Home » Baselworld - World Watch and Jewellery Show » Baselworld 2012 Preview – Franc Vila to Present Tourbillon for Ladies and Two Watches with Big Date Indications
Geneva-based brand named after its founder Franc Vila will present three new timepieces at the fast-approaching Baselworld 2012 exhibition. The list of novelties is topped by the extremely exclusive mechanical watch with tourbillon complication called FVt N⁰ 1 Planètaire which is part of the company’s Tribute collection. Apart from the first tourbillon for women that was constructed by Franc Vila, visitors of the watch show in Basel will be able to see two more mechanical timepieces with proprietary movements and distinctive style of bezels. Both of these watches are made with large date displays, and one of them includes a chronograph feature and impressive water resistance.
Franc Vila
The caliber of the ladies’ tourbillon watch is in-house constructed. Likewise, it is important to note that is hand-made and hand-decorated. Its most interesting trait is certainly a flying tourbillon complication without ball bearing that is paired with contemporary features and systems to enhance the functioning and accuracy. The first of them is Inertial Moment Control which is utilized to enable accurate adjustment through inertial moment. FVt N⁰ 1 manually-wound caliber also involves an innovative way of winding its power reserve. Feature dubbed Wheels Differential System has wheel arms that include the planetary gears which substantially (by two thirds) shortens the winding of the power reserve which last for five days (120 hours).
Franc Vila FVt N⁰ 1 Tourbillon Planètaire Watch
The caliber that is created, put together and decorated by Franc Vila is in the distinctive “spirit unique” shape, as all the other models of the Swiss watchmaker runs on the frequency of 21,600 vph and incorporates 24 rubies. Apart from display of hours and minutes, the only other available function is power reserve display.
Its hand-wound mechanism is set in DLC steel case of unusual shape with elliptic and circular bezel, decorated with two rubies. Unfortunately, it is still unknown how wide or thick the case is going to be. Back of its case and face of the ladies tourbillon are protected with sapphire crystals that include anti-reflective treatment on both sides. The dial is black mother-of-pearl with red hour numerals. It is decorated with clous de Paris pattern (a guilloche decoration made of lines that are crossing each other to form small pyramidal shapes). For the bracelet, Franc Vila chose genuine alligator strap with hand-stitching. FVt N⁰ 1 Planètaire timepiece is constructed in the extremely limited edition of only eight pieces.
Chunky, Resistant and Light
Apart from the exclusive women’s watch with technical innovations, the Swiss company will also be presenting two products with oversized date display. The first of them comes from the SuperLigero series which is intended for people who enjoy complicated watches and like to be active. Therefore, timepieces in the series are usually combining substantial size with unexpected lightness and resilience. This is possible due to the fact that all the products from the series have movements made of Lightnium alloy which is often used in aeronautics. Its main traits are low weight and enhanced elasticity.
Franc Vila FVa61 Superligero Automatic Big Dat Watch
The new watch from the collection, named FVa61 Superligero Automatic Big Date utilizes this aluminum-lithium based alloy. Lightnium is the material used to construct its in-house mechanical automatic movement with the designation FV35. The self-winding mechanism oscillates 28,800 times per hour, has 26 jewels, and provides a power reserve of more than two days (50 hours).
Additional lightness is achieved through the inclusion of titanium for the case. The blackened titanium case is, as expected, also made in the characteristic irregular shape. Both front and back of the face are supplied with sapphire crystal with double glare-proof treatment. Sapphire is also the material used to make the dial which has classical hour and minute displays, small seconds at the bottom, and large date display at the top. As it is expected for the sporty type of watch, FVa61 Superligero Automatic Big Date timepiece is supplied rubber strap which fastens with steel deployment clasp. For more formal situations that require higher level of elegance, the manufacturer has included crocodile leather strap. This timepiece is manufactured in the limited edition of 88 pieces.
Cobra Diving Chronograph with Big Date Display
The final novelty by Franc Vila that is to be unveiled at Baselworld 2012 exhibition is from the Cobra collection and is called FV EVOS 8Ch Cobra Chronographe Grand Dateur Automatique. This timepiece is, like the rest of the product from that line, able to withstand extreme water pressures up to 300 meters which makes it a good choice for those who enjoy intense water adventures. To make this possible, the manufacturer combined steel casing with carbon fiber inserts.
Franc Vila FV EVOS 8Ch Cobra Watch
However, this product is not just a sports watch, but also an elegant and technically advanced piece made with a self-winding chrono movement. One of its main traits is, like in the second novelty by Franc Vila, an oversized date indication that facilitates legibility.
Like the rest of the newcomers, this watch also has unusual “esprit unique” style with circular and elliptic shape. The stationary bezel is made from blackened steel and carbon fiber, and with carrure made of titanium. The presence of double anti-reflective sapphires on the front and on the case back is another quality that is shared with other newcomers.
FV EVOS 8Ch Cobra Chronographe Grand Dateur Automatique by Franc Vila is supplied with mechanical automatic movement of caliber FV8Ch. It is finished by hand and made with proprietary ‘Gold Concept Rotor”. A power reserve featured in this model is 42 hours. The watch from the Cobra series has a carbon fiber dial with guilloche decoration. Since it is a chronograph, it comes as no surprise that includes three sub-dials: the first at six o’clock indicates chrono minute, the second at nine o’clock shows hours, whereas the third that sits at the three o’clock is small seconds sub dial.
A future owner of this timepiece will be able to select among two bracelets that are included with the product. For improved elegance and class, there is a crocodile leather strap, whereas a rubber sport strap can be used during underwater activities that this diving watch can endure. Just like the other model with big date feature, this timepiece is also constructed in the limited edition of 88 pieces.
