Friday, August 23, 2013

Dubey & Schaldenbrand Grand Shar DB Ti

This just in from Dubey & Schaldenbrand -

Courtesy of Dubey & Schaldenbrand

Dubey & Schaldenbrand, Swiss manufacturer since 1946, is evolving amidst an environment of cutting-edge technological advances. The independent manufacture maintains its historically elegant style, yet is stepping outside the borders of simple horological knowledge. D&S has successfully pushed into the next generation of production savoir-faire with the Grand Shar DB Titanium Carbon Fiber the fruit of its labor at Dubey & Schaldenbrand’s state of the art manufacturing facility, based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

The D&S Lab utilized a grade 5-titanium alloy processed and refined in the most intricate ways and controlled conditions, to reach the final stages of production for D&S’s Grand Shar model— an electro-plasma bath and patented method of fabrication, utilized in medical and aeronautic industries. The result is a unique color resembling no existing alloy in the watch industry to date.

In designing the dial, D&S experimented from scratch rather than utilize existing material. After several efforts with numerous alloys and metals, and in order to find the ideal match for an unconventional case, an in-house manufactured carbon fiber dial was achieved. The Grand Shar DB Ti dial was created and assembled in several layers highlighting the signature Grand Shar interlocking sub-dials, the exceptionally dazzling Côte de Genève treatment in black on black at the heart of the timepiece, and allowing for the depth of the dial to enable clear visibility of the counters.

The assembly of the sleek titanium grade 5 case is held firmly together by blued screws on the lugs and the case back, while providing sharp contrast of an edgy electric blue color on a canvas of lustrous gun-metal titanium reflecting hues of olive green. The Grand Shar DB Ti is assembled with a Valjoux 7750 in-house modified, 3 counter chronograph with its date angled between III and IV. The rotor is carved out and plated with a black rhodium treatment, visible through an open case back, that also showcases blued screws and refined treatment on the movement’s bridge. Due to the properties of the grade 5 titanium and the carbon fiber dial, this exceptional timepiece weighs in at an incredible 40% less than its stainless steel counterpart.

The new vision of Dubey & Schaldenbrand underscores the incorporation of technological advances in production, but above all maintains the heritage, craftsmanship and historical knowledge of watchmaking, instilled in the brand in 1946 by its founders and namesakes.

The Grand Shar DB Ti is the first sporty timepiece to take center stage for the new vision of Dubey & Schaldenbrand. It is limited to 26 pieces in special grade 5 titanium. 


TECHNICAL DATA
Movement
Self-winding chronograph with three counters, and date, Valjoux 7750 base, assembled modified and finished by Dubey & Schaldenbrand

Finishing
Rhodium-treated circular "Côtes de Genève"; blue screws; DS logo cut out from the automatic rotor; "black gold" finish

Oscillations
28’800 per hour

Jewels
25 / incabloc
Power reserve
48 hours

Functions
Central hours and minutes; seconds counter at 9 o'clock, calendar window at 3:30; split-time function by large central seconds hand; chronograph minute counter at 12 o'clock and hour counter at 6 o'clock

Dial
Two superimposed dials; central dial adorned with "Côtes de Genève"; carbon fiber outer dial; 12 large Roman numerals; raised counter surround

Hands
Skeleton DS hands, coated with SuperLuminova

Case
Titanium grade 5 treated by oxidation and electro plasma; crown with DS engraving
Dimensions // water resistance
44 mm // to 50 meters

Crystal
Convex spherical inside and outside upper sapphire crystal; anti-reflective on both sides; sapphire case-back

Strap and buckle
Black alligator, simple buckle with DS personalization or titanium bracelet. 

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