Corum Ti-Bridge Limited Edition - An Example of Modern Elegance

Ever since the seventies, when Gerald Genta gave the world the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus, less elegant watches made of non-precious metals have become accepted as luxury items. Never before as in the past decade, however, has traditional high-end horology been so intertwined with casual style. Manufacturers such as Bell & Ross, Roger Dubuis, Jaeger Lecoultre, and Corum have delighted watch enthusiasts with fantastic creations that blur the line that separates traditional elegant luxury and rugged functionality and style. Perfectly balanced between these two aspects of watchmaking is the runner up 2009 Watch of the Year, the limited edition Corum Ti-Bridge.

The CO 007 calibre that powers Corum's Ti-Bridge plays an important role in determining the style of the watch. It is the focus of the entire piece. The movement is a modernized version of the company's infamous Golden Bridge calibre. While delicate hand engraved decorations do not dance upon its elegant golden facade, the titanium bridge movement still demonstrates the traditional concept of beautiful watchmaking. The fine finish of all the parts and well balanced, streamlined components will impress. Once the mechanism is in motion the hypnotizing oscillation of the balance wheel, which runs at a frequency of 4hz, is clearly exposed for the wearer to see. The watch must be wound manually making the 3-day power reserve a welcome feature offered by the large, wonderfully finished mainspring barrel visible at three o'clock. An engraved titanium bridge is placed under the hands and partly covers the winding system and the minute and hour wheels. This Corum plate also acts as the closest thing to a dial on the Ti-Bridge.

As the name of the watch announces, titanium is the primary player in its structure. The very light and strong metal does a great job of modernizing the Bridge concept. Due to its strength and rigidity it is extremely hard to machine. It is a truly modern material that only entered the watchmaking field in 1980 when IWC painstakingly manufactured a titanium Chronograph for Porsche Design. Since then, improvements in technology and alchemy have brought about progress such as the ability to polish titanium to a glossy finish. Before its first horological use in 1980, it was thought impossible to polish the metal at all.

Corum makes good use of modern manufacturing technologies by applying alternating finishes on different parts of the watch case. The bezel and parts of the crown demonstrate a high-gloss polish, while the rest of the parts including the case back are brush finished and display various directions. Typical to Corum, each element of the watch displays immaculate machining and finish. The 42.5 mm case is not exceedingly large, but its square-like shape beefs up its appearance and can be considered slightly oversize. The large crown also enhances the shape and feel of the case, while making the watch very comfortable to wind. This is ideal for a hand-wound mechanism.

The design of the Ti-Bridge lives somewhere in between sporty and elegant. While it is not traditional in its elegance -- using modern non-precious materials and showing off structural components such as screws -- it does not venture completely into the casual, rugged world of sport watches. Combining delicate and watch making techniques and luxurious finishes, this is definitely a timepiece meant for elegant soirées or special events. The luscious, black alligator strap complements the refinement of the timepiece. What its light, large, and modern design enables the Ti-Bridge to do is substitute the use of very sporty luxury watches, such as a Royal Oak Offshore or a Rolex Daytona, in casual situations.

Corum's new C-007 in-house Bridge movement is housed in a respectively innovative and impressive watch. The Ti-Bridge, limited to 750 pieces, shows off the company's watchmaking abilities as well as their status as producers of contemporary and forward-looking designs.

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I have a theory that the average size of watches will not go back to the smaller diameters of five to ten years ago. Psychologically it is easier to get used to a larger watch then changing for a smaller one. For this reason we have become accustomed as a society to the current average diameter, which I estimate to be 44mm. However true my theory may or may not be, there is one category of watch that will always defy it. The elegant, gold watch has proven itself to be timeless with its recent resurgence in the catalogues of modern brands.

First lets take the classic example of elegance in watches that is Patek Philippe. The manufacturer is definitely the most prestigious brand name in the world. They offer timepieces of which the much greater number is manufactured using precious metals. The largest wrist watch they produce is probably not much wider then 43mm, but most of their pieces hover around the 40mm mark. I don't think that anyone can propose that Patek Philippe watches will one day fall out of favour with watch lovers around the globe. Far from losing ground to larger, sportier watches, Patek is foreseeing an increase in sales this year over last.

Looking at more modern brands, the staying power of elegant gold watches is also evident. Bell & Ross is one of the major players in the popularization of large sporty watches. Even they have come to the conclusion that a tuxedo demands an elegant timepiece. The BR-S Gold collection offers an elegant model based on the popular, square case of the "Instruments." The cases are narrower - 38mm instead of 42 or 46mm - and especially thinner - 7mm instead of 10 to 17mm. Unlike other gold versions of sporty watches, and although it is based on the shape and idea of the sporty BR-01 and BR-03s, the BR-S Gold watches really capture an elegant style that is now and will always be in demand.

