Artisans de Geneve Arolla Transforms Rolex Daytona With Glacial Blue Inspiration
Transparent overhaul reveals a sandblasted skeleton movement.
Artisans de Geneve has transformed a client’s Rolex Daytona, taking inspiration from their favorite glacial landscape in Switzerland.
Arolla takes its icy blue color scheme and use of transparent materials from the Swiss glacier of the same name where its anonymous customer spends time.
“I’ve explored glaciers for years… it’s been my constant obsession,” they say. “One in particular is rooted in my memory: Arolla, in Switzerland. I go there as often as I can and it was the main inspiration for my watch personalization. I wanted to recreate this specific blue of the ice caves and their transparency.”
The Swiss customization workshop selected a blue tinted sapphire crystal dial and white gold bezel set with 36 blue sapphires. The dial reveals the rough, sandblasted finish applied to the skeletonized and beveled Rolex 4130 movement, recalling the textures seen in ice caves.
A transparent sapphire crystal caseback reveals an open-worked “x” winding rotor and the watch is secured on a transparent “Arolla blue” Rubber B strap.
Artisans de Geneve is available to carry out similar customization on donor Rolex Daytona watches for CHF 62,260 (approximately $65,000 USD).
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