Thematic Auction in Geneva:The Evolut...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Nov 16, 2002

LOT 140

Santa ClausAlain Silberstein, "Tourbillon à Cadran en Email Cloisonné - Santa Claus". Unique piece produced for himself at Christmas 1999.Extremely fine and unique, water-resistant, 18K sand-finished yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with one-minute tourbillon regulator and "cloisonné" dial made by the master enameler Michel Vermot.

CHF 0 - 0

EUR 0 - 0

Sold: CHF 185,000

C. "Empire" style, two-body, polished and brushed, solid, transparent case back with screws, black triangular- and 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" tritium-coated sand-finished gold hour and minute hands. M. Cal. 387rhodium-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.In perfect condition.


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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.