y a c h t p e o p l e • y a c h t p l a c e S • y a c h t S t y l e • y a c h t F o o D • y a c h t l I F e

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Thirty-five years is a long time to wait to be reunited with your long-lost sister in your hometown. Many thought it

would never happen such is the rarity of a maritime event like this. But against all odds, and thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment from those involved,

the unlikely took place on a warm, hazy summer’s day last year.

Words by Julia Brandon

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Now in their fifties the boats have lived through vastly different experiences since their separation, so to witness them alongside one another again

was a heart-warming sight for many.

Tug enthusiasts and spotters expectantly lined the streets of Maassluis – the sisters’ original homeport – eagerly awaiting their arrival. Camera crews and media gathered along the borders of the New Waterway ship canal to

report on the unique event; the atmosphere was electric. Poor visibility on the day threatened to spoil the arrival of helicopters, not to mention photography, but it wasn’t long before the clouds dispersed, the sun came out, and passing down the Hook of Holland Seawolf, accompanied by her sister Elbe, came into view guided in by the yellow port authority ships.

After working alongside each other for the first 18 years of their lives, sister tugs Elbe and Seawolf (formerly Clyde) were separated in 1977 when Clyde was sold to a salvage company in Greece. Now in their fifties the boats have lived through vastly different experiences since their separation, so to witness them alongside one another again was a heart-warming sight for many.

“It was a pretty big deal,” says Seawolf Captain Drarg Richards. “It was the first time the two boats had been together in Maassluis in 35 years, and the first time Seawolf had been back in the six years that I’ve been captain. We had all the old captains and engineers present – it was an emotional event for a lot of people, particularly the engineers, there may have been a tear or two shed.”

Designed by Dr. J.A.C. Hoogenbosch, Clyde was commissioned in 1957 by Smit International as a revolutionary tug boasting beauty, strength and endurance. Built in J & K Smits Shipyard in Kinderdijk, the company had a fleet of similar seagoing tugs all constructed within a few years of each other and named after well-known rivers, but Clyde only had one close sister ship, Elbe built in 1959. In order to keep costs to a similar level as Clyde’s some minor adjustments were needed. Thankfully these didn’t impede on Elbe’s looks or capabilities, and both ships set off for excellent careers as tugs. They towed flattops from the US to Japan and Belgium, freighters to scrap yards and even the first drilling platforms to numerous destinations.

Measuring 58.09m in length overall, with a beam of 11.23m and depth of 4.5m, the vessels are powered by two Smit-MAN six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel main engines generating a total of 3,000 horsepower (hp). The engines drive a single open propeller via a reverse reduction gearbox. For a short time they were even the strongest tugs in the world until Zwarte Zee was built in 1963, but both boats still have their original engines

PREVIOUS PAGE: M/Y Seawolf takes in another golden sunset.

THIS PAGE:(Top) Seawolf and Elbe are pictured during their reunion last year. (Bottom left) Seawolf was formerly M/Y Clyde, sold to

a salvage company in Greece in 1977. (Bottom right) M/Y Elbe was sold in 1976 for use as a seagoing pilot vessel.

today.At the end of her Dutch towage career Clyde was renamed Smit Salvor and sold to Matsas Salvage in Greece. She served 13 years on Greek waters before being snapped up by a German towage enthusiast who changed her name to Seawolfe. That was until 1998 when again her good looks caught the eye of a Greek owner in the Caribbean who purchased her and made the radical decision to convert her into a yacht.

Five years of hard labour in a yard in Palma resulted in a stunning transformation. Her industrial tug outline was preserved, but as a boat she was enhanced with elegant details, softened design elements and a luxurious interior. She began her life as a yacht under the name Seawolfe, and subsequently became Seawolfe C, then Dolce Far Niente. Finally, six years ago when her current owner Mike Potter bought her, her name was simply shortened to Seawolf. “Mr. Potter is really into his vintage aircraft, so her age and history were definitely part of the attraction,” says Captain Drarg.

Life as a yacht suits Seawolf. She wears the transformation well and has adapted with ease, fully embracing her role as an expedition yacht. She now spends her days in slightly more relaxed circumstances cruising to exotic locations – Fiji, Tahiti, New Zealand, Panama, the Baltic and Caribbean – wherever her owner’s enthusiasm for diving takes them.

“We don’t go searching for wrecks, but we’re really active,” says Captain Drarg. “Mr. Potter is not as young as he was but he is in great shape and he has a young family and he’s extremely keen on scuba diving, free diving, swimming with whale sharks, and his girls have learnt to dive on Seawolf.

“The fact that she used to be a tug really helps with our current needs as she has a lot of deck space for our toys, tenders, jet-skis and even a sailboat. She’s also got a big fuel range – which a lot of modern boats don’t have – and she’s a really great sea boat, so when we’re crossing the ocean when the weather’s bad or travelling to out of the way places, she can still go where most yachts probably couldn’t.”

For Elbe, however, life has been somewhat different. In 1976 she was sold to the Association of Maryland Pilots

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of Baltimore, USA, for use as a seagoing pilot vessel. In 1985 David Parrot, Founder of Titan Salvage, arranged her donation to Greenpeace where she became an action ship replacing the famous Rainbow Warrior as the organisation’s flagship. When eventually she herself was replaced for a more modern vessel she was donated to the Harbour Museum in Rotterdam – the largest open-air museum in the Netherlands. It was here that Captain Hans Hoffmann took on the challenge (and personal dream) to restore her to an old magnificent tug again. His aim was to make her fully under class, so that the ship, once restored, could sail anywhere.

Unfortunately for Elbe there were a number of fairly large setbacks during this process that resulted in her sinking twice. The first was in 2004 when she was accidentally struck by a heavy transport ship manoeuvring at an adjacent berth. The second time came down to suspected sabotage when she inexplicably sank at the Wartsila yard at Schiedam where the Smit-MAN main engines were being overhauled. By that stage much of the ship’s machinery had been completely refurbished and work was progressing on the renewal of electric cabling. The 70 volunteers working on the project were deeply disappointed, but still motivated in the face of adversity and they continued the restoration process until it was complete.

Elbe and Clyde only met four times during their towage careers, but Captain Hans felt strongly that their first proper meet after so much time should be in the port of Maassluis. As a result, negotiations with Seawolf’s owner led to an agreement for him to call on Maassluis when on his way from the Baltic to Vigo where his yacht undertakes regular maintenance.

“I pushed Mr. Potter for a long time to get Seawolf there and last year our schedules worked out. Initially it was for the people in Maassluis, but once we arrived we were all in awe of everybody there and how much it meant to everyone,” says Captain Drarg. “People back in the day were proper seamen, they were experienced captains, and I felt tremendously humbled.

“There was a whole community based in Maassluis around these boats – the engineers, captains, officers, deck hands, chefs, accountants, naval architects, family, wives, girlfriends, everyone lived there – the boats would charge off, get salvage and then come back. So everyone who lived in that area was tied in to the boats somehow, they were part of the industry, and have a really personal connection.”

On the day of the historic meet a party for a selected group of guests was held on board Seawolf where Mr. Potter presented Joop Timmermans, chairman of the Council of Advice of the National Towage Museum in Maassluis, a beautiful work of art. Created by Canadian artist Dave O’Malley, it symbolises the unique meeting of Elbe and Seawolf. In return Mr. Potter received a glass etching of the outline of Maassluis to commemorate the momentous occasion.

THIS PAGE:(Clockwise from top left): Seawolf has been transformed into an expedition yacht; Seawolf is available for charter, cruising to exotic locations including Fiji, Tahiti, New Zealand, Panama,

the Baltic and Caribbean.

Photography by Marc Paris.

Seawolf is available for charter. For further information please contact charter@fraseryachts.com.

