Baume & Mercier – HAMPTON “Hommage à Pierre Soulages” 10741 Polyptyque - Musée SOULAGES 10th Anniversary Edition 2024
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO HAMPTON - POLYPTYQUE EDITION MUSÉE SOULAGES 10TH ANNIVERSARY
A WATCH CREATION INSPIRED BY THE ARTIST'S WORK
It is with a great deal of emotion that Baume & Mercier reveals its second unique timepiece based on one of the great master’s works. This new original creation – the outcome of an extraordinary collaboration with the extraordinary painter and the Musée Soulages of Rodez – pays tribute to the artist and expresses the strength and beauty of the poignant legacy that he left behind. The “Hampton Polyptyque Edition – Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary” watch is inspired by the painting Peinture 324 x 362 cm, 1986, Polyptyque I Edition from the series Outrenoirs.
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“Pierre Soulages is connected
with Baume & Mercier on many levels: humanistic and artistic,
cordial and technical, and through the museum and timepieces that bear
his name. The first “Hampton Hommage à Pierre Soulages” timepiece,
released in February 2022, was a testimonial to Baume & Mercier’s
admiration for the great artist Pierre Soulages. The second watch that
we dedicate to him, which we are revealing today, represents the
materialization of our dream: the creative embodiment of our connection.
This one is inspired by our first encounter with the artist in person,
in June 2021, when Pierre Soulages and his wife Colette invited us to
their villa in Sète. It was at the precise moment when he suggested that
we place a delicate touch of gold on each of the watch hands that we
understood the extent to which he wanted to help us consider the design
of the first watch, as well as those to come.”
David Chaumet, CE of Baume & Mercier.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
“Human
relations run through this cultural partnership, adding to its
artistic, technical, and watchmaking dimensions. We connect through the
mechanics of time, as if to overcome it.”
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Benoît Decron, Director of Musée Soulages Rodez – EPCC, Chief Curator of Heritage.
How the project came about
Just
over a year ago, with humbleness and great sincerity, Baume &
Mercier sought out the Musée Soulages, an international reference of the
work of Pierre Soulages. In 2005, the artist donated a collection of
250 works and 250 documents to the urban community of Greater Rodez, and
the museum was founded on the basis of that donation. It is a true
extension of the painter’s studio in the spirit of his beloved Aveyron
heritage.
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In the
springtime of 2021, Pierre Soulages and his wife Colette invited the
Baume & Mercier executive team to their villa in Sète. All those in
presence were captivated by the man’s humbleness and attentiveness. More
than a talented figure, he proved to be a very likable human being. The
curator of Musée Soulages was also there. We were all warmly welcomed.
The first contact we made was with a long, admiring gaze. Then the
Artistic Director of Baume & Mercier introduced the initial design
project to Pierre Soulages. The idea thrilled him, and the artistic
approach did too. And so the creative process got underway. The
discussion turned to the way of representing his light-and-shadow work
on a timepiece, and how to miniaturize the Outrenoir work
to fit that scale. Each participant expressed their own vision of time,
jointly taking inspiration from their differences. Colette Soulages and
the museum curator also took part in the artistic metamorphosis.
