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A timepiece unveiling the aesthetic technique of a finely hand-decorated movement.

JULY 02 2024    |    Novelties

For the final titanium 41mm, three-hands limited edition with rubber strap, Romain Gauthier presents a timepiece with a partially open dial, unveiling a portion of the entirely hand-decorated movement.

C by Romain Gauthier Titanium Editions are modern timepieces with a sporty design that encloses a titanium movement whose hand-finishing prowess can be admired on the case-back. This time Romain wanted the stunning features of this movement to be easily visible just by looking at the watch, even when worn. By opening the dial, he reveals the beauty of the mechanism inside, bringing a technical aesthetic to this timepiece, which until now has featured a full dial.


This partially open dial is particularly reminiscent of the history of the brand's very first timepiece, the Prestige HM, which evolved to reveal the seconds-hand mechanism on its sister caliber, the Prestige HMS.

Unveiled in 2021, the C by Romain Gauthier caliber was the result of more than 16 years of know-how acquired through the brand's development and its manufacture, while reflecting Romain's creative freedom with a modern and youthful design.

Technical in nature, casual in style and free in spirit, the Freedom collection has enabled the creation of this contemporary caliber. The significance of C by Romain Gauthier lies in its creative approach to reinforce the notions of continuity with its concept and design, in reference to the Continuum. Reflecting a vision of the future for a timepiece which is part of Romain Gauthier's philosophy, and which opens the door to new horizons.

During its creation, it was clear to Romain that the case had to harmonize with the movement. It had to be contemporary and uncluttered. But not only that – comfort, ergonomics and the choice of materials also contributed to the design of this timepiece with the decision to use Grade 5 titanium. The dial, in sapphire for this edition, adds to the consistency of the piece and evokes a sense of continuity, as no circle completes the time indication.

Inspired by the finger bridges style, the design of the movement follows the watchmaking history of the Vallée de Joux but with a modern approach, reflecting Romain’s vision of the evolution of tradition.

Romain Gauthier presents the sixth edition of the caliber in titanium in a limited edition of 88-pieces and engraved “1 of 88” on the back of each movement.

 

A partially openwork dial
The C by Romain Gauthier Titanium Edition Six features a sapphire dial that is partially open to the seconds mechanism and escapement.

The seconds wheel is the main feature of this opening. In addition to its mechanical aspect, this wheel is an aesthetic symbol unique to the brand. Its shape and openings are typical of Romain Gauthier wheels - the decorative circling and polished angles attest the care devoted to the finishing of each component.

The partial opening of the dial also reveals the escapement assembly with the escapement wheel, balance and pallet fork. A decorative bridge on the lower part of the dial has been added - thanks to a special hand engraving technique, the specialists at Manufacture have reproduced the boucharder texture found inside the bridges on the movement.

By opening the dial at the front and leaving the movement visible at the back, Romain Gauthier highlights heart of this caliber. Thanks to the decoration of each component, this timepiece takes on a new visual dimension - contrasts and plays of light bring this Grade 5 titanium movement to life.

The dial of the C by Romain Gauthier, a symbol of modernity and continuity both in terms of architecture and design, features off-center hour-minute hands and slightly tapered hour markers of varying lengths. The 5-second intervals of the small seconds at 7 o'clock are also marked by tapering orange lines of differing lengths.

Romain explains this purposeful play on perspective, saying: “Rather than a series of enclosed circles, as we often see in watchmaking, I wanted an open, airy dial on which full or part orthogonal lines form vanishing points with the axes of the hands, reinforcing the notion of continuity.”

The tapering, three-dimensional hands and index are made from 18k white gold and filled with Super-LumiNova for enhanced legibility, as are the numerals and applied hour markers, each of which has been produced from a single piece of white gold and features bevelled edges to give a punchy presence.

 

Eye-catching case and strap high on details
Framing the dial is a titanium bezel whose eye-catching, geometric profile is unlike anything previously seen on a Romain Gauthier timepiece. The bezel is first machined into a round shape featuring a circular bevel before six straight sides are cut into it to create 6 facets. While these facets, which have been polished, reflect the light and bring the bezel to life, the rest of the bezel absorbs light thanks to its satin-finishing. The same facetted design is replicated around the sapphire crystal on the back of the watch.

