The Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu II watch is now available in a new limited edition especially designed for Mexico.
With the Big Bang Sang Bleu II Mexico, Sang Bleu and Hublot once again combine tattoo art with cutting-edge watchmaking. Produced in a limited edition of 50 pieces and unveiled at the SIAR watch fair, it has been specially designed for the Mexican market. Continuing the symbolism of Maxime Plescia-Buchi’s creations, this new work reinterprets the ancestral art of tattooing, propelling it into a futuristic culture made of carbon.
Encircled by a hexagonal carbon bezel, the motifs on its dial are highlighted in matt black interspersed with green. Measuring 45 mm in diameter, the carbon case houses a Unico automatic chronograph. This HUB1240.MXM manufacture movement, with sufficient torque to support the weight of the signature hands plate of the Sang Bleu line, boasts a power reserve of 72 hours.
The watch highlights interlacing geometric forms on the bezel and case, extending onto the black rubber strap. Thanks to the patented One Click attachment system, the strap can easily be swapped for a second green rubber strap provided as standard with the watch. Both are completed with a black PVD and ceramic deployant buckle clasp.
Technical details
Model: Big Bang Sang Bleu II Mexico
Reference 418.QG.1119.RX.MMXM21
Edition
Limited to 50 pieces
Case
Frosted green carbon
Diameter: 45 mm Thickness: 16.50 mm
Water resistance: 10 ATM (100 m)
Bezel: Frosted green carbon
Case-back
Black satin-finished ceramic engraved “SPECIAL EDITION XX/50”
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
Dial
Matt black with green print
Movement
Calibre Hublot HUB1240.MXM
Manufacture movement Unico self-winding chronograph flyback with column wheel
Frequency: 4 (28,800 Vib/h)
Power reserve: 72 hours
Number of components: 330
Jewels: 38
Straps
Strap 1: Black rubber strap
Strap 2: Green and black rubber strap
Italian director and photo artist Mayk Azzato has recently joined the Maurice Lacroix crew. In his frequently admired and award-winning photography and films featuring famous names known worldwide, he brings together German precision and Italian creativity.
Mayk Azzato is a photographer and director. Born in Italy, he now lives in Frankfurt and has enjoyed an unprecedented career in the film and photography industry over the past few decades. After being forced to give up his career as a professional athlete due to a serious injury in his youth, he made use of his good network and his even better eye for aesthetics and began portraying actors.
He followed in the footsteps of his father, who was also a gifted photographer. Throughout his career, he has photographed numerous internationally well-known actors, models and footballers. Personalities including rapper Snoop Dogg, Bill Clinton and star violinist David Garett have also been in front of his lens. His photographs offer the perfect balance between German precision and Italian creativity.
Azzato has worked on films like The Arrival with Kevin Costner, as a director and producer, as well as producing his own films featuring big names, such as Toni Garrn. His latest work ‘My Name is Josy’is an exciting thriller due to premiere on 5th October 2021 at Villa Kennedy in Frankfurt with lots of famous faces in attendance.
The art-house short film tells the story of a young woman from Hollywood. Fittingly, Mayk Azzato managed to get Hollywood actors like Michael Bowen (Django Unchained) and Noah Segan (Star Wars – Episode VIII: The Last Jedi) on board for the film. He cast the German actress Josefine König as the female lead, who is also making a name for herself in Hollywood as a rising star.
‘My Name is Josy’has already received 30 international awards, including the Los Angeles Film Award Best Thriller 2020 and the New York Movie Award Best Thriller 2019. His previous works have also received numerous awards.
“We’ve known Mayk for a long time and are so pleased that he is now a member of the ML Crew,” says Stéphane Waser, Managing Director of Maurice Lacroix. “Just like us, he is constantly on the lookout for inspiration, reinventing himself again and again – true to our mantra ‘success is a journey, not a destination’,” continues Waser. The artist also sees many parallels between his work and that of Maurice Lacroix.
“The product has to be appealing. Design, aesthetics and the combination of colours are extremely important. Styles are changing ever faster thanks to social media and classic things have to be reinterpreted.” For Mayk, time is a finite resource and having time is a luxury. The times he has spent travelling were some of the most valuable to him. In keeping with his urban lifestyle, Mayk likes travelling to Los Angeles.
“Maurice Lacroix is a modern luxury brand that moves forward and with the times, I like that very much.” Mayk’s favourite watch is the AIKON Automatic Chronograph Sprint. The watch is subtle and still exudes that certain something. He is not a fan of digital watches as, for him, watches are pieces of jewellery. He prefers wearing sneakers and a watch – a reflection of the man’s lifestyle. So, there aren’t just watches in his wardrobe but also 250 pairs of sneakers.
MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO is the sportier version of the award-winning LM Perpetual Calendar watch created in collaboration with Stephen McDonnell.
Designed to meet the specifications of an outdoor sports watch, this model features a 44mm diameter case and a specially developed monobloc shock-absorbing system known as “FlexRing”. The LM Perpetual EVO was first launched in zirconium with three options of PVD/CVD dial-plate colour, including atomic orange. A grade 5 titanium edition follows in 2021, with a green CVD dial plate. All editions feature a closely-fitted, integrated rubber strap.
Although the 44mm diameter is unchanged from its 2015 iteration, the new EVO case design features a no-bezel construction, with the domed sapphire crystal fused directly to the case. The increased openness of this design highlights the equilibrium between the legibility of LM Perpetual EVO’s calendar indications and the cinematic play of the engine components — surmounted by the iconic MB&F hovering balance wheel.
This expansive new presentation of the LM Perpetual Engine was no simple design reconfiguration. New geometries for the sapphire crystal had to be calculated, achieving the mechanically opposing aims of maintaining structural strength and decreasing its height-to-diameter ratio. Freeing LM Perpetual EVO from the bezel also necessitated the use of a sophisticated thermal bonding system between the sapphire crystal and the case.
The previously circular pushers for adjusting the perpetual calendar have been enlarged into double-sprung oblong actuators, boosting the tactile comfort and ease of adjustment. For the first time in any MB&F creation, the LM Perpetual EVO is rated at 80m of water resistance, enabled by its screw-down crown.
A small, but essential, detail of implementing a screw-down crown is the débrayage of the winding stem, disengaging the crown from the winding mechanism when it is pushed in and tightened, which eliminates the chance of manually over-winding the mainspring barrel.
An additional new element of the LM Perpetual EVO is the FlexRing: an annular dampener fitted between case and movement, providing shock protection along the vertical and lateral axes. Machined from a single block of stainless steel, the dampener imparts exceptional robustness to the timepiece.
Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO was first launched in three variations of 15 pieces each in zirconium with orange CVD dial plate, blue CVD dial plate or black PVD dial plate; and is now available in titanium with a green CVD dial plate.
Technical details
Model: MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO in Titanium
Engine
Fully integrated perpetual calendar developed for MB&F by Stephen McDonnell, featuring dial-side complication and mechanical processor system architecture with inbuilt safety mechanism. Manual winding with double mainspring barrels. Bespoke 14mm balance wheel with traditional regulating screws visible on top of the movement. Superlative hand finishing throughout respecting 19th century style; internal bevel angles highlighting hand craft; polished bevels; Geneva waves; hand-made engravings.
Galvanic black dials with both SLN numerals and hands(except for the leap year and power reserve)
FlexRing: an annular dampener fitted between case and movement, providing shock protection along the vertical and lateral axes.
Screw down crown
Power reserve: 72 hours
Balance frequency: 18,000bph/ 2.5Hz
Number of components: 581
Number of jewels: 41
Functions/indications
Hours, minutes, day, date, month, retrograde leap year and power reserve indicators
Case
Material: Zirconium or Titanium
Dimensions: 44 x 17.5mm
Number of components: 70
Water resistance: 8ATM / 80m / 270 feet
Sapphire crystals
Sapphire crystals on top and display back treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces
Strap & buckle
Rubber strap with titanium folding buckle
In 2015, MB&F created the LM Perpetual watch in collaboration with Irish watchmaker Stephen McDonnell. This new reinvention of perpetual calendar has been developed to eliminate the drawbacks of conventional perpetual calendars. Equipped with a spectacular in-house movement, this Legacy Machine has been released in various editions in red gold, platinum, white gold, titanium, and yellow gold.
The Legacy Machine Perpetual was the winner of the Best Calendar Watch Prize at the GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève) in 2016.
In 2021, a new limited edition of 25 pieces joins the series. Crafted in palladium 950, this new variant features an aquamarine sunray dial varying between shades of pale blue, green and grey. This new Legacy Machine also features the ergonomic corrector pushers first seen on the LM Perpetual EVO editions.
Its fully integrated 581-component calibre boasts an innovative mechanism for calculating the number of days in each month. And it holistically reinterprets the aesthetics of the perpetual calendar by placing the full complication on dial-free display underneath a spectacular suspended balance.
Traditional perpetual calendars have a few drawbacks: dates can skip; they are relatively easy to damage if adjusted while the date is changing; and the complications are usually compromises of modules powered by base movements. The fully integrated movement of Legacy Machine Perpetual has been designed to solve these issues. No more skipping dates or jamming gears, and the adjuster pushers automatically deactivate when the calendar changes.
Traditional perpetual calendar mechanisms use a 31-day month as the default and basically “delete” surplus dates for the months with fewer days – by fast-forwarding through the redundant dates during changeover. A traditional perpetual calendar changing from February 28 to March 1 scrolls quickly through the 29th, 30th and 31st to arrive at the 1st.
The perpetual calendar system of LM Perpetual features a “mechanical processor” instead of the conventional grand levier (big lever) system architecture. The mechanical processor utilises a default 28-day month and adds extra days as required. This means that each month always has the exact number of days required; there is no fast-forwarding or skipping redundant days. And while the leap year can only be set on traditional perpetual calendars by scrolling through up to 47 months, LM Perpetual has a dedicated quickset pusher to adjust the year.
The open dial of LM Perpetual generously reveals the full complication and suspended balance. Using an innovative system developed especially for Legacy Machine Perpetual, the sub-dials appear to “float” above the movement with no visible attachments. The skeletonised sub-dials rest on hidden studs, which is technically impossible with traditional perpetual calendar mechanisms because they would block the movement of the grand levier.
At 12 o’clock and nestled between the elegant arches of the balance, is the off-set dial featuring hour and minute hands. The open-worked dial structure also features day of the week at 3 o’clock, power reserve indicator at 4 o’clock, month at 6 o’clock, retrograde leap year indicator at 7 o’clock, and date at 9 o’clock.
