KRAYON ANYWHERE MAGNOLIA CAPTURES THE FLEETING BEAUTY OF SPRING

The changing seasons have long provided a source of inspiration for watchmakers, particularly in the way daylight shifts throughout the year. For Krayon, this relationship between time and nature takes on a more personal expression with the Anywhere Magnolia, a new Métiers d’Art interpretation of its signature sunrise and sunset complication.

Presented in a 39mm platinum case, the watch features a black onyx dial adorned with hand-painted magnolia petals. Its inspiration comes from a tree growing directly opposite Krayon's manufacture in Neuchâtel, where the arrival of spring brings a brief display of flowers before their petals begin to fall.

The composition captures this passing moment through miniature painting, incorporating the petals into the mechanism that tracks the changing duration of daylight throughout the year.

At 13 Rue de l’Evole in Neuchâtel, a magnolia tree stands opposite the Krayon Manufacture. Each year, around the beginning of April, its branches bloom for several weeks before the flowers begin to fall, often following the arrival of spring rain.

Viewed from the Manufacture's reception room, the magnolia blossoms appear against the blue waters of Lake Neuchâtel. Some remain attached to the branches, while others settle on the ground below. The scene changes over a matter of days as the tree gradually sheds its flowers.

This annual occurrence provides the inspiration for the Anywhere Magnolia. Working with an experienced miniature painter from the Neuchâtel region, Krayon has translated the scene onto a black onyx dial, preserving the appearance of petals suspended in their descent.

Each dial is painted individually, with subtle differences in the placement and arrangement of the petals. The resulting compositions capture slightly different moments from the same seasonal scene. A closer inspection reveals another detail within the artwork. Three painted petals come together to form the letter 'Y', a discreet reference to Krayon's distinctive logo.

The Anywhere Magnolia retains the astronomical complication developed by Rémi Maillat, allowing the wearer to follow the times of sunrise and sunset at a personally selected geographical location.

First introduced as the second watchmaking creation from Krayon, the Anywhere builds upon the principles established by its predecessor, Everywhere. While Everywhere was designed to calculate sunrise and sunset times for locations around the globe through its mechanical architecture, Anywhere focuses on a specific location chosen by its owner. This geographical setting is adjusted by a watchmaker, allowing the mechanism to display the corresponding solar cycle throughout the year.

For the Magnolia, this complication receives a new visual interpretation.

The sunrise and sunset indications are represented by two magnolia petals painted onto moving discs. Positioned on the left, an upward-facing petal marks sunrise, while a downward-facing petal on the right indicates sunset. Their positions can be read against the 24-hour scale on the outer flange of the dial.

As the months progress, the petals move to reflect the seasonal changes in sunrise and sunset times. The sector between the two indications represents the duration of daylight, expanding and contracting as the length of the day changes. A separate sun-shaped indicator travels around the 24-hour display, showing the progression of the day and the amount of daylight remaining before sunset.

At 6 o'clock, the calendar displays the date and month, accompanied by the geographical information associated with the selected location. Additional painted magnolia petals surround this indication, extending the composition across the dial. The arrangement gives the miniature artwork a functional role within the watch. The changing positions of the two petals communicate the daily solar cycle, allowing the astronomical indications to become part of the painted scene.

Beneath the onyx dial sits Krayon's manually wound calibre C030, a movement developed around the mechanical calculation of sunrise and sunset times.

Comprising 432 components and 55 jewels, the movement measures 35.40mm in diameter and 5.00mm in thickness. It operates at a frequency of 3Hz and provides a power reserve of 72 hours.

Its patented functional architecture accommodates the mechanisms responsible for tracking the changing duration of daylight according to the selected location. The movement also drives the central hours and minutes, the 24-hour indication, and the calendar displays.

The technical complexity of the C030 is contained within a platinum case measuring 39mm in diameter and 9.5mm in thickness. Water resistance is rated to 30 metres, while a hand-stitched black alligator strap and matching PT950 platinum pin buckle complete the watch.

These proportions allow the hand-painted dial and the astronomical indications to remain the primary focus, with the mechanism operating beneath the changing composition.

Founded in Neuchâtel by engineers Rémi Maillat and Fei Hou, Krayon has progressively incorporated traditional decorative crafts into its approach to mechanical watchmaking. The Anywhere Magnolia returns to miniature painting, this time drawing its subject from the immediate surroundings of the Manufacture.

Through the movement of its sunrise and sunset indicators, the painted petals assume a role beyond decoration. Their changing positions reflect the progression of the seasons, connecting an annual event in Neuchâtel to the astronomical cycle measured by the watch. It is an approach that brings Krayon's mechanical and artistic interests together through a subject closely associated with its place of origin.