Featured Product: Perspex® Clear Cast
Exquisite English craftsmanship to mark a unique event in British history.
The occasion of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee brought together two British companies that share a passion for craftsmanship, precision and innovation to create a unique and magnificent architectural floor clock which now resides in Buckingham Palace. Royal Warrant holding company, Zone Creations, renowned for their award winning Perspex® acrylic furniture has created a magnificent architectural floor clock cabinet to house a superb quality precision English regulator movement manufactured by British clockmaker, Comitti London.
Zone Creations and Comitti, the UK’s leading clockmaker established in 1850, agreed that the most fitting way to create a timepiece of truly timeless beauty was to elect for a Long Case Regulator design. Kevin Self, Managing Director of Zone Creations, says “As the Diamond Jubilee was only the second such anniversary in British history; we wanted something that would blend traditional and modern sensibilities, ensuring that the finished piece would be fit to grace the halls of Buckingham Palace.”
Historically, such clocks would have been housed in wood cabinets to protect the movements with glazed doors but working in the medium of Perspex® clear cast acrylic it has been possible to create a design that reveals the stunning 30 day regulator movement in a way never before seen.
The cabinet crafted by Zone Creations reflects the Palladian architectural style of Buckingham Palace. The limited edition Greenwich Regulator cabinet is manufactured from the highest quality clear Perspex® acrylic to allow light to flood the case illuminating Comitti’s remarkable movement. The movement is available in rhodium or gold plated finishes and regulated by a Graham dead beat escapement fitted with tungsten carbide pallets in the Vulliamey style.
On one hand, thanks to its makers’ ceaseless quest for perfection, the beauty of the cabinet stands alone. For all its strength and beauty, cast polymer is a most unforgiving medium. So creating a case of such delicate beauty and prodigious strength, all the while maintaining a flawless transparency, is no small matter. From its black Corian base to its Palladian top the cabinet is a triumph of art over adversity.
Simon Barker, Managing Director of Comitti says “Each of its 345 parts is precision-machined from solid brass and steel, then finished, polished, assembled and calibrated by skilled clockmakers. With burnished pivots to ensure unsurpassed longevity, silver-plated solid brass dials, polished blue steel hands, elegant Roman numerals and the choice of rhodium or gold plated finishes, this superior clock movement is as beautiful as it is precise”.
A limited edition of 120 pieces worldwide has been made to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. QEST scholars will engrave the serial numbers and produce the certificates of authenticity.
With every sale, a donation will be made to QEST to benefit future craftsmen, whilst highlighting that the best of British craftsmanship has been combined to create a contemporary and collectable item where it’s very core is centred on tradition.
Nick Farrow, Chairman of QEST says “The Greenwich Regulator Clock created by Zone Creations and incorporating the renowned Comitti movement is an example of the finest traditions of British craftsmanship, a superb example of the art of the British clockmaker. We are highly delighted to be involved with this project, to have some QEST scholars’ work included in the making of the clock and of course to be a beneficiary of the outcome. I wholeheartedly recommend anyone to seek out and view these gorgeous clocks before they are snapped up.”
About Zone Creations
Zone Creations was founded in 1999 and during that time has established a worldwide reputation for high quality, hand-crafted Perspex® acrylic furniture with a worldwide client base across a variety of sectors including retail, TV and film, interiors and furniture. They specialise in the design and manufacture of innovative collections with a dedicated and talented team of British craftsmen, using meticulous attention to detail.
Following the creation of numerous unique pieces for Buckingham Palace, the company was proud to be granted The Royal Warrant as manufacturers of bespoke acrylic furniture to Her Majesty the Queen in 2012.
Zone will be participating in the Coronation Festival which takes place in the Grounds of Buckingham Palace between 11-14th July.
www.zone-creations.co.uk
About Comitti
Since its inception in 1850 London, Comitti is still today a family-owned business, run by the fifth generation, which remains true to the founding principles set out by Onorato Comitti, and in so doing continues to maintain the company’s international reputation for luxury timepieces in the finest traditions of English clockmaking. Original Comitti clocks from those early days are now sought-after as valuable antiques. Some of the Comitti styles created in the late 1800s continue to be made today, using many of the same techniques and attracting the same wonder that they always did.
Comitti will be exhibiting the Limited Edition Greenwich Regulator along with some new products at Baselworld 2013 which takes place between 25thApril – 2nd May.
www.comitti.com
About QEST
The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) is the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, established in 1990 to mark its 150th anniversary and the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
QEST provides scholarships to preserve rare skills and enable those talented craftsmen and women with promise and a long-held passion for their craft to achieve greater levels of excellence through study with masters of their craft around the world.
www.qest.org.uk