Elite Traveler’s Recommendations for the Connoisseur of Haute Horologerie

Still relatively young, the DeWitt manufacture was founded in 2003 by Jerome DeWitt, who wanted to create a brand that reflected his vision of watches with complications following the traditional Swiss rules of watchmaking. Success and recognition came quickly when in 2005, the manufacture won the first prize for innovation at the Grand Prix de l’horlogerie in Geneva for his patented differential system on his Academia Tourbillon. Where the brand truly excelled is when it comes to pushing the boundaries of traditional watchmaking. This was particularly striking when the WX-1 Concept was launched in 2007, a project that one could call ground-breaking, featuring a vertical flying tourbillon and five barrels, giving the watch an amazing 21-day power reserve ability. The unique case construction using avant-guardiste materials such as aluminium-lithium, grade 5 titanium, gold, steel among others ensured it was relatively lightweight (191 grams) but also contributed to its “steampunk” industrial look.

Where DeWitt really pushed its creativity was with its collaboration with the Only Watch project, creating complete new concepts from beginning to end ensuring ultimate exclusivity. On their last project in 2011, DeWitt created an all-new watch, named Concept Watch No. 3 (shown on cover), a tourbillon with double bi-retrograde hours and minutes that featured a unique X shaped-case that allowed the entire watch to be easily rotated to display the reverse with a simple flick. The watch generated a lot of buzz among the DeWitt collectors and ended up selling for an incredible 410,000 euros.

Innovative, unusual, DeWitt creations are sure to inspire fascination and present the opportunity for watch aficionados to discover a brand that will give them the unique and different look they are seeking.

– Julien Schaerer,
Managing Director & Watch Expert,
Antiquorum Geneva

Twenty-8-Eight Automatic – Sunshine On Your Wrist

The Twenty-8-Eight Automatic is a lively and sunny timepiece, remarkably refined and sober. The face of the watch is artistically divided in two different guilloché zones. In the centre, a light flame pattern provides incredible life to the dial as the slightest wrist movement will animate the flames in graceful reflections. The second pattern, at the perimeter, takes the form of a regular and reassuring sunray that structures the whole design. Flames and sunrays are separated by a fine circle applique that gives a final touch of shiny elegance and echoes the thin and polished columns on the bezel.

Time has never been more readable as large Roman numerals are positioned on the four cardinal points and discretely interconnected by small Arabic numerals positioned at five minutes intervals. The warm and welcoming chocolate-brown iteration reflects the classic ambience of many pieces in the DeWitt museum.

Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W. Horizons

The Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W. Horizons Automatic Tourbillon invites all watch lovers to a journey through the sky, travelling across their favourite horizon and taking an aerial view of their favourite city, their favourite constructions with a tribute to sleek Art Déco design, and in particular to the post Great Depression trends explored in America. The Twenty-8-Eight Regulator A.S.W. Horizons is truly an illustration in creativity with its peripheral bi-directional oscillating rotor, dead beat second connected to the tourbillon and its ingenious automatic winding system than maintains an optimal range of 92 to 96 percent wind.

Twenty-8-Eight Tourbillon – 100% Manufacture

With the Twenty-8-Eight Tourbillon, DeWitt took a major step forward as the calibre DW8028 was its first entirely home-made Tourbillon movement. This landmark in the history of the brand showcases yet again the depth of its know-how and its autonomy.

The DeWitt calibre DW8028 is a manually wound movement integrating a solid and reliable Tourbillon mechanism. Its construction is rather classical, using age-old and recognized technical parameters as a basis: 18,000 A/h, 72 hours power reserve. The movement is equipped with a Swiss anchor escapement with a variable-inertia balance and a spiral with a Breguet curve sequenced at 2.5 Hz. The balance, as well as the escape wheel and the anchor are made of 18 carat yellow gold.

The Twenty-8-Eight Tourbillon fully complies with the very demanding finishing norms of the DeWitt Manufacture. Entirely hand-made, the finishing is of a rare quality and can be observed through the sapphire crystal back.

