Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère: Eye-catching

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Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère. Introduced at the 2016 BaselWorld watch fair, this is a one-of-a-kind pocket watch featuring an engraved and enamelled white gold dial depicting a panther that is based on a painting by famed French wildlife artist Robert Dallet (1923 to 2006). Housed within its 45mm diameter white gold pocket watch case is the Hermès Manufacture Calibre H1950 automatic movement with 42 hours of power reserve. The case is water-resistant to 3 bar (30m) and comes with the pocket watch comes with a cord strap and pouch in matt havana leather. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. BaselWorld 2016.

Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère. Introduced at the 2016 BaselWorld watch fair, this is a one-of-a-kind pocket watch featuring an engraved and enamelled white gold dial depicting a panther that is based on a painting by famed French wildlife artist Robert Dallet (1923 to 2006). Housed within its 45mm diameter white gold pocket watch case is the Hermès Manufacture Calibre H1950 automatic movement with 42 hours of power reserve. The case is water-resistant to 3 bar (30m) and the pocket watch comes with a cord strap and pouch in matt havana leather. Photo: © TANG Portfolio, taken with a Leica D-Lux 5. Elfa / Timmy. BaselWorld 2016.

When we first caught sight of the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère at the 2016 BaselWorld watch fair held in March, it was difficult to contain the extreme delight of viewing such a beautiful work of art that also told time.

Wait a moment, shouldn’t a panther be black? Panther is another name for the leopard and many will immediately have a mental image of a black cat as the term is typically used to refer to the black panther.

Black panther is the proper term for a black cat. The black panther is not a separate species but a big cat with a gene that produces dark pigments. The black panther is actually a term used for any big cat with a black coat and these includes jaguars (panthera onca) and leopards (panthera pardus).

Just focusing on the panther or leopard with a light-coloured golden skin and black rosettes made the artwork seem very much larger than the tiny 45mm diameter white gold pocket watch case it was framed in.

The painting of the panther was so mesmerising that we totally forgot that it was a watch. What brought us back to reality was the instant the minute hand moved.

The panther is actually a miniature enamel painting set on an engraved background, one that is based on the brilliant work of the late Robert Dallet (1923 to 2006), a famous French wildlife artist with an impeccable flair for drawings and paintings of flora and fauna.

Dallet had collaborated with Hermès for two decades, beginning from 1985. “Kenya” was the first Hermès scarf designed by Dallet. Other famous Hermès scarf designs were Équateur, Jungle Love, La trêve de I’eau, Sichuan, Guépards and Tendress Féline.

Among Dallet’s great works include fantastic pieces of the big cats – not the domesticated ones but the large members of the cat family – lions, leopards, snow leopards, tigers, jaguars and cheetahs.

Though Dallet passed away in 2006, his works of art lives on, immortalised not just in his books but on the Hermès scarves, and even animal head crystals from its crystal-making subsidiary, Crystal St Louis.

In 2016, ten years after his death, Dallet’s legacy continues to be perpetuated thanks to Hermès which has created new products with his drawings and paintings as part of the brand’s theme for the year, “Nature at full gallop”. These products include scarves, tableware and even watches.

Two fine examples being the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère and the Arceau Tigre, both of which are among our favourites because of the “emotional connection”.

That is because the artwork on the dials of both the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère and the Arceau Tigre are based on Dallet’s very own works.

For the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère, the panther is described as gliding its way onto a winter background. The panther on the dial is an absolute winner with its vibrant colours.

Two major skills were involved in the creation of this amazing dial – and that will be engraving and enamelling, miniature enamel painting in particular. Each was performed by a specialised master artisan.

Dallet’s painting had to be carefully studied before deciding which areas were to be engraved and which were hand-painted and created with enamel.

Set against what is described as a “snowy backdrop”, the white gold dial has been crafted on five different levels, of which the deepest is for the panther or leopard.

“The engraved motifs are coated with enamel to a variable extent. In some places, the pure metal gleams just below the surface, either shiny or matt depending on the chosen effects, such as the tufts of grass appearing at 7 o’clock,” as explained by the brand.

The leopard is the only non-engraved element on the white gold dial of the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère. The Grand Feu enamelling technique is used to create the leopard.

Enamel powder that is alternately mixed with water or oil is applied onto the dial with a brush. In order to “fix” the material onto the dial and for each new colour, the dial has to be “fired” in the kiln at high extreme temperatures.

This wil cause the micro fragments to melt and tranform into glass. The work is tedious as the dial of the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère has to undergo up to 25 “firing” cycles.

For us, the colour richness and beauty expressed by this miniature enamel painting of the leopard, which is based on Dallet’s drawing, is the main draw of the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère.

The engraved elements offer a perfect complement that makes this piece extremely special.

