Christiaan van der Klaauw Ariadne Watch Review
The Christiaan van der Klaauw Ariadne, also known as the CVDK Ariadne, comprises three new steel models. These are the first watches released by the Dutch marque since Master watchmaker Pim Koeslag assumed stewardship of the firm. Formerly of Frederique Constant, Koeslag perpetuates the brand’s fondness for astronomical watches, but now embraces a sportier, more contemporary design language. These new timepieces include some glorious touches including a Benzinger-engraved rotor. Mark McArthur-Christie examines the specification of these new models and shares his thoughts in his own humorous way.
Christiaan van der Klaauw Watch
You can tell that Christiaan van der Klaauw was a clockmaker long before he made watches. Just look at the way he designs a dial. It’s easy to imagine almost any of his watch dials blown up to longcase clock size and adorning a book-lined study in a Leiden home. Even the firm’s famous 12 rayed sun logo would look just right on a clockface.
Astronomical clocks
It’s fitting, too, that Van der Klaauw focused first on astronomical clocks. Holland has always punched well above its weight when it comes to astronomy and its applied cousin, optics. In the sixteenth century, Zacharias Janssen developed one of the earliest compound microscopes, followed by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek who, remarkably, ground his own lenses to produce a microscope that could magnify its subject by 200 times.
Another Netherlander, Hans Lippershey, realised that a lens that made small things bigger on Earth could do the same job at distance with celestial bodies and went on to produce one of the first telescopes. Add in the local connection with mathematician-horologist Huygens and you’ve got the full set.
Daniël and Maria Reintjes
The firm that bears Van der Klaauw’s name has been through a few incarnations since the man himself made his first astronomical clock back in 1974. Ultimately, Christiaan van der Klaauw retired and sold his business to the husband and wife team, Daniël and Maria Reintjes in 2009.
GPHG Calendar and Astronomy Watch Prize in 2021
After acquiring the business, Daniël and Maria, both designers by trade, repositioned the brand, focussing exclusively on astronomical watches. Primarily making watches under the Christiaan van der Klaauw brand, they also produced exclusive creations for the esteemed firm, Van Cleef & Arpels. The Dutch company was recognised as an Haute Horlogerie atelier by the FHH in 2016 and later won the GPHG Calendar and Astronomy Watch Prize in 2021.
Pim Koeslag
Today, CVDK is under the management of fellow Dutch master watchmaker Pim Koeslag who acquired a controlling stake in 2022. As the firm’s technical director and co-owner he’s carrying on the watchmaker’s focus on astronomical watches. However, Daniël and Maria remain shareholders in the company playing an active role in the creation of its watches moving forward.
It’s a tough gig taking over a firm as established as CVDK and trying to move it on. It’s even harder to make a success of it. To do it in the conservative world of watches is even more impressive. So hats off to Koeslag for the three new Ariadne watches we’re looking at here.
CVDK Ariadne
The new Ariadne is, at first glance, not all that dissimilar from its predecessor. The dials are now frosted rather than guilloché and you have a choice of three colours. There’s silver, navy and anthracite, all updating the Ariadne but not scaring the horses. The CVDK claw has gone from 3 o’clock on the dial, replaced by an astronomical sun. The cases are all stainless steel.
But all the good stuff has stayed the same. The cal. CVDK7758 (based on the Valjoux 7750 and, as we’ve so often said, none the worse for it) looks after elapsed seconds, minutes and hours. It also gives you a full date indication or day, date, month, a 24 hour time and a moon phase indication at 6.
Moonphases
The watchworld seems split on moonphases, with half loving them and the other half wondering why you can’t just look out of the window. But whatever your view, they’re a fascinating complication. They take a bit of working out, too – when the Moon is in its first quarter, it’ll be just left of the centre of the subdial. Then, you’ll know it’s Full Moon once the Moon on your watch is centred in the dial aperture. When the Moon outside is in its last quarter, the one on your watch will be on the right of the aperture, Finally, if there’s a New Moon outside there’ll be no moon on the dial, but you’re compensated with a starry, dark blue sky. And this is a CVDK, remember, so it needs an astronomical complication or it won’t get invited to family lunches.
