Celebrate The Year Of The Pig In Style With These Six Watches

By Tiziana Agnati
Accredited journalist and influencer specializing in luxury jewelry 

Usher in the Lunar New Year with these six watches in red. In Chinese culture, red is considered auspicious, which is why the color is so popular every Chinese New Year, adorning everything, from the lanterns that you hang in the patio to the clothes that you wear.

With the festive season being celebrated right now, look toward these six timepieces in this striking hue in order to attract more of that positive energy.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Celestial
If you fancy having the entire constellation on your wrist, this Rendez-Vous delivers an irresistible feminine expression of it. Dressed up in red with the different constellations enameled on the dial, the pink gold case also matches a bezel set with pink sapphires.

Breguet Marie-Antoinette “Dentelle”
The Dentelle watch evokes elegance with its distinctive lacework set with 89 diamonds around the 18K white gold case. A red ruby weighting about 1.3 carat and a red satin strap add fire to an otherwise icy mien that includes a white mother-of-pearl dial.

Franck Muller Watchland SA Long Island Peony
Known as the flower of riches and honour, the peony comes in a variety of soft pastel colours. Its loveliness - 8 of them in fact - now decorates the svelte rectangular profile of the Long Island with a rose gold case and a diamond-set bezel.

Cartier Tank Louis Cartier
The timeless Art Deco shape of the Tank get an uplift with a pink gold case, diamond-set bars on either side of the dial, the 8971 MC movement and, of course, a chic red leather strap.

TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Manchester United
This special edition chronograph celebrates TAG Heuer’s third season as Manchester United’s Official Timekeeper. Naturally the club’s color stands out from the logo positioned prominently at ‘9’ and the flange of the 60-second scale, to the hour, minute and chronograph central second hands. Paired with a perforated rubber strap in, what else, red.

GRAHAM Chronofighter Oversize Superlight Carbon
The red of the rubber strap decorated with Clous de Paris pattern makes an eye-catching contrast against the shiny black of the carbon composite case, a material that makes the watch extremely light despite its large 47 mm diameter. Red also appears on the central seconds hand and chronograph counters’ hands as well as the “Superlight Carbon” print.

Tiziana Agnati is a journalist and influencer specializing in luxury jewelry with digital expertise. Learn more about her on her Linkedin profile where she communicates regularly with 100,000 followers. 

Lady Gaga Is Tudor’s Newest Brand Ambassador

Pop superstar Lady Gaga has become the newest face for Tudor’s “Born to Dare” advertising campaign.

She will join soccer star and fashion icon, David Beckham, and Beauden Barrett, star of the New Zealand All Blacks championship rugby team, in the advertising campaign, which states that those who wear Tudor watches “reinvent themselves every day.” 

As part of the campaign, the Swiss luxury watch brand also is partnering with the All Blacks team and the DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017, an international rugby series. The campaign was unveiled earlier this year.

“The infamously daring pop icon (is) notorious for being provocative both on- and off-stage and leading a foundation committed to empower youth, she personifies the very ‘BornToDare’ spirit Tudor lives by since its creation,” Tudor said in a statement.

In the first photograph as Tudor brand ambassador, she appears in a hardened pose sitting, staring straight at the camera wearing a tight fitted all-black outfit with huge, round padded shoulders. Her black hair is straight up, defying gravity, and her cheeks are lined with black and white glitter. She’s sitting with her arms crossed. She does resemble an All-Black rugby player. 

On her wrist is the 41mm Heritage Black Bay Red with a burgundy unidirectional rotatable bezel, black dial, rose-gold hands and markers, cream colored luminescent coating and a distressed red-leather strap. It is powered by the in-house MT5602 caliber with a 70-hour power reserve.

Lady Gaga is a world class musician, songwriter, singer, dancer, actress and style icon who has earned six Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, numerous MTV Awards and has sold 150 million singles and more than 30 million albums.

“When you try and think of a daring individual in today’s popular culture, it is hard to find anyone more fitting the description than Lady Gaga. Behind the glitter and glam, her provocative style and political statements, she is about total showmanship,” Tudor said in its statement.

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A. Lange & Söhne Celebrates Anniversary With Lange 1 Time Zone In Honey Gold

A. Lange & Söhne released a special edition of the Lange 1 Time Zone in honey gold to celebrate the 22-year anniversary of the first Lange collection of the company’s modern era. 

