For many watch buyers and collectors, there is little chance to own a rare or limited edition watch that can be said to be a truly unique piece made to their exact tastes. The Slovakian duo behind Molnar Fabry specializes in doing just this, and since 2006 they have created some truly intricate and breathtaking bespoke watches. This piece, the Molnar Fabry Majestic Tourbillon Piece Unique watch is no different, evoking the truly majestic beauty of cathedral columns on the dial, housed in a rose gold case. As with any watch by Molnar Fabry, keep in mind that this is a piece completely customized with the wishes of the buyer in mind. In that regard, each watch is a different demonstration of just what is possible. I have no doubt so many of you will, like myself, will be dreaming up their own fantasy watch after looking at just how much craftsmanship and time goes into the watch.
Given just how long wristwatches have been around, we are lucky that some watchmakers have the ability to create designs which can still surprise and seduce us. In this case, these designs are perfected on a surface area similar to the size of a casino chip, making the feat all the more impressive and the final product all the more enchanting. Molnar Fabry is known for their custom-ordered pieces which are skeletonized and decorated as well as their use of all kinds of movements, ranging from base ETAs to tourbillons, and transforming them into something totally different and wonderful. In fact, we visited their workshop a couple years ago. If you really want to delve deep into the world of the two jewelers, Michal Molnar and Igor Fabry, I highly recommend reading that piece and taking it all in.
The Molnar Fabry Majestic Tourbillon Piece Unique watch is presented in a 44mm rose gold case and catches your attention immediately with its stunning Art Deco-inspired dial. The combination of polished and satin-brushed surfaces gives this watch a solid and elegant presence, which reminds me of one of those pre-war Rolls-Royce cars set against the backdrop of the Chrysler Building in New York City.
The focal point of this watch is the architectural dial, reminiscent of an Art Deco cathedral. Its vaulted arches are enhanced with polished and grained surfaces fanning out around the dial like sun rays, a traditional motif of the Art Deco period. On the front side of the watch, the sun rays are truncated to allow a view of the gear train which animates the hands. Crafted in rose gold, the hands are also cathedral-shaped in keeping with the personality of this beauty. The rose gold hands contrast with the black rhodium background making the time easy to consult. Crowning the dial at 12 o’clock is a rose gold arrow studded with a diamond, like a rose window in a cathedral.
The skeletonized nature of the Molnar Fabry Majestic Tourbillon Piece Unique Watch obviously allows a view on the movement. This is where the unique and customized aspect really comes into play for me when I think about this particular piece. Personally, I would have loved a more elaborate and ornate treatment on the barrel and gear train. But since these watches are all bespoke, the client requested it like this. In any case, the amount of work that has been invested in stripping back the calibre without affecting the stability of the movement is astounding, no matter your preferences in regards to aesthetic.
Molnar Fabry is not a manufacture in the traditional sense of the term since they do not create their own movements but acquire them from third parties and then modify them. In the case of the Molnar Fabry Majestic Tourbillon Piece Unique, the caliber is a TT800 One Minute Tourbillon made by TechnoTime. A movement and module manufacturer in Les Brenets, Switzerland, Techno-Time manufactures hand-wound and automatic mechanical movements, quartz calibers, and yes, some tourbillons as well. Molnar Fabry, as the images testify, have thoroughly and excessively customized and reworked the TT800 hand-wound tourbillon movement. The frequency of the calibre is of 21,600bph, and it has a power reserve of 72 hours.
This timepiece is fastened to the wrist on a blue alligator strap. Hand-made by ABP Paris, the blue alligator leather matches the blue hour and minute dots as well as the brand name on the flange of the dial, and it comes with a rose gold deployant buckle. The watch required more than 400 hours of manual work, which is reflected in its price: the Molnar Fabry Majestic Tourbillon Piece Unique watch costs €85,000. molnarfabry.com
