Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Marcu Initial, The Debut Watch of an Experienced Watchmaker
A deeply finished time-only watch with plenty of character.
Among the new independent watch brands recently unveiled, Marcu stands out for several reasons: not only for the originality of its debut timepiece, but also for the original background of the man behind it. Jérôme Marcu is no rookie when it comes to watchmaking. With a career that began in the 1980s, it is remarkable that only now is he unveiling the first timepiece to bear his name. Born into a family that created automata and musical instruments, he has spent his long career working for houses such as Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Roth & Genta, and Bovet. Since 2016, he has been honing his craft in his workshop, lending his expertise to some of the industry’s most prestigious maisons, servicing or prototyping watches. The first watch of this experienced watchmaker is deeply personal, infused by his lineage and continuing an approach, a discipline and a way of working…
The first thing one can say when taking the Marcu Initial into one’s hands is that it is certainly not lacking in character or personality. Its round case stands out for its unusual design. 40mm in diameter, it is made of grade 5 titanium. Its construction combines screw-on lugs and a domed sapphire crystal that sits atop the case like a glass cap, extending over the bezel and meeting the case band flush. Mounted on pillars, the bezel is graduated every 5 minutes.
The pine-needle motif dial features two concentric rings in its centre. This is at once inspired by clockmaking and shaped by the presence of hands tipped with triangle-cut diamonds. This original design led to the use of a black polished steel counterweight placed in exact opposition to neutralise gravitational effects and ensure consistent timekeeping. Whilst a traditional hand is generally 0.2 mm thick, these diamond-set hands are 1.4 mm high! Fitting the diamond on steel hands is also delicate: the challenge lies in cutting a precise groove directly into the diamond to ensure a perfect invisible setting.
Turning the watch over, the exhibition case back allows you to discover a large 37mm movement standing for its elaborate symmetrical architecture. The barrel, central wheel and balance wheel are aligned on the vertical axis, with the components held in place by 4 different bridges. The first one holds the barrel in place. The second holds the winding mechanism with a click that was adapted to “mirror” the crown wheel. The wheel-train bridge is shaped as a semicircle. Last, the steel balance wheel bridge holds in place the regulating organ.
The hand-wound JM01 calibre is decorated with Geneva stripes, no fewer than 75 angles (including 15 inward angles). The caption “réglé comme du papier à musique” (regulated with the precision of a musical score, in French) replaces the traditional “réglé sur 5 positions” (adjusted to five positions). This French idiomatic expression means that it is regulated with great precision while being a nod to Jérôme Marcu’s family, who were creating automata and musical instruments! Last, each movement is individually numbered on the gear-train bridge.
From a technical perspective, the JM01 calibre beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour and delivers 50 hours of power reserve when fully wound.
The Marcu initial is presented on an Alcantara strap with a pin buckle. It will be released in grade 5 titanium as a limited series of 33 pieces: 11 pieces with an anthracite dial, 11 pieces with a golden dial and 11 pieces with a deep blue dial. The price is set at CHF 59,000 excl. taxes.
For more details, please visit www.marcu-geneve.ch.
