Ulysse Nardin, Artemis Racing Win America’s Cup Race In Chicago

When the Artemis Racing finished first in scoring this past weekend during the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series preliminary race in Chicago, Ulysse Nardin also came out a winner. That’s because the Swiss luxury watch brand is a sponsor of the Swedish sailing team. 

After four races on Lake Michigan over a two-day period Artemis took a strong early lead and held on to squeak out a three-point win with 61 points. The weekend’s performance was enough to pull Artemis from sixth to fourth place in the overall preliminary standings. 

The America’s Cup finals will be held June 2017 in Bermuda. The scoring system for the America’s Cup is a bit convoluted but the team with the most points overall during the preliminary rounds will have the opportunity to earn the equivalent of a win in the finals before actually racing.

The weekend’s race made history as it was first time in the event’s 165-year history that it was held on fresh water. With a dramatic view of the Chicago skyline in the background, the racers glided across the lake in conditions ranging from scorching hot and calm to cool and blustery.

Sailing competitions such as the America’s Cup attract a sophisticated and affluent crowd. They are smart enough to understand that in America’s Cup racing—although the boats are exactly alike and teams are evenly matched—racing conditions vary constantly and oftentimes the team that leads in the start of the race has a direct path to victory. So you pick a team, usually based on a person’s nationality, hope for the best and have a good time. 

Ulysse Nardin is promoting three timepieces for the event. The first is the Artemis Racing Marine Diver, with a “deep-ocean blue” dial augmented with bursts of the signature yellow of the sailing team on the hands and hour markers. The dial also has a pattern of sailing vessels that seem to float on the sea. The power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock features the Artemis Racing logo. The small seconds subdial window at 6 o’clock reads, “Challenger 35th America’s Cup Artemis Racing.” The logo and expression also appear on the stainless steel caseback. 

The 44 mm watch is powered by the UN-26 automatic caliber. The Artemis Racing logo and yellow stripes also appear on the blue rubber strap. Good luck trying to find this watch, however. Limited to 250 pieces and only available through Ulysse Nardin’s worldwide retail network, the watch is almost sold out, according to an official of the watch brand.

The FreakWing, Ulysse Nardin’s high-tech timepiece, contains features of the Artemis catamaran. For example, the upper bridge for the minutes is inspired by the internal structure of the rigid sail, while the texture of the rotating hours disc evokes the mesh net of the multihull. The bezel and case back are forged from carbon fiber, an element that is omnipresent in high-level sailing. 

The tourbillon in the center rides high with the Artemis Racing logo on the back. The UlyChoc safety system is a new generation of shock absorbers. Created and built in-house, it replaces three traditional microelements with just one made of silicon. The black DLC titanium case a carbon-style strap with yellow stitching makes the FreakWing lightweight and sturdy. 

In the absence of a crown, the upper and lower bezels, integrated into the movement, perform the various functions. The caliber UN-210 has an eight-day power reserve. It is limited to 50 pieces.

The Classico America is the artistic timepiece of the series. In 18k white gold and rose-gold with enamel cloisonné, the dial has an authentic depiction of the “America” schooner, which raced in the first America’s Cup in 1851. The daunting terrain of the Isle of Wight is its backdrop and pales in comparison to the ship’s colossal masts and sails. Handcrafted in-house at Donzé Cadrans, a member of the Ulysse Nardin group of companies, the process of enamel cloisonné is extremely intricate. Each cloisonné dial requires 50 hours of artisan expertise and 26 processes to complete. 

The 40mm watch is powered UN-815 COSC certified movement with a 42-hour power reserve. It is available in a limited edition of 30 pieces. 

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Daniel Craig’s James Bond Omega Seamaster Up For Auction

The Omega Seamaster 300 Bond Edition. The same watch worn by Daniel Craig in the Bond movie, Spectre will be sold at Christie's

By Gretchen Friedrich, Jewelry News Network’s social media manager 

Christie’s London is celebrating the release of the movie, Spectre, the latest installment in the James Bond series, on DVD and Blu-Ray by doing what it does best, holding an auction. Proceeds from the February 18 sale will benefit several charitable organizations. 

