Heritage pieces, concept watches, microbrand divers, and iterative Rolex releases. These are the pillars you can always rely on at Baselworld every single year. However, deep in the show halls, you’ll find truly unique companies creating technically impressive watches with designs that break away from the usual formulas. One of the brands that stood out in that regard for Baselworld 2019 is Alchemists, with their Cu29 watch.
The Cu29 looks more like a haute horlogerie piece you’d expect to see from a major brand at SIHH, rather than a small brand’s inaugural release. There are a lot of interesting elements with this watch, starting with the case material. Alchemists has chosen to use cuprum alloy for the 44mm in diameter/15.8mm-thick case, which is a blend of copper, gold, and silver. The other element your eyes are drawn to is this large, hemispherical sapphire crystal, where the base of the crystal actually has a smaller diameter than the outer edge, giving it a bubble-like aesthetic and allowing for an interesting view of the mechanical components, as opposed to just a display caseback or skeletonized dial. (For those scratching your heads over the logistics, it is glued in place.) The crown on the Cu29 actually enters into the watch via the crystal, rather than being mounted to the case itself.
Due in part to this avant-garde take on case and crystal architecture, Alchemists has developed a fully in-house movement to best fit their designs. It is a manual-wind mechanical movement with a 72-hour power reserve, 51 jewels, and an operating speed of 21,600vph. The entire movement is hand-finished with heat-blued screws and polished bridges, making for a pretty sight to behold when staring into that big ol’ crystal.
Alchemists is providing the Cu29 in three different dial materials, allowing customers to select the stone they would like used for their dial. The options are black obsidian, lapis lazuli, and jade. Alchemists claims the combination of these materials with the cuprous of the case results in health benefits, such as promoting creativity, optimism, and alleviating skin problems. While this sounds an awful lot like the science behind those glimmering sticker wristbands that were popular a few years back, I do appreciate the fact that Alchemists is giving more than just one option from an aesthetic standpoint.
The Cu29 is pretty far outside my usual wheelhouse; however, I can’t help but be fascinated by it. That massive crystal provides a unique angle, providing for a whole different appreciation of the mechanical aspects and hand-finishing that goes into the watch, I can only imagine how interesting this watch would be on wrist — definitely a conversation starter. Price is $210,000 USD. Visit Alchemists directly on its website at alchemists.swiss.
