The MB&F Arachnophobia Spins A Web Of Time

Arachnophobia may be its name but there’s no reason to fear this high-precision clock that takes the form of a spider.

The clock represents the newest collaboration of two very different Swiss timepiece companies: The contemporary luxury watchmaker MB&F and the traditional high-end clock manufacturer L’Epée 1839.

The concept was conceived and developed by MB&F’s founder Maximilian Büsser and engineered and crafted by L’Epée. It was inspired by a giant spider sculpture called Maman (mother in French) that Büsser had seen in Geneva and Doha, created by Louise Bourgeois (1911 - 2010).

The new timepiece resembles a spider that can be displayed as a table or wall clock. It’s available in black or 18k plated gold and comprises no fewer than 218 components.

A L’Epée eight-day clock movement was re-imagined as the mechanical head and torso of a spider. The head houses the regulator with its oscillating balance wheel, while the other end contains the mainspring barrel, which powers the movement. The hours and minutes are read on a high dome representing the spider's body, with rotating curved hands indicating hours and minutes on a polished, central dome featuring MB&F’s signature numerals.

Attached to the abdomen are eight legs articulated where they join the body by ball-and-socket joints. The legs can be rotated so that Arachnophobia can stand tall on a desk, splayed flat for wall mounting, or the front legs can be moved forward while the six others maintain the standing position. With the legs fully extended the clock measures 405 mm. In order for it to be hung on wall, a catch was developed underneath the movement that hooks on to a stainless steel wall bracket.

Injection molding was used to create the parts for the legs. The material is first subjected to high heat and forced into the mold cavity. It then cools to the desired shape before being removed from the mould. While this is a very common process for shaping plastics, it is less common for shaping metals. The gold-colored edition features gilded brass legs, while the black version’s legs are made of injection-molded aluminum, which is hand-finished and lacquered black.

The key winding and setting mechanism is on the underside of the spider.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes website.

Sotheby’s New York Watch Auction Fetches $7.2 million

A Patek Philippe Reference 658 black dial pocket watch (pictured above) was the top lot at Sotheby’s New York Important Watches auction, selling for $527,000, well above its high estimate. Made in 1937, it features a yellow gold open-faced perpetual calendar split-seconds chronograph minute repeater with moon phases and a black dial. The auction house says it is the first known reference 658 to have been produced and one of 15 made with a black dial.

The December 11 sale was Sotheby’s final watch auction of 2014. It achieved $7.2 million, with 68.5 percent sold by lot and 74.6 percent sold by value, raising the company’s 2014 sales in this category to a Sotheby’s record of $100.1 million for the year.

Familiar names in the watch world such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and Paul Newman Daytona Rolex watches shared the center of attention with rare complicated mechanical clocks.

Other top lots include:

* A Courvoisier & Compe. no. 11359 ormolu and mahogany two tune musical automaton birdcage clock with double singing and flying birds sold for $389,000, well above its estimate. The circa 1820 clock was the top lot from the collection of Frank and Lore Metzger that totaled $753,000.

* A Patek Philippe Ref. 5959 platinum split seconds chronograph wristwatch with register sold for $257,000. Sotheby’s said the circa 2008 timepiece with its “Officer” style case, white dial and special italicized Arabic numerals, “bears many striking similarities” to the earliest-known split second chronograph wristwatch: the no. 124824, started in 1903 and completed in 1923, which the auction house sold in June for $2.9 million.

* A Black Starr & Frost and Pierre Gravoin rock crystal, mother-of-pearl, hardstone and gem-set desk timepiece, circa 1930, sold for $377,000, more than three times its high estimate.

* Five of Rolex’s “Paul Newman Daytonas” sold for a combined total of $591,000. The group was led by a stainless steel chronograph wristwatch with bracelet (Ref 6263 No 2874356) Paul Newman Daytona Panda, circa 1970, that sold for $185,000.

* A Vacheron Constantin yellow gold, enamel, and pearl-set open-faced watch sold for $233,000. Made in 1930 with an enamel scene of Le Temps et les Parques painted by Jeanne Vauthey, it is among a celebrated few Vacheron Constantin timepieces from the early 20th century with a painted enamel scene, Sotheby’s said. The image depicts the Three Fates, “who spin, measure and cut a length of yarn in an allegory for destiny.”

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes website.

