Monday September 10, 2012
Corum: Time after time
By S.S. YOGA
star2@thestar.com.my
The latest designs from a Swiss watch brand are well-suited for sporty, adventurous types.
THE ocean may be calm, but it can turn angry. Battling the elements is always a challenge and captures any sporting person’s imagination.
Oceanic races like the Admiral’s Cup (which started in 1956) seeks to tap into that yearning to tame natural forces. One needs to be suitably equipped for such adventures. That’s where Swiss watchmaker Corum comes in.
Since its creation in 1960, the Admiral’s Cup collection has carved a niche as the ultimate sports watch range from Corum. It embodies the brand’s tribute to the maritime world and to sailors.
Go blue: The Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Chrono. Last year, the legendary collection witnessed the birth of the more classic Legend line in the form of an understated and elegant automatic watch that nonetheless retained the distinctive Admiral’s Cup features.
This year, let’s welcome Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Chrono, equipped with a COSC-certified chronograph movement, Caliber CO983. This movement driving the hour, minute, small seconds, date and chronograph functions beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and boasts a 42-hour power reserve.
The collection’s legendary 12-sided bezel is retained, but with slender, streamlined chronograph pushers. The elegant 42mm case is fitted with a screw-in transparent sapphire caseback providing a view of the mechanism within.
It is available in steel, two-tone steel/gold or 18-carat red gold versions. The classic and distinctly horological nature of these timepieces is revealed by the vertical guilloché motif on the steel and steel/gold models, and the barleycorn guilloché pattern on the 18K red gold models.
The understated dial colours, particularly the shade of blue inspired by the original Admiral’s Cup model, match the flowing lines of the case.
The Corum Ti-Bridge Power Reserve. Eleven hour-markers enable accurate reading of the hours and minutes, while the figure 60 appears in the 12 o’clock position. The Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Chrono is available with a crocodile leather strap equipped with a pin buckle for the gold models and a folding clasp for the steel/gold and steel models. The steel and steel/gold models are also available on a matching metal bracelet. Price ranges from RM20,700 to RM81,000.
Also onboard the deck is the Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Annual Calendar. Crafted in red gold or steel, with a silver-toned or anthracite dial, the watch is distinguished by pure lines.
In addition to the hours, minutes and seconds, the watch indicates the date around the dial circumference by means of an openworked hand, and the months through a snailed aperture at six o’clock.
The annual calendar automatically takes account of 30- and 31-day months, thus requiring just one adjustment per year, at the end of February. The time indications are provided by three, semi-openworked hands, faceted and enriched with a white luminescent substance that makes them stand out in the dark.
The date hand has a Corum key symbol counterweight. The dial is also characterised by 11 applied hour-markers and the figure 60 instead of the usual 12; a vertical guilloché motif for steel models, and a barleycorn guilloché pattern for the red gold versions.
On the reverse side of the watch, a sapphire caseback reveals the heart of the movement and its oscillating weight personalised with the brand logo.
The leather strap comes fitted with a folding clasp for the steel version and with a pin buckle for the gold variation. The watch is issued in a limited annual production run of 25 in red gold and 150 in steel. Price ranges from RM33,100 to RM93,600.
Joining the “crew” is a women’s watch, the Admiral’s Cup Legend 38 Mystery Moon. Within the legendary12-sided case surrounded by 12 nautical pennants, a moon-phase display and a sunburst date indication are featured on an endlessly spinning genuine mother-of-pearl dial.
Powered by self-winding Caliber CO384 endowed with a 42-hour power reserve, this watch drives the hour, minute, jumping date and jumping moon-phase functions. The mother-of-pearl disc of the latter indication appears in a satin-brushed metallic counter studded with stars − of which six are gem-set.
There is an openworked, faceted and luminescent hour and minute hands, magnificently staged within a 38 mm-diameter steel case enhanced by a 12-sided bezel set with 72 diamonds (0.58 carats).
All the functions are adjustable via the single screw-lock crown engraved with the Corum key. The same emblem and name are metalised on the inner face of the sapphire crystal, while the caseback is protected by a second sapphire crystal secured by four screws.
This model is water-resistant to 30m and secured to the wrist by a white or black satin strap with a triple folding clasp bearing the engraved Corum logo. It is priced at RM52,600.
We break away from the oceans now to look at the Ti-Bridge Power Reserve that was introduced last year in titanium. This new version has red gold adorning the case and crown matching the titanium of the hand-wound baguette movement, Caliber CO107.
The applied gilded logo and hour-markers embellish the dial, while the hour and minute hands, as well as the power-reserve indicator, are coated with luminescent material in order to be readable even in the dark. Fitted with a crocodile leather strap secured by a gold triple folding clasp with two safety pushers, the watch is issued in a 50-piece limited numbered edition.
This module features several specific characteristics, including a differential system composed of three wheels, including an offset planetary wheel. Depending on its rotation direction, the latter spins either on its axis or around that of the two other wheels, thereby linking the barrel on the one hand and the winding stem on the other to the power-reserve indicator − and all within a minimum of space. Priced between RM71,600 and RM190,200.
All timepieces are available at selected watch boutiques.
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