A superbly crafted watch for the collector who appreciates artisanal craftsmanship as well as something that’s a little different to the norm, the Kunstwerk Panda by German independent watchmaker Stefan Kudoke is a piece which is a masterclass in skeletonisation and hand engraving, which are among the most demanding and unforgiving skills for any watchmaker.

Immaculate in its execution and quite beautiful in its three dimensional depiction of the panda, which is captured in a s bi-colour till life portrayal, grazing amid the tall silvery bamboo forest which surrounds it, the Kudoke Panda is a magnificent and individual masterpiece from an emerging talent, who can already boast of a cherished GPHG Petite Aiguille award; one of the watchmaking industry’s highest accolades.

Over the past decade, this talented young watchmaker has built a reputation for his extraordinary skeletonisation techniques, and the elaborately hand engraved dials which have delighted aficionados of this classical and demanding craft. His Panda is another example of his hand crafted mastery, and in every aspect the uncompromising hand finishing and attention to detail is breathtaking throughout.

It is encased in a round 42mm case of stainless steel with sapphire glass above and below, and features tall, flat sided waist with long and elegant lugs, a stepped bezel and a fluted onion style crown. A combination of brushed and polished finishes provide contrast on the surfaces,

Under the sapphire glass, the time is indicated with blued steel hour and minute hands. Behind the engraved bamboo curtain and the panda, which has been finished in two tones of rhodium for the dark and light body parts, the movement’s workings are revealed with the gears and barrel spring visible amid the openworked and skeletonised bridges and plates, which allow light to flood the case making it see through.

The movement itself is a Swiss ETA/Unitas 6498 manual winding mechanism, which has been stripped to its component form before being finished with perlage and engraving and reassembled. Beating at 18’000vib/h it has a minimum of 46 hours of autonomy between winding.

With each piece being meticulously crafted by hand, no two examples of the Kudoke Panda can be identical, so each one is a unique and exclusive watch. A truly remarkable piece, it is presented on a black crocodile leather strap with steel pin buckle, with the option of a folding clasp available upon request.