Titanium case, steel bezel ($35,000 USD est)

Ref. 26365IS Ti

 While I am hot on the subject of Argentina (see Hublot Big Bang Maradona 3/3/10) this is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore “Pride of Argentina” commemorative watch.  Commemorating what, you ask?  The 200 years of Argentinian independence, that’s what!  Actually, the watch commemorates the “May Revolution” of 1810 which was the starting point of the Argentine War of Independence, but without a formal declaration of independence (the Argentine Declaration of Independence actually took place on July 9, 1816).  But as you can see on the back of the watch (below), it is clearly the 1810 date that is being commemorated given the engraving of the the Cabildo, a symbol of the 1810 May revolution.  The concept is similar to the AP ROO “Pride of Mexico” watch produced last year, but of course the invocation of national pride is to each its own

The watch – actually there are two variations – are to be “officially” presented in May and won’t be shipping until July / August.    Movement is a caliber 2326/2840 (automatic chrongraph).  Perhaps my favorite part of this watch is its presentation box – love those colors – Argentina pride! 

Below:  Rose gold case + bezel ($69,500 USD est)

Ref. 26365OR

 Presentation box

National Flag of Argentina

Related posts:

1. Audemars Piguet “New York 57th Street” Royal Oak Offshore
2. SIHH 2010 Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Perpetual Calendar with Caliber 2120
3. SIHH 2010: Audemars Piguet Millenary Carbon One Tourbillon Chronograph

Martin Frei says, “Our 103 collection is entering its seventh year. It has reached its maturity and fullness. It was Urwerk’s first masterpiece, one of audacity and challenge.  In my opinion, it is the one that symbolises to this day the perfect balance between elegance and technicity. A fragile balance, but one which we have succeeded in preserving. This emblematic model deserves an end commensurate with its life.”

The Urwerk 103 Tarantula Mexican Fireleg

Close-Up

Orange luminescent markets, Limited edition of 60 timepieces

What is a “Mexican Fireleg”, you ask?

Related posts:

1. Revealed: Urwerk’s new UR-CC1 King Cobra
2. The Razor’s Edge

Here’s a new and sporty looking titanium watch from Swiss watchmaker Perrelet.  If you don’t know Perrelet as the “Inventor of the Automatic Watch” (which it is, circa 1777), you probably know it for its “Turbine” watch which received a lot of exciting and postive media coverage last year (check the Turbine watch video here).  However, I think the Turbine watch was somewhat gimmicky (I have seen it “in the metal”) and not truly representative of the brand and its sophisticated watches, and that’s why I am excited to share this new Titanium collection watch with you today.  More after the jump.

Perrelet first introduced its Titanium Collection of watches in 2007, and this year the collection is getting a fresh upgrade.  This new model has a very sporty look to it that I really like.  Also, with hours/mins/seconds + date function, it is relatively simple compred to current and previous Titanium collection models.  The current Titanium collection lineup has four different models, each with a different set of complications (functions) – double rotor, chronograph with big date, regulator with retrograde hour, and a moonphase.  Assuming that Perrelet has not changed the basic watch specs, this watch will have a 43.5mm case size.  Price?  Probably slightly north of $4,000.

Related posts:

1. Perrelet’s New TURBINE collection

It is now *official* that Tissot (a Swatch Group brand) is bringing back its Seastar line in 2010, starting with the Seastar 1000 you see below.  As best I can tell it was sometime in mid-2007 that the Seastar line was discontinued by Tissot, thus its return after just 3 years is certainly interesting!  This is what I would consider to be an “entry level” dive watch in the higher-end/luxury segment (but calling Tissot a luxury brand is perhaps too generous), and it is worth a look if you are a Tissot fan.  As noted on the dial, the new Seastar 1000 is water resistant to a respectable 1000 feet (300 meters) and is powered by an automatic movement.  Curiously, this watch seems to be lacking a couple key features common on functional dive watches including a luminous second hand and bezel (as was astutely pointed out by dive-watch blogger Roger Ruegger) – whether or not this will detract from its perceived value is to be seen.  I’m not sure what the price might be, but I will venture a guess that a price of $750 might be in the ballpark.

