Watch 1565 - 1575

This exquisite watch was crafted by Nicolas Bernard around 1600, using rock crystal and gilded brass. The immediate impression is one of transparency and intricate detail. The crystal, shaped into multifaceted geometric forms, encases the delicate clockwork. The choice of crystal as the primary material is fascinating. Its clarity invites a sense of objectivity, almost a scientific gaze into the mechanics of time. The gilded brass, with its ornate floral patterns, contrasts with the crystal's starkness, introducing an element of baroque opulence. This interplay of materials, between the natural and the artificial, creates a visual tension. One could see Bernard's watch as a commentary on time itself. Is time an objective, measurable phenomenon, represented by the clear, geometric crystal? Or is it something more ornate, shaped by human hands and cultural values, as suggested by the gilded brass? This is a discourse about what it means to record, measure and even ‘see’ time. The artwork's form underscores these ambiguities, leaving the viewer to ponder time’s multifaceted nature.