CORUM CELEBRATES THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON WITH TWO LIMITED EDITION BUBBLE TIMEPIECES

CORUM, famous for the aesthetic appeal of its models and its technical excellence in the field of high-end watchmaking, proudly announces the launch of two limited editions in honor of the Year of the Dragon. These exceptional creations reflect CORUM’s ongoing commitment to creativity and boldness, core values that have been ingrained in the house’s DNA since its founding in 1955.

Year of the Dragon 

The dragon, a powerful symbol in Chinese culture, embodies power, nobility, honor, luck, and success. To pay homage to this legendary creature, CORUM presents two limited editions of its iconic Bubble model. The Bubble collection, inspired by Severin Wunderman from an experimental diver’s watch in the 1960s, has become an undisputed icon of watchmaking thanks to its radical design and domed crystal.

Bubble 47 Dragon 

The “Bubble Dragon” watch embodies an enchanting fusion between watchmaking and Chinese cultural heritage, celebrating the lunar calendar and, more specifically, the majestic sign of the dragon. Inspired by the deep-seated beliefs associated with the Chinese dragon, such as power, nobility, honor, luck, and success, this watch embodies symbolic elegance.

The centerpiece of this creation is its exceptionally elaborate dial, which narrates the captivating legend: “When dragons hear thunder, they rise; The clouds are coming, and having all formed, the dragons ascend and thus circulate in the sky.” The dial evokes a deep night sky, with a black sunray base evoking the night, adorned with a delicate representation of the moon made of mother-of-pearl. Above the dial, between mystical black clouds, a golden dragon hovers majestically, symbolizing the power and grace associated with this legendary creature.

Bubble 47 Dragon Eye 

Inspired by the richness of Chinese mythology, this exceptional piece finds its uniqueness in the meticulous depiction of the dragon’s eye on its dial, an emblematic representation of strength and power. This iconic detail is not simply machined, but meticulously crafted by hand using the metal casting technique. This artisanal approach makes it possible to create an unbeatable relief, impossible to achieve by conventional means. Each eye is then meticulously colored, while the golden scales are revealed by hand, giving each watch an artistic singularity. The sublime details of this exceptional work are magnified by the domed sapphire crystal characteristic of the Bubble collection, offering a magnifying effect that allows you to fully appreciate the finesse and precision of this watchmaking work of art. The “Bubble Dragon Eye” embodies the essence of craftsmanship and mythology.

Limited Editions

Both models are equipped with the CO 082 automatic movement, beating at a frequency of 4 Hz and offering a power reserve of 42 hours. The cases, 47mm in diameter, are made of stainless steel with a black PVD finish and have a sapphire crystal caseback that offers a glimpse of the movement. Each model is presented on a vulcanized rubber strap and is limited to 88 pieces.

ADDITIONNAL INFORMATION

Bubble 47 Dragon Eye (ref. L082/04508) Limited Edition – Recommended Retail Price: CHF 7’000.-

Bubble 47 Dragon (ref. L082/04507) Limited Edition – Recommended Retail Price: CHF 7’000.-

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The press release and technical data sheets are available in English, French, simplified and traditional Chinese.

CORUM AND LABEL NOIR CREATE A UNIQUE BUBBLE

The Corum Bubble 47 Central Tourbillon by Label Noir

CORUM has teamed up with Label Noir in a new collaboration to manufacture a unique timepiece dedicated to the renowned Macau Master of Time Event. By partnering with Label Noir, the Swiss watchmaking company, located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, has given carte blanche to Label Noir’s creative team, which specializes in bespoke timepiece customization.  

The Bubble collection, and more specifically the emblematic CORUM Bubble 47 Central Tourbillon model, has been enhanced with the most distinctive features of the Geneva-based customization brand: black, acid green, textured finishes, and grey and matte tones, in order to highlight its deeply contemporary essence.  

The fruit of their collaboration is an unmistakably Corum watch loaded with signatures, symbols, and stories.  

In the year 2000, CORUM introduced the Bubble, an oversized wristwatch with a domed sapphire crystal. A design so radical that the timepiece has become a must-have for the new millennium. It bridges the gap between two universes, watchmaking, and pop culture.  

The Bubble Collection was Severin Wunderman’s rendition of his own vision of creativity. The entrepreneur had just acquired Corum when he launched the Bubble. At that time, he was inspired by a highly technical and experimental diving watch, able to withstand enormous pressure, which was topped with a thick glass dome.  

Severin Wunderman took this inspiration and translated it into the iconic Bubble, a generous 47 mm diameter theater stage. The Bubble is now an arena for artistic experimentation, a lounge where Corum hosts its proms and invites other performers, graphic designers, and artists to collaborate, contributing their creativity and artistic talent to bring a new level of avant-garde designs to the brand. 

