Watch Paparazzi

Singer Anitta spotted wearing Roger Dubuis

At the 2023 Met Gala in New York City, Brazilian singer Anitta made a characteristically bold entrance wearing a form-fitting black satin gown, opera-length white gloves, and a diamond pendant necklace. On her wrist sat one of the rarest and most labour-intensive watches produced in Geneva today: the Roger Dubuis Velvet Full Baguette Diamond in platinum, 38mm.

The Velvet collection was introduced by Roger Dubuis as the maison's dedicated high jewellery watch line for women, sitting at the intersection of haute horlogerie and place Vendôme-level gem-setting. The 38mm platinum case of this particular variant is entirely pavé-set with baguette-cut diamonds — a process that demands extraordinary precision, as baguette stones must be individually calibrated and hand-placed with no margin for error. The dial continues the theme, covered in pave-set diamonds with baguette accents radiating from the centre in a sunburst arrangement. The crown, lugs, and integrated bracelet links maintain the same blizzard of white diamonds throughout, making the watch effectively invisible as a metal object — it reads purely as frozen light.

Powering the Velvet is Roger Dubuis's in-house RD821 automatic movement, a Poinçon de Genève-certified calibre — a distinction the brand has held for its entire production across all references since 2004, one of the most rigorous quality hallmarks in Swiss watchmaking. Every component of the movement meets the strict aesthetic and technical criteria of the Geneva Seal.

From a collector standpoint, the full baguette Velvet occupies rarefied territory. Production numbers are extremely limited given the gem-setting complexity, and the watch appeals to a collector profile that bridges serious jewellery acquisition with haute horlogerie — buyers who would also consider Graff or Chopard's ice cube pieces. Its $1.4 million price point positions it squarely against the most ambitious diamond watches from Piaget and Harry Winston.

For Anitta, one of Latin America's most globally visible artists and a consistent presence at international fashion events, the choice signals a deliberate move beyond fashion-adjacent watch brands. Roger Dubuis, with its Poinçon de Genève credentials and audacious aesthetics, is a natural fit for a performer known for maximalist presentation — but the watchmaking substance behind the diamonds gives this sighting genuine horological weight.