A Pinked-Out Moritz Grossman Brings Some Kenergy to the Princess Grace Foundation
Art in Time, the independent watch brand superstore in Monaco, is donating a rosy one-of-a-kind Moritz Grossmann to The Princess Grace Foundation. The Moritz Grossmann Date, worth €70,200 ($76,000) is a hot pink version of the model, with a guilloché dial made by the master of that art form, Kari Voutilainen. It’s not the first time Art in Time has commissioned a watch from among its stable of artisanal makers for a local charity. Previously, it has donated pieces by Chopard, Ferdinand Berthoud, Ressence, Urwerk and Bovet 1822, benefiting Red Cross of Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. Donations have ranged from €10,000 to €30,000 ($11,000 to $33,000).
“The brands have been kind enough to accept our invitation to make a unique piece for this purpose, which they probably wouldn’t do if it wasn’t for charity,” says Art in Time managing director Yohann Martinez. As for who will be the lucky buyer of the piece, Martinez comments, “We will select the collector among the few whose interest we will receive. We are first looking for a collector who will wear the watch and not just add it to a large collection. We hope that this watch will often be worn. Then we will look at purchase history in our store or with the brand concerned, but this criteria is not the first to choose the person who will buy it.”
More from Robb Report
The focus of the watch is a date scale that circles the periphery of the dial rather than appearing in a subdial or a window, with a small, bracket-shaped indicator singling out the appropriate date. The idea is to preserve the minimalist design, allowing the guilloché to become the star of the show. In pink – a hot color in men’s watches right now (in limited editions) – showcases the intricate pattern, which radiates out from the small seconds display at six o’clock, where the lines draw closer together. The needle-thin, signature rhombus-shaped hands were crafted and flat polished by hand. The date is adjusted bi-directionally using a separate crown at 10 o’clock. In keeping with Glashütte watchmaking traditions, the movement, caliber 100.3, is highly finished, with an elaborately engraved balance cock and a large (2/3) plate made of German silver with Glashütte ribbing – Germany’s version of Geneva stripes. The screw-heads are heated purple, another Moritz Grossmann signature.
Art in Time is a unique retail concept that is more like a gallery than a typical multi-brand store where each marque is represented by its own colors and design codes. It’s the brainchild of Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, who is also CEO of Ferdinand Berthoud, one of the brands on display at Art in Time. Founded in 2019, it is located in the prestigious commercial/residential development One Monte Carlo in Monaco, near the famed Hotel de Paris. Another boutique is now open in Courchevel. The concept is to showcase niche brands in limited editions in an environment separate from the presence of larger, commercial brands: There are no groups allowed, and there is no individual branding in the store. Everything is displayed in aesthetically coherent showcases, which are visible from the street through floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s a place designed to appeal to (and recruit) discerning collectors, who are incentivized to check in often, since everything on display is limited or one-of-a-kind, and therefore only on temporary display, as if art in a gallery. The inventory is a who’s-who of rare independent fine watchmaking: De Bethune, MB&F, H. Moser & Cie, Urwerk, L’Epee, Sylvain Pinaud, Akrivia, Buben & Zorweg, Reuge, Moritz Grossman, and a selection of Chopard L.U.Cs. It is geared to people who are looking for unique pieces.
The Princess Grace Foundation is a non-profit, publicly-supported charity, which this year celebrates 60 years of providing direct aid for humanitarian initiatives benefiting children and cultural projects targeting students.
Best of Robb Report
Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
