Today's post highlights one of the most amazing timepieces and the master artisan behind it's creation: Christophe Claret and the X-TREM-1 PINBALL.
CHRISTOPHE CLARET
Christophe Claret is an engineer and watchmaker par excellence. While outside the horological world his name may not be well known, but within it he is regarded as the go-to man when intricately complex complications are required.
In 1987, Rolf Schnyder acquired Ulysse Nardin and dreamed of a chiming wristwatch with striking jacks performing on the dial. Claret took on the project and using the latest computer aided design software, had the production ready model ready and delivered two and a half years ahead of schedule.
Cutting edge technology and innovation have been central to his operations since. His workshops have machine tools that other manufactures only dream of, including the only laser cutter in the industry, capable of cutting steel to with a micron tolerance leaving a surface so smooth you could run it across your eyeball. He is also able to machine bridges and baseplates out of sapphire crystal to create tourbillons that appear to float on air!
Following the success of Ulysse Nardin's automaton repeaters, Claret remained anonymous, leaving all the glory to the brand and it's master craftsmen. His discretion gained him much respect and projects came from other manufactures. Claret doesn't simply design pieces that are typical or average, or even above average. Only the most challenging projects gain his interest and his time and he will not work on single complications as he prefers combinations such as a tourbillon with a minute repeater. Among the 20+ brands that have sought his expertise are Breguet, Cartire, Chopard, Corum, Harry Winston, de Grisogono, Girard-Perregaux, Jean Dunand, Guy Ellia, Ellicott, Bovet, deLaCour, Delaneau, Cedric Johner and the "master of complications" himself, Franck Muller.
Among his finest achievements is a musical wristwatch that plays a choice of Mozart or Tchaikovsky either at the passing of the hour, or on demand. A minute mechanism comprising 20 tines is strummed by a rotating pin-drum which is able to shift sideways to engage the selected tune. At the time, Claret made the mistake of signing the watches with his company name and the line failed (the general rule in the Swiss watch industry is that there are no famous watchmakers, only famous brands). Now, however, they are made under the Girard-Perregaux name and marketed accordingly as the 'Opera Three', alongside two other Claret creations, the Operas One and Two. All three pieces are now recognised and appreciated as they should be. For interests sake, the tunes can be personalised providing that the customers tune can be played by the 20 note tines. Pachelbel's Canon, in a watch, would be absolute perfection!
When the company name 'Christope Claret' celebrated it's 20th anniversary in 2009, it's founder decided that it was time to begin production under its own brand and logo. It might seem like the move of a madman, creating pieces under his own brand that would be competing against other brands using his own movements and creations but this situational paradox has realised its own success as 50% of the work done in Claret's workshop is now dedicated to the brand. The world of haute horology was waiting to see what would be the first piece to come out under the brand name of Christope Claret, waiting to see how he could beat what he had already done for other brands.
The DualTow was released that year. An innovative new concept displaying an extraordinary combination of skill, extremely
exclusivity and innovation. DualTow is a tourbillon, one-pusher chronograph
with a sound indicator of functions’ choice. But the main original idea in this
time machine is a linear-chain indication of hours and minutes in form of two
rubber bands. This unusual timing gave the name of the model DualTow.
Mechanical caliber SS20A consists of 582 parts and such an abundance of
innovation and technical solutions that the experts can not reach a consensus
on the most important of them. Many are attracted by the "crawler"
indication of time and others - by a unique independent module of one-pusher
chronograph with planetary gear and a unique system of levers. Every detail of the
mechanism corresponds to the highest standards of horology and demonstrates absolute expertise.
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| Christophe Claret DualTow |
Christophe Claret's innovations did not stop there. Two other outstanding pieces are the 21 Blackjack and the Baccara. Both pieces feature the fully interactive ability to play either blackjack or baccarat. The players cards are visible through three windows at the 6 o'clock position while the dealers cards are located at the 12 o'clock position. The player presses a button which causes an elaborate system of discs to shuffle the cards and thus, the game begins. A small window on the side of the watch near the crown contains small dice that can be rolled at any time. Not one to keep functions to a minimum, the back of each watch boasts a roulette wheel for those moments of downtime between card games.
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| Christophe Claret 21 Blackjack |
The following video showcases the Christophe Claret facilities and some of the incredible timepieces that have been developed completely in-house.
The following video highlights the X-TREM collection by Christophe Claret, the watch that paved the way for the X-TREM-1 PINBALL.
The first of the X-TREM collection were released at Baselworld 2012 and for many it was the stand out watch of the whole trade fair. The design was stylish and revolutionary and for any who were able to try one on their wrist they found it surprisingly light and comfortable. Of course it was the innovative features that certainly made this piece stand out. Not least of all is the fact that it is the first watch to use magnetism to indicate time, the unique mechanism being developed in partnership with theSchool of Business and Engineering Vaud (Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland). Magnetic fields have long been the bane of watchmakers, in fact, it is recommended that watches are kept away from strong magnetic fields so the X-TREM series doesn't only bend known conventions in watchmaking, it's completely defies them.
eXperimental
Time
Research
Engineering
Mechanism
The X-Trem-1 Pinball is a sophisticated adaptation of the phenomenal X-Trem-1, which in it own right is a formidable timepiece. Like all of Christophe Claret’s creations the concept originates from detailed drawings. Fundamentally this is a collective process that involves an enormous amount of passion & perseverance. The result in this case is a spectacular looking watch.
A flying tourbillon watch equipped with a retrograde hours and minutes display system that is radically different from existing watchmaking conventions. Two tiny metal balls, isolated within grilled sapphire tubes on the left and right sides of the caseband magically move with no mechanical connection thanks to magnetic fields.
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| Christophe Claret X-TREM-1 PINBALL |
Catalogue description:
| Christophe Claret, X-TREM-1 Pinball for Only Watch Fine and unique, polished 18k white gold and blue anodised Perunal-type aluminium wristwatch with flying tourbillon regulator and floating spheres for time indication. Accompanied by a fitted box and certificate. | |
| C. Rectangular with curvex profile, hours and minutes are indicated by two 4mm-diameter hollowed spheres weighing 0.100 grams that move past sapphire scales marked with thin orange Super-LumiNova graduations beneath the sapphire, 3 ATM or 30 m, polished white gold/blue anodised Perunal-type aluminium, fast time adjustment is via an integrated pusher on the middle at 12 o’clock, winding and time-setting via rotating “bows” that fold under caseback. M. Caliber FLY11, mechanical, hand-wound, 26.6 x 46.4 x 11.94 mm, 419 parts, 64 jewels, power reserve: 50+ hours, 3 Hz (21,600 vph), flying tourbillon inclined at 30° supported by a double ceramic bearing, with cone-shaped pinion transmission and rotates once every 60 seconds, Swiss lever escapement, dual barrels: one for the movement gear train and one for the time indications, the tourbillon movement and the time indication gear trains each have their own independent energy supply to optimise the power reserve. | |
| Estimate: 230,000 EUR - 300,000 EUR |
Links to all the articles in our countdown can be found on the original post
