An exceptional piece of contemporary haute horlogerie, which takes one of the most elegant solutions to the conundrum of constant force and reinterprets it in its purest and most precise level, the Central Impulse Chronometer represents years of development by its maker, and sets a new standard in the quest for chronometric perfection. A superb addition to this highly technical and refined series of wristwatches, the CIC Racing Green 39mm offers the discerning collector an opportunity to acquire a timepiece featuring one of the most significant technical achievements of our time. 

Manufactured from stainless steel, the housing is sized at 39mm with a height of only 10.75mm. Finished with a trim bezel that enhances the visual pleasure of the dial, the slender profile of the case is accentuated by a polished finish.

Evoking a holistic design, the case is designed around the dimensions of the movement, with an expanse of sapphire crystal on the underside maximising the view of the astonishing mechanical masterpiece which beats in its unique rhythm within.

Beneath the subtle convex dome of sapphire crystal, the dial is rendered in a sophisticated racing green tone, with an overlapping figure of eight featuring a cutaway section at the upper that partially reveals the escapements that lie beneath. Each of the two circles has its own small seconds hand, with each perfectly synchronised with the other, and they rotate in opposite directions. Adding depth to the dial architecture, the interlocking circles are recessed while the hour ring is raised, and each element is defined by a polished and bevelled edge. The slender openworked hour and minutes hands are accompanied by elegant faceted hour markers and a clean minutes scale at the outer dial, while a plaque at the 5 o’clock declares the provenance of the piece.

The manual winding mechanism that is at the heart of this special edition has been fully conceived, designed and developed in the master watchmaker’s state of the art atelier in Saint Blaise. A re-imagining of the natural escapement, as envisaged first by Abraham Louis Breguet, and more recently by the great George Daniels, the Lederer Chronometer Calibre is as complex in its conception as it is fascinating and captivating to observe. Conceived to deliver optimal precision by having the most direct connection between the escapement and the balance, the movement features two separate gear trains, each of which are individually energised by a dedicated barrel, and which terminate at the two escapements, giving the mechanism a striking visual symmetry. Configured either side of a pivoting anchor, each escape wheel is governed by its own ten second remontoir, a tiny spring at its centre, which stores and then releases its energy in alternating bursts, as they regulate the oscillations of the large titanium balance wheel between them. 

Taking inspiration from Daniels’ accomplishments, which were created for use in his pocket watches, the German master watchmaker has taken those discoveries to the limits of their potential and realised the concept in this extraordinary wristwatch, which is designed to draw the eye in towards the alternating pulse of its mesmerising mechanical heartbeat.

The meticulously crafted components have been manufactured in-house to the most exacting tolerances, and to be as light and therefore less energy-sapping as possible, while also optimising the delicacy of contact where they engage with each other, all the while enhancing the isochronism and the consistency of the delivery of energy to the balance, in its technical sophistication and complexity, this is a mechanical masterpiece of superbly refined efficiency and precision.

Presented on a tan leather strap with folding clasp, the Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer Racing Green 39mm is a rare and special timepiece for the connoisseur collector by one of the industry’s most respected independent watchmakers.