Watch 16th century

This intricate, spherical watch was crafted by Nicolas Bernard in the late 16th or early 17th century. Its surface is adorned with floral motifs, tiny blossoms wrought in gold and enamel, evoking ideas of transience and beauty. These flower patterns, reminiscent of the memento mori tradition, appear in Dutch Golden Age vanitas paintings. The fragility and fleeting nature of life are echoed by their delicate, stylized rendering. The watch form itself mirrors the celestial sphere, a miniature cosmos, reminding us of the grand, immutable order of the universe against the ephemerality of human existence. Like constellations mapped across the night sky, this visual vocabulary has been passed down through history, shifting in meaning. The subconscious recognition of these symbols connects us to past generations, triggering deep-seated emotional responses, such as wonder and awe. In this beautiful watch, we are reminded of the cyclical progression of symbols that resurface and evolve, taking on new meanings in different historical contexts.