Design has always stood at the forefront of the Vieren brand. When I first met the founders, Jess Chow and Sunny Fong, in SoHo a few years ago when they were in the midst of launching the brand (in 2020) it was so clear that the inspiration and design process behind a Vieren watch was of utmost important to Chow and Fong. Now, four years later, Vieren has released the Gold Waves timepiece that takes watch design conceptualization to a whole new level.
“We dreamed up a concept that visualized sound on a watch, and a design that would be a symphony of style and precision,” notes Chow when speaking about Gold Waves. This special edition piece is not just a watch but a confluence of Swiss craftsmanship, music, and high fashion, encapsulated within the sophisticated frame of Vieren’s Stereo Collection of automatic skeleton timepieces.
Like Vieren’s previous Stereo timepiece, Gold Waves is a tribute to the vibrant energy of the disco era, inspired by the iconic Studio 54, and it’s designed to resonate with the rhythm of sound waves made visible through the aesthetics of vintage stereo systems, tape decks, and the electrifying ambiance of dance floors into this watch.
The inspiration behind Gold Waves stems from Creative Director Fong’s profound connection with music. “Music is not just sound; it’s vibrational therapy, a medium that heals and connects,” Fong explains. His design philosophy for VIEREN has always been about encapsulating dynamic inspirations onto the canvas of a watch dial. “Dance floors have always been my runway, where ideas flow unbounded,” Fong adds. This philosophy breathes life into Gold Waves, making it more than a timepiece; it’s a wearable piece of art that embodies the soul of music and fashion.
The creation of Gold Waves involved a meticulous process that combined traditional craftsmanship with modern engineering. The watch’s distinctive 3D radial pattern dial, representing sound waves, was crafted using a 300-ton hydraulic press machine and precision-cut with a high-quality diamond-tipped knife. This process ensures a mirrored effect on the dial’s irregular bevels, adding depth and movement to the watch face, reminiscent of the pulsating energy of a live music beat.
Adding a nod to retro design, the date disc of the Gold Waves watch draws inspiration from the analog volume meters found in 1970s Braun audio equipment, blending vintage charm with contemporary flair. The watch also features skeleton cut-outs, elegantly framing the jewels of the automatic movement, paying homage to both the worlds of music and meticulous watchmaking.
In true Vieren fashion, the timepiece is its ultra-thin rectangular case, crafted with premium sapphire crystal and adorned with an 18k gold rehaut ring, featuring delicate minute tracker details. The Gold Waves watch, like all models in the Stereo Collection, is powered by the ETA-2671 automatic movement and bears the Certified Swiss Made label, a testament to VIEREN’s commitment to quality and excellence in watchmaking.
Joining an impressive lineup of luxury designer watches, including the Gold Mirror and Gold Sunray, along with three diamond-adorned models, Gold Waves stands out as an artist-driven piece, limited to just five special edition units.