A Clock Made Up Of Clocks

I try to occasionally attend events and learn about things outside of what I regularly do in order to challenge and expand how I view the world. This is what brought me to Design Miami (December 4 – 8), which is held alongside Art Basel Miami Beach.

It is here that I discovered a most unusual clock. It was actually a clock made up of 60 interconnected mechanical clocks that create the time on a giant display that is similar to a digital watch. Each of the clocks’ minute hands perform a choreographed dance (for lack of a better word) before displaying the correct time.

This work was made by a Swedish design firm by the name of Humans since 1982 and is on display at Design Miami by the Victor Hunt Gallery based in Belgium.

It was developed with customized software controlled by an iPad. There were three versions of the clock on display by the gallery. A white version used 24 clocks and a black version that used 96 clocks. They range in price from 33,000 to 96,000 euro ($45,227 to $131,500). Below is a video of the clock in action.



Assistant Editor Maria Ling contributed to this story.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes website.

Seiko Looks Back to the Future

Seiko officials at Baselworld press conference.

BASEL, Switzerland - Whether it was a sign of defiance, solidarity or necessity it’s difficult to say. But all 12 Japanese companies scheduled to exhibit at Baselworld made the trip. None of them were as big as or more important to the world of timepieces than Seiko Watch Corp. A packed house of reporters attended Seiko’s press conference on March 24 as the Japanese watch giant honored its 130th anniversary by introducing seven new lines of timepieces for different markets, several of which look back to the company’s rich heritage.

In his opening remarks, Shinji Hattori, Seiko president and CEO and the great-grandfather of the founder of Seiko, Kintaro Hattori, expressed gratitude to the many members of the media who had sent messages of support to Seiko. After that it was all Seiko business until reporters asked about the Japanese crisis  during questioning (read about it, here). The event was largely led by Shu Yoshino, Seiko, general manager of the international advertising. 

Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater
The one item that received the most positive response from those in the room was the Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater. It is the first minute repeater watch ever built by Seiko and focuses on what the company calls, “The miracle of sound.” Described as a “lingering, clear and haunting sound” with “Japanese character,” it is enhanced by a totally silent spring drive mechanism made of steel forged by celebrated Japanese steelmaker, Munemichi Myochin, whose family’s blacksmithing heritage dates back 850 years. “Myochin” steel was used for the minute repeater bell gongs, which were calibrated and monitored to create the closest possible replica of the “Myochin wind bell sound,” described as a “clear and pleasing sound” attributed to the steelmaking skills of the Myochin family, which is used for wind chimes created by the company. Hattori said the sound is significant to Japanese heritage.

Seiko says the Spring Drive is the only mechanical movement in the world to measure time silently and continuously with no tick. The “silent governor” uses the viscosity of air to control the speed of the striking gongs. While most minute repeaters follow the traditional hour, quarter and minute system, the Credor Spring Drive Minute Repeater uses a decimal system in which the hammers strike one-hour, ten-minute and one-minute sounds. At 1:59, the hour sound is struck once, the ten-minute sound is struck five times and the one-minute sound is struck nine times.

The watch has no less than 660 components. The high-speed “flight” of the blades of the silent governor is visible from the front, and the striking of the hammers can be seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. The case is 42.8 mm in diameter and has a power reserve of 72 hours when the minute repeater mechanism is not used. Just three pieces will be available in December. 


Grand Seiko
The company also unveiled three limited edition Grand Seiko timepieces. All three models house a newly developed mechanical hand-winding movement, caliber 9S64, which boasts a three-day power reserve. The design pays homage to the original Grand Seiko model from 1960. Until last year, the watch was almost totally exclusive to the Japanese market. It is now available in more than 20 major countries. It comes in hand-polished steel, 18k gold or platinum (the latter two are pictured). The dial and buckle are exactly the same as the original model, the company said. The watch’s iconic “lion” symbol adorns the caseback. The gold and platinum versions of the watch are offered in a limited edition of 130, while the steel edition will be limited to 1,300.


Sportura
Seiko’s history as a producer of sports watches dates back to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, when the watch company served as the official timekeeper for the event. Touting this tradition, the company introduced new versions of its decade-old Sportura line, the Alarm Chronograph and Kinetic Diver. Precision timing, high durability, security and high legibility are the fundamental qualities of this watch line, the company said. Wide-surface, cone-shaped chronograph buttons provide precise operation. An angled dial edge allows the watch hands and markers to align even when turning the diver’s watch away from one’s eyes. Arabic hour markers arranged as follows: the 2, 4, 8 and 10 numerals are silver, while the 1, 5, 7 and 11 are in pure white. This is done to ensure that the hands contrast sharply with the dial and markers make the watch easier to read.

