OVERVIEW
THE UNIVERSAL TIME
Combining extraordinary watchmaking expertise with the talent of the artisans of the Atelier des Métiers Rares, the Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 expresses all the savoir-faire of the Grande Maison. Comprising 388 components, the Calibre 948 offers a World-Time complication and a flying Tourbillon making one revolution of the dial in 24 hours. Complementing this complex beauty of the movement, the enamelled dome and all the components of the piece offer a spectacle of great beauty.
DESIGN
THE EARTH ADORNED BY THE MÉTIERS RARES
The splendid new aesthetic expression of the world-time complication showcases La Grande Maison’s artistic creativity and mastery of the decorative crafts alongside its technical prowess. In a subtle allusion to the depth and complexity of time measurement, the dial is made of several parts and each component of the piece is meticulously crafted, giving expression to the exceptional Calibre 948.
THE ART OF ENAMELLING
Unlike the traditional flattened image, the world map, as seen from the North Pole, floats above the dial bed on a domed skeleton formed by the longitudes and latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Created by the master artisans of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares® atelier, the outline of the continents is cut from a sheet of white gold and decorated with champlevé enamel; miniature-painted details of major landscape features add intrigue and refinement.
THE BEAUTY OF THE OCEAN
Beneath the dome, representing the oceans, the dial bed is a disc of vivid blue translucent lacquer applied over a wavy guilloché pattern that suggests the movement of the sea and the lunar influence on its tides. In circular aperture to one side of the map, the flying tourbillon appears to float weightlessly above the blue oceans, spinning in 60 seconds.
A LUXURIOUS CASE
The Master Grande Tradition case is a perfect complement to the dial. Comprising more than 80 parts, its convex bezel contrasts with broad bevels on the lugs, and the hollowed-out lug sides add dynamic tension. Different surfaces are microblasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light.
Turning the watch on itself reveals a spectacle of great beauty. The sapphire case back of the timepiece offers a view of the refined decorations of the automatic calibre, echoing the complexity of the piece.