Technical details
Model: Legacy Machine Perpetual in palladium 950 with aquamarine face
Edition
Limited to 25 pieces
Engine
Fully integrated perpetual calendar developed for MB&F by Stephen McDonnell, featuring dial-side complication and mechanical processor system architecture with inbuilt safety mechanism. Manual winding with double mainspring barrels. Bespoke 14mm balance wheel with traditional regulating screws visible on top of the movement. Superlative hand finishing throughout respecting 19th century style; internal bevel angles highlighting hand craft; polished bevels; Geneva waves; hand-made engravings.
Power reserve: 72 hours
Balance frequency: 18,000bph/ 2.5Hz
Number of components: 581
Number of jewels: 41
Functions/indications
Hours, minutes, day, date, month, retrograde leap year and power reserve indicators
Case
Material: Palladium 950
Dimensions: 44 mm x 17.5 mm
Number of components: 69 components
Sapphire crystals on top and display back treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces
Water resistance: 30 m / 90′ / 3 ATM
Strap
Black, grey, brown or blue hand-stitched alligator strap with gold / platinum / titanium folding buckle matching case material.
Other versions
Platinum 950 version with blue face: limited to 25 pieces
18k red gold version with grey face: limited to 25 pieces
18k white gold version with purple face: limited to 25 pieces
18k white gold version with dark grey face
Grade 5 titanium version with green face: limited to 50 pieces
18k yellow gold version with blue face: limited to 25 pieces
Founded by Svend Andersen in 1980, ANDERSEN Genève has been making exclusive watches for collectors for four decades.
In 2020, ANDERSEN Genève marked its 40th anniversary by presenting three phenomenal hand-crafted watches: the Tempus Terrae Worldtime with a bezel of baguette diamonds; the white gold Automaton JOKER (created in a collaboration with master watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin), and the Jumping Hours 40th Anniversary watch. These are now joined by the final watch in the quartet: a platinum version of the Jumping Hours.
With the new platinum Jumping Hours model unveiled in June 2020, the independent Swiss watch brand completes its quartet of special timepieces made to mark 40 years at the pinnacle of watchmaking.
The Jumping Hours, in which the hour is shown digitally while minutes are indicated by a hand, is one of watchmaking’s most elegant traditional complications. ANDERSEN Genève has now taken this genre to new levels of artistry and beauty.
Like all ANDERSEN Genève creations, this is a watch in which each element – dial, case, and movement – is treated with equal focus and delicate technique. The new model in platinum 950 sees the bar raised even further, since platinum is a far more challenging and arduous material to work with. It requires different techniques of machining and craftsmanship to achieve the most flawless finish. In platinum, for instance, the elegant lugs must be machined separately and painstakingly welded to the case barrel.
With this watch, ANDERSEN Genève presents an exceptionally refined interpretation of the classic Jumping Hours complication. The hour is indicated through a window at 12 o’clock, while the minutes tick by discretely on a beautiful sub-dial at 6 o’clock. Either side of the sub-dial sit two plaques inscribed with “1980” and “2020”, marking the company’s first 40 years.
The rest of the dial forms a canvas on which to exhibit the most outstanding craftsmanship, with a mesmerising “magic losange” guilloché pattern hand engraved into a dial surface made from a signature ANDERSEN Genève material: 21ct Blue Gold. To achieve this incredibly rare material that is used almost uniquely in watchmaking by ANDERSEN Genève, 24ct gold mixed with iron elements is heated in an oven, turning it a radiant shade of blue. In this completely artisanal process, no two dials emerge from the oven with quite the same tonality, making every dial unique.
Into this is inscribed guilloche work of a kind that is exceptionally difficult to execute, requiring three different machines to build up the intricately detailed pattern. The result is a dial with a truly unique appearance, which changes constantly as the light catches it from different angles.
The sapphire glass case-back reveals the beautiful anglage and hand-finishing of the movement, and the 18ct yellow gold rotor magnificently decorated with a “grain d’orge” guilloché pattern. Surrounding this, a ring of 21ct Blue Gold is hand-engraved with the text “40 years of independent timepiece creation”.
The watch is powered by the Frédéric Piguet 11.50 movement, one of the finest haute horlogerie automatic calibres in Swiss watchmaking. Its ultra-slim dimensions make it a perfect base to carry the jumping hours mechanism developed and manufactured in-house by ANDERSEN Genève, while its two-barrel architecture ensures a long power reserve of 60 hours.
The Jumping Hours 40th Anniversary in Platinum is a limited edition of 40 timepieces
The Other Anniversary Watches*
(1) Tempus Terrae with Baguette Diamonds
Svend Andersen’s famous association with the iconic worldtime complication, indicating all 24 time zones at once, originated before he even founded ANDERSEN Genève in 1980. During the nine previous years he spent working in Patek Philippe’s Grand Complications Atelier, he would often work on watches featuring the complication, developed by Louis Cottier in the 1930s. Since launching the Cottier-inspired Communication worldtime in 1990, ANDERSEN Genève has developed a succession of worldtime editions, as well as many bespoke variations.
The anniversary watch offers a sparkling twist on the most recent ANDERSEN Genève worldtime edition, the Tempus Terrae, unveiled in 2015. The 5N red gold case displays the crisp, sober aesthetic that is a hallmark of the ANDERSEN Genève watches, but is here adorned with a flowing ring of 36 baguette-cut diamonds, laid masterfully onto the bezel with an invisible setting. It is a halo of delicate beauty around the sumptuous worldtime display.
The centre of the dial is equally exquisite, made from beautifully decorated 21ct Blue Gold that is engraved with a complex, interlacing “scale” guilloché, enhancing the Blue Gold’s remarkable light-reflecting qualities. So as not to interrupt this feature, the ANDERSEN Genève logo is removed from the dial, replaced by addition of the “A” logo above “Genève” in the worldtime’s city ring.
Continuing a collaboration that brought astonishment and delight when it was revealed in 2018, the Automaton JOKER sees ANDERSEN Genève and the Russian watchmaker Konstantin CHAYKIN create one of the world’s most unusual and imaginative haute horlogerie timepieces. As such, it also represents a unique collaboration between the founder of the AHCI (Academie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants), Svend Andersen, and its President in 2018, Konstantin Chaykin.
On the dial side, Konstantin Chaykin boldly reimagines time as told through the face of Batman’s villainous adversary The Joker: his spinning eyes act as hour and minute indicators, while his mouth, grinning broadly across the lower half of the dial, doubles as a moon phase display. The reverse, executed by ANDERSEN Genève, is no less astonishing: an automaton animation in which the Joker’s seedy associates play a game of poker. Cards are dealt, hands move, eyes roll. Each part, cut, polished and painted by hand, moves with absolute precision.
This automaton builds on another crucial pillar of ANDERSEN Genève watchmaking: its EROS Automaton watches in which erotic scenes are mechanically animated. The remarkable skills involved in creating these intricate animations ensure wonder in the smallest details. For instance, every element in the poker game – the Joker’s roving eyes, the woman’s hands, the Penguin’s cards – is moving at a different speed, but with total harmony. This is an exceptionally difficult effect to achieve mechanically.
While the original run in 2018 was a limited edition of 20 watches in red gold, for the anniversary series the watch is created in a limited edition of 20 watches in white gold.
(3) Jumping Hour 40th Anniversary 5N red gold case
The first version of the Jumping Hours was presented in 5N red gold. Its exceptional levels of craftsmanship saw it nominated for the Artistic Crafts category at the Final of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2020.
The complication is one that has long held importance for Svend Andersen, who was first commissioned to create a watch with a jumping hours display in 1995, combining it with a minute repeater. Since then, ANDERSEN Genève has included the jumping hours in a number of “pièces unique” commissions.
The complication also gave rise to one of the most recognisable ANDERSEN inventions, the “Grand Jour & Nuit” with Jumping 24 Hours Hand, for which a series of watches were made for Cartier in 1998, as well as well-known editions for ANDERSEN Genève.
Swiss watchmaker Edox has became the exclusive ‘’Official Timing Partner’’ of BMW M Motorsport. The partnership includes engagements in the BMW Junior Team, the BMW M2 Cup, as well as the GT3 highlight, the 24h race at the Nürburgring.
The Edox Swiss Watches logo will be present on various BMW M Motorsport racing cars in the future. Edox has been involved in motorsport for many years. The Swiss watch manufacturer has been the official timekeeper of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the Dakar Rally, the FIA World Rally Cross Championship and for the former Formula 1 team Sauber.
BMW M2 Cup, 9. + 10. Rennen Assen 2021 – Foto: Gruppe C Photography
In 2008, Edox presented the Edox Chronorally, a revolutionary chronograph with new, sophisticated technical functions originally developed for rally drivers.
This watch was able to measure up to twelve different lap times in analog and accumulate them electromechanically. The characteristic watch with the oversized start and stop pusher quickly became a public favorite and is still a highlight of the Edox collection today.
EDOX CHRONORALLY X-TREME PILOT
BMW drivers will wear Edox Chronorally chronographs in titanium, steel and carbon in connection with this partnership. Edox Chronorally watches are assembled by hand in Les Genevez, Switzerland.
Alexandre Strambini, Chief Executive Officer Edox Swiss Watches, says: ‘‘Edox has a passion for motorsport in all its facets. This is evidenced by our long-term commitment to the international motorsport stage. We are delighted to extend this commitment to include our partnership with BMW M Motorsport. This partnership will inspire us to further deepen the exciting relationship between watch and car in terms of both product technology and aesthetics. Edox as well as BMW are international brands and thus our partnership should also be perceived globally.’’
Thomas Felbermair Vice President Sales and Marketing BMW M GmbH says: ‘‘All of us at BMW Motorsport are very happy to be with Edox and going forward in the future with the Junior Team, BMW M2 Cup as well as for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. Edox Swiss Watches is a brand with a history of over 135 years, which is characterized by mechanical precision and a spirit of innovation. Edox is a performance-oriented brand with ambitious goals, making it a perfect fit for our motorsport projects.‘‘
German watch brand STOWA expands its classic watch collection by introducing the Partitio Blue Limited edition watch.
Limited to 100 pieces, this automatic timepiece boasts an elegant blue polished dial. It has a stainless steel case measuring 37mm diameter and 10.8mm thickness, including the domed sapphire crystal glass.
STOWA Partitio Blue houses a top grade SW200 Swiss self-winding movement with Geneva stripes and blued screws. The watch is fitted with a sapphire crystal caseback, affording the views of the mechanical movement beating inside.
