FLIP A COIN

Corum brings back its Coin watch but with a new twist.

Corum brings back its Coin watch but with a new twist.

Amid the snazzy-looking watches from the Admiral, Golden Bridge or Bubble collections, it's easy to forget that, within Corum, there exists a line of simple and classic watches. This is where its Coin watches are positioned within the Corum portfolio. This year, however, the brand is taking its philosophy of bringing innovation while preserving tradition to watchmaking, and giving the Coin watches a whole new dimension.

Where the previous versions were built upon largely unmodiﬁed one- or 20-dollar coins, the hobo coins used in the new Corum Hobo Coin watch have been meticulously engraved by freelance artist Aleksey Saburov. The hobo coin ﬁnds its roots in American culture, in the era of World War I. Traditionally, these ﬁve-cent coins made of nickel featured engravings done by travelling workers who crossed the continent in freight trains, soldiers bound for the front during World War I, or penniless artists seeking a ﬂeeting American dream. Done well, these engravings marginally increased the value of these low-denomination coins.

Each coin dial by Saburov will come housed in a 43mm case powered by an automatic mechanical movement. As every dial will be engraved by hand, each will be a unique piece.

THE HOBO COIN

These days, authentic hobo coins are so rare that, in America, there is even an organisation – the Original Hobo Nickel Society – set up to preserve this heritage in 1992. It continues to organise auctions for these old coins and even catalogue works by new and old artists.

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE

Timothy Oulton is always interesting and his 2018 collection again pushes boundaries, featuring innovative pieces handmade over countless hours using simple tools and beautiful materials. As always, the designer is inspired by the past, presenting old ideas from modern perspectives, giving them twists that are innovative and, simply, gorgeous. The Inception Coffee Table, for example, is inspired by inﬁnity mirrors from the 1970s. It features a glass tabletop that lights up within to reveal a seemingly endless line of reﬂections, appearing smaller and smaller as they fade into the distance. LED antique bulbs create a lighting effect that’s soft and mellow, perfect for evening entertaining. An elegant glass-topped table when the lights are off , it transforms, when it’s turned on, into a portal that takes you into another dimension, a suitably dramatic addition to your living room.

DEFYING DOOMSDAY

MB&F has never been afraid to let the imagination soar, creating horological masterpieces that are radical kinetic sculptures, yet still underpinned by traditional, high-quality watchmaking.

The brand’s latest “machine”, The Fifth Element, is an intergalactic horological weather station that allows for accurate weather forecasting, even when the power goes out. Four elements, modelled after 1950-60s UFOs, make up the clock (Swiss clockmaker L’Epee 1839 re-engineered and skeletonised its eight-day clock movement to maximise visual access). A barometer, hygrometer and thermometer are all combined in a mothership. The ﬁnal, fantastical detail is the alien pilot, Ross, who’s powered by his own manually wound movement as he rotates around the UFO’s cockpit. Available in three limited editions of 18 pieces each in black, silver or blue.

FOR THE RECORD

Continuing Metaxas & Sins' track record of creating audio equipment that look as stunning as they sound, the Phonographic Perambulator No. 1 is machined from a solid block of aircraft aluminium and titanium that eliminates resonances. The turntable also features a belt-drive system that rotates the platter without adding any external speed variations and issues, while the dedicated tone arm is a pure sapphire tube with jewelled bearings.

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