![]() In so doing, they made something akin to a movement sandwich, with the bread slices replaced by coin halves. These were the world’s first wristwatches made using a coin to house a mechanical movement previous to Corum’s experimentation the style had only been used for pocket watches.Ĭorum, who was a master of funky advertising in the brand’s early days, first cleverly advertised these innovative timepieces with the tagline “time is money,” later changing it to “time in money.”Īnd it’s easy to see why this slogan was so apt: Corum founder René Bannwart and his team used one-half of an authentic, very carefully cut gold coin as a watch dial, placed an ultra-thin movement underneath it, and then closed it up with the other half of the coin. The watch was inextricably linked with the world of sailing thereafter, having proved its efficiency and reliability in the Admiral’s Cup sailing race.The Corum Coin Watch made its debut in 1964, with the first 12 examples sold out before they could even reach 1965’s Basel Fair. Nautical elements were present in the form of the hour markers, framed by an eye catching 12 sided bezel which was well utilized by sailors including members of the Corum sailing team. The launch of this iconic watch connected Corum to the Swiss watch industry deeply, recognising it as a reliable and reputable authentic watchmaker.ĭuring the years 1983 to 2001 Corum continued with its popular Admiral’s Cup collection with a new dodecagon design in 1983, marking a distinct move away from its former square profile. The year 1980 marked the release of the Golden Bridge watch with a hand engraved baguette movement and a design that created the impression of a floating dial beneath a sapphire crystal glass lens. Corum also partnered up with luxury car manufacturer, Rolls-Royce, creating the iconic Corum Rolls-Royce watch with a sleek avant garde design that incorporated radiator grill inspired features. Aside from the company’s water resistant models, Corum’s line of Coin watches made use of an actual gold coin in their design and became the choice of watch for six consecutive US Presidents including President Lincoln, Ronald Reagan and George Bush.įrom the late 60s up to 1980, Corum developed and released the Feather watch with a dial adorned in designs elements that nodded to the company’s rich heritage and artistry. During the early 60s, the Admiral’s Cup collection was born, named after the legendary sailing race. Serving as a foundation to the brand’s heritage, the first models developed by Corum like the Golden Tube and Chinese Hat watch were noted for their creativity. The concept behind the brand was accompanied by a logo, a key pointing up towards the skies, symbolising the perseverance and mysteries of the company’s future soon to be unlocked. The watch company would be called Corum, simplified from the word quorum which denotes the number of persons required to make a decision. Gaston Ries opened up a watchmaking facility in 1924 and would spend the next 31 years creating timepieces independently in his workshop in La Chaux de Fonds until he teamed up with his nephew, René Bannwart in 1955.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |