Lot Essay
From any ‘piece unique’ one expects a watch that is somehow extraordinary and this reversible double-face platinum ‘Braveheart’ tourbillon with its impressive 44.4 mm diameter and stunning baguette diamond-set case lives up to this expectation and much more. Not only showcasing brilliant three-dimensional aesthetics and exceptional craftsmanship, it is also a masterpiece of watchmaking that includes no less than seven Bovet patent elements. The case is set with 422 diamonds baguettes for approximately 15.96 carats.
The ‘Braveheart’ tourbillon displays the time on two enamel dials in two different ways, one on each side of the watch, one dial in black, the other in white, perfect for both day and evening wear and easily reversible with Bovet’s ingenious ‘Amadeo’ style convertible case. The black dial has a sector for retrograde minutes, a sector below frames the tourbillon for reading the seconds. The white dial shows the hours and minutes in the traditional way and an aperture at the 12 o’clock position allows the spherical winding mechanism to be admired. The seconds sector again frames the tourbillon and the sector for the power reserve is calibrated for 22-hours.
The impressive 22-days power reserve in this manual wind watch is provided by two large spring barrels. The one-minute flying tourbillon uses a new system patented by Bovet which is designed to improve both its timekeeping and visual properties. Interestingly, the balance is fitted with a helical spring that needs no external regulation – what horologists call ‘free sprung’, which also adds to the three-dimensional beauty of the watch. The balance itself is another fascinating Bovet patent, supremely elegant and unobtrusive, it is called a ‘felly’ by Bovet. The ‘felly’ has three weighted arms instead of a circular balance wheel which improves its aerodynamics and adds to its visual interest.
Rarely does a watch of such glittering beauty combine so seamlessly with watchmaking excellence of the highest level.
Bovet was originally founded in 1822 and was famed for their luxury pocket watches with artistic flair. The brand was re-established in 1994 and has stayed true to Bovet's original aesthetics and heritage of pocket watches whilst incorporating modern design and materials. Owned since 2006 by Pascal Raffy, Bovet’s acquisition of the renowned manufacture Dimier 1738 has allowed the company to create their watches in-house and to develop the exciting and innovative timepieces that perpetuate the excellence of the Bovet name.
The ‘Braveheart’ tourbillon displays the time on two enamel dials in two different ways, one on each side of the watch, one dial in black, the other in white, perfect for both day and evening wear and easily reversible with Bovet’s ingenious ‘Amadeo’ style convertible case. The black dial has a sector for retrograde minutes, a sector below frames the tourbillon for reading the seconds. The white dial shows the hours and minutes in the traditional way and an aperture at the 12 o’clock position allows the spherical winding mechanism to be admired. The seconds sector again frames the tourbillon and the sector for the power reserve is calibrated for 22-hours.
The impressive 22-days power reserve in this manual wind watch is provided by two large spring barrels. The one-minute flying tourbillon uses a new system patented by Bovet which is designed to improve both its timekeeping and visual properties. Interestingly, the balance is fitted with a helical spring that needs no external regulation – what horologists call ‘free sprung’, which also adds to the three-dimensional beauty of the watch. The balance itself is another fascinating Bovet patent, supremely elegant and unobtrusive, it is called a ‘felly’ by Bovet. The ‘felly’ has three weighted arms instead of a circular balance wheel which improves its aerodynamics and adds to its visual interest.
Rarely does a watch of such glittering beauty combine so seamlessly with watchmaking excellence of the highest level.
Bovet was originally founded in 1822 and was famed for their luxury pocket watches with artistic flair. The brand was re-established in 1994 and has stayed true to Bovet's original aesthetics and heritage of pocket watches whilst incorporating modern design and materials. Owned since 2006 by Pascal Raffy, Bovet’s acquisition of the renowned manufacture Dimier 1738 has allowed the company to create their watches in-house and to develop the exciting and innovative timepieces that perpetuate the excellence of the Bovet name.