CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition
Christiaan van der Klaauw Astronomical Watches (CVDK) marks its 50th anniversary with the debut of the CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Manufacture, recognized as the most advanced mechanical planetarium watch worldwide. Following this launch, CVDK exceeded expectations by introducing an exclusive three-piece limited edition, commemorating the 70th anniversary of Sincere Fine Watches. The CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition features a distinct dial, hand-painted in oil by Gaël Colon. There’s much to explore, so let’s start with a short overview of the watchmaker Christiaan van der Klaauw.
CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition
Famed for his astronomical mechanical artistry, Dutch master watchmaker Christiaan van der Klaauw has earned acclaim for creating intricate timepieces that depict celestial movements. The CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Manufacture stands as the atelier’s most complex creation, being the sole watch globally that accurately simulates the orbits of all eight planets, rendering it a true hallmark of horological and astronomical innovation. Noteworthy are the representations of Earth’s moon and four moons each for both Jupiter and Saturn. This unique aspect characterizes the CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition.
CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition
Christiaan van der Klaauw is a long-time member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI), with a history of crafting complex astronomical watches and tide indicators. His planetarium watches, however, hold the title of his signature creations. In 1995, van der Klaauw produced the smallest mechanical planetarium, which tracked the orbits of six planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Notably, Uranus and Neptune were excluded due to their lengthy orbital periods (84 and 165 years), which posed substantial technical challenges. The CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Manufacture ultimately includes these distant planets, triumphing over the challenge of depicting their slow orbits within a wristwatch through meticulous manual calculations to create specialized gear trains.
CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition
The creation of the CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Manufacture involved three generations of CVDK craftsmanship. Initially inspired by the CVDK Kepler’s Planetarium Clock designed by Christiaan van der Klaauw, Daniël and Maria Reintjes refined the design over 15 years of leadership. The initial hand-drawn sketches were converted into a 3D CAD model, leading to the project’s realization. This timepiece accurately reflects the true trajectories of the planets, which traverse eccentric paths around the Sun, adding a layer of realism to its display.
CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition
The newly crafted in-house movement from CVDK comprises a sophisticated assembly of gears with a total of 3,338 gear teeth. This mechanism features a free-sprung hairspring, a variable-inertia balance wheel, and offers a power reserve of 60 hours, embellished with decorative elements referencing the starry sky, including frosted star details and a skeletonized rotor shaped like the CVDK logo, finished in rose gold.
CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition
The breathtaking movement can be admired through the exhibition caseback, featuring an engraving of the Sincere Platinum Jubilee emblem; notably, the case middle also displays this emblem. This leads us to the specially designed dial by Gaël Colon for the CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition. The dial exudes a cosmic theme, encapsulating the vastness of space and time within the limited physical space of the 44mm watch. Gaël Colon’s design is not just aesthetically pleasing; it is based on an earlier prototype created by Christiaan van der Klaauw, who spray-painted the design while conceptualizing the watch.
CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition
Housed in 18k yellow gold, the watch boasts a thickness of 15mm and is water-resistant up to 50m. Additional features include yellow gold-plated pomme hands and a rotating sun emblem at the center to indicate the seconds. The CVDK Grand Planetarium Eccentric Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition will be available at Sincere Fine Watches boutiques and has a retail price of SGD 280,000, including GST.
For more updates and readings on luxury watches from WOW, click here.