Technical details
Model: STOWA Partitio Blue
Case
Stainless steel case
Diameter: 37.00mm
Height: 10.80 mm with domed sapphire glass
Strap width: 18.00mm
Lug-to-Lug size: 46.90mm
Sapphire crystal case back
Waterproof: up to 5ATM
Weight: 62 gr. (leather strap), about 110 gr. (metal bracelet)
Dial
Blue coated sunburst finish, white printed, with Superluminova BWG9 (white)
Hands: polished, nickel-plated with Superluminova BWG9 (white)
Movement
Caliber: SW200, top version
Mechanism: mechanical, automatic
Strap
Leather strap (grey or blue)
Milanese bracelet
The DS PH200M is one of the most popular timepieces in the Certina collection. The brand has now released a smaller version with 39mm diameter case.
In the premiere model in the new line, refined mother-of-pearl, black ceramic and sparkling diamonds join a strap fashioned from sustainable #tide ocean material®. Inside, a state-of-the-art automatic movement fitted with an antimagnetic NivachronTM balance spring ensures maximum reliability. In March 2021, the Swiss brand conducted an international competition that allowed its followers, for the first time, to influence the design of a Certina watch.
The 39mm diameter watch appears in a round stainless steel case with a black, iridescent mother-of-pearl dial with eleven diamond indexes. Functional features include a date window at 3 o’clock, a screw-down crown and a unidirectional rotating bezel with scratch-resistant black ceramic; both the bezel and the rose gold-coloured hands have luminous Super-LumiNova® highlights.
The strap and packaging of the watch are made with sustainability in mind. The anthracite-coloured synthetic strap is made from #tide ocean material®. The watch packaging is black and gold and is comprised of environmentally friendly cardboard, which is easily recycled.
Like its big sister, DS PH200M 39mm model features a Powermatic 80 movement with an antimagnetic NivachronTM balance spring, which can be admired in this new model through a sapphire crystal case back. It has an exceptional autonomy of 80 hours.
Enhanced by the DS Double Security system, the watch offers water resistance up to 200 meters.
Movement
ETA Powermatic 80.611 automatic movement with Nivachron™ balance spring, Swiss Made
Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power reserve: 80 hours
Case
Polished stainless steel 316L
39 mm rotating bezel in domed black ceramic with rose gold-coloured dive time scale
Screw-down crown
Sapphire crystal case back
Glass: Domed sapphire crystal
Water resistance: Up to a pressure of 20 bar (200 m)
Dial
Black mother-of-pearl dial with white and rose gold-coloured elements and eleven diamond indexes; rose gold-coloured hands and indexes with Super-LumiNova® coating; date at 3 o’clock
Strap
Anthracite-coloured fabric strap made of #tide ocean material® with pin buckle
Special features
DS (Double Security), diamond indexes, fabric strap made from recycled #tide ocean material®, Powermatic 80 movement with Nivachron™ balance spring, design selected by Certina followers
The DS Powermatic 80, the latest three-hand model in the Certina collection, is inspired by the popular DS Chronograph Automatic from the year 2020.
Unlike its big brother, however, the new three-hander features a 40 mm case in pure stainless steel or with a rose gold PVD or yellow gold PVD finish.
A sapphire box glass offers optimal views of the dial and evokes memories of historic timepieces. The finely worked hands contribute to the vintage impression: the slim, classic blued seconds hand and the Super-LumiNova® coated minute and hour hands.
The lightly domed dials are in luminous white, shimmering gold, or dark blue, green or brown with a refined sunburst finish. The straps, which can be removed and exchanged at any time thanks to the quick-change system, offer fashionable accents: as a modern NATO strap in blue-brown stripes or anthracite, or in light or dark brown patent leather.
Just as the exterior of the watch combines vintage details with contemporary elements, the interior blends the present and the past. The refined construction of the Powermatic 80.611 automatic movement brings the traditional art of watchmaking to life while simultaneously making use of state-of-the-art technologies. The NivachronTM balance spring is uninfluenced by magnetic fields. The watch has a power reserve of up to 80 hours.
The DS Powermatic 80 watch features the same reliability and robustness that characterizes all of the brand’s models. A key factor is the famous DS system of Double Security, which has delivered enhanced resistance since the 1960s and lends the new watch water resistance up to 10 bar (100 metres).
Movement
Powermatic 80.611 automatic, Swiss Made, Nivachron™ balance spring
Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power reserve: up to 80hours
Case
316L stainless steel with rose gold-coloured PVD coating, sapphire crystal case back,
40 mm diameter
Glass: Domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Water resistance: Up to a pressure of 10 bar (100 m)
Dial
Convex white dial; date at 3o’clock
Rose gold-coloured hands, numerals and indexes
Strap
Striped NATO strap with pin buckle
Special features
DS (Double Security), Powermatic 80 movement with Nivachron™ balance spring, strap with quick-change system
Price
CHF 890.00
Other versions
C038.407.18.047.00 (blue dial, stainless steel case and striped NATO strap): CHF 850.00
C038.407.18.037.00 (white dial, stainless steel case and anthracite NATO strap): CHF 850.00
C038.407.16.097.00 (green dial, stainless steel case and dark brown leather strap): CHF 850.00
C038.407.36.087.00 (brown dial, stainless steel case with rose gold-coloured PVD and dark brown leather strap): CHF 890.00
C038.407.36.367.00 Gold-coloured dial, stainless steel case with yellow gold PVD and light brown leather strap): CHF 890.00
Cleverly combining a moon phase and a chronograph, this new Certina DS-8 watch presents its various displays with great clarity and transparency.
In the new DS-8 model, both chronograph and moon phase are presented clearly within a harmonious and attractive design. Along with the central stop seconds the watch has an integrated 12-hour and 60-minute chronograph counter at 2 o’clock, and a small seconds at 6 o’clock. At 10 o’clock the moon travels along its path across a finely drawn starry night sky. A date window at 4 o’clock, discreet and useful at once, completes the array.
The round 42mm stainless steel case sets stylish accents with satin-brushed and polished areas. Adding elegance and clarity is a dark blue dial with sunburst finish; dial versions in dark brown, black or a silver hue are also available.
Extensive Super-LumiNova® coating on the elegant Arabic numerals and indexes as well as on the hour and minute hands deliver excellent legibility even in the dark. A black calfskin leather strap with crocodile embossing completes the look. Alternatively, a dark brown leather strap or comfortable five-row stainless steel strap are also available.
Inside the new DS-8 Chronograph Moon Phase is an advanced PrecidriveTM quartz movement, whose precision the independent Swiss test agency COSC has certified as that of a Chronometer. It is securely protected up to a pressure of 10 bar by the DS Double Security system. The watch is topped with a scratch-resistant, antireflective sapphire crystal. All models are officially certified as Chronometers.
Movement
ETA G10.962 Precidrive™ quartz movement, Swiss Made, COSC-certified
Functions
Chronograph with 12-hour, 60-minute and 60-second timing functions
Display of moon phases
Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, EOL
Case
Polished stainless steel 316L with satin-brushed lugs
42 mm diameter
Glass: Antireflective sapphire crystal
Water resistance: Up to a pressure of 10 bar (100 m)
Dial
Dark blue with finely brushed sunburst finish
Silver-coloured hour and minute hands and indexes with Super-LumiNova®
Small seconds at 6 o’clock
Moon phase display at 10 o’clock
Date window at 4 o’clock
Chronograph: Central stop seconds, integrated 12-hour and 60-minute counter at 2 o’clock
Strap
Black calfskin and butterfly closure with two pushers
Special features
DS (Double Security), COSC-certified Chronometer
Recommended retail price
CHF 795.00
Other versions
C033.460.16.087.00 (brown dial, brown leather strap, red gold coloured hands and indexes): CHF 795.00
C033.460.16.037.00 (silver-coloured dial, brown leather strap, red gold coloured hands and indexes): CHF 795.00
C033.460.11.057.00 (black dial, five-row stainless steel bracelet): CHF 840.00
Packed into a round stainless steel case just 34.5 mm in diameter, the new Certina DS Action Lady with the Powermatic 80 movement is a contemporary Swiss watchmaking marvel.
This self-winding wristwatch incorporates classically elegant elements like fine diamond indexes, facetted hands, sunburst-finish or mother-of-pearl dials, and combines them with modern colour compositions: polished stainless steel meets rose or yellow gold-coloured accents, casual black or rich brown. Snug five-row metal bracelets with butterfly clasp and pushers keep this ticking jewel securely, stylishly and comfortably on the wrist.
Its Powermatic 80 movement provides an impressive 80-hour power reserve and NivachronTM balance spring remains unaffected by magnetic fields. The filigreed beauty of the movement can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back.
A worthy member of the popular DS Action family, the new DS Action Lady 34.5mm Powermatic 80 is also distinguished by its screw-down and protected crown and water resistance to 20 bar (200 m).
The new DS Action Lady 34.5mm Powermatic 80 is available from authorised Certina dealers from October 2021.
Technical details
Model: DS Action Lady 34.5mm Powermatic 80
Reference: C032.207.22.296.00
Movement
ETA Powermatic 80.611 movement with Nivachron™ balance spring, Swiss Made, hours, minutes, seconds, date
Power reserve: 80 hours
Case
Polished stainless steel 316L
34.5 mm diameter
Glass: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Bezel with rose gold-coloured PVD coating
Screw-down crown with rose gold-coloured PVD coating
Sapphire crystal case back
Water resistance: Up to a pressure of 20 bar (200 m)
Dial
Dark brown dial with sunburst finish
Rose gold-coloured elements and eight diamond indexes
Rose gold-coloured, facetted hands;
Date at 3 o’clock
Strap
Five-row stainless steel bracelet with rose gold-coloured PVD elements, butterfly clasp with two pushers
Special features
DS (Double Security), diamond indexes, Powermatic 80 movement with Nivachron™ balance spring, water-resistant to 20 bar (200 m)
De Bethune presents Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon ‘Season 1’, a limited edition series created in collaboration with American rap star Swizz Beatz. Entirely themed around the concepts of light and transparency, this sophisticated micro-mechanical marvel combines mastery of sapphire crystal, skilled workmanship in titanium, and horological virtuosity. Only 10 of these timepieces will be produced.
In 2020, Swizz Beatz contacted the Swiss watch manufacturer to create a totally different Dream Watch 5. The design of this watch was to be fully in line with the brand’s existing achievements, yet at the same time challenging them to create a singular, refined and sophisticated timepiece that would remain user-friendly and easily legible, based on materials and construction typifying De Bethune’s quest for contemporary aestheticism.
The mission included a fresh approach to the use of sapphire crystal; blued titanium as the keystone; a movement with multiple reflections and finishes finally revealed to the observer’s admiring gaze.
Dream Watch 5 derives its distinctive shape from its predecessors, from the bridge of Dream Watch 1 to the case of Dream Watch 4, and is thus part of ongoing research into shapes, materials and colours. With each new creation, the design is refined in the direction of a curved deltoid motif, a major component of the aesthetics of the collection and more generally of De Bethune watches.
