Most commonly know for its racing-themed watches, here are some bold and fresh new pieces from Bernard Richards manufacture, aka B.R.M. The “warbirds” collection comes in a few variations, all shown below – each uniquely designed to represent one of the more famous fighter planes of yesteryear: the Spitfire, Mitsubishi Zero, and the P-51 Mustang. Lot of color and aviation-inspired styling on these watches — included lacquer accented chronograph pushers and crowns. Price is EUR 5400 for brushed stainless steel case and EUR 5850 for a black PVD case. Available July 2012.
BRM Bombers “Warbirds” Watches
45mm steel case (brushed or black PVD finish), automatic mechanical chronograph movement, leather strap
A nice look at the Heuer Autavia Siffert over at Heuerville. For more on legendary Swiss racer Jo Siffert, see here. Click through to Heuerville for all the pics…
Heuer Autavia 1163T Siffert
Show here are the two Grand Prix de Monaco Historique Chronograph timepieces that Chopard is set to unveil this coming weekend at the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. Like the 2010 Chopard Grand Prix de Monaco pieces I find little if anything not to like about these splendid racing watches: the colors are great, the case is great (42mm titanium or titan+rose gold), the dial layout is great (note the horizontal racing strips at mid-dial) and the heritage is great. Every detail is right without anything being over the top. This is what Chopard is all about to me — the racing watch. I’d have a hard time choosing an Omega Speedy over a nice Mille Miglia or one of these Monaco Historique pieces — but that’s just me, a man who prefers the path less traveled.
Chopard Grand Prix de Monaco Historique Chronograph 2012
Titanium/orange edition (ref. 168992-3032) or limited, numbered edition (500 pieces) in titanium+rose gold/blue (ref. 168992-3032)
42.4mm case (14.7mm thick), automatic mechanical movement (COSC), on perforated grey Barenia leather strap with matching stitching and titanium pin buckle
note the “steering wheel” motif on the crown:
Monaco – my yacht, 3rd from left 
Exhibition back, engraved with the GPMH initials and the Automobile Club de Monaco insignia:
Representing the “vintage version” of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique was created in 1998 to mark the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi family’s accession to the throne of the Principality. Raced along the same route through the streets of Monaco, it is reserved exclusively for classic racing cars, making it unique in its kind. Although initially intended as a one-off event, it is now on its 8th running and a much anticipated biannual event. This is Chopard’s sixth time as a sponsor.
Reminisce: Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2010
Exhibition back, engraved with the GPMH initials and the Automobile Club de Monaco insignia
Richard Mille has been the Principal Partner of Le Mans Classic since its first edition in 2002. The next edition of Le Mans Classic will be held from 6th to 8th July 2012. Richard Mille will again be there in its capacity as Principal Partner and Official Timekeeper of the competition, which has become one of the world’s most renowned events for vintage cars. To mark the event, the brand is unveiling two limited editions: the RM 008 LMC and the RM 011 LMC. Only 2 pieces of the RM 008, a tourbillon split-seconds chrongraph, will be made.
Richard Mille RM 008 LMC Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Watch
Limited edition 2 pieces
48.00 mm x 39.70 mm microblasted titanium case (15mm thick), Manual winding tourbillon movement displaying the hours, minutes and seconds, with split seconds chronograph function and power-reserve, torque and function indicators
Richard Mille RM 011 LMC Automatic Chronograph Watch
Limited edition 150 pieces
50 mm x 40 mm microblasted titanium case (16.2mm thick), skeletonized automatic movement displaying the hours, minutes and seconds, flyback chronograph with 24-hour counter, oversize date and month, rotor with variable geometry
Three years ago Hublot announced itself as a sponsor of Team Alinghi in the 33rd America’s Cup — taking the torch from Audemars Piguet. Today, Hublot announced that it will again sponsor Team Alinghi for the 2012 season, and to mark the occasion, Alinghi leader Ernesto Bertarelli and Jean-Claude Biver have unveiled the new Hublot Team Alinghi watch, limited to just 100 numbered pieces. The watch is the King Power Alinghi 4000 dive watch. It is made completely from carbon and water resistant to 4000 meters. Yes, we’ve essentially seen this watch before — the Hublot Oceanographic 4000 carbon fiber, but there are subtle changes such as the Team Alinghi colors and logo. I’ve said before that I like how the Oceanographic turned out — it is a great dive watch and something that Hublot can build off of, as we see here! As an aside, I’m still wondering when we are going to get the *official* announcement of the Hublot 1000m dive watch.
More America’s Cup >>> Louis Vuitton Tambour Regatta America’s Cup Watch
Hublot King Power Alinghi 4000
Limited, numbered edition 100 pieces
48mm carbon fiber case and bezel, 4000 meter water resistance, automatic mechanical movement; fitted on black rubber+Nomex strap with black ceramic buckle
Outta this world…
First look at a splendid new release from the boundary-pushing watchmakers at MB&F (“Maximillian Busser & Friends”). This is the MB&F MOONMACHINE, by Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva. Before launching his own brand Sarpaneva Watches in 2003, Stepan Sarpaneva worked with some of the most prestigious Swiss brands including Piaget & Parmigiani where he worked alongside Kari Voutilainen, Vianney Halter and Christophe Claret. The MOONMACHINE is the first of the MB&F “Performance Art” done in collaboration with a watchmaker – and the first to endow a Horological Machine with a new complication (moonphase). According to MB&F, the HM3 Frog design was chosen as the MOONMACHINE platform because the large movement opening in the dial side provides space for the watchmaker to play – and the bulbous indication domes of the Frog are reminiscent of how science fiction buffs have long imagined habitable domes on the Moon. I think that the MB&F HM2 “Alain Silberstein” is still my favorite, but this is a very inspiring piece, kudos to MB&F on an excellent outcome! If you are interested, the MB&F Moonmachine price is $98,000 US.
