Graff Luxury Watches At Basel

Diamond MasterGraff Tourbillon

Graff Diamonds doesn’t sell wholesale or deal with the watch and jewelry trade. So there was no reason for the brand founded by Laurence Graff to have a presence at Baselworld 2013. However, company representatives did come to Basel during the fair to show its newest collection of luxury timepieces to press members in a nearby hotel suite.

As one would expect from the London-based jeweler—known for purchasing some of the most valuable diamonds and gems in the world—the watches on display were big and bold with plenty of diamonds and gems. Gold and DLC were used for bezels shaped in a notable faceted motif that has the appearance of a single diamond, with lugs serving as prongs that would hold the “diamond” in place. These are more than just show pieces, however, as the majority of these watches contain branded calibers and high-end complications.

Even when adding the bling factor, there’s also a refinement to the pieces, a notable design trait of Graff products.

MasterGraff Minute Repeater Tourbillon
This 47mm mechanical timepiece showcases two horological complications. The dial is made of mother of pearl dial in a radial-carved motif. In addition to navy blue, the dial is available in black and white. The minute repeater element is triggered by an upward push on a slide positioned on the side of the case. Two hammers striking two gongs sound the hours, quarter hours and minutes. A flying tourbillon is revealed at 6 o’clock encircled by a small seconds disc. It’s limited to 100 pieces.


Diamond MasterGraff Tourbillon (top photo)
The mechanical movement of this 45mm watch has complications that include a tourbillion displayed at 9 o’clock. But really, this timepiece is about Graff’s diamond expertise. A total of 634 diamonds in 20 shapes weighing 47 carats were used to cover the watch. The dial features a radiating pattern of baguette cut diamonds, with the 120 hour power reserve displayed in emerald, yellow sapphire and ruby. Emeralds circle the dial, acting as hour markers. The case and strap are covered with more diamonds in Graff’s patented mosaic design, framed by diamond set lugs and baguette links. It’s limited to 30 pieces.

GraffStar Grand Date
The Graff Caliber 1 mechanical movement, made in Switzerland for Graff, powers this watch. Along with hours and minutes, the movement provides the date– shown in large numerals at 12 o’clock, the seconds on a sub-dial at 9 and a 50-hour power reserve indicator at 6. The DLC case (also available in white and rose gold) is faceted to appear as a single diamond with the lugs serving as prongs. The dial is in black guilloché with a multi-level design and gold indicators. It is limited to 100 pieces.

 

GraffStar Slim
The black dial set with a triangular emerald at 12 o’clock has gold hour markers set in gold. Inside the 43mm white gold case is the mechanical Graff Calibre 3 Swiss movement. The faceted case has a thickness of 6.35mm. It is also available in rose and with a white dial.

ChronoGraff 45mm
The black dial has a guilloché pattern that contrasts against gold disks that move to reveal each chronograph indicator and the 60 second dial. At 12 o’clock is a triangular emerald marker. It’s housed in Graff’s signature faceted case, available in various combinations of yellow gold, white gold and DLC. The dial also is available in white. It’s limited to 300 pieces.

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The Best of the Rest at Baselworld 2013

Ernst Benz Officer ChronoLunar

My roundup of products that I saw at Baselworld 2013 comes to an end with these products from various brand manufacturers and retailers. All are boldly masculine and nearly all have a sports angle and chronometer functions. These are pieces that are meant to express a lifestyle.

Ernst Benz Officer ChronoLunar (top photo)  
This 47mm watch is inspired by historical officer timepieces. The automatic Valjoux 7751 movement provides date, month, 24-hour display and moonphases. The chronograph provides hours, minutes and central seconds. It is available with a black or white dial.

Jeanrichard Aeroscope
The inspiration for this watch is the technical look of flight panel instruments. One important aspect of this watch is legibility, with large numerals and luminescent indexes in orange, white or black with a gray contrasting background. The dials come in rhodium-treated black or grey, vertical satin finishing and sunken counters with circular satin finishing, or in matt white. The cushion-shaped case in titanium is both light and robust. The movement is a self-winding JR66.

Accompanying the launch of the watch at Baselworld was Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who is best-known for ditching the Airbus A320 he was piloting in the Hudson River in New York City, January 15, 2009, saving the lives of all 155 people on board.

Charriol Gran Celtica Chrono
The 46mm size watch is powered by an ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic movement. It is available in stainless steel, black PVD, silver and plum; or in stainless steel, black and racing-car red. The second-hand bears the Charriol ‘C’ insignia and the passing of the seconds is marked with a rotating turbine wheel. The watch is inspired by the engine of a Corvette racing car.

