Horological Meandering

DonCorson
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SIHH 2013: GTE: Raúl Pagès - Créateur d’automates

Raúl Pagès - Créateur d’automates

Raúl Pagès is a watchmaker who worked many years in the restauration shop at Parmigiani.  He found himself most fascinated by animal automatons and decided to set out in a new direction with his brother to make automatons.  His first product, the production of one years work, is this tortoise in white gold with an enameled shell.  Note that the different shades of blue enamel come from the differing thickness of the enamel on the white gold base.  A thicker enamel coat giving a dark rich color, a thinner layer giving a lighter color.  This is given by the depth of the engraving in the surface of the white gold shell.

As the tortoise slowly advances the head moves from side to side and in and out and the feet advance too.  The traction is assured by the claws formed of pear-cut diamonds. (Actually the propulsion is by the two back wheels, but don't let that knowledge spoil the illusion!)

The entire mechanism is visible from the top and bottom and is beautifully decorated.

This is the first unique piece of Raúl's production.  He will be continuing with 12 more tortoises with the next product, still top secret, already in development.