Dubai Watch Week: Ferdinand Berthoud’s Chronomètre FB 3SPC 75th Anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi Limited Edition

The ancient traditions of maritime navigation in Dubai go back over a thousand years, with the earliest written record attributed to Muhammad al-Idrisi, who mapped the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the 10^th century AD.

Establishing trade routes between the East and West was the main driver of nautical exploration. It wasn’t until around 1580 that we get the first European documentation of the city, when the state jeweler of Venice documented Dubai’s pearling industry.

And, of course, it was Muslim scholars who invented and refined several of the essential scientific instruments in mathematical geography, including astrolabes, quadrants, star maps, and compasses.

The sea also influenced Western watchmaking, with the race to develop a precise timepiece to help determine a ship’s position by comparing Greenwich Mean Time to its current location, as determined by observations of celestial bodies.

This is why the new Ferdinand Berthoud Chronométre FB 3SPC 75^th Anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi limited edition is such a fitting tribute to Dubai’s heritage of time, trade, and scientific advancement.

Founded in 1950 in Dubai, Ahmed Seddiqi is one of the most influential and prestigious jewelry and watch retailers in the Middle East, as well as one of the earliest champions of Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud.
 

And Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud is named after Ferdinand Berthoud (1727-1807), a member of the first generation of watchmakers capable of producing an accurate marine chronometer.

This double milestone highlights the strong bond between the two houses, as Ahmed Seddiqi was among the first partners to support the creation of the Fleurier workshop in 2015.
 

To mark the 7^th edition of Dubai Watch Week and to join in the celebrations commemorating the 75th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi, the Maison has unveiled a three-piece limited edition version of its legendary FB 3SPC.
 

Famous for its cylindrical hairspring, this limited edition also notes the 10th anniversary of Ferdinand Berthoud. Combine these three events, and you know this party is going to be epic.

The 42mm, platinum-encased Chronomètre FB 3SPC.3-4 is lavishly decorated with unique-to-this-piece finishes of both the movement and the dial.
 

Featuring a peripheral inner-bezel ring in velvet-finished black lacquered brass, whose engraved minute track and Arabic numerals are embellished in gold, the bridges and the mainplate are sandblasted for a satiny texture as well as a gorgeous champagne color.
 

This luxe effect is also quite practical, as the subtle contrast provides heightened readability thanks to the 18-karat yellow gold hands. Meanwhile, the sapphire caseback features an additional sandblasted decoration: the “75” logo designed by Ahmed Seddiqi to celebrate the store’s anniversary.
 

Beyond their appreciation for the finer things, precision is also a value shared by Seddiqi and Ferdinand Berthoud.

The Chronomètre FB 3SPC.3-4 was inspired by the decimal watch No. 26, crafted in 1793 by Louis Berthoud, nephew and successor of Ferdinand Berthoud. But like any good sea-faring vessel, the Chronomètre FB 3SPC keeps moving forward.
 

Launched in 2022, the FB 3SPC is the first and only wristwatch with a variable-inertia balance and a cylindrical balance-spring to be officially chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). It also won the Chronometry Prize at the 2023 GPHG.

The result of more than three years of research and development, the FB 3SPC’s mechanical movement is based on a cylindrical hairspring (or balance spring), an extremely rare horological component that Ferdinand Berthoud himself helped bring to fruition.
 

Positioned at 9 o’clock, the three main escapement components – the balance, pallet-lever, and escape-wheel – are individualized, distinct, and prominent. This space, dedicated to the regulating organ, enables one to appreciate how it functions and to see the cylindrical balance-spring beating throughout the three days of the power reserve, including through a large water-resistant porthole in the caseband at 9 o’clock.
 

Again, this maritime-influenced marvel is limited to just three pieces. If you find yourself at DWW, we urge you to observe this star in person.

For more details on this 3-piece limited edition celebrating the 75^th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi, including pricing information, check out the Ferdinand Berthoud website.