As an independent watch brand McGonigle Watches made its debut at Baselworld in 2007 by launching its first timepiece, the McGonigle Tourbillon.
Dressed in white or rose gold, the case of McGonigle Tourbillon has a slightly oval shape with dimensions 43/42mm. It boasts a two layer dial structure featuring a sapphire crystal upper dial with drilled indices and German sliver lover dial with hour tracks.
The manual winding tourbillon movement beats inside the timepiece has 18 jewels and offers power reserve up to 110 hours when fully wound. Crafted in German silver, the main plate and bridges of the movement are decorated with hand engravings. These breath taking decorations can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back. This exceptional mechanical movement incorporates wolf teeth gearing system which was popular in 19th century watch making.
The McGonigle Tourbillon comes fitted with a hand-stitched alligator leather strap featuring a hand engraved deployant buckle in red or white gold depending upon the model.
Technical details Case
White or rose gold
Oval shape
Diameter: 43/42mm
Water resistance: 30 meters
Dial
Upper dial: sapphire crystal with drilled indices
Lower hour track dial: German silver
Hand polished steel hands with beveled and grained gold arrow heads
Movement
Hand winding mechanical 60 seconds tourbillon
Power reserve: 110 hours
Balance: free sprung balanced spring
Frequency: 21,600 bph
Escape wheel: gold
Main plate and bridges: Hand engraved German silver
No of parts: 143
No of jewels: 18
Strap
Hand- stitched alligator
Hand engraved gold deployant buckle
The tourbillon regulator ranks among the inventions that have immortalised the genius of Breguet, earning the brand the title of the founder of modern watchmaking. Carved in pink gold, the CLASSIQUE 1808 pays tribute to this invention, which was patented on 7 Messidor year IX (June 26, 1801), according to the French revolutionary calendar. Powered by a manually wound movement the tourbillon is hidden behind a precious cover that takes on a brilliance worthy of the complication.
A sparkling cloud of 706 diamonds illuminates the lugs and cover of the case. The cover opens on a majestic face of pink gold, which provides a choice canvas for fine workmanship. The contrast of colours and embellishments purifies the display of time. Hours and minutes take flight at 12 o’clock on a dial of black rhodium, engine turned in a hobnail pattern. Its sombre hues counteract the soft and radiant tones of the gold baseplate, which is entirely engraved by hand. The pink-gold hands with their openwork points shimmer on a darkened stage. Opposite, the tourbillon reveals its charms in a carriage of polished steel. With it circles a small seconds hand. The sapphire-crystal caseback obscures nothing of the beauty of the manually wound mechanism which has a power reserve of 50 hours. A strap of matt, brown leather, stitched with threads of gold, reflects its nobility on the watch.
Technical details
REF. 1808BR/92/9W6 DD00 Case: round in 18-carat rose gold with finely fluted caseband. Coverlid inscribed with the word “TOURBILLON” and set with 706 diamonds (approx. 4.7 cts). Rounded horns welded to the case with screw -pins to secure the strap. Diameter 40.5 mm. Sapphire -crystal caseback. Water-resistant to 30 metres.
Dial: black rhodium on 18-carat gold hand-engraved on a rose engine. Individually numbered and signed BREGUET. Chapter ring with Roman numerals. Open-tipped BREGUET hands in 18-carat pink gold. Small seconds on the tourbillon carriage at 6 o’clock. Rose -gilt bottom plate entirely engraved by hand.
Movement: hand-wound mechanical, with tourbillon. Individually numbered and signed BREGUET. 13½ lines. 21 jewels. Cal. 557. Lever escapement on the side. 2.5 Hz balance-wheel with load-screws. Breguet overcoil. Adjusted in 6 positions
With this unique wristwatch presented in 2007 by Gabor Kanabé, from Zurich, a master watch maker in his middle ages has reinvented the way time is displayed. “8-Dance” is the name of his grand watch with strong character and spirit.
Gabor Kanabé has always enjoyed letting his creativity flow. Creative work is a must in his original profession: As a dental technician he knows that solutions to difficult problems do not always come easy. This background also shaped his profound knowledge of materials, the processing of precious metals, forming the shapes.
Mr Kanabé has been creating jewellery for a long time whenever his busy schedule would allow him the time. It was during a break, what he calls his “muse moments”, when he had the vision of “his” watch. A watch that shows time as a constantly changing image.
The result is named “8-Dance”, an unconventional and patented design that took years of development and fine-tuning. The centrepieces of the display are the unique “Kanabé-hands.”
The hour- and minute-hands are placed eccentrically on a circular element. The two elements meet in the shape of the number 8, hence the name “8-Dance”, a dancing 8. It is almost impossible to describe this system, you have to see it in action to comprehend the unorthodox and clever approach.
The whole mechanism is driven by an automatic selfwinding movement of the ETA-type 2892, refined according to Kanabé’s ideas, a very reliable and proved motor. The casing of these 23 watches (a very limited edition) is made from White Gold and fascinates with its finely balanced proportions and the lunette with its slightly staggered indexes.
Mr Kanabés revolutionary design ideas also show themselves in the dial: He uses an exceptionally dense and very special tropical wood called “Cocobolo” that he purchased from a master flute builder. Every piece has its own structure and thus becomes unique.
Designing and building his own watch proved to be a courageous step into the future for the family man Gabor Kanabé.
8-Dance – the dancing eight Gabor Kanabé, 46 years old from Zurich, has reinvented the way time is displayed. “8-Dance” is the name of his grand watch with strong character and spirit.
The centerpieces of the display are the unique “Kanabé-hands.” The hour- and minute-hands are placed excentrically on a circular element. The two elements meet in the shape of the number 8, hence the name “8-Dance”, a dancing 8.
The casing of these 23 watches (a very limited edition) is made from White Gold and fascinates with its finely balanced proportions and the lunette with its slightly staggered indexes.
Mr Kanabés revolutionary design ideas also show themselves in the dial: He uses an exceptionally dense and very special tropical wood called “Cocobolo” – every piece has its own structure and thus becomes unique.
Technical details
Model: Gabor Kanabé 8-Dance watch
Case
White gold case, diameter Ø 38 mm
Front and back sapphire crystal with anti-reflex coating
Water resistant: 3 atm
Movement
ETA 2892-A2, self-winding with 42 hours power reserve
28’800 A/h, 21 jewels
Movement refined with perlage,winding mass with special engraving
Dial/Hands
Patented Gabor Kanabé-Hands
Dial made of Cocobolo-Wood
Strap
Leather strap Louisiana-Alligator with rubber elements, double folding-buckle in steel
Introduced in 1971, Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II is an extreme professional watch, and highly valued by mountaineers and speleologists, for its rugged durability and reliability in countless expeditions to every corner of the globe.
The first every Rolex Explorer II watch (reference 1655) features a 39mm diameter case in stainless steel and houses the self-winding caliber 1575 GMT. In 1985, this model was replaced with reference 16550, which features a 40mm stainless steel case and the self-winding caliber 3085.
Introduced in 1989, the reference 16570 houses the Caliber 3185 movement (the models produced from 1989 to 2006) or Caliber 3186 (the models produced since 2007).
Equipped with an additional, red 24-hour hand and a fixed 24-hour graduated bezel, the Explorer II allows simultaneous reading of the time in two time zones and makes it possible to distinguish night hours from day hours, a necessity for speleologists or polar explorers.
It is equipped with a 12-hour hand that can be set independently from the minute hand, thus allowing the wearer to set the watch for a new time zone while the minute hand continues to function, maintaining the exact time.
The Oyster Perpetual Explorer II has over time confirmed its qualities of robustness and reliability during numerous expeditions. The original Explorer model was the watch that, in 1953, accompanied Sir John Hunt, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on their victorious ascent of Everest.
Self-winding, equipped with a Perpetual rotor and certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). It features a sapphire crystal with a Cyclops lens and a Twinlock winding crown protected by shoulders.
Rolex Caliber 3185 Vs 3186
Rolex Caliber 3185 is a self-winding movement featuring a second time zone function in addition to the hour, minute, seconds and date display. Belongs to Rolex 3100 caliber family and introduced in 1989 as the replacement of Caliber 3085, this movement features an independently adjustable GMT hand. This 31 jewel movement has a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.
Measuring 28.50mm diameter and 6.45mm thickness, Caliber 3185 has a beating frequency of 28,800 v.p.h. All the four hands are centrally placed and the date display is positioned at 3H. It also features functions such as Hacking Seconds, Hand-Winding Capability, Instant Date Change and Quick Date Correction. This movement is used with Rolex Explorer II Ref. 16570 watches produced from 1989 to 2006.
In 2005, Rolex introduced Caliber 3186 as the replacement of 3185. In this new movement, Rolex solved the issue of wobbling action of 24H hand existed in Cal. 3185. In the Caliber 3186, Rolex used a blue Parachrom hairspring where as the Cal.3185 features a Nivarox spring. Other technical features are same for both the calibers. The Caliber 3186 can be found in Rolex Explorer II Ref. 16570 models produced from 2007.
Technical details
Model: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II (reference 16570)
Movement
Calibre 3186, 31 jewels
Self-winding: Perpetual rotor
Power reserve: 48 hours
Date: Instantaneous change
Oscillator Frequency : 4 Hz (28,800 beats/hour), hairspring with a Breguet overcoil
Chronometer: COSC certification
Case
Diameter: 40 mm
Material: 904L steel
Case: Fixed 24-hour graduated bezel, shoulders to protect the crown
Waterproofness: 100 m (330 ft)
Winding crown: Twinlock
Crystal: Sapphire with Cyclops lens
Designed for commercial pilots and serious travellers, the Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II enables the wearer to read the time in two time zones simultaneously, thanks to its bidirectional rotatable 24-hour graduated bezel and 24-hour hand.
The independent 12-hour hand allows the hour hand to be set for a new time zone while the watch continues to function, maintaining the exact time. The rotatable bezel makes it possible to display the time in a third time zone.
Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN: 904L steel case with black dial and black Cerachrom bezel insert
Introduced in 1983, the first generation Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II watch has an anodized aluminum bezel insert. In 2005, Rolex introduced the proprietary Cerachrom bezel insert. The new GMT-Master II watches will be fitted with a scratchproof Cerachrom bezel insert.
The GMT-Master II watch benefits from all the aesthetic and technical innovations developed and perfected by Rolex. It is equipped with a movement featuring a new Parachrom hairspring designed and developed by Rolex, which offers increased resistance to shocks and magnetic fields.
Rolex GMT-Master II 116718LN: 18 ct yellow gold case with black dial and black Cerachrom bezel insert.
Self-winding, equipped with a Perpetual rotor and certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), the Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). It features a sapphire crystal and a Cyclops lens with anti-reflective coating and a Triplock winding crown protected by shoulders.
It is equipped with an Oyster bracelet with an Oysterlock clasp and an Easylink comfort extension link.
Available in 18 ct yellow gold, Rolesor, or 904L steel, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II watch also exists in yellow or white gold gem-set versions.
