The Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye collection – Having Cake and Eating Too

Until recently, it seemed that women who are passionate about watches had two fundamental choices: Highly elegant, and extremely feminine watches which have a battery-powered movement, or more fascinating and artisanal mechanical watches but styled like men’s models (if in fact they weren’t men’s models in actuality).

The Girard-Perregaux Cat’s Eye watches from the Collection Lady are an extremely refreshing change to this rigid landscape. On the one hand, these watches are extremely beautiful from a jewelry standpoint, with their richly finished 18K gold cases, satin straps, sparkling diamonds, and lovely mother of pearl dials. However, they are also wonderfully made watches with soul—that is, they contain self-winding mechanical movements with fascinating functions (like moonphases, and retrograde displays). They also have a sapphire back so a lady watch collector can admire the finely rendered decorations that adorn the mechanism.

There are those who scoff at this concept. “Women don’t care about mechanical movements, and even less about complications–they only want an attractive watch that functions and tells the time”, these cynics say. Perhaps this is true much of the time, but I also know that there are a small but passionate group of female watch enthusiasts who prize the art of traditional watchmaking, as well as the jewelry aspect that a fine watch lends to one’s wardrobe. It is among this particularly discerning group of women, that Girard-Perregaux’s efforts will be surely be appreciated.

The Patek Philippe Ref. 5196–reincarnation of the original 1932 Calatrava watch

Introduced in 1932, the Patek Philippe Calatrava has stood as an icon of classical watch design, and the epitome of a simple gentleman’s dress watch, according to almost anyone who loves watches. Far be it for me to contradict history; you can certainly feel the influence of this exquisite design in a great variety of fine watches from any number of brands, and its style influences other models within Patek Philippe’s own range, including the brand’s most prestigious and complicated specialties.

While each Calatrava reference brings something special to the table, aesthetically, it is the Ref. 5196 which evokes the spirit of the original Calatrava of 1932 (the venerable Ref. 96) more than any other modern Patek reference. With its slender lugs, superb contrasting polished and satin surfaces, and appealing slenderness and overall balance, it recalls its historical forebear immediately. Each of the three metals the Ref. 5196 watch is offered in has its own charm, but to me there is no question that the platinum model–the 5196P–is in a class by itself. With its applied Breguet numerals, slender leaf hands, and sublime contrasts, this Calatrava watch qualifies as one of the most beautiful modern Patek Philippes, and indeed–one of the most beautiful watches of all time

Another wonderful A. Lange & Sohne watch: The Saxonia Automatik

It seems like every time I drool over the wonderful watches of A. Lange & Sohne, I always come away with a new favorite–there is just so many fine details to admire and fall in love with across the breadth of this brand’s exceptional output.

This time, I feel the need to express rapture with the new Saxonia Automatik watch. Combining the elegance of the now discontinued A. Lange & Sohne 1815 model, with the technical fascination and presence of the A. Lange & Sohne technical exclusive–the outsize date–this superb watch is an incredibly satisfying statement of German high watchmaking. The movement inside this watch is surpassingly beautiful, and a
particular favorite of mine. Compared to the A. Lange manual-wind calibers which are beautiful, but comparatively obscured by their large three-quarter plate, the Manufacture L924.1 caliber reveals more of its mechanical architecture to the eye, and the amazingly detailed gold and platinum “three-quarter” rotor is truly spectacular. (Its also got an extremely neat zero reset mechanism, which automatically resets the second hand to zero when the crown is withdrawn) Such a beautifully constructed movement makes you almost want to want to wear this timepiece upside down, but then again, it would be a real shame not to be able to behold that solid silver dial with its nearly perfect details.

A. Lange & Sohne may make more complicated watches, but as a balance between classicism and horological sophistication, they don’t come any better.