Christophe Claret Concertino is the new striking timepiece from master watchmaker Christophe Claret, who, for more than 35 years, has been glorifying the most beautiful of horological complications, the minute repeater, highlighting enamelling, engraving and guillochage, the trades exceptional art, extremely demanding. This new masterpiece welcomes a completely redesigned movement with a unique regulator.
Christophe Claret Concertino features a large dial, set with an immense sapphire crystal, that sublimates the creations of the masters of art, under a finely satin-brushed bezel. The back, also transparent, allows you to admire the exceptional architecture of the movement, in particular its stepped and skeletonized “Charles X” bridges.
Concertino is available in 5N red gold or grade 5 titanium, and its fully customizable dial makes it unique each time. With this work, artist-watchmaker Christophe Claret once again confirms his excellence.
Genesys
Since the day when Christophe Claret, then a student, entered the workshop of a watchmaker-restorer, he has nourished a passion for complicated timepieces, in particular old pocket watches, often equipped with a locking mechanism. Minute-repeaters, real little « chefs-d’oeuvre » of precision striking hours, quarters and minutes on demand.
He has continuously studied, understood and improved this grand complication which many consider to be the finest in watchmaking. Because to technical complexity is added musical poetry. In 1989, the first caliber signed by Christophe Claret was a minute repeater. A series of watches with evocative names followed: Adagio, Soprano, Allegro, and today Concertino, a new sheet from a prestigious musical score.
This timepiece is resolutely turned towards innovation, without technical or aesthetic compromise, with respect for excellence and heritage of Swiss Haute Horlogerie.
The movement: CRM89 Calibre
Concertino sets the tone in the family of traditional complications watches, the first of the four collections of the Christophe Claret brand. It is inspired by previous creations by the master watchmaker, while once again pushing the limits of what is possible in this area. Its CRM89 calibre is an entirely redesigned composition, from the mainplate to the bridges, including the flywheel which regulates the minute repeater mechanism.
With a frequency of 3 hertz (21,600 vibrations per hour), the CRM89 calibre comes to life thanks to a single barrel. Christophe Claret Concertino has a power reserve of around 60 hours. The request for the minute repeater is traditionally made through a sliding pusher on the left side of the case. We can therefore admire the choreography of the two hammers through the sapphire crystal back of the watch, and vibrate to the rhythm of the balance wheel.
Christophe Claret is the designer of this four-branch balance wheel which offers an inertia / weight ratio close to the ideal balance: although very complex to manufacture, this aerodynamic balance is easy to adjust and balance.
Special care has been taken in the Concertino “Cathedral” bells – as always with Christophe Claret. This type of bell has the particularity of going around the movement twice in order to express sounds that are longer, clearer and more powerful…
Excellence is required for their manufacture in drawn steel, for their assembly and tuning. They benefit from a patented in-house invention which blocks significant vibrations despite their exceptional lengths and thus prohibits all parasitic noises.
The balance cock-bridge has a micrometric adjustment system that is also patented.
Aesthetics
As with its technical design, the aesthetic of Concertino is the fruit of the work and creativity of Christophe Claret.
The case harmoniously combines the polished and satin finishes of 5N red gold or titanium, highlighting the play of lights.
Grade 5 titanium is hard and very difficult to machine, it has the advantage of being extremely light and above all of sublimating the transmission of the ringing sound.
The dial (enamelled, engraved, set and / or guilloché) also magnifies the light and dark, with its unique nuances of hues and personalized materials.
The early Concertinos proudly display an ornamental hand engraving (nearly 1.5 mm) of two dragons – protectors of the Sun, an 8 mm pigeon’s blood ruby, in its rose gold livery or protectors of the Earth, a sapphire 8 mm blue, in its titanium livery.
On the back side, we find the famous stepped and skeletonized Charles X bridges, signatures of Christophe Claret. The movement is in microblasted and rhodium-plated nickel silver for the Concertino grade 5 titanium version, or 4N red gold plated for the 5N Gold Concertino version. It lives in the heart of a box 45 millimeters in diameter. Overcoming the incabloc, the gold bezel is set with a brilliant-cut ruby.
Christophe Claret Concertino Technical Specifications and Price
Movement
- Caliber CRM89, mechanical, hand-wound movement
- Diameter: 34.00 mm
- Height: 6.70 mm (without hands)
- Components: 376
- Jewels: 33
- Barrel: Single mainspring barrel
- Power reserve: Approximately 60 hours
- Escapement: Swiss lever
- 3 Hz frequency (21’600 vph)
- Features: Charles X style skeletonized, stepped bridges, Charles X cockbridge with patented micrometric adjustment system
- Minute-repeater with Cathedral bells with patented noise reducer
- Functions: Hours, minutes
- Hours, quarters and minutes repeater on demand
- Inertia wheel
Case
- Diameter: 45 mm
- Height: 12.90 mm
- Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
MTR.CRM89.900
- Case: Grade 5 titanium
- Dial: Ornamental engraved dragons with “grand feu” enamel,Blue Sapphire
- Hands: Steel and blue sapphire
- Crown: Grade 5 titanium
- Strap: Alligator
- Edition: Unique piece
- Price: CHF 348’000 (excluding taxes)
MTR.CRM89.901
- Case: 5N red gold
- Dial: Ornamental engraved dragons with “grand feu” enamel, Pigeon’s blood red ruby
- Hands: Steel and red sapphire
- Crown: 5N red gold
- Strap: Alligator
- Edition: Unique piece
- Price: CHF 378’000 (excluding taxes)
