Skip to product information
1 of 7

Sainte-Chapelle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Sainte-Chapelle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Regular price €2.400,00 EUR
Regular price Sale price €2.400,00 EUR
Sale Sold out

Model inspired by the rose window of the Sainte-Chapelle in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Made to order and shipped within 3 months.

Price includes VAT and shipping.

Bracelet
View full details

Features

  • 44 mm diameter case
  • 51 mm horn to horn, 11 mm thick
  • 316L stainless steel
  • Waterproof to 50m
  • Sapphire crystal glass (front and back)
  • Dial made of anodized titanium and steel, polished, painted and assembled by hand in Paris.
  • Cathedral hands made in France
  • Swiss automatic movement ETA 2892-A2, 28,800 A/h, 51-hour power reserve.
  • 22mm wide strap
  • Assembled in Paris

Due to the manual finishing of the dials and the use of specific materials (crystallized titanium), slight variations are possible from one watch to another.

The illustrations above are photographs taken in real conditions and not 3D renderings.

  • Dark brown Shell Cordovan leather from the prestigious Horween tannery. Steel pin buckle.

  • "Rice pearl" bracelet in polished and brushed stainless steel. Adjustable folding clasp with safety clasp.

  • Stainless steel Milanese mesh bracelet. Safety clasp.

Detailed information

This model features an amber-colored dial made of anodized titanium. The crystallized surface plays with light, revealing constantly shifting reflections depending on the angle and ambient brightness.

The rose window is materialized by a delicate stainless steel mesh, alternating matte hollows and hand-polished edges, for a contrast of textures and depth. The design is inspired as faithfully as possible by the architecture of the rose window of the Sainte-Chapelle in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. You will find more information below about its history, construction and meaning. To make it easier to read, the hours are marked by hand-painted white indexes.

The large diameter of the case (44 mm) highlights the work on the dial, while the distance from horn to horn is kept to 51 mm, thus optimizing wearing comfort. For reference, the illustrations above are made on a wrist of 18 cm.

The watch is powered by a Swiss ETA 2892-A2 automatic movement, a caliber renowned for its quality and reliability. Its compactness allows the watch to maintain a thickness of only 11 mm, despite a dial three times thicker than usual.

Due to the crystalline texture of titanium, as well as the hand-assembled and finished nature of the product, slight variations may occur from one watch to another.

The Sainte-Chapelle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye

The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, founded in the 12th century by Louis VI and later expanded by Francis I and Henry II, was for a long time one of the favorite residences of the Kings of France. At the heart of this complex stands the royal chapel, or Sainte Chapelle, built between 1234 and 1238 during the reign of King Saint Louis.

This chapel is one of the finest examples of "rayonnant" Gothic architecture, characterized by its pursuit of light and transparency. Its master mason designed a veritable "glass cage": the walls were replaced by tall stained-glass windows, supported by graceful clusters of slender columns and powerful buttresses. Thanks to this daring system, the building takes on the appearance of a monumental reliquary where light becomes a symbol of the divine presence. Another innovation, the use of "reinforced stone"—incorporating metal elements into the masonry—allowed for the wide opening of the walls, providing maximum lighting and an interior space free of unnecessary supports.

Restored in the 19th century during the creation of the National Museum of Archaeology, the chapel remains today the main vestige of the medieval castle. It is probably the most confidential and least known place in this "Rose Window" collection, but it remains a masterpiece of rayonnant Gothic architecture, foreshadowing the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and inspiring the construction of other Sainte-Chapelles in France.

The Rose

Among the rose windows of the Rosaces collection, the one in the Sainte-Chapelle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye stands out for its uniqueness: it is not adorned with stained glass, but is unfortunately walled up. Originally, however, it opened widely onto the castle square. It was only in 1539, when Francis I undertook to remodel the castle to bring it up to date, that it was closed off.

Subsequently, the rose window was even covered with plaster, disappearing completely, until the 19th-century restorations led by Eugène Millet, which restored its visibility. While the initial effect was meant to be grandiose, the work remains today a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Viollet-le-Duc wrote about this chapel: "In Saint-Germain, everything is clear, understandable at first glance. The master of this work (unknown) was sure of his art; he was at the same time a man of taste and a first-rate scholar."

Less famous than the rose windows of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris or Notre-Dame, the one in Saint-Germain-en-Laye can be discovered in a much more peaceful atmosphere. Away from the crowds, one can take the time to admire it and appreciate to the full the purity of its design and the strength of its architecture.

  • Interior of the Sainte-Chapelle

  • Drawing of the rose by Viollet-le-Duc (A reasoned dictionary of French architecture from the 11th to the 16th century)

  • Details of the rose

  • Overview of the rose