Christophe Claret unveils a timepiece whose symbolic power is highlighted by the ingenious optical phenomenon of the mirascope. At the center of this limited edition conveying a message recalling the history and civilizations of the East which founded the foundations of modern society: AL- ULA, a basin stretching from Jordan to the Arabian desert, sumptuous witness of the Nabatean civilization, the iconic monument symbolizing appears to literally burst out of the dial.

Christophe Claret never ceases to surprise. This true virtuoso of the watchmaking art plays with mechanics, reinvents style codes and creates a fresh and very personal vision of the passing of time. This approach has driven the creation of the Mecca timepiece that uses the optical phenomenon of the mirascope in paying tribute to a civilization and a rich culture more than three thousand years old.

AL-ULA, the capital of the Kingdom of Dedan, is today a site of major cultural significance and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It welcomes Al-Hegra and Mada’in Saleh into its signature. The site has several dozen monuments that have been incredibly preserved from late antiquity.

One of these monuments, very famous in its symbolism, is micro engraved and highlighted thanks to the mirascope, a process invented about thirty years ago at the University of California. The mirascope is composed of two identical parabolic mirrors arranged one on top of the other, creating an elliptical shape. The convex mirror on top has a hole in the middle.

When an object is placed in the center of the concave bottom mirror, the reflection from the top mirror creates a hologram of the object, which appears nearly two times larger than it actually is. In implementing this optical effect in the Mecca model, the monument looks as if it is thrusting out of the middle of the watch and offers a 360-degree view of the emblematic memorial which has withstood all phenomena to bear witness to the grandiosity and talent of the past civilization.

AL-ULA, like all Christophe Claret signature timepieces, epitomizes the highest standards of fine watchmaking embodied by the brand. Developing the technically demanding mirascope to function perfectly took extreme dedication and focus. Two months of research and several prototypes were integral to obtaining the desired optical effect. The next critical step was designing and crafting the hour and minute hands, which had to be reconfigured, as the mirascope was now the centerpiece of the watch.

The hands became pointers revolving on an invisible ring around the perimeter of the dial, each equipped with a counterweight to optimize stability. The challenge of creating the hands was to find a material light enough to compensate for the relatively larger – though mainly concealed – size of the display mechanism. The solution was to use anticorodal (aluminum), which has an excellent rigidity/weight coefficient.

The AL-ULA timepiece features a wealth of emblematic elements and references to the ancestral culture of the region. First, the dial which opens on the iconic Mada’in Saleh monument is engraved in solid rose gold. The color green, in connection with the Arab culture of the past and the present. To accentuate the symbolism of the piece, the Arabic hour numerals and the “AL-MIM” motifs have been engraved on the flange. The front of the watch reveals a calligraphy drawn in the Diwani style by a master calligrapher, “AL-ULA and THE MAGIC OF THE ORIENT”, this one is filled by a hand engraving.

The aesthetic and symbolic spectacle is continued on to the back of the AL-ULA timepiece. The ball-bearing cover is decorated with an engraving of the coat of arms of the Christophe Claret brand around which the green sapphire oscillating weight of the self-winding movement rotates. It should be noted that Christophe Claret has obtained a patent for the sapphire element connecting the ball-bearings to the oscillating weight concealed behind a circle Crafted in green sapphire so as to reveal the meticulous movement finishing, all decorated with a motif around the edge engraved by hand with a green enamel filling.

Finally, the back bezel is engraved with the symbolism of AL-ULA’s current geographic location. The back of the watch shows important inscriptions relating to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, guardian of today AL-ULA. All adorned with green enamel, the inscriptions “LA ILAH ILA ALLAH MOHAMAD RASOOL ALLAH” and “THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA” are also calligraphed in the Diwani style and engraved by hand to perfect this extraordinary masterpiece.

Technical specifications

Movement
Caliber: AVE15, self-winding
Diameter: 26.20 mm
Thickness: 3.37 mm (without hands)
Number of parts: 186
Number of jewels: 28
Barrels: Twin barrels
Power reserve: 72 hours
Escapement: Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph) – Swiss lever
‘Mystery’ oscillating weight with sapphire crystal segment and transferred motifs

Functions
Hours and minutes display

Case
Grade 5 titanium/ Red gold 5N
Dimensions: Ø 44 x 18.49 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft

Strap
Green alligator

Distinctive features

Front
The AL-ULA watch is inspired by the Aventicum model: the center of the dial, the mirascope with the emblematic monument of Mada’in Saleh micro-engraved. Around, oriental calligraphy engraved and lacquered in green and gray color.

Back
The oscillating weight is in green sapphire revealing the movement, adorned with an “Al-Mim” motif engraved and enameled in green around the circumference of the weight.

On a decorative plate, green decal of two inscriptions Arabic:
– At 12: “LA ILLAH ILA ALLAH MOHAMAD RASOOL ALLAH” “There is no god but GOD and Muhammad is his messenger”
– At 6: “AL MAMLAKA ALARABIA ALSAOUDIA” “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”
– At 3 and 9: the sword symbol of the flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Models

Reference MTR.AVE15.600-617
Case: Grade 5 titanium
Hands: Anticorodal, anodized green with 4N red gold tips, black lacquered
Crown: Grade 5 titanium and anthracite gray grade 5 PVD titanium
Limited edition: 17
Price: 69’000 Swiss francs (ex VAT)

Reference MTR.AVE15.620-637
Case: Red gold 5N
Hands: Anticorodal, anodized black with 4N red gold tips, black lacquered
Crown: Red Gold 5N Strap: Green alligator
Limited edition: 17
Price: 77’000 Swiss francs (ex VAT)

Seamlessly blending aesthetics and technicality, Maestro showcases an original take on the horological creativity of Christophe Claret. Its glass dome provides a striking, almost dizzying view of the movement architecture and the famous Charles X bridges. Endowed with a seven-day power reserve, a cone-shaped large date display and a 3D MEMO function, Maestro asserts itself as the first Haute Complication watch by Christophe Claret with a price of 72’000 CHF.