The dial displays Arabic numerals at 12, 4 and 8 o’clock, paired with a tachymeter around the case. Date and day appear at 3 o’clock. The dial is housed under a curved glass case that, depending on the angle of light, appears convex or concave.

Korloff Paris Voyager
The Voyager is for the discerning global traveler. The dual faced case and dual material strap has a vintage sporty side with a stainless steel case, natural black rubber strap, and three timezones. Its opposite side features an elegant dial with two timezones, high polished bezel, and a black alligator strap. The movements are an ETA Quartz 901.101 x 2 and ETA Quartz 980.106 x 3

Cuervo y Sobrinos
Its race-timing functions are combined with a design inspired by the brand's colors, with its signature touch of red. The chronograph has a 60 seconds counter and 60 minutes counter in the center; 12 hours counter at 6 o'clock (hours and minutes), small seconds at 3 o'clock, 24 hours at 9 o'clock, and date at 4:30. The dial has a honeycomb finish. It is powered by a Dubois Dépraz 2075 automatic movement. 

ContaTempo Scuderia CT-012
Designed by Enrico Margaritelli, this brand unveiled its first vintage sports racing collection at Baselworld 2013. These are quartz movement watches with chronograph functions and enamel dials that is inspired by and meant to operate like a stopwatch. The interchangeable perforated leather strap is the same leather utilized in luxury sports cars; handmade in Switzerland. The caseback pays a tribute to the Italian Flag with enamel colors.

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New Watch Releases from Girard-Perregaux, Hublot, Tag Heuer, Seiko at Baselworld 2013

Girard-Perregaux Constant (Force) Escapement

These watchmakers have unveiled what they claim are new innovations in the Swiss watch industry. I can’t tell you how many times a watch brand has made a claim of creating something completely new or whether that function or design detail has any real value.

However, this elite group of brands can certainly back their claims and I believe they have succeed in doing that with products that are listed below.

Girard-Perregaux Constant (Force) Escapement (top photo)
It’s not often that one experiences a horological breakthrough but this may have been in the case at the Girard-Perregaux booth during Baselworld 2013. It is about as a complicated as a complication can be but in short the Swiss luxury watch brand has created a way to provide constant energy to the balance (regulator) wheel. The brand describes the solution to this problem as the “holy grail” of watchmaking.

What this means that there is no revving up or slowly down the rate of speed of a watch, which is typical in the operation of a mechanical watch. For example, when first winding a watch the movement sometimes works at a faster than normal rate of speed. As the watch loses power its speed diminishes until it slowly stops or is manually wound again. The solution created by Girard-Perregaux keeps the watch at constant and consistent regulated speed throughout this cycle.

This breakthrough (if indeed it is a breakthrough and time will tell) uses a 14 micron silicon buckled-blade, six times thinner than a human hair, which acts as a way to provide a repeated pulse to two escape wheels at a rate that is constant and consistent. This in turn provides the same consistent force of energy to the balance wheel. It beats at the frequency of 3 Hz or 21,600 vibrations per hour.

It is a bit more complicated than my explanation. There are detailed stories of how this process works at Hodinkee and Revolution that include Girard-Perregaux videos.

The operation of the escapement and its butterfly-shaped wing frame is clearly visible on the lower half of the dial. The hours and minutes occupy a sub-dial off-centered at 12 o’clock. This is flanked by two energy reservoirs in the shape of double barrels. The power reserve indicator is placed at 9 o’clock.

Tag Heuer Carrera MikroPendulumS
The Swiss luxury watch brand explains this as the first ever magnetic double tourbillion. Two magnetic pendulums replace hairsprings: one is for telling time and the other for timekeeping. The watch chain turns at 12Hz and its chronograph chain turns at 50Hz (60-minute power reserve). The chronograph tourbillon, the world’s fastest, says the watch brand, controls the 1/100th of a second, beats 360,000 an hour and rotates 12 times a minute.

The case is forged from a chrome and cobalt alloy used in aviation and surgery. It is biocompatible, harder than titanium, easier to shape and as luminous as white gold. The case design, with its stopwatch-like placement of the crown at 12 o’clock, is based on the 2012 Aiguille d’Or winner, the TAG Heuer Carrera Mikrogirder, and the Carrera 50 Year Anniversary Jack Heuer edition. The two tourbillon pendulums and their solid rose gold bridges (18K 5N) are visible through the fine-brushed anthracite dial. The hand applied “100” at 12 o’clock is in solid rose gold. The chronograph minutes counter is at 12 o’clock, chronograph seconds at 3, and the chronograph power reserve at 9. The 1/100th of a second scale appears on the silver flange.

