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Lot Essay
US$100,000-150,000
With Harry Winston International Warranty dated April 2010, instruction manual, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
It all began in a family garage in Wintherthur where Andreas Strehler's father repaired old clocks as a hobby. Strehler had a unique talent of understanding the complex construction of a timepiece simply by observing it. Watchmaking was his obvious choice of profession.
After completing a watchmaker apprenticeship in Frauenfeld, Switzerland, and attending the Watchmaking School of Solothurn, Strehler joined Renaud and Papi SA as a prototype maker. There, he collaborated with watchmakers such as Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey and Giulio Papi. In 1995 he became an independent and worked on the restoration of antique timepieces before presenting his first creation at Baselworld watch fair in 1998 - a perpetual desk calendar which combined a desk calendar with a pocket watch. In 1999, Strehler developed the pocket watch "Zwei" which manages to indicate hours, minutes, date and month with just two hands. This switching mechanism that enables indicators to signal different functions is later found in many of his movement.
In 2001, Strehler made history as the youngest watchmaker accepted as a member of the Académie Horlogére des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI). In 2006; Strehler's Moser Perpetual 1 won the complicated watch prize at the Grand Prix de Genéve.
In 2005, Strehler opened his own company, Uhrteil AG in Sirnach where a team of watchmakers, technicians and precision mechanics, guided by Andreas Strehler's philosophy of constant improvement and innovation, produce movements for his innovative mechanisms as well as the machines and computer software needed to make them. There, Strehler developed numerous movements for well-known watch manufacturers such as Chronoswiss, H. Moser & Cie. and Maurice LaCroix. In 2006, Strehler's Moser Perpetual 1 won the complicated watch prize at the Grand Prix de l'Horologerie de Gen?ve. In 2007, Andreas Strehler became the creator of Opus 7 in collaboration with Harry Winston. The year after, he launched his Papillon which is based on the movement that he produced for Opus 7. Strehler is convinced that there can be a continuous renewal of ideas in the realm of haute horologerie, "It's similar to music. All the notes are already familiar and yet new melodies are constantly being invented. This proves that there is always something new to develop."
To be chosen by a creator of an Opus timepiece is a recognition and also a challenge. When Andreas Strehler was approached by Harry Winston and Hamdi Chatti in 2006 to develop the Opus 7, his creation will be compared and judged in the light of all the previous Opus timepieces. He also know that an Opus watch has to transcend the conventional traditions of watchmaking. For Strehler whose entire philosophy of watchmaking is based on the movement, his approach was not to create a watch but a mechanism which is entirely visible, thus creating an aesthetic of its own. For Strehler, he would create the movement from scratch in order to feel the pleasure of asking himself how his creation came about with all "these little ideas". His Opus 7 would define a new design, with new elements, new concepts and a new time display.
The Opus 7 was released in 2007 at Baselword watch fair in a limited edition of 50 watches in white gold. One's attention is immediately captured by the pusher and the beautiful bridge in the shape of a butterfly as well as the eye-catching central wheel in blue which dominates almost the entire face of the dial. The butterfly shaped bridge is reminiscent of the intricate openwork ironwork from the Art Nouveau period which adorns the balconies of buildings in Barcelona. The transparent back is no less striking. Due to the alternating time display system and the elimination of certain wheels, one discovers in the back parts that are always invisible in other watches. Andreas Strehler has always liked to use complexity to provide simplicity in his movements. Using a brilliant switching mechanism that enables indicators to signal different functions, Strehler created a timepiece with an alternating display showing at one time either the hours or the minutes or the power reserve indicator but not all three at the same time. This is accomplished by pressing the crown which changes the display. This movement heralds an entirely novel manner of displaying the time which subsequently alters the wearer's perception of time. Perhaps the butterfly is chosen to symbolize metamorphosis as well as a reminder of their ephemeral lives so that the wearers of the Opus 7 will appreciate more each moment in life.
