2 minute read
MATERIAL WORLD
GOLD: A PERMANENT TOUCH OF BRILLIANCE
Dan Diaconu
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Be it yellow, pink, or even grey, a symbol of luxury and purity, gold transforms watches into works of rare elegance that tend towards the timeless. Vacheron Constantin's reinterpretation of the 222 model, the result of Jorg Hysek's astute design in 1977, and the craze generated during the last edition of Watches and Wonders Geneva demonstrate the unfailing interest in this noble metal. Over the decades, yellow gold has established itself as the queen of precious materials. The delicacy of rose gold offered an alternative during the 1940s and 1950s. Thereafter, the genius of designers opened up the field of possibilities. Thus, at the time the Galop d'Hermès watch was presented, its creator, the American designer Ini Archibong, highlighted the aesthetic opportunities afforded by the sheen of
gold. "The material I work with is light. I learned to design aerodynamic shapes and futuristic lines that make use of surfaces and explore light effects."
The research carried out on alloys also extends beyond the nuggets fused into jewellery, such as Omega with its SednaTM gold, an in-house assembly enhanced with copper and palladium.
Since 1933, Rolex's emblematic
Rolesor, combining gold and steel, has been playing with the hues and shades of the material. Within its own foundry, the brand with the crown has also been deftly working with gold. Everose gold, a mixture of gold, copper, and titanium, yields warm shades that are more resistant to the vagaries of time. This year, however, preference is given to 18-carat yellow metal for the case of the YachtMaster 42. More than ever, sport is chic.
A SYMBOL OF LUXURY, GOLD IS CONSTANTLY REINVENTING ITSELF TO BETTER SUIT THE TIMES.
The Girard-Perregaux Laureato 42mm combines a rose gold case with a deep black onyx dial. This reflection of a lifestyle, whereby elegance and casualness are one and the same, imbues the personality of the Zenith Chronomaster Sport. Hublot has also been breaking codes since its inception. Gold meets rubber. A major first! At the start of this year, six exclusive models commemorate what has become one of the company's leitmotivs, the art of fusion. This philosophy can also be found in the new Square Bang Unico collection of square watches, featuring a reference in King Gold, an alloy made in-house that also contains platinum. The alchemist watchmaker excels in manipulating element 79 of Mandeleev's famous periodic table. He alone knows the formula for scratchproof gold, Magic Gold. Henceforth, aspirations are taking the path of sustainability. Chopard has made this its hobbyhorse. The manufacturer sources artisanally mined gold. It also supports the alliance for responsible mining in Latin America through the "Fairmined" labelling process. As a result, the cases of the refined L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon and L.U.C Strike One models unveiled in the spring are machined in ethical gold. A major advantage for luxury in the 21st century!
