The new Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W. invites all watch lovers to a journey through the sky, travelling across their favourite horizon and taking an aerial view of their favourite city, their favourite constructions. Looking at the horizon also means looking into the future, and dreaming of a different, ideal skyline.
DeWitt’s Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W., by its design and inspiration, also intends to pay tribute to Art Déco design, and in particular to the post Great Depression trends explored in America. In this context, many American industrial designers were fascinated by streamline aesthetics and designed a wide range of innovative and modern products such as cars, ships, factories and even revolving restaurants.
In 1932, Bel Geddes published a book that was to become a reference for generations of creative minds where he outlined his unique vision and understanding of what design ought to be. Amusingly, his book is entitled Horizons, which is the setting in which the Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W found its inspiration.
The scene for this new DeWitt creation is therefore the majestic New York, in its inspired and thriving 1930’s. A new and modern city, where cultures meet and different times cross paths. Where stone and iron are put together. Where modern bridges echo the cathedrals of the old world. An audacious city, where dreams can be made reality and architectural masterpieces flourish freely.
The new Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W. is home to the already famous Calibre DW 8014, that made sensation when first revealed at Baselworld 2010. This new automatic Tourbillon is the first complicated regulator movement integrating a Tourbillon entirely developed and produced by the DeWitt Manufacture. Most importantly, it introduces a patented and extremely ingenious Automatic Sequential Winding (A.S.W) device, driven by a peripheral oscillating rotor.
The peripheral oscillating rotor is attached to a ring with a sinusoidal profile on its inner edge. This particular shape will, in turn, activate the patented A.S.W system which enables the movement to always operate in an ideal functioning range, between 92 and 96% of the main-spring torque. The main gear-train is therefore guaranteed to always receive a constant and stable flow of energy thanks to the sequenced winding of the barrel.
Indeed, two little arms, rocking up and down the sinusoidal profile, ensure the winding of the barrel until it reaches 96% of the movement’s full winding. At that moment, a lever disengages the pawl from winding the barrel and forces it to continue its movement in the air, without hooking on to the wheel. The movement then runs on its reserves of energy, until it reaches 92%, and the pawl hooks back on. Such a technical prowess enables to obtain an ideal functioning range with the usage of a single, manual-type barrel. Moreover, it avoids all the running defects observed when slip-springs are used on conventional automatic calibres.
Built out of some 320 components, the calibre DW 8014 is the perfect illustration of the inventive audacity of DeWitt’s master watchmakers. It combines the horological classicism embodied in the DW 8028 Tourbillon with the extraordinary technological innovation of the A.S.W. device. Moreover, the heart of the balance beats to the rhythm of a Straumann Hairspring® with Phillips curve. It is made out of an unbreakable, self-compensating, non-oxidizing and anti-magnetic alloy. The perfect homogeneity and incredibly precise flat rolling of the Hairspring (0,0001 mm) guarantee an extremely high precision to the mechanism.
The Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W. is a wonderful tribute to a city with multiple faces and multiple layers. The dial is dominated by an impressive New York Art Déco construction made of four columns that majestically look down on the Tourbillon mechanism. Moving downwards, this pavilion-shaped building widens up to embrace the Tourbillon cage and form solid foundations that reach out on either sides. A perfectly balanced structure adorned with a sunray pattern reminding of a soft evening light.
The rest of the dial is a subtle game of layers and transparency effects. Made out of tinted sapphire with chocolate-brown tonalities, the crystal beautifully reflects the warm, rose gold ambiance coming out of the central building and of the watchcase. It also enables to get a glimpse at the interior mysteries of the watch. The hours and minutes hands, positioned in the centre and in the shape of two-edge swords, are like two additional columns dictating the passage of time. In direct contact with the Tourbillon cage, the ticking dead-beat seconds hand marks a pause for each second counted, which beautifully outlines the precision level achieved by the oscillating balance.
The power reserve is of 72 hours and is indicated at 9 o’clock by a hand that covers a 180 degree segment. The 46 mm round case is made of 18 carat rose gold and presents particularly comfortable proportions. It is slightly thinner than the famous Academia collection and features 48 imperial columns on its flanks. The bezel is particularly interesting as its polished and satin-finished columns provide eye-catching reflections. The lugs were also redesigned and slightly curved to preserve harmonious lines.
The sapphire crystal back offers a spectacle which is worth the detour: the bi-directional winding dance of a streamlined peripheral rotor, leaving a clear, unobstructed view of beautiful Art Déco bridges. You will also observe the dead-beat seconds lever, powered by the Tourbillon cage and driven by a small pinion, sliding up each tooth of the seconds’ wheel and hooking on to the next one, at one second intervals.
Last but not least, the Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W. fully complies with the very demanding finishing norms established by the DeWitt Manufacture: Côtes de Genève, satin-brushed surfaces, circular graining, polishing and bevelling.
Technical details
Model: Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W.
Movement
Mechanical movement with patented Automatic Sequential Winding (A.S.W.) device, driven by a peripheral oscillating rotor. Intelligently, the dead-beat second is directly connected to the Tourbillon cage. Power reserve display. Manufactured by DeWitt.
Functions: Hours, minutes, dead-beat seconds, power reserve indication
Reference: DW8014
Power reserve: 72 hours
Introduction: 2010
Vibrations: 18’000 A/h
Balance: Variable-inertia (Glucydur) balance
Spiral: Straumann Hairspring® with Phillips curve sequenced at 2.5 Hz.
Escapement: 440 angle of lift
Jewelling :34 jewels
Diameter: 37 mm (16,4’’)
Total height: 6,38 mm
Number of components: 320
Case
Round-shaped, adorned with DeWitt’s imperial columns pattern on the flanks
Material: 18-carat rose gold
Diameter: 46 mm
Total thickness: 12,875 mm
Crown: 18-carat rose gold polished crown adorned with a ring made in blackened titanium featuring the “W” signature
Distance between lugs: 23 mm
Case back: Sapphire crystal, secured with screws
Water-resistance : 30 meters
Dial
Tinted sapphire with chocolate-brown tonalities. Central applique and printed numerals in 5N colour
Hands Hours and Minutes: open-worked hands in the shape of two-edged swords
Dead-beat seconds: thin and elegant hand
Power reserve: thin black hand with 5N coloured tip
Wristband
Semi-mat dark brown Alligator leather, tone on tone stitching
Buckle: 18-carat rose gold, triple blade folding clasp with new security system, polished, engraved “DeWitt” signature
Edition
Limited edition of 250 pieces
