Inside the Mad world of Hatton Labs watch customisation

Watch customisation is big business, and there are a slew of jewellery brands and designers becoming interested. Extensive experience with precious metals, plus skills in techniques as diverse from stone setting to goldsmithing and engraving, make jewellers a natural partner for watch brands.

Hatton Labs is one of the newest jewellery brands to become interested in the medium, partnering with watch customisation experts Mad on the Portcullis, a rethought Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

‘We both share very similar brand values when it comes to design,’ say the Hatton Labs team on why the collaboration felt like a natural one. ‘We didn’t really have to figure out how it would ever work. Hatton Labs specialising in jewellery and Mad watches, provided a good opportunity to extend our usual offerings together.’

The resulting watch, named after a medieval fortified gate, nods to this history with sharp design ticks. Diamonds, cut irregularly and upside down, become spikes on the bracelet. There are a total of 20 pyramid cut white, lab grown diamonds, and 40 white pyramid cut white, lab grown diamonds, framing the polished mirror silver dial.

‘We were largely inspired by different stone setting techniques and using stones in an unconventional way,’ they add. ‘When set differently, something so precious & beautiful as a diamond could suddenly feel so harsh and evoke a very different mood. We liked the idea to change the perspective of what already existed rather than add to it. Regarding the cut, it’s exactly the same precision cut as the natural diamonds - the faceting is hand made, the round stones are machine made. The hard part is the polishing, as the lab stones do not have any growth direction, so it’s more work. And polishing is always hand made for horology standards.’

mrporter.com