HANDS-ON: Chanel’s Code Coco – a fashion watch that’s so much more than a fashion watch
As someone whose love of watches is focused entirely on mechanisms powered by springs, the word quartz normally evokes the immediate cry of “Next!” So when I stop and spend time with a quartz watch, it must be a bit special. And so to Code Coco. It had me at first glance: that crisp, chic and utterly modern design. Strong, straight lines, no colour. Just a broad band of glossy black with a touch of polished steel and a taut line of diamonds – the bracelet and dial flowing seamlessly into one another. Watch or jewellery? It didn’t really matter. It was a beautiful thing and it had me instinctively reaching to pick it up and put it on my wrist. And once there, those little cubes of ceramic that form the bracelet draped around my wrist so fluidly that it could have been a ribbon. It’s not quite the other-worldly feeling of Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo titanium bracelet (nothing could be), but it comes close. Very close. And believe me, that’s almost off the scale in bracelet-praise terms. Add to that, the light weight and high scratch-resistance of Chanel’s best-in-class ceramic (a pioneer in its use for watches, it has…
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It goes without saying really, Raymond Weil have a penchant for the melodious methods. Releasing scores of limited-edition pieces that pay tribute to all things musical – from Gibson guitars and Marshall amps, to Aussie rockers AC/DC and Ol’ Blue Eyes, Mr Frank Sinatra. The latest note in their sonata of releases revisits a collection the family-owned Swiss-made brand first introduced in the early 1990s, taking you to the opera and drawing its inspiration and name from Richard Wagner’s famed oeuvre, Parsifal. Designed for the everyday, with just the right amount of dressy appeal, Raymond Weil’s latest sees the Parsifal collection’s key design elements refined with a contemporary touch, with its curved outlines and unique cross link bracelet updated subtly and reflecting the model’s recognisable aesthetic. As does the stainless-steel case with its characteristic gadroon bezel. For that classic two-tone look, the bezel is also available with a yellow gold PVD plating that is mirrored on the central links of the bracelet as well as on the inner crown guards and on the dial’s Roman numeral hour markers. An embellishing of blue lacquer on the crown then gives each version of the Parsifal a subtle pop of colour, which can…
Editor’s note: The Octo is so hot right now, which is kind of odd considering that the design is decades old, and has been in Bulgari’s stable since 2010. And while much of the glory has (deservedly) been laid at the slender feet of the Octo Finissimo, the ‘regular’ Octo is no slouch in the looks department either. Just take this inky black and blood red stunner as an example … Bulgari has unveiled some of their latest collection in advance of Baselworld, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on a few key pieces. One model that particularly took our fancy was this crimson and black take on the Octo Ultranero. The changes on this latest version of the Octo are purely cosmetic — it’s still a 41mm black DLC-treated steel case rated to 100m, powered by Bulgari’s in-house BVL 193, mounted on a sporty black rubber strap — but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a different story to tell. The dial is black lacquer, polished to a gloss black finish. On top of this, Bulgari has added blood-red indices and hands to the mix. The result is impressively moody, adding a touch of drama to the typically stealthy Ultranero.…