After exclusively unveiling Hermè’s Dressage L’heure masquée before the opening of Baselworld, I’ve been impressed by another model: the Japanese-inspired Arceau Temari, which combines the skills of snow setting and hard
stone marquetry in an exceptional collection of jewellery watches.
stone marquetry in an exceptional collection of jewellery watches.
The story of Temari, an art meaning “hand ball” in Japanese, is bound up with that of
kimonos, since the making of these silken garments provided enough scraps of fabric to
make these entertaining objects that were greatly appreciated at the Imperial court. Little
by little, simple stitching gave way to embroidery and to motifs that were increasingly
sophisticate, in terms both their complex geometry and their colourful harmonies.
kimonos, since the making of these silken garments provided enough scraps of fabric to
make these entertaining objects that were greatly appreciated at the Imperial court. Little
by little, simple stitching gave way to embroidery and to motifs that were increasingly
sophisticate, in terms both their complex geometry and their colourful harmonies.
These ancestral balls have inspired a Hermès silk carré, of which one of the motifs is now
reinterpreted in the Arceau collection. These watches are issued in limited white gold editions
set with diamonds according to the snow-setting technique and feature dials reproducing
the design of one of these balls by combining diamonds with a marquetry composed either
of white mother-of-pearl, onyx, lapis lazuli or opal.
reinterpreted in the Arceau collection. These watches are issued in limited white gold editions
set with diamonds according to the snow-setting technique and feature dials reproducing
the design of one of these balls by combining diamonds with a marquetry composed either
of white mother-of-pearl, onyx, lapis lazuli or opal.
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| Arceau Temari Onyx |
On each of these exceptional watches,
the dial is crafted according to traditional
diamond-setting and hard stone
marquetry techniques. For each watch,
and in this case according to a precise
plan, 20 tiny fragments of all different
shapes and sizes are milled from a block
of stone or mother-of-pearl finely sliced
into infinitely small platelets.
the dial is crafted according to traditional
diamond-setting and hard stone
marquetry techniques. For each watch,
and in this case according to a precise
plan, 20 tiny fragments of all different
shapes and sizes are milled from a block
of stone or mother-of-pearl finely sliced
into infinitely small platelets.
The
pieces are then individually assembled
on the already gem-set dial.
pieces are then individually assembled
on the already gem-set dial.
These two
operations require great precision and
dexterity, since the stone is particularly
fragile on such a tiny scale. As if in a
miniature puzzle, each part takes its
place within a picture that transcends it.
The opulence of the materials enter into
a fascinating dialogue with the finesse
of the motifs, as traditions and expertise
meet and mingle to endow each of
these unique creations with the refined
splendour of Imperial Japan.
operations require great precision and
dexterity, since the stone is particularly
fragile on such a tiny scale. As if in a
miniature puzzle, each part takes its
place within a picture that transcends it.
The opulence of the materials enter into
a fascinating dialogue with the finesse
of the motifs, as traditions and expertise
meet and mingle to endow each of
these unique creations with the refined
splendour of Imperial Japan.
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| Arceau Temari diamons before setting |
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| Arceau Temari mother of pearl |
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| Arceau Temari: setting a diamond |