time-keeper


Perrelet unveils dazzling Cleopatra & Joséphine Collections

September 2025


Perrelet unveils dazzling Cleopatra & Joséphine Collections

Perrelet’s latest women’s creations reimagine its iconic Double Rotor in breathtaking high-jewellery form. The Cleopatra and Joséphine collections pay tribute to two legendary women of history, blending diamonds, mother-of-pearl artistry, and fine Swiss mechanics into timepieces that embody elegance, charisma, and timeless power.

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errelet is introducing two new women’s collections that showcase its signature feature: the Double Rotor. This patented element pays homage to the prestigious Manufacture’s tradition and know-how through two new high jewellery timepieces: Cleopatra and Joséphine.

Named after the most famous queen of ancient Egypt and the empress of France and wife of Napoleon Bonaparte respectively, the new models draw inspiration from these charismatic figures to pay tribute to the charm, beauty, and mystery of all women.

The founder himself, Abraham-Louis Perrelet, was a brilliant and visionary watchmaker who was at the origin of the automatic watch. He created a mechanism capable of harnessing the natural kinetic energy of the human body to wind pocket watches automatically, whereas previously they had to be wound using a small key.

Perrelet unveils dazzling Cleopatra & Joséphine Collections

In the wake of his legacy, his successors have also contributed to the advancement of watchmaking, meticulously crafting components and complications, and perpetually seeking to attain the pinnacle of excellence and innovation.

Faithful to the company’s avant-garde spirit, Perrelet’s designers developed a brand-new device in 1995 that marked a real turning point in contemporary watchmaking from a technical point of view: the Double Rotor. This distinctive and unique configuration enables the mechanical movement to draw the necessary energy for functioning from two rotors: the usual oscillating weight located below the movement and an upper rotor located on top of the dial. The synchronised rotation of these two components constitutes a continuous source of energy that powers the barrel.

Perrelet unveils dazzling Cleopatra & Joséphine Collections

This device therefore guarantees faster, more stable, and more efficient winding than the traditional single-rotor method. It also contributes to greater regularity of running, which translates into improved accuracy. In addition to providing energy, the Double Rotor offers a simple, direct way to observe the winding function. The non-stop rotation of the upper rotor gives the dial an impressive, dynamic effect.

First presented in the women’s version in 2008 with the Diamond Flower collection, the Double Rotor immediately distinguished itself with its unparalleled aesthetics: a moon-shaped design embellished with mother-of-pearl or intricately carved with floral motifs, sometimes enhanced with precious stones.

After numerous iterations over the years, the Amytis version, launched in 2015, celebrates the 20thanniversary of the Double Rotor. It is named after the Babylonian queen Amytis of Media, wife of King Nebuchadnezzar, who commissioned the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon — one of the seven wonders of the classical world — in her honour. In this timepiece, the double rotor is a rich composition of stylised petals and leaves embellished with diamonds and mother-of-pearl.

In 2025, Perrelet once again dedicates its latest creations to two women of strong personality and great stature: Cleopatra and Joséphine. And for each of them, Perrelet designs a new configuration of the renowned double rotor.

The Cleopatra model is inspired by the ancient allure of Egypt and the timeless charm and beauty of the legendary Cleopatra. She was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt and one of history’s most iconic figures. Her reign marked a period of cultural flourishing. This exceptional creation distinguished by a central device that resembles a lavish yet delicate fan set, adorned with 30 diamonds and mother-of-pearl inlays.

Perrelet unveils dazzling Cleopatra & Joséphine Collections

The Joséphine edition takes its cues from Joséphine de Beauharnais the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and the first Empress of France. Joséphine’s influence on Napoleon was significant; she played a crucial role in the early years of his rise to power. As Empress, she became known for her elegance, grace, and patronage of the arts. This model’s device evokes an ethereal cascade of diamonds, with the stones arranged in elongated lines radiating from the centre resembling an explosion of fireworks. In both cases, the double rotor springs into action with every slight movement of the wrist, beginning an endlessly mesmerising dance around the centre.

This constant revolution produces precious iridescent flashes on the sunray-motif-embellished dial. Both rotors, with their sophisticated shapes and rhodium-plated surfaces that have been polished, bevelled, and set with precious stones, reveal Perrelet’s great skill in mastering the Metiers d’Arts, culminating in the creation of exquisite masterpieces dedicated to the female universe.

Lightweight and comfortable on the wrist, the new Cleopatra and Joséphine watches are crafted from grade 2 titanium, used for the 36.5 mm diameter case, and are available with either a polished bezel or set with 64 diamonds. The lugs and case middle have a polished finish that highlights the elegant appearance of the watch. The dial is embellished with a sunray pattern in relief and a precious solitaire diamond set at 12 o’clock in the Cleopatra line. Rhodium-plated round hour markers, faceted like precious stones, provide the time indication in the Joséphine collection.

Perrelet unveils dazzling Cleopatra & Joséphine Collections

Each model is available in five dial colours with evocative names that refer to the countries of origin of the two women after whom the new collections are named. Perle du Nile (white mother-of-pearl), Azur de Thèbes (sky blue), Rosée d’Alexandrie (pink), Plume de Paon (petrol green) and Kohl Eternel (anthracite) are the names of the Cleopatra references. The Joséphine references are entitled Perle Impériale (white mother-of-pearl), Bleu de Saxe (blue), Soie des boudoirs (pink), Vert Impérial (green) and Velours de Napoléon (black).

Perrelet unveils dazzling Cleopatra & Joséphine Collections

The soft five-row bracelet, with a polished-satin finish, is also made of grade 2 titanium and fastens with a folding clasp. A quick-release system enables the bracelet to be replaced with the additional leather strap provided. The strap matches the colour of the dial, giving the watch a refined monochrome look that emphasises the beauty and value of the Double Rotor even further.

At the heart of the Cleopatra and Joséphine collections lies the P-181-H calibre, an automatic movement designed and built in-house. The culmination of five years of development specifically for the fine-tuning of the patented device, it has a thickness limited to 4.9 mm, despite the second oscillating weight visible on the dial. The latter is mounted on a ruby, rather than on ball bearings like the rotor on the case back. This feature guarantees a reduced friction coefficient, to the benefit of the 42-hour power reserve.

Perrelet unveils dazzling Cleopatra & Joséphine Collections

The P-181-H calibre comprises a total of 100 components and 26 jewels, and is equipped with a balance wheel that beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz). The calibre’s meticulous appearance meets the aesthetic standards of fine watchmaking, as demonstrated by the circular-grained mainplate, the bridges with Côtes de Genève decoration, and the openworked oscillating weight bearing the Perrelet logo.

Finally, the anti-reflective sapphire crystal porthole on the case back allows you to admire the impeccable finishing of this reliable movement, which powers the new Cleopatra and Joséphine timepieces.

The Cleopatra and Joséphine collections will be available from December2025 at authorised retailers worldwide. In Europe and the United States, they will also be available for early-bird purchase on the company’s official website from October 2025.

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