Technical details
Model: Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II
Calibre: 3186
Self-winding: Perpetual rotor
Power reserve: 48 hours
Date: Instantaneous change
Oscillator Frequency: 4 Hz (28,800 beats/hour), Parachrom hairspring with a Breguet overcoil
Chronometer: COSC certification
Diameter: 40 mm
Material: 904L steel; yellow Rolesor; 18 ct yellow or white gold
Case: Bidirectional rotatable 24-hour graduated bezel with Cerachrom, shoulders to protect the crown
Waterproofness: 100 m (330 ft)
Winding crown: Triplock
Crystal: Sapphire with Cyclops lens with anti-reflective coating
Bracelet: Oyster with Oysterlock clasp and Easylink comfort extension link
References
Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN: 904L steel case with black dial and black Cerachrom bezel insert.
Rolex GMT-Master II 116713LN : 904L steel and 18 ct yellow gold case with black dial and black Cerachrom bezel insert.
Rolex GMT-Master II 116718LN: 18 ct yellow gold case with black dial and black Cerachrom bezel insert.
Introduced in 2007, the following GMT-Master II watches are made of 18K white gold and set with diamonds and sapphires. They feature gem-set bezels instead of Cerachrom bezel inserts.
116759 SA: 18K white gold case set with diamonds and blue sapphires, black dial, gem-set bezel.
116759 SARU: 18K white gold case set with diamonds, sapphires and rubies, black dial, gem-set bezel.
116759 SANR: 18K white gold case set with diamonds and black sapphires, black dial, gem-set bezel.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Milgauss is a new-generation watch designed to resist intense magnetic fields and is the proud heir of the original Milgauss born in the 1950s in the spirit of science. The Oyster Perpetual Milgauss derives its name from the French word for «1000» and the term «gauss», the magnetic field unit. As the French name indicates, the Milgauss watch is resistant to a magnetic flux density of 1,000 gauss.
Introduced in 2007, the new generation Milgauss watch in 904L steel has the reference number 116400. It features a 40mm diameter case and houses the COSC certified Rolex Calibre 3131.
Working together, the movement and the magnetic shield allow the watch to achieve exceptional performance when subjected to intense magnetic fields. The movement benefits from various innovations that reinforce its resistance to magnetic interference.
– It is equipped with a PARACHROM® hairspring developed and manufactured by Rolex.
– The escapement is equipped with an escape wheel made from a new paramagnetic material.
The magnetic shield protects the movement. Manufactured in ferromagnetic alloys selected by Rolex, it consists of two components screwed to the inside of the famous Oyster case that ensures the waterproofness of the watch.
Self-winding, equipped with a Perpetual rotor and certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), the Oyster Perpetual Milgauss is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet).
Available in 904L steel on an Oyster bracelet with an Oysterclasp and an Easylink comfort extension link, it features a luminescent orange seconds hand in the shape of a lightning bolt. Two dial colors are available: black or white.
The Milgauss anniversary version (reference 116400 GV 001) has an intense black dial and a green sapphire crystal.
VOLNA Heritage is a collection of subaquatic sports watches featuring a powerful, sophisticated design asserting a mysterious and atypical legacy – that of Soviet submarine naval forces – and drawing upon a contemporary interpretation of the most sophisticated Swiss watchmaking technologies.
The Typhoon series, named after the Typhoon class (“Akula” in Russian) project 941 nuclear submarine missile launchers that inspired it, features a rugged architecture based on a 46.5 mm-diameter, 2.5 mm thick case, a voluminous left-hand crown, a dial aperture and water resistance to 300 metres.
Introducing chronograph functions, a gauge-type power-reserve display, and later a rotating bezel for the Siberia series, VOLNA consistently creates technical, restrained watches incorporating grade 5 titanium, a sure sign of the brand’s mastery of cutting-edge horological technology.
The Typhoon ballistic missile submarine is the most impressive of all such vessels, with a displacement of up to 48,000 tons and a length of some 170 meters (about 560 feet), the perfect example of a strategic weapons system. Designed to project raw power worldwide, its three pressure hulls give it exceptional resistance to extremes of pressure.
Typhoon Heritage SI “Security Indicator”, Black steel PVD case – microball finishing, Black galvanic dial – red markers and numbers with superluminova, Rubber strap with red stitching, Water-resistant to 300m – 1000ft
In the same spirit, Typhoon watches and indeed the entire Volna collection are water-resistant to a depth of 300 meters (about 985 feet). Since exceptional performance demands outstanding designs, the Typhoon’s round case is crafted exclusively in 316L steel or G5 titanium. Measuring 46.5 mm in diameter, it is a study in astute engineering and metallurgical expertise.
Combining straight lines with a variety of curves, sharp edges and acute angles, a Typhoon watchcase is a demanding challenge even for sophisticated machine tools and highly experienced operators. Original in both style and spirit, it includes two patented original features.
Heritage Typhoon Chronograph
The Typhoon’s double security crown construction provides effective shock protection and reinforces the case’s overall water-resistance. It features a “crown actuator” that fits over the actual crown, recessed in the caseband of the watch, which serves to carry out the various setting operations.
Large and unusual in appearance, the device adds originality and an immediately recognisable character to the watch’s visual signature. The Typhoon collection’s other exclusive device is the security indicator on its dial. After each setting operation involving the crown, the dial window switches from indicating the “open” position back to indicating “300 M”, confirming that the crown has been completely screwed back in, thus returning the watch to its rated water-resistance.
These devices contribute to the integrity and dependable operation of the watch’s Swiss selfwinding mechanical movement. Volna high-frequency (28,800 v.p.h.) movements are all chronometer-tested, and its hands and other parts are made specially for the brand.
Denominated Typhoon SI, for Security Indicator, Typhoon SBDI, for Security Big Date Indicator, and Typhoon SPRI for Security Power Reserve Indicator, these three Volna timepieces lead the brand’s 2007 market launch. Their production run of a few hundred each gives aficionados of exceptional wristwatches an opportunity to choose between various cases and dial combinations. In addition, on every Typhoon dial a metal edging frames each of the auxiliary displays. Their particular shape and position on the dial contribute to the ease of identification and distinctive personality of each model.
Typhoon straps match the case’s exceptional quality and personality. Made of natural rubber, they have attachments embedded in the material and a twin-pronged clasp in 316L stainless steel. Lastly, every Volna watchcase carries on its side an ID plate, also in 316L steel, laser-inscribed with the name of the collection, its distinguishing technical device and the serial number of the watch.
Introduced in 2007, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Royal Black features an original and bold design. The 18 ct white gold case is fitted with a bezel set with either black sapphires or baguette-cut diamonds, according to the model. The bezel edge and the covers between the lugs are also set with brilliants.
The unique strap, featuring a folding clasp, combines stingray leather and rubber with a scattering of diamonds that add a special touch of radiance.
The dial decoration, a subtle combination of black lacquer and precious stones, suggests natural textures. The blazes, the signature of the Royal Black, are made up of 262 brilliants. The extremely intricate gem-setting requires great dexterity and expertise. Diamond hour markers provide the finishing touch to this exceptional timepiece.
The Oyster Perpetual Datejust Royal Black is a veritable jewel that includes all the well known advantages of the Oyster.
Self-winding, equipped with a Perpetual rotor and certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), it is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet) and features a sapphire crystal and a Cyclops lens with anti-reflective coating.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II regatta chronograph is the first watch to have a programmable countdown feature with a mechanical memory, which gives it the advantage of being able to be set according to the countdown time of each regatta. Intended for lovers of yachting as well as for experienced skippers, it is an indispensable tool at the starting line of regattas.
With the Yacht-Master II, it is possible to program a countdown of 0 to 10 minutes. During the starting sequences, it can be synchronised to the official countdown. This horological complication is heir to all of Rolex’s watchmaking know-how and benefits from the vertical integration carried out by the company over the last 10 years.
A unique interaction between the movement, the case and the bezel makes the Yacht-Master II a completely new creation, a new generation watch. The various functions of this new Oyster professional are designed to be executed easily using only one hand.
THE MOVEMENT
The Yacht-Master II is equipped with a new movement, the 4160 calibre, consisting of 360 components, entirely designed and manufactured by Rolex. The heart of the movement beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour.
Its blue PARACHROM® hairspring with a Breguet overcoil is up to 10 times more resistant to shocks and insensitive to magnetic fields. This Rolex innovation endows the watch with excellent chronometric performance certified by COSC (Contrôle officiel suisse des Chronomètres – Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute).
The countdown mechanism is constructed using a column wheel and a vertical clutch. The choice of this exclusive architecture is clearly characteristic of the Rolex new-generation chronograph movements. Rolex engineers and watchmakers achieved an impressive technical feat by developing a new mechanical programmable countdown function.
A mechanical memory system makes it possible for the wearer to program, in advance and permanently (unless it is intentionally modified) the countdown time for the start of a regatta. The watch can be used in regattas with various starting sequences. Fully automatic, equipped with a Perpetual rotor, the Yacht-Master II movement has a power reserve of 72 hours.
THE CASE
Crafted from a solid block of 18 ct yellow or white gold, the Yacht-Master II case has diameter of 42.6 mm. Equipped with a Triplock winding crown protected by shoulders, it has two pushers, one on either side of the winding crown. The start/stop pusher located at the two o’clock position starts and stops the countdown.
The reset pusher located at the four o’clock position has three functions: programming, synchronising and setting the countdown. The innovation involves the interaction between the case and the movement, thanks to the Ring Command bezel, which is used for programming the duration of the countdown. The Yacht-Master II is guaranteed waterproof to 100 metres.
THE RING COMMAND BEZEL
The Yacht-Master II is equipped with a Ring Command bezel designed and developed by Rolex. Rotatable 90°, this innovation allows access to the programming function of the countdown, then to the locking of this programming.
Although it is very complex from a watchmaking point of view, this interaction between the bezel and the movement makes the Yacht-Master II extremely easy to use.
The Ring Command bezel is available in two versions : With a blue ceramic disc having numerals engraved in yellow gold for the 18 ct yellow gold version or in one-piece platinum with raised numerals for the 18 ct white gold version.
THE DIAL
The hour and minute hands are fixed in the centre of the Yacht-Master II, while the seconds hand is at the six o’clock position. The countdown counter located between eight o’clock and four o’clock positions and the countdown seconds hand (red hand in the centre) show the time remaining before the start of the regatta. Particular attention was paid to its legibility so that it can be easily read at a glance.
THE BRACELET
The Yacht-Master II features an Oyster bracelet with an Oysterlock clasp and an Easylink comfort extension link.
FUNCTIONS
The functioning of the Yacht-Master II is very simple. With one hand, the user can rapidly programme the countdown. Likewise, he can start, stop, set or synchronise it, while it is in progress, to the official countdown with a simple press of a pusher.
1. TIMING THE START OF A REGATTA: Press the start/stop pusher to start the countdown. At the end of the countdown, the minute hand stops by itself at 0. The seconds hand continues to turn.
