The Venezianico Arsenale Sumi-e 墨絵 is where Venice meets the Zen East, an ode to time as ink-born poetry. Limited to 500 pieces, this latest Arsenale features a dial made from Japanese Washi paper, each one rendered through a five-step pad-printing process that captures the delicate gradients of Sumi-e, the meditative ink art born in Zen monasteries. Every brushstroke, translated into miniature form, conveys the tranquility of mountains and blossoming branches reflected on still water, a living landscape just millimeters wide.
Echoing the age-old spirit of Venetian merchants who sailed east in search of beauty and knowledge, the Morelli brothers continue that legacy in steel. The 40mm satin-finished case, just 9.95mm thick, frames this scene with minimalist restraint. Its interplay of polished and brushed surfaces mirrors the contrasts of ink and emptiness, of presence and silence. A deep red rubber strap adds warmth, a pulse of Venetian passion meeting Japanese serenity.
Inside beats the Japanese Miyota 9039 automatic caliber, precise and unpretentious. The engraved caseback, sealed to 50 meters, bears Japanese characters and a motif of ink dissolving in water, a symbol of balance.
