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watchilove · 6 years ago

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Chopard took Baselworld 2019 by storm with its first flying tourbillon calibre – the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin. The sophistication and the elegance of the Flying T are doubled by the ethically certified “Fairmined” materials. The brand assured the finesse with the “Poinçon de Genève” quality hallmark. A concise review. Or not!

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin denotes elegance

Review Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

The L.U.C Flying T Twin was presented during Baselworld 2019. A discussion about Chopard decision to launch now this piece is senseless. A second thought about reasons bring in mind words like maturity and calculated steps – characteristics of a gentleman.

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Manners maketh man

One of the most important attributes of the 40mm case is the 18-carat ethically certified “Fairmined” rose gold. Nowadays, one must be responsible for his action. Fairmining means the liability of the company, the importance and the engagement to keep the environment safe, the care for the people. A gentleman will never seek the fortune detrimentally to other human beings and to nature.

The case has a thickness of 7.20mm – delicate and versatile

The incontestable elegance also comes from the watch’s dressing. The bodyside received a vertical brushing. As for perseverance, the decoration spread until the end of the lugs and inter-lugs. The slender lugs have the rest of the surface polished. Just like the front and the back of the watch.

The case lines are shaped to embrace the wrist in a subtle way.

The watch was designed as a versatile piece. Its subtility can make the piece look suitable for a generous array of wrist sizes, without the feel of forced marriage. The lugs are angled in a manner that will gentle embrace a smaller wrist. The same design will make the Flying T Twin look appropriate on a large wrist.

Nothing too much, nothing too less – a balanced construction with good proportion.

The crown is slightly pushed back, to the wrist (not at the mid-point of the case’s body, see the image above). The five millimetres gold crown comes with an adequate decoration – the L.U.C logo embossed on a polished background.

The polished inclined bezel makes just the passing from the case body to the spectacle of the dial.

The simplicity of the case highlights the complex decoration of the dial

I don’t take coffee, I take tea, my dear

After the relative simplicity of the exterior package, the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin dial is a complicated play. The show brings into attention several acts: a flying tourbillon, a complex patterned dial background and a well delimited time register. It does have a note of originality and uniqueness.

The top of the dial is governed by the Arabic hour index

The hour indexes are gold gilded with 18k rose gold, matching the case. The indexes are applied on a snailed chapter ring with concentric circles. The minutes use a printed railway track. Each the fifth minutes received an extra detail – the index’s shape has the same footprint as the hours’ markers. God is in the details (and not the underground bastard, as in the expression often used…).

The hands inherited the elegant sophistication of the dial

The hands received the same attention as the rest of the components. The gilded hands are manufactured as Dauphine fusée-type, adding an architectural keynote to the dial.

The complex guilloché keeps the entire surface of the dial on a complex composure

The central stage is filled with a hand-guilloché honeycomb motif. The pattern is elaborate. A careful look will reveal imperfections and the beauty of the imperfections generated by the handwork.

The flying tourbillon

The star of the show is the six o’clock flying tourbillon. The piece doubles as a small seconds indication. The stunt is repeated with each passing minute. Each of the 60 seconds revolutions divulges the handwork of the master watchmaker. The file’s confessions can be read on the tourbillon carriage. You need to be a fine observer and a good listener. Because the details are there. I invite you to have a look in the gallery at the rest of the pictures and observe the marks of manual labour.

The back side of the watch will expose the extravagance of the Chopard finishes and movement construction

A gentleman will walk but never run

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin is powered by a piece of remarkable machinery – the calibre L.U.C 96.24-L. Presented as the first flying tourbillon for the Maison, the movement carries further, with distinction, the good name of Chopard.

L.U.C 96.24-L visible through the caseback

The movement is exceptional finished. It has received the ‘Poinçon de Genève’ quality hallmark. The Geneva stripes are astounding. The bridges received a lovely polished chamfering, as well, polished jewels’ and screws’ sink. The perlage is delightful: severe attention will notice the fact that the watchmakers rushed the final stage of the perlage. Not unpleasant. It is just a decision of decoration style, to give more body for the final pass.