The 42mm case – the smallest diameter in the Christophe Claret collections – in grade 5 titanium, 5N red gold or platinum asserts its style with a curvex shape that accentuates its trim design. The choice of a glass dome to serve as a bezel provides a whole new perspective on the movement. The airy and graphic architecture – reinforced by the inner bezel ring featuring matt and polished finishing or set with baguette-cut gems, as well as Christophe Claret’s characteristic two-tone, bi-material hands.

The show really gets going with an exploration of the mechanical hand-wound movement. In line with previous models in the Traditional collection, Christophe Claret has lavished great care on every detail and focused on ensuring an ideal match between technical and aesthetic aspects. The visual journey begins with the famous Charles X style stepped and skeletonized bridges that have become a signature of the Maison through its various collections.

The skeleton-working of the bridge supporting the escapement represents a clever blend of classicism and modernity that affords a chance to appreciate all its subtle features. The balance-wheel with countersunk screws has been entirely developed and produced in-house.

Expressing a permanent concern for details, a natural ruby or a natural sapphire, depending on the version, adorns this assembly in order to conceal the shock-absorbing system. This rare degree of mastery, encompassing the full range of Haute Horlogerie professions, enables the Manufacture to transcend technical sophistication by its constant pursuit of aesthetic perfection.

The visual adventure through the intricacies of the movement continues with two series-coupled barrels ensuring optimal efficiency and majestically positioned at 12 o’clock. Here too, the bridges are skeletonized to provide an exemplary view of the blade spring of the first barrel and thus enable the wearer of the watch to gauge the state of the seven-day power reserve. A fine example of the golden rule tirelessly followed by Christophe Claret: techniques and aesthetics join forces in serving useful complications.

Christophe Claret never misses out on a chance to express his creative audacity through original displays running counter to traditional design codes. An excellent example is the large date that the watchmaker has cleverly placed at 5 o’clock. Composed of two cones, one for the tens on the upper part and the second for the units, this patented large date display performs a semi-instantaneous jump between midnight and twenty past midnight. Lending the perfect finishing touch, its top is set with a natural ruby or a natural sapphire.

As if to echo the 3D effect of this voluminous date display, another cone shape – also topped with a sapphire or ruby – draws the gaze to the space between 3 and 4 o’clock. Never one to stint on playful complications liable to fire the imagination of watch connoisseurs, Christophe Claret unveils here another brand-new function.

Inspired by the expression “tie a knot in your handkerchief” to help one remember something important, MEMO is an ingenious mechanical reminder intended for absent-minded individuals as well as fans of technical gadgets. Whatever daily objective the owner of the Maestro has set himself, the MEMO is there to remind him of his commitments. In the initial position, meaning when the owner must do something, the gem visible at 6 o’clock on the side face of the MEMO is the same color as the one at the top of the MEMO, meaning two rubies or two sapphires depending on the model.

Once the objective has been met, a simple press on the pusher at 2 o’clock pivots the MEMO function, which will display a diamond on its side face at 6 o’clock, instead of the ruby or the sapphire. The MEMO will return to its initial position each night in a twenty-minute process driven by a semi-instantaneous jump system.

Hand-finished according to the noblest Haute Horlogerie traditions, the Maestro reveals a level of finishing that few watch manufacturers can claim to master, such as the stepped Charles X style bridges featuring 26 interior angles. A sapphire crystal pane fitted on the back of the watch provides a chance to admire the meticulous movement decorations.

Maestro Indian is in grade 5 titanium pink chrome movement, issued in 17-piece limited editions.

Technical details

Model: Christophe Claret Maestro Indian
Reference: MTR.DMC16.330-337

Movement
Caliber: DMC16, mechanical hand-wound Dimensions: – Diameter: 36.25 mm – Thickness: 10.50 mm (without the hands) Number of components: 349 Number of jewels: 33
Barrels: Two series-mounted barrels Power reserve: 7 days (approx. 168 hours)
Escapement:
– Swiss lever escapement
– Balance-wheel with countersunk screws
– Balance-wheel oscillation frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vph)

Functions
Pointer-type display of the hours and minutes
Pyramid-shaped large date display at 5 o’clock, with tens on the upper cone and units on the lower cone
MEMO function between 3 and 4 o’clock: cone shape adorned with a sapphire serving to remind the wearer of a commitment

Movement decoration/finish
Stepped and skeletonized Charles X style bridges
Skeletonized barrel
26 interior angles

Case
Grade 5 titanium
Diameter: 42 mm
Thickness: 16.06 mm
Crown: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 30 m (3 ATM)

Hands
Black chrome-plated and blue anodized aluminum, with Super-Luminova®

Strap
Blue alligator

Edition
Limited series: 17

Retail price
Price excluding tax in Swiss francs: CHF 72,000.-

Introduced in 2014, Poker is the third addition to Christophe Claret’s trilogy of gaming watches followed by the Blackjack and Baccara models. This year, Christophe Claret presents a new Poker version featuring black PVD-treated grade-5 titanium case and Blue PVD titanium dial.

The Poker watch houses an extremely sophisticated mechanism to reproduce the randomness of the game within a case just 45mm in diameter. For up to three players, there are an incredible number of game play possibilities.