The watch was released October 24, on the same date in 1994 when the German watchmaker held a press conference in the Dresden Residential Palace to unveil its first watches since the re-forming of the company. 

A. Lange & Söhne’s founder, Ferdinand Adolph Lange, is credited with helping to create a watchmaking industry in the German city of Glashütte near Dresden in 1845. The company’s watchmaking facility was bombed during World War II and the post-war Soviet administration expropriated the company’s property. That’s when the Lange brand ceased to exist. 

Following the collapse of the East German government, Walter Lange, the great-grandson of the company’s founder, and his partner Günter Blümlein re-formed the company in 1990 and presented its first timepieces four years later.

The clearly organized dial of the Lange 1 Time Zone provides a reading of the home time and the time in a second time zone. The time zone is set with a lateral pusher. It advances the rotating city ring with the 24 place names from west to east. On the ring, Dresden—instead of Berlin as in the standard version—represents Central European Time. In addition, the hour hand on the small subsidiary dial moves forward by one step with each use of the pusher. A synchronization mechanism makes it possible to transfer the zone time on the subsidiary dial to the main dial.  

Subtle color changes in the design of the city ring differentiate it from the standard version. The dots between the city names and GMT are blue instead of red. The previously black peripheral ring of the second time zone has the same blue hue as well. 

The 41.9mm case is made of 18k honey gold, A. Lange & Söhn’s proprietary gold alloy. The watch is powered by the hand-finished in-house caliber L031.1 with a three-day power reserve. 

Limited to 100 pieces, it is available exclusively in the 17 A. Lange & Söhne boutiques worldwide. 

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A. Lange & Söhne Introduces High Watches For 2016

The Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon

German luxury watch brand A. Lange & Söhne has created a niche in the world of high watchmaking by producing traditional timepieces with mechanical precision and full, balanced designs. 

The seven watches unveiled for 2016, ranging from simplistic beauty to high complications, provide an overview on the skills of this watch brand. A few of the timepieces are now available at retailers, including A. Lange & Söhne boutiques, and the remaining will roll out in the next few months.

The Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon (top photo)
The 41.5mm platinum case houses a black dial with sub dials that indicate all chronograph functions as well as all perpetual calendar indications—including the Lang signature outsized date, the day-of-week, month and leap-year. The “Up/Down” power-reserve indicator is located at the end of the tachymeter. 

It is powered by an enhanced, hand-crafted, in-house movement: the manually wound caliber L952.2 (pictured above). 

The tourbillon mechanism is exposed by the sapphire-crystal caseback and the open tourbillon bridge. 

The column-wheel chronograph has a jumping minute counter and a flyback function. The perpetual calendar is designed to be true until March 1, 2100. The moon phase display is designed not to deviate by a single day for 122.6 years. Three correctors allow the separate adjustment of the moon-phase display, the day of the week and the combined advance of the month and leap-year indications. A rapid-correction pusher at ten o’clock updates all displays at the same time.

The watch is limited to 100 pieces. 

Richard Lange Jumping Seconds
This watch is driven by a one-second constant-force escapement with an integrated jumping mechanism. The company says this ensures accuracy down to each second, which can be easily seen with each “jump.” A “zero-reset” mechanism with a multi-disc clutch allows the seconds hand to jump to the zero position when the crown is pulled.

On this 39.9mm platinum timepiece the seconds sub-dial is the largest of the three sub-dials on the rhodium-colored dial. The smaller hour and minute circles are arranged beneath the seconds indicator. This watch is powered by the new manually wound L094.1 manufacture caliber with a 42-hour power reserve. 

The watch is limited to 200 pieces.

Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase “Lumen” 
This timepiece combines a brilliant moon phase display with a luminous outsize date. The 41mm platinum case houses a dial made of blackened silver with large apertures and black-tinted, semi-transparent sapphire-crystal glass with a coating that blocks most of the visible light but not the UV spectra that allows luminous pigments on the outsize-date mechanism, making it illuminate in the dark. 

The moon phase disc (located on the top of the main dial) is made of glass that is first treated with a patented coating process. A laser is then used to cut out 1,164 stars and the moon. A luminous compound behind the lunar disc allows the stars and moon to emit light. 

