One of the pleasures of hosting at Chiragan is seeing people come together over a shared interest, then leave with something new to appreciate.
On November 4, we welcomed Novela Watch Club and L. Leroy to our Coral Gables showroom for an evening of watchmaking, conversation and discovery. More than 30 guests joined us to hear the story of this historic house and take a closer look at its timepieces.
It was our second event with Novela Watch Club, and bringing collectors together at Chiragan is becoming a tradition we are delighted to see take shape.
Discovering L. Leroy’s watchmaking heritage
L. Leroy traces its origins to Paris in 1785. Its history includes one of watchmaking’s great achievements: the Leroy 01, which won a Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair and remained a benchmark for ultra-complicated watches for much of the twentieth century.
That history gave context to the contemporary pieces on display. Their intricate mechanisms and distinctive designs offered different expressions of the same fascination with time.
The watches: Elyor, Bal du Temps and Vox Temporis
The Elyor Tourbillon pairs a finely textured Clous de Paris dial with a flying tourbillon at six o’clock. Within the rotating cage, the house’s intertwined double-L monogram becomes part of the mechanism itself. Even the name carries a story: Elyor is an anagram of Leroy, used during the French Revolution.
The Osmior Bal du Temps reveals its intricate movement through an openworked dial. It combines a flying tourbillon with a minute repeater, a mechanism that chimes the hours, quarter-hours and minutes on demand. Its single hour hand makes that acoustic indication an especially distinctive part of the watch.
The Vox Temporis approaches timekeeping with remarkable visual restraint. A rotating, patterned dial sits beneath a fixed arrow-shaped hand, while its minute repeater supplies the precise time through sound. Inspired by a Leroy tact watch from around 1810, it connects an unusual contemporary design with a much older idea of experiencing time.
Seen together, the watches offered plenty to examine, from the surface of a dial to the architecture of a movement.
A growing gathering place for collectors in Coral Gables
At Chiragan, our interest in craftsmanship extends across many disciplines. The patience behind fine watchmaking has a natural connection with the porcelain, crystal, silver and textiles that surround us in the showroom.
Hosting these evenings allows us to explore those connections with people who share that curiosity. With Novela Watch Club, we are building a tradition of bringing collectors into our space to discover a house, exchange perspectives and enjoy the details together.
Drinks and canapés added to the evening’s hospitality. Our thanks to Campari Group for providing the drinks, to Novela Watch Club and L. Leroy for sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm, and to everyone who joined us.
We look forward to welcoming you to Chiragan’s Coral Gables showroom, at 255 Altara Avenue, to discover our world of craftsmanship, home and thoughtful gifting.
