Messages: 25937 Location: Washington, DC
Registered: November 2003
Pre-Basel 2012 – Christophe Claret X-Trem-1
Tue, 28 February 2012 11:25
X-TREM-1 Features a Tourbillon Timepiece and Uses Magnetic Fields to Create the Illusion of Hour and Minute Indicators Floating Through the Air
X-TREM-1, is the first of a new generation of timepieces, that represents a major technical and aesthetic accomplishment: a flying tourbillon inclined at a 30° angle, mounted on a three-dimensional curvex titanium mainplate, equipped with a retrograde hours and minutes display system, radically different from existing watchmaking conventions.
Two tiny hollowed steel spheres, isolated within sapphire tubes on the left and right sides of the caseband magically move with no mechanical connection thanks to magnetic fields.
X for Experimental
T for Time
R for Research
E for Engineering
M for Mechanism
Caliber FLY11
Dimensions: 26.6 x 46.4 x 11.94 mm
Number of parts: 419
Number of jewels: 64
Power reserve: 50+ hours
Barrels: Dual barrels:
- One for the movement gear train
- One for the time indications
The tourbillon movement and the time indication gear trains each have their own independent energy supply to optimize power distribution and duration.
Tourbillon:
- Escapement: Swiss lever type
- Oscillation frequency of the balance: 3 Hz (21,600 vph)
- Tourbillon rotates once every 60 seconds
- Flying tourbillon inclined at 30° supported by a double ceramic bearing, with cone-shaped pinion transmission
Functions:
- Mystery hours and minutes displayed on each side of the case, with indications provided by hollowed steel spheres moving 23 mm inside two cylindrical sapphire tubes - The metal spheres are driven by magnetic carriages following a surgical silk thread – Reference: SOFSILK
- Seconds displayed on the tourbillon cage
- Mechanical, hand-wound movement
- Open barrel acts as movement state-of-wind indicator: when the movement is fully wound the spring is centered in the barrel
Mainplate:
- Curvex with sides inclined at 30° angle
- Mainplate and bridges in bead-blasted titanium
- Open-worked ratchet and wheel
Distinctive features:
- Use of precisely-shaped magnetic fields in a mechanical movement
- No mechanical connection between the indications and the movement
- Fine adjustment system for the retrograde display return-spring
EXTERIOR:
Case:
- Rectangular with curvex profile
- Dimensions: 40.80 x 56.80 x 15 mm
- Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
Material:
- Polished white gold/bead-blasted black PVD-coated grade 5 titanium
- Polished rose gold/bead-blasted black PVD-coated grade 5 titanium
- Platinum/bead-blasted black PVD-coated grade 5 titanium
Hour and minute displays: Hours and minutes are indicated by two 4mm-diameter hollowed spheres weighing 0.100 grams that move past sapphire scales marked with thin Super-LumiNova graduations beneath the sapphire
Pusher: Fast time adjustment is via an integrated pusher on the caseband at 12 o’clock
Bows: Winding and time-setting via lift-out rotating “bows” on caseback
Strap: Black hand-sewn alligator leather or rubber-touch leather fitted with an innovative two-screw fastening system that facilitates strap change and avoids damaging the case
Buckle: Titanium folding clasp with gold buckle
Distinctive features: Super-LumiNova along the side of the caseband enables time reading in the dark - Each version is issued in a limited edition of eight pieces.
- Jorge Merino