RJ-Romain Jerome Blast Off With Spacecraft Pilot’s Watch

By Valerie Jack | February 20, 2013

Luxury watchmakers RJ-Romain Jerome have unveiled their first ever pilot’s watch, a timepiece aptly named the Spacecraft. Created by RJ-Romain Jerome CEO Manuel Emch, watch designer Eric Giroud and independent watchmaker Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, the limited-edition Spacecraft model comprises a unique complication housed in a pure, restrained design.

When Emch, Giroud and Wiederrecht began development of this model, it was clear from the first sketches that they wanted to create a unique timepiece, combining retro-futuristic aesthetics and horological complexity. Giroud said, “The design evolved in step with our discussions and our numerous exchanges. That is what makes it such a singular object.” The resulting trapeze-shaped model features a 50 x 44,5 x 18,5 mm black PVD-coated titanium case, with a rectilinear profile and a facetted surface designed to echo the look of a spacecraft. A black rotating disc with a red indicator transferred on the sapphire crystal indicates the minutes on the top of the case, while the linear hour display is read off laterally.

“The combination of these four functions – lateral, linear, jumping and retrograde hours – is unprecedented”, says Wiederrecht. The independent watchmaker played a huge part in the creation of the mechanical self-winding RJ2000-A caliber movement at the heart of this watch, developing it exclusively for RJ-Romain Jerome at his Geneva-based Agenhor manufacturing facility. The movement features a unique spring-driven carriage that drives the hour display (visible on the side of the watch) by means of a red-lacquered cursor, which moves beneath the sapphire crystal every 60 minutes. The dragging minutes, appearing on a black disc, are read off on the top of the case, which also features bead-blasted titanium plates. A screw-lock crown at 12 o’clock sets the time. The Spacecraft watch is fitted with a black polyamide mesh strap.

Emch said, “The concept we have created with this collection reflects a new approach for the brand, meaning facilitating access to innovative, contemporary and offbeat watchmaking.”Only 99 pieces of this limited-edition model will be produced.