What happens when Haute Horlogerie meets Haute Couture? The Égérie ladies’ collection
SINGAPORE (Mar 29): Timepieces made specially for women are nothing new. Take a detailed look at history and you will discover the many watches on the wrists of Queen Elizabeth 1 and Queen Marie Antoinette to Diana, Princess of Wales. In fact a Vacheron Constantin watch was owned by Diana.
Most of these bejewelled wonders are now found in museums or relegated to catalogues where we only have a visual representation. Vacheron Constantin, founded in 1755 has had a long and illustrious watch making history has been producing watches.
This year, Vacheron Constantin turns its attention to the Égérie – a collection of timepieces just for women where Haute Horlogrie meets Haute Couture.
The suites of watches include: Égérie self-winding; Égérie moon phase and Égérie moon phase diamond-pave. Similar traits the watches share include craftsmanship, excellence and beauty. One of the eye-catching qualities lies in the pleated effect on the dial, much like an exquisite fabric that is painstaking folded by an haute couture tailor.
Also on the dial is an off-centred aesthetic feature that highlights the displays and the crown while horological complications and design codes embed the history of the Maison. Cases come in pink gold, white gold or steel, set with diamonds, available in 35 mm and 37 mm diameters. Interchangeable straps in various colours offer an elegant finish to the timepieces.
Here are each of the watches in detail and what makes them so special.
Égérie self-winding
For those who want a watch that takes us from day to night with great ease, this self-winding 35 mm pebble-shaped case is crowned with a slender bezel overstitched with 58 diamonds is for you. Dial, an opaline silver work, features concentric circles with its centre and periphery done in a pleated pattern. The decoration is done in the Manufacture's guillochage workshop using the historical “tapestry” technique. In short, artisans manipulate the gears of a 1904 pantograph-type machine in order to reproduce a large format motif in a miniature version on the dial to give it the draped fabric effect.
The tailoring theme extends to the numerals that are reminiscent of fine embroidery, while the leaf-type hours and minutes hands recall the fine needles used by the nimble fingers at work in Haute Couture ateliers. In a signature touch, the date appearing in a circle rimmed with diamonds draws on the tradition of Vacheron Constantin's off-centre displays.
Giving the watch life is the 1088 calibre and in-house self-winding movement with its 40-hour power reserve. The sapphire caseback reveals its Haute Horlogerie finishing: a hand-crafted Côtes de Genève motif as well as a delicately openwork 22K gold oscillating weight inspired by the shape of the Maltese cross.
Égérie moon phase
For the women who appreciates the technical details of how a watch will fall for this 37 mm case in 18K 5N rose gold or steel, with a diamond-set bezel. On the dial sits an offset circle glittering with 36 diamonds with a moon in gold appearing in a starry sky revealed behind clouds formed by mother-of-pearl while the pleated pattern is once again present.
The Égérie moon phase model is available in steel set with 58 diamonds and a cabochon-cut moonstone is the crown. For a more sophisticated look, the case of the Égérie moon phase also comes in an 18K 5N pink gold version also with 58 diamonds and a cabochon moonstone on the crown. This watch ticks with an in-house self-winding moon phase 1088 L movement, a user-friendly calibre that offers a 40-hour power reserve. The hand-crafted Côtes de Genève is present and is placed over an openwork 22K gold oscillating weight inspired by the shape of the Maltese cross.
Égérie moon phase diamond-pave
No women will be able to resist this diamond-pavé model that has been likened to that of a stunning evening gown. But perhaps the attraction here is the 37mm case in 18K white gold with 292 diamonds, with another 510 diamonds sprinkled on the dial – the effect is like embroidery found only on couture dresses.
An arresting sight is the mother of pearl star peeping through a translucent sapphire crystal while the winding crown is adorned with a rose-cut diamond. Imagine this piece sitting on your delicate wrist as it comes with two easily interchangeable night blue straps, one in leather and the other in satin, each secured by a gemset pin buckle.
The Égérie moon phase diamond-pavé model shines with an in-house self-winding moon phase 1088 L movement with a 40-hour power reserve. The sapphire crystal case-back reveals the refinement of the Haute Horlogerie finishes applied: the hand-crafted Côtes de Genève finishes are swept over by a 22K gold finely wrought openwork oscillating weight inspired by the shape of the Maltese cross.