2. SYNCHRONISATION OF THE COUNTDOWN (IF NECESSARY): At the time of the official signal, sound or visual : Press the reset pusher briefly and firmly. The minute countdown hand repositions itself to the nearest minute, while the seconds countdown
hand returns to 0. When the reset pusher is released, the minute countdown hand and the seconds countdown hand are automatically activated.
3. STOPPING THE COUNTDOWN: Press the start/stop pusher.
4. SETTING THE COUNTDOWN: Make certain that the countdown is stopped. Press the reset pusher. The minute countdown hand returns to the minute programmed at the last setting and the seconds countdown hand returns to 0. The countdown is ready to be started.
5. PROGRAMMING THE COUNTDOWN: First, make certain that the countdown is stopped. Turn the bezel 90° counterclockwise. The inscription Yacht-Master II should be aligned with the winding crown. This locks the start/stop pusher.
Press the reset pusher. You will hear a click. The pusher remains depressed. Unscrew the winding crown to position 1, without pulling on the stem. (The same as for manual winding) Position the hand at the desired minute by turning the winding crown in the winding direction. The minute countdown hand moves from 0 to 10 minutes by increments of one minute. At 10 minutes, if the user continues to turn the crown, the hand returns to 0.
Return the bezel to its initial position by rotating it 90° clockwise. You will hear a click. This returns the reset pusher to its initial position and unlocks the start/stop pusher.
Push down and screw down the winding crown. The countdown is ready to be activated according to the time programmed.
Launched by Breguet in 2007, the CLASSIQUE 5447 Grande Complication houses a minute repeater mechanism that has been optimised on several levels. Research on resonance conditions dealt in particular with the materials liable to produce and transmit an harmonious sound, as well as to preserve its purity in terms of intensity, richness and tone. This work has had a favourable impact on several parts: the gong spring, the gong holder, the striking mechanism barrel and the hammers, of which the energy is now significantly increased.
Moreover, the harmony between the two gongs has been enhanced using psycho -acoustic tests and analyses that served to fine-tune clarity, sound resolution and auditory compatibility. Finally, the positioning of the gong holders has been modified so as to achieve the most crystal -clear sound possible within the case, which serves as a resonance chamber.
Alongside these technical and functional improvements, it is worth recalling that the minute repeater mechanism, originally devised to provide an audible indication of the time, especially in the dark, calls for a particularly delicate process of adjusting the sound that is exclusively entrusted to a very rare breed of skilled craftsmen. The slenderness of the gong is determined by the excellent musical ear and extreme dexterity of t he master-watchmaker, since even the smallest adjustment error can irrevocably destroy the result of long hours of work. Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention of the gong spring (a strip of metal wrapped around a movement) in 1783 made a decisive contribution to this field by enabling watchmakers to reduce the size of watch cases and to perfect the quality of the sound.
The CLASSIQUE 5447 houses an entirely hand -engraved movement driving a complex retrograde jumping-month mechanism, located at 10:30. At the end of the year, the hand moving across the arc of a circle month indicator makes an almost instantaneous jump to return to the month of January and to resume its trajectory. The date is displayed at 6 o’clock on a dial adorned with a sunburst guilloché motif, in which each of the rays corresponds to a date. The day of the week and leap-year indications appear opposite each other at 3:.30 and 8:30 respectively.
Finally, the phases and age of the moon are displayed at 1:30. Enhanced by the innate elegance and equilibrium of this model, the readability of the silvered dial honours the work of the in-house designers. The regular texture of the hand-guilloché Clous de Paris motif absorbs rather than reflects the light, thereby facilitating at -a-glance read-off of the time and of the perpetual calendar -indications.
Technical details
REF. 5447BR/1E/9V6
Case: round in 18-carat rose gold with finely fluted caseband. Rounded horns welded to the case, with screwpins to secure the strap. Diameter 40mm. Sapphire-crystal caseback.
Dial: in silvered 18-carat gold, hand-engraved on a rose-engine. Individually numbered and signed BREGUET. Chapter-ring with Roman numerals. Open-tipped BREGUET hands in blued-steel. Age and phase of the moon at 01:30. Day indicator at 4 o’clock. Date at 6 o’clock in a subdial, engine-turned in a sun pattern. Leap-year indicator in a subdial at 8 o’clock. Retrograde month indicator at 10:30.
Movement: hand-wound, with minute -repeater and perpetual calendar. Entirely engraved by hand. Numbered and signed BREGUET. 12½ lines. 31 jewels. Cal. 567RMP1. 40 hours power-reserve. Straight-line lever escapement. 2.5Hz balance-wheel with load-screws. BREGUET overcoil. Adjusted in 6 positions.
When he founded his manufacture in Sainte-Croix in 1994, Vianney Halter baptized it La Manufacture Janvier to pay tribute to one of the most extraordinary watchmakers of all times : Antide Janvier (1751-1835).
Antide Janvier was known as the “celestial clockmaker” because he excelled in creating timepieces representing the movements of the celestial bodies . In 2007, Vianney Halter created the Classic Janvier Lune et Soleil (Moon and Sun), displaying in addition to the official time, the Equation of Time and the Lunar Cycle. This is a strictly limited series of 12 pieces, all crafted in platinum and numbered 01 P 801 to 12 P 812.
The Classic was launched in 2000 as part of Halter’s Futur Antérieur collection. It has been deriving the concept unveiled with the Antiqua while offering a simpler watch only displaying hours, minutes and seconds within a single dial. Repeating the style elements of its elder sibling, the Classic expresses by means of the form of the case, the glass porthole, the use of rivets, the lugs, and the tang buckle, all the force of the “Futur Antérieur” concept. The production ceased after only 250 pieces made the happiness of horology connoisseurs. The Classic Janvier takes up the silhouette of the Classic but the case is enlarged up to 40 mm (vs 36 mm) and widened so as to house those two “astronomical“ complications.
Astronomy et Chronometry : Equation of Time (EoT)
At the beginning of horology, clocks used to be adjusted regarding solar dials. The latter display time as a projection of the actual position of the sun in the sky. This is called Real Solar Time. The invention of mechanical clock introduced a new concept : the Mean Solar Time. As matter of fact, clocks mechanically work on the basis of a 24 hours cycle which is the mean duration of a day (averaged out over a year) – i.e. the time for the sun to come back day after day at its highest position in the sky (meridian or noon).
Therefore, the time (i.e : strictly speaking the position of the sun in the sky) indicated by the clock is the Mean Solar Time that is slightly different than the Real Solar Time. In other words, the sun is not exactly where the clock says it is ; It may be as much as 16 minutes off. But where does this difference come from ?
Two astronomical phenomena combine and the result is real duration of a day varies along the year from 23 h 59 min 40 sec to 24 h 00 min 30 sec. First phenomenon is the earth’s axis being tilted at 23°27’ relative to its orbital plane around the sun. The second phenomenon is the shape of the earth’s orbit being elliptical rather than circular.
From one day to another, there is only a few sec variation (up to 30 sec around Christmas). But these variations accumulates and the sun can be up to 16 minutes 21 seconds behind and 14 minutes 24 seconds ahead the Solar Mean Time. This time lag could have had dramatical consequences when the position of vessels was calculated from the observed position of the sun in the sky compared with the time given by a marine chronometer.
The knowledge of the Equation of Time (difference between RST and MST) was essential as one minute lag induces a longitude error of up to 27 km on the equator. So as to feature this complication, Vianney Halter adds in the round case of the Classic, a yellow gold hand bearing a symbolic representation of the sun. Once your watch is carefully set to the Mean Solar Time of your geographical reference (e.g. the Greenwich Meridian Time) and the integrated annual calendar set to the current day of the year, you can intuitively read at a glance the Real Solar Time (at your geographical reference) by means of the hour blued steel hand and the gold sun hand. If you compare this RST to the position of the sun in the sky, you can deduct how far (in longitude) you are from your geographical reference.
That is the way that used to do HM Navy officers or les officiers de la Marine du Roy since the XVIIth century. Real Solar Time and Mean Solar Time coincide only four times per year, at approximately the 16th April, 14th June, 1st September 1 and 25th December. On these days the blued steel minutes hand and the yellow gold hand will converge.
The Moon Cycle
The moon waxes and wanes within a cycle that lasts 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes and 2,8 seconds. It is quite paradoxical to consider that watchmakers have designed long time ago moon complications so accurate (29 days 12 hours 45 minutes) that it would gain only one day after 122 years, meanwhile the display of the moon-phase on the dial is so approximate !
Vianney Halter finds it more consistent to have a reasonably accurate mechanism (his looses only one day after 2 years 7 months and 20 days of operation) while allowing the moon-phase to be set (and read) with a half-day accuracy. To display day after day the exact situation of the Moon, Halter implements a very special double hand set. One hand shows the current day of the cycle while bearing a white disk which represents the moon. On a separate hand is a black disk which gradually covers and uncovers the white gold disk, thus displaying the evolution of the phases of the moon in the sky.
A special edition for a famous name
The representations of solar time and moon cycle on the Classic Moon & Sun are inspired by a famous regulator clock that Antide Janvier designed and crafted in 1788 for France’s King Louis XVI. These masterpiece is now housed in the Musée du Temps in Besançon (Eastern France).
Today, the Manufacture Janvier gathers young talented and passionate watchmakers representing 8 different nationalities (Swiss, French, Portuguese, American, German, Danish, Italian and Japanese). They contribute to the manufacturing of exceptional timekeepers bearing Vianney Halter’s signature. Halter wants this watch to be an homage paid to Janvier as well as a grateful glance to the team working with him in La Manufacture Janvier in Sainte Croix.
Construction
Although it looks quite similar to the VH Classic, the Classic Janvier definitely is a different watch : the case in bigger as well as the strap lugs, the bezel rivets and the crown.
Finally, there is no common element with its forerunner. Furthermore, its movement was specially designed so as to accommodate the complications for the Equation of Time and the Lunar Cycle as well as the “petite seconde”(small seconds) hand. Displaying the Equation of Time requires the watch to be set on the current day of the year. For this purpose there is on the back of the mechanism a ring which is hand-engraved with 365 graduations as well as the indication of months, equinoxes and solstices. Another blued steel hand travels this ring and displays the current day that can be set by means of the central special screw with a dedicated tool.The whole mechanism, including the Equation of Time special cam, can be seen through the sapphire display back and the “mysterious mass” winding rotor. Mysterious mass winding rotor
Setting the Equation of Time requires the watch to be set on the current day of the year. For this purpose there is on the back of the mechanism a ring which is hand-engraved with 365 graduations as well as the indication of month, equinox and solstice. Another blued steel hand displays the current day that can be set by means of the central special screw with a dedicated tool. The whole mechanism, including the Equation of Time special cam, can be seen through the sapphire display back and the “mysterious mass” winding rotor. There is only one version of the Classic Janvier, made of platinum 950 with rhodium plated metal dials. The watch is supplied with a hand-sewn alligator leather strap available in several colours. The strap has a tang buckle in white gold. As an automatic watch including complications working on long-term cycles, the Classic Janvier requires to remain wound so as to avoid it to be fully set again. Therefore, each piece is delivered with a special edition of the rotary winding box and its certificate of authenticity.
