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In La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Gaston Ries had already been running his watchmaking workshop since 1924 when he called on his nephew René Bannwart to found the Corum brand. From the outset, in 1955, Corum chose to place itself in the avant-garde, taking as its emblem a key raised to the sky, symbolizing a mystery to be unraveled, new territories to be explored, but also the ingenuity, perseverance and audacity necessary for the watchmaker to master time.

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According to Corum founder René Bannwart, it goes without saying that a watch must also tell the time. The watches he produced from 1955 onwards had to be technically and aesthetically remarkable, with creative designs and innovative materials. Bannwart was uncompromising when it came to the quality of his movements, but the appearance of his watches was of paramount importance to him. The watches he presented at the Basel Fair in 1956 immediately caught the public's attention. 

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The model that would become Corum's signature timepiece was designed in 1960. It was the first Admiral's Cup, with its square case. Corum has never ceased to present itself as a revolutionary brand, presenting in turn the "Coin watch" in 1964, designed with a 20-dollar gold coin nicknamed the "Double Eagle", a model worn by several personalities including American presidents; the Buckingham, with its oversized proportions, a year later; the Rolls Royce, resulting from a partnership with the car manufacturer; and, in 1986, the Météorite, whose dial is cut from a genuine space stone.

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Here we present a superb example typical of Corum watches.

Circa 1960. This is a rare variant of the Corum "Longchamp", here in automatic and "Journal", with date.

This is a magnificent piece with an original gold-plated case with invisible handles.

The dial, meanwhile, is in a pinkish tone and sublimated by an atypical granite-effect relief that gives it a unique charm and personality.

It is driven by a Swiss-made self-winding mechanism.

A rarity on the market, like all Corums.