IntroducingRevolution x Celadon Cloisonné Enamel 'Imperial Four Nobles'

One of the most enticing, beloved, and often expensive art forms in watchmaking is cloissoné enamel, where thin strips of metal (often gold) are glued onto a base to create small compartments (or cloisons) that are filled with enamel to create evocative scenes. To get four beautiful scenes, like the ones offered here by Revolution and Celadon Haute Horlogerie, requires a lot of work, but the results look well worth it.

This collaboration, between Wei Koh's Revolution and Benjamin Chee's Celadon Haute Horologie, features four dials inspired by the four seasons and a scene of "The Four Gentlemen," a collective term referring to four plants (the plum blossom, the orchid, the bamboo, and the chrysanthemum) often depicted in Chinese traditional bird-and-flower paintings. The scenes are rendered by Master Enameler Xiong Songtao of Beijing. The enamel process requires over fifty hours of wire-laying and multiple high-risk firings, with only a ten percent success rate.

The watch is cased in 38mm stainless steel, with a thickness of 10.1 mm, and features 50m of water resistance. The case has three-dimensional teardrop lugs. Inside, visible through a display case back, is a Celadon-grade Seagull ST18 running at 28,800 vph with a 42-hour power reserve, with machine-done finishing with perlage and Côtes de Genève. The watches are delivered on straps made by Lin Yiyan, founder of RSM Watch Straps of Singapore.

Horological art from renowned enamel masters commands steep prices on the secondary market. Even small enamel scenes on modern Patek Philippe watches carry premium valuations—for instance, the world time minute repeater ref. 5513G sells for $776,797, though much of that cost stems from its complex movement. One of, if not the most, enticing aspects of the "Four Nobles" release is that the beautiful dials are relatively affordable considering the level of craftsmanship. For $10,850, you can select from four models, or you could opt for a box set of all four for $43,250. Preorders are available on Revolution's website until August 25 and are made on a souscription model, with the first 25 pieces of each numbered.

These releases are incredibly enticing to someone like me who is always looking for maximum value and loves fantastic crafts (cloisonné more than almost any other). While the scenes are particularly eye-catching, I could see them having a place in my relatively staid collection. I've spent some time around enamel artists and, thanks to their education, I'm relatively particular about the quality of the craft. As I've been taught, generally, very good cloisonné features tightly connected wire, completing an enclosed cloison. Unfortunately, I have seen a lot of releases lately where I've found the craftsmanship lacking. This, on the other hand, looks fantastic, with a lot of color and dimensionality.

The movement used feels somewhat anemic and is frequently found in much more affordable watches from Celadon (and other brands), but that means most of the value comes from the dial, which is likely a fair tradeoff for most people who have found this level of craft otherwise out of reach. For this relatively reasonable price, I'd personally gravitate toward the summer or spring releases.

Brand: Revolution x Celadon Haute Horlogerie
Model: Cloisonné Enamel 'Imperial Four Nobles' – Winter / Plum Blossom (梅), Spring / Orchid (蘭), Summer / Bamboo (竹), Autumn / Chrysanthemum (菊),

Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 10.1mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Four cloisonné enamel scenes on a sterling silver base
Indexes: None
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 50m
Strap/Bracelet: RSM Watch Straps

Caliber: Celadon-Grade Seagull ST18
Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Chronometer Certified: No

Price: $10,850
Availability: One-month ordering window from the official launch date (July 25, 2025); Delivery will commence 4 months after orders are placed.
Limited Edition: Subscription basis, with the first 25 pieces of each model will be individually numbered

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