I’m in Love with the Shape of You
Usually when we think of “shaped watches,” we think of Cartier, more specifically the Crash. But it’s time to expand your mind. There’s so much more to be discovered in the world of eccentric geometry outside of le maison.[1] Watches that make you ponder the psychedelic, the transcendental, the very limits of consciousness. Let’s take a look at just a couple examples.
Falcone
Falcone with day, date, and moon-phase, and enamel dial. Sold at Christie’s for CHF 35k in 2013.
In the 1980s, Dino and Roberto Falcone, father & son watch- and casemakers in Milan (happy Father’s Day!), produced a few odd, asymmetrical watches. Each one seems to be a unique piece from the horological artists, inspired by Dali's Persistence of Memory. All were in white or yellow gold, and all include mechanical movements and enamel dials.
A selection of these delightfully hallucinatory watches was acquired directly from the Falcones by Christie’s in 2013. Auction results ranged from CHF 23,000 (for the time-only watch, first image above), to CHF 50,000 (for the white gold with moonphase, below).
Generally, I think the whole "watches as art" is an overused sentiment (partially used to justify the obscene prices we pay for these minimally-useful bracelets), but it definitely applies to these crazy creations. The Falcones also made a few other watches, so flip through that Christie’s catalog to check them out.
Exaequo Softwatch
Exaequo Softwatch
This is the Exaequo Softwatch, another trippy watch explicitly inspired by Dali. Andrea ‘I Am Casa’ has a great YouTube video digging into the history of these if you want to learn more. The watch was produced for a number of years in the 1980s and 90s — eventually, the company went bankrupt when they started using Dali’s name on the dial without permission.
Paul McCartney even gifted a Softwatch to one of The Beatles’ sound engineers. The watch is engraved “Paul is Live” on the back, a wink to the whole Paul is dead conspiracy from the 1960s. Paul and Linda also wrote a note with the gift:
"Thanks for your help in squashing the old rumour that Paul is dead. Paul is Live with boots on!"
Softwatch gifted to one of The Beatles’ engineers who helped with Sgt Peppers (top 5 album of all time?). Auctioned in 2019.
Nowadays, you might have to pay a thousand dollars or so for a Softwatch. Just a cof ouple years ago, they were a few hundred bucks, but it seems like they’ve been drafting off the popularity of the Crash. Regardless, it might be the most accessible way to get a fun, geometrically quirky watch.
Shape of You
Dali’s ‘Persistence of Memory’ (1931)
This is by no means a comprehensive look at shaped watches.[2] But isn’t it a little sad that these oddly-shaped masterpieces are mostly products of the past? Even Cartier — who was so bold to introduce square (the Santos-Dumont) and rectangular (the Tank) watches (the horror!) — now calls the supremely circular Ballon Bleu its top seller.
But hey, the most popular watch in the world — the Apple Watch, sorry! — is a square, or at least, a squircle. So perhaps the traditional watch industry should follow suit and get a little psychedelic.
Or at least, a little less circular.
I posted both of these watches on Instagram in the last week and people loved them both, which is why I decided to write a ‘sletter about them.
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[1] Pronounced in my best-worst French accent, bien sûr
[2] For comprehensive looks at shaped watches, check out Revolution’s Retrospective on Shape Watches or ACM’s Making the Case for Shaped Watches.