Ashka Vyas

Some watches rely on diamonds to stand out. Others rely on design. The most memorable ones know how to balance both.

□ A stone-set bezel

□ A skeleton dial

□ A coloured dial

□ A leather strap

When a cultural icon meets haute horlogerie.

The Franck Muller Vanguard Barbie® is an interesting reminder that fine watchmaking doesn't always have to be serious. The signature Vanguard case, gem-setting and intricate dial construction remain unmistakably Franck Muller, while Barbie's playful visual identity gives the watch an entirely different personality.

Some watches are designed to tell the time.

Others tell a story through colour, shape and design. From sculpted cases to expressive dials, the best creations blur the line between fine watchmaking and art.

Every watch tells its story differently. Some people are drawn to the dial, while others immediately notice the engineering or design details.

Unlike diamonds, flawless emeralds are incredibly rare.

Most natural emeralds contain tiny internal features called inclusions, often referred to by gemologists as jardin, the French word for "garden." These natural patterns are formed as the gemstone grows deep within the earth and are considered part of an emerald's unique identity.

In fact, when evaluating fine emeralds, experts often place greater importance on the richness of color than on absolute clarity.

One of the reasons opals have fascinated collectors for centuries is that every stone is unique.

Unlike many gemstones, an opal's shifting flashes of colour, known as play-of-colour, are created by the way tiny silica spheres inside the stone interact with light. The arrangement of these microscopic spheres is never identical, which means no two opals display exactly the same pattern or colours.

At first glance, a skeleton watch looks like a watch with its dial removed. In reality, it's much more than that.

A traditional mechanical watch conceals most of its movement beneath the dial. A skeleton watch, however, is designed so that the movement itself becomes the dial. Bridges, plates, gears, springs, and the escapement are carefully revealed, allowing the wearer to observe the mechanics that power the watch.

Creating this effect requires a process known as skeletonisation (or openworking). Watchmakers meticulously remove material from the movement's bridges and main plate, exposing the mechanism while preserving its structural integrity. Every cut must be carefully calculated to avoid removing too much metal, which weakens the movement; remove too little, and the architecture loses its visual impact.

The challenge doesn't end there. Because every component is visible, each one must be hand-finished with techniques such as beveling, polishing, brushing, engraving, or frosting. Unlike a conventional movement, there is nowhere to hide machining marks or imperfections.

Functionally, a skeleton watch operates just like any other mechanical watch. The mainspring stores energy, the gear train transfers that energy, and the escapement regulates its release to keep accurate time. The difference is that these processes are no longer hidden—they become part of the experience.

Rather than simply telling time, a skeleton watch invites you to watch time being created.

When the movement becomes the dial.

When art leaves the canvas and becomes jewellery.

Some people prefer pieces that whisper.

Others prefer pieces that announce themselves the moment they enter a room.

Anyone can buy what's popular. True luxury is choosing pieces that remain relevant long after the hype fades. A handcrafted watch passed down through generations. A leather bag that tells stories through every crease. Jewellery that marks life's biggest milestones.

The finest things aren't defined by trends. They're defined by timelessness.

In a world chasing what's next, perhaps the real luxury is owning something that never goes out of style.