Text: Lisa Epifanova IN LAST YEARS ALL THE POPULARITY IS GETTING A TREND THAT CAN BE DESIGNED AS "ASTROMECHANICS" - THAT IS WATCHES WITH ASTRONOMIC COMPLICATIONS. THE ENGINEERING THOUGHT OF THE PARTICIPANTS EXCEEDED FROM TIME AND TURNED TO THE SECRET OF THE MOTION OF CELESTIAL SKYLIGHTS.
PARADE OF PLANETS
All watches with astronomical functions can be divided into three main categories: practical, aesthetic and fantastic. The latter are not only the rarest, but also insanely interesting.
In ancient times, the very concept of timing was determined by the movement of the stars, so many famous monuments of watchmaking combined the course of the hands with the cosmic extravaganza. Today, only a few masters continue this tradition, and their creations immediately become sensations.
The famous doctor Ludwig Ochslin in the early 90s immediately brought Ulysse Nardin to the major league of watchmaking, creating the famous trilogy - the Planetarium, Astrolabia and Tellurium. These are full-fledged astronomical instruments in a fantastic miniaturized design.
Thus, Astrolabium Galileo Galilei, in addition to time and calendar, can also tell about the phases of the moon, the time of rising and setting of the sun, the time of rising and setting of the moon, the time of the beginning of dawn and dusk, the position of the sun, moon and stars, and solar and lunar eclipses. And Planetarium Copernicus shows on a small dial the signs of the zodiac, the position of the planets relative to the Earth and the Sun, and the Moon rotating around the Earth. Finally, Tellurium is a special case of the Planetarium, designed to clearly demonstrate the annual motion of the Earth around the Sun and the daily rotation of the Earth around its axis. After Galileo and Copernicus, they decided to devote the third part of the trilogy to Ulysse Nardin to Johannes Kepler. By the way, Tellurium, which premiered back in 1991, became the first Ulysse Nardin model in which the brand combined sophisticated mechanics with cloisonne cloisonne enamel technique, in which a stunningly naturalistic map of the Earth was made.
The most famous watch brands periodically turn to desktop planetariums. It is enough to recall two sensations of three years ago: Jupiterium from Panerai, which reproduces the position of our planet relative to the Sun, Moon, Jupiter and small planets of Europe, Ganymede and Callisto - those objects that Galileo could first observe in 1610 with the help of the telescope he invented. And also Louis Moinet Meteoris - a set of four models of watches with tourbillons and dials made from a slice of four meteorites found in different parts of the globe.
Well, perhaps the main specialist in the field of astronomy today should be called a member of AHCI, an independent Dutch master Christian Van der Klau. His vast collection is filled with all possible astronomical complications, the modules for which he develops on his own. The most famous wrist planetarium of Van der Klau today - the mechanism for Complication Poetique Midnight Planetarium performed by Van Cleef & Arpels. Presented in Geneva in 2014, this model recreates a miniature solar system with six planets on a 44-mm-diameter gold case dial made of semiprecious stones such as aventurine, serpentine, chloromelanite, turquoise, red jasper, blue agate and sugilite. The period of revolution of the planets corresponds to the real movement of celestial bodies.
So, Mercury makes a revolution in three months, Earth - in a year, and Saturn moves in a circle of 29 years. The current "earth" time is shown by a miniature comet moving along a 24-hour dial. Naturally, such a philosophical concept does not imply a minute hand - why such particulars in the face of the universe?
Last year, Jacob & Co created an even more revolutionary planetarium. His Astronomia Tourbillon combines a tourbillon with mock Earth and Moon. The JCEM01 tourbillon with a 72-hour power reserve has three axes: on the first, the carriage rotates at 60 seconds, on the second - 5 minutes, on the third - 20 minutes. All parts of the watch are in constant motion - around its axis and around the center of the dial. In last year’s version, the case with a diameter of 47 mm was made of pink gold, but in 2015 the three-dimensional tourbillon also became jewelry - it was completely covered with baguette diamonds.
ETERNAL SATELLITE
Of all the astronomical and watch functions in general, perhaps the most popular complication to date, even bypassing the chronograph, is the moon phase indicator.
Despite its relative static nature (the lunar disk’s revolution is 28 days, or 29.5 for precision calendars), it is able to revive and decorate any dial, and the image of the satellite itself assumes great creative imagination. Although many recognize that the moon phase is primarily a spectacular “appendage”, this complication also has practical benefits. For example, Hannes Pantley, a member of the board of directors of the IWC manufactory, says that he always uses his Portugieser Grand Complication (the lunar calendar error is only 24 hours in 500 years), because he himself is a passionate hunter, and in this matter it is very important to know the exact phase of the cycle. The strength of the tide is also determined by lunar activity, which is useful for divers and yachtsmen.
Not surprisingly, there are more and more new products with the lunar calendar. For example, the moon phase has found a new sound in this year's premiere collection from Montblanc - Heritage Chronometrie. Since the line is connected with the swimming of Vasco da Gama, it is not surprising that the design used an astronomical theme reminiscent of ancient navigation devices. For example, in the Chronometrie Quantieme Complete Vasco da Gama, the annual calendar is supplemented by a 6-hour moon window, surrounded by a starry sky in the Southern Hemisphere with the image of the constellation of the Southern Cross.
The lunar theme was continued in the premieres of Basel. In the new Slim d 'Hermes evening collection, her most sophisticated model - the Perpetual Calendar - presents the moon as the only bright spot on a pale, almost translucent dial. Longines at Conquest Classic Moonphase introduced the most trendy combination of lunar calendar and chronograph. One of the most stylish and original interpretations of this complication is Eclipse by Jaquet Droz. The moon is a static golden disk in the lower part of the dial, which gradually covers another disk in the color of the dial, reminiscent of rather than a phase change, but an eclipse, as the name of the model hints at. Made using the technique of hot enamel, the dial is also decorated with eight stars, whose number reminds of the figure, which is the mascot of Jaquet Droz.
OUR UNIVERSE
But still, for many connoisseurs of luxury watches, the practical component of astronomical functions is boring. For example, many owners of the same time equation devices admit that they have not learned how to use this strange scale. The main thing is not the exact numbers, but the beauty of the presentation. And the charm of the starry sky has already been felt by many watch manufacturers: from designer brands to traditional manufactories.
So, the Finnish independent watchmaker Stefan Sarpaneva has long claimed the title of creator of the most expressive “lunar” - his angry Moon in the Korona series is forever imprinted in the memory, it is worth it at least once to see. And in 2015, Sarpaneva decided to enhance the effect by adding a phosphorescent dial reminiscent of the northern lights to the moonlight. The name of this watch was given the corresponding - Korona Nothern Lights.
And, of course, one cannot help but recall the masterpiece of complex mechanics from Patek Philippe Grand Complications 6102, which this year “dressed” in a 44 mm rose gold case. Although the 240 LU CL C caliber has many astronomical functions, including sidereal time and Sirius crossing the Earth’s meridian, the main delight is the stunning deep dial that depicts the Milky Way galaxy. Which is not surprising - after all, the starry sky even today causes almost mystical reverence in man. Here is romance, and fear of the unknown, and a thirst for discovery, and the alluring appeal of eternity.