The 22k gold micro-rotor

The movement is based on the magical L.U.C Caliber 96. The evolution kept the thickness of 3.30mm. The “Twin” nomenclature comes from the Chopard’s patented Twin Technology: two stacked barrels, offering a staggering 65-hours of power reserve. The balance-spring with flat terminal curve beats with 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz).

On the wrist with Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin is himself a gentleman. Don’t get fooled by the apparent simplicity. A first frugal look will show a gold watch with tourbillon. Careful consideration will show a smartly designed case with nice decorations. The dial displays a complex spectacle of patterns and shapes. Plus a novelty for the brand, in the person of the flying tourbillon. The backside presents another story. The Chopard’s marvellous decorations highlight the next step in the brand’s movements’ evolution – the flying tourbillon.

The mannered Flying T Twin is dedicated to a connoisseur of Fine Watchmaking. It was a genuine pleasure to meet it in the flesh.

Don’t forget about the article gallery at the end of the article.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin Specification and Price

Case:

18-karat rose gold

Total diameter: 40 mm

Thickness: 7.20 mm

Water resistance: 30 metres

18-carat rose gold crown with L.U.C logo: 5.00 mm

Vertical satin-brushed case middle and inter-horn spaces

Polished bezel and back

Glareproofed sapphire crystal

Exhibition back fitted with a transparent sapphire crystal pane

Movement:

Mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96.24-L

Number of components: 190

Total diameter: 27.40 mm

Thickness: 3.30 mm

Number of jewels: 25

Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)

Power reserve: 65 hours

Flying tourbillon performing one rotation per minute

Two barrels – Chopard Twin Technology

Winding via an engraved 22-carat gold micro-rotor

Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève pattern

Balance-spring with flat terminal curve

Chronometer-certified (COSC)

‘Poinçon de Genève’ quality hallmark

Dial and hands:

Solid gold dial with grey ruthenium surface achieved by galvanic treatment

Snailed chapter ring with concentric circles

Railway-type minutes track

Applied hour-markers and tourbillon ring gilded with 18-karat rose gold

Central medallion with a hand-guilloché honeycomb motif

Gilded Dauphine fusée-type hours and minutes hands

White triangle-shaped small seconds hand affixed to the flying tourbillon carriage

Functions and displays:

Central display of the hours and minutes

Small seconds appearing at 6 o’clock on the flying tourbillon carriage

Strap and buckle:

Hand-sewn plant-dyed matt black alligator leather strap with cognac-coloured alligator leather lining

18-carat rose gold pin buckle

Ref. 161978-5001- in 18-carat ethically certified “Fairmined” rose gold, 50-piece limited edition: €109,000 / $118,500

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

The simplicity of the case highlights the complex decoration of the dial

The back side of the watch will expose the extravagance of the Chopard finishes and movement construction

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin denotes elegance

The pin buckle

The case lines are shaped to embrace the wrist in a subtle way.

The case has a thickness of 7.20mm – delicate and versatile

Nothing too much, nothing too less – a balanced construction with good proportion.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

Top side of the dial

The top of the dial is governed by the Arabic hour index

The hands inherited the elegant sophistication of the dial

The flying tourbillon

The complex guilloche keeps the entire surface of the dial on a complex composure

L.U.C 96.24-L visible through the caseback

Detail of the movement’s finishes

The 22k gold micro rotor

Detail of the back side of the tourbillon

Another perspective of the L.U.C 96.24-L

L.U.C 96.24-L -front side

L.U.C 96.24-L – back side

On the wrist with Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin

The official Chopard Gallery with the Making Of

The steps in the creation of the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin. Images credit to Chopard.

Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin in Review – a Gentleman between Gentlemen Chopard took Baselworld 2019 by storm with its first flying tourbillon calibre - the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin.

