24.05.12

Perhaps no other timepiece in the overjoyed dazzles as brilliantly as a diamond watch. These objects of beauty not only trace the time, but hold a promise of value for generations to come. The output of coal subjected to millions of years of pressure in the Earth’s middle, diamonds have scintillating beauty. They sparkle their way through the holiday season like stars in the Malibu sky.
The first diamond timepieces appeared in the 16th century as a response to John Calvin banning jewelry. To save their trade, many gem-setters combined their expertise with clockmaking and began adorning them with elaborate detailing that transformed the hollow watch into fine jewelry.
In those early days, diamonds were for the most part round- and prong-set. As the artistry of watchmaking progressed, designs became more improvident. In the heyday of the Art Deco movement, the jeweled wristwatch reigned principal.
As the decades passed and watchmakers experimented with styles, some brands created their own environment techniques, many of which have become legendary in the watch world. Foremost among them is the invisible stage set: When the gems are set, they interlock, essentially forcing the stones together. No metal is perceptible to the eye, creating a seamless run of diamonds. Other important diamond watch settings are pavé (minor diamonds set very close together) and channel settings (neat rows of diamonds between two tracks of metal).
Source: Los Angeles Confidential