Description
Subscription IV Gold… an investment in time
Master ennobler Jochen Benzinger combines his skills as an engraver with his aesthetic eye, to create a unique timepiece with lasting appeal and excellent investment potential.
The sterling silver dial opens to reveal the striking movement within which features elements in a striking blue patina (surface finish/coating) offset with flame-blued Breguet-style hands.
The dial itself is hand-guilloched with a barley pattern and incorporates a ribbon guilloche Breguet frost finish behind the roman numerals of the off-centre hour/minute dial. Every aspect of the Subscription IV pays homage to the traditions of fine watchmaking. But the most notable characteristic of this piece is the highly polished, massive 18ct gold case, adding worth and value to this one-off, hand-ennobled work of art.
The Subscription Gold is designed as a timepiece to enjoy wearing through generations – a legacy to the art of watchmaking.
Dial:
Sterling Silver guilloché & skeletonized by hand
Guilloched barley pattern & ribbon guilloche
Breguet Frost Finish
Groundplate:
Coated with blue platinum
Guilloché by hand
Movement:
ETA-6498-Manual windingmovement
In-house redesign
Hour and minute moved towards 12 o‘clock
Guilloché by hand
Flame-blued screws
Subscription back design interchangeable
Hands:
Breguet-style steel hands with flame-blued tips
Strap:
Hand-sewed alligator leather strap
Double folding clasp
Screwed-in strap lugs
Case:
750/000 gold case made in Pforzheim
Coated with black DLC
Screwed-in smooth bezel
Onion crown
Diameter of 42mm
Sapphire crystal on both sides
What is the art of Guilloche?
Guilloché (or guilloche) is a decorative technique whereby a very precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into an underlying material. It was developed between the 1600-1700s as part of the “royal craft” of art-reversing. From these princely beginnings, the watchmakers of the 18th and 19th century developed the beautiful Guilloche machines, with which, for example, Breguet cut its unique dials. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the court jeweller of the Russian Tsar, Fabergé, brought the art of Guilloche to its fullest perfection. He used the guilloche technique as a base for his famous enamel work, which culminated in the renowned Fabergé eggs. Today, thanks to the renaissance of mechanical clocks and watches, a limited number of high-quality manufacturers are still offering their products with hand-guilloched dials, which are still unmatched in their classic appearance. Jochen Benzinger is a master in this field.
What is the art of engraving?
Engraving is as old as mankind itself. People used cutting tools at all times to decorate jewellery and utensils. The engraving art in Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries reached its climax when armour and weapons were artfully engraved. In the sixteenth century, Albrecht Dürer brought this work to a new heyday when, using the same tools as Jochen Benzinger uses in his studio today, he cut the copper-printing blocks for his famous prints. Nowadays there are very few specialists who know the techniques of this craft. Hand-engraving in horology is a highly valued attribute on any timepiece. Benzinger watches feature this finish with flourish and skill.
What is the art of skeletonising?
Skeletonising is a refinement method for giving a new, individual character to closed movements. Parts of the movement are removed by a goldsmith’s saw to reveal the direct view into and through the mechanical movement. The view of the movement is made possible by a sapphire crystal, exhibition case back in all models. The imbued creative energy of Jochen Benzinger is brought to the fore in his bespoke skeletonising creations. Each piece is skilfully crafted to highlight the beauty of the mechanical movement beating within – a pleasure to observe and a privilege to wear.
