Petrichor by Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès for TimeForArt

Massena LAB partners once again with New York’s Swiss Institute as an official sponsor of the TimeForArt auction, in partnership with Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, contributing “Petrichor”, a pièce unique by Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès. Measuring 38.5mm in diameter, the stainless steel timepiece features a dial in a soothing sable tone and a sunburst finish, which shifts in the light from umber to sandstone.

The term “petrichor” originates from the Greek words “petra,” for stone, and “ichor,” referring to the divine blood of the gods in Greek mythology, and describes the singular, pleasant, relieving, and nostalgic scent that emerges when rain falls on dry soil.

Petrichor is powered by a proprietary caliber, the manual-wound M690, which was designed for Massena LAB by the Swiss independent watchmaker, Raúl Pagès. The movement, whose finishing features a high-level of hand decoration, is visible through an exhibition case back. The caliber M690 features a broad plate finished with Côtes de Genève and hand-chamfered plates and bridges. Raúl Pagès’ signature, in the shape of a tortoise, is tucked subtly under the caliber’s balance wheel. The finishing touch: overlapping decorative circles of perlage surround the poinçon.

Petrichor is Massena LAB’s fourth timepiece made in collaboration with Raúl Pagès following Magraph by Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès, the Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo 1952 Observatory Dial Limited Edition by Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès, and Absinthe by Massena LAB and Raúl Pages.

The TimeForArt auction, in partnership with Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo, will take place December 7, 2024, starting at 3pm EST. 100% of the auction’s proceeds will benefit the Swiss Institute. 

Raúl Pagès

Raúl Pagès is an independent Swiss watchmaker, movement designer, and restorer. In 2005, he obtained his diploma of watchmaker-restorer in antique watchmaking with honors. In 2006, he was awarded his diploma of design in watch complications at the CIFOM in Le Locle. For more than 15 years, he has been working on the restoration of horological masterpieces belonging to the most prestigious collections in the world. These technical skills allow him today to offer masterpieces that perfectly combine tradition and modernity. An accomplished musician, and a lover of art history and 20th-century design history, Raúl Pagès explores the time measurement of time and its history as a multi-faceted artist. A rigorous and meticulous technician, he innovates and designs exceptional watchmaking mechanisms. Earlier this year, Raúl Pagès was awarded the inaugural Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives for his RP1.

Massena LAB

Massena LAB, founded by William Massena, is a creative horological studio that designs, develops, and produces timepieces, often in collaboration with respected watchmakers from around the world. Massena LAB exists to be a reference point of horological culture and to play an integral part in its constant evolution, using elements of style from the past to enhance the future of watchmaking. It aims to create and nurture a community of informed watch enthusiasts with a passion for novel timepieces from independent watchmakers. The “LAB” in Massena LAB is a combination of two words: “laboratory,” for our willingness to experiment and our embrace of new ideas, and “collaboration,” for our fruitful, long-standing relationships with our partner brands. In 2024, Massena LAB was awarded the Chronograph Watch Prize at the GPHG for the Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB.

Technical specifications

Petrichor by Massena LAB and Raúl Pagès

Pièce unique

Case

• Material: 316L stainless steel.
• Diameter: 38.5 mm
• Thickness: 10.00 mm
• Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides.
• Case back: Exhibition caseback. Engraved with serial number.

Dial and hands

• Sable dial with sunburst finish
• Rhodium-plated hands and indices

Movement

• Manual-winding, proprietary Massena LAB caliber, designed and developed by Raúl Pagès.
• Frequency: 28,800 half oscillations per hour (4Hz)
• Number of jewels: 17
• Power reserve of 60 hours

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes, small seconds

Strap and buckle

• Calfskin leather, made in Italy.
• Stainless steel pin buckle.
• Lug Width: 20mm

Estimate: USD 5'000 - 10'000

For more information, please visit phillips.com