The new Lady Compliquée Haute horlogerie collection for women from Fabergé upholds the traditions of the legendary jewellery house with a new and spectacular time display.
Unveiled at Baselworld 2015, the Fabergé Lady Compliquée comprises two exceptional versions; both are available with the same exclusive mechanical hand wound movement made in Geneva. The highly original display of the new Lady Compliquée features a fan at the heart of the watch.
It thus perpetuates the ingenious and free thinking spirit of Peter Carl Fabergé, who crafted his creations to be both emotive and fascinating. Innovative, surprising and made out the highest standards, the new displays in the two peacock and winter models pay homage to the famous ‘Peacock Egg’ of 1908 and the ‘Winter Egg’ of 1913.
Both models in the collection are based on the same manually winding mechanical calibre, which paints scenes while indicating the time. Developed by Agenhor, the Geneva based independent manufacture, this creation has no hands. Instead, elements of the display move constantly to create an ensemble of mobile forms that indicate the time.
A 7’o clock is the base of a fan featuring five to eight blades, four of which pivot and indicate a quarter of an hour each. These four pivoting blades are deployed simultaneously to indicate the minutes. The cycle is repeated each hour, which appears on a circular ring surrounding the dial, thus turning this evolving scene into a mobile work of art. The three dimensional construction of the dials further enhances the theatrical effect.
The peacock is a bird of divine origin that fans out its tail every hour on this eponymous model. As time passes, the full tail made up of five majestic feathers regularly displayed. An omniscient eye graces the tip of each feather and uneven glittering strands emerge from the midnight blue gaze that lights them with colour.
The peacock is made from sculpted and engraved gold. It reigns over a subdials snow set with turquoise Paraiba tourmalines, intense green tsavorites and white diamonds, of varying sizes, each with an impressive number of facets creating a myriad of reflections. Just like the rotating hours ring, the minutes scale is carved in three dimensions in white mother of pearl before being polished and printed with numerals.
The Fabergé Lady Compliquée winter watch celebrates ephemeral works made of ice, wind and winter light. As they open, the five blades form a carpet of frost covering a mother of pearl mosaic background. Each section is covered in cracks of ice set against a sky blue backdrop.
A similarly unusual line appears on the sub dial, covered in white diamonds. The minutes scale, hours ring and other elements of the dial are in white mother of pearl. The case is identical to that of the Peacock model. In both timepieces, the side of the platinum case is graced with s row of white diamonds.
Above it rises a majestic domed sapphire crystal that descends towards the edges of the case centre to provide an uncluttered view of the spectacle occurring within. The back of the rounded crystal glass, sculpted to caress the wrists, reveal the back of the movement.
The system driving the blades is the Lady Compliquée movement’s most fascinating organ. Each blade, except the first one which remains immobile, advances at a different speed so that the ensemble unfurls in perfect harmony.
Agenhor developed a totally new system inspired by a retrograde display. The unfurling of the fan is thus driven by the rotation of the hours ring. This, in turn, is directly connected to the barrel for great stability and regularity and is positioned over another ring, whose function is to serve as a cam. The latter has 12 teeth equivalent to the 12 hours visible on the dial.
When the cam turns, it gradually lifts a lever that applies pressure to one of the teeth. Also known as a reading finger or feeler spindle, it coordinated the display of minutes based on the rotation of the hours ring. The fan then unfurls over the course of an hour before the spindly blades in to the next tooth, whereupon it closes again and begins a new cycle.
The synchronisation of the blades is made possible by an innovative mechanical organ known as the AgenFAN. Based on a different model, it is made up of two series of toothed wheels of increasing diameters on one and decreasing diameters on the other, which are superimposed on the same axis.
They mesh along the entire length and are placed side by side. The first is driven by the spindle of the hours cam and drives the second, which individually powers each of the blades. The diameter of each wheel is designed so that the fan unfurls in a perfectly coordinated manner. This construction also enables the first blade to move forward by 15o each hour, the second by 30o, the third by a 45o and the last by 60o.
To guarantee the stability and synchronisation of the ensemble, half of the wheels on the differential are equipped with split teeth. Invented by Jean Marc Wiederrecht, the founder of Agenhor, they ensure the direct and constant meshing of the gears without the slightest gap between them. As a result, the blades unfurl harmoniously, without jerking.
