Introducing

Celadon Cloisonné Enamel Imperial Four Nobles

Exclusively with Revolution

“In my second year at law school at the beginning of 2008, I had a choice of internships between the US and China, and I chose the latter because of my burgeoning interest in the land of my ancestors, ironically spurred on during my time in London, and I wanted to see what China was truly like, especially during such a momentous time of national pride as the 2008 Beijing Olympics.”

“Landing in Shanghai, I was amazed at the futuristic architecture and the faded elegance of the Art Deco architecture, holdovers from the city’s storied past in the 1920s and ‘30s, but I also immersed myself in the ancient and imperial history of the city and the wider surrounding Jiangnan area, especially in Hangzhou and Suzhou, prominent centres of Chinese art and culture over many centuries. I enjoyed the refined, elegant lifestyle of tea and art appreciation by the West Lake, as much as the delicate serenity of the innumerable water towns that alluded to the classical beauty of imperial China.”

– Benjamin Chee

In his own words: “BCHH is my flagship brand — created to embody a more avant-garde aesthetic and to push the boundaries in both complications and design, with prices starting from CHF 50,000 and up. Celadon, on the other hand, is rooted in the ethos of ‘Made in China with Pride,’ dedicated to crafting top-quality artisanal watches that reflect a uniquely Chinese aesthetic, deeply informed by 5,000 years of Chinese art and history.”

Master Lin Yonghua, one of three watchmakers in China certified by AHCI

Equally significant is Celadon’s close collaboration with Master Lin Yonghua — one of only three Chinese watchmakers recognized by the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) — who brings with him exceptional mechanical expertise. Together, they’ve developed a series of remarkable timepieces powered by Master Lin’s fully in-house movements — the CH1, CH5 and, most recently, the CH4414, which features a jumping hour module.

What truly drew me to this series, however, is the extraordinary artistry of the dials. Many of these watches feature meticulously crafted cloisonné enamel dials made by Grandmaster Xiong Songtao, one of Beijing’s most respected enamelers, who comes from a family that served as Imperial Enamelers to the Emperors of China for many generations.

Patek Philippe Dome Clock for Maison Patek Philippe Shanghai ref. 1644M in 2012, credit: Europa Star

As the third generation of Xiong’s Enamel, a family atelier founded in 1969, he is recognized as a preserver of intangible cultural heritage in China — and his work reflects that legacy with every detail. His enamel artistry has been commissioned by prestigious maisons such as Piaget and Cartier, and in 2012, he created a dome clock for Patek Philippe to commemorate the opening of Maison Patek Philippe Shanghai, with the reference 1644M “新上海” (New Shanghai).

Chinese Cloisonné

Cloisonné enamel, or jing tai lan (景泰蓝) — also known in Chinese as filigree enamel on copper — is an exquisite art form with over 800 years of history in China. The technique first arrived during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). It was believed to have originated from Byzantine craftsmanship and was introduced to China via the Islamic world.It reached its artistic peak in the 15th century during the reign of Emperor Jingtai (r. 1450–1457) of the Ming dynasty, from whom it derives its name.

The creation process begins with shaping a mold from red copper. Artisans then sketch the design onto the mold and apply fine copper wires to form the decorative outlines. These cells are filled with colorful enamel paste, followed by repeated kiln-firing, polishing and gilding to achieve the final piece. Jing tai lan masterfully fuses the techniques of bronze work and porcelain artistry, incorporating traditional Chinese painting, sculpture and engraving. It is considered one of the most intricate and demanding enameling techniques. 

Over time, jing tai lan evolved independently of other global enamel traditions, reaching its peak with lavish commissions from the Imperial Court of China. Numerous provinces later developed their own distinctive schools of cloisonné, further enriching this celebrated craft and later, became popular in the west as well.

Applying fine wires to form outlines for decoration

In contrast, in Europe, enamel watch dials first appeared in clocks and pocket watches during the 17th and 18th centuries, but it wasn’t until the 1940s and 1950s that cloisonné enamel dials truly flourished in wristwatches — a period widely regarded as the golden age for this intricate art form in horology.

One of the most renowned producers of cloisonné enamel dials was Stern Frères, a dial manufacturer founded by the Stern family, who later acquired Patek Philippe. Beginning at the end of the 1940s, Stern Frères crafted some of the most iconic and collectible enamel dials ever made, contributing to timepieces that would later become auction legends.

A Patek Philippe Ref. 2481 from circa 1952, featuring a cloisonné enamel “Pristine Forest” dial, was sold by Phillips New York in 2023 for USD 1,117,600, credit: Phillips Auctions

The term cloisonné — derived from the French word cloison, meaning “partition” — refers to the wires used to outline the decorative motifs before filling them with enamel. The process is laborious and demands exceptional craftsmanship, with very few artisans capable of executing it at a high level. As a result, production was extremely limited. Across all watch brands, only a few hundred cloisonné enamel wristwatches were ever made, making them prized rarities in the world of fine watchmaking.

