Tiffany & Co. Unveils Its Stained Glass-Inspired Eternity Enamel Dragonfly Watch

It’s not easy to make ancient art like stained glass feel modern, let alone wearable. With the launch of a colorful new timepiece, Tiffany & Co. makes it feel downright au courant. Inspired by a 1905 table lamp that was originally created for Tiffany Studios by glass designer Clara Driscoll, the Tiffany Eternity Enamel Dragonfly watch is a true symbol of masterful handiwork. Recalling the graphic nature of Driscoll’s original lamp—a bronze-and–leaded glass triumph that, under the direction of Louis Comfort Tiffany, was handmade at the height of the Art Nouveau movement—its titular creature rests breezily on the dial. Down to green glass jewel eyes and ornately patterned wings, the dragonfly’s details—and those of its surroundings—are replicated precisely. And the method of ensuring this is quite complex.

Mimicking the mottled blue background of the lamp’s Favrile glass shade, the face of the watch practically glows. To achieve the mesmerizing effect behind its jewel-toned motif, artisans use an intricate technique that’s not unlike the patternmaking of stained glass. Called plique-à-jour enameling—French for “letting in daylight”—the process involves suspending transparent enamel within small metal openings. For the three-dimensional green indexes (a callback to the lamp’s teal almond-shaped glass jewels), in particular, enamel is applied to gold leaf and shaped into a dozen cabochons, which are then delicately placed on the eye-catching plate within the 38-millimeter bezel.

Noteworthy on its own, the 18k white gold bezel features a halo of 59 round full-cut diamonds. The case is further adorned—with 627 diamonds of different sizes, to be exact—and the crown’s brilliant stone evokes the classic Tiffany & Co. setting. The final touch? A deep-blue alligator strap that boasts 10 more diamonds on its buckle. Clocking in at over three carats, the watch is just as radiant as Driscoll’s iconic “Blue Dragonfly” table lamp itself.