Label Noir has applied all its expertise in colors and finishes to emphasize, in its own way, how to read time and make the Bubble a monument of contemporary watchmaking. The idea sounds simple enough, however, the resulting effect is powerful and impressive. All the more so since the model chosen for this collaborative venture is a Corum milestone piece, an obvious creation, a purely technical piece of fine watchmaking, featuring an (almost) traditional complication: the Bubble Central Tourbillon.  

An almost conventional complication, in fact, because this tourbillon, which features traditional architecture, has been freed from the periphery of the dial to its center. This sidestep turns the whole architecture of the movement and the display upside down: everything is reversed, from the mechanical show in the center which is amplified by the Bubble’s dome, to the display – no hands, just indicators – around the edges.  

Several versions of this central tourbillon have already been produced in various materials, with the aim of anchoring this watchmaking ‘spacecraft’ into traditional haute horlogerie’s world while playing with opposites, such as steel and blue, gold and black.  

Label Noir went for a different approach. Very graphic finishes, deceptively minimalist, because the play of nuances is complex, with anthracite and silvery hues, matte finishes, bracelet (matte textured black rubber), case (grade 5 titanium treated with black ADLC), bezel (grade 5 titanium coated with satin black ADLC), right down to the plate. No longer an assembly of different parts, this watch is a whole: one continuous thought process with a bubble on top.  

A few more dashes of steel enhance the dial pattern, numerals, and display discs, and refocus the eyes on the central body, the beating heart, the tourbillon. 

Finally, what must be read is highlighted with a few strokes of contrasting color: acid green, Label Noir’s signature, is added to the hour-minute indicators, the dual mark, and the strap stitching. 

About CORUM  

Founded in 1955, Corum represents creative and daring watchmaking. Corum uses an approach free of dogmas that enables a reconceptualization of movement construction, its casing, and the artistic crafts that brighten the dial. Behind the many technical achievements (baguette movement) and aesthetic achievements (Coin Watch, Feather, Bubble), Corum continues the tradition of high-quality watchmaking that is ahead of its time.  

Corum, established in La Chaux-de-Fonds, is opening itself up to the contemporary, street art, and classical art worlds, and in doing so attracting the attention of various trendsetters. At once disruptive yet respectful of its watchmaking heritage, Corum maintains its status as a niche brand aimed at demanding collectors of unconventional timepieces. Corum’s current pillars include five collections that embody its vision of 21st-century watchmaking: Admiral, Bubble, Golden Bridge, Heritage, and Lab.  

In brief  

On the dial, only Corum x Label Noir appears. A minimalistic approach for a collaborative piece and a subtle work of nuances, like a picture, a revealing dip to grasp this watch’s genius and spirit: a Bubble with its mechanical heart, a sapphire dome, and a central tourbillon. And to emphasize the uniqueness of Corum Bubble Central Tourbillon, Label Noir was careful to unify the piece, the strap and the case, the case and the bezel, the bezel and the discs of the dial. With just a few indications outlined in green, Label Noir reminds us that it is still a watch and that its main duty is to tell time.  

Additional information

  • Reference: L406/04433
  • Recommended Retail Price: CHF 95’000.-
  • Unique piece
  • Available: Jan 2023

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Corum Teams With Street Artist Aiiroh For Incredible New Bubble Watch And Artwork

Staying true to its innovative side, Corum teams with French street artist Aiiroh to bring a statement of “art on the wrist” to the forefront. Additionally, Aiiroh, and artists Soyz Bank and Namisen, worked together to present a fabulous piece of wall art in the form of the Corum certificate of authenticity that accompanies the watch.  

Known for his love of Pop Art and its reinterpretation,  Aiiroh, a street artist for more than 20 years, has had his work exhibited in more than 50 galleries worldwide. He has even dropped some of his own iconic pieces as NFTs.  Collected by hip hop icons and international celebrities, Aiiroh’s artwork commands top dollar alongside other French artists. His main focus recently: re-interpreting iconic pop-art figures using posters found in the streets of top French cities. 

The result of the Corum Bubble X Aiiroh partnership watch, while decidedly individualistic, isn’t an unusual departure for this creative brand, which has collaborated with a host of artists over the years. In fact, when it first introduced the Bubble watch 22 years ago in 2000, art and decorative dials – along with the huge domed crystal – made an impressive statement that garnered the brand a cult-like following. The must-have 44mm watch was not only radical for the times, but also, and more importantly, emotion evoking. Watch lovers fell in love.

