Premier Precious Weaving Automatic 36mm A rare technique from Japan

With its four artistic crafts creations, the Premier Precious Weaving Automatic 36mm is the fruit of a rare Japanese weaving technique in which threads of gold are woven with slivers of natural mother-of-pearl to create a unique tapestry of shimmering beauty. Derived from the ancestral Japanese technique of Raden - involving the application of shells onto the surface of wood or lacquered objects - this particular decorative art uses silk thread and wafer-thin slivers of natural mother-of-pearl to weave a supple fabric that scintillates with a light of its own.

A year and a half of creative reflection and development were invested in the project which marks the first time this technique of weaving silk with mother-of-pearl has been used to create a miniature canvas for a timepiece. The beauty of combining organic material from the sea (mother-of-pearl) and the land (silkworms), woven together on a miniature handloom to create a tapestry that will not fade over time, adds a timeless quality to the collection.

The perfect showcase for a work of art

As the first timepiece collection developed by the House of Harry Winston in 1989, the Premier was designed to capture iconic codes intimately associated with the brand. As devotees of the brand well know, the distinctive diamond-set lugs that attach the case to the bracelet of the Premier Collection timepieces reference the stately facade of Harry Winston’s flagship boutique on Fifth Avenue and frame either end of the round dial.

Masterpieces of textile art

The Premier Precious Weaving Automatic 36mm is composed of four distinctive creations, two revealed in rose gold and two in white gold, presented on elegant black satin straps, complemented with a flourish of 57 brilliant-cut diamonds on the case. The ardillon buckle is also set with 17 brilliant-cut diamonds for a total weight of 2.47 carats.

The first creation in a rose gold case features a Chrysanthemum flower on the dial, the symbol of the Japanese Imperial family. Associated with the power to prolong people’s lives, the Chrysanthemum on this timepiece comes alive with alternating petals of white and darker tones of mother-of-pearl interwoven with silk thread to create a miniature fabric decor for the dial. The natural iridescence of the mother-of-pearl changes constantly according to the light.

The second interpretation presented in a white gold case displays a bold abstract motif created from interwoven mother-of-pearl, silk and gold leaves allowing the dial to shimmer like the fabric of an haute couture evening gown.

Inspired by an antique Koi fish motif, the third version in a rose gold case features golden, overlapping scales sewn together with silk, gold thread and slices of mother-of- pearl.

The fourth timepiece of the cluster, presented in a white gold case features the same fish scale motif but by using greenish and darker hues of mother-of-pearl in the weave, the effect is dazzling. Looking at this dial is almost like looking down from a New York skyscraper at the lights of Broadway on a rainy night, a model that captures the New York soul of Harry Winston to perfection.

A movement of artistry

The Premier Precious Weaving Automatic 36mm is powered by a high-end mechanical automatic movement with beautiful hand-finishing which can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back. Equipped with the latest technology in the form of a flat silicon balance spring, this movement is destined to keep impeccable time on a par with the everlasting beauty of the dial.