The starting point, the thing that makes these two watches so special, is the collaboration that inspired them. Both timepieces pay homage to our partnership with Alpine Motorsports. They’re finely tuned to the aesthetic tastes of the endurance racing team and its Formula 1 drivers. Notice the exquisite engineering, the bold touches of colour, the comfortable strap made to fit all wrists. From every angle, the watches have been crafted to reflect the adrenaline-pumping nature of motorsport. We’ve removed any superfluous material, creating fully skeletonised versions that enable the movement to be admired from any perspective. 

At the very heart of these watches is a one-minute flying tourbillon fitted with a cylindrical hairspring positioned at 6 o’clock. It blends tradition and innovation, exemplifying the expertise of our sister company, Precision Engineering AG. The cylindrical hairspring was invented in the 18th century, but these uber modern watches are a reflection of its timelessness. Fitted with two Breguet overcoils attached at two points, the cylindrical hairspring reduces the friction of the pivots and improves the isochronism properties (even more so if the hairspring is combined with a tourbillon, as is the case here). You can see the hairspring rise perpendicularly around the upper stem of the balance spindle. These days, the cylindrical hairspring is difficult to produce because it requires expertise that has been lost. Each hairspring is shaped by hand, and it takes ten times as long to produce as a traditional hairspring. 

On both watches, the automatic calibre HMC 811 is fully skeletonised on both the front and the back. You can see the large openworked gold rotor oscillating. The charm of this movement is further magnified by the lightness of the flying tourbillon, glinting and twirling gracefully under the sapphire crystal.

Both watches come with delightful little details. At 12 o’clock, the skeletonised main dials are topped with small translucent domed dials, following the curves of the sapphire crystal and sporting the signature hues of Alpine Motorsports and H. Moser & Cie. (on the blue version) and BWT (on the pink one). The shades are bright and distinctive thanks to the clarity of the synthetic spinel. 

These synthetic crystals are of incredibly high quality and difficult to machine. It adds intensity and great value to the timepiece. On the pink version, the domed dial is crafted from synthetic corundum, made from the same material as the movement’s jewel bearings, resulting in an intense hue of pink and clear transparency. The eye-catching blue and pink straps are made from rubber and imitate the texture of textile straps. They offer durability and comfort without compromising sophistication. 

Why did we create two iterations in blue and pink? Well, the BWT Alpine F1 Team’s A524 has been racing in two liveries this season. Inspired by contemporary artist Felipe Pantone, both liveries showcase the core black hue. For sixteen races, the car will flaunt Alpine’s signature blue and black. To celebrate BWT’s third year with Alpine, the cars donned a pink livery for eight races, highlighting this title alliance. Naturally, we’ve designed two pieces that capture the essence of both liveries. The blue version was limited to 100 pieces and the pink one to 20 pieces. Two exhilarating timepieces, forged for discerning connoisseurs.