On the heels of launching its dynamic “Risk is the Reward” campaign, Corum takes the concept of daring innovation to all new heights with the Corum LAB 02 timepiece. Defying all watchmaking convention, the technically advanced watch boasts a new movement that was two years in the research and development stages. Revolutionary in its design, the new caliber is equipped with a flying gear train, and a host of other firsts for the brand.
The LAB 02 is a perfect example of aesthetic perfection and extraordinary craftsmanship. The highly complicated manual movement stretches the imagination as well as the physical constraints of watchmaking. In its creation, Corum’s development team’s members challenged themselves to offer not only a flying tourbillon, but also a flying gear train of sorts. The question they posed: “What if the movement doesn’t have bridges?” They then tirelessly pursued their unconventional quest.
Two years later, Corum unleashes the LAB 02. Its caliber CO 300 consists of an impressive 416 individual components, each meticulously skeletonized and finely finished. Each piece is hand assembled in a unique format with a flying tourbillon at 6:00, with flying wheels that track the hours, minutes and seconds, and with the bridge set directly onto the mainplate.
Additionally, building a movement that is not sandwiched between the mainplate and bridge was a technical challenge that had to be overcome. The LAB02 required a much longer axis for the gear train, and, without having a top bridge, needed ball bearings instead of rubies on the mainplate to add strength and stability. The single mainplate has also been highly skeletonized. The entire movement is then placed on a fully transparent sapphire plate that allows for magnificent visibility and gives the appearance that the elements are all floating in space.
LAB 02 is further equipped with a grand date function at 4:00 and its power reserve indicator (55 hours) is unusually placed so that it is visible via a sapphire glass on the side of the case at 8:00. Because of the extremely complicated nature of this 45mm watch, just 10 pieces will be made, each identified by a specific plate number on the barrel.
Each LAB 02 can be customized, as well, enabling personal selection of the color of gold, the choice of diamond cuts and settings, or even of colored gemstones. The starting price of the watch, in gold, without diamonds, is CHF 180,000.
Staying true to its founding philosophy of always being Avant Garde in order to preserve its future, Corum developed the LAB series to showcase its unprecedented foray into distinctive and fearless watchmaking. The LAB 02 is the second laboratory watch to make its debut, with LAB 01 released in early 2019. This new pillar of the Corum family pays tribute to the brand’s founders who were always risk takers and nonconformists. The entire premise of the LAB series is to break the mold by thinking outside of the proverbial box. LAB 02 certainly delivers.
Unveiled in 1960, only five years after the brand’s creation, the Admiral collection embodies Corum’s maritime watchmaking heritage. Although it has always been loyal to its DNA, Corum has never been afraid to set sail for distant shores. That’s the case today with the Admiral 42 Bronze, a timepiece that showcases both a nautical design and watchmaking mechanics. Trendy chic and sporty, the collection features two new models housed in Bronze cases in order to pay tribute to the beauty and strength of the brass material used in old ships.
A living material
The special alloy of bronze used for the case and bezel will evolve over time to obtain a vintage patina. In order to be as homogeneous as possible over time, a unique satin-brushed finishing has been done on the entire case including the iconic dodecagonal bezel.
Faithful to the nautical roots of the Admiral collection, the model features the 12 pennant-shaped hour markers on the dial. The nautical colour palette of navy blue or maritime green dial fit perfectly with the associated colours alligator straps.
Equipped with a Corum automatic movement visible through the sapphire case back, the watch features a small second at 6 o’clock and a date at 3 o’clock.
Water resistant to 50 meters, the Admiral 42 Bronze is the perfect watch for all sailing afficionados.
Corum colors the mysterious and edgyAdmiral 42 Automatic Full Black timepiece.
Born in the 1960s, the very first Admiral’s Cup model was an unusual yachting watch with a water-resistant square case. However, the Admiral collection that we are now familiar with, is actually an evolution of the Admiral’s Cup model redesigned in 1983, with its instantly recognizable 12-sided case and nautical pennants on the dial. Over the years, this collection dedicated to the world-famous regatta has not only become an integral pillar of Corum, but also one of the most iconic nautical-inspired timepieces on the market.
