ROMAIN GAUTHIER – Freedom C by Romain Gauthier Titanium Edition Four - 2023
Perfect balance between strength and softness
An assertive character enhance by a black ADLC titanium case and a structured black titanium dial, faded by the lightness of the ice blue details, a striking contrast between strength and softness. The fourth edition of the C by Romain Gauthier in titanium is in the continuity of the modernity and refinement of these timepieces.
Reflecting Romain’s creative freedom with a modern and youthful design, C by Romain Gauthier is the result of more than 17 years of know-how acquired through the development of the brand and its manufacture.
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Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
During its creation, it was clear to Romain that the case had to harmonize with the movement. It had to be contemporary and uncluttered. But not only that – comfort, ergonomics and the choice of materials also contributed to the design of this timepiece with the decision to use black Grade 5 titanium. The dial, also in black Grade 5 titanium, adds to the consistency of the piece and evokes a sense of continuity, as no circle completes the time indication.
Inspired by the finger bridges style, the design of the movement follows the watchmaking history of the Vallée de Joux but with a modern approach, reflecting Romain’s vision of the evolution of tradition.
Romain Gauthier presents the fourth edition of the caliber in black titanium in a limited edition of 38-pieces and engraved “1 of 38” on the back of each movement.
Flow and continuity to the fore on an atypical dial
C by Romain Gauthier is all about modernity and continuity, both in terms of its movement architecture and dial design. If the observer looks closely, he will see that the hour-minute hands are actually off-centred on the horizontal axis and the hour indices taper ever so slightly and are of varying lengths, while the 5-second intervals of the small seconds at 7 o’clock are also marked by tapering bright ice blue lines of differing lengths.
Romain explains this purposeful play on perspective, saying: “Rather than a series of enclosed circles, as we often see in watchmaking, I wanted an open, airy dial on which full or part orthogonal lines form vanishing points with the axes of the hands, reinforcing the notion of continuity.”
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Eye-catching case and strap high on details
Framing the dial is a titanium bezel whose eye-catching, geometric profile is unlike anything previously seen on a Romain Gauthier timepiece. The bezel is first machined into a round shape featuring a circular bevel before six straight sides are cut into it to create 6 facets. While these facets, which have been polished, reflect the light and bring the bezel to life, the rest of the bezel absorbs light thanks to its satin-finishing. The same facetted design is replicated around the sapphire crystal on the back of the watch.
On this fourth edition, the case, as well as the lugs and buckle, made of Grade 5 black titanium, have been coated with a technical ADLC treatment allowing an aesthetical black finish. This carbon-based coating reinforces the scratch and shock resistance, hypoallergenic, it is also resistant to chemicals products and solvents.
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And not for the first time in his work, Romain has placed the crown for winding and time-setting at 2 o’clock, freeing up space for wrist movement. A rubber ring around the crown makes it easier to manipulate, as well as adding a dash of colour to the timepiece.
Clever stop-seconds mechanism that uses a snail cam
Romain has endowed C by Romain Gauthier with a stop-seconds – or hacking seconds – mechanism, allowing the wearer to set the time exactly according to a reference time.
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Like many stop-seconds mechanisms, a brake is placed on C by Romain Gauthier’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.
Those familiar with the brand will know Romain has used the snail cam’s unique shape in his past creations: It appears on the watchmaker’s acclaimed Logical One.
In-house movement where design and decoration meet modernity
The themes of modernity and continuity carry over to the manual-winding, in-house movement, which is gloriously on show through the display back.
Taking centre stage are a number of finger bridges – historically typical of the Vallée de Joux, Romain’s birthplace – but reinterpreted here in a contemporary way. For starters, these bridges are horizontally configured and feature a ‘stepped’ shape – previously seen on some of Logical One’s bridges – that not only provides volume and depth, but also gives the sense that the bridges are literally flowing over the gears and balance wheel, with no clear end to them.
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Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
The impressive decoration doesn’t stop with the bridges and mainplate: Romain’s trademark gears and ratchet wheel featuring circular, bevelled spokes have been circular-grained, while the click, snail cam and screws with S-slot heads – another signature of Romain – have been highly polished. Finally, the lid of the mainspring barrel has been embellished with a superb snailing decoration.
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Collection Freedom
Name: C by Romain Gauthier Titanium Edition Four
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Edition
limited edition of 38 numbered pieces, engraved “1 of 38” on the back of the movement
Movement and finishing
Manufacture calibre C by Romain Gauthier
In-house, hand-wound movement
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 / 4Hz
Components made from: Titanium, steel, stainless steel and German silver
Finishing: Superlative decoration by hand
Treatment: Natural titanium bridges and rhodium-treated gears.
Features and indications
Off-centred hours and minutes
Small seconds at 7 o’clock
Natural Grade 5 titanium coated with black ALDC case,
In-house movement featuring stop-seconds mechanism
Dial and hands
3D structured dial in black Grade 5 titanium
Three-dimensional straight-graining structure dial in black PVD and protective layer against UV rays
Off-centred hours and minutes
Small seconds at 7 o’clock with 5-second intervals marked by tapering bright blue lines
Super-LumiNova-filled 18k white gold hands and applied numerals and hour markers
Case
Material: Titanium natural Grade 5 coated with black ALDC
Dimensions: 41mm x 9.55mm, lugs to lugs: 49.5 mm
Water resistance: 50m/5atm/160ft
Crown for winding and time-setting featuring coloured rubber ring, at 2 o’clock
Watch supplied with a rubber crown ring in blue
Sapphire crystal with interior anti-reflection coating, front and display back.
Strap and buckle
Supplied with black rubber strap with specially developed, satin-finished and polished Grade 5 titanium pin buckle coated with black ADLC.
Total weight of the watch: 55g, including rubber strap and pin buckle
- 🔰Edition - Only ✅ 38 pieces
- 🔴Retail price: 💰 CHF 38,000 without taxes💰
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Press release - 2023
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