There are watches that are neither round nor square. They have a defined tonneau shape, i.e. a barrel, with a soft line, wider in the center. This concept is inspired by the Tonneau Snow jewelry collection by the Swiss Maison Corum. But the story is longer. The collection was modeled after the Golden Bridges, a form born when Corum co-founder René Bannwart met Vincent Calabrese, a self-taught watchmaker of Italian origin, many years ago. The result was the Golden Bridge watch, with a baguette movement that was complicated to produce in series and above all in 18-karat gold. The name Golden Bridge comes from the gold bridge placed inside a sapphire crystal case. The number 001 of this model was presented at the International Watchmaking Museum of La Chaux-de-Fonds on 25 September 1980, where it is still on display.
The jewels, on the other hand, are the result of the idea of the current owner of Corum, Citychamp Watch & Jewelery Group, a Hong Kong company, who has thought of a jewelry collection modeled on the iconic Golden Bridge. To create it, the company turned to Baechtold, a jewelry manufacturer who has been collaborating with Corum for over 30 years. Baechtold, founded in 1975 by a German sculptor, is currently led by general manager and co-owner Tevin Resanond Baechtold.
The jewels of the collection therefore take up the barrel design of the Golden Bridge watch. They are crafted in 18-karat white or rose gold and two different sizes of high-quality natural diamonds (according to the Kimberly process and the Responsible Jewelry Council Code of Practices), set in the setting, which resembles the sparkle of freshly fallen snow. There are four different lines that are part of the collection.