Jochen Benzinger
You need to be looking at the movement (handily, CVDK has provided a sapphire display back for just this purpose) to see one of the other significant differences. The automatic rotor has been engraved by German engraver Jochen Benzinger, the god of guilloché, engraving and skeletonizing watches. He makes his own to order, too. It’s fair to point out that there’s engraving and there’s engraving when it comes to watches. Even the ‘easy’ way – programming a laser engraver or a CNC tool – takes skill. Engraving by hand, using 100-year-old machines as Benzinger does, takes grand-master levels of the stuff. And, because it’s an entirely manual process, each piece is very slightly different and has its own character.
Edelstaal – stainless steel
In this case, Benzinger has taken the guilloché rhodium-plated winding rotor’s rose gold-plated centre and hand-engraved it with a clawed half-sun. It’s the same zonnenklaauw that makes up the CVDK motif. In this case, as the rotor is the traditional half-circle the sun only gets seven rays. The 7750 is a superb movement, although more of a functional than an aesthetic beauty, so the Benzinger engraving really lifts it. The caseback rim picks up the same motif where it’s neatly used to punctuate the maker’s name, the case material (edelstaal – stainless steel) and Joure.
The case design and proportions echo its predecessors – 40mm, sapphire crystal to the front and sapphire display caseback. It’s formed of stainless steel and features a distinctive onion crown and double gadrooned pushers. The lugs fit with the archaism of the crown and pushers; long, straight and thin. Those of us who positively dislike quick-release strap mechanisms and barely trust spring bars will be delighted to spot drilled and screwed lugs. Not much chance, fortunately, of this Ariadne being unintentionally abandoned.
Strap-wise, each watch gets its own leather strap – black for anthracite, brown for silver and blue for, well, blue – with a secure, folding clasp.
Zonnenklaauw motif
As you’d expect from an astronomical watch, there’s a LOT going on on the dial. Although there appear to be four subdials at first glance, the 3 o’clock dial simply does the job of holding the zonnenklaauw motif. At 12 you’ll find the day, date and 30 minute counter – all on a single subdial. On the 9 o’clock subdial are running seconds and a tiny 24 hour hand. At 6 is the moonphase function and a 12 hour counter. Around the rehaut and indicated by a half-moon-tippped hand is the date. Chrono seconds are shown by a centrally-mounted and distinctively red baton second hand. Two handsome Breguet hands indicate the hours and minutes. Are you keeping up at the back?
With that much going on, the dial could very easily be a dog’s dinner. As it is, it’s busy but far from chaotic thanks to the range of finishing and colour contrasts. The Breguet numerals and hands on each watch contrast with the base dial colour, so on the silver dial they’re blued but on the navy and anthracite they stand out in rhodium plate. The subdial edges get picked out with brushed faces and polished edges (those are very thin edges to polish). And this is an astronomical watch, remember, so you’d not expect souscription-like asceticism.
This generosity extends to the box in which your Ariadne will arrive. Whilst not in the Omega league of needing liaison with your local council planning department, CVDK boxes are substantial and well put-together. You’ll certainly not lose it in your safe or wherever you keep your watches.
Christiaan Van Der Klaauw Ariadne – closing remarks
All in all, the Christiaan van der Klaauw Ariadne pulls off a rather neat touch; a watch that’ll measure everything from a passing second to the phases of the moon. The new Koeslag version is utterly recognisably as an Ariadne – and certainly a CVDK – but it moves things on firmly but gently. There’s nothing rash or radical, whether that’s in the restrained dial colours or the new finishing, but side-by-side the differences are clear. And, when you look at the limited production runs for each watch, the quality of the dial and case and the opportunity of getting your mitts on the work of one of the best engravers out there, €8,450 seems far from unreasonable. And yes, I did think about ‘an astronomical watch for a down-to-earth price’ but thought better of it. I don’t have a licence for puns that bad.
Further reading
Christiaan van der Klaauw Ariadne – technical specification
- Model: Christiaan van der Klaauw Ariadne
- Reference: CVDK Ariadne CKAR3335 (silver), CVDK Ariadne CKAR3366 (navy blue), CVDK Ariadne CKAR3344 (black)
- Case: stainless steel, diameter 40 mm, sapphire crystal to front, exhibition case back.
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, 24-hour indication, day, date, month, moonphase, chronograph; 12-hour counter, 30-minute counter, seconds counter
- Movement: CVDK7758, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 25 jewels, power reserve 48 hours
- Strap: colour-coordinating leather with engraved steel folding clasp.
- Price: €8,450 (RRP as of 20.2.2023)