With Harry Winston International Warranty dated April 2010, instruction manual, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
It all began in a family garage in Wintherthur where Andreas Strehler's father repaired old clocks as a hobby. Strehler had a unique talent of understanding the complex construction of a timepiece simply by observing it. Watchmaking was his obvious choice of profession.
After completing a watchmaker apprenticeship in Frauenfeld, Switzerland, and attending the Watchmaking School of Solothurn, Strehler joined Renaud and Papi SA as a prototype maker. There, he collaborated with watchmakers such as Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey and Giulio Papi. In 1995 he became an independent and worked on the restoration of antique timepieces before presenting his first creation at Baselworld watch fair in 1998 - a perpetual desk calendar which combined a desk calendar with a pocket watch. In 1999, Strehler developed the pocket watch "Zwei" which manages to indicate hours, minutes, date and month with just two hands. This switching mechanism that enables indicators to signal different functions is later found in many of his movement.
In 2001, Strehler made history as the youngest watchmaker accepted as a member of the Académie Horlogére des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI). In 2006; Strehler's Moser Perpetual 1 won the complicated watch prize at the Grand Prix de Genéve.
In 2005, Strehler opened his own company, Uhrteil AG in Sirnach where a team of watchmakers, technicians and precision mechanics, guided by Andreas Strehler's philosophy of constant improvement and innovation, produce movements for his innovative mechanisms as well as the machines and computer software needed to make them. There, Strehler developed numerous movements for well-known watch manufacturers such as Chronoswiss, H. Moser & Cie. and Maurice LaCroix. In 2006, Strehler's Moser Perpetual 1 won the complicated watch prize at the Grand Prix de l'Horologerie de Gen?ve. In 2007, Andreas Strehler became the creator of Opus 7 in collaboration with Harry Winston. The year after, he launched his Papillon which is based on the movement that he produced for Opus 7. Strehler is convinced that there can be a continuous renewal of ideas in the realm of haute horologerie, "It's similar to music. All the notes are already familiar and yet new melodies are constantly being invented. This proves that there is always something new to develop."
To be chosen by a creator of an Opus timepiece is a recognition and also a challenge. When Andreas Strehler was approached by Harry Winston and Hamdi Chatti in 2006 to develop the Opus 7, his creation will be compared and judged in the light of all the previous Opus timepieces. He also know that an Opus watch has to transcend the conventional traditions of watchmaking. For Strehler whose entire philosophy of watchmaking is based on the movement, his approach was not to create a watch but a mechanism which is entirely visible, thus creating an aesthetic of its own. For Strehler, he would create the movement from scratch in order to feel the pleasure of asking himself how his creation came about with all "these little ideas". His Opus 7 would define a new design, with new elements, new concepts and a new time display.
The Opus 7 was released in 2007 at Baselword watch fair in a limited edition of 50 watches in white gold. One's attention is immediately captured by the pusher and the beautiful bridge in the shape of a butterfly as well as the eye-catching central wheel in blue which dominates almost the entire face of the dial. The butterfly shaped bridge is reminiscent of the intricate openwork ironwork from the Art Nouveau period which adorns the balconies of buildings in Barcelona. The transparent back is no less striking. Due to the alternating time display system and the elimination of certain wheels, one discovers in the back parts that are always invisible in other watches. Andreas Strehler has always liked to use complexity to provide simplicity in his movements. Using a brilliant switching mechanism that enables indicators to signal different functions, Strehler created a timepiece with an alternating display showing at one time either the hours or the minutes or the power reserve indicator but not all three at the same time. This is accomplished by pressing the crown which changes the display. This movement heralds an entirely novel manner of displaying the time which subsequently alters the wearer's perception of time. Perhaps the butterfly is chosen to symbolize metamorphosis as well as a reminder of their ephemeral lives so that the wearers of the Opus 7 will appreciate more each moment in life.