The new larger-than-life 47mm Bubble X Aiiroh watch brings its own message to the forefront: one of daring color and  bold style. Crafted in stainless steel with black PVD coating, the watch is inspired by Aiiroh’s  famous “Black Série Rose” artwork that uses street posters and headlines in a decoupage-like collage to form the petals of the colorful rose. He then superimposes another stylized black rose spiral  motif on top of that for added allure.

This effect is entirely recreated on the watch dial, almost like a transfer of the original piece of art. It uses two different dial appliques that add dramatic depth and dimension. Against a stark black background, the boldly beautiful rose petal collage is  almost fluorescent in shades of turquoise, orange, lavender, purple, blue, red, yellow and green – all as found in the concert, festival and political posters. 

Overlaid onto the first layer of the dial is a second black dial swirl made of aluminium that is a stylized rose. The black against the color not only evokes a sense of the rose opening, but also adds amazing contrast and appeal. Add to that the half-globe domed sapphire crystal that gives its own somewhat distorted view of the dial, and the result is magnificent. 

The watch is powered by the mechanical automatic caliber CO 082 that offers 42 hours of power reserve. The case back is made of transparent sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective treatment for viewing of the movement.  Water resistant to 100 meters, the watch is built in a limited edition of just 88 pieces – ensuring exclusivity.

As intriguing as the Corum Bubble X Aiiroh watch is,  it brings even more surprise with it in the form of packaging and wall art.  The watch will be sold with a special artwork realized by Aiiroh and Japanese modern artist Namisen and brought to “life” as a final piece in resin by French visual artist Soyz Bank. All three of these artists are part of the Mind the Gap Label – a community of emerging and established artists. Essentially the sculptured wall art is an original design inspired by Corum’s watch certificate, complete with the key logo that is immediately recognizable. It is created as a flat painting, semi-folded, and finished in resin.

The sculpted certificate and the newest Corum Bubble X Aiiroh watch are the next generation of Corum’s incredible journey into the world of collaborations. Previous relationships witnessed the birth of Bubble watches with the likes of Elisabetta Fantone, rapper Booba, and cymbals manufacture Paiste, to name a few. The newest watch is designed not just for Bubble cult followers and Corum lovers, but also for art lovers around the world. 

About CORUM

Founded in 1955, Corum represents creative and daring watchmaking. Corum uses an approach free of dogmas that enables a reconceptualization of movement construction, its casing, and the artistic crafts that brighten the dial. Behind the many technical achievements (baguette movement) and aesthetic achievements (Coin Watch, Feather, Bubble), Corum continues the tradition of high-quality watchmaking that is ahead of its time.

Corum, established in La Chaux-de-Fonds, is opening itself up to the contemporary, street art, and classical art worlds, and in doing so attracting the attention of various trendsetters. At once disruptive yet respectful of its watchmaking heritage, Corum maintains its status of a niche brand aimed at demanding collectors of unconventional timepieces. Corum’s current pillars include four collections that embody its vision of 21st-century watchmaking: Admiral, Bubble, Golden Bridge and Heritage.

Additional information

  • Recommended Retail Price: CHF 7’200.-
  • Limited Edition 1 of 88
  • Availability: from November 2022

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Corum unveils the Bubble Skull X-Ray

It was during the famed Basel watch exhibition in the year 2000 that Corum first unveiled its now-legendary Bubble watch. With an oversized case and huge domed crystal, the Bubble was the brainchild of the equally-legendary Severin Wunderman, then owner of the brand. That first Bubble wowed the world and the timepiece quickly developed a cult-like following. Now, Corum is launching the new Bubble with the new Skull X-Ray watch, inspired by early designs.

Among the first Bubble watches to make their debut in 2000, was a watch with a stylized skull on the dial. Wunderman, who had just bought the brand, was also obsessed with life, death and the concept of Dia de Muertos, a celebration where friends and family gather to honor the dead in a festive manner. A self-made success who had been hidden in a school for the blind during the Nazi occupation of Poland, and then at the age of 10 immigrated to Los Angeles in the United States, Wunderman savored the unusual and unconventional. His goal with the Bubble was to disrupt the watch world and make a new statement. Corum was the perfect brand for him to do that with, as it had been a leader in creating extraordinary collections ever since its founding in 1955.

When the 44mm Bubble was released, Wunderman said he was inspired by an experimental diving watch from the 1960’s that had an enormous, curved glass. He paired that domed look, which also had some distorting effects, with creative themed dials, and the rest, as they say, is history. Purposely designed to be different, to make a real individualistic statement, the Bubble fast became a new millennium icon, with a variety of intriguing renditions released over the years. They included playful, sometimes mischievous themes that ranged from the Bubble Jolly Roger, to Bubble Lucifer, Bats, Nightflyer and more. Intermittently, throughout the past six years, Corum also entered into collaborations with various renowned artists for Bubble watches.

