Monthly Archives: October 2018

jaquet droz lady 8 flower 2018 blu dial

LADY 8 FLOWER

WINTER FLOWER

The very poetic new watches from the Lady 8 Flower collection bring beauty to floral art, enhanced by a series of decorative craft techniques. A pure moment of wonder harmoniously orchestrated by Jaquet Droz.

In his lifetime, Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-1790) charmed the public with an approach to clockmaking that was both ornamental and mechanical, especially with the presentation of his famous android automata, The Writer, The Draughtsman and The Musician in 1774. The astonishment inspired by these three masterpieces is an emotion that Jaquet Droz, the modern company, continues to foster through such masterly works as the Lady 8 Flower. The poetic collection of women’s automata watches was launched in 2015 and today is being expanded to include two new models, with just 8 of each produced.

jaquet droz lady 8 flower 2018 blu dialThese charm-filled timepieces by Jaquet Droz are driven by the calibre JD615, running at a gentle frequency of 21,600 vibrations an hour and providing a power reserve of 38 hours.

Price: 178,200 CHF  jaquet-droz.com

By Sharmila Bertin

hublot classic fusion aerofusion-chronograph orlinski mexico green ceramic profile

CLASSIC FUSION AEROFUSION CHRONOGRAPH ORLINSKI MEXICO

FLYING THE FLAG!

Taking inspiration from the Mexican motto, “upwards and onwards“, Hublot pursues its quest to combine materials and take new steps forward, as seen in this limited edition watch.

The colour green on the Mexican flag symbolises the nation’s independence, won in the 19th century, and explains its inclusion on the brand new Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Orlinski Mexico. The flag’s red colour can be found, too, on the central lacquered second hand. On the watch’s sapphire crystal an eagle and a snake are shown with the signature angular facets found in sculpture by Richard Orlinski. Hublot launched the timepiece during the recent SIAR, the Mexican trade fair dedicated to watchmaking. This is the second model the brand has produced with the contemporary French artist. Here, the 45mm-wide ceramic case topped with a twelve-sided bezel is the ideal canvas for his art. This limited edition of just 30 watches features Orlinski’s famous three-dimensional folds. The combination of shapes and choice of colours help shape the highly graphic and sculptural design.

hublot classic fusion aerofusion-chronograph orlinski mexico green ceramic profileThe Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Orlinski Mexico comes with a supple, black rubber strap with a folding clasp, reinforcing the striking personality of this numbered special edition that has all the assets needed to delight collectors.

Price on request www.hublot.com

By Dan Diaconu

hamilton boulton closeup

BOULTON

A CLASSIC REVISITED

Hamilton has launched a new version of one of its basic models equipped with an elegant case and available in two sizes suiting both men and women.

As the year draws to a close, the Boulton by Hamilton, a popular model from the 1940s, is making a comeback in the brand’s catalogue as part of the American Classic collection. The collection includes watches combining a style inspired by the company’s American roots along with Swiss movements. The previous models stood out, among other things, for the watch cases in highly individual shapes, half way between a rectangle and a tonneau (barrel) shape. For this new model, the case is made of steel and has the same curves as the original. It houses a slightly redesigned silvery white dial beneath a bevelled sapphire glass. Stylised black Roman numeral have replaced the Arabic figures on the original. The watch hands are blue.

hamilton boulton closeupWhile the visual layout underlines the retro aspect of the watch, the small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock adds to its elegant look. Similarly, the choice of straps, rounded off by a tang buckle, reinforces the impression of timeless elegance. The calf leather straps are dressed in midnight blue, ruby red or mahogany brown. Thanks to the Easyclick system, it’s easy to change them to match your mood or style.

Unlike the 20th century models, the new watches are powered by a quartz movement.

Hamilton has made the Boulton in two sizes, 23.50 x 27.40mm and 27.30 x 31.10mm. Both watches can be worn by women or men.

Price: 495 EUR

By Dan Diaconu

richard mille rm68-01 cyril kongo caseback

RM68-01 TOURBILLON CYRIL KONGO

FIGURE OF STYLE

When Richard Mille calls in one of the most gifted street artists, a watch that was already exceptional for its mechanism turns into a real work of art.

In the 1980s, Cyril Kongo made a name for himself in the world of graffiti art by his work on the walls in and around Paris and later in New York. Since then, his urban art has moved from the street to longer-lasting surfaces, and he now exhibits at major contemporary art events. But no matter the medium, his work always combines typography with exuberant colour. The recent partnership with Richard Mille respects the artist’s aesthetic trade-mark. The brand gave him the mechanism of a calibre as a field of expression. The result? The 30 limited-edition pieces in the RM68-01Tourbillon Cyril Kongo series are the theatre for a surprising explosion of bright colours.

richard mille rm68-01 cyril kongo casebackThe skeletoned hand-wound movement can be admired from all angles.

