Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

New York, Dec 05, 2007

LOT 389

Santa Claus Alain Silberstein, "Tourbillon à Cadran en Email Cloisonné - Santa Claus", No. 1/1. Unique piece produced for himself at Christmas 1999. Extremely fine and unique, water-resistant, 18K sand-finished yellow gold wristwatch with one-minute tourbillon regulator and "cloisonné" enamel dial made by the master enameler Michel Vermot.

USD 150,000 - 200,000

EUR 100,000 - 140,000

C. "Empire" style, two-body, polished and brushed, solid, transparent case back with screws, black triangularand gold star-shaped winding-crown, sapphire crystal, straight lugs. D. Polychrome "cloisonné" enamel, representing Santa Claus on a sled loaded with presents, pulled by two reindeer traveling through the clouds, at the bottom, a semi-circular aperture showing the tourbillon cage with three arms. "Triangular and Bâton" tritiumcoated sand-finished gold hour and minute hands. M. Cal. 387, rhodium-plated, 21 jewels, one-minute tourbillon regulator, lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating flat balance-spring. Case and movement signed. Diam. 38 mm. Property of Various Owners


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 1

As new
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

This watch is a tribute to "Santa Claus", which is what Alain Silberstein calls artists and craftmen who make his dreams come true. In 1994, Asian collectors asked Silberstein to create a series of unique wristwatches with "cloisonné" enamel dials to celebrate the "Year of the Dragon". These creations were inspired by antique embroidered costumes worn at the Imperial Court, and preserved today in the Beijing museum. Silberstein's Japanese agent, seeing the success of these watches, asked him to create a series of unique wristwatches with "cloisonné" enamel dials to celebrate "Santa Claus" for Christmas 1999, including a unique "tourbillon" piece. He liked it so much he kept it for himself.