Monthly Archives: May 2016

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H. MOSER CIE – ENDEAVOUR PERPETUAL CALENDAR CONCEPT FUNKY BLUE

Introducing the H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Concept Funky Blue

The Northern Swiss brand from Neushausen am Rheinfall is continuing its quest for minimalism and back to basics with a new conceptual timepiece. The Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Concept Funky Blue has all H. Moser & Cie’s signature features but the hour markers, seconds hand and brand logo have all disappeared.

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The dial has been stripped back, not laid bare, and wrapped in a smoky sunburst blue coat. A set of silver leaf-shape hands burst from the heart of the blue disc to track the hours and minutes. A small arrow-tipped hand follows the months, a large white-on-black date display lies at 3 whilst the leap years appear with the movement.

The functions are brought to life by the HMC 341 manual wind movement which provides a 7-day power reserve from inside the 40.8mm steel case.

Price: 60,000 CHF

By Sharmila Bertin

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GIRARD-PERREGAUX – COMPETIZIONE

Introducing the Girard-Perregaux Competizione

La Chaux-de-Fonds-based Girard-Perregaux was founded in 1791 and is celebrating its 225th anniversary this year with a new collection rooted in motor racing: Competizione. The brand has unveiled two versions a self-winding chronograph: the vintage-style “Stradale” and the seriously sporty “Circuito”.

The Stradale has a 42mm steel case whilst the Circuito is made of a titanium and carbon composite (with black DLC pushers and a titanium crown).

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The classic model has a silver and black dial whilst the sportier piece has a black honeycomb openwork disc. Both versions have the same hands: silver baton-shape hour and minute hands, a red chronograph seconds hand (in the centre) and small seconds hand (at 3). The date appears at 4.30, the minute counter at 9 and the hour counter at 6.

Price on request

By Sharmila Bertin

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ZENITH – EL PRIMERO CHRONOMASTER 1969 COHIBA EDITION

Introducing the Zenith El Primero Chronomaster 1969 Cohiba Edition

The latest from the Zenith collections, El Primero Chronomaster 1969 Cohiba Edition brings two legends together: the expertise of a 101 year old watchmaker and the prestige of an iconic Cuban cigar brand. The new limited edition piece (50 in rose gold and 500 in steel) celebrates Cohiba’s 50th anniversary.

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The tobacco-coloured dial with a tachymeter scale on the chapter ring features Cohiba’s signature black, white and buttercup yellow checkerboard and the profile of the Taino Indian. A display at 11 gives you a glimpse of the El Primero Chronomaster 1969 Cohiba Edition’s movement and echoes the hour and minute counters at 3 and 6 o’clock.

Price: 19,900 CHF (rose gold)  – 9,300 CHF (steel) zenith.com

By Sharmila Bertin

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RICHARD MILLE – RM 35-02 RAFAEL NADAL

Introducing the Richard Mille Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal was born in Majorca in 1986 and tennis experts see him as one of the best professional players on clay. His accolade of awards is as impressive as his steely focus and willpower. His encounter with Richard Mille in 2008 gave rise to an eponymous collection whose timepieces stand out for their innovative technical features, light weight and high shock resistance just like the new RM 35-02 Rafael Nadal.

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A trio of openwork and luminescent hands burst from the heart of the mechanical piece to track the hours, minutes and seconds around a red hour rim on a black carbon fibre bezel.

Price upon request richardmille.com

By Sharmila Bertin

PIKES PEAK with TAG Heuer

PIKES PEAK – The legendary automobile race celebrates its 100th anniversary with TAG Heuer.

“The Race to the Clouds” is a legend in the mountains of Colorado.

Today, it still runs with few protection barriers, and is now known as

“The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Brought to you by Gran Turismo” .

TAG Heuer – the official timekeeper for the greatest and most legendary events in motor racing history – couldn’t miss this occasion to celebrate the race’s centenary!

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It is worth recalling that TAG Heuer is also partnering the Red Bull Racing F1 Team, and is founding partner and Official Timekeeper of the FIA Formula E Championship; Tag Heuer is also Official Timekeeper of the legendary Carrera Panamericana, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) and the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 (Indy 500), the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), endurance racing with the Dempsey Racing team, and motorcycle racing in the Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC).

tagheuer.com

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BLANCPAIN – FIFTY FATHOMS BATHYCAPHE

Introducing the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe

An icon of the sea depths for over 60 years, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe by Blancpain has resurfaced in 2016. It takes some of its aesthetic features from the distant past – particularly the famous rectangular hands – but also from the recent past, with the deep blue colour – also seen on the Ocean Commitment Chronograph version in 2014 – enhancing the watch face.

