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Monday, December 17, 2012

The Exceptional Jewelry News Network Holiday Luxury Watch Guide

Check out the 11 timepieces below for men and women that would make anyone feel special this holiday season.

The 39mm diameter Montblanc Star Classique has eight indices and four numerals plated with gold, as are the leaf-shaped hour-hand and minute-hand. The little second-hand turns its circles on a subdial in the shape of the iconic Montblanc emblem at 6 o'clock. The sapphire crystal caseback reveals the self winding mechanical caliber MB 4810/408 with its ball-borne winding rotor and golden balance. It retails for $10,450 and is available at select Montblanc boutiques and retail locations.

The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle Self-Winding is a classic watch from the oldest manufacturer of fine timepieces. It reveals its timeless character through details such as the slender bezel, the knurled motif on the screw-down case-back, 18k pink gold, applied hour-markers, and elegant dauphine hands. The gold case frames an opaline silver-toned dial punctuated by 18k pink gold hour-markers. The 41mm case houses an ultra-thin Calibre 1120. It retails for is $31,300. It is available at Vacheron Constantin boutiques in New York, Las Vegas, and Costa Mesa, Calif., or by calling 877-862-7555 for the nearest retailer.

The Girard-Perregaux Cat's Eye features 150 emerald-cut diamonds on its white gold case, 102 emerald-cut diamonds on its dial and 13 baguette diamonds on its black satin strap with ardillon buckle in white gold. It retails for $405,000 and is available at the Girard-Perregaux Boutique, 701 Madison Avenue, NYC. Phone: 646 495 9915.

Baume & Mercier Capeland 10088 is the brand’s first limited edition men's timepiece for Tourneau in the U.S. The 44mm automatic flyback chronograph has a blue tachymeter and black telemeter. It is distinguished by a copper-colored dial and a sapphire crystal caseback. The case is polished and satin-finished steel with an anti-glare face. It’s limited to 250 pieces, each one is numbered. It retails for $7,900 and is available at select Tourneau stores nationwide.

The Franc Vila FVi17 Chrono Bicompax contains the FVi Nº 7 Tourbillon Intrepido. This watch is designed to be sporty and elegant. There are two chronograph subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock with a date indicator at 6 o’clock. The black case is made of titanium, a material Vila favors for lightweight and durability. The complicated movement is caliber FV17, with the exclusive “Gold Concept Rotor.” It has a power reserve of 42 hours. It retails for $20,700. Visit francvila.com to view dealers of Franc Vila watches.

The Girard-Perregaux 1966 Equation of Time has a rose gold case and annual calendar. Then of course, there's the "equation of time" complication, which measure the difference between apparent solar time and mean solar time—perhaps the most esoteric of all measurements of time. It's shown with a gauge that measures the variance from +15m to -15m. It retails for $32,860 and is available at the Girard-Perregaux Boutique, 701 Madison Avenue, NYC. Phone: 646 495 9915.

A convex sapphire crystal and see-through case back give a glimpse of its inner workings of the Frederique Constant Worldtimer Manufacture. The dial comes in silver, with an engraved guilloche design or a detailed world map in the center. All functions are accessed by using the crown; there are no extra push buttons sticking out from the ultra-smooth and polished sides of the case. The Worldtimer function is achieved by selecting the desired city and placing it at the 12 o'clock position on the dial. Internal discs automatically synchronize, and after that, it’s possible to see what time it is in any of the 24 cities on the dial. It is limited edition collection of 1,888 pieces. It retails for $3,450 and is available at Bloomingdales.com.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX7 Chronograph is inspired by the Aston Martin Vanquish, this watch has a titanium case with satin-finished lugs. A pivot mechanism allows the functions of the chronograph to be operated by pressing on the watch crystal. The chronograph function can be started or stopped by pressing the watch glass at 12’clock, while pressing at 6 o'clock resets to zero. The retail price is $26,000. Visit www.jaeger-lecoultre.com for purchasing information.

Frederique Constant Automatic Ladies Watch with Diamond features 56 diamonds. Hearts grace the inside of the dial while diamonds are used as hour indicators. It retails for $4,250 and is available at Bloomingdales.com.

The JeanRichard 1681 Collection is available in two versions: one with three hands and a date display, the other with a date display and small second display and in two colors, steel and pink gold. The time display appears against a classical rail-track minute circle. The three-hand version has applied Arabic numerals in a similar style to the hour-markers; the small second display at 9 o’clock counterbalances the date. The oscillating weight of the calibre JR1000, bearing the new signature of the brand, can be seen through the screw-in case-back. The 1681 pictured retails for $6,400 and is available at Kenjo Watches in New York.

Baume & Mercier Linea 10036 ladies watch comes with a double wrap strap in the light brown calfskin, however, there are several other colored bands (single and double) that may be interchanged. The 27mm round watch has a satin finish and a quartz movement. It retails for $1,950 with the interchangeable bands $200 each. Call 1-800-Mercier for purchasing information.

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