lot 46

Maitres du Temps

Chapter Three

Estimate CHF 20 000 / CHF 30 000
Starting bid CHF 20 000

Hammer price CHF 40 000
Total bids 15
Buyer’s premium will not be charged

Specification

CasePolished rose gold case 750/1000 with sapphire caseback, second time zone pusher at 9 o'clock, dial panel opening pusher at 3 o'clock
StrapOriginal dark blue Alligator leather strap, with a original rose gold pin buckle
DialDark blue dial with applied Roman numerals, engine turned center & sub-dials, date indication at 2 o'clock, moon phase indication at 4 o'clock, small seconds at 8 o'clock, day & night indication at 12 o'clock, digital second timezone at 6 o'clock
MovementRhodium-plated hand-wound movement, with Geneva stripes, Breguet hairspring, date & second timezone function
Cal.SHC03
Ref.C3R.55.00.115-C2
Movement No.0190
Case No.MDT 3027
D=42mm
Year2019

Condition report

Case:Very good, small signs of wear
Strap:Very good, small signs of wear
Dial:Mint condition
Movement:All functions working properly
Amplitude (Dial on top/Lift angle 52):Approx 320°
Accuracy (Dial on top):Approx +10 sec/day
Box:Yes
Papers:Yes

Details 

An absolutely spectacular, sophisticated and impressive hidden 3D-complications piece-unique rose gold wristwatch of the Maîtres du Temps brand, founded in 2005 by American entrepreneur Steven Holtzman. Purchase date: 2019. 18k rose gold case, 42mm diameter, sapphire caseback with signatures of Kari Voutilainen and Andreas Strehler. Blue dial, with hand-made guilloché decoration of 3 types, rose gold hands. Caliber SHC03, hand-wound, Straumann hairspring with Breguet overcoil, two mainspring barrels, power reserve up to 36 hours. Functions – indication of time in hours and minutes, small seconds hand, indicators of date and moon phase, mysterious hidden 3D-indicators of the second time zone and day/night on cylindrical rollers. Dark blue leather strap, Maîtres du Temps 18k rose gold pin buckle. The present watch is produced as a piece unique

Lot essay 

The Chapter Three Reveal is powered by the hand-wound SHC03 caliber, developed and produced in collaboration with renowned independent watchmakers Kari Voutilainen and Andreas Strehler. This model has been in serial production since 2012 and is the third model of the brand to use the cylindrical roller complications. The models of serial issue are equipped with cases of 18k pink or white gold, and with blue, black or silver-plated dials. 

The Chapter Three watch features a mysterious ‘secret’ dial function, normally showing the hours, minutes and seconds, as well as the date and moon phase. After pressing the button set on the crown, the dial panels at 6 and 12 o’clock open. These open apertures reveal the indicators of the second time zone and the day/night on rollers. The push-button at 9 o’clock disconnects the rollers from the hour and minute hands, allowing you to set the local time by rotating the central hands independently. 

The watch was released as a unique piece in collaboration with independent watchmakers Kari Voutilainen and Andreas Strehler, and that the dial is made by the highly regarded workshop Comblémine, belonging to Kari Voutilainen

Of particular note is the action of the second time zone indicator, with two rollers marked with hour numbers from 1 to 6 (first roller) and from 7 to 12 (second roller). When switching from 6 to 7 hours and from 12 to 1, the rollers shift along the horizontal axis to reveal the appropriate digits. 

According to our knowledge, the present Chapter Three Reveal Ref. C3R.55.00.580.18-C2 was released as part of a series of unique pieces with dials of various designs, often one-off dials, manufactured by independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen in his Comblémine dial workshop. The dial of this watch is remarkable for the meticulous workmanship that characterises Comblémine products. The blue dial contrasts with the rose gold of the case, hands and appliques, and especially for the piece unique the sapphire caseback features the makers’ signatures. The central area of the dial is decorated with a fine ‘lotus’ guilloché motif, and the counters with a Clous de Paris motif with outlines highlighted by a ‘filet sauté’ motif. 

Particularly noteworthy are the design and high-quality workmanship of the extraordinary manual-winding movement, open on the reverse side, and hidden roller-coded indicators. The rhodium-coated bridges and plate of the movement are decorated with Côtes de Genève and perlage, the chamfers are bevelled and polished, and all engraved inscriptions are gilded. 

Reasons to bid 

The Maîtres du Temps Chapter Three Reveal Ref. C3R.55.00.115-C2 Piece Unique would appear to be a fine purchase for the collector looking to obtain an excellent, highly sophisticated and extremely rare mechanical watch from a brand that specialises in haute horlogerie collectible watches. The fact that the watch was released as a unique piece in collaboration with independent watchmakers Kari Voutilainen and Andreas Strehler, and that the dial is made by the highly regarded workshop Comblémine, belonging to Kari Voutilainen, undoubtedly adds to the appeal of this lot. The combination of the classic date and the moonphase indicators with the mysterious hidden indicators of the second time zone and day/night on rollers will speak to the heart of any connoisseur.