sponsored by GM International Co., Ltd.
There is a brand that is well known to veteran watch fans of the 80s and 90s, and now it is suddenly attracting attention in the watch industry again.
That is Colm, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
The company is in the spotlight not just because it’s an anniversary year.
Haso Mehmedovich, the former brand manager of the Corm Branch, has been appointed CEO, and it has been decided that it will once again stand as a Swiss-funded watchmaker.
The model that reflects the new manufacturing of the new Colm is scheduled to be released in 2026, but to celebrate the return to a 100% Swiss governance system for the first time in more than 10 years, notable models such as the standard model Japan-limited specification are arriving in Japan one after another.
Hearing that they could pick up one of the rare actual machines, Rock Fukuda and Maru-chan visited the Sherman Mitsukoshi store on the 6th floor of the main building of the Japan Mitsukoshi main store in the watch gallery Japan on the 6th floor of the main building.
Admiral limited to Japan revived in the form of a golden age
First of all, one of Colm’s classics and symbols of history is the Admiral (formerly known as the Admiral’s Cup).
The first Admiral’s Cup (left) made in 1960 with a square case, and the 1983 model that was remodeled as a luxury sports watch. The coloring called gun blue is also a symbol of the model.
Originally debuted in 1960 as a square waterproof watch, this model bears the name of the Admiral’s Cup, which is known as the world’s toughest yacht race, and can be said to be the heart of the founder, René Vanwald, who loved yachting.
The first model was made for wealthy people who watched the race from the hotel lounge with a glass of champagne in hand, rather than being worn by yachtsmen at sea, and was a hit as a marine watch with a different elegance from a dive watch.
In addition, in response to the success of the Colm sailing team, which has been participating as the main sponsor of the competition since 1981, in 83, the same 1decagonal case and indexes with the motif of the International Maritime Signal Flag were adopted, and the watch was updated to be worn on a yacht.
As a watch that can be worn during races and at post-race parties, it has evolved into a luxury sports watch that can be said to be a running watch, and it has become a watch that people who love the sea admire in the 80s and 90s.
ADMIRAL ¥902,000 (tax included) Product number: A082/03181-B Automatic / Case diameter 38mm, case thickness 9.3mm, water resistance to 5 ATM, stainless steel case & bracelet
This time, Mr. Yamaoka, the manager of Sherman, prepared such a Japan-limited model of Admiral. It wears a five-strand bracelet reminiscent of the 80s model, which has been updated to the iconic 12-sided bezel, and adopts a case diameter of 38mm reminiscent of that time.
In response to the big thickness boom in the late 2000s, Admiral has also released sizes such as 42mm and 45mm, but for watch fans of yesteryear, who knew Admiral’s position as an “elegant and dressy sports watch” at the time, the case diameter of 38mm was something they were waiting for.
Needless to say, Rock Fukuda is a size that is easy to wear even for a woman’s Maru-chan, and the large case for a women’s watch combined with the five-row breath that impresses luxury also has the effect of making your arms look slimmer.
In addition, one of the design codes, the International Maritime Signal Flag, is three-dimensionally applied with an applied index, and the paint is also very elaborate, divided into six times of one color each.
Gordon Bridge connects genius watchmakers and skilled managers
And the most high-end model is the Golden Bridge, a symbol of Corm’s innovation and the crystallization of the company’s proud technology.
GOLDEN BRIDGE CLASSIC ¥7,700,000 (tax included) Product number: B113/02890 Hand-wound / Case size 34×51mm, Case thickness 11.35mm / 3 ATM water resistance / 18K rose gold case, alligator strap
The creation of this characteristic linear movement was created by legendary watchmaker Vincent Calabrese, who served as the first president of the AHCI (Association of Independent Watchmakers).
When he was asked to repair a complex watch, he was told that “I don’t care about the contents, just make it look good on the outside,” and he felt a strong concern that the essence of watch culture was being overlooked, and decided to create a watch that conveyed the charm of mechanical watches at a glance.
In 1977, he invented a movement with a straight shape that allowed you to see the movement of the mainspring and gears not only from the front but also from the back, and even from the side, and his prototype won a gold medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva.
After that, Mr. Calabrese negotiated with a famous watch house to commercialize this prototype, but it was René Vanwald, the founder of Colm, who sympathized with his desire and signed the contract in just three hours.
