By Maria Doulton in London
Ralph Lauren's 867 watch collection brings together the worlds of fine jewellery and watchmaking, with that special touch of glamour we have come to expect from this American taste-maker, dream weaver and storyteller.
The new 867 Diamond watch encapsulates Art Deco elegance, the style that defined the hedonistic days of the Roaring Twenties, a time of great experimentation and progress.
Named after Ralph Lauren's flagship New York store at 867 Madison Avenue, the geometrically rigorous pattern of the open links of the bracelet and the solidly square face take us back to the days when Cole Porter and the Charleston were all the rage.
The white gold case and bracelet are set with more than 400 diamonds, including 20 baguette-cut diamonds that come alive with the fire of thousands of facets with each movement of the wrist. With an offbeat combination of Arabic and Roman numerals, the dial adds a touch of irreverence and lightness to this highly valuable timepiece.
The open links that encircle the wrist are in the style of an Art Deco bracelet, making the watch a statement jewel in its own right. Worn with nothing more than a simple black dress and a pair of matching earrings, the watch adds a richly alluring layer of opulence and sophistication to an outfit.
The Breguet-style hands, with their characteristic domed tips that sweep across the dial, allude to the traditional timekeeper that lies beneath the off-white lacquered dial. The watch is powered by the mechanical, hand-wound RL430 calibre, which, true to the finest watchmaking traditions, is made to exacting standards and decorated with a final finishing touch of Côtes de Genève stripes and circular graining known as perlage.
I first saw this watch on the wrist of a model, who wore it over a long, black evening glove. The effect was pure glamour with a touch of old-style elegance - a look that Ralph Lauren has mastered with the 867 Diamond watch.