The Louis Moinet TwinTech timepiece houses a manufacture-made movement that has been developed on the basis of sketches of a twin-barrel watch published by Louis Moinet in 1848.
Its advanced twin-barrel technology provides a 120-hour power reserve, which is three times more than a normal watch.
Its dial highlights the power reserve and retrograde date displays.The
semi-openworked balance is another original feature of this contemporary
watch, presented in a new rectangular case with an entirely original
shape.
Dressed in stainless steel case, the Louis Moinet TwinTech comes in limited editions of 60 pieces with – Silver, charcoal or old rose dial – decorated with with “Côtes du Jura” ® and six applied zones featuring designs inspired by Louis Moinet’s original work
Technical Details Movement
Louis Moinet Twin Barrel Manufacture Movement
Decoration: “Côtes du Jura” ® engraving, blued steel screws
Visible balance: Protected by a cock, inspired by 18th century techniques
Barrels: Decorated with Louis Moinet symbols
Jewels: 37
Winding: Manual
Oscillations: 28,800 vph
Lines: 13¼
Balance-spring: Elinvar with shock absorber
Power reserve: 120 hours
Functions
Hour/Minutes/Seconds
Retrograde Date and Power Reserve Indicator
Case
316L polished stainless steel, original design by Louis Moinet®
Caseback secured with 4 screws, engraved with individual number and Louis Moinet markings
Crystals: Two anti-glare sapphire crystals
Dial
Silver, charcoal or old rose
Decorated with “Côtes du Jura” ® and six applied zones featuring designs inspired by Louis Moinet’s original work
Hands: Rhodium-plated, coated with Superluminova, linden-tree colour
Bracelet
Louisiana alligator leather, hand-sewn
Buckle : 316L folding clasp with Louis Moinet symbol
Watch box
Louis Moinet Book, hand-written warranty
Edition
Silver dial: Limited Edition of 60 watches
Charcoal dial: Limited Edition of 60 watches
Old rose dial: Limited Edition of 60 watches
This watch features two innovations, both of which are exclusive creations from Louis Moinet. The first is its “Full Moon Indicator®” which is distinguished from standard moon-phase watches by a precise indication of the day of the full moon.
The second is the World Map®, which spins once on its axis every 24 hours. The ring surrounding it enables simplified and easy reading of the time around the world, at a specific given time. It has been adjusted to Greenwich Mean Time and is not synchronised with a particular local time.
It represents an artistic depiction of the world in motion.b“Variograph” is an eloquent illustration of the Louis Moinet creative vision of traditional horology.
Technical details Movement
Chronograph with Full Moon Indicator and 24-hour World Map
Decoration Blued steel screws, oscillating weight and casing ring engraved with “Côtes du Jura”® Jewels: 25
Winding: Automatic
Oscillations: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 44 hours.
Functions
Hour; Minute; 60-second, 30-minute chronograph counters
Day, month and date indications
Full Moon Indicator
24-hour World Map
Case
316L polished stainless steel, original design by Louis Moinet®
Caseback secured with 4 screws, engraved with individual number and Louis Moinet markings
Crystals: Two anti-glare sapphire crystals
Dial
Silver, charcoal or old rose
Decorated with “Côtes du Jura” and applied hour-circle and Full Moon Indicator featuring designs inspired by Louis Moinet’s original work
Hands : Blued steel or rhodium-plated, coated with Superluminova, linden-tree colour
Bracelet
Louisiana alligator leather, hand-sewn
Buckle: 316L folding clasp with Louis Moinet symbol
Watch box
Louis Moinet Book, hand-written warranty
Edition
Silver dial: Limited Edition of 60 watches
Charcoal dial: Limited Edition of 60 watches
Old rose dial: Limited Edition of 60 watches
This exceptional automatic chronograph was developed in association with the Spirit of Norway, the legendary racing team that grabbed Class 1 World Powerboat trophies many times. This limited edition timepiece incorporates materials used in racing and space technologies.
Dressed in a Titanium case with polished and brushed finish, and equipped with Helium valve this timepiece offers a water resistance up to 500 meters.
The Automatic Valjoux 7750 movement that beats inside this timepiece powers the timekeeping with day/date indication and Chronograph & tachometer functions.
Technical details
Model: EDOX Spirit of Norway
Movement
Automatic Valjoux 7750
Functions
Day, date, stop and small seconds, tachometer
Case
Polished and brushed titanium, anti-corrosion
Propellers engraved on the back
Shock-resistant anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Water-resistant to 500 metres
Helium valve
Limited to 388 pieces
Dial
Carbon fibre
Black with hour-markers
Partially luminous pierced hands
Strap
Interchangeable titanium or rubber, with titanium folding clasp with engraved Edox logo
Since 2006 Oris has been the watch partner of the Venezuelan diver Carlos Coste, the world record holder in various disciplines of free-diving without oxygen mask. The innovative and over-sized diver’s chronograph Oris Carlos Coste Limited Edition represents the extreme world of Carlos Coste, watch partner of Oris . Titanium case 47 mm in diameter. Massive sapphire glass 4.80 mm. Water-resistant to 1000 m. Limited worldwide to 2000 watches: the numbers speak for themselves. This innovative and oversized diver’s chronograph represents the extreme world of Carlos Coste, the free-diving world record holder and watch partner of Oris.
This professional diver’s watch is equipped with a unidirectional security bezel to record elapsed diving time, screw-down buttons and crown, positioned at nine o’clock for protection, helium valve for pressure compensation, and top-class mechanical movement.
The dial features a wave pattern. Orange luminous inlay on the indices and hands ensure optimal readability in the deep. The titanium bracelet can be extended. And the exclusiveness of this watch edition is shown on the case beside the individual number: the case back is imprinted with the logo and the signature of Carlos Coste.
Technical details
Oris Carlos Coste Chronograph Limited Edition 1000 m
ø 47.00 mm, Ref. 678 7598 71 84 MB
Mechanical automatic movement with stop function
Display of hours and minutes from the centre, small second at three o’clock, decentralised minute counter, second counter from the centre, day/date at nine o’clock
Black dial with wave structure and applied indices, polished hands, indices and hands with dark orange Superluminova inlay
Titanium case with rotating diver’s top ring, screwed pushers, crown, and case back
Water-resistant to 100 bar/1000 m
Sapphire glass domed on one side with inside anti-reflex coating
Multi-part titanium bracelet with extension and security clasp
The Récital 1, presented at the BOVET Salon in 2007, is fitted with a mechanical handwound movement and an 8-day power reserve tourbillon. Its heart beats under a rock crystal dial revealing a subtle decoration of the blackened circular Côtes de Genève for the red and white gold versions and blued for the platinum version. Created in a limited edition, each timepiece is numbered 1/50. Technical details Case
46mm case in 18K red gold
Sapphire cabochon-set crown
Non-reflecting sapphire glass on front and back case
Height:14,20mm
Water resistance:30 meters – 3 ATM – 100 feet
Dial
See through mineral crystal
Concentric blackened plate with Côtes de Genève decoration
Blackened inner bezel and power reserve indicator,
Applied Roman numerals
Serpentine hands
Movement
Hand-wound, calibre 13BM01 with tourbillon
Côtes de Genève surface-finishon bridges
Screws angled and blued by fire
Balance frequency: 21’600 V/h
Tourbillon: One-minute tourbillon with an inter-bridge cage mounted with “Lotus Flower” at 6 o’clock
Power reserve: 8 days (192 hours)
Functions
Hours, minutes from central serpentine hands
Power reserve indication counter at 12 o’clock
Strap
Hand-stitched alligator
Folding buckle in 18K gold
Edition
Limited edition 50 timepieces per precious metal
Available in 18K white gold and in platinum.
The Léman Aqua Lung Minute Repeater (ref. 2835) by Blancpain combines fascinating auditory pleasures with inventive technical solutions. Topped by a sapphire crystal that is glareproofed on either side, its 40mm-diameter case comes in titanium or 5N red gold – both materials featuring exceptional acoustic properties. It houses Calibre 351, a self-winding movement comprising 360 parts entirely decorated and adjusted by hand.
Radiating the understated elegance of true refinement, the matt black dial displays the hours, minutes and this prestigious signature: “Blancpain Répétition Minutes” – “Pièce unique”. Truly unique by definition, the Léman Aqua Lung Minute Repeater is fitted with a solid case-back that may be customised according to the owner’s wishes. The hand-sewn crocodile leather strap lined with alzavel is fitted with a new folding clasp system composed of two folding blades. When open, the latter reveal Blancpain’s engraved “JB” logo. Guided with unfailing accuracy by a built-in spring, they look every bit like a traditional pin buckle when they are closed.
Faithful to its longstanding tradition of innovation, the Manufacture in Le Brassus presents a revolutionary water-tight case for its Minute Repeater. A wealth of know-how and ingenuity have been poured into devising a mechanism that strikes the hours, quarters and minutes on request – and all the while ensuring it is water resistant to a depth of 100 metres and that not even a single drop of water will disturb the complex operation of the world’s thinnest and smallest-diameter minute repeater movement.
Thanks to Blancpain’s ingenuity and innovative spirit, the proud owner of a Minute Repeater watch will now be able to splash around with a watch on his wrist. How is such a feat possible? The principle appears straightforward enough, but someone just had to think of it! On a “classic” minute repeater watch, the external repeater slide that actuates the striking mechanism is directly linked to the winding lever. When it is pushed home, the slide reveals an opening along the side of the case, thereby exposing the movement to the inevitable infiltration of any surrounding liquids. This vulnerability is now a thing of the past.
Blancpain has remedied the situation by developing an ingenious gear system that connects the repeater slide to the repeater actuating lever via two racks and a transmission shaft, itself composed of two intermediate wheels and fitted with two “O-Ring” gaskets that ensure the system is water-tight. A rare and precious object, the Minute Repeater mechanism holds a place of its own in the field of horological complications. Creating each minute repeater model represents a daunting challenge for the master-watchmakers, since each of the tiny components that he assembles with infinite precision calls for numerous adjustments. Above and beyond the technical innovation and mechanical complexity they involve, such movements also draw upon a thorough knowledge of alloys and acoustics.
Only by combining several types of expertise can such a fine-toned and eminently audible mechanism be accommodated within such a small space, thanks to the magic touch of two small hammers striking the so-called “cathedral” gong. The latter boasts a sound that is remarkable both for its richness and its length. In harmony with the noblest watchmaking traditions, Blancpain has risen to these amazing challenges and has fully mastered the making of Minute Repeater wristwatches that represent a blend of complex mechanical engineering, technical innovation and exceptional acoustics.
The Portuguese Regulateur from IWC, which, with the distinctive arrangement of its hands, evokes the mother of all precision watches, is enhanced with a tourbillon. Two horological developments, which complement one another ideally, are combined here in the service of accuracy. Exclusivity is guaranteed with an edition of 100 examples each in platinum, white gold and rose gold.
