The prestigious, Paris based jewelry and watchmaking house presented a new model from its luxurious Class One Collection, renowned by the unusual combination of diamonds and rubber. The new Class One High Jewellery watch showcases an exceptional choice of differently cut diamonds in black and white combination, completely covering its white gold case, bezel and dial. By finding a subtle connection among breathtaking luxury and sporty elements, Chaumet’s craftsmen once again demonstrate their amazing creativity, so appreciated by glamorous ladies from all around the world.
Named after the powerful monohull powerboat from 1990s that was a part of the most prestigious single-handed races, such as Vendée Globe and Route du Rhum, Chaumet’s Class One Collection made the real revolution in the ladies’ watchmaking industry, at the end of the 20th century, by offering a totally unusual combination of materials. Today, there is a number of models that represent this prestigious range, but the one that I specially like is the new Class One High Jewellery watch with the thrilling black and white decoration.
Let us start from the case. It is crafted in highly polished and rhodium-plated 18 karat white gold, with the diameter of 39 mm, which is pretty large for a ladies’ watch. The bezel is set with 36 baguette-cut white diamonds and 12 black brilliant-cut diamonds (the total of 7.32 carat), while horns and case sides come adorned with 74 calibre-cut white diamonds (7.6 carat) and 84 brilliant-cut black diamonds (0.35 carat). Finally, an 18 karat white gold crown is decorated by a black diamond cabochon.
A hypnotizing dial is a special story. Designed like a chess board and made of 18 karat white gold, it is completely covered with 34 calibre-cut white diamonds and 86 black diamonds (the total of 9.6 carat). This jewelry piece is protected with a curved sapphire crystal glass, with the black metallized “Chaumet Paris” logo on the inside.
The watch is powered by a self-winding mechanism, whose wonderful decorations, including a mother-of-pearl rotor with the Class One guilloché pattern, are visible through a sapphire crystal opening at the case-back. When it is fully wound, the movement provides up to 42 hours of power-reserve.
This alluring timepiece is available either with white or black vulcanized rubber, or with a black rubber strap, with a polished and rhodium-plated 18 karat white gold folding buckle, adorned with baguette-cut diamonds (26 white diamonds and 26 black diamonds).