Commemorate a Personal Milestone with Apiar’s Next Highly Limited Edition Gen 1.1 White Meridian

I’m not going to say I’m biased toward celestial watches to a fault, but as the resident astrology girl, I’m most certainly a little biased anytime a watch incorporates the stars, moon, or planets. Whether you check your horoscope or not, there’s something undeniably alluring about the constellations and the shapes they take – one that connects us to the vastness of time and space, to a very ancient human desire to make sense of the universe, or, in the case of Apiar’s latest limited edition Gen 1.1 White Meridian, one that connects you to a very specific place and time. 

It’s no coincidence that horology and astrology have long gone hand in hand and that the imagery of celestial bodies have long appeared in watchmaking (more on that in a future story I’ve been spinning up for some time now). I digress, today, Apiar adds another timepiece to this longstanding horological lineage with its next special edition version of the Gen 1.1.As a refresher, the Gen 1.1 is quite new to the brand’s catalog, marking an evolution from the brand’s core Gen 1.0 line. Apiar first debuted the Gen 1.1 earlier this year at the British Watchmaker’s Day festivities. The collection kicked off with a highly limited edition of just three pieces called the Underground, aptly named for its hand-enameled dial inspired by Dr. Maxwell Roberts’ circular redesign of the London Underground map. The model was such a success it was later followed by the Night Tube edition, which you guessed it, takes on the same theme with moodier colors and a black strap. Later, Apiar teamed up with Time + Tide for a much more sober design called the Gen 1.1 MR².

Now, the brand uses the Gen 1.1’s limited edition platform for another special model called the White Meridian. For this watch, the inspiration gets personal. It started when Apiar co-founder Matt Oosthuizen was designing a timepiece to commemorate his wedding, and he got to thinking about the bigger emotional connections people have to their watches, which are so often acquired to celebrate a milestone. The White Meridian was thoughtfully designed with this in mind, offering collectors the opportunity to uniquely personalize the caseback artwork to commemorate a particular place and time.

The foundation is a rather simple and unassuming execution of the Gen 1.1 with its 39mm Grade 23 titanium case built through additive manufacturing, which essentially means “printing” the watches, layer by layer, based on designs from CAD models. This time, the more industrial architecture of the case is softened with the contrast of a timeless mother of pearl dial – a subtle hint to what the caseback reveals. The monochromatic and neutral look is complete with an Alcantara strap in ice grey. As you begin to rotate the watch, the nuances and details start to reveal themselves. In the profile view, you’ll see beautifully geometric lugs combining fluid curves and sharp angles.However, the most special element of this watch is on the reverse. Here, you have the opportunity to choose a date and location that carries personal significance. Apiar will then create bespoke celestial artwork based on the moon phase, coordinates, and night sky associated with that place and day.

The Gen 1.1 White Meridian is once again a highly limited edition with fewer than 10 pieces available worldwide and priced at $2893. Pre-orders open today with more information available at Apiar.