Regarded as testimony to the origins of the universe, meteorites are fragments of asteroids or comets that travel through space for millions or possibly billions of years. Very few actually reach the Earth, since they generally disintegrate upon entering the atmosphere and are revealed by shooting stars observed on summer nights.

While the peoples of the Great Namaqualand have known the Gibeon meteorite for centuries, it was officially discovered in 1836 in this arid region of Namibia by the Scottish explorer J.E. Alexander. It is precisely from these fragments of eternity scattered across around 250 square kilometers that Corum has chosen to fashion the dial of its new Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Meteorite Dual Time, delivered with a certificate of origin confirming the authenticity of the Gibeon meteorite.

Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Meteorite Dual Time by Corum

Carving a meteorite to make a watch dial calls for a rare breed of expertise. The material is brittle and hard to work with, whereas the surfaces must nonetheless be perfectly cut and finished in order not to impede the smooth running of the timepiece. Such was the challenge successfully met by the Corum artisans.

After a number of delicate entirely hand-crafted operations, each dial reveals its unique nuances determined by the fascinating Widmanstätten patterns, intricate figures of long nickel-iron crystals that create striking visual contrasts. Beautifully framed by the iconic twelve-sided case of the Admiral’s Cup Collection, the meteorite dial is graced with applied hour-markers and 5N red gold-plated luminescent hands. The dual-time display appears at 12 o’clock, while the small seconds hand sweeps around a counter at 6 o’clock and the date is shown through a window at 3 o’clock. The automatic CO 283 movement powering these complications beats at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour) and has a 72-hour power reserve. The Côtes de Genève finishing on its lower bridges is revealed through the transparent case-back, along with the oscillating weight adorned with special Corum decorations.

Issued in a 75-piece limited edition, the Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Meteorite Dual Time exudes an aura of classically inspired elegance admirably expressed through a 42 mm-diameter case in 5N 18kt red gold. It remains loyal to the identity codes that have forged the legend of the Admiral’s Cup and indeed underscores its nautical origins by an inner bezel ring bearing the iconic nautical pennants extending the hour-markers. Water-resistant to 30 meters, it is fitted with a black alligator leather strap secured by an 5N 18kt red gold pin buckle engraved with the Corum logo.

Source: Corum