One of the most identifiable characteristics of an Admiral timepiece is the use of 12 nautical pennants as hour markers. These flags in fact conform to the International Code of Signals for indicating numbers using colored flags, so each hour is represented by its corresponding pennant.
The latest Admiral 42 Automatic Full Black is the complete opposite of its colorful predecessors, and a first-ever within the Admiral family of watches. It features the iconic dodecagonal case in black PVD-treated stainless steel, paired with a blackened brass dial. The nautical pennants, minute markers presented in greyscale tones to balance the austerity of the all-black design, while markers for the minute and small seconds are made visible using a tone-on-tone effect. For this spring season, Corum introduces colorful and flashy hour’s markers flags, in blue, red, yellow, green and orange.
According to Corum’s product development department, “The main objective is to go against the classic codes of watchmaking by proposing a trendy watch instead of a traditional case in steel or gold. In addition, Corum wanted to break the codes of its Admiral collection representing classic navigation. The nautical flags of this new Admiral 42 Automatic are colored in different flashy tints.”
The Dauphine-style hour and minute hands are also skeletonized, given black PVD treatment, then filled with colored superluminova to ensure excellent legibility. Vulcanized black rubber straps with a black PVD-treated buckle complete the edgy look.
The original version, in “full black” of this Admiral 42 automatic, was created to bring this dark knight of a watch as mysterious, sporty yet intriguingly handsome at the same time.
The Admiral 42 Automatic Full Black is powered by the automatic CO 395 movement, which provides 42 hours power reserve. It offers a water resistance of 50 meters. All variations produced in a limited edition of 100 pieces.
In a major move designed not only to celebrate its 65th birthday, but also to revisit its roots and position itself for a strong future, Corum unveils an exciting full-brand revamp and launches its “Risk is the Reward” campaign.
Relatively young in the centuries-old watchmaking world, Corum was born 65 years ago in 1955 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Since its inception, Corum has regularly been on the cutting-edge of design and aesthetics – introducing powerful collections that were always ahead of their time. Last year, the brand made a strategic decision to relaunch using its rich history of innovation to propel it forward. After revisiting its incredibly creative past, the brand revitalizes the very essence of its avant-garde DNA in a visionary and modern manner.
Corum’s new “Risk is the Reward” campaign underscores everything the brand has accomplished in its 65 years. Identifying risk more as an opportunity for success than as a peril or fear, Corum has always been a risk taker when it comes to unveiling incredibly daring product collections that became icons, including the first sports theme model, Admirals, Haute Couture with the Feather Watch, truly “Time Is Money” with the Coin, and of course the Golden Bridge with a watch in its purest form. The new campaign reinforces Corum’s unparalleled willingness to take chances and do things that others have not done before. After all, it is precisely this philosophy and way of thinking that has propelled the brand forward decade after decade.
The all-encompassing “Risk is the Reward” campaign concept is about approaching life with a daring and adventurous spirit. As such, Corum has aligned itself with ambassadors who are also risk takers in their fields. They are people who embody the philosophies of Corum: of thinking outside the proverbial box and against all odds in order to move forward, of being more original and intrepid than anyone else, and of remaining true to themselves no matter what. Among those ambassadors are Miralem Pjanic, footballer for Juventus Turin who fled his homeland with his family to safety during the Bosnian War and then pursued his dreams, and Chinese actor Hu Bing, an aspiring yachtsman who had to retire in his early 20’s due to injury. He then entered the world of acting, pushing himself assiduously to embody characters that leave a vivid and lasting impression.
The campaign is the first step of an amazing new adventure for the brand. Not content, though, with shout-outs to the anniversaries, Corum is creating a new Avant Garde style with the Lab 02, and is re-developing its collections to showcase the philosophy of the brand. Those fantastic new watches will be launched progressively over the next 12 months.
The adventurous and provocative nature of Corum is captured in the new campaign, which will have digital, social media and print outreach. The print ad for the Admiral line, for instance, showcases a bird’s eye view of the crashing ocean waters as a yacht maneuvers in a race, while the Golden Bridge ad depicts a spectacular view of another architectural icon, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, which was declared one of the wonders of the modern world – much like the status of the Golden Bridge watch in the modern horological world. For the magnificent, high-tech Damascus steel LAB 01 collection, a stunning black-and-white zebra-motif from nature provides the brilliant visual. Even the evocative Miss Golden Bridge with snow-set diamonds appears with a moody blue snowflake backdrop.
