Kauri is an unbiased watchmaking model just lately based by Samuel Gillioz. This younger watchmaker studied on the École d’Horlogerie de Genève earlier than gaining expertise at Timelab and Vacheron Constantin within the extremely revered Cabinotiers workshop. In 2019, Samuel Gillioz launched Kauri with the imaginative and prescient of making one thing distinctive and unique. The primary specificity of his first mannequin was its case, which mixed metal and wooden. The second mannequin advances in complexity, retaining the distinctive case idea – this time with a carbon-based materials – whereas introducing a motion that includes an in-house designed and manufactured complication, a regulator with leaping hours and retrograde minutes. Meet the Kauri Régulateur Carbone.
Samuel Gillioz arrange his small atelier in Plan-Les-Ouates in a constructing between the HQs of Vacheron Constantin, Piaget and Frederique Fixed. There, he works along with his machines, a Schaublin 102 lathe from 1949 and an Aciera F1 milling machine from 1993. Whereas he leverages these instruments to craft some elements, he brazenly collaborates with exterior companions for others.
His newest creation, the Kauri Régulateur Carbone, continues the unique method of its predecessors with a hybrid case design harking back to the “wooden” mannequin 01. We nonetheless have a 316L metal container housing the motion, paired with an outer shell. Nonetheless, for this iteration, this outer shell is crafted from carbonium, a sort of cast carbon, as a substitute of wooden. This selection of fabric imbues the 41mm case with a sportier character. As well as, the mixture of an exterior octagonal form with a contrasting metal round bezel and lug modules give this watch a technical, up to date presence.
Probably the most vital evolution, although, resides within the motion, particularly within the watch show mechanism whose intricacies are showcased dial-side, and with a special degree of complexity in comparison with the Soprod motion (a personalised M100) seen for the mannequin 01. Regardless of its title, the watch just isn’t a real regulator, because it doesn’t characteristic a separate seconds indication. Nonetheless, the “régulateur” title references the dissociated time indications of precision clocks from the previous. The minutes are displayed in a retrograde style within the centre, whereas the analogue leaping hours indication resides at 6 o’clock. Every hour, the retrograde minutes hand instantaneously jumps anti-clockwise by 240°, coinciding with the hour hand’s motion, which concurrently jumps one notch. This distinctive mechanism provides a fascinating dynamism to the timekeeping expertise.
The mechanism designed by Samuel Gillioz includes a double wolf-teeth rack mechanism driving the minutes hand whereas avoiding any backlash. The primary rack is seen dial-side. It really works along side the snail cam at midday and the minute pinion. The second is spring-loaded and hidden beneath the dial. It drives the minutes hand again whereas concurrently triggering the bounce of the hour star wheel, thus making certain an ideal synchronization of all indications. Final however not least, the wolf’s enamel wheel beneath the snail cam at midday disconnects the mechanism to make sure most reliability and keep away from any threat of injury ought to the time be set within the incorrect course.
Concerning the bottom motion powering this regulator module, the Kauri Régulateur Carbone relies on an Olivier Mory motion, extensively modified – the identical base is utilized in a number of tourbillon watches. It may be seen via the exhibition caseback with a sober however properly executed ornament, specifically matte-grained bridges with massive polished bevels. The variable inertia stability runs at 21,600 vibrations/hour, and the motion shops a stable 100-hour energy reserve.
The Kauri Régulateur Carbone comes on an built-in gray alligator nubuck leather-based strap fitted with a metal pin buckle. It’s launched as a subscription watch restricted to twenty items. Given the artisanal and unique manufacturing course of, there’s room for personalisation. The value is ready at CHF 34,000.
For extra info, please go to www.kauri-watches.ch.