Poker was actually to be the first of the gaming timepieces launched by Manufacture Claret. While the game seems simple to organize on a table, its watchmaking version is an extreme test and no technical solution had been found until Mr Christophe Claret himself came up with the answer. While the first prototype was working in 2011, it required two years to perfect the intricate complication.

Devising the gearing and bringing it all together in a mechanical movement – in other words, orchestrating a complete 52-card game following the rules of poker – is a real feat, one which offers Haute Horlogerie exciting new technical prospects. In total, Poker packs in 32,768 different combinations, i.e. 98,304 combinations for three players. The probabilities have been calculated so that everyone has approximately the same chances of winning.

Users can immerse themselves in real three-player games of the most popular variant of poker: Texas Hold’em. As a recap of the rules, a game of Texas Hold’em starts with two closed cards being dealt to each player, i.e. visible only to the player. Five other open cards are dealt out in stages: three, known as the flop, after the first betting round; an additional card, the turn, after another betting round; and finally a last, the river. To have the best hand in Texas Hold’em poker, the player must have the best possible combination of five cards from the seven in their hand.

This is how the PCK05 movement came into being. This completely original automatic-winding in-house caliber comprises no fewer than 655 components, and features two mainspring barrels that provide approximately 72 hours of power. Poker has not abandoned its time display role, with two central hands providing excellent legibility.

Poker is the very first timepiece that manages to replicate the game in an automaton watch. The ease of use when playing Poker is as impressive and unexpected as its intrinsic complexity. Up to three players face each other around the watch. The first hand is dealt by means of a pusher at 9 o’clock. This winds up a spring, which simultaneously spins four concentric discs − one of which made from sapphire − on which the cards are printed. There is no way of speculating as to the position of the discs. After a few moments the discs are immobilized at random by dampers. All the discs are mounted on ceramic or ruby bearings so they turn as freely as possible.

Once the push-piece at 9 o’clock has been pressed, the now shuffled cards are dealt in windows at 6 o’clock, 10:30 and 2:30. An ingenious mechanism of angled shutters makes them invisible to the other players. After this first betting round, the pusher at 10 o’clock reveals the flop, i.e. three cards which appear on the left of the dial. Another push-piece at 8 o’clock then reveals the turn, one card on the right of the dial. Finally, the same push-piece deals out the river, also on the right of the dial. True to his mastery of chiming watches, Christophe Claret equipped Poker with a cathedral gong, which sounds whenever the flop and turn/river pushers are pressed. Now comes the showdown.

The dial of Poker is entirely made and assembled within Manufacture Claret and was designed to offer excellent legibility of both the time and the Poker game. The dial is animated, on this model, by tokens, cards and casino tip in 3D, that is all that is found on a Texas Holdem carpet, for more visual realism. Emblematic of the brand, the ruby and black PVD-treated titanium hands – among the most expensive to make because of the complexity of machining these precious materials – are enhanced by a luminescent coating. The hour indexes are on the bezel so as not to crowd the stage. Although the dial has an incredible 85 components, its balanced harmonious design ensures that the players are not distracted.

This world of the casino even continues through to the back of the watch. The transparent case-back provides a view of the oscillating winding rotor in the form of a roulette wheel. This rotor design is already an icon of the Christophe Claret Interactive Gaming Complication collection. Once activated by one or two shaking motions, the roulette turns for a few moments before stopping: no more bets please! An arrow points to one of the 37 numbers on an inner ring. Did your number come up by chance? If so, it may have been thanks to a special key opposite a green emerald set on the case-back. This personalization is much appreciated by those who believe in their lucky number.

This Poker is produced in a 12-piece limited edition.

Technical specifications

Reference: MTR.PCK05.001-020

Movement
Caliber: PCK05, automatic-winding mechanical movement
Dimensions: 38.6 x 9.92 mm (with cathedral gong)
Number of components: 655
Number of jewels: 72
Double barrels
Power reserve: 72 hours (approx.)
Escapement: Swiss lever, 4 Hz /28,800 vph

Functions
Hour and minute display
2 games: Texas Hold’em Poker game with chime, and roulette wheel
Patented cathedral gong

Case
Black PVD-treated grade-5 titanium
Dimensions: 45 x 15.95 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
Crown: Black PVD-treated grade-5 titanium

Dial
Blue PVD titanium
Tokens: Anticorodal color anodized
Hands: Red ruby and black PVD-treated titanium, with Super-Luminova®

Strap
Black alligator

Edition
Limited edition of 12 pieces

Price
Price in Swiss francs (ex VAT): 164’000.-

Christophe Claret has created a masterpiece to honour one of ancient Mexico’s main deities: the Quetzalcoatl watch, available as a limited edition of 8 pieces. Engraved by hand in meticulous detail, the feathered serpent is skilfully incorporated around the Maestro’s movement.

Quetzalcoatl, the important Aztec deity – patron of the priesthood, inventor of the calendar and protector of craftsmen – proudly snakes across the Maestro’s movement. This feathered serpent can be glimpsed between the hour and minute hands, the indicator for the MEMO function, and the spring balance. This divinity, embodied by a feathered serpent, is now shrouded in mystery within the heart of this new Maestro.

The Maestro watch was a natural choice to accommodate the rippling coils of the Quetzalcóatl snake. Following the model unveiled in 2017 and infusing a new dynamic into the Tradition collection, the Maestro Quetzalcóatl appeals through both its shape and its proportions, including the pure and powerful lines of its 42 mm black PVD-treated titanium case topped by an impressive sapphire crystal dome.

A boldly contemporary model intended for trendsetters and influencers, the Maestro offers a spectacular view of the movement and the snake’s sinuous body, which may be admired from every angle and along every sleek scale. The Maestro is also ideal because of its hand-wound movement, whose skilfully arranged components are displayed in all their glorious technical profusion, vividly reflecting that of a luxuriant jungle.

