Telescopic hands - Parmigiani's Toric Ovale

You have probably noticed that I am rather taken by ‘alternative’ methods of time display; jump hours, mystery hands, rotating satellites, the use of liquid...well here’s another watch that has captured my attention for a time-telling difference. It's a two-hander, but a quirky one.

The Musée d'Horlogerie du Locle is located in a small historic country manor house called Château des Monts, about 1km north of the centre of Le Locle, in the canton of Neuchâtel. Open to the public, as well as a general collection of historical timepieces and movements, the museum’s collection also holds three specific collections :

1. Collection Maurice Yves Sandoz – which includes 18th and 19th century Swiss automatons.

2. Collection Henri Jeanmaire – with its focus on marquetry clock cases made by Charles André Boulle during the period of Louis XIV.

3. Collection Alfred Huguenin - focusing on the history of the Neuchâtel style pendule.

One of the pocket-watches that forms part of the Sandoz collection is a circa 1800 oval piece by British watchmakers Vardon & Stedmann. It features telescoping hands which expand and contract to follow the shape of the case, the hands driven by a cam hidden above the centre pinion.

The Sandoz family own Parmigiani Fleurier, and have decided to create a modern iteration of this piece, called the "Toric Ovale with Telescopic Hands". Limited to 30 pieces in white gold and 30 in rose gold, the flame-blued telescopic hands (identical to the original) get longer and shorter as they move around the oval dial, retracting as they approach 3 and 9 o’clock, expanding at 12 and 6 o’clock, and remaining equidistant from the bezel at all times. The use of only four Arabic numerals highlights the pared back look of the dial, with the numbers, markers and power reserve all matching the blued hands.

The dial itself, with a date and eight day power reserve, is an exercise in symmetrically balanced simplicity. The Grand Feu enamel and blued-hands combination is a classic elegant combination that I am drawn to.

Selections from Antiquorum's NY December auction

With the end of 2011 nigh, Antiquorum's December "Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces" auction in New York will feature a mixed bag of 450 modern and vintage timepieces, and even some parts (see lots 323 to 327).

You can view the full catalogue at this link but here are a couple of interesting (and sometimes quirky) timepieces that grabbed my attention. I am partial to lots 158 and 188. Descriptions and photographs are from the catalogue:

Lot 139 – Jaeger LeCoultre for Hermès, retailed by the latter. Movement No. 2176671, case No. 1315945. Made in the 1970's. Fine and rare, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with large lugs. Two-body, horizontal rectangular, polished and brushed, inclined bezel, extended lugs, winding-crown at 6. Satine silver with applied steel baton indexes. Steel baton hands. M. Cal. 818/2, tonneau, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 17 jewels, straight lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber to balance and escape wheels, self-compensating fl at balance spring. Dial and movement signed. Dim. 42 x 30 mm. Thickness 7 mm.

Estimate: 1,000 USD - 2,000 USD

Estimate: 900 CHF - 1,700 CHF

Estimate: 700 EUR - 1,500 EUR

Lot 157 – Scarab beetle. Unsigned, Swiss, circa 1870. Fine gold and enamel, diamond-set pendant form watch designed as a scarab-beetle. Accompanied by a fitted box and key. Three part, underside chased and engraved with legs and underbody, wing covers entirely decorated in translucent red enamel over engine-turning with black spots, main body with black enamel stripes, the thorax with a diamond-set collar, spring loaded wing covers hinged and opening from a button in the base to reveal the dial. White enamel with Roman numerals. Blued steel "spade" hands. Oval 7"' 1/2 gilt brass, bar calibre with going barrel, 8 jewels, cylinder escapement and plain three-arm balance, fl at balance spring with regulator. Total length 46 mm.

