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TECH
The movement of this year’s RM 75-01 Flying
Tourbillon Sapphire was specifically developed to
go on show inside a case in clear or coloured sapphire,
hence every component is designed to hold the gaze.
Hublot is another brand to have pioneered the use of
coloured sapphire, with a string of “firsts” that began
in 2018. In fact sapphire is so strongly associated with
the brand that its Big Bang 20th Anniversary releases
include “Master of Sapphire” — a limited edition of
five sets, each containing a quintet of Big Bang MECA-
10 in different coloured cases: transparent sapphire,
Water Blue sapphire, Deep Blue sapphire, Purple sap-
phire and Neon Yellow SAXEM (Sapphire Aluminium
oXide and rare Earth Mineral).
Increasingly, watchmakers are taking advantage
of sapphire to show off all or part of a movement.
A sapphire pane mounted in the caseband becomes a
window through which to admire a particular com-
ponent, such as the cylindrical balance spring of the
Chronomètre FB 3SPC, which celebrates the tenth
anniversary of Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud.
Sapphire can form a portion of the dial, as on the
new Hermès Arceau Le temps suspendu, even the
dial itself, in complete transparency as on the Code
11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon
Supersonnerie, or with a gradient effect that suggests
more than it reveals the mechanism below — the Patek
Philippe 6159G-001 for example. The sapphire dial
for Chanel’s J12 Bleu X-Ray, with sapphire gemstone
indices, shows off a movement whose plate and two
bridges are also in sapphire, creating the impression
that Calibre 3.1 is floating inside the case. Meanwhile,
the winding stem is almost invisible, hidden by the
index at 3 ’clock. From revealing all, sapphire adds a
touch of mystery. ■
1. CARTIER Santos Skeleton Watch. A distinctly Cartier skel-
eton watch featuring the emblematic Roman numerals form-
ing movement bridges — here, the manual-winding Calibre MC
9612. Presented in a large Santos model (47.5 × 39.7 mm) made
of black ADLC-coated steel, it includes two interchangeable
straps in black and dark grey.
2. BVLGARI Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days. An ultra-thin
watch that is emblematic of the brand, adopting a contempo-
rary monochrome aesthetic. Equipped with the manual-wind-
ing Calibre BVL 199 SK, just 2.50 mm thick and a display for its
extensive power reserve, it comes in a 40 mm case with sap-
phire caseback and a titanium bracelet.
3. CHANEL J12 Bleu X-Ray. An exceptionally unique 38 mm J12
Bleu: its case and bracelet combine synthetic sapphire, black-
ened white gold, and 196 baguette-cut natural sapphires. Its
remarkable transparency comes from the colourless sapphire
used for the dial (set with 12 natural sapphires), the mainplate,
and two of the movement’s bridges. Limited edition of 12 pieces.
4. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux
Clair de Lune. In the Clair de Lune edition, this automatic
watch with a Poetic Complication — featuring a double retro-
grade display with on-demand animation — features a 38 mm
white gold case set with diamonds, a dial in coloured grisaille
enamel on gold, and a bracelet adorned with diamonds and
sapphires.