The overall construction is revealed through a multi-dimensional architecture. Like all timepieces by Christophe Claret, the Maestro showcases a wealth of details mingling technical and aesthetic elements in an exceptionally coherent manner.

Brand enthusiasts will recognize the watchmaker’s inimitable touch in the famous Charles X stepped and skeletonized bridges – with 26 interior angles – that have become a signature of the Maison. The skeleton-working of the bridge supporting the escapement represents a clever blend of classicism and modernity that affords a chance to appreciate all its subtle features.

The visual adventure through the intricacies of the movement continues with two series-coupled barrels ensuring optimal efficiency and majestically positioned at 12 o’clock. Here too, the bridges are skeletonized to provide an exemplary view of the blade spring of the first barrel and thus enable the wearer of the watch to gauge the state of the seven-day power reserve.

In terms of horological complications, the Maestro Quetzalcóatl once again illustrates the creative audacity cultivated by Christophe Claret. Witness the patented large date display at 5 o’clock, composed of two cones – one for the tens on the upper part and the second for the units – and performing a semi-instantaneous jump between midnight and twenty past midnight. As if to echo the 3D effect of this voluminous date display, the Maestro’s characteristic MEMO function appears between 3 and 4 o’clock.

Inspired by the expression “tie a knot in your handkerchief” to help one remember something important, the MEMO is an ingenious mechanical reminder intended for absent-minded individuals as well as fans of technical gadgets. Whatever daily objective the owner of the Maestro has set himself, the MEMO is there to remind him of his commitments.

In the initial position, meaning when the owner must do something, a tsavorite appears at 6 o’clock on the side face of the MEMO, like the gem set at its top. Once the objective has been met, a simple press on the pusher at 2 o’clock pivots the MEMO function, which will display a diamond on its side face at 6 o’clock, instead of the tsavorite. The MEMO will return to its initial position each night in a twenty-minute process driven by a semi-instantaneous jump system.

Technical specifications

Model: Maestro Quetzalcóatl
Reference: MTR.DMC16.320-328

Movement
Caliber DMC16, mechanical hand-wound
Diameter: 36.25 mm
Thickness: 10.50 mm (without the hands)
Number of components: 349
Number of jewels: 33
Barrels: Two series-mounted barrels
Power reserve: 7 days (approx. 168 hours)

Escapement
– Swiss lever escapement
– Balance-wheel with countersunk screws
– Balance-wheel oscillation frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vph)

Aesthetic features
– Stepped and skeletonized Charles X style bridges
– Skeletonized barrel
– 26 interior angles

Functions
Pointer-type display of the hours and minutes
Pyramid-shaped large date display at 5 o’clock, with tens on the upper cone and units on the lower cone
MEMO function between 3 and 4 o’clock: cone shape adorned with a natural ruby and a diamond serving to remind the wearer of a commitment

Case
Grade 5 titanium
Diameter: 42 mm
Thickness: 16.06 mm
Water resistance: 30 m (3 ATM)
Crown: Black PVD-treated stainless steel, with cabochon-cut tsavorite

Dial
Hands: Black chrome-plated, green-lacquered sapphire with Super-LumiNova®
Snake: 4N pink gold, Quetzacoalt (green)

Strap
Green snake Elaphe

Edition
Limited series of 8 pieces

Retail price
Price excluding tax in Swiss francs: 96’000 CHF

In this highly exclusive edition of the Maestro timepiece, Christophe Claret placed a meticulously hand-engraved sculpture of a dangerous snake that guards the complex horological movement. The guard is none other than mamba, one of the world’s most aggressive and deadliest snakes.

Wrapped around the movement, its undulating hand-engraved body creates a powerful contrast between the tangy green brilliancy of its scales and the matt black shade of the movement. Surging from the intricacies of the movement, between the hours and minutes hands, the MEMO function indicator and the sprung balance, the Mamba defies all challengers with its piercing eyes.

The watch come with a strap in authentic green Mamba skin sourced from Mozambique, where the Mamba was hunted on land belonging to the owner of the largest tsavorite mine.

Following the model unveiled in 2017 and infusing a new dynamic into the Tradition collection, the Maestro Mamba appeals through both its shape and its proportions, including the pure and powerful lines of its 42 mm black PVD-treated titanium case topped by an impressive sapphire crystal dome. The Maestro offers a spectacular view of the movement and the snake’s sinuous body, which may be admired from every angle and along every sleek scale.

The overall construction is revealed through a multi-dimensional architecture. Like all timepieces by Christophe Claret, the Maestro showcases a wealth of details mingling technical and aesthetic elements in an exceptionally coherent manner. Brand enthusiasts will recognize the watchmaker’s inimitable touch in the famous Charles X stepped and skeletonized bridges – with 26 interior angles – that have become a signature of the Maison. The skeleton-working of the bridge supporting the escapement represents a clever blend of classicism and modernity that affords a chance to appreciate all its subtle features.

Majestically positioned at 12 o’clock, two series-coupled barrels ensure optimal efficiency. Here too, the bridges are skeletonized to provide an exemplary view of the blade spring of the first barrel and thus enable the wearer of the watch to gauge the state of the seven-day power reserve.

The patented large date display at 5 o’clock, composed of two cones – one for the tens on the upper part and the second for the units – performs a semi-instantaneous jump between midnight and twenty past midnight. As if to echo the 3D effect of this voluminous date display, the Maestro’s characteristic MEMO function appears between 3 and 4 o’clock.

