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TIME HONORED WILD ABOUT HARRY The jeweler renowned for diamonds brings its expertise and style to women's fine timepieces. The face of Patek "Our female clients have been requesting something more complicated. Now we can deliver that." 92 PHOTOGRAPH BY TK; ILLUSTRATION BY TK ABOVE: continued from page 90 Philippe's Ref. 7071/G Typically, mechanical calibers are hand- Ladies First Chronograph contains 116 full cut assembled from hundreds of tiny parts to round diamonds. BELOW: form a horological marvel that keeps time in Roger Dubuis's Excalibur 36 offers a 48-hour perfect harmony. The movements are often power reserve in a elegantly finished with engraving and detail- stainless case featuring a 48-diamond bezel. ing that is visible via a transparent caseback. These highly engineered timepieces feature such functions as calendars, moon phases, and chronographs. The Roger Dubuis Excalibur 36, for example, offers classic craftsmanship within a beautiful case that is popular here. "The combination of form and function offers an incredible keepsake with a style that transcends time and trends," says Gianfranco D'Attis, president of Roger Dubuis North America. "We have been improving the ladies' line," says Thierry Stern, president of Patek Philippe Worldwide, which has been creating women's mechanical watches for more than a century and a half. "Even though we —THIERRY STERN have a lot to offer women, our female clients have been requesting something more complicated. Now we can deliver that." Stern's wife, Sandrine, is head of the design division and is bringing a woman's eye and touch to the newest ladies' complex mechanical watches. Similarly, Blancpain has been dedicated to building a key collection of women's mechanical timepieces, focusing on alluring, modern designs and functions that run the gamut from complete calendars to the just-unveiled grande date chronographs. All of its calibers are built in-house. BC SINCE HE DONATED the storied Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1958 and Marilyn Monroe's Lorelei Lee sang about him in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the legendary jeweler Harry Winston has been associated with the most scintillating diamonds. Since 1989 the brand that bears his name has put a concerted effort into further developing its women's timepiece collections by offering complications and high jewelry watches, with Winston's dazzling diamonds naturally playing a starring role. Harry Winston recently returned to its Premier Collection—the first ever created by the brand—with the Premier Ladies 36mm Automatic. Created in 18k white or rose gold, each of these watches is distinguished by its ultrafeminine design Harry Winston's and by the diamond-set case-to-bracelet brand-new Premier attachments, which recall the arches Ladies 36mm Automatic dazzles above the Harry Winston flagship store in with a beaded New York. mother-of-pearl mosaic dial and is The distinctive mother-of-pearl dial has engineered with 29 a beaded effect, achieved by adding rubies in the movement. depth through relief polishing. First the mother-of-pearl dial is buffed, and then a mask is applied to the dial with a seemingly random pattern on it. With the mask over it, the dial is sanded—thereby creating a pattern of polished and matte or sanded parts on the mother-of-pearl for a dramatic, beaded texture. Harry Winston's Premier Ladies 36mm Automatic ($36,500) is crafted in gold and set with an array of stunning brilliantcut diamonds weighing approximately 1.64 carats. Neiman Marcus, Copley Place, 617-536-3660; harrywinston.com BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 090-092_BC_SS_Timehonored_LATESPRING_13.indd 92 4/10/13 12:20 PM