MB&F HM3 MOONMACHINE
limited edition 18 pieces in each of 3 case metals (see below for more pics)
Maximillian Busser (left), “Sarpanea Moon”, Stepan Sarpaneva (right)
MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser explains how MOONMACHINE began: “Stepan and I were chatting and he said, ‘You know what, Max? You need a moon in one of your Machines’. I thought about it and then replied, “You know what, Stepan? I think you are right, we do need a moon.’ The rest, as they say, is history.”
MB&F HM3 MOONMACHINE (Video)
To create MOONMACHINE, Stepan has reconfigured the HM3 Frog by 90° and added his iconic “moon-face” moon-phase indicator complication set amidst a multi-layered panorama of northern stars.
Black Titanium Case
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Titanium Case
Based on Stepan’s own face, the phase of the moon is displayed through a signature Korona-shaped aperture, while the mystery winding rotor takes the form of a 22k gold disc with laser-pierced stars forming constellations visible in the northern sky.
Red Gold Case
Full details and more looks at http://www.mbandf.com/machines/performance-art/moonmachine/
Yesterday I posted a wonderful photo set taken by A. Lange & Sohne in the Ore Mountains of Germany. And while I am on the subject of watch photography, today I wanted to share a magnificent photo of a Patek Philippe 5980 Nautilus Chronograph, by New York City photographer Mike Mellia. Mr. Mellia is an advertising & fine art photographer who recently contacted me and was kind enough introduce his work to me. And now I introduce it to you. I plan to showcase a few more of Mike’s watch photos over the next couple weeks — he’s got some great ones to show! And because I am always glad to use the global reach of Perpetuelle to highlight people who do good work in the watch industry, let me just add that Mike is available for hire (past clients include Christie’s and others); you can check out all his work at www.mikemellia.com.
PATEK PHILIPPE 5980 NAUTILUS CHRONOGRAPH
by Mike Mellia Photography (c)
Louis Vuitton has released a limited edition regatta watch for the 2012 America’s Cup. Often called the “oldest trophy in international sport”, this year marks the 34th America’s Cup. The 34th America’s Cup consists of three main stages – the America’s Cup World Series; the Louis Vuitton Cup (the Americas’s Cup Challenger Selection Series) and the America’s Cup Finals. Ongoing right now is the AC World Series, with 4 races completed and two to go. The next race commences on May 12, 2012 from Venice, Italy. The Louis Vuitton watch is part of the Tambour collection, with a rubber-coated steel case and auto-mechanical movement with 5-minute regatta countdown. The America’s Cup logo appears on the dial and is also embossed on the rubber strap.
More Louis Vuitton by Perpetuelle >>>
Louis Vuitton Tambour Regatta America’s Cup Watch (2012 Edition)
Limited Edition 720 pieces
44mm rubber-coated steel case, automatic mechanical flyback chronograph movement with regatta timing, fitted on rubber strap
Unveiled at Baselworld 2012, Hublot has a new display case that will be seen at Hublot AD’s around the world later this year. The “levitation” case appears to enable a watch and other components to mysteriously floats, suspended in mid-air — there is also a video/animation screen as the backgrop watch the video. The effect is most impressive, but it’s difficult to know what is happening inside the display case. Here is one thought: the gas gravitation is merely subterfuge for the masterful magicians (Hublot and Dietlin SA and Flyvision). What is really happening here is that the objects are affixed to Dietlin SA’s “no reflect glass” i.e. extra white glass with special treatment so that it does not show any perceptible amount of light reflection. The video/animation in the background adds to the optical illusion that the objects are moving/floating in the case. What do you think?
Hat Tip: Horoforum
Hublot Levitation Display Case (VIDEO)
by Dietlin SA
Montre Hermès turns to the wonders of the sky with this new model in its Arceau collection. The celestially inspired design features the emblematic “Duc Attelé” Hermès emblem which is created with using the paillonné enamel technique (demonstrated in this video by Van Cleef & Arpels). First the gold dial is meticulously hand-engraved with the Hermes pattern, then covered with translucent blue pigments and repeatedly fired in a kiln at nearly 800°C. Hand made gold stars also placed during the enamelling process for further visual effect. The watch is powered by the auto-mechanical Hermes H1928 movement (exclusively crafted by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier) with a solid gold oscillating weight adorned with a sprinkling of H symbols, visible through the sapphire crystal case-back (sorry no, pics). Paired with a matching indigo colored gator strap.
Hermès Arceau Attelage Céleste
41mm white gold case, automatic mechanical H1928 movement by Vachuer, matte indigo blue strap
