THOMAS PRESCHER Nemo CAPTAIN

By TLex And now for something completely different!

'' The diver fought against the strong current. Each time he removed another piece of mud it cost him immense energy…Again and again he rubbed away more dirt. This extremely difficult work must succeed. “Nau…”, one more piece of dirt falls away. “Nautilus”…appeared as the team succeeded. Finally, they discovered Captain Nemo’s submarine, and inside they found several plans of mechanical machines, which were later discovered to be plans of the different crew members’ watches … "



Remember THIS? Last year, Thomas Prescher hinted at something that could have been a new diver, sadly it wasn't, but that isn't to say that his new creations were any less evocative of the ocean realm - far from it! The new Nemo series, which includes two models (thus far - a diver is still a possibility for the future) are inspired by the literary masterpiece by Jules Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea. The watches combine Steampunk and art nouveau influences with haughte horlogy.



The Nemo series watches have some shared design elements, such as the porthole designed front bezels and backs. Also nameplates and index rings have been inspired by old steam engines and Victorian engineering. The case of Nemo Sailor model uses saltwater-resistant bronze, which has the perfect look as it ages with time to form its wonderful patina. In contrast the Nemo Captain's case uses non-oxidizing materials. The lugs, front and back bezels of the flagship watch are made from Rose gold and the middle part from Palladium.



Not having a dial in a classic sense, red gold was chosen for the appliqués of the Captain: a fabulous combination underscoring a 19th Century maritime look. Its case measures 44mm in diameter by 12mm thick, while the domed Sapphire crystal rises 4mm from the case to give a total height of around 16mm. The crown is inspired by some type of ancient valve.

It is powered by a Triple Axis Tourbillon caliber with implemented jump hour indicator. A second small port affords a view of this 'kinetic sculpture', where a Sapphire domed crystal dome catches the eye. For the appliqués on the dial and the case, a soft copper found its way into the design. Copper’s warm, red color, together with the traditional font of the letters, round out the design to perfection.

The detail is quite breathtaking - the watches both charming. I can't wait to see the third model in the series!