In celebration of Cortina Watch’s 50th Anniversary, Corum presents the anniversary-exclusive timepiece featuring Corum’s audacious use of an avant-garde fusion material that mixes carbon and 18K gold.
In honour of its golden jubilee in 2022, Cortina Watch, one of Singapore’s leading brands in the watch retail industry, will launch a series of limited-edition commemorative watches in collaboration with some of the industry’s most esteemed watchmakers. This October, Corum presents the Admiral 45 Tourbillon, a 45mm timepiece specially created for Cortina Watch’s 50th Anniversary.
Limited to 10-pieces globally, no two pieces of the emblematic dodecagonal-shaped Admiral case in this collection are the same due to the random results of combining fluctuating layers of carbon composite with 18K gold inclusions. Each watch is therefore unique, and the use of cutting-edge material further enhances the already striking gold elements, the purity of the stark black sunray-finished dial, and the impressive tourbillon.
An innovator that constantly pushes boundaries in terms of technical knowledge, design and the use of new materials, Corum has been revered as a vanguard in the world of watchmaking since 1955. From the well-known Chinese Hat watch in 1958, the Coin Watch in 1964 that featured an ultra-thin movement set in an actual American Double Eagle coin, the iconic Golden Bridge watch in 1980 and the Bubble watch in 2000, Corum has always put creativity and nonconformity at the heart of its designs.
The partnership between Cortina Watch and Corum began in the 1980s, when the independent Swiss watchmaker’s creations were being retailed at the Cortina Watch boutique at Lucky Plaza. Mr Jeremy Lim, CEO of Cortina Watch, says, “In 1992, Cortina Watch and Corum first got together to launch a special edition timepiece to celebrate our 20th anniversary, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be able to collaborate again for our golden jubilee. This extraordinary creation is a wonderful testament to our treasured relationship, which has withstood the test of time.”
“The design of the Admiral 45 Tourbillon came about from Corum’s strive towards being true to its company motto, which is being an avant-gardist brand, while remaining true to its roots. There’s an interesting contrast between the rather timeless dial and the very modern case design, and overall, the watch and its elements are significative of what Corum and Cortina Watch are – leaders who have both established themselves as being at the pinnacles of the watch industry,” says Mr. Soon Boon Chong, Vice President of Corum.
Admiral 45 Tourbillon Cortina Watch 50th Anniversary Special Edition
The dark carbon case infused with 18K gold inclusions evokes the wonder and mystery of the starry sky over the horizon – a magical sight to behold while sailing at night. Creating a watch case like this one is a testament to Corum’s commitment to innovation and constantly stepping up their game. To ensure that the gold inclusions are evenly dispersed throughout the carbon composite, the brand had to develop and construct a unique tool specifically for the case’s construction. Carbon is incredibly light yet durable, therefore the choice of material for the big casing increases wearers’ degree of comfort. This revolutionary fusion material is proprietary to Corum, making it currently the only watch brand to use it in its creations.
The watch also features a sunray-finished anthracite dial with an aperture at 6 o’clock for the tourbillon. Not commonly seen on Corum watches, the sunray-finished dial has a subtle iridescence that radiates a magnetic aura. This Admiral 45 Tourbillon Cortina Watch 50th Anniversary Special Edition is especially noteworthy due to its closed dial, which is unusual for Corum as their tourbillon watches often have openworked dials. The unmistakable ‘upright key’ emblem of Corum, which alludes to the tenacity and grit needed for the mastery of horology and watchmaking, has been hand-applied to add dimension and finesse to the overall look.
About the Admiral collection
The very first Admiral watch was unveiled by Corum in 1960, only five years after the brand’s creation. It embodied Corum’s idea of maritime watchmaking, and was the industry’s first square-shaped water- resistant watch. Corum has always remained committed to its creative fibre, yet it has never been afraid to set sail for distant shores.
This quintessential nautical-chic timepiece has been linked to some of the most prestigious regattas in history, and highly favoured by sailors and yachting enthusiasts. Built upon the same ingenuity and innovative spirit that is deeply rooted in Corum’s DNA, one of its most well-famous design attributes is the iconic dodecagonal-shaped case that is modern and instantly recognisable. Another is its hour markers, which are indicated by nautical pennants that correspond to the numerical equivalents within the International Code of Signals.
The Admiral 45 Tourbillon Cortina Watch 50th Anniversary Special Edition takes a page from the Admiral 45 Automatic Openworked Flying Tourbillon Carbon & Gold that was launched in 2021, and celebrates the dauntless spirit that is at the heart of both Cortina Watch and Corum.
The Corum Admiral 45 Tourbillon Cortina Watch 50th Anniversary Special Edition timepiece will retail exclusively at Cortina Watch boutiques. Discover more on the Limited Edition piece here.
