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From rare diamonds to rare timepieces | Philstar.com
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Sunday Lifestyle

From rare diamonds to rare timepieces

GO-SEE - Joyce Oreña - The Philippine Star

Harry Winston jewelry is an icon of international glamour. It is synonymous with the most magnificent jewels throughout its history from the Lesotho, to the Jonker and Taylor-Burton diamonds.

Founded in New York City 1932, the house built its reputation of fine craftsmanship, design and innovation. It was the go-to for fine jewelry for royalty, high society and Hollywood elite in the Fifties and Sixties. In 1989, the brand decided to go into watchmaking.

It is rare in the watch industry to gain respect in such a short period of time. As you know, historically, companies with centuries-old traditions lead the industry of watchmaking. But in just a few years, celebrated jeweler Harry Winston has earned a place in the world of true watchmakers and has become an authentic watch brand.

Harry Winston has employed the same legendary tradition of its jewelry expertise to manufacture rare and luxurious complicated and gem-set watches. It is this combination of their high-quality craftsmanship at Harry Winston jewels and the time-honored tradition of Swiss watchmaking that has sealed their place in the industry. In 2007, the brand opened a state of the art Manufacture in Geneva, the watchmaking capital of the world.

The brand is synonymous with the pursuit of excellence and this has earned Harry Winston a large number of international awards.

Each timepiece collection from bold and complex to avant-garde for both men and women is an ode to fine watchmaking. Harry Winston’s collections show true authenticity and luxury. Each timepiece demonstrates fine and revolutionary design with meticulous manufacturing of complicated movements.

What women want

Harry Winston Avenue Classic

Inspired by the glamour and energy of New York — from its bright lights, iconic architecture and pulsating beat of Manhattan, the Avenue collection features rectangular shapes adorned with Harry Winston’s arch motif, echoing the architecture of the brand’s flagship salon on Fifth Avenue.

Midnight Collection

If elegance had a shape, it would undoubtedly be round. That is what Harry Winston Midnight Collection is all about — timeless elegance. Each watch is a new interpretation that distills the essence of time, both in substance and form. The cases seamlessly incorporate the brand’s iconic arches, achieving visual symmetry.

Ocean Biretrograde

Nearly decades after the launch of this collection, new renditions in three-dimensional design reinterpret the aesthetics of Ocean Biretrograde. Three new dial colors underscore the femininity of the timepiece — from creamy sanded white, dark slated gray, warm, rich chestnut. Created in 18-karat white or rose gold, the timepiece’s different diamond versions are designed to satisfy every discerning woman’s preference.

Premier Collection

It is the ultimate dream. This timepiece is made for the exceptional woman. The Premier Ladies 36mm dresses the wrist like the most precious jewel while the three central arches subtly evoke those adorning the Harry Winston salon in New York. It has a slender silhouette with mother-of-pearl dial enhanced by faceted hands that reflect the light. Twelve diamonds marking the hours echo the gem-set bezel and crown.

What men want

Ocean Tourbillon Jumping Hour

The Harry Winston Ocean Collection introduces, for the first time, a combination of two sophisticated complications in a single timepiece — the Ocean Tourbillon Jumping Hour. The jumping hour complication adds its presence to a remarkable timepiece that is a showcase for Harry Winston’s in-house caliber HW4401, which required more than 15 hours of development, and was entirely designed by Harry Winston. Only sharp eyes will uncover the unusual design of the Ocean Tourbillon Jumping Hour. The tourbillon is driven by a wheel geared to its outer circumference, which is nearly completely concealed by the minute track of the dial. Drawing inspiration from classic Modernist architecture, the steel and glass elements of the watch create a bold geometry.

Originally developed in the 19th century, the tourbillon is considered one of watchmaking’s most sophisticated complications. Today, connoisseurs revere the tourbillon not only for the history and craftsmanship it represents, but also for the visual effect it creates.

