F.P. Journe Élégante 48 mm Titalyt Set with Diamonds Ref. ELHT Titanium White Dial

Four hundred and eighteen brilliant cut diamonds ring the biggest case in the Élégante collection, and this white centered version has left the catalogue. Stone setting on titanium is awkward work, since the metal fights the graver in a way gold never does, and very few houses anywhere attempt it at this scale. The 48 mm case was drawn for larger wrists, and the stones turn it into something closer to jewelry than to a conventional watch.

The Flat Tortue case runs 48 by 40 mm and just under eight millimeters deep, so it wears wide rather than tall. Titalyt hardens the titanium and leaves it matte, which keeps the 418 stones, graded VS1 F to G, from reading as flashy against it. A white center sits inside an outer ring of screwed steel. Left still for half an hour the hands stop, then reset themselves the moment it is lifted.