Maybe this is Christophe Claret’s way to send a bouquet to the fairer sex … or more specifically, women like me.

What women am I talking about? These are women who absolutely adore clever mechanics wrapped up in a finely finished, intelligent movement, yet retain some sort of ode to the fact that the watch was made for a woman and not a man. Yep, that’s me all over.

Margot in white gold by Christophe Claret

Christened Margot, this magnificently complicated timepiece for the feminine wrist allows the wearer to play the whimsical petal-picking game “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.” While in the English-speaking world this is just sort of a pastime, my information is that it’s really quite a popular game called Effeuiller la marguerite in the French-speaking world.

Margot Christophe Claret

That, of course, allows the boutique brand to utilize a movement that is not dissimilar to the other “gaming” pieces that have been introduced over the last couple years such as the Poker watch introduced in January.

Ding dong

Like the previous gaming timepieces for men, chance is involved in the game that answers the question, “Does he love me or not?” The possible replies shown at random in the little window at 4 o’clock in the French game are more numerous than the simple “yes” or “no” in English: un peu (a little); beaucoup (a lot), passionnément (passionately); à la folie (madly), and pas du tout (not at all).

Margot by Christophe Claret

When the button at 2 o’clock is pressed, a little chime sounds as the “answer” appears and either one or two of the flower petals disappear at random. The striking mechanism has been a signature element since Claret introduced the first timepiece signed by his own name, the Dual Tow chronograph.

Back of Margot in red gold by Christophe Claret

The complicated mechanics are powered by an automatic movement comprising 731 components.

Margot in red gold by Christophe Claret on the wrist

Distinctly feminine

Both charming and complex, the esthetics are distinctly feminine – and also decidedly different.

They are dominated by a mother-of-pearl dial delicately engraved with verses written by Victor Hugo and punctuated by three large, pear-shaped diamonds at 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock. Twelve white, satin-lacquered titanium petals embrace the central pistil, which is in reality a large yellow sapphire.

Margot in red gold by Christophe Claret

The design is uninterrupted by a crown as this has been placed at 12 o’clock on the back of the watch, leaving only the pushers needed to play the game to contend with. The sapphire crystal case back allows for a view of the beautiful – and I mean beautiful – flower-shaped rotor, which is decked out with eight triangular precious stones and a central cabochon concealing the rotor’s ball bearings.

For more information, please visit www.christopheclaret.com/en/collection-ladies-complications-watch-line-c13.php

Quick Facts Christophe Claret Margot
Case: 42.5 mm, white gold and red gold
Functions: hours minutes; “He loves me, he loves me not” game with chime
Movement: automatic Caliber EMT17
Limitation: Four versions with differing diamond settings in editions limited to only 20 pieces each