Four years after its launch by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, the co-president of Chopard and founder of Chopard's in-house manufacture L.U.C division, Ferdinand Berthoud was awarded the highest prize in the watchmaking industry —Grand Prix “Aiguille d’Or” at the 16th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève—, and earlier this year, the brand presented a new collection called ‘Oeuvre d’Or’ in a new artistic interpretation of its original creation, the Chronomètre FB 1. For the occasion of the SIAR 2019 in Mexico City, Ferdinand Berthoud presented a new iteration of the Oeuvre d’Or’ this time sporting a dial made of white gold rather than in yellow gold as in its previous iterations.
Things to Know About the Watch
While the FB 1 previously existed in white gold with titanium lugs and rose gold with black ceramic lugs, the FB 1 ‘Oeuvre d’Or’ reprises the precious metals of its predecessors, with rose gold lugs on a rose gold case.
Evoking the old era of the Ferdinand Berthoud Marine Chronometers, the dial is made of solid white gold and delicately hand-engraved with a graver. The surface is crafted at length using a tool called a "rocker", enabling the light to glide across the dial to the rhythm of the shimmering reflections of the moiré effect thus created.
Finally, the dial is hand-engraved and then subtly colored to perfect the overall legibility. The hand-engraved finish on the dial is supposed to resemble the patina on brass dials. Additionally, the limitation of the watch is individually engraved on the dial.
About the Case
The Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB1 ‘Oeuvre d’Or’ are still in-house Fusée-Chain Chronometers equipped with a tourbillon. Featuring 44 mm octagonal cases with watertight openings —in the case of the white gold model for the very first time featuring baguette-cut diamonds instead of a sapphire crystal opening—, the Chronomètre Ferdinand Berthoud FB 1 ‘Oeuvre d’Or’ is powered by a manual wound movement composed of no less than 1,120 components.
This watch is a highly exclusive piece in a limited edition of 5 pieces. The previous iterations of this watch include the FB 1.1-2 with a dial made of 18K yellow gold and the FB 1.2-1 with its dial in 18K rose gold.
The Movement
Entirely independently conceived, developed and produced by the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud in Fleurier, the manual wound FB-T.FC calibre features a tourbillon with central seconds, a distinctive pillar-type architecture, an innovative suspended fusée–chain regulating system and a mobile cone power reserve indicator via the dial side. The movement features a mainplate made of 18K rose gold like the one on the FB 1.2-1.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the watch wears slightly bigger due to its unconventional shape but simply flawlessly. Available in a limited edition of only 5 pieces the watch is delivered on a chocolate brown alligator strap and equipped with a pin buckle matching the metal of the case. Without a doubt our favorite iteration of the Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB1 'Oeuvre d'Or'.
Sticker Price $277,000 USD. For more info on Ferdinand Berthoud click here.
