Description
Benzinger Subscription Blue Joy
An extremely beautiful interpretation of Benzinger’s subscription Joy, featuring an attractive deep blue, hand-guilloched, partially skeletonised dial and black chapter rings with clean white print. The off-centre dial configuration is enhanced via a two-piece sterling silver dial with the lower part hand-guilloched and partially opened to showcase the movement within. The upper section features black PVD-coated chapter rings with small seconds indicator at 5 o’clock. One of the features of this piece is the special guilloching technique which Benzinger refers to as ‘illusion’ because, despite being cut with a straight line engine, the pattern created is circular.
In addition to the alluring dial, the elegantly proportioned, polished, stainless-steel case, has a comfortable diameter of 42 mm thanks to the considered and subtle design of the lugs. A classic onion crown sits at 2 o’clock for ease of operation and aesthetic balance against the off-centred dial display. A sapphire exhibition case back affords an excellent view of the strikingly ennobled calibre Unitas 6498, manual winding, with power reserve up to 46 hours. Functions of this timepiece include – time in hours and minutes, and small seconds at 5 o’clock.
As one of Jochen Benzinger’s Subscription creations, the Blue Joy is not only expertly assembled but also bears the trademarks of the master ennobler that are renowned the world over for their finesse, innovation, and unique composition. This is a price that brings joy by name and nature.
Technical Specifications
Case:
42mm Stainless steel case with a sapphire case back, screwed lugs & a diamond shaped crown at 2 o’clock
Movement:
Cal. Basis Unitas 6498
Rhodium & ruthenium plated, hand-wound movement with skeletonized bridges, blued screws & optional fine regulation upgrades available.
Special feature:
Bespoke, hand manufactured, silver-coloured ratchet wheel in customised snowflake design
Dial:
Partially open, hand-guilloched, blued, off-center dial with applied white Roman numerals & small seconds at 5 o’clock, signed “Benzinger”, Breguet-style RG hands. Unique ‘illusion’ guiloching technique.
Hands:
Hand-annealed blue hands throughout, skeletonised hour and minute hands and elongated hands
Strap:
Black, genuine strap with a stainless steel on butterfly buckle
What is the art of Guilloche?
Guilloché (or guilloche) is a decorative technique whereby a very precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into an underlying material. It was developed between the 1600-1700s as part of the “royal craft” of art-reversing. From these princely beginnings, the watchmakers of the 18th and 19th century developed the beautiful Guilloche machines, with which, for example, Breguet cut its unique dials. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the court jeweller of the Russian Tsar, Fabergé, brought the art of Guilloche to its fullest perfection. He used the guilloche technique as a base for his famous enamel work, which culminated in the renowned Fabergé eggs. Today, thanks to the renaissance of mechanical clocks and watches, a limited number of high-quality manufacturers are still offering their products with hand-guilloched dials, which are still unmatched in their classic appearance. Jochen Benzinger is a master in this field.
What is the art of engraving?
Engraving is as old as mankind itself. People used cutting tools at all times to decorate jewellery and utensils. The engraving art in Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries reached its climax when armour and weapons were artfully engraved. In the sixteenth century, Albrecht Dürer brought this work to a new heyday when, using the same tools as Jochen Benzinger uses in his studio today, he cut the copper-printing blocks for his famous prints. Nowadays there are very few specialists who know the techniques of this craft. Hand-engraving in horology is a highly valued attribute on any timepiece. Benzinger watches feature this finish with flourish and skill.
What is the art of skeletonising?
Skeletonising is a refinement method for giving a new, individual character to closed movements. Parts of the movement are removed by a goldsmith’s saw to reveal the direct view into and through the mechanical movement. The view of the movement is made possible by a sapphire crystal, exhibition case back in all models. The imbued creative energy of Jochen Benzinger is brought to the fore in his bespoke skeletonising creations. Each piece is skilfully crafted to highlight the beauty of the mechanical movement beating within – a pleasure to observe and a privilege to wear.
