Van Cleef & Arpels

Introduced at the SIHH in 2014, the Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight planetarium is one of the most fascinating pieces created since the beginning of the 21^st century.

The watch is part of the Poetic Complication series which was originally launched in 2006. The collection includes other wonderful pieces such as the Pont des Amoureux or the Midnight Zodiac Lumineux to name but a few. The Poetic complication series is one of the finest creations of the iconic Maison de Haute Joaillerie. It is an alliance between watchmaking, artistic and jewellery skills developed at the highest level.

The Midnight planetarium pays homage to the 18^th century tradition of planetariums which represented the rotation of the planets around the sun. Already at that time , these were animated by highly complex horological movements. To create this mechanism realized by Stern Manufacture, Van Cleef & Arpels collaborated with Christiaan Van der Klaauw, the contemporary master in this field.

Interestingly, only six planets are represented. This choice is motivated by the fact that these are the only ones that can be admired through naked eye. They are made of hard stones: serpentine for Mercury, chloromelanite for Venus, turquoise for Earth, red jasper for mars, blue agate for Jupiter sugilite for Saturn while the Sun is in pink gold. Each planet rotates at its own speed. Mercury will take 88 days for a full turning, Earth 365 days, and Saturn will take 29 years! The deep blue glittering dial symbolizing the universe is made of aventurine. The time is indicated by the shooting star, which is the lucky charm of VC&A.

The rotating bezel enables the owner to set his day of luck through the small red arrow. On that day, Earth will place itself under the engraved star as a sign of luck. At the back of the 44mm pink gold case, the watch displays a full calendar that is adjusted through the two pushers of the band. Furthermore, the sapphire display back reveals the automatic movement made of 396 pieces, including the decorated rotor.

This piece much more than a watch, it is an invitation to dream.

The present lot is the number one of the numbered limited edition, as engraved on the caseback, making it even more special. It represents an incredible opportunity for a collector looking to add a different and captivating piece to his collection.