Admiral's Cup Seafender 44 Chrono Centro

A new reference to celebrate the 50th anniversary of an emblematic collection    

While 2010 marks the 55th anniversary of Corum’s founding by René Bannwart, this year is also the 50th    anniversary of one of its most iconic collections: the Admiral’s Cup. To celebrate the event in due style,  Corum has introduced a number of new models to the collection, including a Minute Repeater Tourbillon,  as well as its first diver’s watch. Continuing the year with a flourish, the brand from La Chaux-de-Fonds,  is now opting for an original exercise in style by presenting the Admiral’s Cup Seafender 44 Chrono Centro, a timepiece equipped with a mono-pusher chronograph.    

Whereas the classic twin-pusher chronograph is the most popular sports-watch complication, the mono-pusher chronograph is a much less common and more refined variation reserved for more initiated customers. This complication with its single pusher serving to stop, start and reset the chronograph is generally associated with models featuring a more classic appearance. In tune with its tradition of innovation and  originality, Corum has chosen to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Admiral’s Cup by once again rowing against the tide and introducing this particular complication. Thanks to the Corum-exclusive CO961 movement, the brand is even going a step further by deciding to rewrite the codes of the mono-pusher chronograph: the chronograph minute hand, traditionally placed in a dedicated subdial, is in this instance mounted on the same axis as the conventional hour and minute hands - hence the name “Centro”. In addition to resulting in a timepiece with an original face that is extremely uncluttered for a chronograph, it is also  patently more readable, especially since the chronograph minute hand has a particularly suitable design featuring a slender black base and a wider red tip.    

Further underscoring the sporting spirit of this watch, its 44mm case with its characteristic twelve-sided shape is made from ultra-light grade 5 titanium, covered with an extremely resistant matt black PVD coating with an impressive hardness of 1300 Vickers. The bezel is also black PVD-coated and features softened angles. The chronograph function is activated by a lever placed at 2 o’clock on the case middle, a particularly  ergonomic position.    

The multi-level dial, of which the center is adorned with Côtes de Genève – a decorative motif traditionally reserved for movements – is dominated by shades of dark grey and black, including the lacquered nautical pennants arranged around the inner bezel ring to indicate the hours, the black luminescent coating of the  facetted hands, the “30” and “60” numbers, and the applied chevrons. A sprinkling of red accents – the index  indicating the date in a large window, the minute-circle index and the chronograph minute hand – creates a  vivid contrast with the extreme-black design and reveals the bold character of this timepiece. Even the mechanical self-winding movement visible through the sapphire crystal is enhanced by a specific finish, since the oscillating weight is also black PVD-coated. This chronograph is chronometer-certified by the COSC, a sure  token of precision and reliability.    

Water-resistant to 100 meters, the Admiral’s Cup Seafender 44 Chrono Centro is fitted with a black vulcanized rubber strap and a titanium-capped steel folding clasp. It is issued in a limited numbered series of 555, a nod to the 50  th   anniversary of the Admiral’s Cup.    

And for those won over by the spirit of the Centro Chronograph – with its central minute hand – but who prefer a traditional twin-pusher chronograph and a more generously sized case, the Admiral’s Cup Seafender 48 Centro Mono is the reference model to look for.