Hublot Big Bang Unico Chrono
This is the first in a new line of products designed to house all future incarnations of the Unico movement. The iconic design of the Big Bang has evolved to contain the Unico, an in-house made column wheel chronograph movement with a dual horizontal coupling visible on the dial side. This marks the start of a new line of Hublot products designed to complete the Big Bang, Classic Fusion, King Power and Masterpieces ranges, the company said.

For the very first time since the creation of the Big Bang in 2005, the push-buttons are round. Each one is protected by a push-button guard integrated in the middle and finished like an engine piston. A skeleton dial reveals the movement. A minute counter is positioned at 3 o'clock and a small seconds counter at 9 o'clock. The date view is at 3 o'clock.

The HUB 1242 Unico manufacture movement is a flyback chronograph that can be reset at any time with two push-buttons. The hour counter is driven directly by the barrel, and there is no jumper in the chronograph mechanism. This simplification boosts reliability and robustness. Its silicon pallet fork and escapement wheel are fixed to a removable platform and are made from silicon. The movement has been trimmed to 330 components. It has a frequency of 4hz/28,800 vibrations per hour with a power reserve of about 72 hours.

Seiko Kinetic Direct Drive
Seiko made the world’s first kinetic watch 25 years ago that used the motion of the wearer to create the electrical energy to power a quartz movement. Using the mechanical energy of a traditional oscillating weight, the Kinetic rotor spins at up to 100,000 rpm, creating the electrical energy that drives the quartz movement without having to change the battery.

For the Kinetic Direct Drive caliber, not only does the rotor power the watch as one moves, but the wearer can also power it by turning the crown, just like a mechanical watch. In addition, when winding the crown, the power reserve changes function to become a real-time indicator of the energy that is imparted to the watch through the winding. 

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Large Independent Watch Brands at Baselworld 2013

Patek Philippe Ref. 5200 Gondolo 8 Days, Day & Date Indication

The sharks are circling this next group of watch brands that I saw at Baselworld 2013. By sharks I mean Swatch Group, LVMH, PPR/Kering and others like them who gobble up independent watch companies like Yellowfins with a never ending appetite. These companies (and a few others) are for the most part large and successful and have managed to keep their independence.

This independence is something they wear proudly and even use for their marketing. They all claim that they will remain free of the luxury conglomerates but others who have made the same vow have fallen to the seduction of these companies and their deep pockets as well as the new realities of a global watch business.

So here’s a chance to view the labor of independent companies before the sharks take another other bite out of these remaining few.

Patek Philippe Ref. 5200 Gondolo 8 Days, Day & Date Indication (top photo)
Arguably the most successful Swiss watch company in history, it's difficult to imagine this company being anything but independent.

For this model, Patek developed a new mechanical caliber with Silinvar components created at the “Patek Philippe Advanced Research” think tank. The result is a form movement with a genuine 8-day power-reserve display. The watch is housed in a curved Art Deco style case.

The rectangular caliber 28-20 REC 8J PS IRM C J was developed for the Ref. 5200 Gondolo. In twin in-line barrels it stores the power needed to guarantee that it will run non-stop for 192 hours. The winding mechanism requires 134 revolutions every eight days. The day and date indicators are located on the “sunshine blue” dial at 6 o’clock and the power reserve function is at 12 o’clock.

Patek says the movement’s eight-day staying power with the day and date apertures is due to the patented oscillator with a Spiromax balance spring and a Pulsomax escapement. It is the manufacture’s first 4-hertz movement with these patented elements. The watch is also available with a white dial.

Oris ProDiver Pointer Moon
Oris says this professional diver’s watch is the world's first mechanical timepiece to indicate both the lunar cycle and the tidal range.

The watch was inspired by its brand ambassador, commercial diver Roman Frischknecht. The dial design indicates the tidal range and lunar cycle at a glance, removing the need for divers to consult manuals. It incorporates Oris's patented Rotation Safety System, which allows the wearer to keep track of a certain time period using a rotating bezel that can be locked to prevent accidental adjustment, and an automatic helium escape valve.

The automatic movement, Oris Cal. 761, is based on a Sellita SW220 with pointer moon function and a date display at 5 o’clock. Its titanium case is water resistant to 1,000m. For ease of readability for divers, the sapphire crystal is domed on both sides and has an inner anti-reflective coating. It is available in northern and southern hemisphere tide range indication.

Corum Ti-Bridge Automatic Dual Winder
Corum’s latest addition to the Bridges collection has a “Dual Winder” system powered by the automatic CO 207 caliber. This movement derives its energy from two interconnected inline oscillating weights. The watch also boasts a patented winding system and a new titanium case.