The blades are also guided and maintained at their tips. Each culminated in a ring hidden under an element of the dial, where a jewel is driven forwards. It advances along a groove hollowed out in a base known as a tier. The lengths of the grooves vary according to trajectory lengths of each blade.
The Lady Compliquée calibre offers more accurate time measurement thanks to another unique system invented by Agenhor.
Known as AgenPIT, it enables the accuracy of the movement to be adjusted in a simple yet revolutionary way, while protecting the balance spring against any distortion. In fact the escapement is usually adjusted by modifying the length of the balance spring by rotating a regulator or by equilibrating the balance spring micro screws placed along its periphery.
The former solution remains the most common but necessitates the cutting of the balancer spring to the length before it is glued to a tiny attachment support known as a balance spring stud. While this operation is well known and practised regularly, it has the disadvantage of requiring manual alterations to the spring. However tiny the adjustment, it upsets its physical balance and alters its operation, which must always be executed in the most horizontal and regular fashion.
The AgenPIT system eliminates the balance spring stud and the regulator, while keeping the balance spring intact. To this end, the last coil is guided into a groove by a setting screw, then fixed by a gripping clip that holds it in place against one of the walls.
The lower part of the setting screw is encased in a polymer film to enable the balance spring to move forwards or backwards easily without being damaged. The gripping clip replaces the balance spring stud and maintains the adjustments by leaning firmly on the balance spring.
The AgenPIT system means that the advantages of ring shaped balances can be enjoyed without the need of a regulator. Prices adjustments can therefore be made in a simple manner without affecting the balance spring. This ensures optimal accuracy.
The Lady Compliquée calibre can be clearly distinguished by its generous proportions, which made room for larger and therefore more visible finishes. So that angles that mark the perimeter of the components are 0.25 mm thick.
The upper bridges are decorated with horizontal Cotes de Genève and the bottom plate and other bridges are exquisitely circular grained.
All the components also rhodium plated for a harmonious finishes. Together, such high quality finishes firmly the Lady Compliquée calibre amongst the finest watchmaking movements created and decorated in traditional fashion.
Technical details
Model: Lady Compliquée Peacock – 38 mm
Movement
Hand-wound 6901
Diameter: 32.7 mm (14 1/2 lines)
Thickness: 3.58 mm
Number of jewels: 38
Number of components: 242
Power reserve: 50 hrs
Cadence of balance: 21,600 vibrations/h
Upper bridges: horizontal Côtes de Genève
Mainplate: circular-grained decoration
Functions
Hours, minutes, retrograde system with multiple display elements
Case
Platinum case, 38 mm, domed sapphire crystal and case back with anti-reflective treatment on both sides of the face and one side of the back
Gem-set bezel: 54 brilliant cut diamonds (1.83cts)
Platinum crown
Water resistance: 30 meters
Dial
18ct gold dial, snow-set
127 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.38 cts), 31 Paraiba tourmalines (0.23cts), 57 tsavorites (0.27cts)
18ct white gold hand-engraved Peacock
White mother-of-pearl rotating hour ring
White mother-of-pearl minute-track
Four fixed blades: LIGA technology, opal powder or white lacquer applied by hand
Hands
LIGA Technology, opal powder or white lacquer applied by hand
Strap
White alligator strap
Platinum Fabergé pin buckle
Available from
September 2015
Model: Lady Compliquée Winter – 38 mm
Movement
Hand-wound 6901
Diameter: 32.7 mm (14 1/2 lines)
Thickness: 3.58 mm
Number of jewels: 38
Number of components: 242
Power reserve: 50 hrs
Cadence of balance: 21,600 vibrations/h
Upper bridges: horizontal Côtes de Genève
Mainplate: circular-grained decoration
Functions
Hours, minutes, retrograde system with multiple display elements
Case
Platinum case, 38 mm, domed sapphire crystal and case back with anti-reflective treatment on both sides of the face and one side of the back
Gem-set bezel: 54 brilliant-cut diamonds (1.83cts)
Platinum crown
Water resistance: 30m
Dial
Extra-white mother-of-pearl marquetry
5 diamonds (0.0105cts)
White mother-of-pearl rotating hour ring
White mother-of-pearl minute-track
One fixed blade: LIGA technology, sky-blue lacquer applied by hand
Hands
LIGA Technology, sky-blue lacquer applied by hand
Strap
White alligator strap
Platinum Fabergé pin buckle
Available from
September 2015
