Creating Complications

creating complications What is a complication after all? How complicated are complications? These are questions that have been asked in recent years by every friend of Haute Horlogerie. Let’s see what the protagonists in the field have to say about complications. Since I was an adolescent, I have al- and, even more so, when we speak of the si- During the evolution of the watch, ways been impressed by the paradoxical ex- multaneous presence of many complications, there were some isolated cases of these types pression: “Why do it simply when you can do represents a magical world, where the calcu- of watches. During the 30s, in New York, the it in a complicated way?” Later, it was a phrase lation of exhaustive details competes with banker Henry Graves asked Patek Philippe to of Sir Winston Churchill that impressed me the imagination of watchmakers in creating create for him the most complicated watch even more because it was provocative, as well watches. It is also true that the nature of man ever made. Thus, he obtained the pocket as true: “My tastes are simple: I am easily satis- is to want to surpass himself, and also to dis- watch which still holds the record for the fied with the best”. cover pathways where nobody has tread be- highest price in history, because it was sold in fore. We owe to this truth some of the greatest an auction at Sotheby’s in 1999 for the sum of At the end of the day, what is the best? Is achievements of humanity that either move 11,000,000$! In 1989, the famous Calibre 89, it the most simple or, on the contrary, the most us or make our life easier. which beat all the records with 33 complica- complicated? Today, I think that it is easier to tions, was presented on the occasion of the find “the best” rather than the “less good”. If T h u s , since the first years of the existence of 150 year anniversary of the prestigious House you’ve listened to the famous aria “Casta Diva” the watch, thousands of watchmakers have of Patek Philippe. In 2005, it was the turn of from the opera “Norma” by Vicenzo Bellini a tried and succeeded in creating works of art Vacheron Constantin to present on the occa- hundred times in your life, then most prob- that adorn the history of Haute Horlogerie sion of its 250 year anniversary the Tour de ably you’ve listened mainly to the divine in- today. Some of these achievements arrived so l’Ile, which also has its place in history, along terpretation of Maria Callas, rather than to an early that it could be said that the major break- with the 1735 of Blancpain, the Sky Moon unknown singer!... This is the case, of course, throughs in the watchmaking art were real- Tourbillon of Patek Philippe, and two or three in an “ideal” area, such as the Opera. But what ized two centuries ago, and not much is left to other famous watches that have been present- about an area, such as Haute Horlogerie, that do with regard to the evolution of the watch ed throughout the years. borders on art, in which the accomplishment from a technical point of view. of technical objectives is still the predominant I n 2 0 0 9, the appearance of Hybris Mechanica tendency -this being always the heart of com- H ow e v e r , the imaginatively rich adapta- by Jaeger-LeCoultre came to trouble the waters, petition (with or without commercial interest, tion of the most complicated techniques of while the Franck Muller House, always plethor- and whether or not in the good sense of the Haute Horlogerie into a cocktail of complica- ic, launched the ultimate Aeternitas Mega 4, term)- leading not only to (formal or informal) tions (that’s how the famous watchmaker leaving everyone open-mouthed and offering confrontations, but also to impressive achieve- Philippe Dufour calls it in one of his answers) the biggest smile in the history of Haute Horlo- ments, which fill the friends of good mechan- remains always a challenge, intoxicating the gerie to the two fortunate persons who quick- ics with enthusiasm? most demanding collectors and, at the same ly received their watches (after having paid time, raising the bar of competition very high around 1,000,000 euros each)! A few months It is true that Haute Horlogerie, in this rigorous and extremely competitive later, a collector, reportedly from Taiwan, suc- especially when we speak of complications “sport” that is Haute Horlogerie. ceeded in obtaining one of the four Calibre 89 veryimportantwatches.com complications Very complicated, isn’t it? for a sum of 4,500,000 euros, again in an auc- T h e