1970's Clerc White Gold Lapis Ref. 4038

Lapis Art

Augustin Julia-Plana was a Spanish-born, Swiss-based jeweler celebrated for his bold, artistic vision and unconventional approach to design. After beginning his career in Spain, Julia-Plana moved to Switzerland, where in 1963 he joined the esteemed jewelry house of Simon Schlegel in Bern. Just five years later, in 1968, the collaboration evolved into a formal partnership, and Schlegel & Plana was born.

Together, they crafted exceptional pieces for some of Europe’s most prestigious jewelers and watchmakers, including Clerc and Yves Saint Blaise. Julia-Plana stood out for his fearless use of unusual materials—wood, meteorite, oxidized iron, lapis lazuli—choosing them for their natural beauty rather than their commercial value. His designs are rare, highly collectible, and can still be found under the Schlegel & Plana name, as well as under his own.

Clerc, on the other hand, is a storied Swiss watchmaker founded in 1874 in Geneva by Charles Rémy Clerc. Known for its early collaborations with renowned houses like Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, and Jaeger-LeCoultre, Clerc quickly established itself as a maker of bespoke, artistically inclined timepieces. By the 1970s, the brand had fully embraced a daring, avant-garde aesthetic—evident in watches that combined luxury materials with bold design.

One striking example of this is the Clerc Reference 4038, a rare and exquisite wristwatch from the 1970s designed by Augustin Julia-Plana for Clerc. This piece features a 22mm square case in richly textured 18K white gold, paired with a bracelet whose links are inlaid with large, polished tiles of vibrant lapis lazuli. The deep blue lapis dial adds a dramatic elegance to the watch, underscoring both Clerc’s and Julia-Plana’s shared commitment to craftsmanship, creativity, and materials that speak for themselves.

This collaboration remains a beautiful intersection of fine watchmaking and high jewelry—a testament to an era when artistry and innovation walked hand in hand.