From dials crafted from mini mosaic tiles to watches featuring designs made of tiny beads of gold, a good number of art- inspired timepieces impresses with the specialised craft they showcase. Among these, Art Piece 1 by Greubel Forsey is probably the first to come with its own built-in, specially developed microscope.
No mere decorative feature, the optical instrument – which has a magnification of 23 times – is the only way a viewer can see the gold microsculpture made by Willard Wigan displayed within the watch. With dimensions of just several microns, less than the diameter of a strand of human hair, the sculptures – so far, prototypes have featured a golden mask and a golden ship – simply look like a speck of dust to the naked eye. To make these marvels, the British microsculptor slows his breathing and works between heartbeats, using customised tools such as tweezers made from an acupuncture needle and a “paintbrush” that was once the hair of a housefly.
With an estimated price tag of more than S$2 million, each Art Piece 1 features Greubel Forsey’s signature 30° double tourbillon and a custom Wigan microsculpture. Six designs have been commissioned to date.
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Willard Wigan
