Sapphire Orbe: Audemars Piguet's captivating jewelry masterpiece

Jewelry watch Or jewelry watch The new watch from High Jewelry Sapphire Orb, branded Audemars Piguet, named after the river that crosses the Vallée de Joux where the factory was born, literally navigates between these two banks. 

Watch, because it houses at the heart of its dome a tiny quartz movement, concealed behind a pavé dial and perfectly legible once the secret is revealed.

Jewel, because everything surrounding this mechanical heart is conceived as a landscape of light, where Reading the time becomes almost secondary, a pretext for wearing a sculptural piece on the wrist.

Light captured: a natural inspiration

Sapphire Orbe is inspired by the flow of water and the changing reflections of theOrb, river which meanders not far from the Audemars Piguet workshops. The gradient of blue sapphires, oranges, and diamonds evokes the transition from night to day, as if the nuances of the sky had been captured on a fluid surface. This idea of "light in motion" is found in the concentric rings that seem to undulate, transforming the watch into a veritable mineral landscape.

White gold and precious gems: an extraordinary design

The base of the piece is a white gold wristwatch case, shaped like a teardrop or an elongated dome. which wraps around the wrist rather than simply encircling itOn this framework, more than 12,000 stones Diamonds and sapphires of varying diameters and colors are set in a snow setting, creating a continuous surface with no visible metal. From the side or from above, the piece resembles a contemporary sculpture more than a classic watch, breaking with the usual conventions of round or rectangular cases.

The art of stone setting at the heart of the expertise

The purpose of Sapphire Orbe is first a crimping manifesto Each stone is selected, cut, and then individually set to achieve perfectly blended gradients. The snow setting, particularly complex, requires the craftsman to compose stone by stone to make the gaps invisible, while respecting the bracelet's flexibility requirements. The cumulative working time amounts to hundreds of hours, making each piece a kind of patiently constructed luminous fresco, where the eye perceives only a tapestry of facets.

Discreet mechanics serving aesthetics

At the center of this river of gems lies a small, gem-set sphere, which opens manually to reveal the dial: what is known as a "Secret watch". The latter, also paved with sapphires, welcomes An ultra-thin quartz movement, a deliberate choice to guarantee compactness, reliability and no winding constraints.. Watchmaking is put at the service of jewelry: the caliber is designed as a discreet beating heart, allowing artisans to push the limits in volume, gem-setting and comfort without sacrificing the watch function.

An exceptional piece for discerning collectors.

The Sapphire Orbe is clearly aimed at a clientele of collectors and customers already familiar with High Jewelry/Watchmaking, who see this creation as a work of art in its own right rather than a mere accessory. Through its rarity, price, and level of finish, it follows in the footsteps of Audemars Piguet's great conceptual pieces. these manifesto watches that show how far the maison can go into the fusion of the arts