Baselworld 2021 took place in Geneva this year, and it was the perfect occasion to discover new Swiss watch novelties. One of my preferred brands is CLAUDE MEYLAN. When you think they have already invented everything, the Vallée de Joux watchmaker always has a new card to play. Expert in the savvy art of skeletonisation, CLAUDE MEYLAN is a true sculptor of the time(piece). This “less-is-more” art requires an extreme mastery of watchmaking because every element plays a crucial role either in the watch design or in the watch’s functionality (most of the time… both). This shows the endless possibilities of CLAUDE MEYLAN’s creativity.
The Art of the Skeleton is pushed to new horizons. CLAUDE MEYLAN likes to present new shapes and harmonies on bridges, wheels and trains to express a new vision of time while establishing a new art of sculpted pieces.
Generations succeed one another and perpetuate the passion of the movements, the fine watchmaking and the most minute detail. Two attractive models for ladies were revealed:
The Tortue Lady Soleillée and the Tortue Lady Clous de Paris.
Claude Meylan Tortue Lady: A Unique Design!
The Tortue Lady design is a beautiful and harmonious design for a woman’s watch. Its architecture associates the Yin of its Tortue case and the Yang of its automatic movement. The mechanism is partially revealed. Sober and elegant, a soft curve reveals the balance wheel and the anchor; they give the rhythm while the mass oscillates and is animated at leisure.
The striking element of this watch is for sure its caliber. This exclusive calibre is completely redesigned and recreated in-house and contains elements of the very robust and reliable ETA 2671 movement. CLAUDE MEYLAN has listened to their female customers looking for a mechanical watch in which a certain animation would amaze them.
It is an exquisite watch. True to CLAUDE MEYLAN’s know-how, you can admire a soft and sensual curve running from 11 o’clock down to 4 o’clock and partially reveals the elements of such a beautiful watch. The weight reversed and positioned at 6 o’clock oscillates and moves with its lucky owner’s wrist movements.
CLAUDE MEYLAN Tortue Lady Soleillée
With its modern beauty, this new self-winding movement sets the tone for the dial and bridge at 3 o’clock. The dial is minimalistic and polished, allowing for easy time reading, while the beautifully adorned bridge at 3 o’clock emphasizes the sensuous side of this small watchmaking gem.
The mass is beautifully stamped and animated in a lively and whimsical manner, with the same guilloche appearance as the bridge. The polished and satin-finished blued dauphine hour and minute hands contribute to the fast reading of the time.
With its multiple-choice of materials (herein turquoise leather), the bracelet gives the final touch to this timepiece. The pin buckle that equips it allows the discovery of this new mechanism.
CLAUDE MEYLAN Tortue Lady Clous De Paris
Positioned at noon and mirroring the weight, the guilloche dial features dauphine hands. Polished and satin-finished on both sides, they allow for easy reading of the time. The sparkling red second’s hand echoes the carmine red of the 12 o’clock position. The sensual bridge at 3 o’clock matches the dial and completes the decoration of the mechanism.
The weight is adorned with “Clous de Paris“, which gives it an exceptional sparkle when it comes to life. Since the 18th century, this ornamental method has been employed to enhance the look of metal objects, particularly watch dials and rotors, and was originally referred to in English as “hobnail pattern.” It is a method in which a sequence of delicately engraved crossing lines is formed by hand with a burin or by engine turning, resulting in a Clous de Paris design or, in certain circumstances, a more complicated Guilloche motif.
The bracelet, which comes in a variety of materials (here, technical satin), adds to the beauty of this new time sculpture. The pin buckle that comes with it makes it easier to find the bridge and the cutouts on the rear of the new mechanism.
This year, CLAUDE MEYLAN brings exclusive designs to its female collection and for sure you will be seduced by the exquisite lines of the Tortue Lady line and the outstanding elements of these two specific models.
Arsène Wargas
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