amed the world over for the Haute Couture creations that make it one of the most aspirational luxury brands, Dior is also a watchmaker. For the past 20 years, the brand has operated its own watchmaking facilities in Switzerland, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, next door to LVMH stablemate TAG Heuer.

Originating in Paris and in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Dior watches cover a broad spectrum, from models such as the D de Dior, designed by Victoire de Castellane, Creative Director for Dior Watches and Jewellery, and which starts from CHF 3,600 for the 25mm steel version with quartz movement, up to the High Jewellery Grand Soir and Grand Bal which are designed by the Studio Horlogerie in Paris, produced by Ateliers Horlogers Dior and regularly shortlisted for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). In fact they are probably the best-known face of Dior horology, revealed at the annual GPHG ceremony and presentation.

DIOR CHIFFRE ROUGE 38MM BLACK ULTRAMATTE Steel case with black DLC coating. Steel bezel with black DLC coating notched between 9 and 12 o’clock. Red screw-down crown at 4 o’clock. CD.002 automatic movement.

The rest of the time, these rare and precious watches are shown at private events hosted by Dior for its customers; the likes of the Dior Grand Soir Automate Etoile de Monsieur Dior which triumphed in the 2023 GPHG Ladies’ Complication category. Indeed, prior to this year’s reintroduction of the Chiffre Rouge, all Dior watches were for women. A page was turned when the brand took back the private label licence which had seen its watches (as many as 100,000 a year priced under CHF 1,000) sold simply as accessories, without forming a distinct category.

A distinctive feature of this new version, Dior’s cannage pattern appears on the dial and the strap, as well as the oscillating weight.

While watches and jewellery remain closely associated at Dior – and High Jewellery watches will stay firmly in the spotlight – the launch of Chiffre Rouge takes the brand into distinctly horological and mechanical terrain. Already, the original Chiffre Rouge, in 2004, marked a turning point as it was the first Dior watch to run off an automatic movement.

Twenty years later it returns with seven new models. They stay true to the inaugural design while incorporating additional details that have connections to Dior and the world of couture. One of these is the colour red, which Christian Dior referred to as “the colour of life” (think of Dior lipsticks). It appears on the crown, the seconds hand and on the number 8 (Christian Dior’s lucky number) of the date display, shown in an aperture that is also circled in red. Think of it as a lucky charm, appearing once a month and giving the watch its name (Chiffre Rouge is French for “red number”).

DIOR CHIFFRE ROUGE 41MM BLACK ULTRAMATTE Steel case with black DLC coating. Steel bezel with black DLC coating notched between 9 and 12 o’clock. Red chronograph pusher at 4 o’clock for stop/reset function. CD.001 Automatic movement.

Another signature feature of these new Chiffre Rouge watches, whose asymmetrical cases come in 38mm and 41mm diameters, is Dior’s cannage pattern, embossed on the dial and on the oscillating weight. Dior has given these watches an ultra-matte black DLC coating that makes the red accents really pop.

As mentioned, there are seven Chiffre Rouge models in the new collection, ranging from a three-hander (CHF 7,600 francs) to a tourbillon and a chronograph (CHF 13,000). Gem-set rainbow versions are a reminder of the ties between the brand’s watches and jewellery.

Dior has called on the wealth of expertise within the LVMH group for this ambitious relaunch: Zenith and its legendary El Primero calibre for the chronograph; La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton for the tourbillon. By relaunching the Chiffre Rouge, Dior clearly has a new type of customer in its sights with, we are told, more to come. Watch this space!

Contrasting black and red give character to the new Chiffre Rouge.