The design of a sports watch should follow its function. If a feature of the
watch does not enhance usability, it should be eliminated. The result of
this approach is a beauty that transcends fads and endures the passage
of time.
We at the Corvus Watch Company have studied the designs of tens of thousands
of watches produced during the 20th Century and have resurrected some hidden
gems of wristwatch design. Not exactly reproductions, Corvus watches
incorporate subtle design changes where desirable, and utilize the latest
technological advances.
The science and engineering of watchmaking has made tremendous advances in
recent years. While our designs are classic, our technology is cutting edge,
incorporating innovative uses of the latest developments in metallurgy
and optics.
We are proud of the technology that goes into our watches, and unlike other
companies that hide behind meaningless proprietary names (what the heck
is “tegiment” anyway?), we describe the technology
in detail.
TAKE ME TO THE WATCHES
|
|
What is a Corvus?
Corvus Watch Company gets its name from the Latin word for
“raven.” The raven has long been a powerful figure in myth
and legend.
The Vikings believed:
Two ravens sit on Odin’s shoulders and whisper in his ear the
tidings and events they have heard and witnessed. They are called Mind and
Memory. He sends them out at dawn of day to fly over the whole world, and
they return at eve towards meal-time. Hence it is that Odin knows so many
things, and is called the Raven God.
The Snorra Edda, 1220
The Romans saw the raven as a symbol of stength. During a battle with the
Gauls, the Roman general Marcus Valerius accepted the challenge of one-on-one
combat with the Gaul’s champion, a gigantic warrior. Valerius killed
the giant with the assistance of a raven which perched on his helmet and
flew at the face of his opponent every time Valerius attacked. Valerius won
the ensuing battle and became one of Rome’s greatest heroes, taking
the name Marcus Valerius Corvus.
The corvus was the name given to a revolutionary weapon used by the Roman
Navy to defeat the Carthaginians. Similar to a giant wooden claw, Roman
ships would maneuver close and drop the corvus from the bow onto the deck of
the enemy ship. The two ships would be linked together, and Roman
legionaires would clamber over and capture the ship. Later, the Romans used
a siege engine with a huge grappling hook, also called a corvus to pull
down fortifications.
No wonder that in more recent times it has been said:
The Raven has been known and described from the earliest times, and
is a resident of almost every country in the world. Its somber appearance,
discordant croak, and funereal aspect have universally excited emotions of
fear and dread.
|
|