IWC has previously released three tourbillons which have two features in common. They are all rare, being limited in number due to the enormous horological effort involved, and they are “floating”. By being mounted in bearings on one side only, the mechanical fascination of the escapement in its rotating carriage can delight the observer undisturbed in its full beauty. This was already the case with the “whirlwind”, as it literally translates, for the ultra-complicated Destriero Scafusia in 1993, which, with its titanium cage, also achieved a record light weight. For even with its 100 component parts, it weighed only 2.96 grams.
To mark the millennium, a limited edition of the Da Vinci received a tourbillon. Like the tourbillon in the Destriero, this could be viewed through the glass back. In 2004, the watchmakers at IWC then positioned the whirlwind of the Portuguese Tourbillon Mystère directly in the display window, where the escapement rotating carriage appears to float freely in space in the midst of a decorated plate segment and forms an “animated twelve”. The best things come in fours: the Portuguese Regulateur with manual winding, which, with the spatially separate indicators for the hours, minutes and seconds, evokes the mother of mechanical precision timepieces, is now taking a step up into the regal class, likewise in a limited series. Two horological developments, both previously in the service of accurate time recording, are now combined in a single watch. More than 200 years ago, balance errors in the balances of the time could be compensated for with the tourbillon. For it actually outsmarted the gravitational attraction of the earth, which only amplified such errors even more.
Minimal slow running in the first half of the rotation of the cage, in which the balance pulsates “against the earth’s gravity”, was compensated for in the second half of the rotation by equally minimal fast running. This assumes that the watch was always worn in the same position, which was indeed the case for pocket watches at the time. This function no longer has any practical role to play now that the tourbillon is worn on the wrist. Yet this in no way detracts from this most beautiful of the complications, which can only be accomplished by master watchmakers.
The regulator with its unusual arrangement of the hands, albeit a good century later, was fully in the service of accurate time recording. This special clock,which could be found in observatories and physical laboratories, but also in watch manufactories, banished the “slow” hour hand to an inner dial of its own – usually at “12.00” – because it would otherwise have interfered considerably, and above all for too long, when reading or setting the time accurately to the second on the inner dial at “6.00”. Clocks of this kind, which are encountered mainly as wall clocks or long-case clocks with ingenious escapements and temperature compensation for their pendulums, were professional timepieces, with which the astronomically determined, splitsecond accurate time could be maintained for as long as possible or passed on to other users. The Portuguese Regulateur from IWC has now been a beautiful reminder of this Golden Age of the mechanical timepiece for two years .
The dial has been redesigned for the special limited edition of 300 examples – adding all the material variants together – of the Portuguese Regulateur Tourbillon in a 43mm case made of platinum, white gold and rose gold. Unlike the “previous” regulateur, the separate counters for the hours and seconds are rhodium plated and are given discreet visual emphasis.
The hours are indicated with Roman numerals. The minute tourbillon, which now occupies a position at “9.00”, forms a visual triad together with the two inner dials for the hours and seconds. The tourbillon escapement was redesigned for this watch and adapted to the dimensions of the two counters for the hours and seconds: its diameter measures exactly 9.2 mm – a little smaller than the tourbillon of the Portuguese Mystère.
The dominant minute hand has been given a rather more substantial form, which harmonizes very pleasingly with the “classical” impression of the dial design. The colour of the dial differs in the three material variants: in the white gold model it is slate-grey ardoise, while the variants in rose gold (4N) and platinum have a silver-plated dial.
The basis of the drive mechanism for this manually wound watch with a power reserve of 52 hours is provided by the famous IWC pocket watch calibre 98 in its special 98845 version. And this is where it becomes truly exciting, both technically and visually, because the balance frequency in this movement has been increased from 18,000 to 28,800 beats/h (4 Hz). The balance thus oscillates eight times per second in its rotating cage. This is the fastestrunning pocket watch movement ever produced by IWC.
The modern balance is finely adjusted by an index-free system with four adjusting screws. This, and not least the higher frequency of the movement, assures an excellent escapement accuracy – the name regulateur says it all.
The nickel-plated movement is also a delight for the eyes when viewed through the sapphire glass back. The stripe decoration on the three-quarter plate, which retains its semi-round form, guides the eye to the large, sweeping tourbillon bridge, which carries a small gold medallion with the IWC seal “Probus Scafusia” – good, solid craftsmanship from Schaffhausen.
The Octo Retro Joaillerie watch presents the icon Gérald Genta movement performing in an original choreography. For the very first time, the hours jump in a window positioned at 11 o’clock and the retrograding minutes move to and fro across a 180° arc of a circle arranged around the bezel. The ballet of time in complete harmony with the radiating motif adorning the watch dial.
Dial and bezel merge beneath a slinky, tapering motif. The scale-covered lines feature the shimmering glow of translucent enamel, lighting up the diamond-pavé paths. The striking contrast exudes the very essence of Gérald Genta, a dating brand that loves to explore contemporary design horizons and to use unexpected combinations of shapes, colours and materials.
Exclusive Gérald Genta model, entirely hand-decorated self-winding movement, jumping hours and retrograde minutes. 45-hour power-reserve. White gold case (Ø 39 mm) with engraved and black-enamelled bezel set with 22 diamonds (0.066 cts). Black enamelled dial set with 177 diamonds (0.533 cts). Beaded crown with onyx cabochon, open case-back secured with pentagonal screws. Exclusive Gérald Genta strap in white alligator leather with folding clasp. Water-resistant to 10 atm.
The Octo Retro Joaillerie majestically bears the unmistakable hallmark of Gérald Genta. The exclusive self-winding complication movement with jumping hours and retrograde minutes is housed within an opulent Octo case measuring 39 mm in diameter. Clothed in enamel and diamonds while retaining its peerlessly original character, it looks every inch the nonconformist star.
This stunning creation comes in red gold adorned with a motif composed of green enamel and black diamonds. A white gold variation features black enamel and white diamonds. Both are fitted with crocodile leather straps that extend the theme of scales. These fascinating Gérald Genta creations are clearly destined for women of strong character.
Exclusive Gérald Genta model, entirely hand-decorated self-winding movement, jumping hours and retrograde minutes. 45-hour power-reserve. Red gold case (Ø 39 mm) with engraved and green-enamelled bezel set with 22 diamonds (0.066 cts). Green-enamelled dial set with 177 diamonds (0.533 cts). Beaded crown with onyx cabochon, open case-back secured with pentagonal screws. Exclusive Gérald Genta strap in green alligator leather with folding clasp. Water-resistant to 10 atm.
Movement
Calibre number: GG 1002
Power-Reserve: 45 hours
Mechanism: Jumping hours + Retrograde minute
Height: 5.28 mm
Diameter: 26.20 mm
Vibrations: 28’800 A/h.
Balance: 3-arms Cuproberyllium ring Spiral
Balance-spring: Flat
Escapement: Lever
Jewelling: 26 jewels
Special finishing on movement: Concentric “perlage” and KC2900 color
Case
White gold or Red gold 5N18
Diameter: 39,00 mm
Thickness: 11,70 mm
Distance between lugs: 28,00 mm
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Dial
Material :White gold setted 177 diamonds 0.533 carats TW VS to VVS – Black enamel (white gold case) or Red gold 5N18 setted 177 black diamonds 0.533 carats – Green enamel (red gold 5N case)
Bezel
White gold setted 22 diamonds 0.066 carats TW VS to VVS or Red gold 5N18 setted 22 black diamonds 0.066 carats
Bracelet
White alligator (white gold case) or Green alligator (red gold 5N case)
Bi-Axial is the second HD3 timepiece designed by Fabrice Gonet, an unbelievable watch, in titanium and platinum, directly inspired by the world of Jules Verne. This exceptional watch, first presented in 2007, is reminiscent of the novelist’s imaginary machines, but with just a touch of today’s world.
Its movement, a bi axial tourbillon unique to HD3, is simply revolutionary: the hours are shown on a wheel through a lateral porthole (9h) and the minutes on a disc like a ship’s Chad burn telegraph (360 Degree). Limited edition of 11 pieces.
Specially created for racing car divers, the Ferrari Challenge watch features a completely transparent movement. Swiss watch manufacturer Quinting has integrated in its clock mechanism technical characteristics which belong to the high technology of racing cars. This watch was born from the 4th impossible mission accepted and carried out by the watchmakers of the Quinting manufacture.
Before commissioning this project, three impossible missions were accepted and carried out by the watchmakers of Quinting: it is in result of 7 years of research and development and investments of several dozens of millions of Swiss francs (the first and second missions) that the first transparent chronograph was born. The third mission has required 9 other years of additional research and development.
The first impossible mission: To create the first chronograph movement in the world transparent at one hundred percent, mysterious at one hundred percent, this mission that was confided to the greatest specialists in the Swiss watchmaking failed. After seven years of research and development this mission was crowned with success in 2000 thanks to the watchmakers of Quinting.
The second impossible mission: To create the first and unique sapphire movement in the world or in other words a movement composed of the parts made of a precious transparent material but not of metal. This complex mission was carried out in 2000.
The third impossible mission: To create at one hundred percent mysterious movement that makes turn the seconds hand as if it were suspended in the air. This mission was also carried out with success in 2002.
The 4th impossible mission was carried out by the watchmakers of the Quinting Manufacture in 2007. The mission was suggested by Ange Barde, a racing driver who holds an amazing prize list. Ange Barde was looking for a watch manufacture which was able to create a watch which could support all the restraints of the high racing car. He has turned toward Quinting and asked to create a watch that could be equal to these performances.
Mission:-
To create a watch that can withstand all the constraints imposed by the racing cars.
To create only unique pieces.
To make turn a car inside the transparency movement of Quinting. But each timepiece will have its own movement.
6 racing drivers are the owners of these watches. Quinting had engraved their blood group on each watch. On the case of each watch is engraved a number between 1 and 60, which represents one minute of the sixty of one hour. This number indicates the minute when the two cars will be superposed to make only one. If it is the number 5 which is chosen, the cars are superposed every hour and 5 minutes (1.05pm, 2.05pm, 3.05pm…). Like that every timepiece is unique.
The restraints were the following:-
To increase the lifetime of the wheels, improve their precision and their adhesion: To achieve this objective the Quinting manufacture has realised a worldwide premiere. It has put, as in the racing cars, some tyres on the sapphire wheels and then toothed them. Thus adhesion, precision as well as the lifetime have strongly increased.
To counterbalance the forces (acceleration, effect of gravity): To achieve this objective the Quinting manufacture did not keep to the beaten track of other manufactures that apply the system of tourbillon created by Abraham Louis Breguet in 1801. In the days of Abraham Louis Breguet watches, these pocket watches of the wealthy men, were not worn on the wrist but in the waistcoat pocket. The timekeepers remained all the time in vertical positions. Their parts were subject to the effects of gravity thus causing errors in the rate of the watch. In order to increase precision the inventor brought to reality his idea to put the regulating organs (the balance and the spiral spring) as well as the escapement (that supplies energy to the balance) in a small mobile cage that makes one turn around its own axis in one minute. And rotation of the whole mechanism around the same axis thus allowed compensating the effects of gravity. Since the wrist watch appeared almost nobody has worn pocket watches. The continuous movements of hand play the role of tourbillon and this small horological complication has became useless.
