Christophe Claret DualTow NightEagle – Stealth That Gets Noticed


Claret DualTow NightEagle

Last year Christophe Claret generated the biggest buzz at Baselworld with the DualTow, a wonder of the horological world created to mark the Manufacture’s 20th anniversary. For 2010, a new, black DualTow appears with the intriguing name NightEagle. If you look closely at the movement and squint, you can see a tiny, polished sign that reads “Genius at work.”

Though his name may not be familiar to any but knowledgeable enthusiasts, Christophe Claret’s workshop is where many of the most complicated movements that rest behind more famous dials are designed and created. The Claret Manufacture is indisputably one of the most innovative and skillful in the watch industry.

In simple terms, the DualTow NightEagle is a single-pusher planetary-gear chronograph with striking mechanism and tourbillon. Beyond that, it is endowed with several inventions, including one that bears a patent. It is a distillation of the experience, expertise and watchmaking mastery acquired over the years by Christophe Claret SA.

The design is inspired by darkly-angled stealth of the type reflected (or not) in the F-117 Night Hawk fighter and the Lamborghini Reventon supercar. The twin belts bearing the hour and minute digits, which are made from a material designed specifically for this timepiece, are driven by cylinders on either end, the sides of which were inspired by racing car wheel rims.

To heighten the NightEagle’s visual effect, Claret makes extensive use of sapphire, a material that is extremely difficult to work with. Claret even developed and produced its own production tools to machine the material. This allows the Manufacture to produce sapphire bridges that open windows on the beautiful and complex mechanics that lie within.

The movement consists of 574 components, including 65 jewels and 8 ball-bearings. Every part save the hairspring is machined in the Claret workshop. Like all the movements developed, fine-tuned and produced by the Manufacture, each component of the Calibre CC20A is crafted to the highest levels of excellence in Swiss watchmaking: they are beveled, hand-drawn, mirror-polished and colored in keeping with the finest traditions of hand workmanship.

The rectangular, convex black PVD-coated titanium case is also entirely machined in-house at the Manufacture Christophe Claret. This complex structure consists of 114 parts. The edges are beveled and the surfaces satin-finished or brushed. On the left-hand side, a wide opening enables one to admire the set of pulleys driving the hour display belt, while a smaller window on the right, between the pusher and crown, affords the same view. The mobile spring-mounted lugs adapt to the wearer’s wrist to guarantee optimal comfort.

The majority of components such as the case, bridges, mainplate, hands, display belts, pusher and wristband can be personalized using the “DualTow Configurator” on www.dualtow.ch.

Prices are:

– 490,000 Swiss francs for DualTow in pink and white gold and titanium.
– 540,000 Swiss francs for DualTow in platinum and DualTow NightEagle.

Complete technical specifications appear below the images, which may be enlarged (significantly) with a click.

Claret DualTow NightEagle
Claret DualTow NightEagle

MOVEMENT

Dimensions: 32.60 x 40 x 10.70 mm

Number of parts: 574

Number of jewels: 65 and 8 ball-bearings

Power Reserve: Around 60 hours

Barrels: Twin barrels placed in parallel

Tourbillon: – Swiss lever escapement
– Balance oscillation frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vph)
– Tourbillon rotation frequency: 1 revolution/minute

Functions: – Hour and minute display on belts
– Small seconds on the tourbillon at 6 o’clock
– Single-pusher planetary-gear chronograph
– Mechanical striking mechanism sounding each change of function (start, stop and reset)
– 12-hour, 60-minute and 60-second chronograph counters
– Operating mode indicator of the chronograph
– Mechanical hand-wound movement
– Power-reserve display

EXTERIOR

Case: – Watch glasses specially designed and manufactured to ensure an ergonomic fit
– Rectangular, curving; fitted with exclusive mobile lugs enabling a perfect fit on the wrist
– Dimensions: 42.75 x 48.20 x 15.85 mm (not including the lugs)
– Water Resistant: 3 ATM or 30 meters

Display belts: In rubber with transferred hour and minute numerals

Flange: Flange with ceramic chronograph markings

Dynamometric crown: Crown fitted with an unclicking device at the end of the winding process, which serves to preserve the movement from excessive tension

Pusher: Partially rubber-molded

Dial: Dial composed of three tinted sapphire crystals: the first serves as a bridge for the chronograph counters and is engraved with the name “Christophe Claret”; the second acts as a central bridge and carries the “Swiss Made” engraving; while the third is the tourbillon bridge which is plated with the small seconds markings.

Buckle: Triple-blade folding clasp with decorative covers and an innovative system enabling comfort-enhancing 10 mm wrist extension

Quantity: Limited edition of 68 timepieces, each unique.

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