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Paradise is a shape-shifter. She assumes many forms and appears in various guises. However none is so alluring or so at ease with her natural beauty than the bountiful island of Tahiti. Diane Fraser and Patricia Codere of Fraser Yachts reminisce about their recent voyage

of discovery to this beautiful island.

Words by Julia Brandon

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F or thousands of years humpback whales have migrated to this tranquil Pacific haven to mate and give birth. While original human migrants discovered this tropical gem by outrigger canoe nearly two thousand years ago. Today,

travelers continue to be captivated by the isolation of these islands, and an ancient, authentic Polynesian culture that is also infused with a modern French culture.

The sea pervades everything in Polynesian life. Its oceans are a government-protected sanctuary where Polynesians and the sea live in harmony. It’s an oasis where turtles represent longevity and wisdom, fish

symbolise life and dolphins are guardians. The islands are an ideal water playground, where no other nation celebrates its marine life in this manner. And for superyacht owners and charter guests, it’s simply paradise.

Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia. Formed by volcanic activity, it is high and dramatic with surrounding coral reefs. Its capital Papeete is located on the northwest coast along with Faa’a International Airport, the only international airport in the region. Tahiti is amongst the Society Island chain, one of the most popular of the five different archipelagos within French Polynesia. Tahitian hospitality pervades the moment you debark the plane with a welcome of a fresh tiari flower lei. Its beguiling fragrance permeates the air and represents the beginning of sweet things to come. The lei also beckons you to discover Papeete, your starting point for a beautiful cruising itinerary.

Papeete is a wonderful place to shop for Tahitian pearls, sarongs and the traditional monoi oil, a very pure, natural oil extracted from the tiare flower and coconut shavings. It is also a fantastic place for dining, from the more relaxed outdoor tables at the downtown wharf, where customised catering trucks known as Roulottes prepare everything from the freshest fish to the most delicate crepe, to the more acclaimed restaurants like Le Coco. A wonderful place to rendezvous for cocktails is at Le Retro bar, located near the waterfront. Decorated like a Parisian café, this bar is a great place for a cool, tropical drink at sunset.

We boarded the M/Y Askari on the island of Moorea, which lies 10 miles west of Tahiti and serves as its dramatic vista. The sweet smell of the infamous Moorea pineapple permeated the air. Riding the tender through Cooks Bay was like entering into a beautiful postcard. We wanted to pinch ourselves to see if we were dreaming. There peacefully anchored in the short distance was our home away from home.

Originally built as a fishing vessel, destiny had better things in mind for the 107-foot Askari. Before ever catching any fish, she was reconfigured into a five-stateroom yacht to include all the comforts expected by the most discerning guests. Her solid steel bones have allowed her to complete 15 ocean crossings, including a 13-month charter with guests aboard the entire time. Especially unique is the ample full-beam galley, a large crew quarters for her full-time crew of seven and a sense of ‘wow’ as to how beautifully she fits into the Polynesian environment. The crew’s endearing smiles, the refreshingly chilled coconut welcome drink, the pristine bright shine of the yacht’s woodwork and the well-appointed wicker furniture all invited us to sink in.

After our safety briefing we were led to our respective staterooms, each with ensuite facilities. The five staterooms include the king size, full beam master

PREVIOUS PAGE: The dramatically scenic Bora Bora.

THIS PAGE: (Left) A tall ship sails through Cook’s Bay. (Above) M/Y Askari is available to charter

through Fraser Yachts.

with an adjacent convertible bunk bed cabin, which by closing a hidden door can turn the bow of the yacht into a two-room master suite. Amidships is an ample queen berth stateroom. The two aft staterooms are convertible from queens to two twins as needed by the charter guests.

The lunch that followed continued our blissful introduction. We were served a delicious, traditional Poisson Cru, which is tuna ‘cooked’ in fresh lime, then enhanced with coconut milk, and a Banana Po’e for dessert.

The islands are an ideal water playground, where no other nation celebrates its marine life

in this manner. And for superyacht owners and charter guests, it’s simply paradise.

