BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
The last time we covered a piece from Bianchet, we received, well, mixed comments – but it created conversations in the comments sections that happens to be one of the biggest strengths of WristReview. Now, Bianchet is releasing the UltraFino Rotondo Rose Gold Skeleton, and I think it’s a looker.
It can be difficult for independent brands to stand out in what is a really noisy industry at the moment. Heck, even the more established watchmakers’ watches can sometimes come out looking a little samey.
Admittedly, if I squint at the UltraFino’s photos, I do think it looks quite similar to about ten other watches on sale right now, but when you open your eyes and see the details, there’s a level of horology happening that’s very pleasing and different.
The 18k rose gold case is sort-of-round-sort-of-tonneau-shaped and flows into the integrated 18k rose gold bracelet nicely, but a rubber strap is an option too. Shoulders stand on either side of the crown, giving it some extra protection without affecting the case’s shape too much, and I appreciate the contrast of brushing and polishing on the various surfaces. With measurements of 39.5mm x 8.9mm and with 100m of water resistance, the UltraFino Rotondo Rose Gold Skeleton is well-specced for more frequent wearing.
The skeletonised dial is where the business really takes off. Gold hands with applied lume and applied markers make way for the view of the self-winding calibre UR01. The movement’s bridges are made from grade 5 titanium, as is the mainplate and the cage of the flying tourbillon. Bianchet only makes tourbillon watches, and the UltraFino is no exception, the escapement beats at 3Hz for a total power reserve of 60-hours.
Perhaps most impressive is that Bianchet builds its movements itself, stating that the mainplate, bridges, gear train, escapement, balance wheel, and tourbillon carriage are made in-house. The components are CNC-machined before being passed to Bianchet’s artisans to be finished by hand, and over 30 hours of hand-bevelling takes place on the UR01. As if this wasn’t enough, the UR01 is just 3.85mm thick, allowing for that thin gold case, and it’s resistant to shocks of up to 5,000G.
Bianchet’s UltraFino Rotondo Rose Gold Skeleton is a non-limited edition piece retailing for CHF85,500 on a rubber strap or CHF119,500 on the rose gold bracelet (which also comes with an additional rubber strap.
It’s a lot to ask, especially for an independent, but it’s quite different from the competition when you get to the finer details, and I think that’ll be enough to set it apart from the rest.
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