Since 1822, BOVET has been a true pioneer in the world of luxury watchmaking and has won acclaim for protecting the heritage of traditional craftsmen’s skills such as engraving and miniature painting.
The four pieces presented here owe their existence to this time-honoured expertise and the inventiveness of their creators. They are powered by a tourbillon movement developed and manufactured by DIMIER 1738 Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Artisanale and feature the AMADEO case, which allows each timepiece to be converted into a reversible wristwatch, a miniature table clock or a pocket watch without the use of any tools whatsoever.
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| Fleurier AMADEO Tourbillon 5-Day Jumping Hours Reversed Hand-Fitting “Dame de Shanghai” |
Fleurier AMADEO Tourbillon 7-Day Reversed Hand-Fitting “Dragon Email Grand-Feu”
Grand Feu enamelling is the oldest method of figurative decoration used in watchmaking. It is this technique that was used to decorate BOVET pocket watches in the 19th century and which today remains extremely popular among collectors. Contrary to miniature painting on mother-of-pearl, the artist does not paint the motif directly onto the base of the dial but deposits different oxides onto the gold dial which acquire their colour and transparency as they melt in the course of successive firings.
The motif is therefore revealed slowly after these heat treatments (between 8 and 15 depending on the complexity of the motif and the number of colours). Furnace temperatures vary between 800 and 900°C. The artist determines the duration of each firing according to the result he wishes to obtain. It is probably the most difficult and complex method to use, however the hardness of the enamel gives the dial a solidity that will endure for centuries, during which time its colours will stay fast.
The dragon that decorates this Tourbillon with 7-day power reserve and reversed hand-fitting is the fruit of around a hundred hours work. It is the finest expression of watchmaking art as perpetuated by BOVET since 1822.
Model: Fleurier AMADEO® Tourbillon 7-Day Reversed Hand-Fitting “Dragon Email Grand Feu”Unique piece
Case
Type: AMADEO® Convertible (wristwatch, table clock, pocket watch)
Diameter: 44 mm
Material: 18-carat white gold
Water-resistance: 3 ATM – 30 metres
Bracelet: Alligator full leather
Buckle: 18-carat white gold pin buckle
Chain: 18-carat white gold
Dials
Front: Black enamelled white gold indices
Rear: “Grand-Feu enamelled dragon”
Movement
Calibre Dimier 13BM07AI
Type: Manually wound Tourbillon
Diameter: 13 ¾ ‘’’
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 7 days
Fleurier AMADEO Tourbillon 5-Day Jumping Hours Reversed Hand-Fitting “Dame de Shanghai”
The geometry of this timepiece is both original and balanced. An aperture at 6 o’clock displays the jumping hours disc. Minutes are indicated by a mobile index which runs over the inner circumference of the flange. The seconds hand is carried by the upper pivot of the tourbillon cage situated at 3 o’clock, while the power reserve indicator is at 9 o’clock.
Since the bridges and bottom plate are visible, they have been given a Fleurisanne hand-engraved decoration. The reversed hand-fitting allows the indication of hours and minutes to be transferred to the other face of the timepiece, where the “Lady of Shanghai” is revealed. The technique used is that of enamel lacquering. This practice is based on techniques for which BOVET was famous in the 19th century and has been developed by one of the craftsmen working exclusively for BOVET to reveal all of the qualities of Japanese ware. Of the different techniques still in use today, this method not only ensures the highest definition of detail but also offers greater shock-resistance than enamel. Like other techniques such as Grand-Feu enamelling, enamel lacquering requires a large number of successive firings according to the complexity of the motif and the number of colors involved. Facial expressions and draped fabric are among the most difficult subjects to render with this technique and the time needed to execute such work is measured in hundreds of hours.
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Model: Fleurier AMADEO ®Tourbillon 5-Day Jumping Hours Reversed Hand-Fitting“Dame de Shanghai”Unique piece
Case
Type: AMADEO® Convertible (wristwatch, table clock, pocket watch)
Diameter: 47 mm
Material: 18-carat red gold
Water-resistance: 3 ATM – 30 metres
Bracelet: Alligator full leather
Buckle: 18-carat red gold pin buckle
Chain: 18-carat red gold
Dials
Front: Openwork with Fleurisanne hand-engraved decoration
Rear: “Lady of Shanghai” miniature painting on white mother-of-pearl
Movement
Calibre: Dimier 13BM05AI
Type: Manually wound Tourbillon
Diameter: 13 ¾ ‘’’ and 16’’’ module
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 5 days
Fleurier AMADEO Tourbillon 7-Day Orbis Mundi® Reversed Hand-Fitting “Carpes Koï” and Fleurier AMADEO Tourbillon 7-Day Reversed Hand-Fitting “Dragon”These two unique pieces are the first creations made possible by a new technique developed by one of the craftsmen employed by BOVET. This development of age-old skills combines engraving and miniature painting. Firstly, the craftsman “outlines” the motif with a bas-relief engraving. The artist then finishes the dial by applying cold translucent enamel and using the same miniature painting techniques as for the “Lady of Shanghai”.
The “Carpes Koï” shown on the Orbis Mundi Tourbillon with 7-day power reserve and reversed hand-fitting have been depicted according to Japanese graphic tradition. Respected and honoured in China and Japan, the Koi Carp is a symbol of love.
Like the carp, the dragon is an integral part of Asian mythology. Peace-loving, it embodies power and its spirit is closely linked to the climate.
To produce the example shown on the dial of the Tourbillon 7 Day Reversed HandFitting, the artist spared no effort since the engraving is made on six different levels. As on the “Koi Carp” dial, the artist finishes his work with a miniature painting which would be termed traditional were it applied to a flat surface.
Through this combination of materials, textures, volumes, iridescent reflections and colours, the tiniest detail appears with such clarity that the dragon seems ready to spring to life with every passing second recorded by the precision Manufactory Tourbillon.
With these four creations, BOVET’s excellence in the watchmaking decorative arts helps not only to conserve skills in danger of being lost forever, but also breathes new life into these techniques by bringing them one step closer to perfection.
Model: Fleurier AMADEO ® Tourbillon 7-Day Orbis Mundi ® Reversed Hand-Fitting “Carpes Koï” Unique piece
Case
Type: AMADEO® Convertible (wristwatch, table clock, pocket watch)
Diameter: 46 mm
Material: 18-carat red gold
Water-resistance: 3 ATM – 30 metres
Bracelet: Alligator full leather
Buckle: 18-carat red gold pin buckle
Chain: 18-carat red gold
Dials
Front: Black enamelled red gold indices
Rear: “Koi Carp”Engraving and miniature painting on mother-of-pearl
Movement
Calibre Dimier 13BM06AI
Type: Manually wound Tourbillon
Diameter: 13 ¾ ‘’’ and 16’’’ module
Frequency : 21,600 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 7 days
Model: Fleurier AMADEO ® Tourbillon 7-Day Reversed Hand-Fitting “Dragon” Unique piece
Case
Type: AMADEO® Convertible (wristwatch, table clock, pocket watch)
Diameter: 44 mm
Material: 18-carat white gold
Water-resistance: 3 ATM – 30 metres
Bracelet: Alligator full leather
Buckle: 18-carat white gold pin buckle
Chain: 18-carat white gold
Dials
Front: Black enamelled white gold indices
Rear: “Dragon” Engraving and miniature painting on mother-of-pearl
Movement
Calibre Dimier 13BM07AI
Type: Manually wound Tourbillon
Diameter: 13 ¾ ‘’’
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations per hour
Power reserve: 7 days
