Perpetuelle.com Blog » Limited Edition Watches

Artya Tesla Quadri-Rotor Skeleton Collection

Kyle — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:24:29 +0000

Has Ohm’s Law Been Violated?

For some reason I find myself attracted to these new Tesla watches from Artya. Whether my attraction is positive or negative I am not sure. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I have long been intrigued with their creator, Mr Yvan Arpa. In fact, I last called Arpa a shock artist — except this charge was leveled more for his use of dinosaur poop, fissile material, and moon dust in watches than it was for his use of joules jewels, coiled copper wire, diodes and filaments in the beauties you see below. Not to mention that the cases are lightning-struck with 100,000 or 200,000 or 500,000 or even 1,000,000 volts! Imagine the arc that must produce from the Tesla coil! Ah, Faraday would be proud, would he not?

While the Ohm in me is tempted give Arpa and his team more static for sparking these shocking creations to life, I frankly do not see the the need to put up a strong resistance to horological transformers as fine as these people. Heck, I would even question just how far my impedance to a current as alternate as Arpa could carry without tripping some serious circuit breakers from the plant managers over at Alpiq. Ah well, watt-ever this is a discussion for anode-r day — for now I just wanted to relay to you a pic and the specs on these new Quadri-Rotor pieces — if you get amped up over them (and I mean they get you feeling some serious coloumbs running up your leg), leave a comment and let me know. Prices are around $5,500 US.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

—————————————————
Movement : Self-winding movement entirely manufactured in Switzerland. Power reserve: 42 hours. Jewelling: 25 jewels

Case* : 316 steel Silver-coloured “Coup de foudre” Collection: cases engraved, mutilated, tortured, “lightning-struck” 100,000 volts, 200,000 volts, 500,000 volts or 1,000,000 volts. Diameter Ø47mm. Crystal Sapphire. Back Open, fitted with a sapphire crystal. Water resistance 50 metres

Bracelet : “Alzavel waterproof” treated leather and hand-sewn high-tech rubber, or “crazy frog” tanned cane toad. Buckle Treated steel pin buckle.
Guarantee 24 months

*Depending on the mood of the moment, the cases in the lightning-struck “Coup de foudre” collection undergo thermal combustion, modelling, engraving and other operations performed by hand in the Artya ateliers.

No related posts.

Le DIX Mobile Phone by Celsius X VI II

Kyle — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:04:17 +0000

For the record…

I’ve seen some ridiculous mobile phones in my life…ahem, TAG Heuer Meridiist and Ulysse Nardin Chairman…but I gotta say that the $300,000 Le DIX by Celsius X VI II (pronounced “Celsius 10-6-2″) tops them all in terms of sheer absurdity. So I really am sorry for bringing this to your attention, but I just came across this video production from the brand and I could no longer hold back.

“Imagine the world as a micromechanical masterpiece”

Uhhh….No.

The sooner I stop hearing about this device the better. The Le DIX is just plain stupid, and the only possible outcome I see for this micromechanical mobile phone is a slow, outdated, poorly conceived and expensive death. In fact, it seems the Le Dix has had its skeptics since word of its existence first leaked out.

No related posts.

Zenith Christophe Colomb

Kyle — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:54:03 +0000

Double Bubble…

Here’s a special look at the new Zenith Christophe Colomb — an absolutely stunning new limited edition, high-horology piece from Zenith. Named after the famous world explorer Christopher Columbus, the design of this watch is phenomenal as it prominently features a glass globe which encloses a gyroscope-balanced regulator. The globe, or double-bubble as see it, protrudes above both the top and bottom of the case in a visually captivating manner. With a price of $209,000 and limited production of 250 pieces, this watch is all about Zenith showing off its horological skills, and I think it has succeeded on this one. Have a look:

Zenith Christophe Colomb

side view:

As I alluded to above, the watch’s regulating mechanism features prominently beneath a protruding dome both on the dial and caseback. The mechanism is kept horizontal at all times through a clever Cardan suspension system, a mechanism commonly found in gyroscopes whose origins date back to the early 1500s – history buffs can read more about Gernolamo Cardano here. The Cardan suspension allows the rotation of an object in multiple dimensions. This will surely provide its owner with hours of entertainment in hands-on exploration of the laws of physics.

Available in a 45mm rose or white gold case, the watch dial features the hours and minutes (12 o’clock), the self-regulating gyroscopic module (6 o’clock position), a small seconds subdial (9 o’clock), and a power reserve indicator (3 o’clock) — seen here on the white gold version:

The movement is the manual wind Zenith Academy 8804 with a unique gyroscopic system that ensures perfect horizontal positioning of the regulating organ housed in a gyroscopic cage made of 166 components, 10 conical-geared wheels (with 6 spherical wheels) & 6 ball bearings. Power reserve is 50 hours.

The watch is available in two metals — Rose Gold (Reference 18.2210.8804/01.C631 ) and White Gold (Reference 65.2210.8804/01.C630).

The only thing I am uncertain about is how exactly does this watch sit on the wrist? Does the double-bubble design cause trouble in this regard? I admit, I’m quite curious.

Overall an exciting watch that continues Zenith’s successful 2010. By the way, if you haven’t already seen them, you will want to have a look at two other exciting watches introduced by Zenith this year in a “return-to-the-roots” strategy for the brand — the Zenith Ultra Thin Elite 681 and the Zenith El-Primero Foudroyante Chronograph.

Bell & Ross Vintage Collection

Kyle — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:00:42 +0000

Bell & Ross unveiled two vintage-inspired watches in its Heritage collection at Baselworld this year (Vintage Heritage BR 123 Carbon and Heritage BR 126 Carbon chronograph watches), and the brand has now followed up these releases with a four more vintage-inspired pieces along the same design lines. These highly legible, simply designed watches are a nod to 1940s aviator watches and feature a beige or black dial and are paired with matching leather straps. Bell & Ross did provide images of the watches on “aged” straps, but it does not seem that these straps will be sold with the watches. The black-dialed Vintage Original BR 123 time and date model you see here includes a small seconds sub-dial and a date window at 6 o’clock.

Personally I like the black dial version on the black strap:

The Vintage Original BR 126 chronograph has central seconds, a 60-second and 30-minute subdials, and a (round) date window at 4:30.

And here are the beige models on the standard brown leather strap:

Both watches have a 41mm stainless steel case, 100 meter water resistance, and have luminescent hands, numbers and indexes. The BR 123 is powered by an ETA 2895, while the chronograph uses an ETA 2894. Notice too the nicely designed buckles on these watches.

“Boutique Only” IWC Blue Big Pilot Watch

Kyle — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:04:33 +0000

Details, details…

This is the “Boutique-Only” blue-theme IWC Big Pilot watch that regular readers of the IWC Forum have been aware of for several months now. But since all of you are not regular readers of the IWC Forum, and because I read a somewhat uninformed article about the watch elsewhere, I thought I would shed some light on it here. Word is that this new IWC Big Pilot blue-theme watch will be a limited edition of 50 for the Beverly Hills and Las Vegas boutiques and delivery is anticipated in December 2010. The watch will bear a 5004 series reference number which is the same as the standard Big Pilot models — 46.2mm x 15.8mm case size with the IWC Calibre 5111 (automatic with 7-day power reserve).

While you can of course see for yourself that it is a pretty cool looking Big Pilot (it’s all in the cool blue color (dare I call it periwinkle?) and outline design of the numerals), I must say I am quite disappointed to hear that IWC plans to engrave the side of each watch case with “One out of Fifty”. “One out of Fifty” — seriously? Say it ain’t so! I think this is a terrible decision by IWC — as in terribly lazy. Individually numbered pieces (i.e. 1/50, 2/50…50/50) would be far more appreciated by collectors. Also, while I am nitpicking, I do not like partial numerals that are cut-off by the subdial (on this or any other watch). Still, I gotta say that this is one sweet looking watch!

And in case you are wondering (as one of our astute readers was), yes, the Blue Big Pilot comes with all its indices and numerals painted in SuperLuminova — bright blue SumerLuminova, to be precise.

Raymond Weil Maestro Tradition – New Collection

Kyle — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:13:43 +0000

Raymond Weil is introducing a new collection — the Maestro Tradition. Modest and understated — these slightly formal and classy designs looks good and should dress-up nicely. While Raymond Weil watches in general leave me yearning for something more, I would say that if you are in the market for a no-frills, entry level mechanical luxury watch at a reasonable price, you should give these watches a look.

