The Reason

The dial of this Kees Engelbarts watch depicts a scene, inspired by a Tsuba with a Hawk and Sparrow, from Hamano Masanobu, circa 1836 (late EDO). A Tsuba is the hand guard mounted on a Japanese sword. These Tsuba eventually became elaborate pieces of art - far beyond their practical use. This is a unique time piece and has both technical as well as artistic value from the execution of the case through to the dial.

The watch has a 950-platinum case and a rebuilt vintage AS 690, 8-day power reserve, movement. The movement has been decorated with mokume gane (explained below) of white-gold and silver in a star-like shape. The screws are hand-polished, beveled and heat-blued.

The eye of the hawk that is in yellow gold with a silver center.

I have photographed the watch being dismantled after all the components have been made but before cleaning, final servicing, adjustments and retouches are to be made.

The hawk is made of red gold.

The sparrow is made of bronze

View showing the volume of the hawk

The branch is made of mokume gane of pink gold/shakudo. The leaves are in green gold . (Image by Guy Lucas de Peslouan). — The branch is made of *mokume gane* of pink gold/*shakudo*. The leaves are in green gold . (Image by Guy Lucas de Peslouan).

The dial depicts a scene, inspired by a Tsuba with a Hawk and Sparrow, (boths sides of the Tsauba are different), from Hamano Masanobu, circa 1836 (late EDO).

The hawk's feet are in yellow-gold and the claws made of silver. The base plate, on which the scene is mounted, is white-gold/silver mokume gane and has been treated with nitric acid. This acid will attack the silver and leave the white-gold unharme… — The hawk's feet are in yellow-gold and the claws made of silver. The base plate, on which the scene is mounted, is white-gold/silver *mokume gane* and has been treated with nitric acid. This acid will attack the silver and leave the white-gold unharmed and this accentuates the vertical shape structure and creates a relief.

Mokume-gane (木目金 Mokumegane) is a Japanese metalworking procedure which produces a mixed-metal laminate with distinctive layered patterns. Mokume gane translates closely to "wood grain metal" or "wood eye metal", describing the way the metal takes on the appearance of natural wood grain

Below, the original Tsuba used as inspiration for the dial.

The meaning that lies behind the scene is of the hawk that has all the power looking at the sparrow and free to decide if he wants to kill and eat it or not...

Dismantling the movement

Movement, a vintage hand-wound AS 690, 8 days power reserve, 17 jewels, 18'000 BPM with pusher at 2 o'clock position for time-setting.

The case back which is held by 8 screws is removed

Viewing the angles of the bridges you can see the diiferent levels of the mokume gane

Close up of assembled calibre

Close up showing volume of bridges and detail of the mokume gane

The winding stem and platinum -wood like- platinum winding crown

The crown has a rubber seal (here not present) which seals the crown inside the case avoiding any moisture entering the watch

The screw protruding from the barrel bridge holds in place the stem

Movement removed from the case

The dial and case follow the form of the large barrel which protrudes from the mvt at 5 oclock

Complete view of the calibre, outside of the case from the bridge side

Close up of balance bridge showing regulating index and the end stone plaque, screwed in place

Close up showing the massive barrel

The movement is constructed using pillars instead of milled out areas, similar to early pocketwatches.

Ratchet wheel removed

Balance and balance cock removed

Balance cock profile emphasizing the volume of the watch components

Balance and cock removed from the movement

Pallet cock and pallets (Swiss lever)

Close up showing the escapewheel with out the Swiss lever in place

The escape wheel cock and screw

Close up of angling around the screw hole showing the multiple levels of the mokame gane

Main train bridge removed

Movement with the train bridge removed showing the train

The pinions that wind the ratchet wheel

The barrel bridge

The steel flat vertical lever in the centre is pushed against by the pusher on the outside of the case to be placed into setting to adjust the time

All bridges removed showing the pierced and engraved barrel

The pillars with large undercuts around the upper section to assure the bridges sit flat on to them.

The stem block also hand engraved

The end piece disassembled on the balance cock

The winding pinion and sliding clutch, never used and in pristine condition

The mainplate removed showing the spotted finish underneath

The barrel outside of the watch, hand pierced and hand engraved

The blue headed screw between the two pillars locks the dial foot in place

The fixation of the strap on the head of the watch is complex, the strap is tailored to fit the form of the central case and has a brass section fitted into it which in-turn slides into the shoulders of the watch.

The strap, exterior black alligator leather, interior black shark leather, solid platinum 950 buckle. Total weight 301 grams.

Case. Platinum 950, matte finish, 49 mm x 16mm, sapphire crystal both sides with double anti-reflection treatment, protrusion at 5 o'clock position to accommodate the main-spring barrel.

The hand setting pusher is hand engraved to follow the style of the mokume gane wood effect

The winding crown also follows the same wood effect hand engraved as the pusher

The hall marks

Signed by Kees, engraved between the shoulder on the case back

View from inside the case back with the mvt removed

The architecture of the case is unique to Kees Engelbarts when all details are consider including the strongly angled shoulders

The cut out in the centre of the case is for the movement clamp allowing the movement to be tightly held inside once assembled

The case back showing the complex milled forms to fit onto the case centre. A silicon seal follows the inner form to assure the case is moisture resistant