Bovet Virtuoso XI

The second timepiece for Valentine’s Day is a special version of the Virtuoso XI, BOVET’s first and only fully skeletonized timepiece. Special “Pierre du Château” (“Stones of the Castle” in English) or “Fleurisanne” engraving adorns the bow, while brilliant white diamonds are set into the 18K red or white gold bezel for the latter’s engraving motif.

The delicate dance when skeletonizing a movement is to remove enough material to enhance the aesthetics and completely show the inner workings, while still keeping the movement robust enough to function impeccably. Take away too much material from the bridges, for example, and they could deform and damage the performance of the movement.

However, BOVET’s owner Mr. Pascal Raffy wasn’t content with just applying the art of skeletonization for this timepiece. He was determined to do something that had never been done before, so he gave the mandate to engrave both sides of the movement’s components. In normal skeletonized watches, the movements are often tightly packed without much room in between the bridges and wheels, so engraving both sides is too difficult and would be pointless because it would not be visible.

With the Virtuoso XI, the movement was specifically conceived and designed from the start to have enough space to engrave both sides of the bridges and plates, and room to admire them, and the result is exceptional. More transparent than any other timepiece that BOVET has ever produced, every aspect of this high watchmaking movement is on full display.

This allows you to dive into the movement, letting your eyes wander throughout its construction, admiring the transparency, the attention to detail, the high finishing, as well as the overall ethereal effect.

Mesmerizing and captivating, the Virtuoso XI is a wonder to behold. Stare too long at the magnificent artistry and you will get lost in its spectacular details. BOVET 1822 cannot be held responsible for the consequences when you become distracted by your timepiece.

The flying tourbillon movement that drives this exceptional timepiece meets BOVET’s demanding criteria of chronometry, reliability, and expression. It draws its energy from a single barrel that ensures more than 10 days of power reserve (240 hours, when the industry standard is 42-48 hours), all while maintaining the balance wheel’s oscillations at 18,000 vph.

Finally, the long power reserve would require meticulous winding if not for the spherical differential winding system. The application of this ingenious mechanism, and the multi-gear three- dimensional teeth of one of its pinions, has received two patents. Because of this system, the number of crown turns needed for full winding of the mainspring is halved without increasing friction and forces exerted on the gears.

Available in 18K white or red gold, the Virtuoso XI is a triumph of high watchmaking, skeletonization, hand-engraving, and hand-decoration. All told, more than 60 pairs of human hands have come together to transform this timepiece into a true work of art.

With these new versions of already renowned timepieces, Mr. Raffy and his artisans have honored love on Valentine’s Day, aiming to delight collectors attentive to technical skill and appreciative of the noblest expression of the decorative arts.