A few weeks ago I posted a piece on a Rolex Datejust gifted to pianist Vladimir Horowitz by the New York Philharmonic (you can find that post here). The Rolex is held in Yale University's archives. In my prior post, I hinted that I went hands on a second watch owned by Horowitz. Here, I will provide details about that timepiece.
The second of Horowitz's watches in the Yale collection is a Swatch dating from 1989. The box of Horowitz' oigol ORO in Yale's archives. This isn't any 'ole Swatch, though. It is a full set oigol ORO. This reference was designed by Italian artist Mimmo Paladino and it was produced in a limited run of 140 pieces. Paladino was part of the Transavantgarde movement which, according to artnet, "sought to bring emotion, figuration, and mysticism back into avant-garde art."
Paladino's design went into production because he placed first in a "Draw Your Swatch" competition. The dial of Horowitz' oigol ORO. There were over 1,000 submissions to the contest. One of the more prominent designs on the dial is a black, oblong, mask-like shape with extended oval eyelids and large, reflective golden bunny-like ears. The cannon pinion for the hands is in the position of the mask's mouth. The hand shapes are also unique: one is a dark red arrow and the other is black ending in the shape of a hook or sickle (more on this one later). Paladino's signature resides just above 6 o'clock.
Encircling the dial are arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6 and 9 (100 examples were offered with these hour markers while 40 featured roman numerals Post publication correction roman numerals were used on the back of the case, not on the dial). A wider view of Horowitz' oigol ORO. Howeover, in a playful gesture, the numbers are mirror images of standard arabic markers. This fits with Paladino's reported vision for the timepiece: "The idea was not to decorate a watch, but to design time. My Swatch is like a humorous vanitas, a poetic symbol of passing time that was industrially manufactured." According to the book of knowledge (Wikipedia), vanitas is a "genre of art which uses symbolism to show the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death, and thus the vanity of ambition and all worldly desires."
This may explain Paladino's use of a sickle on the end of one hand. The "grim reaper," a symbol of death, is often depicted with a harvesting tool such as a sickle or scythe (in reference to "harvesting souls"). Further, the hour markers provide a hint to another playful element tied to this rare Swatch: the name. If we reverse the letters in oigol ORO and remove the space, we get orogolio, or the Italian word for clock.
A portion of the "papers" that accompanied Horowitz' Swatch.Accompanying Horowitz' Swatch in the Yale archives is the tin box and associated "papers" written in Italian. These contain a description of Paladino's career and various details about Horowitz' example of the oigol ORO, such as its serial number, which is handwritten on the papers. The number on the papers corresponds to the number engraved on the caseback of the watch.
When it was introduced, the oigol ORO Swatch ended up in the hands of some very well-known celebrities and artistis. Reportedly this group included the Dalai Lama and Sting. We now know this list includes Vladimir Horowitz.
The oigol ORO made headlines in 1990 when an example sold at auction for $42,151 (after adjusting for inflation). It is likely this reference's market value receded since then given the overall retreat in watch prices. However, a non-functioning example recently sold for over $8,000. Undoubedtly, the oigol ORO in Yale's archives, given its provenance, is closer to the higher end of those valuations. Beyond monetary value, Horowitz' oigol ORO also cements the longstanding relationship between Swatch and the arts community.
My book on the history of Rolex marketing is now available on Amazon! It debuted as the #1 New Release in its category. You can find it here.
The story behind ...And the Maestro's Swatch is fascinating! It’s incredible how a simple accessory like a watch can carry so much history and personal significance. The connection between art, timepieces, and craftsmanship in this piece feels deeply inspiring. It reminds me how small details can carry big meanings, much like custom designs on clothing. If you’re ever looking to create your own unique accessory or logo for apparel, consider working with a USA Digitizer to bring your ideas to life. Their expertise can turn your vision into a beautifully embroidered masterpiece, just like the Maestro's timeless swatch.
The vision & insight you have shared through this article concerning luxury watches embody the history and significance of this watch brand. In addition, how small details can create big impact is expressed in really well mannered.
News recently broke that watch brand Rolex was on the receiving end of a €91 million fine levied by French authorities. A view of Rolex's offices in France. Source: Google Maps. Generally, the headlines ascribed this fine to Rolex's alleged practice of prohibiting online sales of its watches. However, I've looked closely at the situation and I don't think those headlines are completely accurate (although they're probably what French authorities would want you to believe). I came to this conclusion after reading a Google translation of a 134 page report issued by the French Competition Authority on December 19, 2023. Generally speaking, such documents do not make for engaging reading. However, for those who know how successful Rolex has been at maintaining a comparatively high level of corporate secrecy, the French report provides a compelling and rare insight into some specific aspects of the brand's business. It is these insights which lead me to conclu
There comes a moment in the servicing of a watch that is probably easy to miss among the hundreds of steps required to remove a movement from a case, inspect the parts, repair anything amiss, lubricate all the pieces, and put the whole thing together again. A watch that Rolex's investigator bought at Beckertime for approximately $4,500. The lawsuit refers to this as "Counterfeit Watch One." That moment is when a watchmaker takes the dial and reattaches it to the movement. There is nothing particularly unique when it comes to the tools required or the tasks involved in this step. Instead, what is unique about this moment is that the watchmaker holds in their hand a mark that is not the property of the watchmaker and it is not exactly the property of the watch's owner. In the case of Vacheron Constantin, that mark is a Maltese Cross. For Audemars Piguet, it is the brand's initials. When it comes to Rolex, the mark is a widely recognized crown. If the reassembly
Among many avid watch collectors, the term "in house movement" seems to elicit eyerolling disdain. Pieces of an assortment, including balance spring, from a non-Swiss movement. There is a sizeable perception that "in house" is, in fact, nothing more than an unnecessary marketing ploy designed to tease more money out of the wallet of buyers (by way of definition, an "in house" movement means that the mechanism inside a watch was predominently manufactured by a brand itself, kind of like "we make our own bread" at a restaurant). I'll confess that I'd begun to think similarly, that is, until I read a 66 page report posted by the Swiss Competition Commision on May 10, 2023. Yes, this is the kind of thing an economist finds interesting on a weekend, or at least this economist. Before we get into the details of this report, in the interest of full disclosure I should say that the original document was in a different language: lawyerese.
The story behind ...And the Maestro's Swatch is fascinating! It’s incredible how a simple accessory like a watch can carry so much history and personal significance. The connection between art, timepieces, and craftsmanship in this piece feels deeply inspiring. It reminds me how small details can carry big meanings, much like custom designs on clothing. If you’re ever looking to create your own unique accessory or logo for apparel, consider working with a USA Digitizer to bring your ideas to life. Their expertise can turn your vision into a beautifully embroidered masterpiece, just like the Maestro's timeless swatch.
ReplyDeleteThe vision & insight you have shared through this article concerning luxury watches embody the history and significance of this watch brand. In addition, how small details can create big impact is expressed in really well mannered.
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