Items from the Spectre auction at Christie's London King Street location include an Omega Seamaster 300 Bond Edition, one of eight watches worn by James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, throughout the film. 

The Omega Seamaster 300 Bond Edition in case, photographed at Shreve, Crump & Low

Owning this Seamaster 300 is extraordinary for several reasons. In addition to gracing the wrist of an international movie star, the Seamaster 300 is an exceptional timepiece, even without the Hollywood provenance. 

Omega produced only 7,007 Seamaster 300s, the first Bond watch with a limited production. “This piece is completely sold out worldwide, making it more difficult to obtain,” said Brian Walker, marketing VP for Shreve, Crump & Low. 

The Boston jeweler is one of a select group of exclusive boutiques to carry the Omega watch line. 

Walker adds that the second hand on the dial is a retrospective of the 1950s Seamaster design, one that resembles a lollipop. Other retro features are the NATO strap and the casing, which are similar to the watch worn by the original James Bond, Sean Connery. The strap holder on the bracelet reinforces the spy theme with a "007" engraving. 

The box for the Omega Seamaster 300 Bond Edition, photographed at Shreve, Crump & Low

The classic features house modern technological mechanisms, with a Co-Axial escapement that increases precision and durability. Plus, it's resistant to magnetic fields greater than 15,000 gauss, as well as water depths up to 1,000 feet. 

The presentation box is very Bond-esque as well with a combination lock securing the precious timepiece. Even Q would be proud to wear one with this kind of hardware. 

Christie's estimates the watch will sell for £15,000-20,000 ($21,000-$28,000). The Seamaster 300 Bond edition originally sold, directly from Omega, for $7,500. 

The live auction at the London showroom is limited to invitation-only guests. Interested parties can bid on the Seamaster 300, and the other Bond-related items (such as the Aston Martin DB10, designed specifically for the movie) online on Christie's website, and by phone. 

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Out of the Gate, 10 Luxury Watches for 2015

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Squelette Ladies Watch

The new year isn’t even a month old and the Swiss watch industry started issuing releases of its new watches. In fact, the parade of new 2015 products began before 2014 ended. 

Out of the many new releases, I am going to focus on some of the brands that will be exhibiting at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, better known as SIHH, being held January 19 till 23. It’s also known as the Richemont show because the majority of the luxury brands exhibiting are owned by Switzerland-based luxury goods holding company, Compagnie Financière Richemont. It is the first major watch tradeshow of the year and it is also considered by many to be the most exclusive and luxurious of them all. 

A total of 16 brands will be exhibiting and out of that group are introductions from 10 of the companies. 

A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia, Saxonia Automatic and Saxonia Dual Time
The German watch brand is introducing three new models to its popular Saxonia collection. The solid-gold applied hour markers have been moved toward the periphery of the dial and are executed as double baton appliqués at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock; along with slightly extended black graduations of the minute scale. For the Automatic and Dual Time models, the seconds subdial is marked by numerals every 10 seconds. The company said all modifications were made in the interest of improved legibility. The new design resulted in a slightly smaller case for the two models. The Saxonia is powered with the in-house manual wind caliber L941.1, the Automatic uses the in-house L086.1 caliber, and the Dual Time uses the in-house automatic L086.2 caliber.

Greubel Forsey Black GMT
The 43.5 mm case is made of titanium treated with vacuum deposited amorphous diamond-like carbon (ADLC), a black coating that displays some of the properties of diamond. It is harder than natural titanium. The movement's main plate and bridges also have a black finish. Greubel Forsey says this helps to bring out the contrast between the different textures and surface finishes of each component. The case houses a GF05 in house movement with a 24-second tourbillon inclined at a 25 degree angle GMT function, three-dimensional globe for day and night indication, a rotating disc with 24 different time zones, daylight savings indication and a 72 hour power reserve. The watch is limited to a production of 22.

IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar
Located at 12 o’clock on the dial, the annual calendar shows the month, date and day in three separate, semicircular windows. The switching mechanism automatically takes into account the differing lengths of individual months. However, unlike a perpetual calendar, the annual calendar cannot factor the differing lengths of the month of February or the leap years. So once a year, at the end of February, it requires manual adjustment with a built-in “corrector.” Its 44.2mm case, grooved bezel, classic railway-track-style chapter ring, slim feuille hands and Arabic numerals, the Portugieser Annual Calendar resembles the original Portugieser of 1939. The small seconds subdial is positioned at 9 o’clock. The subdial on the opposite side serves as the power reserve display. The automatic in-house 52850 caliber movement has a seven-day power reserve. 

