This watch is Sold

Number 3/5 in the edition

A Tribute to an American Icon

The Rpaige, limited edition of 5 series “Chrysler Building”.

This watch was five years in the making due to it’s complexity of design. The Chrysler Building has always been, to me, the apex of American Art Deco architectural design and a tribute to the American Automobile industry.

Designed by William Van Allen, for the Chrysler Automobile Company, the building broke ground on September 19, 1928. When the Chrysler was finished in 1930, it was declared the world’s tallest building. The Chrysler Building is considered a leading example of Art Deco architecture. It is constructed of a steel frame in-filled with masonry, with areas of decorative metal cladding. Approximately fifty metal ornaments protrude at the building’s corners on five floors reminiscent of gargoyles on Gothic cathedrals.The 31st-floor contains gargoyles and replicas of the 1929 Chrysler radiator caps, the 61st floor – Eagles, a nod to America’s national bird. The building is also decorated with Chrysler Car hood ornaments. It is an iconic landmark in NYC, and renowned the world over.

There will only be five watches of this series made. Each one will be unique. Each one of the five will have a different dial. Each one will be numbered on the back on the case.

case:

The Rpaige “Chrysler Building” watch is made of steel. It measures 41mm in diameter, 57mm in length, and 13mm thick, with sapphires crystals. It is water resistant to 50 meters

The case takes its design lead from the Chrysler Building’s Art Deco crown. The building’s crown is composed of seven radiating terraced arches, with distinctive triangular windows. Each arch section is smaller and higher than the previous, giving the top of the building a wedding cake effect. At the base of the top part of the building lies the famous “Eagle gargoyles”.

The watch case is a tribute to the crowning glory of the building’s majestic design. On one side is a tribute to the radiating arched terraced with triangular cut outs for the windows. The opposite side boldly integrates the “Eagle Gargoyles” into the watch lugs, using the Eagles eyes as the pin hole.

Movement:
17 jewel, New, Swiss, DB6, brushed finished movement.

Dial:

The dial on this second one in the series is an antique “Niello” dial from the 1920’s, Art Deco, sterling Silver, with an Rpaige designed Art Deco Numbers chapter ring created on silver metal with blue enamel paint. The hands are Dauphin style beveled, with blue ION plating with luminous.

Niello is a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver, and lead, used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. It is added as a powder or paste, then fired until it melts or at least softens, and flows or is pushed into the engraved lines in the metal. It hardens and blackens when cool, and the niello on the flat surface is polished off to show the filled lines in black, contrasting with the polished metal around it. The contrast of the black niello against the bright silver surface produces an attractive decorative effect.
Niello was used on a variety of objects over the ages, including sword hilts, chalices, plates, horns, adornment for horses, jewelery such as bracelets, rings, pendants, and small fittings such as strap-ends, buttons, belt buckles and especially on antique Pocket watch cases.

Shown with a blue genuine Ostrich strap.