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Bovet - iW - PuristS Hong Kong Report

Bovet - iW - PuristSPro Hong Kong Report   27th November 2008 Hong Kong

Raising the curtain on the Bovet stage and its Works of Art.....

Recently, some iW (Chinese Edn) readers and PuristS had the good fortune to attend a private dinner hosted by Bovet President, Pascal Raffy.  As a personal gesture to Mr Jimmy Tang, who was celebrating the opening of Prince Watch flagship store, Bovet held the event in the Prince store at Harbour City Kowloon.

Many of us had to admit to minimal prior knowledge and exposure to Bovet on the Internet. It was for this reason that PuristSPro and iW (Chinese Edn) wanted to get together with Bovet's current keeper - Pascal Raffy. We wanted to understand the vision and rationale behind the 'house' that he revamped in 2001. At lot has happened in the last 2 years and we needed a 'PuristS private salon session'.

Some unauthorised Bovet history:

1797: Birth of Edouard Bovet (1797-1849); son of watchmaker Jean-Frederic Bovet, from whom he learnt the art in Fleurier. Edouard left home with two brothers, (Alphonse and Frederic) for political reasons, to study watch making in London in 1814. He studied under Ilbury and Magniac; the latter sent him to Canton, China in 1818 where he immediately sold four watches for the modern equivalent of US$1 million.

1822: The original Bovet company was founded by Edouard Bovet with the primary mission to make watches exclusively for the Chinese market. There were more ships to China from London than Geneva!

The brothers - Alphonse and Frederic, managed the shipping in London; another brother - Charles-Henri managed manufacturing in Fleurier, while Edouard dealt with sales and marketing in Canton.

1830s: Established a manufacturing facility in Canton that had to be moved to Macau during the Opium Wars. Created a Chinese name to market to the middle class. The Chinese name for Bovet, "Bo Wei," became a common noun for watch in China like we use the word 'spam' for luncheon meat products.

1855: China watch market collapsed because of competition from France, United States, and Chinese-made counterfeits.

1864: Bovet family sold their interest in the company to their Fleurier manufacturing inspectors - Jules Jequier and Ernest Bobillier; later joined by Ami Leuba.

1888: Alexis Landry, who apprenticed with Fritz Bovet, purchased Bovet company. Ebauches for Chinese watches and silver cases are produced. Alexis Landry forms a partnership with Albert and Jean Bovet as Bovet Frères, that specialised in complicated watches and chronographs.

1901: Bovet trademark was sold at auction to Cesar and Charles Leuba (sons of Ami Leuba).

1918: Jacques Ullmann and Co. purchased the Bovet brand.

1932: Jacques Ullmann went out of business and the Bovet name was acquired by Albert and Jean Bovet, who registered several patents for chronographs, such as a mono rattrapante.

1948: Favre-Leuba purchased the name and manufacturing facilities but stopped producing Bovet branded watches in 1950, only making its own brand.

1966: Favre-Leuba sold the Bovet brand and facilities to a cooperative of individual watch makers.

1989: Parmigiani Fleurier acquired Bovet name and registered trademark for "all watchmaking products, mechanical watches and clocks and naval instruments, of Swiss origin" but no Bovet branded timepieces were actually produced.

1990: Parmigiani sold name to investors, and Bovet Fleurier SA established; however no watches were actually produced.

1994: Bovet Fleurier SA was acquired by Roger Guye and Thierry Oulevay and a branch office was opened in Geneva.

2001: Pascal Raffy, a pocket watch collector, bought Bovet Fleurier SA.

2006: Raffy bought the 13th century Château de Motiers (Vauxtravers) that overlooked Fleurier, and used to belong to Henri-François Du Bois-Bovet. Later that year, he purchased other component manufacture companies from the STT group, in order to obtain contiguous quality control over all phases of the watch crafting process.

iW (Chinese Edn) managed the logistics and art design of the setting.

The partition backdrop was of the Chateau de Motiers in a clever 2-piece design so we could walk through a zig-zag path to the Bovet section of the Prince Jewelry & Watch store. It also allowed the rest of the store to continue serving customers whilst we were revelling in the back!

