Annelinde Dunselman balances on the edge of the impossible with The Black Tulip

The sapphire caseback exposes the exquisite hand-finished, manual-winding movement.

The Black Tulip is Dutch watchmaker Annelinde Dunselman’s first watch creation.

It is a reflection of where she’s been and what she’s capable of, and it is nothing short of impressive.

After a shoulder injury temporarily kept her away from the workbench, it became a new beginning – an opportunity for her to start independently.

“Instead of seeing the injury as a limitation, I chose to see it as a window to new possibilities.

“What began as a challenge slowly turned into a path toward something deeply personal and meaningful,” she says.

The Dunselman timpiece comes in an attractive compact case of 38mm across and a height of 11.9mm, keeping dimensions well within the easy-to-wear realm.

As rare as the flower it is inspired by, there are only 10 Dunselman Black Tulip watches available worldwide.

The case is riddled with interesting details, such as scalloped sections in the case flanks, a concave bezel and special engraving between the lugs (“Created in the Kingdom of the Netherlands”), leaving no doubt about its origins.

The vertical side of the bezel is decorated with Dunselman’s D-shaped logo, a stylised tulip on the side.

This is alternately positioned upright and on its side, creating a unique and unusual attractive pattern.

The tulip design continues on the silvery-white dial.

The engraving between the lugs of the watch makes no mistake where it comes from.

Such an intriguing watch needs a movement to match, and Dunselman doesn’t disappoint in that area either.

Developed by herself with the help of specialists, the Calibre D202.5 is the result of more than two years of hard work.

Here, Dunselman’s calm nature comes through, as it is wound by hand and comes with a zero-reset mechanism.

Pull the crown, and the small seconds hand jumps to 12, making sure you can precisely set your watch.

Dunselman’s attention to detail includes a tulip logo that looks like a stylised D.

The movement is constructed out of 125 parts, measuring 31.8mm in diameter and 7.8mm in height, and neatly fills almost the entire case.

With rhodium-plated bridges, bevelled angles, polished screws, engraved details on the barrel and ratchet wheel, it demonstrates great attention to detail.

Another element Dunselman simply adores is the small openworked bridges in the lower half of the movement, revealing the intrinsic mechanics that make up the Black Tulip’s beating heart.

Intricate details of the watch include the elegant steel handset and the black-tulip-like seconds hand.

The name refers to the rarity of the black tulip – something that cannot truly exist, yet continues to be pursued.

“For me, that symbolises the process itself: striving for something that balances on the edge of the impossible.

“Presenting The Black Tulip at the Watches and Wonders 2025 was incredible.

“Standing there with something you’ve created entirely – it’s both vulnerable and powerful,” says Dunselman.