Cover A model wearing the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate
A model wearing the Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate
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Pascal Narbeburu discusses Van Cleef & Arpels’ singular vision in jewellery timepieces during the ‘Precious Jewels Telling Time’ exhibition in Singapore
Van Cleef & Arpels, one of the most storied names in high jewellery, has captivated generations with its imaginative creations, among them extraordinary timepieces like the Ludo secret watches and the bold yet discreet Cadenas. If you’re in Singapore, you can explore the maison’s horological legacy at the Precious Jewels Telling Time exhibition, now showing at its Raffles Hotel boutique until November 9, 2025.
While many are familiar with the French maison’s dazzling signatures—think the lapel watch and gold cord strap wristwatch—its watchmaking heritage also includes lesser-known marvels, such as the Chinese Magician pocket watch with its double retrograde movement.
Read more: Van Cleef & Arpels sets sail for adventure and romance at Treasure Island
Above Pascal Narbeburu, timepieces director at Van Cleef & Arpels
Pascal Narbeburu, timepieces director at Van Cleef & Arpels
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Today, Van Cleef & Arpels is perhaps best known for its Poetic Complications, a collection of timepieces brought to life with mechanical animations. Chief among them is the Pont des Amoureux, featuring two lovers on a bridge who inch closer to each other until they kiss—twice daily, at noon and midnight. They embrace for three minutes before parting to indicate the time anew.
Above Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux in rose gold set with diamonds and pink sapphires. The dial famously features a pair of lovers on a bridge.
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux in rose gold set with diamonds and pink sapphires. The dial famously features a pair of lovers on a bridge.
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This year, the maison introduced a spin-off: the Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate, set against a backdrop of an open-air Parisian dance café. It features a new automaton calibre designed to give the figures more natural movement. “We wanted to have the most natural gestures and articulations possible to give life to the story,” said Pascal Narbeburu, the brand’s timepieces director, who was in Singapore to launch the exhibition.
Above Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate in white gold with a grisaille enamel depicting the lovers in an open-air Parisian cafe
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate in white gold with a grisaille enamel depicting the lovers in an open-air Parisian cafe
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The development of this new movement took four years and led to the invention of a special cam that enables perfect synchronisation between rotation and translation (forward movement). Achieving this smooth, invisible transition demanded complex engineering. “We also needed a solution to minimise the energy consumption of the animation,” explained Narbeburu.
The dial also showcases grisaille enamel to evoke a starlit night. “This traditional technique allowed us to create depth and contrasts. We also played with light, using coloured grisaille enamel in different tones of blue for warmth.”
Above Assembling the animation cam of Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate
Assembling the animation cam of Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate
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For the Poetic Complications, storytelling is at the heart of creation. “If there is no story, there is no novelty. It’s very powerful to set out with a story in mind. We use some mechanisms that already exist, like the regulator and the retrograde, but because we want to tell a story, we have to think outside the box and invent our own mechanisms to bring our vision to life.”
Narbeburu’s team meets annually to brainstorm ideas for stories they’d like to tell over the next few years “because it normally takes us four to five years to develop something new.” The design studio first translates the story into a watercolour illustration, which is then passed on to the watchmakers and artisans.
“That’s when the nightmare begins,” he laughed. “But at the same time, it’s also a lot of pleasure because we get to be creative and inventive.”
Above The latest evolution of the poetic complication features a more fluid movement of the lovers
The latest evolution of the poetic complication features a more fluid movement of the lovers
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As for where inspiration comes from: “We’re inspired by the history of the maison and the many sources of inspiration gathered over time, such as love stories, nature, astronomy, fairies and ballerinas, couture…
“We’re trying to create watches that are a perfect blend of fine watchmaking, jewellery and craftsmanship. The technical elements help us to highlight the stories we wish to tell. We call this unique vision ‘Poetry of Time’, a rather abstract concept, but it’s something we always bear in mind in watchmaking.”
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Brian Cheong leads the watch (Tatler GMT) and jewellery content at Tatler Malaysia, combining sharp editorial insight with years of luxury lifestyle experience. A seasoned journalist in luxury watches based in Kuala Lumpur, Brian had previously helmed World of Watches, Men's Folio and Prestige Malaysia.
