Baselworld 2013: Premier Feathers By Harry Winston

Baselworld 2013: Premier Feathers By Harry Winston

Harry Winston has raised the principle of sublimating feminine beauty to the rank of an art form. The Premier Feathers Collection admirably embodies this aspiration to transcend aesthetics in appealing to the senses and to emotions.

The latest creations in what has become an iconic collection are once again touched by the grace of the unique skill exercised by Nelly Saunier. A gifted master plumassière, or feather artist, she is endowed with masterful and delicate expertise that enables her to tame feathers in such a way that they obey her creative purpose. As delicate as its raw material, this art is practiced by a rare breed of craftspersons who continue to perpetuate this ancestral ornamental art. Loyal to its vocation, Harry Winston wished to express itself in a unique register where poetry and sensuality merge to form an inseparable whole. 

Each of the three new models issued in limited production features a marquetry created with the feathers of a bird belonging to an authorized species and specifically bred for this purpose. In addition to extreme dexterity, this skill requires excellent perception of volumes and above all of colors. Each dial thus crafted composes a nocturnal motif in shades of sky blue, turquoise, or sapphire blue, revealed by a touch of immaculate white or deep purple.

These stunning creations are framed by a 36 mm-diameter 18-karat white gold case set with 66 brilliant-cut diamonds adorning the wrist in a flowing, sensual manner; while three iconic arches evoke the neoclassical façade of the Harry Winston flagship salon in New York City, and the diamond-set crown adds a further precious touch. 

This timepiece equipped with a quartz movement is teamed with a satin strap in a shade echoing the main dial color. Crafted in accordance with Harry Winston’s enduring principles of excellence, it testifies to the horological passion of the brand and to its quest for precious aesthetic that leads it to explore uncharted territories. 

The Premier Feathers Collection sets a magnificent scene for the love match between watchmaking and feather art. Time flies by on feathered wings, subtly melting into infinite night.