Purnell is proud to present its most ambitious and rare timepiece yet: the Absolute Sapphire “Hancock Red”. Just a year after presenting the World’s First Double Triple-Axis Tourbillon in a Full Sapphire case, the Absolute Sapphire, Purnell continues to pursue its quest for excellence with this latest addition to its Escape II Collection.
A rare breed in the world of gemstones, truly red diamonds are one of the most sought-after and elusive precious stones. To this day, gemologists are still not entirely sure how red diamonds obtain their hue. The Absolute Sapphire “Hancock Red” reflects that extraordinary red color.
One of the most famous red diamonds was the illustrious Hancock Red, which was sold by Christie’s in New York in 1987 and was then the most expensive per-carat gemstone ever sold at auction. It’s “fancy red” hue was a mesmerizing shade of red—one that remains inimitable today.
“I remember that auction on the news back in 1987, and how beautiful and vibrant the Hancock Red diamond was,” says Maurizio Mazzocchi, CEO of Purnell. “When we were developing the Absolute Sapphire, I pushed the team to get that same red diamond shade. It has never been done before and, I believe, will never be replicated. It’s truly unique.”
A rarity within rarities, the Absolute Sapphire “Hancock Red” is the epitome of savoir-faire, a convergence of energy and power, honed by decades of master craftmanship.
100% Swiss made sapphire case: 1 monobloc case, 1 monobloc caseback, 1 monobloc domed top crystal sapphire with an 90° angle at 6 o’clock.
Grown under 2,050 degrees Celsius—the sapphire resists temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Celsius and is scratch-proof, except by diamond (Sapphire hardness: 2035 Vickers or 9/10 Mohs’ scale). In total, the machining and polishing process require 150 hours excluding the development and machine programming and sapphire block unit growth.
