226
Ludovic Ballouard
Upside Down
An unusual, very attractive and rare jump hour platinum wristwatch with box and Certificate
- Estimate
- CHF25,000 - 50,000€24,600 - 49,100$26,500 - 53,100
CHF60,480
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Ludovic Ballouard
- Year
- Circa 2021
- Case No
- 107
- Model Name
- Upside Down
- Material
- Platinum
- Calibre
- Manual, cal. B01, 51 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- Leather
- Clasp/Buckle
- Platinum Ludovic Ballouard pin buckle signed LB
- Dimensions
- 41mm Diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
- Accessories
- Accompanied by Ludovic Ballouard fitted box, Guarantee Certificate, polishing cloth and outer packaging.
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
Ludovic Ballouard has carved a name in the market for his exceptionally well-made timepieces featuring quirky time displays.
He gained valuable experience with complicated timepieces first with Franck Muller, then working in the F. P. Journe atelier. With the desire to produce a watch that was apparently simple, yet technically complex, he introduced in December 2009, the Upside Down wristwatch. The elegant 41mm diameter case is full and broad with curved lugs – as appealing as a classic time only watch, however first impressions are deceiving. Upon closer inspection the dial has an extraordinary feature in the hour markers, as all are upside down, save but one.
This incredibly avant-garde time display is ingenious and a delight to watch. The traditional dial consists of 12 rotating discs, which are all upside down except for the correct hour, which is also denoted by a small dot that only becomes visible when right side up. At the top of the hour, the old hour passes and returns to the upside down position, while the new hour is rotated 180 degrees. The technical marvel of this movement is seen when one turns the watch over and through the sapphire back, one can admire the complexity of this unique timepiece. The movement plate carries twelve finely finished discs attached by tiny pinions, and it is as fascinating to watch the time change on the dial as it is from the movement side.
For Ballouard, this watch is not only a mechanical masterpiece, but also a representation of how one should live in the moment, and that the past and future are presented upside down to remind you that you should have no regrets about the past, or qualms for the future, which you know nothing about.
The present Upside Down is eye catching not only thanks to its surprising time display also thanks to the surprising matte white dial and crisp blue numerals and hands. According to Ballouard he has made less than 5 in this configuration.
The word rare can have many meanings in the watch industry but considering that Ballouard makes only 12 watches a year it is more than safe to say the present timepiece is extremely rare.
He gained valuable experience with complicated timepieces first with Franck Muller, then working in the F. P. Journe atelier. With the desire to produce a watch that was apparently simple, yet technically complex, he introduced in December 2009, the Upside Down wristwatch. The elegant 41mm diameter case is full and broad with curved lugs – as appealing as a classic time only watch, however first impressions are deceiving. Upon closer inspection the dial has an extraordinary feature in the hour markers, as all are upside down, save but one.
This incredibly avant-garde time display is ingenious and a delight to watch. The traditional dial consists of 12 rotating discs, which are all upside down except for the correct hour, which is also denoted by a small dot that only becomes visible when right side up. At the top of the hour, the old hour passes and returns to the upside down position, while the new hour is rotated 180 degrees. The technical marvel of this movement is seen when one turns the watch over and through the sapphire back, one can admire the complexity of this unique timepiece. The movement plate carries twelve finely finished discs attached by tiny pinions, and it is as fascinating to watch the time change on the dial as it is from the movement side.
For Ballouard, this watch is not only a mechanical masterpiece, but also a representation of how one should live in the moment, and that the past and future are presented upside down to remind you that you should have no regrets about the past, or qualms for the future, which you know nothing about.
The present Upside Down is eye catching not only thanks to its surprising time display also thanks to the surprising matte white dial and crisp blue numerals and hands. According to Ballouard he has made less than 5 in this configuration.
The word rare can have many meanings in the watch industry but considering that Ballouard makes only 12 watches a year it is more than safe to say the present timepiece is extremely rare.
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