TIMEWERKE TEST SITE

The first watch of the Le Garde Temps – Naissance d’une Montre is this prototype or “school watch” that was made by Michel Boulanger under the watchful eyes of master watchmakers Philippe Dufour, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey. On 30 May 2016, this montre école (school watch) went under the hammer for US$1.46 million at Christie’s “Important Watches” auction in Hong Kong. All proceeds will go to the Time Aeon Foundation and future Naissance d’une Montre projects. Even the buyer’s premium has been donated by Christie’s to the Time Aeon Foundation. Photo: © TANG Portfolio / TimeWerke. Elfa / Timmy. 2015/2016.

Traditional watchmaking scored a small but valuable victory on 30 May 2016 when the very first piece from the Le Garde Temps – Naissance d’une Montre project was sold for US$1,461,507 or HK$11,296,000 (based on the exchange rate of US$1 = HK$7.73) at Christie’s “Important Watches” auction held in Hong Kong.

Well, since we are on the topic of timekeeping which is about precision, this montre école or “school watch” was sold at 16:50 hours or UTC plus 8 on 30 May 2016.

Le Garde Temps – Naissance d’une Montre or “The Timekeeper – Birth of a Watch” when translated to English, is a highly noble initiative of master watchmakers Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey and Philippe Dufour.

What is highly significant about this watch is that it is the result of six years of traditional watchmaking work and it is the very first watch from the Naissance d’une Montre project, hence it is known this montre école “school watch / prototype”.

This school watch was made by the “chosen one” – Michel Boulanger, a school teacher from a watch school in Paris, under the watchful guidance of Philippe Dufour, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, including highly skilled team members at Greubel Forsey.

Boulanger had never made a complete watch before this and he succeeded using traditional methods and processes.

What is also noteworthy is that the lowest estimated value for this school watch was US$450,000 while the highest was US$650,000.

In other words, the Christie’s auction was a super success for the Naissance d’une Montre project as the sale price was more than treble the lowest estimated value and more than double the highest estimated value.

This basically means more funding for the preservation of traditional watchmaking.

The entire proceeds will go to the Time Aeon Foundation that was set up in 2008. The buyer’s premium will also go to the Time Aeon Foundation, thanks to the support from Christie’s.

The funds raised will be used for the development of Naissance d’une Montre projects.

After this montre école reference, a further 11 fully-decorated watches will be made and each will be retailed at CHF450,000.

The online footage of the makings of this montre école can be found on youtube.

Naissance d’une Montre – “The Time Keeper – Birth of a Watch”
Pièce d’école or “school watch / prototype”
Semi-skeletonised tourbillon prototype in 18K white gold
By Greubel Forsey, Philippe Dufour and Michel Boulanger
Made in 2016
Technical Specifications:
• Mechanical movement
• 25 jewels
• 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hertz)
• Tourbillon
• Movement signed Michel Boulanger
• Silvered gold semi-skeletonised dial, two eccentric sub-dials for time display with enamel Arabic and baton numerals, and subsidiary seconds, blued steel hands
• Dial signed Greubel Forsey and Philippe Dufour
• Glazed display case back secured by four screws
• 45mm diameter case in 18K white gold
• Height of timepiece: 15.1mm
• Case signed Montre École and Naissance d’une Montre
• Montre École and Naissance d’une Montre finely engraved on the 18K white gold Tang buckle

If you would like to know more about the Naissance dune Montre project, do check out this article on timewerke.com:
i. Le Garde Temps – Naissance d’une Montre explained.

Hermès Sèvres, 17 rue de Sèvres, 75006, Paris. This is the brand’s third store in Paris and it is located on the Left Bank. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2016.

From the outside, it looks like another typical store. However, one must not forget that this is an Hermès store. Located on the Left Bank, this is the brand’s third in Paris.

Opened in 2010, the store is located at 17 rue de Sèvres in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area in Paris.

Venture in and you’d be awed by the luxurious space, the natural lighting thanks to three large glass ceilings and the four Mongolian-styled huts made of ash tree wood that are as tall as nine metres.

The Hermès Sèvres Boutique is a welcome delight for the shopper as it is spacious and well-designed. The building once housed the Lutetia swimming pool that opened in 1935. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2016.

Overall, the vast boutique shocks the senses for first-timers as one would have expected another typical shopping environment.

This building once housed what was known as the Lutetia swimming pool. The swimming pool began operations in 1935. It was closed at some point in time but re-opened in 1945.

In 1970, the swimming pool was closed permanently. From what we understand, it was thereafter transformed into a showroom for Dorothée Bis from 1970 to around 2000.

What is interesting is that the original swimming pool that is 33 metres long and three metres deep is still there and it is covered by a concrete composite floor slab supported by a light structure.

Look at the huts and you can imagine them to be in the shape of water drops and such an imagination rightly fits in with the swimming pool legacy.

You’d be awed by the luxurious space, the natural lighting thanks to three large glass ceilings and the four Mongolian-styled huts made of ash tree wood that are as tall as nine metres. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2016.

In addition to the sections that display the leather goods, accessories, perfumes and ready-to-wear, there is even a tea room offering 20 different teas and what is known as the “petit h” area.

This Sèvres store is the only one in the world with a dedicated petit h space.

For those who haven’t been to this store, We would highly recommend a visit just to appreciate its elegant beauty and of course, to browse around and perhaps make a few Hermès product acquisitions.

The timepiece section within the Hermès Sèvres store is a must-visit, especially for watch collectors who are fans of the brand. The Hermès timepiece collections have been steadily improving over the years. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2016.

For watch collectors, the timepiece section is obviously a must-visit and perhaps one might find something totally irresistable. Bear in mind that the Hermès timepiece line-up has been surely and steadily improving over the years. One fine example being the slim d’Hermès collection.

The slim d’Hermès we particularly like is the Slim d’Hermès Perpetual Calendar.

The slim d’Hermès Perpetual Calendar. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2015.

Articles on Hermès timepieces found on timewerke.com that you might be interested to discover include the:
i. slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère; and the
ii. Hermès Arceau Pocket Chevaux Sauvages.

THE ART OF TIME

Greubel Forsey: Le Garde Temps Naissance d’une Montre “School Watch” sold for US$1.46 million

Hermès Sèvres Boutique: What’s in store?