René Vanwald, founder of Colm (left), and Vincent Calabrese (right), who developed the Golden Bridge.
In other words, the Golden Bridge is one of the creations of a fateful meeting between a legendary watchmaker and a charismatic manager. Furthermore, Mr. Mehmedovich, who became the new CEO, joined Colm because he was fascinated by the beauty of the Golden Bridge.
The Golden Bridge is a model that connects the geniuses who have supported Colm and a golden bridge connecting the leaders who will lead the next generation.
The first Golden Bridge made in 1980
At the time of its announcement, sales of mechanical watches were declining due to the quartz shock, but despite the headwinds, the Golden Bridge was a huge success upon its announcement, but on the other hand, the first model had some parts that were not practical, such as sweat easily penetrating inside.
However, now that it has been 55 years since its birth, the crown, which was laid out on the back side, has been moved to the 6 o’clock position to achieve water resistance to 3 atmospheres, ensuring sufficient performance as a practical watch, including functionality and maintenance.
In addition, there are only two watchmakers at Colum who can assemble the movement, and the number of watches produced is only 150 pieces per year, so the Golden Bridge is rarely available in stores.
GOLDEN BRIDGE MISS ¥5,390,000 (tax included) Product number: B113/00821 Hand-wound / Case size 21×43mm, Case thickness 11.24mm / 3 ATM water resistance / 18K white gold case, alligator strap
However, at the Sherman Japan Bridge and Mitsukoshi stores, in addition to the men’s model in 18K rose gold, a small women’s model made of 18K white gold is also stocked.
In the first place, it is rare to have both men’s and women’s models in the lineup while being a full-fledged mechanical luxury watch, but now is the rare timing when you can look at them all at once and even get them as a pair watch.
Another rare model, the coin watch Dante, also lands in Japan
The fact that Admiral’s Japan-limited model was realized several years later and the arrival of a pair of Golden Bridge was actually thanks to the efforts of the importer, GM International, but another watch that came to fruition this year is the coin watch.
HERITAGE COIN ¥5,720,000 (tax included) Product number: C293/00831 Automatic / Case diameter 36mm, case thickness 6.4mm / 3 bar water resistance / Double eagle gold coin dial and caseback, 18K yellow gold case, alligator strap
Well known to longtime watch fans, this watch, as the name suggests, is an unused proof coin divided into two parts, used for the dial and caseback, and housed in an ultra-thin movement.
In addition to celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and other U.S. presidents also loved it, and it is also known as the only manufacturer in the world that officially allows the modification of American coins, but its production is limited because it uses rare and highly collectible coins as materials.
In addition, in 2021, an incident occurred in which the Double Eagle gold coin, which is also used in coin watches, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for a high price of about 2 billion yen, which led to a situation where the coin watch temporarily ran out of the market.
Despite such a rare watch, GM International has secured a limited edition released to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the coin watch and introduced it specifically to Japan.
HERITAGE COIN ¥2,530,000 (tax included) Product number: C082/04535 Automatic / Case diameter 36mm, case thickness 7.55mm / 1 bar water resistance / 1965 Italian 500 lira silver coin dial and back cover, stainless steel case, Alligator Strap
The coin watch Dante is made of a 1965 500 lira silver coin depicting a portrait of Dante Alighieri, who wrote The Divine Comedy and is also known as the father of modern Italian, and is equipped with a SW300-1 movement made by Serita, which is known for its thinness, accuracy and reliability.
The dial is depicted by the hands of sculptors Verginelli and Monassi with the burning flames (hell), the rising clouds (purgatory), and the light and stars from heaven (heaven) symbolizing the three worlds depicted in the “Divine Comedy”It is a design that can be said to be an innovation that opens the door.
The “Admiral” symbolizes the much-talked-about Colm, the “Golden Bridge” with innovative technology, and the “Coin Watch”, which can be said to be the crystallization of originality. All of them are in full swing, and if you are interested, please visit Japan Bridge Mitsukoshi for a great opportunity to try them out.
[Inquiries and Provision]
GM International Co., Ltd.
https://corumwatch.jp
Video : Shigetaka Kida
Photo：Akemi Ichitani
Text：Shunsuke Hirota
Edit：Takayoshi Kawai
