The dial of Kees Engelbarts’ latest watch depicts a scene, inspired by a Tsuba with a Hawk and Sparrow, from Hamano Masanobu, circa 1836 (late EDO). A Tsuba is the hand guard mounted on a Japanese sword. These Tsuba eventually became elaborate pieces of art – far beyond their practical use.
The watch has a 950-platinum case and an AS 690, 8-day power reserve, movement. The movement has been decorated with mokume gane of white-gold and silver in a star-like shape. The screws are hand-polished, beveled and heat-blued.
Kees has used a variety of different materials to make the dial. The hawk is made of red gold, the branch is made of mokume gane of pink gold/shakudo. The leafs are in green gold and the little sparrow is made of bronze. The smallest details are also in various materials, like the eye of the hawk that is in yellow gold with a silver center. The eye of the sparrow is also in yellow gold. The hawk’s feet are in yellow-gold and the claws made of silver. The base plate, on which the scene is mounted, is white-gold/silver mokume gane and has been treated with nitric acid. This acid will attack the silver and leave the white-gold unharmed and this accentuates the vertical shape structure and creates a relief. Finally, the hands are in heat-blued steel.
All elements have been cut out by hand, adjusted and then soldered together. Once assembled the elements are engraved by hand in the low-relief technique that gives a 3d-effect when watching the scene from different angles. Some elements have been heated and /or treated chemically in order to change the colors giving the whole scene an antique atmosphere.
It took Kees several months to make this watch.. Each step is delicate and extremely time-consuming. For additional and price info please contact him at: [email protected] or visit www.kees.ch
Technical specifications
Movement : Hand-wound AS 690
8 days power reserve
17 jewels
18’000 BPH
Pusher at 2 o’clock position for time-setting
Case : Platinum 950, matte finish
49 mm x 16mm
Sapphire crystal both sides with double anti-reflection treatment
Protrusion at 5 o’clock position to accommodate the main-spring barrel
Strap : Exterior black alligator leather
Interior black shark leather
Solid platinum 950 buckle
Weight : Total 301 grams
About Kees Engelbarts
Geneva based Dutchman Kees Engelbarts creates unique hand made watches. Engelbarts uses an ancient Japanese technique called “MOKUME GANE”, which literally means “wood grain metal”. Kees Engelbarts, initially a hand-engraver is until today commissioned by various high-end Swiss Watch Brands to engrave dials, movements, cases etc.
In 1997 he decided to begin creating his own watches thinking; Why should a watch wear the name of the watchmaker (the technician) if the important thing is aesthetic aspect of the watch; the engraved dial or the beautifully decorated movement? Wouldn’t it be more logical to name the watch after its creator? This reasoning proved Engelbarts right; he creates unique watches for people that are looking for “something different”.
Kees makes only very few pieces per year using only the best materials and movements for his watches. When you have a close look at a watch made by Kees Engelbarts you can tell that it has been made by hand with passion and love. For Kees Engelbarts “hand made” is not just a marketing slogan.
All pictures: © Guy Lucas de Peslouan
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