Hodinkee
Introducing: Arsène Lippens Patches Up Dials With The Artigiano “Sashiko Denim”
What We Know For all the conversations about what to do when a dial is damaged, possibly fit for restoration, or a watch needs some repair, I don't recall many examples of watches with dials that come pre-repaired. That's essentially what Arsène Lippens has launched: a watch inspired by the Japanese craft of Sashiko, which artfully patches and repairs textiles (largely denim) to extend their lives and turn them into something beautiful. In collaboration with Pey van der Wel, a Dutch artist who runs SASHIKODENIM, the brand's new limited edition of 10 pieces is the second in its "Threads of Time" series celebrating textile crafts. The watch is a relatively straightforward release as an entire package: a 37.5mm by 9.9mm 316L stainless steel case housing a manually wound Sellita SW210-1b movement with a 48-hour power reserve. The case is water-resistant to 50 meters, with a solid caseback and a box dome anti-reflective crystal on the front side. The thickness largely comes from the depth required for the dial, which is the star of the show. The dial is made of denim, with 12 individual hour markers hand-stitched one thread wide through the dial, with a cross-hatch at 3, 6, 9, and 12. Of course, none of these dials are the same, and you could argue that some, including the one shown here, might not be perfectly aligned to the hour marker. But so be it. The watch celebrates a centuries-old handcraft and its beautifully imperfect nature. Of course, the watch comes with a denim s...
