For several months, one corner of the Casino Square has been under development, and the sound of construction work has accompanied the revving engines of the native supercars. However, the wraps finally came off, revealing one of the latest residential/shopping district in the Principality. One Monte-Carlo sits in a prime location, neighbouring the Hotel de Paris and the prestigious Casino. With such glamourous neighbours, I was excited to discover which new establishments have occupied the new shopping complex, and I was greeted by ART IN TIME.

This art gallery; a vision turned into reality by Co-President of Chopard, Mr Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, is the first in the region solely dedicated to measuring time. The store is minimalistic yet sleek, with large panoramic windows exposing the large pendulum creations by Florian Schlumpf to the streets of Monaco and all the fine timepieces as you get closer to the store. Only after taking a step inside however, do you truly experience the vision and creativity of ART IN TIME. With multiple luxury watch boutiques condensed into Monte-Carlo’s shopping district, the gallery created by Mr Scheufele has diversified from the mainstream market to exhibit rare mechanical creations, available only in small handfuls to avid collectors. 

ART IN TIME has gathered 9 independent houses for its unique concept. Set aside from the more conventional watch ateliers, this selection of watchmakers devote themselves to the innovative renewal of the way time is displayed, ground-breaking movements, and the crafting of unprecedented case designs. It seems only fitting then for such a gallery to arrive in Monaco.

RARE
MECHANICAL CREATIONS

The watches themselves are a collection of the newest but rarest on the market, from brands such as Ferdinand Berthoud, Florian Schlumpf, Greubel Forsey, L.U.C Chopard, MB&F, L’Epée 1839, Urwerk, Ressence and Buben & Zorweg. To have the opportunity to wear some of these watches was an honour, and I felt like a child in a very, very expensive candy shop! Instagram bloggers and those in the collector’s circle alike would agree that this is some serious wrist candy!

INDEPENDENT &
INNOVATIVE BRANDS

With such a finely curated selection of timepieces to choose from, it is hard to pick a favourite. However, the HM9 from MB&F felt at home on my wrist. With an extremely lightweight grade-5 titanium case, the latest Horological Machine from the creative mind of Maximilian Büsser is an instant hit. The HM9 took 3 years of R&D to develop and is unprecedented in design. The Machine features twin balance wheels on each flank, with a central window exposing the gearbox of the watch. Furthermore, a planetary differential that averages the output of both balances provides one stable reading of the time. Available in 2 variations, the HM9 is limited to 33 pieces in each.

HM9 from
MB&F

Another one of my personal favourites is the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike, the first minute repeater from the brand. A unique sound signature is created thanks to the use of sapphire as a generator, the first time ever in a watch. Those with tuned hearing will identify the gongs chiming to two notes: C and F. It is this level of detail and perfection which is echoed throughout ART IN TIME and the 9 brands which occupy the gallery.

Chopard L.U.C
Full Strike

With a vision focussed around independent brands and innovation at its core, it is an environment which will stay classy in the years to come, and I look forward to revisiting Mr Scheufele’s ART IN TIME in the near future.

PARTNERS

Special thanks to ART IN TIME, its founder Mr Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and Mr Yohann Martinez Director of the store, for their warm welcome during the inauguration of the boutique. More information with the following link : www.art-in-time.com

CREDITS