Swiss luxury watch brand DeWitt is unveiling its latest technical innovation, the Academia Grand Tourbillon watch, a limited edition of 99 pieces, entirely conceived and assembled at the DeWitt Manufacture by its own master watchmakers.
This new Academia creation houses the calibre DW 8030, developed from the DW 8028 movement, the Manufacture’s first 100% in-house manually-wound tourbillon movement, first presented in 2010.
Built out of 327 component parts, this calibre is structured along traditional lines and incorporates numerous tried and tested technical features: 18,000 vph, a 65-hour power reserve, a Swiss lever escapement and a Straumann balance-spring with Phillips curve sequenced at 2.5 Hz.
For its part, the time display in the form of a jumping hour and minute indication reflects DeWitt’s unique creativity and ground-breaking approach, far removed from the codes of conventional watchmaking. For the setting of the hours, a rack mechanism is activated to give added mobility to then watch’s dial. As each minute passes, a slip-spring moves into place, drawing the observer’s eyes once again to the depths of this sophisticated mechanism.
The dial is made up of a silvered grid linked to the watch’s movement that recalls the inner workings of industrial machinery at the beginning of the 20th century. The date is displayed in a rose gold colour tone in a window at 3 o’clock and is adjustable by a corrector situated on the side of the case. Equipped with a circular 46 mm rose gold case adorned with the famous imperial columns, the Academia Grand Tourbillon watch is one of DeWitt’s most emblematic timepieces.
On the reverse side of the watch the sapphire case back reveals a day and night indicator, which takes on a blue colour tone to indicate night-time and a white colour tone to indicate day-time hours.
Like every DeWitt tourbillon, the Academia Grand Tourbillon watch bears the signature of the watchmaker who assembled the timepiece, inscribed on the decorative silvered grid located on the back of the movement. In order to ensure perfect quality, DeWitt makes it a point of honour that each grand complication movement should be assembled, set and tested by the same master watchmaker.
Last but not least, the Academia Grand Tourbillon watch fully complies with the extremely demanding finishing norms established by the DeWitt Manufacture. Crafted exclusively by hand, this model features finishes of rare quality that can be observed by looking at its sapphire case back. The barrel bridge is sandblasted with a “Black Gold” treatment, the balance has a rose gold colour tone and the carriage bar is satin-finished and rhodium-plated.
The crown and the buckle are each crafted in 18-carat rose gold and adorned with the brand’s “W” signature initial. With its flawless movement and powerful allure, the Adademia Grand Tourbillon watch combines the very best of traditional craftsmanship with the technical and aesthetic innovation that is characteristic of all watch designs by Jérôme de Witt.
Technical details
Model: Academia Grand Tourbillon
Movement
Calibre DW8030
Mechanical manually-wound movement incorporating a DeWitt Manufacture tourbillon
Diameter: 37 mm
Power reserve: 65 hours
Frequency: 18,000 vph
Balance: Variable-inertia balance
Balance spring: Spiral Straumann® with Phillips curve sequenced at 2.5 Hz.
Escapement: 44° angle of lift
Jewelling: 32 jewels
Number of components: 327
Functions
Jumping hours at 9 o’clock, jumping minutes at 12 hours, disc date with corrector at 8 o’clock, day/night display
Case
Round case with 24 Dewitt imperial columns on sides
Material: 18-carat rose gold
Diameter: 46 mm
Total thickness: 11.90 mm
Crown: 18-carat rose gold, polished, ring in blackened titanium, “W” signature
Case back: Open back, sapphire crystal with safety screws
Distance between lugs: 23 mm
Water-resistance: 30 metres
Dials
AC.GT.002
Green lacquer with silvered grid and circles, minute counter with black rail track, hour counter with Roman numerals and indices in rose gold colour tone, date display in rose gold colour tone
Hands: Hours and minutes: open-work hands in the form of double-edged swords
Limited Edition: 99 Pieces
AC.GT.003
Blue lacquer with silvered grid and circles, minute counter with black railtrack, hour counter with Roman numerals and indices in rose gold colour tone, date display in rose gold colour tone
Hands: Hours and minutes: open-work hands in the form of double-edged swords
Limited Edition: 99 Pieces
Wristband
Black alligator
Triple folding clasp, polished 18-carat rose gold cover with “W” signature
