SpotlightThe Finest New Ladies’ Watches Unveiled At SIHH 2019

In certain ways, women’s watches are more interesting than men’s, because they can offer not just the exceptional mechanics of fine watchmaking, but also the fine art of jewellery and gem-setting. This year’s novelties presented a heady mix of features in women’s watches. While diamond-paved marvels did dominate, there were also some watches with impressive movements, complications, and even outstanding displays. Take a look at a few of them.

Baume & Mercier Classima Lady

This year, we saw a new edition of the Classima Lady watches in 27mm, 31mm and 34mm, with variations in quartz and automatic mechanisms, with and without diamonds. This one here in 31mm steel, with an automatic calibre was the standout piece, distinguished from its quartz counterpart by the minute marker dots, and the word ‘automatic’ on the mother-of-pearl dial. With a power reserve of 42 hours, this one includes a date indicator at three o’clock. With the bezel paved with 60 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 0.29 carats, the case is water resistant to 50m.

This new Classima Lady in 31mm steel, with an automatic calibre was the standout piece from the 2019 series

₹3,17,000

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It is distinguished from its quartz counterpart by the minute markers and ‘automatic’ on the mother-of-pearl dial

₹3,17,000

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With the bezel paved with 60 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 0.29 carats, the case is water resistant to 50m

₹3,17,000

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01

Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye Plum Blossom

Adorable and exquisite, this latest edition of Girard-Perregaux’s signature elliptical Cat’s Eye watches includes three outstanding pieces. While the other two have diamond-paved and aventurine glass dials, this one here has a mother-of-pearl dial, set in a 35.4mm by 30.4mm steel case, decorated with 62 brilliant-cut diamonds, weighing a total of 0.85 carats. It runs on an automatic calibre, offering up to 46 hours of power, thanks to a floral decorated oscillating mass that can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. The flower you see towards nine o’clock on the dial through the glare-proofed sapphire crystal glass is actually the small seconds. The rotating flower serves as the seconds hand, completing one rotation in 60 seconds.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Night & Day Jewellery

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous is back this year, with its signature day-and-night complication on a mother-of-pearl dial, but with an all-new prong setting for the outer of the two rows of diamonds on the bezel. This gem-setting—which is more akin to fine jewellery—along with the automatic movement offering 38 hours of power, make this timepiece an exemplary combination of haute joaillerie and haute horlogerie. The movement can be seen through the transparent back on the 36mm pink gold case—water resistant to 50m and perfectly complemented by an alligator leather strap in taupe. With a total of 168 diamonds weighing 3.43 carats, there is a version of this watch in white gold with a blue strap as well.

Tentative availability: July 2019

This gem-setting along with the automatic movement make this a combination of haute joaillerie and haute horlogerie

₹54,50,000

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The movement can be seen through the transparent back on the 36mm pink gold case—water resistant to 50m

₹54,50,000

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The watch features 186 diamonds weighing 5.82 carats, and comes with an alligator leather strap in taupe

₹54,50,000

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This Rendez-Vous Night & Day features an all-new prong setting for the outer of the two rows of diamonds on the bezel

₹54,50,000

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01

Parmigiani Tonda 1950 Lune

Named after brand founder Michel Parmigiani’s year of birth, the Tonda 1950 series includes a Lune edition for its lunar calendar or moon phase display, which has been refined this year. Packing in timekeeping finesse—by way of an automatic movement with 48 hours of power, a moon phase indicator, small seconds and a date—with a mother-of-pearl dial and applied indexes, in a 9.6mm-thin case is quite something. Adding to the aesthetic appeal are the diamonds set on the bezel of the 39mm-wide rose gold case that is water resistant to 30m.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Shooting Star Flying Tourbillon

An 18-karat pink gold watch, equipped with the prestigious tourbillon complication in a Roger Dubuis manual-winding calibre and the ‘Poinçon de Genève’ stamp of quality from the Watchmaking School of Geneva, this watch is a dream come true for watchmaking aficionados. Add to that the diamonds on the bezel of the 36mm case and the hour markers, along with the smattering of pretty star elements on the mother-of-pearl background to complement the star-shaped mainplate of the skeleton movement—you couldn’t ask for more. This timepiece has the superiority of mechanical watchmaking, the brilliance of precious materials and the bold design outlook of Roger Dubuis—it’s one hefty package indeed.

The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Shooting Star Flying Tourbillon comes with the ‘Poinçon de Genève’ stamp of quality

Off-Site Showcase

Here are a couple of watches we got a glimpse of in Geneva, presented at venues away from the site of the Salon.

Hublot Big Bang One Click Paraíba

Set with 177 Paraíba tourmalines—including the hard-to-execute baguette-cuts on the bezel—this watch brings out the gorgeous and mystifying hue of the rare gemstone, sourced responsibly and ethically from the Rio Grande region in Brazil. Much rarer than diamonds (for every 10,000 diamonds mined, there is one tourmaline), these stones capture brilliant and incandescent turquoise tones that are incomparable. Hublot has managed to capture a tint of it by way of the Paraíba blue satin-finished sunray dial, matched with the rubber-lined leather strap that can be removed and changed by a simple, one-click mechanism. The 39mm case—in Hublot’s own King Gold alloy composed of 18-karat gold, copper and platinum—is equipped with an automatic movement and is water resistant to 100m.

Tentative availability: To be determined after Baselworld 2019 (March 21 to 26)

Set with 177 Paraíba tourmalines, this watch brings out the gorgeous and mystifying hue of the rare gemstone

₹1,60,60,000

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The 39mm case—in Hublot’s own King Gold—is equipped with an automatic movement and is water resistant to 100m

₹1,60,60,000

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Maurice Lacroix Eliros Date Ladies

The sole offering for ladies among the novelties that Maurice Lacroix showcased, this Eliros watch runs on a quartz movement, set in a 30mm rose gold PVD-treated case that is water resistant to 50m. The blue dial, with a sun-brushed finish and set with eight diamonds, is complemented by the blue calf leather strap that can be changed by you effortlessly. The ‘M’ Maurice Lacroix monogram on the strap goes well with the case and dial details.

Tentative Availability: March 2019

This Eliros watch runs on a quartz movement, set in a 30mm rose gold PVD-treated case, water resistant to 50m

Click here to read about the finest new watches for men launched at SIHH 2019