Santiago Calatrava “inspired by the idea of ​​time” for the Gübelin clock

The Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava designed a platinum watch called Ipsomatic for the Swiss jeweler and watchmaker Gübelin.

The watch, the architect’s first watch, has an organically curved, 39 millimeter thick platinum case.

According to Calatrava, his design was influenced by the history of the Lucerne company and the concept of time.

“Working with a company with such a long tradition, which has been run by the same family for many generations, was both a joy and a challenge for me: finding an offer that expresses the high quality of Gübelin over time,” said Calatrava.

“I was inspired by the idea of ​​time,” he continued.

“Time exists because there is change, change means movement, the eternal essence of time is the dynamic component of its form.”

The watch case has a curved shape reminiscent of Calatrava’s architecture, which includes the transportation hub at New York’s World Trade Center, the Turning Torso Tower in Malmö and the Milwaukee Art Museum.

The watch is named Ipsomatic after a series of Gübelin models from the 1950s and 1960s.

Like these watches, the modern version is powered by a Felsa movement.

It has a matte silver dial with a silver 12, maker and hands. An original drawing of a pair of bulls by Calatrava is engraved on the back of the watch.

The watch was released in a limited edition of 170 pieces to mark the 170th anniversary of the Gübelin company.

Calatrava is the latest architect to turn his attention to watch design. Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect Eduardo Souto de Moura recently designed a clock for LeBond, while fellow Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando designed a serpentine clock for Bulgari.

We recently rounded up six clocks designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architects.