Today we will talk about one of the discrete and yet most worshiped watchmakers of the independent scene, Svend Andersen. Andersen was born in Denmark in 1942. Later he moved to Switzerland and worked for Gübelin, where he had the chance to repair some of the original Worldtime watches, with the mechanism of Louis Cottier before moving to Patek Philippe and also restored the original by Louis Cottier-Made-Maded Worldtimers. As a founding member of the AHCI, Andersen founded his own studio 45 years ago and made a name for himself as a specialist for WorldTime Watches, the first communication 24, which was started in 1990. It therefore feels more than natural to celebrate the publication of such a complication on the 45th anniversary of the brand with the Superb Andersen brand and celebrate 45.
Svend Andersen in the studio in Geneva
Communication 24, the first Worldtimer of Andersen Genève
Before we talk about this pretty new communication 45, we quickly look back on the past. A complication that has become a signature function for Andersen Genève. The now 82 -year -old Svend Andersen for the first time came across the WorldTime system, as developed by Louis Cottier in the 1930s and was taken over by Patek Philippe, while in the 1970s in the 1970s in Lucerne in the 1970s in Lucerne. In the late 1980s after he had created his brand, at the behest he developed his own ultra-thin World Module NUR 0.9 mm thick. The first clock for integration was communication 24, which was introduced in 1990 on sousity. Twenty-four watches should be produced with global card leaves in blue and gold and gold covers with striking hinges made by the late case making genius Jean-Pierre Hagmann.
Above: two editions (yellow and white gold) of the 1990 Communication Worldtimer – Below: The 1994 Mundus and the 2022 Celestial Voyager with BCHH
Die Zeit 2015 Andersen Geneva Time
This was also followed in 1990 by Andersen Genève's first serial-produced watch, simply known as communication-identical to the subscription model and with a case of JP Hagmann, but this time with teardrop styles. Since this defining moment, the independent watchmaker has created Several Collections Relying on the WorldTime Function, including the Christophorus Columbus (1992), The Ultra-Thin Mundus (1994), The 1884 (2004), The Tempus Terrae (2015), The Heures du Monde in Collaboration with ARPREY (2022) and the Celestial Voyager Enamel Series in Collaboration with BCHH (from 2021-2024).
So of course it feels for the indie watchmaker, 45 years since the brand was founded in 1980 and 35 years since his first Worldic car watch to be marked with … another Worldtimer. And not the worst to be honest. As a tribute to the origin of the brand called Andersen Genève Communication 45, it is the tenth exclusive Worldtimer series since 1990. What we look at is a watch that is on early models, but also classic Cottier Worldtimers. The case that has been produced by the long-term employee Marco Poluzzi (83 years old) in his workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds (owned by AG since 2022) without using CNC machinery measures only a diameter of 38 mm and 8.97 mm (Exkl. Kristallin) in height. It consists of 3N yellow gold with hand-polished rounded surfaces. The most striking elements are the lugs that combine the tear style style, which is used by Jean-Pierre Hagmann for series communication from 1990 with a sculpture, curvy silhouette of elegant cornes de vache (cow-horn) lugs. And the housing has traditional crowns in the cottier style on each side.
Communication 45 is shown in three different 15-part series with a central dial card with one of three regions: Europe, Asia or America. The display is classic for a world timer with a 24-hour rotating ring, surrounded by a city disc that represents time zones all over the world. The local time is read centrally with skeletonized, sword -shaped yellow gold hands. The dials are used using 21CT Bluegold, gold, which is treated with iron elements and heat and a colored oxidation layer on the surface.
This watch introduces a new cognac color, which is reached by precise control of the oven temperature, time and atmosphere. The wave-like texture of the Bluegold dial is produced by a traditional tapisserie guilloché process. Finally, the card motif is reached via a new procedure that was specially developed for this watch. First, the surface layer of the land mass with a large precision is up to a depth of 0.2 mm. This emptiness is then flown with a liquid paint made of unalloyed gold. As soon as it is healed and polished, the result is a smooth, even influence of pure gold. The city ring of communication 45 is circular and overlaid with creamack.
In the case of the Andersen Genève Communication, there is an automatic base movement of Vintage A. Schild SA, which has been restored and redesigned. This movement runs at 3Hz and stores 40 hours of electricity reserve. It is equipped here with the latest version of the internal WorldTime module by Andersen Genève, based on the one originally designed by Svend in the 1980s. The rotor in the right Bluegold Cognac wears the same tapestry Guilloché as the dial.
Image above and below with the kind permission of @Justinhast
The Andersen Genève Communication 45 Worldtimer is carried in three limited editions of 15 parts (Europe, Asia or America) on a crocodile leather strap. CHF 49,800 (excl. Taxes). Further details at www.andersen-geneve.ch.
https://monochrome-watches.com/andersen-geneve-communication-45-limited-edtition-weltimer-watch-45th-neisers-introducing-price/