The infamous “Air Jordan”
OK let me say right up front I’m going to take you watch fans off topic for few moments but don’t worry I’ll bring you back 
This past summer Dwyane Wade left his long-term relationship with Converse to pursue bigger and better things. It’s every modern day athlete’s dream to be a part of the Jordan brand (I would imagine anyway). “I didn’t want to be in the Converse brand anymore because it seemed like they didn’t know what to do with me,” Wade told the AP. “I want to go global. It’s something I feel like I have to do. I want to continue to build my brand.”
Wade will be joining the likes of Carmelo Anthony and CP3 (Chris Paul) in the Jordan Brand. I have been saying for years that Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat, Guard) should be represented in the Jordan Brand Family. Carmelo Anthony (came into the NBA the same year as Wade) was Jordan’s pick back in the day, but D Wade is finally getting his chance. In February of 2010 the Jordan Brand is releasing the long anticipated Air Jordan 2010 which will commemorate the line’s 25th anniversary (can’t believe the “Jordan’s” have been around that long!)
Is Dwyane Wade worthy of representing Jordan? Watch this video - and I’ll let you make the call:
By now I’m sure you’re all wondering what this has to do with watches?! Well, much like MJ, Dwyane Wade is not afraid to show off his bling, and that includes on his watches. You may remember an article last year here at www.perpetuelle.com about D-Wade and his IceTek watch. If you missed it here is the pic:
Dwayne Wade racing for the Gold Medal at 2008 Beijing Olympics with his IceTek Roman Ice Watch
Photo: IceTek
More recently Dwyane Wade has been spotted sporting an equally if not more ostentatious watch under the name “Haimov”:
Photo: WENN via Bossip.
And here’s a little closer look, but be sure to put on your sunglasses first
Photo: Highbrid Nation.
Undoubtedly Haimov watches fall outside the scope of what is often covered on this blog, but keep in mind that watches like these are for whatever reason (probably the diamonds) what the pro athletes tend to gravitate towards, so that’s where I go! Now if you are wondering what one of these might set you back, I can tell you that the “word on the street” is that they range from $9,000 to $62,000. And I think it is safe to say that D Wade’s watch above is probably at the high end of this range.
So who’s the man behind the watch? Igal Haimov. A modern day success story, the Uzbekistan-born Haimov immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 14 with the dream of becoming a successful jewelery designer. Haimov’s star-studded clientele list now includes Timbaland, 50 Cent, Nelly, and Shaq – just to name a few. I suppose it’s fair to say that he has succeeded in this dream.
Try Us On Your Kindle Free for 14 Days!
Hi Watch Friends and Fans,
As part of the Christmas or Hanukkah tradition, I’m guessing that some of you may have received a gift or two these past weeks. Maybe even an Amazon Kindle? Yes? Or did you already have one of those (you lucky dog you)? Either way – just wanted to let you know that First In Watches, the Perpetuelle.com blog, is now available for the Amazon Kindle, and you can even subscribe risk-free and no-cost for 14 days!
CLICK HERE TO TRY FIRST IN WATCHES BLOG ON YOUR AMAZON KINDLE!
The price is actually very low for a daily blog such as this one ($1.99 per month – as set by Amazon.com), but it is still a cost nonetheless! So keep in mind that you can read the blog absolutely FREE anytime just by visiting this site so I’ll leave it up to you to decide what suits you best
I decided to offer the blog on the Kindle not because it will make me money (OK maybe $2 if I am lucky) but because it is yet another way for watch owners, collectors & enthusiasts around the world to access the content they are looking for, and I think it is kinda fun. And of course I always like to be on the cutting edge wherever it may be!
Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2010!
Kyle
CLICK HERE TO TRY FIRST IN WATCHES BLOG ON YOUR AMAZON KINDLE!
by Kyle Stults on December 29, 2009
Looking back on my December 2008 predictions as to what would be the highlights of the watch world during 2009, I must say that a treasure trove of watches on the auction block from perpetrators of Ponzi schemes (Bernie on the (Auction) Block: Madoff’s Monoblocco Rolex, Other Watches Up for Grabs, November 9, 2009) or drug lords (Narco Bling: The Watches of Mexican Drug Kingpins, July 28, 2009) was not on my list! But makes for interesting subject matter…so here’s another!
