Biennale des Antiquaires - Precious time sculptures
High Jewellery is an endlessly creative exercise which, when applied to watches, takes on a bewildering variety of forms ranging from the most conventional to the truly incredible. The magic of creativity transforms the basic function of the timepiece and propels it towards whole new dimensions. The Biennale des Antiquaires (Antique Dealers Biennial) taking place in Paris until September 21st is one of the world's major gatherings of precious objects. It is indeed undoubtedly there that the most imaginative High Jewellery watches are currently to be found. Inspiration stems from an eclectic range of sources and the only rule is to fascinate, stun and appeal. This implies banishing the elementary rules of watchmaking in order to achieve a greater good. The concept of formal shapes is gradually blurred to the point where jewellery watches escape the bonds of reality to enter a dream world of their own.
Piaget offers its unique take on wristwatches as well as 'garment-watches'. The former include a re-edition of the model worn by Andy Warhol, with a large cushion-shaped case bearing gadroons and framing hard stone dials - an historical Piaget speciality - on which jade, ruby heart and lapis lazuli adorn these powerfully built masculine watches; while another highlight takes the form of a delightfully chic large openworked cuff watch made of hammered gold with a resolutely 1960s vibe. In the 'clothing' variety of models, time dangles on the end of a sautoir necklace, a gold latticework tie, or a diamond-set pendant nestling gently in the decolletage, with the watch thus virtually taking on the role of silky soft lingerie…
Chaumet has broken down any existing borders between case, bezel and dial. In its Lumieres d'Eau collection, two Lumiere d'Or watches respectively highlight the warmth of the sun and of precious stones. The first depicts two sculpted gold fish swimming on a lacquered wave. Their huge diaphanous tail spills over onto the bezel engraved with slender grooves. In a more abstract mode, the second is a cuff-watch featuring intricately interwoven coloured stone motifs. The dial set with yellow sapphires is concealed beneath an extraordinary gem: a yellow cushion-cut 13.45-carat Ceylon sapphire.
Dior plays on the themes of volume and symmetry. The subtly disturbed geometry of one of its Grand Soir models features a bezel forming a corolla of sapphires, spiralling outwards like the soft folds of a twirling ball gown. The blue stones strike a powerful contrast with the warmth of the pink gold, accentuated by dynamic colourful engravings on the mother-of-pearl dial.
At Cartier, timepieces have always been crossed with precious objects to form truly hybrid creations. At the Biennale des Antiquaires, the Parisian jeweller consistently presents these rare pieces in unusual sizes. A mystery clock made of rock crystal, onyx and diamonds sends its openworked hands apparently sweeping around in mid-air. A "bowl" clock also represents an intriguing sight, resembling an aquarium containing a rotating sphere adorned with an opal surrounded by diamonds and onyx. It turns inside a rock crystal bowl and tells the time by means of graduations around the rim. But just how does it work? It's a mystery…
Bulgari again works one of its favourite themes, the snake. The Serpenti line is regularly enriched with High Jewellery creations in which superb goldsmithing vies with the rich sparkle of stones. Two new reptiles take temptation to new levels. The finely crafted scales of these two asp vipers are extremely realistic and the most amazing thing is that the double or triple-coil wristwatches are as perfectly sleek and supple as the creatures they represent. They do not however exude the coolness of reptiles, instead glowing with the warmth of gold and diamonds.
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