Celebrity Life

Corum has been one of those brands that's managed not to be pigeonholed into a specific category of watches. With its wide spectrum of collections -- from the very classic and boardroom-worthy designs of the Golden Bridge collection, to the sporty, bolder stylings of the Admiral, and the quirky charms of the Bubble -- Corum has been able to cater to nearly every predilection.

Enter the LAB collection, with its unapologetically audacious aesthetic and high complications, Corum brings to the fore its technological capabilities and willingness to push the bounds of design. The latest addition to this family, the LAB 02, comes right on the heels of its “Risk is the Reward” campaign, which was launched to celebrate the innovations over its 65-year history, while setting the tone for the brand's direction going forward.

And certainly, the LAB 02 sets the bar quite high. For this watch, Corum was not content with just a flying tourbillon—it needed a flying gear train as well. This took the team on a two-year quest, and finally came up with the Caliber CO 300, which consists of over 400 components, each meticulously skeletonised and finely finished. Each piece has been assembled by hand, seeing the flying tourbillon at 06:00, with flying wheels that track the hours, minutes and seconds, and the bridge set directly onto the mainplate.

Additionally, the team managed to build a movement that is not sandwiched between the mainplate and bridge, made possible with a longer than usual axis for the gear train, and, without having a top bridge, required ball bearings instead of rubies on the mainplate to add strength and stability. The entire movement was then placed on a fully transparent sapphire plate through which the owner, and bystanders for that matter, can enjoy a movement that appears as though it's suspended.

Only 10 pieces of the LAB 02 will be made, each identified by a specific number on the barrel. Each watch can be customised so that the colour of gold, diamond cuts and settings, or if it should take your fancy, coloured gemstones, can be selected.

The post LAB 02: A Breakthrough for Corum appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.