Approximately 20 years ago in now what seems a different life I lived in a trendy area of Manchester called Chorlton Green. This suburb has a similar vibe (on a smaller scale) to Notting Hill in London. Due to its growing desirability, it attracted well-known actors and musicians. For that reason, house prices became very inflated and owners became obsessed with expensive renovations. At this time original features were all the rage and were a prerequisite for many buyers. I vividly remember scouring salvage yards for reclaimed cast iron fireplaces and radiators. Never could I ever have envisaged several decades later I’d be reviewing a watch called the Lotos made from this material.
If you are looking for a bespoke artisanal Swiss-made watch then Angular Momentum is a great starting point. The company is operated by one man called Martin Pauli who is a chief visualiser and craftsman rolled into one. I’ve reviewed several of the brand’s masterpieces including the bronze Polythemos and Ebonite variant. These are from the Freehand collection, which is my personal favourite. Recently I became aware of an extraordinary unique 1/1 piece called the Lotos. This phenomenal watch has a cast iron case measuring 46mm in diameter. However, surprisingly this particular model doesn’t feel excessively heavy and is actually comfortable to wear.
The case of the Lotos has a very distinctive textural appearance unlike any other that I have ever seen. Martin Pauli explained (in meticulous detail) to achieve this industrial aesthetic parts have been rusted slowly with a mixture of vinegar, salt and Hydrogen peroxide. The solution was frequently applied very thinly with a cotton swab and kept in the urushi-murô at high relative humidity. This fastidious process took around 10 days to create an even rusted surface. At this stage, the iron parts were dropped into Hydrochloric acid until all rust particles have been removed to leave a white and pure iron surface. The final stage in the process was to get a layer of black PVD coating applied from a specialist manufacturer.
On the dial of the Lotos is a centrally positioned three-dimensional miniature Lotus flower sculpture. In Eastern religions, symbolises purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth. Another very interesting aspect of this timepiece is the single-hour hand represented by hour hand is the stem of a peony (rendered in “takamaki-e” high-relief urushi lacquer). Other features include spherical polished brass hour indexes and a sapphire crystal lens. Powering the watch is a historical hand-winding movement from Swiss manufacturer Fontainemelon. The Caliber FHF 96 comprises 17 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour.
As a perfect finale, the Lotos is presented on a high-quality leather strap that is lacquered with black urushi.
The recommended retail price of the Lotos is CHF 6,750 (approximately $7,440).
