The New, More Compact C by Romain Gauthier Titanium Edition 39.5

First presented in 2021 as the Continuum and later renamed, the C by Romain Gauthier is a bold expression of a sporty-elegant watch by one of the most revered independent watchmakers, a man known for his superlative hand-made movement decoration. A rather strong departure from the complex Logical One, the intricate Insight Micro-Rotor Squelette or the Prestige HMS, the C has become the only collection advertised in recent years, with multiple editions introduced. But most had one thing in common: a case measuring 41mm in diameter. This year, the model comes back in a newly proportioned 39.5mm titanium case, for a more compact, versatile and casual approach.

The C by Romain Gauthier is not your typical luxury sports watch and carries a strong identity altogether. It is original in its shapes, voluntarily asymmetrical, deliberately modern and yet features a movement that is finished to an impressive level. As said, since its introduction, all editions – titanium, platinum, bracelet-equipped, openworked – have been using a case measuring 41mm. The only exception was the recent Carbonium edition, with a 42mm case.

Now, the C by Romain Gauthier returns in a redesigned (or should we say re-proportioned) case measuring 39.5mm in diameter, only 46mm in lug-to-lug, with a marginal reduction in thickness, from 9.55mm to 9.45mm. Still made of natural grade 5 titanium, it features a bold, geometric bezel that is first machined into a perfectly round base with a circular bevel, before six straight cuts are applied to create a distinctive six-facet architecture. The upper surface of the bezel and the case’s flanks are contrasting with brushed finishes. As in many of his previous creations, the crown is positioned at 2 o’clock, an element of visual boldness that also improves the wearing comfort. The case is water-resistant to 30m, a reduction compared to the already mildly watertight larger editions (50m).

For the dial of this new C by Romain Gauthier Titanium Edition 39.5, the choice was made to use layers and transparency. It is made of metallised sapphire crystal with fine horizontal lines. The distinct asymmetrical layout has been retained, with off-centred hour-minute hands and slightly tapered hour markers of varying lengths. The small seconds subdial is positioned at 7 o’clock, with tapering lines of differing lengths. The dial is available in three versions: pink, light blue and orange and all elements of the dial, such as the three-dimensional titanium hands or the numerals and indexes made entirely of Super-LumiNova, are glowing in the same colour as the lines on the small seconds.

Under the sapphire caseback is an in-house, hand-wound movement that’s shared with the larger versions of the C by Romain Gauthier. As modern in its looks and architecture as the rest of the watch, it relies on five finger bridges (typical of the Vallée de Joux) reinterpreted here in a contemporary way, and in a horizontal layout. Like the case components and the dial plate, the bridges are made from lightweight, natural Grade 5 titanium. As always with Romain Gauthier, the decoration is impressive, even if far more modern in this case. Each bridge features a double bevel, with straight-grained flat surfaces and a special hand-engraving technique to create an original dimpled texture. The movement mainplate beneath has been hand-frosted. The trademark gears and ratchet wheel feature circular, bevelled spokes that have been circular-grained. The man’s S-slot signature screw heads are polished. Finally, the 4Hz running movement with 60h power reserve features a snail cam system for the stop seconds.

Last, the C by Romain Gauthier Titanium Edition 39.5 introduces an interchangeable rubber strap system, allowing the wearer to switch between different strap options. All three editions are released as part of the permanent collection and will be priced at CHF 34,000 (excl. taxes). For more details, please visit romaingauthier.com.