The Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux collection, born in 2010, has become one of Van Cleef & Arpels’ most iconic watch families with its profoundly romantic concept: the hour and minute hands are ingeniously designed as a pair of lovers awaiting their meeting, sharing a passionate kiss at the center of the Pont des Arts bridge at precisely noon and midnight each day.
To allow the wearer to admire this poetic moment at any time, the new model features a dedicated push-button at 7 o’clock. A gentle press activates the mechanism: the two hands advance elegantly, with the lover closer to the center arriving first, waiting momentarily for the other to approach before leaning in for a kiss. The entire automaton is powered by the kinetic energy from the button press. Therefore, it can be activated repeatedly without draining the mainspring’s power reserve and without affecting the accuracy of the timekeeping.
Inspired by the “Soirée” (dusk) theme, the dial vividly portrays gradated pink-and-purple clouds, an orange-yellow sunset, and blue rooftops using the “Grisaille Enamel” technique, complemented by a gold-engraved bridge in the foreground, depicting the lovers’ romantic twilight rendezvous. Originating in 16th-century France, the Grisaille Enamel process requires 15 successive kiln firings for each dial, a process demanding over 60 hours.
The 38mm pink gold case houses an automatic movement with a 36-hour power reserve, integrated with a retrograde module exclusively developed by Van Cleef & Arpels. Turning the watch over reveals a engraved scene on the case back showing a sunset view over Parisian rooftops at dusk, perfectly continuing the narrative of the dial.
It is presented on a pink gold bracelet set with pink sapphires and diamonds and features a pink gold folding clasp. The official price is ≈ 449,580€.
Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux Soirée Watch
18k pink gold case set with pink sapphires and diamonds, diameter 38mm. Pink gold bezel set with diamonds. Pink gold crown set with a diamond. Sapphire crystal. Grisaille enamel dial. Retrograde hour and minute hands. Automatic movement with a 36-hour power reserve. Pink gold bracelet set with pink sapphires and diamonds. Pink gold folding clasp. Water-resistant to 30 meters.
Complications: Automaton, Retrograde Hour and Minute Hands.