The white gold case was produced in-house by Hermès and the movement is also the brand’s Manufacture Calibre H1950 automatic movement. The Calibre H1950 movement is decorated with the “sprinkling of Hs” motif and can be admired through the transparent sapphire crystal case back.

The Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère ranks high in terms of the artistic craftsmanship because of its beauty. It is, in our opinion, one of the top watches presented at the 2016 BaselWorld watch fair.

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to view the Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère at the 2016 BaselWorld as it would be rare to spot the actual piece after it is sold.

Firstly, this is a one-of-a-kind creation. Secondly, this is a pocket watch and unless its owner is checking the time, one would have to ask for permission for a viewing.

Seiko’s first tourbillon: Credor Fugaku Tourbillon: First Wave In

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Seiko’s very first tourbillon – The Credor Fugaku Tourbillon Limited Edition, GBCC999. Introduced at the 2016 BaselWorld watch fair and limited to 8 pieces. It features the Calibre 6830 manual-winding movement beating at the frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour (6 beats per second) and has approximately 37 hours power reserve when fully wound. The base plate is 1.98mm thick and the movement’s height is 3.98mm with a diameter of 25.6mm. This effectively means that this is the world’s smallest tourbillon by volume as at January 2016, according to Seiko. In terms of accuracy, the mean daily rate is between -10 / +15 seconds. The dial in either 18K white gold or 18K yellow gold with engraving, Urushi lacquer, mother-of-pearl, Yakogai (turban shell) The case is available in either platinum 950, 18K white gold or 18K yellow gold and is set with 48 blue sapphires (3.22 carats including those on the crown and lugs). The case is 43.1mm in diameter case and is 8.8mm thick. Priced at 50 million Japanese Yen inclusive of tax. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. BaselWorld 2016. Photo taken at BaselWorld 2016 and with a Leica D-Lux 5.

Seiko’s very first tourbillon – The Credor Fugaku Tourbillon Limited Edition,
GBCC999. Introduced at the 2016 BaselWorld watch fair and limited to 8 pieces.
It features the Calibre 6830 manual-winding movement beating at the frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour (6 beats per second) and has approximately 37 hours power reserve when fully wound.
The base plate is 1.98mm thick and the movement’s height is 3.98mm with a diameter of 25.6mm. This effectively means that this is the world’s smallest tourbillon by volume as at January 2016, according to Seiko.
In terms of accuracy, the mean daily rate is between -10 / +15 seconds. The dial in either 18K white gold or 18K yellow gold with engraving, Urushi lacquer, mother-of-pearl, Yakogai (turban shell)
The case is available in either platinum 950, 18K white gold or 18K yellow gold and is set with 48 blue sapphires (3.22 carats including those on the crown and lugs).
The case is 43.1mm in diameter case and is 8.8mm thick.
Priced at 50 million Japanese Yen inclusive of tax.
Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. BaselWorld 2016. Photo taken at BaselWorld 2016 and with a Leica D-Lux 5.

It may come as a surprise for some to know that Seiko’s very first tourbillon was only launched in 2016 at the BaselWorld watch fair. This may be so especially for those who know that the brand’s roots can be traced back to the late 19th century.

The brand’s origins began in 1881, initially offering simple clock repair services in addition to the retail of clocks. In 1892, it had a factory named Seikosha producing wall clocks.

In 1895, Seikosha produced the first Japanese-made pocket watch under the “Time Keeper” brand name. By 1910, Seikosha could already make its own balance springs.

While Seikosha’s first in-house produced wristwatch was completed in 1913, it was branded “Laurel”. It was only in 1924 that the facility made a watch that was branded “Seiko”. The rest, as they say, is history.

Credor, a sister brand, is where one will discover high-end timepieces. With Seiko’s deep involvement in watchmaking and its rich legacy, very refined watches that have emerged from its own in-house development include the Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater and the Credor Spring Drive Sonnerie.

Far from jumping onto the bandwagon when tourbillons were all the rage in the early 21st century, Seiko focused first on what is deemed the highest complication – the Grande Sonnerie which made its debut in 2006 and named the Credor Spring Drive Sonnerie.

What followed was the Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater in 2011. This is a rather unusual step as most watchmaking companies would create their own minute repeater first before attempting the Grande Sonnerie.

In 2016, Seiko launched its Credor Fugaku Tourbillon. Similarly, this is seen as an unusual step as most high-end watchmaking companies or brands would initially focus their in-house resources on tourbillons before entering into the development of more complicated mechanisms like striking mechanisms such as repeaters and Grande Sonneries.

The artistry behind Credor’s Fugaku Tourbillon is inspired by the famed Under the Wave Off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura) – also known as The Great Wave.

This is a beautiful artwork by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760 to 1849) created during the Edo period (circa 1830 to 1832) from his series, Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei).