Academia – Tourbillon Differentiel

A colourful, whirling tourbillon of precious metals, platinum and gold adorn a major innovation that has already made watchmaking history. Patented in 2005, Dewitt’s Tourbillon Différentiel mechanism represents a significant breakthrough with respect to the basic working principles of a mechanical movement. Traditionally housed in a case of rose gold, the Tourbillon Différentiel is clothed in 950 platinum, 18-carat rose gold and a blend of 18-carat rose and white gold.

The Tourbillon Différentiel makes history with its ingenious patented power-reserve winding system in a tourbillon-equipped watch. While regulating complications correct a mechanical watch’s precision by compensating for the effects of Earth’s gravity, the differential system developed by DeWitt increases watch-winding speed considerably (by two-thirds in fact). DeWitt’s system drastically simplifies the construction of conventional planetary gears.

Academia – Double Fuseau GMT2 Poetic

A recognized pioneer in the pursuit of extremes, DeWitt once again asserts its avant-garde approach to the field of fine watchmaking with this member of the iconic Academia family. The neoclassical-inspired Academia Double Fuseau GMT2 Poetic highlights artistic crafts by demonstrating the brand’s mastery of the noblest of Swiss watchmaking traditions.

Daring combinations of materials and colours are the unmistakable signature touch of the DeWitt master-watchmakers. The Academia Double Fuseau GMT2 Poetic revisits the flagship Academia collection with considerable creativity. Framed by the famous DeWitt imperial columns, its 43mm dial is graced by a globe motif made from “Goldfluss,” an extremely rare synthetic “gold-glass” crystal featuring gold and silver-coloured “teardrop” inclusions. This exquisitely delicate design encapsulates the full measure of horological excellence cultivated by DeWitt.

Academia – Tourbillon Constante a Chaine

The Tourbillon Force Constante à Chaîne most definitely belongs to the exclusive circle of highly complicated masterpieces. Combining 18-carat white gold with DeWitt’s emblematic black face, this creation releases appealing technical ambiance; the perfect atmosphere to peacefully observe the mechanical wonders of this work of art. When it was launched in 2006, the Tourbillon Force Constante represented a landmark development in watchmaking history, providing the answer to a question as old as the mechanical movement itself: DeWitt’s solution involves inserting an additional mechanism into a traditional mechanical movement in order to exchange variable or even irregular motive power, for another option: perfectly constant force. In other words, the device is designed to transmit identical and regular impulses, regardless of the tautness of the barrel-spring.

WX-1 – Far More Than A Watch

The first watch concept by DeWitt submitted to the OnlyWatch auction serves as a contemporary objet d’art and lends a whole new dimension to the watchmaking world. This exceptional creation embodies a range of cultural values merging design, futurism, sophisticated construction of its various elements, and an original interpretation of time read-off. Time and creation, mental architecture and spatial construction all unite in a unique vision of tomorrow. This pure multidimensional concept of presenting the time offers an entirely new vision of watchmaking.

The original concept was quite simple: Create a watch that was different from and, indeed, far more than a watch. How could one best marry authentic technological innovations and advanced aesthetics? Everything about WX-1 confirms that this daring bid has been successful in terms of both form and content.

King Jewelers is an authorized dealer for DeWitt watches in Middle Tennesse and South Florida, as well as over forty luxury Swiss watch brands including Bell & Ross, Breitling, Breguet, Cartier, Chanel, Chopard, Harry Winston, Hublot, Jaquet Droz, Montblanc, Roger Dubuis and TAG Heuer. King Jewelers is a member of the American Watch Guild and has been named a Leading Watch Retailer in North America by International Wristwatch Magazine. King Jewelers also offers expert watch repair and watch restoration at their retail locations in Aventura, FL and Nashville, TN. For more information on DeWitt watches, please visit www.dewitt.ch or take a look at our DeWitt page.