WORDS
Nicholas Ross
Following a sell-out collaboration in 2022, independent watchmaker Andersen Genève and BCHH, a specialist in haute horlogerie timepieces, have once again joined forces. The new Celestial Voyager “Sunset over Cappadocia” Version 2 looks to the picturesque land of “fairy chimneys” and hot air balloons in Turkey for the inspiration behind this second world timer wristwatch that is an impressive showcase of technical and creative artistry.
In keeping with the exclusivity for which Andersen Genève is known (the brand produces no more than 50 watches each year), the Celestial Voyager “Sunset over Cappadocia” Version 2 is limited to just 20 pieces.
This world timer wristwatch features a 24-hour dial and city ring, the relationship between which allows the wearer to tell the time all around the world at a moment’s glance. The word “Cappadocia” stands out on the latter, which is made of sparkling aventurine, in a pink gold not unlike the glow cast on the region’s rock formations when it is at its most photogenic.
This rosy picture is enhanced further still by a two-tone case combining platinum and pink gold, a polished pink-gold bezel, similarly coloured hands and a pink-gold caseback ring encircling a back ring made of mother of pearl.
The ancient technique of cloisonné enamelling has been employed to create the semblance of Cappadocia on the dial. A red-striped balloon foregrounds four others with their own patterns, all suspended at early sunset amid rocky canyons, grassy plateaus and the winding Kizilirmak river.
Speaking of winding, Andersen Genève’s winding rotor is made of 21k BlueGold, an exclusive material that sees 21k gold combined with iron elements that together lend a distinctive hue. This is engraved with an interlocking wave-form guilloché, creating an almost three-dimensional, mandala-like effect.
The sense of depth is reinforced by hand-finishing techniques such as chamfering on the slimline haute horlogerie movement, which is meticulously crafted in-house by Andersen Genève. Meanwhile Geneva stripes with an effect akin to that of sunray dials are like portals to the same intricate craftsmanship behind the guilloché.
The case design includes “eagle’s wings” lugs which have marked all the Andersen Genève and BCHH collaborations thus far. These are made separately by hand before being soldered to the case, a technique rarely seen in horology today. And this exquisitely created timepiece has an elegant thickness of 10.1mm, making it as wearable as it is beautiful.
See more at andersen-geneve.ch