Vogue's Watches Report: It's all about a beautiful bracelet
In fine watchmaking, everything is about the details. And not just on the inside movements, mind you, but even the slightest nuance of how a watch is shaped in the right places to sit comfortably on the wrist. One area of such minute detail that is getting a lot of attention this year is bracelets. Particularly, watchmakers that have introduced brand-new bracelet styles that are sure to define and influence the rest of their collections for years to come. The five-link Flat Jubilee bracelet, introduced on Rolex's new Land-Dweller collection. Courtesy of Rolex Rolex Land-Dweller 40 in Oystersteel and white gold, $21,800 Courtesy of Rolex
The biggest news is surely that of Swiss giant Rolex releasing a new collection—its first in 13 years. Enter the Land-Dweller, the brand's take on an integrated bracelet design. In the same way that the Datejust was launched in 1945 with the now-iconic Jubilee bracelet, the Land-Dweller also debuts the brand-new Flat Jubilee.
The five-row design features flat links, which are satin-brushed with polished chamfered edges on the outer links and mirror-polished inner links. Elegant, yet with a grounded spirit that lives up to its Land-Dweller name. Jaeger-LeCoultre debuts a Milanese bracelet in its signature collection on the all-pink-gold Reverso Tribute 'Or Deco'. Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre
Jaeger-LeCoultre has had an icon in its Reverso for almost a century. In all of its forms, it has been almost exclusively styled with leather straps. This year, the Swiss watchmaker is introducing a revelatory new reference, the Reverso Tribute Monoface 'Or Deco' with the collection's first—and, at the moment, only—Milanese bracelet. The entire design of the watch, from case to dial to bracelet, is crafted in a monochromatic palette of pink gold. Crafting this bracelet called for no less than 16m of pink gold threads, which are woven to form a dense flat mesh that is then hand-soldered to seal without pins. The result: a gold bracelet that's as supple as a second skin. Piaget's new signature model, the Sixtie. Courtesy of Piaget
At Piaget, the focus this year is on shapes. That's underscored by its big release of 2025, the new trapeze-shaped Sixtie collection of jewellery watches. The design references trapezoidal jewellery and sautoir watches from the maison's '60s and '70s archives, and updates it for modern tastes. The trapeze shape of Piaget's Sixtie watch is not limited to its case. Even its bracelet is distinctly curved and shaped to echo the silhouette. Courtesy of Piaget A side view of the Sixtie reveals its subtle curves. Courtesy of Piaget
The trapeze is obvious enough on the shape of the case, but where it really shines as a subtle, complete and thoughtful detail is in its newly developed five-link bracelet. The outermost links are shaped like halves of a trapeze, and the middle links like rounded rectangles so that every part of the bracelet has curves that extend the silhouette of the watch throughout the wrist.
Vogue Singapore's June 2025 'Gold' issue is available on newsstands and online.
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Extra, extra: Read all about the last newspaper hawker in Paris
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PHOTO: ROLEX GMT-Master II The tiger iron dial of the two-time-zone watch rests in an 18-carat Everose gold case with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal cover. Circling the dial is a bidirectional rotatable bezel fitted with a two-colour, 24-hour graduated Cerachrom insert in brown and black ceramic. The 40 mm case is anchored on an Oyster bracelet, also in 18-carat Everose gold. Beating under the dial is an in-house and high-performance self-winding movement with approximately 70 hours' power reserve. The Oyster bracelet, which has an Oysterlock folding safety clasp, is also fitted with an Easylink comfort extension link developed by Rolex. With the Easylink, the bracelet can easily be extended by about 5 mm. The bracelet's flexibility and longevity are enhanced by patented ceramic inserts inside the links. Price: S$72,350 The Sky-Dweller's bright green dial is matched with an 18-carat yellow gold Jubilee bracelet. PHOTO: ROLEX Sky-Dweller The Sky-Dweller's bright green dial provides an intense hue that blends beautifully with the colour of the watch. A date and month annual calendar is combined with an additional time zone in a 24-hour display, all wrapped in 18-carat yellow gold. It is matched with an 18-carat yellow gold Jubilee bracelet, which is also fitted with a folding Oyster clasp and features the Easylink comfort extension link. Instead of a Cerachrom bezel, like the Cosmograph Daytona and GMT-Master II, the Sky-Dweller's 42 mm case dons the fluted bezel that is found on many classic models in the Oyster Perpetual collection. Originally used to screw down the bezel against the middle case, helping to keep the watch waterproof, the fluted bezel, made only in 18-carat gold or 950 platinum, is today a mark of distinction. As with the case and bracelet, the fluted bezel on the new Sky-Dweller is also crafted from 18-carat yellow gold. The watch is kept ticking by a self-winding movement with approximately 72 hours' power reserve. Price: S$80,000 In recognition of its platinum status, this 40 mm Land-Dweller is graced by an ice-blue dial in sunray finish. PHOTO: ROLEX Land-Dweller The Land-Dweller launched this year introduces a new Rolex collection with a new movement. The watch, which has 32 patent applications, is identified by its bold lines and an integrated bracelet that extends seamlessly from the redesigned Oyster case. The new Flat Jubilee bracelet is joined by links with a distinctive flat surface, unique among Rolex's metal bracelets. The case, in 36 mm and 40 mm, is topped by a redesigned fluted bezel. It is waterproof to 100 metres. An angled flange surrounds the dial, which is decorated with a honeycomb motif, its structure created by femtosecond laser. The Land-Dweller is available in white Rolesor (Oystersteel and white gold), 18-carat Everose gold and 950 platinum. The Land-Dweller 36 in full Everose gold flaunts an intense white dial in satin finish, with diamond hour markers and diamonds set on its bezel. In recognition of its platinum status, the Land-Dweller 40 is graced by an ice-blue dial in sunray finish. This 36 mm Land-Dweller in full Everose gold flaunts an intense white dial in satin finish, with diamond hour markers and diamonds set on its bezel. PHOTO: ROLEX Visible through the sapphire crystal case-back is a new state-of-the-art mechanical movement, calibre 7135. It is more energy-efficient, robust and better at maintaining chronometric precision in timekeeping. The movement is regulated by a system made of high-tech materials and innovative components – like the new Dynapulse escapement, which has seven patents pending and is the most significant innovation in the regulating system. Price: from S$20,500 The red ombre dial of the new Datejust 31 is set with diamonds. 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