Artistic expression is open to the observer to interpret. Is it “art” depicting power and movement or just a set of squiggly lines that a third grader painted? Sometime only a discriminating eye will know the difference. But when your art costs you a small fortune you might tend to look at it in a different light. Is is rare? Is it something most discriminating buyer would want? Is it a masterpiece?
Well I dare say this latest creation by our friends over at Bell & Ross probably qualifies as a masterpiece. Again I might remind you that interpretation is the key here, and anytime you assemble a dozen or so exclusive timepieces to create such an unusual graphical representation of time, then you have my attention.
You have to admit the concept is unique. Each timepiece represents a single digit on a standard clock, and each has it own dedicated winding mechanism to keep all twelve of them running in unison. The TWELVE O’CLOCK as they call, is destined to become a classic with collectors, if not only for the exclusivity (there will only be twelve created) but for the unusual interpretation itself.
Below is the official release from Bell & Ross:
BR TWELVE O’CLOCK
AN ABSTRACT PORTRAYAL OF THE PASSAGE OF TIME
By its very nature, time is a relative concept that man has always wanted to punctuate with markers. The development of watch mechanisms has enabled it to be measured precisely.
With the creation of the BR Twelve O’Clock timepiece, Bell & Ross is rewriting the rules of traditional watchmaking by doing away with minutes and seconds.
Designed as an objet d’art, the BR Twelve O’Clowck is an artistic interpretation of the Bell & Ross disk-based display. Primarily conceptual, it is a constantly evolving animated piece of art, only indicating the exact time for a fleeting moment.
Technical performance
An original and, fleeting reading of time
The BR Twelve O’Clock is a clock made up of 12 display watches.
• Each watch has a number on it corresponding to an hour of the day: 1, 2, 3, etc. up to 12.
• Each number is drawn on three concentric disks. As the disks rotate, the numbers become fragmented making them illegible. You must wait until the disks are correctly positioned to be able to read the time.
• The exact hour is indicated by the only watch that displays a number in a vertical position.
For example at three o’clock, the third watch shows the number 3, while the images on the other watches remain fragmented. At four o’clock, the number 4 is shown on the fourth watch and so on. As time passes, the twelve watches create an abstract picture with a fascinating movement.
The twelve watches use the disk-based display technology developed by Bell & Ross. The display is in the form of three separate concentric disks on single plane.
As they rotate, an adjustment to the nearest micron ensures that the disks are constantly parallel. The technical challenge lies in the design and production of the three disks and in the accuracy of their assembly. It requires all the expertise of the master watchmakers.
The twelve automatic watches come in a box with twelve battery-powered winders with push button operation. This system gua- rantees a constantly changing montage.
A timepiece and an objet d’Art
In modern- day society, where every second is accounted for, the Twelve O’Clock timepiece is a demonstration of our inability to control the sands of time. The animated display that gives the time in a split second is the perfect illustration of the elusive nature of time.
With just 12 pieces produced, the BR Twelve O’Clock looks at time in a totally new way. A truly animated objet d’Art, its complex mechanism and its continually changing image will not fail to amaze. It will delight both watchmaking enthusiasts and collectors of art.
Bell & Ross is a proud sponsor of AutoSpies.
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