Roger Dubuis – Blossom Velvet Pink and Blossom Velvet Blue

Roger Dubuis Velvet Blossom Velvet turns the spotlight on women, proudly proclaiming 2016 the Year of the Velvet Diva. Being a diva in the world of Roger Dubuis is a matter of unrivalled temperament and a multifaceted personality. The peerless complexity of feminine nature endows women with a unique ability to alternately reveal different sides of who they are, and to boldly flaunt a given aspect of their character depending on the situation or their mood.

Blossom Velvet Pink and Blossom Velvet Blue are multi-petal expressions of ageless sensuality, while three one-of-a-kind and even more elaborate interpretations – assembled as an exquisite set nestling in a superbly crafted marquetry-worked box – compose a dainty ‘trilogy bouquet’ reserved exclusively for Roger Dubuis boutiques.

The 36 mm case of the Roger Dubuis Velvet Blossom Velvet – respectively crafted in pink or white gold – is rimmed with two rows of brilliant-cut diamonds adorning the bezel and lugs, transforming the Velvet’s classic central “third lug” into a precious link.

These sparkling gems surround the characteristic split-level mother-of-pearl dial graced with an engraved and sculpted floral marquetry motif. The signature Velvet central tonneau or barrel shape – contributing to its trompe l’oeil effect and swept over by the hours and minutes hands – is delicately accentuated by diamonds.

Gifted artisans have played with softly curved shapes and subtle shades of pink or blue to form a unique floral décor skilfully fashioned from an exceptionally thick plate of Grand Feu enamel. The challenges involved in this choice of material and the way of working with it provide a classic example of Roger Dubuis’ determination to consistently push both aesthetic and technical boundaries.

It also epitomises the Manufacture’s perpetual quest for innovative ways of combining these two fundamental aspects of its expertise.

The wreath of exquisite blooms, appealing to the imagination and its indefinable floral fantasies, rests on dainty scrolling patterns evoking delicate stems and tendrils. At the heart of each sparkles a diamond in a prong-free, gold-tube bezel setting inserted into the centre of the flower, once again showcasing the Haute Joalllerie expertise cultivated by the Manufacture. The absence of hour-markers in this decor that so eloquently expresses Roger Dubuis’ appreciation of the precious nature of time appears entirely natural.

Beneath this vibrantly ‘alive’ dial with its clever depth effects ticks a mechanical self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve, Calibre RD821 bearing the iconic Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. It beats to the tune of Roger Dubuis Velvet Blossom Velvet keen awareness that women who love aesthetic beauty also appreciate technical refinement. They can be every bit as instinctively possessive and mysterious about the time they keep as they are about the company they keep.

Firmly yet softly embracing the curves of the feminine wrist, the shimmering satin finish fabric strap – in a blushing pink or cerulean blue matching the dial – provides a perfectly smooth, lustrous backdrop for the 154 diamonds (totalling approx.1.9 carats) and the elaborately ornamental dial. It is clasped in place by a pink gold adjustable folding buckle set with brilliant cut diamonds.

This floral wonder composing a poetic anthem to womanhood is issued in an 88-piece edition.