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Afterwards we were anxious to discover Moorea’s interior, so off we went for a quad bike or ATV exploration of the island. Leave your elegant clothing on board and don a helmet, for you’re off on steep and narrow dirt roads exploring craters, pineapple farms and learning some of the folklore of the island. Returning exhausted but happy, the cold cloth and cool drink was a welcome respite.

Askari is a heavy full-displacement yacht, so to slip anchor for a sunset cruise over cocktails and canapés outside the reef is effortless. We cruise quietly to our next destination.

Following a blissful sleep we awoke in Opunohu Bay, a breathtaking and dramatic anchorage that beckons an early morning paddleboard. It’s an island

where watersports predominate, so today we’re in the water. Diving and snorkelling is a must. To dive anywhere in Tahiti, you must hire a professional dive guide. It can be a dive shop, or a more customised company like Tahiti Private Expeditions, which offer a tremendous experience. Their guides have unsurpassed knowledge; they specialise in private yachts and introduce the marine life in a positive way. Before we dive, we are given an in-depth lesson about sharks and the reef by Rodolph, one of our dive guides and owner of the company. Rodolph is very passionate about life below the sea.

Rodolph’s preview of what to expect does not disappoint. The sea life is abundant, the water crystal clear and warm, 27 degrees celsius (81 degree farenheit). We see turtles, rays, sharks and an array of colorful reef fish, which only enhance the reefs’ colours. We laugh as a clown fish pokes himself out from a sea anemone at our curious sight. A visit to the turtle clinic, the dolphin encounter lagoon, paddle boarding, kayaking, water-skiing and a Jacuzzi dip all create a marvellous day in paradise. Its pièce de résistance is a sunset Tahitian dance performed by the yacht’s second stewardess Moevai. The sheer beauty and the magic of her dance transported us all into a state of enchantment.

Askari’s crew have certainly perfected the right formula to achieve a charter guest’s happiness.

This yacht and crew left an indelible mark on us all.

THIS PAGE: (Clockwise from top) The main saloon

aboard Askari; Onwards to Moorea with its dramatic vista; The owner’s suite.

OPPOSITE PAGE: With its open plan, Askari allows guests to

feel like they are at one with the ocean.

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a tranquil experience to kayak and or paddleboard. Another enjoyable excursion is to snorkel or dive the wreck S/V Nordby, a 100-year old three-masted schooner. Today it’s an open shell, but it’s the best wreck in French Polynesia, and is located just inside the reef.

Sharing the reef with Raiatea is the island of Tahaa. A Vanilla Tour excursion in a four-wheel-drive truck is one of the island’s highlights.

Askari prefers to leave for Bora Bora late afternoon so we enter the lagoon at sunset. One of most celebrated islands in the Society chain, Bora Bora is unrivaled in her beauty. Barrier island reefs encompass two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, which form a crystal clear circular lagoon. We had the unique opportunity to spend a day on this lagoon, which didn’t disappoint; swimming, diving, snorkelling, paddling or simply floating; anything in the water is mandatory. Our tender ride in the lagoon passed exclusive resorts with over-the-water bungalows. One special spot featured pure pink-white sand, so as you jumped into the water your feet sank into the purist, powdery sand. It’s truly a spa treatment in the sea. On the northern end of the lagoon our experienced local guide jumped in the water to feed the stingrays and yellow tipped sharks, which created a feeding frenzy for any thrill seeker. The southwestern side of the lagoon offered a particularly beautiful coral garden, a unique underwater spectacle. At the end of our swim we walked up the beach and were welcomed to a traditional beach BBQ where we were serenaded with lovely traditional songs. It was the perfect end to a perfect afternoon.

Askari’s crew have certainly perfected the right formula to achieve a charter guest’s happiness. This yacht and crew left an indelible mark on us all. We were extremely saddened to leave this pocket of paradise. We were ecstatic though to have navigated a small pocket of Askari’s wonderful world.

