SimplyAbuDhabi XLIX

Midnight Heure d’ici & Heure d’ailleurs Travel has long inspired some of watchmaking’s most practical complications, yet Van Cleef &Arpels approaches the dual time display with its own unmistakable sense of refinement. The Midnight Heure d’ici & Heure d’ailleurs balances technical sophistication with elegant restraint, offering an intuitive way to follow two time zones while remaining true to the Maison’s poetic design language. Housed within a 38 mm rose gold Midnight case, the watch pairs polished and satin-brushed finishes with a richly textured dial in embossed enamel. Warm brown tones shift subtly as they catch the light, while a radiating guilloché pattern, inspired by one of the Maison’s signature piqué motifs, adds depth and movement. Delicate asymmetry gives the composition a contemporary feel, echoed by the flowing script of the watch’s name across the dial, a distinctive detail that reflects Van Cleef &Arpels’ appreciation for beauty in even the smallest design elements. Beneath this understated exterior lies an entirely redeveloped automatic movement with a 65-hour power reserve. Jumping hours and retrograde minutes work in harmony with a second time zone display, allowing local time and home time to advance simultaneously through an ingenious system of synchronised discs and sector gears. As the retrograde minute hand reaches the end of its arc, it sweeps elegantly back to its starting position while the hour display advances instantly, marking the beginning of a new hour with quiet precision. Designed with everyday ease in mind, a single crown controls winding, time-setting, and adjustment of both time zones. Turn the watch over and another thoughtful detail awaits: an engraved moon illuminated by the rays of a guilloché sun, a discreet reminder that, wherever the journey leads, Van Cleef &Arpels never loses sight of the poetry that lies behind every passing hour. 212 | Simply Abu Dhabi