BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
There is a new collection launched by Corum called the Lab. This is pretty exciting because this collection will include only exclusive models and they are limited editions.
The very first timepieces in this collection will be the 2 models of the same watch – the Heritage Corum Lab 01 featuring a 40 mm x 55.00 mm barrel-shaped case made of titanium grade 5 with black DLC treatment and rubber sides. Wait… did we just see rubber on the sides? Definitely yes, there is an embossed rubber inlay on the side of the case with the ‘Limited Edition’ caption. I haven’t seen this in a watch and not in this caliber. It is quite a disruptive approach to watchmaking. Plus these watches are skeletonized featuring a “shaped-movement.”
Moreover, powering these two Heritage Corum Lab 01 watches is a movement that has been shaped to the exact making of the case unlike usual rounded movements that are usually placed in a traditional case design. Thus the automatic calibre CO 410 is commonly referred to as a ‘shaped-movement’ with a micro-rotor. This type of movement is very rare because as said earlier, it is made to measure for one specific watch or case only, it is not an adapted movement at all. Moreover, it is manufactured with Le Cercle des Horlogers, one of the growing movement makers and mostly behind the scenes for a few huge names in the industry.
The making of the movement here is really unique. We can see the calibre and the case closely intertwined, one moulding to the contours of the other. The 3D skeleton movement looks very technical and aesthetically finished with contrasting materials and colors. The openworked dial showcases the 3D movement in its entirety, exhibiting beautiful parts of the skeleton calibre. The material of the dial is grey anthracite enhanced with either red (ref. Z410/03860) or white (ref. Z410/03861) as per model, pretty much the dial looks as minimal as it could ever get in this type of display.
Looking deeper into the watch from the dial itself, the micro-rotor is visible and it features a contemporary spiral finish to accentuate the “speed” effect when it begins to rotate. It is quite easy to get lost on the intricacies of the mechanical playground that is this watch, mind you, the images are very impressive. Furthermore, the movement is beating at 4 Hz or 28,800 vibrations per hour and is quite a capable engine with 50 hours of power reserve.
Finally, the watches wear on a matching black rubber strap with triple folding clasps and are embossed with the Corum key logo with color dependent on the dial, so it is either on red or white. The watches are also water resistant to 50 meters or 165 feet. Note that the two editions of the Heritage Corum Lab 01 are limited to only 99 pieces each and retails for Euro 15,000.
On a side note, the disruptive design of the watch centers on the shaped-movement and the rubber material used on the sides. Visit Corum here.