Montblanc Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum
The name Orbis Terrarum, is the Latin term for “globe,” “earth,” and “world.” The in-house complication of the MB29.20 automatic caliber displays 24 time zones in a practical and intuitive way. The dial, constructed in multi-layers, displays the continents and oceans as viewed from the North Pole. Under the main dial is a disc showing day and night, which rotates with the movement of the 24-hour mechanism on the outermost layer on the dial. The names of 24 cities circle the central image surrounded by their respective time zones on the 24-hour mechanism. The disc with the cities can rotate separately from the 24-hour disc with the aid of the pusher located at 8 o’clock. To adjust the time the desired home city needs to be positioned with its corresponding time at 6 o’clock. 

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Squelette - Men
The bridge and main plate of the automatic PF705 caliber skeleton watch for men and ladies (ladies watch pictured in top photo) features a hand-crafted openwork display. The revealed skeleton movement compliments the extra-thin construction (7.8mm for me and 8.4mm for ladies). The platinum micro-rotor is visible on the surface of the watch. The pattern consists of the company’s iconic lugs. The dial is made of sapphire, giving it the impression of being invisible. Only the rim is metalized, which hides the points of attachment between the movement and the case. The dial on the men’s model is polished and transparent, while the ladies’ model features a subtly frosted dial that resembles a veil. 

Piaget Black Tie Vintage Inspiration

Piaget Black Tie Traditional Oval

Piaget Black Tie 'Vintage Inspiration' and ‘Traditional Oval’
The new models reflect the heritage of Piaget’s unusual-shaped watches. The cushion-shaped Black Tie Vintage Inspiration has a slimmer profile thanks to the automatic Piaget 534P movement. The white gold bezel creates a contrast with the intense blackness of the onyx dial for a contemporary masculine look. The Black Tie Traditional Oval for ladies features an oval case housing a silver dial with the bezel and bracelet in white gold or yellow gold. In addition, the bezel is topped with 24 brilliant cut diamonds. It’s powered by P56 quartz movement.

Ralph Lauren Automotive Chronograph
Inspired by the instrument panel of Ralph Lauren’s 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe, its curved case horns and chronograph pushers echo the lines of the automobile’s body. The handmade wooden dial element—crafted from loupe d’orme, or elm burl wood—reflects the interior trim of the Type 57 SC’s cockpit. In order to give the dial the same visual detail and impact as the automobile’s instrument panel, only veneers with the right concentration of knots and grains were chosen. Ralph Lauren partnered with Jaeger-LeCoultre to create the RL751A/1 automatic caliber, with a 65-hour power reserve. 

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Skeleton Flying Tourbillon
The company has taken the skeleton theme beyond the movement, extending it to encompass the 45mm skeletonized titanium case, flange and hands to resemble a spider’s web. It has the signature features of Roger Dubuis skeleton watches, such as the star-shaped design, the tourbillon carriage shaped like a Celtic cross and the high-end finishes—including a circular-grained plate. It is powered by the mechanical hand-wound RD505SQ caliber, which features a flying tourbillon at 7:30 (one rotation per minute) and a 60-hour power-reserve.

Richard Mille RM 33-01 Automatic
The skeletonized RMXP3 caliber that powers the RM 33-01 has an off-center platinum micro rotor. This architecture reveals the grade 5 titanium movement, which is wet sandblasted and electroplasmatreated, the surfaces microblasted, drawn and satin-finished with the anglage entirely worked by hand. The taut lines of the sport-inspired design combine the curvature of the brand’s tonneau cases with the construction characteristic of its round watches. The graphic style of the numerals with their outsized dimensions provides better readability. The tripartite case, with a diameter of 45.70 mm and a thickness of 9.20 mm, is mounted on a rubber strap secured with a folding clasp in grade 5 titanium. The result, according to Richard Mille, is a chic design with a sporty feel.

