Time was when women wore secret watches disguised as jewellery so that they could tell time discreetly in polite company. They found creative ways to wear them too, around the neck or waist or on the wrist.

At first glance, the Emerald Signature by Harry Winston looks like a stunning piece of high jewellery. But pivot the top part of the case to the left and the watch, with a mother-of-pearl dial, reveals itself.

Crafted in 18K white gold and first unveiled in 2014, this dazzling timepiece features seven octagonal steps set with 302 brilliant-cut diamonds with an emerald-cut diamond as crown.

This year sees two new Emerald Signature models with blue sapphires, in a dark or light shade.

An intense deep blue emerald-cut sapphire crowns the darker model which is set with 122 diamonds and 181 blue sapphires. The lighter model has 144 diamonds and 158 sapphires. A quartz movement drives all three models which also come with a white gold chain set as well as a silk fabric bracelet.

Emerald Signature Blue Sapphire 18K white gold watch with diamonds and sapphires on satin strap, price unavailable, Harry Winston

Taking its cue from Hermes’ miniaturised Faubourg model from 2014, the dainty Faubourg Polka watch has a mother-of-pearl dial framed by a round case and boasts a whimsical bracelet defined by interwoven dots and lines. There are five iterations – in either white or rose gold, gem-set or entirely paved with diamonds.

Diamond lovers will go giddy with delight and may find it hard to choose between the white gold bracelet set with 71 round brilliant-cut diamonds and 12 baguette-cut diamonds, and the one with 107 brilliant-cut diamonds. The Faubourg Polka is fitted with a quartz movement and is water-resistant to three bars.

Faubourg Polka 18K white gold watch with diamonds on matching bracelet, $144,600, Hermes

The Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Rainbow is just so dazzlingly colourful it is likely to stop you in your tracks.

Covering the entire surface of the watch, including the dial and integrated bracelet, are 484 sizeable baguette-cut coloured stones – including rubies, sapphires, amethysts, topaz and tsavorites – totalling nearly 36 carats. Selecting, cutting and setting the stones for each watch reportedly takes 1,200 hours.

The elaborate appearance is matched by the new in-house Calibre HUB6035 featuring a tourbillon at six o’clock, which is self-winding, with a micro-rotor visible on the dial side and three bridges made from transparent sapphire. Two versions are available, one in white gold and one in King gold.

Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Rainbow King gold watch with sapphires, amethysts, topaz, tsavorites and diamonds, price unavailable, Hublot

Zenith describes this as its most flamboyantly feminine watch to date.

A collaboration with Pink Ribbon Switzerland to raise awareness of breast cancer, it features the world’s first pink PVD – also known as thin film coating – treated movement. It has an arresting rose gold case artfully studded with 288 white diamonds of varying sizes.

Adding more razzmatazz are 44 sparkling baguette-cut pink sapphire stones on the rose gold bezel. The eye-poppingly complex pink movement is showcased through the open black and golden dial. Fitted with a black rubber strap with pink alligator leather coating, it is powered by the El Primero 9004 automatic movement and has a power reserve of 50 hours.

Defy El Primero Pink Edition 18K rose gold watch with diamonds and sapphires on rubber and alligator skin strap, $96,300, Zenith 

It is an odd but stunning pairing. Italian luxury house Bvlgari is feted for its exuberantly coloured jewellery watch creations, while MB&F is constantly pushing design and horological boundaries with avant-garde timepieces.

For their collaboration, the two parties settled on MB&F’s Legacy Machine Flying T, the brand’s first timepiece dedicated to women (the T stands for tourbillon).

The intricate engine driving this timepiece comprises 280 components and its complex architecture – showcasing, among other features, a star-shaped oscillating weight and barrel ensuring 100 hours of power reserve – can be admired through the watch’s tall sapphire crystal dome.

Bvlgari lends femininity and visual splendour to the sophisticated machinery with a selection of coloured gems, including tourmaline, tsavorite, diamonds, rubellite, amethyst and topaz, which form a full circle around the movement.

The dial is completely paved with snow-set diamonds. The limited-edition watch (20 pieces) is available in either white or rose gold.

 MB&F x Bvlgari Legacy Machine FlyingT Allegra 18K rose gold watch with tsavorites, tourmalines, diamonds, rubellite, amethyst and tanzanite on alligator skin strap, $256,800, The Hour Glass  

A version of this article first appeared in The Straits Times