1822 Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two is available in six colors with limited editions of eight, a curated article by Rich Report.
In addition to its highly finished and complex movements, Bovet makes pocket watches and table clocks that can also be converted. With a flying tourbillon escapement with a 10-day power reserve, the Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two features a Côtes de Genève finish on the movement. Although these features remain, the new model includes Super-LumiNova, a luminescent material that was introduced to the watch industry only in the 1990s.
A blast of glow-in-the-dark color is applied to the large subdials and the seconds index ring at 6 o’clock, which thoroughly modernizes the Virtuoso VIII in the process. Each color will be produced in a series of eight timepieces. There are several options available: yellow, blue, salmon, turquoise, green, and violet.
With a flying tourbillon escapement and a 10-day power reserve on a single barrel, the movement’s open-worked design is modern despite its traditional complications: It has 356 components and an impressive 10-day power reserve. Like the movement design, the new titanium case in DLC coating offers a less conventional look. It features a 44 mm case with a crown at 12 o’clock, which has become a Bovet signature.
Having a “writing slope style,” Bovet’s case has the thickest part at 12 o’clock and then gradually gets thinner as you approach 6 o’clock, something that becomes obvious from the side. From the case side, a sapphire crystal aperture allows you to see the movement.
There are two main subdials: one on the left which displays the 10-day power reserve prominently and one on the right with an oversized date and logo. A horizontal number 8 symbolizes luck, perfection, and infinity as both of these indicators are larger-than-life. A central hand clocks hours and minutes, but there is no central peripheral index.
At 6 o’clock is a large subdial that displays a tourbillon escapement that tracks seconds against a luminated index. Using Bovet’s patented spherical differential winding system, the date can be adjusted easily by pressing down on the sapphire cabochon tip of the crown.
The $230,000 watch features an alligator leather strap, is water-resistant to 30 meters, and has a 30-meter water resistance rating.
