Sometimes you break onto the scene with something so iconic that you get associated with it forever after. And sometimes, you break away from that and do something else instead. Welcome to the Maîtres du Temps Chinese Zodiac Pocketwatch collection.
Maîtres du Temps first broke ground with their collaborative large-scale wristwatches that featured a distinctive set of roller displays. The brand was a team effort, with well-renowned watchmakers brought together by founder Steven Holtzman. The watch was a signature piece, so distinctive that the brand kept with the look even as the team composition shifted.
The large-roller watches have been a success, both as a creative outing, a horological achievement, and as a business venture. The Maîtres du Temps pieces are well-known and well-regarded. And really, the brand could have simply kept going in that vein. But life is change, and Holtzman and his band of merry men knew it. So they kept in motion. They developed a round-case watch, and set the rollers aside. And now, for a whole new leaf, they’ve gone and invested themselves in something that is both something old and something new.
Consider, if you will, a series of pocketwatches, each unique, with designs based on the Chinese Zodiac.
To be honest, even calling the system “The Chinese Zodiac” is a bit, well, off. Like many things cultural, it can only really be understood in context. And also like many things cultural, it’s unique to the culture that created it. The Zodiac was originally invented by the Babylonians, and it divides the year into sections. The Chinese Zodiac, by contrast, is about dividing and grouping much larger sections of time.
But it was this very difference, this schism of perception, that Steven Holtzman wanted to address with the new collection. His vision was to reach beyond — not just beyond limits, or even perceptions, but beyond his own reach. He wanted to combine Chinese perception with Swiss watchmaking. He wanted to blend the two cultures, East and West, Chinese and European. And he wanted to make something more than what he had achieved. He founded Maîtres du Temps, which translates as Masters of Time. But to create a physical embodiment of an entire cultural perception, he would have to push beyond even those lofty levels. He needed to become Maîtres des Arts — Master of Arts. Holtaman said, “Culture is like a bridge, one that connects the disparate elements of a civilization.”
Towards this goal, he solicited the accompaniment of artist Fan Zeng. The project would call upon Fan Zeng’s skills as an artist, but also his vision as a poet, as an author, as a painter indeed, and yes — as a humanitarian.
And the association of animals with those groupings is something that the two systems have in common. And within the Chinese system, each of their divisions has an animal symbol. And it is here, really, that we begin to look at what Maîtres du Temps has done with their newest undertaking.
Maîtres du Temps has asked Fan Zeng to create twelve original paintings. Each of these paintings is associated with one of the twelve signs of the Chinese Zodiac. Each of these paintings will adorn a single unique watch dial made of white onyx. The Fan Zeng paintings will represent the animals associated with the sign, but also the traits of the individuals associated with that sign. For that reason, the paintings on the dials feature not just animals but also human figures. The Zodiac, after all, tells us more about ourselves as people. It is the manifestation of these animal traits in our human personalities that distinguishes each of them — and really, each of us.
The watches themselves are pocket watches, in 46mm red gold cases. The displays on the dial are the simplest possible; just hours and minutes, so as to better feature the paintings. However, on the reverse side through the crystal rear case back, you can see both the power reserve indicator and the watch’s tourbillon movement. Each of the pocket watches has a SHC08 manually wound movement, with a power reserve of 60 hours. The tourbillon rotates at one revolution every minute, and thus serves to mark the seconds. The watch has a back shield that snaps into place to help protect the rear crystal, but there is no complete lid, front or back.
The paintings are exquisite. A 46mm case may seem large in the hand, but it’s not much space to paint in miniature. The delicate work of Fan Zeng is captured on a scale that can, literally, fit in your hand. Yet the pieces seem to have a great deal of detail. The watches are being released in a series; as yet, the only one for which we have seen closeup photos is the watch for the Year of the Goat.
Each of the signs of the Chinese Zodiac has distinctive qualities, embodied in those people born under that sign. Also, there is a complex interaction network, detailing which signs get along best together, and which ones tend towards conflict with each other. The watch dials and their accompanying paintings cannot hope to capture all of that depth within a single image fitting within a watch dial, but there are certainly resonances that Fan Zeng sought to capture.
For example, the Horse sign is said to possess great speed. The painting, therefore, is of the figure Zhong Kui, riding a horse and driving away evildoers. Thus does the painting capture both the human subject, the animal spirit, and the embodiment of one within the other. For example, the Goat represents Beauty; the painting represents a lovely girl tending her goats by Lake Baikal.
He wanted to combine Chinese perception with Swiss watchmaking.
The Monkey is said to represent Friendship. The painting shows monkeys in the forest, making friends with an old man. Joy, Harmony, Loyalty, all these qualities find expression in the Chinese Zodiac. Interestingly, the Rat symbolizes Integrity. Rats in Western culture are generally associated with few if any positive qualities, so it’s nice to see them get some credit here.
Hard Work is also manifested, this time in the Ox. Tigers symbolize Power, and Rabbits represent Prosperity. The Dragon represents Power. An interesting story here: apparently the famous painter Sengyao painted dragons. However, he never painted them with eyes. One time when he did paint one with eyes, the dragon came to life and flew away. It’s tough to say whether this is a commentary on the innate power of dragons, the skill and talent of Sengyao, or the dangers of excessively accurate representation, but I’m willing to bet that was one scared painter.
It is the manifestation of these animal traits in our human personalities that distinguishes each of them – and really, each of us.
Finally, there is the Snake. The Snake represents, of all things, Rhythm. Apparently the rhythm of a snake is something extraordinary — and in truth, they do have a sinuous, hypnotic way about them. So maybe the painter was on to something there. When the watch gets released, we’ll have a better look, so that’s something worth waiting for.
As this unique collection gets released, the watches will no doubt be garnering much attention. And that’s just fine by Maîtres du Temp and Steven Holtzman. Besides, anything that helps us all towards a better understanding of each other is good news. As we come to a better understanding of our fellow human beings through art and culture, we are all the better for it. Thus does an exciting new chapter for Maîtres du Temp carry a lesson for us all. And we still have all that Rhythm to look forward to.
