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To attend a Sandoz collection exhibition, one of the finest old automat & timepiece collections, is like transcending one’s horologic culture.
Very often, when one sees the phenomenal prices reached during some horologic auctions, the question to be answered is the question of the sense. Meaning crisis? Investment crisis? Values crisis?
Yet, it is on the contrary a tribute paid to the classic horologic culture: it is either an outright tribute, by buying rarities such as the Rochat brother’s pistols; for example, the pair of pistols was auctioned for 5 million Dollars recently, in Asia.
Alternatively, it is a bet on the future, when collectors put crazy amounts of money on a new Great complication; one could remember the Patek 3939, which was auctioned for 1.4 million Euros.
The very high-end watchmaking purchases are those of technical concepts, the oldest being unique pieces for which fabrication secrets have been lost; we get close to the Art auctions, where the principle is to purchase a unique artistic concept. Whether one plays it safe, or out of passion or profitability, the meaning remains the same: it is betting on the durability of an industry that was able to preserve its «Métiers d’art».
Some Mechanicals Wonders:
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the concept came first, everything remained to be done, and the imagination, concentration and abstraction abilities of the Great masters easily made up for the most advanced of our ultra-powerful computer programs.
The best way to understand their approach is to take care of their masterpieces.
For that matter, restoring ancient pieces is a prerequisite for many of the actual Great watchmakers, such as Oeschling, Flageollet, Fraesdorf, Journe, etc.
Now, in this domain, one of the most prestigious workshops, not to say the most qualified, is that of Michel Parmigiani.
The multiple pieces that went through the restoration workshop spread into the Parmigiani Fleurier watchmakers’ heads. It must be said that the restoration workshop sits two levels above the one devoted to Great complications, it is what we call the «vertical communication», literally !
After the Tonda Hémisphère 42 and the «Le Chat et la Souris» small clock, Parmigiani Fleurier presents two new watches, also directly inspired by the Sandoz collection.
The Toric Minute Repeater Capitole features an extremely rare complication assembly: Wandering hour with satellites and Minute repeater ! Obviously, with a minimalist display, the Minute repeater makes sense, especially in the dark.
This complication layout was already presented by Audemars Piguet with the John Schaeffer Star Wheel, almost 20 years ago ; the size (33mm) as well as the design takes more after Le Corbusier than after Frank Lloyd Wright and make this watch obsolete.
Hence, Parmigiani comes with the Toric Capitole, resolutely looking towards….the past !
Indeed, this watch and more particularly its movement, draws its inspiration from the Sector watch with Quarter repeater from the Perrin brothers, one of the most famous pocket watches of the Sandoz collection.
This piece ((Ref. Sandoz: FEMS 68) features a paradox: the watch’s exterior is indeed very sober; the slender aperture is surrounded by a relatively simple engraving.
To put this decoration back into its context, it should be compared with other pieces from the Sandoz collection.
If the external decoration is simple, an aesthetic explosion takes place inside : I already had a chance to see this piece at the SIHH in 2010, it is one of the finest movement decorations I have ever seen.
However, the sumptuary movement’s decoration is swallowed up by the alternatively corrugated and blued
Snake shaped gong!!
Obviously, the production of such a gong, which despite its aesthetic produces a loud sound as clear as a bell, was a technical feat in the Perrin brothers’ days.
Very often, when one sees the phenomenal prices reached during some horologic auctions, the question to be answered is the question of the sense. Meaning crisis? Investment crisis? Values crisis?
Yet, it is on the contrary a tribute paid to the classic horologic culture: it is either an outright tribute, by buying rarities such as the Rochat brother’s pistols; for example, the pair of pistols was auctioned for 5 million Dollars recently, in Asia.
Alternatively, it is a bet on the future, when collectors put crazy amounts of money on a new Great complication; one could remember the Patek 3939, which was auctioned for 1.4 million Euros.
The very high-end watchmaking purchases are those of technical concepts, the oldest being unique pieces for which fabrication secrets have been lost; we get close to the Art auctions, where the principle is to purchase a unique artistic concept. Whether one plays it safe, or out of passion or profitability, the meaning remains the same: it is betting on the durability of an industry that was able to preserve its «Métiers d’art».
Some Mechanicals Wonders:
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the concept came first, everything remained to be done, and the imagination, concentration and abstraction abilities of the Great masters easily made up for the most advanced of our ultra-powerful computer programs.
The best way to understand their approach is to take care of their masterpieces.
For that matter, restoring ancient pieces is a prerequisite for many of the actual Great watchmakers, such as Oeschling, Flageollet, Fraesdorf, Journe, etc.
Now, in this domain, one of the most prestigious workshops, not to say the most qualified, is that of Michel Parmigiani.
The multiple pieces that went through the restoration workshop spread into the Parmigiani Fleurier watchmakers’ heads. It must be said that the restoration workshop sits two levels above the one devoted to Great complications, it is what we call the «vertical communication», literally !
After the Tonda Hémisphère 42 and the «Le Chat et la Souris» small clock, Parmigiani Fleurier presents two new watches, also directly inspired by the Sandoz collection.
The Toric Minute Repeater Capitole features an extremely rare complication assembly: Wandering hour with satellites and Minute repeater ! Obviously, with a minimalist display, the Minute repeater makes sense, especially in the dark.
This complication layout was already presented by Audemars Piguet with the John Schaeffer Star Wheel, almost 20 years ago ; the size (33mm) as well as the design takes more after Le Corbusier than after Frank Lloyd Wright and make this watch obsolete.
Hence, Parmigiani comes with the Toric Capitole, resolutely looking towards….the past !
Indeed, this watch and more particularly its movement, draws its inspiration from the Sector watch with Quarter repeater from the Perrin brothers, one of the most famous pocket watches of the Sandoz collection.
This piece ((Ref. Sandoz: FEMS 68) features a paradox: the watch’s exterior is indeed very sober; the slender aperture is surrounded by a relatively simple engraving.
To put this decoration back into its context, it should be compared with other pieces from the Sandoz collection.
If the external decoration is simple, an aesthetic explosion takes place inside : I already had a chance to see this piece at the SIHH in 2010, it is one of the finest movement decorations I have ever seen.
However, the sumptuary movement’s decoration is swallowed up by the alternatively corrugated and blued
Snake shaped gong!!
Obviously, the production of such a gong, which despite its aesthetic produces a loud sound as clear as a bell, was a technical feat in the Perrin brothers’ days.
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