Manufacture Royale ADN Spirit – Bold and Sculptural

With the ADN Spirit watch, Manufacture Royale rewrites its genetic codes.  ADN, the French for DNA, is the name given to a new family of contemporary timepieces providing their own off-beat take on mechanical watchmaking. Boasting bold, sculptural shapes and architectural movements, the collection ventures into more aggressively modern territory.

The first thing that catches the eye with the manufacture Royale ADN Spirit watch is its architectural, openwork movement, focusing all the attention on depth and contrast. Creating a complex three-dimensional structure, hand-wound calibre MR010 catches the light in a striking way. The barrel and balance wheel are held under arched, symmetrical bridges. Through the skeletonised construction, the motion of the gear train makes the flow of time visible.

Calibre MR010 (manufactured by Concepto) comes in different finishes and colours. The CVD coating (a fine deposit of a transparent metal oxide) on the bridges varies depending on the case material. The brand logo and the luminescent hour markers/numerals are shown at 12 and 6 o’clock on translucent sapphire inserts. On the technical front, this large, 32.6mm calibre ticks at 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a 48-hour power reserve. At the centre, openwork syringe-style hands indicate hours and minutes while seconds are displayed on a subsidiary counter at 9 o’clock.

Four different editions have been presented:

• Steel case, khaki movement and strap
• Steel case, grey movement and black strap
• Steel case, blue movement and blue strap
• Black DLC-coated steel and forged carbon, black movement and strap

Turning the watch over, the exhibition case back is held by four screws and reveals the base plate of the movement and the cool central spring, which is actually three springs in one: pull-out piece spring, lever spring and click spring.

Manufactured in steel or in a combination of DLC-coated steel and forged carbon, the 3D architecture of the case draws inspiration from the Androgyne and Opera collections with a round container embraced by two brancards. Mobile lugs (up to 23°) ensure wearing comfort despite the large dimensions of the case (46mm). The bezel is held in place by 12 screws, a traditional Manufacture Royale feature.

The Manufacture Royale ADN Spirit is presented with a waterproof fabric strap (or alligator leather) strap secured with a triple folding clasp. It retails for CHF 25,500 in steel and CHF 29,500 in DLC-coated steel/forged carbon. For more information on Manufacture Royale watches, please visit www.manufacture-royale.com.