SIHH 2016-goers were the first to see the self-proclaimed “force of nature” of a ladies watch that is the Audemars Piguet Diamond Fury. It’s certainly living up to that proclamation, with an impressive 4,635 brilliant-cut diamonds in the case and bracelet, plus another 206 brilliant cut diamonds on the dial alone. Not to mention, this piece is simply a beauty with its sharp angular design and refusal to accept that ladies watches have to be reserved or demure.

Taking 1,500 hours to craft across the design, engineering, and jewelry divisions of the company in Le Brassus, the 40mm-wide piece also features a slim Calibre 2601 quartz movement which is typical for the micro size of the dial. According to the company, the hands are also made from “blackened gold” which can be achieved by in a few ways including applying black rhodium plating over white gold. To me, this is a sign that even women’s pieces are starting to get the much-needed high-end materials upgrade in whatever way is possible, which is a nice attention to detail by the brand.

Evolved from last year’s very well received 2015 Diamond Punk – a boxier and more geometric design of bracelet cuff watch, the first thing you notice about the Audemars Piguet Diamond Fury is the bold architectural edges. Its unruliness and multitude of protruding spikes are mesmerizing to look at, almost like a moving glacier, and the watch’s fluid design is reminiscent of a gem-studded, tightly curled reptile with armor. The piece has a life of its own, giving off a feeling of motion to the observer, drawing them in for the kill. Without a doubt, the Audemars Piguet Diamond Fury shies away from the traditional idea that women’s jewelry watches, and especially “hidden” jewelry watches should be subtle, demure, understated, or delicate.

Also notably, the brand has updated the design of the Diamond Punk’s outdated and somewhat awkward slide-over mechanism. The new 2016 Audemars Piguet Diamond Fury features a hidden “suicide hinge” where one of the spikes unhinges with a push to open upwards, revealing the pave-encrusted two-hand diamond watch dial.  This improved grand reveal is both more organic in design and more functional in terms of reducing the wear of metal friction with the old dial cover mechanism.

This unusual design was no doubt more difficult to make in terms of gem setting and bracelet mechanics, and as such, the brand claims to have upped the ante on the man-hours by 100 hours. In many ways, this piece seems much less forced as a watch novelty and actually more of a functional accessory. Struck in 18K white gold and at a streamlined 1.8mm thick, I can imagine the Diamond Fury for many women is the black-tie statement piece they were looking for that actually kills two birds with one stone rather than forcibly and often awkwardly integrating both watch and bracelet into one “formal-wear” piece. If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, this one is sure to make the cut.

The new Audemars Piguet Diamond Fury will be available in two versions – full diamond pave (Ref.79420BC.ZZ.9190BC.01) with a price of$637,800 and a diamond/onyx combination (Ref.79421BC.ZZ.9191BC.01) with a price of $568,300  audemarspiguet.com