SIHH 2019: Christophe Claret Marks 10th Anniversary With The Angelico

While master watchmaker Christophe Claret has been producing exceptional complications for leading Swiss watch companies since the 1980s, he founded his eponymous brand in 2009. To mark the 10th anniversary of the brand this year, the boutique haute horology manufacture unveiled the limited-edition dual time jump hour Christophe Claret Angelico, which combines a tourbillon with a long detent escapement and a cable-type fusee transmission system—a world’s first for a wristwatch.

Christophe Claret’s Pursuit of Chronometric Performance

Never one to take the simple route, Christophe Claret proudly emphasizes that the new Angelico celebrates “Art for Art’s sake.” Watchmaking art that is, which many of us knows lies deep inside the watch’s case in the form of intricate mechanical movements. For the anniversary Angelico model, Christophe Claret brought together a tourbillion with a long detent escapement and a cable-type fusee transmission system in the pursuit of precision perfection.

Also known as the chronometer escapement, the detent escapement was invented in the 18th century and became standard in high precision pocket watches and marine chronometers for the next two hundred years, after which it was replaced by the now ubiquitous Swiss lever escapement. While the detent escapement is prized for both its efficiency and its lack of lubrication requirements, it is highly susceptible to shocks and it is not self-starting—thus not ideal for a life on a wrist. Christophe Claret overcame these pain points in 2014 with the Maestoso watch by adding an anti-pivot cam to prevent the detent escapement from “turning over” and a “flexible thrust bearing” to absorb shock. And now, with the Angelico, Christophe Claret also brings to the table a tourbillon, which makes one full turn every six minutes.

In addition to the tourbillon and detent escapement, the new Angelico also boasts a constant force escapement by way of a cable-type fusee transmission mechanism linked to the double mainspring barrel. But instead of traditional chains, Christophe Claret uses Dyneema nanofiber to reduce friction and to increase power reserve, which is above 72 hours.

Two Versions of the Christophe Claret Angelico

Given all the work that went into creating the Caliber DTC08 mechanical hand-wound movement, it comes as no surprise that the dial of the Angelico offers an obstructed view of the complex caliber in all its three-dimensional glory. However, time telling is, of course, the primary purpose of a wristwatch.

Sporting a 45.5 mm case and a domed sapphire crystal above the dial, the Christophe Claret Angelico is a dual time watch with jumping hour displays. The local time window at 5 o’clock and the home time window at 7 o’clock are not only clearly marked but are also accompanied by day/night indicators. Minutes are shown via a jewel-encrusted hand sweeping around the dial periphery. There’s also the power reserve indicator placed at the foot of the barrel to the left of the dial, while the “stop work” indicator is placed on the fusse bridge located on the other side of the dial.

Christophe Claret made two versions of the Angelico, one in 5N red gold with a red ruby on the minute hand and one in titanium with a blue sapphire on the minute hand. Limited to only 10 pieces each, the red gold version will retail for CHF 238,000 while the titanium version is priced slightly less at CHF 218,000.