In between the bezel and caseback, the one-piece caseband and lugs are geometrically sculpted, with satin and polished finishes as well as aesthetic grooves cleverly deployed to draw out the resulting shapes. Meanwhile, the rubber strap with titanium pin buckle follows the form of the angular lugs and rounded caseband so it appears as a continuous, organic extension of the case.

And not for the first time in his work, Romain has placed the crown for winding and time-setting at 2 o’clock, freeing up space for wrist movement. A rubber ring around the crown makes it easier to manipulate, as well as adding a dash of colour to the timepiece.

 

Clever stop-seconds mechanism that uses a snail cam
Romain has endowed C by Romain Gauthier with a stop-seconds – or hacking seconds – mechanism, allowing the wearer to set the time exactly according to a reference time.

Like many stop-seconds mechanisms, a brake is placed on C by Romain Gauthier’s balance wheel when the crown is pulled out. But instead of using a straight or L-shaped balance stop lever to halt the balance, Romain has opted to employ a snail cam that performs a double function: It touches and stops the balance wheel when the crown is pulled out and, when the crown is pushed back in, the snail cam makes a turn, with its increasingly wide form giving the balance an impulse to help it start beating again.

Those familiar with the brand will know Romain has used the snail cam’s unique shape in his past creations: It appears on the watchmaker’s acclaimed Logical One.

 

In-house movement where design and decoration meet modernity
The themes of modernity and continuity carry over to the manual-winding, in-house movement, which is gloriously on show through the display back.

Taking centre stage are a number of finger bridges – historically typical of the Vallée de Joux, Romain’s birthplace – but reinterpreted here in a contemporary way. For starters, these bridges are horizontally configured and feature a ‘stepped’ shape – previously seen on some of Logical One’s bridges – that not only provides volume and depth, but also gives the sense that the bridges are literally flowing over the gears and balance wheel, with no clear end to them.

Like the case components, the bridges are made from lightweight, natural Grade 5 titanium and they boast contrasting tones and textures thanks to a variety of finishes. The outer edges of each bridge all feature a double bevel, while the flat bridge surfaces and rubies are each framed by a raised border that has been straight-grained. Within these borders, the hand- finishing specialists at Manufacture Romain Gauthier have used a special hand-engraving technique to create a highly original dimpled texture. The movement mainplate beneath has been hand-frosted.

The impressive decoration doesn’t stop with the bridges and mainplate: Romain’s trademark gears and ratchet wheel featuring circular, bevelled spokes have been circular-grained, while the click, snail cam and screws with S-slot heads – another signature of Romain – have been highly polished. Finally, the lid of the mainspring barrel has been embellished with a superb snailing decoration.

C by Romain Gauthier’s regulator features the Romain Gauthier balance wheel with curved arms and calibrated eccentric weights, plus hand-assembled pallet lever that is triangular for maximum rigidity.

 

Technical Specifications

 

Edition     88-piece limited edition in natural Grade 5 titanium, engraved “1 of 88” on the back of the movement
 

Features and indications

  Off-centred hours and minutes
Small seconds at 7 o’clock
Natural Grade 5 titanium case, dial, movement bridges and mainplate
In-house movement featuring stop-seconds mechanism
Sporty rubber strap
     

Dial and hands

 

 

 

 

Sapphire dial
Off-centred hours and minutes
Small seconds at 7 o’clock with 5-second intervals marked by tapering orange lines.
Super-LumiNova-filled 18k white gold hands and applied numerals and hour markers

 

     

Movement and finishing

 

In-house, hand-wound movement

Dimensions   32.10 mm x 5.50 mm
     
Power reserve   60 hours
Number of jewels   24
Number of components   158
Balance frequency   28,800 vph / 4Hz
Components made from   Titanium, steel, stainless steel and German silver
Finishing   Superlative decoration by hand
Treatment   Natural titanium bridges and rhodium-treated gears
     
Case    
Material   Natural Grade 5 titanium
Dimensions   41mm x 9.55mm, lugs to lugs: 49.5 mm
Water resistance   50m/5atm/160ft
    Crown for winding and time-setting featuring coloured rubber ring, at 2 o’clock
Watch supplied with a rubber crown ring in burgundy.
Sapphire crystal with interior anti-reflection coating, front and display back
     

Strap and buckle
 

 

Supplied with grey rubber strap with specially developed, satin-finished and polished natural Grade 5 titanium pin buckle.

