Bovet 1822 Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two DLC-SLN

There’s no doubt about Bovet 1822’s watchmaking capabilities, as we’ve demonstrated in the past. When it comes to craftsmanship, it is right up there with other high-end independent watchmakers in terms of complexity, originality, and finishing. One of the most interesting examples from the Bovet manufacture is the Virtuoso Collection. Today Bovet 1822 introduces the new Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two DLC-SLN, a more contemporary take of the complex timepiece.

The Virtuoso collection is a series of showstopping timepieces by Bovet, displaying the manufacture’s capabilities of superb mechanics and mastery of traditional techniques. Following the stunning Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two, this new iteration brings some modernity to the range, with a few twists.

Usually, in high-end watchmaking, such intricate-looking watches come in precious metals. But as we’ve seen before, Bovet is not shy to push the envelope and come up with tantalising new designs. So, in this case, the Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two DLC-SLN has a black DLC-coated titanium habillage with Bovet’s signature sloped profile. That blackened case alone takes the look of the watch in an entirely different direction, even more so when going through the other changes in the watch, which are purely aesthetical, by the way.

Previously outfitted with a pair of aventurine sub-dials, the new Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two DLC-SLN comes in five different colour combinations, all with full lume. That means that the entire dial emits a bright green glow in the dark. The dials come in green, blue, yellow, purple or (a MONOCHROME favourite) salmon pink. Naturally, all is covered by a sapphire crystal (as well as the reverse side).

And the Super-LumiNova isn’t restricted to the two sub-dials; the minute ring around the one-minute tourbillon is also coated with the luminous material. Despite the new look, all the other details remain unchanged. You still have a central pair of hands indicating the time, with a power reserve display in the left sub-dial and the big date in the right one. The date is corrected with a single push of the blue cabochon nestled in the crown and doesn’t require the watch to be taken off the wrist.

The in-house developed and constructed calibre 17BM06-GD remains at the heart of things. The decoration is top-notch as you would expect from Bovet, with a new blackened Côtes de Genève finishing for the mainplate and several bridges. The single barrel, which can be seen through the exhibition caseback, holds a massive 10 days of power when fully wound. A double patented system cuts the number of windings for the barrel to be fully wound in half, a welcome feature with 240 hours of energy. Time is set, and the movement wound by the trademark Bovet crown at the 12 o’clock position.

The new Bovet 1822 Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two DLC-SLN comes on a black alligator leather strap with a black DLC-coated stainless steel pin and buckle. It is limited to 8 pieces per dial colour, so 40 in total. The price is CHF 200,000.

For more information, please visit Bovet.com.