Because the concept behind a skeleton watch is to strip away as much metal as possible in the caliber, without compromising its strength or integrity, these are among the more time-consuming types of watch to create. The beauty of these see-through skeleton watches typically lies in the intricacy of the movement parts — with engravings and finishing – that are often incomparable.
Also trending are watches that are not necessarily see-through, but that are finely finished with exposed movements viewable on the dial side. Typically, in these watches, the mainplate with all of the gears and wheels are visible instead of being hidden behind a dial. Each of these types of timepieces is pure art and technology, often requiring engravers and watchmakers to spend hundreds of hours chiseling away the metal, finely finishing each tiny component and assembling it in all its glory. Fortunately for watch lovers, there are brands that love to indulge in this beauty.
At this year’s Baselworld, Corum is a leader with its stunning Golden Bridge watches. Of particular note is the Golden Bridge Rectangle. The Golden Bridge was first developed by watchmaker extraordinaire, Vincent Calabrese, 40 years ago. The patented linear watch movement with all gears, wheels and parts arranged in a row caught the attention of Corum Watch Company owner at the time, Jean Renee Bannwart, who purchased the patent from Calabrese and unveiled the Corum Golden Bridge watches in 1980.
Similarly, Kerbedanz unveils a stunning new skeletonized watch in rose gold with amazing black accents. Aptly named the Black Squama, the Tourbillon timepiece is cased in gold with a black Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating. The 41-piece limited edition watch features a mechanical hand-wound, tourbillon KRB-02 caliber that is crafted and decorated by Kerbedanz and Concepto. Most of the 168 components including 80 for the tourbillon carriage are visible through the sapphire crystal and caseback. The deft blend of rose gold and shimmering black, of guilloche’ finishes and hand decorated motifs makes the watch a stunning art form.
The original Bubble was 44mm broad, which made it an outlier in those days. Along with this, the layout was fairly unusual. Watch collectors weren’t quite so used to risks as they are today, but nevertheless, the Corum Bubble found favour amongst a committed demographic. It will be interesting to understand how the re-release of the Corum Bubble is greeted by a consumer base that’s much savvier than it had been at the turn of the century. With nothing in the manner of a complication to pique interest, the Corum Bubble watches lean heavily on design.Exploding in the brain of the late Severin Wunderman, the Corum Bubble watches defied expectations upon launch. The profile of the watch remains remarkably towering, with among the highest-domed crystals I have ever seen. The impact that has on the dial is impossible to ignore. That is appropriate concerning style fidelity, as it totally adheres to the usage of spheres all over the view — most clearly on the rubber-ringed crown at 3 o’clock. Furthermore, it manages to stay true to Wunderman’s unique vision, which was motivated by a 1960s dip watch that comprised a massive crystal to withstand the pressure of deep seated exploration. But is this view just an homage, or possess Corum upgraded it considerably to appeal to a modern audience?
Similarly, Kerbedanz unveils a stunning new skeletonized watch in rose gold with amazing black accents. Aptly named the Black Squama, the Tourbillon timepiece is cased in gold with a black Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating. The 41-piece limited edition watch features a mechanical hand-wound, tourbillon KRB-02 caliber that is crafted and decorated by Kerbedanz and Concepto. Most of the 168 components including 80 for the tourbillon carriage are visible through the sapphire crystal and caseback. The deft blend of rose gold and shimmering black, of guilloche’ finishes and hand decorated motifs makes the watch a stunning art form.
Independent watch brand Armin Strom also specializes in skeletonization and this year puts emphasis on the Mirrored Force Resonance watch with patented Caliber ARF 15 movement – whose mainplate and components are visible via the sapphire crystal atop the watch. In fact, the movement features dual regulators developed for maximum precision — and displayed in all its mechanical beauty on what would be the dial side if a dial existed.
Armin Strom’s resonant Caliber ARF15 is a classically constructed manually wound movement that was conceived, manufactured, assembled, and regulated in-house. It beats at a 3.5-Hertz (25,200 vph) frequency, allowing the observer to really appreciate the patented, resonant regulators in action. The two connected oscillators make their revolutions in opposite directions, which is eminently visible on the dial side of the watch, one rotating clockwise and the other counterclockwise, and the animated elements look much like they are performing a beautifully orchestrated dance. The 43.4 mm watch features a transparent caseback for viewing the rest of the meticulously finished movement.