Given this is my first post about Tissot (if you don’t count this Danica Patrick shout out), I’d be curious to hear your feedback.  Are you interested in this brand and would you like me to cover it more?  Or do you prefer my primary focus on the higher-end/elite  independent watchmakers/watch brands?

Related posts:

1. Danica Patrick for Tissot

The end of the fabled Panerai / Ferrari watch partnership was announced last week by watch industry omniscient Gregory Pons (Business Montres).  The announcement was also picked up echoed very shortly therafter by watch blogger Areil Adams over at Luxist (for those of you who prefer English).  While the reasons for the possibility that this partnership was doomed from day 1 are perhaps obvious and fully appreciated, I think that there is yet one unanswered question.  That is, what will happen to the future value of these watches now that their status is officially “post-production”?  Will their value increase or decrease?  Will they one day – perhaps one year from now, perhaps ten – ultimately become items of great value?  Or dusty relics of another luxury marketing partnership gone south? I tend to think the latter is the case, and that these watches have seen their high watermark when it comes to the price.

Case in point: just today I happened upon a “small number of Panerai for Ferrari Gran Turismo Rattrapante Chronographs…available…for a very limited time at a very special price.”

FER 005, Brand New Never Worn, Offered at $4,995

In fact, at the offered price of $4,995, these watches – the bearing the FER 005 reference number – are fetching just under 35% of their original retail price.  Put another way, they are over 65% off.  This represents a significant discount to the current asking prices for these watches on the ‘Net grey market.  It is even way below what some individuals are asking for a used FER 005’s.  While this is most likely very unfortunate if you are a seller or holding inventory of these watches, it is for you as a buyer a chance to own a high quality Panerai watch with Ferrari logo at a phenomenal price.

If you are interested in the dealer who is offering Ferrari Gran Turismo Rattrapante Chronograph watches at 65% off retail, send me an email or ping me on Twitter and I’ll tell you.  And in case you wonder, I have no relationship or financial interest in helping to sell these watches, I merely use them to make my broader point…..

which is that the dissolution of the Panerai / Ferrari partnership and the unheard of liquidation sale for the FER005 is NOT merely a coincidence!  And although this is merely a sample size of one, I think it portends a very soft market for the Panerai Ferrari watches for many years to come.

What is your opinion on these watches and their future value?

Related posts:

1. SIHH 2010 Panerai Radiomir Skeleton PAM 348
2. SIHH 2010 Panerai Luminor 1950 Ceramic (PAM 335)
3. SIHH 2010: Panerai Luminor 1950 Chrono Monopulsante 8 Days Oro Rosa PAM344

The 4N-MVT01, by François Quentin

Limited edition of 16 in 18-carat white gold and 16 in platinum

Price: unknown

This is the first watch from a new brand known simply as “4N”.  4N – which stands for “4 numbers” and is a reference to the four digits on a digital counter which represents the tens of hours, hours, tens of minutes and minutes – was founded in 2009 by designer François Quentin.  François Quentin is perhaps best-known as a  co-founder of the avant-garde watch brand HAUTLENCE in 2004 (along with Renaud de Retz and Guillame Tetu), and as co-designer of the Tambour, the flagship model released by Louis Vuitton several years ago.

The idea behind 4N was/is to create a simple digital display and propose a mechanical alternative to analogue timepieces with moving hands, and I like what François Quentin came up with in this regard.    The model you see above is formally known as 4N-MVT01/D01/4². While this odd naming structure perhaps suits the tastes of its designer just fine, I think it is a rather unremarkable model name that will not leave a strong nor lasting impression in anyone’s mind.  Which is too bad, really, because the watch is actually quite interesting.

Quentin has purportedly tried to steer clear of “complex effects and has refrained from adding aesthetic and technical touches which might take away from the visibility of the hour display”.  However I must voice some disagreement with this notion because while the time is clearly displayed at the center of the dial, the dial in its entirety reflects and openworked effect and is actually somewhat visually distracting.  That is, distracting as compared to an alternative such as simply showing the time and hiding the rest behind the dial.  But lest I be accused of quibbling (which I probably am), I do admit that I like the watch as it is.  The time appears and is displayed in one way only, and while the whole assembly does reveal a pattern of scattered figures, the time is clearly displayed on a horizontal plane in the centre of the dial, in strong, bold lettering.

