Sometimes we come across projects or brands initiated by unique characters. Christophe Schaefer is one of those people. He is the founder of Schaefer & Companions, which releases special watches in very limited quantities. These timepieces result from Schaefer using his brand as a platform to celebrate human creativity. He does so by collaborating with artists from around the globe to create unique handcrafted dials. Schaefer gives the artists creative freedom on a similar canvas to develop a concept executed through enameling, marquetry, engraving, and micro-painting. For the newest project, Schaefer collaborated with Spanish micro-painting artist André Martinez. The result is the Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro Painting.
Reading about Schaefer & Companions is one thing, but meeting the founder is something else. We had the pleasure of meeting Christophe Schaefer a few weeks ago, and he gave us a preview of the new Solune Antarctica Micro Painting. It’s great to talk to Schaefer and hear how passionate he is about his brand. His enthusiasm is infectious and makes one excited to see the watches he works on with artists from all over the world. For his latest releases, he collaborated with Barcelona-born artist André Martinez to bring to life an abstract vision of the icy landscapes and polar waters of the Antarctic. In the past, Martinez worked for Bovet and Van Cleef & Arpels, so he is used to working on a small canvas.
The details of the Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro Painting
Let’s start at the beginning by explaining the canvas for Martinez’s art. The Schaefer & Companions Antarctica collection is a series of watches inspired by the continent’s majestic solitude and beauty. The different timepieces that make up the series all convey the feeling of Antarctica by depicting its frozen vastness, silent isolation, and resilience. As Schaefer explains, the dials reflect the human soul and our connection to the vast, icy landscapes of Antarctica.
Whereas the artists are responsible for the dials, Schaefer himself designs the watches that serve as the canvas. For this Solune Antarctica Micro-Painting, it’s the brand’s signature 43 × 49.3 × 11.4mm case. This case features a 12-pointed bezel that emulates the Sun and sharp, angular lugs that make the large watches surprisingly comfortable. Alongside the regular stainless steel version, Schaefer also offers a gray ion-plated (IP) case, which is the version we had the chance to check out. It offers a nice, darker backdrop that puts the dial in the spotlight.
The details of the special hand-painted dial
If you zoom in, you will see that the hour markers sit on the rehaut, with each hour corresponding to a different phase of the Moon. It’s a fun detail that adds to the watch’s storytelling. But the big story, of course, is the handcrafted dial. It’s the work of André Martinez, who paints it with the help of a microscope. It’s an intriguingly wonderful craft that leads to remarkable results. This was not Martinez’s first time working with Schaefer & Companions. For the previously released Solune Médaillon Antarctica Engraving, he painted the rotor.
This time, Martinez was asked to capture the fragile beauty and silent immensity of Antarctic waters, as Schaefer put it. He worked on a black base dial, applying ultra-fine strokes with great precision in white and blue. The organic pattern displays a vibrant mix of colors that represent the shifting hues of the icy landscapes and the polar waters. The dial feels wonderfully alive if you see it up close. What I love about it is that it has an abstract quality from afar, and only when you zoom in do you see the hand-painted art in all its detail.
The customized ETA 2982-A2
Hovering over the dial are razor-sharp hour and minute hands, making reading the time easy thanks to the mix of brushed and polished finishes. A fun detail is that there is no seconds hand. But if you look closer, you’ll see the little seven-point star on the pinion rotating if the caliber is running. It’s another fun detail of a special collaborative effort. Speaking of the movement, if you turn the watch around, it reveals itself.
The caliber is the familiar 21-jewel ETA 2982-A2, which operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a 50-hour power reserve. Schaefer uses the Top Grade version, with an average accuracy of ±7 seconds per day. The finishing is neat and includes perlage and blue screws that enhance the visual brilliance. Also, the customized sun-shaped rotor stays beautifully on brand.
Wearing the Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro-Painting
On the wrist, the Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro-Painting is something special. I cannot deny that it’s a big watch with a design that will split opinions. But the size is easy to explain, as Schaefer wants the different artists to have a nice canvas to work with. The angular presence comes with its story and is an acquired taste. In all honesty, when I first saw the combination of the size and the sharp lines, I wasn’t sure how much I would like the watch. But as always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Once on the wrist, the watch is really comfortable. The large case size sits nicely thanks to the downward-sloping lugs. On top of that, the 11.4mm thickness makes it far from thick or chunky. Immediately, then, I was in for a nice surprise. Another good thing was the ion-plated case. The dark gray tones down the case’s presence and softens the sharp bezel, ensuring the dial takes center stage, and I love that.
Final thoughts on the Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro-Painting
When it comes to the dial, I was impressed. I love it when a hand-painted dial has an abstract quality that invites interpretation. One glance at André Martinez’s dial, and that’s exactly what you get. The combination of lines and swirls tells a nice story. However, even if that story doesn’t resonate with you, it is still a beautifully crafted dial. I was super impressed by how detailed all the different lines are. From the broader strokes to the razor-thin white lines, it perfectly shows how much time and effort went into creating this little work of art.
That effect becomes even more pronounced when you view the dial through a loupe, and all the individual strokes become visible. It makes me deeply respect what Schaefer and his collaborators do with their timepieces. Whether it is enameling, marquetry, engraving, or micro-painting, it’s all about the bigger idea and the artisanship of bringing it to life. Consequently, this is very different than wearing a regular, mass-produced timepiece. Christophe Schaefer is very aware of this, which is why he releases his watches in very small production runs.
A total of eight Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro-Painting models will be available on the brand’s official website for CHF 3,250 each. I hope and expect all of them to sell out. It’s always wonderful to talk to people like Christophe Schaefer and see how much passion they put into their brands and the timepieces they create. That deserves not only recognition but also the longevity to create more great releases.
Jorg Weppelink
2026-04-21 07:30:00