Bulgari, Backes & Strauss Debut New Luxury Watches

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Two new and equally decadent luxury watches have just been released, one with a decidedly masculine flair and another that is sure to please the lady who believes that diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Bulgari Debuts Octo All Blacks Watch

The rough-and-tumble sport of rugby might seem to have little in common with the rarefied atmosphere of luxury timepieces but those disparate worlds collide to fabulous effect with the Octo All Blacks watches just launched by Bulgari. The special edition timepieces were introduced at a gala party held at the Bulgari Hotel in London’s Knightsbridge where celebrity guests included All Blacks rugby stars Kevin Mealamu, Liam Messan and Conrad Smith plus Bulgari managing director Guido Terreni and actress Elizabeth McGovern of “Downton Abbey.”

The result of this unlikely collaboration, the Octo All Blacks Special Edition, is a one-off timepiece honoring the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team which this year shares its 130th anniversary with the house of Bulgari. The match recognizes the longevity and lasting power of both worthy competitors.

The 41mm automatic All Blacks watch has a DLC-coated case and sports a unique Maori tattoo design on the dial featuring the decorative swirls often seen in this ancient art. There’s a special significance to the Maori influence, since the All Blacks team honors the tribe by using its ancestral war cry against opponents during its rugby matches. The timepiece also owes its look to the Bulgari Octo with its contemporary and very masculine air. The All Blacks has a smoky sapphire dial with brushed black hour markers and the team’s silver fern emblem on the case back. The timepiece is packaged in an impressive leather presentation box shaped like a rugby ball.

Backes & Strauss Teams Up with William Goldberg for Diamond Watches

What do you get when a legendary jeweler joins forces with an equally iconic watchmaker? A line of extravagant diamond watches, of course. London-based Backes & Strauss has collaborated with New York City’s William Goldberg Company to create the Royal Ashoka Collection of luxury timepieces.

Backes & Strauss has been in business since 1789, making it the world’s oldest diamond company, so obviously, they know their gems. One of the most prized diamond shapes is the Ashoka cut which was named after an ancient Indian emperor and is produced exclusively by William Goldberg.

The one-of-a-kind watches in the Royal Ashoka Collection each have 92 dazzling Ashoka-cut diamonds along with 131 Ideal-cut sparklers, all of them set in an 18k white gold case with matching bracelet. Backes & Strauss provided the quartz movement for the luxurious timepiece, which made its debut at last month’s World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie in Japan. Price is available upon request.