The Midnight Precious Weaving Automatic 42mm is a new limited edition timepiece that showcases a rare Japanese hand-weaving technique that incorporates mother of pearl and silk on the dial.

When I come across a new timepiece, first and foremost I am interested in what ticks under the hood. Regardless of how good the watch might look on the wrist – and there are some real lookers out there - or what kind of high-tech materials it is made of, at the end of the day it’s the movement that’s the deal breaker for me.

Harry Winston has never disappointed in that category, and it has released some impressive movements over the years. But with its latest timepiece - the Midnight Precious Weaving Automatic 42mm - what’s on the dial side is equally impressive.

A special weaving technique – which apparently originates from Japan - was first introduced by the maison in 2016 with the Premier 36mm timepiece. What makes it impressive is that it uses silk gold thread and thin pieces of natural mother-of-pearl that are woven together to create a unique tapestry. The mother-of-pearl’s natural iridescence reveals itself in different ways depending on how the lights hits it.

I was impressed with the release a few years ago of the Midnight Feathers Automatic 42 mm, a sister timepiece which used feathers on the dial to replicate the amber-tinted roots of vetiver and cedar wood. That was a distinctively warm-looking timepiece, which is now balanced by the cool feel of its new watch.

To complete that look, this new model is presented in an 18K white gold case that measures 42mm across and provides a great base for the abstract and textured design of the dial.

The watch is powered by the high-end HW2008 mechanical automatic movement that sports a flat silicon balance spring. As usual with Harry Winston’s movements, it has been enhanced with hand-finishing that can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back.

The Midnight Precious Weaving Automatic 42mm is released as a limited edition of 50 pieces, each of which is sure to be unique thanks to the special weaving technique used on the dial.