FATE, CHANCE, GOOD LUCK AND A WATCH

Corum has designed a few of its Bubble collection models around the world of gambling, and in particular this timepiece that reiterates the famous black billiards ball which is meant to bring good luck… or bad luck.

“Stand out” (from the crowd) is an expression that Corum literally uses for almost all its watch launches. Already illustrated back in 2000 when the watchmaker released its first Bubble timepiece that wowed with its magnifying glass effect created by the sapphire crystal on its dial. In 2015, La Chaux-de-Fonds brand repeated the experience with a new version of the watch, bigger – the diameter was now 47 mm instead of 44 mm – and with a checkerboard-patterned face. This year, it’s a whole series, based on the world of gaming, that Corum invites us to admire, including this Bubble 8 Ball.

Unlike the other pieces of this one-of-a-kind selection, Bubble 8 Ball is not laden with colours but proposes an ever-so graphical black and white harmony, though with black taking pride of place. The black-lacquered brass disc of its dial is decorated with a white lozenge, with a black-figured 8, set at… 8 o’clock! This is, of course, the famous 8-ball, the black ball, star of any billiards show. This sphere is, generally-speaking, the one that must be pocketed last out of the 15 on the green gaming table to win the round. If pocketed before, the player loses the game.

The domed sapphire crystal enveloping the dial intensifies the billiards-ball effect as well as the size of the two large open-worked baton-style hands set in the dial centre. The hands display the hours and minutes – the minute tracker is engraved in white on the black flange – whilst a silvered, circle-tipped direct-drive ticks away the seconds.

The timepiece’s C0082 calibre, housed in a 47 mm-diameter steel case and visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, drives the hour, minute and second functions. This self-winding movement also offers a 42-hour power reserve.

A bimetallic Bubble 8 Ball version is also available, with bezel and ball-crown fashioned in rose gold. Both of these Corum models are retailed in 88-piece limited editions.

Price on request

By Sharmila Bertin