Hand-finishing at the heart of a sporty and modern timepiece
Introducing the Titanium Edition Five of C by Romain Gauthier, meticulously crafted with an entirely hand-engraved textured dial. This limited edition timepiece is a testament to Manufacture Romain Gauthier’s mastery of hand-crafted decorative techniques.
Unveiled in 2021, the initial release of C by Romain Gauthier introduced a groundbreaking caliber, the result of over 16 years of accumulated expertise in the brand’s development and manufacturing. This caliber, while embodying Romain’s creative freedom, showcased a contemporary and youthful design.
With a technical foundation, a casual aesthetic, and a free-spirited essence, the Freedom collection served as the breeding ground for this modern caliber. C by Romain Gauthier stands out through its innovative approach, emphasizing continuity in concept and design, paying homage to the Continuum. It represents Romain Gauthier’s vision of the future in watchmaking and paves the way for new horizons.
During its creation, Romain prioritized a harmonious relationship between the case and movement. The case needed to exude contemporary elegance while offering comfort, ergonomic functionality, and the use of Grade 5 titanium for material choice. The dial, also in Grade 5 titanium, contributes to the overall coherence of the timepiece, where the absence of a complete circular time indication adds to its distinctive character.
Inspired by the finger bridges style, the movement design pays homage to the horological heritage of the Vallée de Joux while incorporating a modern twist, in line with Romain’s vision of tradition’s evolution.
The fifth edition of C by Romain Gauthier is presented in a limited series of 38 pieces, each engraved with “1 of 38” on the movement’s back.
C BY ROMAIN GAUTHIER IN DETAIL
An exquisitely hand-finished dial serves as a symbol of modernity and continuity, both architecturally and in design. It features off-center hour-minute hands and subtly tapered hour markers of varying lengths. The small seconds at 7 o’clock is marked in 5-second intervals with tapering lines of varying lengths, creating a deliberate play on perspective. Romain explains that rather than the conventional enclosed circles seen in watchmaking, he aimed for an open, airy dial with orthogonal lines that interact with the hands’ axes, reinforcing the concept of continuity.
The fifth edition boasts a Champagne-colored dial with an entirely new structure. Manufacture Romain Gauthier’s master engravers have created a mesmerizing hand-engraved pattern on the titanium dial, resulting in a play of light and reflection.
The three-dimensional hands and indices are crafted from 18k white gold and filled with Super-LumiNova for improved legibility. The numerals and applied hour markers, each made from a single piece of white gold with beveled edges, add a punchy presence to the design.
The case is defined by a striking titanium bezel, featuring a unique geometric profile unseen in previous Romain Gauthier timepieces. The bezel undergoes meticulous machining, starting with a circular bevel before six straight sides are cut to create six facets. These facets, polished to reflect light, contrast with the rest of the bezel’s satin finish. The same facetted design extends around the sapphire crystal on the watch’s back.
In the space between the bezel and caseback, the one-piece caseband and lugs exhibit geometric sculpting with satin and polished finishes, along with carefully placed grooves for added visual appeal. The rubber strap, equipped with a titanium pin buckle, seamlessly follows the angular lugs and rounded caseband, forming a cohesive and organic extension of the case.
In a departure from convention, the crown for winding and time-setting is positioned at 2 o’clock, allowing for enhanced wrist movement. A rubber ring around the crown not only facilitates manipulation but also introduces a touch of color to the timepiece.
An ingenious stop-seconds mechanism, incorporating a snail cam, enables precise time setting. When the crown is pulled out, the snail cam touches and stops the balance wheel, while pushing the crown back in causes the cam to rotate, providing the balance wheel with the necessary impetus to resume its operation.
The internal movement, a manual-winding in-house caliber, seamlessly integrates design and decoration while upholding modernity. The display back reveals a set of finger bridges, reminiscent of the Vallée de Joux’s traditional style but reimagined with a contemporary twist. These bridges, configured horizontally and featuring a stepped shape, not only add depth and volume but also create the illusion of flowing over the gears and balance wheel without a clear endpoint.
The bridges, made from lightweight, natural Grade 5 titanium, display contrasting tones and textures, thanks to various finishes. Double bevels adorn the outer edges of each bridge, while the flat bridge surfaces and rubies are framed by straight-grained raised borders. Inside these borders, hand-finishing specialists from Manufacture Romain Gauthier employ a unique hand-engraving technique, creating a distinctive dimpled texture. The movement’s mainplate is meticulously hand-frosted.
The attention to detail extends to the gears and ratchet wheel, circular-grained with bevelled spokes. The click, snail cam, and screws with S-slot heads, Romain’s signature, are highly polished. The mainspring barrel lid is adorned with a captivating snailing decoration.
C by Romain Gauthier’s regulator features the Romain Gauthier balance wheel with curved arms and calibrated eccentric weights, along with a triangular pallet lever for maximum rigidity.
For more information, please visit RomainGauthier.com.