1

A Day
Observed

A story presented by

Scene 1:
‘Morning’

It was a bright cold day with glassy surfaces that looked hard.
Into the square frame he stood as if in a dream.

What emerged was precisely what he expected to find: a reflection of memory images. Contemplating his face in the photo frame he waited.

1960s lucite and chrome 3 image photo frame

By the steady hands of his watch, he listened to time. Every day for the past sixteen days he saw her. Silver lingered in the crease of
an open book.

Rolex burlwood dial, Jubilee bracelet Miniature
oar English university trophy, sterling silver.

So absorbed in his thoughts
he hardly saw the platinum catch-all, the key, or the revelation locked inside those lapis lazuli cufflinks tossed unmistakably in cold blue.

Hans Hanson catch-all. Mid-century, Danish sterling silver. Stirrup money clip, by Hermès. Padlock keyring, sterling silver " Tie bar-slide " Round lapis lazuli cufflinks" Square cufflinks, two tone rose and yellow gold, diamond."

Only by whirling on his heel could he hope to comprehend
the panorama.

Shoe horn, circa 1930. American sterling silver
Scene 2:
‘Noon’

He remained.Trapped in that enormous room,
unmistakably familiar in feeling yet so peculiar.

Above the mantle was
displayed an Austrian hound
of impeccable integrity.

Hagenauer sculpture, 1930

His gaze fell on the letter opener. By accident she had learnt more about his life from the contents of that letter than anywhere.

Dunhill letter opener with lighter top, circa 1950

Cleopatra’s eye reflected
the sun. Through the hypnotism
of precious metals there
emerged a dark slender shadow.

Cleopatra’s eye magnifying glass. Mid-century, gold plated
Hermès weighted pen. Silver plated.

A lighter presented itself, smooth to the touch
it gave the impression of
intelligent company.

Table lighter St Dupont, circa 1960. Gold plate
Scene 3:
‘Evening’

All this time light was receding from the room.

“I should explain why I spend so much time here”, said the silhouette. Leaves moved like shadows across her eyes.

Hermès rope bottle opener. Plated silver.

It’s not too late to turn back. Time moved with faint sounds.

Venini hourglass. Hand-blown lurid Murano glass.

He unscrewed the telescopic cup, rolled and remained still. Black eyes on the dice prophesied a new cycle.

Telescopic cup, J. E. Cauldwell. Gold plated. Dice,
Cartier for America. Vitreous enamel glass, silver

Staring down at the varnished surface her mouth worried him while her eyes examined the gold cufflink.

Audemar Piguet evening watch. gold plated, Roman dial, alligator strap
Scene 4:
‘Night’

Everything went crashing black.

Pale graceful hands placed
the gold stud box delicately
on the table.

Men’s Edwardian jewellery box, 1910. Gold plated.
Mid-century British cigar ashtray. Sterling silver and crystal.

He lit a match to make sure the watch had really stopped. Smoke lingered from its vesta case.

Realist wrapped tobacco leaf march vesta. Silver.

As the travel clock neared
one the figure vanished into dappled shadows.

Art Deco Jaeger LeCoultre travel clock.
Gold and silver plated. Retailed by Aspray.

On the newly varnished table two bronze shot cups sat alive like in a dream.

Tooth shot cup by Foundwell. Bronze and silver plated.
Set of 4, 3 silver 1 gold. Heath & Midleton champagne decanters circa 1900.
Sterling silver and glass.
The End

‘A DAY OBSERVED’
A story by FOUNDWELL
Photography Matthieu Lavanchy, creative direction OK-RM,
notes by Kate O’Brien and objects selected by Alan Bedwell

‘A DAY OBSERVED’
A story by FOUNDWELL
Photography Matthieu Lavanchy,
creative direction OK-RM
notes by Kate O’Brien
and objects selected by Alan Bedwell

Early and Rare Sterling Silver Gorham Martini Mixing Bucket

Golf Cocktail Shaker
and Matching Golf Bag Cup

Sterling Silver Woven Bottle Coaster

Foundwell

A SELECTION OF ITEMS BY THE PRODUCER OF
CRAFTED GOODS & PURVEYOR OF ANTIQUE WATCHES,
JEWELLERY & OTHER SUCH OBJECTS

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A solid eighteen carat yellow gold Patek Philippe Pagoda, refernce 5500 J.  When we think Patek Philippe we automatically think the best in watch making.  This unusually shaped, striking and simply breath taking quality watch is no exception.  Of all Patek Philippe watches the Pagoda is perhaps one of, if not the, most recognisable case shape that the famed atelier produced.  This reference, the 5500, was launched in 1997 to commemorate the opening of a huge new workshop.  It was the amalgamation of around twelve different workshops, scattered throughout Geneva into a state-of-the-art modern space that brought everything under one roof.  So proud of this achievement were they that this series of both men's (5500) and women's (4900) watches were launched.  Since the completion of the new workshops at Plan-les-Ouates, two new buildings have been erected. Philippe Stern’s plan that the original workshop building would accommodate the growth of his firm for twenty-five years, lasted a total of five!

The advertising brochure in 1997 read;

Patek Philippe’s first ever commemorative watches introduce an historic design that fills a gap in many private collections. Inspired by a rare 1940s model, Patek Philippe captures the 20th century artistic ideal by reconciling beauty and function in a streamlined sculpture of curves.”

The case itself is a thing of beauty.  The complex case design required 171 separate operations, achieved by specialists in five different crafts to produce the architectural curves from a block of gold. Even the gaskets had to be curved to seal the case against dust and humidity.  

For the men’s ref. 5500, 1100 were made in 18K yellow gold with leaf hands of oxidized gold and applied Roman numerals in gold on a champagne-colored dial; 500 in 18K rose gold with a silvered dial in a vertically brushed satin finish with rose leaf hands and Roman numerals; 250 in 18K white gold with a rose-colored dial and Roman numerals in polished white gold; and 150 in platinum with its leaf hands and applied Roman numerals in white gold against a black dial.  Each dial featured a distinctive seconds hand with a rectangular track at 6 o’clock. Once the production was completed, the dies to make the cases for each reference were destroyed!  This bookended the production and truly has left these watches as a special marker in time of the world's greatest watch makers.

Each of the 2000 Pagoda men’s 27 mm x 41 mm cases were fitted with a caliber 215 PS, a manually wound chronometer with small seconds. For the first time in watchmaking history, to celebrate the accuracy of this movement, Switzerland’s official chronometer certification bureau C.O.S.C. (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) and the Geneva Seal Authority joined together to issue an exclusive, individual rating-certificate for each of the ref. 5500 commemorative watches.  Sadly, this has been lost with this example, as is often the way.  Each certificate shows the mean daily rate and the mean variation of each movement in several positions over a 15 day period. The mean daily rate indicated the average gain or loss – a correction factor for true time. The mean variation indicated the regularity of that gain or loss – a real indicator of accuracy.

This is an exceptional and quite unique looking watch.  The condition it is being presented in is perhaps just very very lightly worn, if at all.  It comes with its original Patek card packaging, and an extract from the archive.  If the desire is to be met of a distinctive, elegant and special watch that marked a special moment in time, then this watch cannot be ignored.

 


Price $21,950.00

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Item Dimensions
Case Width
1.062 inches (2.69748cm)
Case Length
1.614 inches (4.09956cm)