– But nevertheless it keeps its value as a poem. The way taken by the manufacture is the one of the contemporary man of the third millennium. Abraham Louis Breguet found the solution how to eliminate errors caused by the effect of gravity, Mr Pascal Berclaz from Quinting found the solution how to compensate all the errors not only those caused by gravity but also the errors that result from the movements of the man’s hand who plays golf or violoncello or pilots a space shuttle. His watch is not subject to the effect of gravity but to other forces. To realize this the Quinting manufacture has created a worldwide premiere, the first transparent movement in the world with counterbalancing forces in which two parts move in opposite directions or in other words the wheels of the seconds turn as the seconds hand and other wheels rotate in opposite direction. Thus if one set of wheels accelerates the other one decelerates and thanks to the mysterious Quinting system the forces will be counterbalanced.
To create only unique timepieces: Quinting and Ange Barde have decided to create only unique timepieces. Indeed, all the watches seem to be the same but they are in reality all different. There are 60 unique watches. The number 60 represents the number of minutes in one hour. On the case of each watch is engraved a number between 1 and 60. This last one indicates the minute when the two cars are superposed to be just one. For example, if you choose the watch number 5, the two cars will be superposed every hour and 5 minutes: 12.05pm, 13.05pm, 14.05p… The racing drivers who ran for the Challenge Ferrari title, including Ange Barde, had their blood group engraved on the case of the watch instead of the minute.
A watchmaker in the watch
A big number of horological masterpieces are hidden in museums owing to the extreme fragility of their movements. How many jewellers and owners of the greatest complications were obliged to return their jewels to the watchmakers because of the defective wheels? To solve this problem the Quinting manufacture placed a watch mechanism inside the watch, which will be able like magic to readjust the wheels of the chronograph counter. From this fact comes the expression “a watchmaker in the watch”.
To realize this feat the wheels were assembled on the clutches allowing thus in case of strong constraints to disengage the wheels. You will see when the hands of the chronograph are not any more at 12 o’clock the watchmaker of your Quinting watch has disengaged the wheels and the watch underwent a shock. To ask the watchmaker to engage the wheel again you should simply press the push buttons and as if by magic the mysterious watchmaker will readjust at your request the counters at 12 o’clock. This marvel of the watchmaking tradition that embodies also the Swiss traditional watchmaking manufactured at one hundred percent at the workshops of Quinting.
Gérald Genta, a major exponent of contemporary Haute Horlogerie, is accustomed to clothing its exclusively complicated movements with daring compositions playing freely on shapes, colours and materials. The exquisitely orchestrated horological mechanisms find a variety of singular expressions through the various world cultures that the brand delights in interpreting. For the Octo Mosaïc, it has drawn inspiration from the Middle East, where artists glorify the decorative arts characterised by an abundance of geometrical motifs and arabesques.
The GMT perpetual calendar is concealed beneath a white gold rosette composed of engine-turned elements. The interwoven lines evoke the tightly arranged gridwork effect of the moucharabiehs often found in Islamic architecture.
All the indications – the hours on the bezel, the second time zone at 12 o’clock, the date and the leap-year cycle at 6 o’clock, the magnified date and month displays at 9 and 3 o’clock respectively – feature the characteristic curves and upstrokes of Arabic calligraphy. A green-lacquered dial base reinforces the identity of the watch, a generously sized Octo model housed in a white gold case and fitted with an alligator leather strap.
As a complement to this glowing tribute to the refinement of Arabic civilisation, Gérald Genta also provides a thoughtful additional touch intended for followers of a religion that can be practised in any place. When it is time for ritual prayers, anyone with an Octo Mosaïc can easily find the direction of Mecca, since the timepiece comes with a high-quality compass and accompanying read-off instructions. Taking this sensitive approach to personal beliefs to its ultimate conclusion, the titanium orientation instrument is so light that it poses no problem for someone dressed in traditional garments.
The set is housed in a luxurious presentation box, naturally equipped with a system that maintains the perpetual calendar in operation even when the watch is not on the wrist. Exclusive by nature like all Gérald Genta creations, it will find a home with one hundred privileged future owners and is to be issued at a rate of around 30 watches each year.
In 2007, A. Lange & Söhne redefined the SAXONIA collection with three models. With suave charm and convincing intrinsic values, the members of the re-issued family – the SAXONIA, the SAXONIA AUTOMATIK, and the GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK – are worthy ambassadors of the Saxon watchmaking heritage.
When it was first introduced in 1994, the SAXONIA – one of the watches in Lange’s new-era debut collection – paid tribute to Ferdinand Adolph Lange, the founder of the precision watchmaking industry in Glashütte, and expressed deep respect for his Saxon homeland. The location was judiciously chosen, because the history of A. Lange & Söhne began right here: at the court of Saxony’s electors and kings. This is where Ferdinand Adolph Lange began his horological career as the master student of Gutkaes, clockmaker to the Royal Saxon Court.
And this is also where Saxon jewellers, sculptors, and watchmakers demonstrated unprecedented prowess under the auspices of Augustus the Strong, one of the most illustrious rulers of the Baroque period. During his reign, Dresden became the mecca for Europe’s most talented artisans, and the “Green Vault”, the court’s collection of treasures, was considered synonymous with Saxon splendour. The three new timepieces presented by A. Lange & Söhne proudly evoke this tradition with “SAXONIA” as their shared family name. Every detail of their lavishly hand-finished movements transports the values of Saxon precision watchmaking from its pioneering days to the present.
Just like the Saxon artisans of bygone days, Lange’s master watchmakers are modest individuals who share a passion for perfection. Accordingly, the personality of the SAXONIA is refreshingly understated. Its design focuses entirely on essentials: the sleek contours of the case frame the perfectly legible dial. The sapphire-crystal caseback showcases the exclusive calibre L941.1 movement. Its plates are made of untreated German silver, an alloy composed of copper, zinc, and nickel which in the course of time develops a golden patina. Lange is one of the few manufactories that uses this alloy.
Screws that are annealed to a cornflower blue and the synthetic ruby jewels – four of them embedded in gold chatons – create a colourful contrast. The passion and time invested in the finish of the movement parts also belong to the Lange culture. Even surfaces that are concealed after the assembly of the movement are meticulously decorated with refined patterns. The hand-engraved balance cock turns each watch into a one-of-a-kind treasure. The 37.0 millimetre case is crafted from 18-carat yellow, pink, or white gold. The appliques on the dial and the lancet hands are also made of solid gold. The solid-silver dial is available in four different colours.
Technical details Movement
Lange manufacture calibre L941.1, manually wound,crafted to the highest Lange quality standards and largely ssembled and decorated by hand; precision adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 164
Jewels: 21
Screwed gold
chatons: 4
Escapement: Lever escapement
Balance: Shock-resistant glucydur screw balance, Nivarox
hairspring balance with a frequency of 21,600;semi-oscillations per
hour, whiplash precision index; adjuster with patented beat adjustment
mechanism
Power reserve: 45 hours when fully wound
Functions
Time display in hours, minutes, and small seconds with stop seconds
Operating elements: Crown for winding movement and setting the time
Case, dial & strap
Case: Diameter 37.0 millimetres, yellow, white, or pink gold
Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal (hardness 9)
Dial: Solid silver, champagne, argenté, black or grey
Hands: Yellow gold, rhodiumed gold or pink gold
Strap: Crocodile strap with precious-metal Lange prong buckle in solid yellow, white, or pink gold.
SAXONIA AUTOMATIK and GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK
The SAXONIA AUTOMATIK and the GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK are endowed with all the quality features that are characteristic for each member of the noble SAXONIA family. Additionally, they are powered by a movement that is exceptional in every respect: Lange’s famous SAX-0-MAT manufacture calibre. The first and last syllables refer to Saxony, its geographical home, and to the automatic winding mechanism.
The “zero” in the middle stands for the sophisticated ZERO-RESET feature which causes the seconds hand to instantly jump to zero when the crown is pulled. This is a useful innovation that truly simplifies the synchronisation of the watch with a reference time signal. The SAX-0-MAT is also unique by virtue of its winding mechanism design.
Thanks to its reversing and reduction gear train, the delicately embossed rotor in gold and platinum winds bidirectionally. Four ball bearings assure that it transfers its torque to the mainspring with the greatest degree of efficiency. The gearing ratio builds up a sufficient power reserve even on a calm wrist. The fascinating kinetics of the winding rotor and the going train can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback. The face of the SAXONIA AUTOMATIK is accented by the Lange outsize date beneath the twelve. The two timepieces are available in white or pink gold as SAXONIA AUTOMATIK with a diameter of 37.0 millimetres or in more prominent versions as GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK with a 40.6-millimetre case.
Technical details
Models: SAXONIA AUTOMATIK and GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK
Movement
Lange manufacture calibre L921.4 (SAXONIA AUTOMATIK) and L921.2 (GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK), self-winding, crafted to the highest Lange quality standards and largely assembled and decorated by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 378 (SAXONIA AUTOMATIK); 307(GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK)
Jewels: 45 (SAXONIA AUTOMATIK); 36 (GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK)
Escapement: Lever escapement
Balance: Shock-resistant glucydur screw balance,Nivarox hairspring balance with a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, whiplash precision index adjuster with patented beat adjustment mechanism;Power reserve: 46 hours when fully wound
Functions
Time display in hours, minutes, and small seconds,with stop seconds, outsize date (SAXONIA AUTOMATIK)
Operating elements: Crown for winding movement and setting the time,push piece for advancing the date display (SAXONIA AUTOMATIK)
Case, dial & strap
Case: Diameter 37.0 millimetres (SAXONIA AUTOMATIK)Diameter 40.6 millimetres (GRAND SAXONIA AUTOMATIK), white or pink gold
Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal (hardness 9)
Dial: Solid silver, argenté, black or grey
Hands: Rhodiumed gold or pink gold; seconds hand rhodiumed gold, pink gold or blued steel.
Strap: Crocodile strap with precious-metal Lange prong buckle in solid white or pink gold.
Introduced in 2007, this special anniversary edition timepiece reflects the brand’s longstanding cooperation with the “Mille Miglia”, the legendary racing event which celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2007.
In 1927, amid the high spirits of the “Roaring Twenties”, four dedicated motor sports enthusiasts decided to organise an international race that would not be reserved for an elite and in which any good driver could take part. However, only regular production non-modified vehicles by well-known car-makes were to be entitled to compete. This was the start of the “Mille Miglia”. From 1927 to 1957, the greatest drivers at the wheel of the most prestigious models from the car manufacturers raced along the dusty roads of 1,600 km through Italy. It had to be stopped in 1957 following a serious accident and was not revived until 1977.
