In order to tribute the 100 years since the Titanic sailed into Atlantic waters for the first and the last time, RJ-Romain Jerome has created two special series of watches, limited to 100 pieces. This iconic symbol of the industrial age was a great inspiration for the renowned Swiss watchmaker since the very beginnings of the brand and you can bet that Steampunk Auto 100th Anniversary and Steampunk Chrono 100th Anniversary timepieces are something truly special.
Romain Jerome Steampunk Auto Titanic Anniversary Watch
The iconic, 296 meters long, 53 meters high and over 46,000 tons heavy ship has been an object of fascination for many artists, ever since its first voyage ended tragically, in April 1912. It also inspired Romain Jerome to create its first collection, Titanic DNA that has quickly became famous worldwide by its uniqueness. In order to get distinctive rough and raw finishes, the Swiss watchmaker produced a special material and used it to craft integral parts of its timepieces. The material stems from the complex fusion of steel from the wreck of the Titanic that lies 3840 meters under water, and from the metal provided by the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast where the Titanic had been crafted.
For the first time, rust stopped being an enemy of the watchmaking industry and became an intriguing aesthetic element, as RJ had developed a unique stabilization procedure that eliminates any possibility of further corrosions. With new Steampunk Auto 100th Anniversary and Steampunk Chrono 100th Anniversary watches, Romain Jerome built up its secret expertise to the level of perfection. They look pretty much as they have been just taken from the shipwreck.
Romain Jerome Steampunk Chrono Titanic Anniversary Watch
Oversized, 50 mm cases incorporate striking bezels, crafted in oxidized and then stabilized steel from the Titanic wreck and coated with black PVD. The dial is skillfully adorned with coal dust, which is another brand’s expertise that gives the watch a new dimension and dark and deep tones with blackened texture. For anniversary editions, the Swiss watchmaker integrated nice, petite mobile propellers into the dial (at the 9 o’clock position for the Auto and the 6 o’clock position for the Chrono version) evoking those of the iconic ship. They are also oxidized and stabilized by the same technique, used for the bezels of Titanic-DNA timepieces.
Another distinctive feature of anniversary models is the classic looking medallion on the case-back, which commemorates the launch date of the Titanic. The Steampunk Auto watch features oversized, ruthenium colored Roman 12 and 6 numerals, while the Steampunk Chrono watch comes with the oversized Roman 12 and 60 minutes and small seconds sub-dials, placed at 9 and 3 o’clock positions respectively.
Each model is powered by an in-house RJ001 Caliber that is partially revealed at the dial side. Its ruthenium colored bridge features four steel pistons that give great aesthetic quality to the dial. The self-winding mechanism provides 42 hours of power-reserve for the Auto model and 39 hours of power-reserve for the Chrono version.
