secret high jewellery watches

'For decades, secret watches have puzzled some, surprised many more and continuously teased the most curious minds. After all, what is more pleasurable for a woman than to keep a secret that no one else has access to? Here, we share in the magic of rare and precious secret watches from some of the finest watch and jewellery houses.

A concept born in the 19th century and only explored occasionally since then, the “secret watch” of the past stayed true to its name and completely disguised its horological intent. However, modern watch houses have taken a few liberties with the genre and adapted it to serve as a subset of high jewellery timepieces. After all, the original secret watches were able to use the larger “real estate” of pocket watches or even small clocks and thus benefitted from a much broader palette. Today, instead of a watch masquerading as a walking stick handle, a crucifix, a small pistol or a miniature skull, the very nature of a wristwatch as something to wear has confined the designer to a smaller canvas.

It may sound strange to name a dazzling watch as such, especially with the word “Royal” in front of it. But, when nine carats of immaculate brilliance illuminate one’s pupil, it is immediately obvious that this is not a joke. Established in 1789, Backes & Strauss is one of the oldest diamond companies in the world and the Royal Jester – offered as a bespoke timepiece – is a vivid realisation of what it knows best.

Available in 36mm and 40mm case sizes, the Royal Jester can be made with different colour options. The 1.01ct central brilliant-cut diamond can be replaced with a fancy vivid yellow diamond or one in intense pink or blue surrounded by invisibly-set baguette-cut diamonds. Time can be read instinctively thanks to the crimson hours and minute markers mounted on crystal discs, seemingly afloat amongst the circular lines of diamonds. Powered by a mechanical movement with a 36-hour power reserve, the Royal Jester will survive a dip in water down to 30m.'