At the helm of his ready-to-wear brand and Director of Sotheby’s International Realty France - Monaco, Mr. Kraft carries a deep knowledge and a quiet passion for the elegance of a bygone era. 

As a long-standing collector of art, pieces of refinement, classic cars and vintage watches, he commissioned Artisans de Genève to customize his timepiece.

His unique vision: to design a singular timepiece that blends the heritage of the past with contemporary performance.

"It’s the watch that reflects 30 years of collecting." - Alexander Kraft

The first major modification lies in the dial, which has been redesigned. While respecting the two-tone aesthetic of the Paul Newman style, Alexander Kraft wished to give it a patinated appearance, evoking the natural oxidation of materials marked by time or humidity.

A nod to his personal story as well, the "Rusty Dial" shade, a warm caramel orange, draws inspiration from the cognac leather interior of his Ferrari Maranello® and others cars from his collection.

Following specific preparation in our workshops, we decided together to send the dial to the Azores, an island with one of the highest humidity levels in the world. After six months, our client deemed that the patina had developed the perfect hue.

Alexander Kraft aimed to alter the structure of his watch, returning to the standards of the 1960s and 1970s. Originally 40 mm, the case has been reduced to 37 mm. This modification restores the proportions and balance of historical models collectionned by Mr. Kraft. 

To ensure exceptional lightness, both the case and bracelet were machined in Grade 5 titanium. At Mr. Kraft’s request, the finish was crafted to visually match vintage steel, a technological innovation revolutionary and ultra discreet known only to its wearer.

Like the patina that enhances automotive materials, the watch’s copper bezel evolves over time. Crafted in copper to echo the dial, it develops a living patina that reflects its wearer’s personality.