The Oktopus Monster – a truly unique timepiece engraved by the renowned English artist and master engraver, Johnny Dowell will be the first piece to be auctioned. Near 200 hours of engraving transformed the classic Oktopus Moon into this Oktopus Monster.
Johnny’s association with Linde Werdelin dates back to 2014 when he first came across Linde Werdelin in a magazine while staying at a hotel in Portugal. Trained with renowned British gunmakers James Purdey & Sons for 15 years as a gun engraver, Johnny has since built a reputation for very individual and complex engravings across an array of products.
Crafting such a piece involves a lengthy process that takes months. It begins with planning the watch’s design, followed by the delicate engraving and the addition of 24kt gold. Finally, it’s finished with the unique blackened effect. The intricate details are meticulously carved using precision tools under a microscope or magnifying glass, demanding intense concentration and patience.
For the Oktopus Monster – a piece unique, Johnny had complete creative freedom to do what he thought would be the natural next engraving after the Reef, Crazy Universe and Volcano. When the watch was completed, Jorn Werdelin found inspiration reminiscent of Jules Verne’s most famous novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
In short, the story is about Captain Nemo and his crew’s adventure as they explore the world’s oceans – encountering places like Atlantis and a giant octopus. At the beginning of the tale, their futuristic submarine (the novel was published in 1869 where submarines were quite primitive) is mistaken for a sea monster until we realize that it’s Captain Nemo’s creation, meant for exploring the world under the sea and escaping from civilization.
The engraving, though not directly inspired by the novel, shares the romantic notion of an age of enormous progress and exploration which these days seems to be an age of innocence.