Raymond Weil Maestro

automatic mechanical movement, 39.5mm steel case (water reistant to 50m), date window at 3 o’clock on the dial with a “clou de Paris” relief, and come on a leather strap with matching stainless steel buckle.

3 styles:

white dial with nickel-plated roman numerals (Ref: 2837 STC 00308)

silver dial with black arabic numerals (Ref: 2837 STC 05659)

silver dial with black roman numerals; small-seconds (Ref: 2838 STC 00659)

“Survey Says…” Raymond Weil to follow Tag Heuer with Authorized Online Sales?

Franc Vila EVOS 8 Cobra “Estrella Roja”

Kyle — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:24:14 +0000

Now here’s a commemorative piece!

Spanish-inspired, Swiss-made brand FRANC VILA today announced a special edition of its successful “Cobra” collection to celebrate the first Spanish football World Cup win. It is an awesome looking watch! Christened “Estrella Roja” (red star), this release is limited to 88 pieces (as are most of FV’s models) and features the Spanish squad colors and a star at the 1 o’clock position commemorating the triumph.

Franc Vila EVOS 8 Cobra “Estrella Roja”

“Esprit Unique” shape case/bezel in steel and carbon-fiber, chronograph with big date, water resistant 300 meters, carbon fiber dial; comes on a black crocodile leather strap with red + yellow stitchings (rubber strap also included)

The Spanish founder of the Swiss brand Mr. Franc Vila himself went on the record:

I am extremely happy with the achievement of the spanish football squad in South Africa. This victory has been a dream for a long time in Spain and I am very proud of the football players that have made this dream a reality. I decided to create a special collection commemorating our first football championship with a star in place of the number one, and I hope to add more stars in the future.

Very nicely done, Mr. Vila!

Ladoire Roller Guardian Time Blue

Kyle — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:11:58 +0000

Visually stunning 3-piece limited edition …

This summer, Lionel Ladoire is introducing a special three-piece limited edition refresh of his “Roller Guardian Time” series of watches on which the bridges, strap and dial reflect a casual denim blue shade. The watch features an offset hour, minute and seconds indications (displayed by three cages mounted on ceramic micro ball bearings) and a GMT function with fast-adjustment push-button system. It comes on a blue alligator leather strap with a hand-sewn matt black leather lining and an articulated double pin buckle.

Priced around $150,000.

Ladoire Roller Guardian Time Blue

Three-part asymmetrical titanium case (9 – 3 o’clock: 56mm/12 – 6 o’clock: 45mm), bezel and case-back in satin-brushed titanium, case middle in grey PVD-coated titanium; • Black PVD-coated crown at 8 o’clock and corrector pusher at 2 o’clock

The last time I featured a Ladoire watch (Ladoire RGT Punk Rock, February 2010) several commenters weighed-in that they did not like the watch. But this did not surprise me, in fact I anticipated it in my article. I’ll say it again here — that is, given the complexities and unconventional nature of any Ladoire watch I think you have to see them person to fully appreciate it.

The new Roller Guardian Time “Blue” which you see here certainly keeps with Lionel Ladoire’s “Haute Couture Watch Dynamic” and reflects Ladoire’s underground-rock style mood inspired by contemporary culture and some of its exponents such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, Andy Warhol and Philippe Starck.

Movement is a LADOIRE Manufacture-made movement (Calvet/o1), automatic winding via a micro rotor featuring galvanic blue circular-geometry bridges

Baselworld 2010: Ladoire RGT Punk Rock

Corum Admiral’s Cup Challenge 44

Kyle — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:11:36 +0000

Celebrating 50 years…

The Admiral’s Cup Challenge 44 you see here is a second new model recently announced by Corum as the brand celebrates the 50 year anniversary of its iconic watch design. You would be correct in recalling that this watch is very, very similar to the Admiral’s Cup Split Seconds 44 that I showed you in late June 2010 – the main differences being that this model a) lacks the split seconds module and b) has the Corum “key” shape on the short end of the seconds hand (see close-up image below). Production will be limited to 955 pieces in both white (753.671.20/F371 AA52) and black (753.671.20/F371 AN52) dialed versions. The movement is an automatic COSC chronograph. Comes on a rubber strap and is water resistant to 100 meters. I would guess price is in the $5,000 range.

he 50th anniversary of its iconic Admiral’s Cup model

Graham Silverstone Stowe GMT Limited Edition

Kyle — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:49:14 +0000

Carbon fiber bezel, dial…

This is a nice new racing themed watch from Graham. Named after the Silverstone Stowe circuit in England, the watch comes on a cool looking tire tread rubber strap and in a green or red color theme (both pictured below). The Graham Silverstone Stowe GMT is made of sleek looking PVD black steel and has a racing-inspired carbon fiber bezel and dial. At 48mm diameter case / 17mm thick, the watch is for big wrists only.

The extra-large pedal style pushers placed on the right side of the watch really stand out on the watch, perhaps too much so, but oversize features such as these are a Graham signature so I can’t fault them for staying true to their core. Movement is a modified Swiss Valjoux 7750 automatic movement. Limited to just 250 pieces each and priced around 9,900 Swiss Francs, deep-pocketed racing enthusiasts should find this to be an attractive option for your collection.

At 48mm diameter case / 17mm thick),

Attention Rugby Fans! Graham Chronofighter Oversize Titanium Tackler

Urwerk White Shark (UR-202)

Kyle — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:20:09 +0000

Urwerk “Rare Species” #1…

With this new UR-202 “White Shark” I’ve got to give the guys at Urwerk credit for their continued and excellent ability to seek inspiration from exotic species and see it through to an equally exotic timepiece (remember the “Mexican Fireleg”?). Urwerk’s new Rare Species collection (website coming soon) will reflect ultra-limited production of pieces developed in close collaboration with specific partners. The first rare species which you see below is the UR-202 White Shark, and it bears the imprint of Chronopassion (Paris) and The Hour Glass (Singapore), two famous horology retailers and collaborators for this particular piece.

The White Shark keeps with the overall design of the original UR-202 except for its monochromatic color scheme — thus delivering upon the “white shark” concept. The one red number of the 12 hour digits you see below signifies the limited edition nature of this model — just 12 pieces.

Technical Description (per Urwerk):

Time on the UR-202 is displayed using telescopic minute hands operating through the middle of three orbiting and revolving hour satellites. These hands precisely adjust their length to follow the three vectors marking the minutes: 0 -14, 15 – 44, 45 – 60. Extended, they enable the UR-202 to display the time across a large easy-to-read, dial. Retracted, they allow for a very wearable and comfortably sized case. A moonphase and day/night indicator complete the dial..

The patented central carousel is the nerve centre of the satellite complication. It is not only enables the rotating hour satellites, but also the high-precision manoeuvres performed by the three telescopic minute hands. The carousel is a technical tour-de-force requiring fabrication tolerances down to three micros.

Two turbines are visible on the back of the UR-202 “White Shark” and these are coupled to the rotor to regulate the winding system of the watch. The turbines are controlled by a three position selector lever. In mode”FREE”, the two turbines spin freely enabling maximum winding of the mainspring. In mode “Sport”, the two turbines spin with resistance, acting like pneumatic brakes that reduce the winding efficacy wound by 1/3rd. In mode “STOP”, the turbines are locked and block the rotor from winding at all, although the watch can still be manually wound if necessary.

Urwerk “Rare Species” White Shark UR-202 Coming Soon

Kyle — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:10:27 +0000

New Ultra Limited Series To Be Announced…

Seems there will be a new “Rare Species” collection from Urwerk, featuring some very special concept/ultra-exclusive pieces from the brand. I have almost no details on this special series except I do know that the first piece is to be the UR-202 “White Shark”. A new website is set to debut as early as tomorrow — I’ll leave the URL of the new “Urwerk Rare Species” website undisclosed until then…

Chopard Alfa Romeo Anniversary Watches

Kyle — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:40:28 +0000

I like the DLC model…

For the 150th and 100th anniversary celebrations of Chopard and Alfa Romeo, respectively, the two brands have come together for a limited edition series of watches and clocks. In fact the effort is rather ambitious as they are launching five new products – three wristwatches, a travel alarm clock and a table clock.

The Gran Turismo XL Alfa Romeo and the GT XL Chrono Alfa Romeo (available in 44mm stainless steel or stainless steel with DLC coating) feature black dial with red hands and indexes as well as the logo of the two brands. Movement is a COSC-certified ETA base. 100 meter water resistance.

The three versions are issued in limited and numbered editions of 500. Price unknown but I would guess around $10,000.

Chopard Gran Turismo XL Alfa Romeo

Chopard GT XL Chrono Alfa Romeo

Chopard GT XL Chrono Alfa Romeo DLC (note — black case)

Chopard for Alfa Romeo Limited Edition Desk and Table Clocks

Hermès Carré H

Kyle — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:18:05 +0000

Hermès squared–but not quite…

The fantastic result of a collaboration between designer and architect Marc Berthier and Pierre-Alexis Dumas, artistic director of Hermès — a square watch that isn’t quite so square! Only 173 will be produced – one for each year of existence of Hermès (the company was founded in 1837). I do recommend you check out this great interview with the 2 designers of the watch for some additional insights into what I think is a really splendid watch.

Hermès Carré H

36.5 x 36.5 mm bead-blasted Titanium case, polished titanium crown

It is really is quite an interesting watch if I do say so myself and I highly recommend that you click here to read the wonderful “question and answer” session with the two designers of this watch!

Mechanical automatic movement (GP 3200 Sowind), Oscillating weight and bridges adorned with a sprinkling of “Hs”

Black Barenia calfskin strap with matching titanium buckle

MB&F Thunderbolt

Kyle — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:24:24 +0000

Outta this world…

The new MB&F Horlogical Machine No. 4 aka Thunderbolt is totally out of this world. Made of a sapphire and titanium case that measures 54mm wide x 52mm long x 24mm high. I absolutely love the profile view of the machine and how it mounts to the strap. Price is $158,000 and total production will be 25-35 pieces per year. I’ll let Maximillian Busser (he’s the “MB” in “MB&F”) himself describe the rest of the watch and its inspiration for you — read on for details and pics.

Watch the MB&F HM4 Thunderbolt Video:

MB&F Horological Machine No4 is here! For the last three years I could not talk about this amazing piece of machinery, and it is truly a great day that I can finally share with all!

After the 311 part Engine which was unveiled in March during Basel, here is probably the most complex case in the history of horology to protect and magnify it.

Titanium and Sapphire – 150 hours of machining and polishing just for the central Sapphire case (that is close to four weeks of machining for one piece !), over 60 hours of machining and finishing for the titanium case back, etc, etc… In our twenty years of horology, this is the greatest challenge Serge Kriknoff and I have been up to.

The MB&F HM4 Thunderbolt as worn by Maximillian Busser himself:

So what is the Thunderbolt ? A tribute to Aviation…

Why ? Because from the age of 8 to 12-13 I spent every free minute crafting model airplanes… They were everywhere in my room. Hanging from the ceilings, accumulating on the shelves, in the cupboards. I would spend hours assembling, modifying, painting anything which had two wings. HM4 is a very personal interpretation of what would happen if you crossed a piece of ultra high end horology with the world of aeronautics.

Harry Winston Premier Perpetual Calendar

Kyle — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:27:00 +0000

The Harry Winston “Premier” collection was launched in 1989 with the world’s first bi-retrograde perpetual calendar. The collection has continued over the years with a series of fantastic watches that strike a creative balance between aesthetic and technical design and are unmistakable Harry Winston timepieces. In 2010, two new models are being introduced into the Premier Collection — the Premier Perpetual Calendar for men; and the Premier Lady Chronograph for women. I’ll give you an overview of the men’s Perpetual Calendar here — to see the Lady Chronograph, you can click through to the official press release.

Harry Winston Premier Perpetual Calendar 2010

41mm white gold case, automatic movement, anthracite dial with silver “Côtes de Genève” decoration

excentered hours and minutes, second time-zone, perpetual calendar bi-retrograde (date and month) and leap year, moon phase indicator

The watch comes on a black alligator strap with matching white gold folding buckle. It is also available in rose gold.

This watch follows in the footsteps two prior perpetual calendar models which released by Harry Winston (1989 platinum and 2007 white gold), which you can see here. This new 2010 variation is my favorite of the three. Price upon request.

MB&F Thunderbolt Video

Kyle — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:26:20 +0000

July 7, 2010 unveiling approaches…

***UPDATE*** See our full coverage of the MB&F Thunderbolt in photo and video — CLICK HERE***

You’ve seen the “first look” photos….now here’s an even closer look at the new MB&F Thunderbolt courtesy of this “teaser” video recently released by the company:

Does this thing look awesome or what!?! It will be officially unveiled this coming Wednesday, July 7, 2010!

Panerai PAM 360 “Paneristi” Edition

Kyle — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:55:54 +0000

Celebrating 10 years of Paneristi…

Members of the Panerai Brotherhood known as “Paneristi” are weeping with joy over the July 1 announcement of a new, limited edition Panerai Luminor — aka the PAM360 — that will be produced specially to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of Paneristi.com (the unofficial and undisputed resource on all things Panerai):

Only 300 will be made — meaning that the PAM 360 is set to become one of the most highly coveted and sought after Panerai’s. The Paneristi “Mod team” (the forum Moderators) along with some other key players appear to have helped design the watch and make it all happen. The PAM360 is a 44mm Luminor with black PVD case, patina dial markers, and the “OP” logo:

Panerai Luminor “Paneristi” (PAM 360)

The case back has special commemorative language ala “Paneristi.com Tenth Anniversary”:

How exactly Panerai will allocate these watches is unknown (to me at least) — I only hope that it is done via a lottery or random drawing as opposed to a “political” process such as allocation as determined by the Mod team or according to one’s “contribution” to the website over the years. The price will be $6,700 USD (5,500 EURO/630,000 JPY/52,500 HKD).

I really applaud Panerai and other brands such as IWC who make special edition watches such as these. I think that these models payback almost unlimited dividends to the brands in the form of an even deeper passion and sense of loyalty amongst their most dedicated fans.

Piaget Polo FortyFive Veuve Clicquot Classic Chronograph

Kyle — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:16:46 +0000

“Veuve Clicquot yellow” subdials…

For the second year in a row, Piaget was the official timekeeper of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, one of the world’s most high profile polo matches. While the 2010 match will be remembered by most for the unfortunate “Royal Tumble” by Prince Harry, the horologically impassioned may rather prefer to take note of the limited edition version Piaget Polo FortyFive Chronograph which was created to commemorate the event. The specially designed timepiece keeps form and function with the Polo FortyFive models — except for its “Clicquot Yellow” on the subdials and the “New York” designation on the outer edge of the dial.

Piaget Polo FortyFive Veuve Clicquot Classic Chronograph

Limited Edition of 10 pieces

So why “New York” on the dial? I have no idea, but I do think that Piaget could and should have come up with a better phrase to mark this watch. “New York” seems so generic.

If you ask me, Piaget collectors could better spend their time chasing down the Piaget Polo FortyFive “Marcos Heguy” edition which I profiled last week.

Race Tested: Rebellion Predator Chronograph

Kyle — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:53:39 +0000

The 24 limited edition pieces worn by the Rebellion Racing drivers during the Le Mans 24 Hours are to be sold a la “race proven”. The particular model shown below was on the wrist of Andrea Belicchi who was in the #13 car (Belicchi – Boullion – Smith). Unfortunately, this team crashed out of the race just after the 9 hour and 18 minutes mark. But the watch seems to have made it through just fine!

Features of this watch include a dial and bezel in black carbon fibre, 24 hour counter in red and special extendable racing clasp that can be adjusted to wear over racing suit. If you are interested in more details, be sure to click-through to my previous post on this watch for more pics and info.

Team Rebellion competes in the LMP1 Category, which means: mean and lean race cars!

Corum Admiral’s Cup Split Seconds 44

Kyle — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:36:23 +0000

Black and white with PVD accents…

These are the new Corum Admiral’s Cup Split Seconds watches. The monochromatic styling (enhanced by some PVD finishing on the case) with just a touch of red via the split-seconds and small seconds hands has these watches looking good. The watches are 44mm in diameter and part of the case is PVD-treated. Both models have black vulcanized rubber crown guards, too. Movement is Corum’s CO986 and is a COSC certified chronometer (ie very accurate). Water resistant to 100 meters.

Corum Admiral’s Cup Split Seconds 44

Black dial version – limited to 155 pieces

White dial version – limited to 55 pieces

I really like the sub-dial counters on these watches — easy to read and with hints of the nautical theme. 155 black-dials and 55 white-dials will be produced. Price is unknown, but I would guess it to be between $5,000-$7,000.

More broadly, I must say that Corum is really on a roll lately. They have introduced several beautifully designed watches since Baselworld and I am really starting to view the brand in a new light. For example check out the Corum Deep Hull 48 and the Corum Grand Prix Chronograph 48. I never really (and still don’t) like the multi-colored nautical flags that are often used to decorate the dials. However, some of their new, more muted color schemes (with fewer overall color in any one particular design) and case shapes have much greater appeal to me.

Two thumbs up to Corum!

TAG Heuer Monaco for Porsche Club of America

Kyle — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:08:14 +0000

55 Pieces for 55 Years…

TAG Heuer is set to manufacture a limited edition watch for the Porsche Club of America (PCA), the largest single-brand car club in the world (100,000+ members). The watch keeps the essential elements of the TAG Heuer Monaco watch, but with a sporty, special dial designed in red and black rally stripes and the racing number “55″, a nod to Porsche Club of America’s years since — and year of — its founding (1955). As you can also see, the watch comes on a black leather strap with racing holes and red stitching that is exclusive to this model:

The backstory on this watch is that Vu T.H. Nguyen, executive director of the Porsche Club of America, and Georg Bartkowiak, member of the Porsche Club of Germany, decided to create a limited collector’s watch for the PCA. Of course it only made sense to tap Bartkowiak for the prestigious project — readers of this blog will likely recognize Bartkowiak as CEO of high-end luxury watch brand GRIEB & BENZINGER (check out his handiwork here!).

The official limited edition TAG Heuer Monaco manufactured for the Porsche Club of America is available for order now, with delivery set for September. The official retail price at launch is $5,500. When you compare this to the nice-but-not-that-nice TAG Heuer Silverstone re-issue which was priced at $6,500, I’d have to say this is an absolute steal!

Get your order in today at www.PCA-TAG.com!

Did You Know?

It is no coincidence that the PCA has chosen TAG Heuer as its partner for the limited edition watch, which is based on famous racing heritage. In preparing to shoot Le Mans, US actor Steve McQueen’s main source of inspiration was his friend Jo Siffert, the Swiss racecar legend who in 1969 became the first driver ever sponsored by a watch brand: Heuer (TAG, standing for Techniques d’Avantgarde, was added in 1985 as the result of a takeover). McQueen insisted on wearing Heuer’s Monaco in the film, which had just been launched. Perhaps it was McQueen’s influence, or perhaps it was Porsche driver Siffert’s, but the Monaco seemed to become the preferred chronograph of the racing and fashion worlds in the 1970s. This watch, whose unique and uncompromising geometry helped achieve its almost legendary status, is one of the most recognizable timepieces in the world.

Piaget Polo FortyFive Marcos Heguy Limited Edition

Kyle — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:17:28 +0000

For the “Kobe Bryant” of Polo…

This is a very nice looking and very limited (45 pieces) edition Piaget Polo FortyFive watch. It was created in tribute to Piaget’s ambassador to the world of polo, superstar sportsman Marcos Heguy. Heguy is a legendary polo player from Argentina, one of the world’s powerhouses of the sport. The watch was officially unveiled at the USPA Piaget Gold Cup tournament which was held in Florida in April 2010. It is now available for purchase — I don’t know the price but I would expect $25,000 at a minimum. More about the watch’s “Handicap 10″ marking on the dials — and Marcos Heguy — below.

Piaget Polo FortyFive Marcos Heguy Limited Edition (Ref. GOA34620)

Titanium case, brushed bezel with polished steel accents, screw-down crown in rubber and titanium, Piaget caliber 880P automatic movement (double barrel), steel triple-folding clasp on rubber strap (with steel inserts)

Blue counters on a black dial incorporating the words “10 Handicap”

The “Marcos Heguy” signed sapphire crystal case-back is not pictured.

Did You Know?

Marcos Heguy is captain of the Pilará Piaget team in Argentina’s famous Triple Crown series. Heguy was first awarded his 10-goal handicap rating in 1987. A “10″ handicap is as good as one can earn — it basically means you are the “best of the best” in the sport of polo. The Federation of International Polo website currently lists just 25 players with a perfect “10″ rating. Thus the “Handicap 10″ marking on the dial of the Piaget Polo FortyFive Marcos Heguy Limited Edition!

MB&F Thunderbolt First Look

Kyle — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:11:18 +0000

Coming soon…

***UPDATE*** See our full coverage of the MB&F Thunderbolt in photo and video — CLICK HERE***

Until we get the full scoop from Maximillian Busser (in early July, he tells me), here’s a little teaser from the man himself:

MB&F Horological Machine No 4 Thunderbolt

“…our most radical creation to date…”!

And here’s the “engine” as previewed at Baselworld 2010

Red Heuer Silverstone Caliber 11 Produced for Charity

Kyle — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:46:24 +0000

Unique piece, “Jack Heuer” signed dial…

In 2010, TAG Heuer reissued limited edition versions of its 1974 Heuer Silverstone watch — 1,500 pieces in each blue and brown (see live pics here). The original Silverstone was originally introduced in 1974 with its signature “cushion” shaped case, and is named for the famous racing circuit in England. You can read more about the new Heuer Silverstone here and here (my exclusive live pics).

Now we learn that TAG Heuer has also produced a one-of-a-kind Silverstone, this one in a striking red color and with a “Jack Heuer” signature on the dial (Jack Heuer is the modern day patriarch of the TAG Heuer brand). The piece is to be auctioned by Bonhams, with proceeds going to Green Cross International, a charitable organization closely supported by TAG Heuer through their brand ambassador Leonardo di Caprio.

Bonhams estimates the piece will fetch £6,000-£8,000 when it is offered on December 15, 2010. Great color!

Similar to the original Silverstone, the reissue uses a Chronomatic Caliber 11

“the first self-winding automatic chronograph with micro-rotor”

Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time

Kyle — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:32:13 +0000

Kinda cool…

This is the new “Spin Time” from Louis Vuitton. Before you scoff at the “Louis Vuitton” label let me tell you that this watch has a cool way of telling time that deserves a look. The Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time watches have no hour hands. Instead they use a system of rotating cubes. That is, at any given hour, 11 of the 12 cubes are “blank” and one cube shows you what hour it is.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time

44mm white gold case — price: $47,000

Upon seeing this watch I immediately thought of another watch with no hour hands — Frederic Jounvenot’s “Helios”. Though not identical, the ideas behind these two watches are similar — both rely on a system of “rotating” hour markers. I wrote about Jouvenot’s Helios back in March — you should click through and watch the 30-second video about the Helios and you will see what I mean by similar and see if you agree. Urwerk and others also utilize the concept of a “rotating” hour or minute marker in some of their watches as well.

One drawback I see with this watch is its price — $47,000. Ouch! There is also a 39.5mm white gold women’s version — with diamonds, of course — priced at $74,500. Double Ouch! I could buy a nice Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet for these prices. Even so, it remains a given that the Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time is an interesting and unique way of keeping time, which is why I show it to you today!

The Making of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal (Video)

Kyle — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:34:25 +0000

Here’s a nice video production by Omega – see how the new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal is made!

Also, be sure to see my prior posts for more pictures, discussion and a review against a standard Planet Ocean ref. 2201.5000.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph for Turkey

Kyle — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 15:35:59 +0000

Two-tone…

It was just 10 days ago that I featured a special Vacheron Constantin Overseas for Greece. Now it seems to be next-door neighbor Turkey’s turn!

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph in steel with rose gold bezel, crown and pushers

limited to 150 pieces for the Turkish market; set on a black rubber strap & also comes with a black crocodile leather strap

Unlike the Greece version which was specially decorated with a Greek Trieme, the case back of this watch bears the “standard” sea vessel that appears on the Overseas watches – the Amerigo Vespucci (see below).

pic: The Hour Lounge.

I would guess that price might be in the 20.000 EUR range.

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra XXL Small Seconds Enamel

Kyle — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:40:48 +0000

Limited Edition enamel dial, Omega-logo hands…

This is the soon to be introduced Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra XXL Small Seconds. It is a HUGE watch — the case is 49.2mm in diameter — and will be produced in a limited edition of 88 pieces in white gold and 88 pieces in rose gold. The special thing about this particular model is that the dial is made of enamel and the sterling silver small seconds subdial is applied on top of the enamel — it probably looks very nice up close. The watch is fitted with Omega’s COSC Caliber 2211, visible through a sapphire crystal caseback. The best thing, though, are the hour and minute hands. In the “close-up” photo I posted below, you can see that they have “Omega” symbol at the tips — this based on a design patented by OMEGA in 1924. Price is probably well north of $5,000.

All in all, a nice looking watch — but far, far too large for my wrist!

Close-up Showing the “Omega” tipped hands

Project X Designs Blacked Out Rolex Explorer II Orange

Kyle — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:15:18 +0000

Blacked out, orange accented…

My one and only post about “blacked out” aftermarket Rolexes was this one about Bamford and Black-Out Concept, almost a year ago. If anything you’ll want to read this prior post simply to see the “blacked-out” Ferrari that I included. Was I remiss (ignorant, perhaps!) in not adding Projext X Designs to the comparison? It seems so. From what I hear lately, Project X Designs is “where it’s at” when it comes to blacked-out watches. I suppose this is subject to fierce debate (depending on which one you own, hehehe). Also subject of fierce debate is the whole concept of “aftermarket” modding such as this. As far as I am concerned I don’t know what all the fuss is about (many Rolex purists do not like these modified versions).

As for this particular blacked-out Rolex Explorer II with orange accents (bezel and seconds hand), 24 and only 24 will be made.

Each watch will feature a laser engraved caseback with individual issue number and include with the original manufacturers box and papers, a project x designs certificate of customization and guarantee card. The orange colour used has been exclusively developed for this range of watches only, and will not be available via Project X’s “Bespoke” editions. Price is at 7250.00GBP and orders are being taken now. Delivery is planned for Mid July 2010.

What else to say except that the black and orange work wonderfully together and I LIKE IT!

Omega Liquidmetal Planet Ocean Review

Kyle — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:15:02 +0000

While in New York this past weekend, I dropped by the Omega boutique (55th & 5th Ave.) to check out the new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal watch. Having first written about this watch on October 2, 2009 (check out my original post here), I was excited to finally get to see it “in the metal”. Now I thought I would share a few of my observations with you.

First, let’s take a look at the Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal (reference 222.30.42.20.01.001) and the regular Planet Ocean (reference 2201.5000) “side by side”. Disregarding the slight color variance of each image (this is a function of using stock photos from Omega’s website and not distinct differences in the watches themselves), do you see any differences? Study the images carefully and then read on!

So what did you observe? Not much, right? Truth be told the differences are minimal. The only somewhat obvious difference is that the “Seamaster” notation (near the top of the dial) is in red font color on the new Liquidmetal version.

Though upon closer inspection, there is another subtle difference on the dial. That is, the Liquidmetal version is marked “ZrO2″. See the image below where I have highlighted this. It is unfortunately hard to see from Omega’s stock photos, but up close and in person — really anytime when the time is not 10:10 (!!) — it is easy to observe.

“ZrO2″ is a reference to zirconium oxide, a key material in the special bezel which consists of black ceramic fused with Omega’s new Liquidmetal material. Liquidmetal is special alloy consisting of five elements: zirconium, titanium, copper, nickel and beryllium. Zirconium is an important constituent part both of the Liquidmetal alloy and of the ceramic material which is made of zirconium dioxide (Zr02).

Speaking of the bezel, you may have noticed it is hard see a difference between the two in the photos I share here. In fact, the differences between the ceramic+Liquidmetal bezel and the regular PO bezel to the “up close and personal” observer are also minimally discernable. To be honest, other than its lower likelihood of being scratched, I was not overly impressed with the Liquidmetal bezel as compared to the regular PO. In fact, I observed that its color was not as “pure” of a black color as the 2201.5000. It seemed to have a slight sheen to it. Not that this is necessarily a bad quality, just different.

The caseback is also specially marked. It has a special “Liquidmetal Technology” logo, the “Ceramic ZrO2″ reference, as well as the limited edition numbering:

Photos: Omega.

Here are a few additional observations that I made:

Case Size

The Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal watch is available exclusively in the 42mm case size. The regular Planet Ocean’s are available in both 42mm and 45.5mm. Too bad they did not make some of each size.

Movement

Like the comparable Planet Ocean (reference 2201.5000), the Liquidmetal has an Omega Caliber 2500 which is chronometer certified and utilizes Omega’s famous co-axial escapement.

Price

The price of the Planet Ocean Liquidmetal is about $5,700. This is almost $2,000 more than the comparable standard Planet Ocean (the 2201.5000 reference no.), a hefty premium.

Of course, the Planet Ocean Liquidmetal is a limited edition piece — only 1,948 will be made vs. how many millions of regular Planet Ocean’s are out there — so perhaps the premium is justified.

In summary…

I am asking myself this: “Is the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal worth the extra cost?” For me, I will have to say “no”. First, I would prefer the watch in 45mm rather than 42mm. Second, there is minimal distinction between a regular Planet Ocean, particularly a casual observer or watch enthusiast. The subtle dial differences and the minimally different looking bezel just don’t give it enough “wow” factor for me to want it more than a regular Planet Ocean. Sure, the caseback engravings are cool and a nice touch, but how many times do these features really get observed and appreciated.

While the 1,948 units of the Planet Ocean Liquidmetal will surely not have trouble finding homes, my hope is that Omega will figure out a way to expand the use of its ceramic and Liquidmetal technology that will bring the price down — and the value proposition up. Only then will I give it another look and consider making a purchase.

Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition Watch

Kyle — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:56:32 +0000

50,000 CHF for the Great Barrier Reef…

Did you know that tomorrow, June 8, is World Oceans Day? Since 2008 this day is officially recognized by the United Nations as a day to promote ocean conservation. Thus it is perhaps no surprise that I recently came across this new watch from Oris — the Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition (Ref. 643 7609 8585). For this watch Oris has teamed up with the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), Australia’s only national charity dedicated exclusively to protecting ocean wildlife and their home. Always a fan of great watches for great causes, I would say that this one certainly fits the bill. The cause is to help protect and preserve the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest reef system, and will raise up to CHF 50,000 to this effect — 1,000 watches will be made and a CHF 50 donation from each watch sold will be donated to AMCS.

To mark World Oceans Day, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, The Environment Centre NT and The Wilderness Society have launched a ‘Sea Sanctuaries’ television and radio advertising campaign to highlight that the Territories seas are unique, under threat and under-protected. The video clip is only 30 seconds, but offers some nice glimpses into the beautiful marine life that you might bump in to (literally) down under in the Great Barrier Reef:

Getting back to the watch, I would say that its design symbolism is fairly obvious, showing not only oceanic colors but also key dive watch elements such as helium escape value, dark orange superluminova, 1000 meter water resistance, and unidirectional rotating bezel. One interesting element is that both the helium value and the crown are on the left-side of the case, which is certainly not typical.

The watch is presented in a special collector’s set that comes with a neoprene zip case, key ring, rubber strap and stainless steel bracelet, diver’s log and limited edition certificate. Thanks Oris for your support of the world’s oceans!

Howard Hughes Patek Philippe Ref. 1463 Up At Auction

Kyle — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:09:47 +0000

Editor’s Note: Since publishing this article, serious doubts as to the provenance of this watch, namely its purported ownership by and link to Howard Hughes, have been raised. Christie’s auction house has, thus far, refused to answer our questions on the matter. Despite the serious doubts that we raised directly with Christie’s, they auctioned they watch to a buyer who paid a whopping $254,000. I strongly recommend you read our additional coverage (links at bottom of this post).

Here’s a vintage watch that caught my eye — it is a Patek Philippe Ref. 1463, owned claimed to be owned by the famous U.S. aviator, entrepreneur, movie producer — and billionaire — Howard Hughes (b: December 24, 1905 – d: April 5, 1976). It will be auctioned on June 16, 2010 by Christie’s. Its value is estimated at $150,000 – $200,000. Reportedly, this is the first time that this watch has been offered for sale to the public. It was originally produced by Patek Philippe in 1949 and sold October 11th, 1950 (to an unknown party presumably to Howard Hughes).

I, for one, am utterly fascinated with Howard Hughes. Hughes was a man of great intrigue, excitement, passion and mystique. His exploits and achievements were numerous and include, for example, Oscar winning films (from the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s), flying around the globe in 91 hours (in 1938), creation of the giant “Spruce Goose” aircraft (which couldn’t even really fly), ownership of TWA airlines (in the 1950’s and 60’s), living and owning several casinos in Las Vegas (1960’s) and many other wild and crazy business and pet projects. Sadly, Hughes went off the proverbial “deep end” late in his life and spend most of his final years living reclusively and battling severe paranoia and obsessive-compulsive habits.

Thankfully, though, he is mostly known for his positive achievements, many of which live on today including for example the Howard Hughes Medical Institute for biomedical research and science education.

You can read and see more of Howard Hughes’ Patek Philippe Reference 1463 on the Christie’s website.

As for Howard Hughes, I recommend Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness by Donald Barlett and James Steele. I read this book a couple years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it!

Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph for Greece

Kyle — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:44:18 +0000

Crisis befalls not every man…

Prestigious Swiss watch brand Vacheron Constantin has launched a 100 piece limited edition Overseas Chronograph specially for the Greek market. The overall design keeps with the look of the Overseas collection as it has been since being “refreshed” in 2004 — so what makes it special for Greece? Primarily, the case back is not engraved with the habitual Amerigo Vespucci sail boat but with a Greek Trireme (seen below). Also, the color is new — a dark blue guilloché dial matched with a blue rubber strap (which actually looks pretty cool, in my view). The watch also comes with an extra dark blue croc strap (also pictured). Price is EUR 14.600 (including VAT). All photos are (c) The Hour Lounge — click through the link at the bottom to sign up and see more pics.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas “Greece”

42 mm steel case, Maltese cross inspired bezel, screwed-down pushpieces, water resistant to 150 meters

Caseback: A Greek Trireme (as opposed to the usual Amerigo Vespucci)

At one point I might have suggested that the timing of the introduction of this watch is “interesting” to say the least, but to be fair, new watches are constantly being introduced — during good times and bad — are they not? Besides, the locals know their market best, do they not?

If you would like to know more about the iconic Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection, check out my 2009 writeup on the Vacheron Constantin Overseas titanium models — there is a good chronology of the watch in this article. And as I noted above, more pics are on display over at The Hour Lounge, Vacheron Constantin’s in-house forum.

BRM England Watch

Kyle — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:10:48 +0000

A tribute to the Union Jack…

Fresh rested from the celebration of a patriotic holiday here in the United States (yesterday was Memorial Day) — and in keeping with the “red, white, and blue” theme — here is a soon to be launched watch from B.R.M. B.R.M., or Bernard Richards Manufacture, is based in France and led by the man himself. B.R.M. makes a small number (~2,000) of racing-inspired watches each year and they have an unmistakable look. Like Alain Silberstein watches, once you’ve seen a B.R.M watch, you’ll never forget it! See for yourself at http://www.brm-manufacture.com/. As you can see below, the famous colors of this particular watch pay tribute not the United States, but to the United Kingdom. While the watch is a bit too “loud” for me, I’m sure this watch will sell well. Priced from 2350 EUR.

BRM England Watch

Polished stainless steel case, automatic movement, 100m water resistance,

note also the red and white accent-stitching on the perforated blue leather strap — nice!

B.R. M. will actually launch this new watch model in two sizes 38mm and 44mm diameter, both with the Union Jack colors.

No related posts.

Armin Strom One Week Fire and Water

Kyle — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:08:14 +0000

Fire and Water…

Below are a pair of exciting new watches from the Armin Strom “One Week” collection. Dubbed “Fire” and “Water” and featuring Armin Strom’s new in-house movement with 8-day power reserve (the ARM09 — we wrote about it in Feburary), these two watches make up half of the four elements that represent the collection. “Earth” and “Air” are the other two models that I will show you at a later date. Each model is limited to 100 pieces per element with a 43mm case (13mm height). Notice also the asymmetrical case-design. The partial-dial has a power reserve display and while offering views of the very eye-pleasing ARM09 movement. The watches are paired with a totally kick-ass “horn-back” alligator strap in the appropriate color.

Armin Strom One Week Water – Stainless Steel (Ref ST10-WW.05)

Price is about $24,000, limited to 100 pieces

dial close-up

Armin Strom One Week Fire – Rose Gold (Ref RG10-WF.5N)

Price is about $34,000, limited to 100 pieces

dial close-up

So now that I have your full attention, you may be wondering – why I haven’t I seen this brand before?!? Well, I would say that Armin Strom’s relatively low awareness is a function of its relative youth as a brand (founded in 2006) and its high entry-level price point (about $8,000, moving quickly into the five-figure range). However, I would argue that — more than any other young/small luxury brand today — Armin Strom SA is in a position to turn itself into a watchmaking powerhouse over the next decade or two.

As a quick refresher, here’s the backdrop on the brand — Armin Strom SA was founded in 2006 and is based in the watch-making center of Biel, Switzerland. The brand takes its name from the man himself – Armin Strom. I like to think of Armin Strom as the Godfather of the skeleton watch — it is an art he has been honing if not nearly perfecting for decades now. The startup of the brand is backed by successful Swiss businessman, Willy Michel. Michel along with Strom recruited a group of young talented and promising watchmakers upon which to build the brand and take it into the future.

At present, the brand is somewhat divided into two product “tiers”. That is, the somewhat more modern-looking “Elements” watches that I have shown you here today, and the ultra-exclusive “skeleton” series which are enhanced with various levels of hand-engraving or partial skeletons, up to a fully hand-made skeleton watch. The skeleton watches are quite simply some of the most fantastic watches I have ever set my hands upon — check out my video review of the Armin Strom Blue Chip Skeleton Automatic for an in-depth look.

The investment of time and money into the brand should not go un-noticed — Armin Strom is now more-or-less a fully capable manufacture, as evidenced above by its first manufacture movement, the ARM09 (click through to our earlier post for more looks and info). The ARM09 is quite obviously visually stunning, but I am also told that it has strong technical characteristics as well.

To close the loop on all this, let me just stay that it is my view that with all of its resources, its relative youth, and the wisdom and tutelage of Armin Strom himself, Armin Strom SA has significant potential to make a big name for itself as a leading high-luxury Swiss watch brand in the years ahead. Stay tuned for future looks at the watches of Armin Strom!

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Hemisphere

Kyle — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:36:55 +0000

Just in time for summer, Parmigiani Fleurier has released a striking new variation in its Tonda Hemisphere collection. The overall design follows previous Tonda models, except this particular version boasts a rarely seen capability — that is, full timekeeping capabilities — both hours and minutes — for two timezones. The case is 42mm in diameter in highly polished steel, with a partially-skeletonized dial accented in a beautiful blue color (as are the matching hands). The matching strap is crocodile leather from prestigious luxury brand Hermes. The price is likely to be in the $15,000 range.

You may have noticed that there are two crowns on the watch — one for one time zone, the other for the second time zone as well as winding the watch. There is also a night/day gauge for each of the time zones as well.

Unique Piece: Parmigiani Fleurier Tecnica Crystallisation

IWC Da Vinci Collectors’ Forum Edition Watch

Kyle — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:39:31 +0000

Shipping now…

Did you know that watch brand IWC hosts its own discussion forum? The “IWC Collectors Forum” was actually founded in 2001 and has since provided IWC devotees with their own “special” place to discuss and share anything and everything IWC. IWC even hired a moderator — Mr. Michael Friedberg — to oversee discussion on the dedicated forum. Technically it is “Members Only” — but registration is free and open to anyone. The great thing is that what started out as a small, single-brand forum almost a decade ago has actually turned into a fairly active forum for IWC enthusiasts! It has attracted such a loyal following that in 2010 IWC decided to develop a special “Collectors Forum Watch”. Yes, that’s right — a limited edition, specially marked watch just to celebrate its loyal forum patrons. Editor: An astute IWC fan (thanks!) pointed that this year’s watch is not the first Collector’s Forum that IWC has created. This year mark’s the second edition of the Collector’s Forum Watch. The first? An IWC Collectors Forum Ingeniuer, circa 2005.

The IWC Da Vinci Chronograph Special Edition Collectors’ Forum, aka Ref. 3764

The stainless steel watch features certain details that make it unique and mark its dedication to the IWC forum — most notably that there is a visible engraving on the rotor reading “Collectors’ Forum 2010, One out of 100″ (but not individually numbered). The movement is the IWC caliber 89360.

The watch also comes with a stainless steel bracelet (in addition to the original alligator leather strap in black):

IWC starting accepting orders for the watch in January. I am not sure if all 100 have sold or not. Price is 15,200 CHF (including 7.6% VAT). Originally announced to be available starting in June 2010, some collectors have now received theirs. Although I have read that some perceive this watch to be a bit silly or pointless, I would prefer we all give a big round of applause to IWC for paying special attention to its most loyal, most dedicated patrons. That’s how you build brand loyalty!

Richard Mille Nadal RM27 Watch in Action

Kyle — Mon, 24 May 2010 01:05:25 +0000

Match Play Debut – French Open 2010 vs. Gianni Mina…

In early April, I first showed you the new ultra-light RM027 watch, created by master watchmaker Richard Mille for tennis phenom Rafael Nadal. Well, it seems that some of the sports and print media writers the entire media — from Yahoo Sports to the HuffPo to the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal — has finally caught up with the news thanks to a press conference that Nadal held this past weekend (from the French Open) to announce the new watch. Richard Mille was there to join in the fun. Here are the pics, straight from opening round match play at Roland Garros. Pics from warmups and the press conference are below, too.

Felipe Trueba/European Pressphoto

May 21, 2010 – Rafael Nadal and Richard Mille at the launch of the new ‘TOURBILLON WATCH RM 027 RAFAEL NADAL’

May 22, 2010 – Rafael Nadal trains in his Richard Mille watch (valued at $525,000) at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, on the eve of the French open tennis tournament.

(AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Be sure to click over to my original post from April 2 for some more looks at the watch.

Hublot Classic Fusion FIFA World Cup Watch

Kyle — Fri, 21 May 2010 18:09:00 +0000

It’s a Gold Classic Fusion….

When I first wrote about the “Huge Bang!” back in April, there were no watches to show, only Hublot-branded substitution boards. But now the Official Timekeeper for the next two FIFA World Cups has unveiled the Official Watch for the same. The Hublot FIFA World Cup watch is a beautifully executed 45mm version of the Hublot Classic Fusion. Note the FIFA World Cup Trophy on the dial. The thing is, though, there will only be 100 pieces, so I think it is safe to say that this is the first but certainly not the last we have seen from Hublot for FIFA.

You can read the official press release — and see more photos including a close-up of the dial — by clicking here.

Maurice Lacroix Three of a Kind

Kyle — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:53:59 +0000

Three unique pieces, three charitable causes…

While I’m sure most of you are by now familiar with the Audemars Piguet “Time to Give” celebrity watch auction (if not, see here), I’d like to bring light to another, albeit much smaller, charity auction that is going on right now. But it is a charity auction nonetheless. So thanks to Orologio Blog (in Italian), I was excited to learn that three, one-of-a-kind Maurice-Lacroix Pontos Décentrique GMT timepieces designed by three prolific designers are now up for auction. You can view details on both the Maurice Lacroix and Wallpaper* (modern design and style blog/magazine) websites. Bidding started on May 13 and concludes on June 19. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to a charity of each designer’s choice (as I have noted below each watch).

Current offers for each watch are still near the opening price — €4,250 — for each watch. I think that any one of these three fine unique pieces should could go for prices in excess of €10,000 — great watches for a great cause — bid high people!

Below is a preview of each watch, as well as a short video of each designer talking about his philosophy for his particular watch. While all the watches are absolutely spectacular, my personal favorite is the piece by Arik Levy. Which one is your favorite?

*****

“Raw and Essential” by Arik Levy

Unique Piece

Dial: Black gold, horizontally brushed; engraved hour markers on both second time zone; metal coated sapphire crystal over the day and night disk and date indication, black gold hands (hours/minutes/2nd time zone), luminous at night.

Case: Brushed stainless steel, 43mm

Levy plans to donate the proceeds of this summer’s auction to Sinjiya-Ton, a charity dedicated to the aid of Malian street children.

*****

“Five Continents”, by Gwenaël Nicolas

Unique Piece

Dial: Matt-black, with 5 circles, brushed/polished; glossy black printed hour markers; hands (hours/minutes/2nd time zone) luminous at night. Day-and-night display in black, sun and stars in polished silver.

Case: Polished and brushed, stainless steel, 43mm

Nicolas plans to donate all proceeds from this year’s auction, to human aid organisation, Médicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).

*****

“Bonded Watch”, by Neil Barrett

Unique Piece

Dial: Completely clad in black leather; raised applied hour markers under the leather; metal coated sapphire crystal over the day and night disk and date indication, hands (hours/minutes/2nd time zone) luminous at night.

Case: Stainless steel completely clad in black leather

Neil Barrett plans to donate the proceeds of this summer’s auction, to world aid charity, Oxfam.

Again, you can visit http://www.wallpaper.com/mauricelacroix or http://www.mauricelacroix.com/#PARTNERSHIPS to place a bid!

TAG Heuer Pinel & Pinel Gift Set

Kyle — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:20:03 +0000

Pinel & Pinel craftsmanship…

In celebration of its 150 anniversary year, TAG Heuer has launched an exclusive boxed edition of its Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS2 Chronograph. The specially boxed set, limited to 150 units, also comes with TAG Heuer’s Meridiist phone which, although I am most definitely not a fan of, I can look past in the context of it being a part of this unique collector’s set.

Yes the watch looks great, but what’s equally as special here is the Pinel & Pinel custom box. Crafted by bespoke French artisan and designer Fred Pinel, this multi-function watch box is a reinterpretation of the 1930s steamer trunk on the outside and the secret drawers of a Louis XVI armoire on the inside. The premium watch box, hand crafted in black and orange leather with accented stitching, houses a watch winder for the Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS2 Chronograph, and a mini USB connect for charging the Meridiist:

TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Calibre 17 RS2 Chronograph

I like the philosophy of presenting the watch in a nice watch box — sell “the whole package” — not just the watch. Well done, TAG Heuer.

p.s. – Fred Pinel, your work is amazing!

Grieb & Benzinger Skeletonized, Hand Engraved Watches

Kyle — Mon, 17 May 2010 18:54:36 +0000

Unparalleled beauty…

I like these guys, and I like their creations even more

Want your own ultra-exclusive, skeletonized, hand engraved piece? georg@benzinger-boutique.com will be glad to help you out. I love watching this video…again and again…

As for the watch you first see in the video — here’s the det’s:

Dial: Designed without dial for complete visibility of the movement, flame-blued Breguet-style steel hands.

Movement: Caliber ETA 6498 manually wound movement, completely skeletonized, engraved and guilloché by hand with flame-blued screws.

Case: Solid 18-karat white gold case made in Germany, bezel set with Top Wesselton diamonds (VVSI), screwed-in strap lugs, diameter 42 mm, oignon-style crown, sapphire crystals on both sides. Stainless steel case on request.

Strap: Hand-sewn shiny alligator skin strap with white gold buckle.

Price: 25,500 EUR (~$32,000 USD)

*************************************

Jochen Benzinger is the leading specialist worldwide for skeletonized and guilloché timepieces. Watch movements are skeletonized, guilloché, hand-engraved, and even sometimes technically modified by hand in his workshop in a traditional manner using special historical machines and tools. This allows him to create his own characteristic style of horological art. For many years, Benzinger and business partner Georg Bartkowiak have manufactured chiefly in the name of big brands such as IWC, Fabergé, Chronoswiss and Tourneau. BENZINGER unique pieces are available in steel or gold cases.

More at http://www.benzinger-boutique.com/Website/home.html

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Wristed: TAG Heuer Silverstone Reissue

Kyle — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:26:03 +0000

A standout watch…

This past weekend at a special event hosted by TAG Heuer, I had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the new TAG Heuer Silverstone “reissue” . I first wrote about this watch in Dec’09, and it was great to finally see the watch in the metal. When it was handed to me, my first impressions of the new TAG Heuer Silverstone were in general positive. In short, the watch has a great “retro” look all its own, it comes in 2 great colors, and it wears very comfortably on the perforated leather strap with a cool “Heuer” logo buckle. My main only quibble is the price — a bit high for me at $6,500. That and the case height (more on this below). But overall, it’s a pretty cool watch. Here’s a few looks (and please pardon my unfortunate camera work, which leaves a little bit to be desired):

Unlike many watches, the Silverstone looks virtually identical to the previously released press photos, although one thing that immediately struck me was how “thick” the case is. This is one aspect of the watch that can only be understood appreciated in person. While I do not know the exact case dimensions, I do know that the thick, square case sits…shall we say very “proudly” on the wrist. Weight-wise, the watch is also quite substantial, and I say this in a good way.

