As part of our “Who wears what” section, after looking at Sarah Knafo’s wrist (read again here: what watch does Sarah Knafo wear), we move on to another political personality with a more… jeweler style. Rachida DatiMinister of Culture at the time I write these lines and announced candidate for mayor of Paris, has never given the impression of having an ascetic relationship with beautiful things.
And when we say “beautiful things”, we are talking here about Cartier, Bulgari, and that little scent of controversy that sticks to well-furnished wrists. I did some research, I cross-referenced the photos, the dials, the crowns and the bracelets: the result was a very coherent picture. A marked taste for Cartiera detour taken on by Bulgariand, in the shadows, a Chopard mentioned but never clearly confirmed on the wrist.
Rachida Dati loves beautiful pieces, to the point of being “delicate” when it comes to her collection of jewelry and watches. Indeed, Rachida was in the sights of the High Authority for transparency in public life, because she allegedly failed to declare more than 400,000 euros worth of watches and jewelry. Without making a judgment here, we mainly retain a simple idea: she has a taste for luxuryand not shy luxury.
In this case, what interests me is not the political soap opera, but the aesthetic signal: someone who wears Cartier every day does not do so by chance. It's a signature. A language. A way of saying “I have the right to like that” even when the Republic pretends to prefer wise watches.
The Cartier Ballon Blanc is immediately recognizable by its iconic crown at 4 o'clocka small elegant growth that breaks the perfect circle, like an acute accent on a sentence that is too smooth.
The satin-brushed sunray dial features Roman numerals, the bezel of the 30mm steel case is set with 44 diamonds. Movement-wise, nothing transcendent since it is a simple quartz movement.
The jewel of the watch is its solitaire diamond located at 4 o'clock in the crown. The bracelet, for its part, is made of leather with a satin finish.
I think it is reference W4BL0003.
I am almost certain that she wears a Cartier Tank Solo in the photo above. “Almost”, because the photo is not sharp enough when you zoom in, and the crown is a very recognizable detail on a Tank.
The silhouette is, however, there: rectangular, elegant, this Cartesian classicism that spans the decades. And, at Dati, this watch once again seems to be mounted on leather, which reinforces the coherence of its taste: Cartier, yes, but “city” Cartier, not “showcase” Cartier.
I'll say it frankly: I'm willing to bet on the Tank Solo, but I won't write "confirmed" until I have a clean shot. That's also the seriousness of watchmaking: when the image is blurry, you don't become clairvoyant.
And then there is the piece that leaves no doubt: Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas. There, no possible hesitation. The Serpenti is a watch that you recognize like you recognize a perfume in a room: immediately. A portable sculpture. A watch that doesn't ask permission.
The version seen on Rachida Dati's wrist is a very luxurious model, in 18K rose goldwith set bezel And black dial. And above all, this Tubogas double spiral bracelet, supple and sensual, which wraps around the wrist like a fixed idea.
Like it or not, the Serpenti is a statement. And on a female politician who takes on the pageantry, it makes perfect sense. The snake is the icon of power throughout the centuries: fascinating, ambiguous, impossible to ignore. This is Bulgari at its most Bulgari, perfect for meandering towards power (applause for that phrase, please).
The “revelations” of the newspaper Libération in the affair of 420,000 euros of undeclared jewelry evoke a Chopard watch at 32,000 euros (as well as a Cartier Ballon Bleu). After much research, the only photo I could find of Rachida Dati wearing a watch other than the Cartier and the Bulgari is very vague: one can imagine a Chopard, but I have no clear proof.
I go ahead and bet on one Chopard Happy Sportconsidering the shape of the box, the horns and the general spirit, but the resolution is too low for it to be anything other than a intuitionnot a conviction. If it is indeed a Happy Sport, unless there is a special edition or significant setting (which could explain the 32,000 euros put forward by Libé), we would rather be on budgets generally observed between 7,600 and 9,600 euros for unset versions depending on the diameter, and higher (sometimes significantly) as soon as the diamonds come into play.
Rachida Dati doesn't have a discreet watch collection. She has a collection of watches stylish, signedand often worn as power accessories. This is not a moral judgment. It is an aesthetic reading.
A Cartier Ballon Blanc on black leather strap (with set crown, very recognizable signature), as well as a Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas 35mm in rose gold. A Cartier Tank Solo is very likely in certain photos, even if the image is not always clear enough to 100% confirm the exact reference. A Chopard is mentioned in the press, but I classify it as “supposed” for lack of an irrefutable photo.
Yes. Cartier and Bulgari are luxury houses, and the Serpenti Tubogas mentioned here exceeds €50,000 in retail price.
The version described (18 K rose gold, diamonds, black dial, Tubogas double spiral bracelet) is given around €56,100.
This is mentioned in the investigation relayed by the press, with the mention of a Chopard for 32,000 euros, but I did not find a sufficiently clear photo showing Rachida Dati wearing a Chopard. I therefore prefer to talk about a supposed piecenot a confirmed piece on the wrist.
Cartier is codified Parisian elegance: Roman numerals, clean lines, signatures recognizable at first glance. On a leather strap (often black), these watches remain “dressy” and very consistent with a sophisticated political image.
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