Van Cleef & Arpels Cadenas
The luxury house is reintroducing the Cadenas watch, first created in 1935, said to have been inspired by the zip necklace worn by the Duchess of Windsor. It’s known for its unashamedly modern design with large double hoop-shaped curves attached to a straight-lined watch case. The new collection consists of nine models, powered by a quartz movement. The Cadenas is available in unadorned yellow or white gold. The Cadenas Sertie, also in yellow or white gold, has touches of diamonds on the upper surface of the case and the alligator strap attachment. The Cadenas Pavée highlights the jewelry aspect of the watch with princess cut diamonds on the upper surface of the case and round diamonds on the case, clasp and dial; paired with a white-gold snake chain bracelet. The Cadenas Pavée is in pink gold with pink sapphires and diamonds. Diamonds and a gradation of pink sapphires adorn the case and the clasp of the Cadenas Pavée Saphirs Roses.

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Graff Diamonds Unveils the $55 Million 'Hallucination' Multi-Colored Diamond Watch At Baselworld

Graff Diamonds has set the stage for a one-of-kind unveiling during Baselworld’s opening day. The first time exhibitor at the annual watch and jewelry fair will present the $55 million “Hallucination” ladies watch Thursday.

The London-based diamond and jewelry firm says the timepiece covered in a kaleidoscope of 110 carats of rare fancy colored diamonds is “estimated to be the most valuable watch ever created.”

Even the hour indicators on the petite dial of this candy-colored watch are made of diamonds. The company said a team of designers, gemologists and master craftsmen worked on this piece for thousands of hours to perfect the concept, which came directly from Laurence Graff, chairman of Graff Diamonds.

“The Graff Hallucination is a sculptural masterpiece; a celebration of the miracle of colored diamonds,” Laurence Graff said in a statement. “For many years I have thought about creating a truly remarkable watch that illustrates our all consuming passion for diamonds. The Hallucination has made my diamond dream a reality.”

Tomorrow I get to see it for myself.

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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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Only Watch Charity Timepiece Auction Raises $6.85 Million

The fifth edition of the biennial Only Watch auction held September 28 at the Hermitage Hotel in Monaco raised a record of more than 5 million euros (more than $6.85 million), with all proceeds benefiting research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 

You can view all the watches from the auction by following this link.

The auction, part of the Monaco Yacht Show, attracted competitive bidding from China, Belgium, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, the United States, Monaco and many other parts of the world, according to the statement from Antiquorum Auctioneers, one of the event organizers. The other organizers were Association Monegasque Contre les Myopathies, the Monaco Yacht Show and the 33 watch brands who created one-of-a-kind timepieces for the event. Also up for bid was a selection of 14 vintage champagne bottles from Lanson. 

Participating watch brands were: Backes & Strauss, Bell & Ross, Blancpain, Breguet, Chanel, Chopard, Chronoswiss, Christophe Claret, Corum, Cyrus, deLaCour, De Bethune, DeWitt, Frédérique Constant, Girard Perregaux, Harry Winston, Hublot, Ikepod, Jaquet Droz, Julien Coudray, Laurent Ferrier, Louis Vuitton, Maurice Lacroix, Montblanc,  Patek Philippe, Piaget, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis, Armin Strom, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels and Zenith.

The auction was preceded with a worldwide preview that made stops in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, New York City, Geneva and finally at the world renowned Monaco Yacht  Show.

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The Complicated Process of Defining A Grand Complication Watch

Patek Philippe Reference 959/J Grand Complication Timepiece at Aaron Faber Gallery.

The question of what are the components that define a grand complication timepiece seems fairly straightforward and at least two members of an esteem group of panelists discussing this topic said there is an absolute answer to this question. However, the definitive explanation proved to be elusive during a discussion about this and other timepiece topics during a rainy June evening at Aaron Faber Gallery in New York.

The fact is the discussion of grand complications is … well … complicated. First, you need agreement of what is a complication. In its simplest definition a complication is any feature to a timepiece outside of the simple display of hours, minutes, and seconds (for example, a date/day display). However, that doesn't quite cut it when trying to define the term in a grand complication, considered the most complex achievement of haute horlogerie.

