Whether or not you’ve walked past the Atlas clock that has adorned the outside of the Tiffany & Co.’s Fifth Avenue flagship in New York since 1853, or heard the story about how US President Franklin D. Roosevelt wore a Tiffany’s watch to the Yalta Conference, the famed US jewellery brand is about to become a whole lot more interesting for men as a serious watch brand.
The past year has been a big year for Tiffany & Co. A year that saw the company giant dive back into the mechanical watches business, and relying on its long fallow history of timepieces, to launch some seriously enviable new collections. Spearheaded by its vice president of watches, Nicola Andreatta, the brand has taken some big steps to compete in serious watch market, firstly by moving its watchmaking to Switzerland, and secondly by delving into its long history and placing the spirit of New York right at the heart of its DNA.
The standout pieces of its relaunch come from the CT60 collection (below) — named after the initials of Charles Tiffany and the number of seconds in a ‘New York minute’, a phrase often used in the city to describe its hectic pace — an accessibly priced line of self-winding timepieces, with the words New York proudly displayed on the dial. The collection takes its design inspiration from Roosevelt’s watch, and comes with a three-hand model, a chronograph, and a limited edition calendar watch. Prices range from $4,250 to $19,000, depending on the level of complication, whether the watch is stainless steel or rose gold, and whether you prefer an alligator strap or a metal bracelet.
The other notable release from the company is its startling cool East West collection (below). Having flipped the display on horizontal access, the piece immediately grabs your attention — with the vintage, style design akin to that awesome travel clock your granddad had, that now just gathers dust in his attic. Although you can choose from a range of colours, it seems fitting to opt for a dial decked out in classic Tiffany’s blue.