The MEMO is an ingenious mechanical reminder intended for absent-minded individuals as well as fans of technical gadgets. Whatever daily objective the owner of the Maestro has set himself, the MEMO is there to remind him of his commitments. In the initial position, meaning when the owner must do something, a tsavorite appears at 6 o’clock on the side face of the MEMO, like the gem set at its top. Once the objective has been met, a simple press on the pusher at 2 o’clock pivots the MEMO function, which will display a diamond on its side face at 6 o’clock, instead of the tsavorite. The MEMO will return to its initial position each night in a twenty-minute process driven by a semi-instantaneous jump system.

The highly complex Maestro watches come in two new black PVD-treated titanium versions respectively fitted with green Mamba and orange Pantherophis snakeskin straps. These two 28-piece limited editions each retail at CHF 96,000.

Technical details
Model: Maestro Mamba

Movement
Caliber: DMC16, mechanical hand-wound
Diameter: 36.25 mm
Thickness: 10.50 mm (without the hands)
Number of components: 346
Number of jewels: 33
Power reserve: 7 days (approx. 168 hours)

Escapement
– Swiss lever escapement
– Balance-wheel with countersunk screws
– Balance-wheel oscillation frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vph)

Aesthetic features
– Stepped and skeletonized Charles X style bridges
– Skeletonized barrel
-26 interior angles

Functions
Pointer-type display of the hours and minutes
Pyramid-shaped large date display at 5 o’clock, with tens on the upper cone and units on the lower cone
MEMO function between 3 and 4 o’clock: cone shape adorned with a tsavorite (for the Mamba version) or a sapphire (for the Pantherophis version) and a diamond serving to remind the wearer of a commitment

Case
Diameter: 42 mm
Thickness: 16.06 mm
Water resistance: 30 m (3 ATM)

References
Reference: MTR.DMC16.230-258 MAMBA

• Case: Black PVD-treated grade 5 titanium
• Hands: Black chrome-plated, green-lacquered sapphire with Super-LumiNova®
• Snake: 4N pink gold, SpectraCoatTM green
• Crown: Black PVD-treated stainless steel, with cabochon-cut tsavorite
• Strap: Green Mamba snakeskin
• Limited series: 28
• Price excluding tax in Swiss francs: CHF 96,000.-

Reference: MTR.DMC16.260-288 PANTHEROPHIS

• Case: Black PVD-treated grade 5 titanium
• Hands: Black chrome-plated, orange-lacquered sapphire with Super-LumiNova®
• Snake: 4N pink gold, hand-painted (orange)
• Crown: Black PVD-treated stainless steel, with cabochon-cut orange sapphire
• Strap: Orange Pantherophis snakeskin
• Limited series: 28
• Price excluding tax in Swiss francs: CHF 96,000.-

Christophe Claret’s SIHH 2017 novelty, the new Maestro is a fresh and youthful watch that showcases an original take on the horological creativity of the world renowned Master-watchmaker. Its glass dome provides a striking, almost dizzying view of the movement architecture and the famous Charles X bridges. Endowed with a seven-day power reserve, a cone-shaped large date display and a 3D MEMO function, Maestro asserts itself as the first Haute Complication watch by Christophe Claret with a CHF 68,000 price tag.

The 42mm case – the smallest diameter in the Christophe Claret collections – in grade 5 titanium or 5N pink gold asserts its style with a curvex shape that accentuates its trim design. The choice of a glass dome to serve as a bezel provides a whole new perspective on the movement. The airy and graphic architecture – reinforced by the inner bezel ring with its matt and polished finishing, as well as Christophe Claret’s characteristic two-tone, bi-material hands – is truly striking.

In line with previous models in the Traditional collection, Christophe Claret has lavished great care on every detail and focused on ensuring an ideal match between technical and aesthetic aspects. The visual journey begins with the famous Charles X style stepped and skeletonized bridges that have become a signature of the Maison through its various collections. The skeleton-working of the bridge supporting the escapement represents a clever blend of classicism and modernity that affords a chance to appreciate all its subtle features. The balance-wheel with countersunk screws has been entirely developed and produced in-house. Expressing a permanent concern for details, a natural ruby or a natural sapphire, depending on the version, adorns this assembly in order to conceal the shock-absorbing system.

The visual adventure through the intricacies of the movement continues with two series-coupled barrels ensuring optimal efficiency and majestically positioned at 12 o’clock. Here too, the bridges are skeletonized to provide an exemplary view of the blade spring of the first barrel and thus enable the wearer of the watch to gauge the state of the seven-day power reserve.

Christophe Claret expresses his creative audacity through original displays running counter to traditional design codes. In this masterpiece, he has cleverly placed a unique, large date indication at 5 o’clock. Composed of two cone-shaped aluminum disks, one for the tens on the upper part and the second for the units, this patented large date display performs a semi-instantaneous jump between midnight and twenty past midnight. Lending the perfect finishing touch, its top is set with a natural ruby or a natural sapphire.

The space between 3 and 4 o’clock houses another cone shape – also topped with a sapphire or ruby which offers a brand-new playful function: MEMO, an ingenious mechanical reminder. Whatever daily objective the owner of the Maestro has set himself, the MEMO adorned with a sapphire or ruby and a diamond – depending on the version – is there to remind him of his commitment. Once the objective has been met, a simple press on the pusher pivots the MEMO function, which will return to its initial position each night in a twenty-minute process driven by a semi-instantaneous jump system.

Hand-finished according to the noblest Haute Horlogerie traditions, the Maestro reveals a level of finishing that few watch manufacturers can claim to master, such as the stepped Charles X style bridges featuring 26 interior angles. A sapphire crystal pane fitted on the back of the watch provides a chance to admire the meticulous movement decorations.

