TIMELY TABLEAUS
Enamel miniature painting takes centre stage in Patek Philippe’s latest Rare Handcrafts collection.
Patek Philippe’s sports watches may be nabbing all the headlines these days, but true fans of the brand know that it has a lot more to offer, including its emphasis on the decorative arts. In June, the luxury watch company held an exhibition at its historic headquarters in Geneva, showcasing more than 75 watches and clocks from its latest Rare Handcrafts collection.
The one-of-a-kind or limited-edition pieces highlight a range of artisanal crafts, including engraving, grand feu cloisonne enamelling, enamel miniature painting, guilloche, gem-setting and wood micromarquetry. A Genevan speciality since the 17th century, enamel miniature painting figures strongly among these novelties – particularly on the casebacks of pocket watches and the dials of wristwatches. With the help of microscopic binoculars, artisans use tiny brushes to apply the pigments, consisting mainly of powdered metallic oxides.
Patek Philippe frequently depicts flora and fauna in its miniature paintings, and one of these is displayed in the Golden Ellipse watch. Known as Roman Garden, it reproduces a fresco that was discovered in an imperial villa from the first century BC.
Initially, the artisan applied two coats of white enamel that required three firings. In the next step, he used 12 base colours and a variety of blends to paint the plants and the bird, which he fired several times. Then, using a traditional Genevan method, five layers of a transparent enamel called flux were applied, and each required a firing. After that, the surface was ground, glazed and polished.
Make no mistake: there is a lot more than meets the eye with arts such as these.