The patented Corum Dual Winder system features two inline-mounted circular oscillating weights, interconnected by a transmission arbor that makes them move in parallel. The winding is efficient in both directions. A single barrel placed at 3 o’clock stores up the CO 207 caliber’s 72-hour power reserve. The CO 207 movement is held in the center of the case by four titanium cross-bars. The impression of a suspended mechanism is further accentuated by its transparency, framed by an anthracite grey dial. It is available in grade 5 titanium and in 5N 18k red gold.

Carl F. Bucherer Manero MoonPhase Limited Edition
This watch marks the 125-year anniversary when Carl Friedrich Bucherer founded the company. It provides the date, day of the week and the month with a moonphase.

The date is shown by a hand around the center of the dial. The day of the week indicator is positioned at 10 o’clock, and the month can be seen at 2 o’clock. The moonphase indication is positioned at 6 o’clock. The watch is powered by the automatic CFB 1966 caliber.

With a diameter of 38 mm, the bicolored case is made of 18k rose gold and stainless steel. In spite of the many indications, optimum legibility is enhanced by the wedge-shaped index marks and the tapering Super-Luminova-coated hours and minutes hands. The moonphase indication has a gold-colored moon shining out against a blue background. It is limited to 125 pieces.

Nomos Glashütte Orion 38 Gray
This latest version of the Orion at 38mm is a bit wider than the usual Orion and has a touch of gray. the standard Nomos caliber (with the hand-wound Alpha movement ) is visible through the sapphire crystal back. The face is galvanized and rhodium-plated in silver-gray, which gives it a glazed appearance. The watch’s indices are embossed and diamond-coated. It is one of a series of four Orion 38 watches that were introduced at Baselworld. The company hails from Glashütte, the watchmaking capital of Germany.

Frédérique Constant Slimline Moonphase Manufacture
Five new models of the Slimline Moonphase Collection were introduced at Baselworld and all are driven by the FC-705 Manufacture caliber.

Each complication in the watch is accessed through a three-position single crown. “Position 0” is for winding the watch. At “Position 1,” the date can be adjusted by turning the crown clockwise. Turning the crown counter clockwise adjusts the moonphase. “Position 2” is used to adjust the hour and minute hands.

Other features include the slimline design and a case diameter of 42 mm. Each dial presents the date display and moonphase at the 6 o’clock position. A new technology known as “laser ablation” was used to create a detailed and precise image of the moon. Finally, each model comes with a 26-jewel movement, a 42-hour power reserve and a Circular Côtes de Genève decoration on the movement.

Alpina 130 Heritage Pilot Automatic Chronograph
This watch celebrates Alpina’s 130th anniversary. The “Bi-compax" chronograph was inspired by an Alpina pilot chronograph from the beginning of the 20th Century.

The Alpina 130 features a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating that guarantees perfect contrast between all elements of the dial, regardless of the angle of the light shining on the watch. The classic dial design, with telemeter and tachymeter scales provides a balance between technicality, elegance and readability. The transparent case back allows a view of the AL-860 automatic chronograph caliber with its fine fish scales decoration and blue screws.

The tachymeter scale gives the means to measure average speed of movement, while the telemeter scale provides the distance between the source of a specific sound effect and the position of the listener. These functions are important for pilots and drivers who rely on time, speed and distance variables.

Raymond Weil Freelancer 7730
The new additions to the watch brand’s Freelancer chronograph collection include a 42mm steel case watch with black galvanic dial punctuated with red colored notes. The steel-colored minute and hour hands are coated in a luminescent material providing night-time visibility. It has a seconds subdial at 9 o’clock and a three-day date and day window at 3 o’clock, adjusted by a push pin also at 3 o’clock. The chronograph start, stop and restart push-button is at 2 o’clock and a reset button at 4 o’clock. In addition, there’s a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock.

Jacob & Co. Quenttin Tourbillion Baguette
The company known for its over-the-top flare and dramatic reinterpretations of timepieces released its latest version of the Quenttin Tourbillion, which in this case is covered in baguette-shaped diamonds. The curved case measures 56 x 47 x 21.55mm and is topped with 26.01 carats of diamonds. The satin-finished titanium and 18k rhodium-plated, polished white gold is set with 453 diamonds (23.81 carats). The tourbillon is visible through a side window.

