As we mentioned in the first part of this review, one of the six patents covering this masterpiece is the convertible Amadeo® case system, which allows you to transform the watch from a wristwatch into a pocket watch or even a desk clock. One of the peculiarities of this case is that it allows the watch to have a dial with the hour, minute and seconds indications on both sides. As a result, the owner faces a difficult choice between two equally appealing faces.
The first has an hour and minute subdial in the upper half of the dial, with a large aperture in the 12 o’clock position that shows off the patented spherical differential that cuts the winding time in half. Three slender blued hands mounted on the tourbillon’s central axis count off the seconds in 20-second increments around a 120-degree arc in the centre of the dial. In the middle of this scale, on the central axis of the movement, a separate hand points to the remaining power reserve on a scale that is metallised into the sapphire crystal.
The second face offers a slightly smaller subdial in the upper half, indicating only the hours, above which is a separate 120-degree arc with a retrograde pointer that displays the minutes. The only similarity with the other side is the sectorial seconds indicator, which is in the same position but read off against the three arms of the tourbillon carriage. The tourbillon remains clearly visible and, as with all Bovet timepieces, undisturbed in its rotation, with the gaze distracted only by the beautiful hand engraving on the movement bridges.
But the bridges are just the most visible testament to the craftsman’s touch. Every single one of the 722 movement components passes through the hands of the brand’s artisans to be chamfered, bevelled or polished. Simply rounding and polishing the curved arms of the tourbillon bridge alone can take up to two days of work.
For those who wish to complement the personalization of the artisan’s engraving with their own touch of distinction, Bovet can produce the reversed-hand dial in a variety of precious materials or even with a miniature painting. All of the case surfaces, can, of course, be set with precious stones. Bovet’s owner, Mr Pascal Raffy, wanted to push things further, however, and insisted on offering the possibility of setting the inside of the case, specifically both flanges and the inside of the case band. Fully paved in this way, the piece accommodates 14 carats of stones and costs in excess of 1 million Swiss francs. Without the precious stones the price is only slightly less eye-watering, with the Bovet Amadeo® Fleurier Braveheart® available from 440,000 Swiss francs as a limited edition of 30 pieces each in 18-carat red or white gold and 20 pieces in platinum.
