Turquoise — Day Date 36

TheWatchPortraits is my personal artistic project — where the precision of a designer and the hand of an illustrator converge into hyperrealistic portraits of exceptional timepieces, each one executed entirely freehand.

Inspired by the Rolex Day-Date 36 — a watch defined by contrast. A turquoise stone dial that holds an entire world within its surface: veins of colour, depth, and a quiet complexity that rewards the eye the longer you look.

I had the privilege of contributing to the creation of this dial years ago, alongside the best team I have ever known. Today, I draw it as a tribute — no rules, just mine. It starts with a single line. Then obsession takes over.

This is hyperrealistic art. Every stroke placed by hand with Caran d'Ache pencils on paper, chasing the exact quality of light that makes turquoise so alive. This piece is Part I of a series of two — the dark side is coming.