The dial indicators are on revolving cylindrical drums with Super-luminova Arabic numerals, with the central hours cylinder and minutes cylinder to the right; and power reserve indication on the left cylinder. The movement is a manual-winding Jacob & Co. MHC-manufactured caliber 9031 with one-minute vertical tourbillon; frequency 21’600 vph, seven spring barrels and 31-day power reserve.

Black vulcanized rubber strap with 18k white gold deployment buckle is set with 40 baguette diamonds (2.20 carats). It is limited to six pieces.

Perrelet Turbine Chrono
The watch brand created a timepiece collection incorporating a chronograph into a Turbine powered by an in-house P-361 automatic movement. The chronograph measurements are provided by a central seconds chronograph hand and a 60-minute counter. The former runs over a large inner bezel surrounding the dial, while the latter is composed of two juxtaposed sapphire crystal elements. A graduated mobile disk turns in the center of a fixed ring marked with a red arrow bearing the inscription “min” and pointing to the recorded times. The transparency of the chronograph counter allows the signature rotor of the Turbine watch to remain visible.

Five chronographs make up the collection in 47 mm-diameter cases with tachometric bezels and applied rings. There are three variations in graded shades of black and white, one enhanced with 4N pink gold, and an All-Black model.

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The Swatch Group Brands at Baselworld 2013 (including Harry Winston)

Harry Winston Opus XIII

The powerful presence of the Swatch Group was present like never before at Baselworld 2013, taking up a larger chunk of the renovated Hall 1.0, the most prestigious area at the show for the majority of its 19 watch brands, which span just about every segment of the watch industry.

In addition, the company, which also owns watch movement manufacturers and retail brands, hosted a separate museum-quality exhibition in Hall 2.0 for its Swatch timepieces; the brand that has been the most responsible for the company’s enormous success.

The newest brand under Swatch Group’s enormous umbrella, Harry Winston, still had its own space in Hall 1.1, as the $1 billion acquisition occurred in March, well too late  for Harry Winston to be folded into the other company holdings (perhaps next year).

Below are some of new releases from the seven brands in the group that I had the chance to visit during the eight-day tradeshow. I included Harry Winston as the company's new CEO, Nayla Hayek, was announced Friday.

Blancpain Carrousel, Minute Repeater and Chronograph
The Swiss luxury watch brand has created a fully mechanical watch that combines a one-minute flying carrousel (similar to a tourbillon) and a minute repeater with a flyback chronograph.

For the minute repeater, the blades of its cathedral gong wrap one and a half times around the movement to emit the sound. Its transmission is optimized by fixing the gongs inside the case, which increases volume and clarity. A flying governor reduces the background noise produced by the movement.

The pusher for the chronograph function with the flyback or instant-restart function (historically used by pilots) is located at 4 o’clock and enables the wearer to restart a time measurement while a first measurement is in progress.

The watch comes in a red gold 45 mm case with a chapter ring, a 30-minute and hour-markers in grand feu enamel. The open dial and sapphire crystal case-back provides in-depth views of this complex device.

Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727
Available in rose or white gold, the watch is fitted with the new in-house caliber 574DR, which has a balance frequency of 10Hz.thus, improving the time-keeping performance of the balance and spring. It is fitted with a double balance-spring, pallet lever and escape wheel, all in specially prepared silicon. The result is a regulating power equivalent to around 830 microwatts. Despite its high frequency, it has a power reserve of 60 hours.

However, Breguet says the major innovation of this model is the use of magnetic pivots, which not only controls the negative effects of magnetism in a watch, but also uses the magnetic force to improve the pivoting, rotation and stability of the balance staff.

The dial shows an off-center chapter of hours and minutes, small seconds at 12 o'clock, a power-reserve indicator at 5 o'clock and a tenth-of-a-second indicator at 1 o'clock having a patented lightweight silicon hand with low inertia that doesn’t affect the balance. The pare-chute is visible at 2 o'clock, both as a reminder of A-L Breguet’s 1790 invention and to make the timepiece slimmer.

The dial is engine-turned in six patterns: “Geneva waves” in the center, a hobnail pattern for the small seconds, sunrays on the tenth-of-a-second dial and chevrons for the power-reserve indicator. The hours chapter is cross-hatched while a barleycorn pattern decorates the outer edge. The hands are in polished steel with the Breguet open tip, while the case displays delicate fluting.

Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer Regulator
This new timepiece unites the classic regulator display with an officially certified manual winding chronometer movement.

The dominant central position on the lacquered silver-grainé dial is the blue minute hand with its polished eye. On the central axis above and below the minute indicator are smaller hour and seconds displays.

