MAKING MAGIC
Prestige Singapore|June 2023
Prestige visits the Van Cleef & Arpels watch manufacture and automaton-maker François Junod's workshop in Switzerland to discover more about the rare, time-honoured crafts and techniques showcased in novelties this year
STEPHANIE IP
MAKING MAGIC

Time at Van Cleef & Arpels runs a little differently from elsewhere. Time is poetry; it tells stories and plays hide and seek. Time can be erratic, romantic, climactic - it's regulated not so much by mechanics as by emotions. Inside Les Ateliers Horlogers de Van Cleef & Arpels, the maison's manufacture in Meyrin, Switzerland, this artistic statement, in the form of an equation, is painted on the walls, stopping us in our tracks during a recent visit.

Later, Rainer Bernard, head of research and development at Van Cleef & Arpels, explains, "The equation is about how you feel time. If you're waiting anxiously for someone at a rendezvous, time might seem endless. If you're in a happy moment, time becomes very short. Time isn't always regulated in the same way a watch might indicate to you. One hour doesn't always feel like one hour - if you're sensitive to time, it can change, it stretches. For some people, time can feel infinite."

The equation encapsulates what time means to Van Cleef & Arpels, which has sought to think about time in a different manner, capturing moments in unique ways that are unheard of in the watchmaking industry.

Bernard points to the Planetarium automaton, a complex astrological device that traces the actual planetary movements in our solar system, and to the tiny emerald and sapphire shooting star that marks out the time in Earth hours. "See here, you have to search the sky a little for that lucky symbol, the shooting star. And you really have to look for it because it's small. That's what we like, to slow down and read the time and to present it in different ways."

Van Cleef & Arpels' unique vision of timekeeping reaches new heights this year as the house continues doing what it does best: marrying its savoir faire in jewellery and watchmaking to produce some of the world's most enchanting jewels that tell time.

This story is from the June 2023 edition of Prestige Singapore.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 2023 edition of Prestige Singapore.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PRESTIGE SINGAPOREView All
Sailing Into A Dream
Prestige Singapore

Sailing Into A Dream

Scenes from the fantasy feature Game of Thrones come to life in the otherworldly landscapes of the Arctic Circle.

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2024
Here Come The Sun Seats
Prestige Singapore

Here Come The Sun Seats

Italian furniture has long held the crown for blending luxurious, sophisticated design with impeccable craftsmanship.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
ABSOLUMENT FAB
Prestige Singapore

ABSOLUMENT FAB

France's premier fair for fine-art and antiques returns for its third edition inside its new home in the Grand Palais.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
Through the Director's Lens
Prestige Singapore

Through the Director's Lens

Filmmaker JIA ZHANGKE and his protégé RAFAEL MANUEL share their perspectives on life, cinema and their current projects.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
THE CUTTING EDGE
Prestige Singapore

THE CUTTING EDGE

Having long played quiet supporting roles in the gem industry, gem cutters are finally having their day in the sun. Four acclaimed independent master gem cutters share more about their love of the craft and the creation of their best pieces.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
Spheres of Power
Prestige Singapore

Spheres of Power

Following up on the gold- and titanium-focused Tiffany Titan by Pharrell Williams launch collection, the superstar now turns to pearls for a softer, but no less striking, second act.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Horological Masterpieces Reimagined
Prestige Singapore

Horological Masterpieces Reimagined

Beyond the wrist, these timekeepers transcend all traditional boundaries.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
WILD IMAGINATION
Prestige Singapore

WILD IMAGINATION

Cartier's latest category-spanning Panthère de Cartier novelties showcase the endless ways in which the panther continues to inspire.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
READY FOR ACTION
Prestige Singapore

READY FOR ACTION

The latest watch to come from the celebrated Richard Mille and McLaren partnership looks set to be another trailblazing timepiece.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
THE RIGHT ANGLES
Prestige Singapore

THE RIGHT ANGLES

Twenty-five years after the launch of its last new collection, Twenty-4, Patek Philippe introduces the Cubitus range.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024