With the global recession experienced during 2009 we saw some big-time con artists exposed – most notably of course the aforementioned mega-Ponzi scheme criminal Bernie Madoff. But did you hear about South Florida lawyer Scott Rothstein? This ostensibly upstanding citizen recently plead ‘not guilty’ to U.S. charges alleging he ran a $1.2 billion fraud. Yes, that is $1.2 BILLION, not million. Yikes! And like Madoff, if not moreso, this guy’s desire to flaunt his wealth (actually may be more likely “other people’s wealth” ) was strong. Yachts, cars, fancy house, politicians (yes they and their votes are also apparently for sale these days) and more – some would say this guy “had it all” and from the looks of the court documents he didn’t come across an expensive item he did not like. Oh, and his watches:
What an ostentatious lineup! Pretty absurd, huh? And this is just the tip of the iceberg as the court docs indicate over 300 watch and jewelry items in his possession. If you care to wager a guess or shed some light on any of the brands/models show above, hit the comment button and let me know!
Anyway – the coverage of Scott Rothstein’s demise has been extensive, but since I covered the Bernie Madoff Auction, I thought it only fitting to give a quick post on the subject as a new auction is now on the horizon. Turns out that the items seized at this fella’s law offices (Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler) are going up for auction on January 23, 2010. While I do not see any wristwatches in the mix for now, there are a couple watch-related items along with a bunch of sports memorabilia. Below you will see 2 of the items – looks like a Franck Muller Crazy Hours Dual Time wall clock and some sort of Cartier desktop clock (pocketwatch maybe but don’t think so?) will be up for grabs to the highest bidder:
This particular auction aside, I would venture a guess that the watches you see in the first photo above – and many more – will be auctioned sometime in 2010 as Scott Rothstein’s case moves forward. I’ll keep you posted 
Last word – hopefully this is the last Ponzi scheme I cover for a very long time – you may not know it, but the loss and devastation caused by these types of scams runs far and wide – quite sad, really.
Do you remember the Concord C1 QuantumGravity? Of course you do! With a watch as bold and daring as this one, it is kinda hard to forget. Well, looks like the watch is finally making its way into the hands of customers. Concord recently produced this short video of the C1 QuantumGravity watch being assembled for final delivery to the customer. This particular watch happens to be the first watch that was delivered to the customer, and only 10 pieces of this watch will ever be produced. All 10 should be complete and delivered by the first half of 2010, Concord says, which is impressive and reflects highly on the brand, in my view, because this is such a complex watch and sometimes watches such as these can get delayed for years. Some more discussion on the intense reaction caused by the introduction of this watch, after the jump:
You may recall that the initial introduction of the C1 QuantumGravity was met with some very mixed reactions from the watch community. Not only is it a very complex and technically sophisticated watch, its design is very bold, and let’s face it – this watch is a beast on the wrist – absolutely huge! With such a watch, you know that some will love it, some will hate it, and the C1 QuantumGravity was no exception. Feelings towards this watch were intense across the spectrum!
As I discussed in a couple articles over at Fratello Watches blog, I was skeptical of this watch at first because “pre-launch” Concord really hyped the watch in its press materials – using a lot of marketing-speak mumbo jumbo, etc. But then I saw some live pics of the watch and some video, and I warmed up to it a bit. Still, there are some really strong opinions about this watch and most comments and discussions I had online were at the extremes of either loving or hating the watch. You can see lots of pics and several videos (including some from those who filmed the watch in person) of the watch on the Perpetuelle.com Baselworld 2009 thread for Concord, here.
The good thing is that this watch was very bold, it did inspire a lot of passion on both sides of the aisle, and it did generate a lot of publicity for Concord. Sure, sure it is a bit of a “concept watch” that is more of a conversation piece than anything, but as a brand it comes down to getting watch enthusiasts talking about your brand and your watches, and in this respect Concord succeeded in a big way.
So I guess that “love it” or “hate it”, the C1 QuantumGravity is officially here and will soon be “gracing” the wrists of a few lucky and deep-pocketed collectors around the world. Will be interesting to see if any of these watches get spotted “in the wild” in 2010, but most likely they will not go too far from the home of their respective owners.
Looking ahead for Concord, with Alex Grinberg now at the helm (after Vincent Perriard’s departure), I am quite interested to see what direction Concord goes in 2010 with its new watches.
Wristwatch Annual 2010, edited by Peter Braun and Elizabeth Doerr and published by Abbeville Press, is here! Whether you are a watch newbie, a hard core watch collector, or a watch enthusiast somewhere in between, you are sure to love this annual watch catalog that is packed with pictures and information of the world’s finest watches. It is a great “conversation piece” to leave on your coffee table, or to flip through in your spare time. Wristwatch Annual describes itself as “The definitive book for the collector of mechanical wristwatches, with complete information—including prices—on over 1,400 models made by more than 120 international brands” and you can see a few “preview” pages and see the brands featured in the book here.
