The Tiffany & Co. Eternity by Tiffany Wisteria Watch

The famous New York jewellery company Tiffany & Co. is forever lodged in our memories thanks to Breakfast at Tiffany’s opening scene as Audrey Hepburn looks longingly at jewels in the window display. Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of the founder of Tiffany, became design director in 1902 and was an influential figure in the Art Nouveau movement. The famous Wisteria table lamp, produced by Tiffany Studios, is the inspiration for the Eternity by Tiffany Wisteria watch, a beautiful showcase of Tiffany’s artistic crafts dripping with over 5 carats of diamonds.

Tiffany’s Art Nouveau lamps, which depicted floral or insect motifs, were made with multicoloured glass latticework. The Eternity by Tiffany Wisteria watch is modelled on the cascading blooms of the Wisteria table lamp, which designer Clara Driscoll created at Tiffany Studios in the early 1900s.

The watch’s dial is made with plique-à-jour enamel, an ancient technique that uses transparent enamel suspended in small metal cells to recreate the lamp’s translucent green and blue colours. Like a stained glass window, the transparent enamel allows light to permeate and reflect off the dial plate.

Tiffany’s Eternity watch collection is distinguished by its different diamond cuts marking each hour. Inspired by vintage Tiffany & Co. adverts for diamond engagement rings from the 1960s, the dials are set with 12 different diamond cuts: round brilliant, baguette, cushion, Tiffany True, marquise, Asscher, heart, pear, oval, emerald, triangle and princess.

The 38mm white gold case is embellished with 627 snow-set diamonds in eight different diameters. The diamonds, artistically set in a close-knit pattern to emulate the sparkling surface of freshly fallen snow, allow the case to scintillate with a light of its own. Furthermore, 59 diamonds are set in the bezel. The crown, which emulates the iconic Tiffany Setting engagement ring, is set with a brilliant-cut diamond held in place by six prongs, a design feature introduced by Tiffany in 1886.

The caseback is closed, hiding the Swiss automatic movement made by Le Temps Manufacture. A very small 15.7mm movement, the LTM2100 automatic has a single barrel, beats at 25,200vph and delivers a 38h power reserve. The Eternity by Tiffany Wisteria watch is paired with a dark blue alligator strap and a white gold T-pin buckle set with 10 brilliant-cut diamonds. There is no indication of the limitation, but given its artisanal component, it will be limited in production. Price is upon request. More information at tiffany.com.