Creative Craftsmanship

You may not associate the concept of “heritage” and “innovation” with each other but Corum is about breaking codes. Men’s Folio got up and personal with the 2019 novelties in Beijing recently – and these are our favourites.

- John Ng

When Corum released its first Admiral’s Cup timepiece back in the ’60s, the unorthodox yachting watch with a water-resistant square case awestruck watch connoisseurs. However, in case you don’t already know, the Admiral collection as we know it – with the familiar 12-sided case and nautical pennants on the dial – is the evolution of the redesigned 1983 piece. In the year 2010, the collection celebrated its 50th anniversary with the launch of the Admiral Legend range – boasting an ultra-streamlined silhouette – which gave birth to Admiral Legend 42 that went on to become one of Corum’s highly coveted line-up.

As time goes by, the regatta-dedicated Admiral collection has not only made itself a pillar of the watch brand, but also one of the most iconic nautical-inspired range on the market. This year, all eyes are on the limited-edition Admiral 42 Full Black – a clear departure from its vibrant predecessors. Equipped with the automatic CO 395 movement, the iconic dodecagonal case in black PVD-treated stainless steel is matched with blackened brass dial. The nautical pennants, minute markers are presented in greyscale tones against the all-black design, while markers for the minute and small seconds are made noticeable using a tone-on-tone effect. The Dauphine-style skeletonized hour and minute hands are also given the black PVD treatment and then filled with white SuperLuminova to ensure readability in dark. Vulcanized black rubber straps with a black PVD-treated buckle complete the edgy look. Bereft of colors, this mysterious yet intriguingly captivating timepiece goes well with both formal and casual ensemble.