The Time Is Now For Swizz Beatz

By Adrienne Faurote January 11, 2022

Photo Credit: Mark Squires

BY ADRIENNE FAUROTE
PHOTOGRAPHY MARK SQUIRES
GROOMING REEM MASKINA

On the afternoon of November 23rd, moments before our interview, my phone begins to buzz—Grammy nominations are in. Swizz Beatz, the legendary music artist and producer, has taken the nominations by storm. He has been nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album as a producer for Kanye West’s “Donda,” and Best Rap Song as a songwriter for “Bath Salts” by DMX featuring Jay-Z and Nas. And, his wife, Alicia Keys, is also in for a record-breaking year as she was nominated for both Song of the Year for “A Beautiful Noise” and Best Immersive Audio Album for “Alicia.”

I stare at my phone in awe as I dial into the interview. These recent Grammy nominations are a true testament to his unparalleled work ethic, infectious energy, and tremendous impact on the industry. Every project Swizz touches, no matter how big, continuously reflects his charisma and unique perspective on evolving oneself with the current culture.

In fact, it was the past October that Swizz, alongside independent luxury Swiss watch manufacturer De Bethune, unveiled a collaboration like no other: the Dream Watch 5 Tourbillion, ‘Season 1.’ As the ultimate multi-hyphenate, Swizz has added the accolade watch collector to his repertoire. Swizz has a longstanding relationship with timepieces, holding several esteemed partnerships with luxury watchmakers over the last two decades. “For over 20 years, I’ve been collecting watches,” Swizz admits. “The watch has always been a significant piece to me for the culture.”

Photo Credit: Mark Squires

What started as a simple Instagram message, the collaboration between Swizz and De Bethune turned into a timepiece phenomenon. “I always loved the design and the materials that they use,” says Swizz when reflecting on how the partnership with De Bethune started. “I knew that some day I would get to that level of wanting to actually do something with them and one of their watches. And that time came—I connected with them through Instagram, which is crazy.” In 2020, Swizz reached out to Master Watchmaker and brand founder Denis Flageollet to create a watch that unites signature features of previous De Bethune creations into an exceptional timepiece.

What’s even crazier than the inception of the watch, beginning with an Instagram challenge, is that they sold out of the watch in just thirty minutes. The extremely limited-edition timepiece would soon become known as the highest-selling watch that De Bethune has ever produced. Only ten pieces were made at the price point of $520,000—an astounding milestone for both the brand and Swizz.

For the design, it was imperative for Swizz to honor the brand’s identity and ethos while still designing something that aligned with his vision. The team began concepting the watch during the pandemic, so they relied heavily on WhatsApp to connect and bring their vision to life. “We would go back and forth with sketches [on WhatsApp], and I knew I wanted to see the Dream 5 and all of its mechanisms and the movement behind it. So, we made a lot of the top of the casing sapphire so you can see movement and the bottom as well. Usually, the [casing] is closed up, and you can only see the time,” explains Swizz. “And so, I really wanted the fans of the watch—as well as people who have never seen the brand before—to just see something amazing. To see the movements on this watch is super clean and amazing,” he adds.

And, he’s right. The back of the Dream Watch 5 is equally as stunning as the front, making this watch a true masterpiece. The caseback reveals the unique 30-seconds tourbillon (twice as fast as a classic tourbillion), which De Bethune launched in 2008. The timepiece was intricately crafted from titanium and silicon, making for optimal performance as it is very light, weighing only 0.18 grams. It also runs at the high frequency of 36,000 VpH, while the self-regulating twin mainspring barrels give the watch a power reserve of a generous four days.

The time is displayed on the front of the watch through a jump hour, combined with a training minutes disc. The center displays the regular rotation of the spherical moon phase—created by connecting two halves, one made from palladium and perfectly polished, and the other crafted from blued steel—proving to be a patented complication so accurate that it requires adjustment by lunar day only every 1,112 years.

Titanium and sapphire crystal make up the unique shape of the Dream Watch 5. The grade 5 titanium is blued, giving it a rich, vibrant hue that makes it a statement and understatement at the same time. “I wanted to keep it [within] the brand identity with that amazing blue color,” reveals Swizz. “Although there are many colors within the Dream Watch, I wanted to come in and keep the heritage a part of it. So, this was really important to me as well.”

Photo Credit: Mark Squires

For De Bethune, the color blue carries a deep meaning, associated with the notion of fullness—within oneself or beyond—and extending to the unfathomable infinity of the universe, the source of life. The Dream Watch 5 ‘Season 1’ has transcended horology through artistry as an anthem to transparency and light—two values that embody Swizz’s ethos.

As Swizz explained the intricacies of the timepiece and proudly declared the watch’s rarity, he remained incredibly grounded and down to earth. “For me, I am just happy to be a part of something cool—kudos to the team,” says Swizz.

For those who couldn’t get their hands on ‘Season 1,’ there is a ‘Season 2’ on the horizon. “We already have a couple of ideas of what watch we’re looking at to bring into ‘Season 2,'” reveals Swizz. It’s no surprise that the two would continue evolving their strong partnership. “I always have been a fan of De Bethune as a brand and independent brand,” says Swizz. “I believe that the independent brands are going to make a big splash starting now and in the near future.”

This year, Swizz also launched Good Intentions, a global creative agency headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, alongside his partner Noor Taher. Through Good Intentions, Swizz intends to shed light on young creators and give them the voice and platform to be heard. “This is something that I have spent a long time working on—even though people see the outcome and the announcement,” shares Swizz. “We’ve done activations in Shanghai, Berlin, London, Miami, New York—and the net destination is Saudi.”

It’s an exciting time in the country. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has just opened its doors for tourism welcoming visitors from around the world to experience both the history and future of the country. Together, the dynamic of Swizz and Taher will continue to invest both their time and resources to help shape the future of the Kingdom. “The youth is coming out strong. There’s a lot of talent in Saudi and a lot of new possibilities the world has yet to see,” says Swizz.

“We will continue standing behind the creatives,” explains Swizz, who has shared his admiration for the Saudi culture. “Good Intentions is not a political movement; it’s a creative movement. We want to go everywhere around the world where creatives are and give them some light, outlet, and love for their craft and passion.”

Photo Credit: Mark Squires Photo Credit: Mark Squires

Photo Credit: Mark Squires

Good Intentions’ first project debuted in Saudi during the F1 Saudi Formula Grand Prix in early December, exhibiting four public art installations at the highly anticipated The Jeddah Art Promenade, produced by Far Right Productions and curated by Umbereen Inayet. “We partnered with one of the biggest—if not the biggest—companies in Saudi for building, Sela,” explains Swizz. Good Intentions played a part in providing the art for the exhibition. “We were commissioned to provide the art for the pavilion and F1—I’ve been sharing the big sculptures on my Instagram. It’s been pretty cool,” says Swizz.

And while Swizz remains at the helm of multiple industries as an empowering voice impacting real change, he finds groundedness through his family.

When Swizz reflects on the value of his time, he thinks first and foremost about his family: “I value my time with doing things that I love and being with family. Spending time with my family—Alicia and the kids—is just the best time.” However, he also invests his time in meaningful change.

“It’s important not to put energy on negativity and to focus on being the change that I want to see. I want to see a lot of things change, but let’s be that change first,” says Swizz. “I’m focused on being a better me. If we look in the mirror and we like what we see, then we can reflect that in the world.”

It’s an important lesson to understand as we enter a new year and one we can continually learn from Swizz in everything he does: the value of our time now is reflected in the greater impact we make.

Photo Credit: Mark Squires