Grand complications panelists (from left): Gary Girdvainis, Edward Faber, Michael Friedman, Osvaldo Patrizzi and Alexis Sarkissian.

Osvaldo Patrizzi, best-known as the founder of Antiquorum, the international auction house for timepieces, is one of the most connected, most respected and best known people in the world of haute horlogerie. He said the reason grand complications are so expensive and so rare is because it’s extremely difficult to fit several complications into such a small space and because the type and number of complications in a watch will affect its appearance.

“The more complications you want the more problems you have,” he said in his Italian accent.

He noted that he was among a small group of people who worked at creating a definition for a complication in an “ultra-complicated” watch.

“We spent one day to define what is a complication on a normal size watch,” he said. “A complication is when you are able to give one (piece) of information.”

Panelists were in relative agreement on this. The next question by the moderator, Gary Girdvainis, publisher and editorial director of the publications, WristWatch Magazine and AboutTime, was: Is a toubillon a complication?

The toubillon was invented by French-Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, to (in simple terms) negate the effects of gravity on the accuracy of a timepiece. It is housed in a rotating cage that is often seen on the dial. It is a beautiful, complex device that is widely sought after among watch collectors. But does it provide information?

On this, Patrizzi, the man who in his own words helped give the definition of a complication, gave a long response that was noncommittal. 

[Update, July 24] Patrizzi clarified his statement saying that he has always considered a tourbillion a complication.

Michael Friedman, a timepiece auctioneer, a museum curator and noted expert on the history of horology, was more direct.

“The tourbillion is an incredibly complicated escapement but in my mind it’s not necessarily a complication,” he said. “It was a complicated escapement that Breguet designed to solve a very specific problem.”

The panelists, which also included Edward Faber, founder of Aaron Faber Gallery and author of American Wristwatches: Five Decades of Style and Design; and Alexis Sarkissian, founder of Totally Worth, a boutique distribution network for luxury timepieces; seemed to be in agreement. If Patrizzi was cornered I think he would agree as well.

So what are the complications that make up a grand complication? Again the panelists were in relative agreement: minute repeater, perpetual calendar, phases of the moon, grand and petite sonnerie, and split-seconds chronograph.

Friedman strayed a bit with his answer, saying a simple chronograph would be acceptable in his view.

“I’m a bit of a traditionalist for a definition. I view that it has to have minute repeater, perpetual calendar, phases of the moon (and) grand and petite sonnaire. These are the classic complications that need to be part of the grand complication,” he said. “Once we get beyond those basics, it’s a matter of definition. It’s a matter of companies marketing themselves in a particular way, whether something has an alarm, whether something has a split-second chronograph versus a standard chronograph. For me a grand complication can have a standard chronograph. It doesn’t have to have a split-second chronograph, partly because if we’re talking about a complicated watch from the 1870s, it likely would have had a standard chronograph function of a watch. So for me those are the classics.”

Friedman also noted that the same conversation would have been different if it was held at certain periods during the last 150 years.

“That’s one thing I love about this topic,” he said. “It’s a moving target and the definitions change over time.”

Panelists also discussed variations in the auction market for high-end watches, maintenance and repairs of ultra-complications watches, the increase of watch brands under corporate ownership and the need for more watchmakers throughout the world. These are all topics that need their own space.

The discussion was held the day before Christie’s was auctioning the earliest and most significant example of a Patek Philippe grand complication. The Stephen S. Palmer Patek Philippe Grand Complication No. 97912 is a minute repeating perpetual calendar split-seconds chronograph watch with grand and petite sonnerie and moon phases. It was manufactured in 1898. It has never been seen in public and it was the first time it ever appeared at auction. The watch was purchased on Oct. 3, 1900, for 6,500 Swiss francs by Stephen S. Palmer.

It sold for more than $2.25 million, a world auction record for a Patek Philippe grand complication.

Aaron Faber Gallery held a week-long exhibition that featured a similar grand complication as its centerpiece: a Patek Philippe Reference 959/J (top picture). Made in 1992, it has a perpetual calendar, moon phases, split seconds chronograph, grand and petite sonnerie, and minute repeater. 

It’s a steal at $1.5 million. 

