As the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix gets under way, Ateliers deMonaco has revealed details of its spectacular new watch based on the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix.
Fifty years ago, British driver Graham Hill won the Monaco Grand Prix in his Lotus Ford Cosworth, and this year is the 10th anniversary of Ateliers deMonaco. To celebrate, the watch manufacturer has created a unique piece inspired by the official poster of the event, signed by Michael Turner.
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| Ateliers deMonaco's Grand Prix de Monaco 1968 watch |
Impressive relief effect on the dial
The most outstanding part of the Grand Prix de Monaco 1968 timepiece is its dial, which is hand-engraved by master-engraver Bernard Ditzoff. The dial consists of three different plates made of 18ct white gold. Applied on each other, this construction allows for an impressive relief effect.
The first plate represents the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix winner Denny Hulme driving his Babham-Repco, closely followed by Graham Hill and his Lotus turning the hairpin bend. The second plate depicts Monaco’s harbour and surrounding buildings, while the third is dedicated to the French Riviera’s partly cloudy speckled sky. On the dial, dauphine-shaped hands sweep by small lozenge indexes, the emblem of Ateliers deMonaco.
The movement is enveloped in a hand-brushed, hand-polished and hand-assembled 18ct white gold 44mm diameter case. The sapphire case-back showcases the dMc 700 Ateliers deMonaco manufacture movement. This self-winding mechanical movement includes 26 rubies, has a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, and a 40-hour power reserve. The delicate finishing includes a 22ct hand-engraved gold rotor representing the crown of the Principality of Monaco, and hand-decorated bridges.
The hand-stitched alligator leather strap features a 18ct white gold folding buckle. I love it!
