Celebrating 25 years of the fall of the Iron Curtain, RJ-Romain Jerome launches a new and exclusive timepiece in collaboration with The East Side Gallery: the Berlin-DNA. Dedicated to creating timepieces infused with the notions of “Icons and Legends”, this new timepiece translates the euphoria felt in the wake of the reunification of Germany in the shape of a true piece of Art for the wrist.

Following the reunification in 1990, the East Side Gallery brought together 118 artists from around the globe to paint 1.3 km along the east side of the wall. Known as the longest open-air gallery in the world, this historical monument is also one of the most visited in Germany.

Threatened by pollution, vandalism or destruction, RJ-Romain Jerome has committed itself to preserving this historical emblem by contributing proceeds from the sale of the Berlin-DNA timepieces to the East Side Gallery.

"The East Side Gallery embodies both a piece of art and a piece of history. This combination is unprecedented in today’s world. The Wall is a constant reminder of the passion and commitment behind the quest for people’s freedom, and translates the euphoria felt in the wake of the reunification! The images of people literally tearing into the Wall after decades of oppression has marked the minds of millions and has become Legendary. It’s exactly this type of Legend that inspires RJ-Romain Jerome” said Manuel Emch, CEO of RJ-Romain Jerome. “With this partnership, we want to set an example by preserving art and historical vestige."

The Berlin-DNA timepiece is housed in a 46mm black PVD-coated steel case and black ceramic bezel. Taken from above, the grey dial shows a section of Berlin outlining the three-dimensional streets and buildings. The dial is highlighted by the route of the Wall in red with a green Superluminova finish and a blue line recalling the Spree River. The design of the dial was inspired by the fall of the Wall, which occurred after the onset of darkness on the city. Therefore RJ-Romain Jerome has worked the entire dial in Superluminova allowing the streets and open spaces of the city to light up in the dark.

The collaboration with the East Side Gallery has allowed RJ-Romain Jerome to collect fragments of the wall which have been incorporated inside the dial of the timepiece - creating a unique piece of art, perpetuating contemporary history on the wrist.

The back of the watch, which is limited to 25 examples, beholds one of the most famous paintings found on the Wall of the East Side Gallery: “The Brother kiss" of Russian artist Dmitri Vrubel. Inspired by a picture taken in 1979, “The Kiss” illustrates Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and East German President Erich Honnecker, kissing each other after Mr. Brezhnev’s speech during the 30th anniversary of the Deutsche Demokratische Republik.

A print of this famous image lies on each case back. The watch also beholds a beautifully hand crafted black Hornback crocodile strap recalling the darkness of the case.

The Berlin Wall stood as a symbol of dictatorship and separation but is also the symbol of a peaceful struggle for freedom, euphoria and true solidarity. Each lucky owner of a Berlin-DNA timepiece will possess a timeless treasure that transcribes Dmitri Vrubel’s thoughts and emotions during the production of his art in 1990 and is an incredible testament to freedom, hopes and dreams for a more human society.

ABOUT THE EAST SIDE GALLERY BERLIN 

Located at the Mühlenstrasse in Berlin, the East Side Gallery is the longest open air gallery in the world. With an impressive Art exposition of 1,316 meters long, the Wall is composed of 106 large paintings, painted by artists from all over the world. 

Following the reunification of Germany in 1990, many artists spontaneously travelled to Berlin, showing their support by expressing their art and emotions directly on the Wall. 

The East Side Gallery incarnates the euphoria that resounded after the fall of the Iron Curtain on Europe, and the freedom of the people that resulted from this. The East Side Gallery is recognized as a historical monument which led to the peaceful resolution of boundaries and conventions between companies and the people. Over 1,3 million visitors travel each year to discover this historical vestige that still stands twenty years after the reunification.