Corum Admiral’s Cup 45 Minute Repeater Tourbillon Titanium
Two years ago Corum celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Admiral's Cup collection by releasing a complex edition featuring both a Tourbillon and a Minute Repeater - ultra-complex and ultra limited edition. Just ten pieces were made. Now it's back - in an icily cool titanium case - if you missed it first time around, all good things come to those who wait - if you bought the first edition in red gold, you'll want to kick yourself, this one looks even better.
The movement developed to power this piece, the C0 010 took two years to develop and has become a very fine feather in the Corum Cap of horological achievements. A Minute Repeater function is a delicate and complicated piece of micro mechanics which, during the development of this calibre, Corum believe they have improved in almost every way possible. Their Master Watchmakers have taken the minute rack, turned it around and made it bigger to improve the strength and accuracy of each note, fine tuning has lead to more harmonious tones, both the Tourbillon and the silicon escapement ensure greater precision - minutiae that would not concern all but the most discerning enthusiast, yet they are details which Corum have, in their mission of raising their standards sought to amend.
A showcase piece then, and one with the immaculate hand decoration that you would expect from such a fine timepiece, circular graining, circular satin-brushing, Côtes de Genève, the look-see through the sapphire caseback displays standards worthy of intense inspection.
The dial of this piece is crafted using smoky sapphire, a unique feature which suits that titanium frame even more than the first edition. The chevrons and hands are rhodium-coated, the pennants are monochrome - shadowy in comparison to the colourful ones of times gone by. The Tourbillon appears in an opening at 5 o'clock.
Even though it is perhaps masquerading as a Haute Horlogerie watch, this is an Admiral's Cup so technically speaking is a sports watch. A Minute Repeater complication is not something you would normally associate with a sporty timer - the little slide mechanism on the case side used to operate the system would be more than a little obtrusive. At best you could injure yourself or your opponent while playing your favourite rough and tumble sport, at worst you could damage this watch. Corum's skilfull craftsmen have developed a clever system which activates the chimes using the bezel so with a quick 27-degree turn in the clockwise direction you can chime away the time, with no slide on the side. They have quite simply thought of everything....
The superb Corum Admiral's Cup 45 Minute Repeater Tourbillon Titanium will be a limited edition of just 15 pieces each presented on a black crocodile leather strap.
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