Virtuoso VIII

CASE : white gold, red gold or platinum, sapphire back, 12 o’clock crown set with a cabochon, water-resistant to 30m

DIAMETER : 44mm

MOVEMENT : mechanical hand-winding (Caliber 17BMos-GD, 10-day power reserve), rounded-off and polished attachments, Fleurisanne decorative engraving, patented tridimensional toothing with multiple gearing of one of its pinions, patented spherical differential, patented double face tourbillon

FUNCTIONS : hours, minutes, seconds, large date, power-reserve display DIAL : black lacquered, ivory lacquered or aventurine

STRAP : full grain alligator leather with red or white gold pin buckle

LIMITED SERIES : 80 movements

One might as well say right away that summing up in just a few lines five pages of a press kit – as well as an exciting and detailed presentation during the SIHH – is tantamount to sacrilege and by nature over-simplistic. Issued to mark the 195th anniversary of the founding of Bovet, the Virtuoso VIII from the Fleurier Grandes Complications collection is a concentrated blend of decorative arts, chronometry, radical aesthetics and functionality. Could this be the year the Maison earns a richly deserved award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève ? Artfully hollowed out into a series of scrolls, the bridges of this new Manufacture caliber are respectfully turned towards the titanium carriage of the patented double face flying tourbillon, beautifully set amid a decorative environment dedicated to artisan-style Haute Horlogerie. Displayed above it and striking a proud contrast in glossy black lacquer sits the display of its 10-day power reserve (supplied by a single barrel with a patented spherical differential). Its legibility matches that of the big date appearing opposite. The seconds make for equally smooth and easy reading, indicated with the same care and a certain degree of originality by the marker screwed to the carriage wheel, featuring an arrow overlooking the black graduated 60-seconds ring dial. Adding an ultimate touch of refinement, Bovet gives collectors a choice between three precious metals and three dial variations housing a total of 80 movements that may be personalized as desired.