The Clock 15 Days by Parmigiani Fleurier and Lalique is a collaboration between two remarkable brands. A stunning timepiece, the crystal case is a work of art, and the exquisite components that power the achievement is just technical brilliance. It took the two brands quite some time to develop the intricate details of the piece, as the inner workings all had to be enlarged, since wristwatches are on a much smaller scale, these timepieces house larger parts.
Parmigiani worked with the larger components, and Lalique with the thinner and smaller elements of the timepiece. The project required the French glassmaker to test boundaries of crystal manufacturing that had never been crossed. Each of the five crystal panels of the clock are adorned with the fountain of Coutard motif, a signature Lalique motif. Each panel is a masterpiece of Art Deco and Art Nouveau. The detail of the closely-knit designs, rounded shapes and the semblance of the droplets are finished with a glittery shimmer on the panels and a satin finish on the flat surfaces.
When the brands took on the challenge of creating this masterful timepiece, the requirement to shift focus was critical. As we said Parmigiani and his team had to relearn their craft, learning to use tweezers instead of fingers, stand up and work instead of sitting and using a magnifier instead of their naked eye. The single most important aspect of this retraining, was rediscovering the ‘pure movement’ for each and every operation, the trademark dexterity that allows the time piece creator to reach that pinnacle of perfection.
For the team of Lalique, their challenge was the exact opposite of their collaborator, they had to work to create smaller and thinner panels, something that is generally not feasible for working crystal. The art is so delicate for the designer, alternating heating and cooling to produce the excellent pure crystal, containing no air bubbles. This was nothing short of spectacular for the brand and the creation that resulted in absolute magnificence.
The Coutard fountain represents the love of life and rebirth, a timeless symbol that is a signature of prestige for the brand. This table clock is a superb example of ageless beauty, something that combines classic design with immense artwork. The clock is a limited edition piece, crafted in white, deep blue, and red. Production is slated to end in 2015, with 5 pieces manufactured each year, fifteen of each color variation. At first glance it is apparent that passion and expertise have developed, and designed the exquisite clock.
When the clock was unveiled it reflected a clear aesthetic beauty, while housing the Maltese cross stop work for the power reserve indicator, a patented innovation, which counts the rotations of the barrel and drives its winding, a critical part for any timepiece, regardless of the size. A remarkable piece of high precision workmanship from two great brands, the table clock was truly crafted genius.