r e f o r e , I attempted to clear up my plicated watches in the world with the of- tion, this time organized by Antiquorum! questions - which are also yours, I assume - ficial list of their complications, and you by asking all the protagonists, but also some will thus be able to judge what each com- From that point on began the great de- of the most celebrated watchmakers in the pany has to offer and to draw your own bate on what is a complication, whether all world to give me their opinion on 11 basic conclusions. complications have the same value, whether questions, concerning the subject of watch- we should add them up, how each manufac- making complications. Read the opinion of the professionals and. turer fabricates them, how to count them, relax. We will never be able to acquire these what is the role of marketing, etc. In addition, you will find the most com- exceptional watchmaking works of art! veryimportantwatches.com PAUL BUCLIN NAME WATCHMAKER P r o f e s s i o n P A T E K P H I L I P P E HOUSE —1— Give us a definition of -1- Today, it is very difficult to say what a the word “complication” (in complication is, because every watchmaking brand watchmaking). has its own definition. In any case, my own view —2— Can a (mechanical) is that it is any indication beyond the display of the thermometer be considered hours, minutes, and seconds, which has also a direct a complication? relation with time. —3— What’s more important - 2 - N ο . for you: the complication or -3- Unfortunately, not all Tourbillons have the the method of fabrication same quality. We have to encourage quality watch- (watchmaking art)? making and, especially, the working precision of —4— If finishing is pushed to watches. the extreme, does it count as - 4 - N o . for a complication? -5- I will speak personally, and not in the —5— Given that all name of Patek Philippe, but I am not at all in favour complications do not present of this mad race to add more and more complications the same level of difficulty in in a movement. After having realized the Calibre 89, their fabrication, does it make I think that Star Caliber 2000 has managed to com- sense to add a Tourbillon to a bine complications with a more artistic aspect, such retrograde date indicator and as the marvellous mechanism “Sky and Moon”, which to say that this watch has 15, proves my point. 26 or 35 complications? -6- Let’s say that we need watches for every taste! —6— What do you think -7- Just one. Date indication is a complication in of watches with many itself, and not the mode of display, even if it involves complications? a mechanism that demands more work for its reali- —7— Does the retrograde zation and setting, than the more conventional date date count as one or two display, like the display by hands or apertures. complications? -8- 1. Grand Sonnerie 2. Minute Repeater 3. In- —8— Can you give us the 5 stantaneous Perpetual Calendar with apertures 4. most important Split-seconds 5. Tourbillon. complications in order -9- It has not been made yet. of difficulty? -10- The instantaneous perpetual Calendar —9— In your view, which is with apertures. the most complicated -11- Absolutely. The chronograph is a movement watch ever made? in itself. Such a complication affects the whole move- —10— What is your favourite ment, while a Tourbillon concerns only a part of the complication? movement, the escapement! —11— Today, many brands are offering a Tourbillon, but very few are proposing their own chronograph. Is it more difficult to manufacture a chronograph than a Tourbillon? veryimportantwatches.com complications PATEK PHILIPPE C A L I B R E 8 9 1.728 COMPONENTS 1989 1. Sidereal Time Hour Hand 2. Sidereal Time Minute Hand 3. Sidereal Time Second Hand 4. Time in a second time zone 5. Time of sunrise in Geneva 6. Time of sunset in Geneva 7. Equation of time 8. Tourbillon Regulator 9. Perpetual Calendar 10. Secular leap year correction 11. Date of the month 12. Century, decade, year 13. Day of the week 14. Month of the year 15. Four-year cycle of leap years 16. Sun hand (season, equinox, solstice, and zodiac sign) 17. Sky Chart at Geneva latitude 18. Age and phases of the moon 19. Date of Easter 20. Chronograph 21. Split-seconds 22. 30-minute recorder 23. 12-hour recorder 24. Grande Sonnerie with four bells 25. Petite Sonnerie with the same four bells 26. Minute Repeater 27. Alarm with a fifth bell 28. Going train up-and-down indication 29. Striking train up-and-down indication 30.

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