Comments:
Romain Gauthier …
The Continuum Titanium Edition One.
Romain Gauthier has launched a 28 piece edition of this striking contemporary design.
Is this the ultimate grade 5 titanium watch from an independent, with a contemporary look and sporting intentions for the Purist ?
Romain Gauthier has launched a 28 piece edition of this striking contemporary design.
Is this the ultimate grade 5 titanium watch from an independent, with a contemporary look and sporting intentions for the Purist ?
I would have loved to have seen a calibration edition for Aston Martin… RG Superleggera anyone ?
The specification includes:
Case size of 41mm and tapering, three-dimensional hands and index are made from 18k white gold, as are the numerals and applied hour markers, each of which has been produced from a single piece of white gold and features bevelled edges.
Red design detail perfectly judged …
Beautifully finished but contemporary …
Like many stop-seconds mechanisms, a brake is placed on Continuum’s balance wheel when the crown is pulled out. But instead of using a straight or L-shaped balance stop lever to halt the balance, Romain has opted to employ a snail cam that performs a double function: It touches and stops the balance wheel when the crown is pulled out and, when the crown is pushed back in, the snail cam makes a turn, with its increasingly wide form giving the balance an impulse to help it start beating again.
The distinctive gears and ratchet wheels feature circular spokes providing elegance and strength.These spokes also bear eye-catching bevels, rarely seen in high-end watchmaking.
The outer edges of each bridge all feature a double bevel, while the flat bridge surfaces and rubies are each framed by a raised border that has been straight-grained. Within these borders, the hand-finishing specialists at Manufacture Romain Gauthier have used a special hand-engraving technique to create a highly original dimpled texture.
The signature screw heads bear an S-slot that not only is aesthetic, but also enables more torque to be applied during movement assembly.
- Type: Manual winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds
- Dimensions: 32.10 mm x 5.50 mm
- Power reserve: 60 hours
- Number of jewels: 24
- Number of components: 154
- Balance frequency: 28,800 vph
Case size of 41mm and tapering, three-dimensional hands and index are made from 18k white gold, as are the numerals and applied hour markers, each of which has been produced from a single piece of white gold and features bevelled edges.
Red design detail perfectly judged …
Beautifully finished but contemporary …
Like many stop-seconds mechanisms, a brake is placed on Continuum’s balance wheel when the crown is pulled out. But instead of using a straight or L-shaped balance stop lever to halt the balance, Romain has opted to employ a snail cam that performs a double function: It touches and stops the balance wheel when the crown is pulled out and, when the crown is pushed back in, the snail cam makes a turn, with its increasingly wide form giving the balance an impulse to help it start beating again.
The distinctive gears and ratchet wheels feature circular spokes providing elegance and strength.These spokes also bear eye-catching bevels, rarely seen in high-end watchmaking.
The outer edges of each bridge all feature a double bevel, while the flat bridge surfaces and rubies are each framed by a raised border that has been straight-grained. Within these borders, the hand-finishing specialists at Manufacture Romain Gauthier have used a special hand-engraving technique to create a highly original dimpled texture.
The signature screw heads bear an S-slot that not only is aesthetic, but also enables more torque to be applied during movement assembly.
Titanium Edition One
Ref. MON00500
- Hours, minutes, small seconds
- Stop balance with snail cam
- 41 x 9.55 mm case in natural Grade 5 titanium
- 49.5mm lugs to lugs
- Sandblasted natural Grade 5 titanium dial
- In-house-hand-wound movement
- Manual winding
- 60-hour power reserve
- 28-piece limited edition
Thanks for sharing.
I can’t help but question the utility of a manual wind movement (as gorgeous as this one is) on a sports/sporty watch. But with 60HR PR, maybe I shouldn’t be too concerned.
Any info about this caliber’s shock resistance? Anything above the usual tech?
Hussam
I think a heavy night at a cocktail bar …
Is the perfect place to test this one out 🥂
Funny, I see it just the opposite
In a sports environment, a free swinging rotor is one of the most likely components to become damaged.
The JLC Extreme Lab 2 has a slider that allows you to lock up the escapement in the event of extreme activity
…which is a little silly as you basically lose the ability to tell time, but on the flip side you prevent the escape wheel from falling out of center under the jewel. I don’t remember it locking up the rotor as well, maybe?🤔
Yeah, that EL2 is one of my ultimate grails!
Perhaps there is a mechanism to decouple the rotor from the mainspring 🤔
The case, and movement are eye pleasing, but the eaten hour and minute marketers between six and nine would forever bother me(specifically on a sports watch).
Thank you for the fantastic introduction as always!
Thank you for your opinion …
I think Romain wanted to give us something modern and relevant in today’s world.
Feels like this is a direct competitor of the LF Origin Opaline
Love the back side of this RG, but for the overall package I would go with the LF for ~10k less.
Hi Peter …
You make a fair point and Grade 5 titanium is the metal of choice again.
The LF Origin is a beautiful watch that I would be happy to own, but I feel that the RG is just on the next level.
The LF Origin is a beautiful watch that I would be happy to own, but I feel that the RG is just on the next level.
Several would argue that RG’s finishing is a grade (or two) above LF’s.
SJX being one of those arguing that 😁
A totally different watch from the brand but it has all the elements from RG imho
Was lucky to see it in person a few weeks ago. Great and sporty looking watch
Its a great looking watch , definitely a different style but it looks amazing
Some will say a bit boring maybe. Its not a fancy looking watch for the dial side . Maybe its also because of the color . I think we will see some brighter colors in the future
Thanks for giving your considered opinion
Personally, I like the understated style and undoubted quality of this watch. You could have great fun playing with straps to subtly enhance the look.
i kind of wish companies stopped doing the 1 of and just number them
i like it, just wish there was more texturing or an enamel to the dial though the price would be higher.
I wish the texts on the bridges are moved to somewhere else.
They block the beauty of the frosted finishing. Also some texts are not necessary like “Titanium” and “Romain Gauthier” on the back.
Love it
It's normal enough yet RG weird/ unconventional enough, and that movement is all I would ever expect from this master.
I inquired immediately... we shall see.
I look forward to further iterations, sky's the limit on variants...
Regarding comparisons to LF... I mean, come on guys... LF is wonderful and fine of course, and in terms of ability, perhaps they are in the same league, but the WATCHES each man makes-- LF is not even CLOSE to RG on any level, IMO. Perhaps the tourbillons?
Cheers