Cabestan DragonNera & SnakeNera
Cabestan’s new DragonNera & SnakeNera timepieces represent testament of Cabestan’s shared values, craftsmanship, history and innovation.
Made 100% in-house, the DragonNera represents a dream of a Cabestan’s customer that became reality. Cabestan team, led by Lionel Betoux, signed a breathtaking accomplishment by displaying an exceptional 3D imperial Chinese dragon, fitting the traditional Luna Nera movement.
The highly sophisticated movement speaks for itself. Entirely made in house and hand finished, the CAB EC102LD represents six months of time creation and two years of development. Both the dragon and the movement respect the historical traditions of watchmaking and allege a substantial tribute to craftsmanship.
100% in-house developed and made, the timepiece unveils a fascinating and genuine jeweler craftwork. With only 20mm wide and 25mm long, the DragonNera features the smallest 3D dragon ever made in a watch, representing more than 300 hours of true artwork. The challenges set by the mechanism itself with the chain, wheels and tourbillon cage, make of the whole dragon creation an engineering prowess. The eyes, tongue, teeth and ears only represent tenths of millimeter, not to speak of the paw toes.
Fruit of a long production process, the 5N rose gold dragon is first made out of a casting mold process. Afterwards come the polishing and sandblasting, before the main engraving work. The 3D structure will then see itself given another final polishing treatment. The delicacy of achievement on such a 3D structure reaches the highest standards, given the constraint properties each part represents on a millimeter scale.
The sapphire crystal glass, allows us to observe the ultimate work thoroughness of the 3D dragon as well as the mechanism precision. This exceptional piece is composed of a manually wound movement: caliber CAB EC 102LD, with 46 rubies. The mechanism indicates the hours, minutes, seconds and power reserve by drums, the last one being indicated by the front right paw of the dragon.
The time is semi-jumping for easier reading, and the moon phase, meanwhile, is at the center of the movement and is represented by a sphere of 7.40 mm diameter. The torque is transmitted from the drum barrel to the fuse via a chain. This concept allows a constant torque transmission throughout the power reserve (72 hours), ensuring greater accuracy in the measurement of time.
In the SnakeNera, the legendary reptilian creature comes joining the brand creations of exceptional timepieces by the fabulous association of craftsmanships within the Cabestan Manufacture.
Sense of refinement, the SnakeNera CAB EC102LS shows a different sense of creativity. Still embracing the values of craftsmanship but outdoing its standards in the same way the DragonNera does. With the same movement base, the SnakeNera builds up and shows the extend of Cabestan’s know-how. Both the snake structure itself and the watch are 100% made in-house, in Cabestan’s Manufacture.
Every single component is hand finished. There is a whole variety of finishing being applied (beveling, circular graining, drawing, polishing, sandblasting, milling,..) making of this piece a real piece of art, not only from a technical standpoint, but also in terms of achievement.
As Cabestan is deeply embedded in craftsmanship and history, each piece has to leave the Manufacture in compliance with the watchmaking tradition standards.
As regards to the mesmerizing snake, it is a true pledge of insanity. The craftwork stands on a 3D 750 white gold structure only 1,5cm wide and 2cm long (7cm long extended), and this tiny piece represents 150 hours of tool work. Thoroughness is mandatory and patience is the keyword as the eyes only measure 0.3 of a millimeter.
The most challenging being the engraving on specific areas almost impossible to set, like the tail tip, only seven-tenths of a millimeter long. The whole structure is sandblasted treated under, and fully polished on the top.
Technical details
Movement
• Caliber CAB EC 102LD and CAB EC 102LS, manually wound with Swiss lever escapement, entirely conceived, developed and built by the Cabestan Manufacture
• Total of 942 components for both DragonNera and SnakeNera, fully assembled and regulated by hand
• Tourbillon regulated at 6 positions with constant force delivered by a system of fusée-and chain
• Frequency: 21 600 alt/h or 3 Hz
• Breguet-style overcoil, Geneva stud
• Balance amplitude: 240°
• Vertical system of wheels in gold or nickel-plated bronze, rhodium-plated bottom plate, bridges, and pinions
• Stainless steel chain 160 mm long composed of 235 links and 156 rivets, all assembled manually
• Time-setting and rewinding with individual crowns
• Manual finishing of all components: beveling, polishing, drawing, milling and circular graining
• 3D sphere representing the moon phase at the center of the movement, rewinding with an individual crown
• One 5N rose gold 3D Dragon structure of 25mmx20mm, handmade and finished/ one white gold 3D Snake structure of 22mmx15mm, handmade and finished
Case
• Cases in brushed and polished natural palladium white gold (SnakeNera), 5N rose gold (DragonNera)
• Two sapphire crystals hand-fitted to each case (case and back)
• Three functional capstans: rewinding, time setting and 3D-moon setting
• Limited number of 8
Display
• Hours, minutes and seconds displayed on three engraved rotary drums, coloured markings in Super Luminova
• Moon Phase in 3D
• Power reserve of 72 hours (indicated by the DragonNera front right paw and SnakeNera head) displayed on an engraved rotary drum, coloured markings in Super Luminova
Accessories
• Handmade storage case
• Stylus to adjust the moon phase
• Booklet with ownership certificate, instructions and guarantee
