Jaeger-LeCoultre’s New Master Ultra Thin Squelette

Jaeger-LeCoultre wasn’t satisfied with one high watchmaking skill in its latest timepiece. It had to combine no fewer than four of these skills with its Master Ultra Thin Squelette: skeleton working, guilloché engraving, enameling and gem-setting. 

Let’s not forget that being ultra-thin is the watch’s greatest achievement. With a total thickness of 3.6 mm, it is one of the thinnest watches ever made. The hand-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 849ASQ with 119 components is a mere 1.85 mm thick, while providing a 33-hour power reserve. To further complicate things, the movement was carefully skeletonized into a work of art that can be viewed on both sides of the watch. 

The timepiece is available in four models: pink gold, pink gold set with brilliant cut diamonds, white gold, or white gold set with brilliant cut diamonds

The gold surrounding the skeletonized movement is first adorned with a guilloché motif. Then enamel is applied in either a deep blue for the white gold model or a “frosted chestnut brown” for pink gold version. For one white-gold model, mother-of-pearl is applied. The gold chapter ring is divided into 12 zones that make it easy to view the numerals within its limited space. The motif, the enamel or mother-of-pearl application, and the 12-zone chapter ring is also on the reverse side of the timepiece.

With all the different hand-crafted art and technical acrobats that went into a watch with such a small size, it seems a bit underwhelming to mention the gem-setting technique that went into this timepiece. In this instance it’s brilliant-cut diamonds that adorn the bezel of two of the models. 

Jaeger-LeCoultre is producing some of the most elegant watches being made today. Despite all of the techniques used in the Master Ultra Thin Squelette, the Swiss luxury watch brand didn’t sacrifice the watch’s elegance. 

The only question is its durability. A watch this thin with a skeletonized mechanical movement and housed in very thin gold case could have issues. But that’s down the road. 

The watch reportedly costs from $59,000 to $76,000. 

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Classic Watches with Subtle Innovations at SIHH 2014

Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar

There’s just 16 luxury watch brands that exhibit at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), but the amount of watches that are produced each year is staggering. This year was no exception as I go through the new pieces. This new group represents classic watches, with unusual twists. Each is very different even though they can be grouped under the same category of watches.

Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar
In terms of brands, the story of SIHH has to be Montblanc. First came the Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph 100, which combines the expertise in its watch manufacturing facility in Le Locle with its Villeret manufacturing facility, known for its handmade movements.

Perhaps just as significant was the release of its Meisterstück Heritage Collection. The line was inspired by the 90th anniversary of the brand’s iconic Meisterstück writing instrument. The top piece in this collection is its perpetual calendar model (top photo), which has to be the first watch with a perpetual calendar and a moon phase for 10,000 euros ($13,700). An 18k rose gold model costs about 16,900 euros ($23,200).

The classic 39mm watch is powered by the automatic caliber MB 29.15.

The date is shown at 3 o’clock, the day of the week at 9 o’clock and the month at 12 o’clock. On the inner scale of the month display, the leap-year cycle is shown by a blue triangle and a leap year is indicated by a red number 4. The moon’s phases are emulated in a window at 6 o’clock; with the moon’s age indicated in days at this window’s upper edge. The only drawback I see is a lack of space between the sub-dials. Other than that this watch has earned the Meisterstück (masterpiece) name.

Van Cleef & Arpels Heure d’ici & Heure d’ailleurs
Another brand that had an exceptional SIHH was Van Cleef & Arpels whose biggest introduction was the Midnight Planétarium Poetic Complication. Now comes the Pierre Arpels Heure d’ici & Heure d’ailleurs, which translates as “The Time Here and the Time Elsewhere.” This watch manages to combine the romantic and practical notions of travel and it does so simply, playfully and elegantly.

First the practical, the dual timezone watch comes in a 42mm white gold case with a crown-set diamond. The dial is made of white lacquer with piqué motif. The automatic movement was developed by the Swiss watchmaking firm, Agenhor, exclusively for Van Cleef & Arpels. It has a double jumping hour and retrograde minutes.

