The Bel Canto Classic

The new
Bel Canto Classic

ACT II

BEL CAN-DO

The watch that became a worldwide phenomenon. Enabled by our pioneering FS01 module above the Sellita SW200-1, the C1 Bel Canto sounds a chime every hour. Constructed in Grade 5 titanium, it was described as a “masterpiece” by Watchfinder & Co.

NEW GUILLOCHÉ FINISH

Few things lend watches an air of exclusivity better than textured ‘guilloché’ finishing. On the face of the C1 Bel Canto Classic, the guilloché effect has been rendered by a Femto laser that creates an even more intricate surface than with the traditional by-hand method.

Classic Roman numerals

Whereas the original Bel Canto used markers on the dial, the Classic employs Roman numerals – plus a more pared-down handset. As with the guilloché-finish, this gives the watch an even more refined aesthetic.

A FIT you won’t forget

A watch like the Bel Canto Classic deserves a strap to match. Crafted from superior German leather, the hand-stitched strap is fitted with our Bader buckle, whose intuitive hinge system makes taking the watch on and off a dream.

Four Classic Colours

Oro

Discover

Verde

Discover

Argento

Discover

Azzurro

Discover

A chime on the hour

The Bel Canto chimes a ‘D’ note on the hour, every hour, in what the French call a Sonnerie au Passage complication, which translates as ‘Passage of Time’. The chime is created by a ‘hammer’ striking the steel spring that circles the dial.

Turn sound on

Bel Canto: the chime that started it all

Crafted for the eyes, engineered for the ears, the original Bel Canto is the watch that made the world sit up and take notice. Powered by our in-house FS01 mechanism, Bel Canto delivers a chime on the hour – every hour.

Find out for yourself

The making of the Bel Canto

The sound of science. The movement of the hour and minute hands on the floating time-telling dial draws the chiming ‘hammer’ until it strikes the steel spring that curves around the dial’s edge. The mechanism resembles a songbird, and the chime it creates is the ‘beautiful singing’ after which the watch is named.

The ultimate precision laser. A ‘femto’ laser emits minute pulses of light, with each one lasting only a few femtoseconds – a femtosecond is just a quadrillionth of a second. Because of their precise nature, femto lasers are used for cutting and engraving without damaging the surrounding area. Perfect for creating the guilloché finish of the C1 Bel Canto Classic.

No bridge too far. Bel Canto’s bridges are on the dial for all to see – so they have to look good. First, the raw bridges are shaped and machined by CNC milling machines, before being sand-sprayed. A red lacquer is applied to protect the sand-spray from being scratched.

Perfect platine. The Bel Canto’s platine has 30 openings as much of the movement and the time-telling dial is mounted to it. What starts as a ‘blank’ – a rough metal disc – is polished smooth by rubbing it with pumicestone. It’s then brushed using a state-of-the-art machine, which delivers a uniform appearance.

Flawless finishing. After every element of the dial has been assembled – on the Bel Canto, it’s part of a large bridge – the cleaning process begins. On surfaces with a flawless finish, even the smallest of dust particles are visible, and any present are removed.

Triumph in Geneva

In November 2023, the C1 Bel Canto won the ‘Petite Aiguille’ category at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awards in Switzerland – the ‘Oscars’ of watchmaking.
In front of an audience of big players in the Swiss watch industry – and after buying the world’s most expensive gin ’n’ tonics – CEO and co-founder Mike France accepted the award with the words, “This feels like a big moment.” As the first British brand to win a GPHG, this may have been an understatement.

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