Van Cleef & Arpels Ludo Secret Watch

Since its inception in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels has cultivated a legacy of melding innovation with timeless elegance. This season, the Maison has breathed new life into a historic design, the Ludo bracelet, transforming it into the spellbinding Ludo Secret Watch. In doing so, they’ve upheld a tradition so deeply embedded in the brand’s DNA: the marriage of high jewellery and horology into a single exquisite piece.

Named in honour of one of its founding members, Louis Arpels, the original Ludo bracelet debuted in 1934. It mimicked the look of a belt, which was a vogue accessory for daring women of the era. Now, this iconic design is reborn in two stunning avatars—one bathed in rose gold and diamonds, the other resplendent in rose gold and pink sapphires.

Each variant showcases the high jewellery tradition of Van Cleef & Arpels. The gemstones—painstakingly selected for brilliance and colour—are set with a level of finesse that only a house with over a century of artisanal history could achieve. Each link in the watch’s flexible, brick-pattern mesh bracelet is hand-assembled to offer optimal articulation and comfort, staying true to the original design’s belt-like structure.

But the timepiece’s pièce de résistance is its hidden dial, a homage to the Maison’s tradition of secret watches. A touch of the two motifs—either diamonds or pink sapphires—reveals a guilloché white mother-of-pearl dial, subtly etched and iridescent. The act of checking the time becomes a moment of revelation, a secret between the watch and its wearer.

The 2023 collection also includes an extraordinary creation, taking inspiration from the 1941 Ludo Hexagone Macaron secret watch. This masterpiece features a dial discreetly hidden behind a motif adorned with Mystery Set emeralds. The complexity and precision required for the Mystery Set technique underline the Maison’s unparalleled craftsmanship. This setting involves using golden rails to hold up the emeralds—each cut and matched for colour with extraordinary precision—so that once placed, the stones completely eclipse the setting.

With the Ludo Secret Watch, Van Cleef & Arpels isn’t only an instrument that can tell time; it tells a story—a story of artistic ingenuity, of meticulous craftsmanship, and a legacy that has turned moments into timeless beauty.