Happy New Year!

BK Low Table Reference Number 001 for the Miro Room

BK Low Table Reference Number  001 designed  especially for the Miro Room in La Maison sur Mulligan Knoll.

Happy Holidays...

Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 5175R

It is a masterpiece in horology, probably the most super complicated wristwatches in history with only seven to be manufactured of which six will be sold and one would become a part of a museum collection; and it is Ref. 5175R-001 - Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime. The watch was released as a part of Patek Philippe 175th anniversary.

The Grandmaster Chime is double-faced that can be worn with either dial facing up. One of the face is focused on time and the sonnerie, and the other face is dedicated to full instantaneous perpetual calendar. Both dials contain the current time and date.

Changing from one face dial to another is very easy thanks to the reversing mechanism in the lugs.

Some Highlights:

A: The Watch

• Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime
• Bright silvery luster dials
• Time side with hand guilloched center and applied gold Roman numerals
• 18K solid gold dial plates
• Alligator strap with square scales, hand-stitched, dark brown, hand-patinated
• Solid gold fold-over clasp, fully hand-engraved
• Reversible case, fully hand-engraved with a decoration of laurel leaves
• Case is humidity and dust protected only (not water resistant)
• Rose gold
• Diameter: 47.4 mm
• Height: 16.1 mm
• Commemorative limited edition of 7 timepieces

B: The Caliber

• Mechanical manually wound movement
• Caliber 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM
• Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie, minute repeater
• Strikework mode display (Silence/ Grande Sonnerie/Petite Sonnerie)
• Alarm with time strike
• Date repeater
• Movement power-reserve indicator
• Strikework power-reserve indicator
• Strikework isolator indicator
• Second time zone
• Second time zone day/night indicator
• Instantaneous perpetual calendar
• Display of day and month
• Date display (on both dials)
• Leap year cycle
• Four-digit year display
• Moon phases
• 24-hour and minute subdial
• Crown position indicator (winding [R], alarm setting [A], timesetting [H])
• Diameter: 37 mm
• Height: 10.7 mm
• Number of parts: 1,366
• Movement power-reserve: 72 hours
• Strikework power-reserve: 30 hours
• Balance: Gyromax®
• Frequency: 25,200 semi-oscillations/ hour (3.5 Hz)
• Balance spring: Spiromax®
• Hallmark: Patek Philippe Seal

Invariably, a masterpiece and limited production are for the selected few with wallets to match, so it goes for the Grandmaster Chime, which is available to only six clients at a price of about $2.6 million.

Source: Patek Phillipe

De Bethune DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon

De Bethune DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon

In watchmaking, Tourbillon is extremely complicated timepiece designed to counter the effects of gravity.  De Bethune’s Maxichrono Tourbillon was one of the highlights of Basel 2014. The watch is remarkable for its use of five hands from the central axis of the movement. There are no subdials to be found, just five hands anchored at the center of the dial. Traditional hour and minute hands are marked by circular openings at their tips, and chronograph hours, minutes, and seconds hands track up to 24 hours along inset rings.

In 2002, David Zanetta, a collector with a passion for art, history and timepieces, decided to join forces in founding De Bethune with Denis Flageollet, the son, grandson and great-grandson of watchmakers, they were both keenly aware of sharing the same vision of tomorrow’s watchmaking.

A subtle blend of time-honoured skills and the latest scientific breakthroughs, devoted to the service of extreme chronometric precision. The quest for fine craftsmanship pushed to its very limits, to the point where aesthetic and technical aspects meet and merge, where form marries function in the pursuit of perfection. 

De Bethune is focused in research and development with a laboratory making use of cutting-edge technologies implemented in the spirit of the great 18th century master watchmakers.  De Bethune is place where all that counts is time measurement, but where time is never counted. It is a place where things are tinged with a sense of adventure reminiscent of the epic intellectual endeavours of the Age of Enlightenment. 

Okay... If you are wondering De Bethune DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon is a limited edition of 20 pieces, all in rose gold and priced at $270,000.

Source: De Bethune

Courchevel 1850: Chalet Le Petit Palais

Ski season is around the corner, and Courchevel 1850 has earned a reputation for being one of the world’s most glamourous resorts. 

Courchevel is part of the vast 3 Vallées ski area which extends across the Meribel Valley and the Val Thorens Valley, making it the world’s largest ski  area with world class skiing facilities.

Courchevel and the rest of the 3 Vallées has a modern and efficient lift system so even if there are queues at busy periods they tend to move fairly fast. 

If you are looking for an ultimate luxury ski chalet, to rent, where every imaginable indulgence awaits you, then Chalet Le Petit Palais would definitely meet your requirements.

A quick glance at the details is enough. From the private nightclub, cinema room and spa to the team of dedicated staff to the exclusive location in Courchevel 1850.  Chalet Le Petit Palais is designed in the kind of faultlessly chic and cool contemporary manner that would measure up to the most demanding international icon.

Newly built, in a secluded yet central nook on the upper slopes of Courchevel 1850, Chalet Le Petit Palais is ski in, ski out with six floors and jaw-dropping facilities within your own private palace.  The layout proceeds from the delectable living area at the top, with separate TV room and mezzanine library, to the enormous, world-class spa in the basement.

Chalet Le Petit Palais has it  own private bar, complete with dance floor, DJ mixing desk and nightclub light and sound system. There is no need to leave the confines of your own chalet when you are surrounded by such extravagance.  I should mention that it has a wine cellar, and a dedicated playroom so the children won’t feel left out. 

