Time is a jewel for Stenzhorn

The passage of time is a mystery described by physics, but still obscure for the life of human beings. No less elusive, except to watchmaking engineers, are the mechanisms of machines that measure hours, minutes and seconds. The result, sometimes, remains indecipherable even to the human eye. As with the Mystery Clock by Stenzhorn, a German high jewelery house, with forays into high watchmaking too. The peculiarity of this watch lies in its transparent dial without a central hand. The indication of the hours and minutes are mysterious. It is not, obviously, to be used to measure performance in a sporting competition: the watch is above all an exercise in sophisticated goldsmith engineering.

Marking the passage of time is a floating 1.5-carat pear-shaped diamond, which takes the place of the traditional hand. The diamond rotates to indicate the hours, while exquisite amethysts mark the 12-hour positions on the bezel. The minute display ensures precise measurement of time, with the hand returning to zero after 60 minutes have passed. Above the bezel, the day and night indication alternately shows the rising and setting of the sun and moon, perfectly synchronized with the hour indication.

This extraordinary table clock is testimony to an unprecedented watchmaking art that pushes the boundaries of watchmaking physics. Crafted from exceptionally rare pillars of rock crystal and set on a rock crystal base, this exquisite piece is meticulously adorned with 23.78 carats of diamonds, lapis lazuli, moonstone and 18k gold elements, all elegantly encased in titanium . Weighing approximately 5 kilograms, the masterpiece is operated via a single button discreetly positioned on the back, ensuring simple operation without compromising aesthetics.

A similar exercise in style and technique is the pendant which follows the same technique, but can be worn like a jewel. In this case the diamond that moves like the hands of the watch has a round shape, while the hours are indicated with small emeralds inside a pavé of diamonds that delimits the dial. The pendant also uses semi-precious stones such as amethyst, chiroprase, onyx and small pearls to form a tassel which gives the jewel-watch a slimmer appearance.