#baselworld 2019 #Chopard #Chopard L.U.C #Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin #Flying T Twin #L.U.C #L.U.C Flying T Twin #Review #tourbillon

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katiefogdenphotops · 8 years ago

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Personal Study : Final Draft

How have artists exploited the inherent limitations of Photography in order to challenge the view that Photography is not a true art form?

Limitations, creatively, should be ignored. The importance of experimentation and free expression is emphasised across photography, without it nothing would change. However, from its origins photography has always been met with expectations, as well as questioned on its true form. Particularly in the early 20th century photography was seen as a form of documentation; many following a way of ‘straight photography’, which emphasized the importance of the sharpness and perfection of a photograph. This in turn left photography with tight boundaries, and questioned as a real art form. With the late 19thcentury welcoming a rise in amateur photography, fueled by the release of Kodak’s handheld camera (1888), many recognised photographers felt the simplicity of the camera undermined the artistic nature and skill to photography. This led to one of the first internationally recognised photography movements. Pictorialism can be considered one of the earliest movements. Dating between the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, it saw photographers attempt to validate photography as an art form, or medium of ‘traditional’ art. Early pictorialists typically followed certain methods in order to achieve and create this art form, the composition and subject of the photograph were carefully chosen in order to separate them from everyday life, and conforming to an idea of documentation; instead bringing a sense of fantasy into the work. As well as this, the pictorialist movement could be seen as one of the earliest forms of photo manipulation, with photographers beginning to manipulate the chemical process. A popular printing process was gum bichromate, and photographers began applying manipulations such as brush like strokes in order to achieve outcomes closer to fine art than ‘point and shoot’ photography. These painting essences were strengthened also through softer focus and dramatic lighting on the subject.

French pictorialist Robert Demachy is recognised as a leading figure across the movement, particularly for his revival of gum bichromate in the 1890’s. Ignorant of any limitations enforced by opinions on photography Demachy’s work embraces an extremely grainy texture, enhanced through his chosen printing process. However most notable is the relationship his photography shares with art paintings. The heavy contrast paired against the strict monochrome colouring, with little grey-ish tones, leaves Demachy’s work looking as though created with graphite or charcoal, any trace of camera involvement unrecognisable.

From a modern perspective some could see pictorialism as a step backwards for photography, grasping traditional art means through evolving technology, instead of looking towards forward development. However strong opinion remains on what ‘photography’ really is, and many photographers continue to challenge whether it can be kept in line to rules and limitations. Across time periods, visually it can be noted that photography goes through trends, as well as meeting certain expectations. With particular focus on artists, Sarah Moon, Henry Peach Robinson, and Kristian Jalonen; this essay plans to explore how photographers both abide by and go against these trends, testing the means of photography and breaking boundaries photography has had put in place.

Henry Peach Robinson is an iconic Pictorialist photographer, contributing and shaping a whole movement of photography. During a time where photography was questioned and unaccepted as a true art form, Robinson gained attention particularly across the late 1850’s and for years to follow. Arguing photography to be an ‘art form equal to the classical mediums of oil painting and sculpture’, Robinson remained unsatisfied by the limitations of photography and was one to question whether photography could be more than just documentation. Made famous for his use of the technique of combination printing, an early form of montage, this saw a careful process of exposing multiple negatives onto the same photographic paper. In turn allowing photographers to be in control of a photo, the ability to create photography.

Seen as Robinson’s most famous piece (above, left) is ‘Fading Away’ produced 1858. With five separate negatives exposed onto one paper, Robinson left viewers with a scene of tragedy. A young girl presented as a main subject, dying of tuberculosis, is surrounded by a mourning family. Important was the backlash Robinson met with, many labelling the piece ‘inappropriate to show death in a medium as literal as photography’. Yet when self-revealed the staging of photographs this saw further critics deeming Robinson to ‘cash in on the most painful sentiments which it is the lot of human beings to experience’. Despite criticism Prince Albert was captured by this particular piece, purchasing every print. With conflictive views towards the nature of Robinson’s work this is a question that remains in photography to this day, where is the line? Ethically, what is considered right and wrong to capture, should this ability to capture truth be exploited? ‘Man cannot stand too many facts; it is easy to get an overdose of reality, and he wants a little mystification as a relief’.

