Bangkok--28 Nov--Francom Asia
There are some materials whose striking simplicity represents a rich source of inspiration
for craftsmen. One of these is straw. Used in miniature marquetry, it adorns the dial ofthe Arceau watch with an iconic motif in bright colours.
Straw is an extraordinary material: a long, smooth rye stem, from which the usable partshave been patiently selected. The plant, which is a variety cultivated on a single farm, isdelicately scythed by hand and then dyed through. Successive baths followed by dryingreveal brilliant and profound colours with subtle highlights.
Combining the colours, shades and direction of the fibres of each strand, the craftsmanpatterns the straw marquetry that will constitute the dial of the watch. With infiniteprecision, he cuts each piece and assembles them one by one in an unimaginably smallspace, reproducing the tricks of perspective that characterise the H Cube motif — designed,like the Arceau watch, by Henri d’Origny.
This geometric view, emphasised by a white gold case featuring a diameter of 41 mm and
asymmetrical attachments, is powered by an H1837 Manufacture movement that can beseen through the sapphire crystal case back.