Herbelin Newport Carbon Titane Noire Owner Review : Unusual, legit and refined

What a pleasure to explore the lineage of my father's model - reissued under the name Herbelin Originals - which seems to be completely opposed to the Newport Carbon Titanium, while it is a subtle and delicious blend of traditions and innovations, tinged with nostalgia and anticipation... ▶️ This Newport Carbon Titanium is the worthy heir to the collection, with its recognizable case, equipped with a single lug reminiscent, no doubt, of a porthole hinge of a sailing ship from a bygone era. This configuration is also the symbol of the first pocket watches, to which buckles were welded allowing soldiers of the Great War to wear their watch on their wrist. Other illustrious models have sported single lugs, such as the Credor Locomotive, Cartier Vendôme and of course the Breguet Reine de Naples. This very characteristic handle type is the most visible distinctive sign, associating the Newport collection with the world of sailing, like a halyard with its mainsail, but not the only one… With its imposing diameter of 43 mm in forged carbon and titanium, this new version of the Newport projects the brand into the innovation of materials, as did the sailboats previously crossing the Atlantic from Plymouth (England) to Newport (USA) during the English Transat. One of the most important characteristics of forged carbon is its lightness. It is approximately 3 times lighter than titanium. Despite its lightness, forged carbon is also extremely strong and rigid, which makes it an ideal material for applications requiring high strength and low weight. In addition to sailing, forged carbon is also used in racing cars or golf clubs, areas with a strong affinity with watchmaking, allowing Herbelin to claim its move upmarket. ▶️ The "Full-Black" atmosphere personally reminds me of the "Black Magic" or New Zealand scarecrows of the America's Cup: the oldest sports trophy in the world. Again and again a story of heritage. Black is also the color of luxury and elegance in discretion and humility, one of Herbelin's cardinal values. Strong and light, with its black FKM strap resistant to aggressive fluids and very high temperatures, it meets the brand's ambition to project itself into the future with the use of highly technical materials. The folding clasp, a too classic brown, allows you to perfectly adjust the strap to your wrist. ▶️ The Newport Carbon Titanium is the link between two eras, with a sweet blend of filiation and singularity. The Newport was born in 1988, 10 years after the first Route du Rhum, the legendary solo sailing race between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre. Canadian Mike Birch won the first event in more than 23 days during a legendary edition. To strengthen its roots in the world of sailing, the brand called on a young and talented skipper - Aurélien Ducroz - to embody the brand's ambition to project itself towards a future of performance and self-sacrifice. Like the last Route du Rhum (2024), sailed in less than 7 days with boats that have become Formula 1s of the seas, the Newport Carbon Titanium follows this same trajectory of technological innovations. Quartz at its beginnings, the entire Carbon Titanium collection is equipped with Sellita calibers, adjusted in the brand's workshops in Charquemont, in the French Jura. This black Carbon Titanium is powered by the Sellita SW220-1 self-winding movement, offering 41 hours of power reserve. Displaying the date and day, it offers two complications consistent with the duration of the Atlantic crossing, now less than a week. The lightly smoked case back - an unusual idea that adds to the singularity of the model - allows you to discover the rotation of the oscillating weight. ▶️ The sailing analogy does not stop there, with the textured dial inspired by nautical charts and the foreshore of the Bay of Saint-Malo, well known for its very large tidal range. The bezel, meanwhile, is equipped with 5 screws whose heads - seen from afar - evoke "Torx", world-renowned for their tightening performance. Stop there, my friend! The screw heads seem to come straight from the imprint of the cranks used to manipulate and trim the sails with a winch… This Herbelin Newport Carbon Titanium illustrates with sincerity and serenity that a watch is a matter of subtlety in the details and historical anchors: mine with my father's watch, and that of the Herbelin family at the helm of the brand since its creation… ▶️ The Herbelin Newport Carbon Titanium is offered at €1,999 (January 2025), in black on a black strap or in blue on a yellow strap, recalling the color of the seconds hand. The main technical specifications are specified below. All the specs are available on the brand's website. My "Mood Board" with this Newport Carbon Titanium: Movie: All is Lost (2013) with Robert Redford Boat: Tricat 25 Evolution Location: Cap Fréhel (Brittany, France) XS