Bling to watch at Baselworld fair
Is the time of luxury watches over? That's not the impression you'd get at Baselworld, the world's largest watch-making and jewelry fair. Sneak a peek at six of these status symbols that cost a fortune.
'The most refined expression of femininity'
The case and bracelet of the Chopard Imperiale, exclusively designed for ladies, are made of 18-carat rose gold, according to Swiss watchmaker Chopard. It also features a "delicate mother-of-pearl on the silver-toned dial," a "diamonds set on the bezel" as well as a crown "adorned with amethysts - a nod to the imperial purple worn by Byzantine emperors."
Bang for the buck?
Some names of luxury watches are mysterious, others stand out because of their length, like the Big Bang Sang Bleu Full Diamond Pave by Swiss watchmaker Hublot. Sold in a limited edition of 200 pieces, the Big Bang has a case and a bezel with 256 and 132 diamonds respectively.
Luxury meets technology
Japanese watchmaker Seiko brands its Astron GPS Solar watch more as a chronograph than a wristwatch, without shying away from promoting its luxury appeal, of course. It doesn't only have built-in GPS that automatically updates the timezone, it also doesn't need batteries as it gets all its energy from sunlight.
Bling in Basel
The Baselworld Watch and Jewelry Show, a 100-year-old exhibition for Swiss and other timepiece manufacturers, has seen better times: Global political and economic challenges and the strength of the Swiss franc have hurt the country’s watch trade. Global exports of Swiss watches slid by 10 percent in February year on year to $1.5 billion (1.4 billion euros).
Experts in marketing
"Today’s women are blessed with a contagious cheerfulness that makes them radiant." The words used to pitch a luxury watch is often nearly as grandiose as the watch itself. This is certainly true in the case of Chopard's Happy Diamonds for female customers, which comes in 18-carat white gold and, of course, diamonds.
'Impatient Hour'
Many luxury watches have eclectic names, such as the L’Heure Impatiente by French watchmaker Hermès. "The premise of L’Heure Impatiente is based on a very human emotion and ritual: the loathsome feeling of impatience in having to wait for something," writes Elizabeth Doerr from online magazine Quill & Pad. The prize tag: $39,900 (36,958 euros).