Lederer Inverto Titanium 39mm, A Superb Inverted Take on the Central Impulse Chronometer

With the Inverto Titanium, independent watchmaking atelier Lederer refines the 2023 Central Impulse Chronometer InVerto, a large 44mm watch in a blackened case, into a compact, titanium-framed display of one of the most sophisticated escapement architectures in modern watchmaking. It’s a culmination of forty years of mechanical experimentation, distilled into 39mm of pure chronometric artistry, with its dramatic concept on full display through an inverted calibre.

Independent watchmaker Bernhard Lederer, founder of Lederer Watches, is one of the foremost technical voices of modern horology. A founding member of the AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants), Lederer has spent over four decades exploring escapement innovation; his work is defined by precision, restraint, and mastery of the balance between technical function and aesthetic form. The basis for this new watch lies in Lederer’s landmark creation: the Central Impulse Chronometer (CIC), first introduced in 2020. Inspired by George Daniels’ Independent Double Wheel Escapement, Lederer’s version refined its design, reduced friction, and added dual constant-force remontoirs, resulting in one of the most efficient and stable chronometric movements ever built.

The CIC was first presented in 44mm, followed in 2023 by the 39mm CIC, a smaller, more wearable interpretation of the same concept. That same year, Lederer presented the Central Impulse Chronometer Inverto, a dramatic reimagining that flipped the movement to the dial side. Originally conceived as a one-off for Only Watch 2023, the Inverto (released in black DLC as a limited run of 18 pieces) displayed the entire calibre on the watch’s face, a concept that proved so compelling that it would become the foundation for this year’s Lederer Inverto Titanium.

The Inverto Titanium continues this exploration with a smaller, lighter, and even more refined execution. The 39mm case from the CIC 39, now made in Grade 5 titanium, retains the highly-domed sapphire crystal, a signature Lederer design, that curves softly down the flanks of the case, visually merging with the metal and emphasising the three-dimensional structure beneath. At 10.5mm in height, it wears comfortably despite its sculptural construction. The finishing alternates between satin and mirror polish. The watch remains water-resistant to 30m.

There is no conventional dial as the movement becomes the stage. Every wheel, barrel, and remontoir is visible under the crystal, creating a view that feels very kinetic. Blued skeletonised hour and minute hands float above the exposed gear trains and twin escapements, offering legibility while preserving an unobstructed view of the mechanics. The reverse side is more restrained, featuring an engraved motif inspired by the movement’s blueprint and a small seconds display, whose rhythm mirrors the 15-second cadence of the remontoirs. 

The Lederer Calibre 9019, an inverted evolution of the dual-train movement from the Central Impulse Chronometer, powers the watch. This sophisticated dual-escapement design draws inspiration from the Gafner system, a 1930s constant-force mechanism centred on a Reuleaux triangle-shaped ruby cam, developed by Robert Gafner of La Chaux-de-Fonds. Lederer has refined this principle, reducing unlocking resistance and stabilising balance amplitude to achieve outstanding chronometric precision and mechanical symmetry.

Comprising over 200 components, the calibre 9019 features two independent barrels and two gear trains to ensure perfectly balanced energy distribution. Two constant-force remontoirs release controlled bursts of energy every 15 seconds, maintaining constant torque from start to finish, and two detent escapement wheels deliver impulses to the balance in alternation, reducing friction and enhancing stability.

Operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour with a 38-hour power reserve, the 9019 is visually symmetrical and functionally precise. Nearly all of its components are produced, finished, and assembled in-house. Finishing includes anglage, black polishing, circular graining, and satin brushing, all executed by hand.

The Inverto Titanium comes on a choice of blue calf leather or caoutchouc strap, each paired with a titanium pin buckle. It is not a numbered limited edition, but production remains naturally limited by the brand’s small-scale manufacture. The Lederer Inverto Titanium is priced at CHF 152,000. More details at ledererwatches.com.