Sơn Mài – Silver Leaf « The Poppies » Limited Edition

An idea born of a moment of communion.

In 2023, during the first edition of the WATCHPRO Show, we were touched by the ‘two minutes of silence’ observed by all the exhibitors and visitors in honour of ‘Remembrance Day’ and the ‘Poppy’ tradition associated with it.

Coincidentally, a few days later we received the first dials from our brand new Sơn Mài collection, unique and handmade using the ancestral technique of ‘Sơn Mài’, the Vietnamese art of sanded natural lacquer, and magnified by the subtle application of pure silver leaf... Observing the depth and reflections of the red dial on the ‘Lava’ version, the idea was born almost instantly...

‘The Poppies’ is a watchmaking and craft tribute to a tradition dear to the hearts of the British, the fruit of a combination of French creativity, Swiss watchmaking excellence and ancestral Vietnamese art.

History of Poppies Tradition

The ‘Poppy’ has been used in the UK and some Commonwealth countries as an emblem of remembrance of the First World War since 1921. Every year, millions of Britons proudly wear this red flower in their buttonholes, in memory of the soldiers who died in the war. It's a tradition similar to the one celebrated in France, which consists of commemorating the armistice of 11 November 1918 with a cornflower in the buttonhole.

Legend has it that these two flowers, the cornflower and the poppy, were the only ones to grow back on the battlefields and the soldiers' graves, as a symbol of nature's will to bring (back) beauty where man had sown chaos.

This brooch is worn at least until the end of Remembrance Day, celebrated on the first Sunday after 11 November in memory of the war dead and wounded. Far from being a pretty flower chosen at random, over time these poppies have become a genuine symbol of remembrance and hope.

Remembering the past and committing to the future.

The idea and desire to create this edition of ‘The Poppies’ were born of a moment of communion, and the raison d'être of this project goes far beyond a purely commercial approach. As a mark of our respect and commitment to this tradition, we have decided to donate 10% of every watch sold to SCOTTY'S LITTLE SOLDIERS, a registered charity in England and Wales dedicated to supporting bereaved children and young servicemen.

SCOTTY'S LITTLE SOLDIERS members work every day to ease the effects of bereavement for young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Crown Armed Forces.

In our small way, we're proud to give them a helping hand, so that every child who needs it can benefit from access to the best emotional health and wellbeing support, exceptional development opportunities and the chance to smile again.

Visit and make a donation: https://www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk/

An English tradition born in France?

Remembrance Poppy Day was allegedly created by Madame Guérin (1878 - 1961), born in Pont-d'Arc (Ardèche). Following her invitation to the American Legion convention in Cleveland (Ohio) in 1920, she was nicknamed “The Poppy Lady from France”. There, she launched the idea of an “Interallied Poppy Day”.

Her initiative proposed that all allied countries in the First World War use artificial poppies made by French widows and orphans. The paper flowers would serve as an emblem to remember those who gave their lives in the First World War. At the same time, it created a method of raising funds to support the families of those who had fallen and those who had survived.