Van Cleef & Arpels

How does Van Cleef & Arpels’ garden grow? In a burst of artisanal expertise and technical gravitas exhibited in one of its most complex watches to date. The 38mm Heures Florales (price upon request) is a veritable performance piece that tells time via the opening and closing of 12 enamel and gem-set flowers, which bloom in a seemingly random pattern in a series of three cycles.

The epitome of style and substance, the system required five years of research and development. The flowers are set into motion via a wheel that charges a spring in the barrel (equipped with a centrifugal regulator to control the speed) which powers the animation. The hours are read by counting the blooms that pop open. Meanwhile, the minutes are read on a horizontal rotating disc on the side of the case.

Each limited-edition piece is rendered in either a red-cherry-blossom theme or shades of blue petals.