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Amber Hour.
When Van Cleef & Arpels isn’t busy setting diamonds into invisible settings or dreaming up fairy tale brooches, it occasionally dabbles in horology—with predictably poetic results. And when the house calls up Gérald Genta, the most prolific watch designer of the 20th century, you get a piece like this: refined, surprising, and entirely its own thing.
This is a rare, 1970s Van Cleef & Arpels wristwatch with a soft-cushion case—neither square nor round, but resting somewhere in the sweet spot. Think of it as a circle that got comfortable in a square's apartment. It measures 28 x 28mm, and wears like a charm on any wrist, unbothered by gender norms.
The dial? Tortoise acetate. Rich amber hues swirl across its surface like stirred espresso crema. No markers, no logos cluttering the view—just that slow-burn texture and a pair of minimalist hands gliding across.
Inside ticks a manual-wound caliber 96 by Ebel (18 jewels). It’s signed on the back by Genta himself—because of course it is—and housed in solid 18K yellow gold with a cabochon-tipped crown, original buckle, and strap all accounted for. Yes, the strap is original. Yes, the gold Van Cleef lettering is still intact. Yes, we were surprised too.
Then there are the lugs—spherical end pieces that look like they were designed with cufflinks in mind. Practical? Debatable. Elegant and delightfully different? Absolutely.
This watch is in excellent condition.
The case shows little wear.
The dial, crystal and hands are mint.
Hallmarks and serial engravings are sharp.
The original leather strap and buckle show little signs of wear.
