Romvlvs Retrograde Annual Calendar

Romvlvs Retrograde Annual Calendar is the first annual date watch in the history of CORUM. It enriches the Romvlvs line with a rare complication, but one which is of evident use to its fortunate owner: an annual date with retrograde date display as an additional exclusive touch.

This self-winding movement is a CORUM exclusive. All the movement blanks have been styled by CORUM in a design specific to the spirit of the Romvlvs line, with a snailed bottom plate, circular-grain periphery and vertical “Côtes de Genève” decoration for the bridges and oscillating weight. The latter bears the engraved name of CORUM in which the shape of the letters interacts with the outline of the décor. The whole movement can be admired through the sapphire crystal on the case back, held in position by six screws. This absolutely unique movement endows this Romvlvs model with a character that is all the more exclusive as its production is limited to less than one hundred pieces.

The matt black sun engine-turned dial is engraved with sixty rays setting out from the centre and impresses the observer with the understated modern design. The day and month apertures, at 9 and 3 o'clock respectively, bordered by a white or red 18 kt gold chapter, open up in a trapezoidal shape against the edge of the flange. They are highlighted by two black cartouches bearing the words “Day” and “Month” in white capital letters. On another black cartouche, the silvered CORUM logo takes pride of place at noon while the minute circle indexes appear in white on the flange and the date figures from 1 to 31 on the arc of a circle running from 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock. The function of the retrograde annual calendar movement is also indicated in white capital letters on the base of the flange at 6 o'clock. The hour and minute hands are plated with 18 kt white or red gold. Sand-blasted and diamond-polished finishes alternate on the sword-shaped hands. The date hand has an open work

red arrow head. At the end of the month of 30 or 31 days, it automatically reverts in a retrograde movement to the first day of the next month.

The water-resistant 41 mm (30 m) diameter case, is made of 18 kt red or white gold. The case is curved to provide a perfect fit for a bezel that is also domed, bearing the famous Roman numerals that are the true signature of the ROMVLVS design. Production of the bezel by stamping requires more than fifty passes to obtain the desired accuracy and finish of the Roman numerals.

The top of the bezel is polished; this makes a superb contrast with the fine-brushed engraving of the Roman numerals. Finally, the glare proof sapphire crystal, cut to shape, domed on top and concave below, required the creation of special tooling to insert the crystal in the bezel by hand on each timepiece. The movement functions are adjusted by means of a big fluted crown engraved with the CORUM key, and by three correctors on the

periphery of the case, at 10 o'clock for the date, 8 o'clock for the day and 2 o'clock for the month. This model is worn on a superb crocodile leather strap, hand-stitched, with an 18 kt red or white gold tang buckle bearing the CORUM logo.