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Given Ulysse Nardin’s merits for reviving the art of cloisonné enamel on watch dials, and its long experience since, it was clear that the “Russian watch” should be a cloisonné watch. But what should be depicted on it?

For Rolf Schnyder, this question could be answered quickly. During one of his visits to Moscow, he stood in front of the world-famous Saint Basil cathedral on the Red Square, and simply stated: “That one.” Basta.

This firm decision might well have caused some curses from the enamel experts in Michel Vermot’s workshop in Le Locle, addressed to Rolf Schnyder. The Saint Basil cathedral is one of the most complex pieces of architecture in the world. While based on a rather simple ground plan, it consists of ten column-shaped chapels, each of them with different height and a unique structure and colour scheme of its tower.

Built in 1555 to 1561, the cathedral was commissioned by the infamous tsar Ivan IV. “the Terrible”. As legend goes, Ivan asked the church’s architect after its completion, if he would be able to create another church of equal beauty. When the proud man said yes (wrong answer!!), the tsar ordered him to be blinded by cutting out his eyes. What makes Saint Basil so attractive until today is its variety of colours and shapes, that, while confusing the spectator at first, in fact blends into a perfectly harmonic picture. This unrivalled beauty made it Russia’s best known landmark, together with the red brick Kremlin walls and towers.

The Red Square with Saint Basil and the Kremlin in the evening sun

The huge challenge for the masters of cloisonné enamel was the small space available on the watch dial, which made it necessary to reduce the shapes and colours of the church to a manageable degree, while preserving its unique character and that ‘chaotic’ look. The thickness of the hairthin gold wire already posed problems, since it would not allow those tiny cells that were planned. Consequently, the wire thickness was further reduced to 0.06 millimetres. With two pincers, the wire had to be bent into the desired shape and cut into the correct length. Then, the enamel paste is applied to the dial by means of a goose quill, layer following layer. After each layer, the dial has to be baked in an oven and cooled down again.

30 baking steps, polishing procedures and nearly a month later, the Saint Basil dial is finished. The result is absolutely breathtaking, and in my humble opinion a milestone in the development of cloisonné technique. For me, it is by far the finest cloisonné enamel workmanship I have ever seen on a watch, be it vintage or modern. Even the fabulous “Birds of Audubon”-series by Vacheron, until now my personal cloisonné reference, cannot compete with Ulysse Nardin’s “Saint Basil”. A quick comparison with the enamel dials Ulysse Nardin released over the years illustrates that even in a thousand years old art as cloisonné enamelling, it is possible to reach new and higher standards still today.

The rest of the watch, while far from negligible, is merely an excuse to give some functionality to the wonderful enamel picture. The watch is limited to the Russian market and only 30 pieces in red gold and platinum are made. The case is that of the San Marco Gigante, with 40mm diameter, while the well-known cal. UN-13 (2892A2) movement comes with the COSC chronometer certificate.

Each watch comes with a displayback, but also with a separate solid caseback, that shows the figures of Kosma Minin and Dmitri Posharski, who liberated Moscow from the Polish occupants in 1612. Their monument is located in the front of Saint Basil.

Rolf Schnyder proudly showing the beautiful caseback of the "Saint Basil"

The monument inspiring the caseback design can be seen just in the front of the cathedral

However, any description of this marvellous watch is not complete without mentioning its noteworthy ‘box’. Normally, watch boxes have the fate of being stored in basements rather than to serve as decoration of the living room. This one, though, will most certainly never know what a dark and humid cellar is.

The "egg", with Raimondo Brenni, who designed most of Ulysse Nardin's famous pieces,
from the 1846 Marine Chronometer to - the egg.

If there is any unique jewellry Russia is famous for, it is an egg made from precious materials, containing a wonderful gem, or a miniature. From 1882, the Russian jeweller Carl Peter Fabergé created the world-famous jewel eggs, mostly commissioned by the tsar and his family. Following the Soviet Revolution in October 1917, Fabergé fled to Finland and Germany and died in 1920. Today, the ‘genuine’ Fabergé eggs are produced in Germany, where a jewel manufacturer holds the rights for the name Fabergé.

For Rolf Schnyder, however, the decision to pack the special watch into an egg in the old Russian tradition, meant to have a Russian jeweller and artist make it. this was another tribute to Russia and its heritage. The egg’s design came from Switzerland, and was finalised in cooperation with the Russian artist. From design to the finished products it is a difficult path to go, and some of the specifications given to the artists may caused them a few grey hairs: The egg’s base material is silver vermeil (gold-plated silver), that has been hand-cut (guilloched). the problem was to achieve the very sharp angles wished by UN, since these would then result in a mesmerising pattern of reflections under the transparent enamel.

Note the wonderful reflection pattern of the hand-cut metal base under the enamel

Upon the base several coats of blue enamel were applied, each one had to be polished to a smooth surface individually, so that the oval outlines would not be compromised.

The inner shell is made from 18k gold, as are the anchors and chains used as base. The lid wears a circle from white gold, adorned with diamonds, showing the outlines of Saint Basil and the Kremlin wall. All in all a container worthy for the tsar among the watches.