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Lot Essay
This unique hard-fired cloisonné enamel masterpiece, a stunning work of art created in 1978, was made by Elisabeth Perusset Lagger, a celebrated master enemeller who excelled in fine cloisonné work. Mme. Peruset Lagger was predominantly employed to make the panels for Patek Philippe Dome clocks, the curved panels and dome presenting an extraordinary challenge that could only be mastered after years of practice. Enamellers such as Mme. Peruset Lagger were the very best in the world, only a handful of such skillful artisans existed at any one time and their work was always in constant demand by the great watch houses. Due to the fact that the technique is so labour intensive and can only be done by hand, only a tiny number of pieces each year could ever be made.
A wonderful trophy for collectors of rare timepieces, the present dome clock, now over 40 years old, is an artistic triumph and an important example of Elisabeth Perusset Lagger’s work for Patek Philippe.
L'Aventure de la Voile
Each Patek Philippe dome clock is a unique creation, demanding the skill and precision of the artists hand, some were specially commissioned by the client to represent certain stories or favourite motifs. The present clock represents a unique story of its own, a tale of adventures on the high seas where one can witness many exciting and often unexpected encounters. Perhaps purchased by its original owner to remember a past trip or adventure, whatever the reason, it is an imaginative and impressive work of art. A more detailed description of the cloisonné panels:
Left panel: A boat with flags, at a blue and green sea with fish and curled gold waves, Poseidon (mythological Greek god of the sea), and a tall castle
Central panel: Two boats further in the distance on rougher seas, larger and lower grey clouds casting shadow
Right panel: A larger boat, anchor, brighter green seas
Dome: A large deep red image that could possibly represent the sun, but also a compass. Also seen are sails of a boat, bags and barrels, a manuscript and scroll, possibly a map.
An interesting and notable feature of this clock is its dome, not only because of what it represents but also because of its texture. The dome is slightly uneven and seems to evoke the high and low tides of the ocean. Through the tale, technique, tone and texture we are willingly swept away to another world and able to enjoy a time that we may never have had the pleasure to experience before. This is the ultimate success for an artwork of this nature.
Patek Philippe Dome Clocks
Patek Philippe launched the solar-powered dome clock in the mid-20th century. They boast lavish and uniquely decorated cases featuring engravings of varying pattern or cloisonné enamel scenes. Still in production today, most likely due to their continued popularity, they were made in three series.
First series: Produced in the 1950s and 1960s with a mechanical 17’’’250 E pocket watch movement powered through the solar panel in the dome, the number ‘17’ derived from the diameter measurement of the movement which comes from an old industrial measurement tradition whereby measurement was carried out using candle wicks in ‘lines’ or ‘lignes’, ‘250’ for the thickness, and ‘E’ for electric. The large solar panel supplies power to the cylindrical storage device which then transmits energy to wind the movement. The beauty of this patented mechanism allowing the clock to be functional in the dark. At the time, this patented technique was seen as revolutionary, Patek Philippe were seen as being able to “master the energy of light.”
Second series: Beginning in 1970, dome clocks were produced with Quartz movement with a smaller solar panel that seemed to have a higher position on the dome, becoming even smaller in the 1990s.
Third series: The only dome series with cell battery movement. This has a smaller solar panel or no solar panel seen from 2007 onwards.
Towards the end of the 1940's, the Swiss watchmaking industry revived the technique of cloisonné enamel which had been used since the Byzantine period. This technique uses fine bands (filaments) of gold to outline the design subject, which are then soldered to the surface of a plate. The empty spaces are then filled with ground enamel and fired multiple times at varying temperatures between 700 and 900 degrees centigrade to achieve different colours. Patek Philippe's enamellers can take up to one year to complete such a dome clock and less than a handful can be complete each year at their workshops. The artistry had been perfected over the decades and the artists could eventually miniaturize it to be made on wristwatches seen only from 1949 at Basel.
A wonderful trophy for collectors of rare timepieces, the present dome clock, now over 40 years old, is an artistic triumph and an important example of Elisabeth Perusset Lagger’s work for Patek Philippe.
L'Aventure de la Voile
Each Patek Philippe dome clock is a unique creation, demanding the skill and precision of the artists hand, some were specially commissioned by the client to represent certain stories or favourite motifs. The present clock represents a unique story of its own, a tale of adventures on the high seas where one can witness many exciting and often unexpected encounters. Perhaps purchased by its original owner to remember a past trip or adventure, whatever the reason, it is an imaginative and impressive work of art. A more detailed description of the cloisonné panels:
Left panel: A boat with flags, at a blue and green sea with fish and curled gold waves, Poseidon (mythological Greek god of the sea), and a tall castle
Central panel: Two boats further in the distance on rougher seas, larger and lower grey clouds casting shadow
Right panel: A larger boat, anchor, brighter green seas
Dome: A large deep red image that could possibly represent the sun, but also a compass. Also seen are sails of a boat, bags and barrels, a manuscript and scroll, possibly a map.
An interesting and notable feature of this clock is its dome, not only because of what it represents but also because of its texture. The dome is slightly uneven and seems to evoke the high and low tides of the ocean. Through the tale, technique, tone and texture we are willingly swept away to another world and able to enjoy a time that we may never have had the pleasure to experience before. This is the ultimate success for an artwork of this nature.
Patek Philippe Dome Clocks
Patek Philippe launched the solar-powered dome clock in the mid-20th century. They boast lavish and uniquely decorated cases featuring engravings of varying pattern or cloisonné enamel scenes. Still in production today, most likely due to their continued popularity, they were made in three series.
First series: Produced in the 1950s and 1960s with a mechanical 17’’’250 E pocket watch movement powered through the solar panel in the dome, the number ‘17’ derived from the diameter measurement of the movement which comes from an old industrial measurement tradition whereby measurement was carried out using candle wicks in ‘lines’ or ‘lignes’, ‘250’ for the thickness, and ‘E’ for electric. The large solar panel supplies power to the cylindrical storage device which then transmits energy to wind the movement. The beauty of this patented mechanism allowing the clock to be functional in the dark. At the time, this patented technique was seen as revolutionary, Patek Philippe were seen as being able to “master the energy of light.”
Second series: Beginning in 1970, dome clocks were produced with Quartz movement with a smaller solar panel that seemed to have a higher position on the dome, becoming even smaller in the 1990s.
Third series: The only dome series with cell battery movement. This has a smaller solar panel or no solar panel seen from 2007 onwards.
Towards the end of the 1940's, the Swiss watchmaking industry revived the technique of cloisonné enamel which had been used since the Byzantine period. This technique uses fine bands (filaments) of gold to outline the design subject, which are then soldered to the surface of a plate. The empty spaces are then filled with ground enamel and fired multiple times at varying temperatures between 700 and 900 degrees centigrade to achieve different colours. Patek Philippe's enamellers can take up to one year to complete such a dome clock and less than a handful can be complete each year at their workshops. The artistry had been perfected over the decades and the artists could eventually miniaturize it to be made on wristwatches seen only from 1949 at Basel.