At this year’s SIHH, Van Cleef & Arpels proudly introduced one of their most remarkable complicated watches: the Midnight Planétarium. This unique piece brings the solar system to life in a 44mm watch, vividly depicting the orbit of planets in their respective paths around the sun.
Undoubtedly, this design draws inspiration from traditional planetariums, and to develop the complex mechanism, the brand enlisted astronomers to ensure the authenticity of the planetary movements. The golden sandstone dial features a rose gold sun at the center, and planets are arranged according to their distance from the sun, including Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
Each planet is made from a different gemstone, and their orbits are faithful to the real-world solar system. The closest planet, Mercury, completes an orbit in 88 days, while the most distant planet, Saturn, takes a 29-year cycle to orbit the sun.
Beyond the planetary movements, the “lucky star” is the most poetic feature of the watch. You can rotate the bezel, using the red triangle marker to set your “lucky day.” Once set, the Earth on the dial will move closer to the “lucky star” each day. On your chosen lucky day, Earth will align perfectly with the star.
With such an astronomical theme, the indication of time takes a backseat. Instead of traditional hour and minute hands, a shooting star moves along a 24-hour scale to show the current time, making it imprecise, yet charmingly poetic. This watch is clearly not meant for precise timekeeping, but rather for enjoying the cosmic spectacle.
Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Planétarium Poetic Complication
Rose gold case, 44mm diameter, golden sandstone dial, 24-hour scale, automatic movement, black alligator leather strap, rose gold folding clasp.
Planet gemstones: Rose gold sun, serpentine Mercury, dark jade Venus, turquoise Earth, red jade Mars, blue agate Jupiter, suji stone Saturn.
