ReviewUnder The Dome: Presenting Corum’s Latest Bubble Watches

The art world has undoubtedly been an inspiration for timepieces, be it the decoration of their internal moving parts or for the external aesthetic. Corum’s 2022 Bubble timepieces prove just how closely connected the world of art and timekeeping are. They recently introduced two stunning new editions under their art-focused series: the ‘Bubble X Aiiroh’ and the Bubble Skull X-Ray. While one timepiece is a collaboration with an artist, the other makes innovative use of materials and colours to create a visual spectacle.

The Street Artist

For the ‘Bubble X Aiiroh’, Corum teamed up with contemporary French artist Aiiroh to make a statement: one of daring colour and bold style. Aiiroh, who was a street artist for 20 years before exhibiting his work in art galleries worldwide, is best-known for his reinterpretation of pop art. The ‘Bubble X Aiiroh’ is inspired by the artist’s ‘Black Série Rose’, which he created using colourful street posters in a decoupage-like collage.

The Black Série Rose has been recreated on the watch’s stark black background

The watch uses different dial appliques to add depth and dimension to the art

The watch has a black rose in the form of a swirl as a secondary dial above the artwork one

Aiiroh's original work, ‘Black Série Rose’, was created using colourful street posters

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Using different dial appliques to add depth and dimension to the art, the Black Série Rose has been recreated on the watch’s stark black background, and with a black rose in the form of a swirl as a secondary dial above the artwork one. The microscopic effect of the domed glass only enhances the artwork, distorting it to give it a new identity.

Death On A Dial

First launched in 2000, the Corum Bubble’s unprecedented size and shape created an uproar in the horological universe. A trailblazer in his own right, then-owner of Corum, Severin Wunderman, wanted to disrupt the watch world with the bold and unusual Bubble watch. He had a fascination for life and death, probably kindled by his own journey as a holocaust survivor. As a child, he was hidden in a school for the blind during the Nazi occupation of Poland, till he immigrated to the United States at age 10.

The image of the x-rayed skull on the dial is distorted during the day by the domed glass

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The luminescent dial makes it unmistakable at night and the skull glows an eerie green

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As a tribute to the iconic timepiece and the dynamic man behind it, Corum released the Bubble Skull X-Ray. This is not the first skull to make an appearance on the Bubble’s dial, but this reimagining of the Corum Bubble skull watches of yore has a contemporary tweak. The image of the x-rayed skull on the dial is distorted during the day by the domed glass, but the luminescent dial makes it unmistakable at night. The skull glows an eerie green. Completing the provocative look is the fluorescent green stitch against the black strap.

The image of the x-rayed skull on the dial is distorted during the day by the domed glass

The 47mm stainless steel cases have a black PVD coating

The Bubble Skull X-Ray is limited to 666 timepieces

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Inside The Bubble

Both watches have 47mm stainless steel cases with black PVD coating—water-resistant to 100m—and sapphire crystal casebacks that allow a view of the 42-hour automatic calibre CO 082 inside each.

Bubble X Aiiroh comes with a special artwork by Aiiroh and two other artists from Mind the Gap, an art collective he is part of

The artists have created a resin sculpture of a flat but semi-folded painting, inspired by Corum’s certificate of authenticity

The Bubble Skull X-Ray is limited to 666 timepieces, while the 88-piece limited edition ‘Bubble X Aiiroh’ comes with a special artwork by Aiiroh and two other artists from Mind the Gap, an art collective he is also part of—Japanese modern artist Namisen and French visual artist Soyz Bank. The three artists have created a resin sculpture of a flat but semi-folded painting, inspired by Corum’s certificate of authenticity. This serves as the certificate for the Aiiroh watch.