Each of these masterpieces by the artist known as Mr Colourful is protected by a case made of black TPZ ceramic. This simple material is ultra-resistant to scratching and enhances the appeal of each watch. The sapphire crystal also helps to protect the watches. The glass on the bezel side is 1.50mm thick. On the caseback, it is a mere 1.20mm in the centre and 1.95mm around the outside.

Price: 854,500 EUR inc. VAT richardmille.com

By Dan Diaconu

tissot alpine on board quartz

ALPINE ON BOARD

READY FOR THE ROAD

One watch, two possibilities. This is what is on offer from Tissot with a protean watch that can be worn on the wrist or placed on the dashboard of an A110 car.

Since the rebirth of Alpine and its flagship model, the A110, Tissot has been releasing limited-edition watches in the colours of this star of the world of sports cars through a partnership that began in the 1970s. A new and highly original timepiece was launched at the recent Paris Motor Show. It is clear from the off that the On Board Automatic is a sports-style watch. To add to this impression, some elements have been borrowed from the PRS 516 chronograph, a reference model for Tissot: the rectangular, lume-coated hands, the piston-shaped monopushers and the perforated leather strap. The watch is completed by two counters in bicompax position and the date displayed at 6 o’clock. The Alpine blue is very much in evidence, as is the logo of the French carmaker present as a counterweight on the central second hand.

tissot alpine on board quartzThe watch is driven by an automatic movement. The Valjoux A05.H31 provides 60 hours of power reserve once fully wound. The three-hand version, powered by a quartz calibre and on offer at an attractive price, can also move from the wrist to the dashboard.

Price: 1,950 EUR (automatic) – 490 EUR (quartz) www.tissotwatches.com

By Dan Diaconu

patek philippe 5531r-001 dial closeup

5531R-001

BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT AND LISTEN TO

With this new model, Patek Philippe has launched the first universal travel watch with a minute repeater chiming at local time.

In 2017, Patek Philippe organised an exhibition in New York, Art of Watches. Among the 450 timepieces to admire, nine limited editions were previewed before release. One stood out in particular due to its unique mechanism. For the first time, the watchmakers unveiled a minute repeater coupled with a universal time mechanism. In concrete terms, this means you can see at a glance what time it is on the five continents, and a bell chimes, reminding you what time it is when you are travelling. These two perfectly designed complications call for a remarkable degree of technical skill. It takes no less than 462 components to guarantee the impeccable results of the self-winding calibre R 27 HU. The crown is used to set the time or wind the watch. A monopusher at 2 o’clock selects the home city. At 9 o’clock, a function button activates or stops the bell chime.

patek philippe 5531r-001 dial closeupThis exceptional watch is elegant down to the smallest details. So the 40.2mm-wide rose gold case features a Clous de Paris guilloché pattern made by hand and is worn with a chocolate brown alligator leather strap.

Price on request patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

ulysse nardin diver chronometer great white caseback

DIVER CHRONOMETER GREAT WHITE

A NEW OCEAN PREDATOR 

For the Monaco Yacht Show, Ulysse Nardin launched four new Diver Chronometer models, including a limited edition watch with the imposing and impressive silhouette of a great white shark on the back.

Carcharodon Carcharias is the scientific name for one of the most fearsome predators in the sea, the great white shark. Following dubious publicity from Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film, Jaws, the shark was for a long time known mistakenly as a maneater, but has acquired a new reputation in recent years. In several recent studies, the specialists of ocean life have given us a new and less frightening view of the great white shark. This pitiless predator for the inhabitants of the sea is actually very shy when it comes to humans, and has inspired the watchmakers Ulysse Nardin to create 300 Diver Chronometer Great White watches as part of a quartet of models unveiled at the end of September.

ulysse nardin diver chronometer great white casebackThe titanium case on the Diver Chronometer Great White, featuring the self-winding calibre UN-118, boasts a generous diameter of 44mm. It comes with a unidirectional revolving bezel, where the diving scale, in 15-minute sequences, is shown embossed against the white grooved background. On the bright grey dial with sanding to provide a mottled effect, the hours and minutes appear in the centre with wide, lume-coated hands. The seconds have been moved to be a counter decorated with white and blue touches at 6 o’clock, where the date sub-dial is also located. The watch has a power reserve of 60 hours, shown in an indicator at 12 o’clock.

A white rubber strap rounded off with a tang buckle completes this highly elegant watch, perfectly cut out for adventure in deep waters, since it is watertight down to 300m.