Merging Chinese Art and Philosophy

One creation by Celadon that has left a lasting impression on me is the 2023 release of the Celadon HH Century Cloisonné “Duo of Swallows.” It’s a breathtaking piece that showcases the depth of traditional Chinese craftsmanship, featuring a cloisonné enamel dial inspired by bird-and-flower painting, or hua niao hua (花鳥畫). This revered art form, deeply rooted in Chinese culture, symbolizes harmony, beauty and our connection to nature — and it has long been considered one of the great treasures of classical Chinese painting.

I was captivated by its beauty and refinement — moved by the intricate details and the way it so powerfully conveyed the language and spirit of Chinese artistry. It stirred something in me. I felt inspired to create a rendition of it for Revolution, one that pays homage to this tradition, while offering a fresh, contemporary perspective. 

In the same year, over dinner, Benjamin and I discussed a potential collaboration — one that would reflect our shared fascination and deep appreciation for Chinese art and culture. We wanted to create a timepiece that pays tribute to something many Chinese people can deeply relate to: the theme of the Four Seasons — Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter — which has been beautifully expressed through the classical art of bird-and-flower painting. I asked Benjamin to conceptualize and propose ideas where it could meaningfully contribute to this project — and he did not disappoint. He suggested combining the Four Seasons with the Four Gentlemen, also known as the Four Noble Ones — a concept deeply rooted in traditional Chinese art and philosophy.

Bird-and-Flower Painting

Throughout Chinese art history, painting has centered on three distinct genres — landscape, nature and human figures — each developing its own traditions. Flower painting, a branch of the “natural subjects” category, came into its own during the Five Dynasties period (907–960). With flowers came birds: in Chengdu, the master Huang Quan (黃筌, c. 903–965) pioneered the xie sheng (寫生, “sketch-from-life”) technique, a highly detailed, naturalistic style favored by professional and court painters, in contrast to the more spontaneous xie yi (寫意, “sketching ideas”) approach.

Birds By Sketching Life painted by Huang Quan (c.903–965), credit China Online Museum

Under the Song Dynasty (960–1279), this meticulous tradition flourished. Artists such as Cui Bai (崔白, c. 1044–1088) refined Huang Quan’s lifelike method, while imperial patronage reached new heights — most notably under Emperor Huizong (趙佶, 1082–1135). Renowned for his connoisseurship, Huizong was himself an accomplished calligrapher — creator of the elegant “Slender Gold” script — and a painter of birds and flowers rendered in exquisite realism yet imbued with poetic sentiment. His celebrated painting, Five-Colored Parakeet on a Blossoming Apricot Tree, exemplifies this union of precision, lyricism and calligraphic inscription.

Five-colored parakeet on a blossoming apricot tree by Emperor Huizong

Successive dynasties preserved and evolved the bird-and-flower painting tradition, with each generation infusing it with new technical and stylistic nuances. This genre maintains a direct lineage to the imperial courts, embodying the rich heritage of Chinese aesthetics, craftsmanship and reverence for nature’s beauty — a legacy that continues to inspire Chinese artists to this day.

The Four Gentlemen / Four Noble Ones (四君子)

In traditional Chinese bird-and-flower painting, the “Four Noble Ones” (梅蘭竹菊) refer to four plants that each embody the virtues of a Confucian gentleman (君子):

The Four Gentlemen have been portrayed in Chinese painting for over a millennium, admired not only for their refined beauty but also for the noble virtues they represent — qualities long admired by the Chinese literati.

The Contemporary Case for Elegance

With the concept of our collaborative watch in place, next came the discussions on the case size. Lin Yonghua’s current in-house movement necessitates a 42mm case — perfectly reasonable, especially as it allows ample space to showcase the cloisonné enamel artistry. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if a more refined size, perhaps around 37 to 38mm, might offer an even more elegant and wearable alternative. That resulted in me looking at a sub-genre of the Celadon line, the Celadon Claire de Lune (Celadon CL) collection.

The Celadon Century Cloisonné “Mandarin Duck” is housed in a 42mm case, highlighting a beautifully crafted cloisonné enamel dial

The Celadon line is divided into three distinct collections. At the pinnacle is Celadon HH, featuring cloisonné enamel dials paired with Master Lin Yonghua’s in-house movements. Maison Celadon is the original and enduring collection, home to the signature Imperial models that first defined the brand’s identity. Lastly, Celadon CL is the brand’s newest line, dedicated to artisanal dials that highlight exceptional craftsmanship.

I decided to pitch an idea: why not create those exquisite cloisonné enamel dials and house them within the 38mm Imperial case of the Celadon CL line — something Benjamin had never done before? The proposal came with two major benefits. First, 38mm is, in my opinion, the perfect size for a refined dress watch, and the Imperial’s curvaceous teardrop-lug case is undeniably elegant — sexy, even. It’s also robust, reliable and makes it an excellent option for everyday wear. Second, this approach would make the watch significantly more accessible, offering exceptional value without compromising on artistry or craftsmanship.

