DeWitt, Girard-Perregaux, and Breguet – Beautiful oval ladies watches

Ovals make a truly wonderful shape for ladies watches–elegant, classic, yet somehow a distinctly refreshing escape from the hegemony of the ever-present round form which dominates most watch design. Women seeking out exquisitely crafted luxury watches that are incredible examples of just how beautiful the oval can be have some outstanding options to choose from among several of the finest haute de gamme watchmaking houses in the world.

The DeWitt Alma watch collection is stately and powerful, yet refined with superb, sublime details. The casework is absolutely extraordinary, as is the attention to detail on the dial, and the setting of diamonds and other gems. These DeWitt timepieces for ladies also offers superb mechanical workmanship, and unique complications–such as those found on the Alma Utopia watch.

Girard-Perregaux’s Cat’s-Eye watches from the Collection Lady are another stunning assemblage of magnificent oval timepieces. Exclusively animated by fine Girard-Perregaux in-house movements, jewelry and fine watchmaking are united as one in these award-winning luxury watches.

The ravishing Breguet Reine de Naples watch collection presents another fabulous union of haute joaillerie and haute horlogerie. Its an interesting point of reference to note that there was a certain amount of internal opposition within Breguet to this design when it was first proposed–needless to say, women have responded with great enthusiasm to these exceptionally beautiful timepieces.

The F.P. Journe Chronometre Souverain – Exquisite, classic, and sophisticated

If you take a moment to peruse the F.P. Journe website or catalog, or spend any time reading about the amazing horological achievements of Francois-Paul Journe, its very hard not to be overwhelmed be a desire to own an F.P. Journe watch (or multiple F.P. Journe watches, with bank account willing!) While his extraordinary complicated watches have garnered tremendous acclaim in the luxury press, and rightly so, perhaps the most attractive F.P Journe watch to my eyes is one of the (comparatively) simplest–the Chronometre Souverain.

There are so many wonderful details on the Chronometre Souverain watch which please me, that its hard to know where to start. The case design is wonderful–classic, yet infused with just enough of a distinctive flavor to clearly differentiate it from the established offerings from the larger watchmaking houses. The dial has the same wonderful effect– it is elegant and beautiful in its numerous fine details, but bears the unmistakable design signature of one of the world’s most creative and inventive watchmakers. Then of course you have the fascinating F.P Journe manufacture movement ticking inside this watch, enriched with distinctive constructive details (plates and wheels crafted from 18K pink gold), and horologically innovative features (a power reserve indicator, twin mainspring barrels, and a free-sprung balance).

This is a wonderful union of watchmaking brilliance and classical beauty. Whether you are looking to collect your first ultra-exclusive dress watch, or you want to expand your collection beyond the established watch models from more broadly famous brands such as Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, or Vacheron Constantin, the F.P. Journe Chronometre Souverain timepiece should be one of your first considerations.

Glashutte Original Tourbillon Watches – Always Impressive

Glashutte Original continues to dazzle us with beautiful tourbillon watches, on this occasion the splendid Assmann 4 tourbillon from the Masterpieces collection. In the style of previous tributes to Julius Assmann–a legendary founding father of the 19th century Glashutte watchmaking industry–this latest limited edition features a characteristically unique detachable watchcase which allows wearing as a pocketwatch, as well as a wristwatch. The openworked dial of the Assmann 4 tourbillon watch is extremely impressive, allowing one to admire the delicate craftsmanship and motions of the tourbillon, as well as the basic structures of the mechanism.

I think this watch is fantastic, but the fact that its not my favorite Glashutte Original tourbillon shows just how many delectable “whirlwinds” have sprung from the hands of the master watchmakers in Germany. That honor would go to the Senator Karree Tourbillon watch–I can’t get over the mesmerizing beauty of this watch’s dial, nor its wonderful manual winding movement, starring the incomparable flying tourbillon which is distinct from those of the Swiss school–and uniquely attributable to Alfred Helwig, the great German master of the tourbillon complication.