Francois Chaille

The pursuit of excellence is reflected in Audemars Piguet's most prestigious models, painstakingly crafted by artisans for over 130 years. Audemars Piguet's expertise, creativity, and state-of-the-art technology are behind the company's luxurious and innovative watches. At the turn of the twentieth century, the factory employed more than seventy craftsmen, whose mastery and excellent grasp of the changing times enabled the development of traditional pieces and the production of revolutionary wat ches, both of the highest quality. These include the slimline jeweled watches for women in the art deco era, chronographs in the forties, the first perpetual calendar watch in 1957, the famous Royal Oak--the first high-end sports watch--in 1972, and the ultramodern Millenary MC12 in 2008. The mechanisms, the meticulous processes by which they are developed, and their technical and stylistic inventions reveal the history of a company that combines audacity, ingenuity, and luxury.

Some gemstones are so beautiful, vibrant, and luminous that they evoke a celestial creation, miraculously tumbled down from the heavens. Cartier craftsmen work with such stones including a spectacular 30.21 carat pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamond. The resulting jewelry design is a pure work of art. In this volume, exceptional diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds form a prodigious constellation entirely in keeping with the legendary stones that Cartier known as the jeweler of kings has fashioned throughout its long history. Prized Cartier pieces have beguiled the worlds most influential figures, including monarchs of the grandest dynasties, industrialists and patrons, celebrated artists, and international stars. This handsome volume features rare gems of the most exceptional quality, shimmering pearls, and the finest precious stones, which together constitute a jewelry collection that scintillates with their brilliance.

The secret of a unique expertise, guarded by master jewelers, and the brand's long-running commitment to self-reinvention have won Cartier its reputation for excellence and outstandingly beautiful designs, admired the world over. This exquisitely produced, luxurious tome presents the latest creations by the famous jeweler, from high jewelry to precious objects. The unique savoir-faire of Cartier jewelers throughout history has founded the image of excellence and the reputation for singular beauty that Cartier is known for around the world today. Precious stones and the craft of fine jewelry-making are the subjects at the heart of this latest volume, displaying the newest Cartier creations: unique and exceptional pieces, designed for great collectors. The great fascination that these precious stones inspire is linked, for many, to the story behind their beauty: one of these astonishing, romantic tales about a legendary sapphire is revealed in this book. Gleaming with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds set in elegant and audacious compositions, this volume invites the reader to admire these treasures illustrated beautifully on each page."

Lavishly illustrated, The Beauty of Time contains a selection of nearly two hundred wonders? from mechanical and pendulum clocks to pocket and wristwatches. The timepieces are annotated by an expert horology historian and accompanied by a text that elucidates the cultural and artistic contexts in which they were created. As a counterpoint to the timepieces, extensive reproductions of artistic masterpieces provide perspective regarding the technical advances of each period and demonstrate the evolution of aesthetic tastes over time. This unique book, an homage to a single instrument?so often conceived as a work of art? is intended as much for horology enthusiasts as for art and decorative-arts aficionados, history lovers, and collectors.