Price: 7,900 CHF (titanium and black or blue dial) – 8,900 CHF (titanium, Great White edition) – 12,000 CHF (titanium and pink gold, Monaco edition)

By Sharmila Bertin

jaeger lecoultre 101 feuille movement

CALIBRE 101 REINE 101 FEUILLE

THE MAKINGS OF A QUEEN

Launched at the Venice Film Festival, the two jewel watches, Reine and Feuille, are powered by the Calibre 101, the world’s smallest self-winding movement since 1929

After almost 90 years of existence, the Calibre 101 by Jaeger-LeCoultre has a truly fascinating history. It was inspired by the famous Duoplan invented in 1925 and was made up of two parts, a first level with the barrel and cogs, and a second with the escapement. At just 0.2cm³, weighing barely one gram and with its miniature dimensions (14×4.8×3.4mm), it has been the world’s smallest hand-wound movement since 1929. Elizabeth II wore a watch with the Calibre 101 at her coronation in 1953, going against the protocol of the time. This small, but accurate mechanism that is set and wound using a flat crown on the back of the case, runs at a gentle frequency of 21,600 vibrations an hour and provides a power reserve of 33 hours.

jaeger lecoultre 101 feuille movementPrice on request www.jaeger-lecoultre.com

By Sharmila Bertin

panerai radiomir 1940 3 days closeup diameter dial

RADIOMIR 1940 3 DAYS

NUANCES OF BLUE

Inspired by the shades of blue seen in the sea and the sky, the Italian brand has transferred this beautiful colour to the dial of five new Radiomir 1940 3 Days models, only available in its network of stores.

The many different models in the Panerai collections can be confusing. But if you look closer and pay attention, the coherence is obvious. And suddenly everything seems simpler! The five new Radiomir 1940 3 Days watches available for purchase in the network of the brand’s stores have several things in common: the colour of the dials in Sfumato-effect blue, the curved shape of the Arabic numerals interspersed with slender hour markers, the wide hands coated with lume, and of course, the cushion-shaped case with diameters varying between 42 and 47mm, and including the classic 45mm.

panerai radiomir 1940 3 days closeup diameter dialThe richness of this quintet of timepieces has an advantage: you will definitely find the watch of your dreams, both in terms of look and features. Because here there is something for everyone, from the most basic elements (hours and minutes in the centre, second hand at 9 o’clock) to the most complete (second time zone, day/night and power reserve indicators), from robust steel to elegant pink gold. Each case is watertight down to 100m (excepting the pink gold PAM 00934, which can only be immersed to 5ATM) and is decorated on the back by an undulating pattern like a cloud; an effect achieved by a metal plate placed on the sapphire glass and giving a glimpse of the mechanism.

And talking of the mechanism, while three of the four movements driving the Radiomir 1940 3 Days are automatic (P.4000, P.4001 and P.4002), the PAM 00932 model is hand-wound. But all of them have a power reserve (with an indicator at 4.30 on the PAM 00946) of three days, or 72 hours, the minimum required by Panerai.

Price: 9,000 CHF (PAM 00932) – 10,100 CHF (PAM00933) – 11,400 CHF (PAM 00945) – 11,800 CHF (PAM 00946) – 22,400 CHF (PAM 00934)

By Sharmila Bertin

frederique constant tourbillon qp set box

PERPETUAL CALENDAR TOURBILLON MANUFACTURE

THE TOURBILLON WITHIN REACH

To celebrate the Geneva-based brand’s 30th anniversary with panache, Frédérique Constant have released an automatic tourbillon with a perpetual calendar. We take a look at four new models embodying the spirit of affordable luxury.

In three decades, the Geneva-based brand Frédérique Constant has slowly but surely traced out its route, forging an excellent reputation in the world of watchmaking. Widely acclaimed for its high-quality watches at affordable prices, the brand attracted attention in 2004 with its first in-house calibre, the famous Heart Beat, designed in its workshops in Plan-les-Ouates, in the canton of Geneva. In 2008, the firm went on to unveil its first in-house tourbillon. And now, to celebrate its 30th anniversary, the company has launched four new models, including a pink gold version in just 30 pieces, and all equipped with an automatic tourbillon and a perpetual date. It is simply named the Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Manufacture.

frederique constant tourbillon qp set boxAlong with the types and colours of metal, Frédérique Constant has provided two different faces to its Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon Manufacture. Two of the four versions have a silvered dial with the centre decorated in a Clous de Paris pattern and the three calendar sub-dials in blue. The hour rim features Roman numerals with black transfers, while a pair of leaf-shaped hands, also coloured black, move above them. On the two other versions, the layout is the same, but the dial is open-worked to reveal the grained base plate. The opening where the tourbillon is displayed has been slightly enlarged on the skeletoned dials. But you need eyes like a hawk to notice this particular detail!

Price: 14,495 CHF (steel) – 19,995 CHF (pink gold-plated steel) – 20,995 CHF (steel, skeletoned dial) – 29,995 CHF (pink gold, skeletoned dial)

By Sharmila Bertin