Messages: 42774 Location: Washington, DC
Registered: November 2003
N E W M o d e l - Ferdinand Berthoud FB 1.3-1 Sapphire Blue
Sun, 24 November 2019 08:05
Limited Edition of 5 Pieces
A new version of Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud's inaugural FB 1 chronometer is now available sporing a subtle contemporary look and featuring a unique combination of platinum, grey ceramic, and a translucent blue dial; only five such pieces will be made.
The architecture of the FB-T.FC-2 caliber is unique in contemporary watchmaking. The manual wind movement features 15 bridges and 3 half-bridges in chamfered sapphire crystal, held in place by polished titanium pillars supporting the mechanical components. This structure, characteristic of eighteenth-century marine chronometers, allows the four portholes of the chronometer to reveal the innards of the watch. The same stylistic requirement has been applied to the design of all the components, and more especially to ensure the symmetrical visual balance of the movement's main assemblies.
The power reserve indication mechanism on the FB 1.3-1 model is very sophisticated. A truncated cone travels up and down an endless screw connected to the barrel. At the tip of this suspended cone sits a feeler spindle: an arm with a jewel on the end, its position on the cone indicating how wound up the watch is. This feeler spindle is in turn linked to the power reserve hand; the corresponding graduations are engraved on the mainplate and viewed through an opening in the dial. This mechanism, showcased by its sapphire crystal bridges, allows the movement's power reserve to be indicated with great precision.
Irrespective of their position and function, all the components have been fully hand-finished using traditional tools in Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud's workshops. To ensure a highly detailed inspection of the finishings, a 6x magnifying glass is used to carry out quality control. At that level of magnification, no detail, however minuscule, can go unnoticed and no error, flaw, or imperfection is tolerated.
Technical Specifications:
The octagonal case, in platinum, measures 44mm x 13mm. It has a domed AR-coated sapphire crystal, a sapphire display back, and it is water resistant to 30 meters. It featuers a Dynamometric crown (uncoupling system) in platinum with anthracite grey ceramic medallion, four watertight portholes in glareproofed sapphire crystal, and Anthracite grey ceramic lug elements.
Movement is the Swiss manual-wind Ferdinand Berthoud in-house caliber FB-T.FC-2 with 45 jewels, 21,600 vph and a power reserve of 53 hours. It features a tourbillon with fusee-and-chain (constant-force) transmission.
Patented suspended fusée differential winding system. Patented suspended barrel Maltese cross stopwork system. Patented suspended power reserve mobile cone system. Patented tourbillon with direct-drive seconds. Variable-inertia balance wheel featuring four rhodium-plated nickel silver inertia blocks. Balance spring with hand-crafted steel Phillips outer terminal curve (overcoil). Swiss lever escapement. Three chamfered and engraved transparent sapphire half-bridges, fitted on stylised titanium pillars. Hand finishing in keeping with the highest watchmaking standards. It is officially chronometer-certified by the COSC. Functions are; hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve indication.
Translucent blue dial with vertical satin finishings. Open dial center and power-reserve indicator hand-bevelled, with rhodium-plated chamfers. Offset white hours and minutes subdial with black Arabic numerals. Translucent sapphire seconds track. Power-reserve indication engraved on the mainplate: "0_1/4_1/2_3/4_1". Autonomy indicated by an arrow pointing to the words "HAUT" (high) and "BAS"(low), and "Chronomètre Val-de-Travers Suisse" inscription. 18kt blued gold dagger-shaped facetted cut-out hours and minutes hands with an 18kt blued gold arrow-shaped power-reserve hand. Rhodium-plated bronze central seconds hands.
It comes on a hand-stitched rolled-edge alligator leather strap made from a single piece of leather (115 x 75 mm, with a 20mm buckle) various sizes available on request. Double-blade length-adjustable folding clasp in platinum, with a pin buckle available on request.
- Jorge Merino