The Ventura watch company’s evolution has been staggering since its foundation in 1989. The company is the brainchild of Pierre & Yuko Nobs. Together they have proven to be a formidable force in Ventura’s 24-year transformation. Initially the company established itself as manufacturers of officially certified Swiss chronometers COSC. In recent conversations with Pierre it’s clear that he is a very passionate man with a desire to innovate. This wonderful combination has culminated in numerous accolades including the highly prestigious Red Dot design award 2013 for the wonderful W75 Sparc Sigma MGS. Two years ago I had the privilege to visit the Red Dot design museum in Essen, Germany. In my opinion it’s clear to see why this amazing watch has been honored as the “Best of Best” by this incredible organization.
Visually the Sparc Sigma MGS is a pretty phenomenal looking watch. Also dimensionally it’s a timepiece of massive proportions, measuring a colossal 63.00 mm x 40.00 mm x 13.60 mm. Amazingly the watch felt very comfortable to wear. This is definitely down to the highly original ergonomic styling of the beautiful case. At 200gms (with the bracelet) the piece feels pretty lightweight, which is probably down to choice of material used. Ventura has constructed the case/bracelet out of Durinox™ a hardened scratch resistant stainless steel less susceptible to corrosion. The model I tried on was the W75 with black IP coating, which gives the watch a sleek facade. Realistically the Sigma’s futuristic looks won’t appeal to everyone’s tastes. I absolutely love the bold design & feel it would be viable to wear the watch on a daily basis.
Aesthetically the timepiece is unique & that is testament to designer Paolo Fancelli’s extraordinary vision. The new Sigma has adopted curvaceous new lines, which I feel gives it a softer silhouette than it’s predecessor. Ventura claim the designers brief was to organically change the appearance without losing the brands identity. Personally I feel they’ve achieved this with subtle elegance. Also the window exposing the mechanical movement is still an integral component in the design. This element works in harmonious balance with the LC (liquid crystal) display window.
Underneath the ultra cool facade is a powerful engine utilizing state of the art technology. A mechanical self-winding movement operates the MGS (Micro-Generator-System) by feeding energy at a rate of 17,000 times per day. The result is an exceptionally efficient device capable of storing energy for up to 45 days. All this incredible electronic engineering is entirely powered by human energy. If motion isn’t detected after 50 hours, this amazing device shuts down automatically. The Sigma is jam packed with features including: two time zones, alarm, chronograph, countdown & 100 Years Perpetual Calendar. The fantastic & intuitive EasySkroll® (single scrolling barrel) navigates through all these functions effortlessly.
As well as the wonderful W75 there is an equally impressive W70 version with a natural steel finish. Both are limited to an initial run of 50 pieces & come with an extra caoutchouc strap. Prices range between: € 3,280.00 – € 3,320.00
http://www.ventura.ch/
