Monthly Archives: October 2014

CHOPARD – L.U.C XPS Poinçon de Genève

Chopard

For those who haven’t heard of the Geneva Seal, allow us to briefly describe it to you. The luxury watchmaking seal is a certification of excellence which guarantees the provenance, workmanship, durability, precision and reliability of a watch designed in the Geneva Canton according to certain criteria. Chopard is one of few companies to bear this exceptional seal on certain watches including the L.U.C XPS model. The ultra slim platinum 39.5mm case houses the COSC-certified self-winding calibre. The movement provides a 65-hour power reserve and brings to life the time and date functions. The time and date lie on a satin-finish grey blue sunburst dial with rhodium-plated indices, two dauphine hour and minute hands and a small seconds at 6 o’ clock with a baton-shaped seconds hand. The date appears in a blue display at 3 o’ clock. Price: 22,800 CHF

Seamaster Bullhead

Omega

There are watches which are brimming with personality and the Seamaster Bullhead is one of them. Everyone has an opinion on its polished and brushed steel shied-shaped case first launched in 1969. Some say it’s unique; others say unnerving. The striking design means the winder (at 12) and the chronograph’s oblong pushers (at 11 and 1) have had to be repositioned. On the chapter ring there’s an internal bezel with a 12 hour scale which turns both ways using the notched crown at 6 o’ clock. The black dial bears a reverse Clous de Paris pattern with the chronograph counters at 6 and 12 and a date display at 3 o’ clock. The hours and minutes are pointed out by two hands coated in Super LumiNova®. The watch is brought to life by the self-winding Omega 3113 movement. Price: 8,650 CHF

DSTB (Dial Side True Beat)

Arnold&Son

What is a true beat? According to the Berner dictionary a.k.a. the watchmaker’s bible, it’s a “large hand in the centre of the dial which jumps once per second and can be stopped whilst the watch continues to work.” However, we should mention that the true beat is an increasingly rare complication which is probably one of the reasons why Arnold&Son has showcased it in this piece to celebrate its 250th anniversary. The independent seconds with a slim blue seconds hand sits at 11 o’ clock on the sapphire disc which appears to hover above the grey dial with circular enamelling.  The hours and minutes lie at 4 o’ clock on a lacquered dial with black Roman numerals and two blue hands with hollow tips. The time is brought to life by the self-winding A&S6003 calibre (which also provides a 50-hour power reserve) housed in the 43.5mm rose gold case. Price: 44,928 CHF

ZENITH – Pilot Type 20 Grand Feu

Zenith

We love all a great story which blends watch heritage and artisan legacy. Well I do anyway. The Type 20 Grand Feu tells the story of a movement, a manual wind 5011K calibre, found buried deep in the Zenith’s archives. It was restored to its former glory, engraved and chiselled by hand to form precious silver curls. Only 10 were ever made each housed in a stunning 60mm sapphire case with a large sculpted protruding crown. Its dial rimmed with a slim minute track is made entirely of Grand Feu enamel: white on the dial and black on the Arabic hour numerals tracked by two skeleton blue steel hands. Two counters with small blue hands adorn the enamel dial: the power reserve indicator at 3 o’ clock (up to 48 hours) and the small seconds counter at 9 o’ clock. Price: 150,000 CHF