Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

New York, Grand Havana Room, Mar 19, 2003

LOT 122

Corum, Tourbillon "La Mystérieuse", No. 10. Produced by Christophe Claret exclusively for Corum in very few examples in the 1990's.Very fine, very rare and unusual, platinum gentleman's "Mystery" wristwatch with a special one-minute tourbillon regulator movement and a platinum Corum buckle.

USD 50,000 - 60,000

EUR 47,000 - 56,000

Sold: USD 66,300

C .three-body, solid, polished, stepped bezel with 4 raised plaques hand-engraved with Roman numerals, transparent case back with 6 screws, sapphire crystals. D. transparent, sapphire glass. "Bâton" white gold hands. M. Cal. CLA 97 with the movement plates and bridges entirely made from sapphire crystal, in addition 6 blue sapphire and 3 ruby jewels, lateral lever escapement with one-minute tourbillon regulator, monometallic balance, self-compensating flat balance-spring.Movement signed "C. Claret" and "Corum", case numbered "No. 10" at the side.Diam. 36 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 1
Movement: 1
Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

Tourbillon "La Mystérieuse"was produced in a limited series of watches in 18K yellow gold, with even fewer examples made in platinum only upon request. The highly unusual movement was produced by Cristophe Claret for Corum and is remarkable not only for its "Mysteriously" invisible winding mechanism, but also for being entirely made from sapphire crystal. And as if this wasn't complicated enough - it also houses a tourbillon!Christophe Claretis one of a few important, yet relatively unknown Swiss watchmakers. He was born in 1962 and grew up in Lyon, France. Already at age 10 he dismantled old alarm clocks, but it wasn't until the age of 13, and many horological experiments later, that he was able to put watches back together. At age 16 he entered the "Ecole d'horlogerie", the prestigious watchmaking school in Geneva, and in 1989 finally established his own company in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Today, located in close-by Le Locle, ChristopheClaret supplies complicated movements to many prestigious brands. Specializing in prototypes, repeater and tourbillon mechanisms, its watchmakers produce, assemble and finish timepieces of a very high quality.