(Image courtesy: Artisans de Genève)
Artisans de Genève, an independent watchmaking workshop known for its bespoke designs, unveiled its latest creation on Tuesday, and Coronet felt it was worth a write-up.
Named “AFRIKA,” the custom timepiece transformed the iconic Rolex GMT-Master II 116710 into a worldtimer with a skeletonized dial and a green ceramic bezel, a design inspired by the Okonjati Wildlife Sanctuary and Africa’s landscapes, according to Artisans.
Rolex doesn't currently have worldtimer complications in its collection, but the brand could do worse than take some of Artisans' inspiration. In 2020, Artisans created a Rolex Submariner 116610 with a crown on the left for tennis legend John McEnroe. Two years later, Rolex released its first “lefty” Rolex available for public sale.
Bespoke-watch services have been controversial and argued in courts on both sides of the Atlantic. But the Supreme Court of Switzerland ruled earlier this year Artisans de Genève was not infringing on Rolex trademark as long as it sold customization services and not customized watches, as reported on Coronet.
Since then, the workshop seems to have been busier than ever, with customization services topping 30,000 francs each. It was just last month it unveiled a skeletonized Daytona with a mirror-polished Murano aventurine dial it had made for a client, the fifth time that client was using Artisans' services.