There’s a pureness to the appearance of the white dial that displays the two timezones equally. The main timezone is in the aperture at the top of the dial and the secondary timezone in a lower aperture. There’s a single hand between the hour displays that indicates the minutes on the graduated scale.

The hours of the first and second time zones jump at the same time, thanks to a single sector that synchronizes the two hour discs and the retrograde minute hand. When the latter reaches 60 minutes on the graduated scale, it returns to its starting position at the same instant that the hour display changes.

To do this, the automatic movement is equipped with a platinum micro-rotor that takes up little space. By oscillating in two directions, it can supply energy continuously.

Officine Panerai Radiomir 1940 Chronograph
This watch is available in platinum, red gold and white gold. The 45mm classic cushion case has two push-buttons that control the chronograph functions, the cylindrical winding crown and the bezel. It was originally created by Officine Panerai for the Royal Italian Navy.

The red gold version has a brown dial with the combination of graphic hour markers, Roman and Arabic numerals (known as “California”). The platinum version has an ivory dial, with simple baton or dot hour markers. Common to all three versions is the tachymeter scale for calculating average speed and the two chronograph counters.

The mechanical, hand-wound OP XXV caliber movement is developed on a Minerva 13-22 base. The Minerva manufacture (now owned by Montblanc and known as Villeret) has had historic links with Panerai since the 1920s, when the Swiss manufacturer was a supplier to the Florentine watchmaker.

It is available in a limited edition of 100 for both gold versions and 50 for the platinum version.

Parmigiani Toric Résonance 3
The “oversized” date on this watch solves a practical problem of being able to easily see the display. But aside from the practical and aesthetic considerations, Parmigiani said the impetus behind the eye-shaped window came from a watchmaking challenge. The discs on the date mechanism are the same size as the dial. Despite being cut to a great degree of fineness, they require huge amounts of energy to activate them and even more to stop them dead following the instantaneous jump.

To accomplish this, the first cam accumulates energy through continuous friction over time. This arms the large lever continuously, releasing it every 24 hours onto a 31-tooth wheel. The second cam serves as the brake, by controlling a spring-mounted lever. This device keeps the large date discs permanently immobile, releasing them for just a fraction of a second every 24 hours to allow the instantaneous jump.

The center of the dial employs hand-crafted guilloché decoration that enhances the depth of the date. The 45mm watch is powered by the mechanical hand-wound Caliber PF 359, which also has a minute repeater sounding the hours, quarter-hours and minutes.

Baume & Mercier Clifton Flying Tourbillon
This watch is inspired by a tourbillon pocket watch presented by Alcide Baume in 1892 at the Kew Observatory in England. It is powered by the Val Fleurier P591 mechanical hand-wound movement has a 50-hour power reserve. The flying toubillon, located at 9 o’clock, makes a single rotation per minute. A sub-dial displaying seconds is located at 6 o’clock. The 45.5mm case is made of 18k red gold.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin
The ultra-thin classical automatic watch has an aesthetically pleasing traditional design. However, creating this sort of simplicity isn’t always simple to achieve. The 38.5 mm timepiece, available in pink gold or stainless steel, is refined and elegant. A single sub-dial on the “eggshell” white dial shows seconds. The thickness of the watch is a mere 7.58mm.

Jaeger-LeCoultre was able to achieve this level of thinness and simplicity through its automatic movement Caliber 896. The 3.98mm thin movement has a 43-hour power reserve.

Ralph Lauren Safari Watch
The luxury design brand introduced a 39mm version of its Safari Aged Steel Chronometer (RL67) as a follow-up to the collection introduced at SIHH 2013. The hand-wound mechanical movement Caliber: RL 300-1 is COSC-certified for the accuracy and precision of its chronometer. It has a 42-hour power reserve. The case is made of aged black steel and the dial of “azure” anthracite with matte varnish and beige luminescent hour and minute hands and hour markers, and a shiny orange second hand.

