by Elizabeth Doerr

There is a side to Romain Gauthier that’s usually not apparent at first sight.

It is a bit of a “wild and crazy” side that only truly becomes visible when he really laughs in the occasional moment of true glee. Like when Philippe Dufour cracks an unexpectedly funny joke (see Why Philippe Dufour Matters. And It’s Not A Secret).

These moments aren’t the norm by any stretch as Gauthier is careful to keep his professional exterior fully intact unless he’s among trusted friends.

Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Enraged with orange accents

But all of us can have an unprecedented view at the wild and crazy side of his personality when we gaze upon the new Enraged versions of his Logical One and Prestige HMS timepieces.

Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Enraged with red, black, and orange accents

Vroom vroom

Perhaps that’s why I was so taken with this grainy and rugged look when I saw the first versions at Baselworld 2016, a first impression that only solidified by re-inspecting the final versions of the Logical One Enraged during SalongQP and again at Dubai Watch Week: not only did I see the interesting new case finish gracing one of the coolest watches currently in existence, but each encounter enabled me to appreciate more of the symbolism behind the Enraged’s powerful visual expression.

Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Enraged with black accents

But if it’s hard for you to see it the way I do, then imagine the Enraged coating using a metaphor that Gauthier would also love: it turns a Porsche into a Pagani in a fast and furious manner.

“I’m an avid car fan and admire many of the limited-edition supercars created by automobile companies,” Gauthier has said. “These projects give car makers license to express the edgier side of their creativity, allowing them to break with convention and build something outside of the box. I felt there was nothing stopping me from doing the same, so I developed the concept for these Enraged limited editions.”

Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Enraged with red accents

While the regular versions of the Logical One (and Prestige HMS) are encased in either precious metal or titanium, the Enraged versions wear a coat of titanium that has been sandblasted and then treated with ADLC to make it grainy and matte – and a haptic and visual pleasure.

While he was at it, Gauthier also had the visible plates and bridges of the Logical One movement treated to make them matte black as well. The dials are oven-fired enamel and frosted, while the straps are a soft nubuck (wild leather). The overall look is super cool.

View through the display back of Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Enraged

While none of this has anything to do with being very upset (which is what “enraged” means to the English speaker), the look when all put together is very “fast and furious.”

The descriptive word enraged just seems to fit this new style, which even extends to the typeface of the Romain Gauthier logo, which has become spiky and full of belligerent attitude here.

Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Enraged with red accents

And these versions prove that the ultra-high-end does not need to be shiny and polished to be taken seriously. The Enraged versions of these exclusive watches fit perfectly into today’s new, more legère feel for luxury.

And when you compare the Enraged model side-by-side with the black titanium version of 2015’s Logical One (see Back in Black: Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Black), you immediately note the difference.

Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Enraged with black accents

“I like the black contrast. I like things with character, and this contemporary look has character,” Gauthier told me back then, and there is no disagreement from me on that statement.

A very logical complication

Logical One, boasting four patents, delivers what its name promises: a re-imagined complication visibly laid out very logically.

The most conspicuous visual aspect of Gauthier’s in-house manufacture caliber is the chain and fusée (though with a snail cam ingeniously replacing an actual fusée, more on that below) inhabiting the entire left side of the case. This constant force system is based upon a technology dating back to medieval pocket watches.

Romain Gauthier Logical One Enraged

Gauthier uses this constant force to compensate for the diminishing torque (and therefore energy) of the mainspring as it runs down, which is a normal process in a mechanical watch.

While the typical chain and fusée mechanism has the advantage of delivering fairly constant force, it has three significant disadvantages: the minuscule chain links tend to be fragile; the fusée (French for “cone”) takes up a great deal of vertical space; and the chain is often under tension at high angles, putting even more stress on the fragile links.

Blackened movement of the Romain Gauthier Logical One Enraged with orange accents

Gauthier’s solution to all of this was to replace the fusée with a flat snail cam that takes up much less space and simultaneously ensures that the chain isn’t pulled at an angle.

The chain itself is also not conventional, but rather made up of large synthetic ruby links, a material watchmakers use for jeweled bearings. This means that the links are not only stronger, they have extremely low friction and are less prone to wear and tear. Another innovation is that the high-precision chain links snap together for consistent tolerances.

Model of the Romain Gauthier Logical One chain link in delicious chocolate

A close look through the display back of Romain Gauthier’s Logical One Enraged

Another logical and interesting technical element is the push-button winding system, which is used in place of a more typical crown. This ergonomic element leaves the case design very clean. Additionally, the pusher winds the mainspring on the same plane, making for very efficient linear transmission of the energy rather than the 90-degree transmission of a standard crown. The spring barrel that stores this energy is lined with synthetic sapphire inserts – a corundum material just like the ruby links – which likewise decidedly reduces friction.

Romain Gauthier Logical One Enraged with red accents

For more please visit www.romaingauthier.com/logical-one.

Quick Facts
Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds; push winding
Case: sandblasted ADLC-coated titanium (“Enraged” finish) available in three color combinations, 43 x 14.2 mm
Movement: in-house manually wound manufacture caliber, 60-hour power reserve, push-button winding, chain-and-snail-cam (“fusée”) constant force system
Limitation: 5 pieces of three editions (with black accents, red accents, and orange accents)
Price: 112,000 Swiss francs