How Artisans De Genève Brings Personal Stories To The Wrist
Artisans de Genève is a name that many watch fans know for its bespoke approach to watchmaking. The company offers handcrafted timepiece customization upon request from its customers. It has led to a string of unique, brilliant, customized watches. If you have ever seen one of Artisans de Genève’s projects, you will know that the team often drastically changes the aesthetic of the watches, using different colors, techniques, and materials. But the brilliant thing is that you will always recognize the watch that was the foundation of any project. Recently, I was reminded of the company’s brilliant work when Andre Agassi, one of my childhood heroes, received his Artisans de Genève watch. It put me on a quest to find out how I would have AdG personalize a watch for me. As it turns out, it’s not that easy…
We all know that watches can be powerful storytellers, embodying the tales of their creative development, commemorating adventures, and more. But beyond simply buying a standard version of a watch to celebrate a special occasion, how could you make a timepiece tell your story? An engraving on the case back is a classic addition, but say you wanted to make it more personal and especially more visual. This is precisely the unique experience that Artisans de Genève offers with its handcrafted timepiece customization and restoration services. If you own a watch you love but want to make it truly yours, you can request that the team customize it.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for Andre Agassi — Image: Artisans de Genève
How Artisans de Genève’s Andre Agassi project hit a special note
That is exactly what Andre Agassi did when he entrusted AdG with his white gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116519. The result is a watch that still looks like a Rolex but has become an exclusive representation of him. I’m a big Agassi fan, so my first thought before seeing the watch was, “They’d better do something with Hot Lava.” The Agassi devotees among you will know what that means. For those less aware, though, “Hot Lava” refers to the iconic outfit Andre Agassi wore at the French Open at Roland Garros in 1990.
Image: Artisans de Genève
Most people nowadays will refer to the shoes Agassi wore, the Nike Air Tech Challenge 2 “Hot Lava.” The shoes were created by legendary Nike designer Tinker Hatfield and are one of his most famous silhouettes. They featured a graphic style with an orangey pink transitioning to black in a “lava” splatter designed by Tom Andrich. This is what gave the pair of shoes its name.
But the entire outfit featured that remarkably contrasting and revolutionary combination of colors, including the white polo shirt with a black band and bright pink stripes. In addition, Agassi wore a pair of black denim shorts with pink cycling shorts integrated. Finishing the look was a headband that Agassi switched up from game to game. In his quarterfinals, he wore a headband in the style of his polo shirt, while in the fourth round, semifinals, and final, he wore a bright pink headband.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for Andre Agassi — Image: Artisans de Genève
The impact of Agassi’s Hot Lava outfit
To say I was passionate about Agassi’s style was an understatement. The rebellious attitude that came with that look is what famously characterized Agassi’s stance in the conservative tennis world. If you are aware of his background, it was fueled by his Las Vegas roots. On top of that, he famously hated the sport until 1997 because his father forced him to play it and move away as a young kid to a tennis academy. There is a lot more detail to it, but for the sake of this article, I’ll keep it short. Since Agassi hated tennis, he became rebellious, and one way he made a statement was through his colorful, groundbreaking outfits. Little did Agassi know that it would lead to a revolution in tennis clothing characterized by this rebellious mentality that Nike famously dubbed “Rock ‘n’ Roll tennis.”
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for Andre Agassi — Image: Artisans de Genève
More than three decades later, Agassi has not only made peace with the sport but also cherishes the impact of his visual style and recognizes how the Hot Lava outfit affected tennis culture forever. As a result, the colorful ensemble he wore in 1990 inspired the special Artisans de Genève project. It is the perfect personal statement created especially for Agassi by an ultra-talented team of watchmakers who went to great lengths to bring this story to life. I was thrilled to see that Hot Lava played a big part in the watch’s background and design. As Agassi put it himself, “It’s a great throwback to a time I lived, and it’s pretty spectacular.”
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for Andre Agassi — Image: Artisans de Genève
Artisans de Genève brings personal stories to the wrist
Just one glance at this Artisans de Genève watch, and you realize that there’s so much more to it than the famous orange-pink shade on the sub-dials of an iconic chronograph. For the first time, the team at AdG created a full-titanium case and bezel. The lightweight material helps make this the perfect tennis watch. As Agassi stated, “Out there on the court, every distraction matters. I always dreamed of wearing a watch I wouldn’t even notice, one that moved with me.” Using titanium for the case and the bezel, then, was part of tailoring the watch to Agassi’s desires. Additionally, both components received an ultra-light Tytalit treatment to make them more resistant to scratches.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for Andre Agassi — Image: Artisans de Genève
The “weight loss” continues with the skeletonized caliber inside the watch. Visible through the metalized sapphire dial with orange-pink sub-dial, it adds a striking visual element to the composition. The chronograph-seconds hand also features the same signature color, and the customized rotor features a large orange-pink “A” as a personal note. As you will understand, all these customizations are technically challenging and require the skills and hands of absolute masters of the watchmaking craft. But the result is far beyond an impressive technical instrument. It is a tailor-made personal statement that represents Andre Agassi and his exceptional story.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
The art of visual storytelling by Artisans de Genève
It’s this approach to storytelling that makes Artisans de Genève a unique entity in the watch industry. If you scroll through AdG’s customization projects, you will be amazed by the wide variety of timepieces from luxury brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, among others. Each project began with the wishes of the watch’s owner for Artisans de Genève to transform it into the ultimate personal storyteller. Of course, since Agassi is a famous figure, many people are familiar with the Hot Lava story. For many of the AdG’s clients, though, the resulting watch is a super personal statement.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
Since individual preferences play such a big role in the process, it begs the question of why you would change a watch designed to be perfect by its brand’s design team. While I do not principally object to watch customization, there is something pure about respecting a watch exactly as the designers intended.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
