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The skull represents death and mortality. At the same time, the skull is the first sign of human presence on Mother Earth. Some people use the skull symbol to celebrate the dead and the living, in some religions and believes it is a sign of good luck and so on. In the modern world, the skull is a fashion statement.
The watches created by Fiona Krüger are more than a symbol of life and death – they are a symbol of human continuity, no matter what and her watches are, more than sure, fated to posterity.
My favourite creation is the Petit Skull Blue from the Petit Skull Collection. There is something special about this watch that caught my interest and made my want to know more about it: it has the amount of blue that makes me happy and it has a dial created by Kari Voutilainen’s Atelier.
This limited to 18 pieces watch has the characteristic case of all Fiona Kruger watches, but in a smaller size: 48mm length x 34.5 mm width and 9.8 mm thick. This stainless 316N steel case with sapphire on top and a specifically designed back opening, also with sapphire crystal for a view at the nicely decorated movement.
Despite the large size, the case’s design is done in a way that hides the physical dimension and makes the watch comfortable and good looking at the wrist. The polished and bevelled lugs are part of the vertically brushed case-back, almost hidden under the watch. The case buck has the entire edge bevelled and polished to fit the highly polished design of the case.
Below are some of the Instagram picture of Fiona’s Kruger wrist with the Petit Skull where the watch looks really good, especially taking into account the small lady’s wrist.
For me, the most important detail of this watch is the dial – done in the workshop of the great master Kari Voutilainen, the dial is built nine brass parts with specially designed guilloché pattern and blue galvanised finish.
On the first layer there is a rhodium finished and hand polished brass, the third layer is a fine shot-blasted brass with rhodium finishing and black stud hour markers and the layers two to six are comprised of the six pieces of the skull with different guilloché pattern – Soleil 12 Divisions avec traits prononcés and Ecailles de Poisson guillochage and Bleu Royale galvanised finish. The “teeth” are done using rhodium finishing and perlage. The eye and the nose openings are offering a view too the movement’s barrel and balance wheel.
The movement used in the Petit Skull is a skeletonised movement, automatic with a customised oscillating mass with Ecailles de Poisson guillochage and Bleu Royale galvanised finish.
The watch costs 13.000 CHF without taxes and comes with a hand-stitched salmon leather strap with steel pin buckle.
To make everything more interesting, Fiona Kruger created a Petit Skull Bleu with diamond bezel.
I like these watches: the entire design, the execution and the beautiful blue of the dial and strap make them very appealing. There are other Skull watches out there, but I think these ones have the best chance to make real history. The Petit Skull collection was released last year at Baselworld and I am eager to see what this year’s Basel will bring.
I would like to thank Fiona’s Kruger team for the images and information. Please visit the Official Website for more information. The watches can be admired and bought from the Official Retailers.