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Eyes
ablaze, mind alert, Pierre Soulages engaged with a lively spirit,
challenging the team in technical and aesthetic terms. He advocated for
the time to be displayed as invisibly as possible. He was an attentive,
generous guide in transposing his pictorial universe to a timepiece. He
questioned whether the overall appearance of a timepiece might be
suspended. Going beyond the standard two-handed form, he entered a
transcendent creative dimension to imagine spherical figures that would
appear to float over the dial, which he would place at the tips of the
hands. He then considered the color gold to contrast with the black. The
collective reflection continued in the painter’s studio. It was a
unique moment with a fascinating artist who, in his own way, led Baume
& Mercier towards an approach that continues to influence the
Brand’s creations. The exclusive “Hampton Polyptyque Edition – Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary” timepieces immortalize
this extraordinary encounter, and Baume & Mercier is proud to have
been able to give the painter a timepiece dedicated to him. Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
The “Hampton Polyptyque Edition – Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary”
watch is even more a tribute to him, since it carries the painter’s
personality and symbolizes the union of both visions: that of the
contemporary artist and that of Baume & Mercier.Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
The heritage of Pierre Soulages
For
Baume & Mercier, designing a timepiece inspired by the work of
Pierre Soulages is a way of express an admiration for his art, as well
as our gratitude to have received so much from one of the greatest
artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Bedazzling and questioning, his
work continues to inspire our sensibilities and minds, leaving us
spellbound.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
The idea of carrying on his legacy has taken on an even more
earnest resonance since his death. The creative exchange that brought
life to these exclusive timepieces is a precious heirloom that will
forever remain a part of the history of the Brand.From dark to light
Beginning
in 1979, Pierre Soulages painted his canvases entirely in black. More
precisely, he layered different textures of black, applying them with
various tools and brushes to reveal shiny, matte, powdery, dull, slick,
striated, polished, and even sharp-edged effects. He brought attention
to the quality of the light reflected off the black surface, creating
effects by shaping the texture of the paint, cutting into the black
texture of acrylic to alternate matte and shine, texture and smoothness,
in low-relief.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
The Noir-Lumière series was named Outrenoir in 1989. The painting that inspired the dial of this watch is part of that series. Peinture 324 x 362 cm, 1986, Polyptyque I is
an oil on canvas measuring 324 x 362 cm: a gigantic polyptych made up
of four overlapping elements, each measuring 81 x 362 cm. It hangs at
Musée Soulages in Rodez.
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Polyptychs are works made up of several panels, which is the case for the great majority of Outrenoirs.
This format gave Pierre Soulages the opportunity to bring discontinuity
to the surface through contrasting textures, overlapping horizontal and
vertical strokes to be revealed by the light. The artist also brought
the spectator into the equation, since the appearance of the work
changes under the influence of light and texture as the viewer moves
around. His approach to black is made even more powerful by the fact
that it stretches across several panels in monumental dimensions. Its
power of attraction is as strong as the technique that brought it into
being.An interaction between art and watchmaking
To
understand the foundations of Pierre Soulages’ work, to reenact –
freely, but as respectfully as possible – its formal and artistic
expression, and to capture the strength and emotion that emanates from
it are all challenges that Baume & Mercier took to heart. Every
detail of the watch case and dial resonate with the creation, in both
artistic and watchmaking terms.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
This
interaction between art and watchmaking has been an integral part of
the history of Baume & Mercier since Paul Mercier – an art lover who
surrounded himself with painters and writers – partnered with the
watchmaker William Baume in 1918 to found the Baume & Mercier brand
in 1920. The history of the house is interwoven with the world of art.
Most importantly, it established the foundations for a vision of
watchmaking that continues on today, based on craftsmanship and artistic
sensibility in pursuit of design, innovative shapes, and a balance of
volumes, proportions, and precise lines. This technical and aesthetic
discipline is symbolized by the Greek letter Phi, a reference to the
golden ratio that Baume & Mercier has chosen as its emblem. This
history of creativity has been evident in each collection throughout the
decades, and has brought success to the brand’s modern, bold,
liberating approach.
The Hampton Collection, or the artistic expression of time
With
a streamlined rectangular case and dial comparable to a canvas, the
Hampton Collection offers the perfect exhibition space for the
reproduction of Peinture 324 x 362 cm, 1986, Polyptyque I.
The successor to a model that the brand launched in the 1960s – itself
inspired by the Art Deco of the 1920s – is a striking tribute to art
which, since its release in 1994, has epitomized the ultimate shape
watch so distinctive of Baume & Mercier. Its understated minimalist
design elegantly showcases this work, which is transposed in its every
detail, and frames the overlay of vertical and horizontal strokes that
form the composition and adorn the dial.
Monumental technical and aesthetic complexity
From
the exploration of the color black to the transposition of light
effects, the design was a considerable technical and aesthetic challenge
which required the use of innovative 3D printing technology.
