Heritage Watch Manufactory CENTENUS

HERITAGE WATCH MANUFACTORY, the newly established Swiss watch manufacture presents its third timepiece: CENTENUS.

By introducing this brand new timepiece which is equipped with in-house developed cal. 888 movement, the young Swiss watch manufactory pays homage to Chinese system of measuring time.

The CENTENUS will make its debut at Baselworld 2011, and just as the TENSUS and MAGNUS models, this new timepiece fulfils the need for the highest precision. Moreover it combines occidental time system with traditional Chinese system of measuring time.

The Centenus is an extraordinary watch constructed by master watchmaker Karsten Fraessdorf. Based on the innovative development of the Magnus movement, even the basic concept, with its unique precision balance, its subtly engineered mechanisms for regulation of the escapement, the balance and the balance wheel itself, is impressive.

But at the same time, the Centenus by Heritage Watch Manufactory is much more than the sum of these absolutely precisely constructed mechanisms. It really is a Chinese watch in the true sense of the word: far more than just paying homage to all things Chinese, it actually displays the traditional Chinese system of measuring time as well as simultaneously indicating the current system.

Already introduced more than 3000 years ago, the Chinese subdivision of a day into 100 units represents the first decimal system in the world.

The CENTENUS displays the traditional Chinese system of measuring time as well as simultaneously indicating the Western system. The figures on the dial underneath the twelve o’clock numerals display zodiacal icons showing the Twelve Earthly Branches that represent the Chinese arrangement of the day into twelve units, each being called a ‘shíchén’.

The larger of the two dials at the nine o’clock position reflects the Chinese division of the day into 100 units of time, each one being a ‘kè’. Each kè represents 14 minutes and 24 seconds in our time system. The small dial at the nine o’clock position reflects the subdivision of a kè into 60 units, the unit being known as an ‘old fen’.

The technical perfection of the movement concept of the CENTENUS finds its counterpart in the restrained, elegant design of Eric Giroud.

Technical details

Model: Heritage Watch Manufactory CENTENUS

Functions
5-hand watch
Traditional Chinese time system
Jumping Chinese hour Hours ,Minutes, Small seconds (at 6 o’clock)

Movement
Independent manufacture Calibre: Cal. 888
3 patents pending
Fully hardened parts
100 % Swiss Made
Calibre : Nº HWM Cal. 888
Diameter : 38.30 mm
Height : 6.10 mm
Jewels: 48
Escapement type : Swiss lever escapement; capillary phase to improve oil retention
Balance: Mass-regulated Vivax balance / 16 mm / patent pending
Balance spring; Over-coil hairspring (Breguet)
Fine regulation: Tenere fine adjustment / patent pending
Semi-oscillations: 18 000 / h
Mainspring barrel diameter: 17.40 mm
Moment of inertia: 126 mgmm
Gear tooth system: Cycloid gear teeth
Pinions: Fully hardened steel pinions
Gears: Copper beryllium
Mainspring barrel: Copper beryllium
Screws: Steel, blued and polished
Power reserve: 50

Case
Designed by Eric Giroud
Casing variants: a) Polished / satinised steel b) White gold or red gold
Waterproof to 50 m
Length over strap-holding bridges: 53.10 mm
Casing diameter: 42.50 mm
Casing height, total: 13.05 mm
Casing height, without crystal: 10.30 mm
Crystal: Domed sapphire glass
Casing back crystal: Flat sapphire glass

Dial variations
Traditional Chinese Time
a) Brass, with gold applications / tracery: anthracite (steel casing)
b) Gold, with gold applications / tracery: anthracite (gold casing)

Bracelet
Leather / alligator, with pin buckle