Joyfully colourful, and abundant in exuberance, the Celebration Skull watch by Fiona Krüger blurs the lines between artistic expression and Haute Horlogerie. Featuring a contemporary rendering of the skull motif, which has been used by watchmakers for centuries to evoke time and mortality, the model combines the theme with the aesthetic spirit of the Mexican Día de los Muertos festival, creating a timepiece which is an emotive statement of the brevity of life and its intimate relationships with time itself. Not limited to the significant craftsmanship involved in its manufacture, the timepiece offers a technical aspect, with a glimpse of its self-winding mechanical movement visible through its métiers d’art dial, and a more thorough appreciation enabled via a sapphire window in its caseback. This  Celebration Skull model is part of an exclusive series of which just 24 pieces will be made. 

Capturing the imaginative spirit of their creator, Fiona Krüger watches are expressive statements of the artist’s philosophy of life and her well considered approach to design. With a background in Fine Art and Product Design, followed by a Masters of Advance Studies in Design for the Luxury Industry at ECAL in Switzerland, Fiona established her eponymous company in 2013. Having collaborated with some of the most prestigious names in the watch industry, her timepieces are indicative of her eye for detail and her knowledge of mechanical horology, and her evolving portfolio of exclusive timepieces blend the two disciplines harmoniously, resulting in an extraordinary collection defined by originality. 

Offering a fresh perspective on the skull genre, the model carries the motif throughout the architecture of its styling giving it a powerful presence on the wrist. Presented in a case of polished stainless steel, it is sized at 41.3mm diameter with a length of 57.4mm, and its skull-shaped profile is immediately arresting. Although the case carries generous proportions, the lugs are tucked within the caseback ensuring an ergonomic wear, even for the smaller wrist. 

Exhibiting stunning depth and beauty, the handcrafted dial comprises of 3 layers, and is hand-painted with seven specially selected coloured lacquers, each chosen for its particular relevance to the Día de los Muertos festival. Beginning with a hand-polished brass base plate upon which hand-painted lacquers have been applied, followed by a layer of shot-blasted, rhodium-treated brass with further hand-painting with lacquer, the dial has a final layer of hand-finished brass which is both hand-painted and also beautifully decorated with perlage, giving added drama around the mouth of the skull, where the framed date window appears at the centre of its forehead. And, bringing a sense of animation to the facade, the balance and the mainspring of the movement are visible through the open sectors in the skull’s eyes. By daylight it is ornately exquisite, yet boldly vivid. After dark, the outline of superluminova around the skull transforms it into an otherworldly spectacle. Finishing the dial, the shapely blued steel hands, also hand-crafted are a final flourish. 

Adhering to the design dialogue of the watch, the Swiss TT738 self winding movement is revealed through an opening shaped like the rear of a human cranium. Through the sapphire window, one can admire the customised oscillating mass which is openworked, engraved and hand-painted with lacquer. 

An expressive piece for the discerning client who demands uniqueness, the Celebration Skull watch by Fiona Krüger is presented with two interchangeable hand-stitched leather straps.