De Bethune has been a pioneer in the use of sapphire crystal, generally used in watchmaking to produce glasses or cases – and always in constant, regular, flat or spherical shapes. As early as 2008, De Bethune produced the first sapphire crystal hands, encircled by blued titanium, to be fitted on the DB26QP. This was followed by the production of movement components, including the famous delta bridge of the DB28 Steel Wheel movement, ingeniously complemented by two small barrel covers, also made of sapphire crystal.
Far from simply carving the case from a single block of sapphire using customary traditional methods, Denis Flageollet endeavoured to adapt the sapphire to the watch’s titanium case. They inserted no less than seven different sapphire parts – each crafted with unique curves and proportions – which would then be perfectly embedded into the blued polished titanium exoskeleton. Aesthetically, the blue-tinted sapphire matches the blued titanium of the case middle and the cold light emanating from it magnifies the shimmer of the movement finishes.
The dial side reveals the small two-tone sphere indicating the moon phases. Composed of two assembled and polished half-spheres in blued steel and palladium, it guides the eye towards the minimalist digital display of the hours and minutes, visible through a hand-cut cabochon-shaped crystal.
On the back of the timepiece, the blue sapphire crystal provides more visibility to the DB2149 calibre and its tourbillon, fully revealed for the very first time.
The Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon ‘Season 1’ is equipped with a mechanical hand-wound DB2149 movement with a high-speed tourbillon developed by De Bethune. Ultra-light at a mere 0.18 grams for 63 components and beating time to the nearest tenth of a second, it makes a complete revolution in 30 seconds.
The calibre houses a titanium balance-wheel encircled by a patented white gold ring, a balance-spring featuring an in-house developed and patented De Bethune terminal curve, and a silicon escape-wheel oscillating at a rate 36,000 vibrations per hour. The in-house developed self-regulating twin barrel ensures constant torque for the calibre. All this has enabled the movement to gain 20% in terms of power reserve.
The time can be read off in digital format through a trapeze-shaped sapphire aperture with a jumping hours disc and another trailing minutes disc. The centre displays the regular rotation of the spherical moon phase, a patented complication so accurate that it requires adjustment by lunar day only every 1,112 years. The watch is wound and set by means of a crown adorned with a blue cabochon-cut sapphire.
The mirror-polishing of the movement components creates an astonishing play on light. Inside the case, Swiss engraver Michèle Rothen carried out a dint craftsmanship involving a blend of engraving and micro-sculpture. She retouched each surface state, each micro-detail and each relief in order to “lift” the design and thus perfect the whole, enabling it to catch the light even more generously.
Since the foundation of the brand, blue color has been intimately associated with the technical and aesthetic research and development of the maison. The Dream Watch 5 Tourbillon ‘Season 1’ will be a single-colour version. The radical and mesmerising blue of the different materials stems from artisanal and natural treatments specific to each.
Technical details
Name: DW5 Tourbillon ‘Season 1’
Reference: DW5TSB
Edition
10-piece limited edition
Functions
Hours, minutes, central spherical moon-phase indication, 30-minute indication on the ultra-light silicon and titanium De Bethune tourbillon cage appearing on the back
Movement
DB2149
Type: Mechanical hand-wound
Adjustments: By means of the crown adorned with a blue cabochon-cut sapphire
Three positions for winding, the spherical moon phase and timesetting
Number of components: 356
Jewelling: 35 jewels
Diameter: 30 mm
Power reserve: Four days, ensured by a self-regulating twin barrel – De Bethune innovation (2004)
Frequency: 36,000 vibrations/hour
Decorations: Hand-crafted finishes and decorations
Specific characteristics
Titanium balance-wheel with white gold inserts – De Bethune patent (2016)
De Bethune balance-spring with flat terminal curve – De Bethune patent (2006)
Silicon escape-wheel
Spherical moon-phase display accurate to within one lunar day every 1,112 years – De Bethune patent (2004)
De Bethune ultra-light silicon and titanium 30-second tourbillon – De Bethune innovation (2008)
Displays
Jumping-hour aperture at 3 o’clock
Minutes indication on a dragging rotating disc
Palladium and flame-blued steel spherical moon-phase indication accurate to within one lunar day every 1,112 years – De Bethune patent (2004)
Dial
Blued grade 5 titanium aperture frame
Case
Ogive-shaped in hand-polished and blued grade 5 titanium, open-worked with sapphire blue inserts and hand-engraved motifs
Case diameter: Length 58 mm – width 47 mm
Case thickness: 17 mm
Crown: Cabochon-cut blue sapphire
Glass: Hardened mineral
Caseback: Screw-in back in polished and blued grade 5 titanium, open-worked with blue sapphire inserts and opening onto the ultra-thin silicon and titanium De Bethune tourbillon performing one rotation every 30 seconds – De Bethune innovation (2008)
Water resistance: 3 ATM, equivalent to 30 metres
Strap
Blue canvas/leather with an additional rubber strap
Buckle: Titanium with polished and blued titanium pin buckle
Swiss luxury watch brand IWC Schaffhausen welcomes two new Ceratanium® models to its TOP GUN Pilot’s Watch range. Developed by IWC’s material engineers, Ceratanium® combines the lightness and structural integrity of titanium with a hardness and scratch-resistance similar to ceramic. In addition, this innovative material is also skin-friendly and highly resistant to corrosion.
The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN Ceratanium is the first watch from IWC with a Ceratanium® bracelet, which is lighter than steel and very comfortable to wear. The Pilot’s Watch Timezoner TOP GUN Ceratanium is the first TOP GUN model with a Timezoner® complication, allowing the wearer to change between different time zones effortlessly. Both novelties are powered by IWC-manufactured movements from the 52000 and 82000 calibre families.
Advanced performance materials such as ceramics, titanium and Ceratanium® are a signature feature of IWC’s TOP GUN pilot’s watches. They take their name from the legendary Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Program, a rigorous course used by the US Navy to train its elite pilots in flying and tactical skills.
IWC’s TOP GUN watches are engineered to deliver ultimate performance and can withstand even the extreme strain pilots experience in the cockpit of a supersonic jet.
The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN Ceratanium (Ref. IW503604) features a case, crown and, for the first time, a bracelet made of Ceratanium®. As this material is based on a titanium alloy, the bracelet is around 30 percent lighter than a steel bracelet and extremely comfortable to wear.
The black dial with gray numerals enhances the jet-black design. This TOP GUN model is powered by the IWC-manufactured 52615 calibre, visible through the tinted sapphire glass case back. The Pellaton winding system is fitted with components made of virtually wear-free ceramic and builds up a power reserve of seven days in two barrels.
A single nightly switching impulse from the base movement drives the perpetual calendar. Its mechanical program automatically recognizes different month lengths and leap years and will require no correction until 2100.
Another IWC speciality is the specific moon phase display, which depicts the moon as it is seen from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It is so precise that it will only deviate by one day after 577.5 years. The annual production of this extraordinary timepiece will be limited to 150 pieces.
The Pilot’s Watch Timezoner TOP GUN Ceratanium (Ref. IW395505) is the first TOP GUN model with a Timezoner® complication.
The watch can be set to a different time zone by simply pressing down and rotating the bezel. The hour hand, the 24-hour display and the date will move forwards or backwards in one-hour steps.
This also works across the dateline and without losing a single second. The case is made of Ceratanium®, while the city ring is manufactured from ceramic. It contains the names of 24 cities, each one representing one of the international time zones. The numerals are printed in gray on the dial, while the numbers 12, 3, 6 and 9 are coated with a luminescent material.
The jet-black tactical design is complemented with a tinted sapphire glass case back and a black rubber strap with textile inlay.
The IWC-manufactured 82760 calibre uses a Pellaton winding system reinforced with ceramic components to build up a power reserve of 60 hours in the mainspring. The annual production of the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner TOP GUN Ceratanium will be limited to 500 pieces.
The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN Ceratanium and the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner TOP GUN Ceratanium are available now through IWC boutiques, authorized retail partners or online at IWC.com.
In addition, both timepieces are eligible for registration under the My IWC care program and thus benefit from a 6-year extension to the standard 2-year International Limited Warranty.
Technical details
Model: Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Ceratanium, Ref. IW503604
Functions
Power reserve display
Perpetual Calendar with displays for the date, day, month, year in four digits and perpetual moon phase for both Northern and Southern Hemispheres
Small hacking seconds
Movement
IWC-manufactured caliber 52615
Mechanical automatic movement
Pellaton automatic winding system
Frequency: 28,800 vph / 4 Hz
Jewels: 54
Power reserve: 7 days (168 h)
Case
Ceratanium® case
Diameter: 46.2 mm
Height: 15.4 mm
Glass: Sapphire, arched edge, antireflective coating on both sides
Screw-in crown
Glass secured against displacement caused by drops in air pressure
See-through sapphire glass back
Water-resistant: 6 bar
Dial
Black dial
Black hands
Bracelet
Ceratanium® bracelet with folding clasp
Model: Pilot’s Watch Timezoner® Top Gun Ceratanium, Ref. IW395505
Functions
Date display
Central hacking seconds
Timezoner® function for setting another time zone using the rotating bezel
24-hour display for Worldtimer function
Movement
IWC-manufactured caliber 82760
Mechanical automatic movement
Pellaton automatic winding
Frequency: 28,800 vph / 4 Hz
Jewels: 22
Power: reserve 60 h
Case
Ceratanium® case
Ceramic rotating bezel
Diameter: 46 mm
Height: 15.1 mm
Glass: Sapphire, convex, antireflective coating on both sides
Screw-in crown
Glass secured against displacement caused by drops in air pressure
Water-resistance: 6 bar
Dial
Black dial
Black hands
Strap
Black rubber strap with textile inlay and pin buckle
After last year’s success with the “MCMLIX” celebration edition, the SCAFOGRAF 300 collection now welcomes a new version boasting a blue colour scheme.
Eberhard & Co. created the first SCAFOGRAF in 1959, with the aim of meeting the growing demand for diving watches. This model became one of the La Chaux-de-Fonds Maison’s greatest successes. It has been counted as one of the most coveted diving timepieces.
After the launch of the first two models (water resistant down to 100 and 200 metres respectively), the SCAFOGRAF 300 version and its evolutions followed, managing to create a timepiece able to withstand a depth of 1000 metres.
In 2016, driven forward by its desire for constant research and innovation, Eberhard & co. designed a re-issue of the SCAFOGRAF 300, a modern re-elaboration which, that very year, went on to win the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
The SCAFOGRAF 300 “MCMLIX” edition, a diving watch, with the name itself, through the transcription in Roman numerals, evokes the year of its original launch, and boasting a galbe dial in blue, Eberhard & Co.’s signature colour, with matt finish and indexes and hands featuring a ‘vintage’ luminescence. The self-winding mechanical movement is housed within a 43 mm diameter steel case, with convex sapphire crystal and automatic helium escape valve at 9 o’clock.