Source: FireFly Collection

Tres Caracoles

Tres Caracoles 

At the BASELWORLD 2014, Miki Eleta presented his latest opus - a masterfully created, complexly endowed, and delicate piece of art, he called, Tres Caracoles.

The complex clock features some of the most sought-after complications from the world of watches, an extremely precise moon phase, a day of the week and a world time indication as well as a retrograde minute. Additionally, Miki Eleta integrated a music work, which plays a unique little tune for about 20 seconds, composed by kinetic principles. Centuries pass before the same sequence is repeated. During the musical phase seven miniature dancers and four musicians give a performance. The clock relies on an Eleta’s own escapement, which has chronometric precision.

Miki Eleta is an artist and self-taught watchmaker;  who mainly work on kinetic art and clock building (various commissions for interior rooms and exterior areas). Since 2004 he has mainly concentrated on private commissions and exhibitions relating to clockmaking.

Selected private commissions and exhibitions:

• 2002 6 x 10 m tall kinetic sculpture in the area of Friesenberg in Zurich.
• 2003 Fountain at the entrance of the Musée International de l’Horlogerie, La-Chaux-de-Fonds.
• 2003 7 x 5 m tall kinetic sculpture with music-playing harlequins above the entrance of the Museum CIMA.
• 2005 – 2007 Various private commissions both at home and abroad.
• 2006 Participation at Baselworld 2006 and 2007 as candidate of the AHCI.
• 2007 Participation in the exhibition ON TIME at the Museum of Design Zurich. Realization of a wrist watch with patented cyclical indicator. Participation in the AHCI exhibition in Dresden.
• 2008 Participation at the Basel World. Admission as a member of the AHCI. Participation in the exhibition in Vienna Time Vienna.
• 2009 Exhibition in Berne.
• 2011 Sirene Operntheaterfestival in Vienna. Exhibitions in Salzburg, Dresden and Club Horloger in Geneva.
• 2012 Exhibitions in Shangai and Hongkong. Fountain sculpture in St. Theresia Zurich.
• 2013 Exhibition in Geneva Mad Gallery MBF.
• 2014 Participation at the exhibition in The Clock and Watch Museum Beyer Zurich.
• 2014 Exhibition in Shangai.

Source: Miki Eleta

Alberto Giacometti's Chariot Walked Away with $100.97 Million on the Hammer...

Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale on November 4, 2014, at Sotheby's New York was marked with a record sale of $442.1 million. Lot #25 Alberto Giacometti's Chariot sold for $100,965,000.

Alberto Giacometti's Chariot

See here for catalogue note.

Coming Up at the Auction: Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication

Lot 345 of the Important Watches Auction by Sotheby's on November 11, 2014, was  commissioned by New York banking tycoon Henry Graves in 1928 and delivered in 1933, the Patek Philippe watch features 24 complications, 430 screws, 110 wheels, 70 jewels, two faces, nine dials and 18 pointers.  See the detailed catalog note here 

A Peak at Miro Room in La Maison sur Mulligan Knoll

Oscar de la Renta (July 22, 1932 – October 20, 2014): Adieu

Photographed by Irving Penn, Vogue, May 1982

A Fall Night View of the Fountain at the Garden of La Maison sur Mulligan Knoll

Inspirations from Design Archives #1: Rudolf Nureyev Paris Apartment

Rudolf Nureyev (1938-1993) was a dancer and  director of Paris Opera Ballet as well as the Chief of Choreography. Nureyev apartment was located  at 23 Quai Voltaire in Paris with a great view of  the Seine and the Louvre .

Nureyev born in Russia defected to the West in 1961 and his Paris apartment was an eclectic blend of the best neoclassical elements from Russian, French, and Italian decorative arts. His Paris apartment were he spent most of his time was designed by Emilio Carcano,  who trained under  Lila de Noboli.

Beside the Paris apartment, Nureyev had six other homes, which includes a villa above Monte Carlo, London house , an apartment in the Dakota building in New York, a ranch in Virginia, homes on Saint Barthélemy’s in the Caribbean and off Italy on the Galli Islands.

Nureyev Paris apartment was featured in the Architectural Digest of September 1985 were some of these pictures first appeared.

Element of My Design #10: A Bird-Eye View of the Red Saloon

A Bird-Eye View of  the Red Saloon

Element of My Design #9: An Inspiration and Play off the "Autumn: The Chestnut Gathers"

Element of My Design #8: A Diametrical Play on Stairs and Lights

Element of My Design #7: Panoramic Anchors to the Grand Saloon

Element of My Design #6: Northtward Anchors to the Grand Saloon

Element of My Design #5: Westward Anchors to the Grand Saloon

Element of My Design #4: A View of Empire Lantern in the Grand Saloon

A View of Empire Lantern in the Grand Saloon 

A Selected 18th and 19th Century French and Continental Decorative Arts...

Offered by  Galerie Perrin
Pair of pots-pourris

Offered by  Galerie Perrin
“Baluster” blue chinese porcelain vase Kien Long period (1736-1795) 

Offered by  Pelham Galleries
Charles X Gilt Bronze and Verre Eglomisé Centre Table

Offered by  Pelham Galleries
A Russian Neoclassical Ormolu, Blue Glass and Cut Crystal Six-Light Chandelier 

Offered by Adrian Alan
A.M.E. Fournier - Impressive and Highly Important Pair Empire-Style Mahogany Side Cabinets

Offered by Adrian Alan
Empire Style Gilt-Bronze Mounted Mahogany Gueridon With a Lapis Lazuli Top 

Offered by Adrian Alan
A Highly Unusual Pair of Gilt-Bronze Guéridons Cast With Ostrich Leg Supports

All the selected items can be viewed in more detail here.