The Coco de Mer marine chronometer designed by Wempe and Tim Heywood is an exquisite example full of nautical heritage. Coming in a strictly limited edition of 50 pieces, it combines Wempe’s almost 120 years of experience in the manufacture of chronometers with a design created by the world-famous yacht designer Tim Heywood. The dark brown, fine wood case in the shape of a coconut, with 16 layers of lacquer and polished by hand, not only emphasizes the feminine curves of the coco de mer that served as its model, but also pays tribute to the value of chronometry: like the ship’s chronometer, the palm fruit masters enormous distances across the sea without suffering any damage. You can now sign up to get on Wempe’s waitlist. Each of the 50 pieces will cost over $90,000.
The Wempe chronometer itself is made of gold-plated brass. Its domed crystal is cut from a solid block of borosilicate glass, which is particularly resistant to temperature. Arabic numerals and slender hands provide the bright blue dial with an elegant touch. Two openings at 4 and 8 o’clock provide a view of the movement. Fully wound, the Wempe clock boasts a power reserve of 56 hours and a maximum rate deviation of only 0.3 seconds per day. The twelve meridians that radiate outward from the center of the dial’s glass cover continue on the reverse side.
To wind the movement, it is fixed with the reverse side facing upwards, thus providing a view of the elaborately decorated movement with three bridges of the marine chronometer Type 07. For this new construction, every part was recalculated. The result is a classic bimetal construction with galvanic plating. The case of Wempe’s Coco de Mer with its three hinged doors is manufactured by Metrica using a laser-sintering process. Wempe designed the lid to be bronze-plated from the outside and gilded with leaf gold from the inside.
Images courtesy of Wempe