The timepiece is powered by the manually wound caliber L095.4 with a 72-hour power reserve and an “Up/Down” indicator at the 3 o’clock.

The watch is limited to 200 pieces.

Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar in White Gold
This timepiece combines two classic complications with the design of A. Lange & Söhne’s best known watch collection. The calendar consists of a Lange outsized date, retrograde day-of-the-week and leap-year displays and a peripheral month ring. All of the perpetual calendar displays advance instantaneously. 

The tourbillon can be seen through the sapphire-crystal caseback. The movement is equipped with Lange’s patented stop-seconds mechanism that brings the balance inside the tourbillon cage to a standstill when the crown is pulled. 

The 41.9mm white gold timepiece with a silver grey dial is powered by the automatic caliber L082.1 with a 50-hour power reserve.

Lange 1 in White Gold
This 38.5mm watch is an extension of the LANGE 1 watch collection in white gold with luminous hands and hour markers, and an silver-colored dial, which is now being produced for the 20th year. It complements the models in pink gold, yellow gold and platinum. 

It is powered by the manually wound caliber L121.1, introduced in 2015, which combines a large balance wheel with eccentric poising weights and a free-sprung Lange balance spring. It has a 72-hour power reserve, which is indicated with an “Up/Down” display at 3 o’clock.

Saxonia Moon Phase 
This 40mm timepiece available in white and pink gold combines a moon phase function and the characteristic Lange outsized date in a classic watch design. The date is located prominently on the silver dial at 12 o’clock and the moon phase at 6 o’clock in the center of a seconds sub dial. 

It is powered by the automatic caliber L086.5 with a 72-hour power reserve. 

Saxonia Thin
The newest version of this timepiece, introduced in 2011 has a newly designed silver dial and case and is the thinnest timepiece created by the watch brand. The gold baton hour markers have been slightly elongated and shifted closer to the bezel, which complement the retouched, silver dial. 

The 40mm case available in pink or white gold is only 5.9mm high. The manually wound caliber L093.1 movement is only 2.9mm high and has a 72-hour power reserve. 

The Saxonia Thin, Lange 1 in white gold and the Saxonia Moon Phase are now available. The Lange 1 Tourbillon PC in White Gold is expected to be available in mid-July. The Richard Lange Jumping Seconds, Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon and Grand Lange 1, Moonphase Lumen will be available in the fall. 

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Hugh Jackman Finalizes Deal To Be Montblanc’s Global Ambassador

International film star Hugh Jackman recently signed a deal to be the ambassador for Montblanc in North America, which completes the two-year journey of becoming the worldwide spokesman for the luxury brand. 

For the past two years, Jackman was the international ambassador for Montblanc, with the exception of North America. 

There are few celebrities who are both as well known and as free of controversy as Jackman. He and his wife, Deborra-Lee, recently celebrated their 20th anniversary. The couple has two children. His accomplished career, from playing a comic book super hero to being a leading man in musicals for theater productions around the world, shows range and diversity. Certainly his rugged good looks is an ideal fit for the masculine brand.

The actor, singer and producer was introduced to a North American audience for the first time as a representative of Montblanc April 5 at the Rainbow Room in New York, where he helped celebrate the brand’s 110th anniversary with other celebrities and VIP guests, including actress and model Kate Bosworth, Montblanc brand ambassador Charlotte Casiraghi, actor Matthew Morrison, socialite Olivia Palermo and model Johannes Huebl. 

Hugh Jackman attends the Montblanc 110 Year Anniversary Gala Dinner on April 5 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Montblanc)”

Jackman, before introducing a short film about the brand in which he starred, described the Hamburg-based company as having a “family atmosphere.” 

“I’m the baby of the family but even after (two) years it is a place that I’m proud to be associated with, to call our friends,” he said. “What it represents are qualities if I could half emulate I would be very happy. It is attention to detail, craftsmanship on the highest order, a real commitment to design. But more than anything what I love is they have one eye permanently on the past and their heritage; but one eye permanently on the future. 

He said that as an artist he has an appreciation for this approach. “You can’t rest, you have to keep creating you have to be innovative, you have to keep moving forward (and) you have to take risks.”

The promotional film celebrates the founders of Montblanc (stationer Claus-Johannes Voss, banker Alfred Nehemias and engineer August Eberstein), their entrepreneurship and their pioneering spirit that took them on a ship to America to return with the idea for its first watch, the 4810. Later they would create the Meisterstück, arguably the world’s most iconic luxury writing instrument. 

