Teaming up with renowned artist Diaa Allam, Perrelet have kicked off their Dubai Watch Week! In yet a spectacular display, they have integrated Allam’s distinct style within their equally distinct Turbine collection.
Watchmaking and the arts have shared an inextricable connection since time immemorial. Watch brands, watchmakers, and enthusiasts all revolve around the beauty of creating a timepiece. But the beauty of watchmaking comes in many forms. Whether it is mechanical complexity, material innovation, or spectacular design, a watch’s ability to capture attention, admiration, and desire is often underestimated yet unparalleled.
For a watchmaker, however, the primary focus is often creating a practical timepiece. Minimalist, pragmatic design works to an extent, but how do you create a watch with a true ‘wow’ factor? For the Bienne-based brand Perrelet, the answer is simple: ask the artists.
While their heritage stretches back to 1777, Perrelet have always been more inclined to directly integrate art into their pieces than most other brands. This is most evident in their Turbine collection, where they have collaborated with the likes of Chris Alexander (The Dial Artist), Romaric André (seconde/seconde), and even designed a watch featuring explicit hentai illustrations. No, I’m not kidding.
For Dubai Watch Week 2025, Perrelet returns to the world of fine art to unveil a new rendition of their iconic Turbine line. For this project, the Maison has collaborated with Diaa Allam, a UAE-based artist born in 1981 in Ajman. Widely known for his large-scale live performances, his murals have become prominent features across the UAE. Reflecting a vibrant, layered, and kinetic artistic language, Allam specialises in three-dimensional Arabic calligraphy, fusing traditional scripts with modern visual depth and colour.
This new collaboration between artist and horologist comes in Perrelet’s signature Turbine 41mm case. With a thickness of 13.9mm, the robust case is crafted from Grade 2 titanium and coated with black DLC. This combination offers exceptional lightness, durability, corrosion resistance, and hypoallergenic properties. The case also features Perrelet’s distinctive triple lugs, which hold a black rubber strap secured with a DLC-coated pin buckle.
At the heart of the Turbine x Diaa Allam is a custom-painted lower dial showcasing one of Allam’s exclusive artworks. Inspired by the woven textures of traditional palm-leaf wickerwork, the design uses overlapping, multicoloured segments that evoke depth and layering.
Flowing Arabic calligraphy emerges dynamically as the 12-blade turbine — Perrelet’s signature kinetic element and the collection’s namesake — spins above it. Equipped with tungsten counterweights for precise balance, the turbine has been a hallmark of the collection since 2009. Eastern Arabic numerals are also incorporated on the dial, filled with generous amounts of lume.
Rotating with the movement of the wrist, you might be disappointed to learn that the turbine’s rotation is decorative rather than functional. However, Brand Director Hugo Lesizza has a perfectly justifiable explanation for the design choice.
“It’s aesthetic, and they are only spinning very fast because the idea is to create a very eye-catching effect, to play with colours, with thematics; That’s why we have a good dynamic in the collection,” he stated in an interview with Watch Advice. “We don’t connect the turbine to the movement like an oscillating weight. If we did, it would spin very slowly and we would lose this eye-catching effect.”
Inside the Turbine x Diaa Allam beats the in-house P-331-MH calibre, a self-winding mechanical movement with a 42-hour power reserve and a 4Hz (28,800VpH) beat rate. The P-331-MH is both COSC Chronometer and Chronofiable® certified, where the latter is administered by the Fleurier Quality Foundation. This is the same board that works with brands like Parmigiani Fleurier and Chopard.
To be certified Chronofiable®, the Fleurier Quality Foundation assesses a watch’s long-term durability and reliability through rigorous testing, including aging cycles, stem and push-button force tests, shock resistance, exposure to magnetic fields, and water resistance. The number of watches tested depends on production size, ensuring that even limited editions meet and maintain strict performance standards over time. Produced with the help of Soprod, it guarantees that the Turbine x Diaa Allam remains as reliable as any other watch beyond its novel features.
My Thoughts
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not the biggest Perrelet fan. Much like with Roger Dubuis, I appreciated the concepts behind their lineups, but I was often put off by the size and silhouette of their complications. Over time, I found myself gravitating more towards their Weekend collection — a surprising shift, given my usual preference for more maximalist designs like the Turbine.
In the 41mm frame, however, the Turbine collection captured my curiosity. For Dubai Watch Week 2025, the brand’s latest collaboration with Diaa Allam has now also grabbed my attention. Growing up with a few Arabic-speaking friends, and with a general interest in Arabic and Islamic art, I find the new timepiece both attractive and well-suited to the occasion.
Although it’s a limited edition of just 50 units, the integration of Diaa Allam’s artistry is bound to appeal to more than just Arabic watch enthusiasts. Hopefully, one of the fifty will make its way to this side of the world, and I look forward to when that eventually happens.
Reference: A4067/S8
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 41mm case diameter x 13.2mm thickness
- Case Material: Black DLC grade 2 titanium
- Dial: Multicoloured dial with Arabic calligraphy by Diaa Allam & black aluminium/tungsten Turbine Technology
- Movement: Automatic P-331-MH with COSC Chronometer & Chronofiable certifications
- Power Reserve: 42h
- Beat Rate: 4Hz (28,800VpH)
- Water Resistance: 100m (10bar)
- Strap: Black rubber strap with black DLC titanium pin buckle