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The dial of the “Hampton Polyptyque Edition – Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary” watch
is a black composition in the image of this painting, which juxtaposes
vertical and diagonal strokes. It emanates the force distinctive of all
the visual variations of this work. The black hour and minute hands are
tipped with hemispheres in 750/1000 rose gold, which the artist himself
chose to imprint the design with his creative force and figurative
vision of time.Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
The
rectangular case in DLC steel is sandblasted and coated with
hydrogenated amorphous carbon ions through plasma-assisted chemical
vapor deposition (PACVD) in a thickness of 2 microns, providing a
hardness of 6,000 Vickers. It is protected by a scratch-resistant domed
sapphire crystal, treated on both sides with an anti-glare coating.
“Baume & Mercier” lettering appears as a metallic engraving on the
underside of the sapphire crystal. The underside of the case is also
protected by a sapphire crystal, which is fastened with four screws. A
“Musée Soulages 10ème Anniversaire n° xxx/328” engraving appears above
it.Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
An automatic
mechanical Swiss movement (ETA 2892) drives this timepiece, of which the
exquisite finishes are demonstrated by the circular-grained bridge. The
black oscillating weight, adorned with “Côtes de Genève” decoration,
appears through the transparent case back. The watch, which indicates
hours and minutes, offers a 42-hour power reserve and water-resistance
to 5 ATM (approx. 50m).Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
It
is mounted on a cellulose strap lined in apple leather. Its deep black
color visually extends the chromatic power that emanates from the
timepiece beyond its case. The interchangeable strap features a reliable
spring bar system that allows it to be changed without the use of
tools. It fastens with a DLC steel pin buckle.
A presentation case in the image of Musée Soulages
The
exclusive watch presentation case pays tribute to the contemporary
architecture of Musée Soulages in Rodez. Designed by the Catalan
architectural firm RCR Arquitectes, the building won the Pritzker
Architexture Prize, the highest distinction in the field. The case is
entirely crafted in weathering steel like the siding of the museum
building. The iridescent rust effects of its patina also evoke the
passage of time.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
To
modestly yet proudly reenact the strokes of the immense painter Pierre
Soulages. To pay tribute to his personality and work. To uphold the
memory of that magnificent encounter. The creative exchange that began
in the Sète-based villa will inspire timepieces to come, and will
continue to contribute to the artistic vision of watchmaking so
distinctive of Baume & Mercier. We express our sincere gratitude,
wholeheartedly thanking the unique artist for his generosity.
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ABOUT BAUME & MERCIER
Founded in 1830 at the heart of Swiss Jura, the Baume & Mercier
watch manufacture enjoys international renown. From its workshops at
the heart of Swiss Jura to its headquarters based in Geneva, the Brand
offers its clients the very finest timepieces. Borne by a complementary
balance between an artistic approach to shape and watchmaking innovation
in the service of the client, the Baume & Mercier
House continues to mark the history of watchmaking by passing down the
design and watchmaking expertise that is the Brand’s legacy. This
savoir-faire perfectly corresponds with the spirit of cooperation
between the Brand’s founders William Baume & Paul Mercier:
where classicism meets creativity, tradition meets modernity, and
elegance meets character... In a more contemporary way than ever.
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Collection Hampton
Model: Hampton 10741 Polyptyque Edition "Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary"
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
Ref. MOA10741
MovementSwiss Made ETA 2892-A2 Automatic, self-winding
Frequency: 4Hz (
28,800 vph)
Number of Rubies: 21Power reserve: up to
42 hours
CaseSandblasted stainless steel with DLC coating case
Shape: Rectangular
Size Width: 31.0 mm x Length: 48.11 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Material And Finishes: ACIERADLCNOIR, Sand-blasted
Sapphire case back with 4 screws and
«Hommage a Pierre Soulages n°xxx/328» engraved
Water resistance: Up to a pressure of
5 bar (
50 m)
Glass: Antiglare (2 faces) scratch-resistant curved sapphire crystal
DialColors and Finishes: Black, Opaline, None Black dial inspired by the «Outrenoirs» paintings
Baume & Mercier metallization written below the sapphire
Black H/M hands with 18K pink gold (750/1000) semi-sphere at their edgeStrapInterchangeable black non-animal materials strap with tone-on-tone stitching.
System of bars with very reliable lug that allows to change the strap without tools Material: Alligator, Black
Buckle: Steel with DLC coating buckle, Sand-blasted finishes
🔰 Limited edition of 328 pieces
Price: 6,800 EUR / US $ 6,840 💰
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