Monthly Archives: July 2018

blancpain fifty fathoms batyscaphe day date 70 closeup

FIFTY FATHOMS BATHYSCAPHE DAY DATE 70S

BlancPain

THE FUN INHERITANCE

This limited edition has all the charms of a diver’s watch, but also attracts the eye with its retro style, resulting in a wonderful journey back in time.

It’s impossible not to associate the 1970s with a breath of freedom and aesthetic dynamism. This richly creative period combined a light touch with sophistication. The colours were pop-inspired and the patterns were tie-dye. The soundtrack was “Love’s Theme“ by Barry White and “Miss You“ by the Stones. The same spirit of a break with the past is visible on the dials of watches like the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day Date 70s designed by Blancpain. Rectangular hour markers alternate with nicely rounded Arabic figures. The hour, minute and seconds hands also play around with geometric shapes. The day and date are displayed in their own counters at 3 o’clock. Lastly, the dial colour is a stand-out feature in the design. With its sunburst grey colour scale – lighter in the centre and darker towards the outside – it illuminates the time elements. All the features are contained in a 43-mm-wide steel case that is water-resistant down to 300m.

blancpain fifty fathoms batyscaphe day date 70 closeupWhile the style is vintage, the mechanism driving this diver’s watch is very contemporary. The automatic calibre provides a very generous autonomy of around five days.

For this limited edition of 500 pieces, Blancpain has supplied four different straps. Whether you opt for antiqued leather, steel, sail canvas or NATO, you can explore the sea’s depths or the streets of your town with style.

Price: 11,880 EUR blancpain.com

By Dan Diaconu

richard mille rm 11-03 caseback

RM 11-03 LE MANS CLASSIC

Richard Mille

SYNCHRONISED TO LE MANS

Fans of classic automobiles head for Le Mans to celebrate their love of racing. For Richard Mille, the encounter takes concrete shape with a limited edition that is both technical and aesthetic.

For the ninth Le Mans Classic, Richard Mille, the event’s official timekeeper and a major partner since 2002, has released the RM 11-03 LMC. Following on from the RM 11-02 LMC, released in time for the last race two years ago, it stands out mainly through the layout of the watch case. The 2016 version was made of titanium, while this year’s model has a very robust, white ATZ ceramic and TPT carbon case. From an aesthetic point of view, both models are very similar. But some differences can be noted, such as the redesigned monopushers, crown and bezel. The omnipresent white is set off by touches of British racing green to create an atmosphere close to the race’s vintage motor-car spirit.

richard mille rm 11-03 casebackThis edition is limited to 150 pieces and is worn with an alabaster rubber strap to perfectly match the colours on the case.

Price on request richardmille.com

By Dan Diaconu

tag heuer formula 1 lady collection

FORMULA 1 LADY

Tag Heuer

COLOUR AND STYLE

With interchangeable straps in dynamic colours, the Formula 1 Lady can be transformed in an instant. The easy-to-use system adopted by TAG Heuer makes you feel like you have a variety of watches in one and at a very nice price.

Why make do with just one watch when interchangeable straps can give you the feeling you have several? The piece of leather used to attach a timepiece to your wrist was long been neglected and seen as secondary, but has come to the forefront in recent years. Thanks to this trend, you can now change the strap yourself, but you needed to have special tools and to be quite meticulous (a second of clumsiness and you could scratch the watch case), and above all make do with quite a limited range, since few brands provide extra straps (and often in traditional and quite dull colours). With the new Formula 1 Lady, which was rejuvenated earlier this year, TAG Heuer has opted for the principle of interchangeability with a simple system requiring no particular tools except your own hands!

tag heuer formula 1 lady collectionThe steel case of the Formula 1 Lady is available in 32 and 35mm-wide versions and features the aesthetic signatures of the collection: lugs merged with the body to form a barrel-like shape, side supports to protect the crown and the bezel and a lightly notched case to highlight the sports feel. Here the bezel is set with 36 brilliant-cut diamonds with interspersed polished-steel trapeze-shaped elements to highlight the gems. The effect also brings out the iridescent reflections of the white mother-of-pearl dial. At the centre of the opaline disc, silvered dauphine-style hands display the hours, minutes and seconds around a chapter ring with honed, metallic hour markers, a sub-plate and discreet minute track. The date is shown in a counter at 3 o’clock.

When you turn the watch over, you see a small lever on each part of the strap, near the watch case. When you press it, the pin is released, freeing the leather strap to be replaced. You need to press four times in all. The range of colours currently on offer by TAG Heuer is wide enough (green almond, jean blue or turquoise, orangery red, fuchsia or raspberry pink, beige and taupe) to find one – or many – straps to suit you!

Price from 2,000 CHF  tagheuer.com

By Sharmila Bertin