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MB&F Creates Timeless Music Machine That Doesn’t Tell Time

The MB&F 'Music Machine' in black

The award-winning independent watchmaking firm, MB&F (Maximilian Busser and friends), is known for its technical and artistic innovations and for its creative partnerships that result in unusual timepieces that they define as micromechanic sculptures and performance art pieces.

However, even for this Geneva-based company, what it unveiled in Baselworld 2013 this year took its innovative prowess to a new level. In a partnership with iconic luxury music box maker, Reuge, the two created what MB&F calls the “Music Machine.” It’s a music box that is outside the box in every way imaginable.

Maximilian Busser, the founder of MB&F defined the parameters of the design and chose the music, explained Eléonor Picciotto, MB&F’s public relations representative. Reuge built the music box based on those specifications. The two cones that create the music contain 72 notes each and play six melodies. It uses 1,400 precision-placed pins that pluck the teeth of a "comb" as the cylinder revolves. It works in a traditional way but they are exposed on top of a sleek, futuristic looking spacecraft made in walnut that works as a sound amplification chamber.

The Music Machine in white at Baselworld. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

The songs performed by the cones are far from traditional. The one cone plays deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” (which was inspired by a fire during the Montreux Jazz Festival), Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” and John Lennon’s “Imagine. The second cone performs the Star Wars Theme and the Imperial March from Star Wars V The Empire Strikes Back, and the Star Trek theme song.

So how can a watchmaking company unveil a music box at the biggest watch fair in the world with a straight face? Picciotto explains that the company doesn’t call its products timepieces or watches. They call them “horological machines.” Creating a “music machine” is an extension of the concept. In addition, a traditional music box is based on the same mechanical principles as a watch.

As one would expect it is a limited edition item, in this case 66 pieces: 33 pieces in a white lacquer finish and 33 pieces in black lacquer. The cost is $12,300 Swiss francs ($13,174), about a quarter of what a MB&F watch starts at. However, others must have immediately saw the value as the Reuge website indicates that the entire line is sold out. 

Below is quick look at it in operation.



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Hublot Names Kobe Bryant Its Newest Ambassador

Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot CEO, with Kobe Bryant.

Swiss luxury watch brand, Hublot, has named Los Angeles Lakers’ star shooting guard, Kobe Bryant, is its newest ambassador. To commemorate the partnership, Hublot released Kobe’s signature timepiece, the limited edition King Power Black Mamba.

“Bryant was the perfect choice for Hublot—a brand known for its precision and excellence, traits that have characterized the basketball icon’s celebrated career,” said Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot.

Hublot is enhancing its alliance with Bryant through its support of the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of youth and families in need by providing financial resources for like-minded organizations.

Kobe Bryant King Power Black Mamba

The announcement was made Wednesday on the rooftop of The London Hotel West Hollywood. Guadalupe presented Bryant with the Limited Edition King Power Black Mamba. This was followed by a shoot-off with two children from After-School All Stars Los Angeles, a charitable beneficiary of the Bryant Family Foundation. Taking shots from a makeshift basketball court constructed over the hotel’s rooftop pool, the contest raised $30,000 for the program.

A dinner afterward was attended by several celebrities, including Zac Efron, Jimmy Kimmel, and Mark Salling.

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Tag Heuer Carrera Watch Celebrates 50 Years with its Creator, Jack Heuer

Jack Heuer

The Carrera chronograph is one of the most successful watch lines ever released by Tag Heuer, which has produced more than its share of successful timepieces. The creator of the Carrera, Jack Heuer, was in New York Thursday to help the Swiss watch brand celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the iconic watch.

Jack Heuer, honorary chairman of Tag Heuer and the great grandson of founder Edouard Heuer, spoke for about 10 minutes discussing how the watch came about, the inspiration behind the name, the celebrity endorsements and what the Carrera has meant to his career and to Tag Heuer. His talk combined business and design strategy and personal reminiscing.

“I’ve been a product man all of my life. That’s the thing I love most. I made many, many products both in my watchmaking career and in my later career,” he said. “But here I stand a few weeks or months before I retire and I’m really a bit proud to have contributed to a product that has lasted 50 years.”

Below is Jack Heuer’s presentation at the Highline Stages.



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