The name Thomas Prescher will forever by synonymous with the words Master Watchmaker. Credited with creating the first ever Flying Triple Axis Tourbillon, an exceptionally complicated timepiece, back in 2004 Prescher’s craftsmanship is highly lauded the world over. So when he was recently asked to create a watch with a flag or national symbol you could bet it was going to be anything but ordinary and true to his reputation, Mr Prescher has not disappointed.
National Pride
The country Mr Prescher was asked to incorporate into his design was Qatar, that often overlooked tiny Arab Emirate which happens to be home to the third largest gas reserves and the second highest GDP per capita in the world (thank you Wikipedia).
The starting place for all time sculpture manufactured by Prescher is the design. As the only instruction he had been given was that this unique piece should incorporate the country’s flag or national symbol Prescher decided to learn as much as could about Qatar. After a lot of research about this exceptional country it was a picture of its Coat of arms that caught his eye and subsequently inspired the ‘TEMPUSVIVENDI Qatar’.
The coat of arms of Qatar shows two crossed swords in a yellow circle. Between the swords there is a traditional sailing ship called dhow, sailing over the waves beside an island with two palm trees. The yellow circle is surrounded by a white and brown band, which is divided horizontally with a zigzag line.
It is this image that forms the backdrop of the beautifully sculpted Arabesque dial. At first look the design appears deceptively simple but this masks the true genius at work here. Time is indicated by the sword tips; one shows the minutes while the other indicates the hours. The movement incorporates a retrograde function which means that after the swords reach the end of the index sector they jump back to the beginning to rise again. |
Thomas Prescher has developed this exquisite concept to give the connoisseur the choice: Having the figure continuously showing the time or allowing it to simply remain in its non-temporal state. This could be only achieved through the use of a complicated and ingenious new system, which he created specially for his watches, after studying and repairing old originals.
Whilst it’s all well and good to try and describe this phenomenal piece it is far easier to just show you. Fortunately for us, Thomas has created a video (which he was kind enough to send me) that exhibits this stunning piece in action. Check it out below:
The TEMPUSVIVENDI Qatar is yet another dazzling example of what this great man is capable of. Showcasing superb creativity with highly complex watch making mastery Thomas Prescher continues to impress both admirers and critics alike.
Now for the exciting news.International Wristwatches will be interviewing Mr Prescher in the coming days in a humble bid to get some form of insight into this great man’s exceptional mind. Keep your eyes out for that one, it is sure to be amazing!
thewatchlounge.com
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