Lovers hold hands, dance and kiss on the cobblestones under the twinkling stars of the night sky. This work depicts such a poetic scene and is a new addition to the Van Cleef & Arpels "Poetic Complications" collection. The smooth automaton mechanism, developed in-house, expresses intricate movements that even reflect human emotions.
Photographs by Masahiro Okamura (CROSSOVER)
Tomoyo Takai: text
Text by Tomoyo Takai
Edited by Yuto Hosoda (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published in the July 2025 issue of Kronos Japan]
Deepen your time together with Ganget
Van Cleef & Arpels' signature collection, "Poetic Complications," blends romantic narratives, complex mechanisms, and decorative arts. The new Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automata Watch is a successor to the "Pont des Amoureux" (2010-present), which depicts lovers meeting and kissing on a bridge. The setting is Guinguette, a riverside café popular in 19th-century Paris where people could enjoy dancing. The watch poetically depicts the scene of lovers holding hands and dancing and kissing under the starlight.
At noon and midnight, the lovers gently move closer to each other, moving their arms to kiss. This series of animations is the result of a new automaton movement developed over a four-year period by Rainer Bernard's research and development team. The lovers' arms are fitted with three connecting sections, allowing for smoother movement. While the watch condenses its complex movements, the case is thin and compact. This is due to a simple structural design, with only four more parts than the Pont des Amoureux. Optimizing the shape of the cams and integrating the parts has improved energy efficiency and precision.
The time display uses a double retrograde mechanism. The hours and minutes are displayed using star-shaped indicators. The stars float among the clouds, adding a fantastical effect.
The dial has a five-layer structure, with a three-dimensional depiction of the night sky, clouds, buildings, cobblestones, and a relief of lovers. The decoration is crafted using the grisaille technique, which originated in Limoges, France in the 16th century, and uses shades of blue and white enamel to create a deep, light-and-dark effect. The relief of the lovers and the cobblestones are engraved with white gold, resulting in an intricate finish down to the smallest detail. Creating the dial requires approximately 40 hours of work and 12 firings, and is handled entirely by a single craftsman.
With exceptional craftsmanship and poetic creativity, Van Cleef & Arpels creates dreamlike moments and stories—the very essence of "Poetry of Time."
The intricately finished dial is complemented by an 18KWG case paved with round-cut diamonds, adding a touch of elegance. It also comes with an interchangeable alligator strap. Automatic movement. Power reserve of approximately 36 hours. 18KWG case (38mm diameter). Water resistant to 30m. (Right) 24,948,000 yen (tax included), (Left) 40,128,000 yen (tax included).
