Easily one of Corum’s most iconic collections, the Admiral embraces the spirit of contemporary design inspired by a long history with maritime sailing. This collection is beloved by collectors, especially those with a yearning to indulge in an active yet elegant lifestyle. Now, Corum’s master craftsmen unveil six new versions of the coveted Admiral 42 Automatic with a distinctive dial motif.
It was three years after the inaugural America’s Cup reenactment race (celebrating the 1851 America’s Cup regatta, which today is the oldest international sailing competition) in 1957, that Corum released its first Admiral watch. The brand worked with the race organization, for which it was a sponsor, to establish the first then-square Admiral watches that made their debut in 1960.
Two decades later, in 1980, the Admiral collection was totally reimagined. It now boasted the 12-sided (dodecagonal) case shape and colored sailing pennants that quickly garnered it a cult-like following and elevated the series to the legendary status it enjoys to this day. In the decades since, the Admiral has enjoyed grand attention as new and more visionary evolutions (always inspired by marine races and sailing) set the stage for this master of the seas timepiece.
Today, as Corum answers the call of contemporary casual navigators and lovers of the sea, it brings new versions to the forefront that are ready to go the distance. Each of the six versions boasts a dial with the three-dimensional Grenadier fendu motif that was entirely designed in house in La Chaux-de-Fonds by the Corum team in 2019, and is unique and proprietary to the brand. Thus far, this dial motif has only been used on the 38mm and 45mm Admiral Automatic watches, so this marks a first for the Admiral 42 Automatic.
Essentially, the six new versions boast two dial colors among them: a rich Mediterranean sea blue and a striking midnight black. Each dial color is offered in three models: stainless steel case and bracelet; stainless steel case with color coordinated alligator leather strap; stainless steel case with 18-karat 5N rose gold bezel and crown and color-coordinated alligator leather strap with triple folding clasp.
A tour around the dial of each watch showcases an outer chapter flange with the famed nautical pennants transferred in outlined format and minute indexes, applied hour markers and white Super-LumiNova coated Dauphine skeletonized hands, date at 3:00 via an aperture and subsidiary small seconds dial at 6:00.
The sapphire crystal of each watch is treated with an anti-reflective coating, as is the case back that allows for viewing of the movement. Each watch is powered by the automatic CO 395 caliber that beats at 4 Hz and offers 42 hours of power reserve. Thanks to a screwed in case back, the Admiral 42 Automatic watches are water resistant to 100 meters. They are a tour de force perfect for today’s lifestyles.