Today, I’d like to tell you about a Dutch watchmaker I had the chance to meet, along with her daughter Amelie, during my last trip to Geneva. As you might expect, I’m going to present the horological project of Dunselman. Before diving into this highly sensitive piece, let me first look back at the journey of Annelinde Dunselman, who is behind this project.
During her childhood, Annelinde Dunselman developed a fascination for mechanical objects such as miniatures, watches, cameras and radios, which she would hunt for at flea markets to take apart and reassemble in order to understand how they worked. At the age of 12, her interest in watches began to grow, without yet becoming an integral part of her daily life. In fact, Annelinde first devoted her early career to studies in theatre and social sciences, then worked with people who had experienced trauma, helping them relearn how to interact and live in society.
After dedicating herself to this meaningful mission, she decided it was time to fulfil herself in watchmaking. Her passion for precision mechanics and craftsmanship ultimately led her to train in goldsmithing, then in watchmaking at the Vakschool Schoonhoven in the Netherlands. During this period, she honed her skills in a family jewelry workshop, completed an internship at Jaeger-LeCoultre, and studied watch decoration with Philippe Narbel (Manufactor). Initially, she envisioned working in a watch repair workshop, but these different experiences opened up the fabulous world of decoration and haute horlogerie.
With her diploma in hand, she earned a position with the two Grönefeld brothers in Oldenzaal, working on their Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire. She spent three years there and, in September 2022, was forced to stop and rethink her career due to a shoulder injury. It was then that she decided to take the leap and create her own horological universe that she could express through watches. She therefore founded her company in the historic city of Zwolle, where she crafts her own timepieces, combining expertise and creativity.
At the beginning of 2025, she unveiled her first creation, the Dunselman Black Tulip. Blending horticultural research with deep cultural significance, this piece draws its roots from the Dutch fascination with tulips, which reached its peak during the 17th-century Tulipomania. Annelinde says that both the inspiration and the name come from this elusive, mythical flower. Although many have tried, no one has yet managed to create a truly black tulip. This watch therefore pursues an unattainable objective: absolute perfection and the quest for an inaccessible beauty. Beneath its refined exterior lie a signature dial and a beautifully conceived hand-wound movement, equipped with a sophisticated reset function for precise time setting. Now, let’s introduce the watch itself.
Table of Contents – Dunselman Black Tulip
What are the features of the Dunselman Black Tulip?
Case
The Dunselman Black Tulip features a sublime stainless-steel case made of 21 components by Voutilainen & Cattin SA. With a diameter of 38 mm and a thickness of 11.9 mm, this compact case sits perfectly on the wrist and wears with ease. With a beautiful alternation of polished and satin surfaces, it showcases distinctive elements such as microblasted scalloped case flanks, a concave bezel, and an engraving between the lugs indicating its origin: “Created in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.” In addition, along the vertical wall of the bezel, the signature “D” in relief is engraved in alternation, creating a unique sculptural pattern. Personally, this case is truly fascinating to observe—even from the caseband—where I notice discreet tulip petal details throughout, which is quite playful.
Dial
The Dunselman Black Tulip is adorned with a rhodium-plated brass dial. Composed of four distinct layers, it is designed to play with light and depth across its 39 components. Its tapestry pattern, echoing the brand’s logo, is laser-engraved and continues seamlessly regardless of level differences, which is remarkable. At first glance, this motif gives the dial a soothing sense of relief and texture. So subtle that it’s only perceptible from very close up—or once you know it—it is not visible to the naked eye otherwise. The silvery-white surface is vertically brushed, while the small seconds bears a fine radial brushing, creating a subtle contrast.
The concave minute markers mirror the bezel, drawing the eye inward and enhancing the sensation of fluidity in motion. The polished and satin-finished steel indexes reflect light with precision. The small seconds hand features a black tulip as a counterweight. The hour and minute hands are handmade and finished to the highest standards. Their slender proportions and rounded, polished surfaces clearly testify to the artisan’s skill.
Movement
Inside the Dunselman Black Tulip beats the D202.5, a hand-wound mechanical movement developed over more than two years in close collaboration with specialized engineers. At the heart of the watch are a free-sprung balance and a variable-inertia balance wheel, guaranteeing long-term precision and stability. Beating at 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour), this movement offers a very generous 100-hour power reserve. It also features a discreet reset mechanism that allows the seconds hand to jump to zero and remain there once the crown is pulled. This classical complication is extremely functional without visually complicating the watch.
In terms of finishing, the movement features sandblasted bridges that are then meticulously hand-polished with anglage. The mainplate combines perlage and sandblasting for visual richness and subtle texture. The wheels are perlage-finished, beveled and hand-polished, then laser-engraved. The ratchet wheel and crown wheel are decorated with perlage and precise laser engraving. The screws are mirror-polished to black by hand.
This calibre tells a story—not only of time, but also of patience, solitude, and artisanal know-how. It is the fruit of slow, meticulous work, where no surface is spared and no line is left unresolved. Another distinctive feature: this watch can also be set without stopping the movement, thereby avoiding any disturbance to its amplitude.
Strap
The Dunselman Black Tulip comes on a comfortable brown ostrich leather strap, fitted with a handsomely designed stainless-steel pin buckle signed with the Dunselman name.
How much does the Dunselman Black Tulip?
The Dunselman Black Tulip is available in only 10 pieces, priced at €38,000 (excluding taxes and shipping).
Dunselman Black Tulip: a watch infused with emotion and aesthetic complexity
The Dunselman Black Tulip is a first model that I find highly accomplished, both in terms of design and movement. This piece exudes a certain sensitivity and poetry. It’s those small details that create the charm of this watch—refined without being ostentatious.
This timepiece is a tribute to traditional craftsmanship, where ancestral watchmaking techniques shape every detail. Beauty does not lie in excess, but in the subtle balance of detail, proportions and execution. Simplicity is not the absence of complexity, but its ultimate refinement. This is a watch designed to be pure, where every detail, though understated, is eloquent.
After these ten pieces, Annelinde Dunselman does not plan to create different versions in precious metals but is already working on the development of a model that may feature a complication. I wish this watchmaker every success—she is very determined and never gives up. That simple moment of conversation by the lakeside made me realize that sometimes, in life, nothing happens by chance, and you have to be prepared to seize opportunities when they present themselves.
Dunselman Black Tulip – Watch Specifications
- Brand: Dunselman
- Model: Black Tulip
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Dial: Silver with Dunselman “D” motif and applied indexes
- Functions: Hours ; Minutes ; Seconds with zero-reset mechanism
- Movement: D202.5, developed in-house, Manual-Winding, 21’600vph frequency (3Hz), 19 jewels and 125 parts
- Power Reserve: 100 Hours
- Water Resistance: 5 ATM
- Crystal: Domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating
- Caseback: Flat sapphire with anti-reflective coating
- Case Dimension: 38mm × 11.9mm
- Strap: Brown Ostrich with Stainless Steel Pin Buckle
- Availability : Limited Edition of 10 Pieces
- Retail Price: € 38’000 (excluding VAT)
Had you heard about this new independent watchmaking initiative? What do you think of this watch? Share your thoughts and impressions in the comments section.
For more information about Dunselman, click here.
