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Lot Essay
This extremely striking and sumptuous wristwatch was made by Gerald Genta for one of the most prominent middle-eastern rulers of the past century: His Majesty King Hassan II of Morocco, whose cipher is engraved on the back of the case. The importance of such an illustrious original owner is matched by the aesthetic and technical traits of the piece, obviously a special on-request commission, the present watch gives collectors and all those who appreciate fine horology the opportunity to obtain a most unusual and illustrious Gerald Genta timepiece.
The beautiful coral dial decorated with a blue design reflects Islamic art in the use of a geometric pattern. This use of geometry is thought to reflect the language of the universe and help the believer to reflect on life and the greatness of creation. The use of patterns is part of the way that Islamic art represents nature and objects by their spiritual qualities, not their physical and material qualities.
KING HASSAN II
Prince Moulay Hassan was born on July 9, 1929 and received his education at the Rabat Imperial College and later at the University of Bordeaux. When the French authorities exiled the royal family for 2 years in 1953-55, he acted as political advisor for his father. Recognizing his political gifts, the king wanted him at his side when negotiating Morocco’s independence in 1956, and later that year made him Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces. Prince Hassan was proclaimed Crown Prince in 1957, and King at his father’s death in 1961. King Hassan II was an ally of the West during the years of the cold war, acting especially as an informal political channel between the Arab world and Israel, thanks to the large Moroccan-Jewish community in Israel. Economically, he opted for a free market, shaping the national economy around agriculture, tourism and phosphates mining. While the early years of his reign were marked by a somewhat conservative rule, by the 1990s the approach was much more modern, to the point of setting up a Royal Council for Human Rights.
King Hassan II died of natural causes on July 23, 1999 and was buried in the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat. The largest mosque in Morocco, featuring the highest minaret in the world, is dedicated to him.
Gerald Genta (1931-2011) was truly one of the greatest watch designers of all time, the genius behind several of the most famous and enduring wristwatch models that have become the foundation for success for several of the great watch brands including Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Cartier. For the watches Genta made under his own name, he is remembered as the world record holder for consecutive years in the mid-1990s for creating the world's most complicated watch, his masterpiece the ‘Grande Sonnerie’. More recognizable are the limited edition pieces that Gerald Genta created under license from The Walt Disney Company, these wristwatches featured Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Scrooge and Goofy. Still in much demand today and becoming classic in their own right, Genta's designs transcend time and fashion and remain to this day beacons of haute horology of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Without a doubt Gérald Genta has left an enduring mark in the history of watchmaking. Since his youth, he felt a strong artistic drive and dedicated himself to painting. At the age of 27, he discovered his enormous talent for the designing of timepieces, consequently inventing the profession of a ‘watch designer’, a vocation in which he immediately excelled. Amongst the world's most famous wristwatches designed by Genta are celebrated models such as Audemars Piguet's ’Royal Oak’ (1972); Patek Philippe's ’Nautilus’ (1976); Omega's ‘Constellation’ (1959); Patek Philippe's ‘Golden Ellipse’ (1968); IWC's ‘Ingenieur’ (1976); Cartier's Pasha de Cartier (1985) and IWC’s ‘Da Vinci’.
In 1969, Gerald Genta founded his own brand and launched a series of unique creations, from the ‘Répétition Minutes’ with automatic movement in a case just 2.72 mm. thick, launched in 1981, to the stunning million dollar model, the ‘Grande Sonnerie’ in 1994, at the time the most complicated wristwatch in the world.
In over 20 years of creativity, Gérald Genta has given life to some one hundred different watch models, amongst which many are true masterpieces, created with a handcrafted spirit. In 1996, Gérald Genta decided to return to his first passion, painting, and sold his company.
Taken over in 2000 by the Bulgari Group, Gérald Genta SA continues offering small series of complicated, in-house designed and produced movements combined with avant-garde design. For private requests, Genta hand-designed the movements, dials and cases of his timepieces and employed limited or no external assistance, outsourcing or mechanization during the process; it was not unusual for a single watch to take up to 5 years to complete.
