Netherlands based retailer, Ace Jewelers are collaborating with Cedric Ballon on a new release constructed almost entirely from recycled titanium. The watch is called the CB01Ti Amsterdam Edition, and it comes with the hallmark easter eggs we’ve come to expect from the retailer. Cedric Ballon is known for their use of recycled steel, or PuReSteel, and this limited edition will take that a step further with raw titanium. There are no chemical coatings, inks, or artificial anything here. The result is a monochromatic take on Cedric Bellon’s unique design language, with bold graphic design layered over the ‘naked’ metal for an industrial look that somehow feels elegant.
Cedric Ballon is a new brand with a stated goal of producing sustainable watches. Their releases have been funded through Watch Angels, a platform built to support independent watchmakers one project at a time. They’ve worked with the likes of Waltham and even Frederique Constant in the past for special projects. Watch Angles takes crowd funding a bit further than something like Kickstarter, with the ability to aid in the manufacturing of watches directly with creators, for something called Crowd Manufacturing to take place. Cedric Ballon is a product of this innovative process.
The CB01Ti Amsterdam Edition picks up the use of sustainably sourced, recycled titanium. Sourcing the material presented a challenge in order to align with Cedric Bellon’s goals, and last year they succeeded with the funding of the CB01Ti. This collaboration is a part of this collection, and the only to get a tone on tone treatment with raw finished titanium for the use of the case and dial. Unlike the other dial colors, the Amsterdam Edition will be limited to a mere 20 units produced.
The CB01Ti features a titanium case that measures 40mm in diameter, and 47mm from lug to lug. In alignment with the brand’s overall goals, they are using a repurposed Dubois Depraz DD10460 automatic movement, placing the small seconds at 12 o’clock on the dial, and allowing for a total thickness of 11.7mm. The 20mm lug span sees a skin diver-esque square shape between the lugs that adds to the industrial vibes. On that note, the dial itself is held in place by a pair of visible screw heads on either side of the dial. The sub dial at 12 o’clock is recessed slightly with a circular grain to differentiate it from the rest of the dial without the use of colors.
At the bottom of the dial we find a trio of the letter “X”, which is a signature design feature of Ace Jeweler collaborations. Contrary to what you may think when you see three Xs (particularly in association with the city of Amsterdam), they are actually three vertical St. Andrew’s Crosses, a symbol of Amsterdam’s patron saint. They are also present on the city’s flag. This motif is carried through on the closed caseback of the watch.
The Ace Jewelers x Cedric Ballon CB01Ti Amsterdam Edition is available as of today at both Ace Jewelers and Watch Angles, and is priced at CHF 2,390 on a sustainable Alcantara strap.