The historic brand Angelus is now part of the La Joux-Perret stable, and it marked its return to watchmaking with last year’s U10 Tourbillon Lumière. This year, it presents three new tourbillon models, including the U40 Racing Tourbillon Skeleton. Designed as an “everyday tourbillon watch” or “a tourbillon for all,” it has a carefully-engineered structure based on a system based not on conventional mainplates and bridges, but on a basic chassis that is presumably cut from a single piece of metal (whether steel or a lightweight metal is not specified), finished with chamfered edges and ADLC-coated to give it its black colour. The wheels have a specific 6-spoked design to make them light and strong.
The result is a movement, Angelus A-300, that looks very modern, and provides an exceptional view of everything that is going on, from the mainspring barrel at the top to the one-minute tourbillon at the bottom. The train of gears transferring the power from spring to escapement and hands is perfectly visible, enhanced by the different finishes used for bridges, wheels and tourbillon cage. The ratchet assembly near the crown provides a curious contrast with its serpent-like curves.
A-300 movement
The movement is 32.8 mm in diameter and 4.3 mm thick, and the balance runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hertz. The hand-wound mainspring provides a power reserve of 60 hours. The movement is placed in a 42mm titanium case, with black trim on the caseband. The watch is 10 mm thick. The strap is in black rubber with Angelus logo and pattern in relief, and a titanium pin-buckle. In the illustration below, reverse of the A-300 movement.
Price and references
All in all, this is a truly modern watch, particularly the way in which it is entirely vegan – even though it is a high-end watch, the strap is not the usual alligator, but eco-friendly rubber. The price is aggressively low, considering that it’s a tourbillon with an in-house movement: 26,350 Swiss francs.
There are two versions, 0TSAT.B01A.K007T with red-tipped skeleton hands, and 0TSAT.B01B.K007T with white-tipped hands. Further details from the brand’s website http://www.angelus-watches.com/
Below, the caseback view: