Uncovering the Beauty of Mechanics with the Admiral AC-One 45 Openwork 45mm Collection

In 2013, the Admiral collection welcomed a new line to the family- the Admiral AC-One. Keeping in mind the key design codes of the Admiral collection, the lines of the iconic dodecagonal-shaped case was reworked to become more rounded and angles less prominent. Taking into consideration the size and weight of the 45mm diameter-case of the AC-One 45, titanium became the material of choice for this contemporary reinterpretation. Designed as a robust timepiece to complement luxury offshore boating, the Admiral AC-One 45 is even sportier, bolder and pushes the boundaries of creativity a step further.

This year, Corum presents the AC-One 45 Openwork Automatic, which introduces an exquisitely crafted skeletonized dial. The movement fitted within the AC-One Openwork Automatic is the caliber CO 297, a new movement that was developed by Corum in-house specifically for this model. The bridges visible on the dial side were specially designed to be in harmony with the dodecagonal-shaped case, as well as the silhouettes of the nautical pennants. A sub-dial displaying small seconds is at the 9 o’clock position, while the power reserve indicator sits at 3 o’clock.

Like the AC-One 45 Squelette that was released in 2014, the ingenious architecture of the AC-One 45 Openwork Automatic juxtaposes this otherwise hefty timepiece with a touch of lightness and refinement. Unlike the Squelette which features a completely skeletonized double-date disks, Corum makes use of bolder and cleaner-cut lines to give a more robust and athletic feel to the Openwork Automatic.

The AC-One 45 Openwork Automatic is presented in two variants. The first, with a case crafted in grade 5 Titanium to add lightness of the overall design, and at the same time evoke a futuristic vibe. The second variation pairs contrasting rose gold with black PVD-coated titanium as the case material, giving the watch a bolder and sportier feel. The back of the movement is visible through the screwed-in open back bronze cover with anti-reflective sapphire crystal. Both timepieces offer water resistance up to 100 meters, while the movement has a power reserve of 42 hours.

Taking mechanical beauty a step further: AC-One 45 Openwork Automatic Tourbillon

For aficionados who prefer something more complicated and gravity-defying, Corum has prepared the AC-ONE Openwork Tourbillon. At the six o’clock position lies a tourbillon, in addition to the above details present in the AC-One Openwork Automatic. This showcases the not only the beautiful heartbeat of the movement, but also Corum’s artistry and flair in technical watchmaking. The addition of a tourbillon also ensures higher accuracy in timekeeping under conditions at sea.

Both the AC-One Openwork Automatic and Openwork Tourbillon also feature redesigned straps. Crafted with rubber on the surface and synthetic textile on its underside, these bi-material straps are designed to seamlessly integrate with the lugs. This minimizes any possible gaps between the lugs, strap, and wrist, which not only makes wearing the watch more comfortable but also protects the lugs and straps from being damaged by external aggressions.

CORUM Global Brand Ambassador Mr. Hu Bing Introduces the New 2019 Advertising Campaign

CORUM Global Brand Ambassador Mr. Hu Bing 

Interpreted in CORUM's 2019 Advertising Campaign 

Renowned for its excellent watchmaking techniques and innovative design aesthetics, Swiss watchmaker CORUM has been unceasingly devoted to constantly innovating and making breakthroughs of the boundaries of traditional watchmaking techniques, carrying forward the concept of fine watchmaking.

On 27th September 2018, CORUM officially announced that Mr. Hu Bing, the renowned Chinese actor and model, to be the brand's Global Ambassador. As a typical Chinese gentleman, Mr. Hu Bing's pursuit of excellence in his career and continuous breakthroughs in challenging himself are precisely the best interpretation of CORUM's persistent progress in fine watchmaking and repeated innovation. Therefore, in 2019, Mr. Hu Bing and CORUM continued to work together and completed a photo shoot for the new 2019 Advertising Campaign. It is worth mentioning that this shoot enjoyed the privilege of a celebrity-level photography crew, led by Jumbo Tsui, a leading figure among a new generation of Chinese fashion photographers, capturing every elegant and avant-garde moment. As an innovative creator of fashion images, Jumbo was honored as one of the representative Chinese creative figures by the British Fashion Council. Having worked with top-tier Chinese fashion media to create fashion shoots numerous times, Jumbo has also co-founded his own menswear brand SANS TITRE. Cruising around various fashion capitals around the globe, Jumbo continues to use his unique lens language and understanding of fashion to present a gorgeous visual world of fashion.

