In early 19th century, Edouard Bovet took the decorative arts – and miniature enamelling in particular – to new heights. Bovet employed the best watchmakers in the Val-de-Travers region and entrusted the case decoration to the enamellers whose workshops were located in Geneva. The talented artists of this golden age continue to contribute today to the reputation of BOVET 1822 timepieces.

Today, Pascal Raffy, the owner of BOVET 1822 and the Dimier 1738 Manufacture, has naturally insisted on employing the same working methods, the same techniques and the same rigour as his predecessors in this new collection. This is impressive, considering that the diameters of today’s timepieces are smaller than those of 19th century pocket watches. It is these shared values for uniqueness and passion for fine art that have brought together Raffy and Ilgiz Fazulzyanov.

Fazulzyanov is one of the most well-known creative jewellers of his generation. The first accomplishments of this partnership focus around two themes: for the men’s timepieces, The Horsemen of the Apocalypse and, for the women’s timepieces, the inspiration came from natural floral themes.

The collaboration has been so successful that the Kremlin has decided to open its doors for a unique exhibit. Fazulzyanov is, therefore, the first jeweller to be invited to the Kremlin Museum since Fabergé in 1917. Some of the BOVET timepieces arising from this partnership will be exhibited.

Opening March 31 and running through July 31, 2016, this unique exhibit demonstrates how much the watchmaking arts are present in the history of art and their universal characters. The first page of history of the House of BOVET was written when in 1818 Edouard Bovet sold four pocket watches to the Emperor of China who became a devoted collector. It is this extraordinary heritage that links the rooms of the Forbidden City to the vastness of the Kremlin, which summarizes this exhibit.