There are jewelled watches and there are high jewellery watches. As proud symbols of technical and creative mastery, they are especially singled out by leading jewellery houses as part of their annual high jewellery collections. Traditionally, a high jewellery watch is a ‘secret’, a rare-gem-set bracelet with a tiny hidden watch dial designed to give the wearer possession of a delightful surprise. Like a hidden door, the timekeeping element of a high jewellery watch is engineered to blend seamlessly into the jewel design. This not only hides a tiny watch dial but the volume of the quartz watch movement required to power it.
This year, Cartier, Chaumet and Chanel offered particularly graphic takes in three playfully modern designs.
