Monthly Archives: June 2015

TAG HEUER – Carrera Panamericana Edition Spéciale

Members of the press arrived at the waterfront TAG Heuer HQ on June 23rd to the sound of mariachi music. The sun may have been a little shy in La Chaux-de-Fonds but the atmosphere was certainly warm and revved up! Three fabulous vintage racing cars set the tone: Carrera Panamericana! The famous 3400km car race will be held in Mexico with 200 entrants from October 16th to 22nd. TAG Heuer is intrinsically linked to this historic and prestigious race and pays tribute to it with a piece available solely in Mexican and North American markets. This special edition features the Carrera Panamericana’s signature engraving of the back of the 43mm steel case. The black dial has three metal-rimmed counters (small seconds at 6 o’ clock and chronograph counters at 3 and 9 o’ clock), a date display at 4.30 and two luminescent hour and minute hands. Price: 2,600 CHF

Boy Friend

Is there anything sexier than a woman wearing a man’s shirt or watch? This blend of masculine and feminine style may seem normal to us today but it certainly wasn’t in the early 20th century when Gabrielle Chanel freed women’s bodies by dressing them in jersey, commonly used in men’s underwear. The tomboy look isn’t just for your wardrobe as it’s now capturing the Chanel woman’s wrist in a loving embrace. This Boy Friend has an oversize (37×28.6mm) rectangular case with edgy corners reminiscent of the Première timepiece and the iconic N°5 stopper. It is available in beige gold with/without 66 diamonds on the bezel or diamond-paved white gold. It houses a manual wind movement which brings the understated dial’s hour and minute hands (in the centre) and small seconds (at 6 o’ clock) to life. Price: 14,100 CHF (beige gold), 24,800 CHF (diamond beige gold), 26,950 CHF (diamond white gold)

Seamaster Diver 300m ETNZ

Inspired by the many competitors at the helm of their yachts, Omega is also preparing for the next America’s Cup to be held in June 2017 in Bermuda. The Bienne brand has supported the Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) since 1995 and has set its devotion to the race in stone with a Seamaster chronograph. Its 44mm titanium case is topped by a rotating bezel with a black ceramic ring. It houses the self-winding COSC-certified Co-Axial 3330 calibre which provides a 52-hour power reserve. The sandblasted titanium dial features the chronograph markers in red to make it easier to see the information (central seconds, hour counter hands at 6 o’ clock, regatta function minutes at 3 o’ clock, minute track on the chapter ring) whilst the hour, minute and small seconds hands are painted white. The date display lies at 6 o’ clock. Price: 6,900 CHF

BREGUET in the Heart of Europe: Waterloo 1815-2015

Breguet marked its presence at the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo as a major private sponsor of the conservation of Hougoumont Farm. One of the last authentic testimonies to the battle, Hougoumont seeks to work toward peace and stability in Europe. The inauguration of this important piece of history following restoration work and repurposing as a museum, took place in the presence of Marc A. Hayek, President & CEO of Breguet, members of European royalty, leading politicians and the international press. It ended with a symbolic handshake between the Duke of Wellington, Prince Blücher von Wahlstatt and Prince Charles Bonaparte.

Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Collection

In a world that’s moving too fast where you’re constantly bombarded by marketing, blinded by logos and driven to overspend, you often want (or need) to say “stop!”, go at your own pace, refocus on yourself and go back to basics. The return to core values and natural beauty is part of the message from the Endeavour concept model. Stripped of branding and time markers, this piece’s signature smoky dial in rhodium or midnight blue has two leaf-shape hour and minute hands in the centre and a slim silver-tone seconds hand. The white or rose gold case houses the manual wind HMC343 calibre to bring to life the time functions and power reserve indicator on the movement side. Ten of each of the four models are available. The watch has a strap in alligator, calfskin or kudu (African antelope). Price: 24,000 CHF

Royal Oak automatique bicolore

Time has no hold over icons. Their prestigious status endures unchanged in the face of new products that join the watch landscape every year and remain legends for watch lovers and collectors. The 2015 Royal Oak has the same unique silhouette designed by Gérald Genta and unveiled in 1972 but has warmed up its steel case with hints of gold. The octagonal bezel, screwdown crown on the case and vertical links on the strap are in rose gold. The precious metal also glows on the silver-tone chessboard dial bearing time indices and baton-shape hands all rimmed with a luminescent coating. The 41mm case houses the 3120 calibre made in the Brassus workshops. This self-winding mechanical movement brings to life the time (hours, minutes and seconds in the centre) and date functions (date display at 3 o’ clock) and provides a 60-hour power reserve. Price: 25,100 CHF

