To actress Emmanuelle Chriqui time is a mystery. “On the one hand, as the seconds and minutes go by without us noticing, we wonder where they went; on the other hand, we have the consciousness that time is slipping by so quickly. This resonates with me in the deepest sense. It is bittersweet.” With delicate features and that infectious smile, Chriqui has charmed audiences in her roles in Entourage, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, and The Mentalist. Currently she has two movies in the works, A Short History of Decay and Omphalos, due out this fall.

A longtime fan of Baume & Mercier and friend of the brand, Chriqui recently embarked on a project to help design specially made watch straps—known for their easy interchangeability and versatility—for its women’s Linea line. Chriqui admits that she has been enamored of watches since she was young.

“My father, who is my hero, had a nice collection, and I inherited my love of timepieces from him,” says Chriqui, who received her very first watch from her father at the age of 14. “It may not have been what he would have chosen for me, but it was what I wanted: a big, clunky men’s two-timezone watch!”

Chriqui says she loved working on designing the new interchangeable straps for Baume & Mercier. Her synergy with the brand has been ongoing since she visited Geneva at SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) two years ago for the launch of its Seaside Living campaign and the then-new Hampton watch collection.

“I was thrilled when they asked if I would like to collaborate on a piece. I visited the factory and spent several days with them talking about my design preferences, and it seemed natural to create a new strap for the Linea line. I said I thought it would be fun to incorporate texture into the look. Having a braided or woven strap is a nice juxtaposition of hard and soft. It’s cool and classic at the same time.”

With homes in both LA and New York, Chriqui travels often. “Being bi-coastal is such a welcome adventure because I love both cities so much.” In Los Angeles, she enjoys weekend mornings the most: “My favorite thing to do in LA is wake up on a beautiful Sunday and get brunch at either Café Gratitude or M Café, followed by a stroll along Larchmont; I check out the farmers market and then see where the day leads. I love having no plans!”

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