These unusual timepieces tend to have a few minor setbacks for most enthusiasts. With a few exceptions, they tend to be a bit uncomfortable on the wrist. Their large and/or unusually shaped cases make them hard to wear under a cuff, and hard not to bump into everything you come across. Sometimes legibility is more or less the issue; without explanation or demonstration, it might take you quite a while to figure out what time it is on one of these watches. Perhaps the most serious concern for the average luxury-watch consumer are the price tags on these unusual timepieces. Although surveys tell us that our readers have some money to spend on luxury items, prices that equal that of a nice villa with a few acres of land might be a bit daunting for even the highest horology budgets. WatchTime’s Mike Disher offered his list of “Off the Beaten Path” timepieces last week and in the current issue of WatchTime. Here are the top five unusual timepieces I would like to share with you. They are not picked or ranked on price, shape or color but on the “Oooh” and “Aaaah” effect they had on me I saw them for the first time.
1. Jean Dunand The Palace
The first time I laid eyes on The Palace by Jean Dunand, created by Christophe Claret, I was told that my eyes became bigger as soon as Thierry Oulevay (CEO of Jean Dunand) revealed it. This timepiece was introduced during Baselworld 2010 and made a huge impression on me. At first sight, especially in photos, this watch might look a bit clunky and strange. But the strength is in the details. This watch is based on the Art Deco style of the period in which artist Jean Dunand lived, characterized by streamlined and geometric shapes. It also utilized modern materials like chrome, stainless steel, and inlaid wood. The Palace timepiece makes you relive the period in that very period in which Jean Dunand worked and lived his life. The Palace includes a lot of neat referrals to the Eiffel tower, skyscrapers, racetracks, et cetera.
A detailed overview of this watch can be found here.
2. MB&F Horological Machine No 2 ‘Only Watch’
Sometimes a watch can move you – not only with its beauty, but also with the idea behind the timepiece. One of the watches that certainly moved me in both ways, is the Horological Machine No.2 by Maximilian Büsser and Friends (MB&F). Each year, the Only Watch auction event is held in Monaco. The goal of Only Watch is to draw attention (and financial resources) to the fight against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This is a serious illness (genetic disorder) that affects children (boys only) and reveals itself by progressive weakening of muscles. Unfortunately, there is no cure yet, and eventually this illness will result in cardiac problems that will become fatal.
Many watch brands have donated Only Watch editions — mostly unique pieces — to have them auctioned for this cause. In 2009, MB&F made a special version of its Horological Machine No.2 for the Only Watch event. As shown in the photo below, the movement is surrounded by 3D “barbed wire,” which symbolizes the illness trapping the child’s body. The butterfly represents innocence and hope, and as you can see on the picture the blue butterfly has one of its wings clipped, because, unfortunately, there is not yet a cure for children suffering from DMD. More information on this timepiece can be found here.
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