Timely Tales, Timeless Treasures

Enamel work, bright gem settings, complex dials and slender silhouettes characterise a lot of this year’s launches and contain some of the most elegant movements in contemporary horology.

Luxury watchmaking in 2025 is not just the next step in mechanics but also in art. The highlight pieces of the year are not just about telling the time; they tell stories. From cosmic influences and bold reworkings of icons to watches that blur the line between art and decoration, the latest additions bridge innovation and beauty in striking harmonies.

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Chopard L’Heure du Diamant Moonphase

The Chopard L’Heure du Diamant Moonphase is crafted from ethical 18-carat white gold and features a 35.75 mm case with a thickness of 9.60 mm. It houses Chopard’s newly developed self-winding Calibre 09.02-C movement, offering a 42-hour power reserve. Unlike many women’s watches that adapt movements originally made for men, this calibre fits seamlessly within the case. Comprising 169 components, it measures 20.40 mm in diameter and 4.60 mm in height. The watch is secured with a navy-blue alligator leather strap and a diamond-set 18-carat gold buckle. Drawing from 1960s modernist influences, the L’Heure du Diamant line also features coordinating rings, necklaces, and bracelets. This Moonphase edition is a poetic tribute to lunar beauty and the passage of time, capturing both celestial wonder and earthly elegance. Alongside the moon phase disc, the dial features blue aventurine glass, accentuated with diamonds encircling the moon phase and marking the hour indices. Rhodium-plated, cone-shaped hands indicate the hours and minutes, tracking time on Earth. Scattered like stardust across the dial, the diamonds bring a radiant sparkle to the design.

Chanel Boy.Friend Coco Art

The “Coco Art” timepiece captures Mademoiselle Chanel mid-gaze into her iconic powder compact — but this is far from a nostalgic scene. The dial embraces Pop Art influences with vivid tones and striking outlines, reminiscent of artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. This bold aesthetic comes to life through a hot pink enamel backdrop and the stylized depiction of Gabrielle, complete with her trademark pearl strands, Verdura cuffs, and neatly tied bow. Her portrait on the white gold dial is rendered using 12 pad-printing stencils, each corresponding to specific colours and motifs — from her beige-toned skin and blue hair to red nails and bright white accents. Some layers use traditional inks while others involve enamel, with each one requiring a two-hour drying period at 50°C to achieve flawless detail. Altogether, seven colours come together to create this vibrant miniature artwork. This striking design is encased in a matte black-coated steel case, deliberately chosen to heighten the brilliance of the 38 hand-set baguette-cut pink sapphires (approx. 1.58 carats) that line the bezel. Each sapphire was meticulously selected for its clarity, precise cut, and vibrant “hot pink” shade — a nod to CHANEL’s bold lipstick tones and the vivid palette of Pop Art.

Bell & Ross BR-05 36mm

The new 36mm stainless steel case stays true to the luxury sports watch style by seamlessly blending the case and bracelet into a continuous flowing line. To create this sleek appearance, the bracelet’s first link is integrated into the case itself. Notably, the case height has been slimmed down to just 8.5mm, a significant reduction from the 10.5mm seen in the 40mm models. The corners of the square design are softly rounded, and the raised bezel, secured by four polished screws, rests atop a sculpted central case. The case features a combination of satin-finished surfaces and polished edges, a refined treatment that continues onto the flexible integrated steel bracelet with its folding clasp. Screw-down crown guards protect the screw-down crown, ensuring water resistance up to 100 meters. The dial color options for the BR-05 36mm enhance its versatility, and many will appreciate that the date window present on the 40mm three-hand versions has been omitted. We captured images of the striking ice blue dial alongside the classic grey and black variants. Each dial features a lacquered base with sunray brushing, giving them a polished and modern appearance.

Piaget Sixtie

The Sixtie bracelet features five links in a row, with the three central links having a rectangular shape. The two outer links are distinctive—they are trapezoidal, mirroring the shape of the case, but divided into two sections that frame the three middle links. This design keeps the bracelet simple while seamlessly extending the case’s aesthetic, creating a true integrated look. Powered by Piaget’s Cal. 57P quartz movement, the watch displays only hours and minutes, cleverly hiding the typical one-second ticking associated with quartz. Due to this movement, the watch has an ultra-slim profile of 6.5 mm, providing unparalleled comfort when compared to numerous mechanical watches. The brand draws inspiration from its own history, particularly from watches with asymmetrical square—or better still, trapezoidal—shapes, to create the new Sixtie collection. The Sixtie’s case is broader at the top and narrows toward the bottom, showcasing a distinct trapezoidal silhouette. But the appeal goes beyond its shape; a closer look reveals a finely stepped bezel with five subtle tiers that form a smooth slope from the case side up to the crystal.

From the October 2025 issue of L’Officiel India.