Monthly Archives: November 2014

Speedmaster “Grey Side of the Moon”

Omega

When he set foot on the moon on July 21st 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong also discovered the dusty and sticky carpet covering the surface. The lunar regolith is made up of minuscule particles and is the same ash grey as the new Speedmaster case. Just like the “Dark Side of the Moon” model, it has a self-winding Co-Axial 9300 calibre and provides a 60-hour power reserve. Its 44.25mm brushed grey ceramic case (same finish for the bezel, case back, crown and pushers) is topped by a tachymeter scale with luminescent markers. The hours and minutes lie in the centre along with the chronograph hand on the sandblasted platinum dial whose colour is reminiscent of the moon seen from Earth. The small seconds stand at 9 o’ clock, the hour and minute chronograph is at 3 and the date display at 6. Price: 11,300 CHF

Patrimony Date-Jour Rétrogradants

Vacheron Constantin

An icon of classical minimalism and the epitome of fine workmanship and natural flair, the Patrimony has reigned over watch collections since 1957. Vacheron Constantin is ending the year with this group of watches including 5 new pieces: 3 models with a slate grey dial (two hands, three hands with date and date/day) and 2 small diamond pieces in white or rose gold with a silver-tone dial. The most stunning thing about these watches is the retrograde dual date and day display. The former lies in a semi-circle between 9 and 3 o’ clock on the grey dial whilst the latter stands between 7 and 5 o’ clock. Both figures are white to stand out against the slate background. The Patrimony’s signature applied indices and pearlescent minute track lie beneath two baton-shaped rose gold hands. The 42.5mm rose gold case houses a self-winding movement bearing the Geneva Seal. Price: 48,500 CHF

Cellini

Rolex

Watchmaking is to Rolex what Cellini is to sculpture: the epitome of timeless elegance. The 2014 collection named after the 16th century Florentine artist and craftsman has experienced a renaissance in the form of three new models. The new classic watch trio features a three-handed self-winding piece (Cellini Time), a watch with “vintage” date display (Cellini Date) and a model with a second time zone and day/night indicator (Cellini Dual Time). All three have a COSC-certified self-winding mechanical movement made by Rolex with a 48-hour power reserve. All three have a 39mm white gold or Everose gold case with a subtly notched bezel and screw-down crown. Last but not least, all three have a classic dial whether it be black, white or adorned with the “rayons flammés de la gloire” pattern. Price from 14,500 CHF

J12 G.10

Chanel

The NATO or G10 (the order form code) strap was designed in 1973 for the British MOD and is famous for its resistance and staying power. The wide grey nylon strap has loops and is long enough to be worn over military uniform. The NATO strap has experienced a boom in civil watchmaking over the last 5 years and been so popular that you can now see it wrapped around the J12 case. We’re talking Chanel here so, naturally, the NATO strap is in large-scale black alligator with two brilliant-cut diamond-covered loops. The gems echo the 53 diamonds on the steel bezel and 8 indices dotted around the grey steel dial. The 33mm diamond-dust polished ceramic and titanium case houses a quartz movement which brings to life the hour, minute and second functions in the heart of the dial. Price: 16,450 CHF

Cat’s Eye Bloom

Girard-Perregaux

The round and chubby, delicately scented, hot cerise or blushing pink peony symbolises love and feminine beauty. Girard-Perregaux has woven this delicate flower into silver or gilded lace before weaving it onto the opaline mother-of-pearl or ivory dial on the Cat’s Eye Bloom. Both versions have a steel case with 64 round diamonds set on the bezel. The oval watch’s dimensions (37.8×32.8mm) are ideal for showcasing the delicacy of a woman’s wrist. The case houses the self-winding Girard-Perregaux GP03300-0097 movement which brings the time functions and 48-hour power reserve to life. The iridescent dial conceals its changing reflections beneath a lace veil adorned with several interwoven peonies. Seven successive layers of embroidery create floral patterns to add volume and depth to the dial. Two slim silver-toned hands gracefully point to the hours and minutes. Price: 16,100 CHF

PIAGET – Black Tie inspiration vintage

Piaget

Pop Art icon Andy Warhol (1928-1987), famous for his colourful screen prints of Mickey Mouse, Campbell soup and Marilyn Monroe among others, bought a Piaget watch whose case (square yet round) was as unique as the American artist himself in 1973. The cushion shape has returned to the Black Tie collection in the form of this vintage-style timepiece. Its large (40x45mm) white gold case has rounded corners and multi-stepped sides which surround the winding crown and create depth to draw you in. It has a wide brushed bezel around a black onyx dial. Two slim silver-tone hour and minute hands burst from the heart of the glossy chalcedony whilst the self-winding Piaget 534P calibre nestled in the case brings the timepiece to life. Price to be confirmed

Lange 1 Tourbillon Handwerkskunst

A.Lange&Sohne

If you don’t speak German then “Handwerkskunst” is quite a mouthful. However, the word is the definition of the magical, painstaking artisan expertise which goes into making the breathtaking Lange 1 dial, its 38.5mm platinum case and the manual wind movement which brings it to life. To celebrate the iconic watch’s 20th anniversary, the timepiece has a one-minute tourbillon showcased in a bevelled display at 5 o’ clock on the white gold dial coated in midnight black enamel. The off-centre hours and minutes at 9 o’ clock are depicted by Roman numerals and diamond-shaped indices with a hollowed small seconds. The solid silver subdial features Arabic numerals to contrast with the hour track. The 72-hour power reserve is displayed in a semi-circle between 2 and 4 o’ clock whilst the large grey-on-black date display lies in a double window at 1 o’ clock. Price: 179,000€

Metamorphosis II

Montblanc

Two similar yet distinct personalities share but one heart and body. Press the pusher between 8 and 10 o’ clock on the side of the rose gold case to switch from a classic dial to a sportier look with a single pusher chronograph in just 5 seconds. Displays at 12 and 6 o’ clock open up to reveal the Roman hour numerals and date with a hand (classic version) or a dial adorned with Arabic numerals and a rotating minute counter (chronograph version). The main gold “grain d’orge” guilloché dial finished with a sapphire glass bridge remains unchanged and acts as a retrograde minute regulator and displays the seconds. The manual wind MB M67.40 calibre housed in the 52mm case brings the various functions to life and provides the 50-hour power reserve. Price: 300,000 CHF

ZENITH – El Primero Stratos Spindrift racing

Zenith

As the official timekeeper for Spindrift Racing, the offshore racing team founded by Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard in 2011, Zenith is unveiling a new watch to coincide with the upcoming Route du Rhum. The 45mm DLC-coated rose gold and titanium case with a matching rotating bezel echoes the black and fiery hues on the Spindrift multihull sails. The black dial showcases the escapement and small seconds at 10 o’ clock with gilded luminescent indices and hands above 2 chronograph counters (minute counter at 3 and hour counter at 6 o’ clock). The watch’s self-winding El Primero 4061 calibre brings to life the time functions and provides a power reserve of over 50 hours. The watch celebrates the values of boldness and performance which Spindrift and Zenith both share. Also available in DLC-coated steel. Price: 8300 CHF (steel) – 20,500 CHF (rose gold)