However, Robinson’s idea of capturing a reality could also be considered ironic, although his work is key in portraying realness and everyday truth, he saw no problem in ‘mixing the real and the artificial’. Wanting to harness painting like qualities Robinson’s photographs were entirely staged, usually in a studio with models and props. Wanting to push ‘documentation’ instead into something that could be envisioned and created, talent falling on both the photographer, and subject. ‘(Robinson) got tired of the sameness of the exquisiteness of the photograph…the photograph told us everything about the facts of nature and left out the mystery’. To a modern perspective Robinson’s work could be labelled conventional, traditional and basic, yet some have described his intentions to be ‘before his time…exploring the furthest reaches of reality to where it extended into mystery and legend’. It could be seen his work in-fact led a path into photo manipulation, rejecting the ‘limitations’ society at the time had put onto photography.

Professional photographer Sarah Moon is recognised particularly for her unique and dreamy photographic style, ‘her work is noted for a sort of softness’ referred to by some as an ‘impressionist’ style. Becoming publically established across the 1970’s, Moon broke the traditional ideals of ‘Fashion Photography’, most obvious with her constant blurriness and hazy focus. ‘People would say to me: ‘But it’s not sharp!’, and I didn’t understand because that was the way I saw things’. Even Moon’s choice in models was not met with enthusiasm, choosing petite models over ‘curvier’ and ‘voluptuous’ models previously favoured, “I remember how I showed my work at Elle for the first time. Roman Sislewich told me at the time that the photos were not fashionable enough”. Moon explains she takes little inspiration from other artists and movements instead citing, “when people ask me where the inspiration comes, I cannot say it. I see something and load it with something at the moment. But only when I see the picture, I discover, with which I have it charged…I believe in the strength of the unconscious”. However exciting, with Moon’s rejection of ‘traditional conventions’ and ‘expectation’, is her decision to only shoot for commercial reasons providing her with ‘purpose…to do them for just my pleasure would seem irrelevant’; allowing Moon’s ‘moody’ and ‘spacey’ styled work to be brought into the mainstream. Moon’s work, by many, is seen to represent romanticized and dreamy worlds, however she successfully grasps elements of mystery and distance, creating images considered ‘timeless’. “Photography is pure fiction…I photography people, of course as I do nature – trees, flowers, animals – but I charge it with something other than reality, with feeling…I don’t believe that I am making any defined statement. Instead, I am expressing something, an echo of the world maybe.”.

Photographing predominantly females, Vogue describing the models as ‘blurry, spacey, wide-eyed girls looked as if they might have awakened from the 19th century’. During these times it was rare for a woman to be photographing women, ‘it was more of a dialogue between man and woman, which made the women appear so coded. I, on the other hand, photographed women who had worked with me in the same job’ Moon was previously a model herself. The soft grain and blurriness to the photographs give a sense of a glimpse, missing the model entirely, or that of a distant memory, never quite reaching the identity of the models. This creates a break in the standard relationship between viewer and subject. Although, it could be seen that through this grainy aesthetic, the model becomes a background; instead the clothing becoming the main subject. Disregarding the traditional relationship between the models themselves and fashion. However, some may see Moon’s work as portraying a disruption in time, an endlessness to the moment as it is never fully captured instead a moment remaining in action; leaving viewers compelled and clueless to what happens next. Moon’s photography lacks colour and vibrancy, replaced instead with saturated sepia and monochrome tones; ‘tones of memory’. Although a dullness is created through colour the photographs still remain alive; Moon herself believing colour imagery to contain too much information. “What I aim at is an image with a minimum of information and markers, that has no reference to a given time or place, but that nevertheless speaks to me, that evokes something which happened just before or may happen just after…For me, black and white is closer to introspection, to memories, to loneliness and loss, I don’t see the same in colour – it’s another language, a living language.”. Important is Moon’s ability to completely re-invent what was recognised as ‘typical’ fashion photography. Work at the time emphasising stillness, with models carefully posed and a balance between the importance of both the fashion and beauty of the models. Moon instead finding a balance between a staged and an in time moment, a snapshot even.

