Double Dare

What does Audemars Piguet’s new high jewellery creation have to do with Serena Williams? Nicolette Wong gets the answers from the tennis champion

- Nicolette Wong

IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, Audemars Piguet has made it a point to create stunning diamond-encrusted high jewellery watches that show off its prowess as a design house. It also does so, presumably, to court the female customers whose husbands are fervent fans of its more technical offerings—diamonds are, after all, allegedly a girl’s best friend.

In line with the brand’s daring DNA, the designs have gotten increasingly audacious with every passing year. The Diamond Punk and Diamond Fury both garnered gasps upon their debut in 2015 and 2016, respectively, and we are sure this year’s third and final offering will do the same—the spiky, prickly cuff watch that the brand calls the Diamond Outrage most definitely lives up to its name.

At first glance, the Diamond Outrage’s glittering spires inspire shock—then awe.

The stalactites on the watch appear to explode out in sharp points from the wearer’s wrist, each glistening spike a mesmerising font of bejewelled architecture. The white gold lattice frame is virtually buried under a mountain of brilliant snow-set diamonds, save for the three baguette-set spears whose clear glister contrasts beautifully against their neighbours. The invisibility of the setting alone is a testament to the skill of the diamond setter, who had to set some 65.91 carats worth of diamonds on this one-of-a-kind treasure (well, twoof-a-kind, perhaps, since there is another version in existence that is encrusted with blue sapphires).