Since day 1 Corum has managed to cultivate an eccentric collection of watches and the Admiral’s Cup is definitely one of em. With the new Admiral AC-One 45 Chronograph, Corum’s going the Bronze way. But this isn’t just any Bronze, it’s pre-patinated bronze. According to Corum, other timepieces made with raw bronze, can age or even deteriorate with time, but pre-patinated bronze gives the piece a more pronounced maritime look, and above all results in a more finely-crafted aspect than raw bronze designs. Each Admiral AC-One 45 Chronograph Bronze is unique in its own way, too: no two patinas give the alloy exactly the same colouration.
“A natural patina builds up over time; our idea was to apply the same principle, halting the process before the alloy actually begins to corrode,” explains Corum CEO Jerome Biard. “By using this approach, we allow unique colours to emerge in a process akin to pure artistic creation, with each hand-finished watch displaying unique character. The result verges on being a work of Contemporary Art – and that’s right in keeping with the Corum spirit.”
Sea-burnished bronze
Corum’s Admiral AC-One 45 Chronograph Bronze has been finished in different shades of brown, ranging from chestnut to chocolate. The dial of the piece has been specially designed in matching teak, featuring a vertical cut resembling that of a historic tall ship’s authentic teak deck – a nod to the seafaring pedigree of the Admirals.
Twelve pennants, the traditional hour markers for this collection, are arranged around the dial. Broad, skeletonised hands glide over them, powered by an automatic chronograph caliber boasting a 42-hour power reserve. The watch sits on a leather strap, carefully chosen to match the shades of the 45 millimetre patinated bronze case.
