The watch-collecting cognoscenti have slowly warmed to jewellery houses joining the ranks of respectable watchmakers (think Bulgari, Chanel), but the journey for fashion-focused brands is an ongoing one. For the last decade, the titans of Louis Vuitton and Hermès have been the biggest players to take watchmaking seriously, however, there’s another fashion house vying for contention — and the Gucci High Watchmaking collection isn’t competing for second place.
For the last two years, visiting Gucci at their private, sprawling estate, overlooking Lake Geneva has been one of the unexpected highlights of Watches & Wonders. Not only is it a chance to breathe crisp air outside the cavernous exhibition space, but both years the Boss Hunting team has been genuinely impressed with the watchmaking on offer — which is at the pinnacle of technical and gem-setting complexity — but oh-so Gucci at the same time.
Sure, Gucci has made watches for half a century (since 1972, to be precise). You probably noticed a concession of quartz timepieces adorned with snakes and bees the last time you walked through duty-free. But what Gucci has added to its catalogue is a serious high watchmaking collection, and is a very different proposition to the fashion-focused watches the brand has produced in the past.
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Unlike many fashion brands that bolster their accessories ranges with generic watches, Gucci has made its own watches since the early 70s. This is unusual in the fashion world, with brands generally working with a third party — to whom they give design direction and their logo — before the watches are shipped around the world.
But despite this already respectable resume in the world of watchmaking, Gucci took things to an entirely different level when its high watchmaking collection debuted in 2021. The simple quartz and automatic watches of decades past have now taken a backseat to skeletonised movements, tourbillons and some of the most impressive gem-setting you might have ever seen on a watch.
Not only that, but Gucci had the foresight to bet on yellow gold making a comeback several years ago. The reddish hues of rose gold are disappearing into the rearview mirror and the purity of yellow gold returns: with nostalgic flair and a sense of timelessness. Let’s get into a few highlights.
Gucci G-Timeless Planetarium
This is a truly bonkers watch. Cased in 40mm of yellow gold, the heart of this watch is the Dancing Hours Flying Tourbillon (ref. GGC.1976.DS), which features an oversized central tourbillon that rotates on its own axis, independent of the hands you can see curved over those large precious stones.
If that wasn’t wild enough, at the press of a button in the crown, the 12-hour marker stones begin their own dance, rotating around the dial as well as their own respective axis’. There are several different versions of this watch, featuring different precious stones, including diamonds and Ethiopian opals, which explains the RRP around the €250,000 (~AU$400,000) mark. Regardless of your thoughts on how attention-grabbing the stones are, the movement is a very impressive feat of watchmaking.
Gucci 25H Perpetual Calendar
Clean, simply designed and wafer-thin, this 40mm perpetual calendar is shockingly comfortable on the wrist. Powered by the automatic GG727.25.PC calibre, the entire watch is just 9.7mm thick and is also available in solid gold (on a leather strap), or two-tone on the same five-link bracelet.
Gucci G-Timeless Moonphase
Another work of stone-cutting art, this solid gold moon phase agree watch has a dial made from green aventurine glass and opal, which makes a very bold statement for a simple two-handed timepiece. Powered by the automatic GG.V838.MP movement, it too has several sibling references that are made distinct by the different coloured stones that make up their dials.
Gucci G-Timeless Dancing Bees
If the oversized tourbillon at 12 o’clock and immaculately cut turquoise stone dial residing in a handsome 40mm solid gold case weren’t impressive enough, the bees you see scattered across the dial are a study in precision. Each is individually hand carved and mounted on a rotating pin. The pin is set into a perfectly drilled hole in the surface of the turquoise, which allows the bees to move with the motion of your wrist. The name “Dancing Bees” makes perfect sense when you see them in full flight.
Gucci 25H Skeleton Tourbillon
Another member of the 25H family — and remarkably even thinner than the perpetual calendar — this Skeleton Tourbillon measures 40mm in diameter and just 8mm in thickness. Hewn from solid yellow gold, this svelte companion is powered by the manually wound GG727.25.TS calibre – which looks a geometric treat on the wrist – and powers the other members of this collection. Serious stuff right here.