Swiss photographer Kristian Jalonen has found recognition and praise for his analogue work, with some citing the photographs to be ‘reminiscent of pictorialism’ with surreal and painterly elements to his works. With his modern take and flare on the photographic style, Jalonen explores and pushes the limitations of analogue photography; with many labelling the work to present a dreamy aesthetic, Jalonen agrees ‘that my work evokes such a daydream-like aesthetic. I like the idea of them being like tiny universes. It is difficult for me to describe my style, because it is always changing. Sometimes I go with my gut feeling. Other times I want to try something completely new’. As well as rebelling against a time of digital photography and editing, significant is his rejection of the traditional film developing processes. Common to Jalonen’s work is the manipulation of film both before and after shooting, with his ‘nonconformist attitude towards photography makes each picture unique and impossible to recreate’.

Shooting entirely analogue Jalonen explains to have ‘always been drawn to experimental photography and I believe that’s a little bit of my signum’. Although Jalonen shoots a variety of subjects seen above are examples of his portraiture work. Most notable are the photographs painterly qualities, and could be considered pieces of art. Typical to Jalonen’s work is the hazy presence of vibrant colours, which dominate the dreamy styled pieces; contrasting with Moon’s sepia tone based work. ‘I like to experiment with different chemicals and temperatures when developing. Also, cross processing is a technique I like a lot. I love when the colours come out really vibrant’. These physical manipulations contribute into the surrealist and experimental style to Jalonen’s analogue work, as well as developing on the Pictorialist inspiration. The presence of colour emphasises a dreamy aesthetic, and particularly in his portraiture work creates a feeling of distance between subject and viewer; disguising any clear identity. As well as experimenting with chemicals, Jalonen takes physical editing further ‘I have started to hand-colour my photographs’. This way of editing replicates an artist with a canvas, further relating his photography work to a traditional piece of art; ‘my favourite tools are water, acrylics and paintbrushes at present’.

‘I used to shoot with 35mm, medium format, etc. Now I mostly shoot instant film…with instant film I’d say you get more productive, since you get much faster results and you can right away see what works and what doesn’t’. The above pieces, taken from the Impossible Project Instant Film (2016) series, compared to the portraiture work take on a much more surreal and abstract style. With a greater emphasis on texture and colour, it depicts the destruction of film into something wild, and unique. A beauty in the unpredictable. This series can be considered to strengthen a visual relationship between photography and ‘art’, particularly with Jalonen’s ‘hands on’ approach to his work. Yet important is the inability of being able to replicate Jalonen’s work; each photograph an outcome of an experiment.

Despite a shift in time there are a rise in photographers reverting back to more traditional methods. Although some may see this as a shift backwards, analogue photography and instant film are again finding popularity; with a growing community of analogue photographers, platforms such as Lomography Magazine displaying the popularised work. Photographer Julia Brummer, featured on Lomography, is recognised for her shift from digital work to analogue, expressing ‘The grains have a texture that, allied with the colours give the photogs a three-dimensionality. It lets creativity work on in a very different way, because your borders of mistake shrink and your potential for observation increases’. Yet there is also a popularity in the extremist use of Photoshop in order to manipulate images into what could be considered ‘painterly’. This sees modern approaches achieve traditional styles.

