To celebrate the 200th Anniversary of BOVET, the House proudly introduces The Journey of Time book. Featuring an introduction by owner Mr. Pascal Raffy, this luxurious 240-page book celebrates the past, present, and future of this important House.
With chapters covering the history of the House, historical advertising, modern BOVET, and a look toward the next 200 years, this expansive volume is the first to include historic and contemporary timepieces in the same publication.
The Journey of Time
BOVET timepieces are in museums all around the world, from the British Museum in London, to the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, the MOMA in New York City, and even in the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, Switzerland.
To celebrate the House’s bicentennial, BOVET 1822 curated, for the first time anywhere in the world, a historical exhibit of 50+ timepieces representing the entire 200 years.
The Journey of Time book presents the exhibit timepieces in chronological order, from the 1800s (timepieces specifically produced for the Asian market, the Ottoman Empire, European royalty, and more), featuring cutting-edge, for the time, movements and decoration (engraving, appliques, enamel painting, pearl and gemstone settings, and more).
Timepieces featured in this section include the Mille Fleurs (1830), the Nightingale (1830), the Madonna and Child (1850), and the Lake Leman Landscape (1830), to highlight a few.
The book continues with timepieces from the early 1900s, including the timepiece that inspired the patented Amadeo system and the 19Thirty Collection, the Easel Chronometer (1930), and then continues on to the famous BOVET chronographs from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
The last chapter of the book focuses on the timepieces produced during Mr. Raffy’s stewardship, from 2001 to the present. Included are the ground-breaking astronomical timepieces, the GPHG award-winning timepieces, the Pininfarina and Automobili Pininfarina collections, as well as the many high complications and horological marvels that BOVET has developed.
Also featured are the ground-breaking bespoke Rolls-Royce timepieces designed for the $26 million Boat Tail coach-built project. These timepieces were produced from a clean sheet of paper, using the Amadeo system, and can be mounted into the dashboard of the Boat Tail Roll.
Lavishly illustrated, featuring more than 200 beautiful photographs, this volume is a must-have for any watch lover. Each timepiece is presented in incredible detail: case material and size, movement, complication, decoration, special aspects, and more. The royal blue satin fabric cover is gorgeously adorned with real gold leaf embossing, the pages all have gilded edges, and each page is stitched in, like it was done hundreds of years ago, using a traditional technique. In addition, each main section has a divider with a gold-leaf motif inspired by Bovet 1822’s history, and the thick Tatami White paper used throughout is a pleasure to touch.
“To celebrate 200 years, I wanted to exhibit as many of the key pieces that define BOVET’s history in one place for the very first time,” explains Mr. Raffy. “What the House of BOVET has done over its 200 years leaves me in awe, and inspired me to continue the legacy of the Bovet brothers. The Journey of Time commemorates this exhibit for all time.”
Come experience BOVET 1822’s Journey of Time in this new masterpiece publication.
Key Timepieces
Butterfly: Around 1830
Case
18K gold case signed Bovet and numbered 321; Enamel miniature painting on the case back; Champlevé enamel on the bezel and on the case-back; Engraved second case-back Diameter 58.50mm Thickness (case-back and glass) 17,60mm
Movement
Signed BOVET LONDON; Winding and time setting by key; Winding limitation by Chinese stopwork (invented for the Chinese market; friction escapement always in contact with the balance staff); Duplex escapement; Mirror polished steel bridges and blued steel plates; Blue platinum barrel cover with decoration and index assembly; Hour, minute, and seconds indication at the center of the dial Diameter 46.50mm/20½ lines
Dial
White enamel on copper plate; Black roman numerals; Fire-blued steel hour, minute, and seconds hands
Mille Fleurs: Around 1830
Case
18K yellow gold case; signed Bovet and numbered 2406; Bezel, bow and case-back set with pearls; Champlevé enamel case-back; translucent and plain enamel (extremely high quality), at least six colors; Every color goes into oven at high temperature (800 degrees)
Diameter: 56.90mm
Thickness (case-back and glass): 18.80mm
Movement
Winding and time setting by key; Winding limitation by Chinese stopwork; Jacot Duplex escapement; Bridges and plates engraved with floral designs with appliques (copper; silver; and gold); Hour; minute; and seconds indication at the center of the dial
Diameter 48mm/21¼ lines
Dial
White enamel on copper plate. Black roman numerals. Blued steel hour, minute, and seconds hands.
