A watch is the one piece of jewelry that allows a man to make a statement. Think about it: Not every man wears a chain or a ring. And though some may sport a diamond stud, it takes a bold, creative, devil-may-care heart to pull off that look.
But a watch is a thoroughly appropriate masculine status symbol, so much so that many actors and athletes know they’ve arrived when they get a watch deal, such as Roger Federer has with Rolex or Michael Phelps with Omega or “The Mentalist” star Simon Baker with Longines.
For many guys, the bigger or more expensive the watch, the better. The Bulgari watches are available from Neiman Marcus’ Precious Jewelry Salon, The Westchester, White Plains by calling (914) 428-2000, ext. 2227. They’re sure to get a guy noticed, as when Vesper Lynd appraises James Bond’s, uh, timepiece in the “Casino Royale” reboot.
“Rolex?” she wonders.
“Omega,” he responds.
“Beautiful,” she purrs.
The man or the machine? Does it matter?
And for the ladies….
We’ve selected just one, but it’s a beauty – Bulgari’s Il Giardino Tropicale, introduced this spring at BaselWorld 2013, the distinguished watch and jewelry show. The timepiece contains one of the most virtuosic feats in watchmaking, a tourbillon, making it Bulgari’s first such watch for women.
Developed by the French-Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet circa 1795, after an idea by English chronometer-maker John Arnold, the tourbillon seeks to transcend the effects of gravity through a rotating cage containing the watch’s escapement and balance wheel. It’s usually displayed on the face of the watch. In the case of Bulgari’s “tropical garden,” accented with 61 diamonds, the tourbillon is supported by a sapphire crystal bridge on which a parrot perches.
Given the horological virtuosity, the quantity and quality of the precious gems and the artistry needed to apply the quick-drying varnishes and glazes, is it any wonder that Il Giardino Tropicale costs $100,000 or that only 50 will be made?
