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Lot Essay
Ulysse Nardin built its reputation on marine chronometers, and the San Marco line carried that heritage into the modern era. During the 1980s and 1990s, the brand's cloisonné enamel dials—produced by Donzé Cadrans in Geneva—became a signature of its most exclusive pieces. Each dial required dozens of hours of handwork: gold wire bent to form outlines, then filled with enamel and fired repeatedly until the image emerged.
The scene on this dial is Hong Kong itself. Victoria Harbour stretches across the surface, a traditional junk at its centre, the Bank of China Tower rising behind. It is a portrait of a city in transition, painted in enamel at the very moment it passed from British to Chinese sovereignty.
Turn the watch over and the story continues. The case back is engraved in Traditional Chinese with "香港" and "1997年7月1日"—a permanent record of the handover date.
This particular example carries the rare "Musée" signature, indicating it was retained for the brand's own collection rather than sold through normal channels. While yellow gold handover editions were produced in limited numbers, this example falls outside any numbered series, making it singular.
The scene on this dial is Hong Kong itself. Victoria Harbour stretches across the surface, a traditional junk at its centre, the Bank of China Tower rising behind. It is a portrait of a city in transition, painted in enamel at the very moment it passed from British to Chinese sovereignty.
Turn the watch over and the story continues. The case back is engraved in Traditional Chinese with "香港" and "1997年7月1日"—a permanent record of the handover date.
This particular example carries the rare "Musée" signature, indicating it was retained for the brand's own collection rather than sold through normal channels. While yellow gold handover editions were produced in limited numbers, this example falls outside any numbered series, making it singular.