2013/06/29
Chronoswiss the Three Apes - Only watch
A unique piece for Only Watch 2013
The Fascination of Artful Craftsmanship
In the year of the thirtieth anniversary of the company, Chronoswiss proudly makes its debut at the Only Watch auction in the fight against muscular dystrophy. For the first time in the history of the brand, it has created an in-house handcrafted unique watch featuring various rare crafts and arts. “The Three Apes” is a piece of art dedicated to the traditional crafts of guilloche main, skeletonization and fire enamel. The resuscitation of these historical, to a degree almost forgotten, handcrafts is something that is near and dear to Chronoswiss CEO Oliver Ebstein who founded a special workshop at the brand´s headquarters in the Swiss town of Lucerne in spring 2013. Here, ticking treasures like “The Three Apes” are created by artists, partially with the aid of historical tools, such as an antique rose engine built in the year 1924 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
The unique thing about this piece of art is the incorporation of various demanding techniques in one watch. The dial of Chronoswiss´ contribution to the Only Watch has first been lavishly decorated with guilloché main and then lent a fascinating depth and three-dimensionality thanks to transparent fire enamel on top. The three apes featured on the dial are a symbol of the typical human reaction to diseases (denial), and are meant to create awareness for the cause of muscular dystrophy.
While the dial as the “face” of the watch receives a lot of attention, the insides of the timepiece, which are visible through the transparent case back, also create a great amount of fascination. The manually wound movement is lavishly decorated: with goldsmiths’ saw and file, the skeletonizer goes to work; bridges and plates are later embellished with guilloché décor. The front and back of each wristwatch are so gorgeously embellished that it is difficult to say which perspective offers the more refined views. Regardless of the side that you begin with when admiring this model, you will always see a work of art entirely created by hand.
Chronoswiss “The Three Apes” in 1 Sentence:
Unique mechanical wristwatch combining the high arts of skeletonizing, fire enameling and guilloche main, featuring a dial dedicated to the theme of “The Three Apes” handcrafted with guilloche décor and transparent enamel, as well as a manually wound movement skeletonized by hand.
Model : “The Three Apes”, Chronoswiss for Only Watch
Large wristwatch (hand-wound), with guilloche main décor, fire enameled and engraved by hand, movement skeletonized by hand
Ref. No. : CH-6721R-OW2013
Displays : Hours, minutes
Case : Solid 21-part case in red gold (18-karat), polished, Æ 44 mm, height 11.10 mm; sapphire crystal with antireflective coating; solid onion-shaped crown; fully threaded, screw-in back with sapphire crystal with antireflective coating; screwed strap-lugs with patented Autobloc system; water-resistant to 3 atmospheres
Movement : ETA 6498, manually wound; individualized modification: skeletonized by hand; Ø 16½’’’ (36.6 mm), height 4.50 mm; 17 jewels; Incabloc shock absorber; ca. 40-hour power reserve; 2.5 Hz. 18,000 A/h (semi-oscillations); Glycydur screw-balance; Nivarox 1 flat balance-spring; polished lever, escape-wheel and screws; elaborately and manually skeletonized and engraved base plate, gear-train bridges and balance-cock; polished steel screws; crown wheel and ratchet wheel
Dial / hands : Solid 18-karat gold dial embellished with guilloche details performed by hand and on top of the guilloche, enameled by hand (dial enameled in seven parts, “plique-à-jour”); gold-plated hands
Strap : Louisiana Alligator with pin buckle
