Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Ballerines Musicales (2020)

To reflect the love of ballet, Van Cleef & Arpels recreated the three- dimensional theater stage on the watch.
A diamond-set upper dial, representing a sparkling chandelier and curtains; sculpted, engraved and hand-painted dial section of the draperies reveal ethereal ballerinas in miniature painting.
The mechanical movement not only plays a melody, but also activates the automaton; the music box is made up of a 10-blade keyboard, plucked by pins located on the underside of the rotating disc that presents the visual animation.
The four gongs of the carillon, struck by four hammers, offer additional notes.
The two systems are carefully tuned to ensure perfect pitch for the 20- to 25-second melodies.
18k white gold case in 44.5mm set with diamonds and gems.
The watch case amplifies the combo melody of the carillon and music box, transmitting it through a surface of paved diamonds.
Three versions of the watch Émeraude Rubis and Diamant are available, each playing a different classical music theme: Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 80by Gabriel Fauré (1898), Capriccio for piano and orchestra by Igor Stravinsky (1929) and Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 (1875). Each watch comes with a birchwood and walnut marquetry case, created in partnership with luthiers and acoustics experts, and enriched with an electronic amplifier.
Manual winding movement with on demand musical animation, retrograde time display.
Interchangable straps.
Power reserve is 54 hours.
Priced at 456000€