Exaequo Adds New References to their Lineup of Dali Inspired Melting Watches

It’s hard to overstate the impact that Salvador Dalí—and, by extension, the Surrealist movement—had on popular culture. What might now feel like a strange detour in an art history textbook was, in reality, a radical reimagining of what art could be. Dalí’s obsession with the unconscious, symbolism, and dream logic reframed art as a psychological response to culture, rather than just a mirror of it. In doing so, Surrealism paved the way for the Avant-Garde, Pop Art, and the way we think about art today.

It’s no surprise, then, that Dalí’s legacy continues to ripple through design and (not to be dramatic here) time itself. Brands have long used his vision as a jumping-off point for their own explorations of time and perception, most notably, of course, through reinterpretations of some of Dali’s most famous works, like his 1931 The Persistence of Memory. The Cartier Crash, with its iconic “melting clock” case, is probably the most famous representation of this style; but it is not the only one. In fact, Exaequo has been producing its own version of a melting watch since 1990, with its latest references, the Polyhedron series, debuting at Time to Watches in Geneva earlier this year.

While there will undoubtedly be comparisons between Cartier’s and  Exaequo’s two versions of a wobbly little timepiece, there is a marked difference between the two brands’ approach to the same reference source (not least of all the price). For the Polyhedron,  Exaequo added angularity to its otherwise fluid design with a polygonal case with a total of 62 surfaces across its 55mm x 35mm surface, making it a multifaceted interpretation of the classic model (both figuratively and literally).

Taking nearly two days to craft the 925 sterling silver case, it’s no wonder that the brand has called it a statue in miniature. Undoubtedly,  Exaequo has put an enormous amount of care and attention behind this reference. With three dial variations to choose from and a handmade Italian strap to complete the look, the Polyhedron may at first glance seem to be slightly gimmicky, it is no less an exercise in putting the formless, irrational (in the Freudian sense of the word) ideas of Dali into a concrete, wearable art piece. 

The  Exaequo Polyhedron Melting Watch is available now on the brand’s website with a retail price of 2,250 CHF. Each dial color is limited to 101 pieces. Exaequo