The new Thukral & Tagra designed Rado is one to watch out for, no pun intended. “It is the smallest canvas we have ever worked on!” share the famous Indian artist duo, Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra.
Dark, dramatic and full of cosmic references, the watch titled Over The Abyss comes in a matt blue ceramic case. “We have always been fascinated by outer space, and its connection to the human self,” says Sumir Tagra, “Over the Abyss is an exploration of the unknown.” Two concentric moving ‘stars’ form the dial — a striking central feature — that displays local time while conveying a sense of interconnectedness with the infinite universe. The hands are painted in a mix of galaxy colours from blue, purple to pink. “There is beauty in colour gradient,” notes Tagra, “it represents every passing minute and emotion.”
Embedded on the caseback is a small Thukral & Tagra artwork, a special gift from the artists. Exploring ideas of a new dream home and future, the painting is part of the artists’ signature Dominus Aeris series. “We have been painting dreams and reveries of deep slumber for a long time,” explains Jiten Thukral, “This work, however, gains a whole different meaning in the context of the ongoing pandemic.”
“From pioneering a new Indian pop style and aesthetic in a practice spanning painting, sculpture and video art, to taking on design duties for major global brands such as Pepsi, Absolut and Driade, few artists have ticked more boxes than Thukral & Tagra.”
From pioneering a new Indian pop style and aesthetic in a practice spanning painting, sculpture and video art, to taking on design duties for major global brands such as Pepsi, Absolut and Driade, few artists have ticked more boxes than Thukral & Tagra. Rado’s CEO Adriwhitean Bosshard more than agrees: “The beauty of this partnership is that we bring two worlds together, the Swiss watchmaking know-how of Rado and the design creativity of Thukral & Tagra to bring this unique and beautiful timepiece.”
Appearing in Rado’s iconic square design developed in the 1970s, Over the Abyss by Thukral & Tagra is one in a series of automatic watches designed by some of the world’s leading creative thinkers, including Tokyo-based design studio YOY, Italian designer duo Formafantasma, and award-winning British industrial designer Tej Chauhan.
First announced at the India Art Fair in 2018, the partnership has been three years in the making, involving deep exchanges and a visit to Rado’s 100-year-old watchmaking factory and design lab in Lengnau, Switzerland. “It was an insane experience. We got to see and learn from the best engineers and technicians. The design is incomplete if it doesn’t resonate with the right material,” shares Tagra. Thanks to Rado, we can now tell time by looking at the stars.
*Published in Architectural Digest Online, September 2021
