Ornatus-Mundi presents Romain Gauthier's Insight Micro-Rotor novelties from BaselWorld 2018, showcasing new red gold with mother-of-pearl and titanium with blue enamel versions. The author highlights Gauthier's consistent aesthetic and clever engineering, particularly the integrated winding crown and the semi-openworked movement layout.
Romain Gauthier took a breath this BaselWorld (in terms of technological innovation) but showed two new versions of his Insight Micro-Rotor which each demonstrates the fantastic opportunities afforded by the semi-openworked movement layout: a lady's version in red gold with a superb mother-of-pearl inlay, and a polished 'natural titanium' piece with a Gran Feu blue enamel dial:
Romain Gauthier so far has impressed me with a very clear aesthetic concept right form
the beginning which he has developed and refined over the years.
Technologically I found his pieces always very cleverly conceived with a
great number of details that exemplify some solid fresh thinking.
Having that said, I was slightly irritated with the lack of sideral winding crown on his early pieces, and I think I was not alone: the small manufacturer has indeed integrated a crown in the meantime with both the technically outstanding Logical One as well as with the Insight Micro-Rotor that saw the light first time at Baselworld 2017.
For this year, Mr Gauthier presented two new variations - the first being this Insight Micro-Rotor in red gold with a dark brown MOP dial - a most attractive piece:
The new dial offers a thrillingly refined but intense contrast between shapes, surface structures and colour: the dark, wobbled mother-of-pearl inlay (which, fascinatingly, is one large and complex formed piece!), the brushed bridges which capture light so brilliantly, and a number of frosted movement parts - all this make for an stupendously rich visual impression:
This icing of the cake for me personally is the micro rotor with its elegantly set diamonds - really, I would not mind having those on my watch as well!
While the case is symmetrical, the crystal is not - its apex is precisely set to match the eccentric dial:
Superb convex case band:
The movement is a delight as well, continuing the mix of design elements we found on the dial. Finishing is simply top notch!
I remarked already that I would not mind this as my watch - here for one I fear we have the rare case where a lady would have to share 'her' watch with her partner.
The second novelty is the same Insight Micro-Rotor but with a case crafted from titanium (grade 5), combined with a superb dial in Grand Feu enamel (which was previously reserved for a platinum version):
This dial has depth and lustre, just as one would expect from outstanding enamel work:
Ultralight case, finely polished:
Same movement, same quality. Just marvel at how nicely the curved communicate with each other!
A couple of close-ups to highlight Romain Gauthier's finishing:
Again, its the contrasts and juxtaposition which 'make' this piece. The titanium case gives a techncial character to this watch, which is offset by the manificent enamel dial - what a suspense!
It would be wuite a challenge to chose between the two pieces here. Both are superb interpretations of the Insight Micro-Rotor. That is a highly unsual watch (as typical for Gauthier), which is why I think the red gold / MOP would be my ultimate choice: if you go for a piece that is everything but not common, then go the full way!
To sum up, Romain Gauthier has worked hard to expose the aesthetic and technical finesse of the Insight watch - and delivered his best work at Basel. The pieces shown earlier this year in Geneva were not bad, but they appeared more monochromatic. The finely accentuated contrast now with these two new variants add tremendously to the appeal of the Insight.
Well done, Romain!
Cheers,
Magnus
