The Legend of King Arthur and his freeing of Excalibur from a mystical rock has inspired Valimor to create their new Caliburnus II range of automatic timepieces.
Valimor is a watch and jewellery brand founded by Raymond Jones and based in Hong Kong. Their latest timepiece collection is called Caliburnus II, which has modern technology at its heart wrapped up in a liberal dose of by-gone days and legend.
Before we get into the ‘meat’ of this article, I will profess that the new Valimor watches falls within a price sector we rarely write about. However, the past twelve months have changed more than a few things, particularly in people’s mindsets.
The events over the past year have caused many to reevaluate what is luxury to them. Paul, Luxurious Magazine’s founder and the editorial head-honcho, frequently tells me that luxury shouldn’t be defined by price. It is simply a perception that changes from one person to the next.
An excellent example of this can be found in the Coldwell Banker Report’s survey results, which clearly shows how people’s perceptions of luxury have changed over recent times.
The frequent advice imparted from Paul to me does resonate on a personal level. I am someone who lives by the mantra, “Why pay more for something when you don’t need to?” This extends right across the board from cars to jewellery. It’s one of the primary reasons I asked to write an article about this watch brand.
About the Valimor Caliburnus II watches
Each of the Caliburnus II watches use unique materials from all over the world and are handcrafted with exquisite attention to detail. Materials used for the dials include natural mother of pearl, flame opal and lake opal, which means no two watches in the new range will be the same.
The watch brand uses a combination of traditional high precision craftsmanship with contemporary design wrapped up inside a robust stainless steel case.
The trademark design of the company is a dragon that is engraved into the steel bezel. An antiquing effect is then applied to the casing, making it look like armour straight from Arthurian times.
Inside the Caliburnus II models, you’ll find the latest Miyota Cal.8315 movement that features a sixty-hour long power reserve that is longer than almost any other watch in the same price range.
How a timepiece looks is extremely important to watch buyers, and this is an area that Valimor has paid particular attention to. The company’s artisans precisely cut the materials before fitting them into the casings. Each dial is carefully inlaid and polished to achieve the 3D multi-faceted indexes. Super-LumiNova is then painted onto the dial to give them a supreme lustre.
The outline of the watch hands was achieved by using diamond-cut technology with the addition of a complex semi-polishing technique. This is something that is generally reserved for higher-end watches. The hands are then polished on one side and brushed, producing a unique yet subtle, understated aesthetic.
This design does not only provide a high-end look. It also enhances the contrast of the hands against the dial during different reflection and lighting conditions, which improves legibility and makes it easier to read the time.
The Caliburnus II watches come with Austrian Swarovski Crystals, Italian leather straps and hardwearing 316L stainless steel. Another nice feature about the watches is that they are all assembled using high-precision Swiss watchmaking tools by renowned Swiss manufacturer BERGEON.
As mentioned at the start of this article, Valimor is based in Hong Kong, which does put it outside the traditional homes of watchmaking. However, this is no bad thing. Many of our readers might remember the huge affection we had for another Hong Kong-based watch brand, The Chinese Timekeeper.
This was a watchmaking company founded by the former Panerai ‘wunderkind’ Adrien Choux. Their timepieces were all beautifully designed and always attracted the attention of the dedicated watch press.
Final thoughts
The Caliburnus II watches are what I consider to be excellent value for money, particularly when you factor in that every watch is unique. If you’re after something eye-catching for your wrist that looks like it costs considerably more than its actual price tag, the Caliburnus II range is definitely one to consider.
Valimor Caliburnus II – Where and How?
You can find more information on Valimor’s ranges of timepieces, including current prices and how to purchase at www.valimor.com.
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