Harry Winston
Top 5 Basel Watches: Editorial Assistant Switzerland & US, Joy Corthésy
Harry Winston
Top 5 Basel Watches: Editorial Assistant Switzerland & US, Joy Corthésy
A piece that instantly caught my eye was Harry Winston’s 36mm Premier Delicate Silk Automatic—and, funnily enough, it held my attention for something other than diamonds (surprising, since I’m essentially a human magpie). The dial on these pieces is covered in raw silk produced from a unique farm that educates silk worms to weave the fabric naturally. The result is a piece of delicate silk untouched by man, which is then dyed and embossed with intricate curves and floral patterns. Lush and indulgent, the pieces look fit for a queen—after all, who would need a crown with that on your wrist?
Moving away from the ladies, I adored the thoughtfulness of Romain Gauthier’s Insight Micro-Rotor. The open dial shows a careful manipulation of depth and detailing: the beating movement, swaying micro rotor and evenly placed curved hand-beveled bridges show Romain Gauthier’s deep understanding of design. In a subtle touch, the bombé sapphire glass gradually rises towards 12 o’clock before dropping again—a detail that Romain Gauthier himself pointed out to my untrained eye!
Having loved Raymond Weil’s Beatles timepiece, I was pleasantly surprised by the Buddy Holly Maestro, a tribute timepiece to musician Buddy Holly. One of the first artists to be admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Buddy Holly defined traditional rock’n’roll (he’s the reason why there’s usually two guitars, a bass player, and drums in a band’s lineup). A sweet tribute to the man, the silver dial has highlights of pale blue (Holly’s favorite color), an oversized number 9 (Holly’s lucky number), and features Holly’s signature at the center. In a quirky touch that completely captured me, the second hand on the sub dial is in the shape of Holly’s emblematic glasses; the piece looks clean cut but has a few surprises—just like Holly did back in the ‘50s.