Maestro is available in 5N pink gold or grade 5 titanium and both versions are issued in 88-piece limited editions.

Technical specifications

Movement
Caliber DMC16, mechanical hand-wound
Diameter: 36.25 mm
Thickness: 10.50 mm (without the hands)
Number of components: 342
Number of jewels: 33
Power reserve: 7 days (approx. 168 hours)

Escapement     
– Swiss lever escapement
– Balance-wheel with countersunk screws
– Balance-wheel oscillation frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vph)

Functions
– Pointer-type display of the hours and minutes
– Pyramid-shaped large date display at 5 o’clock, with tens on the upper disk and units on the lower disk
– MEMO function between 3 and 4 o’clock: cone shape adorned with a sapphire or ruby and a diamond serving to remind the wearer of a commitment

Aesthetic features
– Stepped and skeletonized Charles X style bridges
– Skeletonized barrel and ratchet-wheel

Case
Diameter: 42 mm
Thickness: 16.06 mm
Water resistance: 30 m (3 ATM)

Reference:  MTR.DMC16.100-188
Case: Grade 5 titanium
Hands: PVD-treated anthracite gray and blue anodized aluminum with Super-Luminova
Crown: Stainless steel
Strap: Black alligator leather with black stitching
Limited series: 88
Price excluding tax in Swiss francs: CHF 68,000.-

Reference:  MTR.DMC16.000-088
Case: 5N pink gold
Hands: PVD-treated anthracite gray and red anodized aluminum with Super-Luminova
Crown: 5N pink gold
Strap: Black alligator leather with black stitching
Limited series: 88
Price excluding tax in Swiss francs: CHF 76,000.-

Christophe Claret unveils a timepiece whose symbolic power is highlighted by the ingenious optical phenomenon of the mirascope. At the center of this limited edition conveying a message of peace, the iconic Kaaba monument symbolizing the Muslim faith appears to literally burst out of the dial.

Exactly like the effigy of Emperor Marcus Aurelius enthroned at the heart of the Aventicum model unveiled in 2015, the micro-engraving of the Kaaba is highlighted by the mirascope, a process invented about thirty years ago at the University of California. The mirascope is composed of two identical parabolic mirrors arranged one on top of the other, creating an elliptical shape. The convex mirror on top has a hole in the middle. When an object is placed in the center of the concave bottom mirror, the reflection from the top mirror creates a hologram of the object, which appears nearly two times larger than it actually is. In implementing this optical effect in the Mecca model, the Kaaba looks as if it is thrusting out of the middle of the watch and offers a 360-degree view of the famous cube-shaped building erected at the center of the sacred mosque in the Holy City of Mecca.

Mecca, like all Christophe Claret signature timepieces, epitomizes the highest standards of fine watchmaking embodied by the brand. Developing the technically demanding mirascope to function perfectly took extreme dedication and focus. Two months of research and several prototypes were integral to obtaining the desired optical effect. The next critical step was designing and crafting the hour and minute hands, which had to be reconfigured, as the mirascope was now the centerpiece of the watch. The hands became pointers revolving on an invisible ring around the perimeter of the dial, each equipped with a counterweight to optimize stability. The challenge of creating the hands was to find a material light enough to compensate for the relatively larger – though mainly concealed – size of the display mechanism. The solution was to use anticorodal (aluminum), which has an excellent rigidity/weight coefficient.

The Mecca timepiece features a wealth of emblematic elements and references to the Muslim faith. First, the dial which opens on to the micro-engraving of the Kaaba is decorated with an oriental-inspired engraved motif lacquered in gray and green, the color of the Muslim faith. To accentuate the symbolism of the piece, the Arabic hour numerals were then replaced at 5 o’clock by a white ceramic stone and at 7 o’clock by a black spinel. The latter symbolizes the black stone located at the South-East angle of the Kaaba through which Muslims start the seven rounds of the Tawaf in a counter clockwise direction. The white ceramic represents this same stone, as described in the Koran before it became black due to repeated touching by pilgrims.

The ball-bearing cover is adorned with a transfer depicting the Kaaba, with the movement’s self-winding oscillating weight rotating around it. It should be noted that Christophe Claret has obtained a patent for the sapphire element connecting the ball bearings to the oscillating weight concealed behind a circle Crafted in sapphire so as to reveal the meticulous movement finishing, the oscillating weight bears a transferred world map featuring white dots symbolizing Muslims turning around the Kaaba.

Three Arabic expressions set the final touch to this new invitation to experience spirituality. At 12 o’clock, Masjid al-Haram means “The sacred mosque”. At 4 o’clock, the word “Tawaf” evokes the seven turns that the pilgrims must perform around the Kaaba. Finally, at 8 o’clock, Makkah al-Mukarramah means “The Holy City of Mecca”.

Technical details
Movement
Caliber: AVE15, self-winding
Diameter: 26.20 mm
Thickness: 3.37 mm (without hands)
Number of parts: 186
Number of jewels: 28
Barrels: Twin barrels
Power reserve: 72 hours
Escapement:
– Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph)
– Swiss lever
Features: ‘Mystery’ oscillating weight with sapphire crystal segment and transferred motifs

Functions
Hours and minutes display

Case
Dimensions: Ø 44 x 18.49 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft

MTR.AVE15.200-263
Case: Grade 5 titanium and anthracite gray grade 5 PVD titanium; Hands in anticorodal, anodized black, 3N yellow gold
Crown: Grade 5 titanium and anthracite gray grade 5 PVD titanium
Strap: Black alligator leather with black stitching

MTR.AVE15.300-363
Case: Grade 5 titanium ; Hands in anticorodal, anodized black, 3N yellow gold
Crown: Grade 5 titanium
Strap: Black alligator leather with black stitching

Distinctive features:
Front:
The Mecca timepiece is inspired by the Aventicum model: the dial center features a mirascope with a micro-engraving of the Kaaba, the cube-shaped “sacred mosque” (Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca, around which Muslims turn seven times in an anti-clockwise direction as part of the Tawaf ritual.

