TWINNING SENSATIONS
Fun couple watches for romantic date nights
Romantic yet subtle enough to get your partner to agree to ‘twin’ with you, these adorable His & Hers watches are perfect gift ideas for Valentine’s Day. Most often, they come from the same collection with similar materials and designs, but they vary in sizes and colours. Fashionably coordinate with your man on a date night, or simply take your watch collection to another level with these stunning pairs.
Franck Muller
The new Franck Muller Crazy Hours 15th Anniversary Asian Exclusive collection is for the couple who is looking for something different, thanks to the iconic Crazy Hours complication. Comprising a jumping hour module and an automatic movement, the hour hand jumps to point the correct hour numeral while the minute hand revolves around the dial in a traditional 60-minute cycle. The red models are crafted in rose gold, although they are not identical. Instead they complement each other with the men’s watch featuring a grey sunburst dial, and the ladies’ version featuring a diamond-set case. Their dials are punctuated with colour outlines on the numerals, and coloured five-minute markers on the flange. A matching red alligator strap completes the look.
Breguet
Breguet’s souscription (subscription) pocket watches had one hand, a reliable movement, and a large dial. Taking inspiration from these watches is the Tradition collection, which pays tribute to the brand’s origins. The Tradition Dame 7038 happens to be the first in the collection made for women. At 37mm, it fits nicely over slender wrists, and the diamond set white gold bezel makes it shine on evenings out. However, the highlight is the self-winding movement Calibre 505SR, which can be seen from front and back. It uses an inverted inline lever escapement with silicon pallets and silicon balance spring. Meanwhile, the Tradition 7097 features a more masculine aesthetic with a 40mm white gold case. While the ladies’ model has an off-centred Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial, this model has a silvered gold dial. It is also fitted with a similar movement that can be admired from front and back.
Audemars Piguet
If you are tired of polished gold watches, Audemars Piguet offers a frosty version. For the men, the 41mm Royal Oak Frosted Gold Limited Edition boasts an 18K white gold case and bracelet. It has a Florentine finish — typically used on smaller jewellery pieces, but is used here to give a sparkling effect similar to precious stones. It is created by beating the gold with a diamond-tipped tool to create tiny indentations on the surface. Limited to 200 pieces, it has the ‘Grande Tapisserie’ pattern in blue, along with Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, white gold applied hour markers, and glare-proof sapphire crystal and caseback. The ladies get a smaller 33mm version, but no less stunning. The hammered gold shines against the rhodium-plated dial with the same ‘Grande Tapisserie’ pattern. It is powered by a quartz mechanism, unlike the men’s self-winding limited-edition model.
Patek Philippe
Characterised by clean lines, understated design, and timeless elegance, the Calatrava collection — introduced in 1932 and often presented as a two hand timepiece — lets the wearer focus on the time without the distractions of other complications. A perfect example is the Calatrava Timeless White 7122/200G — it underscores the above with a 33mm polished white gold round case and diamond-set bezel interposed with integrated polished lugs. It maintains its clean, minimalist look with a white lacquered dial punctuated by hobnail-patterned hour markers. A matching white alligator leather strap completes the look. Men looking for a dress watch can look to the 5196R Small Seconds model. The 37mm watch may seem small in the age of oversized watches, but this understated piece will never go out of style. It has a silvery grey dial with white gold case, and an unobtrusive small seconds at 6 o’clock. Both watches feature the manual winding
Calibre 215 PS movement.
Chopard
The Happy Ocean collection takes wearers on a ‘nautical adventure’ with two-tone blue-turquoise or blue-raspberry colour inspired by the azure sea and brightly coloured corals. Ideal for exploring the ocean floor, relaxing on a yacht, or strolling on the sand, the 40mm watch can be worn by both men and women. It has a unidirectional rotating bezel with a wave-shaped design for easier handling underwater. The white minute-hand outlined in blue or raspberry glows in the dark. The hour markers and hands illuminate with a blue hue, with all other indications required for diving in green. Five moving diamonds ‘swim’ around the blue dial, reminding one of the ocean depths. Each watch comes with brightly coloured straps in turquoise or raspberry rubber, adorned with a ripple motif, or a navy blue NATO strap. It is water-resistant to 300 metres, and powered by a self-winding in-house Chopard movement 01.01-C.
