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Lot Essay
A Unique Piece Where Time, Micro-Painting and the Tree of Life Tell a Story of Transmission
Neuchâtel, September 2026
There are timepieces created to measure time. Others are created to give time meaning. For the 2026 Watches for ELA charity auction, Kerbedanz unveils a unique interpretation of its 65’27” collection, bringing together independent Haute Horlogerie, contemporary micromechanics and one of the most intimate expressions of the Métiers d’Art: painting by hand.
Created as a unique piece, this exceptional 65’27” in titanium was conceived specifically for the occasion and developed in collaboration with artist Gezim Meta, whose mastery of hyperrealism, micro-painting and enamelling brings an entirely new artistic dimension to the architecture of the timepiece. More than a unique configuration, this creation is a meditation on time, craftsmanship, life and transmission.
The Art of Making Time Visible
The philosophy of the Kerbedanz 65’27” begins with a deceptively simple idea. A rotating hour disc and a minute hand move independently across the dial. Once every 65 minutes and 27 seconds, the two enter into perfect alignment with the diamond hour marker. For one fleeting instant, everything coincides. The mechanical choreography reaches its moment of absolute harmony before continuing its course.
It lasts only a moment. And then it disappears. This unusual display transforms the reading of time into an experience of anticipation. Time is no longer simply indicated. It becomes something to observe, to wait for and, ultimately, to feel.
For this 2026 Watches for ELA edition, Kerbedanz sought to take this philosophy one step further by transforming the hour disc itself into a canvas.
The creation of this unique piece demanded a level of patience entirely consistent with the philosophy of both Kerbedanz and the artist Gezim Meta. The micro-painting of the rotating hour disc alone required approximately 24 hours of meticulous work, while the Tree of Life adorning the oscillating mass demanded a further 36 hours. Approximately six additional hours of firing were necessary across the two components to fix and reveal the depth of the colours. In total, no fewer than 66 hours of artistic work and firing were devoted solely to these two miniature compositions.
The front and reverse of the 65’27” Tree of Life Unique Piece are therefore conceived as two chapters of the same narrative. On the dial side, geometric micro-painting interacts with the passage of time and the mechanical choreography of the 65’27” display. On the reverse, the Tree of Life speaks of origin, continuity and transmission.
This 65’27” could only have been created through the encounter between Kerbedanz, Gezim Meta, Watches for ELA and Christie’s at this particular moment in time. It brings together titanium engineering, micro-painting, independent Haute Horlogerie, symbolism and philanthropy within a single creation. Every 65 minutes and 27 seconds, its indications return to perfect alignment. For one brief instant, everything meets. Mechanics and art. Precision and emotion. The hand of the watchmaker and the hand of the artist. Roots and branches. Time received and time given.
For its future owner, acquiring this unique piece is therefore about more than adding another rare timepiece to a collection. It is the opportunity to become the custodian of an object created only once, while allowing a shared passion for watchmaking to contribute to something greater than the object itself. The Tree of Life reminds us that time is not only something we measure. It is something we inherit, something we live, and something we transmit. And perhaps, ultimately, that is the true meaning of this creation: a timepiece created to measure time, dedicated to making that time matter.
Kerbedanz
Founded in Neuchâtel in 2011 by Aram Petrosyan and Kalust Zorik, Kerbedanz is an independent Swiss Haute Horlogerie Maison whose creations bring together mechanical architecture, artistic craftsmanship, symbolism and highly personal storytelling. Renowned for its bespoke creations and unconventional approach to mechanical watchmaking, the Maison combines traditional métiers d’art with technical ambition to create timepieces conceived not simply as instruments, but as objects carrying meaning and emotion.
Kerbedanz is also recognised for having created the largest tourbillon ever integrated into a wristwatch, reflecting the Maison’s taste for mechanical audacity and its determination to explore watchmaking beyond convention. With the 65’27”, Kerbedanz expresses another side of this philosophy: quieter, more intimate and more poetic, yet equally uncompromising in its execution.
Gezim Meta
From the age of three, Gezim Meta displayed an instinctive passion for drawing. After studies in law and experiences in cinema and music, he returned to painting in 2014, developing a distinctive hyperrealistic style defined by precision, patience and extraordinary attention to detail.
His artistic journey has led him to create works for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Philipp Plein and Ferrari, while his fascination with unconventional materials has resulted in portraits executed in charcoal for Thierry Stern, red wine for Jean-Claude Biver, and coffee for Niki Lauda and Kimi Räikkönen.
In 2019, Meta discovered Grand Feu enamelling, further developing his expertise in miniature painting, cloisonné and champlevé. Since 2023, he has been part of Geneva-based Mu-Tech, where he continues to refine his knowledge of traditional métiers d’art while pursuing independent creations and developing his own artistic vision.
