Por Jaime Mendoza Waldo 
[metaslider id=»31632″]
RJ unveils its first tourbillon movement entirely made in-house.
A piece dedicated to its super ambassador Spider-Man.
Entirely designed and manufactured by RJ, the movement is inspired by the universe and attributes of the superhero.
Counting on its creativity, boldness and independence, the new RJ Studio has created an audacious movement, technically innovative and aesthetically different, with an extended power reserve of more than six days thanks to a barrel enlarged to the width of the dial.
A nod to Spider-Man’s performance and endurance.
The ARRAW Spider-Man Tourbillon is available in two versions:
the first in a black carbon and red fiberglass composite, and the second, a stealth version in black carbon, each limited to only 10 pieces.
Eysins, Switzerland (October , 2019) – RJ presents its first movement 100% manufactured in-house, a highly innovative central tourbillon entirely developed and produced within the new RJ Studio in Eysins. From the plate to the bridges, the gears and other components have been designed as to pay tribute to its ambassador, the iconic Spider-Man.
RJ has been chosen by MARVEL Studios to create Haute Horlogerie watches inspired by the amazing Spider-Man. The young team constantly raises the bar to develop and manufacture watches, technically original with unparalleled aesthetics, stirring even more excitement for fans of comics, of superheroes and of the new wave in watchmaking.
Marco Tedeschi, CEO and Creative Director of RJ comments: «It was a pleasure for us to work closely with the team at MARVEL Studios who has put its trust in our hands for the creation and development of our first complicated watch in honor of Spider-Man.
For the first time, a character and his universe inspired us not only in the aesthetics but also in the technics of the movement. And it is no coincidence that we have chosen a tourbillon, light, rapid and ethereal, with an increased power reserve of more than six days, an additional nod to Spider-Man’s endurance and performance.”
To celebrate the second collaboration between RJ and MARVEL, a Disney subsidiary, the young Swiss watchmaker has created its first tourbillon entirely designed, developed and manufactured in its workshops in Eysins, on the shores of Lake Geneva.
RJ-7000 : In-house central Tourbillon
It all started with the objective of obtaining a remarkably long power reserve which requires an oversized barrel. In order to reach this objective, the barrel was placed at the center of the movement to be as wide as possible, almost as large as the diameter of the dial, enabling the movement to have a power reserve of 150 hours (more than six days).
The sizeable barrel naturally meant the tourbillon cage had to be placed above it, at the center of the movement and on the same axis. This unique construction provides a fantastic view of the regulator.
A display that has never been seen before
The hours and minutes have a peripheral display thanks to a planetary gear system that orbits 360° around the tourbillon. The movement therefore has a construction that is entirely coaxial. A 12-factor gear ratio allows the planetary minutes system to empower the progression of the hours.
Adding to this innovation, the hour and minute display system is fixed on two very wide and high-precision ball bearings in order to optimize the movement’s efficiency as much as possible.
As for the hands, they are shaped to the legs of the Spider icon.
Lightness, performance, endurance, precision… Naturally, this first Tourbillon is dedicated to Spider-Man.
The grade 5 titanium tourbillon cage and the going train wheels have an openwork design shaped to a spider web, leaving only the necessary material for the movement to work properly. Affixed on the main plate, the black eyes of the Spider-Man mask are distinguishable due to their contrasting finishing.
From carbon to fiberglass
Made in a 45 mm case adorned with the RJ BUMPERS™ in rubber, the ARRAW Spider-Man tourbillon is available in two materials with each version limited to only 10 pieces.
The first, in red, is a high-performance composite combining superposed layers of black carbon and red fiberglass, making the watch incredibly light and creating a finely stroked matt surface.
The second is entirely made of black carbon
with a shimmering effect of grey and anthracite, giving a stealthy and strong look
to the watch.
A perfect symmetry and a winding done from the back of the watch
In order to maintain a perfect symmetry, the ARRAW Spider-Man Tourbillon case has no crown. Thus, the winding of the barrel’s mainspring is done by lifting a hoop found on the case back, then turning it like a key. This mechanism allows a faster winding than with a traditional crown.
To set the time, a concealed push button under the strap at 6 o’clock must be pressed while turning the hoop, in either direction.
The case back features a cartridge engraving technique. The letters are polished and stand out from the surface of the microblasted back. Four sapphire crystals on the case back allow maximum visibility of the movement.
Interchangeable strap
The strap of the ARRAW Spider-Man tourbillon is made of black polyamide and recalls the texture of the superhero’s suits. It is embellished with the Spider icon which has been thermoformed on each bracelet end, in-between the lugs and reinforced with a black rubber inlay for durability and comfort on the wrist.
The ARRAW Spider-Man Tourbillon is equipped with the interchangeable ARRAW strap system that allows the strap to be released with a simple ‘click’ by pressing simultaneously on the two lug screws. On the clasp, a lever releases the strap from the deployment buckle, no tools required.
A spider watch box
For the first time the ARRAW watch box, characterized by its round shape and the iconic four RJ BUMPERS™, has been customized to Spider-Man’s attributes.
Made of black wood, the watch box resembles a spider thanks to the eight spider legs fixed to the side. Spider-Man’s web and logo are engraved on the lid.
Inside the box, the watch is captured in a spider web made of steel. This part is removeable, making the watch box useable for other purposes.
Each collaboration is an opportunity
for RJ to reinterpret Haute Horlogerie and to push back its limits. The essence
of legendary characters can thus be found in the watches, from the aesthetic to
the very components of the movement. Offering an opportunity to discover Haute
Horlogerie under a new light, RJ is not done surprising you!
ABOUT RJ
RJ designs and produces recognizable, ambitious, and culturally relevant luxury Swiss watches. RJ ARRAW, the brand’s core collection for men and women, is distinguishable by its RJ BUMPERS™ and ingenious interchangeable strap system.
RJ has made its own mark on modern watchmaking with its Collaboration watch series, which draws inspiration from icons of pop culture, from superheroes of DC Comics or Marvel, like Batman and Spider-Man, to beloved video game characters like Super Mario Bros., Space Invaders™, or Pac-Man™.
RJ has brought history-making material to the wrist with its DNA Concept watches, using steel from the Titanic, genuine moon dust, or remnants from the Apollo 11 spacecraft which first landed man on the moon.
The brand was founded in 2004 and re-launched in 2018 under the creative direction of CEO Marco Tedeschi. Ever since, RJ proudly manufactures its own in-house movements at the brand’s headquarters, RJ Studio, based out of Geneva, Switzerland.
ABOUT MARVEL
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit marvel.com. © 2019 MARVEL