Since the eighties, stainless steel sport watches have become extremely popular. Their size also increased as people changed the way they envisioned that which constitutes a high-end watch. Gold watches in the meantime lost their monopoly of the high-end market and changed from glamourous status symbols to subtle objects of elegance. Now newer brands that did not exist during the heyday of the gold watch are realizing what the older companies already know. This is that elegance will always be in style and will always have its place in the wardrobes of discerning consumers.

The multi-talented, home-town hero Alexandre Despatie was spotted by one of my clients wearing a 53mm, beige U-Boat Classico. Alexandre was speaking at a recent public appearance when my client noticed the bold, oversize design that U-Boat watches are known for. I find it even more fitting that I'm writing an entry about the world champion and Olympic medalist, as his twenty-fourth birthday on the eighth of June quickly approaches.

Alexandre Despatie started diving at the age of five and has since captured many titles as well as the hearts of many fans in his native Montreal and Laval and in the rest of the world. He offers his time to charity work and played his first role in a feature film as Olivier Duclos in the 2006 Quebec teen flick À vos marques! Party!. Alexandre is a well dressed, young, up-and-coming star. The perfect fit for a 53mm beige Classico.

CORUM raises the curtain on its classically elegant and resolutely contemporary Ti-Bridge model. This powerful and technical watch houses CORUM's second mechanical movement, the new Caliber CO 007.

Stemming from CORUM's well-established expertise in the field of exceptional movements, this timepiece houses a new and exclusive caliber designed, developed and assembled in-house; and is writing a new chapter in the company's rich history. The Ti-Bridge is all set to cause a sensation.

In unveiling its second in-house caliber, CORUM is entering a whole new era. The CO 007 movement is clearly inspired by the legendary Golden Bridge caliber, while giving a whole new twist to the original concept. Whereas the shape is immediately recognizable, the dimensions, the components and the technical characteristics are all completely different and testify to the resolutely contemporary spirit of the CO 007. As the first model to house this new caliber, the Ti-Bridge heralds the advent of a new line of CORUM collections. Understated elegance and modern design meet and merge to create a perfect balance between design and technology.

A truly exceptional horological creation, the Ti-Bridge marries technical excellence with contemporary design. It is also entirely in harmony with the existing creations by CORUM, a brand which has since its founding consistently expressed the mood of the times through its successive timepieces. Built around the new linear CO 007 movement, the Ti-Bridge reveals its style through taut lines and a resolutely dynamic character. A timepiece that naturally meets the lofty standards of Haute Horlogerie, it sublimates watchmaking tradition by expressing it an eminently modern manner. Melding sophisticated design features and architectural codes with contemporary materials, the Ti-Bridge immediately establishes itself as a benchmark model.

A titanium soul

In both its movement and case, the Ti-Bridge gives pride of place to titanium, a material known for its lightness and the difficulties involved in machining it. The bridges and plates of the Caliber CO 007 are cut from this ultra-modern material. The meticulous finishing on all movements is typified by the upper bridge engraved with the 'CORUM' brand name. The bridges are satin-finished, while the generously sized barrel features a snailed finish. Equipped with a balance oscillating at the speed of 4 Hz, Caliber CO 007 is endowed with a 72-hour power reserve.

Intimately linked to the movement in that it is also made from grade 5 titanium - the only kind that can be polish-finished - the curved tonneau-shaped case measures 42.5 mm by 41.5 mm. Topped on the upper part by a large convex sapphire crystal, the case has a satin-finished case-back enhanced by a central rectangular sapphire window revealing the movement. This black PVD-coated crystal subtly filters the view of the movement, offering tantalizing glimpses of the interlacing pattern of its inner workings. Comfortably cambered and water-resistant to 50 meters, the case is graced with alternating surface finishes - polished on top and satin-finished on the side.

The movement is secured inside the case by a set of two titanium 'cross bars'. Screwed to the flange, which is itself integrated within the case, they contribute to consolidating the whole construction and to enhancing the aesthetic quality of this model. The openworked Superluminova coated hands guarantee optimal nocturnal visibility.

The Ti-Bridge is teamed with a crocodile strap equipped with a titanium-capped triple folding clasp. A truly precious and exclusive model, the Ti-Bridge will be issued in a limited production run of 750 only in 2009.

Vintage and modern mix is the latest and greatest from Bell & Ross. The new BR Heritage, each timepiece features a black dial, with numbers, index marks and hands covered with a sand-colored photo luminescent coating. The crystals are anti-reflective sapphire and water-resistant (down to 100m). The bracelets are printed natural leather of heavy-duty synthetic.

Bell & Ross became the official supplier to The French Air Force in 2008. This marriage became particularly apt as B&R took inspiration directly from aircraft cockpit instrument panels, hence 'The Instrument collection.'

We will keep you posted on every new model as we find out more from the Basel Fair this year.

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