GMT XXL - Summer 2009
Twenty years after creating his own company, Christophe Claret continues to launch each new project like a challenge and to pursue it exactly as one would seek to fulfill a dream, meaning with passion and perseverance. Consistently upping the ante in terms of complications and pushing the limits of what is deemed possible, he gives life to magical striking watches, automatons and extraordinarily sophisticated and innovative mechanisms. The series are limited and some are even one of a kind.
Incorporated within the Soleil d'Or mansion where they occupy newly built premises, the production workshops are able to perform the entire range of operations required to make grand complication models. Generally dedicated to the service of the industry's greatest brands, the Manufacture maintains an exceptional capacity for innovation and a maximum of autonomy by using ultra high-tech machinery that is customized and defined to its own often non-standard specifications.
2009 is thus a jubilee year in the history of Christophe Claret SA, a milestone that the owner wished to symbolize by releasing an exclusive timepiece produced under the company's own name and distributed by the finest retailers. Named DualTow, this single-pusher planetary-gear chronograph with striking mechanism and tourbillon houses several inventions, including a patented innovation, and together constituting the perfect blend of technical excellence and absolute aesthetic sophistication.
It also embodies the merging of the wide variety of skills united within the company, since almost all operations involved in making it – from movement development to machining the sapphire dial-bridge– have been performed in-house. The major innovation featured in the DualTow lies in its single-pusher chronograph function operating thanks to three identically structured planetary gears. Further reinforcing the originality and elegance of this piece, the actual opening and closing of all the chronograph levers evokes that of a flower in motion. And to add an even more exclusive touch of luxury, customers can choose from a broad palette of colors to adorn their watch.
With its original “BELT-TYPE” display of the hour and minutes, the DualTow radiates an extremely high-tech, sophisticated appearance.
“BELTS” THAT TELL THE TIME
Another particularly interesting characteristic of this anniversary piece is that Christophe Claret drew inspiration from caterpillar-tracked vehicles to devise an ingenious mechanism driving a display of the hours on the left and the minutes on the right. Placed on either side of the watch, two rubber “belts” specially developed for the Manufacture bear numerals with a decidedly hightech design. Above them, a colored fork fixed to the tourbillon bridge and equipped with a tiny pointed tip creates a symbolic frame serving to read off the time.
These notched belts are driven by cylinders placed on either end. To intensify the impression of movement, the design of their sides is directly inspired by the wheel rims of the Bugatti T35 sports car. Inside, a screwtightening module enables ultra-precise adjustment ensuring optimally smooth operation. In addition to this mechanism, the minute belt houses a fully integrated winding and time-setting system.
The rectangular curved shapes of the DualTow stemmed from a free-flowing exchange of ideas and sketches between Christophe Claret and his team. A genuine feat of horological architecture, the DualTow reveals its entire interior. The DualTow can show many different faces, making each watch truly unique. In tune with the times and the new luxury codes enabling customers to invent their own version of an object, Christophe Claret even offers prospective owners the change to customize their very own DualTow. Thanks to a “configurator” on its dedicated www.dualtow.ch website, each individual can play with a broad range of palettes in order to express their own vision of the model they wish to order from a limited series of 68 one-of-a-kind creations.
Housed within this harmonious architectural whole that doubled its surface area in 2008 and successfully links the past, present and future, the machine park is able to handle all the production requirements in terms of milling, centering and reaming, spark erosion, laser cutting, CNC profileturning, CNC cutting, CNC burnishing… The precision of the machining operations, along with their reliability, complexity and speed, are fully controlled by equipment that makes each machine an impressive showcase of state-of-the-art technologies.