Neuchâtel, September 2026
There are timepieces created to measure time. Others are created to give time meaning. For the 2026 Watches for ELA charity auction, Kerbedanz unveils a unique interpretation of its 65’27” collection, bringing together independent Haute Horlogerie, contemporary micromechanics and one of the most intimate expressions of the Métiers d’Art: painting by hand.
Created as a unique piece, this exceptional 65’27” in titanium was conceived specifically for the occasion and developed in collaboration with artist Gezim Meta, whose mastery of hyperrealism, micro-painting and enamelling brings an entirely new artistic dimension to the architecture of the timepiece. More than a unique configuration, this creation is a meditation on time, craftsmanship, life and transmission.
The Art of Making Time Visible
The philosophy of the Kerbedanz 65’27” begins with a deceptively simple idea. A rotating hour disc and a minute hand move independently across the dial. Once every 65 minutes and 27 seconds, the two enter into perfect alignment with the diamond hour marker. For one fleeting instant, everything coincides. The mechanical choreography reaches its moment of absolute harmony before continuing its course.
It lasts only a moment. And then it disappears. This unusual display transforms the reading of time into an experience of anticipation. Time is no longer simply indicated. It becomes something to observe, to wait for and, ultimately, to feel.
For this 2026 Watches for ELA edition, Kerbedanz sought to take this philosophy one step further by transforming the hour disc itself into a canvas.
The creation of this unique piece demanded a level of patience entirely consistent with the philosophy of both Kerbedanz and the artist Gezim Meta. The micro-painting of the rotating hour disc alone required approximately 24 hours of meticulous work, while the Tree of Life adorning the oscillating mass demanded a further 36 hours. Approximately six additional hours of firing were necessary across the two components to fix and reveal the depth of the colours. In total, no fewer than 66 hours of artistic work and firing were devoted solely to these two miniature compositions.
The front and reverse of the 65’27” Tree of Life Unique Piece are therefore conceived as two chapters of the same narrative. On the dial side, geometric micro-painting interacts with the passage of time and the mechanical choreography of the 65’27” display. On the reverse, the Tree of Life speaks of origin, continuity and transmission.
This 65’27” could only have been created through the encounter between Kerbedanz, Gezim Meta, Watches for ELA and Christie’s at this particular moment in time. It brings together titanium engineering, micro-painting, independent Haute Horlogerie, symbolism and philanthropy within a single creation. Every 65 minutes and 27 seconds, its indications return to perfect alignment. For one brief instant, everything meets. Mechanics and art. Precision and emotion. The hand of the watchmaker and the hand of the artist. Roots and branches. Time received and time given.
For its future owner, acquiring this unique piece is therefore about more than adding another rare timepiece to a collection. It is the opportunity to become the custodian of an object created only once, while allowing a shared passion for watchmaking to contribute to something greater than the object itself. The Tree of Life reminds us that time is not only something we measure. It is something we inherit, something we live, and something we transmit. And perhaps, ultimately, that is the true meaning of this creation: a timepiece created to measure time, dedicated to making that time matter.
Kerbedanz
Founded in Neuchâtel in 2011 by Aram Petrosyan and Kalust Zorik, Kerbedanz is an independent Swiss Haute Horlogerie Maison whose creations bring together mechanical architecture, artistic craftsmanship, symbolism and highly personal storytelling. Renowned for its bespoke creations and unconventional approach to mechanical watchmaking, the Maison combines traditional métiers d’art with technical ambition to create timepieces conceived not simply as instruments, but as objects carrying meaning and emotion.
Kerbedanz is also recognised for having created the largest tourbillon ever integrated into a wristwatch, reflecting the Maison’s taste for mechanical audacity and its determination to explore watchmaking beyond convention. With the 65’27”, Kerbedanz expresses another side of this philosophy: quieter, more intimate and more poetic, yet equally uncompromising in its execution.
Gezim Meta
From the age of three, Gezim Meta displayed an instinctive passion for drawing. After studies in law and experiences in cinema and music, he returned to painting in 2014, developing a distinctive hyperrealistic style defined by precision, patience and extraordinary attention to detail.
His artistic journey has led him to create works for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Philipp Plein and Ferrari, while his fascination with unconventional materials has resulted in portraits executed in charcoal for Thierry Stern, red wine for Jean-Claude Biver, and coffee for Niki Lauda and Kimi Räikkönen.
In 2019, Meta discovered Grand Feu enamelling, further developing his expertise in miniature painting, cloisonné and champlevé. Since 2023, he has been part of Geneva-based Mu-Tech, where he continues to refine his knowledge of traditional métiers d’art while pursuing independent creations and developing his own artistic vision.