With the recent passing of Corum Chairman Severin Wunderman, a man as renowned for his human qualities as his skill and dynamism as abusinessman, I found myself contemplating the unique creativity of many of the Corum watch collections. Certainly, the input of Severin himself played a major role in the creation of many of these memorable Corum watches – from eyebrow-raising Bubble timepiece such as the diabolically charming Baron Samedi or the notorious “Lucifer Bubble”, to some of the dazzling Golden Bridge variants, the viewer was always presented with something extremely unusual, beautiful, comical and sometimes even slightly macabre. Love them or loathe them, these are watches that are not easy to forget. As is the case with all art, you are forced to react in some way, and maybe question a few things along the way.
Among my favorite modern Corum watches, are the Classical Vanitas series, which stand out with their beautiful marquetry dials. Each of these dials are individually created by patient craftsmen who meticulously piece intricately cut segments of marble, precious stone, and mother of pearl together to form striking artworks. With their unique human element, and reflective themes reminding the viewer that life is indeed fleeting, the Vanitas watches are fine examples of the expressive qualities that define the Corum brand, as well as an ongoing tribute to the memory of Mr. Wunderman.