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Six More Stunning Watches From SIHH 2014

The reverse side of the A.Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar ‘Terraluna’

My first story from SIHH focused on seven watch brands that I thought were the most innovative at the recently concluded Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH). These next six timepieces could have easily been included with the first group. These watches from Jaeger-LeCoultre, A.Lange & Söhne, IWC, Cartier, Audemars Piguet and Roger Dubuis include several exceptional tourbillions, perpetual calendars and a couple timepieces where the watch back gets much needed attention.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica Eleven
The luxury watch brand says that at 7.9mm thick, it is the slimmest minute repeater in its category. There are seven Jaeger-LeCoultre patents associated with this watch, six of which created for this piece. The Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon includes an ultra-thin tourbillon, a new high-performance balance-spring, a peripheral automatic winding system, a retractable single-push button, and a minute repeater equipped with a silent, time-lapse reduction system. It is powered by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 362 and has a 45-hour power reserve.

The thin flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock is fitted with a flying balance-wheel, allowing full-view of the balance-wheel and spring. The watch has an automatic winding system that uses an oscillating peripheral weight with a platinum segment visible through narrow openings on the dial between the clock’s numerals. This mechanism serves as a space saving tool and it’s nice to view. The minute repeater strikes the hours, quarters and minutes on demand. When there are no quarters to be struck, it is mechanically programmed to be silent between the sounding of the hours and minutes. Two patented trebuchet hammers ensure stronger, cleaner striking on the two crystal gongs fixed to the sapphire crystal. As an effort to make the watch even slimmer while preserving an extremely pure aesthetic, the minute repeater is activated by a retractable single pushbutton. It is available in a 75-piece limited edition.

A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar ‘Terraluna’
The German watch brand set a difficult benchmark to surpass when it unveiled its Grand Complication at SIHH 2013 but many of the products they introduced this year have the same precision, inventiveness and design competence that the brand is known for. The most recent SIHH offerings were led by the Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar “Terraluna.” The 45.5mm watch available in pink or white gold has an orbital moon-phase display on the reverse side that depicts the earth, moon and sun and a day/night indicator. The watch front has three sub dials. The largest one at the top indicates the minutes while the two smaller ones represents the hours and seconds. Beneath the date, two smaller apertures show the day of the week on the left and the month on the right. The calendar is mechanically programmed to correctly display the different durations of the months in a year as well as those in leap years until 2100. The leap-year indication is located in a small round window on the right of the 15 in the minute circle subdial. The Lange manufacture caliber L096.1 has a twin mainspring barrel that delivers a power reserve of 14 days.

IWC Schaffhausen Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month
The Swiss watch brand dedicated SIHH 2014 to its Aquatimer diver watches. It considers the Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month (Ref. IW379401) as its flagship item. The dial has extra-large digitally displayed numerals for the perpetual calendar, which is mechanically programmed until 2100. The date and month discs have perforated covers. The design reflects the filter systems on submarine vehicles and also provides a view of the switching mechanism at work. The chronograph has a subdial at 12 o’clock that displays stop times between one minute and 12 hours, using minute and hour hands, while the central hand counts seconds. The integrated flyback function enables the user to reset the running stopwatch hands to zero and to start another timing sequence immediately. The display also helps divers monitor the speed of their ascents. The 49mm watch is water-resistant to 10 bar (334 feet) and has an external rotating bezel made of 18k red gold. The IWC SafeDive system ensures that the bezel can only be turned counterclockwise. The casing ring, push-buttons and crown are made of rubber-coated titanium. The IWC-manufactured 89801 automatic movement comprises 474 individual parts. Production is limited to 50 watches and available only in IWC boutiques.

Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon
The tourbillon of this watch has been incorporated into a moon phase complication available on demand in a way that at first has the appearance of a contraption but upon a closer look is quite innovative. By pressing the push-button situated at four o'clock, a panel descends and partially obscures the tourbillon carriage, which serves as the moon. The covering of the moon exactly reproduces the current moon phase. In addition, there’s a second time zone indicated by a 24-hour disc that was redeveloped by for the caliber 9440 MC due to the sophistication of its disc display. Polished lapis lazuli is used for the dial and the moon panel. The hours and the second time zone are surrounded by a polished grid in 18k white gold. A three-dimensional dial is one of the signature features of the Cartier Fine Watchmaking collection introduced at SIHH this year, alongside Roman numerals that are openworked and chamfered by the hand of a master decorator in a manner akin to a skeleton movement. The semi-skeletonized bridges on the back of the movement are structured in a star shape. The 47mm watch with platinum bezel is limited to 50 pieces.

Audemars Piguet Millenary Minute Repeater
The luxury watch brand was primarily promoting its Royal Oak timepieces in white ceramic but what really caught my eye was the oval-shaped, pink-gold Millenary Minute Repeater, which was first introduced in Hong Kong a few months earlier. The watch features Audemars Piguet’s own escapement, double balance spring designed to compensate for potential poising flaws and eliminates the need for the “overcoil” terminal curves. The repeater mechanism’s winding system has a sliding trigger at 9 o’clock and striking barrel clearly visible at 2 o’clock. The white-enamel dial contains an off-set hours and minute subdial and smaller seconds subdial. The watch is powered by the Audemars Piguet hand-wound Caliber 2928.

Roger Dubuis Hommage Double Flying Tourbillon
This is a serious mechanical watch with artistic flair inside and out. The dial of the 18k pink gold watch is finished with hand-crafted guilloché work that creates a delicate and precise sunburst effect. Powering the timepiece is a hand-wound RD 102 movement, also in pink gold. It has a power reserve of 50 hours. Production is limited to 88 pieces.

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China Slows; Europe, US, Middle East Show Strength as Richemont Brands Prepare for SIHH 2014

Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètre Unique Travel Time

The Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, considered by many to be the most luxurious and the most exclusive watch fair in the world, begins Monday. A total of 16 luxury brands, nearly all owned by luxury conglomerate Richemont SA, will be providing the first glimpse of what’s in store for 2014 in the world of high-end watches and, to a lesser extent, jewelry.

For the past few years, China has been the largest and fastest growing market for luxury watches and jewelry. However, there may be a shift in the global economy. The Hurun Report, which covers all things wealthy in China, said overall spending on luxury goods dropped 15 percent in Mainland China during the past year and gift-giving spending dropped 25 percent, possibly due to stronger anti-corruption initiatives. For the first time in five years, watch collecting as a pastime lost out to collecting traditional Chinese ink paintings.

Richemont in its preliminary third quarter earnings report said its total sales increased 3 percent to nearly $4 billion. At constant-exchange rates, growth was at 9 percent. 

Jewelry sales rose 4 percent for the period (10 percent at constant exchange rates) and watch sales rose 3 percent (9 percent at constant exchange rates). Montblanc, which sells luxury writing instruments and leather goods in addition to watches and jewelry, saw its sales slide by 4 percent (1 percent increase at constant exchange rates).

By region, the two strongest markets in terms of growth were the combined Europe and Middle East area, which saw its sales grow by 7 percent (9 percent at constant exchange rates) to 1.08 billion euro ($1.37 billion) followed by the Americas region where growth was pegged at 6 percent (12 percent at constant exchange rates) to 480 million euro ($649 million). 

Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific, led by China, grew by 1 percent (6 percent at constant exchange rates) to 1.13 billion euro ($1.52 billion). 

For SIHH, innovations in this small selection of watches that are listed below seem to be more conservative, perhaps due to the shifting global luxury economy. The use of light-weight and ultra-strong materials are not new but seem to be more prevalent this year and are being used more creatively. The five timepieces below represent a glimpse into what the brands will be presenting this coming week. I expect there will be some surprises once the show begins.

