Discover the 10 Most Artful Timepieces from Watches and Wonders

The pieces revealed at Watches and Wonders every year go beyond timekeeping. There are true works of art that are debuted, each a testament to craftsmanship. Technical feats, which range from the number of complications to the accuracy of the timekeeping, as well as the majesty of the artistic flourishes, which extend from silk marquetry dials to expandable enamel and diamond bracelets, are just a few of the ways this year’s introductions stood out.

Here are Galerie’s most artful picks from this year’s event.

1. Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune Watch

Van Cleef & Arpels watches have long had a poetic sensibility that beautifully marries timekeeping with the maison’s exceptional jewelry making. This debut is no exception—yet brings that sensibility to a men’s watch in a truly magical way. The heavens come to life on the dial of the Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune watch, which is rendered in white gold, yellow gold, white mother-of-pearl, and aventurine glass with a self-winding mechanical movement equipped with a combined moonphase and day/night display. A guilloché sun and a mother-of-pearl moon track the course of the day into night. The back of the 42-mm case is just as enchanting, with an engraved white gold that depicts the moon’s surface and miniature planets in enamel.

2. Patek Philippe Ref. 5249R “The Crow and the Fox”

For the first time, Patek Philippe showed an automaton wristwatch in a marvelous display that blended technical and artistic genius. Titled “The Crow and the Fox,” and known as Ref. 5249R-001, the extraordinary wristwatch is based on a classic fable by Jean de la Fontaine about the dangers of flattery. The special piece is made of a rose gold officer’s-style case and a brown “Matara” dial that indicates the hours and minutes on demand as well as a fox, crow, and hand-engraved foliage. 

3. Myst de Cartier

While Cartier presented a range of exciting updates on some of the brand’s most beloved classics, the absolute showstopper was the Myst de Cartier. A dazzling example of watchmaking and jewelry coming together, the watch unexpectedly has no clasp and is strung like bracelet beads, in this case fashioned from an eye-catching combination of diamonds, onyx black lacquer, and yellow gold or white gold with diamonds. “The new Myst de Cartier watch is all about volume and movement. Its design follows in the footsteps of the jewelry watches created under the direction of Jeanne Toussaint in the early 1930s—pieces that were both sculptural and flamboyant,” said Pierre Rainero, Cartier director of image, style, and heritage.

4. Hermès Slim D’Hermès Pocket Roaaaaar !

As an absolute testament to the combination of whimsy and artisanry that define Hermès, the Slim D’Hermès Pocket Roaaaaar ! once again proves how the maison’s flair for watchmaking stands apart under the leadership of Philippe Delhotal. With a motif sparked by the Roaaaaar! scarf designed by British talent Alice Shirley, a lion is rendered in wood marquetry on an openwork cover. A total of 10 different wood species recreate the chic beast’s mane and coat—all set against a chevron-engraved dial, which comes in green or blue enamel. Each color is limited to an edition of three pieces. 

5. Bulgari Serpenti Aeterna

Bulgari continues to reinterpret its iconic Serpenti in dynamic and exceptional ways. The Bulgari Serpenti Aeterna is a marvelous example of the merging of jewelry, watchmaking, and pure artistry with its profusion of colored stones. Entirely pavé-set with a dazzling combination of 122 gems of rubellite, amethyst, topaz, emerald, citrine, sapphire, tanzanite, pink and Paraíba tourmaline, tsavorite, and peridot. The variety of cuts and sizes is just as wide-ranging, with round, brilliant, princess, pear, and oval; however, despite all the variance, the overall effect is completely focused in its breathtaking orchestration and singular beauty.

6. Chanel Noeud de Camélia Embroidered Cuff

Two of the iconic symbols of the house of Chanel come together in this glittering watch limited to just 20 editions. The camellia and the ribbon create a fetching combination, especially when rendered in diamond and exquisite Lesage embroidery. The black lacquered dial is concealed by the 18k white gold blossom set with 60 baguette-cut diamonds and a brilliant-cut center diamond. With the hidden watch function and beaded grosgrain strap, this special creation is a true marriage of haute couture and haute horolgerie.

7. Piaget Swinging Pebbles

In 1969, Piaget launched a watch collection of only swinging sautoirs and cuff watches. It was a revolution in time telling—transforming the concept of a watch into a carefree style signifier. Piaget continues that tradition with the debut of the Piaget Swinging Pebbles. Carved from one stone, the pieces have a grounding, organic beauty. The hand-twisted gold chain touches on a very contemporary trend, which feels nostalgic all at once. Available in tiger’s eye, verdite, and pietersite, the Swinging Pebbles are smoothed to perfection with barely any distinction between the original rock and the timepiece that has been set within it.

8. Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Oyster Perpetual, Rolex introduces a glorious new Jubilee dial that explodes with joy and excitement. Rendered in ten layers of multicolored lacquer, the complex process results in an artful, multidimensional display of all the letters that spell out Rolex.

9. Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute to Civilization

For its second collaboration with the Louvre, Vacheron Constantin looked to masterpieces from the museum’s collection that represent great civilizations. Four models, each limited to 15 pieces, represent antiquities from Pharaonic Egypt, the Assyrian Empire, Ancient Greece, and Imperial Rome. Using the legendary Calibre 2460 G4/2 movement, the watch possesses a dial free of any hands, giving ample space for the métiers d’art design to reveal its beauty on a gold base plate with a central effigy produced using a special stone-carving technique called glyptics.

10. Audemars Piguet Établisseurs Galets

Channeling the quiet beauty of stones smoothed by the waters of the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland’s Jura mountains, this Atelier des Établisseurs creation by Audemars Piguet drapes around the wrist with lyrical allure. The 18k timepiece is powered by a Calibe 3098 that was modified to accommodate the irregular shape of its natural stone oval dial. The statement-making bracelet features variously sized stones encircled by 18k yellow gold, with an intricacy and level of craftsmanship that allows for only a few to be made per year.