Dangerous creatures have always held a magical attraction. In this feature from the WatchTime Special Design Issue 2019, on sale now, we look at five exciting horological creations that reveal this fascination.
A snake on the wrist is better than two in the bush ? especially if it’s made of precious materials, tells the time and comes from the house of Bulgari. The flexible Serpenti watch coils around the wearer’s wrist just like a real snake. The rounded triangular shape at one end is both the watch case and the head of the reptile.
Bulgari: The Serpenti Spiga Ceramic combines black ceramic, rose gold and diamonds. Quartz movement. $12,400.
Bulgari introduced the first Serpenti watches in the 1940s. Dangerous creatures have long fascinated watch designers. Cartier has a tradition of featuring predators ? the panther has occupied a fixed place in the repertoire of this famous Parisian watch and jewelry house since 1914. A wildcat made of precious metal can threaten the bank account of anyone who intends to buy one ? and a panther would not be such a thrilling watchmate if its elegance were not paired with the ferocity of the predator’s face. The RĂ©vĂ©lation, the newest panther watch from Cartier, artfully reveals its charms thanks to a spectacular hourglass feature. Moving the dial causes tiny gold beads to fall from top to bottom to slowly form the panther’s face, and gradually have it vanish again.
Cartier: The Révélation contains tiny gold bead...