I thought it would be a good way to celebrate by giving a way a couple free copies of the catalog, so why not throw your hat in the ring for a chance to win!
To enter for your chance to win a free copy of Wristwatch Annual 2010, all you have to do is this:
- 1. Follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/perpetuelle)
- 2. Tweet : “Just entered to win a free copy of Wristwatch Annual 2010. Just follow @perpetuelle and retweet (RT) http://bit.ly/5NPGWr
All Tweets made between now and the end of the day on December 25th (PST) will qualify to win. 2 winners will be selected at random from all who follow the above instructions. I will Direct Message the winners on Friday, December 26 (hence why you need to follow) and give you 48 hours to respond until I get 2 winners. Good luck, and Merry Christmas!
Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?
TAG issued this official news release on its website over the weekend:
TAG Heuer Stands by Brand Ambassador Tiger Woods
They just don’t want his name or likeness on any of their ads in the U.S. or Australia, that’s all.
I continue to see mixed messages in TAG Heuer’s approach to managing this crisis. A phrase comes to mind: ”Actions Speak Louder than Words”. Do they not?
I admit this is a tough situation for many sponsors who have invested HEAVILY in Tiger Woods and stand to lose a lot. TAG Heuer seems to be sitting on the fence, trying to have it both ways – ie. “standing by him” but at the same time moving swiftly to disassociate with him. I’m no PR expert, but I think that in the long run it will be difficult for TAG to continue to play both sides of the Tiger Woods saga. We shall see!
The Story of the Creation of a Remarkable Watch
I’ve been following with great interest and curiosity a series of emails that I starting received about a week ago from Thomas Prescher. Each email was an “Episode” that carried me through the story of the conception and creation of what I would learn is a truly remarkable watch – The Tempusvivendi Qatarwatch, by Thomas Prescher himself. Now I want to share with you here the full story of the making of this phenomenal timepiece.
First, for the many of you who have never heard of Thomas Prescher, let me just say this: Thomas Prescher is a highly accomplished watchmaker, and his watches speak for themselves. Among many achievements, in 2004 he presented the world’s first “Tourbillon Trilogy” (a unique set of three tourbillon wristwatches comprising single, double, and triple axis flying tourbillons with constant force escapements), and he holds membership in the illustrious AHCI—Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendents (Horological Academy of Independent Creators). All this before the age of 45. You can read his complete biography here.
On with the story of the Qatarwatch:
The Very Gifted, Very Talented Thomas Prescher
Recently I was asked if I could do a watch with a flag or national symbol. After asking for what country, the answer was: “Qatar”.
Wow – it’s not everday that a request for such a specialized watch is made. But little did I know, this is Thomas Prescher’s business: every watch he makes is a unique piece, made to the specific wishes of its owner.
And so the story of the Qatarwatch continues:
After a lot of research about this exceptional country, a picture of its Coat of arms inspired me.
The idea was to show the time with the swords and after pressing the button in the crown having the correct image of the Qatar coat of arms. Unfortunately the swords would cross while indicating the time and so I could not use my normal system. After a long and difficult developing process I now like to present you the making of and the result:
The realisation of the watch: One sword tip shows the minutes, while the other indicates the hours. With this retrograde system, after the swords reach the end of the index sector they jump back to the beginning to rise again. After pushing the button in the crown the swords move to a resting position to show the original coat of arms in gold and noble colours. After a second push the swords move back to continue to show the actual time. I have developed this exquisite concept to give the connoisseur the choice: Having the figure continuously showing the time or allowing it to simply remain in its non-temporal state.
Pure Genius! Design on the dial of the Qatarwatch:
via a double retrograde system, the swords tell the time and also fit back into place to complete the Qatar Coat of Arms
And here is the final result:
The Qatarwatch, by Thomas Prescher
This watch is part of Thomas Prescher’s Tempusvivendi Collection. According to Prescher, the roots of the Tempusvivendi line originate in the early part of the eighteenth century when horologists were developing the first watches with retrograde indications as an alternative to the everyday circular dial. You can read more about Thomas Prescher’s Tempusvivendi Collection here, on his website.
