10/1 Update: A report this morning from WorldTempus via Romandie News appears to definitively confirm the story we broke yesterday.
Sources indicate that Manuel Emch has or is leaving Montres Jaquet Droz, although this is still not 100% confirmed by First In Watches. Emch has been President of Jaquet Droz, part of the Swatch Group, since 2001. I will provide an update as soon as Swatch Group, which would neither confirm nor deny the rumor, issues an official statement.
Editor’s Note: At the request of F.P. Journe, this post has been temporarily removed. In the future, please note that if you would like your press release to be embargoed until a certain date, you should mark all versions of the press release as such – particularly those on your press portal. First In Watches has and continues to respect embargo requests, but only on information that is marked as such.
Excited to see this today – the Oktopus Titanium black lacquer bezel – a nice new addition to Linde Werdelin’s Oktopus collection. Well, actually there was only 1 Oktopus model prior to now (a black dialed, black DLC steel case model), so I guess now it is now “officially” a collection. Update: LW launched an all titanium model with the DLC in Basel; what is new here is the black lacquer bezel (Morten Linde felt that it made for a nicer addition to such a masculine watch; I do not disagree). This is a cool looking watch, I like the look of the black lacquer bezel, and the fact that it is in titanium makes it even more desirable, in my opinion (in case you did not see it, I favorably video-reviewed another titanium-cased Linde Werdelin, the SpidoLite SA here).
The Oktopus is water resistant to 1,111 meters (3,333 feet) and is compatible with LW’s sports instruements – of course “The Reef” (diving instrument) is what you would want here. If you want to indulge yourself – LW is accepting pre-order yours today - the Titanium Oktopus will set you back about $10,000, and is expected to be available from November 2009.
Here’s a couple pics, and the specs are below.
Linde Werdelin Oktopus 1,111m titanium
Limited to 88 pieces
Dial close-up
Technical Specifications
Size 46mm (w) by 49mm (l) by 14mm (h)
Movement ETA 2892-A2 elaboree 42 hour power reserve
Case Titanium gr. 5 case with microbille finish
Black lacquer bezel
Screw on stainless steel case-back
Unidirectional turning bezel with 10 minute markings 3.8mm anti-reflective sapphire crystal (backside coated)
Screw in crown with LW logo
Helium Escape Valve At 9 o’clock
Dial Black galvanic matt dial with silver print Arabic numerals rhodium plated applied indexes with Super LumiNova (C3 Blue Line)
Hands Diamond cut with applied Super LumiNova (C3 Blue Line)
Water Resistance 1111M / 3333ft
Strap Black soft rubber strap with titanium ardillon buckle
by Kyle Stults on September 29, 2009
Well, fresh off an exciting Singapore Grand Prix (congrats Lewis Hamilton and Tag Heuer), next stop is Japan, and then to Brazil (October 16-18). Brazil is the home of F1 Superstar Felipe Massa, who is unfortunately out of racing for the rest of the 2009 season due to a severe accident he suffered on the racetrack this past July at the Hungarian Grand Prix (Massa was struck on the helmet by a suspension spring that had fallen from Rubens Barrichello’s car on a high-speed part of the track).
As you may also know, Felipe Massa has a special relationship with ultra-exclusive watchmaker Richard Mille. Richard Mille just revealed a special edition watch he has created for Massa, and it is an eye-catcher. The colors of Massa’s Brazilian homeland with the technical prowess that Richard Mille is known for!
Limited to 10 pieces, one of which is surely Felipe Massa’s.
by Kyle Stults on September 28, 2009
Nov 10 Update: Finally got the official details from B&R! Added a close-up pic of the chronograph, too. 46mm square, screw in crown, powered by the “usual” for B&R – ETA 2892 and ETA 2894 (for the chronograph). 100m water resistance. B&R claims “the first watch to be constructed entirely of a carbon fiber case” and with carbon fiber dial and strap, too.
First In Watches has been informed that there will be 500 of each of these new “all carbon” Bell & Ross models. Working to confirm more details…but for now I’ll let the pics speak for themselves…
After its one-of-a-kind Quai de l’Ile sold for about $75,000 at the recent ONLY Watch 2009 charity event, Vacheron Constantin has decided to launch an exceptional series of 100 Quai de l’Ile watches to further its support of the fight against the currently incurable Muscular Dystropny. Vacheron Constantin will donate 1,000 CHF per watch sold for a total donation of 100,000 Swiss francs to the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy.
Commenting on the new special collection, Vacerhon Constantin CEO Juan-Carlos Torres stated:
“Driven by a desire to transcend the gift we had made to the auction, we simply asked ourselves how we could open up a new and more lasting channel of funding on behalf of the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy over which Luc Pettavino presides in such a charismatic manner. We have therefore decided to launch the development and production of a special series of 100 numbered watches dedicated to the association, the sale of which will enable us to make a further direct contribution of 100,000 Swiss francs. We sincerely hope this initiative will pave the way for other ideas of a similar nature.”
These special Quai de l’Ile watches are constructed of a case made in tantalum and in palladium; equipped with the mechanical self-winding 2460 movement bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva; numbered and engraved on the back; and specifically dedicated to this noble cause. They will soon be available from the 100 Vacheron Constantin points of sale around the globe that already offer the exclusive Quai de l’Ile collection.
If you are not familiar with Vacheron’s Quai de l’Ile series, I also recommend you watch the excellent video I am including below.
