Selection: Thevintageur x italianwatchspotter
SPECIFICHE
Extravagant Corum “Pyramid” with a rhomboidal case in solid 18Kt gold, ultra-thin quartz movement, ETA 279.001, from the 1980s.
Rhomboid case in solid 18Kt yellow gold
Case dimensions: 28mm x 30mm
Corona originale
Original pyramid-shaped crystal
Leather strap
Original logo buckle
Ultra-thin quartz movement, ETA 279.001
ANALISI
Corum began as an ambitious project from the very beginning by Gaston Ries, a Swiss businessman with a passion for watches. In 1955, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, he created the first nucleus of what would soon become the Corum factory. He called upon his nephew, René Bannwart, who had worked for Patek Philippe and especially Omega as head of the design department. Together, they implemented a completely new vision of luxury watchmaking, focused on the finest materials, imaginative and eclectic design, and obsessive attention to detail. The name “Corum” (derived from the Latin “Quorum”) first appeared in June 1955, associated with the registration of another name, “Seducta.” “Corum” alone was registered on September 29, 1955. The Maison’s logo, an upward-pointing key, is immediately recognizable and immediately enters the collective imagination as a symbol of extreme quality and opulent and bizarre luxury.
The Corum “Pyramid” is the very essence of these concepts.
It features a clean, all-gold dial, devoid of any hour or minute markers. At 12 o’clock, the Corum logo appears, surmounted by the applied logo. The two pencil-shaped hands, also gilded, are highlighted. This apparent simplicity of the dial contrasts with the shape and decoration of the case.
The 18K yellow gold case is rhomboidal and terminates in two “T”-shaped lugs, culminating in two micro-pyramidal protuberances on the sides. Above the bezel, there are explicit references to ancient Egypt: in each of the four corners, there is the key known as the “Ankh” (in ancient Egypt, it signified eternal life and promised protection for the living and the dead as they ascended to the heavens among the stars). The entire design of the watch evokes the mystery and opulence of ancient Pharaonic Egypt, and to complete this inspiration, a magnificent pyramid-shaped crystal of the highest craftsmanship sits above the dial. Its multifaceted, three-dimensional nature makes this watch a true sculpture.
It houses the ultra-thin ETA 279.001 movement, introduced in the late 1970s and later replaced by the 976.001 movement around 1985. It’s a highly advanced cushion-shaped quartz movement: it has 6 jewels, is just 1.95mm thin, and has a battery life of approximately 76 months.
