Daphne Guinness symbolises all the mystery of seduction. An Anglo-Irish aristocrat, considered one of the world’s most elegant women, she is the friend and muse of the most famous photographers and art directors. It is as if fate decreed that this muse with a creative temperament should meet Roger Dubuis and should personify the watchmaker’s feminine collections that exercise a fascinating and daring appeal... just like her.

Daphne Guinness is indelibly linked to the world of fashion and design. A true icon, she has inspired many of the most famous art directors. But it would be too easy to think of her as just a muse, even if she has influenced many artists: she is like one of those fiercely independent women blessed with a fascinating beauty who dedicate their lives to artistic performance. She is also very attracted to the magic of watchmaking: after visiting the Roger Dubuis Manufacture she said “It is fascinating and wonderful to see behind the scenes at Roger Dubuis where so much imagination and precision come together in beautiful creations with incredible designs. This visit and exchange with a Maison like this have given me lots of ideas and hugely enriched my creative world!”.

After the privilege of working with some great artists, she has now joined the exclusive circle of friends of Roger Dubuis. To mark this new collaboration, the internationally renowned photographer Nick Knight captured Daphne Guinness wearing the Velvet models. This exceptional photo shoot produced a series of highly creative images. The Velvet models are highlighted perfectly on her wrist as she wears wonderful creations from her personnal vintage wardrobe.

An English photographer, Nick Knight is one of the true masters of fashion imagery. Throughout his career he has been an original artist who resists the standard concepts of beauty imposed by the media and by society in general. His unique lighting, his settings and his off-beat taste make his work immediately recognisable. Among the performers who have entrusted him with their album covers are Lady Gaga, Björk, Boy George, David Bowie, Kylie Minogue, Gwen Stefani, Seal, and Massive Attack.“Daphne is a superbly mysterious woman - you can never unravel her secrets. She is an ideal photo subject and I love working with her”, he said after the shooting session. “Her amazing creative spirit is a real inspiration”.

Roger Dubuis and Daphne Guinness work in two ultra-exclusive fields that demand genuinely daring originality: Haute Couture and Fine Watchmaking. In France, the term Haute Couture is carefully protected. Similarly, in Switzerland, only a few watchmakers are entitled to call themselves a Maison de Haute Horlogerie. These two worlds share the same devotion to excellence and distinction centred around their collections. Just like Fine Watchmaking, Haute Couture has two callings: to respect tradition while remaining firmly avant-garde. Meticulous finishing, generations of expertise, a spirit of innovation and boundless creativity characterise these two worlds of dreams.

In Daphne Guinness, Roger Dubuis has recognized an icon who is both unique and at the height of fashion. She perfectly embodies the Velvet collection, revealing the beautiful, hidden side of things, which sets them apart. Each Velvet model finds itself in her: the Velvet Amethysts and Spinels captures her mystery, the Velvet Diamonds in white or pink gold with a satin strap suggests her Diva spirit, the Velvet Jewellery in white or pink gold with 262 diamonds dazzles during the day while the Velvet High Jewellery in white or pink gold lights up the night with its 1300 diamonds.

“We are very excited about teaming up with her, and about this meeting of minds. Daphne Guinness perfectly reflects the spirit of the modern Diva as Velvet High Jewellery White Gold Roger Dubuis imagined it”, says Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO of Roger Dubuis. “We could not have dreamed of anyone with more mystery and chic than Daphne to symbolise the Roger Dubuis brand with the Excalibur 36 and Velvet women’s collections”.

Roger Dubuis has been at the forefront of contemporary Haute Horlogerie since 1995. Its audacious creations, firmly anchored in the 21^st century, bear the mark of all the savoir- faire and expertise of the finest watchmaking mechanisms combined with powerful and daring designs. Boldness and extravagance are the brand’s signatures, and determination its engine. Rich in conceptual creativity and mechanical detail, its collections are inspired by four different worlds: the Incredible Player, the Incredible Warrior, the Incredible Venturer and the Incredible Diva.