 Through the secret path to the Bovet section.

 Catering was by an Italian restaurant within Harbour City Kowloon

 (L) to (R): Deborah, Jimmy Tang, Pascal Raffy, Ashley Lung, Rajeev Pava

We salute Bovet and their partners in Hong Kong. Jimmy Tang, Executive Director of Prince Jewelry & Watch has partnered Monsieur Raffy and Bovet for years.

 Pascal Raffy of Bovet and Ashley Lung of iW (Chinese Edn) also have a long relationship

 Everyone is rapt with attention as Pascal speaks about Bovet.

We were particularly impressed as Raffy enumerated the artisanal skills involved with the crafting of Bovet watches today.

Spirals

They even make their own spirals (hairsprings) by sourcing the special alloy from Germany, practically the only source apart from Nivarox. Mr Raffy noted wryly that the minimum single order for that wire material is 400kg, which was enough for tens of millions of spirals. As, Bovet needs only 2000 spirals/year, they have a somewhat overage of inventory!

Of course, they do not expect to make everything themselves. That is un-traditional and impractical for a small 'House' but autonomy in spirals and balance wheels allows them flexibility in design of their own movements.

Tourbillons

The in-house Dimier Manufacture also makes tourbillons for other watch brands, that are discussed unwittingly by our community or have forums on this website.......

PuristS are usually shy creatures so we will not identify them in public but some may spot our Panerai co-moderator 'Jester' in the photos.

Bovet showed their private collection of original Bovet pocket watches that still serve as the inspiration for modern designs.

This 7-day going, Automatic, Tourbillon, Two Time Zone wristwatch case is a modern interpretation of the Bovet pocketwatch.

Bovet pays particular attention to their case ,bow, dial and movement decoration.

The rotor and bridges are extensively engraved and fenestrated in addition to the traditional anglage bevelling, polished screw countersinks and blued screws.

Engraving

The top Bovet timepieces have movement engravings in bas-relief that gives a deeper aura so the observer is drawn into the sumptious luxury.

Gem setting

Gem setting has been taken to the sublime heights of Artform at Bovet

Bovet has particular prowess in miniature painting on mother-of-pearl (MOP).

The MOP is chosen for vein pattern, porosity and colour. We saw examples of white, blue and black MOP.

 Other materials are also used for dials including meteorite and semi-precious stone

What is True Luxury?

Pascal demonstrated the true meaning of luxury.........

Start with a Bovet wristwatch

 

 Within a minute and with a special tool....

 You have a pocket watch with Bow and Chain.......

 Built into the case back is a retractable stand to make a bedside table clock......

That.....my dear PuristS.....is true luxury!

Conclusion:

Bovet Fleurier and Dimier are really of 'haute de gamme' in aesthetic and artisanal watch crafting. Note that I do not say 'making' or 'manufacturing' because the level of work that they produce and the output is not mass production.

Personally, I think that it is a mistake that Bovet is not discussed on the Internet as most of their individual skills and processes are admired by PuristS and certainly the fruit of their labours should be better publicised on 'selected' ....er....PURE forums.

These are seriously priceless watches......if you have to mention prices, you are missing the point.

What price is excellence?

What value is legitimacy?

What cost is true luxury?

The priceless private moments that some timepieces afford to the owner are not measured in dollars, roubles or renminbi.

A loved one's portrait on the dial, a special engraving on a bridge or a peaceful minute to oneself.....those are (in)valuable.

Regards, MTF

Acknowledgements and Thanks:

Team Bovet: Gladys Tang (HKG); Antoine, Deborah and Pascal (Geneva)

 Gladys & Pascal with Team Prince Jewelry and Watch

Jimmy Tang (Prince Jewelry & Watch), Ashley and Alfred Lung (iW Chinese Edn magazine), MTF (PuristSPro) and Pascal Raffy (Bovet)

Photo credits: iW (Chinese Edn) and PuristSPro

Copyright Melvyn Teillol-Foo, 2008