Audemars Piguet
The newest version of the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon features a white ceramic bezel, crown and push-pieces instead of black, all contained in a titanium case. In addition, the watchmaker incorporated ceramic into the movement itself, replacing the blackened upper bridge of Caliber 2913 with white ceramic. The GMT display provides an instant reading of the time in a second time-zone. It is adjusted using the push-piece at 4 o’clock (one press adjusts the time by one hour). The indication of the second time-zone, based on 12 hours, comprises two superimposed discs. The first, on which the figures are inscribed, completes one turn in 12 hours. The second, just below, completes a turn in 24 hours and has 2 colored areas: a white half for daytime and a black half for night-time. The double-barrel system ensures that the watch will runs for as long as 10 days before it needs to be manually wound.

Jaeger-LeCoultre 
The Le Sentier-based luxury watch brand’s SIHH introductions include the Duomètre Unique Travel Time (top photo), which the company says is the first world-time watch with a “to-the-minute adjustment” of a second time zone. This enables travelers to accurately set the second time zone on all continents and countries regardless of the time difference. The watch employs a “dual-wing” system that divides the Caliber 383 movement into two distinct mechanisms: the first for displaying the local time and the second showing the correct time in a second time zone. The two mechanisms share the same regulating organ but each has its own independent source of energy, thereby avoiding the losses due to interaction between the mechanisms. Each mechanism has a 50-hour power reserve and the same crown serves to wind both barrels. The timekeeping barrel is wound by a counter-clockwise rotation and the travel-time barrel by a clockwise rotation. 

Two subdials, the first at 2 o’clock displays the hour and minute hand; while the second at 10 o’clock hosts the jumping hour and minutes of the travel time. The globe at 6 o’clock displays a world map surrounded by the time-zone indications and the day/night ring. The single crown is used to adjust the local time in position 2 and the travel time in position 1, and to wind the mainsprings. Once both time zones are synchronized, the traveler can use the push-pieces at 8 and 10 o’clock to adjust the jumping hours in the left subdial according to the destination. For non-standard time zones, the minutes can be adjusted separately using the crown in position 1.

Montblanc
The venerable luxury brand is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its TimeWalker collection with the TimeWalker Extreme Chronograph DLC. The watch is covered in a “diamond-like carbon (DLC)” coating described as “Black 4”, which stands for “very black.” The company says it is nearly impossible to fabricate a darker black. The watch is powered by the automatic mechanical Caliber MB 4810/507 equipped with an integrated chronograph function. The black of the new TimeWalker chronograph´s case continues in different shades on the large planar dial. The three subdials—one that reads seconds and two chronograph’s elapsed-time counters—are positioned at 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. Anthracite-grey ruthenium-colored hands and luminescent Superluminova numerals provide contrast to the dark watch. The finishing touch is a black vulcanized rubber strap. 

Ralph Lauren
The brand will be introducing several timepieces for men and women. Among them is the safari adventure “aged-steel” watch available for the first time in a 39mm size. Powered by the RL300-1 caliber, the ultra-masculine case of the RL67 Chronometer 39mm is created through a treatment that transforms the blackened steel into a patina finish. The rugged aesthetic is enhanced with a matte-varnished anthracite dial with dial two luminescent sword-shaped hands and a shiny orange baton stem. The self-winding wristwatch is worn on an olive-green “weathered” canvas strap that pays tribute to the visual accents of an explorer’s shoulder bag.

Vacheron Constantin 
The oldest and one of the most prestigious Swiss watchmaker, Vacheron Constantin, will introduce the latest version of its Malte Tourbillon Collection Excellence Platine. The pure, uncluttered platinum dial with a sandblasted finish is discreetly adorned with the inscription “Pt 950” appearing between 4 and 5 o’clock. along with white gold Roman numerals and hour-markers. The tourbillon bearing the seconds hand is at the 6 o’clock position. The platinum tonneau-shaped case measures 38 x 48.24mm. Platinum is also used for the folding clasp on the dark blue alligator strap. The timepiece is powered by the 169-part mechanical hand-wound caliber 2795 with a power reserve of almost two days. The tourbillon carriage displays the brand’s signature Maltese cross emblem.

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Marc Newson Exhibition in Philly Features Timepieces For Jaeger-LeCoultre And Ikepod

Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos 561, 2008. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

While at the Philadelphia Museum of Art I was surprised to find an exhibition dedicated to industrial designer Marc Newson and that the display included several timepieces.

