After the recent dissolution of the Panerai and Ferrari partnership, Ferrari wasted no time in finding a new watch brand to partner with. The problem with the Ferrari/Panerai relationship was that the guys that drive Ferraris, don’t wear Panerais, and vice versa. The guys that own Ferraris generally prefer more exclusive timepieces than those made by manufacturers such as Panerai. Ferrari has chosen to work with high-end boutique watch brand Cabestan. Cabestan and Ferrari just released this concept sketch of their first timepiece, the Scuderia Ferrari One. These timepieces will be available in very limited quantities, exclusively to Ferrari owners.
Press Release Geneva, 5 May 2010 – Cabestan, the prestigious creator of exclusive Swiss timepieces, announces a partnership with Ferrari to jointly design and produce a limited edition luxury timepiece to celebrate the Prancing Horse’s Formula 1 racing history. The Scuderia Ferrari One by Cabestan is deeply inspired by Ferrari race car technology and design. The result is a watch like no other seen before: 8 cubic centimeters of pure mechanical perfection and exacting design. Jean-François Ruchonnet, with 25 years of experience in creating exceptional timepieces, passionate about high-performance cars and races, created this watch to embody the excitement, the innovation, the technology, the style and the attention to details of Ferrari.
A magical collaboration: Ruchonnet & the Ferrari design team Starting with the revolutionary motor he developed to power the Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical, Ruchonnet created a high-performance timepiece with an elegantly sleek and racy design coupled with the high tech materials found in Ferrari’s Formula 1 race cars. To reach deep into Ferrari DNA, Jean-François Ruchonnet teamed up with the Ferrari design team in Maranello, led by Design Director Flavio Manzoni. The two worked together to identify elements in Ferrari’s Formula 1 race cars that would become the basic design components of the new Scuderia Ferrari One by Cabestan.
Every part had to serve a specific purpose. Every material was chosen to enhance performance. The case of the Scuderia Ferrari One by Cabestan embodies the speed, power, and aerodynamic perfection, and is made of a titanium alloy created for components of Ferrari Formula 1 cars. The single crystal, surpassing the edges of the case, enhances the distinctive visual lineage that is unmistakably Ferrari. On the sides, a special magnesium alloy was used to create likenesses of race car wheels and the lug nuts that are emblematic of pit stop tire changes during Grand Prix races.
By design, the revolutionary vertical gear-train of the motor is perfectly visible under the crystal, showcasing the large wheel inspired by the F1 world. The rotary drums, made of lightweight aluminum, are engraved with numbers that are the same as those on the instrument panels that provide real-time data to Ferrari’s Formula 1 drivers. In the center, there is a block of carbon composite material created by Ferrari for use in high-performance car parts where high tensile strength, the low weight ratio is required. Finally, the leather strap, recalls the Daytona leather seats of Ferrari automobiles. A high-performance motor inside The nucleus of the motor, engineered by renowned master watchmaker Eric Coudray, is its vertical tourbillon, an exceptional technology designed to compensate for variations in the amplitude of the balance due to the effects of the Earth’s gravity.
To take the precision of this timepiece to a higher plane, the energy delivered to the movement is transmitted by a miniature chain and fusée that perfectly compensates the torque curve of the mainspring, using a 6-speed automatic transmission to deliver a constant force to the tourbillon. The result is a mechanical watch engine that is amazingly accurate: ± 1 second per day. Ferrari is synonymous with excellence and innovation, and constantly strives for perfection also in the selection of its partners: Cabestan shares with Ferrari the same passion, excitement, and performance. For Ferrari and Cabestan this is the beginning of a long-term collaboration.
The Scuderia Ferrari One by Cabestan, is an exceptional timepiece, perfectly embodying the Scuderia Ferrari DNA. Jean-François Ruchonnet, “Of all the timepieces I have created over the years, this one has a truly special meaning. Ferrari is a mythical company, a company that builds dreams, a company that sets the standard in the car industry and in Formula 1 racing. I am honored to be part of this exciting adventure with Cabestan and Ferrari. Together we have created something enduring.”
The Scuderia Ferrari One by Cabestan will only be made available to Ferrari clients. Retail $300,000.
