TimeForArt is a biennial wristwatch auction where watchmakers are invited to create unique piece watches to raise money in support of the Swiss Institute – a non-profit contemporary art institution in New York. The money raised by the auction allows the Swiss Institute to continue offering art exhibitions, public programs, education, and community engagement workshops for free. This year’s auction has 26 participating brands and will take place on 5th December as part of the Phillips New York Watch Auction XV.
The full list of participating brands includes: Alto, Anoma, Atelier Wen, Baltic, Bremont, Bvlgari, Chanel, Chopard, Czapek x Guillaume Dénervaud, Dennison, Felipe Pikullik, Gerald Charles x Igor Mitoraj, Hermès, Jaquet Droz x Académie de Meuron, L’Epée 1839, LEBOND, Louis Erard x Monica Bonvicini, Maurice de Mauriac x Carlton Dewoody, Maurice Lacroix x Ficus Interfaith, MING x Jason Anderson, Perrelet x The Dial Artist, Simon Brette x Anita Porchet, Toledano & Chan, UNIMATIC, Universal Genève x Tamara de Lempicka Estate, ZENITH | USM
Let’s take a look.
Alto – ART01 “Bull’s Eye”
The Alto introduced the notion of a stone dial version of their ART01 model in 2025 with the launch of a limited edition featuring a falcon’s eye stone dial. For their TimeForArt unique piece they’ve revisited the concept with bull’s eye stone. Like tiger’s eye or falcon’s eye, it’s a striated stone that shifts between multiple shade – where tiger’s eye is gold-brown, bull’s eye is red brown. Shaping it into the distinctive shape of the ART01 dial is the primary challenge.
Anoma – A2 TimeForArt 2026
For TimeForArt, Anoma will be revealing the A2, their second major model to sit alongside the current A1. Ahead of the auction they haven’t shown a complete picture of the watch, maintaining the suspense. According to their description, it’s a wearable sculpture inspired by the Möbius strip. That’s the three-dimensional shape with only one continuous edge, representing infinity.
Atelier Wen – Ancestra 百石 (Bǎishí)
Atelier Wen has spotted the current popularity of hardstone dials in the watch collecting zeitgeist and posed the question, why should watch dials be limited to one type of stone? The Ancestra 百石 (Bǎishí) combines six different stones into a marquetry style composition that includes tiger’s eye, brown jasper, white jasper, cream moonstone, green jasper and bloodstone. It houses the Atelier Wen Calibre W11.20 by Pequignet with 65-hour power reserve.
Baltic – Stepgraph Tantalum Prototype “Art of the earth”
Baltic are offering the prototype of an unreleased collection for their TimeForArt offering. The prototype is called the Stepgraph after the distinctive layering of its case with contrasting flat and curved surfaces. It’s also made from tantalum, the heavyweight metal with a darker natural lustre than steel. As for what’s on the dial, no one knows at the moment. Inside is the Sellita SW510-M.
Bremont – Terra Nova 35mm Jumping Hour Montres à Guichet Blue Night Frosted 904L Steel
There’s not much more that you need to be told about the Breguet Terra Nova 35mm Jumping Hour Montres à Guichet Blue Night Frosted 904L Steel that isn’t already in its name. It’s a unique piece based on their distinctive jump hour collection featuring a frosted finish across its blue surface. As part of the frosted series, it has a clear display without a compass rose symbol in the centre of the display.
Bulgari –Serpenti Seduttori Automatic – Time for Art – Limited Edition
This unique piece haute joaillerie watch from Bulgari features the Serpenti’s signature snake-shaped case and a natural marble dial. It’s specifically a type of Italian marble called Verde Alpi for its Alpine origins and green colour. It’s made from yellow gold with a scaled bracelet and 36 round brilliant-cut diamonds set into the bezel.
Chanel – Monsieur
Chanel’s unique piece Monsieur is made from black ceramic measuring 42mm in diameter with a malachite dial. The hour and minute dial sits off-centre towards 12 o’clock while the flying tourbillon takes pride of place at 6 o’clock with a lion head motif on the tourbillon cage. It’s powered by the calibre 5.1 with 72-hour power reserve.
