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Lot Essay
Fresh to market and from the original owner, the present unique dome clock reference 1364 nicknamed 'Libellules' by Patek Philippe, features a gilded brass construction with beautiful cloisonné enameled panels depicting dragonflies and flowers. The breathtaking cloisonné enameling features a vast array of colors ranging from brown and green to violet and blue. This masterwork is signed DBD in of the panels.
Since their launch in 1955, very few examples of these dome clocks are annually produced, each unique by its individually decorated case featuring engravings of varying pattern, cloisonné enamel scenes or leather covering with applied ornaments. The small production is a result of the few artisans skilled enough to decorate the clock's challenging curved surfaces, works of art in their own right that have significantly appreciated in today's collector market.
Towards the end of the 1940s, the Swiss watchmaking industry revived the technique of cloisonné enameling, initially in pocket and wristwatches such as the celebrated World Time models, as of the late 1950s also for the decoration of clocks, mainly Dome clocks. This elaborate and rather complicated method uses fine strands (filaments) of gold or copper to outline the designated subject, which are then soldered to the surface of the plate. The empty spaces are filled with powdered enamel and fired multiple times so the surface becomes perfectly levelled. Even the most talented enamellers may need up to one year to complete such work on a clock, hence why only a handful of these decorative timepieces leave the workshop of Patek Philippe every year.
Since their launch in 1955, very few examples of these dome clocks are annually produced, each unique by its individually decorated case featuring engravings of varying pattern, cloisonné enamel scenes or leather covering with applied ornaments. The small production is a result of the few artisans skilled enough to decorate the clock's challenging curved surfaces, works of art in their own right that have significantly appreciated in today's collector market.
Towards the end of the 1940s, the Swiss watchmaking industry revived the technique of cloisonné enameling, initially in pocket and wristwatches such as the celebrated World Time models, as of the late 1950s also for the decoration of clocks, mainly Dome clocks. This elaborate and rather complicated method uses fine strands (filaments) of gold or copper to outline the designated subject, which are then soldered to the surface of the plate. The empty spaces are filled with powdered enamel and fired multiple times so the surface becomes perfectly levelled. Even the most talented enamellers may need up to one year to complete such work on a clock, hence why only a handful of these decorative timepieces leave the workshop of Patek Philippe every year.