Cristophe Claret has released an intriguing timepiece which brings you a bit of the majesty of Ancient Rome, in part by using clever optical tricks.
Called Aventicum, after the old capital of the ancient Roman province of Helvetia (roughly modern-day Switzerland), the watch’s most striking features is a tiny gold bust of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, a miniature version of the one discovered in the area in 1939.
To make it even more special, a hologram-like effect is achieved through the use of a mirascope, which the watchmaker claims is the first such a setup is used in a timepiece. What this does is basically create an illusion, producing a magnified image that seems to float above a small hole in the center of the dial. Since this illusion is set where the watch’s hub would normally be, the hands have been replaced by a pair of rings on the other edge of the dial. On the reverse of the watch there’s a Latin inscription which reads “Perfice Omnia facta vitae quasi haec postrema essent” (Perform every act in life as though it were your last) – a quote from Marcus Aurelius himself.
The case is made from red or palladium-rich white gold and anthracite, PVD-treated, grade 5 titanium, and is water resistant to 30 meters. The AVE15 automatic movement with 4 Hz Swiss escapement has 28 jewels and 186 parts, and gets its 72-hr power reserve from its twin barrels.
Two versions of the Aventicum have been released, in red gold and white gold, both limited editions (68 units and 38 units, respectively). The former is priced at CHF 49,000 (US$53,000), while the latter will set you back CHF 53,000 (US$57,300).
[Gizmag]
