Buzz
In reality, the captivating images in this article are directly sourced from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's official Facebook page. The leader shared insights about the watch he will wear at the upcoming ASEAN high-level summit scheduled from November 10. This watch will also be a gift for counterparts from Southeast Asian nations participating in the conference, as shared on Facebook.
Prime Minister Hun Sen affirms that this is a tourbillon mechanical watch 'manufactured in Cambodia.' Despite its somewhat dull appearance due to a design widely adopted by many brands, this is a noteworthy dress watch in terms of craftsmanship.
Featuring dauphine-style hands with a heritage dating back to the 1940s, two gleaming gold hands and 12 dagger-shaped hour markers that resemble the form of dagger blades. At the 6 o'clock position, a stylized champagne-gold Romduol, the national flower of Cambodia, adds a touch of artistic flair.
Certainly, like many other tourbillon dress watches, the element that captivates everyone's attention is not the front face, but the back, where the watch's inner mechanical heart is exposed. With this 'Made in Cambodia' timepiece, we have a mechanism with a level of refinement, or at the very least, an artistic quality comparable to high-end creations from Switzerland or Germany.There's one thing I'm unsure about – whether the lighting during the photoshoot gave a golden hue or if the colors are accurate. If the photo colors are correct, the two fixed plates with gears and internal components seem to be made of German silver, producing a unique quality seen in million-dollar A. Lange & Sohne models. Both fixed plates are intricately engraved and finely polished, with edges shaped at an angle, avoiding a rough metal feel and resembling a piece of fine jewelry.Naturally, the centerpiece of the entire mechanism is the tourbillon cage, featuring a clearly treated black-polished fixed bridge that exudes a slightly mysterious hue. When placed under intense light, the reflection is stunning. Positioned at the center of the hand-wound mechanical movement, undoubtedly, all eyes will be drawn to this detail first, not the backplate like mine:
Even the spring bar securing the crocodile leather strap is a fast-release type, eliminating the need for a strap-changing tool, featuring a spring-loaded lever for quick changes.
Certainly, with mechanical watches, especially at the high-end, evaluating the finishing quality requires an up-close look. But not everyone has the opportunity to do so, and I'm pretty sure I won't. Looking at the phrase 'limited to 25 pieces,' these images might be the only chance for us to closely examine the watch produced by the people of Cambodia. Based on these images, first and foremost, praise must be given to your country's artisans for their craftsmanship.