RM 27-02 Rafael Nadal

The fifth generation of the “Rafael Nadal” timepieces is another step forwards in the quest for excellence after the RM 027, RM 035, RM 27-01 and RM 35-01 models. Firstly, this new manual-wind mechanical tourbillon calibre is based on a so-called “unibody” skeleton plate. The latter is moulded to the caseband thus making the structure extremely sturdy, a technique inspired by racing car chassis. In terms of material, the plate is in NTPT carbon, the bridges in grade 5 titanium whilst the back and bezel are in NTPT carbon blended with TPT quartz. The latter is made up of over 600 layers of quartz filaments. They have been interspersed with carbon layers by a system which modifies the fibres’ position by 45 degrees. The result is an incredibly light calibre (3.5g) and a super sturdy watch. Price: 734,500 CHF

JAQUET DROZ opens its first boutique in Beijing

With historic links to China that date back several centuries, the Swiss watchmaker now unveils its first showcase in the capital of the People’s Republic.

It is no accident that Jaquet Droz and China enjoy such a long-standing association. For almost three hundred years now, the brand known by its twin stars has maintained close ties with the kingdom of the Mandarins, drawn together as much by mutual fascination as by exceptional cultural exchanges.

While the royal courts of Europe were captivated by all things Oriental at the height of the Enlightenment, Jaquet Droz was the first watchmaker to present his creations inside the Forbidden City. The master from La Chaux-de-Fonds naturally brought watches, but also delighted the Qianlong Emperor and his courtiers with specialties like ornate snuff boxes, songbirds and other automata, laying the foundations for a dialogue that continues to this day. Some of these historic pieces are still carefully preserved in the Forbidden City’s Palace Museum, a testament to this fabulous saga.

The opening of the first Beijing boutique constitutes its latest chapter. On May 14, 2015, the Oriental Plaza—high temple of Chinese luxury shopping—saw Jaquet Droz unveil the clean, angular lines of its new boutique, where shades of slate harmonize with lustrous metal in a minimalist backdrop designed to enhance the elegant curves of Jaquet Droz timepieces. All the latest designs will be shown, including the Lady 8 Flower, the Grande Seconde Deadbeat and the Petite Heure Minute, like so many works of art displayed in generous glass cases under carefully considered lighting.

Hence, this May was a particularly significant month for Jaquet Droz. It was natural that the grande complication watch Charming Bird—a true masterpiece uniting all the brand’s watchmaking and decorative know-how—should alight in Beijing on May 27 before an audience of connoisseurs, watch-lovers and celebrities who admired both versions, the red gold and the white gold, each produced in a limited edition of 28. Wonder, history, craftsmanship, beauty—several centuries have passed since Jaquet Droz and China first encountered each other, yet the emotion endures.

Address: Shop AA45b, Oriental Plaza, No.1 East Chang An Avenue, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Tel: +86 10 85181789

HM Flower Special Edition

Flowers have put down roots in the HM’s mother-of-pearl dial bursting with romantic symbolism. This bouquet includes a blossoming floral quartet with long petals, bright colours and all painstakingly hand-painted. A sensual mauve orchid, cheerful yellow iris, soft blue iris and sweet red lily: each flower unfurls on its own white opalescent dial surrounded by a ring of round diamonds. The fine bezel wrapped around the 40mm rose gold case can be paved with gems to illuminate the miniature floral artwork. This golden setting with a pink, green, purple or orange lizard strap houses the manual wind A&S1001 calibre which you can see through the sapphire crystal case back; this movement brings to life the time functions and provides a 90-hour power reserve. Two gold spear-shape hands burst from the heart of each bloom to track time and glide over the subtle black pearlescent minute track. Price: 36’763 CHF

Classic Fusion Chronographe 77ème édition Bol d’Or Mirabaud

At 10am on Saturday June 13th, competitors in the prestigious 77th Bol d’or Mirabaud will set off onto the blue water of Lake Geneva for a race covering 66.5 nautical miles (approx. 13km) from Geneva. This renowned event is an opportunity for the official timekeeper, Hublot, to be involved and promote their watchmaking expertise: a self-winding chronograph from the Classic Fusion collection. The model is limited to 77 pieces (naturally!) and its 45mm black ceramic case features black or blue carbon fibre. The bezel, dial and strap all feature this light and resistant material perfect for a regatta. Silver hour indices appear on the eye-catching dial beneath the hour, minute and chronograph central seconds hands. Two blue counters house the small seconds at 3 o’ clock and chronograph minutes at 9 o’ clock whilst the date display appears at 6 o’ clock. Price: 13,400 CHF