Cortina Watch exhibits four rare Patek Philippe Dome Table Clocks across Asia, starting in Singapore.
Each year, Patek Philippe presents an exhibition of its Rare Handcrafts collection, which include various rare decorative handcrafts from guilloche to engraving, marquetry, gem-setting and of course, enamelling. And among Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcraft timepieces, none are as coveted as its Dome Table Clocks, unique creations that represent a true mastery of each craft.
This year Cortina Watch is presenting an exhibition of Rare Handcraft timepieces across Asia. This exhibition will debut the private collection of Patek Philippe Dome Table Clocks that the retailer has acquired over the years. “Once Upon a Virtuosity” will run from 16th to 31st July 2022 at the Cortina Watch Boutique, Central Embassy.
The Ref. 1677M “Esplanade”, created for Singapore’s Golden Jubilee in 2015, features the geometric shell of the theatre in cloisonné enamel.
The Dome Table Clocks Of Cortina Watch
Over the last 50 years, Cortina Watch and Patek Philippe have forged a longstanding business relationship and personal friendship between Cortina Watch’s founding family and the Sterns. Mr Lim’s personal interest in the rare handcrafts used in watchmaking led him to start building his own collection of artistic timepieces from Patek Philippe. This has peaked in the acquisition of four exquisite Dome Clocks by Cortina Watch over the years.
The Dome Table Clocks, like many of Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcraft timepieces, are unique creations featuring a multitude of different crafts in one object. One of the most important of these crafts in a Dome Table Clock is enamelling. Each landscape on the Clocks are crafted by one single artist, working for hundreds and thousands of hours to depict each scene.
Three of the Dome Table Clocks that Cortina Watch have collected are intimately connected with Singapore. The first is the Ref. 1677M “Esplanade”, created for Singapore’s Golden Jubilee in 2015. It naturally features the geometric design of the Esplanade’s shell, with a splash of fireworks across the clock. The second is the Ref. 20094M-001 “Bay of Singapore” that was created for the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition, hosted in Singapore in 2019.
The Ref. 20145M-001 “Singapore Skyline” Dome Clock celebrates 50 years of partnership between Cortina Watch and Patek Philippe.
Finally, the prima donna of this exhibition is the Ref. 20145M-001 “Singapore Skyline”, featuring Singapore’s beautiful urban landscape and crafted to commemorate 50 years of partnership between Patek Philippe and Cortina Watch. Cortina Watch has collected these three Dome Clocks because they were inspired by Singapore, where the retailer started back in 1972 and is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year.
This will be the debut presentation of Ref. 20145M-001 “Singapore Skyline” to the public. This unique piece, crafted in Grand Feu cloisonné enamel, features Singapore’s waterfront skyline from the Merlion to the Central Business District, the Esplanade and across to Marina Bay Sands. The picturesque scene is depicted in 50 enamel colours, some of which are unique to this clock. On the dome, a cascade of fireworks with 50 gold stars, made with gold and silver dust, celebrate the Golden Jubilee anniversary of Cortina Watch.
The Patek Philippe Ref. 20040M-001 Dome Clock features the Taipei skyline in cloisonné enamel, created to commemorate the brand’s first boutique in Taipei 101.
The final Dome Clock that will be exhibited is the Ref. 20040M-001 “Twilight Taipei”, created to commemorate the first Patek Philippe boutique established in the city. Managed by Cortina Watch, it’s located in Taipei’s tallest skyscraper, Taipei 101. Naturally, Cortina Watch acquired this clock to immortalise this important milestone in its history.
The Silver And Golden Jubilee Ref. 5057G
To deliver a unique experience for Patek Philippe aficionados across the region, the exhibition will showcase some of the specialised equipment used by Patek Philippe’s artisans. In addition, there will be digital displays showing videos of Patek Philippe’s artisans demonstrating the traditional artisanal techniques, so that audiences can understand the effort and painstaking work each of these timepieces demand.
The Patek Philippe Ref. 5057R-001 and Ref. 5057G-010 are specially commissioned by Cortina Watch for the brand’s 25th and 50th anniversary respectively.
Furthermore, Cortina Watch will also be presenting its Silver and Golden Jubilee timepieces created by Patek Philippe for the retailer. The Ref. 5057R-001 in rose gold and Ref. 5057G-010 in white gold have been made for the brand’s 25th and 50th anniversary respectively, and the latter will be available for order at the event. The reference features a moon phase and analogue date display with power reserve indication, and is unique to Cortina Watch. Each bears a transfer print on the sapphire caseback referencing the anniversary of the retailer.
Be sure to check out the exhibition to discover more about Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcrafts and to see these four Dome Table Clocks together for the first time, along with the two Ref. 5057 Cortina Watch exclusive timepieces.
The Patek Philippe “Once Upon a Virtuosity” exhibition will run from 16th to 31st July 2022 at the Cortina Watch Boutique, Central Embassy.
