The Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux, first seen in 2010 from Van Cleef & Arpels, is a fine example of emotion as applied to artistic watchmaking. These timepieces are remarkable in their commitment to poetry and romance—hour and minute are expressed in retrograde with a male and female figure who, at the top of the 12-hour cycle (at noon and midnight), come together for a kiss. The concept and implementation, and the exquisitely worked dial that depicts a Parisian bridge, is simply delightful.
This year, a refreshed collection was revealed at an exclusive event in Paris. Guests dined on a menu prepared by three Michelin-starred chef Eric Frechon amongst a décor of rooftops, bridges and Parisian landmarks—a nod to the scene that is depicted by Pont des Amoureux.
The new releases have a reworked mechanism that includes on-demand animation. The pusher on the left side of the diamond-set 38mm case will have the lovers kiss for ten seconds, after which they will return to the correct time. The action of the pusher itself powers the automaton, so it can be activated without fear of draining the self-winding movement’s 36-hourpower reserve. They will still meet on their own at noon and midnight, whereupon they will instead stay together for three minutes.
The collection now includes a day and a night version (RM499,000 each) as well as four seasonal variations—that, of course, have each of the lovers slightly modified to depict weather-appropriate attire. The seasonal versions also have the maison flexing its high jewellery prowess with stunningly jewelled bracelets, hinged to look nearly seamless whether on the wrist or flat on the table. For the first time, there is also a men’s version (RM456,000), which is slightly larger at 42mm in diameter and without diamonds.
All executions have dials hand-painted with the grisaille enamel technique. This is an exacting method of decoration that begins with the artisans grinding their own pigments to the necessary smoothness, before spending nearly a week on each one to ensure every tiny speck of coloured enamel is in place. The resulting soft, pastel tones perfectly express the whimsical nature of Pont des Amoureux, and of the poetic leanings that make Van Cleef & Arpels stand out in the watchmaking landscape.