In this campaign, Mr. Hu Bing perfectly interprets eight CORUM timepieces with his elegant temperament and keen fashion sense. While presenting the Admiral collection, Mr. Hu Bing appeared in a mature and breezy look, showing the urban elegance and sporty style of the watch. Changing into the classic Golden Bridge watches, the suit-and-tie style presents the elegant gentleman of this collection. With a simple and modern look, Mr. Hu Bing vividly interprets the edgy modernity of the exquisite Heritage CORUM Lab 01 watches. Switching amidst various styles, Mr. Hu Bing demonstrates the mature temperament dimensionally as a graceful Chinese gentleman. The new campaign perfectly reflects the sizzling chemistry between him and CORUM.

During the shoot, Mr. Hu Bing constantly revealed his enthusiasm for CORUM: "I feel more excited and confident shooting the New 2019 Advertising Campaign after a year of partnership with CORUM. Now I have a deeper understanding of each collection and feel able to interpret the characteristics of the watches more skillfully. Golden Bridge collection is exquisite and elegant; Admiral represents vibrance and sportiness; other Corum watches with unique design features, such as those with a barrel shape, possess all of these key features. There are so many choices to use CORUM watches to interpret different fashion styles, and I appreciate all the individual styles they have to offer". When Mr. Hu Bing attends different occasions, he uses various CORUM watches to illustrate his multi-dimensional mix-and-match fashion styles.

Over the past 60 years, CORUM has established itself as an innovative fine watchmaking brand that presents a variety of novelties. It thus shows that "Craft Your Dreams" is not merely a slogan, but a belief in continuous exploration and a determination to go beyond itself. In the future, CORUM will continue to present timepieces worthy of collection through adhering to the traditional technique while combining with the spirit of exploring innovation at the same time. Meanwhile, CORUM also looks forward to launching closer cooperation with Mr. Hu Bing to explore the unfathomed charm of time in the world of fine watchmaking.

The Corum Admiral 42 Gets a Dark Twist

Corum unveils a mysterious, edgy and first-ever addition to their highly sought-after Admiral 42 collection, limited to 100 pieces.

It is no surprise that the popularity of black-on-black watches has been steadily rising over the past years. Being incredibly chic and versatile, entirely black timepieces pair well with both formal and casual dressing, at the same time allowing the wearer to indulge the best of both classical and contemporary design can offer. “Corum has always been concerned to develop and evolve its different collections together. In the past, we have already made a black titanium Golden Bridge and this year we will present a ruthenium coin watch. That's why we wanted to bring modernity to the Admiral collection with this full black edition,” explains the brand’s design team.

Born in the 1960s, the very first Admiral’s Cup model was an unusual yachting watch with a water-resistant square case. However, the Admiral collection that we are now familiar with, is actually an evolution of the Admiral’s Cup model redesigned in 1983, with its instantly recognizable 12-sided case and nautical pennants on the dial. Over the years, this collection dedicated to the world famous regatta has not only become an integral pillar of Corum, but also one of the most iconic nautical-inspired timepieces on the market.

In the year 2010, the Admiral collection celebrated its 50th anniversary, and at the same time, welcomed the launch of the Admiral Legend collection. Keeping in mind the iconic design codes of the original Admiral’s Cup model released in 1980s, the Admiral Legend collection proposed a family of elegant timepieces with a more modern and refined silhouette. The resulting Admiral Legend 42, with a slimmer case diameter, has gone on to become one of Corum’s bestselling models over the recent years.

One of the most identifiable characteristics of an Admiral timepiece is the use of 12 nautical pennants as hour markers. These flags in fact conform to the International Code of Signals for indicating numbers using colored flags, so each hour is represented by its corresponding pennant.

The latest Admiral 42 Full Black the complete opposite of its colorful predecessors, and a first-ever within the Admiral family of watches. It features the iconic dodecagonal case in black PVD-treated stainless steel, paired with a blackened brass dial. The nautical pennants, minute markers now presented in greyscale tones to balance the austerity of the all-black design, while markers for the minute and small seconds are made visible using a tone-on-tone effect.

According to Corum’s product development department, “The main objective is to go against the classic codes of watchmaking by proposing a trendy watch instead of a traditional case in steel or gold. In addition, Corum wanted to break the codes of its Admiral collection representing classic navigation. The nautical flags are not in color and we did not use the traditional blue and teak wood. This version is inspired by modern boats with their carbon hull.”

The Dauphine-style hour and minute hands are also skeletonized, given black PVD treatment, then filled with white superluminova to ensure excellent legibility. Vulcanized black rubber straps with a black PVD-treated buckle complete the edgy look. Devoid of colors, this dark knight of a watch is mysterious, sporty yet intriguingly handsome at the same time.

The Admiral 42 Full Black is powered by the automatic CO 395 movement, which provides 42 hours power reserve. It offers a water resistance of 50 meters. Produced in a limited edition of 100 pieces.