Restoring classics in watches and jewellery adds new levels of luxury

There was a man determined to withstand the shockwaves emanating from the quartz revolution during the 1970s. Nonetheless, it was no easy task to ensure the survival of the delicate craft of creating mechanical watches during this tumultuous period in watchmaking. Not even for Michel Parmigiani, who founded his atelier during the maelstrom of the revolution. However, his forte in classic restoration not only confirmed his passion for haute horology but also became the goldmine of knowledge for his future creations.

"Having seen so many intricate antique watches has given me faith that watchmaking [was not a craft that would die out because of the quartz revolution]," says Parmigiani, founder of Parmigiani Fleurier. "Back then, however, no banker, no investor, no one would trust me, but my wife." Fast-forward 40 years and Parmigiani has impressed more than just his wife - mechanical watchmaking is here to stay.

The maestro has successfully restored pieces such as the Francois Ducommun Planetary clock and Breguet's Pendule Sympathique clock. Apart from pieces restored from the brand's affiliated Maurice Yves Sandoz collection, Parmigiani's masterpieces are preserved at institutions such as Milan's Castello Sforzesco, Geneva's Patek Philippe Museum and Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

Like Parmigiani, who credits classic restoration as the basis of his brand, fine watchmakers and high jewellers love flaunting their rich history of antique pieces, either in the spectacular form of retrospective exhibitions or reinterpretations of classic pieces in current collections.

Cartier's recent "Style and History" exhibition at Paris' Grand Palais, for example, was a sold-out showcase. Hundreds of high-jewellery pieces, clocks and watches, design sketches and drawings from the brand's own archive, and on loan from museums and private collectors, were on display.

The jeweller actively acquires vintage pieces for its archive and clients through a department called Cartier Tradition. Valuable pieces are restored by the same team in the same atelier where collections are developed. For its antique timepieces, especially, three experienced craftsmen are dedicated to restoration work.

Luxury maisons, such as Cartier, Audemars Piguet, Van Cleef & Arpels (VCA) and more, assign top craftsmen, historians and experts to set up archives, sifting through their rich history in haute horology or haute joaillerie. Restoration services are available whenever an antique piece is acquired or a family heirloom is brought in by collectors.

While plenty of such restorations are requested by clients, antique pieces are also restored to their former glory to raise their resale value. Valuable antique watches and high jewellery, fetching promising results at auctions and private sales, has also made classic restoration more popular.

Michael Young, a Hong Kong-based watch collector and the owner of Classic Watch Repair, has witnessed increased interest in antique watches over the past few years.

"More connoisseurs are interested in classic watches nowadays. They are knowledgeable and they know their watches," says Young, whose company in Tsim Sha Tsui restores and customises classic timepieces.