Swiss luxury replica watch maker Dewitt presents a high jewellery version of its Twenty -8- Eight Skeleton Tourbillon timepiece. Produced in a limited edition of 99 pieces, this exclusive creation comes in an 18-carat rose gold case adorned with 36 baguette-cut diamonds and 104 round diamonds.
Inside beats the DeWitt DW8028s skeletonised movement that uses age-old, recognised and highly reliable technical parameters in its construction: 18,000 Vph, a variable-inertia balance, a 44° angle escapement and a 72-hour power reserve.
Entirely produced in-house, this manually wound tourbillon is equipped with a Swiss anchor escapement and a Straumann Hairspring® with a Phillips terminal curve made from an unbreakable, self-compensating, non-oxidising, anti-magnetic alloy sequenced at 2.5 Hz. The perfect homogeneity and incredibly precise flat rolling of the hairspring (0.0001 mm) give the mechanism extremely high precision.
The Twenty-8-Eight Skeleton Tourbillon does not intend to compete with the ultra -skinny and fragile skeleton movements where as much material as possible has been removed. The architecture of DeWitt’s skeleton remains decidedly strong and is therefore very well balanced with the design of the case which features 48 imperial columns – a typical feature of practically all DeWitt masterpieces.
The carved-out main plate – a sand-blasted nickel silver base with black gold surface finishing and a yellow gold inscription of the calibre reference – is a marvellous labyrinth of curves, circles and straight lines which reveals a stunning skeletonised “W” logo positioned at 9 o’clock. The play on depths, perspectives and layers is a typical feature of DeWitt designs and the Twenty-8-Eight Skeleton Tourbillon is no exception. The “W” logo is duplicated on the lower part of the movement in order to create interesting volumes when admiring the movement from either side of the high quality replica watch.
But however robust the foundations, your eyes will inevitably be drawn deep into the movement and the captivating finesse of its mechanics. You will marvel at the tourbillon as it rotates on its axis, held in place by a slender, black-polished, circular-grained Art Deco bridge.
The barrel, positioned at 12 o’clock, is also skeletonised in order to reveal the interior of the motor. The shape given to the open-worked barrel was inspired by the design of vintage car steering wheels. As the barrel drum gently turns with the unwinding of the spring, the upper stems of this “vintage” wheel glide over the stems of the lower part – yet another interesting play on layers by DeWitt.
The Twenty-8-Eight Skeleton Tourbillon is housed in a 43 mm round case in 18-carat rose gold. With its thickness of 10.78 mm and comfortable proportions with redesigned lugs and slightly more discreet imperial columns decorating its flanks, it remains instantly recognisable and true to DeWitt’s DNA. Its balanced design offers a combination of character and refinement, creating a successful match with the architectural lines of the skeletonised movement.
On the interior side of the bezel, a diamond-polished wall in 18-carat rose gold surrounds the movement above the skeletonised section, producing subtle reflections of this work of art. The wall is decorated by four extremely precise and sharp “W” logos, engraved on the cardinal points. The case is set with 36 baguette-cut diamonds and 96 brilliant-cut diamonds.
The Twenty-8-Eight Skeleton Tourbillon fully complies with the very demanding finishing norms of the DeWitt Manufacture. Carried out entirely by hand, the treatment and finishing work on this piece are of exceptional quality. The case, main plate, bridges, wheels and even miniature screws are angled, polished, satin-brushed and treated to perfection in the meticulous hands of the DeWitt replica watchmakers. Particularly eye-catching is the inspired alternation of polished and satin-brushed finishes on the columns of the bezel.
Technical details
Model: TWENTY-8-EIGHT SKELETON TOURBILLON HIGH JEWELLERY
Reference: T8.TH.025
Movement
Calibre reference: DW8028s
Mechanical and skeletonised manually wound movement integrating a tourbillon manufactured by DeWitt
Hand-produced finishes
Power reserve: 72 hours
Vibrations: 18,000 Vph
Balance: Variable-inertia balance
Spiral: Spiral with Breguet curve sequenced at 2.5 Hz
Escapement: 44° angle of lift
Jewelling: 19 jewels
Diameter: 14.6’’ (33 mm)
Number of components: 185
Functions
Hours, minutes
Case
Round case with DeWitt imperial columns on the sides
Material: 18-carat rose gold set with 36 baguette-cut diamonds and 104 round diamonds (approx. 3.7 ct)
Diameter: 43 mm
Total thickness: 10.78 mm
Crown: 18-carat white gold crown adorned with a ring in blackened titanium featuring the “W” signature
Case back: Sapphire case back
Water-resistance: 30 metres
Dial
No dial
Hands: Hours and minutes: hands in the form of double-edged swords
Strap
Shiny brown alligator leather
Buckle: 18-carat rose gold folding clasp, polished, “W” signature
Edition
Limited Edition: 99 Pieces