Christophe Claret Maestro Corail watch for Only Watch

This altruistic momentum has driven Christophe Claret to take an authentic artistic approach in giving life to the Maestro Corail watch. Inspired by the Maestro Mamba watch that is part of the collection, this timepiece is unique, resulting from a blend of fine craftsmanship and aesthetic creativity.

Christophe Claret is a born provocateur, now venturing into the perilous wilds of the tropical forests by placing the voluptuous undulations of a coral snake at the heart of the Maestro watch. This brightly colored, swift and incomparably aggressive snake appears ready to strike anyone who comes within reach of its toxic venom. Wrapped around the movement, its undulating hand-engraved body creates a powerful contrast between the tangy blue and orange brilliancy of its scales and the matt black shade of the movement. Surging from the intricacies of the movement, between the hours and minutes hands, the MEMO function indicator and the sprung balance, the coral snake defies all challengers with its piercing eyes. A threatening and disturbing vision enveloping the horological mechanism with a dangerous aura of mystery.

The Maestro watch was a natural choice to accommodate the rippling coils of the coral snake. This watch appeals through both its shape and its proportions, including the pure and powerful lines of its 42 mm black PVD-treated titanium case topped by an impressive sapphire crystal dome. A boldly contemporary model intended for trendsetters and influencers, this model offers a spectacular view of the movement and the snake’s sinuous body, which may be admired from every angle and along every sleek scale. It is also ideal because of its hand-wound movement, whose skillfully arranged components are displayed in all their glorious technical profusion, vividly reflecting that of a luxuriant forest. The overall construction is revealed through a multi-dimensional architecture. Like all timepieces by Christophe Claret, the Maestro showcases a wealth of details mingling technical and aesthetic elements in an exceptionally coherent manner. Brand enthusiasts will recognize the watchmaker’s inimitable touch in the famous Charles X stepped and skeletonized bridges – with 26 interior angles – that have become a signature of the Maison. The skeleton-working of the bridge supporting the escapement represents a clever blend of classicism and modernity that affords a chance to appreciate all its subtle features.

In terms of horological complications, the Maestro Corail once again illustrates the creative audacity cultivated by Christophe Claret. Witness the patented large date display at 5 o’clock, composed of two cones – one for the tens on the upper part and the second for the units – and performing a semi-instantaneous jump between midnight and twenty past midnight. As if to echo the 3D effect of this voluminous date display, the Maestro’s characteristic MEMO function appears between 3 and 4 o’clock. Inspired by the expression “tie a knot in your handkerchief” to help one remember something important, the MEMO is an ingenious mechanical reminder intended for absent-minded individuals as well as fans of technical gadgets. Whatever daily objective the owner of the Maestro has set himself, the MEMO is there to remind him of his commitments. In the initial position, meaning when the owner must do something, an orange sapphire appears at 6 o’clock on the side face of the MEMO.  Once the objective has been met, a simple press on the pusher at 2 o’clock pivots the MEMO function, which will display a blue sapphire on its side face at 6 o’clock, like the gem set at its top. The MEMO will return to its initial position each night in a twenty-minute process driven by a semi-instantaneous jump system.