New: Bianchet UltraFino Skeleton Rose Edition

September 28, 2014

Every once in a while, a small change makes a big difference. For Bianchet, that change comes in the form of 18K rose gold. The new UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold Edition, launched at WatchTime New York, takes one of the brands most technically impressive watches and gives it an entirely new personality.I had a sneak preview of it back in Geneva, long before the lights of WatchTime New York, and it instantly stood out. The UltraFino has already built its reputation on titanium, sapphire, and carbon fiber. Those versions hang in the same social circle as Hublot and Richard Mille. The Rose Gold Edition, on the other hand, feels like it prefers its conversations over a quiet whisky with Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin.From sporty to suaveOn paper, not much has changed. Its the same 40mm 47.39mm tonneau case, the same ultra-thin UT01 automatic tourbillon caliber inside, and the same philosophy built around the Golden Ratio. Yet somehow, everything feels different. The cases soft curves catch the light in a completely new way, and the warmth of the gold brings a touch of calm to what has always been a very forward-looking design.Bianchet offers two versions - one on a black rubber strap, the other on a fully integrated gold bracelet. I tried the bracelet first, and it is probably the way to go here. It has a nice, luxurious heft that lets you know you re wearing a full-gold watch. The rubber option tones things down and gives the watch a sportier edge, which I suspect many will prefer for daily wear. Either way, the rose gold UltraFino feels impressively balanced on the wrist. Bianchet showed me some photos of the gold watch on the carbon fiber bracelet, which oddly worked, and the brand was considering making it an option. If that tickles your fancy, reach out to Bianchet!Inside the UltraFino s UT01At the heart of the UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold Edition is the same movement that drew me to the sapphire model earlier this year - namely, the UT01. This is an in-house automatic tourbillon caliber with a 3.85mm thickness and an astonishingly light weight of 8 grams. The bridges and mainplate are made from titanium and coated in black PVD for contrast. The entire caliber is also manually finished and assembled in Switzerland.Whats most impressive is how much character Bianchet squeezes into such a slim movement. The flying tourbillon at 6 oclock feels like its floating inside the watch, its cage spinning with an effortless smoothness. Every surface has been finished by hand with bevels, brushed, or polished until it plays with light just enough to catch your attention. You can genuinely sense the hours of work that go into it.The gold rotor on the back is also worth mentioning. Its sculpted in Bianchets familiar Fibonacci spiral pattern, which gives the movement a sense of flow when it spins. In motion, its oddly hypnotic, even if you may not see it all that often while wearing it.The UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold Edition is meant to be everyday luxuryDespite being a tourbillon, the UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold Edition doesnt behave like a fragile piece of Haute Horlogerie. Its built to handle real-life wear, with a 50m water resistance rating and shock protection rated to 5,000 g. Thats more than most people will ever need, but its comforting to know you could forget to take it off before washing your hands or bumping it against a desk without consequence. Of course, with those specs, it ll handle a lot more, but that s likely the extent of adventures the watch will actually end up seeing. That practicality has always been part of Bianchets charm. The brand doesnt treat its watches as trophies but views them as companions for daily wear, even if they may not end up as such. The Rose Gold Edition continues that theme beautifully. Its refined, sure, but it doesnt feel delicate or precious in the wrong way. The contrast between the black movement and the gold hour markers makes the time instantly legible, and the whole watch feels designed to be used, not hidden away.Bianchet steps onto the New York stageLaunching this piece at WatchTime New York feels like a natural step for Bianchet. The brand has been steadily building recognition in Europe, but this was its first real chance to introduce itself to a North American audience in person. Among a sea of more traditional designs, the UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold Edition drew plenty of attention - and deservedly so.It captures that balance Bianchet has been chasing for years - technical precision wrapped in elegant design. Theres nothing gimmicky about it. The case feels sculptural yet never over-designed, and it provides the comfort of well-balanced proportions. Its a watch that looks as thoughtful as it is beautiful. Thats a rare combination in a world of seemingly daily watch launches.The UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold Edition has me seeing gold differentlyHeres the thing: Im not much of a gold-watch guy. Don t tell RJ, as some will say such words are tantamount to treason in these parts. Ive always leaned toward titanium and steel for their simplicity. Perhaps gold just doesn t tend to suit my skin tone. For some reason, though, theres something about this particular shade of rose gold that worked for me. Maybe its the way it warms up the sharp geometry of the case, or perhaps how it plays against the dark movement inside. Whatever it is, it has a real presence that looks good on my wrist.Its amazing how much a change in material can alter one s perception of a watch. I still love the sapphire model, but this one feels more complete in some way. If the sapphire version was about showing off what Bianchet could do, this gold variant (CHF 109,500) feels like it knows exactly who its for. I m even surprising myself by suggesting that I d pick gold over sapphire. Maybe Im finally starting to see the appeal of gold after all…Watch specifications Brand Bianchet Model UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold EditionReference B 1.618Dial SkeletonizedCase Material 18K rose goldCase Dimensions 40mm (diamter) 47.39mm (length) 8.9mm (thickness)Crystal SapphireCase Back 18K rose gold and sapphire crystal Movement Bianchet UT01: automatic tourbillon caliber, 21,600vph frequency, 60-hour power reserve, 29 jewels, 18K gold rotor, variable-inertia balance wheel, Grade 5 titanium tourbillon cage, black PVD coating, manually finished, Water Resistance 5 ATM (50 meters)Strap 18K gold integrated bracelet with butterfly clasp and included black rubber strap with rose gold pin buckleFunctions Time (hours, minutes), one-minute tourbillonPrice CHF 109,500 (ex. taxes)