The unidirectional rotating ceramic bezel, also in blue, has ‘vintage’ luminescence on the first quarter of the minute scale. The screw back is decorated with a starfish, the emblem of the collection. The water-repellent leather strap enhances the casual-chic look of the watch and features blue stitching, similarly evoking the rich blue tone of the dial.
Movement
Mechanical, self-winding
Glucydur balance wheel with anachron spiral
Date at 3 o’clock
Central seconds hand
Case
Steel case
Diameter of the case: 43 mm
Thickness of the case: 12.60 mm
Case-back: steel, screwed, personalized with an engraved starfish
Bezel: in ceramic, rotating, unidirectional, with vintage luminescent markings on the first 15 minutes scale
Water-resistance: 300 m, diving watch, with helium escape valve at 9 o’clock
Crown: in steel, screw-in, water-resistant, personalized “E”
Glass: sapphire, convex, anti-reflecting
Dial
Matt blue, “galbé”, personalized with the name of the model. Applied, round indices, triangle-shaped markers at 6-9-12 o’clock, with vintage luminescence. Rectangular date at 3 ‘clock.
Hands with vintage luminescence
Hours hand with triangular tip, inspired by the model from 1959
“Baton-type” minutes hand
Central seconds’ hand with luminescent circular zone
Strap
Water-repellent leather strap with a vintage look and blue stitching
Bracelet
Chassis®, in steel
Deployment clasp Déclic® – Patented
This new A. Lange & Söhne timepiece combines three emblematic features of the prestigious German luxury watch brand: ZEITWERK, HONEYGOLD and Lumen. Limited to 200 pieces, this ZEITWERK Lumen watch in Honey Gold houses a newly developed manufacture calibre with a power reserve to 72 hours.
ZEITWERK
Introduced in 2009, ZEITWERK is a revolutionary technology and design concept by A. Lange & Söhne. It incorporated a three-disc jumping numerals mechanism that indicates the time in a digital format. In addition to two discs for the tens and units-minutes, the jumping numerals mechanism is endowed with a large hour ring that spans almost the entire diameter of the movement. All numerals are identical in size. They switch precisely and read from left to right.
Two mainspring barrels deliver the power needed for switching. The switching point is controlled by a patented constant-force escapement. It also assures that the balance is always driven with constant power. Refined from the bottom up, the ZEITWERK calibre L043.9 has twice the power reserve of its predecessor model – 72 hours.
The pusher at 4 o’clock is new. It allows the hour indication to be switched separately, which in turn makes it simpler to set the time. The switching impulse is generated when it is released. The advantage is that switching is always uniformly executed, regardless of how gently or vigorously the pusher is actuated.
The pioneering technical concept is paired with an equally innovative design. One of its most prominent elements is the curved time bridge that dominates the dial. It is part of the movement and forms an elegant frame for all time indications. In the ZEITWERK HONEYGOLD “Lumen”, it consists of black rhodiumed German silver and thus integrates well with the dark sapphire-crystal dial.
With a gentle click, the new manufacture calibre L043.9 instantly switches the numerals display of the ZEITWERK HONEYGOLD “Lumen” from one minute to the next until, at the top of the hour, the sophisticated mechanism simultaneously switches all three numerals discs by one increment.
In the second generation as well, a patented constant-force escapement controls the complex switching processes and at the same time handles two important functions: on the one hand, it generates the impulse for the jumping advance of the time display. On the other hand, it drives the balance with nearly uniform power across the entire run time. This keeps the amplitude constant, which has a positive effect on rate stability.
The integration of a pusher for correcting the hour indication, first introduced in the ZEITWERK DATE, required considerable effort from the designers and increased the number of movement parts to 462. To enable the correction independently of the switching cycles of the time display, a clutch uncouples the hour ring from the jumping numerals mechanism each time the pusher is pressed. The setting of the minute display in both directions is performed with the crown located at 2 o’clock.
The cam-poised balance wheel with a freely oscillating balance spring beats with a frequency of 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour (2.5 hertz). Further Lange-style quality features of the ZEITWERK HONEYGOLD “Lumen” include the exquisite artisanal finissage of the twofold-assembled movement, much of which can be admired through the sapphire-crystal caseback.
Easily recognisable assets are the hand-engraved balance and escape-wheel cocks, the solarised winding wheels and the filigreed, straight-grained constant-force escapement bridge that accommodates two recessed, screwed gold chatons.
LUMEN
The designation “Lumen” refers to the specially developed, semi-transparent dial that makes the luminous jumping numerals display fully visible.
The light-permeable coating of the dial allows the luminous numerals that are not exposed in the aperture to absorb enough UV light and thus light energy needed to make them glow in the dark. Consequently, the digital display remains visible even right after each switching sequence. At night, the numerals discs that are only slightly visible during the day cause the watch to glow.
At A. Lange & Söhne, “Lumen” is the name of a series of timepieces that rely on current scientific insights to deliver a clear design statement.
The ZEITWERK “Luminous” presented in 2010 was followed by “Lumen” editions of the GRAND LANGE 1 (2013), the GRAND LANGE 1 MOON PHASE (2016) and the DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN (2018).
HONEYGOLD
Limited to 200 watches, the ZEITWERK HONEYGOLD “Lumen” features a 41.9 mm diameter case made of Lange’s proprietary honey gold – a first for a “Lumen” model.
Various admixtures and a special thermal treatment endow the 18-carat gold alloy with extra hardness and an inimitably warm lustre. The hands of the power-reserve indicator and of the subsidiary seconds as well as the Lange prong buckle are made of the same material. The watch comes with a dark dial and a dark-brown leather strap.
This brand new Luna Magna watch in Platinum boasts an aventurine crystal sky dial featuring a large three-dimensional moon composed of blue aventurine and grey marble.
Featuring a fully polished 950 platinum case, this celestial inspired timepiece also features a white mother-of-pearl hour and minute sub-dial in a satin-brushed ring.
The Arnold & Son Luna Magna Platinum watch is a limited series of only twenty-eight pieces. Set in aventurine crystal, the metallic crystals bring the dial to life with their brilliance. Half of the 12 mm three-dimensional moon is made of grey marble and the other half of aventurine crystal, reflecting the moon’s dual nature.
The hours and minutes are displayed on the graduated dial with twelve Roman numerals bearing the Arnold & Son signature. This eccentric disc owes its luminosity to the slightly iridescent white mother-of-pearl.
Luna Magna Platinum is based on the A&S1021 calibre, which has been fully developed and then assembled and adjusted in Switzerland. Designed around the lunar globe, the movement is hand-wound and features a 90-hour power reserve and regulating mechanism set at 3 Hz. On the back is a secondary display, with clearly legible lunations for fine adjustments.
The celestial mechanism also owes its sophisticated design to the fidelity in its astronomical accuracy. The duration of a complete lunar cycle is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds.
Arnold & Son have succeeded in approximating this cycle such that, if the watch was never stopped, it would take 122 years for the moon-phase display to accumulate a day’s discrepancy from the correct phase. And the correction is easy, since Luna Magna Platinum’s lunar function is accessible directly from the crown.
Technical details
Model: Luna Magna Platinum
Reference: 1LMAX.A01A.C183A
Functions
Hours, minutes, astronomical moon-phase (correction one day in every 122 years), moon-phase indicator on back
Movement
Calibre A&S1021, hand-wound mechanism
Jewels: 35
Diameter: 37.60 mm
Height: 12.00 mm with three-dimensional moon (4.75 mm without moon)
Power reserve: 90 hours
Frequency: 3 Hz / 21,600 vph
Finishes
Platinum: pearlised
Bridges: sunray and chamfered Côtes de Genève
Wheels: circular-grained satin finish
Screws: blued and chamfered, polished heads
Moon-phase indicator: circular-grained satin finish
Dial
Aventurine crystal
Hour dial: white mother-of-pearl
Flange: blue PVD coating
Moon: diameter: 12.00 mm; grey marble and aventurine crystal
Case
Material: 950 platinum
Diameter: 44.00 mm
Thickness: 15.90 mm (with crystal)
Crystal: Domed sapphire, anti-reflective coating on both sides
Back: Sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on both sides
Water resistance: 30 metres/100ft
Strap
Material: Alligator leather, blue (exterior) and dark magenta (interior), hand-stitched
Buckle: Pin, platinum PT950
Edition
Limited edition of 28 pieces
Global retail price
CHF 55,900 (subject to modification) excl. tax
This Unimatic timepiece was created in collaboration with Uncrate, the leading buyer’s guide for men and one of the largest men’s publications.
The Modello Tre chrono-diver U3-U captures the essence of the model with the bare minimum of ornamentation. The dial of the U3-U Chronodiver has been stripped of all excessive markers, with the indices represented by lume filled outlines and the matte aluminium bezel having just a single raised lume dot.
It remains a fully-functional two-complication chronograph, with a Meca-quartz Seiko VK64 movement that combines the accuracy of quartz with the crisp feel and performance of a mechanical chronograph; and a thick double domed sapphire lens. The case is sand-blasted PVD gunmetal grey, a case treatment that’s a first for Unimatic.
The watch is fitted with a storm gray TPU two-piece strap and a black heavy-duty Unimatic nylon NATO strap, both with sandblasted gunmetal PVD finish hardware, accompanied by a tough case that holds both this watch and another, and a Unimatic x Uncrate warranty card for the two-year worldwide warranty.
This timepiece is limited to just 100 examples worldwide. The UNIMATIC x UNCRATE Modello Tre U3-U is available exclusive at http://www.uncrate.com and http://www.unimaticwatches.com with a retail price of 650 EUR excluding VAT.
Technical details
Model: Unimatic Modello Tre U3-U
Case
Material: 316L stainless steel
Case finishing: Sandblasted gunmetal PVD finish
Diameter: 40mm
Lugs / strap size: 22mm
120 clicks mono-directional safety bezel; Matte black aluminium minimal insert with raised lume dot
Caseback: Unimatic x Uncrate screw-down caseback
Crown: Alchemical Sun ☉ 8mm screw-down
2.5mm thick double domed sapphire crystal with inner side anti-reflective coating
Water resistance: 300m = 1000ft = 30atm WR
Dial
Black matte, two sub-dial
Super-LumiNova® C1 white raised outline
Trims: White open second rail and dial trims
Hands: Matte black ladder phantom H+M, reverse lollipop S, white tip
Movement
Meca-quartz calibre Seiko VK64
Frequency: 32,768 Hz
Type of oscillator: Tuning fork
Antimagnetic: 1600 A/m
A limited edition of 100 pieces, the ref.U1-GM diver watch is born from the collaboration between Unimatic and Grimoldi Milano. It’s the first Unimatic ‘Destro’ left-hand watch.
