There's a particular elegance to rowing—the disciplined rhythm, the perfect posture, the singular focus required to move a racing skiff through water with precision and power. L'Epée 1839 has captured this quiet grace in La Regatta clocks, and now reimagines it through a series of Métiers d'Art unique pieces that elevate the vertical clock into wearable sculpture through the ancient art of Grand Feu enameling.
Standing 51.8 centimeters tall on a 12 -entimeter square base, La Regatta clock’s slender silhouette directly references a racing skiff cutting through water. The entire gear train is aligned along a single vertical axis, echoing the perfectly upright posture of the rower and the harmony of a crew moving in unison. The barrel and escapement sit at opposite ends of the clock, establishing the same visual and mechanical balance that keeps a boat stable on water. It's architectural horology that speaks fluently in the language of sport.
What transforms these pieces into exceptional collectors' objects is the hull—fully adorned with Grand Feu enameling hand-applied by David Kakabadze Enamel, the world-renowned Georgian atelier. Grand Feu enameling involves applying multiple layers of colored vitrified enamel onto copper, with successive firings at temperatures between 700°C and 750°C. Like the repeated, fluid motion of an oar moving through water, it's a slow and careful process built through patience and perfect timing.
Three Clock Variations
The collection explores distinct enameling techniques. La Regatta Blue Horizon employs rare flinqué enameling, combining guilloché engraving with translucent enamel layers that shift subtly with light, creating optical movement that enhances the impression of motion—like a vessel cutting through water.
La Regatta Umi—"Sea" in Japanese—features cloisonné enamel enhanced by the paillons technique, with thin silver leaves inlaid beneath transparent enamel to capture the rhythmic movement and power of Hokusai's waves. Ultra-fine gold wires, thinner than a strand of hair, are shaped into delicate cells filled with enamel, color by color, requiring 12 to 15 firings, where even a secondtoo long can undo weeks of work.
La Regatta Prism introduces plique-à-jour enameling, one of the most challenging techniques in haute horlogerie. Inspired by stained-glass windows, it requires creating an ultra-fine metal framework into which translucent enamel is meticulously applied and fired multiple times without a solid backing. Each element risks cracking or deforming, making every successful piece extraordinary. The prism pattern creates a mosaic-like rhythm of deep blues and greens, evoking shifting reflections on water.
The in-house calibre L'Epée 1839 provides an eight-day power reserve beating at 18,000 vph. Palladium-plated brass and polished stainless steel are finished with the brand's signature attention to detail—polished, satin brushed, and sandblasted surfaces that elevate mechanical precision into art.
These are unique pieces customizable on demand, where centuries-old Georgian enameling traditions—dating to the 8th century meet Swiss clockmaking excellence in objects conceived to bring serenity into our fast-paced lives.
StickerPrice USD 127,200. More info on L'Epée 1839, here.