In a typical one-week itinerary, Askari usually ends her charters in Bora Bora after starting in Tahiti. The approximate one-hour flight to return to Tahiti is one we took with sadness, for it represented an end to a most magical trip. Tahiti’s Society Islands are a tropical destination most people only dream about. Its beauty, its welcoming hospitality, its culture and most of all, its ocean playground is all there for one’s discovery. You just need to experience it once to be hooked for life.

A seven-day charter will not only include Papeete and Moora, but also the islands of Huahini, Raiatea, Tahaa and Bora Bora. Huahine lies 75 miles away from Moorea, so when heading here, an overnight passage is advisable. Known as the ‘Garden of Eden’ Huahine is the lesser-developed island of the group. Once anchored, guests can take advantage of the many water toys on board. Guests can also go ashore on a private beach for a picnic hosted by a Tahitian family. This is an authentic local experience which is accompanied by traditional Tahitian music. These barbecues are not advertised in tour guides and are currently only known through ‘word of mouth’.

The yacht’s next stop is the island of Raiatea. Fishing en route you can catch yellowfin, wahoo or mahi mahi; even marlin.

A must-do on Raiatea is the Faaroa River tour, which is the only navigable river in French Polynesia. Its beautiful hibiscus flowers that line the shores create

M/Y Askari is available for charter through Fraser Yachts. For more information please contact charter@fraseryachts.com.

THIS PAGE:(Top) Water toys are in abundance,

allowing charter guests to spend as much time on the water as

possible. (Bottom) A seven-day charter allows for ample beautiful

sunsets around the islands.

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InTEllIGEnT AcQUISITIOn

From the silk studios of Italy to the running rivers of Michigan and the ticking timepieces of Switzerland,

we profile three artists who understand the real meaning of originality and that anything is possible

in the world of creation.

Once a key maritime hub on the silk route thanks to Marco Polo, Venice has always had an entrenched link to textiles, particularly to silk weaving, and few Venetian companies are as synonymous with this craft as Rubelli.

From the day Lorenzo Rubelli purchased the already 200-year-old company 125 years ago, Rubelli has evolved from creating elaborate textiles for 19th century royalty to furnishing some of the world’s most luxurious superyachts, residences and hotels, with 76 showrooms around the world presenting 910 different fabrics.

In an age where cheap and cheerful fabrics are readily available from the Far East, the realm of luxury textiles is very much a niche market, so being a hands-on, family business is integral to what makes Rubelli special. “Silk is in Venice’s DNA,” says Nicolò Favaretto Rubelli, the company’s CEO. “It has always been our aim to build on and renew our Venetian heritage of silk weaving but also to move the company forward.” Headquartered on Venice’s Grand Canal in Palazzo Corner Spinelli, a striking Renaissance mansion built in 1490, staying current and reinventing itself is not a straightforward task for a company with such a strong heritage like Rubelli.

“There is always a danger when trying to appeal to a wider audience that you will water down your identity,” says Nicolò, who admits that many young Italians may associate Rubelli with their dowager grandmother’s living room. “We want to connect to a more contemporary audience but the reality is that with Rubelli, our history is inherent – we are always connected to the past and a large part of what makes us luxurious is our past.” As a result, in order to explore more contemporary textile

design, over the years the company has carefully invested in new brands and distinct collaborations.

The quest has led Rubelli to collaborate with luxury shoemaker Santoni on capsule collections and even link itself to conceptual art projects that celebrate Venetian culture. In 2001 it also acquired the French textile house Dominique Kieffer, a company that allowed it to branch out into a more modern aesthetic, and established a partnership with Armani/Casa. “Giorgio [Armani] brings a fashion point of view and in fashion, brands have a brilliant way of reinterpreting rather than reproducing the past-something we can all learn from,” says Nicolò.