Chopard – Alpine Eagle 41 XP TimeForArt 2026 Edition 3
Chopard has been a core part of the TimeForArt lineup since the auction event began in 2022, which is why their 2026 offering is called Edition 3 as it’s the third time the auction has been run. It features a hand-engraved bas-relief dial depicting an eagle in flight. The composition of the image focusses on the eagle’s wing and tail feathers. The detail is breathtakingly precise. It’s housed in a 41mm Lucent steel case with the L.U.C 96.17-L movement.
Czapek x Guillaume Dénervaud – Antarctique Artists & Artisans – TimeForArt 2026
For their TimeForArt unique piece, Czapek have teamed up with Swiss artist Guillaume Dénervaud. The dial is made from mother-of-pearl with a hand-painted design by Dénervaud whose work is inspired by the concept of post-apocalyptic environments with almost alien flora and fauna. It’s housed in a 40.5mm Antarctique case made from stainless steel along with the calibre SXH5.
Dennison – ALD Dual Time “Oblong” Unique Piece
The ALD Dual Time became one of Dennison’s signature creations following the relaunch of the brand, rotating their signature oblong case and incorporating a double movement system to display two time zones at once. For the TimeForArt Unique Piece, they’ve introduced a new layer to the watch’s geometry with asymmetrical pieces of malachite and lapis lazuli paired with brushed steel plates.
Felipe Pikullik – FPA1 TFA (TimeForArt) Skeleton
The FPA1 TFA (TimeForArt) Skeleton presents a skeletonised view of the FPA1 movement, the first calibre to be developed entirely within the brand’s atelier in Berlin. The inner workings of the calibre are revealed beneath a vibrant blue framework that presents the hour scale above the oscillating balance at 6 o’clock. Across the top of the display a pointer date function shows your progress through the current month.
Gerald Charles x Igor Mitoraj – Maestro GC39 Mitoraj
Igor Mitoraj (1944-2014) was a Polish artist whose works explored the concepts of identity and humanity through large scale sculptures of fragmented bodies. Gerald Charles, whose own lineage comes from the sculptural designs of the founder Gerald Genta, were inspired by his work for TimeForArt. The Maestro GC39 Mitoraj is a unique version of the Grand Maestro Jumping Hour with a face based on Mitoraj’s Luci di Nara sculpture on its display.
Hermès – Arceau Faubourg Party
Hermès love to find different, imaginative ways to present their flagship boutique on the Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris on the dials of their watches. In 2024 they created the Slim d’Hermès Flagship [LINK TO: https://oracleoftime.com/hermes-slim-dhermes-flagship-watch/] and now for TimeForArt 2026 they’ve created the unique piece Arceau Faubourg Party. It depicts the building in the throes of a discotheque where parts of the building itself become speaker and disco ball. The attendees are rendered in pixel art style by illustrator Tibor Karpati.
Jaquet Droz x Académie de Meuron – Les Volumes du Temps
The Académie de Meuron is a school of the visual arts in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and for Jaquet Droz’s unique piece for the TimeForArt auction they’ve teamed up together to produce an artistic interpretation of their Jump Hour watch. The conical design of the dial was created by student Fiona Djukanovic and is produced in a combination of Grand Feu and Champlevé enamel in blue over a white gold base.
L’Epée 1839 x ECAL – Regatta Unique Piece
L’Epée 1839 is not a wristwatch brand, instead producing extraordinary horological artefacts and clocks. The Regatta is inspired by a ‘racing shell’ the technical name for a racing rowing boat. It’s specifically based on the type of rowing called sculling, with the hour and minute hands in place of the two oars used by the rower. This unique piece edition was visually redesigned by Floriano Castaldi.
Lebond – Attraction x TimeForArt
The Lebond Attraction is a watch dedicated to the works of architect Antoni Gaudi – this unique piece interpretation, the dial has been redesigned in a new minimalist interpretation. It features a black base with a blue seconds hand and a white railway minute track. This minimalism allows the focus to be the shape of the 38mm titanium case, which is informed by the forms of Gaudi’s work, as is the onion crown.
