In a slightly ironic play, Swiss watchmaker Corum has introduced a new all-black variation of its Ti-Bridge watch, which, according to the company is intended “for the Christmas season”.  While the festivity of such a timepiece is open to some debate, there’s no question that this limited edition Black Ti-Bridge model is an extremely attractive addition to the Corum collection, and a worthwhile target for collectors and aficionados of luxury watches.

As with the regular edition Ti-Bridge watch, the Corum Black Ti-Bridge features a 42.5mm x 41.5mm case in titanium.  The rich black coloration is the result of a PVD treatment applied to the meticulously finished underlying metal; the topmost case section is polished, while the flanks and caseback surfaces are given a satin texture.  Also crafted from titanium is the fluted winding crown, which bears the Corum brand logo and a combination of polished and satin finishes.  Two sandblasted horizontal channels cut into the case are another interesting detail, and provide a sense of subtle separation between the strap lugs and the curved anti-reflective treated sapphire crystal.  The convex profile of the latter element provides a perfectly transparent view into the heart of the fascinating manual-winding Corum C0 007 baguette movement.

This movement of course, is the very essence of what makes the Corum Black Ti-Bridge watch.  Drawing inspiration from the legendary caliber which has made the Corum Golden Bridge a unique star in the field of high luxury mechanical watches, Corum’s C0 007 features a distinctive elongated bridge in brushed titanium, which positions the watch mechanism with its mainspring barrel, going train, and escapement in a straight line.

This apparently minimalist construction offers a revealing view into the heart of the mechanism, particularly such intricate aspects as the keyless winding and the rapidly pulsating balance wheel.  Four supplementary V-shaped clamps enhance the architectural theme of the Ti-Bridge watch and accentuate the three-dimensional allure of its nonpareil mechanical watch movement.  To ensure that no viewing pleasure is lost from any angle, Corum also equips the Ti-Bridge watch with a sapphire crystal caseback.  Despite the diminutive size of the C0 007 caliber, and its rapid 28,800 vph balance frequency, power reserve is an impressive 72 hours.

The stealthy presence of the Corum Black Ti-Bridge watch extends even onto the skeletonized sword hands, which feature a black superluminova application.   Appropriately, the timepiece is fitted to a black rubber strap, which connects securely to the wrist via a triple deployant clasp in PVD-finished titanium.  Production of the Black Ti-Bridge timepiece will be restricted to an edition of 250 pieces, each bearing its own individual number within the series.  The Ti-Bridge is water resistant to 50 meters.

Source : Vialuxe