Andersen Genève celebrates its 40-year anniversary Watch Review
Andersen Genève celebrates its 40-year anniversary with the release of two, unique timepieces. The first ‘pièce unique’ features a jumping hours display, while the second, again, pièce unique, is endowed with a glorious diamond-set case.
Svend Andersen was born in Denmark, however, he has spent most of his life living and working in Switzerland. Initially, he worked for the esteemed retailer Gübelin, working in various roles in after-sales. However, he came to prominence courtesy of his ‘bottle clocks’.
The young Dane came to the attention of the prestigious Maison, Patek Philippe and in 1969, he joined the firm’s ‘Atelier des grandes complications’. Andersen spent nine years at the Genevan Manufacture before embarking on a new phase in this career, namely as an independent watchmaker.
From the outset, Andersen focused on making one-off watches (‘pièce unique’) His specialities were calendar watches, erotic automaton models and worldtimers.
In 1985, Andersen co-founded the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendant (AHCI) with fellow watchmaker, Vincent Calabrese. The association has brought together some of the finest watchmaking talents, each working collectively to promote the art of independent watch and clockmaking. Its members read like a Who’s Who of watchmaking with various horological luminaries within its ranks, including Felix Baumgartner, Konstantin Chaykin, Philippe Dufour, François-Paul Journe, Andreas Strehler and Kari Voutilainen, to name but a few.
Now, Svend is celebrating 40 years as an independent watchmaker. To mark the occasion, he has released two unique pieces, one with a jumping hour indication and a second, the ‘Tempus Terrae’, featuring a resplendent gem-set case with 36 baguette diamonds.
Andersen perfectly embodies everything that is wonderful about independent watchmaking.
Andersen Genève brand’s press release (February 2020)
The first timepiece to be presented is a “Unique Piece” celebrating 40 successful years of independent watchmaking for distinguished collectors
In the 1980’s Svend Andersen received a bespoke watch commission from a Swiss watch collector to make a “Unique Piece” based on a pocket watch movement that he was bringing to Geneva. Svend had only just left his role at the “Atelier des Grandes Complications” at Patek Philippe.
Fast forward 40 years more than 100 “Unique Pieces” have been created and delivered to watch collectors around the world. This year sees ANDERSEN Genève celebrating this anniversary with a “Unique Piece”.
ANDERSEN Genève timepieces display all types of complications from Alarm Clock to Minute Repeaters, Perpetual Calendar to Secular Perpetual Calendars from World Timezones to Automaton, etc. The complication timepiece being presented in 2020 is a Jumping Hour.
The second timepiece to be presented is the “Tempus Terrae” featuring an invisible setting Baguette Diamonds bezel
ANDERSEN Genève’s first series of timepieces includes the “Communication 24”. A limited edition of 24 timepieces displaying the 24 world time zones. Many “Unique Piece” with time zones indication have been created and produced featuring a variation of additional complications. The fifth edition of world time watches was presented in 2015, the Tempus Terrae.
This 5th edition World Time watch by ANDERSEN Genève was commemorating the first World Time Watch with two crowns developed by Louis Cottier in the 50’s; one of the most beautiful world time watch ever created.
The Tempus Terrae carries ANDERSEN Genève’s DNA, much adored by watch collectors. A very sober and classic watch case in gold, simple aesthetic: “A” shaped Andersen hands and an exclusive 21ct Blue Gold “scale” pattern guilloché main dial. This new Tempus Terrae with baguette diamonds, invisible setting bezel adding a delicate touch to this classical timepiece.