SpotlightMonochromatic Marvel: The Hampton Polyptyque Edition—Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary Limited Edition Watch
The new Hampton Polyptyque celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Rodez-based Musée Soulages and encapsulates the union of contemporary art and Baume & Mercier’s watchmaking vision
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The world of horology often finds its muse in the world of fine arts. Seeking creative synergies that exemplify artistic mastery from the diverse creative fields such as painting, sculpting, and many more, watch brands raise the bar by translating the watch dial as the perfect canvas for reinterpreting art. One of the latest masterpieces is Baume & Mercier’s Hampton Polyptyque Edition—Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary Limited Edition. This timepiece builds upon the success of its predecessor, the ‘Hommage à Pierre Soulages’ Limited Edition, reaffirming the brand’s dedication to seamlessly blending art and craftsmanship.
A striking reinterpretation of their art deco-style Hampton, crafted to commemorate the anniversary of the French Museum Soulages and Contemporary Art, this remarkable timepiece is the result of a special collaboration with the extraordinary painter and the Musée Soulages of Rodez. It serves as a tribute to the artist, capturing the strength and beauty of the profound legacy he left behind.
An absolute stunner in black, the rectangular case is best suited to serve as a frame for a painting-inspired dial that brings to life Soulages’ Peinture 324 x 362 cm, 1986, Polyptyque I Edition from the series Outrenoirs. An oil on canvas—measuring 324cm by 362cm, a gigantic polyptych made up of four overlapping elements, each measuring 81cm by 362cm—the giant painting draws you in with its varied yet interesting and unique textures. It showcases Pierre Soulages’s fascination for noir or black and his mastery of layering different textures of black, applying them with various tools and brushes to reveal shiny, matt, powdery, dull, slick, striated, polished, and even sharp-edged effects.
Offering an insight into the how this masterpiece was born, David Chaumet, CEO of Baume & Mercier says, “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, represents the materialisation 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.”
The New Hampton Polyptyque Edition: A Marriage Of Art And Watchmaking
The dial of the Hampton Polyptyque Edition—Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary’ watch meticulously replicates the black composition of this painting, and the dense impasto of textures and shapes found in the artwork, juxtaposing the vertical and diagonal strokes. The design, marked by monumental technical and aesthetic complexity, required innovative 3D printing technology for a precise representation on a smaller scale.
The Hampton case has a sandblasted coat with diamond-like carbon (DLC) treatment that results in a matt black appearance and measures 31mm by 48.11mm, with a thickness of 10mm. It comes with a scratch-resistant domed sapphire crystal glass, treated on both sides with an antiglare coating.
A Nod To Noir: Baume & Mercier’s Hampton Polyptyque Edition
A stunning colossal beauty with a black case, dial and a black interchangeable leather strap with tone-on-tine stitching, the monochromatic and stealthy aesthetic makes a strong impact. The only visual break comes from the addition of a second colour on the tips of the hemispheres in 750/1,000 rose gold. The artist himself chose to imprint the design with his creative force and figurative vision of time, by way of the metallic engraving of Baume & Mercier emblem and Swiss-made lettering on the dial. The rose gold accents not only punctuate the aesthetic appeal of the dial but also ensures the legibility of essential elements.
The heart of the timepiece is powered by an exposed ETA 2892 automatic movement, featuring a blackened rotor. It’s a solid movement with a 42-hour power reserve and gorgeous finishing visible through the exhibition window in the caseback. Finished with circular graining, the rotor features black côtes de Genève decoration that completes the beauty of this timepiece inside-out.
The Baume & Mercier Hampton Polyptyque Edition—Musée Soulages 10th Anniversary, limited to just 328 pieces, is indeed an artistic expression of time.
