Dubey & Schaldenbrand Coeur Blanc – Setting The Bar

As we move further into the Renaissance of mechanical watchmaking we see certain watch brands taking very strong positions within the watch world. A good example of this is Linde Werdelin, but on a different level the same also goes for Dubey & Schaldenbrand.

Unlike Linde Werdelin, Dubey & Schaldenbrand has a much longer history, and is best know for their “index mobile”, a clever device that incorporates a spiral on the dial side to create a rattrapante function. Despite being a successful brand, the quartz crisis also hit Dubey & Schaldenbrand hard, until it was brought back to life in 1995 by Cinette Robert. She renewed Dubey & Schaldenbrand’s lease of life with models like the Aerodyn and the Carre Cambre. With these watches, Dubey & Schaldenbrand was able to establish itself once again as a watch brand respected by connoisseurs and collectors alike.  Since 2009 Jonatan Gil is at the helm of Dubey & Schaldenbrand, taking the brand to the next level. The best testimony that this is going exceptionally well is the recently introduced Coeur Blanc.

Strictly speaking one would not expect a watch like the Coeur Blanc from a brand like Dubey & Schaldenbrand. Although in recent years rapidly expanding its collection of diamond set watches, the Coeur Blanc is not just any diamond set watch. Actually, it is so exceptional that even well established, and much larger, brands like Cartier and Chopard don’t bring out a watch like this very often. The reason? Exquisite quality of baguette cut diamonds used totaling to a mind blowing 22.5 carats.

Dubey & Schaldenbrand Coeur_Blanc_01_lrWhen it comes to diamonds used in Haute Horlogerie there is very little to wish for since the vast majority have accepted VVS (very very slightly included) as their standard. This means that an expert diamond grader has difficulty, but can, find minute inclusions in the diamond under 10X magnification. The exceptional quality of these diamonds is best displayed in baguette cut diamonds. These have more mass than a brilliant cut diamond of a similar diameter yet less facets. This means that any inclusions stand out more in a baguette cut diamond than that they would do in a brilliant cut diamond. To add to the exclusivity of the watch, the diamonds used in the Coeur Blanc are all color graded as “H” on the GIA-scale. This means that the diamonds are near colorless. Especially combined with the VVS-grading for inclusions and the baguette-cut, you simply have very rare diamonds featuring in this watch.

Dubey & Schaldenbrand Coeur_Blanc_05_lrTo show off the exceptional diamonds Dubey & Schaldenbrand used an invisible setting, so no gold can be detected that holds the diamonds in place. This brings out the best of the baguette cut diamonds, but is also very difficult to accomplish. This is especially true with the Coeur Blanc, since Dubey & Schaldenbrand applied the invisible setting on all the diamonds set on the watch, even those on the case. Given the fact that the case is not your straight forward round case, but actually features a more complex design, makes this watch an example of exceptional diamond setting.

Dubey & Schaldenbrand Coeur_Blanc_06_lrOf course a watch like this cries out for a special movement and Dubey & Schaldenbrand is happy to oblige. The caliber 8001 features a tourbillon and is developed in-house. While most of these movements try their best to show off all their inner works, this Dubey & Schaldenbrand is much more modest. Especially from the back you can see that the movement is almost completely closed up, creating a very pleasant contrast with the more extravagant case and dial of the watch. Blued skeleton hands ensure that even on a watch like this, time can be read with easy, while the off set Dubey & Schaldenbrand logo adds a dash of non-conformism to the watch, which not only suits the brands but will most likely also be a quality to be shared with the owner of such a watch. With the Coeur Blanc Dubey & Schaldenbrand sets the bar for Haute Joaillerie watches high, not only for others but also for themselves. As we enjoy the Coeur Blanc today, also think about how joyful it will be to witness them raising the bar!

Martin Green
Eclectic taste in Haute Horlogerie, passion for diamond set watches, loves the classics

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1 comment

  1. Reminds me of a timepiece from Piaget.

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