Boutique German watchmaker GRIEB & BENZINGER has once again created a watch dedicated to the Middle East. Originally commissioned by an Arabian collector, the Polaris Al Arab Imperial impresses with its hand-crafted two-part gold and black dial, a true work of art perfectly showcasing the small manufactory’s expertise in hand-crafting highly exclusive timepieces, traditionally, and exceptionally, designed.
The Polaris Al Arab Imperial’s eye catching and distinctive ‘8 style’ dial features in many GRIEB & BENZINGER models and is focused on its hour and minute display at 12 o’clock, in this case, graced with elegant Eastern Arabic numerals, and as always, balanced by the small second indication at 6 o’clock.
The rose gold base dial is beautifully hand-guillochéd, and shines with a white Breguet frosted finish, a rare technique hardly in use today.
The mechanical movement powering the watch was modified in-house of course, stripped back to bare essentials and reworked with traditional methods and historic machines and tools. Skeletonization, guilloché and engraving of these painstakingly restored movements are completed by hand.
Skeletonization is perfectly representative of the Polaris collection, and in fact all GRIEB & BENZINGER watches; skeletonization is after all, in the brand’s DNA.
The Polaris Al Arab Imperial 43mm diameter case is made of solid 18K white gold (or solid PT950 Platinum on request) and a screwed-in bezel set with 66 black princess cut diamonds. It has a hand-made black alligator strap with golden brown stitching and a white gold buckle.
