Lot 161 of our @phillipswatches Geneva Watch Auction XIX (May 11-12) Christian Klings Tourbillon 6
Estimate CHF 80,000-160,000
Christian Klings is a revered name of independent watchmaking, a discreet watchmaker who in the course of a 30 plus years career has made less than 35 watches but his impact has been immense whether with the collecting community or with his fellow watchmakers. Klings is as much an artist as he is a watchmaker and thus focuses on creating bespoke timepieces upon commission from savvy collectors. His creations - with an almost unheard of degree of hand work using traditional tools and techniques- have ranged from a 10-second tourbillon with a free balance escapement, to detent escapements to highly finished time-only watches with single-beat escapements.
In a recent interview published on Phillips website Klings said: “The watches I make now need to be simple, have a clean look, a classic design, and an aesthetically pleasing movement with a high degree of finish. I want my movement designs to have a calming effect.”
The present Tourbillon number 6 is true to the master’s ethos: a slim case, hand guilloché dial with circular motif and silver chapter ring with hand engraved numerals frame a large 15mm tourbillon cage held by a beautifully finished cylindrical bridge. The large movement is also devoid of any frills with the blue screws, red rubies and gold chaton adding a dash of color. Interestingly the fourth wheel, connected to the tourbillon, sits on top of the movement to reduce the height of the movement.
Klings has made only 12 tourbillon wristwatches, each of them different, making the present N°6 unique and offering the rare opportunity to own a timepiece by a watchmaker of incredible talent who unfortunately has stopped making watches.