The Dreamy Cvstos Re-Belle Moon (Live Pics & Price)

Another relative newcomer on the independent watchmaking block is Cvstos, a niche Geneva-based brand founded in 2005 by Sassoun Sirmakes, son of Vartan Sirmakes of the Franck Muller Watchland Group. With a preference for tonneau-shaped cases across all its collections, it will not come as a surprise that co-founder and chief designer Antonio Terranova worked at Richard Mille long before his adventure at Cvstos. Like many watch brands, the core collections are based around land/Chronograph, sea/Sealiner and air/Jetliner, and a new Metropolitan luxury sports watch collection was launched earlier this year. Among the more extensive and diverse portfolio of watches is a smaller line-up known as Re-Belle, released in 2021. Still offering a robust 100m water-resistant case, the limited-edition models come with moon phase functions, mother-of-pearl or aventurine dials and a wide sway of gem-setting choices.

Tonneau-Shaped Case

Featuring the brand’s bold tonneau-shaped case, all Re-Belle Moon models, whether in stainless steel or 5N red gold, feature gem-set cases and dials. There are plenty of choices, from brilliant-cut and snow-set diamonds to tutti frutti rainbow models with coloured sapphires.

With a 36mm width and a length of 47.2mm, the polished tonneau-shaped case features a cambered, ergonomic profile to follow the wrist’s contours. The lateral casebands are hollowed and micro-blasted for a sportier look, and the crown is screwed-down to ensure 100m water resistance. Made of stainless steel or red gold, the crown is set with a band of brilliant-cut diamonds or coloured sapphires. The models for the photo shoot correspond to the red gold model with a mother-of-pearl dial and brilliant-cut diamonds and the steel model with an aventurine dial and a snow-set diamond case.

To underscore the curved, tapering lines of the case, the red gold model is set with a row of brilliant-cut diamonds on both flanks and a double row of diamonds at either end where the strap meets the lugs. Curiously, the case of the steel model has an even more spectacular diamond setting known as snow setting, where diamonds of different diameters blanket the metal entirely to recreate the effect of freshly fallen snow.

Commanding centre stage of the dial is the moon phase aperture, placed behind the axis of the central hour and minute hands. Although the red gold model features a mother-of-pearl aperture and the steel an aventurine one, the realistically rendered and large-sized Moon in both models floats in a star-spangled aventurine sky.

Both models feature 12 diamond indices that overlap onto the flange and a circular framed date window at 6 o’clock with a quick-corrector mechanism. The hour and minute hands are openworked and treated with Super-LumiNova, and the dial is protected by a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on both sides.

Automatic movement

The caseback offers a view of the CVS 882 self-winding mechanical calibre with 26 jewels, 38h power reserve and 4Hz frequency.

Availability & Price

As mentioned, there are several models of the Re-Belle on the brand’s webpage. All variants of the Re-Belle Moon are limited editions of 50 pieces and range in price from USD 25,900 to USD 53,000. Fitted with an elegant hand-stitched alligator strap with a pin buckle, the stainless steel version can also be ordered with a rubber strap with diamond-set links and a folding clasp. The stainless steel model with snow-set diamonds we had for the photo shoot retails for USD 35,400; the red gold for USD 40,000.

For more information, please visit cvstos.com.