All hands on deck for a good cause

The 2017 edition of Only Watch marks Harry Winston’s sixth year of participation in this altruistic biennial auction, which since it was inaugurated in 2005 has raised over €25 million for research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This year, Harry Winston will be donating a custom Ocean Big Date model from its Project Z Collection, the House’s designated series for some of the most refined mechanical complications in watchmaking, and the use of cutting-edge materials and innovation in design.

Customized for Only Watch

The 42mm white gold case of the Ocean Big Date Only Watch exudes a masculine, sporty aesthetic and displays Harry Winston’s signature excentered hours and minutes with a big date window at 6 o’clock. The yellow accents on the dial and strap allude to the thematic color of the 2017 edition of the Only Watch auction. Furthermore, in order to make the watch incredibly easy to read in the dark, the yellow accents marking the tips of the hour markers, the Harry Winston logo at 12 o’clock and framing the big date window, have been treated with a phosphorescent material that emits a long-lasting blue glow in the dark effect.

A multi-layered deck

The intrepid, highly architectural character of the dial – reminiscent of the steel skeletons, girders, beams and screws that support the interior of New York City’s gravity-defying skyscrapers – is in keeping with the avant-garde spirit of the Project Z collection and pays homage to the city where Harry Winston founded his namesake business.

The contemporary, openwork dial – with its multiple layers – creates a fascinating three-dimensional stage. Set against a background of large radiating Côtes de Genève bridges that fan out around the dial, four matte black structures anchor the hours and minutes disc and the big date window. The iconic shuriken symbol is featured at 6 o’clock, on the hours and minutes counter, while two independent rotating discs bearing the numerals that feature inside the big date window dominate the lower half of the dial.

Complications below deck

Fitted with a sophisticated mechanical automatic movement with twin barrels and a flat silicon balance spring, the Ocean Big Date Only Watch has a sturdy power reserve of 72 hours. Exposed on the front and back of the dial, the movement is beautifully adorned with Côtes de Genève finishes and obtains its energy from the oscillting white gold openwork rotor.

Presented on a sporty black alligator leather and rubber strap with yellow stitching, in honor of the Only Watch event, the open case back is engraved with the inscription “Only Watch 2017 Unique Piece,” a reminder of the noble cause this one- of-a-kind timepiece represents.