If we want to see the most fashionable clothes, we will go to Fashion Week.
If you want to see the most gorgeous appearance of the stars, we must not miss the Met Gala.
Then if you want to know the latest high-end watches, it is natural to avoid a big event -
Geneva Watches and Wonders Haute Horlogerie.
Although it has been more than a month since the end, but counting the time, many new watches exhibited at the watch exhibition have just begun to be listed recently!
As a wild watch blogger, the number of new products planted at this year's watch exhibition is really innumerable. For example, BVLGARI's Octo Finissimo Ultra watch has refreshed the brand's ultra-thin watch record for 8 consecutive times since its appearance, and the overall thickness of this year's new work is only 1.8 mm, making it the thinnest watch in the industry.
The Jaeger-Le-Haute-LeCoultre Master Series Calibre 945, with the addition of the star map, the sky dome and the zodiac display, takes us to look up at the stars.
Vacheron Constantin's Loft Craftsman Series Three-Question Chimes Single-Button Two-Seconds Split Second Chronograph, with a variety of complications in one, is a rare one-time tourbillon movement that simultaneously drives the three-question chime and two-seconds split-second chronograph functions.
That's beautiful isn't it!?
Just looking at the pictures is a mouthful.
In addition to the above works, Majestic also saw that there were many "animals" in this year's watch.
Not only are there many animals, but everyone almost does not repeat it, as if it was agreed in advance, and then everyone collectively built a zoo for the 2022 watch industry.
Usually, we have a lot of straw bags, clothes, shoes, today, you may wish to plant grass with the majestic grass to these impressive animal-themed watches.
Cartier's African world
Since animals are spoken of, how can cartier not be mentioned? After all, the former Cartier can be said to have "become famous in the first world war" with animals.
In 1914, Louis Cartier commissioned a young illustrator George Barbier to design an illustration of a jewelry invitation, which for the first time appeared in the image of a cheetah.
And their favorite animals are basically from Africa. Cheetahs, giraffes, zebras... Drawing inspiration from these majestic and powerful animals is a great thing for the brand.
In 1914, Cartier launched the first cheetah-inspired lady's watch with onyx diamonds in black and white cheetah pattern.
On this exhibition they brought many animal-themed watch pieces, the first of which can be said to be quite gorgeous, from INDOMPTABLES DE CARTIER
It was inspired by the face-to-face tête-à-tête jewelry trend of the 1930s.
In the 1950s, Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier's then creative director of the brand, had the idea of incorporating naturalism and three-dimensional design into jewelry.
The unconventional Double Beast Head Jewelry was a huge hit as soon as it was launched, and to this day, such designs are still full of personality.
As you can see, rather than fussing on the dial, the collection focuses on the bracelet, which gives haute couture endless possibilities.
The bracelet is designed to be different animals, with one side of the case being held in the mouth by the brand's iconic cheetah, while the other side is a crocodile, zebra and tiger.
The head of the beast faces each other, presenting a witty, interesting and powerful style.
All three watches use quartz movements, of course, the jewelry on the top can not be ignored, such as the white gold model set with 919 round diamonds, a total of 9.14 carats, 2 cabochon emeralds, 2 pear-shaped emeralds, 46 black spinels, 4 onyx, really quite luxurious.
The inspiration for the second animal-themed watch is also inseparable from the cheetah.
I admire that Cartier can make so many completely different cheetah works for so many years, and I feel that designers have lost their hair for this reason...
This new work is called RONDE LOUIS CARTIER ÉCLATS DE PANTHÈRE Cheetah Decorative Fine-work inlay watch, and the cheetah design is different from the former.
The cheetah faces are close-ups used here, and in order to create a majestic momentum, the craftsmen chose to use collage to create.
At the same time, the introduction of gold to construct a geometric mesh, and then set to the middle of more than 120 small fragments, the leopard eye is specially selected from two bezel-set pear-shaped diamonds, a bit fragmented look, but also to create the power of chiaroscuro and material collision.
The 124 pieces include 16 stalks, 8 wood chips, 2 gold pieces, 34 white gold pieces, 16 sapphire crystal fragments and 48 mother-of-pearl oysters.
Cartier is the source of these details that can tell you so accurately, not to mention that it takes a full 44 hours to set these small pieces, and you really have to sigh at the ingenuity of the craftsmen of Cartier's Master Craftsmanship.
Also in the series is the RONDE LOUIS CARTIER zebra and giraffe-inspired Zebra and Giraffe-inlay.
and the RONDE LOUIS CARTIER cheetah-embellished gold leaf enamel watch with glittering gold.
The craftsmanship of the three works is different, but because the manufacturing process is too time-consuming and labor-intensive, it is limited to 30 pieces each.
Chopard's rare animals
Chopard's "animal world" is also wonderful!
The new animal-themed watches released this time are all from chopard Happy Sport art craft watches.
As Chopard's first watch to combine diamonds with a stainless-steel case, the Happy Sport collection has also been acclaimed since its introduction in 1993, with bold and avant-garde innovative designs that have become a major symbol of the brand's collection.
Inspired by three protected animals, the brand created three completely different pieces of work, and in this way called attention to the challenges of the natural environment.
The first piece was inspired by hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds are the smallest migratory birds in the world, and they make their living by sucking pollen from rare flowers, which also have beautiful morals in many mythological stories.
Hummingbirds are very small, and some are not even as heavy as a coin.
In addition, hummingbirds are covered with scaly feathers, and with movement, they will flash rainbow colors or metallic luster, so beautiful that they can even be described as gorgeous.
But hummingbirds are also vulnerable to climate change and deforestation, and in recent years the tropical and subtropical forests and swamps on which they depend have been severely damaged, and the population of tiny birds unique to South America has also declined dramatically.
Chopard's dial focuses on the Amazon jungle where hummingbirds live, and freezes the moment when hummingbirds collect pollen.
With malachite as the background, 4 pieces of gold of different thicknesses and various mother-of-pearl shells are used to create a tropical jungle full of life.
To express the delicacy of the hummingbird itself, two opals are outlined with a blue-green iridescent luster, and hibiscus flowers are set with heart-cut diamonds and mother-of-pearl shell fragments.
The overall color echoes each other and has a strong sense of geometry, coupled with the combination of a variety of ores, it looks as gorgeous as the hummingbird wings.
The back of the watch is also very exciting, you can not only see the Chopard 96.23-L movement with a 65-hour power reserve, the bridge and the platinum miniature oscillating weight, but also feel the color and geometry that echo the dial.
Of course, as with the biggest feature of all Happy Sport collections, the hummingbird and three heart-shaped diamonds on this watch are free to move.
Here we have to mention Chopard's major innovation in the watch this time.
The brand has developed a liquid with moderate viscosity and applied it between two layers of crystal glass, and after offsetting the temperature difference and pressure difference caused by the injection of a new liquid between the crystal glass, the diamond naturally has a new rhythm of activity, which looks as light and flowing as if it is free from gravity, which is really a breathtaking and innovative process.
After seeing the sky flying, Chopard brought our eyes to the sea swimming ——
Sea turtle.
Sea turtles have been thriving in the ocean for 225 million years, and can be said to be the "big brother" in the ocean and even on the earth.
But since the last century, with the development of beaches, marine pollution, industrial fishing and other issues, its number has declined sharply.
Of the 7 surviving turtle species, 6 are already on the endangered list, which is not optimistic.
Chopard's watch also interprets the turtle's survival moment, showing us a miniature underwater world landscape that blends vegetation and turtles.
First of all, mother-of-pearl and green opal are used on the dial to form coral beads, and the color of the dial changes, showing a very rich layer.
Turtles are set with diamonds and cabochon-cut natural aventurines for style and sophistication.
Of course, just like the Hummingbird model above, the turtle and three pear-shaped diamonds on this watch can also move freely.
I personally feel that the rhythm of this movement and the turtle are the most picturesque.
The protagonist of the third rare animal watch is: the polar bear.
We all know that polar bears have their own specific living environment, but as the ice sheet shrinks year by year, this large and strong bear has become more and more vulnerable.
In order to call for the protection of polar bears and glaciers, Chopard also directly combined the two into the design of the dial.
The combination of mother-of-pearl and intimacy triangular diamonds in a geometric way creates a three-dimensional Arctic Circle glacier, followed by blue-green opals to create the depth of the river ocean.
On this land, there is naturally a polar bear dangling around.
The three diamonds that follow the polar bear are also designed to be triangular at this time, like ice floes, shining in the light.
The beauty of the watch's back is also unmistakable, with the mother-of-pearl watch bridge and opal-encrusted Chopard 96.23-L movement paired with a miniature mother-of-pearl oscillating weight for a glacial feel.
The appearance and craftsmanship of the three watches can be said to be the ingenuity of Chopard's master craftsmen, but the three works are only sold for 8 pieces, curious who will have them in the future?
Hermès's personality animal
If there are any of hermes' new works this time, which are the most noteworthy, this time for the ARCEAU series to bring new works, I must nominate.
The ARCEAU watch collection is a classic by brand designer Henri d'Origny in 1978, inspired by equestrianism closely associated with Hermès.
The most creative thing about this collection is the combination of stirrups, which is very unique and can be identified at a glance.
Over the years, the collection has introduced many classics with its unique design and continuous innovation, and this new ARCEAU Les folies du ciel soaring dream watch is also very special.
Although the collection is inspired by equestrianism, this piece takes its sights to the sky.
Its design was inspired by the Les folies du ciel (Dream of Soaring Sky) scarf designed by Loïc Dubigeon in 1984 to commemorate the early history of human flight.
The square scarf depicts the sky, the earth, the people who flew for the first time, and 18 kinds of flying machines conceived by early human beings.
Speaking of our new work this time, I think everyone has noticed the most conspicuous bird on the dial.
In fact, it is not a real bird, but a hot air balloon hanging basket.
The reason for the choice of the image of the bird is also because from ancient times to the present day, the bird is a symbol of travel and migration, and the earliest aircraft design is also inspired by the birds.
