Vanitas – L’EPEE 1839

From Fiona Kruger and L'EPEE 1839.

Limited to 50 pieces, and available in the colorful version (above), as well as a "dark" version (below).

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

Vanitas 

Display

Hours and minutes 

Power reserve indicator 

Main Structure

Height:
306 mm
Width:
220 mm
Thickness:
86 mm
Clock Weight:
Approx. 5 kg. with 2.2 kg just for the movement
'Dark' version:
Mat Housing in Black Anodized Aluminum with mineral glass
Colored version:
Mat Housing in Black Anodized Aluminum with mineral glass

Movement

L’Epée in-house designed and manufactured movement 
Balance frequency:
18.000 vph / 2.5Hz
Barrels:
5 in series
Power reserve:
35 days
Jewels:
11
Incabloc shock protection system
Manual-winding:
Double-ended key to set time and wind movement on the skull face
'Dark' version:

Mechanism in palladium-coated brass Movement Main plates in black PVD coated brass Multi-layered screen printed white decoration (gloss ink). 
Colored Version:

Mechanism in palladium-coated brass Movement Main plate in brass black PVD coating Multi-coloured screen-printed pattern (gloss ink). Each colour used in the design of the clock was specially selected as it represents a specif- ic meaning pertaining to the Dia de Los Muertos celebration: Blue = Trust, White = Purity, Orange = Sun, Yellow = Death, Pink = Celebration, Red
= Life and Purple = Grief and Black = Mortality (hence the black PVD coating)

Making Skulls a Little Less Scary - Fiona Kruger

Now those who know me would attest that when you think of Henki, your first thoughts don't turn to skeletons or skulls.  But there are skulls, and then there are skulls!  The work of Fiona Kruger belongs to the latter.

Courtesy of Fiona Kruger

This is the Celebration Skull from Fiona Kruger.  Limited to 24 pieces and assembled by hand in Switzerland.

The watches are very intriguing and the attention to detail is what you would expect from an artist of Fiona Kruger's stature.

At a fair where it seems that all you hear is:  "championing the timeless values of horology..."

or:  "our latest celebrity ambassador is..."  As a good friend of mine from Bienne puts it:  "a lot of hot air produced in the gas factory".  So it was downright refreshing to see someone really applying art and craft to what can sometimes be a fairly pedestrian endeavor - watch making.  Because if I am honest, the watches are beautiful and certainly something that I would wear (despite my admitted anxiety about the undead).  But more than just the watches themselves is the story behind them.  A young artist travels to Switzerland from Scotland to study, discovers watches, and creativity took over.

You will notice the book that Fiona Kruger is leafing through?  It is what you might call the "creation story" of her watches.  All of the sketches, the inspirations, the musings.  This "sketch book" is almost as interesting as the watches themselves.  All too often we get the glib press release, reflecting on the true spirit of Swiss watch making with time honored traditions, hairsprings crafted in secret caves, dials lacquered with the tears of Arcadian nymphs...

Courtesy of Fiona Kruger

This is something different again.  And as someone who occasionally writes about these things, these watches were a very welcome addition to BaselWorld this year.

Ms. Kruger was kind enough to indicate that she might be willing to participate in an interview and give some more background, so stay tuned!

For now, here are the pertinents for the Celebration Skull, courtesy of Fiona Kruger -

Courtesy of Fiona Kruger

Celebration Skull

Case material & colour

Stainless Steel 316N with specifically designed back opening 

Case size 

57.4 x 41.3 mm (length x width), 10.9mm thick

Glass 

Sapphire (front and back) 

Colour of dial & style 

3 layered dial in stainless steel 316N with hand-painted décor in in 7 specially selected coloured lacquers and superluminova + new date feature
Layer 1: Hand-polished stainless steel with black PVD coating, hand painted lacquer and superluminova décor
Layer 2: Shotblasted stainless steel with Rhodium treatment, hand-painted lacquer and superluminova décor
Layer 3: Hand-finished with Circular graining (perlage) with Rhodium treatment, hand- painted lacquer and superluminova décor

Hands 

Blued Steel 

Movement 

Mechanical Automatic movement, TT738 with skeletonised and custom- black PVD coated bridges, customised oscillating mass with skeletonisation, engraving and hand-painting, and custom-made date wheel 

Buckle 

Steel pin buckle 

Bracelets 

Hand-stitched calf leather