Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been Longines Ambassador of Elegance since 1999 and it was only a matter time before the embrace of St Imier’s ethos for “Elegance is an attitude” was fully incorporated with the Indian model-actress’s cultural heritage in their ladies Longines DolceVita collection.
The latest Longines DolceVita Elegance limited edition inspired by Aishwarya marries the elegance of the1920s art deco rectangular form, the refinement of Italian sprezzatura and irrepressible che gioia vivere with the ornate artistry of Indian mandala motifs finely engraved in white mother of pearl and accessorised with diamond indexes.
In the Indian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, a mandala bears spiritual connotations as representations of deities and used by monastic adepts and holy men for focusing attention or as a spiritual aid for meditation. In contemporary times, the appropriation of these mesmerising geometric diagrams and the lack of cultural or religious understanding has seen a more global understanding of this Eastern artform as one representative of the metaphysical cosmos. On Aishwarya’s Longines DolceVita Elegance Celebration, the Limited Edition watch is a symbol of classic modernity embellished with 68 diamonds set within the frame of its rose gold case.
It’s perhaps a missed opportunity by St Imier that this Limited edition is technically speaking (via case dimensions 23mm x 37mm) for women, but consider that a classic JLC Reverso or Cartier Basculante was only slightly bigger at 24mm x 38mm, making the argument that if a gentleman so desired (and indeed, the collectors at The Watch Club Asia will attest), Aishwarya’s DolceVita Elegance Celebration concocted with Longines could potentially be an exquisite men’s dress watch as well, much to what one presumes to be the chagrin of feminists and yet another example of “men taking what should rightfully belong to women” but World of Watches has a more enlightened view – acquisition of the limited edition Aishwarya’s Longines DolceVita Elegance Celebration can be a mutual passion shared by two and the mandala, a symbol of spiritual unity with the deific source.
The Longines DolceVita Elegance Celebration is numbered and limited to five pieces, edition #1 is kept at the brand’s Museum in St-Imier while edition #5 is worn by Ms. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan herself.
Limited Edition Longines DolceVita Elegance Celebration Price & Specs
Movement L176.2 ETA Quartz
Case 23mm rose gold with 30 metres water resistance
Strap Matching turquoise leather
Price On application