Maen Watches and prolific French creative, Romaric (aka: seconde/seconde/) have collaborated for a second time to bring us the Manhattan Project, a radical take on Maen’s MANHATTAN 37.

The collaboration states that,

By erasing the dial and modifying the seconds hand, we wanted to symbolize nuclear nothingness and life-threatening consequences of the Manhattan Project.

That research program was an achievement in human history. But also the first glimpse of a dreadful potentiality.

With its caseback echoing J. Robert Oppenheimer’s remorse, this watch aims to reflect the never-ending dilemma that comes with every major human discovery: opening Pandora’s box.

With any artistic endeavour, the more you push the existential boundary, the more push-back you receive. seconde/seconde/ has copped a lot of flack on social media regarding this collaboration, due to it being seen as celebrating nukes – which is a stretch.

The famous (or should that be infamous?) Oppenheimer quote that is engraved on the caseback (see above) defines the scientist’s full understanding, remorse, and guilt about the consequences of the Manhattan Project – we should remember our history, and ensure we don’t repeat it. And the shimmering “nothingness” on the Côtes de Genève dial is another stark reminder of the life-threatening danger of nukes.

Priced at €937.37 (~AU$1540.00), the MANHATTAN 37 – MSS.02 – seconde/seconde/ watch goes on pre-order starting June 7th 16:00 CEST (June 8th 12:00am AEST) and will stop 24 hours later. Shipping is expected by the end of November 2024.

image source: MAEN Watches