguet’s Diamond Outrage. Photo: Audemars Piguet

A light sprinkle of diamonds on the bezel of a daily watch, a kaleidoscopic display of precious gems in high jewellery designs or a dial camouflaged as a pendant – almost all iterations of ladies’ timepieces are the harmonious result of the combined efforts of a watchmaker and a jewellery artisan.

The late Queen Elizabeth’s penchant for pearls was reflected in her one-of-a-kind multi-strand pearl bracelet Patek Philippe timepiece, while the recently retired tennis star Serena Williams was known to rock diamond Audemars Piguet watches at grand slam matches.

Serena Williams acknowledges the crowd after beating Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the women’s singles semi-finals at the US Open tennis tournament in New York in September 2019. Photo: Kyodo

These examples go to show how jewellery timepieces can be as versatile as their owners allow them to be. But the diverse aesthetics of the jewellery watch beg the question: how should the category be defined?

As the late queens of Britain and of tennis proved, a jewellery watch is not defined solely by how many carats of diamonds it’s set with, but by the creativity and beauty it expresses.

Cartier’s long history in jewellery naturally lends itself to an archive full of such iconic designs. The house’s first watch – the aviation-inspired Santos – and the Salvador Dalí-esque Crash de Cartier are just two of its most recognisable timepieces. Beyond adorning existing designs with gems, the house is known for integrating its gem-setting know-how into new watches.

The Ballon Bleu Vibrating Diamond is a stunning example of creative watchmaking from the brand. Across the dial are diamonds set on moving prongs that vibrate ever so slightly with the wrist’s movement, providing a shimmer across the entire dial.