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The case is 43.6mm in diameter and crafted in grey ceramic material. The watch is crowned with a rotating bezel fitted with a ceramic ring and a Liquidmetal® diving scale, and contains the self-winding Calibre 1315, providing 120 hours of autonomy (i.e. 5 days). The movement drives both the hour and the date functions.

On the dazzling deep blue face, the hour markers are luminous rectangles and circles, with the geometric shapes echoed by the hour, minute and second hands in the centre. The date is white and appears in a window between 4 and 5 o’ clock.

Price: 12,000 CHF blancpain.com

By Sharmila Bertin

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BREITLING – GALACTIC 29

Introducing the Breitling Galactic 29

The watch brand Breitling is bringing its female clientele a model that’s classic yet reliable, water-resistant to 100m and has something for everyone with a choice of metals and dials: Galactic 29.

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The Galactic 29’s functions are brought to life by the COSC-certified SuperQuartzTM Breitling 72 movement. A display tells the wearer when the battery is reaching the end of its life.

From 3,160 CHF

By Sharmila Bertin

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BAUME MERCIER – PETITE PROMESSE

Introducing the Baume & Mercier Petite Promesse

A promise is a commitment to give something to someone, to form a bond. It’s also the name of a ladies’ watch collection launched by Baume & Mercier in 2015 which is now expanding to include a miniature model: Petite Promesse. Small but perfectly formed!

Its white mother-of-pearl dial is sparkles with two diamond markers at 6 and 12 o’clock. A quartz movement brings to life a pair of silver dauphine-shape hands to track the hours and minutes in the centre.

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The 22mm steel oval case glitters with two rows of 22 diamonds in a symmetrical crescent moon on the bezel or 44 diamonds on the crown, all brilliant-cut. Stripped of a crown to keep its design clean, Petite Promesse conceals a corrector on its case back. A twin calfskin strap wraps it around the wrist and glows bright orange, sky blue or “quilted” steel.

Price upon request

By Sharmila Bertin

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MONTBLANC – TIMEWALKER PYTHAGORE ULTRALIGHT CONCEPT

Introducing the Montblanc TimeWalker Pythagore UltraLight Concept

Lin Dan, whom his fans know as “Super Dan”, is a Chinese professional badminton player with an impressive list of awards: 3 consecutive world championship titles and an Olympic gold medal. He’s been a Montblanc ambassador since 2014 and the brand has paid tribute to him with the TimeWalker Pythagore UltraLight Concept.

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The 40mm case is surprisingly light (less than 15g) having been stripped back to basics with an ITR²® and Kevlar®/carbon case, back and crown and DLC titanium lugs. Its titanium openwork dial has two black aluminium skeleton dauphine-shape hands which glide over the black markers and Arabic number 12 to track the hours and minutes. The seconds count down at 6 o’clock while 5 stars for each of Lin Dan’s titles appear 8 o’clock.

The functions are brought to life by the manual wind MB M62.38 calibre (50-hour power reserve).

Price upon request

By Sharmila Bertin

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Cartier – Rotonde de Cartier Astromystérieux

Introducing the Rotonde de Cartier Astromystérieux

Sheer magic

Discussing the secrets behind a mysterious movement is like revealing a magic trick. Cartier’s first mystery clock was actually inspired by the ones designed by the iconic illusionist and father of modern magic, Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805-1871). This piece, Model A, was made in 1912 by watchmaker and Cartier’s exclusive supplier, Maurice Couet. It used Houdin’s original idea of fitting the hands onto two glass discs with a serrated metal edge. The discs were fuelled by the movement (usually in the clock’s base) and turned with the hours or minutes taking the hands with them. A century has passed and nothing’s changed. Almost nothing. Just that the clock has become a wristwatch. As we’re sure you’ve guessed, this small detail has a big impact.

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It works by sheer magic. Four sapphire discs are layered on top of each other. The top one acts as the cage’s lower bridge and is linked to the second disc that powers the hour hand. The third is part of a patented barrel winding system which also has a floating pinion that only comes to life when the crown is turned. Last but not least, the fourth fixed disc at the bottom of the movement enables the crown, once pulled out, to come loose and set the time.

The limited edition Rotonde de Cartier Astromystérieux (100 available) and its manual wind 9462 MC calibre comes in a 43.5mm 950 palladium case.

By Fabrice Eschmann