The movement is manual winding, with time display based on a clever configuration of discs rotating in discontinuous mode. Three discs sub-assemblies, made of aluminium or titanium alloys and held in carbon cage structures, are activated to reveal the time on a display which changes as each minute passes (4 discs for the hour, 5 for the minutes and 1 for the tens of minutes).  The mechanism uses a constant-force jump system which guarantees minimum energy consumption, regardless of the winding tension.  Note also the two crowns on the left side of the case which enable hours to be set independently of the minutees.  Lastly, I also find interesting the strap, which is mounted on the case by an automatic fastening system and its length can be adjusted as necessary. Unfortunately I do not know the dimensions of the case, hopefully it is not too big.

In summary,  I must stay that I find 4N’s first watch to be quite refreshing!  It reflects out-of-the-ordinary thinking for doing something very ordinary – telling the time.  I’ll give François Quentin two thumbs up!

No related posts.

While recently I’ve been somewhat tough on Hublot – first criticizing it’s new website (which drew comments from JC Biver himself) and then it’s too many flavors of Big Bang (criticisms which were answered indirectly by JC Biver in a separate interview), I’ve always and still am a fan of the brand.   If there is one thing Hublot does supremely well, it would be its athlete ambassadors.  For example, I love the Red Devil Bang II (Manchester United) and the Bode Bang (skier Bode Miller).  And even though he is not an ambassador, our sports watch writer even spotted world super star sprinter Usain Bolt wearing a Hublot!  So when I heard that now Diego Maradona is Hublot’s newest ambassador, I simply said “Good call JC Biver, good call.”

So what to be said about this new Big Bang except that it looks sweet and I like it.  I love the color scheme that says Argentina all the way.  With only 250 to be made, I wonder how many will go to Argentina which will likely go NUTS to get their hands on the Big Bang that bears Maradona likeness on the back and his #10 from on the front.

If you have any doubt as to the legendary status of this footballer, well, the highlights could go on for days, but I dug up a very nicely produced and relatively short compilation that you might enjoy (there are actually quite a lot of them on YouTube if you are looking to kill some time)

Related posts:

1. Beyond the Big Bang – What’s Next for Hublot?
2. Reincarnated: Hublot Red Devil Bang II in Rose Gold
3. Big Bang Back In The Spotlight: Hublot’s Jean-Claude Biver On the Record

Limited Edition of 150 pieces.  Titanium case (44mm x 35mm), Movement is Chopard’s manual wind L.U.C. 1TRM tourbillon (COSC-certified, 60 hour power reserve), power reserve indicator on dial, sapphire crystal front and back, Hand-sewn black alligator strap with matching titanium buckle.  Price?  Easily north of $50,000.

Chopard L.U.C Engine One Tourbillon

Up Close (Power reserve at top, Tourbillon on bottom)

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon. You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum right now! And many many more when the event starts on March 18th. Just click here!

Related posts:

1. Sign of the Times: No Visibility at Chopard
2. GTG Boston: Rolex Red Daytona, Vintage OMEGA Seamaster 300, Calabrese, IWC, Chopard, Ulysse Nardin and more!
3. Watches for the 2009 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix

This is the new TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster on dispaly at the Geneva Motor Show.  The design was reportedly inspired by the new TAG Heuer concept watch which is to be revealed at Baselworld 2010 on March 18.  The car will also feature a TAG Heuer Meridiist mobile phone as well as a one-fifth second Heuer Limited Edition Stopwatch.  As for the car, well the Tesla Roadster is one sweet ride – what I instantly noticed about the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster is the use of a green rearview mirror + green accents on the passenger side, and red rearview mirror + red accents on the driver side.  Most curious!

