Watch

Cardinal, ca. 1970

Gold, silver, glass

Dimensions variable

Gift from Delbert Blanchette to Cooper Blanchette

Personal collection

This particular ‘Cardinal’ timepiece was produced in Genève, Switzerland. Cardinal, a sub-brand of Wenger, a Swiss company formed in 1923, began producing watches under its name around the 1940’s. This brand started to gain traction in Canada during the 1960’s. During this time, “Eaton’s”, a popular Canadian department, began selling men’s accessories produced under the Wenger name.

In 2011, this piece became a part of my personal collection, as it was passed down to me by my late grandfather. He had purchased this watch while working for the Eaton’s company for a number of years during the 1960’s. This watch represents not only the fond memories I have of my grandfather, but a small part of his timepiece collection, which had sparked mine upon receiving it. This object represents the transcendence of the meaning of significance of time – both a point in time, and the measure itself. Not only does this represent this unique idea, but also challenges the meaning of “exhibition”, where the object is displayed both functionally, and for aesthetic purposes outside of typical “display”.

In this particular point in time, in the midst of a global pandemic, time has taken a new form which many have not experienced in their lifetime. In a time where many are not conforming to a schedule which is repeated day-in, and day-out, the sun seems to offer the greatest meaning of time – also, the origins which watches and early forms of clocks owe their technology to. Routine is necessary to all functions which are “human”, and as uncertainty grows, routine is proving to be more manual and self-regulated than some individuals have experienced before. This lack of routine may create, for some, a high-degree of uncertainty, but individually, some may find comfort in the fact that time is evidently not standing still, although it may seem to be.

 This watches significance is most prominent when observing its functions objectively. In fact, this watch has witnessed more amount of “life”, than most twenty-odd year-old’s have, and its function has remained as important from its time of creation to the current day. Today, in the unique global climate which is being experienced, “time” may hold a different meaning to many, while remaining exactly the same by definition.

Cooper Blanchette