DAEM and Basquiat Estate collaboration reimagines luxury watches with line that tells more than time

Watchmaker DAEM and Basquiat share Brooklyn roots (Basquiat's birthplace). The collaboration ties Basquiat's personal experiences and creativity from the 80's to life in the present day. Every element of the line tells an important piece of his story and reflects the social narratives raised through his work. The rich details reflected across the line range from his fashion choices to his personal notebook. Perhaps most significantly, it traces raw human emotion at his turning point from struggle to success. The collaboration was inspired by Basquiat's ability to create luxury and authentic dialogue from experiences born in the world around us.

The pieces are priced from $425 - 1,250 USD and are set to release December 4th on daemwatches.com.

Retail partners will also include The Webster, The Brooklyn Museum, The Brant Foundation, Artwork Editions, among others. “We’ve always believed that fashion and art provide opportunities to express authentic and diverse narratives,” share co-founders Milo Dee and Michael LoFaso.

“We hope to design aesthetically beautiful products that also tell a deeper story of the inspiration behind the design. The remarkable narratives behind Jean-Michel Basquiat’s journey provided an amazing foundation to bring this concept to life.” Renowned art curator Jae Joseph, also based in Brooklyn, joins the collaboration as the face of the collection. Says Joseph, ”I'm honored and thrilled to be representing this collaboration with DAEM and the Basquiat Estate, bringing to life a collection of luxury watches that pay tribute to the late artist's work." The release will be accompanied with a December 3rd event at the Soho Grand Hotel in partnership with fine craft champagne provider Frerejean Frères and Brooklyn-based cold-press juicer Vaeske.

The New York City location was chosen in a neighborhood where Basquiat’s creativity flourished throughout the 1980s. Undiscovered Genius Undiscovered Genius and Skull blends two of Basquiat's most powerful works. His Untitled artwork (commonly referred to as Skull) was presented at his debut solo exhibition in New York. While many of his works were completed in short bursts, he labored over Skull for months given the pressure and anxiety he felt in trying to achieve success. The case of the watch, like the Skull painting, provides a glimpse of both the inside and outside of the mind. Undiscovered Genius, as depicted on the strap, reflects societal plights in America. It taps into the auditory quality of Basquiat’s work, using words and rhythmic sounds that can be passed down through generations.