The watch that thinks it’s a necklace

Hermes Kelly sautoir - rose gold - black alligator

‘Secret’ watches are my thing. The Hermès Medor is my favourite, but the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso* is the gold standard.

The story goes that a 1930s businessman and watch collector was tasked with creating a watch for polo players to wear that would withstand the rough and tumble of the game. The result was the sleek JLC Reverso whose case was engineered to flip over to protect the watch face – and back again after the game. 90 years later, there’s a market for mind-bendingly intricate paintings on that smaller-than-postage-stamp caseback, with limited editions models selling for €80,000. (more…)

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29 July, 2016

Workshop visit: At Chanel, it’s all wheat, no chaff

Chanel L'Epi brooch fine jewellery Les Bles de Chanel

When did wheat get such a bad rap? What was once revered for giving us our daily bread is now feared for making us fat, tired and irritable. Time for a rebranding campaign perhaps, but who would have expected the redeemer to be…Chanel?

In fact, the notion isn’t quite as eccentric as it seems if you know the history of Chanel. The young Gabrielle Chanel had humble beginnings, spending her childhood in the rural French region of Auvergne, known for its wheat fields. As a young woman she became friends with Salvador Dali, who once gifted her a painting of wheat, a gesture that symbolised success, growth and prosperity. From there on, wheat became one of the signature house codes, woven, embroidered and knitted into many a collection. Fast-forward to 2016 and the humble ear of wheat is the focus of some of the most extravagant Chanel pieces you can buy – from the ‘Les Blés de Chanel’ high jewellery collection. (more…)