Harry Winston’s latest watch in its Opus series is an exceptional new timepiece that draws its inspiration from American themes and symbols, including the iconic jukebox of the 50s.

Costing around $434,000, the Opus 14 is also the first in the series to be launched since the watch and jewellery brand was bought by Switzerland’s Swatch Group in 2013.

Harry Winston’s Opus series dates back to 2001, when it began to collaborate with some of the best independent watchmakers in the world, creating new models that defy the laws of innovation and the way time is read, and the last iteration – Opus 13 – was unveiled in 2013.

For Opus 14, Harry Winston Timepieces has partnered with Franck Orny and Johnny Girardin, two visionary watchmakers, to push the limits of the imagination even further. 

Opus 14, which took which took three-and-a-half years to complete, combines the best in mechanical innovation with a remarkable playfulness. 

The model's silhouette is an ensemble of visual surprises brought together beneath a sapphire crystal cut from a single block and housed within an 18-karat gold case measuring 54.7 mm in diameter. In both its design and its automaton complication, this new creation evokes a jukebox, the mechanics of which have been miniaturised. 

The soul of the watch is shaped by each detail: the stylised display of the local time at 9 o'clock, the vinyl-style finishes on the various dials, the two-toned insignia bearing the number 14, the shaded red of the retrograde minutes arc, the style and blue tone of the hour markers. 

These elements recall the rock 'n roll era and the emblematic diner aesthetic, as well as the legendary Route 66. This spirit also infuses the presentation case, itself inspired by the jukebox.

The miniaturisation of the jukebox mechanism is a first and has been patented by Harry Winston. It reveals four disks housed in a store, each showing a specific display: local time, GMT time, the date and a star bearing the signature of Mr Harry Winston, a reference to the stars of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Activating the selector, located at 9 o'clock on the edge of the case, chooses the desired display. This action sets the entire store into an up and down motion, thus freeing the selected disk. When pressed for the first time, the push-piece at 4 o'clock activates a moving arm that picks the disk up and sets it onto the platform to be read. While the disk displaying the local time remains in place at 9 o'clock, the chosen GMT, date or star disk is positioned on this platform. Pressing the push-piece a second time once the disk is in place reactivates the arm, which moves the disk back into the store.The complexity of the movement, exclusive to Harry Winston and the identity of the Opus collection, lies in its two distinct power reserves. One ensures up to 68 hours of timekeeping autonomy; the other guarantees up to five back and forth disk movements. Although the power reserves are separate and function independently, they are driven by a shared winding mechanism. In addition, the push-pieces on the lugs at 12 o'clock allow the wearer to correct the date and GMT.

The watch has a total of 1,066 components and 124 jewels. 

Opus 14 was launched in Baden-Baden, Germany, late last month. Limited to only 50 pieces, Opus 14 retails for CHF428,000 ($434,600).