Chopard has been sponsoring the legendary Mille Miglia classic since 1988. Far from opting for a purely passive form of sponsorship, the Scheufele family, owner of Chopard, took part personally right from the beginning.
Two substantial models were produced to mark the 80th anniversary of this legendary race. The first model produced in a limited edition features a slate-coloured dial which immediately evokes some of the prestigious speed machines that have made their mark on the history of the “Mille Miglia”.
Its oversized 6 and 12 o’clock Arabic numerals transferred beneath the sapphire crystal – a first for the collection – give it an exclusive touch, while its aerodynamic pushers reinforce its sporting nature. The original chronograph counters arranged on two dial levels and its tachometric scale engraved on the bezel make this a highly contemporary and particularly legible time-measuring instrument.
Produced in limited editions of 2007 in steel (ref. 16/8489) and 500 in 18-carat rose gold (ref. 16/1268), this model houses a selfwinding movement chronometer-certified by the COSC.
The generous 44mm diameter case is water-resistant to 100 metres and enhanced by a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment, a screw-locked crown and a back stamped with the “Mille Miglia” route.
A “Mille Miglia GT XL Chrono” 2007 was also produced in a black dial version featuring oversized numerals with Superluminova coating (ref. 16/8459). It has a transparent sapphire crystal case-back that provides a clear view of the self-winding chronograph movement chronometer certified by the COSC.
This Limited Series Speedmaster Professional Chronograph Moonwatch was launched in 2007 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Speedmaster – the first and still the only watch to have been worn on the Moon. Produced in a limited Series of 5,957 stainless steel pieces with a special commemorative design of a golden seahorse on the dial offered the collectors a rare opportunity to own a piece of space history.
The physiognomy of the 42 mm Professional Chronograph Moonwatch with its black dial, chronograph counters and tachymeter scale bears the DNA of the original hand-winding 1957 Speedmaster and its heart is powered by the famous Calibre 1861 that accompanied the watch into zero gravity.
Launched in 1957 and designed to measure speed with chronograph and tachymeter functions, the Speedmaster has proved time and time again an invaluable and life saving partner to pilots, astronauts and explorers as they defy boundaries and push to ever-higher limits in the exploration of the universe. With an impressive track record of 11 NASA tests and 6 Moon landings, the Speedmaster has been on every US manned space flight and is currently on board Russia’s ISS International Space Station making this manual-winding timepiece a cornerstone of horological and space history.
OMEGA’s Speedmaster Chronograph was officially “flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions” in 1965 although the Speedmaster had already been to space on the wrist of astronaut Walter Schirra on board the Sigma 7 in 1962. Able to withstand extreme temperature changes and zero gravity, the Speedmaster touched down on the moon with Apollo 11 astronauts in July 1969 and subsequently became known as the Moonwatch.
During the troubled and dramatic Apollo 13 “Houston, we’ve had a problem here” mission of 1970, the Speedmaster saved the day. An explosion of a reserve oxygen tank compromised all the time keeping mechanisms on board: except one. Commander James Lovell relied on his Speedmaster Chronograph to time, within a fraction of a second, the extremely critical firing of the re-entry rockets allowing for the safe return of his crew to planet Earth. In recognition of the crucial role that its Speedmaster chronograph played on the Apollo 13 mission, OMEGA received the “Snoopy” Award in October 1970 – the highest honour awarded by NASA astronauts. The Speedmaster was present for yet another decisive moment in space history during the 1975 joint USSR-USA Apollo-Soyuz docking. The symbolic handshake in space at the height of the Cold War revealed that both crews were wearing the Speedmaster Chronograph.
To celebrate its half-century of life, the words ‘50th Anniversary’ crown the golden seahorse featured at 12 o’clock on the dial. The hour and minutes hands, the central chronograph seconds hand and baton indexes have been highlighted with Super-LumiNova for maximum legibility in any conditions -on earth or in space. Although the original 1957 Speedmaster featured the iconic “Broad Arrow” hands, these were replaced in 1963 with “Dauphine” hands. Being slimmer, they create more space on the dial for a clearer view of the three counters with 12 hour, 30 minute and 60 second totalisers that proved vital on the Apollo 13 mission. As a tribute to its space legacy, the hands on this watch are white, just like those on the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. The Arabic numerals on the counters and on the characteristic black aluminium tachymeter scale on the bezel have been designed with maximum clarity and legibility in mind. A scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment protects the dial of this Limited Series Moonwatch.
Purists will appreciate the respect shown for the original Speedmaster in the manual-winding movement. In fact, the Limited Series Moonwatch is powered by OMEGA Calibre 1861, the famous movement that accompanied man on the moon and a tribute to its resilience.
The 42 mm stainless steel case of the Limited Series Moonwatch has inherited dominant Speedmaster family traits with its iconic curved and facetted horns and its large push buttons to activate the chronograph. A seahorse medallion has been embossed on the stainless-steel case back as well as the number of the Limited Series 0000/5957 and the words: “FLIGHT-QUALIFIED BY NASA FOR ALL MANNED SPACE MISSIONS. THE FIRST AND ONLY WATCH WORN ON THE MOON”.
Space enthusiasts will remember the original ‘Velcro’ strap designed to fasten the Speedmaster to the exterior of the astronauts’ spacesuits during their missions. Inspired by the first solid link bracelet of the 1960’s, this Limited Series Moonwatch is fitted with a stainless steel bracelet that straps to the wrist with a foldover clasp.
With a 45-hour power reserve and water-resistant to 50 metres/167 feet, the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch has proved it can withstand extreme atmospheric conditions on Earth and in space.
The aesthetical concept of the Marc Alfieri TME 01 watch was to bring a new and fresh vision of « Haute Horlogerie » there is no mechanical parts on the upper face like the actual trend but a very technical dial easy to read with big luminous numbers and clears indications.
The idea was to bring fresh colours on this dial, like a space ship control board. The trust index and the power reserve indicator are located under the dial the two hand are moving on a vertical line, this was quite difficult to do.
At the back a large opening allow to see the movement treated in a sober way with a large “X” bridge screwed on a carbon fibre plate, the strong visual effect is due to the extreme degree of hand finishing done on all the components.
The movement is looked to the case with two “forks” located at 12 and 6. The screws are “half circle drive” type this allows a very precise torque proportioning during the screwing process. The straps are made of a new type of lizard skin called titanium lizard. Each strap will be individually hand crafted by a master from “Les ateliers de France”.
Each watch is delivered in a black aluminium tube sealed with a screwed cap, inside this tube the customer will find a USB flash drive containing the history of his watch on a video, this flash drive will be also used as the ID card of the watch.
Production of the Marc Alfieri TME 01 watch was limited to 20 pieces in Titanium, 20 pieces Pink gold, 20 piece carbon fiber/rose gold casing, and 3 one of a kind pieces with specials materials and finishes.
Technical details
Model: Marc Alfieri Time Measure Experience TME 01
Movement
CALIBER TM-01
• Manual winding Tourbillon movement (hours, minutes)
• Fly-back chronograph (hours minutes)
• Second time zone (with am/pm indicator)
• Power reserve indicator
• Trust index.
Dimensions of movement : 32,4mm X 47,10mm
Thickness : 7mm
Number of jewels : 33
Balance spring : Nivarox
Balance : inertia 10m/cm2, angle of lift 54°
Frequency : 21’600A/h (3 Hz)
Shock protection: KIF type;« X » bridge mounted on a carbon fiber plate.
Finishing: Anglage and finishing by hand; Bead-blasted and Rhodium plated « X » bridge
COMPLICATIONS
Tourbillon :
-Manufactured by BNB Concept for MARC ALFIERI
-Power reserve 120h
-Tourbillon located at 8h
Flyback chronograph: Mono counter, Mono pusher, Hour and minutes
Second Time Zone: Second time zone window; Am/Pm indicator for second time zone
Trust Index: Vertical « trust index » accuracy indicator; Located under the dial
Power reserve Indicator: Vertical power reserve indicator; Located under the dial.
Case & Dial
Watch case: Dimensions : 54 mm x 43 mm; Titanium Grade 5
Screws: Exclusive « half circle » screws in titanium grade 5
Crown: In titanium grade 5 double « o ring »
Dial: Deep black dial with big white super-luminova numbers and indexes separate machined plates
Crystal: Sapphire with anti-glare treatment (two sides)
Case back: in sapphire
The Da Vinci Chronograph (Ref. IW3764), containing the manufactory chronograph calibre 89360 features a number of designs that are unique in the world. It departs, for example, from the classic measurement of stop times and intermediate times, in the sense that stopped hours and minutes can be read off like a second time display on the inner dial in this model. This user friendly and clever creation increases the practical utility of the chronograph quite decisively.
The Da Vinci from IWC, which revolutionized the perpetual calendar in 1985, made horological history. Introduced in 2007, the Da Vinci Chronograph (Ref. IW3764) opened a new chapter which retains its close links with the universal genius of the Italian Renaissance.
The chronograph is justifiably the most popular and the most widely distributed horological complication. For Schaffhausen kept faith with the mechanical watch with a stopwatch function at the end of the seventies, during the quartz revolution, at a time when scarcely anyone wished to know anything about it. The chronograph is the epitome of the modern age, which offers so many tempting options and because of that obliges strict timing. Ever since its invention between the start and the middle of the nineteenth century, however, the mechanical “time writer” – the first examples of which left a small dot of ink on the dial at the push of a button – has suffered from a single serious shortcoming, namely the reduced legibility of longer measured times. The system of the two totalizers mainly for 30 minutes and – separately – for up to 12 hours, has basically not been examined again technically since it was originally developed. This situation occasionally also nurtures the prejudice that the function itself is irrelevant, and that the complication simply meets decorative needs.
The Da Vinci Chronograph from IWC translates the chronograph logically for the first time into a “watch within a watch”. To do this, it converts its measured times in the hours and minutes area into what to our eyes is a completely familiar, analogue time display via hour hands and minute hands and makes these measured times decodable at a glance. This is precisely what is concealed behind the central, generously dimensioned display circle in the upper half of the dial of the Da Vinci Chronograph: a watch within a watch, which makes the time measurable and available at the push of a button. The short stop times within a given minute are indicated, in the customary way, by the chronometer centre seconds.
The case contains as its mechanical heart the manufactory chronograph calibre 89360, developed by IWC. The round automatic movement with a power reserve of 68 hours, a newly developed double pawl winding system and the predominantly decentral chronograph mechanism with column wheel actuation, is an entirely new design based on the highest industrial design standard, Design for Six Sigma DFSS, which has been used consistently by IWC for some time. A so called “robust design” was achieved in this way, in which every function and component in a closely networked process between design and subsequent production is inspected, tested, optimized repeatedly and checked thoroughly to exclude possible faults.
