Now available: Watches, Jewellery, and Luxury 2024 /25

Ed's Note

I consider myself blessed that I have never had to swipe right — or left, for that matter. I already scroll so much that I have an automatic special dispensation in the New Year’s resolutions list that removes the offending promise to myself about two weeks into the new year. I am doomed to scroll, and having a blithe “stop scrolling” resolution shaming me in February is no way to live.

However, I was struck by the premise of our fashion shoot for this delightful edition of Wanted Watches, Jewellery, and Luxury — a cohort of seriously beautiful people staring fetchingly from the pages, encouraging the reader to swipe right. Yet finding love on the roulette wheel of the dating apps has proven a little elusive.

Theories abound as to why this generation — despite the endless choices available — is lonelier than ever and falling out of love and lust with the apps. Apparently, Gen Z-ers are also having less sex than the generations before them. It could be that too much choice is as much of a problem as too little. I mean, if you read Jane Austen or watch any episode of Bridgerton you realise quite how circumscribed the opportunity for seeking out and bagging a suitable entity for long-term reproduction and maintenance rights really was. Nevertheless, I present the popularity of traditional matchmaking shows where your doughty parents and extended family entrust a handmaiden of love to find and present prospective couples with their ideal husbands or wives.

This swiping for love is tricky stuff — it is the first time in the long history of humanity when all the elements (true love, soul-mate material, best friend, and cultural- and social-status box-ticking) are meant to be wrapped up in one ultimate person who is just waiting for you to swipe right. I think love is more like a raffle — you stick your hand in, smush the numbers around a bit, and finally pick a punter, hoping for the best.

There are clearly jewels in the mix, finely crafted individuals who will happily and elegantly keep time with you for the rest of your life, but I am of the opinion that you should probably seek them out in the real world, in your neighbourhood, at your gym, or in your favourite coffee shop — you are likely to make a better call if you are doing it in the flesh.

Still, if successful long-term investments of the heart are not panning out on the socials, you could practise by picking your favourite long-term investment watch and jewellery artwork from our delicious pages. We really have done all the research, cross-referenced all credentials, and checked out the provenance, so I can say with absolute confidence that you two will be happy for life.

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Aspasia

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