Monthly Archives: December 2017

ulysse nardin marine torpilleur military all views

ULYSSE NARDIN – MARINE TORPILLEUR MILITARY

Ulysse Nardin

MILITARY INSPIRATION

Officer’s watches stand out through a shared style, providing optimal readability and easy setting. The brand has revisited this watchmaking classic and equipped it with a powerful movement.

Ulysse Nardin offers us a fresh glimpse into its watchmaking world, where the focus is on precision. The Marine Torpilleur model released this year is now available in an original version called the Military. This version gains in simplicity with the disappearance of the power reserve indicator, the date counter and the replacement of the Roman numerals. As its name implies, the timepiece borrows its aesthetic codes from army pocket watches from the early 20th century.

ulysse nardin marine torpilleur military all views

So it has a large 44mm-wide steel case housing a beige or black dial and extra-large Arabic numerals with luminous coating. A couple of Roskopf pear-shaped hands indicate the numerals. The time information is all wonderfully readable, and the bezel and crown are fluted to make handling easier. The composition is rounded off by a running seconds hand at 6 o’clock. The red series number is a reminder that this edition is limited to just 300 pieces.

The Marine Torpilleur Military comes with a cutting-edge mechanism. With its silicon anchor escapement, the automatic movement is certified as a chronometer by the rigorous Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). The calibre UN-118 developed by the brand provides a generous power reserve of 60 hours.

Depending on the versions, the watch is worn on a comfortable and elegant brown or black leather strap, adorned with a folding clasp.

Price: 7,900 CHF

By Dan Diaconu

richard mille rm 053

RICHARD MILLE: ARGENTINE OPEN POLO TOURNAMENT: AN 8TH VICTORY FOR PABLO MAC DONOUGH!

Richard Mille

On 2 December 2017, La Dolfina, led by Adolfo Cambiaso, beat arch-rival Ellerstina with a score of 14 to 13 at the close of the thoroughly electrifying final of the Argentine Open. It was a magnificent victory for the team, and for the most daring of our partners, Pablo Mac Donough, who held aloft the trophy of the prestigious Argentine Open for an 8th time in his career.

This 124th edition of the event, held at the Campo Argentino de Polo, known as ‘the Cathedral of Polo’, in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires, pitted against each other the two greatest polo teams of today, before a public that turned out in droves to attend the match. The atmosphere was charged, to say the least! As usual, Pablo wore his RM 053 Tourbillon during play, a wristwatch remarkable for its titanium carbide armour specifically designed to withstand the extreme impacts inevitable in polo.

richard mille rm 053

This was the public’s last opportunity to see Pablo play wearing his RM 053, as Richard Mille has developed an all-new polo calibre with the Argentinian player, also driven by a tourbillon mechanism, but even more sturdy, thanks to an unprecedented technology. This latest watch will be unveiled at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2018. richardmille.com

roger dubuis excalibur closeup

ROGER DUBUIS – EXCALIBUR SPIDER PIRELLI – AUTOMATIC SKELETON

Roger Dubuis

AT TOP SPEED!

Watchmaking and the automobile regularly take the same road. And when the iconic legend of car tyres Pirelli meets Roger Dubuis, the result is a sensation.

What makes this new timepiece, baptised the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Automatic Skeleton, so outstanding is that the elements composing it come from the internationally famous Italian brand, Pirelli. The legend of car tyres has supplied Roger Dubuis with pieces of tyre from race-winning cars from the past. So, the watch is equipped with a rubber strap made from these flamboyant entrails, and with the inner side decorated with tread reproducing the profile of a tyre.

roger dubuis excalibur closeup

To be unveiled at the next SIHH show in January 2018, the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Automatic Skeleton borrows the aesthetic codes of the previous versions of the Excalibur, but hoists the colours of the chequered flag: black DLC titanium and immaculate white touches provide this timepiece with its distinguished and masculine look. Equipped with a 45mm-wide skeleton case, this watchmaking gem is crowned with a fluted skeleton bezel, also made of black DLC titanium, and completed by a crown covered with a white rubber moulding, a small echo of the strap stitching. On the skeleton dial, the chapter ring comes in black and white colours, with rhodium-plated, Super-LumiNova® indices, and all accompanied by gold hands with black PVD coating. Roger Dubuis has had fun giving this timepiece an exclusive and atypical character, seamlessly blending the two worlds of watchmaking and the automobile.