Cabin / Interior:

“TAG Heuer has a rich history and expertise with the world’s most prestigious racing teams — but this is the first ever partnership we’ve forged with an electric sports car company,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, President and CEO of TAG Heuer. “We believe that high-performance drivers are increasingly searching for products that are efficient, socially responsible and stylish. TAG Heuer and Tesla are two of the few companies arleady achieving these ideals today.”

“Engineers at both TAG Heuer and Tesla understand intuitively that technology — whether worn on your wrist or driven on the road — can help us live better while we tread more lightly on this planet,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

TAG Heuer and Tesla plan to hold what will undoubtedly be a huge and celebrity filled launch part on March 18 during Baselworld 2010.

Special cradle/rest on the console for the TAG Heuer Meridiist phone

The special edition 1/5 second Heuer Stopwatch

An odd mix of modern and past day technology if there ever was one!

Even the speedometer is branded TAG Heuer!

Hat tip: Calibre11.

About Tesla Motors

Tesla is the world’s only automaker selling highway-capable electric vehicles. Tesla sells cars online and operates showrooms and galleries in London, Munich, Monaco, California’s Silicon Valley and Los Angeles, Colorado, New York, Seattle, Chicago and South Florida. Tesla has delivered more than 1,000 cars to customers in at least 21 countries worldwide.

The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than nearly any car in its price class and is twice as energy efficient as leading hybrids. It is the only highway-capable electric vehicle for sale in Europe or North America. The Roadster does not need regular oil changes or exhaust system work. Roadsters have no spark plugs, pistons, hoses, belts or clutches to replace. Tesla recommends a standard service and diagnostic inspection once a year – and Tesla can perform this service at customers’ homes or offices.

No related posts.

Below is a first look at some pics of the new TAG Heuer F1 Lady series watches with ceramic bezel and bracelet components that will be officially unveiled at Baselworld 2010.  This is TAG Heuer’s first foray into the use of ceramic in its bezels and bracelets and I expect this to generate a lot of enthusiasm from TAG Heuer fans and watch fans in general.  More importantly, it is all but certain that TAG Heuer will also soon introduce ceramic into its men’s watches as well.  TAG Heuer follows other popular brands such as Rado, Chanel, Rolex, and most recently Omega (check out the new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Liquidmetal here) to integrate ceramic bezel and bracelet components.

This is to me a positive move by TAG Heuer in what is shaping up to be a crazy year of “highs” and “lows” for the brand (a beautiful Silverstone reissue, the Caliber 1887 movement snafu, a leaked then retracted Carrerra 1887 model, dealing with a tainted Ambassador named Tiger Woods here, here and here….and oh I can’t miss mentioning the absurd $360 “luxury” 8Gb flash memory thumb drive).

As for the watch, the only downside for me – and this is purely a matter of preference if this sort of thing matters to you – is that the F1 lady ceramic the watches will have quartz movements in them.  A far cry from, for example, the Audemars Piguet-base mechanical automatic movements as used in the Chanel J12 Series.  On the plus side, the price will actually be affordable.  And I do think that the watches look nice – very clean and sharp looking.  So all in all, I’ll give TAG Heuer a “thumbs up” on this one.

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon. You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum right now! And many many more when the event starts on March 18th. Just click here!

Related posts:

1. Baselworld 2010: TAG Heuer Carrera 1887
2. TAG Heuer Quietly Expands Authorized E-Commerce Initiative
3. TAG Heuer Meridiist is Dead On Arrival

Perpetuelle.com Moderator James Bond recently had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Jonathan Dorfman of Dorfman Jewelers, an elite watch and jewelery dealer located on the very prestigious “Newbury Street” in Boston, MA.  So why should you care to read this interview?  Well…

In keeping with the Dorfman philosophy of not wanting to be all things to all people and aiming for only the best, you will find just 2 prestigious brands of watches in the company’s Newbury Street store.  Which ones, you ask?  Well, I’ll let you discover this for yourself.  On the jewlery side, Dorfman only carries one brand – Van Cleef & Arpels.  In fact they have an official Van Cleef & Arpel salon in-store and as part of this they do sell the Van Cleef & Arpel watch line as well.