Then again, as a watch enthusiast, you will recognize that we often see little details we would have executed differently. Many Artisans de Genève clients already own a collection of watches that they will leave untouched out of respect for the craft. It’s understandable, then, if they also want something specially tailored to their tastes. Artisans de Genève offers the opportunity to bring that dream to life.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
A personal approach
Artisans de Genève offers a highly personal experience for each of its clients. Being part of a creative process, speaking to designers, and hearing about the technical challenges and possibilities from watchmakers is exciting. Having been a brand strategist at a design company for over a decade, I recognize the excitement of people who don’t often engage in creative projects. It’s special and inspiring to work with craftspeople who have mastered their trades.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
On top of that, the bespoke projects at Artisans de Genève open the door to many possibilities in terms of colors, materials, and technical watchmaking solutions. We all know the disappointment of something as simple as being unable to find your favorite dial color for a watch that you love. Customizing the dial color is just one of the many ways you can transform such a watch into a timepiece that is truly yours.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
Examples of the personalized Artisans de Genève projects
Andre Agassi’s watch is just one of the numerous projects that Artisans de Genève has proudly undertaken. There are many more that showcase the great diversity of options. A nice example is the team’s recent Spider project. It transformed the client’s steel Rolex Daytona ref. 116520 into a remarkable, tailored version of the famous chronograph with a spectacular custom-made dial with a sapphire base and “spiderweb” turquoise plate placed on top.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
The contrast between the transparent base and the stone top plate creates a beautiful layered construction. It also allows a glimpse of the watch’s inner workings. Additionally, Artisans de Genève replaced the original full-steel bezel with a new bezel featuring a deep brown ceramic insert, creating a really nice overall color combination with the turquoise dial. Taking it further still, AdG skeletonized the movement and gave it a personalized rotor. And these are just the big changes in a long list of customizations that have led to a spectacular timepiece.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
Color usage makes the projects stand out
Another great example is the Luca Rubinacci Special. As a Neapolitan tailor, Rubinacci is a man of colors, details, elegance, and craftsmanship. He wanted his customized yellow gold Rolex Daytona ref. 116508 to reflect this. The project took two years to complete, and the results immediately show how special this watch is. Each color was chosen as a reference to Italian culture, from the coffee-inspired gradient mocha dial to azuré-gold croissant-color counters with sun-dried-tomato-toned numerals and markings.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
The new yellow gold bezel features a convex insert that matches the dial color. The movement was also customized with a mocha-toned rotor and special finishing referencing Neapolitan stone. Artisans de Genève fashioned a brown ostrich leather strap for the watch as well. It is a nice addition to the gold bracelet, making it an even better personal statement. The classic and elegant look of this Daytona is truly something else.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
Customization options abound
Another remarkable project was the Eternal Green. The client has collected watches for more than three decades and rarely wears most of them, keeping them in their original condition. Still, he loves to wear his watches on special occasions. After such a long history with all his different timepieces, he wanted to create a personal statement representing his passion for horology, a love that neither fades nor passes. This sparked the idea for the special Eternal Green project.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
The client gave the team at Artisans de Genève his steel Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167. For the project, the Patek Philippe caliber 324 was entirely reworked and skeletonized by hand. To make this special, customized movement with its green PVD plates visible in all its glory, AdG also created a new open dial. It consists of a white gold base with an Eternal Green PVD coating, white minute markers, and gold-bordered luminous hour indexes to ensure low-light readability.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
Turning the watch around reveals a view of the customized gold rotor. Lastly, the custom-made Eternal Green rubber strap continues the theme beautifully. And these are just some of the big changes that led to this unique timepiece.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
Final thoughts on the bespoke Artisans de Genève projects
The last watch I want to highlight is the Superamerica project. This bespoke creation transformed the client’s stainless steel Rolex ref. 116500 into a striking ’60-style Daytona. Inspiration for this project came from the Ferrari 400 Superamerica that the client’s grandfather owned in the 1970s. The lacquered dial and bezel insert match the deep greenish-blue, almost-black shade of the car’s original bodywork. Additionally, the bronze bezel and sub-dials represent the patina that formed on the car over time.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
The partially skeletonized caliber features a dark anthracite NAC finish. Contrasting with the dark backdrop is the copper-colored rotor that matches the bezel. Another nice touch is the custom-made riveted bracelet. Once again, these are just some of the many handmade customizations that the people at Artisans de Genève worked on. The result is a beautiful, stylish Rolex Daytona that looks thoroughly original.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
And that is the magic behind all of Artisans de Genève’s projects. By having clients share their meaningful stories and requests, the team can develop a creative approach. This leads to a concept that is finetuned with each client for final approval. From there, the skilled craftspeople at Artisans de Genève can start working on the customer’s tailor-made timepiece.
Example of personalization service provided by Artisans de Genève for one of its clients — Image: Artisans de Genève
Since these projects are so personal, they are time- and labor-intensive undertakings. But any time spent waiting will only add to the anticipation of finally receiving a beautifully fashioned watch that tells your unique story.
What do you think of Artisans de Genève’s approach? And if you could have one of your watches customized, which one would it be, and what would you have done to it? Feel free to share your ideas in the comments below!
*Disclaimer: Artisans de Genève is an independent watchmaking workshop offering handcrafted timepiece customization and restoration services. Artisans de Genève is neither associated nor affiliated with the makers/brands of those timepieces. Artisans de Genève carries out work at the sole request of its customers, on their timepieces, for their private use only.
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