by Bernard Cheong
















Above, the beautiful Mrs. Schnyder handles the incredible egg styled delivery case of the incredible Kremlin watch.

This was my very first look at the watch. I can say with all my heart, that it is one of the MOST beautiful objects that can be held in the human hand.

We may be admirers of wristwatches. However, this gold and silver egg is a MUST have if one can come up with the money.

First, the weight of the thing. Next, it is coated with a deep blue enamel!

" We must treat watches as objects of enduring value that last long beyond our lifetimes" Rolf Schynder.

The blue enamel is no less than the famous blue enamel of Ulysse Nardin. Itself a rare material and deserves a long story.

Although Cloisonne is known as an ultimate decorative art, with a history rich in the 10th to 12th century AD, the material used on the Faberge eggs are what made these eggs famous.

Only TEN or so Faberge eggs of value are left in existence within the walls of the Kremlin.

It is historical, and further down in this forum, there is a description of the opening of the Kremlin exhibit posted by Charles, that Ulysse Nardin is bringing back an egg made in the truest Faberge style...








Note that the egg has TWO shells. Inner shell is a solid gold guiloched shell.

The outer blue enamel shell has a setting of a brace of diamonds of among the finest white quality, much more than top wesselton, in the skyline relief of the Kremlin's unmistakeable profile!

Imagine that this egg had to be baked in an oven with liquid enamel flowing over its complex ovoid surface! Over 5 layers of enamel and over 5 bakings.

Each baking, and each layer of enamel applied runs the risks of cracking and crazing. The stress and the complicated process of creating ONE egg, took all the energy of a dedicated team of craftsmen months to make just ONE egg.

There is perfection...no bubbles. No micro cracks.




The egg alone is to me worth the price.

Now the dial...54 seperate maneoveurs, over 12 bakings, in 840C...the dials have to be coated on both sides to minimise stress on the dial surface.

On examination, my experience with both Cartiers incredibly good cloisonne AND the battleship series of Ulysse Nardin, as well as the Jungle Repeater...I have to say that THIS Kremlin dial, on THIS watch is the best I have seen in the world.

We are talking of a watch that has achieved the minute repeater's level of artisan intensity! This cloisonne work is tremendous.

The egg, the watch, it was worth my travelling thousands of miles just to witness this occasion.

Note the presence of all the local TV and newspaper people...the Kremlin watch was no small occasion.

My congratulations to Ulysse Nardin and Rolf Schynder for being the first to bring the Faberge tradition and the egg back to the Kremlin.... Ultimate extravagance, superlative indulgence that is extremely fitting tribute to the Tsars of a different world.

In view of the fact that so few will ever be made, this is one of those items that money alone may not be able to acquire.

I believe that cloisonne work is back, with a vengeance, and some of the early pieces by Ulysse Nardin are about to be very sought after.

More to come...


(Moderator's note: The text of the interview was deleted since it is copyright protected by TASS. However, some posts further down there is a link to the full interview text at the TASS website. Or you just click here to access the post:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/201110/message/1153051637/>

Regards,
Marcus)

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