IIf you weren’t a watch nerd before 2015, you might not know that Dior actually makes watches. While many major fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Gucci have worked hard to establish themselves in the watch world, Dior has been content to stay out of the spotlight.
Dior does have a history of watchmaking, but its pieces are scarce, especially for men. In 2004, during Hedi Slimane When Dior Homme was creative director, the brand unveiled the Chiffre Rouge watch. The watch was sleek, black and asymmetrical, with a few notable features, such as a crown at four o’clock. It quickly gained a cult following among fans of Dior’s signature style. After a break of almost ten years, Dior brings back the Chiffre Rouge.
There are five new Dior Chiffre Rouge pieces, with three more coming later this year. All watches stay true to Slimane’s original design while adding a little something extra. There’s an ultra-matte black version, one with stones around the case, and one of the two tourbillons (limited to 20 pieces) is surrounded by a rainbow of jewels. All watches have the iconic red crown at four o’clock with a “CD” on it and matching red hands. And if you’re wondering why eight is the only number on the date display that’s red, it’s because it’s Monsieur Dior’s lucky number.
The most impressive thing about the new Chiffre Rouge models are their movements. The three-hand automatic versions have a Sellita movement inside, while the chronograph version is powered by Zenith’s El Primero movement, one of the best in history. The two tourbillons have complications from LV’s La Fabrique du Temps.
Each piece is in limited production, ranging from 20 to 300 pieces. It remains to be seen where Dior’s watchmaking journey will continue, but one thing is certain: being part of the LVMH group has its perks, so we can probably expect to see more Dior watches in the future.
Buy Dior watches here.
Featured image: Courtesy of Dior
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