Louis Erard x Monica Bonvicini – “Not For You” TimeForArt Unique Edition
The Louis Erard x Monica Bonvicini – “Not For You” TimeForArt Unique Edition is meant to be a paradox based on the works of the German-Italian artist. The phrase “Not For You” on the dial is presented in mirror polish, reflecting the wearer’s image, set against a backdrop of Clous de Paris. It at once tells you that the subject of the work is not for you but in doing so addresses you directly.
Maurice de Mauriac x Carlton Dewoody – TimeForArt Rallymaster
Maurice de Mauriac’s Rallymaster is one of the few examples in watchmaking where ‘Rally’ doesn’t pertain to motorsport but instead tennis. Its dial features a net motif while a vertical line from 12 to 6 o’clock denotes the service boxes. This unique piece version is dedicated to the chalk used to create the lines with its white cerakote case and white leather bund strap.
Maurice Lacroix x Ficus Interfaith – 1975 MASTER Skeleton “Pearl Buoy”
The dial of this unique piece Maurice Lacroix 1975 MASTER Skeleton is produced by the New York-based art duo Ficus Interfaith. It’s made with a technique called terrazzo, where various materials are added to a cement or resin binder and turned into tiles. For Pearl Buoy, actual pearls are floated in resin and then sliced into 1mm disks once the resin is set. The translucent nature or resin means you can see glimpses of the calibre ML234 below.
Ming x Jason Anderson 37.JA Prototype Set
Similar to the Baltic above, Ming’s offering for the TimeForArt auction takes the form of the prototypes of a future production model. The artworks of British artist Jason Anderson are recreated in exacting detail by using digital imagery to resize them down to dial proportions on Japanese paper, which is then applied to a metal base. A limited edition run of the watches will be launched following the auction.
Perrelet x The Dial Artist – LAB PERIPHERAL
Perrelet teamed up with The Dial Artist (aka Chris Alexander [LINK TO: https://oracleoftime.com/the-dial-artist-at-hands-on-horology/]) for their 2024 unique piece for TimeForArt and in 2026 they wanted to continue that relationship. Together they have produced the LAB PERIPHERAL, transforming the grooves of the dial into a riot of colour. It reminds me of seaside towns and sticks of rock. It’s produced in steel with a 42mm diameter and Perrelet calibre P-411 inside.
Simone Brette x Anita Porchet
Details about Simon Brette and Anita Porchet’s collaboration watch are thin on the ground with detail set to be announce in the run up to the auction. What we do know is that it will be a 39mm case in platinum with an enamel dial created by Porchet. It will present Brette’s usual precision of engraving in the form of enamel.
Toledano & Chan – Oshinobi
The Japanese Oshinobi refers to someone of high status putting on a disguise in order to move around the world without constantly being recognised. Toledano & Chan have taken that concept and transformed it into a wristwatch that at first glance looks like a brutalist bracelet, but which hides a secret, snow-set diamond dial and watch face. It seems almost fruitless to give the proportions of the watch because of how flawlessly it’s integrated into the bracelet, although the official dimensions are 21.6 x 46.9 x 10.9 mm.
Unimatic – Modello 5 Super Slim TFA26
Unimatic’s Modello 5 Super Slim TFA26 features a 0.6mm thick dial made from silver with 24 karat inlays across small horizontal-cut engravings. It creates a very distinctive pattern like the bark of a tree oozing golden sap. It’s housed in a 36mm case and powered by the Ronda 1013 movement. It’s also the introduction of the Modello 5 Super Slim model to the world stage.
Universal Genève x Tamara de Lempicka Estate – Cabriolet De Lempicka
Universal Genève had their official relaunch as a high end watch brand earlier this year, making this the first chance they’ve had to create a watch for TimeForArt. They’ve teamed up with miniaturist Isabelle Villa to create a micro-painting of the “Portrait d’Ira P.” by Tamara de Lempicka. It’s presented on the caseback of the reversible 18k rose gold case.
Zenith – DEFY Chronograph USM – TimeForArt Unique Piece
Last year Zenith created a full limited edition collection with Swiss furniture brand USM and they’re teaming up again for this year’s TimeForArt Unique Piece. USM are known for their modular designs and bright colours, which is represented here through the orange, green and yellow chronograph subdials as well as the blue chronograph seconds complication. It’s powered by the hi-beat El Primero 400 calibre.
More details at TimeForArt.
