Sandra‘s Closet

NET-A-PORTER hosted cocktails in Paris during Haute Couture Fashion Week to celebrate a collection of its high jewelry designers. Private gallery Hôtel du Grand Veneur was the setting for a beautiful mirrored spiral shaped installation which housed over 20 rare, one-of-a-kind pieces from the world’s most renowned high jewelry maisons, including Chopard, Piaget, Buccellati, Lorraine Schwartz, Boehmer et Bassenge, Boghossian, Giampiero Bodino, Nadia Morgenthaler, Ana Khouri, Repossi, De Grisogono, Bina Goenka and many more.

With my beloved Lupe Puerta, Global Director of VIP Client Relations at NET-A-PORTER

NET-A-PORTER offers great service for their EIP (Extremely Important Person) customers, now taking it one step further with EIP Privé. The new high jewelry pieces are part of this new concept that was introduced to a selected clientele during Paris Fashion Week. In general, the EIPs can request to see exquisite one-of-a-kind creations via private appointments and «try before you buy», so that the jewel might never be seen by another customer again.

With lovely Elizabeth von der Goltz, Global Buying Director of NET-A-PORTER.

To give the best service possible, NET-A-PORTER‘s dedicated team of personal shoppers receive comprehensive diamond and gemstone education from the Gemological Institute of America.

Amazing piece, a combination of ring and bracelet, by Bina Goenka.

Good to know is that the iconic online shopping destination adheres to the Kimberley Process, a certification scheme committed to the removal of conflict diamonds from the global supply chain. It was established in 2003 after the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution supporting its creation.

Jewelry creations by Chopard.

Since 2014, NET-A-PORTER has also been a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council – the only retailer to stake this claim. In addition, all fine jewelry sold over the site is tested, marked and certified according to the Hallmarking Act 1973, which guarantees the purity of precious metals.

A huge thank you goes to my personal shopper who does the best job! I am a huge fan of the EIP service and I can only recommend buying at NET-A-PORTER.

Enjoy more impressions of the night below!

LoL, Sandra

Alison Loehnis, President of NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER, with actress Mandy Moore.

With Alberto Cibrario, Sales Department Operations Manager at de GRISOGONO.

On display: high jewelry pieces by de Grisogono.

Chabi Nouri, CEO, Piaget

Gaia Repossi, Jewelry Designer

Ana Khouri, Jewelry Designer

Photos: © François Durand / Getty Images for Net-à-Porter
© Sandra Bauknecht

Since many years, I have been invited to SIHH, which is the year’s first gathering of professionals in the watchmaking segment and I love going there. Held in January, it sets the tone for the twelve months to come as it rolls out the latest trends. By visiting the glamorous watch fair, you are not only treated to champagne, 5-star hotel accommodation (I stayed at the beautiful Four Seasons in Geneva), but only amazing events with tons of celebrities visiting the prestigious event. 2018 has been one of the fair’s most interesting yet with incredible watches being unveiled and new exhibitors presenting their novelties.

New to the fair is French luxury house Hermès who is showing at SIHH for the very first time.

CEO Piaget Chabi Nouri with me

Altogether there are 35 exhibitors with many newly on-board CEOs such as Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin and Piaget. The latter’s new CEO Chabi Nouri presented her fresh direction and won my vote for best booth at the fair. The beautiful tropical island themed decorations featured real lush palm tree embellishments, an indoor pool, and even a simulated skylight.

The brand’s new Altiplano Ultimate Concept, which is with only 2mm of exceptional horology the thinnest watch in the world, was one of the talking pieces of the fair. Personally speaking, I have fallen for Piaget‘s turquoise-colored Limelight Gala watch and some other favorites that you will find below:

LIMELIGHT GALA WATCH BY PIAGET
White gold, set with diamonds
Turquoise dial
Manufacture Piaget quartz movement 690P

PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER
Mini model
18k pink gold
Case set with brilliant-cut diamonds
Triple-loop bracelet

ROYAL OAK FROSTED GOLD SELFWINDING BY AUDEMARS PIGUET
Selfwinding manufacture calibre 3120
Centre seconds, date,
37mm, dial comes now in pink gold
18-carat pink gold

TONDA 1950 BY PARMIGIANI FLEURIER
PF702 ultra-thin automatic movement with micro rotor
48-hour power reserve
Hand-beveled bridges
18ct rose gold case
Available in stones dial and with diamond setting
Alligator strap

FIFTY-SIX COMPLETE CALENDAR BY VACHERON CONSTANTIN
Precision moon phase
Approximately 40 hours of power reserve
18K pink gold
40 mm diameter, 11.6 mm thick
Transparent sapphire crystal caseback
Water-resistance tested at a pressure of 3 bar (approx. 30 meters)
Alligator strap

The watches are getting smaller and so are the prices… many watchmakers are opting for less expensive models as Piaget launches for the first time watches in steel, as well as Jaeger-LeCoultre does for the so-called «Polaris» collection. Vacheron Constantin will be making a ladies line and Panerai is releasing a new range of 38mm timepieces, the smallest Panerai watches ever.

