Patek Philippe Dome Clocks are admirable, rare and fine handicrafts by the firm. Displaying intricate and traditional craftsmanship along with the manufacturer’s innovative electronics technology, each dome clock can be considered as unique works of art as each encapsulating a different motif are executed by hand by the finest artisans of our time.
In 1948, Patek Philippe inaugurated its Electronic Division with the aim of researching photoelectric, electronic, and nuclear technology to power clocks. Within two years, the department succeeded in creating its first solar clock. The caliber 17-250 was fitted with a small rotatable solar panel on the top of the dome supplying energy to a storage device, which in turn transmitted energy to the mechanical movement. A Swiss patent was awarded to Patek Philippe for clocks fitted with photo-electric cells. Patek Philippe's idea for a light-powered horological mechanism was to introduce additional electronic storage – an accumulator that provides the energy to wind the spring. The photoelectric cells can either store their energy electronically in the accumulator or mechanically by winding the spring. When the mechanism is fully wound, the cells switch over to charge the accumulator.
While the decorative elements are the key focus of a Patek Philippe dome clock, there are many different mediums used to create a motif. For enameling, Patek Philippe offers four of their master techniques including, cloisonné enamel, champlevé enameling, paillonné enameling, and miniature painting on enamel.
The present Patek Philippe dome clock features the fine cloisonné enameling technique depicting a motif of “Fleurs des Montagnes” or “Mountain Flowers” in English. An extremely painstaking process, cloisonné enameling requires a fine gold wire that is bent to form the design of the motif and fixed on a panel or a plate coated with the base layer of enamel. After the first firing, the cells formed by the wire partitions are filled with selected enamels. According to the type of enamel used, the colours, and the intended effect, several successive firings may be needed. With each firing, details are fine-tuned, colors evolve, and the final effect is enhanced, the play of transparency and depth intensified. It is estimated that only 12 dome clocks are produced every year, making each unique examples very rare.
Impressively decorated, the present ref. 1618M dome clock features a full enameled body and continued on the dial. Romanticized with each panel of the body depicting a different breed of mountain flowers, the first panel features a couple of Martagon lilies in pink distinctive with spotted petals with a widespread native extending from Portugal all the way through to Europe and Asia. The second panel displays a quadrant of violet-blue trumpet gentian flowers native to central and southern Europe that grows in mountainous regions such as the Alps. The third panel features three beautiful purple and yellow Iris flowers that are named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow. Lastly, domed atop is a large and beautifully centered silver thistle native to the central and southern regions of Europe. The dial is another mesmeric sight, beholding a fully decorated surface depicting four additional species of flowers including a yellow wolf’s bane flower, Blue Angel’s trumpet flower, Edelweiss, and some red flowers at the bottom right corner completing the four seasons of the “Fleurs des Montagnes”.
Hailing from the collection of a famed European collector, Mr. Jean-Claude Biver, the present Patek Philippe Dome Clock ref. 1618M from circa 2011 is offered in pristine condition executed by little-known enameller M. Meuris.
