We have grown accustomed to certain configurations when it comes to watches. Tourbillons should be placed at the six o’clock position, crowns on the case side at three o’clock or even the central placement of the seconds hand and so forth. A slight shift or repositioning of watch elements “breaks” traditional codes that we are familiar with and offer a fresh take on what a typical watch should look like. We have a look at a few watches with off-centre elements with interesting placements and positioning of various timekeeping elements.
Pictured above: Louis Vuitton Tambour Street Diver
Diver meets street as Louis Vuitton’s Tambour Street Diver is crafted with Louis Vuitton’s creative ingenuity and freedom of expression. The dive watch’s amphibious nature is reinterpreted as the Tambour Street Diver features bursts of colours and unconventional elements such as the rotating internal dive bezel and subsidiary seconds dial uncommon of dive watches. The inclusion of the quick-change strap system further tempers its diving sensibilities, transforming it from a contemporary dive watch to an ultra-modern package.
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Cartier Privé Cloche de Cartier
Introduced as a collector’s collection, the exquisite Cartier Privé collection exalts the Maison’s mystical models to legendary status through a series of limited and numbered pieces. The enigmatic Cloche de Cartier is the latest model on the cards of Cartier Privé, named after its bell-shaped form first released in 1920. While it is designed as a wristwatch, its whimsical orientation doubles up as a desk clock when set on the table — its 12 o’clock position is shifted 90° clockwise.
Close inspection of the watch hands positioning shows the deliberate attempt to amplify the asymmetrical layout of the Cloche de Cartier as it is flushed closer to the right side or in the case towards the top of the case. The Cloche de Cartier is available in pink gold (seen here), yellow gold and platinum each limited to 100 pieces. Nothing typifies watches with off-centre elements than the Cloche de Cartier!
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Omega De Ville Trésor Small Seconds Power Reserve
Sure, the new Seamaster 300 might have hogged the limelight but let us turn your focus to something more restrained but equally worth its weight in gold — the De Ville Trésor Small Seconds Power Reserve in 18K gold no less.
The Bauhaus influence is the most apparent at first glance with the clean dial execution, proportions and equally spaced dial elements. A pair of subsidiary dials lend an otherwise simplistic watch a touch of intrigue, with the ever-useful power reserve indicator sitting at the top. Think of it as a fuel gauge for the watch as it lets you know when it is time for a wind or two. Shifting the seconds hand to the bottom allows you to admire the beauty of the De Ville Trésor without any moving distractions.
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NOMOS Club Campus
Headquartered in Glashütte, Saxony with a horological giant as neighbours (someone’s söhne), NOMOS continues to make waves with its lineup of watches, the latest being the zesty Club Campus. The Club Campus collection was initially conceived as a mark of remembrance for convocation and this being the ideal gift for the graduating class of 2021.
Dubbed as Orange Future, the vibrant citrus shade signifies a rising sun and a bright future. A subtle powdery blue outline around the California dial (use of Roman and Arabic) numerals tempers the bright orange slightly, adding visual interest to keen-eyed observers. The NOMOS in-house Alpha calibre powers the watch, with the use of a small seconds hand in preference to the traditional central positioning. Another cool point to note is the 100m water-resistance of the case, bringing this watch into sport-watch territory.
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Ressence Type 2N
We saved the best for last with the enigmatic Ressence Type 2N that brings watches with off-centre elements to a whole new level. Founded in 2010 and winners of the 2013 Horological Revelation Award at the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie, Ressence fills a niche gap between fine watchmaking and advanced engineering by using a traditional mechanical movement, a Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) electronic module to power the watch and oil (yes, oil).
The Type 2N is a regulator watch where the hour, minute and second hands are separated into subdials and set on satellite discs. As time passes, the entire dial rotates. Oil fills the space between the dial and sapphire crystal. Since the oil and sapphire crystal share similar refraction indexes, there is no distortion when looking at the watch at all angles (it is not noticeable in images but stands out in person and videos).
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A fourth coloured subdial represents the presence of Ressence’s e-Crown technology – a Bluetooth-enabled electro-mechanical system that interacts with the mechanical base movement and ROCS module. A double-tap on the watch crystal activates the e-Crown, setting the watch hands to the correct time even if it has been left on the dresser for days. When connected to the smartphone app, different functions can be activated. The green segment indicates time zone 1, yellow for time zone 2, blue for Bluetooth communication and white for e-Crown turned off. The Type 2N can operate independently without the app with a traditional crown set on the case back with an automatic movement that powers the watch while the e-Crown is powered by light through photovoltaic cells.
Remember to read our April 2021 issue of Men’s Folio Singapore if you have not!
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