The dial looks childlike, but it is not at all simple to make.
The dial uses a mother-of-pearl dial, you can see a lot of pearl ornamentation, and the bird basket, balloon and other elements decorated on it have undergone a special firing process and hand polishing to create a convex surface and smooth texture.
Another special thing is the round balloon above the dial, which is actually a balance wheel, which means that the balloon will rotate at any time with the movement of our wrists, adding a lightness and playfulness to the whole watch.
However, this childlike watch is not so easy to obtain, and Hermès only issues 24 pieces in a limited number worldwide.
Good looks are really good looking, but less is really too rare.
In addition to the cute and loving style, Hermès also brought us a "cool child" -
ARCEAU Pocket cheval punk punk horse pocket watch.
This three-question pocket watch is also particularly interesting, the "punk horse" pattern on it is actually from the men's square scarf designed by Japanese graphic designer Daiske Nomura Daiske Nomura Daimura last year.
Daisuke Nomura is definitely one of Hermès' favourites, and as early as 2010, he won the Jury Special Award "les cravatespar Hermès", and has been designing men's silk scarves for Hermès ever since.
And the motif of our "punk horse" is the inspiration he found from a statue of a pony in the Emile Hermès Collection.
In his pen, the pony's thick mane is like a punk-style crown ornament, not only covered with borders, but also a lot of tattoos on the horse, which is simply too cool.
To make such a cool horse come to life on a pocket watch is actually a big test for Hermès craftsmen.
First of all, the craftsman needs to carve and shape by hand, and the micro-painting enamel is applied, and the whole process needs to go through hundreds of hours of complicated processes.
The dial also reveals Hermès' top craftsmanship, the gold mesh is filled with enamel, and the craftsman needs to first carve a groove in the carcass when making it, then mix the colored glaze powder with natural oil, fill it in layers, and then air dry and fire it in turn.
Such a complex production process allows us to feel the vividness and personality of this horse on the pocket watch.
Not to mention that the pocket watch is also paired with a round white gold case and a deep sea blue alligator leather tether, and the overall style is completely a combination of elegance and depth and personality.
Even the movement on display on the back is in the shape of a horse – Hermès is really too romantic.
Marine life of Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron Constantin will launch a haute couture watch with marine life as the main element this year, which is actually not surprising to me.
After all, the annual theme of their 2022 Loft Craftsman Series is "The Land of the Sea", how can it be without the participation of these long-lived protagonists in the deep sea.
Let's start with an animal that has appeared before, the turtle.
Although it coincides with the previous inspiration, in terms of creation, Vacheron Constantin pays more attention to the myth and meaning of the turtle, portraying the turtle more realistically and mysteriously.
This Les Cabinotiers Attic Craftsman "Marine Fossil" Grayscale Enamel watch is equipped with the brand's self-developed 2460 SC self-winding movement, which is also quite complicated.
In order to present the deep light and shade in the deep world, the master craftsman first uses the micro-painting enamel process to depict the shadow pattern, and then uses the gray scale enamel process to depict the bright parts, and then coats the enamel glaze layer by layer.
The entire process takes 120 hours to complete, and it takes 18 times to enter the furnace to finally produce such a vivid effect.
Including all the parts of the watch, it is also all hand polished, so that every detail of the watch reflects the ultimate ingenuity of Vacheron Constantin.
Corresponding to this, another Les Cabinotiers Loft Craftsman series, the "Secret Seahorse" tourbillon jewelry watch, has completely changed its style.
Compared with the calm and mysterious of the former, this work is more exquisite and elegant.
As we can see, it brings us a unique marine life – the hippocampus.
Compared to the appearance of other fish, the seahorse without tail fin is definitely a special existence, they are almost on their backs and moving up and down the water, although the speed of movement is always slow, but it does not prevent it from becoming the mount of the sea god in Greek mythology.
This watch further highlights the elegance of the seahorse, an animal that uses machine-carved carving and hand-engraving.
Patterns and grooves are carved into the dial, detailed with delicate filigree enamel techniques, and jewelry is placed in the eye of the hippocampus to make it more dynamic.
On the bezel, a circle of sapphires is also decorated with the same setting process, showing a gradient blue effect like a dial, which is in strong contrast with the seahorse in red and gold.
In addition, thanks to the rim-shaped oscillating weight, this watch is also slimmer. The entire mechanical calibre 2160 contains 188 parts, but the thickness is only 5.65 mm, so it is really difficult not to be impressed.
After seeing so many new animal-themed watches, which one makes your eyes light up?
The reason why animal themes are popular is actually inseparable from the importance of the watch industry to sustainable development.
Not only can we see brands calling attention to the environment and ecology through animal gestures, but we can also find that many brands are already leading by example.
We have reason to believe that there will be more brands in the future that will bring us more initiatives related to sustainability, and I also believe that we will also see more exquisitely designed and exquisitely crafted haute couture watches at that time.
The pictures in this article are from the Internet, the copyright belongs to the owner, and the text is original to the blogger.
Text Assistant for this issue: Quinn
The author is a contracted author of NetEase News and NetEase "Each Has An Attitude"
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