There is an unspoken rule – or at least from a fashion vantage point – that chains make everything look cooler and more desirable. The Triomphe, the hot ticket monogram pattern at Celine, is inspired by chains encircling the Arc de Triomphe.
Saint Laurent's It bag of Spring/Summer 2021 is the Le Maillon – literally translated as "the link" – features a chic hardware of chain links as a bag clasp. And who can ignore the desirable factor of the chain accessories by 017 Alyx 9SM and Givenchy – two brands helmed by streetwear idol/ creative director Matthew Williams?
The refreshed Nantucket by Hermes features a new chain link bracelet design.
This penchant for chain link hardware is nothing new to the horology world. After all, some of the most stylish ladies timepieces around happen to be the ones that are adorned with bracelets made from chain links, imbuing them with a hip style cachet.
Ahead, we spotlight four timepieces that champion this strong link between the fashion and watchmaking worlds.
The tonneau-shaped RM 07-01 has been a hallmark of Richard Mille's ladies timepiece and hogged the limelight in the horological world in 2019 when it became the Swiss brand's first watch model to be wholly crafted from lightweight Carbon TPT (short for Thin Ply Technology) bracelet – a technological feat that reportedly took 13 months of R&D.
In November last year, the RM 07-01 stole the show again when it debuted a case made from Gold Carbon TPT – an inventive composite of Carbon TPT with gold leaf. Flash forward to February 2021, and Richard Mille has unveiled the RM 07-01 Automatic watch which features a design-forward chain bracelet that features woven links of Carbon TPT with 5N red gold.
RM 07-01 Automatic Carbon TPT watch on matching bracelet with 5N red gold, price unavailable, Richard Mille
Born in 1991, this timepiece boasts a chain bracelet that takes inspiration from the anchor-link links of the Chaine d’ancre bracelet which was created in 1938. Earlier this year, Hermes unveiled a new bracelet for the Nantucket which features a more angular and seamless design that perfectly complements the watch's rectangular case. The timepiece comes in steel versions (with or without a sprinkle setting of 55 diamonds) and rose gold versions (with or without a setting of 186 diamonds).
Nantucket steel watch on matching bracelet, $4,630, Hermes
Created in 1987, the Premiere collection holds the honour as Chanel's first ever timepiece and is distinguished by its octagonal watch case design which is a nod to the bottle stopper of the N°5 perfume and the shape of Place Vendome in Paris from a bird's eye view. The tough chic chain bracelet, meanwhile, takes its cues from the chain used for the house's iconic 2.55 bag.
The watch has received several updates to its bracelet through the years – from double loops to slim triple-row renditions – but it is the chunky plain metal version that still gets our vote for its bold juxtaposition with an elegant, feminine case design.
Premiere Chain steel watch on matching bracelet, $4,350, Chanel Watch & Fine Jewellery Boutique
There is an almost Dada-ist take on this Cartier timepiece. Besides the whimsical hexagonal case, the avant-garde interpretation of the chain sees Cartier rearranging the links in a diagonal arrangement that's aligned on the bias at an angle of 32 degrees – creating an illusion of a twisted bracelet. Nonetheless, the bracelet is surprisingly supple and sits comfortably on the wrist. The timepiece is available as a small model with variations in rose gold, white gold and a souped-up version that has been covered in diamonds.
Maillon de Cartier 18K yellow gold watch on matching bracelet, $36,000, Cartier