The company also announced that the Sportura brand is in a three-year joint marketing alliance with FC Barcelona, one of the most successful teams in world soccer. In making the announcement, Yoshino, removed his conservative business attire to expose an FC Barcelona shirt.


Ananta
Another diver’s watch introduced by the company is the Ananta Automatic Chronograph Diver’s watch, which will be sold in a limited edition of 700 pieces, and again taking a note from its history of building diver’s watches since 1965, creating the first titanium diving watch in 1975 and the world’s first computerized diving watch in 1990.

The company said the redesigned calber 8R39 addresses safety concerns by divers at depth. The new movement uses a balance spring made of Seiko’s proprietary alloy “Spron610” with up-graded shock-resistance and antimagnetism. The watchcase has three clamps, one more than is normally used in other chronographs. Then there’s the jet black lacquer. Seiko commissioned Isshu Tamura, a world-renowned lacquer artist, to create a dial that is truly jet black, so the hands and numbers can be easily seen while diving at great depths. Each dial is painted in layers and polished by hand by Tamura in his studio, the company said. Tamura is a master of “Kaga Makie” which is a traditional style of lacquer. 


Premier Collection
For its dress watches, the company introduced new versions of its Premier watch brand for men and women in traditional mechanical calibers, and in kinetic movements. The company describes the watch as classic and modern. For the new line the cases are slightly more rounded, the dials are little more textured, the crowns are new and the bracelet links are slightly smaller for a softer fit, the company said. For 2011, a new automatic movement was created: a 24-jewel 21,600 vph caliber with a power reserve of 41 hours. The heart of the movement with its gold plated balance wheel is visible through the dial at the nine o’clock position, and the whole movement, with its specially engraved rotor, can be seen through the case back. The three time-of-day hands are complemented by a 24-hour hand set into a subdial at the 11 o’clock position. The movement is both automatic and hand-winding.


The Lorus Collection
Three totally different watches under the Seiko’s Lorus brand were unveiled during the event. 

The official watch of the Blades air display team and the chronograph is built to perform as the U.K. civilian acrobatic air squad pilots spin, loop and fly in close formation. The sub-dial layout of the movement is easy to read. The steel screw caseback, security clasp and 10-bar water resistance of the Lorus Blades Collection is built to withstand harsh treatment. The timepiece carries the Blades insignia on the dial and with the insignia of the air squad’s charity partner, the Royal Air Forces Association, on its caseback. 

The Lorus evening women’s model has a silver sunray dial encased in a bezel with fifty four crystals that add sparkle to the case and white leather strap. The new creation is five bar water resistant and has a full steel case. The company describes it as a “smart dress watch for that special occasion.”



The Lorus Sports Fusion has a VD53 caliber has a new sub-dial layout and a dial that includes a screw-motif surround to the minutes display in the nine o’clock position. The case and bracelet are made of stainless steel, it is 10-bar water resistant, the crown is protected and the clasp has a three-fold structure for additional security.




130th Anniversary Commemorative Clock Collection
Finally, the company unveiled two modern, mechanical decor mantel clocks, which pays homage to the company’s beginnings in 1881, as a clock maker. The mainspring of both clocks delivers consistent torque with no change in output power. The gears are engineered to ensure low friction and the precise engagement of each gear. The clocks will run for 30 days when fully round and delivers an accuracy of plus-minus two seconds per day. 
 

The hands of “The Samurai in Contemplation” resemble Katana swords. The indicator at the base evokes the Samuri’s fan. The arched shape at the 12 o’clock position represents the helmet and the engraving on the barrel is the armor.

The space around the movement for “At the Tea Ceremony,” highlights the intimacy of the “chashitsu” or tea room and the engraving on the back depicts the gentle flow of water in a stream passing through a Japanese garden.

Timepiece Tuesday Part 2: Hubot Ad Turns Tragedy into Comedy, Omega Wins Lawsuit, a Clock that Acts Like a Sail

There’s so much going on the world of timepieces that it takes two issues of Timepiece Tuesday to tell it all.

