Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2019, Christophe Claret has launched a limited edition watch Angelico at SIHH 2019. The Angelico model combines a tourbillon with a long detent escapement and a cable-type fusee transmission system. The tourbillon watch exhibits instant-jump dual-time display complete with day/night and 72-hour power-reserve indications.
What is special about a detent escapement? The detent escapement used to be incorporated in marine chronometer mounted on gimbals. This mechanism demonstrated high reliability in long-term navigation. Its only weakness being extreme sensitivity to lateral impacts, which is incompatible with the all- important sturdiness required for wear on the wrist. Christophe Claret has used the detent escapement in its Maestoso watch before.
This type of detent escapement first appeared in the 18th century, at a time when watchmakers were competing to create a time-measuring instrument of maximum precision, serving to determine a ship’s exact geographical position at sea.
The 10th anniversary piece adds a tourbillon to the wristwatch in a desire to attempt absolute accuracy. Placed at the heart of the Angelico watch, the tourbillon performs its stately dance involving one full turn in six minutes, in order to reduce the impact of its inertia.
The two time zones are indicated via a jumping hour display appearing in counters at 5 and 7 o’clock, along with a day/night indication. To ensure an unobstructed view of the mechanisms inherent beauty, the minutes on the Christophe Claret SIHH 2019 watch are displayed by a peripheral hand adorned with a natural ruby on the red gold version, and a blue sapphire on the titanium version.
Despite so many complications displayed in all glory, Angelico does not look cluttered. And that’s because the works are placed on a massive dial measuring 45.5 mm. Christophe Claret Angelico is available in two 10-piece limited editions in 5N red gold or titanium. To mark the occasion, the watchmaker is also extending the warranty on all timepieces to five years. Price of Christophe Claret Angelico watch in red gold is 238’000 CHF and 218’000 of titanium version. The price is exclusive of taxes.
