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Lot Essay
The present ref. 530 is one of the exceedingly few examples of an IWC wristwatch fitted with a cloisonné enamel dial. It can be assumed that it was added upon special request, bearing in mind that this variant was much costlier than the standard gilt or silvered version.
Cloisonné enamel dials are always individual artisan creations, with their unfading brightness and rich lustre the watches with such dials are amongst the most desirable across all brands. The main supplier of cloisonné dials was the celebrated firm of Stern Frères.
Each Stern Frères dial was individually stamped on the reverse with a number code, the first digits are the brand code. For the present dial numbered 61*2521, 61 is the code for IWC and 2521 being this particular stylized flower design.
For an IWC wristwatch from the 1950s with similar cloisonné enamel dial see: Ore d'Oro 2, J. Barracca, G. Negretti, F. Nencini, p. 161.
Stern Frères
Founded in 1868, Stern Frères specialized in the production of highest quality dials including dials decorated with cloisonné enamel scenes which were supplied to eminent watch manufacturers including Rolex, Omega, IWC, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and others.
The production of these solid gold dials was extremely costly as they had to be individually made by a skilled craftsman and not on a production line. The artist created the outline of the desired motif by arranging thin gold wires on a dial. These partitions, called "cloisonné" in French, were filled with small quantities of enamel powder in the desired colour. The dial was then fired in an oven at around 900 degrees Celsius causing the powder to melt. Finally it was hand-polished until a perfectly flat surface was obtained. Hand-made by celebrated enamel artists, these dials can be regarded as unique works of art in their own right.
Cloisonné enamel dials are always individual artisan creations, with their unfading brightness and rich lustre the watches with such dials are amongst the most desirable across all brands. The main supplier of cloisonné dials was the celebrated firm of Stern Frères.
Each Stern Frères dial was individually stamped on the reverse with a number code, the first digits are the brand code. For the present dial numbered 61*2521, 61 is the code for IWC and 2521 being this particular stylized flower design.
For an IWC wristwatch from the 1950s with similar cloisonné enamel dial see: Ore d'Oro 2, J. Barracca, G. Negretti, F. Nencini, p. 161.
Stern Frères
Founded in 1868, Stern Frères specialized in the production of highest quality dials including dials decorated with cloisonné enamel scenes which were supplied to eminent watch manufacturers including Rolex, Omega, IWC, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and others.
The production of these solid gold dials was extremely costly as they had to be individually made by a skilled craftsman and not on a production line. The artist created the outline of the desired motif by arranging thin gold wires on a dial. These partitions, called "cloisonné" in French, were filled with small quantities of enamel powder in the desired colour. The dial was then fired in an oven at around 900 degrees Celsius causing the powder to melt. Finally it was hand-polished until a perfectly flat surface was obtained. Hand-made by celebrated enamel artists, these dials can be regarded as unique works of art in their own right.