Incredible Corum “Arc de Triomphe” reference 24.374.65, with an ovoid blue guilloche dial, a rectangular case paved with diamonds and sapphires, and an ISA 125 quartz movement, from the 1980s.
SPECIFICATIONS
18Kt yellow gold case measuring 21mm x 26mm
Original logoed crown
Original sapphire glass
Original black crocodile strap
Original 18Kt yellow gold buckle with logo
Quartz movement ISA 125 inside
ANALYSIS
Corum was born from an ambitious project 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 created a completely new vision of luxury watchmaking, centered 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.” Only “Corum” was registered on September 29, 1955. The brand’s logo, an upward-pointing key, is instantly recognizable and immediately captured the collective imagination as a symbol of extreme quality and opulent, whimsical luxury.
The 30-year period between the 1970s and 1990s represented the pinnacle of the Maison’s opulent products, and this incredible “Arc de Triomphe” is an emblem of this period of great imagination and aesthetic and conceptual creativity.
The ovoid-shaped dial features a stunning guilloché surface finish, made even more dynamic by the deep blue color. The use of color and the three-dimensionality of the finish converge to create a pursuit of contrasts between empty and full, between light and shadow, between absence and presence. The white enameled hour and minute hands rise above this surface, serving as a visual reference point, emphasizing this vibrant sense of depth. The gold-toned “Corum” signature at 12 o’clock is the only stabilizing element on the entire dial.
The case is a work of art. The name “Arc de Triomphe” is highly fitting, as a close look at just one of the two sections of the entire watch reveals a micro-reproduction of a triumphal arch, a hallmark of Roman architecture, later adopted in France and other parts of Europe. Corum’s creative designers took this structural and aesthetic concept and fused it with the colors of the most ancient architecture of 6th-century BC Babylon. The precise inspiration was the so-called “Gate of Istar,” the eighth gate of the inner city commissioned by King Nabucodonosor II in 575 BC and reconstructed at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. The lavish use of blue enamel and its gold decorations are the primary source of inspiration for this incredible watch-jewelry, composed of an 18KT yellow gold case studded with diamonds and sapphires on the upper and lower cornices. The sides are also inspired by the supporting beams of an arch’s pillars, and are punctuated by projecting elements that recall the bases and architraves of architecture. At the center of the right side is the beautiful crown with the Corum logo embossed on the surface.
Completing this insane piece is the original black crocodile strap, which disappears under the case as the lugs are camouflaged within the structure. The buckle is also exquisite, also in 18kt gold and finished with the heart-shaped key logo.
The case back is secured with four screws and conceals the ISA 125 quartz movement. This movement was produced from the late 1970s to the early 1990s by ISA Swiss SA. It has a quadrangular shape, 8 jewels, and refined Côte de Genève bridge workmanship.
