Van Cleef and Arpels
The Van Cleef and Arpels brand is a brand well known for its jewellery watches. The designs are elegantly crafted and known for their superb artistry in the luxury and designer watch market. Having started off as a family enterprise consisting of the brothers Charles Arpels, Julien Arpels and Louis Arpels, along with brother-in-law Alfred Van Cleef, it continues to maintain its high tradition of excellence in jewellery and design even today. The vintage watches of Van Cleef and Arpel are considered a worthy investment in the fine line of luxury watches.
Van Cleef and Arpels Product Line
Van Cleef and Arpels Men’s 18K Gold Watch features a self-winding automatic movement in an impressive 18K perfectly rounded gold case on a brushed, polished gold bracelet. The 36 mm diameter and 8 mm thick case is a modern beauty. This watch lists for $13,900.
Van Cleef and Arpels Classique Women’s Dress Watch (Model 11603) has a double row of 112 dazzling round-cut diamonds of 1.5 carats totally, prong-set on the square bezel. The case is a beautiful 18K white gold on a black alligator strap. It has a Swiss quartz movement and priced at $11,500.
Van Cleef and Arpels Women’s Dress Watch features 120 spectacular round-cut diamond prong sets, in two rows, on a round bezel. Set in an 18K yellow gold case it comes with a brown alligator strap and a matching 18K yellow gold buckle. This price is listed at $11,200.
Longines
The brand Longines was borne in Saint-Imier in Switzerland in 1832. Since then it has strived to combine innovative technologies with elegance to become one of the best-known luxury designer watchmakers in the world. The advertising campaign of the company, ‘Elegance is an Attitude’ befits the Longines brand aptly. To prove its prowess in the market, Longines launched its first wristwatch in 1905, the world’s thinnest electromagnetic watch in 1960 and the world’s first cybernetic, electronic quartz watch – the Longines Ultra-Quartz – in 1969.
Soon thereafter, it pioneered the alphanumeric display for television in connection with the retransmission of a World Cup downhill skiing race in St. Moritz, Switzerland. In 1979, Longines in conjunction with other watch brands developed the “Feuille d’Or”, the world’s thinnest quartz watch. It surpassed its own record, when in 1984, it designed the world famous Conquest VHP (Very High Precision).
In the world of sports too, Longines has achieved tremendous breakthroughs. In 1912 it introduced the principle of an electric wire, which at the start and finish of a race, activated and stopped the timing mechanism. It has since been appointed official timekeeper for many international sports events, including many winter and summer Olympic Games.
If that were not enough, it has gone on to create history even in the sectors of aviation and navigation. It was responsible for timing Lindbergh’s first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean and, subsequently developed the Hour Angle watch according to a design drawn by Lindbergh himself.
Baume et Mercier
Baume et Mercier was the brainchild of the watch making team William Baume and Paul Mercier in 1912. Precision merged with fine art to produce some of the finest designer and luxury watches in the world. Modern yet classical, the elegant Hampton series of the Baume et Mercier is testament to this fact.
In 1921, the company was awarded the coveted Poinçon de Genéve, a watchmaker’s highest honour, given by the Republic of Geneva. Baume et Mercier’s development of the planetary rotor, which oscillates with the movements of the wrist to automatically wind the watch and activate the mainspring, led to the production of the world’s flattest automatic watch. Since then the brand has sky rocketed into fame for its designer watches with fine craftsmanship.
Baume et Mercier Product Line
Baume Mercier Riviera Women’s watch (Model MOA00525 is set in a stainless steel case and bracelet, with white dial and quartz movement. The suggested retail price is $1487.
Baume Mercier Linea Women’s watch (Model MOA08281) features a white dial on a beige calfskin wraparound strap, in a polished steel case. It features quartz movement and is water resistant up to 100 feet. It has a retail price of $902.
Baume Mercier Women’s Classic Hampton watch (Model M0A06930) is fitted with a black calf strap in a stainless steel case. This model is priced at $1037.
Baume Mercier Capeland for Men (Model MOA06852 pictured) features silver Arabic numerals, quartz movement and a steel case. Water resistant to 100 feet, the retail price is $1363.
Bertolucci
The Bertolucci brand started humbly in a small workshop run by Robert Chopard that was owned partly by Marcel Michelotti. Marcel’s daughter, Pierrette Michelotti, married Remo Bertolucci in 1968 and revolutionized this brand to make some of the finest designer timepieces ever. Bertolucci was a merger of Italian styling with Swiss craftsmanship and became famous for its understated elegance. Some newer watches are bold and modern but tastefully designed.
Bertolucci Product Line
Bertolucci Vir Women’s Strap Watch (Model 129.50.41.120/BRN) is known for its scratch resistant mineral crystal, with a satin finished steel case and an ostrich brown strap. The steel bezel frames the white dial with luminous hands and has silver Roman numeral markers. The watch uses precise Swiss quartz movement and is priced at $1195.
Bertolucci Men’s Strap Watch (Model 701.50.41.100/BLK) features an extremely light manual mechanical watch. Set in a brushed steel case and a steel bezel surrounding a white dial and silver coloured hands, it is fitted with a black crocodile strap. Its suggested list price is $4,750.
Bertolucci Uomo Men’s Watch (Model 884.55.41.601) features a stainless steel case, automatic certified chronometer movement and mother of pearl dial. It lists for $3,045.
Bertolucci Poeme Gold Ladies Watch (Model 053.54.68.96) features an 18K yellow gold case on a black patent leather strap with a diamond buckle. A mother-of-pearl dial with diamond markers rests on sapphire crystals. It is priced at $6,995.
Harry Winston
Harry Winston is a world famous designer of jewellery watches and is often referred to as the King of Diamonds. These ultra luxury designer watches have been favoured by royalty and Hollywood stars. Harry Winston has designed many individually unique pieces for a select clientele. The pieces designed by Harry Winston are treasured among the world’s famous diamonds and jewels.
When Harry Winston passed away in 1978, his son Ronald took over the vast empire. Continuing his father’s legacy, Ronald Winston brought out the brand’s first collection of watches, The Ultimate Timepiece in 1989. Known for its legendary masterpieces, the company occasionally introduces magnificent additions to its elegant collection.
Harry Winston Product Line
Harry Winston Avenue Collection (Model 310-LQGL-D2.2) is a women’s watch featuring an 18K yellow gold case with a 0.90 k diamond bezel, on a leather strap. It also features a mother-of-pearl dial and quartz movement. The price quoted is $12,892.
Harry Winston Premier Bi-retrograde Watch (Model 200/MABI 37 RL) is set in a rose gold case with leather strap. This watch features automatic movement, with bi-retrograde seconds and day of week display (price by request only).
Harry Winston Ocean Collection Watch (Model 400/MCADV 39 comes with an automatic movement chronograph and has water resistance to 300 feet. It is encased in 39 mm platinum covering (price by request only).
Harry Winston Signature 7 Watch (Model HQ/HJ 286 pictured) is part of its premier series in 1989. This quartz model is designed in 38K white gold case, dial and bracelet set with 428 white diamonds (price by request only).
