The Absinthe represents an important stage in the evolution of Massena LAB from collaborative design studio towards something altogether more horologically ambitious. At its heart is the calibre M690, a proprietary hand-wound movement developed with independent watchmaker Raúl Pagès, winner of the inaugural Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives. Its architecture evolved from the earlier M660 developed for the Magraph, but here the display is rearranged around an asymmetric small-seconds register at nine o'clock, balanced by the words “Observatory Precision” at three.

Introduced in 2024 as a limited edition of 99 pieces, the Absinthe takes its name from the famously potent green spirit and builds its identity around a rich emerald ombré dial. Its vertically brushed surface transitions towards darker forest green at the perimeter, with polished markers, leaf-shaped hands and a pearl minute track giving the watch the character of a mid-century precision wristwatch. The compact 38.5mm stainless steel case reinforces that impression, but the view through the case back reveals the real substance: the hand-wound M690, with its broad Geneva stripes, hand-chamfered bridges and distinctive Pagès tortoise poinçon.