What struck me most about the interview, though, are the humble roots from which Dorfman was built.  Today, Jonathan and his brother Douglas Dorfman proudly lead a family-owned business that grew from their grandfather’s humble beginnings during the Great Depression through their parent’s prescient move to 24 Newbury Street in the 1970s.   Quite the American success story if you ask me!

Click here to discover and enjoy the full interview (it is actually fairly short – only 4 questions and responses) – I think you will enjoy it.

24 Newbury Street, Boston, MA

On another note, James and I would love to be able to turn this into a series (or mini-series) of interviews with various leading Authorized Dealers of fine luxury watches.  If you are interested in speaking with us, please drop me a line at kyle[at]perpetuelle.com.

No related posts.

Tribute to the Italian 9th Reggimento d’Assalto Paracadutisti (9th Parachutist Assault Regiment)

This is the new “Col Moschin” Limited Edition watch from Oris.   In a testament to its worthiness, Oris had it field tested by the Col Moschin – perhaps the most elite unit of the Italian Army.  “Field tested” is perhaps an understatement given that the Col Moschin special forces wore the watch on jumps from 9,000 meters and on dives down to 40 meters, among other rugged uses.  Most striking about this watch is its size – the 49mm case is massive just like it looks.  But because the case is titanium, and it comes on a rubber strap, it is probably much lighter than you might think.  Also adding to its manly appeal is its thick, brush-finish bezel that looks very tough.  Lest you forget what country’s elite special forces this watch is inspired by, the power reserve is done in the Italian colors of red, white and green.  You may recall that Oris introduced a similar, actually slightly larger (51mm case), watch last year – the Oris ProDiver Chronograph (link here, scroll down about halfway), however I like this watch much better – it seems like a perfect Special Forces watch.  But I think it could do without all the etched text on the side of the case (close up below).

Oris Col Moschin

Limited edition of 2,000

The 9th Parachutist Assault Regiment Seal

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon. You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum right now! And many many more when the event starts on March 18th. Just click here!

Related posts:

1. Watch Review: Oris ProDiver 51mm
2. Battle for the North Sea: Rolex vs. Oris
3. A Jazzy Story: Oscar Peterson The Latest In A Long Line of Jazz-Inspired Watches by Oris

The watch you see here is the “RGT Punk Rock” by Ladoire Genève.  It was first shown at the 2010 Geneva Time Exhibition and will be on display at Baselworld 2010.  Many of you will not “get” this watch.  And I don’t mean “get” as in purchase (although you won’t do this either), but as in understand or appreciate the watch.  This because it is unconventional in almost every way – from the case shape (“lazy lucky horseshoe” as I like to call it) to the crown location (8 o’clock) to the way it keeps time (“RGT” – more on this below) to the funky looking strap and more – this watch defies tradition.  Hey, I’m with you – I can’t say that I fully understand or appreciate the watch either, but maybe one day when I get my hands on one I will see the light.  The watch is part of an ultra-exclusive offering – only 3 will be made.  And 2 are already spoken for.  And each one is about $150,000.    So even if you do “get it”, you still probably can’t get it.  Get it?  Check it:

Hand-skeletonized dial, titanium case

Ladoire Genève is a new-to-the-scene (2007) elite watch brand that seems to take pride in the fact that it does not operate within the traditional paradigm of watchmaking.    For example some of the features of the watch I cited above are all very unconventional.  Also, Ladoire focuses on ultra-exclusive production and custom-made pieces utilizing its “RGT” time system.  RGT stands for “Roller Guardian Time” – the way it works is that the indication of hours, minutes, seconds are all made by revolving discs mounted on ceramic ball bearings.  I think this is one of those things you have to see in person to fully appreciate.

That the brand’s founder and namesake Lionel Ladoire does not adhere to the “traditional” in any aspect of his watches is very clear even on the Company’s website.   Ladoire’s vision is to “create a new dynamic in the watch industry:  the Haute Couture Watch Dynamic.”  Yea, that’s pretty cool if you ask me, and I have no problem referring his watches as “haute couture” – they seem to fit that bill quite nicely.  So if its “watchmaking haute couture” that suits your fancy and you’ve got the cash to back it up, you may want to put a Ladoire on your short list.

