The Manufacture Royale ADN Street Art collection taps into contemporary artistic expression, in both uniqueness and technical innovation, while paying homage to its roots. Each ADN Street Art timepiece is one of a kind, a result and inherent property of its decorative design process—water transfer printing—a medium from which infinite custom designs are possible.
The Manufacture Royale ADN Street Art is a fascinating watchmaking creation, imposing its style through established identity codes. The dynamic forms, three-dimensional architecture, and strength of design highlight the avant-garde spirit of the Manufacture. Its sculptural aesthetic is animated by a perfect mechanism, the MR10—Manufacture Royale’s tenth calibre—reinterpreting the art of ‘skeleton’ movements, complete with a one-minute flying tourbillon on silicone ball bearings, in a resolutely contemporary vision.
Voltaire, the philosopher who founded Manufacture Royale in 1770, expressed his ideas in many forms including books, essays and plays for public consumption. Today, we can share our thoughts in immeasurable digital channels or even in public spaces in the form of street art, an artistic means of expressing our inner voice on a variety of canvasses. As Voltaire said, “Writing is the painting of the voice.” As paper gives way to digital communication, concrete replaces stretched canvas as a vehicle for ideas, adorned with spray paint, 3-D chalk, yarn and projection. Far from the dusty notebooks of our childhood, street art is a new form of expression for today’s lively and creative artists. For its latest collection, Manufacture Royale finds inspiration in today’s street art. The ADN Street Art collection masterfully plays with a concept found in Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary: “a chaos of clear ideas.” This phrase illustrates the notion of a visually “clear” method of telling time offset by the “chaos” of individualized creative artistic expression.
one-minute flying tourbillon
With the launch of the ADN Street Art, Manufacture Royale carries the banner for personal expression. Stripped bare, the skeleton of the movement has become the canvas for whatever a client envisions—their very own exclusive design—accompanied by the constant beat of its mechanical pulse, regulated by a one-minute flying tourbillon. Made up of several overlapping squares, each superimposed printed frame becomes one with the composition, reflecting the rhythm of the tourbillon. Using the technique of water transfer printing, a water soluble film with a printed motif is placed on the water’s surface in a vat. Then, an activator is added, dissolving the film that the motif is printed on, leaving only the ink on the surface of the water. After the movement components have been placed in the water, the ink wraps around them and adheres. Once removed from the vat, the components are rinsed and rhodium plated. The resulting unique water transfer printed components artfully highlight the skeleton movement’s architecture and define each one-of-a-kind timepiece.
Seated in the ADN (DNA in French) case, which combines elements of Manufacture Royale’s first two collections—the Opera and Androgyne—whose makeup is decidedly steampunk, each unique movement is perfectly framed. By incorporating this figurative genetic code, Manufacture Royale celebrates its heritage, while forging a more rounded and softened modern creation. Its mobile lugs pivot on the case formed by two lateral stretcher pieces enclosing the middle, whose round bezel is held by 12 screws. Despite its 46 mm diameter, this technical construction with no fewer than 67 components and studied for optimal ergonomics fits comfortably on the wrist. The Manufacture Royale ADN Street Art watch is offered on a flexible rubber or leather strap with stainless steel or stainless steel-DLC folding buckle, ensuring wearing comfort and security. Each piece is unique.
Technical specifications
Reference: ADNA46.01P01.ST Movement: Calibre MR10 • Type Manually wound mechanical • Dimensions Diameter: 36 mm • Jewels 15 • Power reserve 108 hours • Frequency 3Hz, 21,600 vibrations per hour • Plate and bridges Entirely decorated by hand Tourbillon: Flying tourbillon, one rotation per minute, on ceramic ball bearings Functions: Hours and minutes Case: Material Stainless steel • Dimensions: Diameter: 46 mm / Thickness: 11.72 mm • Crystal: Double-sided anti-reflective sapphire • Crown: MR logo, sanded caseback, hand-polished surface Caseback: With crystal sapphire • Water resistance 3 ATM Strap: Material Alligator, hand-sewn or rubber • Buckle Folding buckle in stainless steel Series: Piece Unique MSRP in USD: $73,500.00
