When the watch is flipped over there’s an exhibition caseback revealing the 4hz SOPROD Newton movement inside, with a custom BUCI rotor. The movement itself is not extravagant, and while I wondered if seeing the movement was necessary in this instance, I began dwelling on the concept of the watch again. This watch is about poetry and creativity. It’s meant to invoke an appreciation of craft, so it seems fitting that we also take a moment to appreciate the craft of watchmaking, as there’s poetry in that too.
Perhaps the most overt display of poetry is on the unique strap options that come with these watches. The straps themselves have excerpts from poems stamped on them. Before shipping the watch to me, Nousseïma gave me the options of black-, brown-, or camel-colored straps, and between quotes from renowned poets Rumi and Apollinaire. I chose Rumi’s “this moment is all there is.” Finally, I was able to choose whether I wanted it on top of the strap, or on the bottom. I chose to have the quote displayed on top so I could see it while wearing the watch. While I initially thought this idea would be too cheesy for a watch so subtle in its displays of affection, I found that I was wrong. The ability to look at the strap and appreciate a quote from a poet I know, love, and spent years of my life studying, brought me warmth every time. And, if you’re the type to think it’s a little hokey, you can always have the quote on the underside. I do hope Nousseïma continues the tradition of quoting poetry on her watches, but it would be cool if we could choose quotes from any poet, as I’d choose to have a line from Dante on my wrist.
Overall Nousseïma did a fantastic job forging the fusion of poetry and watchmaking. From a distance Buci’s first watch might look like a normal dress piece, but the closer you get the more each aspect of the watch reveals itself to be offering up its own function, working together as part of a whole. One of my old poetry professors once told me that “every word in poetry should be on purpose.” I see that in this watch. Buci