The Glashütte Original panorama date display is placed at 3 o’clock. The date change takes place at midnight. From 6 in the morning until 6 in the evening, the small circle in the region of the hour display is white; from 6 pm until 6 am it is black. This timepiece is framed by a 42 mm polished case in red gold or a white gold version.

The watch is driven by the caliber 58-04, which permits the precise coordination of minute and seconds hands. A second-zero-stop-mechanism makes it is easy for the wearer to set the exact time. When winding the crown, the time display is stopped, the second hand jumps to zero and remains there. At the same time, the minute hand is also moved to the next full minute index. When one winds the crown to set the time, the minute hand always rests only on the full minute indices. This provides the correct relationship of the displayed seconds and minutes. A power reserve display at 9 o’clock indicates the energy remaining in the manual winding movement.

The watch is officially certified and bears a certificate from the German Calibration Service after a 15-day testing period.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Regulator
The H-12 movement in this watch allows the separation of the minute and hour hands on  different axials and sub-dials. The idea is to make the watch more accurate and provide an easier way for the person who owns the timepiece to read the time. However, I think most people wear such a watch is because of the appearance. Add to this the blue or silver dial and you have watch that can be worn for casual or formal occasions. There are three 42mm timepieces in the collection. In addition to the dial choice straps come in either leather or stainless steel.


Harry Winston Opus XIII (top photo)
It was difficult to determine which of the many technically advanced and aesthetically pleasing timepieces from this luxury brand to show. In the end I chose the newest addition to its iconic Opus collection. Opus is the watch that introduced Harry Winston to the world as more than just luxury jeweler. Each year the brand works with gifted independent watchmakers to build a timepiece with the goal of defying the conventional rules of watchmaking.

This year the newest member of the Swatch Group created a watch where the minutes accumulate around a track. Eleven rotating silver triangles spring from a faceted dome to show the hours. Every 12 hours, Harry Winston’s logo is appears on the dial and vanishes after sixty minutes. The 59 minute hands pivot on a ring of steel shafts that are held in place by 242 ruby bearings.

The mechanical watch is powered by the in-house HW4101 movement, which has 364 components. The case is made of 18k white gold.

Jaquet Droz Perpetual Calendar Eclipse
This newest version of the Eclispe line presents a new moon phase complication, which displays the cycles of the night of the sky on the dial, with the perpetual calendar complication. On the black or ivory-colored Grand Feu enamel dial, two straight hands contrast with the curves of two wavy hands, tipped with a crescent moon. The calendar information is easily read on several places on the dial: on the right is the date, on the left is the day of the week. At 12 o’clock, a single-hand counter indicates the month with the leap year appearing in a small window. At 6 o’clock, a black or ivory-colored onyx index moves across the face of a golden moon, revealing, and then concealing it until its total eclipse, unfolding on a night sky of eight golden stars, the watchmaker’s favorite number. The timepiece is powered by a Jaquet Droz 5853LR.4 self-winding mechanical movement, double barrel, perpetual calendar, retrograding moon phase, 22-carat white gold oscillating weight.

Longines Heritage Military 1938
Following Orb’s victory in the Kentucky Derby, Longines, the Official Watch and Timekeeper for the celebrated race, awarded the horse’s owner, trainer and jockey with watches from the brand’s Saint-Imier collection at the event’s Winners’ Circle Party. The Swiss watchmaking brand was the Official Watch and Timekeeper of Kentucky Derby 139 and Entitlement Partner of Longines Kentucky Oaks 139. Now the luxury watch brand is Paris where it is the Official Timekeep of Roland-Garros, home of the French Open.

Prior to both events, the brand was in Baselworld showing off its new watch collections. Among them was the Longines Heritage Military 1938, which uses the same aesthetics based on the design of a military watch produced by Longines in the 1930s. With a diameter of 42 mm and fitted with the automatic calibre L705, this timepiece displays the hours and minutes, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, the date at 6 o’clock and the small second at 9 o’clock. Large white Arabic numerals, coated with Super-LumiNova and a minute circle white as well contrasts with the deep matt black of the dial.

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Jewelry Trends at Baselworld 2013

Diamond and white gold necklace from Qayten (description below).

Whether it’s through craftsmanship, materials, artistry or innovation, the Italians always make their mark when it comes to jewelry design and this year was no different as brands large and small showcased sparkling and shimmering pieces at Baselworld 2013.

But they were not alone. The French brought its own brand of elegant and delicate designs. German creations were accessible and colorful. The U.S. and Israeli brands brought their glittering best to the party as well. New brands presented products that were competitive with established companies proving there is room for growth in the jewelry trade. And where does one place Fabergé these days? The iconic brand with the royal Russian heritage is now an international contemporary jeweler with one foot in its rich history and the other in its promising future.

