Rebellion Timepieces announced earlier this year that 2020 would be the last year of their focus on motorsport activities and partnerships, signalling the end of their extremely rewarding and high-profile era of engagement in this adrenaline-laced field.
In keeping with the spirit of watchmaking at Rebellion, the Swiss brand is ending things with a bang, issuing the Re-Volt Skeletonised Bruno Senna as their core timepiece during the 2020 season of watch novelties. The nephew of racing legend Ayrton Senna and a stunning talent in his own right, Bruno Senna joined Rebellion Racing in 2017 and has been associated with the company ever since. The Re-Volt Skeletonised Bruno Senna features a dial decorated in the colours of his racing helmet, with the hour markers in green, bridges in yellow and, in contrast, the hour and minute hands in blue and white.
One of the most important considerations in optimising racecar construction is weight, which inspired Rebellion to produce the case of the Re-Volt Skeletonised Bruno Senna in forged carbon. Instead of the regular woven or striated appearance of the most common types of carbon fibre composite, forged carbon has a variegated, rough-textured look. This is due to the manufacture process of forged carbon, which directly combines loose filaments of carbon with binding epoxy resin under heat and pressure, resulting in its dynamic, unique appearance. Like other composite materials in the same class, forged carbon is known for its lightness-to-strength ratio.
Also for optimal lightness, their proprietary movement, configured exclusively for Rebellion by well-known movement experts Concepto, is highly openworked. Unlike traditional skeletonised watches, which are openworked in elaborately baroque patterns, the openworking of the Rebellion Re-Volt is executed in a modern, industrial aesthetic that emphasises the 21st-century spirit of the brand.
Despite its aggressive and muscular design, the Rebellion Re-Volt is surprisingly compact, with a case that measures 40.35mm at its widest point. When going at full speed and making sharp turns while strapped into the cramped cockpit of a meticulously engineered racecar, you certainly don’t want something heavy or bulky wrapped around your wrist, hindering your reaction times. Although we can assume that not many Rebellion wearers will find themselves in that kind of situation, it’s also safe to say that the average Rebellion customer is someone who appreciates a bit of fast-living and risk-taking — pairing perfectly with the well-sized, athletic and lightweight Re-Volt Skeletonised Bruno Senna.
