A new luxury watch is making waves in the world of horology, not for its intricate mechanisms or dazzling gemstones, but for its truly out-of-this-world origins. Crafted by design duo Toledano & Chan, the B/1M watch boasts a case, dial, and lugs all carved from a meteorite that crashed to Earth approximately one million years ago.
The meteorite, known as Muonionalusta, first made its terrestrial debut in 1906 in the Swedish village of Kitkiöjärvi. As then,fragments of this celestial visitor,scattered by the force of its impact,have been discovered across northern Scandinavia. While small pieces of the Muonionalusta meteorite have adorned luxury timepieces before, Toledano & Chan took an unprecedented step by utilizing it for the entirety of the B/1M’s construction.
“You often see meteorite dials; they are not uncommon on watches,” explained Phillip Toledano, one half of the design duo, in a Zoom interview from his New York studio. “But an entire meteorite case, dial, lugs — all that stuff — is very unusual.”
The Brutalist-inspired design of the B/1M watch pays homage to the raw, elemental beauty of the meteorite. Its rugged aesthetic is a testament to the immense forces that shaped both the celestial body and the timepiece itself.This unique creation not only showcases the artistry of Toledano & Chan but also offers a tangible connection to the vastness of space and the ancient history of our planet.
Rare Meteorite fragment finds New Life in Luxury Watch
A fragment of the Muonionalusta meteorite, a celestial body that crashed to Earth in northern Sweden over a million years ago, has been transformed into a unique and luxurious timepiece. The watch,a prototype created by autonomous watchmaker Louis Moinet,is set to be auctioned off this weekend,offering a rare prospect to own a piece of the cosmos. “There are no meteorite trees,so it’s deeply expensive to work with,” explained Jean-Marie Schaller,CEO of Louis Moinet,highlighting the rarity and cost associated with meteorite material. “and the annoying thing… is that while when you work with gold,if you have bits and pieces left over,you can recycle them for other projects,but with meteorite you can’t.” The muonionalusta meteorite, primarily composed of iron, presented unique challenges for the watchmakers. To protect the watch from rust, they applied a special anti-rust coating. However, the material’s distinctive Widmanstätten patterns, multidirectional striations that give it an “otherworldly” appearance, were carefully preserved. “It glitters slightly,” Schaller noted, emphasizing the material’s captivating aesthetic. The prototype watch, estimated to fetch between $8,000 and $16,000 at the Time for Art auction organized by Phillips Watches in New York, is a testament to the ingenuity and artistry of watchmaking. It seamlessly blends the ancient history of the meteorite with modern horological craftsmanship, creating a truly exceptional timepiece. The auction will take place on Saturday. https://timeforart.ch/A unique timepiece crafted from a meteorite fragment is making waves in the world of luxury watches. The watch, a collaboration between independent watchmaker Nicolas Toledano and designer David Chan, features a case made from a slice of the Muonionalusta meteorite, a celestial body that fell to Earth in northern Sweden over a million years ago.
“It’s a material that’s literally out of this world,” Toledano said.”It has a unique history and a beautiful, intricate structure that we wanted to showcase in the watch.”
The Muonionalusta meteorite is known for its distinctive Widmanstätten patterns, a crisscrossing network of iron-nickel crystals formed over millions of years as the meteorite cooled in space. Toledano and Chan paired their concrete-like watch case with a gray ostrich leg strap, offering the design a contrasting organic texture. The pair hopes to put the piece into limited production, though due to the nature of the material, each would have a unique appearance.
“For us, the interesting part (of watchmaking) … is exploring new materials and exploring new forms,” Toledano added.
Two watchmakers, united by a shared passion for Brutalist architecture, have created a timepiece inspired by one of New York City’s most iconic buildings.
Daniel Toledano and Kin Hong Chan, co-founders of the watch brand, met through Instagram and bonded over their admiration for the post-war architectural movement. Their latest creation, the B/1M prototype, draws inspiration from the angular forms of Brutalism, specifically the distinctive windows of the Breuer Building on Madison Avenue.
Designed by modernist architect Marcel Breuer, the 1960s building is renowned for its austere, top-heavy form, punctuated by a series of trapezoidal windows.Originally home to the Whitney Museum of american Art, the building is now owned by auction house Sotheby’s. “We wanted to capture the essence of Brutalism in our design,” said Toledano. “The B/1M’s angular lines and geometric shapes are a direct homage to the Breuer Building’s striking facade.”
the B/1M prototype follows the brand’s earlier steel B/1 model, further cementing their commitment to architectural inspiration in their watchmaking.
The world of luxury watches is constantly evolving, with designers pushing boundaries and reimagining classic forms. One such example is the B/1M watch, a collaboration between renowned artist Daniel Arsham and the innovative watchmakers Toledano & Chan. This timepiece draws inspiration from the iconic Breuer Building in New York City, known for its distinctive asymmetrical windows and minimalist aesthetic.
the B/1M, like its predecessor the B/1, mirrors the Breuer Building’s unique shape, eschewing customary round watch faces for a more architectural design. “The iconic windows informed the asymmetric shape of Toledano & Chan’s design,” explains Arsham. And just as the Breuer Building is largely free from ornamentation, the faces of both the B/1 and the B/1M are void of numbers or symbols.
Addressing concerns about readability, Arsham quips, “If you’re looking at that watch face and you can’t tell the time, you know you’ve got bigger problems.”
The success of the original steel version, which sold out in under an hour at a price point of $4,000, surprised even Arsham. He attributes this to a growing trend in the watch market: a desire for designs that break free from conventional shapes.
“I have noticed, in the last year or so, a real opening of the landscape for watches, in terms of people — and men in particular — being open to differently shaped watches,” Arsham observes.
This appears to be several news articles woven together about unique watches made from meteorite fragments. Here’s a breakdown of what each snippet covers:
**Snippet 1:**
* Focuses on a watch by Toledano & Chan, featuring a Brutalist design inspired by the raw beauty of a meteorite.
* Highlights the rarity adn uniqueness of the material.
**Snippet 2:**
* reports on a prototype watch by Louis Moinet, also crafted from a Muonionalusta meteorite fragment.
* Emphasizes the challenges of working with meteorite material and its high cost.
* Mentions the upcoming auction where this unique piece will be sold.
**Snippet 3:**
* Returns to the Toledano & Chan watch, detailing its design and the distinctive Widmanstätten patterns of the meteorite.
* Quotes Toledano about the watch’s “out of this world” material and their desire for exploration in watchmaking.
**snippet 4:**
* Introduces the watchmakers’ inspiration from Brutalist architecture, using the example of a New York City building.
* Ends abruptly, implying there’s more to the story.
**Overall:**
The text offers glimpses into several interesting stories about luxury watches made using meteorite fragments. It touches on themes:
* **Rarity and Value:** Meteorite material is expensive and hard to come by, making these watches truly unique.
* **Craftsmanship and Innovation:** Watchmakers are pushing boundaries by incorporating unconventional materials like meteorites.
* **History and Romance:** These watches connect wearers to a cosmic past and ancient history.
* **Design Inspiration:** Architectural styles like Brutalism inform the aesthetic choices behind these timepieces.
**Missing Information:**
* The exact model names of the watches.
* More details about the Brutalist-inspired watch and its connection to the NYC building.
* Further information about Toledano & Chan’s plans for limited production.
