The Netherlands has an age-old tradition in the field of traditionally-made timepieces. The traditional techniques are passed on from generation to generation. These technical skills are combined with great creativity. The Dutch province of Friesland is famous for the technically-ingenious and stunning clocks that are designed and made there. In the picturesque Frisian village of Joure, Christiaan van der Klaauw started designing and making exclusive hand-made astronomical timepieces in the early nineteen-seventies. Christiaan van der Klaauw received his education at the instrument-maker school founded in 1901 by Nobel Physics prize winner Prof. Heike Kamerlingh Onnes. It was at this school that helium gas was liquefied for the first time in 1908. Some contemporaries who worked for the same laboratory were Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, H. Lorentz and W. Röntgen. During his education, Christiaan did his apprenticeship with the oldest observatory in the world, founded in 1633. The world-famous astronomer Prof. J.H. Oort (discoverer of the Planetoid belt named after him) was attached to this observatory. During his apprenticeship, Christiaan became increasingly interested in everything connected with astronomy, which showed later on in the production of his Frisian clocks, table clocks and, eventually, his watches.
The well-known astronomer from Leiden, Christiaan Huygens, maker of the first Pendulum clock, inspired Christiaan van der Klaauw to design his first timepieces. The bracket clocks made early on in his career were technically very complicated and had, even at this early stage, ingenious astronomical applications. The timepieces from this period are real collectors' items nowadays. In 1990 Christiaan van der Klaauw presented a true masterpiece: the Astronomical Clock. This clock was one of the reasons why he was asked to become a member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI).
In 1992 Christiaan van der Klaauw won the prestigious gold medal at the watch fair of Basel with his 'Pendule Variable', which won him a definite place among the great contemporary masters.
THE MASTERPIECE real moon 1980
With the Real Moon 1980, Christiaan van der Klaauw presents one of the most attractive and interesting watches of the past year. In the Real Moon 1980, the year refers to a famous clock that Christiaan van der Klaauw made in 1980 and that contained a beautiful miniature Moon. With this watch, Christiaan van der Klaauw has combined a number of ingenious complications in a wonderful creation.
At the six o’clock position on the dial of the watch, a true-to-life ‘miniature’ Moon depicts its actual phases. At the 12 o’clock position, the height of the Sun in relation to the horizon can be read by means of a fine moving Christiaan van der Klaauw logo. The axis of the Earth’s rotation is tilted with respect to the position of the Sun. The result of this phenomenon - called declination - is that at places where the Earth is tilted towards the Sun, it is summer. Where it is winter, the Earth is tilted away from the Sun, and it is colder. The three o’clock position is reserved for the so-called Eclipse hand. When the Eclipse hand moves within the indication marks, there is an eclipse of the Sun or the Moon somewhere on the Earth. Finally, there is the nine o’clock position. Here, the phase of the Moon and the date can be seen.
In the upper part of the face we have a zodiac indicator.
With this surprising and innovative combination of complications, Christiaan van der Klaauw proves once again that he belongs to the elite in the world of ‘haute horlogerie'.
Some specifications of this masterpiece:
Movement: CK 1094 modified self-winding movement with in-house Real Moon 1980 module.
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day, month; moonphase, declination of the sun; eclipse hand indicates solar and lunar eclipse.
Case: Rose gold, ø 40 mm. anti-reflection sapphire crystal; transparent case-back.
Dial: Silver with blue indexes.
Hands: Blued steel.
Strap: Black alligator leather.
Buckle: Logo engraved rose gold buckle.
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