A look back at the history of watches and art collaborations

Collaborations between watch brands and artists are becoming increasingly common these days. Many people will think of Swatch as a prime example. However, collaborations with artists have been carried out not only by Swatch, but even before that. For example, Dali and Piaget's "Dali Doll" is one such example. Here, we look back on the history of such collaborations with art.

The world's smallest canvas. Art and clock time.

　It's a natural idea to turn a watch into a work of art. The dial acts as the canvas, and the bezel and case act as the frame. And just like a frame, it even has a protective transparent plate (crystal). Unlike a painting that hangs on the wall, a watch can be worn on the wrist and carried anywhere. You can look at it whenever you want, and it even "tells the time."

　If watchmaking itself is an art, then it was inevitable that it would be integrated with art, and in fact, many brands have collaborated with architects, painters, photographers, and tattoo artists to bring new dimensions to their timepieces.

Dali and Piaget: A fusion of fantasy and gold

　One of the pioneers of this trend was the collaboration between Piaget and the surrealist master Salvador Dalí (1904-1989). In 1967, Piaget released a limited edition collection called "Dalí d'Or." The collection, which included cufflinks, tie pins, rings, and even a wristwatch, was based on a gold coin designed by Dalí himself.

　The coin features an image of Dali and his muse, Gala, standing in a flower field. The coin is also called the Dali d'Or. Dali created it at the request of the French Mint as a medal that is not recognized as legal tender. Piaget's Dali d'Or collection features earrings, rings, and watches, all based on the original design.

　Dali was an artist fascinated by gold, so this must have been an ideal collaboration for Piaget, which at the time only used gold or platinum for its watches. Furthermore, thanks to Piaget's thin movement technology, the Dali d'Or was transformed into a coin watch, creating a work that combines the three elements of watch, jewelry, and art.

Gae Aulenti: Louis Vuitton's first watch designed by an architect

　Italian architect Gae Aulenti (1927-2012) was a gifted woman who graduated from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1954, one of only two women in her architecture class of 20. A member of the Neo-Liberty movement, she is known for her architecture that combines rationality with organic elements, but her work was not limited to architecture. She also designed stage sets for La Scala, lighting fixtures for Stilnovo, and furniture for Kartell and Zanotta.

　In the 1980s, she was commissioned by Louis Vuitton to design the brand's first wristwatches, the Monterey I and Monterey II. Both were quartz movements with a disc in the center of the dial and a crown at 12 o'clock. The straps were NATO straps that passed through the back of the watch, not through the lugs.

　The Monterey I featured a world time display, moon phase display, and pointer date in a solid gold case, while the Monterey II was smaller and featured only a pointer date and alarm function in a ceramic case. Manufactured by IWC, one of the few brands capable of producing ceramic cases at the time.

Max BillTimeless Design

　Let's take a look at some examples of watch designs by famous designers. Max Bill (1908-1994), a Swiss designer, studied under Wassily Kandinsky at the prestigious Bauhaus in Germany and had a major influence on the Swiss graphic design world after World War II.

　In the 1960s, he teamed up with the German watch brand Junghans, starting with the design of kitchen clocks and eventually expanding into a collection of wristwatches. The series bearing his name is still sold today with designs that are almost unchanged from the time. Its timeless style, always fresh, truly symbolizes timeless beauty.

Nathan Horwitt. Designs in the MoMA collection.

　American industrial designer Nathan Horwitt (1898-1990) may have captured the essence of watchmaking. Movado's Museum Watch is a masterpiece of the ultimate in simplicity. With its round case, thin bezel, rod-shaped hands, and a round sun symbol at 12 o'clock, its perfection has remained unchanged since its introduction in 1947.

　The watch was added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York in 1960, and became widely known as the Museum Watch. Movado continued to embrace Horwitt's vision, and other artists, such as fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski, interpreted it. By transferring Horwitt's work onto the dial, the watch was once again brought to life as a canvas for art.

The fusion of contemporary art and watches

　One brand known for its ongoing collaborations with art is Swatch, which entered the field in 1985 with a 140-piece limited edition model in collaboration with French artist Kiki Picasso (real name Christian Chapiron), co-founder of the Bazooka artist collective known for its provocative and sometimes controversial visuals.

　Starting with this, the company expanded into collaborations with numerous famous artists, including Keith Haring (1986), architect Alessandro Mendini (1990), and photographers Annie Leibovitz and Yoko Ono (1996). In 1991, the company also made a unique attempt by selling food-themed Swatches by Alfred Hofkunst at a Swiss vegetable market.

　Art has become an essential element for Swatch. Its current collection features models with dials featuring works by Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte and American street art pioneer Jean-Michel Basquiat. The brand has also partnered with the Uffizi Gallery to incorporate Botticelli's masterpieces into its watches, and collaborated with MoMA to release a model commemorating the 100th anniversary of Roy Lichtenstein's birth.