Celestial Infinity

BCHH is proud to announce that the Celestial Infinity astronomical clock was nominated for the GPHG, the most prestigious award in all of watchmaking, in the inaugural Mechanical Clocks category for 2022.

This is the first horological work ever from a Singaporean brand to attain a GPHG nomination.

To commission a Celestial Infinity, contact us at concierge@bchh.ch

To view a video of this astronomical clock masterpiece, see here

To watch a visit to the Alessandro Rigotto atelier and learn about the creative vision behind the Celestial Infinity, see here

The BCHH Celestial Infinity

The BCHH Celestial Infinity was conceived and handcrafted in collaboration with AHCI master clockmaker Alessandro Rigotto in his atelier in Milan, combining the high craftsmanship arts of traditional Italian gemstone setting, carpentry and leather craft, with the in-house developed astronomical complication and Haute Horlogerie finishing of the clock movement.
The Celestial Infinity is produced in a limited Concept Series of 5 pieces, each with a unique constellation dial and finish.
It is a 10 day spring-driven pendulum clock.
The base movement is fully developed and produced in-house by Alessandro Rigotto.
The astronomical complication is fully developed and produced in-house by Alessandro Rigotto, exclusively for BCHH.
It is 100% Made in Italy.
One of the interesting and unique features is its train, which is actually an epicyclic (planetary gearing) one. The motion work is based on the Ferguson Mechanical Paradox which avoids the need for a 12 to 1 gear train between the hour hand and the minute hand.
Another significant change compared to a traditional movement is the substitution of the metal case with two glass plates which give an impression as if the clock mechanism is suspended mid-air.
Such a solution allows for the possibility to make the core element visible to the audience, inviting them to look at the clock differently, from a new perspective, thus appreciating its pure mechanism and maybe discovering something new and intriguing for themselves.
The Graham escapement is utilised to deliver a more precise performance.
The Invar pendulum is moved to the left side of the clockwork to enhance its aesthetic appeal. It was done for clock connoisseurs who never want to miss its constant and gentle motion.

Movement

10 day mechanical spring-driven pendulum clock with the epicyclical train, Graham deadbeat escapement, palladium plated gears, mirror hand-polished arbors and columns, navy blue anodised arrow-shaped hands.
The clock has two dials. The first one features the classic hands in its centre where hours and minutes are independent, thus making this timepiece unique on the market. The second dial on the right portrays the magnificent diamond sky.
The astronomical complications of the planetarium allows one to admire the northern hemisphere constellations making a complete rotation in 23h 56 minutes and 4 seconds.
The stars and constellations are composed of high quality jewellery-grade diamonds of different caratage.
The number and purity of the diamonds are completely customisable according to the sky of the city chosen by the client.
A certificate of authenticity of the diamonds will be provided.

Case

The twin turbine wooden case is covered with plum-blue hand-sewn leather on the outside and black Alcantara on the inside to better absorb the noise.
8 claw-like aluminium natural anodised spokes
2 x 8mm-hardened extra-clear, crystal ∞ - shape glass plates
1 x 4mm-hardened extra-clear, crystal glass protective sky lid
2 hardened extra-clear, crystal turbine-like glass domes with anodised aluminium profiles
A wooden wing-shaped base lacquered in blue and aluminium-like colours
The case of the Celestial Infinity has a particular and unusual shape that can be considered unique on the clockmaking market. It ventures beyond the paradigm of the traditional perception of clockmaking, even if the material used for its realisation remains a classical one.
The concept of the futuristic turbine-like shape originates from the dream of flight and classic aircraft.
The case is made of solid wood components crafted, joined together and polished by hand with the aid of modern tools. Each piece is a unique artisanal work.
One of the major milestones in its realisation was its asymmetrical form, assembly of separate components and the steadiness of the frame. Thanks to the series of calculations, technical solutions and long experience in carpentry this step was passed with the highest result.
The wooden case is covered by plum blue leather which was also applied by hand with no visible stitches showing excellent skill and accurate and precise work of Italian “pellaio”.
Inside, the case is covered by black Alcantara tissue, an intentional solution in order to reduce the clock beat noise.
The two glass domes have a smart locking system that permits easier access to the back side of the clock movement where the winding nest is located.

Constellation Dial

The diamond sky is the largest rotating star disc in the clock making world.
Its diameter is 308 mm and thickness is 2mm.
The aluminium natural anodised base is fully engraved (a very difficult and lengthy process requiring 24 hours) with the constellations that rise up being filled in with navy blue enamel.
The process was done manually so there may be some imperfections which only reinforces this piece as a unique artisanal creation.
This first showpiece of the Celestial Infinity portrays the night sky of Milan, the birthplace of the clock.
On the constellation dial of this showpiece, 455 diamonds of three different calibre were utilised to depict the night sky:
190 diamonds of 1 point
250 diamonds of 2 points
15 diamonds of 5 points
Total carat weight is 8.03 cts.
The colour is G.
The purity of the diamonds is VS 2.

Finishing

All the columns, arbors and bushes are made of stainless steel and subsequently hand and mirror polished.
In order to obtain precision, accuracy and a high-quality result in crafting the gears, modern technologies and tools, such as CNC machines, were used.
The gears are made of brass.
The full process from the raw material to the final piece follows these steps:

Programming with digital software programs (Solidworks)
Realisation of piece from raw material – brass – through CNC machine
Mirror polishing of all the components made by hand
Depending on the material (only brass parts) and based on the client’s wishes, the components undergo Palladium, Rose gold, 24K yellow gold or DLC plating.
The aluminium pieces such as hands (in this case instead of mirror polishing, sandblasting was used), 5 central wheel’s buttons/screws and the case’s claws cage are blue anodised.
8 claws-like spokes and 4 glass domes’ rings are hand polished and natural anodised.

Customisation Possibliites

The number and purity of the diamonds are completely customisable.
The planetarium itself can also be customised. Clients can choose their sky according to their personal desire which afterwards will be drawn and realised with maximum accuracy and precision on the rotating sky disk with hundreds of diamonds on a navy blue enamel aluminium base.
Leather colour
Case finish - Palladium, 24K Rose Gold or Yellow Gold, or DLC plating.
Colour of hands and case accents
Engraving on case

Technical Details

Power reserve: 10 days
Dimensions: Length 68 x Height 57.5 x Depth 52 cm
Frequency: 8180 beats per hour
Weight: 26 kg

Home