Art fantastic

Manufacture Royale’s complex-cased masterpieces just received a colourful upgrade with the unveiling of the new ADN Street Art Collection (US$73,500/RM314,065). Not only is the piece powered by an all new one-minute flying tourbillon movement known as the MR10 (the 10th calibre the firm has designed), but the brand has also found a clever means of applying artwork to the skeletonised clockwork by adopting a process more commonly found in the automotive world — water transfer printing.

Also known as hydro-dipping, the applied pattern rests on the surface of a water bath into which the movement parts are then dipped. The components are then rinsed and rhodium plated, leaving behind a patternwork that is as durable as it is eye-catching. Due to the fluid nature of this process, each piece of the new series will be different from the next.

Rather than limit the series to a small number, Manufacture Royale is tapping into the growing demand for bespoke watchmaking with this release. Clients will have the ability to request their own selection of colours, patterns, and artwork applied to their ADN Street Art piece. Though the case of the ADN might seem familiar, it is actually a fresh design that melds the unique flair of the brand’s earlier Opera and Androgyne models. While some of these past models we found to be a bit busy due to the complexity of both movement and case design, the negative space of the new MR10 caliber provides an excellent balance to the case.