Messages: 42278 Location: Washington, DC
Registered: November 2003
SIHH 2019 - Bovet Amadeo Fleurier Virtuoso IX
Tue, 15 January 2019 10:21
Double Timezone 10-Day Power Reserve Big Date Flying Tourbillon
The case, in 18kt red or white gold, or in platinum, measures 46.3mm x 16mm. It has double AR-coated sapphire crystals and it is water resistant to 30 meters. The Amadéo system transforms the timepiece into a reversible wristwatch, a pocket watch, or a table clockwithout the use of any tools.
Movement is the Swiss manual-wind Bovet in-house caliber 17BM04-DFR with 58 jewels, 18,000 vph and with a power reserve of 10 days. Functions are: off centered hours, minutes, seconds on tourbillon, big date, power reserve indicator, second timezone with 24-hour hand and 24-city disc, reversed hand-fitting (hours, minutes). For optimal chronometry, the movement is regulated by the patented double face flying tourbillon. In this innovative construction, the tourbillon's fixed point is at the center of its axis. Its distribution on either side of the balance-spring and escapement significantly reduces the lever arm effect and improves the chronometry. The variable-inertia balance-wheel is based on the traditional balance-spring made in the Manufacture BOVET 1822 workshops, a science that less than ten watchmakers in the world have mastered. By manufacturing balance springs in house, BOVET 1822 can achieve complete quality control and the best performance possible by perfectly pairing the balance-wheel and balance-spring. Between technical and aesthetic refinement, the bridge carriage alone requires two days of labor to decorate and to round the arms before the faceted sapphire is set.
The twice-patented spherical differential winding system generates 10 days of power reserve for the Virtuoso IX from a single barrel.
It has a blue flinqué dial and engraved blued bridges on the backside. The base of the dial is finely guilloched with a sumptuous fan motif. Eight layers of translucent lacquer are then applied before the surface of the dial is polished. The flinqué dial is bathed in blue tones and highlights, reminiscent of the richness of 19th century enamels. As much for readability as for elegance, the hour contours and second gradations display both a circular satin and rhodium finish. The minute hand is centered on the dial. The hour hand is offset at 2 o'clock, and a second hour hand, the 24- hour hand, displays a second timezone at 10 o'clock. Both local time and the secondary time zone thus share the minute hand. A corresponding indicator displays the second timezone's city name. Two lateral correctors make adjusting and selecting a timezone easy, all while taking into account the differences between daylight savings time and standard time.
It comes on an alligator leather strap with an 18kt red or white gold ardillon buckle. The chain is available in 18kt red or white gold.
- Jorge Merino