In 2015, with the introduction of its “Chamber of Wonders” collection, Girard-Perregaux provided its first glimpse into the field of miniature creation with the artistic tradition known as cabinets of curiosities. This art form made popular during the Renaissance was imbued with magic and fantasy, held the unmistakable charm of adventure.
In 2016, the brand is expanding its Girard-Perregaux 1966 collection with a trio of numbered pieces powered with dials that either celebrate the earth as seen from space, or space as viewed from earth. These interplanetary journeys are opening up the “Chamber of Wonders” to even more colourful interpretations of the past, and to new understandings of objects that are references in world history.
More than simple demonstrations of manual skills, the map representations reproduced and reinterpreted on the dials of the three 2016 “Chamber of Wonders” models celebrate the visions of scholars and famous figures in the history of humanity. Today, we are focusing on the « Celestial Globe» watch, which is inspired by the Vincenzo Maria Coronelli’s work, a cartographer, cosmographer and a producer of globes. World history is indebted to this Franciscan monk for the two giant globes he created in Paris in homage to Louis XIV. One globe is terrestrial, the other celestial, depicting the sky as it was seen at the time of the monarch’s birth, on September 5, 1638. On the 1,880 celestial bodies that it depicts, 72 constellations adopt the forms of whimsical animals and mythological figures. The completely blue-toned work, comprised of twelve equal areas symbolizing the seasons when the sun crosses the zodiac constellations, was painted and illuminated by Jean-Baptiste Corneille.
Taking pride of place on the small dial, this timepiece is a masterful ode to the color blue and its infinite range of shades. The domed sapphire dial is painted by hand and its engraved grooves are filled with gold powder deftly showcases Girard-Perregaux’s artistry.