Vacheron Constantin Quai de l’Ile -Special series dedicated to the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy
As with prior years, a few luxury watchmakers have issued special watches to commemorate the Singapore Grand Prix this year, and I thought it only appropriate and timely to share those with you now, as these are some special and exclusive (ie very pricey) watches. If you did not know, the only night race on the FIA Formula 1 World Championship circuit is at the Marina Bay track in Singapore. In 2008, the first year of the “night race”, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa (wearer of all things Richard Mille) had the pole position, but it was Renault’s Fernando Alonso who took the victory. This year, it is McLaren-Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (wearer of all things Tag Heuer) who has the pole position but the winner is yet to be determined!
Franck Muller Conquistador Singapore Grand Prix 2009 Racing Chronograph
80 pieces in titanium, 80 in rose gold and titanium, and 6 exclusive models in pink gold with blackened titanium bezel (shown below in this order)
(photo credits: Horomundi)
2009 Chopard Classic Racing Chrono F1 Singapore Edition (Unique Piece)
18-carat rose gold, 45mm case, COSC-certified, 1960s Dunlop racing tyre-tread motif black rubber strap, with logo and commemorative mention of the 2009 F1 Singapore race featured on the back-case
Auctioned at the President’s Charity Challenge Luncheon for $35,000!
TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Day Date Chronograph (Singapore Limited Edition)
(photo credit: puristspro)
If I missed any please let me know!
Ulysse Nardin announced today a new limited edition (100 pieces) Maxi Marine Diver – the “Monaco YS”. That’s “YS” as in “Yacht Show” – because the brand is participating this year (for the first time) in the Monaco Yacht Show. It’s actually a pretty cool looking watch, although I find the timing of this announcement to be a bit strange – why didn’t Ulysse Nardin just get in on the “Only Watch 2009″ charity auction held yesterday as part of the same Monaco Yacht Show festivities? Anyway, here’s the watch:
The case is 42.7mm in diamter, in black DLC (diamond-like-carbon) treated and hardened stainless steel, with a see-through caseback so you can admire the movement. Water resistant to 200 meters. As for the watch’s functions – it has a small power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock and a small seconds and round date window at 6 o’clock. The partially skeletonized hour and minute hands are equipped with dark grey luminous material which glows in the dark (presumably in the normal yellow-green color of most lume). The dial has UN’s distinctive black wave-patterned bezel, accendted with 18 ct rose gold inlay. Interestingly, rubber strap has a black ceramic folding clasp as well as black ceramic accents which can be seen in the above photo. Here’s the watch from a different angle:
While this watch could certainly do without the cheesy “Limited Edition” stamp on the strap, the rose gold inlays contrast nicely with the black DLC and make this overall sharp looking dive watch.
Fresh off of a huge charity event (ONLY Watch 2009 auction raised about 2 million EUR to help fight Duschenne Muscular Dystrophy) I figured I would share another “good watch for a great cause” – the IWC Portuguese Automatic Laureus 2009:
The deep blue dial of this watch and matching strap really catches the eye, don’t you think?
IWC has been a long time supporter of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which helps children and young people in mostly third world countries who have fallen victim to poverty, homelessness, war, violence, and other injustices. This makes the fourth time that IWC has dedicate a watch to the Laureus cause – following on from the Portuguese Chrono-Automatic in 2006, the Pilot’s Watch Chrono-Automatic in 2007 and the Da Vinci Chronograph in 2008, IWC has chosen its Portuguese Automatic to carry its “support for sport” in 2009.
Limited to 1,000 watches, the 2009 IWC Portuguese Automatic Laureus Sport For Good Foundation Edition (Ref. IW5001) has a seven-day power reserve display, as well as a medallion on the back of the case showing the winning drawing from the “Team spirit” painting competition - 12-year-old K.D. Sriyan Chamod Dilshan from Sri Lanka:
He illustrated the theme of “Team spirit” with a picture of four young people holding hands in a circle. According to IWC, “The engraving is a reminder that part of the proceeds from sales of the watch will go towards projects for underprivileged children in troubled areas of the world.”
IWC Schaffhausen also created an illustrated book, “Let the Children Play”, in order to attract more attention to the considerable social involvement of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation which will accompany the watch..
Anyone who buys the Portuguese Automatic Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation will get a copy of the book, which shows 10 of the more than 65 projects supported by the Foundation to help underprivileged children.
Well done, IWC!
First In Watches brings you the new limited edition Breitling Cosmonaute. 1,000 pieces of this watch will be made to commemorate Breitling’s 125th anniversary. As part of this same year-long celebration by Breitling, we saw earlier this year the limited edition Breitling Navitimer, but this watch is not nearly as cool as the Cosmonaute. One thing I like about the Breitling Cosmonaute is that it indicates the daily 24 hours in a single sweep of the dial. What’s so special about that you might ask? Well, “given the extremely relative nature of day and night in space, this configuration prevents possible confusion between midday and midnight,” says Breitling. Can’t really argue with the that, I suppose – after all, do you really want to be late for your return flight to Earth?
Historically speaking, in 1962 the space race was well under way, and Breitling, then already a supplier to civilian and military aviation, took on the challenge of a new watch based on the its Navitimer chronograph – the resulting watch was the Cosmonaute. On May 24th 1962, the astronaut Scott Carpenter tested the Breitling Cosmonaute under real-life conditions during his orbital flight aboard the Aurora 7 capsule. So there you have it – the first chronograph in space.
All 1,000 commemorative pieces will be equipped with an original version of the 24-hour dial and fitted exclusively with the rigid perforated Air Racer bracelet. While I am not so much a fan of the Air Racer-style bracelet, I would overlook it in order to own one of these great watches from Breitling.
