For enlightened connoisseurs and passionately dedicated collectors, the watch industry has created the concept of limited editions. By definition, they make it possible to own a model issued in very small quantities and engraved with a unique number. Those who have more substantial means also enjoy the possibility of ordering their very own custom-made model directly from the watch manufacturers that offer this type of personalisation service.
Extreme personalisation
“Giving meaning to beauty” is the motto upheld by Kerbedanz, which has made this concept of unique creations one of its brand pillars. 60% of the watches emerging from its workshops are in fact special orders. From the size of the timepiece through to its movement and even its finishing, clients’ imagination is the only limit placed on the service, thereby enabling them able to develop an ultra-exclusive watch entirely corresponding to their individual tastes, and above all to their story. The brand chooses to infuse the aesthetic beauty of watches with powerful meaning through symbols and allegories, myths and legends, cultures and civilizations. Watches thus become a fabulous canvas on which to tell the story of their owner’s lives and the various aspects of their existence that only they and their nearest and dearest can understand.
There is a particularly strong emphasis on the dialogue between the future owner of the timepiece, the Chief Design Officer of Kerbedanz, Aram Petrosyan, and the symbologist Michel Cugnet. They all contribute to the process of creating a one-of-a-kind model, based on a concept that is fine-tuned through extensive exchanges between the client and the watch Maison. A dialogue nurtured by proposed sketches, materials, finishing…
The “Ê” collection, based on the theme of the 12 zodiac signs, is a vivid example of the personalisation service provided by Kerbedanz. Depending on the client’s astral theme and wishes, the number and arrangement of the zodiac signs may vary, along with the colour and decoration of the dial base.
The key Kerbedanz asset
In designing and producing such one-of-a-kind creations, Kerbedanz can rely on an undeniable asset in the shape of its vertically integrated production. Apart from bracelets and polishing, everything is done in-house, while the movements are sourced from Technotime or Concepto. The watch brand devotes particular care to finishing and has indeed developed, with the help of its enamel artisans, a technique known as “Kerbedanz glazing”. This original procedure, similar to Grand Feu fired enamelling, is achieved by a special composition of coloured powders serving to create radiantly brilliant shades.
In all, no less than 30 or so people devote their talents to the pursuit of a single goal: that of crafting a custom-made timepiece. At least three months of work are required to give life to a one-of-a-kind model. Each creation is accompanied by a “Book of Birth” summing up its various related signs and symbols.
