By Wade Forman
For Baselworld 2015, the historic watch maker Angelus will be making a historical comeback. Angelus should ring a bell to those of you that know anything about vintage timepieces. Angelus hasn’t been around for 30 years, having being closed during the quartz crisis in the late 1970s. Manufacturer La Joux-Perret must have a great reason for bringing back Angelus Company, originally found in Le Locle, Switzerland. Their great reason is the new Angelus U10 Tourbillon.
The Tourbillon Lumière measures a large 62.75 mm by 38 mm, and the case is made from BO-988, a steel alloy. There are a total of four crystals that surround the tourbillon, so it can be seen from every angle. One of the sapphire crystals continues over the end of the case, so the back can also be seen very clearly as well.
The inside of the case features a matte black finish allowing more light to be absorbed through the case. The movement is deconstructed, the flying tourbillon is separate from the rest of the movement. The movement is required to be hand-wound and has a power reserve of 90 hours. There is a linear power reserve indicator that can be seen in one of the windows on the case.
On the left we can find the dial with an hour, minute and second hand. The best feature on this side of the watch is the dead beat second hand. Previously the dead beat seconds were used in pocket watches and rarely used in wrist watches. This is a prime example where the dead beat dial is a truly stunning feature. Super Luminova will also be used to read the time in low light.
This is a very eye-catching piece and is limited to only 25 pieces. It appears to fit the wrist beautifully and should be one of the hottest news at Baselworld. Personally this is my favorite Tourbillon watch. The overall sleek appearance and the dead beat dial makes this a must have. I’m going to assume it will take some deep pockets to buy, but it is truly a great piece for a collection. All collectors must own a Tourbillon. This watch also brings an element of history with it, being the first comeback watch for Angelus. Prices will be set at Baselworld.
Angelus Chronodata from 1942
Technical Specifications
Movement
Calibre A100, one-minute flying tourbillon movement Hand-wound
Jewels: 38
Dimensions: 52.10 mm x 30.40 mm
Thickness: 7.50 mm
Power reserve: 90 h, double barrel
Frequency: 2.5Hz / 18,000 vph
Tourbillon: 16.25 mm cage diameter, Swiss lever escapement, screwed balance and hairspring with Breguet overcoil
Functions: hours, minutes, central dead beat seconds, one-minute flying tourbillon, linear power reserve indication
Movement decoration: nickel-silver movement, rhodium treated with haute horlogerie finishing: satin-finished main plate with laser engraved pattern, satin- finished bridges with chamfered and polished edges, plate dial side with sunray satin-finish, circular satin-finished wheels, screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads, two laser-engraved and enamelled ratchets
Tourbillon finishing: bead-blasted and satin-finished titanium tourbillon bridge, entire tourbillon cage with hand-chamfered and polished edges and either satin-finished or mirror-polished surfaces
Dial
Colour: translucent-grey coated concave sapphire and black outer ring
Double white (C1) Super-LumiNova dots at 12 o’clock
Single white (C1) Super-LumiNova dots at 3, 6 & 9 o’clock
Hour, minute & power reserve hands: brushed-finished, rhodium-treated, with black Super-LumiNova that glows blue in the dark
Dead beat seconds hand: white lacquered
Case
Material: BO-988 specific annealed stainless steel, bead-blasted and treated with black PVD on the inside
Dimensions: 62.75 mm x 38 mm
Thickness: 15 mm including sapphire crystals
Sapphire crystals: 7 in total, treated with anti-reflective coating Back: see-though sapphire crystal
Water-resistant: 30 m
Strap and buckle
Strap: hand-stitched black alligator leather Buckle: stainless steel folding buckle
Limitation and reference
Limited edition: 25 pieces Reference: 0LUAS.B01A.C001F
Wade Forman – Contributing Writer
Wade Forman has an enthusiasm for all timepieces, whether it’s vintage or modern luxury. It was at the age of 15 when Wade’s fascination with Horology began. His favorite brands are IWC, Rolex, TAG Heuer, Audemars Piguet and Patek Phillipe. Wade is also a football player, and enjoys hanging out with family and friends. Read his articles here.
