Baume et Mercier - Hampton "Hommage a Pierre Soulages"

Baume & Mercier pays tribute to the French artist with the Hampton Hommage à Pierre Soulages 10641, a 102-piece limited edition with a price of €5400

Baume et Mercier pays tribute to one of the world's greatest living artists with the Hampton "Hommage à Pierre Soulages".

The Swiss brand takes inspiration from the work of this Master of Modern Art with a timepiece that is directly inspired to one of his large-scale paintings.

In January 1979, Pierre Soulages inaugurated a series of works at his Parisian workshop which he called NoirLumière. In 1989, the series became known as Outrenoir. The surface of each painting is coated with black paint in various states, textured into low relief with tools and brushes. Each Outrenoir painting plays on with the light that reveals its appearance to the viewer, particularly as the person moves. 

With its rectangular shape evoking the proportions of a canvas, the Hampton case is perfect to frame the dial miniaturization of the "Peinture 390 x 130 cm 17 mars 2019", a work created to celebrate the painter’s 100th birthday and that is on display at the Musée Soulages in Rodez, France.

Shrinking meters down into millimeters is a thrilling transformation, this dial harmonious play on contrasting blacks through subtle nuances of mattes, semi-mattes, shine and diffuse layers, in keeping with the spirit of Pierre Soulages’ work. 

Measuring 48.1 mm x 31 mm with a thickness of 9.8 mm and water resistant up to a pressure of 5 ATM (50 metres / 165 feet), the case of the Hampton "Hommage à Pierre Soulages" is crafted from stainless steel with a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating enhanced by an elegant sandblasted finish.

The watch is powered by the self-winding ETA 2892-A2 calibre beating at 28,800 vibrations per hours and offering 42 hours of power reserve. The large screw-down crown allows for precise setting of the time, thanks to its stop-second system.

Visible through the sapphire crystal porthole, the movement and its black oscillating weight are enhanced by "Côtes de Genève" and "perlage" decorations.

Matched to an interchangeable black nubuck alligator strap with a pin buckle, the Baume et Mercier Hampton "Hommage à Pierre Soulages" ref. 10641 is a limited and numbered edition (102 pieces) with a price of Euro 5,400 / US$ 5,850. baume-et-mercier.com