How diamonds are reshaping luxury watch movements, from Chanel to Cartier

Whether they’re framing bezels, scattered across dials and bracelets or adorning cases, diamonds have long played a decorative role in horology. Increasingly, however, some watchmakers are beginning to use the dazzling stones in new ways, integrating them into the construction of watches rather than merely applying them as embellishment.

Diamond-set watches first emerged in the early 20th century, as watchmaking shifted from pocket watches to wristwatches, and gemstones were placed on cases and dials as decoration. By the interwar years, diamonds had become closely associated with luxury timepieces, particularly through jewellery watches produced by maisons such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, whose art deco-influenced creations placed diamonds at the centre of the watch’s design.