I shouldn’t have been too surprised by the timepieces. After all, Newson, 50, whose works range from an aircraft interiors and a concept car to home appliances and furnishings, is a partner in the Swiss timepiece firm, Ikepod. Three pieces from that firm were on view at the exhibition titled “Marc Newson: At Home.” There was also a timepiece he designed for the venerable luxury Swiss watch brand, Jaeger-LeCoultre.

In 2008, Newson created 80th-anniversary editions of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos Clock (top picture), a timepiece that runs on temperature and atmospheric pressure changes in the environment. It never needs winding. The model on display at the exhibition is the Atmos 561, a pared-down and contemporary model of the eternal clock.

The clock’s mechanism runs on a mixture of gaseous and liquid ethyl chloride that expands and contracts with the temperature. The clock must be hermetically sealed for it to operate. In this interpretation, Newson built a bubble-like case made of Baccarat crystal that creates the appearance of a timepiece that floats. Hour and minute hands, month indicators, moon phases and the Atmos 561 name are accented in blue.

Ikepod Hourglass, 2010. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

For Ikepod, he created a timepiece that is as much a sculpture as it is a mechanism to tell time. It’s an hourglass. This version, built in 2010 (like the others) is made of a single piece of blown borosilicate glass. Instead of sand, millions of nanoballs are used, which produce an extremely accurate 60-minute interval when the hourglass is turned.

From top: Ikepod Megapode, 2005, Ikepod Hemipode, 2003. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

In addition, there are two watches from Ikepod, a 2003 version of the Hemipode chronograph, which also provides a second time zone display, and a 2005 version of the Megapode watch, also a chronograph with dual time capabilities and a circular slide rule display.

All of the timepieces are from the collection of Adam Lindemann, a New York entrepreneur, avid art collector and partner in Ikepod.

The exhibit itself features many of the Australian-born, London-based designer’s domestic products inside an abstracted 2,000-squarefoot house and garage. It will run till April 28 in the Collab Gallery on first floor of the museum’s Perelman Building.

Below is the hourglass at work during a promotional film by Ikepod.



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Jaeger-LeCoultre at the 2013 Venice Film Festival

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso engraved 70 Mostra

Today I will be leaving for Venice to cover the About J luxury jewelry show, perhaps the most exclusive jewelry show in the world. About 30 luxury jewelry brands will be exhibiting. Then I will be covering VicenzaOro Fall, the most prestigious collection of jewelry tradeshows for Italian jewelry industry.

Actress Sarah Gadon wearing Jaeger-LeCoultre La Montre Extraordinaire La Rose  while attending the Emergency charity VFF 2013. Photo credit: Getty images

However, I am arriving a few days early and as luck would have it, it happens to be during the 70th Venice International Film Festival (August 28 – September 7. Luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre, which is celebrating its 180th anniversary, is a sponsoring partner of the festival and has been hosting events and creating products for the event.

British actress, Sophie Kennedy Clark was on the red carpet with Laurent Vinay debuting the Reverso Cordonnet Duetto watch made its debut on the Red Carpet as B Sophie Kennedy Clark. The actress stars in the film, Philomena, which will premiere during the Festival.

The Swiss luxury watch brand has created a personalized Reverso watch to the winners of the Best Film (Leone d’Oro, Golden Lion Award) as well as the Best Actress and Best Actor of the year (Coppa Volpi Awards). The watches will feature a lacquered engraving depicting a lion, the symbol of Venice, handcrafted in accordance with the finest traditions, and bear the inscription “70. Mostra” (top photo).

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso engraved 70 Mostra Eemergency

For the third consecutive year Jaeger-LeCoultre will use its products and brand to support the Emergency, a non-governmental organization that helps civilian victims of wars and poverty. This includes the creation of a personalized Reverso watch with the same engravings and symbol as the official Venice Film Festival watch, with the addition of “Emergency” as part of the inscription (pictured above).