A true non-conformist, Corum demonstrates its pioneering spirit in a host of other ways, as well. It is the only company that does not have a CEO at the helm, but instead has a three-person management team (a quorum) reporting to the owner. This process enables it to move more swiftly and inventively when it comes to decision making, such as with the “Risk is the Reward” campaign and its highly creative soft launch. For this, Corum took another risk no other brand has taken. It reached out to noted journalists, collectors and designers, and interviewed them on video for social media about their feelings for the brand and its watches. A novel method — with real people talking real feelings — it makes the brand highly approachable and genuine.
After all, the “Risk is the Reward” concept is designed to let today’s customers see that Corum, a brand that may be under the radar compared to older, more established brands, is worth taking the risk on. Customers are buying into the brand’s rich history of being distinctive, and the majority of today’s young buyers are looking to differentiate themselves, make their own statements, and be leaders in time – just like Corum.
Corum is pleased to announce that Miralem Pjanić who plays as one of the best midfielder for Serie A club Juventus and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, has joined the Swiss watchmaker as a Brand Ambassador.
Pjanić was born on 2 April 1990 in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in what was then Yugoslavia.
As social and political tensions rose in Bosnia, Pjanić’s father looked for alternative options to move his family to safety. Shortly before the outbreak of the Bosnian War they settled in Luxembourg. Although they had arrived with very little and did not speak the local language, they learned quickly and took at alternate times of the day in order to provide a stable and successful place for Miralem and his brother and sister to grow up.
Miralem flourished at the game and while playing in Luxembourg, he drew interest from several Belgian, Dutch and German clubs, but in 2004 at the age of 13, the talented teenager made the decision and took the risk to leave his family to join FC Metz in France.
Rising quickly through Metz’s Academy, he made his professional debut at the age of 17 in 2007.
Following this Pjanić transferred to another French club Olympique Lyonnaise in 2008 and joined AS Roma in 2011.
During his time in Rome, Pjanić established himself as one of the best midfielders in Serie A finishing his best season in with 10 goals and 12 assists. While at Roma he was nicknamed “il Piccolo Principe” (The Little Prince).
Having caught the eye of Juventus F.C. in 2016, Pjanić signed for 32 million Euros and has since been an integral part of their team, winning three Serie A’s, two Coppa Italia’s, and for 4 years in a row has been included in the Serie A Team of the Year. He was also named in the 2016–17
UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season, for his role in Juventus’s run to the Final. At Juventus he is affectionately known as “Il Pianista” (“the Pianist”; Bosnian: “Pijanist”) in reference to his surname and his creative role on the pitch.
Throughout Pjanić’s career he has excelled at free-kicks, making him one of the most skillful and versatile midfielders in Europe. Overall in his career, he has scored 66 goals with more than 100 decisive passes, nimbly assisting his teammates with his range of short and long, while remaining “calm and focused” in order to fulfil his potential and consequently assisting his team to victory.
With over 100 match wins, Pjanić prides himself on hard work, precision, use of space on the field and accuracy, which aligns his values with art of watchmaking and brings his collaboration with Corum into focus. Corum prides itself on creativity and boldness as its guiding principles, as well as technical excellence in the field, and use of space in both dials and movements.
“It is such a big pleasure for us to welcome Miralem aka Il Pianista into the Corum family,” said Boon Chong Soon, global sales and marketing director of Montres Corum. “Despite his fame and success, he has always remained true to himself and that is something that we at Corum, strongly believe in. His belief in “the simple things are always the hardest to do” is perfectly in line with our core collection of the Golden Bridge, which may look simple, but is in fact much more complicated to achieve than a normal watch.”
Pjanić added “I am very proud to be part of the Corum family. The uniqueness and avant-garde spirit of the brand are qualities I highly value. A brand with unique models such as the Golden Bridge has left a strong mark in horology, and I believe our collaboration will grow to a success.”
Pjanić also has a strong social media following of 4.9 million on Instagram @miralem_pjanic and more than 7 million followers on social media.
