Angels and Demons - Patek Philippe 1880-1885
Angels and Demons
Patek Philippe
1880-1885
The client for this project was a long-time friend of our workshop. His idea was to embody the eternal theme of the struggle between good and evil in the watches.
From the very beginning of its existence, humanity has been faced with an ongoing conflict. This eternal dilemma permeates the fabric of our being, influencing our thoughts, actions, and even the essence of our existence. In this struggle, angels and demons stand on opposite sides, symbolizing light and darkness, good and evil, spiritual and material. However, it is precisely in this conflict that the deep meaning of the unity of opposites lies. Our inner struggle stimulates us to grow and self-improvement, to achieve harmony in the soul.
After all, ultimately, without darkness, there would be no light, and without evil, there would be no good. These two forces are conditioned by each other and exist in inseparable unity.
This theme was often touched upon in his engravings by Albrecht Dürer - the famous German painter, draftsman, and engraver of the early 16th century, one of the greatest artists of the Northern Renaissance.
Our team was faced with a challenging task. Based on the client's preferences, after discussing and agreeing on all the details, the project's technical specification was approved, and our craftsmen began their work.
First and foremost, our artist sketched the dial of the future watch. It was decided that the dial would be skeletonized to reveal the mechanism. After discussing with the client and making adjustments, the final version was approved.
As we can see, the idea of the watch mentioned above is embodied in the figure placed in the center of the dial. It is divided into two halves: the left side is depicted as a demon, while the right side is depicted as an angel. The outstretched arms of the figures, palms facing upwards, symbolize the necessity of choice. Angels, representing goodness and light, embody higher ideals, moral principles, and divine wisdom. Demons, on the other hand, represent the forces of darkness and evil, manipulating human weaknesses and fears.
At the top of the dial, under the "12 o'clock" mark, there is a plaque with the name of the manufacturing company and the famous Patek Philippe logo in the form of the Calatrava cross. Along the outer edge of the dial, there is a dashed minute track. The hour markers are octagonal in shape. The subsidiary seconds ring is positioned at "6 o'clock" and features minimalist second and five-second hash marks.
It was decided that the dial would be crafted from 925 sterling silver, with the inner space of the ring filled with enamel, and diamonds would be set on the hour markers and the figure's wings.
Additionally, specifically for this project, custom-designed hour and minute hands were developed.
Our designers created a 3D model of the case and winding crown. According to the technical specification, they are to be made of 750 gold, with the Patek Philippe logo engraved on the winding crown.
The case has a classic round shape with straight rounded lugs. Its diameter measures 49.5 mm, height - 13.0 mm, distance between lugs - 22.0 mm.
Initially, the client chose a movement for their watch from the renowned Swiss watchmaking manufacture Patek Philippe. The movement is of the "Savonnette" type, with a size of 19''' (42.85 mm), featuring a subsidiary seconds sub-dial positioned at "6 o'clock" and a crown at "3 o'clock"
The vintage Patek Philippe movement is assembled based on a blank manufactured by Ambroise Dure A. Duret - a renowned producer of blanks and movements from Geneva. The finishing, assembly, and adjustment were carried out at the Patek Philippe & Co factory in Geneva, on Rue de Rhone. An interesting detail: the A. Duret factory was also located on Rue de Rhone, 41, in the same building as Patek Philippe & Co. Ambroise Dure had a long-standing partnership with Patek Philippe & Co, supplying the famous manufacture with movement blanks for many years in the last quarter of the 19th century.
It should be noted that this caliber is quite rare, which adds to its value. The company name Patek, Philippe & Co. Genève and the serial number of the mechanism No. 69745 (the same number is also stamped on the plate under the dial) are engraved on the three-quarter bottom plate, corresponding to the years 1880-1885, as mentioned earlier. In other words, the age of the mechanism is approximately 140 years!
The high-quality finishing of the parts, bridges with bevels, polished steel parts, bright clean rubies, an additional balance cock under the dial, and "wolf tooth" on the crown and barrel wheels - all the attributes of a high-class mechanism are present.
Additionally, as tradition, our watches come with a historical certificate containing a detailed technical description of the mechanism and confirmation of its authenticity, as well as a brief history of the Patek Philippe manufacture.
Subsequently, the case was sent for polishing, while the dial and winding crown underwent further refinement. A jeweler-engraver meticulously handcrafted and polished them. Pay attention to the level of detail in the figure on the dial - the accuracy with which the anatomy of the characters is portrayed. Upon closer inspection, we can even discover beards on the feathers of the angel's wing!
