1983: A special place in history: Celebrating Charriol’s St. Tropez, leaving an indelible mark on society.

Model wearing a Charriol St-Tropez® collection
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1983: A special place in history: Celebrating Charriol’s St. Tropez, leaving an indelible mark on society.

In 1983, Philippe Charriol left his prestigious role at Cartier to establish his own brand, CHARRIOL. This was a crucial turning point in both his career and the luxury watch and jewelry industry. The year 1983 is notably remembered for its cultural, technological, and musical achievements, reflecting a period of vibrant innovation that left a lasting impact on society. It also saw the emergence of influential art and fashion institutions, as well as renowned artists and designers, whose innovative styles and aesthetics continue to influence these fields today.

St-Tropez® Eclipse 30MM
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St-Tropez® Monogram 30MM Gold
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1983 marked a period of entrepreneurship, artistic innovation, and cultural change, with CHARRIOL and other trailblazing brands influencing the luxury, fashion, and design worlds. Today, guided by Coralie Charriol’s vision, they uphold that legacy by crafting watches that go beyond mere timekeeping. These watches are heirlooms and stories waiting to be shared.

St-Tropez® Eclipse 30MM
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1983 was a landmark year in music and fashion. It saw the release of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” which became the best-selling album ever, alongside the rise of influential artists like Madonna and U2. Fashion houses like Chanel, Versace, and Comme des Garçons debuted innovative collections that expanded stylistic limits. Additionally, supermodels such as Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Linda Evangelista brought increased glamour and influence to the industry.

St-Tropez® Monogram 30MM
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Philippee Charriol’s habitual summer spot in 1983 was at the height of its popularity. The allure of the French Riviera’s chic ambiance, combined with St. Tropez’s reputation as a jet-set destination, made it a magnet for those seeking an unforgettable summer experience. Beyond the glamorous crowd, the summer of 1983 also brought a vibrant cultural scene to St. Tropez.

The town hosted numerous events, including music festivals, art exhibitions, and fashion shows, drawing creative minds and trendsetters. This cultural vibrancy enhanced the appeal of being in St. Tropez that summer, offering a unique blend of luxury, entertainment, and artistic expression.

St-Tropez® Guilloche 25MM
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St-Tropez® Guilloche 30MM
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For more than 40 years, Charriol has been developing Swiss timepieces and fine jewelry that combine contemporary design with technical precision, distinguished by the signature use of steel or gold cable. Guided by its Live Different philosophy, the Maison creates pieces that help you feel confident and express yourself, engineered for reliability, performance, and everyday wear. Its watchmaking philosophy is rooted in a clear principle: function determines form.

St-Tropez® Eclipse 30MM
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The Eclipse models have an asymmetrical face, with off-center circles and a mother-of-pearl bezel that opens onto a white mother-of-pearl dial, with a small seconds window, and decorated with a circle of white diamonds. The combination of mother-of-pearl discs and diamond circles evokes a solar map or the orbits of the stars and planets in the universe. The hour markers, whether in Roman numerals, index or diamond, add a refined and most feminine touch. The most minimalist version, with the bezel set with diamonds, creates the illusion of an eclipse, emphasized by the purposefully positioned asymmetrical circles, where the sun seems to be playing with the moon on your wrist.

St-Tropez® Guilloche 30MM
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CHARRIOL CALIBRE C03 automatic skeleton
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To ensure accuracy, durability, and user convenience, Charriol uses Swiss-made movements, chosen for their proven stability and long-term reliability. Charriol’s long-standing collaborations with leading movement manufacturers, including Renaud & Papi, Frédéric Piguet, and Soprod, reinforce its technical credibility.

Over the past three decades, these partnerships have enabled the creation of proprietary movements such as the Celtic Haute Horlogerie Skeleton calibers introduced in 1995, the Philippe Charriol Tourbillon, and automatic Chronograph movements powering the SuperSportS collection.

CHARRIOL CALIBRE C03 automatic skeleton
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Today, Charriol designs and produces three in-house calibers for its most technical watch line, the Navigator collection: Calibers C01, C02, and C03. Here is the Charriol Caliber C03 automatic skeleton. The Caliber C03 is a self-winding caliber 11 1/2”, 28’800 vibrations per hour (4Hz), with a diameter of 25.60mm and a height of 3.6mm, offering a 42-hour power reserve and specially designed as a skeleton caliber.