Reflecting the visual codes associated with the marine world, orange was chosen for both the dial and the TPU strap, for an optimal readability and great visibility even underwater.
The U1-GM embodies the essence of the professional diving watch of that era, the clean lines of the Modello Uno are a tribute to the historic Grimoldi store in Portofino, underlining the prestige of Made in Italy and highlighting the Italian cultural heritage.
Grimoldi Milano is a family-run business since 1960’s located under the arcades on Piazza Duomo in Milan. It has always been a symbol of the Italian artisanal production of watches and jewels.
Carrying on the tradition, Grimoldi is continuing to invest in the search of innovative shapes and original designs. It is one of the first Unimatic retail partners worldwide.
Modello Uno ref. U1-GM is the Made in Italy professional diving watch. It features an International orange dive dial with markers in Super-LumiNova® BGW9 white lume matching the lumed dot on the matte gray aluminium professional diver insert and a cool gray open second rail and dial trims.
Time is indicated thanks to the matte black phantom ladder hands set and the black reverse lollipop second hand with white tip. The double domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal provides the best performance in every light condition.
The solid 316 brushed stainless steel case, the screwed in 2mm thick caseback, the 8mm diameter crown together with the high quality gaskets set provide a water resistance tested individually to 30 atm (300m/1000ft).
This timepiece is driven by the NH35A automatic movement. Its beats at 21,600 b.p.h and provides 41h power reserve.
The watch comes on an International orange TPU two piece strap, an extra black Unimatic nylon Nato strap with stainless steel brushed hardware signed Unimatic. The caseback features the Unimatic x Grimoldi engraving and the individual progressive number.
The UNIMATIC x GRIMOLDI Modello Uno U1-GM is available exclusive at http://www.unimaticwatches.com and Grimoldi stores with a retail price of 650 EUR excluding VAT.
Peren’s brand new timepiece, the Nera Rogue is inspired by an iconic military dive watch.
In the 1960s, the legendary Swiss Maison Blancpain created the Tornek Rayville TR-900 diver for the United States Navy.
It was specially developed for the US Navy’s Experimental Diving Unit for use by its Underwater Demolition Team divers, a unit that would later become known as the Navy SEAL’s.
Only around 1,000 pieces were made, and most were subsequently destroyed because the watch was using a radioactive element. This timepiece is a rare horological gem and only about 30 pieces exist as on date.
Taking inspiration from the legendary TR-900 timepiece, the Peren Nera Rogue is a distinctive hand built automatic Swiss dive watch with unique features.
This Swiss made diving timepiece features a 39mm diameter case made of marine grade stainless steel. The Nera Rogue watch is equipped with a screw-down crown at 3 o’ clock and a black PVD unidirectional rotating bezel. The fluted conical rotating bezel offers supreme grip and smooth operation.
The watch is water resistant up to 200m/660ft. It houses an in-house regulated Swiss Automatic Sellita SW200 movement, which provides a power reserve of 38 hours when fully wound.
Presently, the Peren Nera Rogue watch can be pre-ordered via the brand’s online store. The pre-order price is CHF 449 and the recommended retail price will be CHF 689.00.
Estimated delivery: November 2021.
Technical details
Case
Diameter: 39mm
Height: 12.80mm
Lug to Lug: 48.80mm
Case: Three tone 316L Stainless Steel, drilled lugs
Case finishing: Bead-blasted/brushed/hand polished
Bezel: Black PVD, conical, knurling by hand, rotating unidirectional 120 clicks
Crown: Screw-down, embossed logo
Crystal: Scratchproof Sapphire, 3 AR layer coating
Water resistance: 200m/660ft
Movement
Swiss Automatic Sellita SW200, in-house regulated
Power reserve: 38 Hours
Young watch brand Revelot presents R11 Hexmariner, a dress styled dive watch that reinterprets the designs of iconic diving timepieces like Submariner.
While maintaining the silhouette of the Sub, the overall case and bracelet of the R11 Hexmariner watch are given more angular and edgy by introducing chamfers and hexes giving an industrial edge to the iconic profile. Both brush & polish metal finishes give this modern tool watch a touch of a classic elegance.
The watch is mounted with a unidirectional ceramic bezel with C3/BGW9 Swiss made Super-luminova.
An anti-reflective chamfered sapphire glass protects the dial side. Instead of the emblematic lollipop hands, the brand has decided to fit a sturdy chamfered sword shaped hands with mirror on the side and brush on the top with a generous dash of Super-Luminova. Same for the Indexes in order to match the drapes; hex shaped chamfered blocks filled with C3 or BGW9 Swiss lume depending on model.
R11 Hexmariner boasts an embossed Crystal Star pattern dial which harmonizes with the overall design. The watch is also available with a Muonionalusta meteorite dial.
The R11 is powered with the Seiko NH35 self-winding movement with date display. Fitted with a decorated exhibition caseback, the Revelot Hexmariner offers 200m water resistance.
On 19th October this year, the brand launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the initial mass production of the R11 Hexmariner watch. During this one month long crowd-funding drive, the brand is offering a special launch price of $279.
Technical details
Movement
NH35A with Date
Case
Ceramic bezel insert
Anti-reflective sapphire glass
Stainless Steel & Cusn8 bronze variants
200M water resistant
Decorated exhibition caseback
Dial
3D embossed Crystal star dial & Muonionalusta meteorite dial
Sword shaped hands with brush top & polish sides
Polished Hex chamfered indexes
C3 or BGW9 Super-Luminova applied
The Piaget Rose is best-known as one of the Maison’s exquisite jewellery collections, but it is also the name of an award-winning flower named after Yves Piaget. This rose comes in a unique and vibrant shade of fuchsia and is appreciated for its large bloom with 80 layers of petals and its fragrance that features hints of citrus.
The Piaget Rose was born in 2002 in the Maison’s High Jewellery collections and has continued to bloom ever since. Piaget dreamed up elegant gold and diamond bouquets, which were followed by creations featuring diva-pink tourmalines and candy-pink opals. Over the years the Maison has created an array of jewels inspired by the Yves Piaget Rose.
This year, Piaget added a Piaget Rose Ring (G34UX200) and four Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art timepieces to this iconic collection.
The Piaget Rose timepieces have been interpreted with an array of Métiers d’Art over the years, including micro mosaic, wood and stone marquetry, embroidery, engraving, guilloché, and miniature enamel. This year sees the arrival of four new timepieces that combine a mesmerizing mix of gold engraving, ornamental stones, glyptic, and enamel.
Ornamental stones have been dear to Piaget since the 1960s and the art of micro-sculpting and engraving them is called glyptic or glyptography. Glyptic is mainly used on large stones in jewellery, and it is rare to see it on this miniature scale.
Each of the four dials depicts a bouquet of Piaget Roses in all their splendour thanks to the expert work of two artisans: Dick Steenman, who is a watchmaking artisan, jeweller, gem-setter, and engraver, and Anita Porchet, the watch industry’s most renowned enamel artist. Both artists have years of experience and are leaders in their respective fields.
Dick Steenman has created several glyptic timepieces and jewellery for Piaget, including an Extremely Piaget hand-engraved emerald cuff bracelet, a one-of-a-kind Golden Oasis Glyptic & Enamel timepiece, and a Wings of Light timepiece to name a few. His favourite mediums include miniature gold and glyptic sculpture and he never ceases to push the boundaries of his creativity by fusing watchmaking and jewellery techniques.
Anita Porchet has been collaborating with Piaget since 2006, and is renowned for her mastery of all the enamelling techniques, from the most complicated miniature, to cloisonné, champlevé, grisaille and paillonné.
Together, Anita Porchet and Dick Steenman have created four unique dials using gold, imperial jasper, coral, chrysoprase, mokaïte, enamel, and mother-of-pearl of various colours.
These ornamental precious stones and materials have been combined with Piaget’s ultra-thin 430P movement in the creation of four exquisite limited editions of eight pieces.
Each dial comes to life in the hands of Dick Steenman who sculpts and engraves each miniature Piaget Rose in gold so that Anita Porchet can add the perfect shade of enamel.
All four limited editions come in an ultrathin 36mm, 18-karat gold cases set with baguette-cut diamonds. Three of the four timepieces are adorned with ornamental stones as well as pink sapphires, green tsavorites and diamonds.
The fourth one features an engraved solid gold dial adorned with pink sapphires amethysts and diamonds. Each timepiece is limited to eight pieces.
Technical details
Model: Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art, Reference: G0A46216
Case
18K rose gold
Diameter: 36mm
Thickness: 7.6mm
Case set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx.1.63cts) and 279 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.1.47cts)
Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx.0.06ct)
Movement
Piaget Manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical 430P movement
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: 43 hours
Dial
Dial with ornamental stones glyptic, golden graving and enamel
Set with 9 brilliant-cut green tsavorites (approx.0.02ct) and 37 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.0.18ct)
Strap
Coral alligator strap with 18K rose gold ardillon buckle set with 23 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.0.04ct)
Edition
Limited and numbered edition of 8 pieces
Boutique exclusivity
Case
18K rose gold
Diameter: 36mm
Thickness: 7.6mm
Case set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx.1.63cts) and 279 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.1.47cts)
Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx.0.06ct)
Movement
Piaget Manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical 430P movement
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: 43hours
Dial
Dial with ornamental stones glyptic, gold engraving and enamel
Set with 28 brilliant-cut pink sapphires (approx. 0.14ct), 8 brilliant-cut green tsavorites (approx.0.02ct) and 10 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.05ct)
Strap
Pink alligator strap with 18K rose gold ardillon buckle set with 23 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.04ct)
Edition
Limited and numbered edition of 8 pieces
Boutique exclusivity
Model: Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art, Reference: G0A46218
Case
18K rose gold
Diameter: 36mm
Thickness: 7.6mm
Case set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx.1.63cts) and 279 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.47cts)
Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.06ct)
Movement
Piaget Manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical 430P movement
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: 43 hours
Dial
Dial with ornamental stones glyptic, gold engraving and enamel
Set with 14 brilliant-cut pink sapphires (approx. 0.07ct),11 brilliant-cut green tsavorites (approx. 0.02ct) and 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.0.12ct)
Strap
Raspberry alligator strap with 18K rose gold ardillon buckle set with 23 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.0.04ct)
Edition
Limited and numbered edition of 8 pieces
Boutique exclusivity
Model: Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art, Reference: G0A46219
Case
18K rose gold
Diameter: 36mm
Thickness: 7.6mm
Case set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 1.63cts) and 279 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.47cts)
Crown set with 1 brilliant-cut diamond (approx. 0.06ct)
Movement
Piaget Manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical 430P movement
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: 43 hours
Dial
Dial with gold engraving
Set with 23 brilliant-cut pink sapphires (approx.0.12ct), 6 brilliant-cut purple amethysts (approx.0.04ct) and 12 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.0.06ct)
Strap
Pink alligator strap with 18K rose gold ardillon buckle set with 23 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.0.04ct)
Edition
Limited and numbered edition of 8 pieces
Boutique exclusivity
Piaget Rose Ring (reference G34UX200)
Two delicately-crafted Piaget Rose rings join the collection in a choice of pink or green. Pink for the vibrant colour of the Piaget Rose petals and green for the deep hue of the flower’s foliage. At the centre of each ring, a stunning tourmaline of approximately 5 carats is surrounded by gold and diamond buds, and Piaget Rose flowers.
