"Welcome to the land of mechanical dreams." Once the slogan of Sainte-Croix and its expertise in mechanical artistry, it has now become somewhat outdated as the dream has turned into an academic reality over the past decade. In 2016, the Mec-Art association was born, and in 2021 it evolved into a fully-fledged skills institution. From simple internships to comprehensive training, and including an exhibition center (relocated to Geneva at De Bethune), Mec-Art is the beating heart of mechanical art.
Few watchmakers are custodians of this art. Historically, Jaquet Droz was one of the pioneers, with automata still visible at the Neuchâtel Museum of Art and History. At the dawn of the 21st century, only a handful of brands, like Ulysse Nardin or Andersen, occasionally explored automata in wristwatches.
New Breath
Today, the torch is undoubtedly carried by Van Cleef & Arpels. The house early on recognized the link between traditional watchmaking arts (engraving, painting, enameling, guilloching, setting, etc.) and mechanical art, which is its kinematic extension. Simply put, it is with Van Cleef & Arpels that animated mechanics joined the circle of artistic crafts. To all the classic and static arts, it added movement, magic, and wonder. And it was close, as the saying goes.
Because, 15 years ago, specialists in mechanical art could be counted on one hand. But in 2010, Van Cleef & Arpels managed to find and bring together their talents within a piece called Le Pont des Amoureux. It was a masterstroke. Firstly, in the watchmaking realm, by introducing a unique, poetic, and playful way to tell time. Then, from a marketing perspective: Poetic Complications became a trademark and a vital part of Van Cleef & Arpels' DNA.
Finally, academically. The house, already ahead by co-founding the School of Jewelry Arts in 2000, continued its approach by partnering with Mec-Art, the Association for Mechanical Art. Again with an inherent sense of heritage: instead of taking over the project, Van Cleef & Arpels positioned itself as a patron among others. The steering committee includes independents (François Junod), heads of other brands (Jean-Claude Biver), co-founders of independent workshops (Denis Flageollet at De Bethune), and various established names (like Reuge). In short: Mec-Art is a collective, and Van Cleef & Arpels is one among its players.
Shared Furrow
A player, but a significant one. Since 2008, Van Cleef & Arpels has collaborated with François Junod for its "Extraordinary Objects." For 15 years, the house has also regularly won distinctions at the GPHG, Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Categories? Artistic Crafts and Complication! The house not only supports mechanical art artisans: it showcases them to the public. The renown is international.
Van Cleef & Arpels thus opens a path that some "hype" players of new watchmaking rush into. Think of Jaquet Droz, back on the horological-mechanical scene with a markedly disruptive approach. Louis Vuitton, returning to the path of automata—Jean Arnault showed early interest in Mec-Art. MB&F, engaged in 2013 in a fruitful collaboration with the automaton-maker Reuge, or more recently with L’Épée. Or De Bethune, which eventually acquired a majority stake in Reuge, becoming the driving force behind the "made in Mec-Art" training, hosted… at Reuge. Not to mention other players like Chanel or Hermès, occasionally tasting the small mechanical art.
In the end, Van Cleef & Arpels has triumphed on all fronts. Firstly, the house has carved out a segment for itself, that of Poetic Complications and Extraordinary Objects, which have become its preserve. Then, by drawing several players into its wake, together they have significantly revitalized interest in mechanical art, both in watchmaking and decoration. Finally, by allowing these crafts to live on by funding an association, training, and exhibitions, so the know-how is passed on. A unique case study: while most manufacturers aim to internalize expertise to secure it before it disappears, Van Cleef & Arpels has bet on an open, participatory ecosystem, whose success today is undeniable. Bet won.
