In 2020, the art of making mechanical watches - haute horlogerie - was officially included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. On February 26, 2022, all watch lovers can take advantage of the unique opportunity to listen to the author’s lecture by the world famous Russian watchmaker, inventor, founder of the watch manufactory of the same name, Konstantin Chaykin, “Watches as Art,” which will be held at the State Historical Museum.
There is probably no one in our country who knows this subject better than Konstantin Chaykin. He is the creator of the most complex table clock in Russia, “Moscow Easter,” which embodies Chaykin’s “triad”: a unique idea, impeccable mechanics and perfection of decorative finishing.
In order for a watch to become a true work of art, it is necessary not only the impeccable skill of a watchmaker, but also the innovative and original thinking of an inventor capable of generating original ideas, as well as artistic taste and excellent knowledge of applied art techniques used in watchmaking: engraving, guilloche, enamel, glyptic, mosaic, marquetry and so on.
However, all this is not enough for the watch to truly amaze the imagination. Konstantin Chaykin, the creator of one of the most recognizable watches in the world - the Joker clock - believes that the novelty of an idea, the originality of its implementation and the emotions they generate - all these integral components of art as such - must certainly be present in haute horlogerie. The modern watchmaker is no longer constrained by traditions and restrictions, as his predecessors were 200 or 250 years ago. He can “create, invent, try,” experiment with materials and technologies, creating watches with unusual new complications that capture the viewer’s imagination.
Works of high luxury watchmaking are not just complex - they are impeccable, since the master thinks through and verifies every detail, be it the movement or the finishing. There are no small things for him. Konstantin Chaykin will tell in detail not only about the history of the formation of haute horlogerie and its transformation from a craft into an art, but also talk about his creativity and share his own know-how, which made his name in the global watch community.
You can purchase a ticket by following this link.