A Black Eye Becomes a Punch Line
Bernie Ecclestone, president and CEO of Formula One, was mugged by four persons and robbed of jewelry worth £200,000 ($315,000) in London, the BBC reports. Among the articles stolen was his Hublot watch. The robbery happened November 25 and on that day he sent his picture of himself taken the day of the assault to Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot, along with a note: “See what people will do for a Hublot.” Biver told the BBC that Ecclestone wanted to use the picture and statement for an advertisement. Biver agreed and the untouched photo of Ecclestone sporting an enormous black eye and a bruised jaw appeared with an ad for the F1 King Power watch, the official watch of Formula 1 racing. The ad ran as a one-off on December 8 and 9 in the Financial Times and the International Herald Tribune. However, the reality-based ad may actually become a campaign, JustLuxe reports, although the company has yet to make such an announcement.  

Omega vs. Cotsco

 The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Omega brand can effectively control the pricing of its luxury watches in the U.S., which means consumers will pay more, the Daily Finance reports. The decision was 4-4, with Justice Elena Kagan abstaining. Such a split decision upholds the lower court's ruling, which in this case was in favor of the Swatch-owned brand. However, divided 4-4 rulings don't have the same impact as true majority, the publication explains. So the collision of copyright law and "gray market" goods—items originally sold abroad, brought into the U.S. and resold here—is still largely unsettled. Costco was purchasing Omega watches on the gray market from middlemen abroad at prices below U.S. prices. More on the issues For example, Costco was able to sell Omega's Seamaster watch for $1,299, while other U.S. retailers were charging $1,995. Read more.


A Clock that Acts Like a Sail
A wall-mounted clock with a manifold that is connected to the two hands to create a 3D movement. At any given moment the manifold is located in a different position and different parts are seen. As the hour can be understood according to the traditional location of hands, a new reading of time is created. Called the Manifold clock, it was created by Studio Ve, an Israeli design company. A shout out to Fast Company's Co.Design, where I first learned about the product. Video of the clock in action below.


Manifold Clock from Studio Ve on Vimeo.

Timepiece Tuesday: TW Steel Honors Racer, Omega goes to Court, Hublot iPhone App, London Public Clocks

TW Steel Unveils Emerson Fittipaldi Signature Edition

Amsterdam-based sports watch brand TW Steel has created a timepiece honoring two-time Formula One World Champion, Emerson Fittipaldi. The TW Steel Emerson Fittipaldi timepiece was unveiled prior to the Brazilian Grand Prix, held Nov. 7 in Sao Paulo. The watch, available in 45mm and 48mm editions, was designed in conjunction with the racer, who is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of his first Formula One victory. It is based on the brand’s TECH style collection featuring 316L steel and a Chrono movement that measures time to 1/20th of a second. The timepieces are waterproof to 10 ATM. Incorporating the yellow from Brazil’s national flag, the color is used for the racer’s name on the tachymeter ring, on the watch hands and on the side of the black PVD coated case. The symbolic black and white checkered flag on the watch dial and case back further recognizes Emerson’s racing career, which included 14 Formula One victories and 22 IndyCar wins. 

Omega Faces the Supreme Court

The Swiss luxury watch brand Omega has taken its grievance to the U.S. Supreme Court in a case that could have implications for international trade. At issue is whether a copyright holder can block the re-sale of a foreign-made item, after it is later brought to the United States and sold for up to a third less than it might cost elsewhere, CNN reports. The items are Omega watches, and the seller is Costco, a membership warehouse retailer. Omega alleges Costco unlawfully obtained genuine Seamaster-style watches from third parties who had imported them into the United States. The stores then sold them for $1,299, a third below the Swiss firm's suggested retail price of $1,999. The watches were engraved with the Omega emblem trademarked in the United States.

Hublot Releases iPhone App
Hublot has gotten onboard the iPhone craze with its own application for enthusiasts of the luxury Swiss watch brand. One of the features of this app is an augmented reality section that allows users to take a picture of their wrist and then virtually try on watches from Hublot’s 2010 collection. In addition, there are 360 degree views of the new watches along with specs, a way to virtually build a Hublot watch and a game that requires the user to keep the power reserve full by shaking the iphone.

 The Public Clocks of London
 The Londoner Web site has a pictorial display of the many clocks inside the core of the British city with comments by Don Menard, London's heritage planner.