Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha
Taiaha

Taiaha

Archived
2400

The latest in our Art Collection, each piece is individually hand-engraved by Christchurch, New Zealand master Andrew Biggs. This series represents the last of the original 42mm Leoncino, an ideal canvas for Andrew's highly detailed work.

Only ten (10) pieces will be produced.

Taiaha is a traditional close quarters fighting weapon made of wood or whalebone. It consists of the tinana (body), an upoko (head) and an arero (tongue) which comes out of the head. They can also be adorned with a collar of kākā feathers and hair from a kurī (Polynesian dog). The purpose of the collar was both to add to the beauty of the weapon and to distract the wielder’s opponent during battle.

A tiki warrior is illustrated holding a taiaha prepared for battle or challenging and greeting the world around him. At his feet is a mania standing guard and protecting the owner. The warriors head with eyes rolling and tongue protruding is on the four lugs.

Most Art Collection Leoncino’s have been adorned on either the case front or back…marking the end of this series with the 42mm case both sides are engraved. The watch back shows the head of the taiaha with a collar of dog hair and flashing eyes flanked by two manaia standing guard and protecting the owner of the watch. The edition number is similarly hand-engraved.

The taiaha is widely known due to its use in the wero, the traditional Māori challenge during the pōwhiri, a formal welcoming ceremony. It represents being prepared to protect ourselves against the darkness that surrounds us but can equally be used to greet people coming into into our lives. It is a weapon of war and peace.

 

Movement: Miyota Caliber 9015 automatic
Case diameter: 42mm excluding the crown
Case finish: 316L stainless steel, hand-engraved top and lugs 
Crown: Screw down
Crystal: Sapphire (double domed), AR coating
Dial and hands: Swiss Super-LumiNova C3
Case back: Solid, hand-engraved
Water resistance: 200M/20ATM

Includes custom travel case and certificate of ownership; fitted with Cognac leather strap (quick-release, Lorica lining, custom Magrette buckle).

Engraved Timepieces

Like all artistic endeavours, the subject matter is open to artistic interpretation by the artist creating the design. This was true of ancient cultures as it is today.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that today we have far more research material and a wider sphere of influence to call upon than the ancients did. But both share the same common theme that has been carried on for a millennia of artisans of all cultures, and that is to create objects of outstanding beauty that can have practical and/or spiritual meaning to the society they live in.

Hand engraving is a highly refined and skilled art that has changed little in the last few centuries. The artisan cuts lines in the metal using small, sharp, steel hand tools called 'gravers' that are forced along by hand or a slight hammering action. To do this the engraver must develop an affinity with the metal they are working on whether it be steel, copper, brass or precious metals like silver and gold.

Today's engravers have the benefit of better magnification like microscopes so the work can be incredibly fine. They also have better steel gravers as some of the metals to be engraved like stainless steel are extremely tough to cut through.

Andrew Biggs - Metal Engraver for Magrette

Andrew Biggs at work.

First the design is roughly drawn out with pencil and paper and increasingly refined until the final design is reached. After that it can be drawn straight to the metal or transferred by various means to the item to be engraved. The main lines are then cut into the surface.

For more high end and sophisticated work, the background is then relived which involves the cutting away of the background to below the surface level. The background is then textured in some way to make a contrast between the surface design and the background. This texturing is an integral part of the overall design of the engraving and has to be balanced in harmony with the overall design. Too much background dominates and too little will overcrowd the work.

Finally the shading, or detail cuts are made. These tend to be lighter than the main cuts and add shadows and contrast to the overall design. It is at this stage that the personality of the work shines through. Quite often the engraver will just make it up as they go along and it is only then that they get to see the real beauty of the metal and design that lies within the engraver's imagination.

Read about our engraver, Andrew Biggs.

See more in Engraved Timepieces

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