Short questions, short answers – Augustin Matei

There is quite a while since I wrote my review on Augustin Matei (or the Romanian Website) watches and since then he had a lot of new projects and his work is becoming better known. Doing custom watches at very affordable prices is not easy but for some collectors having their dreams and desires fulfilled makes the money and waiting worth. And his work deserves appreciation. Why? – You can have Vacheron Constantin MÉTIERS D’ART or you can have exactly what you want at a fraction of the price. But not for long, like many other artists, as time passes and he is more and more acknowledged, his work becomes more and more interesting and, in the end, expensive.

As every time after an Independent Watchmaker review I have my own set of personal questions:
1. From all the watches that you’ve made which one you love most and why?
– My favourite watch so far I think is “Neptun”. But not necessarily because I consider it the most beautiful or because, personally, I like it more then the other models. It’s just that it was one of my first sketches and now, quite late, I’ve made it.

Neptun watch has a steel case with black PVD lugs, gold plated bezel and crown and the classic Swiss made automatic ETA2824 caliber. The dial, as in all the Augustin Matei watches, is the main character: micro engraving / sculpting and micro painting.

2. If you would have all the necessary freedom (materials, tools and time), what kind of watch would you like to create?
– The answer for this question does’t start with “if I would have all I need, I would do…” but this does start with: in the year that comes, I will make that watch, that I’ve dreamed of, even if I don’t have everything I need. I didn’t decide yet the theme, maybe something from the Greek antic art… But I know it will be exceptional! Because it’s all I am thinking about: Titanium case with yellow or white gold micro-sculpture on the side or as part of the case and not a classical engraving with floral motives, but almost a frieze of figures and details. The watch strap will also be decorated at the interior and a little bit on the exterior. It will be a hard project but with a great impact.
However, before this watch, immediately in 2017 will appear, from my point of view, a bold and exciting model – the “Dracula” watch, dedicated to the Count as an analogy between the literary character Count Dracula and the historic character Vlad Tepes (“The Impaler”). And it will have, again (as always), interesting details: classic coffin shape watch box, deco engraving on the strap and so on.

Materials for the new watches:

 

In the end I would like to share with you some other creations of Augustin Matei:

• Da Vinci The Human Proportion: ETA2824

• Saturn Watch: ETA2824

 

• Meteorite
  

• Navigator watch: ETA/UNITAS 6498