NAUTILUS: THE HOROLOGICAL SCULPTURE CELEBRATING THE SEAS AND THE STARS

04 February 2019

Embodying Winch Design’s ethos of beauty, uniqueness and perfect proportion, the Nautilus transcends the boundaries of clockmaking and elevates itself to the class of horological sculpture.

The word Nautilus derives from the Latin form of the original Ancient Greek: ναυτίλος (nautilos) which means sailor, a fitting title for this incomparable sculptural timepiece, embodying the spirit of the ocean. The case is inspired to the spiral of the Nautilus shell and owes its elegant form which follows the golden ratio of the Fibonacci spiral. Quarter-circle arcs are inscribed with the Fibonacci’s integers (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and 21), and the curvature of the crystal spirals out from the intricate clock face inside. Nature in its purest form is reflected in the proportions of this exquisite timepiece.

 

The Ocean as a Sculpture
The streamlined yet physically imposing piece is made of fine Bohemian crystal, the signature work of world-renowned Crystal Caviar. This kiln-cast glass sculpture, created in the Czech Republic and crafted through a meticulous process, is only achievable at the hands of supremely skilled artisans. Its deep and complex blue hues create the illusion of looking through the ocean waters to treasures below. Synonymous with the features of the ocean, Nautilus is the ultimate statement piece for a superyacht, intended to be showcased and admired. Displayed in sunlight, it sings, the intricate details within the crystal are revealed, and it takes on an almost organic quality. The elegant open-work dial magnifies the intricacies of the multicomplicated movement and its transparent paint combines with multiple reflections to create an utterly unique effect. The hands are in blued steel, hand-finished.

 

Astronomical Timekeeping
A mechanical feat, this mechanism belongs to the exclusive family of astronomical movements. The equation of time represents the difference between solar time – which varies throughout the year as the earth nears or distances itself from the sun – and our 24-hours-per-day time, based on the worldwide consensus that every day should have the same duration. In addition to the zodiac, the celestial coordinates are completed with a magnificent 3-D moon sphere providing the different phases, combined with a moon age display showing – within the lunation cycle of 29 days, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds – the time elapsed since the last new moon.

 

“It has been a great privilege to collaborate with Thomas Mercer on this unique timepiece. Time remains to me the ultimate luxury, and Nautilus not only embodies this, but also reflects Winch Design’s commitment to precision, expertise and beauty, but above all our love of the ocean.”

Andrew Winch