Concertino is the new striking timepiece from master watchmaker Christophe Claret, who,
for more than 35 years, has been glorifying the most beautiful of horological complications,
the minute repeater, highlighting enamelling, engraving and guillochage, the trades
exceptional art, extremely demanding.
This new masterpiece welcomes a completely redesigned movement with a unique
regulator.
Concertino features a large dial, set with an immense sapphire crystal, that sublimates the
creations of the masters of art, under a finely satin-brushed bezel. The back, also
transparent, allows you to admire the exceptional architecture of the movement, in
particular its stepped and skeletonized „Charles X“ bridges.
Concertino is available in 5N red gold or grade 5 titanium, and its fully customizable dial
makes it unique each time.
With this work, artist-watchmaker Christophe Claret once again confirms his excellence.
Genesys:
Since the day when Christophe Claret, then a student, entered the workshop of a
watchmaker-restorer, he has nourished a passion for complicated timepieces, in particular
old pocket watches, often equipped with a locking mechanism. Minute-repeaters, real little
« chefs-d’œuvre » of precision striking hours, quarters and minutes on demand.
He has continuously studied, understood and improved this grand complication which many
consider to be the finest in watchmaking. Because to technical complexity is added musical
poetry. In 1989, the first caliber signed by Christophe Claret was a minute repeater. A series
of watches with evocative names followed: Adagio, Soprano, Allegro, and today
Concertino, a new sheet from a prestigious musical score.
This timepiece is resolutely turned towards innovation, without technical or aesthetic
compromise, with respect for excellence and heritage of Swiss Haute Horlogerie.
The movement: CRM89 caliber
Concertino sets the tone in the family of traditional complications watches, the first of the
four collections of the Christophe Claret brand. It is inspired by previous creations by the
master watchmaker, while once again pushing the limits of what is possible in this area. Its
CRM89 caliber is an entirely redesigned composition, from the mainplate to the bridges,
including the flywheel which regulates the minute repeater mechanism.
With a frequency of 3 hertz (21,600 vibrations per hour), the CRM89 caliber comes to life
thanks to a single barrel. Concertino has a power reserve of around 60 hours. The request
for the minute repeater is traditionally made through a sliding pusher on the left side of the
case. We can therefore admire the choreography of the two hammers through the sapphire
crystal back of the watch, and vibrate to the rhythm of the balance wheel.
Christophe Claret is the designer of this four-branch balance wheel which offers an inertia /
weight ratio close to the ideal balance: although very complex to manufacture, this
aerodynamic balance is easy to adjust and balance.
Special care has been taken in the Concertino „Cathedral“ bells – as always with Christophe
Claret. This type of bell has the particularity of going around the movement twice in order
to express sounds that are longer, clearer and more powerful…
Excellence is required for their manufacture in drawn steel, for their assembly and tuning.
They benefit from a patented in-house invention which blocks significant vibrations despite
their exceptional lengths and thus prohibits all parasitic noises.
The balance cockbridge has a micrometric adjustment system that is also patented.
Aesthetics
As with its technical design, the aesthetic of Concertino is the fruit of the work and creativity
of Christophe Claret.
The case harmoniously combines the polished and satin finishes of 5N red gold or titanium,
highlighting the play of lights.
Grade 5 titanium is hard and very difficult to machine, it has the advantage of being
extremely light and above all of sublimating the transmission of the ringing sound.
The dial (enamelled, engraved, set and / or guilloché) also magnifies the light and dark, with
its unique nuances of hues and personalized materials.
The early Concertinos proudly display an ornamental hand engraving (nearly 1.5 mm) of
two dragons – protectors of the Sun, an 8 mm pigeon’s blood ruby, in its rose gold livery or
protectors of the Earth, a sapphire 8 mm blue, in its titanium livery.
On the back side, we find the famous stepped and skeletonized Charles X bridges,
signatures of Christophe Claret. The movement is in microblasted and rhodium-plated
nickel silver for the Concertino grade 5 titanium version, or 4N red gold plated for the 5N
Gold Concertino version. It lives in the heart of a box 45 millimeters in diameter.
Overcoming the incabloc, the gold bezel is set with a brilliant-cut ruby.