Prior to Jackman’s presentation, Jerome Lambert, Montblanc CEO, explained the depth and breadth of the Hamburg, Germany-based company and its diverse product portfolio. Its headquarters is where its writing instruments are manufactured, including its high artisan products. In Switzerland, the company has two facilities for watchmaking: Its main manufacturing operation in Le Locle; and the artisan watchmaking facility, Villeret, in the town by the same name. Formerly known as Minerva, it specializes in producing handcrafted movements. Finally, its leather goods operation is based in Florence, Italy. 

For its anniversary the company went to its heritage to create new products. In this case it went back to its very first writing instrument: the Rouge et Noir (“Red and Black”), introduced in 1909, when the company was named the Simplo Filler pen company. It was crafted in black ebonite and fitted with a red-crowned cap. A year later the company took on the Montblanc name and in 1913 crowned each pen with its iconic 6-pointed star emblem, representing the peak of Mont Blanc. During the 1920s the company designed a serpent clip for some of its writing instruments as an expression of the Art Deco period. 

Montblanc recreated this history with a new collection of writing instruments, timepieces, leather goods and cufflinks called “Montblanc Heritage Collection, Rouge & Noir.” The products were led by a one-of-a-kind bejeweled writing instrument with a $1.3 million price tag, the Ultimate Serpent Limited Edition 1, and the Villeret Tourbillon Bi-Cylindrique 110 Years Anniversary timepiece, limited to three pieces.

However, there are many other Heritage Collection, Rouge & Noir products in varying price ranges and different levels of availability. For example, there’s a pair of one-of-kind red gold cufflinks (pictured above) in a skeletonized frame designed to be worn with the Ultimate Serpent Limited Edition 1 writing instrument. Each cufflink is topped with a 1.9-carat diamond in the shape of the Montblanc Star.

Three other Heritage Collection limited edition fountain pens feature similar motif and artisan attributes of the one-of-a-kind writing instrument. 

The Imperial Serpent Limited Edition 3 features the snake creature engraved in solid white ruthenium-coated gold filigree, set with 55 diamonds and 106 sapphires. Limited to just three pieces, the cap and barrel of the writing instrument are hand engraved with a snakeskin design finished in grey ruthenium, while the crown is topped with a 2.25-carat internally flawless Montblanc star-shaped diamond. Finally, the serpent’s green eyes (made of tsavorites) stand out on the clip and the engraved 18k gold nib. 

The Royal Serpent Limited Edition 10 combines grey PVD-coated snakeskin motif with a cone, crown and fittings crafted from white gold. The serpent, which swirls around the fountain pen, is set with diamonds and rubies, while the Montblanc emblem is set with a pavé of 72 diamonds. The pen is limited to 10 pieces.

The Serpent Limited Edition 110 is made of PVD coated titanium in a graphite color, with the winding hand-engraved serpent crafted of 18k white gold. Red rubies are used for the eyes of the snake on the clip and the 18k white gold nib. The clip features a flexible tongue like a real hissing serpent. The Montblanc emblem is crafted from mother-of-pearl embedded in bright coral and ivory colored resin.

Among its leather goods offerings is the Montblanc 110th Anniversary Steamer Bag, Montblanc’s first interpretation of early 20th century luggage. Originally designed to accompany larger trunks for sea voyages, the colors are inspired by Rouge & Noir fountain pen with contemporary design references. A red serpent wraps around the bag to the “M.B.” personalization mark reminiscent of Montblanc’s early visual identity. The motif is repeated on the suede lining inside the bag. 

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Van Cleef & Arpels Ladies Watches Combine Gems With Poetry

I can appreciate a luxury brand that uses words, artistic expressions and multi-media displays to tell stories that are simple yet compelling. There’s almost no one who does it better than Van Cleef & Arpels. Each year, I look forward to their annual presentation at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), where they always find new and magical ways to tell their timeless stories of love. It’s not an easy task and few luxury brands are good at story telling these days even though many have great stories to tell.

This year the Parisian luxury house presented its newest versions of its “Poetic Complications,” high jewelry watches and a couple high jewelry show stoppers. “Hide and seek” is the theme of many of their new pieces.