Another interesting detail: instead of a second hand, a Calatrava cross is installed, cut from steel and coated with a layer of platinum. It rotates, creating an intriguing visual effect.
The client wished for a skeletonized movement. As the customer's desire is paramount, the master engraver enthusiastically took on the task. Firstly, the parts were marked, then necessary cuts were made, and finally, the engraving work was meticulously done by hand using gravers.
The bulk of these works were focused on the mainplate and the lower three-quarter plate. A deep skeletonization was carried out in line with the overall theme of the project, remarkable for its complexity and level of execution. The idea was to implement the interweaving of thorny branches of a thorn bush (hinting at the crown of thorns of the Savior) on the bridges. Moreover, on the side of the angel, the bush blossoms with flowers.
In addition to the lower plate, even small details such as the anchor wheel bridge, balance bridge, barrel cover, and the bridges for the escape wheel and hour wheel underwent cutting.
After the completion of the engraving, the movement was coated with a layer of new, high-quality gold plating applied using the galvanic method. The thorn branches were coated with black rhodium, adding expressiveness and contrast to the entire composition. Importantly, all original engravings on the movement bridges were preserved and incorporated into the new design. All steel parts - the thermometer, balance bridge overlay, screw heads - were polished. Overall, the product looks exceptionally attractive and distinctive.
Once again, it is worth noting the exceptional craftsmanship of our jeweler-engraver. Just take a look at how realistically the texture of the bark on the thorn branches is engraved! Moreover, one should take into account the size of the model and the complexity of the work. It's simply a titanic effort, requiring immense patience and perseverance, combined with extraordinary talent.
It remains to add that for this project, a handmade premium-class crocodile leather strap was specially crafted, featuring a hypoallergenic beige lining made of cowhide leather. The strap is hand-stitched with blue linen thread, harmonizing with the enamel color on the dial, using saddle stitching. The buckle of the strap is made of 750 gold in the shape of the Calatrava cross, completing the ensemble perfectly.
When all the work on manufacturing and transforming the individual components of the watch was completed, the master watchmaker began the assembly process. The movement was assembled, lubricated, adjusted, and installed into the case. The dial was set and secured with screws, and the hands were installed. Sapphire crystals, resistant to scratches, were fitted onto the case. The strap was assembled and attached to the case.
I invite you to simply enjoy the result and experience an aesthetic orgasm from this incredible beauty.
Various components of the watch - the dial, the crown on the case, and the clasp - are combined into a single element.
As you already know from previous posts, none of our watches are sent to the client without undergoing quality control inspection. We did not deviate from this practice in this case either. The watches underwent meticulous visual and mechanical checks. The control on the timing machine showed exceptional accuracy for a movement of such venerable age, with a deviation of ± 10 seconds per day and a power reserve of over 32 hours.
The final stage of the project involved adjusting the estimate based on actual expenses and receiving the remaining payment from the customer.
With the work completed, the watches have found a new owner. It's time to sum up. And we believe the results are simply outstanding.
It's worth mentioning that the implementation of the project took quite a long time - about 7 months, which was due to the complexity of the work and the labor-intensive production processes. A team of 9 people with different specialties worked on creating this masterpiece: a 3-D designer, an engineer, a jeweler-caster, a jeweler-enameler, a lathe operator, a jeweler-engraver, a jeweler-galvanizer, a master watchmaker, and a project manager.
Once again, we have successfully brought our client's ideas to life. This time, the task was particularly challenging, with a profound symbolic meaning, prompting reflection on eternity. Nevertheless, we managed to realize it. In particular, the skeletonization of the movement in this project is perhaps the most complex our masters have ever done. The level of engraving work is simply extraordinary! And overall, the watches look vibrant, harmonious, and refined.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that we have created a true masterpiece of high jewelry and watchmaking - luxurious men's skeletonized watches.
In the modern world, saturated with mass production and standardized products, the desire for uniqueness and individuality becomes increasingly justified. If you've been inspired by ANGELS AND DEMONS and have a desire to own not just a functional accessory, but a real work of art that fully reflects your preferences and lifestyle, we are ready to help you. Turning to our workshop opens up unique opportunities for expressing your own aesthetic and emotional identity.
Write your own story. We are ready to listen to you, while the rest of the world listens only to the voice of brands.