There was a crazy, colorful quilt of jewelry to be seen and if only I could be cloned I could have experienced most of it. What follows is a selection of the some of the standout products in a variety of price points and materials that I had the chance to view. 

Casato
Based in Rome and led by Federico Gauttieri, the Italian jewelry brand creates jewelry made primarily with 18k gold and a variety of colored gemstones. The ruby and diamond-centric Dragon Eye is one of the lines introduced by the brand at Baselworld 2013, which includes this 18k rose gold pendant.

Charriol
Steel cable with accents of yellow or rose gold PVD are used to create modern and affordable jewelry for the Forever Young jewelry line. The standout pieces are the 69mm wide cuff bracelets in a crisscross design for a look that mixes elegance with attitude. 

Fabergé
The new Fabergé begins with its purchase by mining company Gemfields, which specializes in emeralds and amethysts from Zambia. Now the company has a direct pipeline for these colored gems. At baselworld 2013, it introduced the high jewelry collection, Les Danses Fantasques, that takes its inspiration from the Great Russian ballets. The collection features several suites, each focusing on a necklace with matching earrings and rings. An example of this is the La Esmeralda necklace pictured. Its part of suite that includes earrings and a ring covered in emeralds and diamonds, inspired by the romantic ballet of the same name. The necklace features white diamonds, suspended on a double chain of cabochon emerald beads and pear-shaped emerald drops.

Fope
The Vicenza, Italy-based company introduced new models to its “Flex’it” collection of crafted 18k gold jewelry. It is fully flexible due to tiny gold springs in the construction. The geometrical design is ehanced by squared white or black diamond paves and a range of interchangeable rondels.

Judith Ripka
The popular U.S. jewelry designer was at Baselworld 2013 showing her gold and silver jewelry collections, including these teardrop-shaped African Ruby Earrings, made of 18k gold with rose cut and full cut diamonds, and a 1.04-ct. African Ruby as a center stone.

Meissen
The 300-plus-year-old manufacturer of porcelain products has produced jewelry for a number of years. The company introduced “my little Mystery” collection, which uses a mix of diamonds and white or rose gold with pastel-colored gemstones. It includes this pendant-necklace made of hand-painted “ice green” porcelain with a diamond in the center and rose gold and diamond on its edge. 

Neelia
This is a new jewelry brand is from a Parisian jewelry manufacturer Gay Frères. Baselworld was the brand’s coming out party for its four lines of delicate, feminine jewelry based on simple motifs. As the name suggests, Twirl (pictured) is based on spiral shapes that are made with 18k pink and white gold occasionally covered in diamond pave. 

Nouvelle Bague
Florence-based jewelry designer released the Giardini Di Boboli line of hand-crafted enamel jewelry, including this earrings and ring set in black and “Bordeaux” enamel, rose gold, diamonds and carnelian.

Porrati
Among its introductions at Baselworld, this Italian brand released a series of rings with white pearls and rose gold; pink sapphires set on rose gold; rose gold; and sapphires on rose gold. These same combinations are also available on bangles.

Qayten (top photo)
This new Italian jewelry company specializes in contemporary high-end jewelry made out of a variety of materials. The necklace pictured is named Bologna, the firm’s hometown. It is made of white gold covered in diamonds that takes the shape of a wave. 

Stefan Hafner
The Bologna-based jewelry design firm introduced the nature-inspired Angelica collection of ruby and marquise diamonds jewelry, including these earrings with the rubies set in rows topped by diamonds in the form of small flowers.

Yvel
The Israeli company came to Baselworld with a flurry of new product that combines 18k yellow gold with baroque pearls in textured, organic shapes. The bracelet pictured is good example of the jewelry introduced by the firm, which in this case used three white fresh water pearls to provide a color contrast to the irregular gold shapes.  

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Independent Watch Brands Make their Mark at Baselworld 2013

The Speake-Marin Triad

It’s officially known as the “Palace” but it’s actually a small, makeshift building on the Basel fairgrounds (Messe Basel), home of Baselworld 2013, the world’s biggest and most important watch and jewelry tradeshow. Royalty may not inhabit this portable building but what is inside are some of the most creative and innovative independent watchmakers in the world. These companies are joined by equally capable small independent watch brands that were scattered among the 1,460 exhibitors throughout the massive complex of buildings.

Their visions may be entirely different, but one thing these companies do share is keen intellect, creativity and passion. The individuals who lead these small firms are highly skilled at combining the highest forms of modern watching with an advance design esthetic and a singular vision.

