Between land and sea, join me on a horological journey that I hope will inspire you to visit the many wonders of this beautiful island for real.
Calvi and the B17 wreckage / Panerai – Amagnetic 47mm
Exploring the sunken wreckage of a B17 bomber off the coast of Calvi is a must for divers.
Lying 28 metres deep since February 14, 1944, at the foot of the citadel, the wreck is a popular spot and understandably so, as it offers a memorable experience that also has historical significance.
The American bomber's crew were on their way to destroy a German position in Verona, when they came under fire from enemy fighters. With two of the B17's engines ablaze and the third damaged, pilot Franck G. Chaplick was denied permission to land on the airstrip in Calvi.
"That’s how I put the B17 on the waves, very close to and facing the citadel of Calvi. The plane didn’t break during the operation and floated for a few minutes, which allowed us to evacuate, except for the three machine-gunners killed during the attack, whose bodies sank with the wreckage,” recorded Second Lieutenant Franck G. Chaplick, pilot of the B-17G #42-31044, 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bomb Group.
The Panerai Submersible Amagnetic 47mm makes the ideal diving buddy for your underwater exploration. Its ceramic and titanium case is water-resistant to a depth of 300 metres – more than sufficient – while the automatic mechanical movement delivers 72 hours of power reserve.
Fact check! Today's Submersibles are still inspired by the case of the Luminor 1950, built to meet the requirements of the Italian Marina Militare after the Second World War.
Cavallo island and Hotel & Spa des Pêcheurs / IWC Schaffhausen - Portugieser Automatic 42 Horizon Blue
The island of Cavallo remained uninhabited for centuries, until a Corsican goatherd moved there with his flock in 1800. Quite some time later, in the 1960s, the nightclub owner and "king of Parisian nights" Jean Castel fell in love with this little piece of paradise and made it his personal hideaway; an oasis of peace and calm where time stands still.
Even as southern Corsica is engulfed by tourists, Cavallo is one of the few Mediterranean islands to keep the crowds at bay.
Though I may not be one of the fortunate few to have enjoyed life on "billionaires' island" as it's known (countless celebrities have sojourned there, from the Beatles to Princess Caroline of Monaco), I can still picture myself strolling along the boardwalk, past Hotel & Spa des Pêcheurs. And the watch on my wrist would be the magnificent Portugieser Automatic 42 Horizon Blue from IWC Schaffhausen.
The colour of its dial conjures up images of crystal-clear waters while the clean lines of the case suggest what I imagine must be the elegant beauty of this heavenly hideaway. Retaining the DNA of the original Portugieser Automatic (ref. IW50001) from 2000, it brings past and modernity together. A little like Cavallo…
The GR20, Europe's most challenging hiking trail / Montblanc - 1858 Automatic Chronograph 0 Oxygen
Winding its way among lakes and peaks, beginning in Calenzana and ending in Conca – or the other way round -, the GR20 is a succession of spectacular landscapes. Considered the toughest trail in Europe, "Fra li monti" – its original Corsican name, which translates as "in the mountains" –, stretches for 180 kilometres and accumulates more than 10,000 metres of elevation gain.
You guessed it: you need to be physically fit to complete the trail - which could be why I've yet to try! Still, there's always tomorrow, though I doubt I would come anywhere near Lambert Santelli's record of 30 hours and 25 minutes.
Should you need extra motivation to cover the trail's 16 sections, my suggestion is the superb Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph 0 Oxygen. One look at the gorgeous green of its dial takes you straight to the heart of Corsica's wild maquis. Part of the capsule collection introduced in April, this 42mm chronograph will keep you focused on the way ahead.
There is so much to experience in Corsica – more than I had time to do, in fact. So whether you're searching for a piece of paradise to lay down your beach towel or somewhere to test your limits, Corsica could well be your future "place to see"!
