In 1770, the French historian, writer and philosopher Voltaire (1694 – 1778) founded Manufacture Royale. The Swiss watchmaking company has been revived in 2010. This year, the famous brand unveils the latest addition to its Androgyne Collection.
Manufacture Royale Androgyne Royale Skeleton Tourbillon Watch
Manufacture Royale Androgyne Royale Skeleton Tourbillon is created in the bold spirit of the brand’s founder featuring an ultra-skeletonized steampunk-inspired design to show off its mechanical craftsmanship.
The latest member of the Androgyne Collection is tooled with the caliber MR06 hand-wound skeleton movement with the bridges, base plate and tourbillon cage all hand decorated with sand-finished black ruthenium treated Royale Blue or Royale Gray brass (depending on the model).
The mechanical movement is equipped with a flying tourbillon regulator with a silicon escape wheel. The mechanism has been open-worked, thus forming long, arching bridges. Thus, it shows the linear layout of the caliber with the mainspring at the 12 o’clock position, gear train in the center, and tourbillon conversely at the 6 o’clock position.
Manufacture Royale Androgyne Royale Skeleton Tourbillon Watch
The impeccable movement consists of 167 individual components and displays the precise workings of the flat balance spring oscillating at the semi-rapid frequency of 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz). The mechanism is capable to store enough energy to keep the watch working for approximately 108 hours when fully wound.
Considering the fact that nothing obscures the view, the future owner can enjoy all the movement’s finishing executed according to strict haute horlogerie tradition. The movement’s brass parts went through flank drawing before being chamfered by master craftsmen. Furthermore, all movement’s parts have undergone a PVD treatment, thus resulting in the intense color.
Manufacture Royale Androgyne Royale Skeleton Tourbillon Watch Dial
Manufacture Royale Androgyne Royale Skeleton Tourbillon is housed in an elegant case measuring 43mm in diameter and 10.20mm in thickness. The case construction gives a linear frame to the circular dial where twelve bezel screws mark the hours. The case consists of 52 parts. As we could expect from the Manufacture Royale, the finishing are excellent, with a nice mirror polish on all the parts and the precise assembly.
There are two versions of the watch: the Androgyne Royale Steel (ref. AN43.01P01.H) that features the Royale Blue movement with contrasting stainless steel skeletonized hands, housed in a polished stainless steel case, and the Androgyne Royale Glacier (ref. AN43.02P02.D) featuring a Glacier PVD-coated stainless steel case with red hand-painted skeletonized hands set atop the Royale Gray movement.
Manufacture Royale Androgyne Royale Glacier Skeleton Tourbillon Watch
The steel variant comes with a blue alligator leather strap with contrasting white stitching, while a Glacier model is attached to a gray alligator strap with red stitching. The retail price of the new Androgyne Royale Skeleton Tourbillon is $61,600.