Now, to honor both the coming of age of this iconic timepiece, and the dynamic man behind it, Corum releases a limited-edition watch with the same signature elements that made the Bubble famous, but with a contemporary and creative touch.

The Bubble Skull X-Ray pays tribute to the line’s roots with a highly stylized yet realistic looking skull taking center stage on the dial. While the huge domed sapphire crystal slightly distorts the image, it is fully visible in the dark because it is totally luminescent: disruptive in day and at night. In fact, when the lights go out, the skull glows green for an eerie yet provocative appeal. Bringing the luminescence full circle, Corum adds fluorescent green stitching to the synthetic alligator-like strap that is lined with rubber.

The watch is powered by an automatic movement (CO 082) that beats at 4Hz and offers 42 hours of power reserve. It is crafted in stainless steel with a black PVD treatment over it and boasts a sapphire case back for viewing of the movement. Both the domed front crystal and the back crystal are coated with an anti-reflective treatment. Water resistant to 100 meters, the 47mmm case offers hours, minutes and seconds and is being created in a limited edition of just 666 pieces.

Crafted with the same attention to detail and top-notch watchmaking, the Bubble X Ray perfectly embraces the original concept of the Bubble: daring, different, and designed for those who enjoy making their own distinctive statement. The Skull X-Ray is the first of several soon-to-come new Bubble watches.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Recommended Retail Price: CHF 4’000.-
  • Limited Edition 1 of 666

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CORUM CELEBRATES 21 YEARS OF THE ICONIC BUBBLE WITH BUBBLE X RAY

It was during the famed Basel watch exhibition in the year 2000 that Corum first unveiled its now-legendary Bubble watch. With an oversized case and huge domed crystal, the Bubble was the brainchild of the equally-legendary Severin Wunderman, then owner of the brand. That first Bubble wowed the world and the timepiece quickly developed a cult-like following. Now, 21 years after its unveiling, Corum is launching the new Bubble with the new X Ray watch, inspired by early designs.


Among the first Bubble watches to make their debut in 2000, was a watch with a stylized skull on the dial. Wunderman, who had just bought the brand, was also obsessed with life, death and the concept of Dia de Muertos, a celebration where friends and family gather to honor the dead in a festive manner. A self-made success who had been hidden in a school for the blind during the Nazi occupation of Poland, and then at the age of 10 immigrated to Los Angeles in the United States, Wunderman savored the unusual and unconventional. His goal with the Bubble was to disrupt the watch world and make a new statement. Corum was the perfect brand for him to do that with, as it had been a leader in creating extraordinary collections ever since its founding in 1955.


When the 44mm Bubble was released, Wunderman said he was inspired by an experimental diving watch from the 1960’s that had an enormous, curved glass. He paired that domed look, which also had some distorting effects, with creative themed dials, and the rest, as they say, is history. Purposely designed to be different, to make a real individualistic statement, the Bubble fast became a new millennium icon, with a variety of intriguing renditions released over the years. They included playful, sometimes mischievous themes that ranged from the Bubble Jolly Roger, to Bubble Lucifer, Bats, Nightflyer and more. Intermittently, throughout the past six years, Corum also entered into collaborations with various renowned artists for Bubble watches.


Now, to honor both the coming of age of this iconic timepiece, and the dynamic man behind it, Corum releases a limited-edition watch with the same signature elements that made the Bubble famous, but with a contemporary and creative touch.


The Bubble X Ray pays tribute to the line’s roots with a highly stylized yet realistic looking skull taking center stage on the dial. While the huge domed sapphire crystal slightly distorts the image, it is fully visible in the dark because it is totally luminescent: disruptive in day and at night. In fact, when the lights go out, the skull glows green for an eerie yet provocative appeal. Bringing the luminescence full circle, Corum adds fluorescent green stitching to the synthetic alligator-like strap that is lined with rubber.


The watch is powered by an automatic movement (CO 082) that beats at 4Hz and offers 42 hours of power reserve. It is crafted in stainless steel with a black PVD treatment over it and boasts a sapphire case back for viewing of the movement. Both the domed front crystal and the back crystal are coated with an anti-reflective treatment. Water resistant to 100 meters, the 47mmm case offers hours, minutes and seconds and is being created in a limited edition of just 88 pieces.


Crafted with the same attention to detail and top-notch watchmaking, the Bubble X Ray perfectly embraces the original concept of the Bubble: daring, different, and designed for those who enjoy making their own distinctive statement. The X Ray is the first of several soon-to-come new Bubble watches.

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