The automatic spring bridge already improved for the Cal. 80111 of the Ingenieur has been adopted from the ingenious winding mechanism design of Albert Pellaton. This is a central component, which carries the rotor and absorbs impacts from all directions. The pawl winding mechanism itself has nevertheless undergone a complete change. Two double winding pawls, making four in total instead of the previous two, transmit the energy of the rotor movement to the pawl wheel through push-and-pull movements. A dead angle is eliminated during winding, and the efficiency of the winding is increased by 30 per cent by the new positioning of the pawls, which now no longer lie one after the other, but are arranged in pairs opposite one another on the pawl wheel. They are not controlled by the cam disc (heart) as previously, but by a crankshaft similar to that found in an automobile engine. The index-free escapement system with a special, Nivarox balance spring produced exclusively for IWC exhibits clearly superior oscillation characteristics in return for a lower energy requirement and achieves a “quality factor” – as the relevant measurable variable is referred to – of more than 400, which lies significantly above that of most other high quality and highest-quality movements. Fine adjustment is effected via precision adjustment screws on the balance wheel ring.
For the first time, the chronograph movement with its flyback function, actuated via a classic column wheel, permits the indication of the aggregate time recording of hours and minutes in the familiar form of an analogue time display with two hands. It can also run continuously with the movement without any decrease in amplitude. This feat of strength demonstrated by proprietary chronograph design also meets the high demands of a watch which does not bear the great name Da Vinci simply in order to embellish itself, but rather in order to live up to all that the name implies.
The Da Vinci Chronograph Ref. IW3764 is available in white gold, rose gold and stainless steel, with a limited edition of 500 watches in platinum. Technical details
Model: Da Vinci Chronograph Ref. IW3764
Chronograph in a tonneau case with manufactory automatic movement and analogue display of aggregate stop times synchronized with the actual time, with date display and seconds stop function, hands and indices luminous, platinum variant limited to 500 watches
Movement
Caliber 89360
Vibrations: 28,800/h / 4 Hz
Jewels: 40
Power reserve: 68 h
Winding automatic
Case, dial and strap
Three-part tonneau case in platinum, 18 ct. white gold, 18 ct. rose gold, stainless steel
Dial silver-plated (platinum), slate-grey ardoise (white gold), silver-plated (rose gold), black (stainless steel)
Glass sapphire glass, convex, anti reflective, see-through back sapphire
Crown screw-in
Clasp match the case material
Water-resistant 3 bar (30 m)
Diameter 43 mm
Height 14.35 mm
Introduced in 2007, the DOXA SUB750T GMT is the first diving timepiece to be equipped with a patented no-decompression dive limit bezel and to display three time zones simultaneously. A Swiss made automatic movement ticks inside this stainless steel timepiece. Additional to normal timing indications, this timepiece displays second time zone with an over sized 24 hour hand, third time zone with the inner rotating bezel, and a date indication at 3’ o clock.
As the name suggests, this professional grade diving timepiece offers a water resistance up to 750 meters. The DOXA SUB750T GMT models are available in Orange, yellow, black or blue dial versions. The stainless steel bracelet incorporates an extension system which enables the diver to wear the timepiece over wet suit.
Technical details Movement Automatic, ETA 2893-2
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, oversized 24-hour hand to display second time zone, third time zone on inner rotating bezel, date
Case
Brushed steel
Double-sided, anti-reflective, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
Unidirectional rotating bezel with no-decompression scale
Screw-down back
Water-resistant to 750 m
Dial
Orange, yellow, black or blue
Bracelet/Strap
Steel with wetsuit extension system
History of DOXA SUB
The DOXA SUB was designed with the input of co-inventor of SCUBA Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau and was introduced in 1967. It is the first dive watch to incorporate a non-decompression dive time table integrated into the watch bezel. The DOXA SUB, well known for its orange dial, has become standard equipment of professional divers all over the world since its release in 1967.
This one-of-a-kind hand wound mechanical pocket-watch by Blancpain was specially designed and developed for the Only Watch 2007, the second edition of an exceptional charity auction initiated by Luc Pettavino, Founder of United Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (UPMD) and President of the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy (AMM).
The Blancpain Only Watch (2007) pocket-watch is equipped with the famous Blancpain ultra-slim Calibre 15, a truly unique star shining among the galaxy of rare and sought-after models produced by the Manufacture in Le Brassus.
The dial itself is a masterpiece of superlative craftsmanship. The designers have conceived dedicated dial openings providing a unique glimpse of the beauty and the complexity of the skeletonised movement. The hand-bevelled first cut-out naturally follows the line of the movement gear wheels right through to the escapement. The second comma-shaped aperture lends aesthetic balance to the dial as a whole.
Crafted in 18-carat gold and adorned with finely worked motifs made by hand with a special graver, the dial surface has been exquisitely coated with a warm Havana brown colour using the sophisticated traditional champlevé technique. This beautifully dappled shade achieved by Grand Feu enamelling blends harmoniously with the yellow gold of the Clous de Paris hour-markers and the case. The hand-engraved and raised Blancpain logo seems to emerge from the enamelled surface between 6 and 8 o’clock.
The admirably meticulous finishing details adorning the beating heart of the Blancpain Only Watch 2007, mechanical hand-wound Calibre 15, can be admired through the sapphire crystal case-back and the dial apertures artistically sculpted in the enamelled dial. Designed, assembled and hand-decorated by the Blancpain master-watchmakers, this breathtakingly slender ultra-slim movement measures a mere 1.9 mm thick for a diameter of 36.1 mm. It is distinguished by its subtle and delicate open worked motifs and by the “Only Watch” inscription engraved on the hand-chased bridge.
Endowed with a 40-hour power reserve, the Blancpain Only Watch 2007 is housed in an 18-carat yellow gold half-hunter case measuring 45 mm in diameter and fitted with the traditional double stepped bezel and sapphire crystal back.
This exceptional timepiece is presented in a burr elm box specially designed to accommodate a pocket-watch and including a dedicated drawer for the accompanying solid gold chain. Setting the perfect finishing touch, the Only Watch logo is embossed into the leather-lined lid of the precious presentation box.
Introduced in 2007 and available in steel or red gold versions, this new Fifty Fathoms Automatic watch houses the self winding Calibre 1315, an in house calibre derived from the hand-wound Calibre 13R0 presented in October 2006. Stemming from a lengthy quest for simplicity, precision and performance, it was conceived right from the outset to equip watches with a resolutely sporting vocation. Blancpain has fitted it with an extremely dense bimetallic rotor ensuring excellent winding efficiency.
In addition, this movement features most of the characteristics that made the 13R0 such a truly exceptional calibre, including its free-sprung balance with no index and no swan’s neck, equipped instead with regulating screws placed around the rim of the balance. This screw-based system proves ideal for a sporty watch, since it avoids the potentially detrimental effect of shocks that could modify the position of the index or the swan’s neck, thereby disturbing the rate. To accurate and efficient adjustment, Blancpain has equipped it with square-headed gold micrometrical screws, enabling the watchmaker to easily visualise the corrections he is making. Governed by a concern for optimal sturdiness, the balance is crafted from glucydur, which is heavier than the titanium used in the 13R0.
The Blancpain movement design engineers have also sought to find the most effective solutions in terms of energy storage. The goal in particular was to endow the watch with an optimal autonomy, while ensuring constant energy at all times. The new Calibre 1315 does indeed have an exceptional power reserve of 5 days. To achieve this feat, Blancpain has equipped it with three series-coupled barrels. Due to the choice of a glucydur balance, the three mainsprings have been specifically readjusted for this movement.
Another technical refinement lies in the date display on Calibre 1315, enabling fast date change at midnight in either direction. In addition to the sophisticated shape of the parts, the finishing also clearly expresses the spirit of Haute Horlogerie: straight graining, bevelling, circular-graining and circular satin-brushing add an exquisite touch of exclusivity. The large jewels are directly driven into the bridges and plates so as to preserve the visual magic of traditional movements. The sunburst motif adorning the bridge reflects that on the rotor. To avoid any potentially disturbing effects of magnetic fields, the Calibre 1315 powering the Fifty Fathoms is enclosed within a cage protecting it on all sides.
When it comes to diving watch specifications, this model displays the main signature features that forged the reputation of the original Fifty Fathoms and of its subsequent enhanced versions. The same professionalism is apparent in the decisive choices, dictated by a wealth of experience in the field of diving, its risks and its imperious necessities. Water-resistance is same, 300 metres. It is equipped with the same oversized hour-markers and hands ensuring optimal readability. It boasts the same black dial and bezel colour, against which the luminescent indications make a striking contrast. The rotating bezel remains a key element of the watch, with its notched profile facilitating handling and its unidirectional rotating system that avoids any inadvertent extension of the dive times. Crafted from scratch-resistant sapphire, one of the hardest materials in the world, and featuring a slightly cambered raised effect that reduces its vulnerability to shocks, this bezel is distinguished by its luxurious finishing.
Loyal to its tradition of innovation, the Manufacture in Le Brassus has also made a point of re-examining each detail of the Fifty Fathoms in order to optimise its performances and fine-tune its immediately recognisable design. To accentuate its extreme readability in all circumstances, Blancpain has chosen a new shade of luminescent coating applied to the markings on the bezel and to the hands; the trapeze-shaped hour-markers on the sunburst-effect black dial, as well as the graduated scale showing the last fifteen minutes on the bezel, optimise the user-friendliness of this model. The case is equipped with crown guards that reinforce the security surrounding this essential component.
Blancpain has also created a rugged new water-resistant strap in rubber-lined black canvas. The pin buckle specially developed for the collection is adorned with a trapeze reflecting the design of the hour-markers. As on the limited edition in 2003, the exclusive fastening system enables quick and easy strap change. Moreover, an additional strap in rubber along with the instrument required to change it may be acquired separately to complete this set of gear. Blancpain has even innovated in terms of the packaging, by presenting the Fifty Fathoms in an ultra-sturdy watertight box in high-tech materials, which can be used even in extreme conditions.
Technical details Fifty Fathoms Automatique
Ref. 5015-3630-52: Red Gold case and Black dial
Ref. 5015-1130-52: Steel case and Black dial
Movement
Calibre 1315, Self winding
Diameter: 30.60 mm
Thickness: 5.65 mm
Power reserve: 120 hours
Rubies: 35
Components: 222
Case
Red Gold or Steel
Diameter: 45.00mm
Thickness: 15.50 mm
Unidirectional bezel
Water resistance: 300 meters
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Working together, the movement and the magnetic shield allow the watch to achieve exceptional performance when subjected to intense magnetic fields. The movement benefits from various innovations that reinforce its resistance to magnetic interference.
The dial decoration, a subtle combination of black lacquer and precious stones, suggests natural textures. The blazes, the signature of the Royal Black, are made up of 262 brilliants. The extremely intricate gem-setting requires great dexterity and expertise. Diamond hour markers provide the finishing touch to this exceptional timepiece.
Production of the Marc Alfieri TME 01 watch was limited to 20 pieces in Titanium, 20 pieces Pink gold, 20 piece carbon fiber/rose gold casing, and 3 one of a kind pieces with specials materials and finishes.
