Homes & Estates

98 | Homes & Estates

MEETS

HAND

MACHINE

BY ROGER GRODY

hroughout history, watches have always incorporated innovative technologies,

but the finest of those miniature machines showcase craftsmanship, through

meticulous movement assembly or exquisite decorative enhancements. “When

you want to buy exclusivity, you want something that requires the labor of true

artists,” reports timepiece authority Ariel Adams, whose “A Blog to Watch” is an

industry standard.

Precision craftsmanship is the foundation of watchmaking and premiummanufacturers

continue to emulate techniques perfected hundreds of years ago. Hand-painted dials are

currently popular and watchmaker Bovet is known for remarkably detailed illustrations on

lacquered mother-of-pearl surfaces, while Jaquet Droz’s Les Ateliers d’Art series reflects

various techniques: painting, enameling, engraving, bas-relief, and mosaic. Blancpain is one

of several manufacturers that exploits the current trend of see-through cases by engraving

or hand-painting freshly revealed surfaces.

Widely acclaimed Greubel Forsey — its limited-edition watches average about

$500,000 — is renowned for its hand-finishing of every white gold, nickel-palladium or

platinum component. Adams, who reports Greubel Forsey artisans can spend an entire

day or more polishing a single part, states, “The finish looks as perfect when viewed under

a magnifier as it does to the naked eye.”

With the complexity of today’s watches, assembly of those components can be very

WITH PRICE TAGS RIVALING THOSE OF ITALIAN SPORTS

CARS, BUYERS OF SUPER-LUXURY TIMEPIECES ARE

PAYING FOR THE LABOR OF SKILLED ARTISANS.

Grande Seconde Paillonnee

The Pocket Watch Paillonnee

PHOTOS COURTESY JAQUET DROZ