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Watches Disguised As Jewelry Are the Latest Must-Have Accessory

These stunning timepieces by Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget, Cartier, and more are hidden in not-so-plain sight

By Rima Suqi
Luxurious gold ring with intricate lion designs and sparkling diamonds, featuring a circular centerpiece.
Chanel’s Toi&Moi ring watch, The Lion of Mademoiselle. Photo: COURTESY OF CHANEL

1. Toi&Moi Ring Watch, The Lion of Mademoiselle, by Chanel

There are 134 brilliant-cut diamonds in Chanel’s Toi&Moi ring watch, The Lion of Mademoiselle, available in an edition of just five. The big cats—a favorite of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (whose zodiac sign was Leo)—were inspired by twin lion sculptures that adorned her Paris apartment; now their profiles surround a bejeweled dial.

Luxurious silver and blue gemstone designer watch with unique oval and U-shaped elements.
The Maillon Libre brooch watch by Hermès. Photo: COURTESY OF HERMÈS

2. The Maillon Libre Brooch Watch by
Hermès

The Maillon Libre brooch watch by Hermès nods to the maison’s iconic anchor chain link. Also available as a necklace, it’s produced in either white gold with diamonds and indicolite tourmalines or rose gold with diamonds and terra-cotta tourmalines.

Colorful beaded necklace with intricate pendant featuring red, purple, and turquoise beads on a gold-toned chain.
The Swinging Sautoir by Piaget. Photo: Courtesy of Piaget

3. The Swinging Sautoir by Piaget

Piaget first introduced the Swinging Sautoir—a necklace that incorporates a watch and swishes from side to side as its wearer walks—in the 1960s. The brand’s latest iteration features an exuberant mélange of pink spinels, opals, red and orange carnelians, rubies, yellow sapphires, and brilliant round diamonds.

Diamond-encrusted luxury watch with rectangular face and blue hour markers on a double-strand bracelet.
The 101 Secrets Platinum Watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Photo: COURTESY OF JAEGER-LeCOULTRE

4. The 101 Secrets Platinum Watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre

Set with over 1,000 diamonds totaling 26.21 carats, the 101 Secrets platinum watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre springs open like a book to reveal a completely concealed mother-of-pearl dial and requires 182 hours of gem setting to complete.

silver ring with diamond-encrusted leopard design
Panthère by Cartier. Photo: Courtesy of Cartier

5. Panthère by Cartier

Panthère first debuted in a Cartier design in 1914 and has made regular appearances ever since. The latest example is a truly exceptional jewelry watch that takes 230 hours to realize, with over 1,100 diamonds set in white gold embellished with emerald eyes, an onyx nose, and spots formed by folding metal around the stone to create tiny hairlike threads.

Luxurious rose gold watch with a diamond-studded design and elegant bracelet strap.
Ludo Secret by Van Cleef & Arpels. Photo: COURTESY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

6. Ludo Secret by Van Cleef & Arpels

Although Van Cleef & Arpels offers multiple versions of hidden watches, the bracelet-style Ludo Secret is distinguished by 185 diamonds set in 18K rose gold; a guilloche, white mother-of-pearl face; and hand-assembled links.

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Fall Issue under the headline “Hidden Assets.” Subscribe to the magazine.