At 7 o’clock, a black spinel symbolizing the black stone located in the South-East angle of the Kaaba, where the Tawaf begins. At 5 o’clock, a white ceramic represents the black stone that the pilgrims touch with each turn and which was initially white in the Koran. The Kaaba is surrounded by an engraved Oriental-inspired motif lacquered in green and grey.

Back:
The ball-bearing cover bears a transfer depicting the Kaaba, considered to be the center of the world. On the sapphire oscillating weight revealing the movement, a transferred world map depicted with white dots symbolizes Muslims turning around the Kaaba, when the oscillating weight turns. The circumference of the oscillating weight bears an Oriental-inspired pink transferred motif.

A decorative plate bears a green transfer bearing three inscriptions in Arabic:
At 12 o’clock: Masjid al-Haram, which means “The sacred mosque”;
At 4 o’clock: Tawaf, which refers to the ritual of seven turns around the Kaaba that Pilgrims must perform;
At 8 o’clock: Makkah al-Mukarramah, the name of “The Holy City of Mecca”.

Edition
Limited edition of 63 pieces

Christophe Claret is once again supporting the Only Watch charity auction by presenting a one-of-a-kind model entitled Espoir & Paix. With this timepiece, Christophe Claret pays tribute to Hope (espoir) on the dial and to Peace (paix) on the caseback.

An emerald set in the dial center is highlighted by a mirascope, a device featured for the first time in the Aventicum watch, based on the same principle as a hologram and creating an almost twice-enlarged image of the emerald with its green color symbolizing hope. This optical effect gives the impression that the precious stone is literally bursting out of the watch.

The center of the oscillating weight appearing through the back of the watch is graced with a portrait of Alfred Nobel with a green agate rim revealing the movement.

It also bears the name of the 129 laureates who have received the Nobel Peace Prize since its creation, listed clockwise in chronological order with the most recent appearing at 6 o’clock.

Technical details
Movement
Caliber: AVE15, self-winding
Dimensions:  Diameter: 26.20 mm ; Thickness: 3.37 mm (without hands)
Number of parts:186
Number of jewels: 28
Barrels: Twin barrels
Power reserve: 72 hours
Escapement: Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph); Swiss lever

Functions
Hours and minutes display

Case
White gold and anthracite gray grade 5 PVD titanium
Dimensions: Ø 44 x 18.49 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
Hands in anticorodal aluminium
Crown: White gold and anthracite gray grade 5 PVD titanium with cabochon in black PVD titanium

Strap
Black alligator leather with black stitching

Distinctive features:

Front:
Mirascope in the dial center set with an emerald symbolizing hope.
Engraved motif lacquered in green and white surrounding the emerald.

Back
Portrait of Alfred Nobel engraved on black anodized aluminum.
Green agate rim revealing the movement.
Engraved names of the 129 laureates who have received the Nobel Peace Prize since its creation, listed clockwise in chronological order with the most recent appearing at 6 o’clock.
The two rows of names furthest from the center remain in a fixed position, while the rows closest to the center turn in step with the oscillating weight.

Christophe Claret’s passion for history has inspired him to create Aventicum, a tribute to the capital of ancient Roman Helvetia and to highlight the extraordinary work of the Avenches Roman Museum. In the center of its dial, Aventicum reveals a miniature gold bust of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. The micro-engraved effigy is particularly three-dimensional thanks to an ingenious optical effect.

Christophe Claret has always been intrigued by the history of Aventicum, which was the capital of Roman Helvetia for more than 300 years and the ruins of which now lie near the Swiss town of Avenches. Even today at the Aventicum excavation sites, archaeologists continue to unearth precious artefacts dating from this rich era of antiquity.

In 2013, Christophe Claret decided to create a three-dimensional film in partnership with Philippe Nicolet and his production company, NVP3D, to document the incredible relics now belonging to the Avenches Roman Museum and the town of Avenches. The advantage of using 3D for a film of this nature becomes evident on the big screen. Displaying the ancient artefacts in three dimensions allows for incomparable detail of even the tiniest objects, giving audiences and researchers alike the opportunity to rediscover the rich history of Aventicum. Among the excavated objects was a priceless finding: a solid gold bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, which was found in 1939 when an old pipe was being cleaned.

This precious discovery is one of only three known Roman busts of this style in the world. Other similar statues were most likely melted down and recycled into other objects over the centuries. Due to the museum’s limited exhibition space, many of the ancient Roman capital’s excavated objects cannot be properly displayed for the public.

Christophe Claret hopes that his Aventicum-inspired timepiece will help raise awareness about the phenomenal efforts of the Avenches Roman Museum to preserve these vestiges of this ancient civilization. He also wishes to generate support from the Swiss government to construct a new building to conserve and showcase this incredible heritage.

The ancient capital city’s history, coupled with the 3D film, has served as inspiration for the Aventicum timepiece. A micro-engraved gold replica of the Marcus Aurelius bust can be found in the centre of the dial. Incorporating a technique never before used in the history of watchmaking, the faithful, small-scale representation of the Emperor – measuring less than three millimetres – is displayed in magnified form thanks to a clever invention called the mirascope.

