Claude Meylan Tortue Petite Fleur
Claude Meylan Tortue Petite Fleur
2017 GPHG Ladies High-Mech Category Finalist
As the 'entry level' piece among the six finalists in the 2017 GPHG Ladies High-Mech category, the Tortue Petite Fleur by Claude Meylan still offers a brand new bespoke in-house movement with floral printed sapphire and engaging mechanical features.
For just under CHF7,000, the Tortue Petite Fleur would seem to be something of a wild card in the category, but it does offer a very different proposal to the mega expensive Lady Arpels Papillon Automate at the opposite end of the scale, and while austere in comparison, still has a very charming personality.
Its 31mm stainless steel tonneau shaped case is petit, but even so there is a sense of airiness thanks to its cutaway sapphire dial with dark blue floral print, which reveals an inverted, top mounted micro rotor with diamonds and sapphires, as well as the constant motion of the balance and escapement assembly. The movement, with its unusual configuration is purpose built for Claude Meylan's Tortue ladies collection, and showcases the watchmaking finesse of the Jura based company. As far as functions are concerned, it features off-centred hours, minutes and seconds.
Overall, the Tortue Petite Fleur is a very nice and unusual piece for the money, but this being the High-Mech category, one would not really expect value to be much of a factor, if at all. In fact the term High-Mech almost suggests something much more elaborate - and expensive, and history shows us that previous award winners have tended to have those characteristics, so as charming as it might well be, the Tortue Petite Fleur most definitely lacks the exuberance and complexity of the rest of its competition.
The Watch Press prediction
No award this year.
The pertinents
REFERENCE: 6080 PF
CASE: Steel
BRACELET/STRAP: Satin
BUCKLE: Pin buckle
MOVEMENT: Manual winding mechanical. Power reserve: 38 h, 28'800 vph
FUNCTIONS: Hours, Minutes
SIZE: ø 31 mm
THICKNESS: 11 mm
WATERPROOFNESS: 30 m
PRICE EXCL.VAT: CHF 3'980
In the frivolity of the beating wings of a little butterfly amid stained sapphire meadow grass, the Lady Arpels Papillon Automate by elite jewellery maison Van Cleef and Arpels is a colourful, technical and welcome finalist in the 2017 GPHG Ladies High-Mech category.