ARMAND NICOLET – L08 Diamonds
Like a constellation of stars illuminating the night sky, the tasteful smattering of 74 Top Wesselton brilliant diamonds (totaling 1ct) on the bezel of the L08 uplifts its jet- black guilloche dial. Their shimmer and sparkle highlight the dial’s strategic openings, which provide enticing glimpses of Armand Nicolet‘s manual winding calibre, the UT600 which is fashioned from a vintage calibre, the circa-1957 AN0711A.
The refurbished movement, revved up with Incabloc shock absorbers and swan neck regulators, is exposed partially on an open- worked dial showing its balance, lever, time-setting and winding systems, as well as exquisite Cote de Genève and Perlage finishing on rhodium-plated plates and bridges. Limited to 50 pieces in stainless steel with an alligator strap.
Non-bejeweled versions are also available in limited editions of 150 pieces in steel with silvered dial; 150 pieces in steel with black dial; and 150 pieces in steel with 18K rose gold crown and bezel, and grey dial.
CORUM – Golden Bridge Lady
Horizontal is the new vertical, according to Corum. On the cusp of its 30th anniversary, the brand’s iconic linear Golden Bridge mechanism adopts a reclining position in an upsized 41 x 34mm case.
Like Old Master portraits of reclining nudes, the Golden Bridge Lady provides an intimate panorama of its inner beauty. Neatly suspended in mid-air between two sapphire crystals and decked out in resplendent 18K gold, the C0113 movement (dubbed the ‘baguette’) displays its barrel, wheels, gear trains, mainplate and bridges to glorious effect.
On the horizontal flanges, 144 diamonds accentuate this mechanical marvel like stadium floodlights. A further 108 brilliant cuts set into the gently curved case band act as framing devices for this masterpiece, bringing the total carat count to 2.5.
As a parting shot, the crown is set with a mother-of-pearl appliqué. Available in 18K rose gold with a white crocodile strap or 18K white gold with a black crocodile strap.
CHOPARD L.U.C – Tourbillon Lady
12 years, female admirers of Chopard L.U.C’s high complication watches have had to contend with just that – admiration. But that has changed with the Tourbillon Lady, the venerable brand’s first foray into dedicated women’s complication watches under its L.U.C in-house manufacture.
But Chopard knows only too well how diamonds are a girl’s best friend sightings of its signature Happy Diamonds collection have been known to send hot-blooded women into ecstatic frenzies – so it has liberally paved the dial, bezel, case, lugs, even crown and cabochon, with bling-bling diamond, all 8.6 carats of them.
Tear yourself away from the dazzle of the brilliants and the baguettes, and you’ll notice how the Tourbillion Bridge morphs into an elegant letter ‘C’. Blued steel hands contrast beautifully against the crystalline purity of the dial that does away with numerals and indexes. For busy bees flitting from meetings and events to cocktails and soirees, the four-barreled L.U.C 4T Calibre works as tirelessly as you do, giving nine days of power reserve, which is indicated by the pointer at ’12′.
The final act of seduction comes in the form of the transparent case back, which reveals the immaculate movement in its hand-finished, Geneva-striped splendor. Limited to 25 pieces each in 18K rose and white gold with a hand-stitched black alligator strap.