Midnight Minute Repeater

This limited-edition timepiece celebrates the refinement and complexity of one of the most exclusive horological complications. Sleek and sophisticated, the round 42-mm case is fitted with a self-winding mechanical movement. An open dial design allows for a unique view of the minute repeater mechanism that can be activated by pressing the push piece situated at the 8 o’clock. Surrounded by a gold ring, a hollowed window — at the top left corner — brings emphasis to the technical innovation: two hammers engraved with Harry Winston’s initials, located on the exterior movement. This elegant collector’s edition is limited to 40 pieces in gold and 40 pieces in white gold with the option of a silver or dark dial.

Ocean Dual Time Monochrome

The Ocean Dual Time Monochrome timepiece is both highly functional and a poetic expression of time’s nature and its effects on the physical world. This watch shows the time in two different time zones: home time and local time, wherever your travels take you. The large date display are also unusual, presenting the date, two digits, in a vertical rather than the usual horizontal orientation. The poetic vision of Harry Winston is present most vividly in the dial, which depicts the effects of time’s passage in a “pre-aged” frame for the dual time and date indications. Each dial is a work of art. It is coated with a special layer of oxidized platinum, which is then hand-brushed to create a patina.  While the case is made of Harry Winston’s proprietary alloy, Zalium  alight, highly resistant to corrosion, and with a particular gunmetal sheen.  It is a counterpoint to the pre-aged, hand-finished patina of the dial. This juxtaposition of age and timelessness is one of contemporary horology’s most visceral expressions of the experience of time’s passage.

Ocean Sport Chronograph

The Ocean Sport collection is a prime example of innovation and cutting-edge design. Made to appeal to demanding men who love high-tech and performance, the Ocean Sport Chronograph is carved in Zalium, an aerospace type zirconium alloy exclusive to Harry Winston. This revolutionary material is light, non-allergenic, harder than titanium and extremely corrosion-resistant. The 44-mm Zalium case frame an open-worked three-dimensional smoked blue sapphire dial, with blue minute subdial and a matt varnished blue flange that lends added depth to the time functions. This bears the brand’s signature of innovation and sets the performance bar at a high level. It is about visual depth, fine mechanics and technical sophistication. Sporty and skillfully crafted, the Ocean Sport Chronograph bears a strong, contemporary and powerful character.

Project Z6

Launched in 2004, Harry Winston Project Z was developed as a limited-edition series. A modern mix of rugged aesthetic and refined mechanics, a bold case design is paired with finely tuned movements to create the ultimate sport watch vibe. A hand-wound, 24-hour alarm clock movement was developed specifically for Project Z6. The intricate movement is meticulously engineered to optimize performance, with the function and complication developed from scratch and fully integrated. The 45-jewel movement is engraved Harry Winston and hand finished with Côtes de Genève even on the bridges. A small shuriken-shaped disk indicates the seconds rotation. Borrowed from martial arts, a shuriken, the traditional ninja throwing star, is the signature in Project Z designs. This distinct symbol underlines the series’ cutting-edge sports design. There are only 250 pieces of Project Z6 in anthracite dial and 50 of the silver dial.

BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT

Harry Winston is uncompromising and without limits. Today, more than ever, the brand’s designers are instilled with unlimited creativity and innovation backed with craftsmanship in the highest level. This pursuit of excellence is undoubtedly realized from the most impressive gem-set watch to the highly complicated timepieces.

These stunning watches are heirloom pieces you can hand down from one generation to another. Leave your mark to the next generation in your family with a Harry Winston timepiece. You will not be disappointed.

* * *

Harry Winston is available at Adora in Greenbelt 5. Email Joyce Oreña at jo@joyceorena.com or follow her on Twitter @joyceorena and Instagram @jo_joyceorena.

DIAL

HARRY

HARRY WINSTON

OCEAN

OCEAN SPORT CHRONOGRAPH

TIME

TIMEPIECE

WINSTON

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