Madonna and Child: Around 1850
Case
18K yellow gold case numbered 1529 ascribed to Bovet; Translucent flinque (guilloche with enamel on top) enamel and guilloché case-back; Case front, bezel front and back are champlevé enamel
Diameter 62.85mm
Thickness (case-back and glass) 24mm
Movement
Winding and time setting by key; Winding limitation by Chinese-style stopwork; Duplex escapement; Bridges and plates engraved with flower decorations; Hour; minute; and seconds indication at the center of the dial; Champlevé enamel on the bow; which has the push piece to open the case back; Fire-blued steel screws; jewels; Balance wheel with blue masselote for adjustment
Diameter 53mm/23½ lines
Dial
White enamel on copper plate; Black roman numerals; Fire-blued steel hands
The Nightingale: Around 1830
Case
18K gold case signed Bovet and numbered 219 (enamel case-back) and 425 (golden case-back); Enamel miniature painting of a nightingale with fondant transparent enamel on top. Bow, bezel front and back prong-set with pearls
Diameter 58.50mm
Thickness (case-back and glass) 17.60mm
Movement
Signed BOVET LONDON and numbered 452; Winding and time setting by key; Winding limitation by Maltese Cross; Duplex escapement; Bridges and plates engraved with flower decorations
Diameter 46.50mm/20½ lines
Dial
White enamel on copper plate; Black Roman numerals; Gold hour, minute, and seconds hands
Lake Leman Landscape: Around 1830
Case
18K gold case; signed Bovet Fleurier and numbered 286; Bezel, bow and case-back set with pearls; Grand Feu enamel case-back with enamel miniature painting; Richter style; Black stripes in champlevé enamel on the bow
Diameter: 56.90mm
Thickness (case-back and glass): 18.80mm
Movement
Winding and time setting by key; Winding limitation by Chinese stopwork; Duplex escapement; Bridges and plates engraved with floral designs; Hour, minute, and seconds indication at the center of the dial; Openwork center bridge
Diameter 48mm/21¼ lines
Dial
White enamel on copper plate. Black roman numerals. Fire-blued steel hour, minute, and seconds hands
Easel Chronometer – 1930 (inspiration for the Amadeo system and the 19Thirty)
Case
Silver case, signed Bovet and numbered 90013; Patented “easel” system (chevalet) (Swiss patent N° 148535 dating from October 1, 1931)
Diameter: 46mm
Thickness (case-back and glass): 11.20mm
Case back with guilloche decoration
Movement
Swiss anchor escapement; Rhodium; Côtes de Genève finishing, Hour and Minute indication at the center and seconds at 6 o’clock; Balance spring with terminal curve
Diameter: 37mm, 16½ lines
Dial
Silvery with golden applied Arabic numerals; Yellow gold hands; Seconds subdial in Arabic
Récital 22 Grand Récital
Case
46.3mm 18K Gold Writing Slope Case
Movement
Hours, Seconds, Date, Day, Month, Year, 3-D Moon phases, Power reserve indicator on one side
Highly Readable Perpetual Calendar with Retrograde Date Complication on Reverse
Double-Sided Flying Tourbillon with Co-Axial Seconds
9-Day Power Reserve
Grand Complication
Impeccable Hand-Finishing on All 472 Components
Dial
Tellurium-Orrery with Hemispherical Earth and the Flying Tourbillon as the Sun
“Aguille d’Or/Golden Hand” Winner, GPHG, 2018
Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two
Case
47.80mm 18K Red Gold or Sapphire Crystal Writing Slope Case
Movement Hours, Minutes, Seconds on the Tourbillon Cage; World time
Double-Faced Flying Tourbillon
Precision Moon Phase with Super-LumiNova
World time with Indexable Second Timezone on Hemispherical City Indicator
Movement
Completely Hand-Engraved
Five Days of Power Reserve
Dial
Off-Centered Hour, Minute Dial in various materials
This timepiece won the GPHG “Mechanical Exception” Award in 2020
Miss Audrey
Case
36mm Stainless Steel Case set with Brilliant White Diamonds
Amadeo Convertible Case (wear as a wrist timepiece, use as a pendant watch or desk clock, all without any tools)
Movement
Hours, Minutes, Date
High-Watchmaking Automatic Movement
Dial
Various Dial Treatments
Unique hands form a heart every hour
2020 GPHG “Ladies Timepiece” Winner
Château de Môtiers Miniature Painting Butterfly
Case
40mm 18k Red Gold Case. Bow and bezel set with 109 round-cut diamonds
Movement
High-Watchmaking Movement. Hours, Minutes.
Dial
White Mother-of-Pearl dial with miniature painting “Butterfly” motif infused with luminescent material. Hand-painted (more than 120 hours). Hour and Minute Hands.
Amadeo Amadeo Tourbillon
Case
45mm 18K Case
Amadeo Convertible Case (wear either side, use as pocket watch or desk clock, all without any tools)
Case and Bow Fully Hand-Engraved (120 hours)
Movement
Patented Flying Tourbillon
Hours, Minutes, Seconds
Reverse Hand Fitted
Movement Fully Hand-Engraved (100 hours)
Limited to 50 Pieces
7 Days Power Reserve
Dial
One side fully skeletonized
Subdial on reverse in various treatments
Orbis Mundi
Case
42mm x 11mm Grade Five Titanium or 18K Rose Gold
Inspired by the BOVET “Easel” timepiece from 1930
Movement
Hours, Minutes, World Time
All Functions Controlled via the Crown
7-Day Power Reserve with a Single Barrel
Exquisitely Hand-Finished Manufacture Movement
Dial
Unique Aventurine World Time Dial
Battista Tourbillon
Case
Box Sapphire Crystals on Both Sides of the Movement
Grade 5 Titanium, 18K Gold, or Platinum
Designed in Collaboration with Automobili Pininfarina
Movement
Brand-New Patented Flying Tourbillon Movement
Hours, Minutes, Grand Date
10-Day Power Reverse
Patented Spherical Rewinding System
Exquisitely Hand-Finished Manufacture Movement
Dial
Hours, Minutes, Power Reserve
First time ever Asymmetrical Dials
Grand Date
Battista Hypercar Design Details Throughout