Reinterpreting rather than reproducing the past is something Rubelli strived for with its latest collection, A Stiller Life; a collection that turns some iconic textile designs on their head and includes everything from sumptuous velvets and silks to modern Treviras and man-made synthetics ready for high-end hospitality projects. Many of the pieces in the collection have evolved directly from the matchless Rubelli historical archive. Containing 6,000 textile records that date from the 12th century, the collection is housed in their Palazzo headquarters and attracts scholars and historians from around Europe. Rubelli even has its own in-house curator, Isabella Campagnol, who has been looking after the treasures since 2006.

Campagnol explains that Rubelli is regularly requested to help with high-profile restoration projects. Along with the San Carlo in Naples, the Fenice opera house in Venice and Moscow’s historic Bolshoi theatre, Rubelli has helped restore and recreate textiles for several Venetian institutions like the Palazzo Ducale and Palazzo Mocenigo. “Sometimes we are asked to reproduce the original fabrics that are usually too worn out to be restored,” says Campagnol. “In these cases we need to be extremely careful to meticulously reproduce their patterns and recreate the original colour. Often we have to look underneath door or window frames to find unfaded fragments of fabrics. I’m always surprised to see how bold the ancient colours were.”

For a company that has traditionally been so intrinsically linked to the concept of luxury, Nicolò is interestingly convinced that luxury is, on the surface, not a desirable word any more. “At the heart of the word these days though, luxury really means exclusivity – something that is bespoke, unique and custom,” he says. “People want things that are made just for them.” With this in mind, Rubelli quite often works on bespoke projects for high-profile clients on bespoke textiles.

Nicolò strongly feels that superyacht designers are one of the few groups to really understand true luxury. Rubelli works a lot with Benetti and other Italian yards, but also with yards outside of Italy like Palmer Johnson, for example. “The budgets also mean that we can supply some of our most special textiles to private owners,” adds Nicolò. “Our hand-woven velvets, our top-production fabric range costing thousands of dollars per metre, tends to be only requested for yachts now. In many ways, superyachts are keeping real luxury alive.”

THE SIlk ROUTEWords by Angela Audretsch

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InTEllIGEnT AQUISITIOn

Back and forth, back and forth goes the slow, rhythmic movement of a fly whooshing through the air, floating, unrolling, seemingly weightless – it’s the only audible sound for miles as the seasoned fisherman stands waist-deep

in the cold running river, basking in the warm glow of the early morning sunrise, silently waiting for a bite. Fly fishing, a sport for the contemplative and patient. Far from proffering immediate results it’s the unwearied angler who reaps rewards in this game. So it’s a fitting match that for one so in tune with the beauty of nature he should have in his possession a fishing reel that is itself a labour of love.

Precision-designed and individually handcrafted, Willow Classic Reels are beautiful in both function and form. Hand-turned, chemically etched and constructed from lightweight aircraft anodised aluminium (save for one retro brass frame), each reel is a one-of-a-kind work of art. Conceived by passionate fly fisherman Chris Reister, it can take over one year for a new reel to pass from concept to final design, with months of scrutiny in between – “we take a close look at what is truly unique, and what will catch the eye of the consumer, as well as catch fish,” he says.

Specialising in classic reels with hardwood inlays, the materials used range from maple burl to ebony, black lacquer to white parchment with real hand-pressed flowers. Starting at a cost of around £400 a reel, each inlay is precision cut to fit the circumference of the face, and each component of the reel including the screws made by hand by a master-certified machinist. “I work closely with several different custom rod makers so we can coordinate components from the rod and reel to make them flow together seamlessly,” says Reister. “What you get with a Willow is something unique, made by hand, with love by a fellow fly fisherman.”

A self-confessed addict, Michigan-born Reister’s love for the sport first started one Christmas morning when his brother-in-law handed him an empty fly box. “He taught me how to tie flies, cast and eventually to fly fish,” he says. “That was over 20 years ago and I learn something new every time I am on the water.”

