Cellini
" The Depth of our collection means our designs are limited only by our imagination. "
- Leon Adams
The Adams family established a tradition of timeless taste 30 years ago when they began assembling what would become one of the world’s most extensive collections of rare European timepieces and bespoke jewelry designs. Over the years, both of Cellini’s New York City boutiques have earned respect and raves for their dedication to rarity and sophistication. “It’s nice to look back and see where we’ve been and what we’ve accomplished, but I’m more excited about where we’re going,” says Cellini’s president, Leon Adams.
With the original location in the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria and a second on Madison Avenue, Cellini’s superlative collection of exclusive watches continues to grow, reflecting Adams’ passion for high horology. Savvy collectors from around the world make the pilgrimage to Cellini to experience the unparalleled selection of rarities and world-class personalized service. More than a just gathering place for the handiwork of today’s most acclaimed watchmakers, Cellini has become an arbiter of style and an important proving ground for young watch brands.
Before they were highly successful watch companies, Cellini was among the first to offer A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet and F.P. Journe to name but a few. “One of the things I’m most proud of is that we’ve never been afraid to take a chance on something new or spend the time nurturing a talented watchmaker. Cultivating those longstanding relationships with the industry’s rising stars is what’s insured our access to hard-to-find watches today.”
RARE FINDS
In the watch industry, it is a rare honor when a watchmaker creates a special edition for one of its dealers. In the past, IWC, A. Lange & Söhne and others have produced exclusive timepieces for Cellini. This year, a trio of brands will commemorate the company’s 30-year anniversary. Parmigiani and Panerai will each offer limited edition collections exclusively at Cellini that feature unique executions of their popular models. Restricting production to 30 pieces, Parmigiani will offer a special Kalpa Tonda GMT in steel, while Panerai will deliver 30 of its own special-edition Radiomirs in rose gold.
For the Kalpa Tonda GMT, Parmigiani’s round Tonda case is fitted with dual day-night indicators and the ability to set the second time zone to the minute, rather than to the hour as with traditional GMT models. The exclusive Radiomir features Panerai’s in-house P.2002 movement paired with a rare blue dial, an eight-day power reserve and a GMT function.
Audemars Piguet, featured at Cellini from the start, has created a one-of-a-kind Grande Complication in titanium especially for the occasion. This exceptional timepiece takes every finishing detail to the extreme, combining examples from the three main categories of watchmaking—split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar and minute repeater.
Cellini is also proud to welcome a trio of Swiss watchmakers to the fold this year—two Swiss and one French. The first is H. Moser & Cie from Schaffhausen. Earning the coveted award for favorite complicated watch at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie in 2006, H. Moser & Cie. is making its U.S. debut exclusively at Cellini.
The second addition is De Bethune. Highly collectible for their rarity and artistry, the watchmaker’s creations deftly straddle the line between modern technology and time-honored tradition.
Guy Ellia is the third brand to join Cellini’s collection this year. Driven by his passion for pure design, Ellia’s watches include complicated movements created by master watchmakers Michel Parmigiani, Christophe Claret and Frédéric Piguet. “We hold all the brands we carry to higher standards,” Adams explains. “Ultimately, it’s a matter of trust. We’ve earned our clients’ trust over the years so it’s important that we believe in every watchmaker you see in our stores.”
After spending three decades on the forefront of high horology, it’s easy to see why any conversation about the world’s best watch shops would be incomplete without a discussion of Cellini.
SCINTILLATING SPARKLE
But watches only tell half of the story. Cellini is also one of New York City’s premier jewelers with a superb selection that ranks among the city’s best. “The depth of our collection means our designs are limited only by our imaginations,” Adams says. “We can create pure simplicity with flawless diamond stud earrings, or high drama with some of the world’s finest colored diamonds or rarest gemstones.”
Just this year, Cellini introduced a magnificent necklace that crackles with the high-watt twinkle that only 42 carats can provide. Although the 11 colored diamonds only account for four of those carats, they are undoubtedly the stars of the show. Suspended tantalizingly from a trio of white marquises, the colored diamonds—including blue pears, green and yellow radiants, pink asschers and an orange heart—are surrounded by white round brilliants.
Cellini has also created a bracelet that evokes the indulgent luxury of the necklace on the wrist with 6.5 carats of colored diamonds. An orange oval conducts this sparkling symphony, which includes two pink ovals and two yellow radiants surrounded by matching rounds. The fiery explosion of color is intensified by the 12 carats of white diamonds that encircle the wrist.
This fall, Cellini also introduced a one-of-a-kind bracelet, ring and set of earrings from the La Reina Collection. Winner of the diamond category at the 2007 Town & Country Couture Design Awards, these floral-themed treasures are immediately captivating thanks to the diamond petals and the unorthodox cut used to create them. The stone’s natural inclusions remain intact giving the flower a realistic, organic texture. “It’s rare to see a diamond cut like this because it wastes so much of the stone,” Adams explains. “It’s a daring cut on a large scale.”
Scintillating micro-pavé edges the petals as they stand guard around flower’s bejeweled center, rendered elegantly with thin gold prongs and colored diamonds taking the place of the stamen and the pistil. “The natural flow of the design, the unique cut of the diamonds—everything comes together, giving each piece a special dimension,” Adams says. “This is artistry working on a higher level; truly inspiring.”
The same could be said of Cellini. After 30 years, visitors still leave smitten and spellbound by the unparalleled collection of high-style jewelry and rare timepieces.
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