The rapid development of the Chinese watch industry in terms of both quality and creativity has been widely covered.
In recent years, several Chinese brands have become serious competitors in their market segments in terms of quality, while also making exotic complications more accessible to a broader audience. However, it's rare for new quality to combine with avant-garde complications, but CIGA Design aims to change this trend with its latest release. The new Hunter Tourbillon combines one of the boldest and most futuristic presentations with a fully skeletonized in-house tourbillon, offering an incredible amount of horological spectacle for the money, without the sense of cutting corners on quality that often accompanies Chinese tourbillons.
Build Quality and Case Design
First and foremost, it's worth noting that these watches clearly do not compete in quality with tourbillons in the style of Richard Mille or Hublot but represent a significant step forward in fit and finish compared to most previous Chinese tourbillons. The improvement begins with the Grade 5 titanium case. A diameter of 41.5 mm and a lug-to-lug distance of 47.5 mm make the futuristic tonneau-shaped case quite substantial, but not bulky, especially on medium-sized wrists.
The case design is distinguished by sharp edges, angularity, and a futuristic feel, dominated by sharp planes and dramatic cutouts. Polishing titanium is a challenging task even for well-known brands in this price category, but the bevels and angled edges around the bezel and "hooded" lugs of the Hunter Tourbillon are executed brightly and clearly. This shine highlights the multi-layered, terraced case design, creating a visual separation between the two "levels" of the case profile.
CIGA Design also uses selective polishing to highlight the three-spoke screws in the corners, which sparkle against the matte sandblasted surface. The most striking elements are the eight skeletonized cutouts in the case, separating the bezel and the main body, visually breaking up the design on the wrist and giving the watch a wilder and more exotic look. Functionally, these cutouts are narrow enough not to let in much light or reduce weight, which is already quite comfortable. Nevertheless, the stylistic effect is impressive, giving the case the appearance of a complex multi-component product.
The case back is equipped with sapphire glass, and the watch has a water resistance of 50 meters - a respectable figure for this type of model.
Skeletonized Dial and Tourbillon
Creating budget skeletonized dials has always been a challenging task, especially with a tourbillon. Usually, such mechanisms lack sufficient finishing or unique architecture for an impressive presentation, but the Hunter Tourbillon successfully breaks this stereotype.
Let's start with the bridges of the skeletonized mechanism. Many accessible skeletons suffer from flat, industrially processed bridges, making even the most complex cutouts look simplified. In contrast, the network of bridges around the two main spring barrels and the tourbillon at "6 o'clock" is bright, thoughtful, and voluminous. The bridges are coated with a semi-matte blue finish with beveled cutouts and contrasting polishing of the jewel settings, creating a deep and dynamic look.
The tourbillon with a three-spoke carriage at "6 o'clock" immediately draws attention. CIGA Design frames it with a thin polished bevel on the surrounding bridges. The carriage is simple but neatly executed, allowing the mechanism to become the focal point.
The skeleton dial is more traditional. Legibility is at a good level for a fully skeletonized design: a full minute track on an inclined relief, small applied hour indices, and large polished angular markers at "12", "3", and "9 o'clock". However, the wide skeletonized hands look somewhat simplified compared to the bridges, and the luminous material on them leaves much to be desired in terms of brightness and duration of glow.
CD-011 Manual Winding Movement
The Hunter Tourbillon is equipped with the in-house caliber CD-011 with manual winding and a tourbillon. Apart from the impressive fact of developing a fully skeletonized tourbillon that fits perfectly into the unusual case, the CD-011 demonstrates reliable performance.
Technical specifications include an impressive 72-hour power reserve (thanks to the two visible barrels) and a balance frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. This is an excellent indicator even for standard watches with simple indication, not to mention a skeletonized tourbillon. The finish on the side of the case back is less expressive than the front but clean and neat: linear brushing of the bridges highlights key transmission elements.
Straps and Bracelets: Comfort and Style
To complete the look, CIGA Design offers two strap options. The main favorite is the titanium bracelet with flat H-shaped links that seamlessly continues the lines of the case. The polished bevel adds a light shine to the bracelet, but overall the design remains restrained, modern, and angular.
Thanks to the relatively lightweight mechanism and the titanium in the bracelet, the watch is very light and comfortable for extended wear. For a more relaxed and classic look, a black rubber strap with a folding clasp is included in the set.
Conclusion: An Important Step in Chinese Watchmaking
Most enthusiasts are already familiar with the rapid growth of the Chinese watch industry, which has brought impressive quality and truly exotic complications to the market. However, few Chinese models combine both quality and complex mechanisms simultaneously, making the Hunter Tourbillon an important step forward for CIGA Design in expanding the boundaries of Chinese watchmaking.
The overall quality of execution does not yet threaten Swiss super-elite brands, but for its price, the watch demonstrates high-quality finishing and successful implementation of a futuristic skeletonized tourbillon. The Hunter Tourbillon is already available on the brand's official platform with a suggested retail price of $1,999 USD at the time of publication.