Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels
Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels
Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels
Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels
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If love could be translated into mechanical movement, Van Cleef & Arpels would be its most eloquent interpreter.
Unveiled at Watches and Wonders 2025, the iconic French maison introduced the Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate—a horological masterpiece that doesn’t simply measure time, but transforms it into a quietly told fairytale.
Inspired by the founding love story between Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels, this watch is far more than a timekeeping instrument. It is a tribute to romance, elegance, and the eternal spirit of Paris. On its dial, a cinematic scene unfolds: two lovers meet beneath glowing lanterns, in front of a 19th-century Parisian dance café. At noon and midnight—or at the push of a button—their silhouettes come together in a tender kiss.
While your heart pauses at the poetry of the scene, the stars take over the role of hands, moving along a double retrograde arc. The background, painted with meticulous care, features cobbled stones, celestial gradients, and dramatic plays of light and shadow—brought to life through five layers of grisaille and colored grisaille enamel. This demanding technique requires dozens of hours of work and multiple kiln firings, all to capture the perfect sunset sealed beneath sapphire glass.
Beyond its visual delicacy, the watch is also a technical marvel. A newly developed automaton mechanism—four years in the making—powers the animation on demand. Despite its elaborate features, Bal des Amoureux contains only four more components than its predecessor and is even slimmer, proving the maison’s mastery of merging form and function.
The case is crafted from white gold, adorned with a diamond bracelet or, alternatively, a deep blue satin strap. Inside, an automatic movement drives the dual retrograde time display and the lovers’ enchanting encounter. The price of this whispered love story remains undisclosed, but one thing is certain—moments like these are beyond measure.
