Designing timepieces such as those of Van Cleef & Arpels is no small feat, given the different artistic crafts required to create each watch. “Collaboration” appears to be the key word in the hard work of this maker of dreams… To do this, it surrounds itself with the finest artisans, including François Junod, the automaton specialist who won the Special Jury Prize at the 2022 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Once again this year, this craftsman is bringing his expertise to bear on enchanting Haute Joaillerie automata, such as the Éveil du Cyclamen and the Floraison du Nénuphar, which took between two and a half and three years to create.
At Van Cleef & Arpels, techniques are dedicated to serving the stories being told. Rainer Bernard, Head of R&D for timepieces, compares this to “an opera, where you only see the stage with the singer, while all the rest is hidden in the wings”. Gemsetting, sculpting, engraving and miniature painting are all used to enhance the tales from the Maison. In addition to these crafts, enamel work is carried out by artisans in Les Ateliers de Van Cleef & Arpels, Meyrin (Geneva).
The Art of enamelling
Enameling is one of the stellar artistic crafts and takes many different forms at Van Cleef & Arpels, from grisaille enamel to the plique-à-jour technique as well as champlevé and paillonné. Crowned Ladies’ Complication Watch at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the Lady Féerie returns to the forefront in a shade of pink enamel. In creating this previously inexistent hue, Van Cleef & Arpels called upon its expertise to create the desired tones. Firing in the kiln represents a perilous moment in the process, as one second too long can cause irreversible damage to the color. Not to mention the fact that one must be certain of the exact shade the enamel will take on when fired, as it can change completely. For example, the plique-à-jour wings of the Lady Féerie require two minutes’ firing per enamel layer and call for the experienced touch of nimble fingers.
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