Description
Subscription VIII Reverse
Classic charm and elegance
Master ennobler, Jochen Benzinger combines his skills as an engraver with his aesthetic eye to create a stunning timepiece that reflects the fine traditions of watchmaking.
The sterling silver dial is hand-guilloched with the barley & ribbon pattern and finished with a Breguet Frost treatment adding an element of elegance. The manual movement within is hand engraved, skeletonised and guilloched. The hour/minute and small second dials balance each other to the left and right of the dial. A glimpse to the ennobled movement within is afforded via the open small second dial. The elegantly-presented, off-white dial features subtle flame-blued, Breguet-style hands surrounded by Roman Numeral markings with XII marked boldly in red.
The entire piece is presented in a highly polished steel case with hand-turned onion crown. This piece is both elegant and timeless and well suited to a gentler pace of life.
- Case
- High-grade steel case made in Pforzheim with screwed-in strap lugs
- Diameter of 42mm, screwed in smooth bezel, onion crown
- sapphire crystal case front and exhibition case back
- Movement
- Hand-guilloched and hand-engraved Unitas 6425 manual winding movement
- Different skeletonized subjects possible according to customers’ wishes
- Dial
- Hand-guilloched Sterling Silver dial in “Breguet” quality and with the original “Breguet”-frosting & Barley pattern
- Flame-blued, Breguet-style hour/minute and second hands
- Hand-sewed alligator leather strap with double-folding 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.
