by Elizabeth Doerr

Christophe Claret Poker in red gold

Since turning his creative energies to making and maintaining a brand that bears his own name, Christophe Claret has introduced one playful and creative complication after another. Baccarat, Blackjack, dice…you name it.

Christophe Claret has now launched the next playful creation, an intricate complication that allows the owner to play Texas Hold ‘Em poker right on his or her mechanical watch with two other live players.

While being dealt two closed cards and revealing five more in three stages known as the flop, the turn, and the river seems simple enough when it’s being physically played on a casino table, calculating the 98,304 combinations possible for three players and stuffing them into an automatic movement enclosed in a 45 mm case was more than challenging. Even for Claret.

Christophe Claret Poker – slatted blinds hide the cards from other players

Christophe Claret Poker – pushers on the case band to deal and play the cards

To commence play, one pushes a button located at 9 o’clock. This winds a little spring that simultaneously spins four concentric disks on ceramic and ruby jewel ball bearings, which are randomly stopped by dampers. This is the act of “shuffling.” The cards are then dealt to windows located at 6 o’clock, 10:30, and 2:30. Clever angled shutters ensure the hands are not visible to the other players. After a round of betting takes place outside the playing field (i.e., the dial), pushing the button at 10 o’clock reveals the flop; the button at 8 o’clock deals out the turn; and, finally, pushing the 8 o’clock button again turns over the final card, known as the river.

One of Claret’s most endearing elements is the small gong that sounds when functions are activated, which began with the Dual Tow’s chronograph and continued in last year’s Kantharos. The Poker is also outfitted with this cute chime: the gong sounds when the flop, turn, and river buttons are pushed.

The dial almost rivals the complexity of the 655-component movement with its 77 separate components, all of which are assembled within Claret’s Le Locle factory.

Christophe Claret Poker back

And replicating the exciting atmosphere of a casino, the Poker watch also includes two more playful elements: the rotor, visible through the sapphire crystal case back, replicates a working roulette wheel; and when the special sapphire crystal on the front is blown upon (condensation), a pin-up girl (or a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, depending on how you care to interpret) appears.

Christophe Claret’s Poker watch comes in four different variations.

For more information, please visit www.christophe-claret.com

Poker wristwatch on the wrist of Mr. Christophe Claret

Quick Facts
Case: 45 x 52.6 x 15.95 mm, white gold and black PVD-coated titanium; 5N red gold and black PVD-coated titanium; black PVD-coated titanium (two variations, one with red elements and a ruby cabochon in the crown and one with blue elements and a blue spinel cabochon in the crown)
Movement: automatic Caliber PCK05
Functions: Hours, minutes; Texas Hold ‘Em poker on the front; roulette on the back; chime when the flop, turn and river buttons are pushed
Limitation: 20 pieces of each of the four case variations