In 2015, Laurent Picciotto of Chronopassion acquired a unique, horological masterpiece from H. Moser & Cie. worth 1 million Swiss Francs. This unique Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time Sapphire Skeleton timepiece features a new skeleton movement, a case made entirely from sapphire and a 3D printed strap. Impressed with this horological beauty, Laurent once again approached the Schaffhausen-based Manufacture to create another model with a sapphire case.
The case for this second model, created once again entirely from sapphire, comes from the H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Collection. The finish on the case flanks with its unusual shapes, the exquisite bezel, the curve of the dial and the crystal, the proportions which echo the convex forms of the 1960s – the beauty of all these features is amplified by the transparency of the sapphire. The sapphire case highlights the beauty of the HMC 803 automatic calibre. Entirely skeletonised, this movement was blued by CVD, a chemical vapour deposition process. The unexpected design combines the modern architectural shapes of the bridges with a nickel silver movement and a blue finish associated with traditional haute horlogerie.
Framed by the Venturer’s ultra-thin bezel, the hand-finished movement is open to full view through the sapphire flange bearing the hour indices. The long, tapered hands are created in rose gold, as is the main bridge of the tourbillon, arching broadly across the cage. On the reverse side of the watch, the bidirectional rotor, made from 22-carat solid red gold, is also engraved and open-worked.
The Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time Sapphire Blue Skeleton is equipped with a second time zone, indicated by a red, rhodium-plated hand, which is concealed beneath the main hour hand when the function is not in use. It also features an interchangeable minute tourbillon equipped with an original Straumann Double Hairspring®, a stroke of genius for a watch that is truly a part of the history of time, and which transcends the advantages of a simple tourbillon.
Technical details
Model: Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time Sapphire Blue Skeleton
Reference 2803-1001, sapphire model, dial with sapphire flange, black alligator leather strap, unique piece
Case
Sapphire case, three-part
Diameter: 41.5 mm, height: 14.3 mm
Curved sapphire crystal and see-through sapphire case back
Sapphire crown engraved with an “M”
Dial
Sapphire flange integrated into the 3-part sapphire case
Midnight blue indices
Rose gold leaf-shaped hands
Movement
Blue skeletonised, in-house, automatic HMC 803 calibre
Diameter: 34.0 mm or 15 lignes, height: 6.5 mm
Frequency: 21,600 Vib/h
Bi-directional pawl winding
Solid 22-carat red gold skeletonised rotor engraved with the H. Moser & Cie. hallmark
Power reserve: minimum 3 days
Moser teeth for all wheels and pinions
Original Straumann Double Hairspring®
Interchangeable Moser minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock with skeletonised bridges
Functions
Hours and minutes
Second hour hand can be hidden when not in use
Strap
Hand-stitched black alligator leather strap
18-carat gold pin buckle
