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Last year at Basel, Thomas Morf, the CEO of Carl F. Bucherer, introduced the brand's in-house movement, the CFB A1000, developed completely by its subsidiary Carl F. Bucherer Technologies, located in Ste-Croix, Switzerland. This year, the brand is introducing the first watch to utilize this new movement, the Patravi EvoTec DayDate.
Though in the Patravi collection, Morf decided to use a different case than has been used before in the Patravi line for the EvoTec Day Date. “We wanted it to be a Patravi, but we wanted it to be recognizable as the watch that is using the new movement,” Morf explains. “It has all the elements of the Patravi, but we haven’t chosen round or tonneau, but another shape - the cushion.”



Thomas Morf


Readability was the primary element of the watch, and Carl F. Bucherer has certainly achieved its goal. The watch features a big date and day of the week display, as well as a small running seconds in an interesting configuration on the uncluttered dial.
According to Morf, the development of the two additional functions (day/date) was done within 12 months, a remarkably short time, made possible by the know-how at Carl F. Bucherer Technologies.
The most important characteristic of the CFB A1000 base movement is its synthesis of conventional and innovative elements. Tried and tested technology, such as the classic Swiss escapement and traditional train, is combined with a highly progressive caliber design that permits an unimpeded view of the bridges, bars and balance spring. What has made this possible is a very different way of positioning, guiding and structuring the rotor and self-winding system gear train. Quite deliberately, the watchmakers at Carl F. Bucherer Technologies turned away from the traditional central rotor, which always covers half of the movement and requires additional height. A micro-rotor integrated into the movement was also rejected, because it reduces the amount of space available for other components. The result is the peripheral rotor, which turns on the outside of the movement.
The EvoTec DayDate is only the beginning of the developments based around this movement. From the start, Morf promised that the CFB A1000 movement, with its unique peripheral rotor, would be the workhorse of the brand.




CFB A1000


“There is a full roll out of the complications over the next couple of years based on this movement,” Morf says. “We are not going to do a chronograph module for this movement, as we are developing an integrated chronograph, but there will be many more useful complications using the CFB A1000 as a base.
”I have always said that the vision of the brand is to be an internationally recognized brand in the premium section,“Morf continues.”Innovation is important to us and this shows that we have taken a major step forward to get where we want to be. Carl F. Bucherer Technologies gives us the freedom to develop whatever we want and decide our direction."
Morf is quick to point out that Carl F. Bucherer is both classic and modern, but the watches will never be gadgets to gizmos. “People who buy Carl F. Bucherer are looking for something more progressive,” he says. “We combine traditional watchmaking with a forward-thinking look. Timelessness and authenticity is very important to the brand.”
The EvoTec will be available in two versions, one in steel and rubber and the other in pink gold. Later in the year, the brand will introduce the EvoTec 1919, a limited edition watch designed to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the brand (Carl F. Bucherer watches began in 1919), with just 90 pieces available worldwide.
The retail price of the Patravi EvoTec has not yet been determined, but rest assured it will be reasonable. Morf doesn't want to make watches that cost $200,000, that's not the brand's niche. It will be, however, at the top of the Carl F. Bucherer regular range, as it represents the innovation and ability of the brand. “We have so much expertise in the company now, we can do just about anything,” Morf says. “Making the most complicated watch in the world isn’t where we want to go. We want to make watches that will work and offer something different.”





Source: Europa Star April-May 2009 Magazine Issue