The mirascope is comprised of two identical parabolic mirrors arranged one on top of the other, creating an elliptical shape. The convex mirror on top has a hole in the middle. When an object is placed in the centre of the concave bottom mirror, the reflection from the top mirror creates a hologram of the object, which appears nearly two times larger than it actually is. In implementing this optical effect in Aventicum, the bust of Marcus Aurelius looks as if it is thrusting out of the middle of the watch. The illusion is so realistic that it is hard to resist attempting to touch the gold sculpture through the sapphire glass.

Aventicum, like all Christophe Claret signature timepieces, epitomizes the highest standards of haute horlogerie embodied by the brand. Developing the technically demanding mirascope to function perfectly took extreme dedication and focus. Months of research and several prototypes were integral to obtaining the desired optical effect.

The next critical step was designing and fabricating the hour and minute hands, which had to be reconfigured, as the mirascope was now the centrepiece of the watch. The hands became pointers revolving on an invisible ring around the perimeter of the dial, each equipped with a counterweight to optimize stability. The challenge of creating the hands for Aventicum was to find a material light enough to compensate for the relatively larger – though mainly concealed – size the display mechanism. The solution was to use carbon microfiber, which has an excellent rigidity/weight coefficient.

Turning over Aventicum, the patented, transparent sapphire-winding rotor of the automatic movement can be admired through the display back. The rotor is embellished with five numbered Roman Gaul racing chariots in full swing of a thrilling competition. Yes, the playful spirit found on many of Claret’s timepieces is apparent yet again, this time in the form of a fun, interactive race: by positioning Aventicum horizontally and performing one or two waving movements, the chariots are jumpstarted in the wake of the rotor’s action, which then stops.

The player whose chariot finishes above the “A” of Aurèle (Aurelius), engraved on the periphery, is the winner. Aventicum embraces its Roman heritage, as this great civilization’s artistic influence suffuses the timepiece by way of a number of carefully thought out adornments – like the Roman numerals forming the hours or the labyrinthine motif found on both the dial and back of the watch, encircling the sapphire-winding rotor.

As Marcus Aurelius was not only an emperor but also a philosopher, Christophe Claret elected to engrave, in Latin, one of his famous maxims on the back of the watch: “Perfice Omnia facta vitae quasi haec postrema essent”, or “Perform every act in life as though it were your last.” Christophe Claret has licensed the patent from Vianney Halter regarding the relationship between the outer sapphire rotor and  its inner bearing.

Aventicum is available in two limited editions: 68 pieces in 5N red gold and anthracite PVD-treated, grade 5 titanium; and 38 pieces in palladium-rich white gold and anthracite PVD-treated, grade 5 titanium.

Technical details
Model: Aventicum

Movement
Caliber AVE15, automatic-winding
Diameter: 26.20 mm
Height: 3.37 mm (excluding hands)
Number of parts: 186
Number of jewels: 28
Barrels:    Twin barrels
Power reserve: 72 hours
Escapement: Swiss lever
Frequency: 4 Hz (28’800 vph)

Features: ‘Mystery’ winding rotor in transparent sapphire adorned with 5 high-definition metalized chariots

Functions
Hour and minute display around chapter ring

Aventicum in Palladium-rich white gold
Case: Palladium-rich white gold and anthracite PVD-treated grade 5 titanium
Hands in carbon fiber
Dimensions: 44 x 52.11 x 18.49 mm
Water Resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
Crown: White gold and anthracite PVD-treated grade 5 titanium with cabochon in black PVD titanium
Strap: Black alligator leather with black stitching
Features: Mirascope with a micro-engraved bust of Marcus Aurelius
Limited edition of 38 pieces
Price in Swiss Francs (ex VAT):  53’000

Aventicum in 5N red gold
Case: 5N red gold and anthracite PVD-treated grade 5 titanium
Dimensions: 44 x 52.11 x 18.49 mm
Water Resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
Hands in carbon fiber
Crown: 5N red gold and anthracite PVD-treated grade 5 titanium with cabochon in black PVD titanium
Strap: Black alligator leather with black stitching
Features: Mirascope with micro-engraved bust of Marcus Aurelius
Limited edition of 68 pieces: Price in Swiss France (ex VAT): 49’000

Prestigious Swiss luxury watch brand Christophe Claret announces its X-TREM-1 Blue version, and this novelty timepiece will be unveiled at the brand’s exhibition at the Four Seasons hotel in Geneva from the 18th to the 22nd of January, 2015.

This timepiece features a white gold and grade 5 titanium case treated with slate blue PVD, plus a matching marine blue alligator-skin strap. The X-TREM-1 has become one of the most popular watches of the brand and this blue version is as visually striking as it is technically innovative.

Christophe Claret has always focused on developing original timepieces incorporating the latest technological innovations. The brand is known for pushing the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking and straying away from the beaten horological path. First presented in 2012, X-TREM-1 is a testament to this endeavor and represents a totally new way of telling the time.

X-TREM-1 Blue displays hour and minutes by means of two tiny hollowed stainless steel spheres isolated within sapphire tubes on both sides of the caseband. The whole mechanism is revolutionary: the two spheres – which appear to be floating in their respective tubes – are controlled by magnetic fields generated by two magnets moved by ultra-thin surgical silk thread.

Thanks to the magnetic fields generated by the magnets, the spheres have no mechanical connection to the movement and float inside the tubes, as if by magic. Crucially, the magnetic fields are precision-focused so that they have no effect whatsoever on the movement – apart from the task assigned to them, which is to display time in an incredibly original way. Time is read against a metalized scale on each tube, hours on the left, minutes on the right.

X-TREM-1 Blue features a white gold and slate blue PVD titanium case and is available in a limited edition of eight pieces.