Description
Subscription IV Blue-Silver
The name says it all… Joy.
The absolute epitome of watchmaking and ennobling finesse is brought to the fore in Benzinger’s beautiful, Subscription IX Joy.
If one watch in Benzinger’s collection showcases his mastery, it is this piece. Every detail from the gold-plated, floral design of the hand-skeletonised and hand-engraved movement to the elegant, Breguet frost-finish on the dial is worked to perfection.
The off-centre sub-dials are balanced by the crown at 2 o’clock to restore harmony and integrity to the dial. The subtle addition of rose gold hands lifts the dial and ties the overall dial aesthetic back to the golden movement.
Every aspect of this piece is well-conceived to deliver optimal legibility without compromising beauty. The true hero is the detail and manner in which small finishes work together to form a cohesive whole.
The polished stainless steel case is the ideal frame for this miniature horological artwork.
This is an heirloom piece for a true connoisseur and it will bring joy for many years to come.
Technical Specifications
Case: High-grade, Pforzheimer stainless steel, 42 mm, onion crown at 2 o‘clock, sapphire crystal case front and back
Dial: Sterling silver, hand-guilloched, hand-skeletonised, rose gold-plated, finished with Breguet stripes and with an opening viewport to guilloched base plate
Base section: high-polished, guilloched
Upper section: Breguet-frost finish with black Roman Numerals.
Base plate: hand-guilloched and hand-skeletonised, rose gold-platedd
Movement: Offset ETA-6498-manual wind with in-house refinements such as flame-blued screws, hand-guilloching and hand-skeltonising. Hour/Minute dial set towards 11 o’clock.
Band: Hand-made, alligator band, screw-in lug fittings, stainless steel deployment clasp
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.
