Widening your horizons – fashion houses that make proper watches

The old saying among horology enthusiasts goes that you should never buy a watch from anyone who isn’t primarily a watchmaker. Very sound advice more often than not. If you’re looking to buy an entry-level watch, you’re pretty much always better off with a cheap Seiko or Citizen than, let’s say, Armani.

There are however exceptions, especially if you have deep pockets. A common but less than ideal example given is often Cartier. To be fair, to a layman, Cartier is often associated with jewelry. But one must remember that Cartier is truly a proper watchmaker in their own right – designing the first purpose-built wrist watch for men among other feats – and should not be lumped together with the aforementioned fashion houses.

What is more interesting to note is that there is a trend among fashion houses to design proper watches. Some choose to license their name to other, more famous watchmakers (such as the IWC for Prada collaboration a while back). Others instead opt for making their own watches (albeit with ETA movements, etcetera).

Here on JamesList, we’ve told you about the upcoming Only Watch 2009 event on a few occasions. What’s interesting to note is the fact that a number of companies that aren’t always associated with watch making have submitted some pieces of their own.

First out, the Hermès Full leather table clock. It is noticeably not an actual wristwatch. The leather material harks back to the original trade of the company – saddle making. It’s a rather sweet take on the auction’s theme, mixed with Hermès’ own rich history of providing high-end leather accessories.

Secondly, the Louis Vuitton Tambour. LV, like Hermés, is usually associated with their leather goods and traveling equipment. Only seven years into the watch manufacturing business, LV has quickly grown to become more than just a novelty in the field. Their submission was designed together with Paul Pettavino, a young child suffering from muscular dystrophy (of the same kind that the event hopes to support the treatment research for). Not only a heartbreaking story but also an interesting result. An added GMT function adds a flavor of Louis Vuitton’s reputation among luxury travelers around the world.

And finally, the Chanel J12 Chronograph. Chanel has quickly branded itself as a top choice when one is looking for a ceramic watch. The unique watch has pink sapphires with diamond indicators stuck on a case made of white ceramic and white gold. The end result is a bit rich even for me, but still a lot more appetizing than what one would encounter at the local mall.

Can’t watch until the auction starts in September? Have a look on Chanel and Cartier watches right here on JamesList

Read more about the Only Watch 2009 event here.

Tags: chanel, hermés, iwc, Louis Vuitton, only watch 2009, prada

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 at 12:25 pm and is filed under Watches. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.