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The Time Chamber, an immersive experience of time, artistry, and craftsmanship debuts in Dubai for the first time alongside Dubai Watch Week, marked by the preview of the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Peated edition, the third release in the collection, in anticipation of its launch across the UAE.
A Sculptural Meditation on Time
Royal Salute, the House celebrated for its devotion to time, artistry and exceptional craft, presents the Time Chamber by British sculptor Conrad Shawcross in Dubai during this year's Dubai Watch Week. First introduced in Europe as part of Royal Salute's Art of Wonder cultural programme, the installation now arrives for the first time in the Middle East, uniting contemporary art, horology, heritage and the mastery of long-aged creation in a single immersive experience.
The Time Chamber stands as one of Royal Salute's most compelling artistic collaborations to date. Created by Conrad Shawcross—renowned for his mechanical, geometric and philosophical explorations—the piece investigates time not as a linear construct, but as a dynamic, sculptural force that shapes craft and creativity.
At the centre of the installation is a hand-spun optical glass disc, scattering beams of light into shifting star-like constellations. Beneath it, a sculptural spindle and crystal vessel create what Shawcross describes as a 'vector of time'—an axis capturing direction, evolution and the perpetual motion between past and future.
Shawcross found inspiration for the work during his visit to Royal Salute's historic Strathisla Distillery in Scotland. Moved by the quiet power of decades-long maturation, he translated his experience into an installation where light, shadow and movement become metaphors for time's ability to refine, transform and endure.
Commenting on his collaboration with Royal Salute, Conrad Shawcross says: 'For this body of work, I was inspired following my visit to Strathisla Distillery in Scotland, where the most precious Royal Salute blends are safeguarded. I was struck by the sheer amount of time contained in the age statement of this bespoke blend and wanted to capture this in multiple elements of the art piece. The disc reflects the endless star systems in the night sky, while the spindle and decanter form a sort of spike, like an arrow through a target which represents a vector of time, implying strong directionality.'
A 53-Year Creation at the Heart of the Chamber
At the core of the Time Chamber lies an exceptional 53-year-old blended whisky, crafted as a tribute to 1953 - the year Royal Salute was established to honour the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This rare expression sits at the centre of the sculpture as an emblem of the value Royal Salute places on time, patience and generational craft.
Speaking of the Royal Salute Time Chamber by Conrad Shawcross, Royal Salute Master Blender Sandy Hyslop, says, 'Just like the theme of time that has inspired Conrad's piece of art, time is at the core of what we do when blending Royal Salute expressions; it factors into the incredible scarcity of the delicate, high-aged stock that we used in this blend. Working with these whiskies infuses a greater sense of appreciation for the time represented by their age. Time is a crucial element in the making of whisky. You can't rush the slow maturation of these exceptional liquids over decades and generations. Only by allowing the progression of time to take its effect on a whisky are we able to experience the extraordinary richness and depth of character of flavours that develop through time alone.'
A Timely Dialogue Between Art, Heritage & Bonhams' Horological Craft
Alongside the Time Chamber, Royal Salute is highlighting the legacy of its prestigious Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Collection, a testament to ceremonial heritage and decades of mastery.
Where the Time Chamber expresses time as an artistic and philosophical force, the 62 Gun Salute Collection embodies time as ceremony, legacy and exquisite craftsmanship.
Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Peated Edition, the latest release and third in the collection, is being previewed in the UAE to complement the Original Reserve and American Oak that were released last year. Crafted to amplify the complexity of the Original Reserve, the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Peated Reserve adds a spectacular new dimension to the 62 Gun Salute Collection. A distinguished blend of over 50 precious whiskies, including malts from the lost distillery of Caperdonich, The Peated Reserve was composed to evoke the drifting smoke from the gun salute cannons with its subtle smokey palate.
This chapter of the Dubai experience is presented in collaboration with Bonhams, a global authority on exceptional timepieces and collectibles. Bonhams' horological expertise creates a powerful counterpoint: a celebration of precision, engineering, artistry and cultural value rooted in time.
The encounter invites guests to experience time across two worlds - one expressed through heritage and craftmanship, the other through mechanical excellence, rare craftsmanship and collectible mastery.
A bespoke gastronomic interpretation by Chef Prashant Chipkar enriches the moment, offering a refined sensory perspective inspired by the heritage surrounding the Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute.
A Cultural Moment for Dubai
Dubai's stature as a global hub for art, luxury and design forms a fitting backdrop for this showcase during Dubai Watch Week. The Time Chamber becomes an intimate space for reflection—where visitors can pause, observe and experience the poetry of time as light, craft and heritage merge.
Availability
The Royal Salute Time Chamber by Conrad Shawcross is offered in an extremely limited release of 21 pieces worldwide, available for purchase for RRP $120,000 through Le Cercle, Pernod Ricard's private members' society (Le Cercle by Pernod Ricard | Rare Spirits & Bespoke Experiences)
The Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute Collection is available at Le Clos and MMI stores and online or contact (Le Cercle by Pernod Ricard | Rare Spirits & Bespoke Experiences) for further information. The collection will also be available at the Royal Salute Boutique (opening 25th of November 2025) in Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 Departures.
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