     
Total weight of the watch   55g, including rubber strap and pin buckle

 


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MARCH 31 2025    |    Watches and Wonders 2025

Chronoswiss Unleashes the Q-Repeater – A Chiming Masterpiece combining Legacy and Future

Time is not just seen—it is heard.

Chronoswiss presents the Q-Repeater Scream and Q-Repeater Blue Note, two extraordinary Quarter Repeater timepieces that merge the sonic beauty of timekeeping with cutting-edge mechanical architecture. The watchmakers from Lucerne have created a bold reinvention of sound, design, and independent watchmaking deeply rooted in Chronoswiss history. Housed in a Grade 5 titanium case, these 42mm skeletonized masterpieces reveal the intricate mechanisms behind their chiming complication. Every press of the 10 o’clock pusher activates the mesmerizing quarter repeater function, where hammers strike to audibly indicate the hours and quarter-hours, making time a true sensory experience. At its core lies a legacy movement, rooted in the vision of Chronoswiss founder Gerd-Rüdiger Lang. First introduced in the 1990s and exclusively produced for Chronoswiss, this legacy caliber has been taken from our archives, meticulously restored, refined, and reborn in the Atelier Lucerne, making these two timepieces an extraordinary link between the past and the future.

What the watchmakers of Lucerne have achieved here is the ultimate evolution—the heart beats with the legacy of the past, carrying its passion and memories, while the body is Modern Mechanical, engineered for the next century and beyond.

Q-Repeater Scream – A Chiming Rebel
This is not your grandfather’s repeater. The Q-Repeater Scream is a wild, untamed spectacle—combining bold design and mechanical precision unlike anything in watchmaking. The multi-level dial is a skeletonized stage and at the same time part of the movement, where CVD-coated bridges in electric blue, orange, and purple hold the Paraiba green minute ring, the floating hour, as well as the small seconds rings. At 1 o’clock, the heart of this spectacle is fully visible: the striking hammers, set to release a mechanical rock concert at the press of a button.

As you can tell by the name already, it’s not just about what you see. It’s about what you hear. Every chime is a scream of innovation, breaking free from the traditions of classical repeater watches. Even the legacy movement itself becomes part of the gig, holding the Super-LumiNova blocks and hand-guilloché bridges—one of which moves when the mechanism is activated, adding to the dynamic energy of the dial. The watchmakers of Lucerne refer to the glowing ceramic blocks as “chicken heads”, a nod to the iconic amplifier knobs found on rock concert stages—designed to crank up the sound and electrify the crowd.

Caged in 42mm of titanium, the Q-Repeater Scream is limited to just 25 pieces. As only very few of the legacy movements exist this might be the final tour of the band. Each piece is a testament to mechanical defiance and unfiltered artistry. A Quarter Repeater like no other— built for collectors who dare to embrace the wild side of watchmaking.

Q-Repeater Blue Note – The Sound of Elegance
For those who seek a symphony rather than rock n roll, the Q-Repeater Blue Note takes a more refined yet equally innovative approach. Inspired by the expressive power of jazz and blues, the navy blue CVD-coated skeletonized dial and bridges which are part of the movement, play on contrasts with a silver hour ring and luminous white Super-LumiNova markers, creating a harmonious composition of mechanics and design.

In music, a blue note is an altered pitch—intentionally deviating from the standard, creating a sound that is richer, deeper, and full of soul. One could say – the Chronoswiss way of making watches – and music. The Q-Repeater Blue Note embodies this philosophy, blending traditional watchmaking with a contemporary edge, offering a timeless yet unconventional melody of time.

Like the Scream, the Blue Note features the multi-level regulator dial, a fully visible quarter repeater mechanism, and a restored historical movement, revised and refined by thewatchmakers in Lucerne. It is a timepiece that doesn’t just mark time—it composes it.

Time Reimagined, Sound Reinvented
The Q-Repeater Scream and Q-Repeater Blue Note stand as testaments to Chronoswiss’ relentless drive to push boundaries. With only 25 pieces per model, these Quarter Repeaters are more than just rare; they are audible declarations of mechanical mastery.

This is not just a watch. It is an experience. A fusion of sound and time, crafted for those who appreciate the extraordinary. Chronoswiss has never followed the expected path. The future of independent watchmaking starts here—with a chime.

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