Being Van Cleef & Arpels means that you have a reputation to uphold. But rather than being intimidated by this, its designers must find it an inspiration. Its most recent collection, introduced in Geneva, features watches, but they are also all objects of Art!
First and foremost there was there a new addition to the Poetic Complications collection: The Lady Arpels Papillon Automate Watch. A floral theme encased in an original design by Pierre Arpels himself, a butterfly sits. With wings of semi-transparent enamel, it can flutter its wings. Based on the watch power reserve, it will do so at irregular times and with such natural motions that you start wondering if it is not a real butterfly. When you want to show off this unique complication, or just want to pass a moment dreaming, press the pusher, and the butterfly will flutter on demand.
While the Lady Arpels Papillon Automate Watch enchants with its motion, it is the Ruban Secret Watch that entices with its shape: A bow that you can put around your wrist like an elegant accessory. Featuring a snow-setting of brilliant cut diamonds, you can turn the bow, revealing a watch dial to check the time. Perfect for those high profile events when you don’t want to wear an obvious watch but do keep discretely track of the time.
Another secret watch is the impressive Heure Marine. A bit more obvious than the Ruban Secret Watch, thanks to two Sri Lankan blue sapphires weighing a total 27.34 carats. Set with colorless brilliant-cut diamonds, as well as baguette cut sapphires, the bracelet has hidden inside a watch with a mother of pearl dial set in onyx. While it tells the time, you can hardly call this a watch, as it is a true word of art. Or as Van Cleef & Arpels refers to it: Poetry in Motion.