Each layer of rose petals is meticulously finished and set before being mounted on the ring in an asymmetrical design. The original and audacious setting is inspired by Piaget’s high jewellery creations and shows an exceptional level of detail that even includes a delicate “Rose ajourée” openwork decor that is secretly hidden on the back of each ring.
The tourmaline, also called indigolite or indicolite, is named after the colour indigo. Tourmalines usually come in a deep indigo blue but can also come in a shade of greenish/ blue which is intense and luminous in colour.
This vibrant greenish/blue brings an impressive depth to each gemstone. The indicolites selected by Piaget come in this greenish/ blue colour and are very joyful, a mood which is reflected in all of Piaget’s creations.
These greenish/blue tourmalines are rare and sought-after gemstones. It is extremely difficult to find blue/green tourmalines with such a perfect tone and saturation balance that are not too dark in colour.
The delicate rose-coloured tourmaline has been prized by jewellers for centuries. This exact shade of colour and size is also quite rare to find. Tourmalines are appreciated by jewellers for their hardness and tenacity that means they can stand the test of time. They have also become increasingly rare as the few known deposits are now almost exhausted, adding to the magic of the tourmaline.
The large pink and green tourmalines are cut into an oval shape, which is the best cut for coloured gemstones to allow the colour to be concentrated where the eye can see it and maximize brilliance and shine. All the stones are also cut in accordance with Piaget’s extremely high-quality standards.
The green tourmaline ring comes in rose gold with 154 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.69 cts), one oval green tourmaline (approx. 4.92 cts) and 8 pear-shaped green tourmalines (approx. 1.36 cts).
The pink tourmaline is set in a white gold ring with 154 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.69 cts), one oval pink tourmaline (approx. 4.94 cts) and 8 pear-shaped pink tourmalines (approx. 1.36 cts).
Limited Edition of 38 pieces, this new Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon watch features an eye-catching aventurine glass dial and a 38mm diameter white gold case with a diamond-set bezel
Aventurine glass is a magical material that mirrors the starry night sky. The Altiplano Tourbillon Aventurine dial features an ultra-thin flying tourbillon carriage in an off-centered window at 2 o’clock. The tourbillon cage forms an infinity symbol (figure of 8) along with the offset dial positioned at 8 o’clock.
In 2017, Piaget celebrated the 60th anniversary of its ultra-thin movement with the unveiling of the ultra-thin Altiplano Flying Tourbillon, putting the movement at the service of the design.
This manufacture manual-winding movement featured the time at eight o’clock and the tourbillon at two o’clock. It is comprised of 157 ultra-thin and ultra-light components, such as a carriage measuring a mere 2.88mm, and three titanium bridges weighing no more than 0.2g.
This watch comes in a 38mm white gold case with baguette-cut diamonds on the bezel, a first for an Altiplano Tourbillon of this size. The lugs and the crown are set with 13 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.19 ct) while the bezel is adorned with 48 baguette- cut diamonds (approx. 2.06 cts).
This Altiplano timepiece houses the Piaget Manufacture 670P Tourbillon calibre. Its sapphire case back provides a stunning view of this ultra-thin movement.
The Piaget Altiplano Tourbillon also holds a patent for its stem mechanism, featuring an intermediate wheel that looks like a staircase and enables the user to set the time of the off-centered dial — another first in the watch industry.
The watch is paired with a dark blue alligator strap with an 18K white gold clasp adorned with 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.06 ct).
Case
Material: 18K white gold
Diameter: 38 mm
Thickness: 7.35mm
Lugs and crown set with 13 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.0.19ct)
Bezel set with 48 baguette-cut diamonds (approx. 2.06 cts)
Sapphire case back
Movement
Piaget manufacture ultra-thin hand-wound mechanical Tourbillon movement (670P)
Power reserve: 48 hours
Dial
Aventurine glass dial with white gold coloured index
Functions
Off-centered hours and minutes at 8 o’ clock, flying tourbillon at 2 o’ clock, seconds indicated by the tourbillon carriage at 2 o’ clock
Strap
Shiny dark blue alligator strap with 18K white gold folding clasp, set with 24 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx.0.06ct)
Vacheron Constantin has announced the opening of a new flagship in the heart of Tokyo, in Ginza at 4-chome.
This new Ginza boutique pays tribute to the Maison’s longstanding history with Japan which dates back to 1917 and to the commitment to outstanding customer service.
In the 19th century, Geneva was already an international crossroads and a must-visit for the Japanese public keen on acquiring high-precision timepieces, members of the diplomatic corps, people passing through for leisure purposes, aristocrats, and many others. Acknowledged for expertise and the quality of its products, Vacheron Constantin naturally acquired a considerable portion of this clientele.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were already records of Japanese customers purchasing watches at Vacheron Constantin in Geneva. The Maison was introduced into Japan after signing an exclusive contract with an import agency in 1917.
In 1921, Vacheron Constantin earned recognition from some famous figures including Inazo NITOBE, author of the book entitled Bushido; Baron Tetsutaro Megada, appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the League of Nations and also a member of the Japanese imperial family.
In 1937, HRH Prince Chichibu Yasuhito (1902-1953, brother of Mikado Hirohito) and Princess Setsuko, known as “Princess Chichibu” visited the Vacheron Constantin boutique in Geneva and signed the guest book at this occasion. In 1953, His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus Akihito (the 125th Emperor of Japan) visited the Vacheron Constantin boutique and Manufacture workshops. He was welcomed by Léon Constantin and discovered the various stages involved in the production of watches.
As a demonstration of the Maison’s commitment to customer-centered service, the second floor opens onto a watchmaking bench intended to encourage interaction with an in-house watchmaker and which will be flanked by a custom strap/bracelet station featuring an innovative watch display instrument.
Opening on 5th December 2021, Ginza Flagship will be one of the very few boutiques in the world to permanently showcase a selection of “Les Collectionneurs” vintage timepieces. According to a defined yearly schedule, rotating exhibitions of historical timepieces from the Maison private heritage collection in Geneva will also be on display.
The new Ginza flagship houses the complete Vacheron Constantin collections from simple to high complications, as well as boutique-exclusive models, the first permanent Les Collectionneurs vintage watch offering, and a rotating Les Cabinotiers assortment.
The Ginza boutique showcases exclusive artworks created in collaboration with Japanese illustrator and multi-award winning picture book author, Sugio YAMAZAKI. His style of work features a classical Japanese aesthetic that has been appreciated and used in numerous books and products. On this occasion, he created new artworks inspired by the Maison’s brand image and its vision of ‘Classic with a Twist’.
Boutique address
Vacheron Constantin Ginza flagship Boutique address: 4-3-9 Ginza, Chuo-ward, Tokyo Monday-Sunday: 12:00-20:00
Zenith offers the first special edition of its most rugged chronograph to date, the DEFY Extreme Desert.
For this first special edition of the rugged DEFY Extreme, Zenith has stepped out onto uncharted territories, resulting in a piece that’s as much precision watchmaking as it is a wearable piece of art.
Inspired by the wild and barren desert landscapes, the DEFY Extreme Desert represents a more artistic reimagining of the monolithic 1/100th of a second chronograph, and the first in a developing series of DEFY EXTREME models inspired by extreme environments.
Crafted in a titanium case, the Defy Extreme Desert evokes the endless sandy horizon in a singular and unprecedented manner.
The component that protects the pushers as well as the dodecagonal bezel are crafted from falcon’s eye, a blue-grey opaque macro-crystalline quartz gemstone that’s named after the bird-of-prey that has accompanied desert nomads for centuries, soaring high above the horizon and symbolizing determination and endurance. When polished, the stone evokes a mirage of an oasis in the scorching desert heat.
The hand-working of such an exotic gemstone into an integral part of the complex case’s structure is something that has never been attempted before in any watch. And as each stone is different and exhibits slightly different colours and fibrous structures, each of the 50 DEFY Extreme Desert watches is essentially a unique piece.
The open dial of the DEFY Extreme Desert reveals the inner workings of the El Primero 21 movement beneath, topped by a tinted sapphire crystal for the counters and power reserve indicator in a warm beige-brown hue, complemented by beige luminescent markers and hands as well as applied chronograph counters in a matching tone.
Completing the look of this conceptual piece are the supplied durable black Velcro strap and beige rubber strap, which can be easily swapped with the titanium bracelet using the quick strap-change mechanism on the back of the case.
The DEFY Extreme Desert is available now at all Zenith boutiques around the world as well its online shop.
Movement
El Primero 9004 automatic
Frequency: 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)
1/100th of a second Chronograph movement, Exclusive dynamic signature of one rotation per second for the Chrono hand, 1 escapement for the Watch (36,000 VpH – 5 Hz); 1 escapement for the Chronograph (360,000 VpH – 50Hz),
Power reserve: min. 50 hours
Finishes: Black colored main plate on movement + Special black colored oscillating weight with satined finishings
Functions
Hours and minutes in the centre
Small seconds at 9 o’clock
1/100th of a second Chronograph: Central chronograph hand that makes one turn each second, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 60-second counter at 6 o’clock
Chronograph power-reserve indication at 12 o’clock
Case
Material: Brushed titanium & falcon’s eye gemstone
Diameter: 45 mm
Thickness: 15.40 mm
Screwed-in crown
Water resistance: 20 ATM
Dial
Tinted sapphire with three beige-coloured counters
Hour markers: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with beige Superluminova
Hands: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with beige Superluminova
Bracelet
Titanium triple folding clasp and microblasted titanium bracelet
New Interchangeable strap system
Also comes with a beige rubber strap and a black Velcro® strap
BOVET 1822 presents Battista Tourbillon in collaboration with Automobili Pininfarina to celebrate the launch of the world’s first pure electric hyper GT.