La Montre Extraordinaire La Rose

Jaeger-LeCoultre will also release a new collection called Jubliee. From the opening day to closing of the festival the company is hosting events throughout Venice. I will be attending two events during my short time at the festival going attending the jewelry shows I came to see.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Cordonnet Duetto

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Richemont Announces Leadership Changes at Montblanc and Jaeger-LeCoultre

Lutz Bethge

Lutz Bethge, CEO of luxury brand Montblanc International, will leave the post to serve as non-executive chairman and head of the Supervisory Board of Montblanc. He will be replaced July 1 by Jérôme Lambert, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre. Also at that time Daniel Riedo, currently Industrial director of Jaeger-LeCoultre, will become the luxury watch brand’s CEO.

The announcements were made Wednesday by luxury holding company, Richemont, which owns both brands.

In his new position, Bethge will represent Montblanc externally and will be an advisor to the luxury brand on strategic matters. Bethge has spent 23 years in various roles with Montblanc, becoming CEO in 2007. He is credited for moving the luxury brand from a traditional writing instrument manufacturer to a diverse luxury brand, adding watches, leather goods and jewelry to its product line.

“The Maison has been recognized as a legitimate player in the watch business, providing continued and significant growth,” Richemont said in its statement.

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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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Jaeger-LeCoultre Creates Raffles Hotel Anniversary Reverso Watch

Swiss luxury watch brand, Jaeger-LeCoultre, has created two editions of its iconic Reverso timepiece for Raffles Hotel Singapore, to honor the establishment’s 125th anniversary.

The double-sided watch can be turned over and be worn like a jewel with a personalized engraving. To mark Raffle Singapore’s 125th anniversary, Jaeger-LeCoultre created an exclusive engraving for the hotel that reads: “Raffles Hotel 1887-2012 Singapore.” The engraving is available on the men’s Reverso Grande Taille and the ladies’ Reverso Lady Ultra Thin.

Pierre Jochem, general manager of Raffles International, noted that the watch brand, which is 180 years old, shares a commitment with the hotel to heritage and innovation. “Timelessness is about moving with the times and adapting to the world around us—but never forgetting out heritage—which is priceless.”

Named after Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore, Raffles started out as a 10-room bungalow and grew to become the landmark of the city-state, known throughout the world for attracting tycoons, rouges, adventurers and movie stars. Well known authors and journalists—including Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward—wrote about the hotel’s Long Bar, Palm Court and Billiard Room, spreading its legend and acclaim throughout the world.

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Richemont’s Half-Year Sales Up 29%, led by Asian Demand and Jewelry and Watch Sales

Luxury goods conglomerate, Cie. Financiere Richemont SA, said Friday that sales for the six-month period, ended September 30, increased by 29 percent to 4.2 billion euros ($4.68 billion), year-over-year. At constant exchange rates (stripping out the effects of currency exchange rates), the increase was 36 percent.

The Swiss company reported solid growth across all segments, regions and channels. Operating profit increased by 41 percent to 1 07 billion euros ($1.2 billion). Net income for the period increased by 10 percent to 709 million euros ($791.3), reflecting the impact of a one-time gain in the comparative period.

Richemont owns several leading luxury goods companies, which it calls Maisons, with particular strengths in jewelry, luxury watches and writing instruments. These companies include Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Panerai and Montblanc.

“Our Maisons were able to benefit from a favorable trading environment to enhance their positions in jewelry, watchmaking and accessories,” said Johann Rupert, Richemont, executive chairman and CEO. “The rate of increase in net profit was lower than the increase in operating profit primarily due to a one-off gain in the comparable period.”

Rupert also noted that the group’s net cash position is 2.6 billion euros ($2.9 billion) and that sales in month of October, not included in the report, increased 28 percent, year-over-year. Sales were strengthened by the group’s own retail network bolstered by very strong demand in the Asia-Pacific and Americas regions.

