C by Romain Gauthier Platinum Edition Bracelet
Independent Swiss luxury watch brand Romain Gauthier expands the C by Romain Gauthier (Heritage collection) series by introducing a new edition featuring platinum case and bracelet. This timepiece is powered by an in-house made 18K white gold hand-wound movement featuring stop-seconds mechanism.
Aesthetically, C by Romain Gauthier Platinum Edition is very close to the previous titanium editions. The white gold movement, entirely decorated by hand, has exceptional polished bevels, hand-frosted finishes on the surfaces, straight graining on the edges, and the interior of the bridges enhanced by a hand-engraved structure.
In order to preserve the general spirit of the calibre, the hour-minute hands are off-centred on the horizontal axis and the hour indices taper ever so slightly and are of varying lengths, while the 5-second intervals of the small seconds at 7 o’clock are also marked by tapering lines of differing lengths.
The tapering, three-dimensional hands, numerals and index are made of 18k white gold. For enhanced legibility, the hands are filled with Super-LumiNova. Each index and Roman numerals bring a more traditional feel to the design of the piece – matte-treated and hand-finished with satin-finish that contrasts the overall aesthetics of the piece and harmonizes with the surface of the case.
On an 18k white gold dial, the Manufacture’s decoration and hand-finishing specialists have reproduced the bouchardé texture, a hand-engraved structure found on the bridges of the movement. The dial then receives a slight blue PVD treatment that enhances the textures and light reflections created by the hand engraving technique that is performed at different angles on random sections of the dial.
The platinum bezel is first machined into a round shape featuring a circular bevel, and then six straight sides are cut into it to create six facets. While these facets, which have been polished, reflect the light and bring the bezel to life, the rest of the bezel absorbs light thanks to its satin-finishing. The same facetted design is replicated around the sapphire crystal on the back of the watch.
In between the bezel and caseback, the one-piece case-band and lugs are geometrically sculpted, with satin and polished finishes as well as aesthetic grooves cleverly deployed to draw out the resulting shapes. Meanwhile, the platinum bracelet with the folding clasp follows the form of the curved lugs, which have been adjusted to fit any wrist, and rounded caseband so it appears as a continuous, organic extension of the case.
As with the other editions of C by Romain Gauthier, the winding and time setting crown has been placed at 2 o’clock, freeing up space for the wrist movement. The fluted crown also allows an easy handling and provides an additional eye-catching aesthetic element to the case.
In-house movement with Stop-seconds mechanism
Beating inside, the manual-winding, in-house movement in 18K white gold can be admired through the display back.
This haute-horlogerie movement boasts a number of finger bridges – historically typical of the Vallée de Joux, Romain’s birthplace – but reinterpreted here in a contemporary way. These bridges are horizontally configured and feature a ‘stepped’ shape that not only provides volume and depth, but also gives the sense that the bridges are literally flowing over the gears and balance wheel, with no clear end to them.
The bridges are made from 18k white gold and boast contrasting tones and textures thanks to a variety of finishes. The outer edges of each bridge all feature a double bevel, while the flat bridge surfaces and rubies are each framed by a raised border that has been hand-frosted. Within these borders, the hand-finishing specialists at Manufacture Romain Gauthier have used a special hand-engraving technique to create a highly original dimpled texture. The movement mainplate beneath has been hand-frosted.
Romain’s trademark gears and ratchet wheel featuring circular, bevelled spokes have been circular-grained, while the click, snail cam and screws with S-slot heads – another signature of Romain – have been highly polished. Finally, the lid of the mainspring barrel has been embellished with a superb snailing decoration.
C by Romain Gauthier’s regulator features the Romain Gauthier balance wheel with curved arms and calibrated eccentric weights, plus hand-assembled pallet lever that is triangular for maximum rigidity.
This movement is equipped with a clever stop-seconds mechanism, allowing the wearer to set the time exactly according to a reference time.
Like many stop-seconds (also known as hacking seconds) mechanisms, a brake is placed on the balance wheel when the crown is pulled out.
But instead of using a straight or L-shaped balance stop lever to halt the balance, Romain has opted to employ a snail cam that performs a double function: It touches and stops the balance wheel when the crown is pulled out and, when the crown is pushed back in, the snail cam makes a turn, with its increasingly wide form giving the balance an impulse to help it start beating again.
Integrated Platinum Bracelet
Integrated into the case by slightly curved lugs, following the natural shape of the wrist, the platinum bracelet – like the case, and with an integrated folding clasp – has been designed in harmony with the rest of the timepiece.
Aesthetically, Romain wanted to develop a modern bracelet that would highlight traditional craftmanship. As with the rest of the timepiece, each link has contrasting finishes, with the surface being satin-finished while the connecting element is hand-polished, bringing both character and elegance to the bracelet.
As a non-limited edition, the C by Romain Gauthier Platinum Edition Bracelet can be personalized and customized to reflect each collector’s personality and taste.
Model: C by Romain Gauthier Platinum Edition Bracelet
Movement
In-house, hand-wound movement
Dimensions: 32.10 mm x 5.50 mm
Power reserve: 60 hours
Number of jewels: 24
Number of components: 154
Balance frequency: 28,800 vph / 4Hz
Components made from: White gold, stainless steel, steel, brass, and German silver
Finishing: Superlative decoration by hand
Indications
Off-centred hours and minutes
Small seconds at 7 o’clock
Dial
Hand-engraved ice blue color dial in 18k white gold
Off-centred hours and minutes
Small seconds at 7 o’clock with 5-second intervals marked by tapering black lines
Super-LumiNova-filled 18k white gold hands
18k white gold numerals and hour markers
Case
Material: Platinum
Dimensions: 41mm x 9.55mm, lugs to lugs: 47.7 mm
Water resistance: 50m/5atm/160ft
Crown for winding and time-setting at 2 o’clock
Sapphire crystal with interior anti-reflection coating, front and display back
Bracelet
Bracelet entirely in platinum, with an integrated folding clasp, also in platinum, supplied with an additional half-link to perfectly fit all wrists.
Number of components: 111 components (on a standard size)
Total weight of the watch
340g, including platinum bracelet and folding clasp
Edition
Unlimited edition in platinum, engraved with the number of the piece on the back of the movement.
Retail price
CHF 118,000 without taxes
