Andersen Genève x BCHH Celestial Voyager Supersonic

ANDERSEN Genève, in collaboration with Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie (BCHH), has created the BCHH Celestial Voyager Supersonic, an artisanally-made worldtimer limited to 20 pieces, celebrating the romance of travel and the pioneering spirit of the most iconic civilian aircraft of all, the Concorde.

It is 20 years since the final flight of the Concorde, an aircraft that represented the zenith of aviation’s golden age. Operating from 1976 to 2003, it remains the sole supersonic airliner, which could cross the Atlantic in under four hours, reaching a supercruise speed of over 1,350 miles per hour (Mach 2.04).

With its delta wing design, tilting nose, high exclusivity (each aircraft seated only 100 passengers) and spectacular engineering, the Concorde became a global symbol of innovation, luxury and human achievement. A joint British and French endeavour, it also remains a lasting symbol of the power of co-operation, a factor that made it all the more appealing as the subject of the latest collaboration between ANDERSEN Genève, the esteemed watchmaking Atelier, and BCHH, a Singapore high horology brand for one-of-a-kind collector timepieces.

Background

The classical worldtime watch is a pivotal complication in ANDERSEN Genève watchmaking. Founder Svend Andersen honed his expertise in worldtime watches during his tenure in Patek Philippe’s Grand Complications workshops in the 1970s, where he was inspired by the work of Louis Cottier, the format’s originator. Since launching its first worldtimer in 1990, the numerous ANDERSEN Genève worldtime models have garnered acclaim for their sophistication, innovation and craftsmanship.

In 2021, ANDERSEN Genève collaborated with Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie (BCHH) for the first time, creating the original Celestial Voyager series: a limited edition of 10 watches featuring unique cloisonné enamel dials. As with that watch, the Celestial Voyager Supersonic has been created with the direct personal involvement of Mr Svend Andersen.

The BCHH Celestial Voyager Supersonic

Created in a limited series of 20 exceptional editions – the same number of Concorde aircraft that were ever built – the Celestial Voyager Supersonic once again features a classical, Cottier-inspired worldtime design with rotating city and 24-hour rings, and dual ultra-thin crowns either side of the case.

As always, ANDERSEN Genève’s dedication to horological finesse, decorative artistry and true hand-craft are on full show. Due to the brand’s meticulous artisanal approach, no more than five pieces will be produced each year, each of them customisable.

The Celestial Voyager Supersonic’s defining feature is its magnificent dial decoration in champlevé enamel**: here, Concorde is seen soaring by night over New York City’s legendary Chrysler Building, en route to JFK airport.

The champlevé technique involves the insertion of enamel into tiny, engraved recesses in the dial, a process requiring the utmost skill, patience and know-how. Over 10 enamel shades are used to create the mottled tones of the evening sky, each of which must be applied and fired individually in multiple layers. Onto this a host of solid gold “paillons” – tiny particles hand-made from gold sheet in an ancient and highly specialised process – are delicately placed, representing the brilliant stars in the sky. In common with the mission of ANDERSEN Genève and BCHH to create bespoke horological heirlooms, the arrangement of the stars and the livery on the Concorde aircraft itself can be customised to the client’s request.

The starry ambience is complemented by the surrounding city ring made from glittering aventurine stone, containing 24 cities for the world’s different time zones. New York is here highlighted in rose gold powder.

Aeronautical inspiration continues with the elegant and slimline case of the watch, which combines a platinum body with a bezel and case-back in grade 5 titanium (the strong and lightweight material of modern aircraft design). In traditional style, the platinum lugs – in a graceful “eagle wing” design unique to BCHH and ANDERSEN Genève collaborations – are made and polished separately and soldered individually to the case.

On the reverse, the winding rotor for the automatic movement has been made in radiant 21 karat BlueGold (an ANDERSEN Genève speciality) and decorated with a wave-form guillochage engraving embossed with the silhouette of the Concorde. As ever, the movement exhibits a variety of hand-finishing techniques, including chamfering, snail decoration of wheels, mirror polishing of screws and even polishing of the teeth of the crown wheel.

** note: pictures show a prototype using the cloisonné technique for the aircraft and Chrysler Building, rather than champlevé.

Technical specifications

Andersen Genève x BCHH Celestial Voyager Supersonic

Limited edition of 20 pieces

Case

• Material: Platinum Pt950 case with soldered flowing “eagle wings” lugs.
• Diameter: 37.8 mm
• Thickness: 10.1 mm
• Width between lugs: 19 mm
• Extensive hand-finishing on case, with fine satin brushing on sides and polished scalloped lugs.
• Titanium grade 5 bezel and back bezel.
• Two sapphire glasses with double AR coating.
• Twin symmetrical crowns at 3 and 9 o’clock with ANDERSEN Genève and BCHH Seals

Dial and hands

• Dial: Multi-part, with one rotating ring displaying 24 hours’ time zones
• Centre disc: 18mm white gold in cloisonné enamel
• World time zone scale on an aventurine stone disc
• Customization available on colours and names of the cities
• Hands: Skeleton feuille hands in white gold "cream" finishing

Movement

• High quality automatic movement upgraded by ANDERSEN Genève with time zones complication module developed and assembled in the Atelier.
• Extensive hand finishing work done on some components.
• Ratchet and crown wheels are all hand-chamfered, mirror-polished and all visible surfaces of the wheels are adorned with snailing and circular-graining.
• Screws are also polished and refined, as well as the plate of the self-winding mechanism and pawl.
• Rotor: 21ct BlueGold rotor decorated with a wave-form guillochage engraving embossed with the silhouette of the Concorde.
• Mother-of-pearl ring around the movement bearing the names of Benjamin Chee Haute Horlogerie and ANDERSEN Genève
• Frequency: 21’600 vph (3 Hz)
• Number of jewels: 17
• Power reserve of 40 hours

Functions/Indications

• Hours, minutes
• World time

Strap and buckle

• Light grey suede leather with platinum gold buckle

MSRP: CHF 58'800

For more information, please visit andersen-geneve.ch and bchh.ch