Autumn brings with it one of nature’s most enchanting spectacles: the flowering of winter cherry trees such as the Japanese Jugatsu-zakura, whose blossoms begin to unfold in October. Their delicate white and pink hues form a striking contrast with the richly coloured autumn foliage, lending this late cherry blossom a character all its own. Yet this sensory delight is fleeting.
MEISSEN and Glashütte Original have therefore captured the beauty of the cherry blossom in a timepiece designed to endure far beyond the season itself. Hand-painted blossoms adorn the white porcelain dial of the new Senator Meissen “Cherry Blossom”, an exquisite mechanical timepiece that brings together the artistry and expertise of two houses steeped in tradition.
A Heritage of Craftsmanship
Nature-inspired motifs have a long tradition in fine porcelain. At MEISSEN, Europe’s first porcelain manufactory, botanical decorations were already being painted onto precious creations in the 18th century. Initially, these were largely inspired by Far Eastern motifs known from Chinese porcelain, but native flowers and foliage soon found their way into the repertoire. With its delicate grace, the cherry blossom became a particularly cherished motif.
Today, Glashütte Original and MEISSEN allow it to bloom once more – this time on the dial of a timepiece that bears witness to the expertise and craftsmanship shared by the two long- established manufactories: the new Senator Meissen “Cherry Blossom”.
Blossoms Painted by Master Hands
The Senator Meissen is one of Glashütte Original’s exclusive Atelier commissions. Each watch is assembled in its entirety by a single watchmaker. Only the exquisite porcelain dial is created beyond Glashütte, in the workshops of MEISSEN. The brand’s own colour laboratory, entrusted with the secret recipes, provides the palette for the delicate flower motif, which stands out vividly against the light background. Experienced porcelain painters apply the colours by hand with fine brushes. After each layer, the dial is fired in a kiln at 900°C to achieve the desired depth and intensity.
To give these wafer-thin porcelain dials maximum visual impact, they are framed by an intentionally restrained watch design. A slender 40 mm red gold case surrounds the hand-painted dial, while solid-gold hour and minute hands allow the artwork to take centre stage. A dark blue Louisiana alligator leather strap with a red gold pin buckle completes this elegant creation.
Exquisite Mechanics
Behind the understated two-hand display of the Senator Meissen “Cherry Blossom” lies a sophisticated mechanical movement. The manufacture Calibre 36 is an exceptional automatic movement, combining precision and robustness with an outstanding 100-hour power reserve and elaborate finishing. It operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and features an anti-magnetic, temperature-resistant silicon balance spring. When the crown is pulled out, a stop-seconds mechanism halts the balance, allowing the time to be set with precision.
The sapphire crystal case back offers an unobstructed view of the movement’s refined decorative finishes: the precise stripe finish on the characteristic Glashütte three-quarter plate, the hand-engraved balance cock and the sunray finish on the winding chain wheel. Above them, the skeletonised rotor with its mirrored double-G emblem and solid-gold oscillating weight rotates in both directions.
In this way, the two faces of this exceptional timepiece reveal themselves: delicate porcelain painting on one side, intricately decorated mechanics on the other.
The new Senator Meissen “Cherry Blossom” will be available from October 2026 at all Glashütte Original boutiques and selected retailers worldwide.
