Cempasúchil II
On the occasion of Mexico’s SIAR watch show, De Bethune presents the “Cempasúchil II”, a new one-of-a-kind creation in its Maestri’art collection.
Twin sides! Two dials, two faces, two identities... Hovering between life and death, with a touch of naughty humour, just like the joyous and colourful Mexican Dia de Muertos celebration!
For Mexico, De Bethune is once again having fun in celebrating the Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos). Denis Flageollet makes no secret of the fact that since the release of the Kind-of-Two in 2020, he has revelled in surprising people with the multiple possibilities afforded by such a double-sided watch and is looking forward to receiving collectors’ requests for one-of-a-kind timepieces in order to play with these countless options!
To kick off this future festival of made-to-order Kind-of-Two watches, what more fun could Denis Flageollet have than getting down to work with his long-time accomplice – Swiss Art engraver Michèle Rothen – in order to demonstrate the watch's full potential. Midway between engraving and micro-sculpture, Michèle's engraving surpasses all existing standards. Her infinitely accurate work is backed by Swiss artistic talent recognised as among the very best.
A joyful and naughty depiction of death
For the "Cempasúchil II" reflecting a hint of mischief (and a touch of naughtiness!), they have jointly revived the characters featured in the DW5 Cempasúchil (presented in Mexico in 2020), this time by choosing the double-sided Kind-of-Two watch.
Its first dial is transformed into a dance floor for two Calaveras, indicating the hours and minutes. On the other side of the watch, a dedicated decor (usually hidden behind a secret cover) features a naughty depiction of our two Calaveras 'in action'. Beneath a show of laughing ossuaries worthy of La Catrina, an array of cams, levers and are set into motion and bring the two characters to life as a surprising and fun treat for amused observers. Animated on demand by a highly complex mechanism (like a small automaton) by means of a button at 12 o'clock, the merry scene conveys a sense of gaiety and mischief... An even closer look reveals a little humorous touch from the two designers as it’s the "girl" taking the lead in this traditional Kamasutra position.
The entire engraving work on both dial sides is a nod to the brilliant Mexican engraver José Guadalupe Posada, an artist who made the dead dance in the late 19th century and already inspired Denis Flageollet and Michèle Rothen in 2020 when designing the DW5 Cempasúchil. With this new creation, they have once again picked the aesthetic codes and details of the work down by Posada, who has gained lasting renown for his genius in turning macabre art on its head and aligning it with the singular way Mexicans joyfully celebrate their dear departed. The titanium casing has been flame-blued and engraved with subtle gold inlays to bring light and a discreetly precious touch.
This one-of-a-kind creation thus perfectly demonstrates the versatile nature of the Kind-of-Two, which offers clients the possibility of ordering bespoke versions with their very own automaton mechanism, giving free rein to their imagination. This provides scope for all kinds of animations, including non-erotic ones, as well as different movement configurations. The beauty of this double-sided artwork thus reflects both mechanical and aesthetic perfection.