Robert and Shana Parke Harrisons work (seen above), turns the original imagery instead into pieces of fine art. Through careful development processes and, in more recent works, an extreme use of Photoshop, the work takes on a surrealist style as well as a narrative form; ‘my photographs tell stories of loss, human struggle, and personal exploration within landscapes scarred by technology’. Arguably their most famous series, The Architects Brother (1993-2005), was created without the use of Photoshop; ‘We merged multiple images through an adapted form of the paper negative process. Paper negatives allowed us to collage various images into one image. Once a final image was completed we the mounted it and painted on the photograph. This further distanced the final image from qualities of photography’. The duo has addressed themselves as painters rather than photographers, believing themselves to rather ‘invent images’ than to search out a photograph. Despite the disassociation the pair emphasis the ability photography has to morph and adapt into a piece of traditionally recognised piece of ‘art’.

Photography falls to trends and expectations across time, however it does not stop photographers in experimenting with traditional techniques and photographic forms; bringing forth modernised elements into present time. Although some argue that photography merely captures moments in time, photographers have allowed photography to create genres within itself; there is no longer a straightforward definition into what photography is. However, photographers have pushed and tested creative boundaries in order to develop from a straightforward capturing of a moment, instead creating pieces of fine art.

BIBLOGRAPHY

Sarah Moon –

http://www.fotomagazin.de/bild/interview/sarah-moon Interview - published April 2008, Spring issue of fotoMAGAZIN, written by Manfred Zollner, accessed November 18th, 2016.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/frocks-and-fantasy-the-photographs-of-sarah-moon-966704.html Featured Article - published October 2008, for the Independent, written by Susannah Frankel, accessed 1st December, 2016.

http://www.michaelhoppengallery.com/artists/29-sarah-moon/overview/ Artist overview - published 2007, apart of the Michael Hoppen Gallery, accessed 1st December 2016.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/art/28312/the-stolen-glimpses-of-sarah-moon.html Interview//Writing - published March 2014, for The Telegraph, written by Sophie de Rosee, accessed 1st December 2016.

http://www.vogue.com/13434041/sarah-moon-fashion-photographer-new-book/ Article - published May 5th, 2016 for Vogue magazine, written by Lynn Yaeger, accessed 8th December 2016.

http://www.utata.org/sundaysalon/sarah-moon/ Writing - published September 16th, 2008 for UTATA, written by Greg Fallis, accessed 8th December 2016.

Henry Peach Robinson - http://www.inthein-between.com/henry-peach-robinson-and-the-combination-print-before-digital-2/ January 2017 17th , accessed 17th tographers Gallery January 2017 17th , accessed 17th tographers Gallery

Feature for In the In-Between, published 9th July 2013, written by Meghan Maloney, accessed 5th January 2017

http://www.mpritchard.com/photohistory/history/robinson.htm Writing by Robert Leggat, published to ‘A History of Photography’ 1999 (last edited 2011), accessed 5th January 2017

‘The Elements of a Pictorial Photograph’ Book written by Robinson himself, published 1896

http://betterphotography.in/perspectives/great-masters/henry-peach-robinson-the-pictorialist/25794/ Critical writing by Raj Lalwani, published to Better Photography, August 4th 2016, accessed 12th January 2017

Kristian Jalonen -

https://kristianjalonen.com/bio-cv/

Writing on personal website of Kristian Jalonen

https://www.lomography.com/magazine/324675-daydreaming-in-film-an-interview-with-kristian-jalonenhttps://www.lomography.com/magazine/324675-daydreaming-in-film-an-interview-with-kristian-jalonen

Interview for Lomography magazine, written by Ciel Herndandez, published 23rd October 2016, last accessed May 2017

http://snapitseeit.com/artist-spotlight-kristian-jalonen/

Feature for Snap it, See it, published June 6th, 2016, last accessed May 2017

Robert and Shana Parke Harrison -

Jonathanstead.com

Interview for Jonathan Stead, last accessed May 2017

Kpbs.org

Interview with KPBS, broadcasted March 7th, 2011, interviewed by Maureen Cavanuagh, last accessed May 2017.

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