In late June of 2024, hyperrealist artist Sinzaina Iordache uploaded an image on her Instagram handle @sinzianaiordache that showcased a nearly true-to-life drawing of the Bovet Virtuoso III, a fairly complicated reversible wristwatch featuring a tourbillon, a perpetual calendar, and a skeleton design rife with intricate engravings and brushing. At first glance, Iordache’s drawing could well be mistaken for the real thing, save the brand name at 12 which reads ‘Foster 2015’ instead of ‘Bovet 1822’, and certain combination of textures, given that this was a commissioned/personalised artwork. But beyond these, nearly every aspect of the watch seemed like a replica of the original, right from the transparent effect created to mimic the sapphire discs of the week and month wheel, to the decorations on the case and the details of screws and tourbillon. It had been in the works for nearly four months.

These life-like drawings of watches are a specialty of Iordache, a 38-year-old interior designer  and artist based in Toronto, who has been drawing for nearly 15 years now. She uses graphite pencils on paper to make creations that appear like perfectly photographed black and white images, such is the attention paid to texture, lighting, and composition. When it comes to watches, her works so far include drawings of the IWC Chronograph Pilot AMG Edition, whose dial and strap texture give its photograph a tough fight; a vintage Vacheron Constantin, which features a braided frame around it; an IWC Schaffhausen Aquatimer with an exacting metal bracelet; an IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar with clean details; and Breguet Type XXI that has a partly hidden movement beneath, and more.

For the drawing to look like a large replica of a photograph, Iordache uses multiple photo references, sometimes more than 10, along with several videos to help her understand the intricate details of the timepiece she is drawing. Graphite is her ‘humble’ medium of choice. “It is the first medium that I used, and I am still trying to perfect it,” she says. “Graphite has that exactness that you can control, especially very fine details that are required in watches.”

If you are not already impressed with the details and finishes of her work, take a look at her rendition of the Rolex GMT-Master II Batman, in which she added lume to the hour markers and hands. “A collector asked me if I could add the lume, and I took it as a challenge, because once you add lume, you lose details—the lume covers the shadings. It has to be strategically placed,” she explains.

Iordache’s tryst with watches started in 2019 when on a trip to Dubai she visited the M.A.D. Gallery and had a closer look at some of MB&F’s pieces. “I was really fascinated. So, when I went back, I started looking at the brands that I love, and started discovering similarities in the things that I am passionate about—textures, details, intricate work—that I could apply.” Up until then Iordache had been focusing on interior design and portraits, and she saw the potential of what she could do with watches. The first watch she drew was the Vacheron Constantin Métiers D’Art Mécaniques Ajourées, which started a domino effect.

The drawing that changed the trajectory of her career was the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185, made in 2021, and one of her most detailed drawings so far. The other work she considers a milestone is her A. Lange & Söhne Double Split, which she made last year. “It has been a very special commission for me because not only did I get the opportunity to collaborate with collectors who are extremely passionate about watches and have a lot of knowledge, I also consider it a personal achievement.”

Showcasing her artworks on her Instagram handle and on her website (she also draws portraits and other still-life drawings), today, Iordache mostly works on commissioned pieces for watch collectors and enthusiasts all over the world. “I have made drawings of pieces that mark the birth of a baby, professional achievements, or are of personal significance,” she says. Iordache also works on projects with brands and retail stores. “I have collaborated with IWC Schaffhausen, and right now I am working with German watchmaker Felipe Pikullik, which is a really exciting collaboration because it is going to be little different than my usual commissions,” she adds. She also picks projects based on how challenging they are. Having drawn details, complications, and intricate design, Iordache says she loves to explore textures—a guilloché or meteorite dial is her favourite to draw, while she has a love-hate relationship with leather straps. “They make the drawing pop, add life to them, but they can be hard to draw.”

So, on an average, how many hours a day does she spend drawing? “There are certain days that I completely dedicate to drawing. Mondays are for that—it’s my way of starting the week with something that relaxes me. In terms of hours, in a day I can draw, say, up to 12 hours, and a short day can be up to two hours. It really depends on my schedule. Drawing is a lengthy process, but I do not compromise on quality.”

Iordache likes to break the monotony of the commissioned work with small sketches that she draws in her book, a fairly new personal project. “It just started with these interesting dials, and started exploring unique cases. I have a long list of watches I want to draw but don’t have the time to draw them on a large scale. It allows me to experiment with different mediums because the sketchbook has colours, ink. It allows me to see if something can be successful on a larger scale. As of now there are only dials and unique cases, and I am open to putting it in any direction. So far, this sketchbook contains drawings of a vintage Audemars Piguet, vintage Cartier Gouvernail, Hamilton Ventura, and J’ean d’Eve Sectora Retrograde.

Having special love for skeletonised watches and intricate casebacks, Iordache has recently started a series on her Instagram handle where she will showcase drawings of 16 different casebacks from 16 different brands, with the aim to highlight the versatility of her work. “I love skeletonised watches; a lot of times we see watches that are humbler on the dial side but have extraordinary casebacks. There are so many watches out there with incredible casebacks and they are not always showcased and appreciated, so with the series I am kind of bringing back those casebacks”. The 16 casebacks that she would be drawing would either be decided by her or the collector community.

Any plans on bringing more colours to her drawing? “I don’t think that I could ever move away from graphite, but I am working on other mediums to complement the graphite. So, you will probably see more colours in the future, like gold leaves 

and textures.”