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10am Friday . . . . the 'Dual Tow' by Christophe ClaretPosted by IanS
From the press release: 2009 is a jubilee year in the history of Christophe Claret SA, a milestone that its owner wished to symbolise by releasing an exclusive timepiece produced under the company brand name and distributed by the finest retailers worldwide. The DualTow is a faithful reflection of the watchmaking philosophy inherent to Christophe Claret. Housing several inventions including one patented innovation, this single-pusher planetary-gear chronograph with striking mechanism and tourbillon expresses a combination of technical excellence and sophisticated aesthetics. It also embodies the merging of the wide variety of skills united within the company, since almost all operations involved in making it – from movement development to the machining of the sapphire dial-bridge – have been performed in-house. Representing a horological embodiment of power and energy, the DualTow is an ultra-refined machine for measuring time. With its original “belt” display of the hours and minutes, the model features an ultra-technical and classically elegant appearance. Technically speaking, the mechanical hand-wound CC20A movement boasts an impressive number of innovations and stylistic refinement. One particularly striking example is a gong that sounds each time the chronograph pusher is activated, in a playful allusion to the expertise of the Manufacture in the field of striking watches. 
DUALTOW SINGLE-PUSHER PLANETARY-GEAR CHRONOGRAPH WITH STRIKING MECHANISM MOVEMENT: Dimensions: 32.60 x 40 x 10.70 mm Number of parts: 582 Number of jewels: 73 Power Reserve: Over 50 hours Barrels: Twin barrels placed in parallel Tourbillon: - Swiss lever escapement - Balance oscillation frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vph) - Tourbillon rotation frequency : 1 revolution/minute Functions: - Hour and minute display on belts - Single-pusher planetary-gear chronograph - Mechanical striking mechanism sounding each change of function (start, stop and reset) - 12-hour, 60-minute and 60-second chronograph counters - Operating mode indicator - Mechanical hand-wound movement - Power-Reserve display DUALTOW SINGLE-PUSHER PLANETARY-GEAR CHRONOGRAPH WITH STRIKING MECHANISM EXTERIOR: Case: - Watch glasses specially designed and manufactured to ensure an ergonomic fit - Rectangular, curving; fitted with exclusive mobile lugs enabling a perfect fit on the wrist - Dimensions : 42.75 x 48.20 mm (not counting the lugs) - Water Resistant: 3 ATM or 30 metres Display belts: In rubber with transferred hour and minute numerals Flange: Flange with chronograph seconds markers cut from five different stones Dynamometric crown and pusher: Rubber-moulded Dial: Sapphire crystal serving as a bridge for the chronograph counters and featuring transferred chronograph hour and minute counters, chronograph operating mode, Christophe Claret brand name and ‘Swiss Made’ indication Buckle: Triple-blade folding clasp with decorative covers and an innovative system enabling comfort-enhancing 10 mm wrist extension Series: Limited edition of 68 timepieces; each unique Ian Skellern -Revolution Online moderator www.facebook.com/underthedial twitter.com/underthedial
But the rubber display belt is too tacky for my liking, cheapens the whole presentation. Sorry.
BTW, where is the PR display? And what is that between the chrono counters? A column wheel? Are the gongs of the same material between the 2 versions? Thanks Ian, Lionel
but the rubber display belt is too tacky for me and spoiled the presentation. Sorry.
What is that between the chrono counters? A column wheel? And I can't find the PR display too. Are the gongs of both versions made of the same material cos they are colored differently. Thanks Ian! Lionel
11 and 1 o'clock : chronograph hour and minute counters displayed on a sapphire crystal. Central chronograph seconds. 12 o’clock: chronograph activation system, composed of a column wheel surrounded by levers and hammers. 6 o'clock: tourbillon The gongs on the two models are made of the same material, but can be coated for colour. The Dual Tow is certainly a more complicated watch than the Opus 9, but what makes the latter so special in my opinion was that it has gone against the fashion of ever more complex and complicated functions in a return for pure elegance. Who would ever have imagined an Opus indicating just hours and minutes. That's its audacity. Ian Skellern -Revolution Online moderator www.facebook.com/underthedial twitter.com/underthedial
Thanks for pointing out the location and the reply but where is the PR display?
Pardon the double post, I didn't realise postings has to be vetted now prior to posting (is that a new policy or maybe my laptop is really getting cranky  )
I agree with you on the return to simplicity but HW won't be the only one, with consensus all round on the return to simple time-telling. I like the concept of linear time representation but in the Opus 9, the bulk has deterred a lot from liking it. Next is the use of diamonds which many of my watch friends don't particularly like. If the fact that the Dual Tow can be done in a smaller casing, there's no excuse for the Opus 9 not to be toned down too. Of course the movement will not be the same but the concept is after all, similar. Any wristshot of this watch available? Thanks again Ian. Lionel
Thank you very much Ian, for taking time to explain things.
I would dearly love to see the two different movements from Dual Tow and Opus 9, as well as the sapphire crystal case of the Opus 9. Could it possible to see the sketches of the Opus 9, those that were shown during the briefing/presentation in your Opus 9 post? BTW, conventional casing seems to have taken a cue from the independents and Omega. There's a marked interest in displaying the side profile of movements now, which is good. But that also means the case is usually taller! What a conundrum for me! 
Lionel
The Opus 9 sapphire crystal case is shaped like a hip flask with the top and bottom cut off. Many manufacturers said it was impossible to make and polish that shaped crystal without gluing two halves together . . . but they eventually found somebody who said, 'I'll try'.
The movement - in two pieces (hour and minute side) slides in from the two ends. 
The diamonds are not just an added extra: they make up the chain and the time indication. That chain had to made to incredibly tight tolerances. Ian Skellern -Revolution Online moderator www.facebook.com/underthedial twitter.com/underthedial
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