The Bold New Burgundy Dial of the Christiaan Van der Klaauw Ariadne

Dutch watchmaker Christiaan van der Klaauw started producing astronomical complications in 1974 and earned worldwide acclaim following his creation, in 1999, of the smallest mechanical planetarium in the world with real-time orbits of the planets in the confined dimensions of a wristwatch. Ten years later, in 2009, Christiaan van der Klaauw handed over the reins to Dutch designer and close friend Daniël Reintjes and in 2022, master watchmaker Pim Koeslag (ex-Frederique Constant) acquired a majority stake in CVDK and, thankfully, has retained the focus on astronomical watches. The first watch to emerge from the atelier led by Koeslag was the Ariadne, a revamped take on an existing model with a chronograph and complete calendar complemented by a moon phase display. First released with revisited silver, grey and navy blue dials and turquoise and salmon limited editions for Dutch retailer Reijersen, Monochrome got a sneak peek at the new version of the classic Ariadne with a richly coloured and textured burgundy dial.

As we mentioned, the Ariadne is not a new watch, and its classic combination of a chronograph and complete calendar has been interpreted over the years with fairly traditional silver dials, some with the former CVDK logo featuring a bird’s claw in the sub-dial at 3 o’clock (klaauw in Dutch means claw). Although it retains the layout and movement of the first editions, the revamped Ariadne flaunts bolder, more contemporary colours. Packed with information relating to the chronograph, the complete calendar and the moon phases, the symmetrical layout of the four sub-dials and the use of different textures assist legibility no end and give the watch a refreshed, more modern face.

As in the past, the date is indicated on the periphery with an elegant red pointer hand. The day of the week and month are featured in two rectangular apertures at noon, with a peripheral ring indicating the 30-minute elapsed times of the chronograph. The 24-hour day/night indicator is at 9 o’clock inside the small seconds sub-dial. The phases of the moon are relayed inside the sub-dial at 6 o’clock, housing the 12-hour chronograph counter. Once again, the fourth sub-dial at 3 o’clock is dedicated to the brand’s “Sun with 12 claws” logo in relief.

The new dial colour is hard to pin down. In some lights, it looks like dark burgundy or maroon; in others, it might be interpreted as a rich chocolatey brown colour. Whichever taste works for you, the contrast of the dial with the light blue moon phase aperture is striking. Like earlier editions, the central area of the dial features a contemporary, grained texture, while the peripheral date ring and the rings of the counters feature a circular-brushed finish.

Rhodium-plated Breguet-style hands and applied numerals give the dial a classical air, matching that of the case with its onion-shaped crown, pronounced lugs with screw caps, and the distinctive chronograph pushers with double gadroons that have existed since the debut of the watch. Measuring 40mm across, the stainless steel case is polished with sapphire crystals front and back.

The Ariadne is powered by automatic calibre CVDK7758, based on the sturdy Valjoux 7750 architecture, with traditional decorative touches like blued screws, circular graining and Geneva stripes. In pride of place is the rotor with its gold-plated “Sun with 12 claws” logo and guilloché flange hand-engraved by Jochen Benziger.

The latest Christiaan Van der Klaauw Ariadne comes with a matching reddish-brown alligator leather strap with the brand’s round steel clasp and sun logo. It retails for EUR 8,450 (incl. tax).

For more information, please consult klaauw.com.