It was impossible for me to visit them all but what is presented below are nine companies and their products as a representative sample of the technical prowess and artistry of these firms at the recently-concluded tradeshow. They are as follows:

Arnold & Son
The Swiss company with British heritage created what it says is the world’s thinnest tourbillon watch. Called the UTTE (Ultra-Thin Tourbillon Escapement), the case of this timepiece is 8.34 mm thick. It is equipped with the A&S8200 movement that is just 2.97 mm thick. The caliber was created in-house at the brand’s La Chaux-de-Fonds workshops. It is limited to 50 pieces.

Christophe Claret
The French native who operates out of Le Locle, Switzerland, introduced the Kantharos at Baselworld— a complex monopusher chronograph with an integrated in-house automatic movement. It features a striking cathedral gong at the 10 o’clock mark that chimes with each change of function. The constant-force escapement is on the dial side at 6 o’clock. The energy delivered to the escapement remains constant from beginning to end of the power reserve.

Da Vindice Geneva
A watch complication I never encountered is a barometer. It was a passion and challenge for Cosimo Vindice, founder of the new Geneva-based watch brand with Italian heritage, to include this and a tourbillon in a single watch built in-house. An aneroid barometer is used for the Da Vindice’s Videx Tourbillon Barometer timepiece. Atmospheric pressure is managed in a capsule, sealed with the air partially removed from it. The changes in pressure are visible on a subdial placed at 6 o’clock. The watch is designed to accommodate this complication. It is available in white or rose gold.

Dubey & Schaldenbrand
The stainless steel tonneau-shaped Grand Dome R92 Column Wheel Chronograph is another example of how this watch brand produces timepieces that combine vintage movements with modern craftsmanship and design. The R92 movement was originally fabricated in the 1950s. It uses a swivel-pinion design to synchronize the chronograph components. The dial is exposed providing full view of the movement.

Franc Vila
The Spanish native is one of the best-known and most innovative independent Swiss watchmakers in the world. The latest edition to his Intrepido Collection, the FVi No 8 Tourbillon Intrepido SuperLigero Skeleton, has a skeletonized hand-wound tourbillon and 100-hour power reserve. Its set into a grade 5 titanium case coated with black DLC, with an 18k red gold bezel. Visible through the sapphire crystal, the dial exposes the in-house movement.

Linde Werdelin
The German watch brand launched the Oktopus II Moon in a series of 59 pieces, available in two versions. The first 12 pieces, representing one piece for each moon of the 2013 calendar year, feature a rose gold and titanium DLC case with ceramic bezel. The following 47 pieces are available in a DLC titanium case with a ceramic bezel. The Oktopus II Moon’s complication, developed in-house, displays the phases of the moon on its dial as one would see it in the sky. As the moon moves clockwise through its monthly cycle, more of its surface is illuminated.

MB&F
The company that released a music box at Baselworld 2013 also decided it was a good idea to release an advancement to its well-known Horological Machine No. 3 (HM3) series: The Megawind. The focus of this piece is a giant battle-axe shaped winding rotor that swings unhurriedly, but indomitably, over the hand-finished movement. The titanium arms of the rotor intermittently reveal views through to the oscillating balance wheel. It’s available in red gold with a 22k red gold rotor or white gold with a sky-blue 22k gold rotor.

Speake-Marin (top photo)
One of the most passionate and intelligent independent watchmakers I met at Baselworld 2013 is British native Peter Speake-Marin, founder of the eponymous Swiss watch brand. His creations are complex in their functions and their stories, yet they adhere to the tradition of fine Swiss watchmaking. The Triad features triple hour-minute indications over an open dial powered by an Eros 2 automatic winding movement. Three is a number heavy with symbolism and meaning; encompasses beginning, middle and end; birth, life, and death; past, present and future. In music, a triad is a three-note chord played simultaneously to provide a single sound. It is available in a limited edition of 88 pieces in stainless steel with an 18k red gold bezel.

York
The new release of the Royal Black Caviar watch has all of the pomp one would expect from a watch brand fronted by Earl York, a prince of the former Schaumburg-Lippe, a tiny principality in the Lower Saxony region of modern-day Germany. The watch comes in a handcrafted Wengé case that includes a caviar service for two. However, this timepiece is more than just packaging. It is a serious traditional watch created by the Schaumburg Watch company, which York serves as creative director and shareholder. The 18k, 44 mm gold case is topped by a bezel set with 53 black diamonds and five black diamonds on the crown. The black textured strap is made of indo-pacific stingray leather with a textured finish that is looks like caviar eggs. The mechanical movement SW 07 is made in house. It is available in a limited edition of 99.

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