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amanico
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Is 2009 the Year of the Enamel ?

While Lange released the awesome Richard Lange Pour Le Mérite, JLC offers an impressive number of watches whose dial is made of enamel, under Miklos Merczel's Mastery and Expertise.



The first watch to be released was the Reverso Pavonia, an unique piece for a passionate Collector.



It was quite like a premonition, or a presentiment that, this year, JLC would do smothing strong on this thema.

The SIHH confirmed this premonition, as JLC presented:

1/ 3 versions of the Master Grand Tourbillon Continents: Asia and Australia, Europe / Africa and the Middle East, and the Americas, each of them being available in 3 lilimted series of 20 in Platinum, Yellow or Ping Gold.

Some five or 6 years ago, VC presented a superb watch, the Mercator, with a gorgeous enamel dial, to enhance the magic of an original reading of the hour:



Here, JLC goes much farer, as it combines a Tourbillon with an enamel dial.

As you can see in the pic below, the work on each dial is really amazing.

You start with a gold dial, you give it a guilloché finish, and then you use the technic of the cloisonné enamel, to provide a superb and very warm and depth contrasted outcome.



Here is the final result result with the Grand Tourbillon Continents:



You will notice that on the bezel, are engraved the four points of the Compass, which achieves to give to this watch a so particular appeal.

The fact to combine a Tourbillon with an enamel dial is magic.

You don't know what to admire first between the tourbillon and the superb enamel cloisonné dial, and you're a bit lost in front of such a marvel.

After the Reverso Pavonia and the Master Grand Tourbillon, there is a third option, the Master Minute Repeaters.

2/ The Enamel Master Minute Repeaters, for the pleasure of the eyes and of the ears.

After the sculptural Beauty of the Titanium open dial Master Minute Repeater, JLC celebrates the Art of Painting, this year, with 4 reproductions of Classical Masterpieces:

Venus rising from the Sea, by Ingres.



The Rokeby Venus, by Velasquez.



Venus of Urbino, by Titien.



The Birth of Venus, by Botticelli.



Here, the complexity is double as you have to join two fine arts, the enamel, and the painting.

All these dials are hand crafted in a perfect way, as you can judge by the following pics.





On this last pic , you will notice that JLC added a third art, the Jewellery!

The outcome is faithful, indeed, when compared to the original paintings:



The only thing is about the presence if this small window on the right, which allows to see the hammers of the Minute Repeater.

Is this a good or a bad thing?

Good, as it is always a nice experience to see the hammers playing their melody.

Bad, becasue it breaks a bit the Painting on enamel.

But, because there is a BUT, JLC also offers a MMR with a plain dial:





To be complete, you have the choice between rose gold, yellow gold and platinum cases.

To end with this topic, I can't resist to show you another enamel offer from JLC, this year, which was also presented at the SIHH, the Enamel " Grand Feu " MMR:



This last one caught my eyes for a long time!

This is the very first JLC watch I saw during the SIHH, and I was completely mesmerized by this Beauty.





With this very special MMR, we are between Tradition and Modernism.

Tradition, because of the Minute Repeater, which is, by excellence, a must have in the horological world, as well as the Enamel, and these beautifully shaped hands.

A bit as if you were able to wear a pocket watch on your wrist!

Both of woth words, in a certain way...

The enamel " grand feu " gives to this MMR another stunning dimension, very difficult to catch in a pic, with a so so light.

The Depth, the delicate milky color of the dial enhances the elegance of this watch.





Some macros, to appreciate, as it deserves, the work on the dial and on these lovely hands:





Modernity, too, because the Caliber 947 ( the same than in the previous MMRs ), which is the only one to provide 15 Days of power reserve, combined to a Torque Meter.



This modernity is not only mechanical, but can be seen on the dial, with the indication of the Torquemeter and the power reserve, as shown on the macros.

If you add the original sytem choosen by JLC for the minute repeater, I mean that the sapphire is used as a part of the complication, and not the case as everywhere else, the MMR is indeed a very modern watch.

Now the only question is, as I wondered with the " Venus " MMRs, if a plain white enamel grand feu would have been nicer than these openings at each side of the dial.





At least, on this one, you have a symmetrical layout of the dial, which is not the case on some of the " Venus ".

Some will certainly say that it would have been better to have a plain dial, for the Purity of the watch.

Others will say that, with a plain dial, you can't see the hammers striking...

To each his own, as always....

Personnaly, I like both of these solutions, as there are always pros and cons, but, to me, again, I don't see cons winning against pros...

One thing is sure, while viewing all these enamel dials, 2009 is the Year of the Enamel for JLC!

Another thing is that the " Ding Dong " JLC family is getting bigger, too, with an extraordinary diversity of fantastic watches.

Hope you will enjoy!

Best.

Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-02-11 12:16:12 This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-02-16 05:22:49

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