|
|
A few years ago, I was enjoying a (rare) vacation in Ras al-Khaimah. The slow pace of those relaxing days was brutally brought to an end by a minor but painful aquatic accident: a jellyfish decided to test its toxins on my wife’s ankle – and judging from the decibels of her cry and the lasting impression of the burn, the test was successful. The encounter left a lasting impression on me too – reviving memories of previous gelatinous creatures discovered during family seaside vacations.
I also realised how beautiful jellyfish actually are: their transparent body, which reveals much of their delicate inner workings; their beautiful colours; and their unconventional structure: vertical, radially symmetric organisms, from their domed heads down to their elegant, flowing tentacles.
|
|
That incident provided the creative spark for our latest Horological Machine. With HM7 Aquapod we push our horological explorations deeper: after blasting into outer space with pieces like the HM6 Space Pirate, soaring across the skies with the HM4 Thunderbolt, and touring the race track with Machines such as the HM8 Can-Am, we take a plunge into the water. HM7’s oversized, “floating” rotating bezel is a clear tribute to dive watches… but Aquapod is not a diver’s watch per se: it’s a horological jellyfish! The pod-shaped case design, transparent skin, articulated lugs, flexible rubber strap and tentacle-like winding rotor will remind you of a jellyfish. Inside, the vertical, radially symmetric movement mimics the anatomy of those gelatinous marine creatures… and like many jellyfish, HM7 Aquapod glows in the dark.
|
|
HM7 Aquapod launched with two limited editions: grade 5 titanium/blue bezel (limited to 33 pieces) and 18K red gold/black bezel (limited to 66 pieces). Have a look at the short video to see this kinetic jellyfish in action, and get the full story here.
|
|
As mentioned, the dust just settled at SIHH and Baselworld is about to open its doors. On Wednesday, March 22nd, we will be in Basel for the 8th time – but in an entirely new location. Yes, the good old “Palace Hall”, which had become the home of many high-end independent brands, and as such the creative hub of the fair, is moving to the top floor of the Main Hall – and its name changes to “Les Ateliers”. We’ll be there with a great selection of Indies like Kari Voutilainen, the Grönefeld brothers, Stepan Sarpaneva, Romain Gauthier, Emmanuel Bouchet, our Friends from L'Epée 1839 and many more...
|
|
We’ll be showcasing pieces like the LM2 Titanium, just released a few weeks ago: an LM2 crafted for the first time in lightweight titanium, instantly recognisable thanks to its bluish-green dial and redesigned balance wheel bridges, along with a slimmer case. But that’s not all – on the first day of the fair, you’ll also discover an entirely new co-creation piece. You won’t be in Basel but want to be among the first to get the news? Follow us on Instagram or Facebook.
|
|
Talking about co-creations, you certainly remember one of our most popular table clocks, co-created with our good friends at L’Epée 1839: the oh-so-likable Sherman. Designed like a miniature tank (that’s where he got his name!), Sherman has two essential functions: telling the time, and bringing a smile to your face.
Recently Sherman has been hanging around with the Watch Anish gang… so something was bound to happen. Enter Bad Sherman, a Sherman gone badass: you’ll recognise him right away thanks to the dark shades, helmet and laser gun winding key. He’s limited to 3 editions of 18 pieces, available exclusively via the Watch Anish eShop. If you’d like to adopt one, move fast – as I write this newsletter, I’m told there are only a few pieces remaining.
|
|
If you’re already signed up for our M.A.D.Gallery newsletter, that’s great; if not, allow me to give you some news from our network of mechanical art galleries. Depending on where you are in the world or where your travels take you, we have some amazing artists to present. In Geneva, our walls are currently covered by the stunningly-realistic aircraft portraits of French photographer Manolo Chrétien. In Taipei, Fabian Oefner’s second “Disintegrating” series continues to amaze… and in Dubai, you must see the beautiful “Optical Variations” sculptures by Damien Bénéteau. All the details are on www.madgallery.net
|
|
I hope to see you soon, perhaps at Baselworld? If not, please have a look in the meantime at the latest edition of our ‘Parallel Worlds’ magazine – either online by downloading the pdf version, or by ordering your very own print copy via our eShop.
|
|
With my best regards,
Maximilian Büsser
Owner & Creative Director |
|
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment