At the end of the Gucci Resort 2018 show, held in Florence’s opulent Palazzo Pitti, creative director Alessandro Michele sauntered down the yellow carpet with a green Knicks baseball cap, a couple of necklaces from the Le Marché des Merveilles collection, rings on every finger and a white T-shirt emblazoned with two intertwined pink snakes and the call to action: Guccify Yourself.
Ever since Michele set foot in Gucci, the talented designer has cast his eclectic, opulent and irreverent spell on everything the brand produces. Watches are no exception, and are designed in tandem with catwalk collections. Taking Michele’s call to action, we’re going to play role reversal at The Jewellery Editor today. Instead of choosing my favourite Gucci watches, the team has made a wish list of their favourite Gucci models, and have selected a watch that best fits their personality and style.
Claire Roberts, our managing editor, has chosen this Plexiglas model:
“Is it a watch or is it a bracelet? This Plexiglas watch with a studded bracelet in dark grey will work work perfectly with my dressed-down T-shirt and jeans style.”
Plexiglas, the trademark name of a material made from acrylic plastic, is not something you come across often in watchmaking, but with Michele on board, anything is possible. The transparent grey Plexiglas case and bracelet give the watch a very 1970s mood and feel to the watch and, combined with the yellow gold PVD studs and a skeleton dial, maybe neo-Glam Punk is a more fitting description.
Christine Pasquier, managing director and founder, of our website has also fallen in love with a Plexiglas model:
“I am working on my outfit for a 1980s dress-up party and this would be just perfect as it captures the fun of that decade.”
With its rainbow Plexiglas case and bangle, complete with gold glitter and colourful crystal studs, you can almost hear Gloria Gaynor singing in the background.
Maria Doulton, editor-in-chief and founder of The Jewellery Editor, has been seduced by this Gucci watch with a snarling cat on the dial:
“It would add an edge to my look without looking like I was trying too hard. Also, I love the rich and bright colours of the roaring feline.”
The G-Timeless 38mm model fits right in with the Alessandro Michele’s “gender-fluid” approach to watches and jewellery. A unisex size that looks good on men and women’s wrists, the dial of this watch, made from black leather with an embossed cat motif, is a nod to Gucci’s famous leather goods. Instead of a leather strap, the watch comes on a black rubber strap with a prominent, raised Gucci logo.
Julia Livermore, our editorial assistant, has chosen this electrifyingly blue Gucci watch from the La Marché des Merveilles collection:
“I love the colour of the synthetic turquoise dial, which is perfect for the rapidly approaching summer, and the studded bezel makes it different without being too out-there."
The golden bumble bee, Gucci’s new icon, and the counterweight on the seconds hand featuring the classic interlocking Gs of Gucci leave no doubts about the provenance of this model. The crackled turquoise dial and the pyramid studs on the bezel add a tactile element to this watch, which, like all the models selected by The Jewellery Editor, is fitted with a Swiss quartz movement.
Amy Williams, who is in charge of our social media, has gone for this Le Marché des Merveilles model:
“I really like the NATO-style strap and fabric dial, which are on trend but with a Gucci twist. The texture continues with the embroidered snake, a feature you only notice on close inspection.”
Amy’s choice is hallmark Michele with its snake motif embroidered on the dial and a unisex 38mm diameter case. The NATO strap in blue and red nylon features the words “L’aveugle par amour” woven into the material, which is Gucci’s new mantra, meaning “blind for love”.
