Virtual Consultation
By Benji, Content ManagerFor the second year in a row, the famed London-based jeweler, Graff Diamonds, will be showcasing a custom bejeweled watch at the annual Baselworld event. Baselworld 2014 saw the first Graff watch, which consisted of 110 carats worth of fancy color diamonds. The watch, known as the “Hallucination”, was valued at $55 million.
This year’s creation is comprised from more than 330 carats of sapphires and 40 carats of diamonds. The watch includes three brooches and a concealed pave diamond watch face. Made to be worn in three different ways, as one piece, three individual brooches, or as a brooch with a tassel, the watch is extraordinary in more ways than one.
The Watch
This brilliant piece by Graff, referred to as a watch, is far more complex than watches worn by the average individual. Beginning with two exquisite brooches with pear-shaped sapphires as center pieces, surrounded by magnificent diamonds set in an intricate design, and continuing on to the delightful and regal five strands of diamond and sapphire beads that connect the two brooches to one another, the jewel is a feast for the eyes. The phenomenal timepiece does not quite end there. The second brooch, attached to the strands of gemstones on one end, holds on to yet another brooch on its bottom. This section is made up from cascading sapphire beads, creating the effect of a three dimensional tassel. Amid the sapphire “tassel” is the hidden watch, suspended from the second brooch on a platinum chain. The fascinating jewel was created in its entirety at Graff’s headquarters in London.
The Hallucination Watch
The ladies watch from last year’s Baselworld was astonishing as well. If this year’s watch can be characterized as white and blue, due to the diamonds and sapphires used to construct the watch, as well as multifaceted and surprising, then the 2014 masterpiece can be summed up as colorful and breathtaking. The rainbow of colors and the kaleidoscope manner in which the fancy color diamonds were set left little room for the watch dial itself. It’s as of Graff does not want to steal the attention away from his precious stones, putting the actual time piece on the back burner as a secondary element to the piece. The Hallucination watch’s band is made up entirely from a variety of fancy color diamonds and the watch’s face is embedded and surrounded with fancy pink diamonds. It took thousands of hours to complete this piece, which was designed by Laurence Graff himself.
With two Baselword timepieces under their belt, Graff Diamonds is creating a whole new meaning to the term “watch.” Both pieces are unlike any watch many of us are familiar with. These “super watches” are surely just in their infancy and will develop into even more lavish items in the years to follow at upcoming Baselword events.
