Mum’s The Word

It’s time to show your appreciation for the most important woman in the world

The reality is that no one will ever love you quite like your mum.  When you were a child, she dried your tears and made your peanut-butter sandwiches.  As you grew older, she continued to dispense hot meals and wise words, interspersed with the odd home truth to bring you sharply into line. Now, on paper at least, you’re a responsible grown-up.  Yet your mum still maintains a proprietorial interest in your life, taking delight in your smallest triumphs, while quick to console you when things don’t work out to plan.

How do you repay these decades of selflessness from a woman to whom you literally owe your life? Truth be told, you never can – the debt is simply far too big. Plus, you also know that, whatever you give her for Mother’s Day, your mum will still feign an enthusiastic smile.

Nevertheless, though we do say it ourselves, a luxury watch does happen to make an ideal Mother’s Day present.  But there’s also a certain symbolism to it, too. Treated with a modicum of care, a good watch will last forever, just like the eternal bond you have with your mum. In addition, think of all those hours your mother devoted to you: feeding, wiping, rocking, cleaning, worrying, caring. Giving her a new watch is a small gesture of grateful recognition that she fully deserves her own time.

Cartier Ballon Blanc de Cartier

When it comes to their timepieces, Cartier’s speciality is their unusual case shapes, a characteristic that makes this 26mm watch utterly distinctive. The Ballon Bleu was designed to evoke the sense of a balloon floating on a wrist, but the Ballon Blanc is a more ladylike interpretation. There’s a subtle interplay of metallic hues going on here that adds interest without being overly flashy. The rose-gold case frames the silvered sunray-brushed dial with its Roman numeral hour markers and sword-shaped hands topped with a golden finish. Powered by a quartz movement for convenience, it comes on a light grey alligator-leather strap. But the real show-stopper here is the brilliant-cut diamond that nestles its way snugly into the four-o’clock curve. 

IWC Schaffhausen Portofino Automatic Moonphase

IWC’s Portofino line offers a reassuring sense of timeless style redolent of the good life. This timepiece wears its splendour quietly, but on closer inspection offers plenty of pizzazz. There’s no shortage of sparkle with the stainless-steel case bedecked with 66 diamonds and accompanied by 12 further precious stones on the dial. At the top of the silver-plated dial, the moon phase display provides a focal point with the dark blue sky complementing the similarly hued alligator leather strap. In short, there’s a lot going on. But it’s all configured in such a thoughtful way that the dial still feels spacious and uncluttered, proving a diamond watch can still be relatively discreet.

Longines Dolce Vita

Founded in 1832, Longines has an illustrious history that includes winning observatory competitions for accuracy and timing elite sporting events. Yet the brand still continues to deliver formidable value. The stainless-steel case of this watch is ostensibly rectangular but the lines are softened to make them a touch less austere. The silver dial is enlivened by flinqué pattern with wavy concentric rings adding a certain shimmer while offsetting the formal edge of the Roman numerals. Blued steel hands indicate the time while a small seconds display anchors the dial at 6 o’clock.  Propelled by a quartz movement, the watch comes perched on an alligator-leather strap in a hue that lives up to the Dolce Vita name. 

Article written by our content contributor Luke Benedictus.

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