Estimate: 15,000 USD - 20,000 USD

Estimate: 13,000 CHF - 17,000 CHF

Estimate: 11,000 EUR - 14,000 EUR

Lot 158 – Vacheron & Constantin Ref. 7323 white gold. Genève, No. 616631, case No. 49845. Circa 1970. Very fine and unusual, thin, keyless 18K white gold oval shaped pocket watch. Two body, polished bezel with satin reverse, cabouchon set winding crown. Silvered with painted Roman numerals. Blued steel index hands. Calibre. 1003 within oval steel holder, rhodium plated with fausses cotes decoration, 17 jewels, Geneva seal, straight-line lever escapement, blued steel balance spring adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, index regulator. Dim. 35 mm x 47 mm.

Estimate: 2,800 USD - 4,300 USD

Estimate: 2,500 CHF - 3,800 CHF

Estimate: 2,000 EUR - 3,000 EUR

Lot 188 - Patek Philippe Telequartz. No. 842067. Circa 1975. Fine and rare, 220v., radio-controlled Module LS 0 electronic Master Clock. C. Rectangular, stepped, steel, black control panel with LCD display and buttons for setting. D. Electronic LCD digital display. M. Electronic, based on quartz oscillator, integral receiver Module AD 10SN, Serie 2384 receiver box. Dim. 24 x 33 x 7 cm.

Estimate: 1,500 USD - 3,000 USD

Estimate: 1,300 CHF - 2,600 CHF

Estimate: 1,000 EUR - 2,000 EUR

Lot 441 - Yellow gold top winder Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, No. 370816, case No. 262383. Made in the early 1930's. Very fine and rare, 18K yellow gold wristwatch. C. Three-body, solid, polished, concave lugs, winding crown at 12, domed crystal. D. Black with applied yellow gold Arabic numerals and baton indexes, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds dial. Yellow gold epée hands. M. Cal. 10 1/2''', gilt brass, 15 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel fl at balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 30 mm. Thickness 8 mm.

Estimate: 4,300 USD - 7,000 USD

Estimate: 3,800 CHF - 6,000 CHF

Estimate: 3,000 EUR - 5,000 EUR

One of the stars of this auction, and the cover watch, is the Parmigiani Bugatti  Type 370. This piece unique, with a 10-day power reserve, is in a stunning curved rectangular shape, its movement shaped like an automotive engine set inside an oval-shaped cylinder. The watch is wound and set via the underside, and comes with a “starter key”, in the manner of a car. The key is inserted into the winding hole to wind the watch, the “key’s” reverse is used to set the time. It also has 28 baguette diamonds.

Lot 180 – Parmigiani Fleurier “Bugatti” 18-carat white gold and diamonds. "Bugatti - Type 370," Piece Unique, case No. 23706. Made in 2007, sold January 27th, 2008. Accompanied by the original fitted box, travel box, certificate of origin, instructions and automatic winding pen. Extremely fine, rare and unusual, rectangular curved, movement constructed in the shape of an automotive engine encased in an oval-shaped cylinder, 18K white gold and diamonds driver's wristwatch with 10-day autonomy (displayed on a graduated drum) and an 18K white gold Parmigiani double deployant clasp. Accompanied by the original fitted box, travel box, certificate of origin, instructions and automatic winding pen.

Eight-body, solid, polished, transparent top, sides and back to view the movement, bezel set with 28 tapered baguette diamonds (approx. carat weight 3.1), case back with 4 screws, sapphire crystals. White gold with oeil-de-perdrix decoration, applied white gold EB (Ettore Bugatti) logo, luminous white gold baton indexes on a matte black outer reserve. Luminous white gold alpha hands. M. Cal. PF 370 oval mounted on silent blocks, rhodium-plated, 37 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating fl at balance spring, double-barrel. Dial, case and movement signed. Dim. 32 x 50 mm. Thickness 19 mm.

Estimate: 100,000 USD - 150,000 USD

Estimate: 90,000 CHF - 130,000 CHF

Estimate: 70,000 EUR - 105,000 EUR

Happy bidding!

[AP]