After releasing a whole lot of exquisite timepieces, Angular Momentum are now back on the market with a stunning new series, with Urushi lacquered dials. For initiates, Urushi is closely knit to Japanese culture, referring to two different types of Japanese artworks: printing styles involving regular ink to resemble the blackness, thickness and tri-dimensional impression of black lacquer, and paintings, crafted using real lacquer.
Actually, the guys from Angular Momentum have a quite strong history, having crafted a load of medallions and dials based on Urushi styles and using traditional techniques. The series comprises a set of different timepieces, all of them presenting themselves as intriguing and elegant.
For example, the Negoro Takamaki sports the high relief Takamaki dial, crafted from 20 layers black and red Urushi, imitating guilloche. In addition, it comes decked in the fabled Negoro Nuri – a Japanese printing technique. The most interesting part is a sparrow, engraved and polished in Takamaki style, until it got as closest as possible to perfection. Another proof of elegance is the steel case, which comes engraved with sapphire crystal. This particular watch had reportedly taken 59 days to come to life.
Another nice timepiece is the Kuro Takamaki, with its 20 layers of black Urushi, guilloche – they make up the dial. There’s also a pair of blossoms and sparrows, every one of them being finely polished. Similarly to the previous, this one comes with a sapphire crystal embellished steel case. Overall, it took its crafters 63 days to be finished.
The third sports a Tsugaru Nuri dial, crafted from gold leaf, alongside ground and polished inlays, and transparent lacquer. There’s also a strong tri-dimensional effect due to the sapphire crystals on the straybrite case. This piece only took 29 days to make.
The fourth of the set boasts a Tsuiko Nuri dial – carved lacquer – made of 25 layers of red lacquer. The further engraving and polishing was done using foliage patterns. It too features a straybrite case with sapphire crystal additions. Quite an eye-catcher, it took 34 days of crafting time.
The company became famous for its exquisite hand-manufacturing styles. It started off as an independent manufacturer in Bern and overpassed the watershed movement that came out in 2004, when the whole watch industry has known a strong downfall. This was possible because of the company’s independence towards suppliers.
They’ve begun crafting handmade Urushi timepieces in 2006 and have been manufacturing watches based on the same technique for years now, upon command.
[BornRich]