A seasoned traveller privileged enough to have fished in many of the best locations the world over, it’s the tranquil setting of the misty Korean mountains to the East of Seoul that offer up something a little different in his opinion: “You wouldn’t think about this as a destination for fly fishing, but the streams are simply beautiful. However my true love is here in Michigan. It’s where I learned to fly fish so it holds a very special place in my heart. The Au Sable River in the middle of Michigan is one of the premiere trout streams in the country and it’s right here only two hours from my home. It has everything from salmon and steelhead to brook trout, browns and rainbows.”

Designed specifically for trout fishing, as opposed to catching grayling or salmon, each Willow reel is based on the click and pawl design, which means there are no additional drag features. Reels for bigger quarry, for example wahoo, tuna or marlin, require much more stopping power and are designed entirely differently.

“We are always looking for ways to make our reels more durable while retaining their beauty,” says Reister. “Everything is unique to the customer. We had one we made recently for a customer’s husband whose nickname is ‘silver fox’. She specifically wanted an English fox, so we sketched a reel up with a couple of foxes on it and her husband’s initials. She loved it and it is now travelling the world! I personally love the reel we made for a friend of mine who is a major league baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers – it’s a very simple ebony inlay with his initial in sterling silver.”

then there’s the Hippocampus, which stands over nine feet tall and chimes on the hour, however, this particular movement plays a unique melody each time it chimes and won’t repeat itself for over a hundred years. Named after the part of the brain that is involved in memory forming, organising and storing, this clock never forgets a melody, only so it won’t ever duplicate itself.

“For me, constructing a clock is a playful and fascinating experiment. In order to give the as yet undiscovered element a chance to come to life, I try to surprise myself without worrying about failure,” says Eleta. “I follow no specific goal, but let myself be guided by the creative process and see where it takes me. There are always opportunities to incorporate new experiences and improve on my work.”

Now a father and grandfather, Eleta is acutely aware of the “inexorable passing of time” and for this reason vows never to duplicate or repeat his work – “Who wouldn’t like to exhaust as many possibilities and discover as much as possible?” he asks.

His starting point when designing a new creation is an array of loosely connected thoughts, which are transformed into sketches on paper, before he plays around with shapes, form and mechanical relationships to see what evolves organically. But it’s his drive to produce something exquisite and aesthetically rousing that keeps his work fresh, innovative and completely one-of-a-kind.

“On this creative journey nothing is fixed,” he says. “Sometimes a painstakingly produced gearwheel breaks, a construction does not work as expected, or a detour is necessary to learn a new technique. But in many hitches and obstacles there is a hidden hint. An idea can sparkle and reveal an unknown path.”

Miki Eleta is a fantasist, in every sense of the word. Fully absorbed in a world of cogwheels and levers he is an artist chasing the untouchable, an illusionist reaching for an

alternative reality. His masterful creations flash through his mind as sparks of inspiration, ideas not yet realised, until gradually over the course of three to six months they manifest themselves in the form of mind-blowing clocks.

“My goal is always to create something new,” he says. “I approach my work mainly with curiosity. The first idea for a new clock is only a rough starting point, and the outcome is only known when the work is completed.”

Born in Visegard, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eleta has lived in Switzerland since 1973. Originating as a kinetic artist (art that contains movement or depends on motion for its effect) he now spends most of his time creating private orders for his magnificent clocks. But these are no ordinary timepieces. Working mainly with brass, steel and precious stones he produces all the components himself by hand. He is a skilled artisan at the very least, but the magic lies within the unexpected and his insatiable desire to surprise, delight and inspire.

Eleta’s clocks do not look or perform like clocks. Take, for example, La Luna – one of his personal favourites – made from gold, chrome, lapis lazuli, blue glass, mother-of-pearl and horn, it has a double pendulum that completes one revolution about its axis in one hour indicating the seconds and minutes. Weekday, date and month are also displayed, as are the phases of the moon, signs of the zodiac, the longest and shortest days of the year and the seasons. And

cOUTURE cASTInGWords by Julia Brandon

SAndS Of TImEWords by Julia Brandon

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