This season’s most coveted timepieces are the glitziest gemstone and diamond watches. These dazzling styles combine fine jewellery and an elegant watch in one. Here’s our pick of the most beautiful gemstone and diamond watches to invest in now.
The Finest Gemstone & Diamond watches
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Patek Philippe’s eye-catching Aquanaut Luce manages to balance precision and playfulness like no other. Its 18k rose gold case, set with a kaleidoscopic array of baguette-cut sapphires and diamonds, houses the maker’s first self-winding ladies’ chronograph movement, with a power reserve of up to 55 hours.
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In a colourful nod to Rolex’s seafaring expertise, this new watch is inspired by the hues of a glowing oceanic sunrise. Trapeze-cut diamonds and a pattern of pink, purple and blue sapphires shine out from its rotating white gold bezel, reflecting the rippling pastel hues of a dawn sky.
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Taking its cue from Monsieur Dior’s fascination with costume balls, Dior’s Grand Bal watches are the house’s ultimate expression of the links between haute horlogerie and haute couture. This model boasts a lattice-like oscillating weight embellished with brilliants, an homage to the lace used in the designer’s legendary atelier.
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Viewed from the front, Jaeger- LeCoultre’s latest limited-edition Reverso seems like an elegantly pared-back jewellery watch. However, flipping its reversible case over reveals an extraordinary bouquet of hand-enamelled, blue arum lilies, the floral symbols of admiration and appreciation, complete with grain-set white diamond foliage.
£36,400
Breguet’s iconic Reine de Naples takes its inspiration and its name from one of the world’s first wristwatches, crafted for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples in 1810. The latest iteration has been given a suitably royal makeover, with 136 rubies, a mother-of-pearl and guilloché dial and regal red numerals.
£34,400
Inspired by a series of vintage Tiffany & Co. adverts from the 60s and 70s, this sleek little rose gold cocktail watch features a different diamond cut at each of its hour markers, plus a crown with a six-prong diamond setting, just like the marque’s most famous engagement rings.
From £37,600
Cartier’s simultaneously smooth and spiky watch is a pleasing contradiction. Its curvy 18K white gold case may echo the look of a soft cushion, yet its spiny rows of black spinels, pointed crown, sword-shaped hands and black strap deliver a welcome touch of edginess.
From £16,400
In a move towards greater sustainability, Breitling’s Origins watch features a case created with rose gold of certified single mine origin (SMO) and lab-grown diamonds, where the supply chain is fully traceable (indeed, its new owner can check proof of origin via an NFT and an online sourcing map).
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Created to mark 50 years of Swiss-made watches at Gucci, this mesmeric timepiece features an exclusive diamond-set caliber at the centre of its dial. At the touch of a button, the new Dancing Hours Flying Tourbillon sends 12 princess-set gemstones spinning around the inner wheel in a truly dazzling display.
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It may be a Swiss house, but Piaget will forever be inspired by the sunny shores of the Mediterranean. Its Limelight Gala dress watch features a warm, rose gold case with 42 white diamonds set in a ‘serti descendu’ formation, to magnify their shine, plus a marine-coloured leather strap.
