This master watchmaker doesn’t want you to see his work

Rainer Bernard’s watch mechanisms are magical to behold – and like a magician, he doesn’t want you to know how the trick is done.

Rainer Bernard, director research and development watches at Van Cleef & Arpels. ©Aurelien Bergot for The New York Times

Matthew DrummondAFR Magazine editor

Jul 14, 2025 – 11.48am

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What time is it? The answer is not straightforward when you’re wearing a high-end watch from Van Cleef & Arpels.

Consider the Lady Arpels Heures Florales, for example. Released in 2022, its dial is filled with mechanically powered flowers that open and close throughout the day. Tallying the number of open flowers, one by one, gives you the hour. Figuring out the minutes is a whole other story.

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Matthew DrummondAFR Magazine editorMatthew Drummond edits AFR Magazine, our premium monthly inserted magazine that covers business, politics, fashion, design, food and wine, and is home to the Rich List, Young Rich List and the Power lists.