Carbon is a fiber-reinforced synthetic material that is frequently used in the auto racing and aviation industries. Both in race cars and airplanes, weight matters. But if you don’t want to forego stability, you turn to carbon. This material is known for being hard-wearing and insensitive to chemical influences or impacts – all this, and it’s lightweight! Moreover, it doesn’t have a significant ecological footprint. No wonder the watch industry has embraced this material! Carbon has all the properties that manufacturers want for contemporary and future-facing timepieces. Gone are the days when the weightiness of a watch was a sign of its worth. The watches of tomorrow are lightweight, comfortable to wear, and exceptionally durable.
When carbon first started making its way into the watch industry, it was primarily used for cases. Given the case is usually the heaviest part of a watch, this gave the most bang for your buck in terms of weight reduction. Where stainless steel weighs around 8 g/cm³, carbon weighs just 2 g/cm³. Gradually, manufacturers started turning to carbon for additional components, especially those that experience the most everyday wear and tear, like the bezel and crown. This piecemeal introduction of the material isn’t due to doubts about its efficacy; we’re talking about the stuff that’s used for spacecraft, so we know it’s durable. Rather, it was the high cost of carbon fibers and the unique challenges processing the material poses for manufacturers.
The specific properties and durability of carbon vary depending on the way the material is processed, and each watch brand has adopted its own approach. The most traditional – and complex – processing technique is called carbon forging. This method doesn’t allow for a final polish or other post-processing steps, so all the surfaces and edges have to be perfect from the start, and the results are breathtaking. A forged carbon timepiece is a watch lover’s dream. For one, it’s completely unique, because the material will never come out exactly the same twice. The hue and sheen varies from piece to piece. At the same time, it can withstand almost any environmental influence: corrosion, UV rays, mechanical impacts – nothing can touch it! If the idea of micro-scratches sends chills up your spine, or if you want to keep your watch in great nick to preserve its resale value, carbon is the way to go. Both the appearance and price of carbon watches are stable. While many brands have now added carbon watches to their portfolio, the following timepieces are some of the most impressive. So, let’s take a little tour of the masters of carbon watchmaking, and find out how they do what they do.
Richard Mille
Richard Mille was one of the first brands to produce a carbon watch, and it remains the brand that is most associated with the material to this day. What’s better suited to a lightweight sports watch than carbon? I’ll wait… RM began by working with forged carbon cases. As early as 2004, the manufacturer launched a watch with a baseplate made of carbon. This was both insensitive to temperature fluctuations and shockproof due to the extreme pressure and temperature used during the production process. But Richard Mille isn’t known for resting on its laurels; no, this brand is constantly striving for more. They moved on to NTPT Carbon, a material developed in tandem with North Thin Ply Technology, a Swiss company that specializes in high-performance composites. The resulting material isn’t exclusive to watches, but can also be found in the masts of sailboats and the bodies of Formula 1 race cars.
But Richard Mille’s greatest breakthrough in the field of carbon technology was undoubtedly when they successfully combined carbon fibers with gold leaf. It requires an enormous amount of skill to combine and process these two, quite dissimilar substances. The result, deemed Gold Carbon TPT, set a new industry standard. By pairing a composite with a precious metal, RM has managed to combine the latest technology with the epitome of classic elegance. Most importantly, it offers unique timepieces for fans who don’t want to have to choose between innovation and tradition.
Hublot
Hublot has a different approach to working with carbon. They start with pre-formed carbon fiber sheets that measure around 2 mm thick. These are what give Hublot carbon watches their unique textured patterns. Think working with pre-formed carbon is the easy way out? Think again: Since carbon is such a resilient material, it’s extremely difficult to work with. Production of carbon watches requires specialized tools – and even those can only be used to make a few cases before needing to be replaced. Only around 85% of the cases made can actually be used; the rest don’t meet the high quality control standards and are rejected as defective.
Despite being time-consuming and presenting challenges, this technique offers impressive results. For starters, Hublot carbon watches are extremely durable. Moreover, the unique texture is visually intriguing and gives the cases a one-of-a-kind aesthetic. Both the material itself and the design of the watches evoke the spirit of motorsport – perfect for racing fans. Hublot truly lives up to the title “Master of Fusion” here. Whether combined with rubber or other materials, the versatility of carbon is perfectly showcased in Hublot’s carbon watches – there is literally a carbon Hublot for every type of enthusiast.
Panerai
Wondering why Panerai carbon watches are so expensive, even though they aren’t forged? Well, let’s take a closer look behind the scenes. Panerai works with a composite material called Carbotech. Here, thin carbon fiber layers are compressed together using a complex process. A single case requires an average of 120 carbon fiber layers. Then the resulting material has to be manufactured into specific components – that’s no easy task, given its level of hardness. Milling heads alone have to be replaced after an average of just 10 cases, and other tools aren’t any better. It takes a lot of experience to achieve smooth carbon surfaces and the desired visual effect. So, while carbon watches may be lightweight, they certainly aren’t straightforward to manufacture.
The production process gives Carbotech a unique appearance characterized by an uneven, matte black finish. That said, every timepiece has a slightly different look, making each watch completely unique. Carbotech is much stronger than ceramic or titanium and is corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic. Can you think of anything better suited to a diving watch?
Zenith
The Zenith Defy Classic Carbon was the first automatic watch to have a case and bracelet made entirely of carbon. Despite measuring 41 mm across, the watch weighs just 65 g. However, it’s not just this featherlight weight, but also its unique look that make the model so popular. The way the carbon is manufactured leaves a camouflage pattern with both matte and glossy finishes, giving the watch a beautiful sheen when light hits it. Another highlight is the skeletonized dial. Beneath the requisite five-point star logo, you can view the in-house caliber Elite 670 SK with a star-shaped, black-coated rotor. The watch is also highly legible, thanks to its distinctive luminous hands and hour markers. Whether paired with elegant attire or sportswear, this Zenith is a versatile addition to any collection. It’s also solid proof that whoever owns this watch is open to innovation and change, and prepared for the future of the watch world.
IWC
IWC has the perfect carbon timepiece for car aficionados and fans of racing. The IWC Ingenieur AMG Automatic Carbon Performance was created in tandem with the Formula 1 racing team Mercedes-AMG Petronas. But the collab didn’t just end with the design; nope, the mid-case is manufactured using the same monocoque approach utilized in many racers. This involves taking carbon fiber sheets and soaking them in resin before subjecting them to high temperature and pressure to achieve maximum stability. The dial is likewise made of carbon fiber, affording the watch an elegant touch. The IWC Ingenieur AMG Automatic Carbon Performance will send a chill down the spine of just about any watch lover – not least of all due to the fact that the timepiece looks smashing in any situation. There is literally nothing better than an elegant sports watch, in my opinion.
In Short
Durable, good value retention, and better for the environment: There are many advantages of carbon watches. Ultimately, however, most people are drawn to the unique character of the material. Whether forged or made by compressing wafer thin sheets together, carbon watches are the perfect blend of industrial chic and elegance, linking the watch industry to luxury sport, and permeating our everyday lives with something extraordinary.
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