Chronopassion is a legendary boutique in Paris owned by Laurent ‘Lolo’ Picciotto, who has more recently become a respected commentator and social media star in the fine watch world.
He was also the buyer in 2015 of a one-off Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time Sapphire Skeleton by H. Moser & Cie., which he acquired for CHF 1 million.
Two key innovations made the watch unique, its case, made entirely from clear saphhire, and its new skeleton movement.
Not content with purchasing the only piece in existense, Mr Picciotto asked M. Moser to create a second Venturer again from sapphire, which led a year later to the creation of the Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time Sapphire Blue Skeleton.
The sapphire case houses an HMC 803 automatic skeletonised movement with a blue finish created using CVD, a chemical vapour deposit process.
Framed by the Venturer’s thin bezel, the hand-finished movement is open to full view through the sapphire flange bearing the hour indices.
The long, tapered hands are created in rose gold, as is the main bridge of the tourbillon, arching broadly across the cage.
On the reverse side of the watch, the engraved and openworked bidirectional rotor made from 22ct red gold.
The watch displays a second time zone using a red, rhodium-plated hand, which is concealed beneath the main hour hand when the function is not in use.
It also features an interchangeable minute tourbillon equipped with an original Straumann Double Hairspring.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
- Reference 2803-1001, sapphire model, dial with sapphire flange, black alligator leather strap, unique piece
Case
- Sapphire case, three-part
- Diameter: 41.5 mm, height: 14.3 mm
- Curved sapphire crystal and see-through sapphire case back
- Sapphire crown engraved with an “M”
Dial
- Sapphire flange integrated into the 3-part sapphire case
- Midnight blue indices
- Rose gold leaf-shaped hands
Movement
- Blue skeletonised, in-house, automatic HMC 803 calibre
- Diameter: 34.0 mm or 15 lignes, height: 6.5 mm
- Frequency: 21,600 Vib/h
- Bi-directional pawl winding
- Solid 22-carat red gold skeletonised rotor engraved with the H. Moser & Cie. hallmark
- Power reserve: minimum 3 days
- Moser teeth for all wheels and pinions
- Original Straumann Double Hairspring®
- Interchangeable Moser minute tourbillon at 6 o’clock with skeletonised bridges
Functions
- Hours and minutes
- Second hour hand can be hidden when not in use
Strap
- Hand-stitched black alligator leather strap
- 18-carat gold pin buckle
