Onyx…

As I was recently reviewing some of the new watches presented at Baselworld, I came across this beauty from Swatch Group-owned Montres Jaquet Droz – the Grande Heure Minute Onyx.  It is said that of all the stones used by Montres Jaquet Droz’s expert dial-makers, onyx is particularly admired.  This composition of onyx (dial) and steel (case) is particularly alluring.  In a world of intricate and often highly detailed watch designs, this watch really stands apart in a simple, graceful sort of way.  Definitely the standout piece in the 2010 Jaquet Droz collection.

“Majestic Beijing”

43mm stainless steel case, Reference J017030201,  Centered hours and minutes. Small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock, comes on a rolled-edge hand made black alligator leather strap with matching stainless steel buckle

Price may be in the $15,000 range, but just a guess.

New for 2010…

Breguet Marine Royale (Ref 5847BB/12/BZ0)

45mm 18-carat white gold case, automatic movement, alarm (marked by the blue triangular hand, on/off indicator at 12 o’clock, alarm power reserve indication aperture between 9 and 11 o’clock), date, luminous hands, water-resistant to 300m, sapphire-crystal caseback.

Did you know it has been just over 10 years now since Swatch Group acquired Breguet?  Yes indeed, I tell you its true, but enough history for now.  The watch you see here represents the 2010 model for Breguet’s Marine collection.  In addition to the specs above, the watch is also available in white gold with black dial, rose gold with black dial, and rose gold with rose gold dial.    I estimate prices for all these models will be in the $35,000-$45,000 range.

While I think that the Breguet Marine collection has gotten stronger each of the past few years, and while I could certainly see myself “looking good” while sporting a watch like this off the upper deck of something like this, I still have trouble seeing this as a true “dive” or even “marine” watch, though with 300m water resistance and Breguet quality construction I’m not sure if my perception is warranted or not.  It’s just that when I think of Breguet, “King of Tourbillons” is often the first thing that pops into my head, not marine/dive watches.

Don’t get me wrong — I generally like Breguet watches, and if I had my druthers, I would opt for a Breguet Type XXI (specifically, the very striking, very awesome Ref 3810BR/92/9ZU – pink gold case with dark brown dial and brown strap) or perhaps even the new Breguet Type XXII rather than this Marine watch.  But to each his own, right?  Let me know what you think of this watch and Breguet in general — drop a comment below!

No, not sleep apnea!  I’m talking about a tribute watch for champion free diver Guillaume Néry…

Announced at Baselworld 2010, this new BALL Engineer Master II dive watch now features a world time function.  The 45mm diamter brushed steel case (black or white dial) houses a modified ETA 2836 movement (added the world time function).  With bi-directional rotating bezel, screw-in crown(s) and 300m water resistance, this should be a pretty solid diver.  Comes on a rubber strap or brushed stainless steel bracelet.  The watch was created as a tribute to Guillaume Néry (his portrait is engraved on the caseback), and yes there is more to his story below.

Guillaume Néry:  A Freediving Star

28-year old Frenchman Guillaume Néry is a BALL Watch ambassador and is known for his feats as a freediver.  Perhaps not surprisingly, he is also an ardent advocate and supporter of the oceans and protecting the marine environment.  In 2006, he became the world record holder for “constant weight apnea” (aka freediving with a fin(s)) when he descended to an astonishing depth of 109 meters (357.6 feet).  He was subsequently bested by Austrian Herbert Nitsch and others, with Nitsch now being the current world record holder in the constant weight category.  Nitsch’s accomplishment?  123 meters – or 403.5 feet!

To a landlubber such as myself this kind of thing is totally insane!  At these levels, this sport absolutely pushes the limits of human physical capability.  To me it is almost incomprehensible how they can accomplish such depths — truly amazing.  You can judge for youself here in this BALL sponsored video of Néry’s then record-setting 109 meter freedive:

Néry Freedive to a depth of 109 meters (357.6 feet)

An elegant watch with an exceptionally accurate moon phase display…

For whatever reason this is the first I have written about Swiss watch brand H. Moser & Cie. on the blog.  Perhaps because its PR efforts are about as understated as its watches.  But for those of us who like the sophisticated, understated look, H. Moser is definitely a brand to keep in mind.  While relatively obscure , the brand is known amongst watch collectors for its exceptionally graceful watch designs and well finished movements, as well as its commitment to post-purchase service.  Prices for its watches start at around $10,000 and go up from there.

This year at Baselworld, H. Moser introduced two new models.  The one I am sharing with you here is the H. Moser Perpetual Moon.  This watch features a moon phase display which deviates only by a single day after more than 1,000 years.

H. Moser Perpetual Moon

40.8 mm case in platinum or red gold, dark blue fumé dial

The complicated gear train of the Perpetual Moon watch translates the interval of time that it takes the moon to orbit the earth so precisely that the resulting deviation is only 0.23 seconds per day. Or a whole day after 1,027.30 years.  In order to achieve the extraordinarily high display accuracy, the moon disc must be securely attached to the hour indicator and run with it continuously.  Here is a slightly closer look at each variation:

Platinum

Rose Gold

I also have here a nice video which will give you a better feel for the brand’s style.  Learn more at http://www.h-moser.com/.

Up close and in video with the green ceramic watch…

Last week you saw the new Bell & Ross Instrument BR03-92 Military Green Ceramic watch.  I knew this watch was a winner as soon as I saw it, and it is definitely one of the best watches to come out of Baselworld 2010, in my view.   Now you can see this watch in up-close and in video – as presented by Roberto Passariello, Communications Director for Bell & Ross.  It looks simply outstanding – B&R really has really nailed the whole “Instrument” concept.

The perfect blend of color and materials finally make this concept work…

The Glashütte Original PanoInverse XL was first introduced at Basel 2008.  The concept behind this watch is a good one, which is to engineer and design the watch so that there is a minimalistic dial (at least not in the traditional sense of a dial) and the bridge (beautifully engraved) and balance wheel are visible through the front of the watch (normally features that appear on the back of a watch).  As I say while the concept is a good one, I never liked the color scheme of the first watches GO released (pictured below).  When I first personally handled the watch, I found that the black rings with applied gold numerals indicating the hours and minutes just did not seem to find harmony with the rest of the watch — in fact I think they drew the eye’s attention away from from the most visually compelling element of the watch, the engraved bridge and related components.

The first generation PanoInverse XL watches (2008) were not attractive to me

This year, however, is a different story.  At Baselworld 2010, Glashutte Original introduced a new variation of the PanoInverse XL in stainless steel case with a subtle graphite/gray finish on the dial.  Everything about this watch works.  As you can see, the use of stainless steel numerals and accents looks so much better and more refined that the prior gold-accented versions.  The watch looks amazing!

Taking a closer look (below), you can see the hand-engraved duplex swan-neck bridge is visually impressive.  The duplex swan-neck fine adjustment introduced by Glahütte Original in 2002 is the epitome of demanding haute horlogerie and innovative and aesthetic movement design.  This is a feature rarely seen in watches today.  Functionally, what this mechanism allows is for the timekeeping rate of the watch to be finely adjusted (for example, if it is running somewhat too fast or too slow).

Glashütte Original always pays great attention to the finest details, and this watch is no exception.  For example, notice below that the applied numerals and hour markers are curved/shaped to add to the depth of the watch.  Impressive.

In summary, I think that this unique “inverse” concept has finally been masterfully executed, primarily as a result of some improvements in the color tones of the watch, and I would be proud to own such a fine timepiece.

Classically handsome…

Two new Zenith watches presented at Baselworld this year really made a fine impression on me and many other watch enthusiasts collectors.  Seems that Zenith has made a bit of a return to the “classic” and “timeless” designs that it is known for, and I think the brand will be handsomely rewarded in the marketplace for these new watches.  The first watch is the El Primoro 1/10th second foudroyante – which you can check out here.  The second model is this new “ultra-thin” watch.  Simple and elegant, it is an ideal dress watch:

Zenith Elite 681 Ultra Thin

40mm case housing ultra-thin (3.81 mm) Elite 681 self-winding calibre with 50 hrs power reserve

18 carat rose gold (pictured) or stainless steel with sapphire crystal display back.  comes on an alligator strap with matching metal buckle

Ref. 5960P: Annual Calendar chronograph in platinum with a new dial…

This watch, combining two of the most popular horological complications (calendar and chronograph), has ranked among of Patek’s bestsellers since it was launched in 2006.  This year’s third and newest addition to the collection has a vivid matte blue sunburst dial that is undoubtedly the defining element of this watch.  Set against a platinum case, it really is splendid.  I just can’t enough of it!  The manufacture movement – an automatic, column-wheel chronograph (the CH 28-520 IRM QA 24H) – is all you would expect from Patek.  The exquisite finishing of the movement with hand-chamfered steel levers and bridges as well as elegant Geneva striping deserve the exposure provided by the screwed case back with a sapphire crystal window.  The hand-stitched, large-scaled blue alligator strap with platinum fold-over clasp completes the watch.

Just one of many fantastic new watches from Patek Philippe this year!

New colors in the brand’s Cobra collection…

Exclusive Spanish watchmaker Franc Vila is always worth keeping an eye on (see my prior writeups on his watches here and here).  His watches are unmistakable due to their very unique design and shape.  I think the Cobra collection was first unveiled last year, and this year we see some exciting new colors in this particular model, the Big Date Automatic.  Yellow is my favorite, but there is also blue and red-accents this year, and I thought they would be worth sharing here.

Cobra “Yellow”

The case on these watches is a combination of what Vila calls “DieHard Extreme Steel” and carbon-fiber, with titanium accents.  Water resistant 300 meters. Movement is an automatic mechanical hand finished Caliber FV8Ch with Franc Vila’s unique “Gold Concept Rotor”.   Dial is also a combination of carbon fiber and guilloché (decorated) metal, with chronograph and “Big date” indicators.  Comes on a black rubber strap with steel deployant buckle and as a nice bonus a crocodile leather strap with matching stitchings is also included.  Price will be about $20,000.  All are limited to just 88 pieces.

Cobra “Blue Bandido” (exclusive to the U.S.)

Cobra “Red Bandido”

Minimal, transparent and elegant…

For the first time we see a very obvious Daniel Roth watch with the Bulgari brand on it.  While I’m still not sure how this whole “co-branding” thing will work out between Bulgari and Daniel Roth (Bulgari owns Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta and recently announced that Bulgari brand would essentially become the primary brand –and you can read more here), I can still appreciate the incredible look of this new watch.  The plates, bridges and ratchet-wheel are meticulously openworked.   The dial merges into the movement and features a minimum of finely engraved metal serving to mark the hour circle on the front and the power-reserve display on the back.   The main plate is barely 3.48 mm thick, making this model one of the world’s thinnest tourbillon watches.

Bulgari Daniel Roth Tourbillon Lumière

44 mm 18-carat rose gold, mechanical hand-wound “skeleton-work” movement, Calibre DR 780, Tourbillon, power-reserve display, hand-decorated gold bridges and mainplate, 64-hour power reserve, anti-glare sapphire crystals on the front and back, blued steel serpentine hands. comes on alligator leather strap with rose gold pin buckle.