The Maison brings its Poetry of Time exhibition to Hong Kong, revealing the enchanting poetic licence of its watchmaking philosophy, where time transcends measurement with emotion.<o:p></o:p>

Across the five emblematic universes showcased at the 2026&nbsp;Poetry of Time exhibition, Love Stories embodies the heart of the Maison. Born from the 1906 marriage of Alfred VanCleef and Estelle Arpels, this universe captures the nuances of romance that the Maison has celebrated since its initial creations, tapping into synchronised movements to measure the passage of time. <o:p></o:p>
Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux, a hallmark of the Maison, presents a couple to indicate passing hours and minutes as they move towards each other on a bridge, meeting for a kiss at noon and midnight. The latest incarnation, Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate, is a more complex creation in the evolution of this story, set in a Parisian guinguette. It features a translational movement with three joints, allowing the figures to lean in for a kiss with realistic fluidity. To animate this scenography, the Double Retrograde movement enables the figures to travel through an arc and &ldquo;fly back&rdquo; to zero, allowing the story to begin anew.<o:p></o:p>

With Poetic Astronomy, this universe translates the infinite scale of the cosmos into miniature mechanical wonders, inviting contemplation of the stars. Making its Hong Kong debut, the Plan&eacute;tarium Automaton is a 50-cm-tall masterpiece that represents a celestial ballet through masterful watchmaking mechanisms. It showcases the Sun, planets and moons travelling at their actual orbital speeds, replete with a shooting star in rose gold, diamonds and Mystery Set rubies. Planetarium modules are developed to calculate and display real-time astronomical positions.

Poetic Astronomy:  Planétarium Automaton

Poetic Astronomy: Planétarium Automaton

Nature, synonymous with vitality and the metamorphosis of flora and fauna, has been cherished by Van Cleef &amp; Arpels since its foundation. The Enchanted Nature universe transcribes spring in full bloom, the luxuriance of gardens, or the beating of a butterfly&rsquo;s wings, linking it with time&rsquo;s passage in the Maison&rsquo;s watchmaking collections. Inspired by Carl von Linn&eacute;&rsquo;s &ldquo;flower clock,&rdquo; Lady Arpels Heures Florales &nbsp;tells time by the opening and closing of 12 mechanical flowers. The sequence is random each hour, ensuring a unique &ldquo;bouquet&rdquo; every time. Lady Arpels Brise d&rsquo;&Eacute;t&eacute; simulates a summer breeze, and on demand, the enamel flowers sway while butterflies (indicating time) flutter around the dial. Automata and on-demand animation allow the wearer to trigger nature&rsquo;s &ldquo;metamorphosis&rdquo; at will.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

Enchanted Nature: Lady Arpels Heures Florales

As muses of hope and joy, the Ballerinas &amp; Fairies universe hails from Louis Arpels&rsquo; love for dance, beginning as far back as the early 1940s with the first dancer clips and later fairy clips. Serving as the graceful guardians of time, these feminine figures adorn the Maison&rsquo;s watchmaking creations. For Lady F&eacute;erie and Lady F&eacute;erie Or Rose, a fairy sits on a mother-of pearl cloud, indicating the minutes with her magic wand while the hour appears in a &ldquo;jumping hour&rdquo; window. The wings are rendered with a combination of plique-&agrave;-jour (transparent) and grisaille (monochrome) enamel to create depth and light, while key complications: Jumping Hours and Retrograde Minutes, ensure the fairy&rsquo;s wand is always the focal point of the narrative.

Last, the Jewels That Tell Time universe focuses on High Jewellery and jewellery watches as well as secret watches, where the watch is first and foremost a piece of High Jewellery. True objets d&rsquo;art that tell the time, they are epitomised by the Perl&eacute;e, Alhambra, Ludo and Cadenas collections. The Ludo Secret Watches, referencing the 1934 Ludo bracelet, named after Louis Arpels&rsquo; nickname, resemble flexible gold mesh belts until a hidden spring reveals the watch dial. The Maison&rsquo;s iconic golden beads and clover motifs are reflected by Perl&eacute;e and Alhambra, respectively. Swiss quartz movements are used primarily to power these delicate, jewellery focused silhouettes due to their petite sizes.

Jewels That Tell Time: Perlée Extraordinaire Fruits Enchantés Myrtille

Jewels That Tell Time: Perlée Extraordinaire Fruits Enchantés Framboise

Jewels That Tell Time: Sweet Alhambra watch

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Discover Poetry of Time by Van Cleef &amp; Arpels <a href="https://www.vancleefarpels.com/hk/en/the-maison/exhibitions/poetry-of-time-hong-kong.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;</h4>

Poetry of Time: The poetic vision of Van Cleef & Arpels

Tags

Related Articles

Personalities

Interview: Hugues de Pins on Van Cleef & Arpels’ watchmaking philosophy

Watches & Jewellery

Van Cleef & Arpels unveils the Poetry of Time exhibition in Hong Kong

Watches & Jewellery

Poetry of Time: The savoir-faire of Van Cleef & Arpels

Recommended posts for you

Arts, Culture & Lifestyle

Heaven on Earth: Victoria's great escape

Arts, Culture & Lifestyle

Beyond the city lights: Victoria reimagined

Watches & Jewellery