Fine watches (haute horlogerie) are objects of art that crafted for the wrist. It does not matter if this beautiful object does not show the right time, this is an object of beauty, a universe of luxury, refinement in time making, that makes you a part of a story.
These fine watches range from Audemars Piguet, Bell & Ross, Blancpain, Cartier, Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, Breguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, Richard Mille, Van Cleef & Arpels, and the beautiful list goes on.
Audermars Piguet was established in 1892, and is the oldest manufacturer of haute horlogerie. In 1892, they manufactured their first piece, the minute repetition wristwatch, the first in the world. Audemars Piguet produces 24, 000 watches per year.
Fine watches found at Van Cleef & Arpels are art. The beauty of a Van Cleef & Arpels timepiece makes you want to live inside of it. The first “Châtelaine” or “Régence” pieces would appear to be beautiful brooches till you see the small watch dial hidden in the back. This was an Art – Deco piece from 1926 created in diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, platinum, onyx and rubies.
In 2012, Van Cleef & Arpels released the Poetic Wish collection, a new “Poetry of Time” model. How to take the measure of time while telling a story. The movement uses a ‘poetic animation’ to indicate the hour and the time.
The pieces have three main beauties: sculpting and engraving on gold, miniature painting, mother-of-pearl sculpting and stone-setting. Developing these objects requires hundreds of hours to complete and it involves the master watchmakers, sculptors, painters and jewelers. Maison Van Cleef & Arpels once again showed their artistic and technical prowess by developing these Poetic complications with their exquisite details and refinement.
Cartier develops both highly complicated and simple movements. In a year they create four tosix movements. When developing fine watches, the movement comes first in complicated watches, this is followed by the design.
This year, Cartier released the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch, which has two time zones indicated by a 24-hour disc and you have a moon phase on demand. When you press the push-button at four o’clock on the side of the case, a panel descends and partially obscures the tourbillon carriage; it then forms a crescent reproducing exactly the moon’s shape in the sky. The dial is made from a semi-precious stone, and all of the Roman numerals are in white gold.
Cartier also releases their first certified diving watch this year, the Calibre de Cartier Steel Diver.
Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe manufactures some of the most coveted watches in the world. but buying them is not that easy as only 50,000 watches are produced yearly. Several of their pieces are manufactured using gold and platinum. A simple movement can contain up to 300 components. Patek Philipe costs range from $7 000 to even $1 million.
Patek Philipe’s timepieces have been known to as the epitome of caliber and craftsmanship beyond all other timepieces. Developing one of their simple timepieces requires at least nine months while timepieces with complex movements take up to 8 years for completion.
One of the most known pieces is the Caliber 89, with 33 different complications with a weigh of 1.1 kg. in addition, it had five different kinds on functions on the watch; basic operational functions, timekeeping, calendar, chronograph, and chime. The cost of this piece was $5 million.
A timepiece requires servicing usually every three to five years. Maintenance of this beauty, is a process that can take from four to eighteen weeks to ensure that it has been well serviced. The servicing process includes relubrication and inspection to prevent problems and wearing down. The process begins with dismantling the entire watch, where each part cleaned, checked, adjusted, polished, diagnosed and, if necessary, components fixed or replaced.
Most of the Patek Philippe pieces were produced in the first half of the 20th century. For the purveyors of these pieces, one can visit the museum in Switzerland and indulge in their universe of beautiful time.
Maryanne Maina
MBA in Luxury Brand Management
HEC Paris
@njerimaina