“Rubis Secret” watch bracelet
This unique piece features white and pink gold covered in 115 oval-cut Mozambique rubies (151.25 total carats) of matching color. They are arranged in three even, smooth rows, despite slight variations of cut, from oval to cushion. Each row of rubies is separated by four rows of diamonds and further enhanced by tiny pairs of round diamond studs throughout the bracelet.

The “secret” in this bejeweled bracelet is a small, rectangular quartz-powered watch that discreetly slides in and out on a white gold plate. An “invisible” hinge for the sliding door is only visible when the drawer is opened when pressing on the rubies. The piece required 1,500 hours, or more than year’s work to complete. The price is available upon request.

Pompon
The luxury brand also introduced a versatile secret bejeweled timepiece that can be worn as a necklace or bracelet with or without the quartz timepiece hidden inside a surround of tassels. In style, this watch takes its cues from the fashion sense of the 1940s and 1950s, the jewelry house explained.

There are two versions of this high jewelry watch: One in pink gold, round diamonds, round pink sapphires, red spinels, white cultured pearls, coral and white mother-of-pearl. The other is a unique piece in white gold, round diamonds, onyx, black spinels, white cultured pearls and white mother-of-pearl.

Lady Arpels Ronde des Papillons
Perhaps more interesting from a story telling perspective is the newest versions of Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Poetic Complications” timepieces, including the Lady Arpels Ronde des Papillons (round butterflies).

The 38mm case white gold case has a bezel set with diamonds and crown set with one diamond. Inside is a dial made of mother-of-pearl, engraved gold and miniature painting that depicts what the brand describes as an “aerial ballet” made of a blue sky with white clouds and the occasional appearances of three butterflies and a swallow. The same motif is engraved in sapphire glass on the back of the case.

The automatic movement has a retrograde jumping hour, variable speed minutes and an on-demand animation module developed exclusively for Van Cleef & Arpels.

The butterflies serve as the minute hands (really more like guides) and the swallow points toward the hour markers. There’s an animation mechanism activated by a button that allows for a 10-second animated show of the butterflies and birds flying within the clouds. The figures then return to their proper spots on the dial, allowing for the time that has passed during the animation.

Snowflake and Snowflake Fleurette High Jewelry Watches
Among traditional jewelry timepieces, the luxury brand introduced two versions that are covered in white diamonds.

The first has a 20mm platinum case with the bezel, white dial and platinum bracelet encrusted with diamonds (above). The second is an 18mm version called the Snowflake “Fleurette” (small flower) with very the same materials, similar details but a slightly different appearance.

All of the diamonds are of D and E for color, VVS clarity. On each side of the case, seven diamonds make up petals of a flower. On the Snowflake Fleurette model, the theme is repeated two more times. The more abstract Snowflake model is adorned with a diamond embroidery. Prong settings are combined with scalloped settings, which cover the edges of the stones with a hem of platinum.

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Slowing Watch Sales Bring More Variety At SIHH 2016

The prototype Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Nuit Lumineuse watch with diamonds that light like stars using a mechanical power source

SIHH, the second largest gather of the Swiss watch industry, was held January 18 - 22 as reports emerged confirming that watch sales have slowed. The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry said Tuesday that exports for 2015 declined 3.3 percent year-over-year to 21.5 billion Swiss francs ($21.1 billion). This coincided with Richemont’s third quarter earnings statement two weeks earlier, which reported that sales fell by 4 percent year-over-year at constant exchange rate to 2.92 billion Swiss francs ($2.86 billion).

The blame for the decline range from the combined austerity measures and stock market turbulence in China, the effects of a strong Swiss currency (particularly in Europe) and the introduction of the Apple Watch, which may have resulted in the steep decline of watch exports in the 200-franc to 500-franc price range. Even the Paris terrorist attacks had a major impact on watch in the “City of Light,” according to reports. And 2016 is looking like another year of softer sales.

One thing that hasn’t changed is silly stories in the consumer press that tout complicated timepieces as being “insane” and a layered, carbon-fiber writing instrument that uses a mechanical movement to expose and retract the nib as a “crazy ass pen.”

Back to the matter at hand, despite slowing sales the mood at SIHH was largely positive. The 24 watch brands presented more than enough new items in a number of styles and price points to leave retailers and trade journalists satisfied. One UK retailer told me that prices were more “realistic” this year.

