Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier recently launched an artistic collaboration with artist Marcello lo Giudice at Opera Gallery in New York. The vernissage honored the launch of Lo Giudice’s new collection and the special edition Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Marcello Lo Giudice timepiece. Each of the twelve timepieces feature identically reproduced portions of Lo Giudice’s artwork.
Michel Parmigiani embarked on a personal journey to find new inspiration for his world-renowned haute horology pieces. Captivated by Marcello lo Giudice’s latest works, with abrasions and bold color cascading across the abstract landscape — an embodiment of the cyclical relationship between man and material, Parmigiani found his newest muse and began to blend these two unique worlds of craftsmanship.
“Marcello Lo Giudice’s artwork makes me think of how a glass prism separates white light into its full spectrum of colors, refracting them at a specific angle. His paintings are marvelous, compelling and I’m very proud of our collaboration.” Michel Parmigiani.
To achieve the twelve dials, each of them one of a kind, Parmigiani Fleurier employed a laser technique of the utmost precision. On the raw plate of the dial, the beam engraved its trace and marked the material’s structure, in order to build volume where there was a flat surface. Then the miniaturist painter applied the color pigments, identically reproducing a selected portion of his artwork “Eden Universe, Eden Ocean”.
The special edition Tonda 1950 Marcello Lo Giudice comes with thinner hands, said to have a “sage leaf” shape, in order to adorn the frescos of the dial without concealing it. The rose gold case is engraved with an individual number, the title of “Unique Piece” and the two names “Marcello” and “Michel” side by side – a tribute to the friendship born from this collaboration.
Since 2010 Marcello Lo Giudice has supported the sale of his works with the protection of marine areas and natural reserves of the Mediterranean Sea and research in favor of the ecosystem and the salvation of the planet. In 2013 he was nominated artist of the Croix Rouge, for his civil commitment. Marcello Lo Giudice’s work runs parallel with Parmigiani Fleurier’s passion for design, innovation and the beautiful history of time itself. Retail price is $36,000.