The Blueprint
Friday, 30 October - Friday, 6 November 2026

Kallinich Claeys, "Piece Unique" Einser

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Lot Details

What You Should Know: The Kallinich Claeys Einser is one of the most exciting creations to emerge from the recent wave of independent watchmaking, combining an unmistakable aesthetic with a remarkable level of mechanical craftsmanship. Conceived by the German-Belgian duo of Johannes Kallinich and Thibault Claeys, the Einser has taken on an added significance following the dissolution of their partnership, making it their first and ultimately their last co-creation. The present example is particularly special, a unique piece distinguished by its extraordinary blue dial, inspired by International Klein Blue, the intensely saturated colour developed by celebrated French post-war artist Yves Klein. Unlike the blue found on the original Einser, the present dial adopts Klein's distinctive, almost electric shade, lending the watch an entirely different visual character. Beneath this striking exterior lies the manually wound calibre KC001.1, a beautifully conceived movement whose architecture and meticulous hand-finishing are central to the watch's appeal. Its intricate construction is best appreciated through the sapphire caseback, while an additional sapphire window set into the side of the case offers an unusual lateral perspective on the movement, revealing details rarely visible in a conventional wristwatch. Dating to 2025 and numbered 41, the present Einser is accompanied by its original presentation box and certificate of authenticity. Combining a unique dial configuration, exceptional mechanical craftsmanship and the historical significance of being among the final creations of a short-lived but highly regarded partnership, it represents a particularly compelling chapter in contemporary independent watchmaking. In their own words: "The story of this watch goes back to March 2023, during the first year of Kallinich Claeys, when it became one of the earliest individual commissions received by our young manufacture. During those early years, our production was extremely small and our relationship with the first collectors was particularly personal. A small number of them approached us with ideas that went beyond the regular configurations we had originally envisioned. During this formative period, we accepted only four such unique-piece commissions. The watch you have received is one of these four. The original owner had a very specific vision for his Einser Central Seconds. He wanted the outer chapter ring of the dial to have the intense blue character associated with Yves Klein Blue. As we could not use the original Yves Klein Blue for the watch, we searched for a colour that would capture a very similar character and ultimately chose Pantone 286C. The result is the distinctive deep-blue outer chapter ring, which makes the appearance of this watch immediately recognizable and separates it from the regular configurations of the Einser Central Seconds. The owner also requested something much more personal: his initials were to be incorporated into the hand engraving of the balance cock. We were happy to fulfil this wish, making not only the dial but also the movement itself unique to its first owner. Following this auction, Kallinich Claeys would be happy to offer the successful buyer, free of charge, a newly manufactured, hand-finished and hand-engraved balance cock without the previous owner's initials. The original personalized balance cock would of course remain with the watch and would also be returned to the new owner. This way, the historical configuration of the unique piece can be fully preserved, while its next custodian has the possibility of giving the watch a more personal character for the next chapter of its life." - Johannes Kallinich, Director Kallinich Claeys

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