The Parmigiani Senfine concept watch movement with 45-day power reserve

Among the biggest developments, two were for products that were not yet available to the public. The Parmigiani Senfine concept movement, which boasts a remarkable 45-day power reserve, and the Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Nuit Lumineuse watch, which has diamonds that light like stars using a mechanical power source (top photo).

Richard Mille RM 50-02 ACJ Tourbillon Spilt Seconds Chronograph

The other big release was the RM 50-02 Tourbillon Spilt Seconds Chronograph ACJ Chronograph, made in a partnership with the exclusive Airbus Corporate Jets division of the Airbus Group. It incorporates design details and materials of the ACJ aircraft. It’s limited to 30 pieces and has a price tag of more than $1 million.

A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon

A. Lange & Söhne, which has mastered the ability to create highly technical movements and house them inside beautifully balanced dials, introduced the latest edition of its highly praised Datograph chronograph timepieces, the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon. This newest version from the proudly German company combines the Datograph chronograph with a flyback function and Up/Down power reserve indicator and the typical Lange outsize date; with a perpetual calendar with a moon-phase display; and a tourbillon exposed on the sapphire-crystal caseback and the open tourbillon bridge. 

This year, for the first time, the established 15 brands (11 owned by the Swiss holding company, Richemont) at SIHH were joined by nine watch artisan-creators and independent workshops. They all showcased their unique approach to watchmaking. One brand, Ralph Lauren, pulled out of the show this year.

MB&F Sherman table clock in gold

MB&F, perhaps the most successful of the new group, not only introduced its latest “horological machine” but also unveiled its latest in artistic and creative table clocks. Called “Sherman,” it is once again made in partnership with Swiss clock manufacturer, L’Epée 1839. It is in the shape of a boyish robot, with movable arms and hands, and tank-like caterpillar tracks for feet. It was inspired by the US Sherman tank and MB&F’s founder, Maximilian Büsser’s on-going quest to revisit his childhood. The balance and escapement of L’Epée’s eight-day, in-line movement is located under the transparent dome of Sherman's head.

The Roger Dubuis Blossom Velvet ladies timepiece

Finally, Roger Dubuis declared 2016 to be the “Year of the Velvet Diva” by focusing on a collection of ladies watches called, Velvet. The five-watch collection combines high jewels powered by robust automatic movements.

For more highlights from what is rightfully touted as the watch industry’s most luxurious and exclusive watch show, stay turned to this blog.

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Luxury Watches That Celebrate The Year Of The Monkey

Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi “Year of the Monkey”

The Chinese New Year, celebrated throughout Asia and in Chinese communities around the world, will be celebrated February 8. Also known as the lunar new year or spring festival, this year, in accordance with the with the Chinese zodiac, is the Year of the Monkey. Luxury watch brands, as they do each year, create timepieces with specially designed dials. This year these dials depict interpretations of the monkey in ways that are historically and culturally meaningful. Among the timepieces available for sale are the following: 

Chopard L.U.C XP Urushi “Year of the Monkey” (top photo)
This timepiece features a Urushi lacquered dial, hand-crafted in Japan by a master lacquer artist. It depicts a red-coated monkey perched on a branch laden with fruit. It is gathering peaches beneath a golden sky ablaze with the last rays of the sun. Behind it, golden valleys compose a warm scene in soft tones.

Urushi lacquer comes from the sap of the “lacquer” or “Japanese varnish” tree. The transparent lacquer is applied in extremely fine layers that contain gold dust motifs created using the meticulous Maki-e technique. 

To create the dial and case, Chopard worked with the firm Yamada Heiando, official purveyor to the Japanese imperial family. Master Kilchiro Masumura designed and supervised the creation of the dials, executed by Master Minori Koizumi, an Urushi master. 

The 39.5 mm 18k rose gold timepiece is powered by the L.U.C 96.17-L automatic movement. 

Ulysse Nardin Year of the Monkey Classico

The watch brand describes the monkey depicted on the dial as “playful and happy.” It’s designed in a comic strip-like style to capture the lively creature’s character as it appears to leap through a brush of palm fronds. 

The champlevé method of enameling brings the artist’s sketch to life. The technique consists of cells being carved with a chisel directly on the dial and filled with enamel. Its colors are generated from different metallic oxides, and for this piece, a neutral palette is used. It is then fired until the enamel melts. It is mastered in-house at Donzé Cadrans, a member of the Ulysse Nardin group of companies.

