Over the centuries, clockmaking has evolved not just in precision and technical capability but also as an art form. With imagination of design and decoration, pendules à sujet, clocks with movements that rested on the backs of animals from the 18th century and the pendules mysterieuses of the Blois clockmaker Robert Houdin of the 19th century contributed to clocks as precious works of art and not just functional timepieces.

The first quarter of the twentieth century produced some of the most spectacular clocks ever seen with the world's leading jewelry houses taking over from the traditional clockmaker. These were times of fantasy with no expense spared, precious metals and jewels being used in new and imaginative designs.

Not to be eclipsed by their European cousins, American jewelry houses were also at the forefront of this exciting era: the New York firm Black, Starr and Frost made a small number of pieces that were able to rival the ateliers of Paris. Black, Starr and Frost is the oldest jewelry house in America and although originally founded in Savannah, Georgia in 1801, they moved their premises to New York a few years later to enjoy the growth of this young and exciting city.

Extremely beautiful, the present “Mystery” clock is a superb example of such timepiece sold by Black, Starr and Frost. Of typical Art Deco style, it impresses with the use of a variety of materials and colours, shapes influenced by exotic designs from as far away as Mexico, represented by its dial, inspired by the Aztec Sun Stone. Discovered in 1790, the Aztec Calendar Stone or Aztec Sun Stone (Piedra del Sol in Spanish), is a basalt disk covered with hieroglyphic carvings of calendar signs and other images referring to the Aztec creation myth.

Always highly exclusive and desirable, mystery clocks and watches continue to fascinate today as much as they have for over 100 years.

Rubel Frères
Acknowledged as one of the best makers of Art Deco jewellery and objects and famously associated with Van Cleef & Arpels, Rubel Frères was a Parisian manufacturing firm that also worked with other well-known companies on the Place Vendôme in Paris, including Ostertag.