This special edition houses the automatic calibre RD820SQ with a mini rotor, driving the hour and minute functions. Running at a frequency of 28,800 vph, it provides the Excalibur Spider Pirelli Automatic Skeleton with a power reserve of 60 hours. Certified with the Geneva Seal, this timepiece by Roger Dubuis should be in top gear for 2018!

Price: 69,500 CHF

By Isabelle Guignet

audemars piguet royal oak offshore closeup

AUDEMARS PIGUET – ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE

Audemars Piguet

IN THE PRIME OF LIFE

Collectors, watch out! For the 25th anniversary of the Royal Oak Offshore, Audemars Piguet is perpetuating the legend of its exceptional chronograph with an ideal re-release.

Since Audemars Piguet first launched its flagship sports chic chronograph, the 25721ST, over 120 models machined in a wide range of materials – steel, titanium, platinum – have been added to the Royal Oak Offshore collection. What do they have in common? They all have a 41mm-wide case, an octagonal bezel with visible screws and, for many of them, a dial with the tapisserie pattern. So at first sight, the extra-robust version of the iconic Royal Oak designed by Gérald Genta was easily recognisable!

audemars piguet royal oak offshore closeup

The re-release of the original model includes all its aesthetic attractions down to the last detail. So, the chronometer and the running seconds sub-dials are in their original place, as is the date counter topped with a magnifying glass. The crown, push pieces and dial come in the same deep blue colour. The hour and minute hands have also kept their original design, and point towards round indices. They are all coated in luminescent material for optimal readability in all conditions.

The timepiece is still driven by a self-winding movement. This is not the original calibre, however, but the 3126/3840 (50 hours of power reserve), first introduced in 2012 for the 20th anniversary of the chronograph.

This Royal Oak Offshore 2018 vintage is worn on the wrist with a steel strap that perfectly matches the case, which is also made of steel, and is watertight down to 100 metres. This anniversary edition will delight all fans of the brand from Le Brassus.

Price on request

By Dan Diaconu

rolex cellini moonphase closeup

ROLEX – CELLINI MOONPHASE

Rolex

MOONLIGHT

As our satellite travels along its orbit, it shows different shapes from crescent to full moon. Rolex delicately recreates the process.

Cellini. While the name pays homage to a talented sculptor of the Italian Renaissance, it also recalls a romantic opera composed by Berlioz in the 19th century. So, what could be more natural than combining a classic watch made by Rolex with watchmaking’s most poetic complication, the moonphase? The 39mm-wide case is machined in a gold, copper and titanium alloy called Everose and houses a delicate white enamelled dial of great simplicity. At 6 o’clock, an enamelled blue disc with a fine intensity stands out. In a starry sky, the full moon, represented with applied chapters made from meteorite, and the new moon alternate cycle after cycle. The self-winding mechanical movement in the Cellini Moonphase powers a mechanism with an astronomical accuracy of 122 years.

rolex cellini moonphase closeup

With a power reserve of 48 hours, the calibre 3195 deploys its energy so that the rose gold hour, minute and seconds hands keep time with ultimate precision. It also drives a central blue hand adorned with a crescent moon tip showing the date on the dial rim.

This traditional and refined piece comes with a brown alligator leather strap with an adjustable in-house rose-gold folding Crownclasp. Like all the watches stamped with the Rolex crown, the Cellini Moonphase has the Superlative Chronometer certification, a guarantee of performance and robustness.

Price: €24,550

By Dan Diaconu

hermes arceau chrono titane closeup

HERMÈS – ARCEAU CHRONO TITANE

Hermes

SPORTS STYLE

Elegance and a sports look are no longer contradictory. Hermès has proved it once again with the new men’s watch from the Arceau collection.

