1041Σ︎
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Ref. Q39334H3, 214.3.62
Reverso Tribute Enamel, "Lake Thun with Symmetric Reflections Before Sunrise"
An extremely rare artistic limited edition white gold rectangular-shaped reversible wristwatch with grand feu green enamel guilloche dial and miniature painting after a painting by Ferdinand Hodler, certificate and presentation box, numbered 8 of a limited edition of 8 pieces
Full-Cataloguing
- Reverso Tribute enamel series launched in 2018 to pay homage to 100th anniversary of Swiss artists Ferdinand Hodler
- Numbered 8 of 8 and complete with its original accessories
- Featured painting: Lake Thun with Symmetric Reflections Before Sunrise
Three of Hodler’s most atmospheric paintings are used for the limited edition trio: Grey: Lake Geneva with Mont Blanc in Morning Light, Blue: Lake Thun, Symmetric Reflections, and Green: Lake Thun with Symmetric Reflections Before Sunrise. Framed by 18K white gold case, each was produced in a strictly limited edition of only eight pieces.
The present example numbered 8 of 8 with its rich green dial offered as a full set example and fresh to the auction market. This is one of Hodler’s most moving works. In the soft light of the blue hour, just before sunrise, the still surface of Lake Thun turns into a perfect mirror. Dark mountain silhouettes and the delicate blues and rose-tinged greys of the waking sky are reflected with almost spiritual calm. It is a moment of pure stillness and quiet hope, the fragile beauty of a day not yet begun. For anyone who has walked along the shores of Lake Thun, the scene may feel deeply familiar, as though Hodler has somehow captured a view they already carry in their heart.
Translating such atmosphere onto a surface of only two square centimetres is an extraordinary achievement. The technique is as demanding as it is precise. Using the finest brushes, the enameller must match the original artist’s skill while working at an almost impossible scale. Colours must be judged with great care, because with the Grand Feu process the enamel is fired at over 800°C and the final result cannot be fully predicted.
Beneath the translucent green enamel lies a carefully executed guilloché pattern, cut on a century-old machine, which gives the dial depth and quiet radiance. More than fifty hours of concentrated work go into each miniature, sometimes requiring the removal of individual brush hairs simply to achieve the necessary delicacy. Inside beats the manually wound Calibre 822A/2, offering hours and minutes with a 38 hour power reserve.
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Swiss | 1833Not all companies in the watchmaking field have been able to stand the test of time quite like Jaeger LeCoultre, also known as the "watchmaker's watchmaker." Founded in 1833 by Antoine LeCoultre and originally named LeCoutre, the firm provided watchmaking's top brands, such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, the high-grade, unfinished mechanical movements with which they completed their watches.
In the early 1900s, Cartier's watch supplier Edmond Jaeger sought out LeCoultre's help in creating the world's thinnest watches. The collaboration resulted in the creation of Cartier's earliest Tank and Santos watches, all housed with LeCoultre movements. The duo decided to merge in 1937, and the firm officially became the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand by which collectors know and adore it today. Some of the firm's most significant and important timepieces include the Reverso, the Memovox, the Atmos clock and, among modern watches, their Master Complications.