The 1870 CE Black & Blue

From Cornell Watch Company -

Courtesy of the Cornell Watch Company

This is the latest from the Cornell Watch Company. Two new takes on the debut 1870, this time with either a blue or black dial.

Per the folks at Cornell Watch Company -

Two new models join the original 1870 CE, both featuring grand feu enamel dials made by Donzé Cadrans, Switzerland's premier maker of such dials. The 1870 CE Black features a black enamel dial complemented by gilt-style printing and gold-plated hands, while the 1870 CE Blue has a navy blue enamel dial paired with white printing and rhodium-plated hands. Both watches still feature the 39mm stainless steel 1870 case and a hand-finished Schwarz Etienne ASE 200 movement, and they are fully assembled here in the United States by the RGM Watch Company. 

 

These watches will be produced in extremely limited quantities due to the complexity of making the dials and both are priced at $12,950. The original 1870 CE remains priced at $11,950. 

Here are the pertinents -

Case

Dimensions:

39mm x 10mm at case, 11.3mm at crystal
48mm lug-to-lug
20mm lug width

Material:

Mix of brushed and polished 316L stainless-steel

Bezel:

Polished, smooth

Winding Crown:

Double gasket

CrystalBox-style raised sapphire crystal (front)
Flat sapphire crystal (back)

Water Resistance:

50m



Movement

Calibre:

Schwarz Etienne
ASE 200
Manufacture automatic movement with micro-rotor

Functions:

Hours and minutes
(Sub) small second at 6 o'clock
Stop second

Decoration:

Brushed solid gold plaque on micro-rotor
Radial brushing on bridges
Perlage on mainplate

Technical Characteristics:

86-hour power reserve
33 jewels
3 Hz (21'600 Alt/h)
Adjusted 5 positions
Balance wheel with fixed inertia, produced by Schwarz Etienne
Spiral hairspring with flat Philips terminal curve

Dial and Hands

Material:

Donzé Cadrans grand feu enamel dial
Thermal blued steel, rhodium and gold plated hands

Technical Characteristics:

Crafted by hand
Enamel repeatedly fired between 1472-1652°F (800-900°C)
Thermal blued steel hands fired between 536-572°F (280-300°C)

Strap & Buckle

Producer:
Handmade by Velle Alexander

Material:
Matte American Alligator

Technical Characteristics:
Zermatt black leather lining
Curved lug end
Quick-release

Buckle:
316L stainless steel
Velle Alexander exclusive

Something Interesting Is Coming...

From Chicago -

Courtesy of Cornell Watch Company

This one might be just under the radar, but I suspect that is about to change in the new year.

May I introduce you to the 1870 CE, from the Cornell Watch Company.

The Cornell Watch Company does not have a ton of information on its website, but just enough to whet the appetite for what is meant to be coming in 2024! And while there is more to the (hi)story of the brand, we're going to save that for another time. This new offering is plenty to keep us occupied for the time being.

Courtesy of Cornell Watch Company

The dial is enamel (Grand Feu), and the hands are blued.

The case measures 39 mm, and is of stainless steel -

Courtesy of Cornell Watch Company

The movement hails from La Chaux-de-Fonds (or nearby, anyway) produced by Schwarz Etienne.

The strap is from the Twin City atelier of Velle Alexander.

Courtesy of Cornell Watch Company

Now although based in Chicago, the Cornell Watch Company has turned to perhaps the most important man in US watch making - Roland Murphy of RGM in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

I will be reaching out to the folks at Cornell to see if they can share more details with us.

Stay tuned!