Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two DLC/SLN

Tourbillon: Virtuoso VIII Chapter Two DLC/SLN

When the Virtuoso VIII Chapter II tourbillon was introduced in 2020, it was hailed as an incredible expression of artisanal watchmaking, decorative arts, mechanical ingenuity, and innovation.

In 2021, the House of BOVET is excited to introduce a new aesthetic that brings this traditional expression of high watchmaking squarely into the 21st century, with titanium cases in brilliant black Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) and Super-LumiNova dials.

The Super-LumiNova coated dial, not just indices or markings but the entire dial surface, really pop, showcasing the luminosity in a unique way. You will be surprised and delighted the first time you see this timepiece when it transitions from the light into the dark. Now you can see BOVET in a completely different light – the glow of Super-LumiNova.

Over the past few years, the House of BOVET has been integrating Super-LumiNova into its timepieces in unique ways – in the lunar surface of the moon phase, on the sunshine dials of various collections – but this is the first time that Super-LumiNova has been applied so strongly onto the dial, a true statement of modernity.

The Grade 5 titanium case of the new Virtuoso VIII Chapter II timepieces have been treated with brilliant black DLC, creating a “dark side” that contrasts beautifully with the bright and vibrant dial colors.

The new Virtuoso VIII Chapter II includes everything else that made this introduction special – the patented flying tourbillon with ten days of power reserve, the patented accelerated rewinding system, the writing slope case and sapphire crystal aperture, the fine movement decoration, the big date display, and the two dials forming a horizontal number eight, which in numerology and in multiple cultures symbolizes luck, perfection, and infinity. 

For exceptional legibility, the seconds’ display is carefully designed to be displayed by a Super-LumiNova-coated sub-dial screwed onto the cage wheel. The arrow of the index hangs over the surface of the delicate circular dial showing the 60 seconds. The easy, precise readability offered by this display, even in the dark, is remarkable. To achieve this, the seconds' dial must be affixed to the plate during the initial assembly phases, which makes the watchmakers’ work even more delicate when working with the Super-LumiNova coating, as one scratch will necessitate starting over.

It is hard to imagine that a Super-LumiNova dial with such a diameter, hanging over the date disks, could allow for such a large date display. The space between the units' disk and the hours' disk is reduced to optimize readability, making it as large as possible for enhanced legibility. The watchmakers also did not forget the date correction, which does not even require removing the timepiece from one’s wrist, and is performed simply by pressing down on the real sapphire cabochon crown.

The movement that drives this exceptional timepiece meets BOVET’s demanding criteria of chronometry, reliability, and expression. It draws its energy from a single barrel that ensures more than ten days of power reserve, all while maintaining the balance wheel's oscillations at 18,000 vph. 

Finally, the power reserve of over ten days, provided by a single barrel, would require laborious winding if not for the spherical differential winding system. The application of this ingenious patented mechanism and the multi-gear three-dimensional teeth of one of its pinions, have received two patents. Because of this differential winding system, the number of crown turns needed for full winding of the spring is halved without increasing friction and forces exerted on the gears.