Chaumet has lain in the shadow of larger watchmakers for the last time. The brand’s newest collection depicts the romance and excitement of the chase in the form of graceful insects, results in a flourish much like the butterflies on these watch faces.
A definite favorite and the most complex of this whimsical collection, this fascinating and symbolic chase earned this piece the title “Catch Me If You Can”. This watch indicates time as differently from the traditional traversing hands as could be. A pink gold spider and pink gold bee with diamonds lay ornamentally on the intricate diamond studded watch face, backed by beautiful mother of pearl.
It is not until second glance that one realizes that not just decorative, these gorgeous creatures are actually showing the time. As they engage in a never ending chase, the diamond wing of the bee points to the minute and the spider crawls around the base of each hour. The spider’s patient chase of the carefree bee comes to a head on every hour, only to brush with death and glide delicately on. The flair of the Chaumet signature along one strand of the web shows a subtle pride in the ingenuity of the watch’s design, well-earned and widely acknowledged.
The exquisite gold and silver shimmer that is the spider’s web setting of this watch is the most creative representation of time and time telling of the collection. However no less elegant and beautiful are the six other similarly inspired watches in Chaumet’s “Catch Me If You Love Me. Precious” line. The evident painstaking care put into each detail tells a story, not just of each creature’s life, but of the depth of dedication and passion for beauty possessed by the artists behind the scenes.
Chaumet has perfected their exceptional style in a line unlike any other. Mastering the enameling, engraving and miniature painting, classic Swiss artisan techniques display a height of quality gemsetting and marquetry, leaving no doubt that the entrance of these timepieces onto the Geneva 2013 scene forever placed Chaumet in a quality and style class all its own.
Written by Lindsey K. Cook
