Nature’s beauty, as precious as any gem

Feathers, iridescent wings, amber and wood turn into stunning works of wrist art

When considering the preciousness of a jewelled watch, the idea that gemstone value is the solitary factor has been conclusively dismissed. Gems have an inherent value but watchmakers are increasingly looking to other rare materials, imbuing them with a heightened worth due to painstaking techniques known as métiers d’art and the sheer man hours it takes to perfect them. Natural materials such as wood, feathers and even insect wings are being used to gorgeous effect. Such materials require specialised, careful handling to preserve their delicate beauty, while offering a showcase for extraordinary expertise.

De Grisogono uses fossilised mammoth ivory, amber, jet and turquoise in the bracelets of its new Lovivi collection. Fawaz Gruosi, founder and creative director of the brand, is pragmatic about the difficulties in manipulating these materials into the unusual double-ring shape of the watch cuffs.

“It’s not easy, some of these materials are particularly hard and rigid,” explains Gruosi. “With the amber we pressed small pieces together using heat and pressure, while the turquoise was formed by pressing natural turquoise powder mixed with resin; a time-consuming and delicate process.”

The end result of such laboured processes is impressive, forming a smooth backdrop for the case and diamond setting. Gruosi is also aware of the emotive, almost talismanic qualities of such materials, and as such the collection is named after his daughter Violetta, known affectionately as Vivi. “Turquoise was famous as the talisman of kings and used as a stone of protection and to bring happiness,” he says. “With this collection, both these meanings sound perfect to me.”

In recent years, feathers as material for dial embellishment have enjoyed a resurgence, with Harry Winston leading the way with its Premier Feathers collection. The house’s choice of feather designs are abstract and striking. Peacock, pheasant and guinea fowl have all been used in recent models, with the trend crossing over to a men’s 42mm automatic watch.

Van Cleef & Arpels’ adoption of the material is seen for the first time in three Lady Arpels watches, where the barbs and barbules of the feathers are placed to within one tenth of a millimetre to replicate the shimmering plumage of specific birds: a cardinal, a hummingbird and a kingfisher.

Both Dior and Harry Winston have turned to the insect world; the former with marquetry of a scarab beetle wing on the Dior VIII Grand Bal Pièce Unique, the latter in a dial embellished with the powder from the wing of a butterfly on the Premier Precious Butterfly. The effects are stunning, the natural iridescence a worthy match to any light show from any gemstone.

Piaget’s Altiplano collection, meanwhile, harnesses the natural beauty of wood – pale pink bird’s-eye maple and red and pink sycamore – to form the

‘Feathers replicate the shimmering plumage of birds, such as the cardinal and kingfisher’

96 petals of the emblematic Yves Piaget rose. Using wood for the first time, the collaboration with marquetry artist Rose Saneuil continues a long tradition of artistic partnerships. Saneuil spent more than a year finessing the design; easy to believe when you consider that each wooden petal is no more than one tenth of a millimetre thick.

Natural materials may present challenges but it seems the world of mechanical watchmaking is mastering the brief beautifully. Inset: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Oiseaux Enchantés, 020 7493 0400, vancleefarpels.com; below, left to right, De Grisogono Lovivi S02, 020 7499 2225, degrisogono.com; Harry Winston Premier Precious Butterfly , 020 7907 8899, harrywinston.com; Piaget Altiplano Rose, 0800 279 5110, en.piaget. com. All prices available on application