Nature’s Symphony:
Conceptualization of the Dials

The first challenge was aligning the dial design with both our creative visions. From selecting the birds to determining background motifs and finalizing color palettes, every element was a collaborative back-and-forth to ensure balance and harmony. Here’s what we arrived at:

The final dial concepts

Each flower is paired with birds that best exemplify the elegance and grace found in classical Chinese paintings and traditional lacquered screens.

The next hurdle was producing the dials themselves. As noted earlier, every cloisonné enamel dial is handcrafted in the atelier of Grandmaster Xiong Songtao. His method differs from European cloisonné: he works with exceptionally fine gold wire — as thin as 0.04 to 0.07mm —demanding greater skill and allowing far more intricate imagery. For this project, he even devised a new, more complex technique that surpasses the cloisonné of imperial times. Yet executing that level of detail on a watch dial barely 30mm across presented an extraordinary challenge, even for him.

Creating a single dial involves over 45 individual steps basically divided into four sub-sections:

1. Laying out the design on a solid silver base
2. Selecting and mixing each enamel color
3. Shaping and positioning the gold wire by hand and tweezer to form every contour
4. Firing the dial roughly 25 times at 900°C in a specialized kiln — adding and fixing each color layer by layer

This painstaking wire-laying stage alone takes an experienced artisan over 50 hours. At any point in the multi-stage firing process, the dial can crack, warp or discolor; fewer than one in 10 survive to perfection. Yet each success is timeless: cloisonné enamel never fades, and because every wire is hand placed and every firing unique, no two dials are identical — even when they share the same design. In that sense, every finished piece is a true one-of-a-kind.

Celadon Cloisonné Enamel Imperial Four Nobles

All of this culminated in the creation of the Celadon Cloisonné Enamel Imperial Four Nobles — a set of four timepieces, each representing a season and one of the Four Noble Ones. For both Benjamin and myself, this collection is a deeply personal expression, harmoniously blending our shared admiration for Chinese culture, art, and horology.

Each watch is housed in a 38mm × 10.1mm 316L stainless steel case with Celadon’s signature teardrop lugs, offering a refined and elegant wrist presence. Despite the compact diameter, the watch wears closer to 39mm thanks to the extended lugs, making it suitable for a wide range of wrist sizes. The case is fitted with a screwed sapphire caseback and topped with a domed sapphire crystal.

A Four-Way Collaboration

No exceptional timepiece is complete without an equally beautiful strap. For this, we invited another close friend and fellow Singaporean craftsman to join our project — Lin Yiyan, Founder of RSM Watch Straps. Yiyan is a pioneer in the Singapore watch scene and one of the best strap makers in the country. He began with military-style NATO straps and, over the years, evolved his craft to create some of the finest dress and traditional leather straps available today.

Lin Yiyan, founder of RSM Watch Straps

One of his most exciting recent innovations is a collection of straps featuring an Art Deco-inspired leaf motif, crafted from premium silk woven into a delicate, geometric pattern. It’s an elegant fusion of textile craftsmanship and contemporary design, executed through a complex, multi-step process that involves several specialized artisans — a rarity in the strap world.

The strap pairing process for the Celadon Cloisonné Enamel Imperial Four Nobles was an intimate, hands-on journey that involved the testing of countless combinations of colors and textures. Honest opinions were exchanged throughout, and the final selections were made with the goal of elevating the enamel dials while letting them remain the centerpiece of each watch:

Each strap was carefully chosen to complement and elevate the enamel dials, which are undeniably the stars of this collection. These combinations strike the perfect balance of harmony, elegance and cultural expression.

The Celadon Cloisonné Enamel Imperial Four Nobles is offered exclusively on a subscription basis, made to order with a one-month ordering window from the official launch date.

To reward early supporters, the first 25 pieces of each model will be individually numbered — a gesture of appreciation to collectors who placed their trust in us from the outset. However, the first five pieces of each model will only be available as part of a complete box set featuring all four watches — Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn — celebrating the harmony and cultural richness of the Four Noble Ones in their entirety. The rest may be purchased individually.

Four Noble Ones Box Set handcrafted in Burmese rosewood

These five box sets are crafted by a master artisan — a close friend of Benjamin — who has been in the fine woodworking trade for over 30 years. Each box is constructed from Burmese rosewood (缅甸花梨), a prized and collectible hardwood known for its durability, fine texture, rich grain and resistance to cracking or decay. From raw material selection to final polish, each box goes through 27 meticulous steps, including traditional techniques such as mortise-and-tenon joinery — the same ancient method used in traditional Chinese architecture.

The box set is meticulously hand-polished to achieve a smooth, lustrous finish

Every decorative element is hand engraved, and no two boxes are exactly the same. As a final personal touch, owners of the complete set will be invited to customize their boxes with an engraving of their choice, and Revolution will oversee this process with them.

The Celadon Cloisonné Enamel Imperial Four Nobles is priced at SGD 13,880 before taxes per piece. The complete box set of all four watches is available exclusively on our website for SGD 55,520 before taxes.