CVDK LADY ORION STARDUST STEEL DIAMONDS

Capturing the depth and beauty of a midnight blue sky alive with twinkling stars, the CVDK Lady Orion Stardust Diamond watch by Christiaan van der Klaauw is a captivating proposition. Styled especially for female enthusiasts of Haute Horlogerie, this exquisite timepiece boasts a dial of shimmering aventurine glass, and within its diamond-set steel casing, beats a meticulously finished precision mechanical manual winding calibre.

Inspired by a love of astronomy and horology, in 1974 Christiaan van der Klaauw, established his eponymous atelier, entirely devoted to the creation and manufacture of hand-made astronomical timepieces. An honorary member of the AHCI, his astronomical complications have received acclaim throughout the world. On his retirement in 2009, the company was placed into the safe hands of Daniël and Maria Reintjes, who have continued to develop this prestigious atelier with the focus solely on astronomical watches. Notably the company has been on the official ‘Haute Horlogerie’ White Paper list since 2016, distinguishing CVDK as an independent watch brand that can lay claim to the significant term of ‘Haute Horlogerie’, the ultimate mark of respect within the industry. The CVDK lady Orion Stardust Diamond watch is a superlative edition which is styled for the company’s discerning female clientele.

Flawless in both composition and arrangement, the dial is crafted from a sliver of aventurine glass. Within its lustrous surface it appears to hold a million tiny dancing stars that come alive and sparkle with even the most subtle movement of the wrist. Purposely bereft of numerals to enable a full visual impact of the aventurine, the dial is wonderfully paired back, with gold pins serving to mark the quarter hours, complemented by slender Breguet-style hour and minutes hands. And, in a final signature flourish, a little golden sun motif with 12 distinctive claws crowns the uppermost point of the dial, thus declaring the provenance of the watch, with ‘Klaauw’ meaning ‘claw’ in Dutch.

The watch resides in a polished steel case sized at 32mm across, which despite the technical challenges of setting precious stones into this type of metal, has a bezel beset with an abundance of white diamonds. A delightful onion-style crown graces the waist of the case, while the lugs taper beautifully to embrace the black leather strap.

On turning the piece over, one can view the meticulous Haute Horlogerie refinement of the CVDK2868 automatic winding calibre through the sapphire crystal caseback. Flawless in its execution, it features immaculate finishing and attention to detail, and its architecture is enhanced by the resplendent hand-engraving on the rotor featuring the company’s ‘Sun with 12 Claws’ surrounded by planets and stars. When fully wound, the watch is equipped with a power reserve of 38 hours.

The CVDK Lady Orion Stardust Diamond watch with steel case by Christiaan van der Klaauw comes presented on a black leather strap secured with an engraved folding clasp in stainless steel.