Ornatus-Mundi
[Zenith]
7136
Nick, you are expressing much better what I was trying to voice...
that I find it unsatisfactory (for me, at least) that Beat's creation is in fact a H1 without hands (and probably the Purists' version case/crystal). An important aspect here is that Beat achieved the sculptural transition of the Tourbillon mechanism already with his marvelous H1. The H8 adds in my opinion not much (if any at all), and does not exploit its freedom from the limitations of having to display the time. I think this is analogue to your reference to skeleton watches which you aptly describe as being more 'conversions' than bona fide 'dispelled' watches.
But perhaps, and this might be the catch, the H8 concedes in an disarmingly ironic way that a Tourbillon is a totally obsolete, but emotionally immensely satisfying and charming complication, which is currently abused by a myriad of 'manufacturers'.
Best,
Magnus
Haldimann fans,
have a look at this post in the Photography Forum: A little hoto essay and report about Beat Haldimann's latest creation I hope you enjoy it! Thanks, Valentin
Fantastic read and the images are superb. Thank you Valentin.
This message has been edited by Tim Jackson on 2008-10-01 14:14:42
Wow! An extention of the idea behind ThePuristS model but
taken one step further. I love the H1, it is one of my dream watches. Now here is the H8 which now goes higher on the list. Wonderful pictures and essay. Thank you Valentin Thank you Mr. Haldimann for another beautiful creation. Best, Mike
Mike, thank you for your kind words.
The H1 is indeed a wonderful watch which I like a lot too. But I can tell you, to see this huge tourbillon against the dark (and nuanced) dial with no "distracting" hands is such a captivating experience. We PuristS know how our watches can be magnets to ...
Beautifull piece!
...and your photography is simply superb! Congartulations Valentin.
A great piece of work and wonderful pictures...
but I do have problems with "timepieces" with which you can't tell the time, even if with this one you can tell the elapsed time if you are paying attention, if I understand correctly. So I hesitate to call it a watch. This is not the first time we have h...
I have the same problem...
Great photos, great report, I admire the craftmanship...but it's not a watch, it's portable kinetic sculpture, and I honestly don't see the point. nick
Thanks for this report, excellently done with a very personal angle...
but I have to concede that I agree with both Marc and Don. To take away the timekeeping indicator of an already existing watch is not exactly what I would call original, innovative or even interesting. Romain Jerome was criticised heavily for coming up wi...
Magnus, thank you for sharing these interesting deliberations
Citing my essay you ask, how much the H8 is more a 'wearable sculpture that accompanies [the wearer] wherever he goes' than the H1? Reduction has been a classic means of emphasis in art. We all have already experienced that the absence of something can at...
Absence...
Hi Valentin, I think my big problem with this kind of discussion is that it reminds me too much of the arts centre I worked in in the late '70s. I remember plenty of exhibitions where someone would hang empty picture frame, or hang two paintings and label...
Thank you, Nick, for these added thoughts.
So to remain true to your anecdote, you would belong to "those who went around shaking their heads" and I would belong to "those who held long, meaningless [Do you think so? I don't.] discussions about it in the bar". It's a fact and you just said it your...
And again...
Why do I always allow myself to be drawn into these discussion ... I've seen a couple of wonderful sculptures of someone meditating. A flatish piece of stone has had the shape of a meditating monk carved inside it - solid stone surrounding a monk-shaped v...
I love the images Valentin!
I scrolled up and down the article to admire all the images first, before settling in to read the text. I do not view the photography forum as much as I should but clearly I must do it more. - SJX
Magnificent
Thank you Valentin for your excellent photo essay, and of course for allowing us all to marvel at yet another beautiful Haldimann piece. Since super-accurate timekeeping is not necessarily the paramount objective of haute horologie, the art of the watchma...