Beats Sneakers & Life

Yvan Arpa is setting the watchmaking planet on fire with theVOLNATOMIC, an explosive collection in which traditional Swiss watchmaking embodied through a self-winding movement, a Large Date Dubois Dépraz calibre and Concepto tourbillon play with the concept of forbidden territory and nuclear danger by adopting the famous black and yellow colour codes. Code diversion, creative irony and ostentatious provocation: Yvan Arpa is once again exploring forbidden territory. After lightning, rust and dust, all classic enemies of watchmaking, he is displaying the yellow and black colours seared into the collective consciousness as symbolising danger and embodying a warning signal. Nuclear technology, an explosive subject with strong negative connotations, is looking for enthusiasts, connoisseurs or initiates prepared to make light of threats and advocating atomic energy as epitomising the very essence of matter.

The toxic skull atomic symbol and emergency exit signs appear on a black and yellow dial framed by a bezel with a striped pattern composed of either alternating matt or polished black finishes or of alternating colours, according to the Crime Scene, Radioactive and Atomic Central models. The figurative elements on the watch, such as the warning triangle, the skull or the atomic propeller blade serve an aesthetic role as well as conveying a cleverly diverted symbolism. According to Yvan Arpa, “the use of irony via diverted codes is typical of contemporary art and in certain offbeat circles, but never in watchmaking.”
VOLNATOMIC appeals to natural “transgressors”, drawing them into dangerous and forbidden.