As for the colors, I find both color variations to be very attractive and very well executed by TAG Heuer. I’d probably select the blue version if I had to choose just one. The strap is also quite comfortable and with a very cool “Heuer” buckle (not pictured). Finally, the left-sided crown is also decorated with the “Heuer” logo and is a very nice touch, too.

As I noted in my Dec’09 post, the watch was originally introduced in 1974 and is named for the Silverstone racing track in England, famous home of the British Grand Prix. The original Silverstone housed the Chronomatic Caliber 11, the first self-winding automatic chronograph with micro-rotor, and the tribute pieces remain true to spirit with an updated version of the Caliber 11.

In closing, I’ll leave you with some words from TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Christophe Babin. I think he perhaps summed up this watch best when he said: “It’s just a standout, as audacious and unconventional as the person who dares wears it.” I couldn’t agree more.

New record for a yellow gold Patek Philippe

Guest Author — Thu, 13 May 2010 13:45:06 +0000

Editor’s Note: This guest post was written by Geert Tibosch, co-owner of the leading Dutch watch platform, DeZinVanLuxe (DZVL), which recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.

At a Christie’s auction, held on Monday May 10th in Geneva, a yellow gold Patek Philippe perpetual calendar chronograph, lot 84, was the highlight of the evening:

This beautiful piece, ref. no. 1527, was made in 1943 and sold on August 22nd 1946. Bidding ended at the sum of CHF 6,259,000; which is more than double the estimate of CHF 1,500,000 – CHF 2,500,000. This is almost $5,700,000, which makes it the most expensive yellow gold Patek Philippe ever auctioned.

The winner of the auction is a museum in Switzerland. Rumour has it that the museum in question is the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. This way they can keep the prices of old Pateks at a certain level. It’s unclear where this rumour came from.

However, this Patek with ref. 1527 isn’t the most expensive Patek ever auctioned. This honour belongs to a Patek Philippe World Time, ref. 1415 HU in platinum. This platinum piece from 1946 was auctioned in April 2002 by Antiquorum in Geneva and realised a stunning CHF 6,603,500, almost $6,000,000.

Patek Philippe Ref 1527

Also, if you did not see it already, be sure to check out Geert’s previous feature article, “The A. Lange That Got Away”!

IWC Cousteau Aquatimer Chronograph 2010

Kyle — Wed, 12 May 2010 15:11:08 +0000

Jacques Cousteau Limited Edition launch on the horizon…

June 12 Update: Official pics are in!

Although I have seen no official information from IWC, word is that the brand IWC is releasing a special limited edition Aquatimer watch — a tribute to Jacques Cousteau, the famous ocean explorer. I guess these pictures that came my way would make this more than just a rumor. Indications are that the new Aquatimer Cousteau Edition will be a “boutique only” launch, though I did confirm that pre-orders are now being taken from at least one dealer in Europe (let me know if you are interested), with expected delivery in the fourth quarter of 2010. Price seems to be about $7,000 (5500 EUR).

IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Cousteau Edition 2010

44mm diameter case (15mm thick), water resistant to 120 meters, IWC Caliber 79320 automatic movement, day, date and chronograph functions

close-up of dial

Looking at the big picture, this all makes perfect sense — you see, June 11, 2010 will be the 100th anniversary of Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s birth (he actually passed away in 1997 at the age of 87). This likely explains the “1910 – 2010″ engraving on the caseback (pictured below).

Specially engraved caseback – “A Tribute to J. Y. Cousteau 1910 – 2010″

More on the world’s most famous ocean explorer at http://www.cousteau.org/ or his Wikipedia page.

IWC Zidane Ingenieur for 2010

Kyle — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:38:27 +0000

Three-time FIFA World Player of the Year Zinédine Zidane gets his second commemorative piece from IWC. The first IWC Ingenieur for the now retired soccer superstar was issued in 2008 and limited to 1000 pieces. This new 2010 IWC Zidane Big Ingenieur “refresh” is done with a dark brown dial / brown strap, and this time limited to 500 pieces. According to IWC, Zidane was personally involved in the colour scheme and individualization of the Big Ingenieur dedicated to him. Unfortunately it is difficult to fully perceive the brown hues of this watch from the media photos, but overall the IWC Ingenieur watch is a particular favorite watch of mine and it doesn’t look like you can go wrong with this one.

Big Ingenieur
Edition Zinédine Zidane
Ref. IW500508

Other design details of note on this watch are the red numerals “10″ (Zidane’s jersey number), “27″ and “45″. 27 and 45 stand for the minutes of play in which Zidane scored two of the more memorable goals of his career. At the World Cup Final in 1998, which France won 3:0 against Brazil at the Stade de France in Paris, Zidane made sure of the half-time lead with two mighty headers in the 27th and 45th minutes and thus settled the final score:

World Cup Final 1998, France v. Brazil

Zidane’s 2 Headers

45.5mm case diameter (15mm thick), water resistance 120 meters, iwc caliber 51113

note “10″ medallion (Zidane’s jersey numer) engraved on the rotor

For me, the colors of this version are a bit more wearable than the the blue dial / blue strap combo used for the 2008 edition, but feel free to let me know what you think. Also, for a closer look, a wrist shot of this watch, taken in Geneva at SIHH 2010 this past January, can be seen here (top right photo on page). Price is approximately $15,000 US.

Marc Jenni Prologue Watch

Kyle — Mon, 10 May 2010 19:15:53 +0000

Lateral winding mechanism…

I’ve noticed a seemingly mundane watch, the “Prologue” by AHCI candidate Marc Jenni, popping-up around the “online watch world” recently (see here and there), so I decided to take a closer look. Glad I did! This very cool creation needs no words to explain itself — just this:

As for me, well, I think I would prefer the white gold/blue dial model:

More at http://www.marcjenni.com/site/

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Corum Admiral’s Cup Grand Prix

Kyle — Sat, 08 May 2010 20:07:24 +0000

What a fantastic looking new watch from Corum — the Admiral’s Cup Chronograph 48 Grand Prix. While it is surely to big for my wrist (48mm), the orange/black/grey colors in this watch work tremendously well together. Limited to just 25 pieces, the watch was created to commemorate Corum’s sponsorship of the Okalys-Corum team and the Corum Grand Prix, one of 8 races/regattas in the Challenge Julius Baer, which in fact began this weekend with the Grand Prix Beau-Rivage Palace on Lake Geneva. The watch has a titanium case in Corum’s twelve-sided design. Water resistant to 300 meters (990 feet). In the close-up photo below, you can see that the bezel and crown guard are composed of vulcanized rubber. Comes on a leather strap with textile-looking finish (interesting?!?) with orange stitching — and a matching titanium buckle engraved with the Corum logo. Available at authorized Corum dealers in June 2010 with a price of about $10,000.

Ref: 753.935.06/0231 AK57

I really like some of the new Admiral’s Cup pieces Corum has come out with this past year!

Photo Credit: Marc Ninghetto

Rebellion REB-7 Regulateur Blue

Kyle — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:34:40 +0000

What’s new? The blue…

This is a new take on REB-7 Skeleton Regulator from high-end Swiss watch brand Rebellion. This is a very limited production piece, with a price somewhere in the $20,000 range. More on the watch — and Rebellion — after the jump.

The first REB-7 Regulator was introduced by in March 2009. It is a big watch — 46 mm X 56.7 mm X 19.6 mm. Function-wise, the watch displays central minutes and seconds, hours in sub-dial at 12 o’clock, large date at 6 o’clock. The modular steel case is the work of highly acclaimed designer Eric Giroud (more on him over at the Watch Lounge). The movement/regulator function was conceived and executed by master watchmaker and movement designer Laurent Besse. Historically, regulators were known for being very accurate — the reference by which other clocks and timepieces are set. Besse purpotedly “reinvented” the regulator for the REB-7, but what exactly this means I do not know. Care to elaborate, Mr. Besse?

Laurent Besse’s fingerprints can also be found on other mold-breaking creations such as MB&F’s HM1 (Giroud contributed to this piece as well) and Maurice Lacroix’s Memoire 1, just to name two (of many).

As for Rebellion, the brand was launched in 2008 with the idea of drawing inspiration from motor sports but interpreted in a very non-conformist in nature. For more you can check out the REB-5 Tourbillon Full Diamond, the Rebellion Predator, and the Rebllion T-1000 Power Reserve which I previously wrote about.

Learn and see more at http://www.rebellion-timepieces.com.