Thursday, August 14, 2008

The Bold and the Beautiful: Luxury Watches by Alain Silberstein



20 years ago, in Besançon an architect by trade, started crafting colorful mechanical watches. This was prior to the mechanical watch come back, and mechanical watches were thought to be hiccuping their way to the finish line. Tiny independent watch company's were few and far between. In a small factory Alain Silberstein ,originally from Paris, spent an entire year designing his first watch, a chronograph He tried to rent a small space in Basel in 85 and then in 86, but there was no space. Finally in 87, he managed to rent a stand the size of a closet, bringing three of his unique watches. The second day of the show, a Japanese man, came to the stand. He loved the watches and placed an order. Alan Silberstein was open for business. Alain Silbersteins' watches are full of living. The watches are exquisitely crafted in bold primary 'toy box' colors: red, blue and yellow. He prides his company with excellent innovation, quality, and service. The latter of which is very difficult to receive in the huge market place of today. Alain Silberstein has incorporated his visions of culture, and nature into his watches. He crafts the watches for the customers. some of whom become collecters of his watches, just like one may collect art, because undeniably Alain Silberstein's watches are art.
The watches all have a clear back, so that one may view the inner mechanical workings of the watch. The watch movements have been crafted to compliment the exterior vivaciousness of the watch
Many of Alain Silberstein's watches have a nature motive, as he has a passion for the wilderness. A love for the earth's untouched wilderness, as well as the different cultures. When Alain Silberstein is not designing watches; he is out leading boy scouts. Many of Alain Silberstein's watches utilize the alligator skin for the case as well as the strap. In this watch it gives an earthy feel.

Alain Silberstein has made a special line of watches to commemorate the Chinese Year of the Rat. In Chinese culture, the rat is a symbol of tremendous charm and attraction. To be born in the year of the Rat, is considered great fortune. In the Year of the dragon, Alain Silberstein went to great lengths to learn about the symbolic meaning of the dragon, and then used an enameling technique to fuse the five fingered dragon- a symbol of the Emperor in Imperial China - to the watch.

Alain Silbersteins watches are highly recognizable with unique fun style crafted with serious watch making skills.