Of all the geometric shapes, the most important for our civilization is the circle. Paraphrasing the well-known statement of the leader of the world proletariat, we note that in watchmaking everything is based on a circle or its arcs, a circle, a rotational movement - from the rotation of the crown to the rotation of the hands. Therefore, it is natural that the overwhelming majority of watch cases are round.
Of course, there are others - square, rectangular, oval, of various exotic shapes ... A prominent place in this variety is occupied by the "barrel" - like a rectangle with "swollen" sides. According to some experts, this form appeared during the massive transition from pocket watches to wristwatches. And its success was facilitated by its high ergonomics: the "barrel", with its straight upper and lower sides, lends itself well to slight bending and fits perfectly on the wrist.
True, the famous master of our time, Frank Muller, who is called the "maestro of complications", gives another reason in favor of the "barrel": in his opinion, this form allows equipping the clock mechanism (round in its basis) with a large number of additional functions. The trademark for the Franck Muller brand is the barrel-shaped Cintree Curvex case.
However, both Frank Müller and other representatives of the haute horlogerie elite do not avoid functional simplicity in the barrel case. Thus, at the 29th International Salon of Fine Watchmaking (SIHH), held in January this year in Geneva, the Richard Mille company, which produces one of the most expensive watches in the world, presented a collection of Bonbon, consisting of two lines - Sweet and Fruit Ten models, the release of each is limited to only 30 pieces, three in a rectangular case, seven in a "barrel", and the functions are hours and minutes, no more.
Undoubted classics are watches such as the Cartier Prive Tonneau, the latest edition of which was also demonstrated at SIHH-2019. The French word tonneau actually means barrel.
There are also many barrel-shaped models in the AllTime assortment. Let's start with two samples from the major league brand Corum. Both models belong to the Golden Bridge collection. Ref model. 113.160.59 / 0001-0000 equipped with manual movement SO 113, ref. 313.165.59 / 0001-GL10G - automatic CO 313. Both are in white gold, both for men, both are simple - but only functional (hours and minutes), and as works of watchmaking are extremely sophisticated. Well, the prices are rather big: the first one costs more than 40 thousand Swiss francs, the second - about 60 thousand.
However, there are many much more affordable barrel models. And if the price of the Swiss chronograph Armand Nicolet 9638A-GS-P968GR3 (steel, gray guilloché dial) is more indicative to denote in francs (about 6 thousand), then all the rest are quite attractive already in ruble terms. The Japanese Seiko Presage (self-winding mechanics, three hands and date, steel, black or white guilloche dial) are absolute classics, moreover, in terms of dimensions, rather unisex. The line of quartz Dixieland GMT from Auguste Reymond (Switzerland) is kept in the same style, to the functions of which a second time zone has been added, which makes this watch especially good for people who travel a lot around the world. But the Russian Nika Celebrity, in a silver case, is interesting with a window in the dial, through which you can see the working heart of the automatic mechanism - the balance / spiral assembly.
An extensive collection of Swiss watches L Duchen with quartz movements. Many of these models feature sophisticated features, including those as useful as the chronograph and as poetic as the phases of the moon. Another Japanese giant, Orient, is represented by a long row of "barrels". Its products are mechanically powered, with some models, such as the Orient Power Reserve FDAG006W, equipped with an elegantly designed power reserve indicator (up to 40 hours). This brand also offers watches made in a modern design with an "open heart" (like the aforementioned Nika).
Well, adherents of sports style and high technologies should not pass by the multifunctional Casio Edifice watches.
For women, there are more than a hundred options for every taste and for any circumstance: from a watch for every day to an elegant accessory "on the way". Among these models are the already mentioned Armand Nicolet, Auguste Reymond, L Duchen, Orient, Casio, as well as watches from designer brands Boccia Titanium, Anne Klein, Jennifer Lopez and, in a large selection, from the Silvana brand, which last year celebrated 120 anniversary.
Silvana watches are steel with or without gilding, diamonds or crystals, sapphire glass, mechanics or quartz (but in any case Switzerland), a steel bracelet or a leather or satin strap, but in any case it is of impeccable quality and irresistible charm.