Created alongside Battista hyper GT, this beautifully-designed and sophisticated timepiece reflects design excellence and craftsmanship of BOVET 1822 and Automobili Pininfarina.
Battista hyper GT is the first automobile designed and completely assembled in Cambiano. And, Battista Tourbillon is the first timepiece born from the partnership between the two iconic houses.
The Automobili Pininfarina and BOVET design teams worked hand-in-hand in the creation of the Battista Tourbillon. With a focus on lightness and purity, the timepiece extends Battista’s design philosophy and brings it to another dimension.
Detailing inspired by Battista’s most characteristic design features can be found in every part of the timepiece, including the movement’s mechanical components. The exquisite craftsmanship of BOVET made it possible to design remarkable details that only the most skilled artisans can manufacture by hand.
Box sapphire crystals on both sides ensure that the inner beauty of this mechanical masterpiece can be enjoyed and admired, opening up the view of the movement visible from all sides.
In addition, the sapphire crystals are shaped at 12 and 6 o’clock to integrate the specially designed Vegan rubber straps. The process of manufacturing a timepiece at this level of complexity and quality is based around the highly skilled artisans from the house of BOVET.
The Battista Tourbillon features exquisite detailing inspired by the design language and features of the hyper-GT itself. Every element of the timepiece’s design has been crafted to reflect Automobili Pininfarina’s PURA design philosophy, which uses elegant simplicity and lightness as its starting point.
Combining many areas of expertise from both sides, the timepiece incorporates fresh and groundbreaking ideas within a classically-oriented watchmaking structure coupled with extraordinary finishing.
Inspiration for this came from Battista’s most recognizable features, like the exterior curves and design details. The Automobili Pininfarina and BOVET design teams took these shapes and created watch hands, bridges, dials, and other structures that connect the design of Battista to that of the timepiece.
The design features more fluid, Pininfarina-style shapes compared to traditional timepieces. As an example, the flying bridge above the two main dials of the timepiece has a subtle three-dimensionality that is unique and reflects the curves of the Battista.
Throughout the entire timepiece, references to Battista can be found. Subtle background characteristics such as the Triangolo pattern on the dials or the top of the Battista, reimagined in miniature and viewed through the sapphire crystal exhibition case back, marry the timepiece and the hypercar.
The timepiece features the Automobili Pininfarina and BOVET collaborative flags on the power-reserve dial, a signature Pininfarina detail that celebrates both companies’ heritage and future.
One of Battista’s most recognizable features, the E-Heart represents Automobili Pininfarina’s spirit for constant innovation. It is the physical element that, besides being functional, acts as an icon on Battista and all the following automobiles.
Where in Battista the E-Heart indicates the state of charging, in the Battista Tourbillon the E Heart-shaped aperture of the Big Date on the front, and on the back showing BOVET’s patented differential winding mechanism; the mechanism that makes rewinding the timepiece for a full 10 day of power reserve easier and quicker.
The Battista Tourbillon truly represents the pinnacle of haute horlogerie. From the exquisite details and finishing of each and every component to the utmost complexity of the movement, the timepiece is a showcase of high watchmaking at its finest. Each element, whether functional or decorative, is designed to represent the shared values of Automobili Pininfarina and BOVET.
The construction of the Battista Tourbillon results in a highly three-dimensional appearance, with each part of the movement and its complications clearly visible both from the face of the timepiece as well as through the exhibition case back and the exposed sides. The 45.6-millimeter case consists of two large sapphire crystals, enhancing the lightness and purity of the design.
The two-tone blue dials on the face of the timepiece, for the first time in the almost 200-year history of BOVET, are asymmetrical, featuring Battista’s Triangolo pattern and shaded from light to dark blue, while together forming the shape of the number “90,” a reference to the Battista Anniversario and Pininfarina’s 90-year heritage.
On the power-reserve dial on the left, the famous Pininfarina collaborative flags icon can be found, with the “F” for Pininfarina on the left and the Lotus Flower for BOVET on the right.
Further references to Battista’s design can be found throughout the face of the timepiece. Above the two main dials, the flying bridge resembles Battista’s curves, and the “V” in BOVET, while the tourbillon cage is inspired by its Impulso wheels of the Battista with their center-lock technology. The hands of the timepiece and the hour-indication ring are a reference to the curves of Battista’s exterior.
Through the exhibition case back, the main structure of the movement can be admired, which is an abstract representation of Battista’s curves that wrap around the teardrop shaped Goccia roof like a clamshell. The two-tone coloring of the bridges supports this reference to Battista.
The fine detailing in Iconica Blu is combined with traditional finishing such as Côtes de Genève, angling, and polishing. In addition, Super-LumiNova has been generously applied to all the hands, including the seconds indication structure on the top of the tourbillon cage, the ring underneath the tourbillon, as well as the hand of the power reserve, the indices, and even the Big Date display.
Finally, the signature of Battista “Pinin” Farina, the legendary designer who started it all, graces the dial above the date display.
The Battista Tourbillon features a brand-new movement using Bovet’s patented double face tourbillon, running at 18,000 vibrations per hour, with an incredible 10-day power reserve with just a single barrel. This movement was created specifically for the Battista Tourbillon, following the design input from Automobili Pininfarina.
Developing this new movement, placing the hour and minute hands in the center, adding a grand date, and redesigning the tourbillon cage was done entirely in-house by BOVET, working closely with the APF design team.
The patented two-sided flying tourbillon is attached at the center of its axis, and the weight distribution of the escapement and balance-spring drastically reduces the lever-arm effect and friction, another example of the high precision and complexity of this movement.
The miniaturization of the winding mechanism resulted in a second patent — a mechanical watch with 10-days of power reserve would typically require twice as many turns of the crown to wind; however, the exclusive winding system in the Battista Tourbillon and its spherical differential halves this number.
The hair spring and the regulating organ of this new tourbillon movement are manufactured in-house – BOVET 1822 is one of only a handful of companies in the world that can produce its own hair springs and escapements.
Both houses emphasize the importance of hand craftsmanship in their products. At BOVET 1822, in combination with the most modern manufacturing methods, an artisan hand-finishes every component throughout the production process, whether it is polishing, angling, teethcutting, hardening, engraving, or decorating. And, at the end of the process, each and every timepiece is assembled, by hand, by master watchmakers.
Likewise, each Battista hyper GT is meticulously hand-finished at Automobili Pininfarina’s bespoke facility in Cambiano, Italy, with every element of the car the driver and passenger interacts with impeccably detailed by a team of experienced and passionate artisans. Every client specifying a Battista is invited into the Automobili Pininfarina family to work with the design and engineering teams to create their personal, perfect Battista.
Although its case measures 45.6mm diameter, the Battista Tourbillon is surprisingly light weight. The configuration of the re-designed BOVET bow at the 12 0’clock positions makes it possible for the timepiece to fit just about any size of wrist.
And, thanks to the skeletonized structures of the movement itself and the sapphire crystals on both sides, the Battista is thin and extremely comfortable. The flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, in perpetual motion thanks to its astounding 10- day power reserve, is mesmerizing and a key point of focus when checking the time. The big date on the right-hand dial keeps you on schedule, and it is easily set thanks to a corrector on the side of the case.
The Battista pure-electric hyper GT also combines the sustainable luxury concepts envisaged by both firms.
In the Battista hyper GT, new methodologies have been introduced for tanning seat leather with olive leaves, recycling materials throughout the production process, and creating innovative new materials by combining off-cuts of leather and wood.
Mechanical timepieces are by their very nature sustainable. In addition, the BOVET 1822 manufacturing processes have been reconfigured to capture and recycle any and all waste, including metal, oils, treatments, and other materials.
With the Battista Tourbillon, the decision was to not use alligator leather straps, but instead a new two-tone rubber strap was designed and produced that is 100% Vegan.
About Automobili Pininfarina
Automobili Pininfarina is based in operational headquarters in Munich, Germany, with a team of experienced automotive executives from luxury and premium car brands. Designed, engineered and produced by hand in Italy, the Battista hyper GT and all future models will be sold and serviced in all major global markets under the brand name Pininfarina. The new company aims to be the most sustainable luxury car brand in the world.
The company is a 100 per cent Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd investment and has been named Automobili Pininfarina following the signing of a trademark license agreement between Pininfarina S.p.A. and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. Pininfarina S.p.A. will take an influential role in supporting design and production capacities based on their unique 90-year experience of producing many of the world’s most iconic cars.
The Automobili Pininfarina Battista
The Battista is be the most powerful car ever designed and built in Italy and it will deliver a level of performance that is unachievable today in any road legal sports car featuring internal combustion engine technology. Faster than a current Formula 1 race car in its 0 -100 km/h sub-two second sprint, and with more than 1,900 hp and 2,300 Nm torque on tap, the Battista will combine extreme engineering and technology in a zero emissions package.
The Battista’s 120 kWh battery provides power to four electric motors – one at each wheel – with a simulated WLTP range of over 500 km (310 miles) on a single charge. No more than 150 Battistas will be individually hand-crafted at the Pininfarina SpA atelier in Cambiano, Italy.
Technical details
Model: BOVET Battista Tourbillon
Reference Number TPINBA.001/XX/001
Edition
Limited edition to 30 timepieces in Polished Titanium, 30 in Red Gold and 30 in Platinum
Case
Type: Pininfarina
Diameter: 45.60mm
Thickness: 11.95mm
Material: Grade 5 Titanium and sapphire crystal
Strap: Rubber bi-color
Buckle: Titanium pin buckle
Water resistance: 30m
Movement
Calibre 16BM01TVGD
Type: Hand wound mechanical Haute Horlogerie tourbillon movement
Diameter: 16 ½ ‘’’
Frequency: 18,000 v/h
Power reserve: 10 days, single barrel
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds on double-sides flying tourbillon, big date, power reserve indicator
Dial
Two asymmetrical blue dials forming 90 (for the Anniversary of Pininfarina), blued hour and minutes hands
Components
453 – including 400 components for the movement
Patents
Spherical winding
Three-dimensional toothing with multiple gearing
Double face tourbillon
After the success of the Royal British Legion release in May 2021, AVI-8 presents two new timepieces, the Flyboy Royal British Legion Founder’s Chronograph Limited Edition and the Flyboy Royal British Legion Chairman’s Meca-Quartz Limited Edition. These wristwatches are produced to support and commemorate RBL in their centennial year.
AVI-8 Flyboy Royal British Legion Founder’s Chronograph
With an outstanding 1,000 units produced for each of the new models, every timepiece sold will help the RBL continue their vital work supporting those who serve and have served in the British Armed Forces and their families.
The two new timepieces have been inspired by the charity’s first Chairman, Sir Thomas Frederick Lister, and the first President, Field Marshall Earl Haig.