Although gross profit rose by 26 percent, gross margin percentage was 160 basis points lower at 63.2 percent of sales, due to adverse currency movements affecting sales, the strengthening of the Swiss franc and, as expected, the impact of Net-a-Porter, the online luxury goods retailer. The company’s brands raised prices in order to offset the strength of the Swiss franc during the period. The stronger Swiss franc is of particular importance to the cost of sales as the majority of the Group’s manufacturing facilities are located in Switzerland.

Compared with the group’s other brands, Net-a-Porter’s gross margin percentage is well below the average reflecting its distinct business model as an online retailer, Richemont said. Given its above-average sales growth, Net-a-Porter has a dilutive impact on the Group’s gross margin percentage.
 
Earnings per share increased by 11 percent for the period.
 
Double-digit organic growth was registered across all regions, including Russia and the Middle East. Travelers to Europe continue to be an important sales driver. All brands improved their performance in the region versus the comparative period.

Sales to the Asia-Pacific region increased 48 percent (60 percent at constant exchange rates) to 1.7 billion euros ($1.9 billion), led by China, which is now the company’s third strongest market, after Hong Kong and the U.S.

In Europe, sales increased 20 percent (22 percent at constant exchange rates) to 1.5 billion euros ($1.67).

Sales in the Americas grew by 23 percent (35 percent at constant exchange rates) to 602 million euros ($671.7), driven by significant High Jewelry sales, although business in general has been very encouraging, the company said.

Sales in Japan increased 9 percent (8 percent at constant exchange rates) to 380 million euros ($424 million), despite the dramatic events of last March. Van Cleef and Arpels and watches performed particularly well.
 
Directly operated boutiques and Net-a-Porter sales increased by 37 percent. This was well above the growth in wholesale sales and Richemont now generates 49 percent of its sales through its own retail network.

The growth in retail sales partly reflected the good performance of Net-a-Porter and the expansion of the Maisons’ network of boutiques to 919 stores. Openings during the period were primarily in high-growth markets such as China.
 
Jewelry sales grew by 34 percent to 2.16 billion euros ($2.4 billion). “Both Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier performed exceptionally well,” Richemont said.

Watch sales increased 30 percent to 1.17 billion euros ($1.3 billion).  “All watch brands performed well worldwide, reflecting the strong demand for haute horlogerie,” Richemont said. “Despite higher input costs and the strength of the Swiss Franc, the contribution margin was 27 percent, reflecting the brand’s pricing power and operating leverage.”
 
Montblanc reported strong growth with a 10 percent increase to 334 million euros ($372.6 million), reflecting good demand for its range of watches and accessories particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
 
Richemont’s fashion and accessories brands saw double-digit sales growth and more than tripled its profits to 23 million euros ($25.6 million). Alfred Dunhill and Chloé performed particularly well.
 
Net-a-Porter incurred losses during the period amounting to 22 million euros ($24.5 million), resulting from the amortization of intangibles and the costs associated with the continued expansion of its platforms in the U.K. and the U.S

Richemont Reports Record Jewelry and Watch Sales

Cie. Financiere Richemont SA reported Thursday that sales for its fiscal year increased 33 percent to nearly 6.9 billion euros ($9.84 billion). Operating profit for the year, ended March 31, increased 63 percent to 1.35 billion euros. ($1.92 billion).

The Geneva-based luxury goods company reported strong sales across all segments and regions. Among the big winners for the year were jewelry and watch sales.

Richemont’s jewelry “masions,” Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, reported a 29 percent increase in sales to a record 3.48 billion euros ($4.9 billion), based on broad-based popularity in terms of geography and product lines. Brand owned boutiques did particularly well.

Its watch properties ( Vacheron Constantin, Baume & Mercier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lange & Söhne, Officine Panerai, IWC, Piaget, and Roger Dubuis), reported a 31 percent sales increase for the year to a record 1.77 billion euros ($2.52 billion), with all specialist watchmakers performing well, with the expected exception of, Baume & Mercier, which is undergoing restructuring. Operating margin increased to 21.4 percent of sales, in spite of higher costs of sales due to the appreciation of the Swiss franc and higher precious material prices.
(sales by region, outlook and CEO quotes after jump)