Sara Sandmeier, Senior Designer with Swiss watchmaking maison Baume & Mercier, tells Azyaamode about her inspiration for the Promesse Collection, its stylistic traits and why she chose to adorn the newest creation with embroidery and sequins.
At Baume & Mercier, do older watches inspire the new ones?
Baume & Mercier’s story began in 1830 and we have around a hundred marvels. In fact, the Promesse Collection is a result of the inspiration from a piece made in the Seventies – an era that witnessed the manufacturing of interesting watches and round cases with oval dials. In 2014, when we created the Promesse Collection, we asked ourselves ‘What is the essence? What is the aspect we’d like to extract from this historical watch in order to add a contemporary feel to it?’We have tried a lot of things – we created the mood board, made drawings and sketches, and later made the oval dials. We then noticed how magnificent they looked and came up with the idea of making oval turning dials, and obtained a technically complex watch.Not long after that, we created 3D sketches, drawings and plans. So, each time we obtain the preliminary models, we contemplate on various aspects. And we work closely with the marketing and technical teams, because creativity is good but never enough. We take into consideration the limit, price range, target market and clients who we love to impress; this is the basis of the marketing process.
Who manufactures the movements?
We have our own manufacturers and we also work with independent manufacturers and have the Swatch Group that supplies us with the movements in addition to others like Dubois-Dépraz and La Joux-Perret.
What are the key elements in watch designing?
When we start making a watch, the designer draws the watch face and its form in general. The next step resides in the thickness of the watch because it is the most important aspect that is noticed when a watch is worn. While creating a woman’s watch, we need to opt for ultra-thin ones that suit the woman’s wrist – and we focus on the case, form, proportions and thickness and make the dial. We adopt the 2D technology using software and make a lot of watch faces, decide whether to use Roman or Arabic numerals and work on the desired prototypes.
What prompted you to revisit the Promesse for the new petite line?
We had designed white watches earlier and when I was working on these exceptional pieces, I thought of the dial that we did not include in the 2014 Promesse Collection and realized how beautiful the dial and bracelet were. So, I included them in the new collection. I constantly change the aspects of the watches we make. Although the Petite Promesse watch was launched twice, I want to launch it for the third time; it is such an interesting piece and gives me inspiration to add colors and jewels.
What inspires your creative side?
I am a woman who loves fabrics and clothes, so I have a lot of clothes. I’m a ‘material freak’ and adore materials and textures. So yes, it does help.
Given your love for clothes, why did you not choose fashion?
It’s the journey and it never stays the same. I am currently trying out the industry of watches and designing timepieces has enriched my experience enormously. This year, we have done something similar to fashion – we created different styles of the Petite Promesse watch. I created bracelets that have the haute couture flair on watches of sizes 30, 34 and 22 (mm) and look very much like haute couture dresses. These bracelets are really unique and cannot be worn everyday, as they are made of very fragile materials. I had really great ideas and made sketches, brainstormed with other people in order to execute them and even hired an embroiderer. I worked with my usual supplier and he was amazing. He painted the two sides of the lambskin and adorned another piece of calfskin with blue color just like I wanted, and we did some exclusive projects together.
Is each piece unique?
Yes, each piece we make is unique. The model with a diameter of 30-mm with a silver lamination on its back has fringes made from lambskin.
Tell us about the mini Promesse
The new timepiece is wholly covered with embroidery and has a base adorned with sequins, resembling a rain of fringes. The unique bezel was created specially for the timepiece. This is a step forward in the world of fashion because these timepieces are well dressed and have their own styles.
Have you been to the Middle-East? Does travel inspire you?
I have never been to the Middle-East but I think it would be magnificent. It’s obvious that it is full of passion. Travelling really does inspire me. It always happens that I get the opportunity to go somewhere and I take advantage of it and go to museums that I have always dreamt of visiting.
Is it possible that Baume & Mercier might design jewelry?
Nothing is impossible in this world. I can’t promise it will happen. Although it was just like yesterday, when I thought we couldn’t possibly have models with timepieces like the mini Promesse. And today, we’ve done it. Perhaps, we will create other things too in the future. So, I’d say that everything is indeed possible.
Smitha Sadanandan
