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Unique John McLaughlin watch by Artya for Only Watch 2021
The second “limited edition” – well, unique piece in all actuality – John McLaughlin watch is happening right now, a very exciting prospect for collectors of both fine guitars and fine watches.
Independent Swiss manufacturer ArtyA was founded and is owned by Yvan and Dominique Arpa. Dominique is an artist, while Yvan’s resume features stints at Baume & Mercier, Hublot, Romain Jerome, and Jacob & Co, and designing the Gear S3 for Samsung.
The Artya Son of Sound Is That So? Guitar John McLaughlin unique model for Only Watch 2021
In collaboration with San Francisco-based artist Marq Spusta and Geneva-based gem setting and engraving workshop Blandenier, one of McLaughlin’s album covers has been reproduced both on one of his electric guitars made by Paul Reed Smith (McLaughlin’s preferred weapon of choice at present, as it is for Carlos Santana, John Mayer, and many others) and on the dial of a unique watch: ArtyA’s exotic Son of Sound jump-hour watch model in the shape of a guitar headstock signed by McLaughlin on the back.
Paul Reed Smith guitar with design by Marq Spusta (photo courtesy onlywatch.com)
Both John’s guitar and the watch are set to be auctioned together at the famed charity auction Only Watch 2021 on November 6, 2021 with the proceeds going fully to Duchenne muscular dystrophy research.
John McLaughlin holding the Paul Reed Smith guitar with design by Marq Spusta for Only Watch 2021 (photo courtesy onlywatch.com)
“I’m a bit reluctant to let this guitar go because it’s absolutely stunning. But it’s for a good cause. I might have to buy the watch just to get to keep the guitar!” McLaughlin joked to me. “The Only Watch auction is on November 6, Colin, maybe I’ll see you there! Don’t forget your checkbook!”
Miles beyond
My last question for McLaughlin was a musical one.
In the period spanning 1969 through 1971, he had moved to New York and recorded with Miles Davis on the albums In a Silent Way, Bitches’ Brew, and Tribute to Jack Johnson as well as recording his own albums My Goals Beyond and Devotion.
The first Mahavishnu album, The Inner Mounting Flame, was recorded in August 1971, just five months after the recording of Tribute to Jack Johnson with Miles Davis and My Goals Beyond in March ’71, on which McLaughlin was already playing with future Mahavishnu Orchestra members Billy Cobham and Jerry Goodman.
However, musically, rhythmically, and harmonically speaking there is a massive leap forward – a missing link – and there is little indication in any of the preceding recordings of what is to come in The Inner Mounting Flame, even with some of the same musicians.
For example, Cobham’s playing on Tribute to Jack Johnson is positively laid back compared to what he does on The Inner Mounting Flame.
My question to McLaughlin was: what happened during that period? And where did those extraordinary chords come from, which I had never heard before in any other form of music and which he continued using for many years and still crop up occasionally on new compositions today?
“What happened was that I had a recording contract for two albums with a producer called Alan Douglas, who hacked the recording of the first album to pieces and basically ran off with all the royalties . . . For the second album I said that if he even came near the studio I would stop recording! The Mahavishnu project had been building in me even before I went to America, but I decided that Douglas certainly wasn’t going to get his hands on it.
“If you listen to ‘Right Off’ (on Tribute to Jack Johnson), you can hear chords in there that subsequently became the ‘Dance of Maya’ (on The Inner Mounting Flame). I was working on it already with Billy Cobham, just the two of us. What you’re hearing is chords like Abmaj7b5 resolving to A7; it’s those changes that create the tension.”
Miles Davis with John McLaughlin, who appears to be wearing his LeCoultre watch and playing John Scofield’s Ibanez AS200 guitar (photo courtesy musicplus.in)
“The tune came from me, actually – Miles was supposed to be composing music for the film, but at that moment he wasn’t even in the studio, he was in the cabin. While we were waiting for him I just started playing it as a rhythm ‘n’ blues shuffle.
We hit a groove, Billy and me, and Miles then ran into the studio with his trumpet and proceeded to play the most outstanding solo I’d ever heard from him, he’s just outrageous on that track!
“As for ‘those chords,’ they must have just come from my twisted mind, Colin!”
Many thanks to John McLaughlin for agreeing to this interview and to Ina McLaughlin for providing new photographs of John with some of his watches and guitars.
John McLaughlin’s latest album Liberation Time is available here and wherever you stream music.
The unique Artya creations were auctioned to Monaco’s own Prince Albert, who was bidding live from the front row at Only Watch 2021, for CHF 55,000. See all results from the auction at Full Results Of The 2021 Only Watch Charity Auction.
Quick Facts Artya Son of Sound Guitar Is That So? John McLaughlin for Only Watch 2021
Case: 37 x 49 x 15 mm, black DLC-coated stainless steel and 18-karat gold in the shape of a guitar with John McLaughlin’s signature engraved on the case back; functional tuning knob crowns
Dial: hand-painted in the colors of John McLaughlin’s album Is That So? by Blandenier according to artwork by Marq Spusta; 6 gold “strings” and “f holes”
Movement: automatic Artya Woodstock caliber (Concepto base); 50-hour power reserve
Functions: jump hours, minutes, seconds; date, chronograph
Limitation: one unique piece
Remark: this lot comes with the hand-painted Paul Reed Smith guitar as well as the opportunity to meet John McLaughlin and visit the Artya and Blandenier workshops
Auction estimate: CHF 35,000-50,000
*This article was first published on September 15, 2021 at Talking Watches And Guitars With The Legendary John McLaughlin: From Miles Davis To Mahavishnu And Now Only Watch.
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