In 2010, Van Cleef & Arpels debuted a watch that would, for many, define the famed jewellery house’s approach to timekeeping. That watch was the Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux, and from a technical perspective, it was a bi-retrograde display with the addition of an on-demand automaton module developed for Van Cleef & Arpels by the legendary Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. This module allowed the two-time indicators to meet in the centre of the dial on demand, with no impact on the autonomy or accuracy of the overall timekeeping.

Of course, if you’ve ever seen Van Cleef & Arpels watches, you’ll know that this dry description of the caliber and its function doesn’t begin to describe what the Pont des Amoureux is all about. More than the time, this watch tells a story. Encapsulated on the dial is a scene from a story — a love story, to be specific. Two figures — ostensibly the hours and minutes indicators — gradually approach each other on a scenic bridge and meet at midnight (and noon) to share a lover’s kiss. It’s become an iconic motif for the brand.

Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate. Image: Revolution ©

Rainer Bernard, Director of Research & Development for the brand, explains how the language of love has long been significant for Van Cleef & Arpels: “Since the beginning of the company, love stories have been visible in what we do. We have a lot of jewellery and high jewellery elements where you can see these sort of stories. When it comes to watches, the Pont des Amoureux may be our most-known love story. From 2010 on, the lovers met at one specific spot in Paris at night, and a few years later, we discovered that they actually met at different spots in Paris and also during that time. We thought it was about time to open a new chapter with the Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate, and we see the lovers this time in a guinguette environment, which is like a street cafe, where there is music and dance. It’s a feel-good environment. So we see the lovers there, with stars in the background to indicate the time. It’s the next chapter for these lovers. We don’t know their future, but we do know that love stories will stay important and be an inspiration for what we do. We will keep it open and will see what the lovers do next.”

So, how does this new scene translate into a watch? From a design point of view, it hews closely to the overall Lady Arpels design — in this instance, a 38mm case with a T-bar lug, all amply set with diamonds. The real magic happens on the dial. On the Pont des Amoureux models, the couple themselves served as time markers, but here, the pair are relieved of such duties, able to focus solely on each other. Instead, there are two golden stars peeking out from behind the dark clouds, realised in grisaille enamel, which mark the hours and the minutes.

Image: Revolution ©

The movement of the lovers is synchronised with the stars, a neat technical achievement that is one of the several innovations Van Cleef & Arpels has patented in this watch. The fact that the lovers are free from telling the time allows them to move on a linear path, dancing in a cobblestone courtyard rendered in white gold. The use of largely untreated gold was a smart design choice on behalf of the brand, adding depth and perspective to the dial, while neatly framing the central drama and preventing the overall dial from becoming too dark. There’s also more animation in the white gold pair. They hold hands and dance further apart or closer together, depending on the time of day — leaning in for a kiss at midnight and at noon, with an impressive degree of automation in such a small case. This slow dance becomes much quicker when you use the on-demand button at eight, which speeds the romantic dance up to a few seconds, thanks to the hidden array of cams behind the dial.

The Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate runs on a new in-house automatic movement with automaton

The back of the case presents a similar scene of the couple on the streets of Paris, featuring enamel decal on sapphire glass and engraving. Image: Revolution ©

The Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate is more than just a charming update to one of the brand’s most iconic watches. It’s a sophisticated expression of their watchmaking approach. For many other brands, this complex movement would be a major talking point — although Van Cleef & Arpels hides it away behind a solid caseback simply because it is not the story they want to tell — it was created in service to the narrative. The Poetry of Time is more than a tagline; it’s a clear statement of intent, and these jaunty lovers dancing in the moonlight are a testament to the success of this unique approach.

Tech Specs: Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Bal des Amoureux Automate

Movement: In-house automatic movement with automaton; 36-hour power reserve
Functions: Retrograde hours and minutes; on-demand animation
Case: 38mm; white gold; diamonds on bezel and solitaire on crown
Dial: Grisaille enamel and white gold
Strap: Blue alligator or diamond-set white gold bracelet
Price: POA