Rarely if ever will you see another watch as unique as this one. My commendations to your Mr. Prescher, on your extraordinary vision and technical skill to accomplish such a masterpiece!
To learn how you can become an owner of a Thomas Prescher watch, see here.
by Kyle Stults on December 18, 2009
Here is a sneak peak of a new 2010 release from Baume & Mercier. The watch is fairly “loaded” when it comes to functionality – in addition to the chronograph timers, the watch provides day, date, month and moon phase functions – or what Baume & Mercier calls a “Complete Calendar” (more on this below).
You may notice this watch is called a “complete calendar” rather than the “perpetual calendar”. I believe this is for good reason and probably indicates that, unlike higher end watches with “perpetual calendars” that can set you back $10,000-$100,000, this watch will require adjustment 5 times per year to account for the March, May, July, October and December to account for the prior month not having a full 31 days. The red gold date hand (marking the days of the month that are marked around the edge of the dial) is a nice touch, though.
Overall, I can’t decide if I like or dislike the look of this watch, which probably means I dislike it, but I guess I’d want to see it in person to fully decide. My preferences aside, this is probably going to be one of Baume & Mercier’s higher end pieces, and as I discussed above if you are looking for a calendar watch but don’t want to spend big bucks for a perpetual calendar this might be a pretty good alternative, depending on where it is priced.
Description
This traditionally and opulently finished chronograph is equipped with a high-end mechanical self-winding movement driving indications of a complete calendar (date with central pointer in 18-carat red gold, day and month through a window at 12 o’clock, moon phase at 6 o’clock) and 24h indicator at 9 o’clock. The silver-colored dial with a “grain d’orge” guilloché décor is graced with circular snailed and sun satin-finished counters. The case-back reveals an oscillating weight adorned with “Côtes de Genève”, as well as circular-grained bridges and blued steel screws. The crown proudly bears the Phi symbol.
Technical Specifications
Collection: Classima Executives
Reference: M0A08870
Movement: Automatic (ETA 7751)
Oscillating weight decorated with « Côtes de Genève », blued steel screws
Functions: Chronograph, moon phases at 6 o’clock, central hand date, weekdays and months at 12 o’clock, 24h indicator at 9 o’clock
Case: Diameter: 42mm, Thickness: 13.1mm, Polished steel, Crown adorned with a Phi symbol, Sapphire crystal case back
Dial: Silver-colored, “Grain d’orge” guilloché décor, alternating opaline, circular-snailed and sun satin-finished zones, Black indexes, 18 carat red gold date hand, Sapphire crystal,
Bracelet: Black alligator strap, Adjustable triple folding buckle
Water-resistance: 30m
An Open Invitation to Watch Owners, Collectors & Enthusiasts
Well, it’s been many, many months in the making, but I am pleased to announce that the NEW Perpetuelle.com is finally here! With an entirely new design and a great new set of features, I think you will be excited to see all that the site has to offer. The new site is the result of the hard work and dedication of many people, all of which have one common goal in mind – that is, to build something that truly serves the “next generation” of watch owners, collectors & enthusiasts. Stated another way, Perpetuelle.com was created for you, so come on in and make yourself at home.
As you may know, Perpetuelle is not content to maintain the “status quo” when it comes to doing things. We prefer to be on the cutting edge, to “push the envelope”, you might say. With this strong belief in being innovative and in finding better ways to do things, we hope to build a community of watch owners, collectors & enthusiasts that is second to none.
And so like Perpetuelle.com was the first watch community to offer the ability to bring your watch or watch collection online via a virtual “Watch Box” concept, so too is it now the first to fully and directly integrate social media sharing features such as the ability to share your favorite watch forum discussions on your Facebook page or through your Twitter account. We’re an open community, with open forums - the way it should be. Not to mention that we have developed an innovative new approach to the whole concept of what a “watch forum” is – the result of which we think is pretty special, and we think you will, too (see video below).
So what can you do on Perpetuelle.com? Here’s just a few things:
Even with all these (above listed) and other features – which I will leave to your discovery (hint: don’t miss the Interactive Watch Search in the Perpetuelle Watch Library) – Perpetuelle.com is not finished yet. I assure you that there is more to come and team Perpetuelle will be working hard to stay on the cutting edge of the fusion of watches and social media!
Last but not least – the “Comments” button below of course remains at your disposal for all suggestions, criticisms or other bits of wisdom you see fit to leave behind And here’s the short video that I created to explain Perpetuelle’s new “all in one” watch forum concept – aka The World Watch Forum:
