Ulysse Nardin unveiled an erotic watch. What is that?

Beautifully engraved on the dial is this scene: in the foreground, in a Louis XIV-esque salon, stand a couple in their nightclothes. The man has pulled open a curtain to reveal not just the time, but another couple caught in the act (hence the term, voyeur).

Many consider this limited-edition watch, of which 18 pieces have been handcrafted, to be audacious. But for several adventurous collectors, it is an exclusive work of mechanics, art and eroticism. The watch chimes —  seductively low for the hours and higher for the minutes. The 42-mm case is delicately crafted in 18-carat pink gold or platinum.

Ulysse Nardin has a long-standing tradition of erotic watchmaking, as do several other watchmakers. In fact, erotic watches are luxury horology’s best-kept secret. Part of several watch-making cultures since the 17th century, most watchmakers chose to hide the figures from sight, behind a hinged cover or a sliding aperture.

But Classic Voyeur has brought the matter out there in the open. The four figures are exquisitely sculpted in gold. The engraved anthracite dial, which depicts the finer details such as tiles, floor and velvet curtains, are in shades of grey.

The watch is available in three versions: rose gold ($295,000), platinum ($325,000), and another platinum version set with 3.5 carats of baguette diamonds on bezel ($373,000).

Watches with a hint of erotica have been around since the 17th century, when risqué scenes made a discreet appearance on the back cover of pocket watches in the form of engravings. Some watchmakers repurposed the minute-repeater movement and Jacquemarts to play out the scenes, but again at the back of the watch.

Somewhere at the end of 19th century, the tradition went into decline, only to be revived by Blancpain in the 1980s.

Since then, luxury watch brands such as Chopard and Audemars Piguet have manufactured erotic watches, but with engravings at the back. They were sold through discrete channels, at auctions and exhibitions.

It took a Ulysse Nardin to put it out there, on the dial, and then launch it at SIHH. Ulysse Nardin’s CEO Patrick Pruniaux has said that these playful timepieces enjoy patronage from a very niche market, but offer watchmakers a chance to innovate.

For those interested, there are other tastefully produced watches with a hint of erotica out there. Richard Mille’s whimsical RM 69 Erotic Tourbillon, made in a limited edition of 30 pieces, sells for a jaw-dropping $750,000 and has a play of sensual phrases on the dial, instead of figures.

Ulysse Nardin has another watch with sensual elements: Hourstriker Erotica Jarretie’re with Jacquemarts featuring a miniature painting of Venice on the dial with a pair of lovers sculpted in gold on the upper portion. Just 28 pieces were ever made, each costing $99,000.

Geneva-based Svend Andersen, an independent watchmaker with his own brand, Andersen Geneve, is famous for high-end erotic automaton watches he crafts. The Andersen Eros watch retails for about $60,000. It has a lavish lacquer dial. Turn it over and you will see a complicated erotic automaton, a love scene.

Reuge Music, a company that specialises in handcrafted music boxes and automaton, has a new edition of pocket watches that are inspired by the game of polo. On the dial side is a striking varnish-painted scene portraying a woman waiting for her lover to finish the match. The reverse side of the pocket watch features a gold half-hunter case which – when opened – reveals an erotic scene of the player and the woman engaged in a tender moment at the stable.

Exquisitely crafted, each of these watches is considered collector’s gold and sell in the auction markets at almost three times their original price.

Deepali Nandwani is a journalist who keeps a close watch on the world of luxury.