The Anywhere Arborea: Krayon’s Latest Addition to the Métiers d’Art Collection

A standout in the flourishing world of independent watchmaking, the Neuchâtel, Switzerland-based Krayon excels in both super complications and artistic craftsmanship. The brand’s founding husband-and-wife duo brings solid engineering expertise to the table – Rémi Maillat is a micro-technique engineer, while Fei is an applied mechanical engineer.

Their first technical marvel, the Everywhere, features a complex sunrise and sunset micro-mechanical “calculator” with an astonishing 595 components and won the 2018 GPHG Innovation Prize.

With their second creation, the Anywhere, they still embraced their intricate sunrise/sunset complication, but Rémi and Fei shifted focus to more artistic pursuits, creating a new movement architecture that allowed the Krayon team to highlight their exceptional skills in decoration and finishing.

Then, in 2021, they introduced the “Métiers d’Art” collection, which showcased stunning dial designs, signaling the start of a whole new era in the brand’s history.

“Métiers d’Art,” which translates as “artistic crafts,” refers to highly specialized skills in fine artistry, including engraving, enameling, and hand-painted miniatures. Thus, Krayon’s first Métiers d’Art masterpiece was a contribution to the 2021 Only Watch Auction inspired by Claude Monet’s Impression, Sunrise.
 

Now, Krayon has unveiled its fourth and latest Métiers d’Art creation: the Anywhere Arborea, a 15-piece limited edition housed in a 39mm platinum case that reinterprets Henri Rousseau’s iconic painting, The Virgin Forest at Sunset.
 

A self-taught French painter, Rousseau’s unique style, characterized by vivid colors, simplified forms, and a childlike sense of wonder, sets him apart from his contemporaries. And The Virgin Forest at Sunset depicts an otherworldly tropical forest bathed in the soft glow of a setting sun, with lush trees and vibrant flowers.

It’s no surprise that The Virgin Forest at Sunset was chosen as the inspiration for Remi and Fei’s latest creation. (Fun Fact: “Arborea” is a derivation of the Latin word arbor, meaning “tree” or “forest.”) The Anywhere Arborea’s dial, composed of 575 meticulously hand-painted color cells, brings Rousseau’s masterpiece to life.
 

The orange sun, pink and yellow flowers, and lush green trees form a realistic yet artistic interpretation of the original painting. Unsurprisingly, to its wearer, the Anywhere Arborea is not just a watch – it is a true work of art.

Derived from the Everywhere series, the Krayon Anywhere displays the sunrise and sunset times corresponding to a predetermined location, typically the owner’s hometown. This information is presented through a disc beside the 24-hour ring.

The white section of the disc represents daylight, while the dark green section with stars represents night. The borders between the two indicate the sunrise and sunset, which shift daily.
 

In summer, daylight hours extend; in winter, they shorten – an intuitive display of nature’s rhythm. Additionally, the timepiece features a sub-dial at 6 o’clock showing the month and date.

Powering the Anywhere is the Calibre C030, an intricate movement with 432 components and a 72-hour power reserve. This calibre allows watchmakers to adjust sunrise and sunset times for any location on Earth.
 

The transparent caseback reveals the screws used to modify latitude, longitude, and time zone settings, perfectly customizing the timepiece to its wearer’s chosen location. Moreover, the design of the movement bridges also carries hidden meanings.

The curves on the bridges are based on the sine functions used in calculating the sunrise and sunset times for Krayon’s Neuchâtel workshop. Moreover, the main bridge, inspired by the contour of nearby Lake Neuchâtel, perfectly mirrors the lake’s shape, as verified through aerial photos – a testament to the creative minds behind the brand.
 

Priced at CHF 178,000, the 39mm platinum-encased Anywhere Arborea is a 15-piece limited edition. However, sadly, most of the pieces are already reserved by existing clients.

Still, all is not lost. The Métiers d’Art collection will undoubtedly continue, and we can only anticipate more breathtaking creations from this trailblazing brand. For more information, check out the Krayon website.