The 40 mm 18k rose gold timepiece is powered by the UN-815 automatic movement with a COSC-certified chronometer. It is limited to 88 pieces.

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art La Légende du Zodiaque Chinois Year of the Monkey

Vacheron Constantin master engravers and enamellers interpreted paper cutting techniques in China and Switzerland in the creation of this limited-edition timepiece. 

The foliage motif on the dial is based on classic Chinese iconography that is etched directly in the metal. The pattern remains semi-embedded and stands out from its gold base by accentuating reliefs, making the vegetation appear to be floating over the dial. 

Next is the Grand Feu enameling, applying the enamel in successive layers to enhance the intensity of the blue or bronze-toned dial before being fired at temperatures between 800 and 900 degrees Celsius. The monkey, made of platinum or gold, is hand engraved and applied to the dial center. 

The 40 mm timepiece is powered by the Caliber 2460 G4 movement. It is limited to 12 pieces in platinum and 12 in pink gold.

Harry Winston Premier Monkey Automatic 36mm

The ladies timepiece has a pink mother-of-pearl dial, enhanced with flecks of 24k gold, each set in individually carved hollows to create a pink and gold constellation. An 18k gold monkey with a diamond for an eye hangs against this luminous, as if grasping the bezel at 9 o’clock, while his tail winds around an emerald-cut diamond at 12 o’clock. Appliqué and marquise-cut openwork create a scene inspired by Jianzhi, an ancient Chinese art form. 

The rose gold timepiece is powered by the HW2008 automatic movement. The bezel, lugs and buckle are set with 74 brilliant-cut diamonds for a total weight of 2.47 carats. It comes with a black satin strap.

It is available in a limited edition of eight pieces. 

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The GraffStar Slim Eclipse

It’s a watch so dark and thin it’s practically stealth.

The Graff Slim Eclipse is crafted in a titanium black DLC case. The material provides exceptional strength, scratch resistance, and at 39 grams extremely lightweight.

Bringing the darkness theme to even more extreme levels, all the details of the watch are in black, including the Graff “icon” at 12 o’clock, the Graff name, the hands and hour makers, the black crown topped with a black diamond, the black alligator strap and the titanium black DLC pin buckle.

The watch is powered by the Graff Caliber 3—an ultra-slim self-winding Swiss movement that measures 3.20mm in depth. The 43mm watch case measures just 6.35mm deep.

The luxury brand says the watch is designed for daily use. In fact, that’s what Laurence Graff, the company’s founder and namesake, wears as his everyday timepiece.

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The New A. Lange & Söhne South Coast Plaza Boutique

Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

German luxury watch brand, A. Lange & Söhne, added to its international network of boutiques with its newest location at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif.

The new store in the 240-store luxury retail mall officially opened with a cocktail reception on October 15 attended by nearly 100 persons.

A watchmaker demonstrates a few of the brand's 51 calibers. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

“Costa Mesa marks an important step in the brand’s expansion in the United States,” said Gaetan Guillosson, president of A. Lange & Söhne North America. “The first A. Lange & Söhne mono-brand store in California is a commitment to our ever increasing number of fans on the West Coast.”

Private sales room. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

It’s the fourth US boutique and first in California for the watch brand, known for its high-complication creations. The 925-square-foot store is typical of the traditional look and feel of A. Lange & Söhne boutiques. The signature grey color, known informally as “Lange grey,” with wood trim and furnishings dominates the three-room space. There are also sandstone elements, which serves as a nod to company’s Saxon origin. In addition to the main display area, there are two smaller rooms in the back, one for private sales and a library-like space for relaxing.

The 1815 “200th Anniversary F. A. Lange”

The reception included a selection of new timepieces from the Watches & Wonders luxury watch event held in January in Hong Kong. It included the 1815 “200th Anniversary F. A. Lange” in a honey gold case, a gold alloy unique to the watch brand. The watch celebrates the 200th birthday of the company’s founder, Ferdinand Adolph Lange. The manually wound caliber L051.1 is composed of 188 parts and has a power reserve of 55 hours. It is limited to 200 watches.

The gold A. Lange & Söhne watch I wore for the event.

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