1.25.2010

Titanic-DNA : Tourbillon Steampunk A la Grande

Mechanical sturdiness and aesthetic nobility

The Romain Jerome Titanic-DNA Tourbillon Steampunk watch A la Grande

Apparent anarchy and undeniably noble charm,

Within an exceptional timepiece featuring intensely accentuated physical characteristics, brand CEO and designer Yvan Arpa has brought together distinctive bolts, an anchor-shaped off-centred oscillating weight, 6-sided screws, Roman numerals, characteristic paws, a tourbillon, the collection’s trademark rust, along with a number of springs and rivets… The result is a fascinating blend of apparent anarchy and undeniably noble charm.

The Tourbillon Steampunk echoes the A la Grande design of the Titanic-DNA collection and features a generously sized 50 mm-diameter case that reaches a full 53 mm including the screw-locked crown or the paws. The latter come in steel, ceramic or 5N pink gold depending on the model, and are applied to the entirely riveted oxidised bezel. Fashioned using 80 rivets hand-applied by the watchmaking craftsmen of the Maison Romain Jerome, the latter is inspired by the hull and the boiler room of the famous ocean liner.

The dial-free Tourbillon Steampunk proudly displays its personalised RJ 2 movement exclusively developed by Concepto and decorated in harmony with the collection signature features. The transversal cross is symbolised on this model by four bolts (including two mounted on springs), vividly evoking watertight hatches used in the marine world. The 12 o’clock Roman numeral in satin-brushed and bevelled steel makes a striking contrast with the mirror-polished finish of the mainplate and the tourbillon carriage bridge. The rear of the movement features an off-centred bidirectional oscillating weight shaped like a ship’s anchor.

Titanic-DNA : Tourbillon Steampunk A la Grande

Function	:	Hour, minute, tourbillon

Movement	:	RJ 2 Concepto Mechanical movement with automatic winding-mechanism with an off-centred bidirectional oscillating weight shaped like an anchor

Frequency	:	21'600 A/h

Number of jewels	:	27 rubies

Power reserve	:	72 h

Case	:	Steel, titanium. Diameter 50 mm

Paws	:	Polished steel

Hands	:	Steel with Superluminova, inspired by the anchor of the Titanic

Bezel	:	Stabilised oxidized steel* A la Grande

Water resistance	:	5 atm

Strap	:	Crocodile full Hornback skin or black rubber

Clasp	:	Polished steel folding buckle

Limited Edition	:	9 pieces

Also available in Pink gold and rust

*The rusted steel horological creations in the ‘Titanic DNA’ series features an oxidized steel bezel which is the result of an extraordinary blend of authentic steel from the wreck lying 3840 meters under the sea, and from the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, where the Titanic was constructed nearly a century ago. Official certificates of authenticity guarantee the origin of materials used.

