From the city of Prague in the Czech Republic comes this quite incredible master work by independent watchmaker Ludek Seryn. Completely original in its concept, irresistible to the eye and extraordinarily complex in its construction, his Karel Rotation watch is a hand crafted piece which defies the norms of horology, and which is also a symbolic testament to the dizzying creativity which defines the world of contemporary independent watchmaking.

In every aspect the Karel Rotation is unlike any other watch, and encased in a mostly sapphire glass case, the remarkable spectacle of its rotating mechanical architecture is exposed in a captivating 360º vista.

At 45mm it is an imposing piece on the wrist, and with polished 18Kt white gold top and underside bezels which sandwich the glass side via a screw in each lug, every tiny component within is revealed in a three dimensional horologic extravaganza.

The sight of two pulsating balance wheels in diametric opposition is a good indicator that this is something unusual and indeed it is. Seemingly suspended in mid air, the mechanism rotates in an eight hour cycle, and in fact, is actually comprised of two movements; one for the hours and minutes, the other propelling the turning mechanical assemblage, via the gear wheels which sit atop the beautifully sculpted and partially skeletonised plate.

Adding to the complexity of the concept, the hour and minute hands require specially engineered gear trains, calibrated to compensate against the moving base, and when considering that, it’s easy to forget that if this is a self winding watch, there seems to be something missing. At first it appears that there is no rotor, or at least that is the illusion, as instead of the typical solid metal mass, a sapphire disc which is edged with a discreet platinum weight deceives the eye, as well as allowing for a completely unrestricted, light-filled view of the movement from every angle.

A wonderful piece with an irresistible personality, the Karel Rotation by Ludek Seryn is an exceptional hand manufactured wristwatch which is endlessly fascinating, and certainly an outstanding addition for the discerning connoisseur collector of contemporary independent watchmaking.