iW Magazine Summer 2019 | Page 34

BOUTIQUE ROMAIN GAUTHIER Insight Micro-Rotor Romain Gauthier debuts a white gold version of his Insight Micro-Rotor that also features a gilded mainplate and palladium-treated bridges. This newest 39.5mm Insight Micro-Rotor white gold limited edition adds a hand-frosted main- plate treated with rose gold, which contrasts nicely with the straight-grained, palladium- treated bridges. Like the mainplate, the bridges on the back of the movement are rose gold-treated and decorated with hand frosting and hand-made, hand-polished bevels and jewel counter- sinks. Gauthier’s own automatic caliber boasts a 22-karat gold bidirectional micro-rotor that winds a serially operating double mainspring barrel offering eighty hours of power reserve. The Romain Gauthier Insight Micro-Rotor white gold is available in three 10-piece limited editions: with oven-fired white enamel dial, oven-fired black enamel dial and oven-fired blue enamel dial. Price: 79,000 Swiss francs. IW RATING Design: 8 (out of 10) Asymmetric bridges, multi-level dial and contrasting hues are a winner. Innovation: 8 Top-notch twin-barrel with gold micro-rotor offers 80 hours of power reserve. Finissage: 9 Some of the finest we’ve seen. Legibility: 8 The technical and artistic dominate here, though the dial is quite clear. Rarity: 9 Only thirty will be made. Value: 9 Gauthier’s collector following is passionate. Overall iW rating: 51 (out of 60) 34 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SUMMER 2019