Praesto's DLC Tourbillon

We're planning to produce a very limited edition of black tourbillon housed in a high quality DLC-coated stainless steel case, but we're being torn apart between the 2 case styles. If you were to buy the tourbillon, which case would you prefer? Please cast your vote here: http://watchandclockforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=122&t=5141&start=0

Forget about the finishing of the case as shown on the renderings. Final one will be DLC-coated. Black.

Case #1:




Case #2





Movement is well-known Seagull ST8000.







Specification:

Model: Praesto Tourbillon DLC
Movement: Seagull ST8000
Case Diameter: 44mm excluding crown, stainless steel, DLC coated.
Crown: screw down
Crystal: Sapphire
Caseback: display / see-through, with sapphire crystal
Water-resistance: 5-10 ATM
Strap: 24mm black genuine leather
Buckle: Polished stainless steel (not DLC coated)
Very Limited Edition: 50 pieces

Why DLC coating? What is DLC coating?

Benefits of DLC coating

- low coefficient of friction
- high wear and abrasion resistance
- high hardness
- high indentation resistance
- anti-reflective
- anti-allergic properties
- corrosion resistant
- bio-compatible

DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating is commonly used in many heavy / light industries, such as automotive, medical, machinery, and of course our beloved watch industry. It's an extremely hard and resistant carbon coating. The coating process has been reliably used in the manufacture of surgical instruments for some time now. It is considerably harder and more resilient than more commonly found PVD coatings, and adheres particularly well to stainless steel. It is several times harder than that of steel !!!

Those who want to know more about DLC, the following links may help.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond-like_carbon
http://ablogtoread.com/general/discussing-dlc-linde-werdelin-talks-about-the-hard-black-elemental-watch-and-diamond-like-carbon-coating-in-general/
http://www.friendsoforis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=34882&mode=linear
http://ablogtoread.com/linde-werdelin/linde-werdelin-dlc-hard-black-ii-limited-edition-watch/
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/TECHNOLOGY/INTRODUCTION/DETAILS/DLC/index.html

Watches made in DLC-coated cases are highly resistant to wear and abrasion, and can be had from other brands for $5000 - $7000 bucks! Praesto sells at

Tentative Pricing (based on current cost structures):

Retail price: $1320 + shipping
Pre-order price: $990 + shipping

Tentatively, we plan to produce only 50 pieces so availability is very limited. Unless demand is greater, 50 pieces is our plan at the moment. First come, first served. Pre-ordering begins immediately after this voting process is done.

***** Pricing is to be confirmed after further cost adjustment (most likely adjusted down) and at the time of official announcement of pre-ordering. *****

Comments? Welcome!