Cuervo Y Sobrinos defines 1930s Cuban elegance with the cigar-inspired Espléndidos Heritage
Tom Austin- Historic Cuban firm Cuervo Y Sobrinos has unveiled its latest collection, the Espléndidos Heritage, named after an iconic Cuban cigar, and celebrating the vibrant legacy of Havana.
- Featuring an unmistakable curved rectangular case shape that harks back to designs of the 1930s, the new model blends vintage charm with the unique characteristics of the brand.
- The collection features two unique variations: one regular production model with a black lacquered dial, and a version with a light cream dial and rose gold accents, which is limited to just 82 pieces.
Something you don’t often notice about classic, historic watch design is that, at a glance, it’s usually possible to recognise where a brand comes from based on some unique traits and features. For example, Japanese watches tend to have a particular technicality and finish that stands out. Classic British watches can have this air of robustness about them, almost like they have their own built-in stiff upper lip. If you had to imagine what a watch with Cuban roots would look like, it stands a very good chance that it would look exactly like what Cuervo Y Sobrinos has to offer. The brand has a rich Cuban history that stretches all the way back to 1882, and today, it blends Swiss luxury horology with the exciting and vibrant atmosphere of old Havana to produce unique watches that ooze with character and style.
Celebrating that long-standing Cuban heritage of smoky cigar lounges and Latin exuberance, Cuervo Y Sobrinos has reimagined its rectangular-shaped watch designs of the 1930s and introduced a new collection called the Espléndidos Heritage, named after the Cohiba Espléndido – widely considered to be one of the finest cigars on the planet.
Comprised of two luxurious dial variations, the Espléndidos Heritage is a unique take on a classically styled rectangle watch with elegantly finished details that not only display the brand’s Swiss watchmaking capabilities but also embody its Cuban roots. Modern rectangular watches tend to be on the smaller, more elegant side, but this isn’t always the case, as Cuervo Y Sobrinos proves with the Espléndidos. Crafted in stainless steel, the four-sided case, also used in the brand’s Vitola models, has somewhat larger proportions, with the longest side being 47mm. Call it horological machismo?
It’s nicely balanced, though, being 35mm wide, and the sides are softly curved inwards, giving it more presence and a slightly larger footprint on the wrist. This is further accentuated by a heavily curved front face, finished with a curved anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal that almost fills the entire front area. The crystal, along with a screwed down case back, offers the watch a fair 30-meter water resistance, as it’s not the kind of piece you would want to take swimming anyway. Finally, all of the case surfaces are finely polished to a mirror finish, bringing a classy and traditional foundation for the rest of the watch to build off.
There are two dial variations for the Espléndidos, the first being a deep black lacquered version, and the second being a more limited light cream model. These colours are set in the background of the dial, with a central section separated by a screwed-in ring which is silver on the black version, and rose gold on the cream dial. The centre is broken up by two overlapping dials, the primary one containing the hours and minutes, with the smaller one containing a simple seconds track, red-tipped seconds hand, and a large, black date window. These inner dials are finely textured, with silver, radially brushed areas, and a central clous de Paris-style finish. The dark Arabic hour markers are extremely legible against the dauphine hands, which are rose gold on the lighter version, and highly polished silver on the black dial variation.
The top of the dial features the Cuervo Y Sobrinos text, and the red-accented applied logo to finish things off. It’s a classic-looking dial, which is exceptionally well-balanced and symmetrical. It makes use of the space well, and even with its circular inner dials, gives the watch the subtle look of watches like the Rolex Cellini Prince from the early 2000s, combined with Cuervo Y Sobrinos’ own historic watches from the 1930s. The lighter dial variation is limited to 82 pieces, as a homage to the brand’s founding year, 1882. (Also, a note for those unfamiliar with the brand: it was founded in Havana in 1882 but has since been revived in Switzerland.)
Speaking of that Swiss connection: flip the watch over, and an oval-shaped exhibition case back reveals a Swiss-made La-Joux-Perret G120 automatic movement. It’s a well-made calibre that is known well for its reliability and performance, and gives the Espléndidos some Swiss kudos under the hood. It offers a healthy 68 hours of power reserve while beating at 28,800 Vph, and has been subtly re-finished for use in this new watch by adding a bespoke oscillating weight featuring a 3N gold-coloured applied Cuervo y Sobrinos’ emblem.
While the movement is used across several revered microbrands and has a good reputation, it has to be said that, given the attractive, classical styling of the watch, the movement is somewhat more industrial-looking. I can’t help but think that a pretty-looking, mechanically wound movement might have been more attractive, and helped to bring the overall thickness down a millimetre or two.
Finally, both watches are finished with hand-stitched Louisiana alligator leather straps. The first is a high-gloss rich brown version for the cream dial watch, and a matte black for the black dial, fastened by an open-worked stainless steel clasp bearing the engraved CyS emblem. They also feature quick-release spring bars, should you wish to change them out for something different. The straps finish off the traditional look well and are in keeping with the rich, luxurious look of the brand.
Cuervo Y Sobrinos Espléndidos Heritage pricing and availability
The Cuervo Y Sobrinos Espléndidos Heritage is available directly from the Cuervo Y Sobrinos website, as well as through authorised retailers worldwide. The cream dial version is limited to 82 pieces. Price: CHF 3,300 (black dial), CHF 3,500 (cream dial)
| Brand | Cuervo Y Sobrinos |
| Model | Espléndidos Heritage |
| Reference | 2452.1LE – Cream dial 2452.1HB – Black dial |
| Case Dimensions | 35mm (W) x 47mm (L) x 10mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30 meters |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Black or light cream lacquer with clous de Paris style finishing |
| Strap | Louisiana alligator leather, pin buckle |
| Movement | La-Joux Perret G120, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 68 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Available now, cream dial model limited to 82 pieces |
| Price | 3,300 (black dial) CHF 3,500 (cream dial) |