Kalos kagathos, “the beautiful and the good” in Ancient Greek. The words were used in Antiquity to describe refinement and prestige. When you first see the new Arceau Chrono Titane, which will be officially launched by Hermès at the Salon de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva in January 2018, you find that the words fit this timepiece like a glove. The fruit of the inspiration of Henry d’Origny in 1978, the Arceau model has defied the passing of time. It has kept abreast of fashion through new and apt interpretations, always remaining true to the original spirit. In this version, the 41mm-wide case and asymmetrical buckle are made of titanium, giving the watch greater lightness and robustness. Its natural elegance, originating from the world of horse-riding, has also developed into a more sporting style.

hermes arceau chrono titane closeup

On the galvanic black dial, the dauphine-style watch hands point to Arabic numerals with their instantly recognisable style. A self-winding movement drives the measurement of short time periods with the help of a large central second hand and hour and minute sub-dials, placed at 9 and 6 o’clock. To round off the time features, a running seconds sub-dial at 3 o’clock can be used to check the calibre is working correctly (42 hours of power reserve). There is also a date counter at 4.30.

The Arceau Chrono Titane comes with a refined strap made of natural Barenia calfskin or embossed black leather, with saddle stitching highlighting the unique skills of the Parisian brand.

Price: €4,200 (natural leather strap) – €4,300 (black leather strap) hermes.com

By Dan Diaconu

frederique constant classic carre automatic closeup

FRÉDÉRIQUE CONSTANT – CLASSIC CARRÉ AUTOMATIQUE

Frederique Constantin

SQUARING THE CIRCLE

Frédérique Constant offers an alternative to round watches with a chic, classic model driven by a fine mechanism that can be seen through an opening in the dial.

Not everything goes round in circles in the world of watchmaking! In the 20th century, the Roaring Twenties were an era when culture and art gained a new impetus. At a period that fostered creation, rectangular wrist watches made their first appearance. Dandies and elegant ladies wore them as indispensable accessories matching their outfits. Even today, these watch cases are known for their naturally refined aesthetic appearance. The silhouette of the new Classic Carré Automatique by Frédérique Constant is a perfect example. With its discreet size (30.4mm x 33.3mm), the timepiece is very easy to wear on the delicate feminine wrist. The dial, with its silver tone, catches the eye through a classic layout of the time features. The black Breguet-style hour and minute hands move across a guilloché pattern and point towards stylised Roman numerals. The second hand is placed in the centre. The watch has no date counter, but an opening at 12 o’clock unveils the beating heart of an automatic mechanical movement.

frederique constant classic carre automatic closeup

The calibre FC-310 driving this Frédérique Constant watch provides it with 38 hours of power reserve. Turning over the steel or polished rose gold-plated steel case, depending on the version, you will see some of the components enhanced by a spiral decor through the crystal caseback.

The Classic Carré Automatique comes with a black or brown strap to highlight its totally retro personality.

Price: €1,295 (steel) – €1,495 (rose gold-plated steel) frederiqueconstant.com

By Dan Diaconu

chopard luc perpetual t chinese zodiac engraved

CHOPARD – L.U.C PERPETUAL T – SPIRIT OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC

Chopard

ASTRO-LOGICAL!

When arts and crafts meet quality watchmaking, Chopard approaches the sublime with a unique piece reserved for seasoned collectors.

As the Chinese New Year draws near, many watchmakers are unveiling timepieces displaying the astrological signs for the coming year. Chopard’s L.U.C Perpetual T – Spirit of the Chinese Zodiac includes all the signs of the zodiac in chronological order. They all figure on the body of a 43mm-wide case made of rose gold with a black patina. To achieve this result, the champlevé engraving technique was used to cut into the material with great care. It took 200 hours of work to finish this piece, which is unique in more than one way!

chopard luc perpetual t chinese zodiac engraved

The L.U.C Perpetual T – Spirit of the Chinese Zodiac comes with an elegant hand-sewn alligator leather strap. For all the exemplary finishes and its high-quality watchmaking movement, the watch has, of course, been given the Geneva Seal.

Price: € 231,480 chopard.com

By Dan Diaconu