Gerald Genta's clients have included athletes, businesspeople, musicians, movie stars, politicians, and royalty, including Prince Ranier III of Monaco, King Hassan II of Morocco, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and H.M. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother of England.
The beautiful coral dial decorated with a blue design reflects Islamic art in the use of a geometric pattern. This use of geometry is thought to reflect the language of the universe and help the believer to reflect on life and the greatness of creation. The use of patterns is part of the way that Islamic art represents nature and objects by their spiritual qualities, not their physical and material qualities.
KING HASSAN II
Prince Moulay Hassan was born on July 9, 1929 and received his education at the Rabat Imperial College and later at the University of Bordeaux. When the French authorities exiled the royal family for 2 years in 1953-55, he acted as political advisor for his father. Recognizing his political gifts, the king wanted him at his side when negotiating Morocco’s independence in 1956, and later that year made him Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces. Prince Hassan was proclaimed Crown Prince in 1957, and King at his father’s death in 1961. King Hassan II was an ally of the West during the years of the cold war, acting especially as an informal political channel between the Arab world and Israel, thanks to the large Moroccan-Jewish community in Israel. Economically, he opted for a free market, shaping the national economy around agriculture, tourism and phosphates mining. While the early years of his reign were marked by a somewhat conservative rule, by the 1990s the approach was much more modern, to the point of setting up a Royal Council for Human Rights.
King Hassan II died of natural causes on July 23, 1999 and was buried in the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat. The largest mosque in Morocco, featuring the highest minaret in the world, is dedicated to him.
Gerald Genta (1931-2011) was truly one of the greatest watch designers of all time, the genius behind several of the most famous and enduring wristwatch models that have become the foundation for success for several of the great watch brands including Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Cartier. For the watches Genta made under his own name, he is remembered as the world record holder for consecutive years in the mid-1990s for creating the world's most complicated watch, his masterpiece the ‘Grande Sonnerie’. More recognizable are the limited edition pieces that Gerald Genta created under license from The Walt Disney Company, these wristwatches featured Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Scrooge and Goofy. Still in much demand today and becoming classic in their own right, Genta's designs transcend time and fashion and remain to this day beacons of haute horology of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Without a doubt Gérald Genta has left an enduring mark in the history of watchmaking. Since his youth, he felt a strong artistic drive and dedicated himself to painting. At the age of 27, he discovered his enormous talent for the designing of timepieces, consequently inventing the profession of a ‘watch designer’, a vocation in which he immediately excelled. Amongst the world's most famous wristwatches designed by Genta are celebrated models such as Audemars Piguet's ’Royal Oak’ (1972); Patek Philippe's ’Nautilus’ (1976); Omega's ‘Constellation’ (1959); Patek Philippe's ‘Golden Ellipse’ (1968); IWC's ‘Ingenieur’ (1976); Cartier's Pasha de Cartier (1985) and IWC’s ‘Da Vinci’.
In 1969, Gerald Genta founded his own brand and launched a series of unique creations, from the ‘Répétition Minutes’ with automatic movement in a case just 2.72 mm. thick, launched in 1981, to the stunning million dollar model, the ‘Grande Sonnerie’ in 1994, at the time the most complicated wristwatch in the world.
In over 20 years of creativity, Gérald Genta has given life to some one hundred different watch models, amongst which many are true masterpieces, created with a handcrafted spirit. In 1996, Gérald Genta decided to return to his first passion, painting, and sold his company.
Taken over in 2000 by the Bulgari Group, Gérald Genta SA continues offering small series of complicated, in-house designed and produced movements combined with avant-garde design. For private requests, Genta hand-designed the movements, dials and cases of his timepieces and employed limited or no external assistance, outsourcing or mechanization during the process; it was not unusual for a single watch to take up to 5 years to complete.
Gerald Genta's clients have included athletes, businesspeople, musicians, movie stars, politicians, and royalty, including Prince Ranier III of Monaco, King Hassan II of Morocco, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and H.M. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother of England.