News: Ateliers deMonaco Admiral Chrono Flyback Saphir
You might not have heard of independent watch manufacture Ateliers deMonaco, but you’ll have definitely heard of its parent company: Frederique Constant. Where the former specialises in affordable luxury, Ateliers deMonaco is making a name for itself catering to the exclusive. Based in Monaco, the brand creates only small production lines of very high-end timepieces. Ateliers deMonaco debuted with the Grand Tourbillon XP in 2009, a watch that was developed and manufactured entirely in-house. Since then, it has released a number of exclusive pieces that merge Swiss watchmaking with the chic, elegant style that Monaco is renowned for.
The brand’s latest piece, the Admiral Chrono Flyback Saphir seems to be no exception. Limited to just 88 pieces in rose gold and 88 pieces in white gold, the watch is a handsome flyback chronograph. It’s powered by the dMc-760 movement, which was created in-house, and beats at 28,800vph. It’s finished to a really spectacular level, with perlage and satinage circulaire finishing on the bridges and a 22kt gold hand-engraved rotor. The flyback complication allows its wearer to immediately reset and restart the chronograph during active timing, and the dial features two subdials and 3 and 9 o’clock.
And it’s the dial that is really the standout feature of this watch. It’s made entirely of sapphire crystal, which offers a unique perspective of the movement at every glance. The watch’s Roman numerals add a timelessly classic quality to the dial, and in order to affix them in place, the watchmakers at Ateliers deMonaco had to pierce 50 individual holes into the sapphire.
The movement is enclosed in a case that’s 43mm in diameter, and comes on a brown or black hand-stitched alligator leather strap. The combination of the modern-looking dial with the classic case make it a versatile piece, although the exclusivity of the line will probably encourage a similarly exclusive price tag.
