Watch customization is gaining momentum, and jewelry brands are increasingly becoming involved. With their expertise in precious metals and skills in stone setting, goldsmithing, and engraving, jewelers are a natural fit for the watch industry.
Hatton Labs, one of the latest jewelry brands to explore this avenue, has teamed up with watch customization experts Mad to create a unique version of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. The collaborative effort resulted in a timepiece named “Portcullis,” inspired by a medieval fortified gate.
“We share similar design values,” the Hatton Labs team explained, emphasizing how the collaboration came together effortlessly. “Hatton Labs specializes in jewelry, and Mad focuses on watches, so it was a great opportunity to expand our offerings together.”
The Portcullis watch features sharp, historical design elements, with diamonds playing a central role. Irregularly cut and set upside down, the diamonds form spikes on the bracelet. The watch boasts 20 pyramid-cut, lab-grown white diamonds and 40 additional pyramid-cut diamonds, all framing a polished mirror silver dial.
“We were inspired by unconventional stone-setting techniques,” Hatton Labs added. “By setting diamonds differently, we aimed to transform something traditionally precious into something that evokes a harsher, more unique mood. The cut and faceting are as precise as with natural diamonds, but the challenge lies in polishing. Lab-grown stones don’t have a growth direction, making the process more labor-intensive. And in horology, polishing is always done by hand to meet the highest standards.”
This collaboration marks a significant step for Hatton Labs as they expand their creative boundaries in the world of luxury watch customization.