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History of Watches
Our civilization has been always trying to measure time fractions as a registration of a constant activity or as a silent calm. Since our origins, humans have been trying to measure time to organize their lives and destination. Ancient civilizations measure time according to the alternation between day and night, as well as Moon cicles. Little by little our ancenstros created instrument to divide time by shadows with increasing accuracy. Clocks were starting to operate. At first Sundials told the time thanks to the Sun movement on a flat surface with a clock type indicator. Arqueologists have discovered that Chinese used timepieces 3.000 years before Christ as well as Egypcians and Incas do. These first timepieces do not work during the night or in cloudy days or even in twilight or dawn. Also clock type indicators should be modified depending of the earth latitudes when the sun beams inclination was different. This was not a very secure way of measuring time owing to day duration was different period of the year. Clepsydras appeared at that time in Babylon ad Egypt first and later in Greece and Rome, they were a kind of a vessel of water, having a small hole in the bottom, so that the liquid dripped out drop by drope. As the level within the jar was lowered, it showed the time upon a scale. Romans used this kind of timepieces in the Judgements to control the development of the hearings. A similar system but with marked candles was using during the night. In the III century BC, sand timepieces appeared with two vessels connected by a narrow tube. Have you ever seen these small sand timepieces which were famous to measure minutes while talking by phone? Sure you have. In the past sand timepieces were bigger and could measure the time of one day. Anyway time passed until the machines started to be important in society. At the very begining of the VIII century the italian Pacífico created one timepiece which worked by means of counterweights and was given to the king Pepin the short by the Pope Paulo I. These were the first steps. In 1.300 these mechanisms were very common in some European churches. The oldest clock is in the Cathedral of Salisbury,England which was installed in 1386. These kind of timepieces became more efficient with the discovering of the Pendulum Law created by Galileo Galilei 1600. Thanks to this discovering, the Duch mathematician and phisycist Christiaan Huygens would create the first timepiece with pendulum in 1657 in a wall clock. Some time later, one hundred years before, in the German city of Nüremberg the first wound clocks were created, these timepieces were portable ones. Ginebra was very famous as timepiece-making center. The Calvinistic legislation in this city prevented the manufacturing of “crosses, chalices and other religious instruments”, so these craftsmen lost their French and natives of Savoy customers. So, they decided to create boxes for timepieces mechanism, working with timepiece-makers. At the beginning of the XVII century, the timepiece-making in Geneve was very important and it went beyond the frontiers to make exhibitions in Lyon and Francfort fairs. The advance in timepiece-making had been very important but it was necessary to solve problems such as pices wear and inaccuracy in time measurement. Nicolas Faccio could modify this aspect in 1704. He used rubies and aspires as pivots in the timepieces mechanism. This pieces harshness reduced the mistakes due to friction and wear. This meant an important improvement in the timepiece-making industry. Nowadays, we have a wide range of timepieces types and qualities: electrical, timers, alarm clocks, wrist timepieces, digital, atomic, etc.. Wrist timepieces were created in 1904 by the Suitzerland timepiecemaker Hans Wildsorf from Rolex.: Only six years later they created the first wrist timer. Atomic timepieces, started to be created in 1949 being one of the pacific application of the nuclear energy. Finally, we want to remark that the use of quartz in timepieces started in Beil Laboratories, from 1980 with a clock type indicador where the time could be seen through a display to see the time just with a look. From that moment a long way has been walked.

Baselworld
Baselworld is the world leading event for the watches and jewellery. More than 2000 exhibitors for luxury watches, jewellery, precious gems and related brands show their newest luxury products. Visitors can browse through a selected range of products in luxurious surroundings covering over 160,000 m2 of exhibition area on several floors. Many world-famous names in the watches and luxury goods industry choose to show their products exclusively at BASELWORLD. Basel is your only chance to see their very latest creations. The selection of luxury goods showcased at BASELWORLD is unique.
BASELWORLD is the only place where you can find such a broad cross-section of products from the entire industry all in one place. Goods sectors are clearly segmented and divided between the six exhibition halls. Watches brands, jewellery brands and related luxury brands have their own halls and there are also national pavilions. A show designed to give you a complete market overview and provide you with an ideal business platform. Every year in spring time, over 100,000 retailers and wholesalers from all over the world make the journey to Basel to visit this presentation of the latest trends and creations offered by the watch and jewellery industry. Don't miss the unique business and networking atmosphere at the world's leading luxury watches watch and jewellery show. Our timepieces are a timeless clasic. Everything is important and fascinating. This harmonious aspect will always have a technical Plus in every model.

Baselworld

Baselworld is the world leading event for the watches and jewellery. More than 2000 exhibitors for luxury watches, jewellery, precious gems and related brands show their newest luxury products. Visitors can browse through a selected range of products in luxurious surroundings covering over 160,000 m2 of exhibition area on several floors. Many world-famous names in the watches and luxury goods industry choose to show their products exclusively at BASELWORLD. Basel is your only chance to see their very latest creations. The selection of luxury goods showcased at BASELWORLD is unique.

BASELWORLD is the only place where you can find such a broad cross-section of products from the entire industry all in one place. Goods sectors are clearly segmented and divided between the six exhibition halls. Watches brands, jewellery brands and related luxury brands have their own halls and there are also national pavilions. A show designed to give you a complete market overview and provide you with an ideal business platform. Every year in spring time, over 100,000 retailers and wholesalers from all over the world make the journey to Basel to visit this presentation of the latest trends and creations offered by the watch and jewellery industry. Don't miss the unique business and networking atmosphere at the world's leading luxury watches watch and jewellery show. Our timepieces are a timeless clasic. Everything is important and fascinating. This harmonious aspect will always have a technical Plus in every model.

1.25.2010