The Great Wave features a massive wave about to come crashing down on fishing boats and in the background, one can catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain standing at 3,776 metres tall.

Christening this high watchmaking creation the “Fukagu” is apt because Fugaku sanjūrokkei is another name for Mount Fuji.

The detailed engraving works were performed by Kiyoshi Terui, a metal engraver who is based at the Shizuku-ishi Watch Studio.

The lacquer works were created with the hands of artist Isshu Tamura. He was also responsible for the Credor branding on the dial which is handcrafted in gold lacquer or maki-e.

The tourbillon movement – the manual-winding Calibre 6830 used in the Credor Fugaku Tourbillon is based on the ultra-thin Calibre 68 family. The Calibre 6830 tourbillon movement was made and assembled by Satoshi Hiraga who is based at the Shizuku-ishi Watch Studio.

The Calibre 6830 is Seiko’s very first tourbillon movement. The base plate is 1.98mm thick and the movement’s height is 3.98mm with a diameter of 25.6mm.

This means that this is the world’s smallest tourbillon by volume as at January 2016, according to Seiko.

Volume reduction came about through the use of a unique pallet fork design and by integration of the wheel and bridge, Seiko discloses. There was also weight reduction thanks to the use of titanium in some parts of the carriage.

Noboru Kosugi was responsible for the overall design, the integration of the tourbillon, metal engraving and lacquer work. This gentleman was the first watch designer to become a Master Craftsman.

Noboru Kosugi, Designer, Seiko Instruments Inc., Design Division. In 2014, he was recognized as a Contemporary Master Craftsman by the Japanese government. In April 2016, Kosugi was awarded the Medal with Yellow Ribbon by the Japanese government. Kosugi was responsible for the overall design of the Credor Fugaku Tourbillon and was in charge of design of the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat SBGJ005 which secured the Petite Aguille prize at the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Photo: © Seiko

Noboru Kosugi, Designer, Seiko Instruments Inc., Design Division. In 2014, he was the first watch designer recognized as a Contemporary Master Craftsman by the Japanese government. In April 2016, Kosugi was awarded the Medal with Yellow Ribbon by the Japanese government. Kosugi was responsible for the overall design of the Credor Fugaku Tourbillon and was in charge of design of the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat SBGJ005 which secured the Petite Aguille prize at the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Photo: © Seiko

In April 2016, Kosugi was awarded the “Medal with Yellow Ribbon” from the Japanese government. Such an award is conferred bi-annually, on 29 April in spring and 3 November in autumn.

According to the Japanese Cabinet office, the Medal with Yellow Ribbon is awarded to individuals who, “through their diligence and perserverance, become public role models”.

There were three “Contemporary Master Craftsman” in addition to lacquer artist Isshu Tamura behind the Credor Fugaku Tourbillon.

The trio being Kiyoshi Terui, Satoshi Hiraga and Nobuhiro Kosugi. By understanding the key inspiration for the Credor Fugaku Tourbillon – The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, the artistry behind it and the technical nature of the watch mechanism, one can have a much fuller appreciation of this tourbillon.

Seiko’s very first tourbillon may have come much later than many high-end Swiss watch brands but it has been presented with much panache and has a deep and long-lasting impression.

Seiko states that this Credor Fugaku Tourbillon is: “A work of art that expresses the essence of Japanese beauty.” We fully agree.

Moreover, it is our opinion that Seiko’s first tourbillon is simply watchmaking par excellence and deserves the honour of being one of the top watches presented at the BaselWorld 2016 watch fair.

We wholeheartedly congratulate Kosugi for being the first watch designer to be recognised as a Master Craftsman and his Medal with Yellow Ribbon award.

We fully appreciate Katsushika Hokusai’s Under the Great Wave Off Kanagawa and this explains why we truly enjoy and fully respect the artistry behind Credor’s Fugaku Tourbillon.

We also congratulate Seiko for debuting their very first tourbillon which is presented as a meaningful and symbolic timepiece.

Why is it symbolic? Consider the era during which Katsushika Hokusai’s The Great Wave was created. This was between 1830 and 1832.

As highlighted in an article found on Khan Academy (written by Leila Anne Harris) on The Great Wave, this print was created at a time when Japanese trade was heavily restricted.

However, prints of The Great Wave subsequently became a source of inspiration for many European artists in the 19th century, among whom were Debussy for La Mer (The Sea) and Rilke’s Der Berg (The Mountain).

Hokusai’s Under the Wave Off Kanagawa even inspired the design of a 20th century brand – Quicksilver. Founded in 1969, Quicksilver is an Australian brand.

We are confident a similar pattern will emerge for Credor which is currently more well-known in Japan due to its limited distribution worldwide. As more discerning watch collectors outside of Japan understand the high technical and artistic craftsmanship involved in its timepieces, more will be inspired to better appreciate Credor.