Roger Dubuis showed me a novelty for the ladies range that I have fallen in love with immediately but I am not allowed to talk about it until February…!

TONDA 1950 GALAXY by PARMIGIANI FLEURIER
PF702 ultra-thin automatic movement with platinum micro rotor
48-hour power reserve
Hand-beveled bridges
18ct gold case with diamond setting, 064ct
Blue Aventurine dial
Hermès alligator strap

The color to opt for is blue. There was not one booth that didn’t show a variety of azure, indigo, sky or cerulean. As there were so many, I decided to write a separate post about it which will be published soon…

Stay tuned! So much more to come!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, luxury jewellery and watch brand Piaget launches at NET-A-PORTER, marking the first time the elegant creations by the iconic Swiss Maison will be sold through a luxury global online retailer, aside from their standalone stores and own brand e-commerce site.

“As the ultimate e-commerce platform for luxury, NET-A-PORTER is the ideal partner for Piaget’s first foray outside of the Maison’s own channels. We are delighted to bring the Piaget Possession collection to the NET-A-PORTER client as she shares many of the same values as Piaget: audacious creativity, elegant style and positive energy.”
Chabi Nouri, Piaget CEO as of the 1st of April 2017

NET-A-PORTER will launch both fine jewellery and watch creations from «Possession», a signature Piaget collection that welcomes colour for the first time with an assortment of bold ornamental stones, the so-called «Possession Colour Collection». The introduction of bright and bold Piaget colours to an iconic jewellery collection called for an equally vibrant and colourful collaboration with a woman who embodies the vitality of Possession. A dynamic force in the world of fashion, Olivia Palermo is the face of the campaign for Piaget for the second year running.

The collection trigger an emotion, a collection the buyer pins to a memory, or a mark of success as a gift to herself or to someone else.

A key feature with each piece is the movement – this is the only collection of jewellery known that has movement. The central band on the ring turns – spinning it can be quite addictive – the bezel between each cabochon on the pendant also turns, as does the diamond bands set against each cabochon on the bracelets. It is this feature of turning that evokes the particular memory for the wearer.

Possession 18-karat rose gold, malachite and diamond necklace

There is an incredible selection available to purchase in diamonds or in an array of captivating colours. Depending on your favourite shade, or what a certain colour may mean to you, you can choose from:

· Lapis lazuli – is said to represent friendship, truth and brings harmony into relationships.
· Malachite – is said to garner protection against ‘the evil eye’ and also attracts love and money.
· Onyx – is said to repel negativity and protects the wearer against hostility from others.
· Carnelian – is believed to bring it’s wearer good luck, helps to calm ones temper and brings about good humour.
· Turquoise – is believed to attract money, success and love and is the stone of friendship in many cultures.

If you love all of the colours and simply cannot chose, the trend for stacking bracelets remains and you can decorate your wrists with all colours and their significant meanings.

The tagline behind Piaget’s «Possession» collection is «turn and the world is yours» signifying the power and success of women who wear the beautiful pieces

If you need help choosing, let me know by shooting me an e-mail to and I will be happy to give you some direction. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

TO SHOP PIAGET ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Piaget

When I was in the beginning of my 20s, I was dying to own a Piaget Possession ring. Luckily enough, my parents gifted me with one that I still treasure. You might imagine my excitement when the house of PIAGET approached me as their Swiss ambassador to be part of their social media campaign for the launch of the NEW possession jewelry collection.

We shot the visuals as well as the video that you can see below Mid March 2015 in Paris. 25 years after its first launch, Piaget is expanding its iconic line in honour of the third millennium.

But what is so special about this line? It’s a ring inside a ring, a second rotating band with which to play. “Turn, turn and captivate the world with a simple movement…” one little touch is enough.

It’s a symbol of power and of the choices we as women make for ourselves to take on the world.
I love the campaign’s slogan: “Turn, and the world is yours.” Imagine that with each stroke you can start over again. Isn’t that imagination magical and wearing it around your finger gives you the partner in crime to remind you of that fact every day.

Chabi Nouri, Director of Jewlery Marketing, Communications, and Brand Equity, mentioned to me once that turning the ring is for her “an addictive gesture.” She explained it: “Sometimes I stroke it gently with my thumb to help me think, and to refocus on what is really important.” I adore her approach. My ring can be like a piece of peace in this ultra-fast-paced contemporary world we are living in, a little companion to help reflect and think.

The new collection offers many different varieties to choose from. The choice is yours.
And here is the final video:

A huge thank you to the whole team of Studio Daylight for this amazing shoot!

A really great experience was to meet Jessica Chastain again, the new international ambassador for Piaget, who shot the advertising campaign in Paris the same day in the same studio right before me.

LoL, Sandra

Photos and Videos: Courtesy of Piaget
© Sandra Bauknecht
#myturn #piagetpossession