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon. You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum right now! And many many more when the event starts on March 18th. Just click here!

No related posts.

Unlike the mechanical automatic movement in the Clipper Chronograph Titanium, this ladies model has a quartz movement, but I’d guess that will be fine for most ladies who are not major watch enthusiasts because this watch is all about its exterior looks.  The bezel is accented with “rare white” or “rare white plus” diamonds and the dial is silvered mother-of-pearl.  Set on a white rubber strap (orange strap available on the non-gem set version), this watch would make a great companion for a dip off of your yacht and into the beautiful blue waters off the coast of Sardinia (or so one of my Italian friends tells me).

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon. You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum right now! And many many more when the event starts on March 18th. Just click here!

Related posts:

1. Baselworld 2010: Hermes Clipper Chronograph Titanium
2. Choose One: Leica M7 Edition Hermès Camera or Hermès Clipper Chronograph Titanium Watch

U.S. Alpine Skier Bode Miller won the men’s super-combined title for his first gold and third podium finish in as many races this past Sunday at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Miller is one podium away from becoming the first male skier to win four medals in a single Olympic Games, and with the slalom and giant slalom yet to come – 2 events in which Miller has a good track record in – his prospects are looking good right now.

The 32-year-old Miller has been an official brand ambassador for Hublot since February 2009.  In late 2009 Hublot announced the limited edition “Bode Bang” watch to commemorate the partnership between the athlete and the famous Swiss watch brand.

Congratulations to Jean-Claude Biver and everyone at Hublot!

Related posts:

1. Reincarnated: Hublot Red Devil Bang II in Rose Gold
2. Hublot Big Bang Maradona And One Sweet Highlight Reel
3. Hublot’s UNICO is Revealed! A first look at Hublot Caliber HUB1240

At Baselworld 2010 Omega will show off the new Speedmaster Ladies watch.  In contrast to the current ladies Speedmaster which has a 35.5mm diameter case, this one is sized up to 38mm.  Personally I love the look of a slightly larger watch on a ladies wrist and this watch should be just perfect for that.  Not to big, not too small – very attractive!    The two-tone case is primarily stainless steel, “dressed up” with an 18-carat pink gold, diamond-set bezel (54 diamonds!).  The watch comes on a matching grey alligator strap.  All in, a good looking watch. 

OMEGA Speedmaster Ladies 

If this one does not jump out at you, you may want to check out these other recently introduced Omega ladies watches which I find to be equally attractive in their own way: The Omega Planet Ocean Ladies (chronograph, “dive” style watch) or the Omega De Ville Co-Axial Chronometer for Ladies (with blue dial with white mother-of-pearl sub-dials and diamond bezel).

Did You Know?

The legendary chronograph has a long list of adventures to its credit, including every one of NASA’s piloted missions since May of 1963. When Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface in 1969 wearing his OMEGA Speedmaster Professional, the watch achieved true iconic status.

Ladies (or Gentlemen) what do you think?

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon. You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum right now! And many many more when the event starts on March 18th. Just click here!

Related posts:

1. OMEGA De Ville 4-counters Co-Axial for Gents and OMEGA De Ville Co-Axial Chronometer for Ladies
2. An OMEGA the Ladies Have Been Waiting For
3. Perpetuelle.com Interview with Stephen Urquhart, OMEGA President

Another topic that has been on my mind for awhile and now seems timely for discussion – the embargo.  While I am not declaring my own “Death to the Embargo” like TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington did about a year ago (and he’s not the only one, I might add:  see CrunchGear here, The Wall Street Journal here with similar ideas), I’m implementing an embargo policy here at First In Watches, effective immediately.

The Problem.  The problem here is that some brands (and some of their “preferred” sources) are not very careful in how they distribute embargoed information – and the fallout from embargo-related “mishaps” is quite annoying.  The good thing is that based on my experience this is a very small problem for the luxury watch industry – but it is a problem nonetheless, and one that is growing as the industry increasingly embraces the Internet and online media.

If You (Watch Brand) send around embargoed information to your preferred media contacts, you better be darn sure that your recipients are going to respect the embargo and/or be careful with your information, because if you know anything about the increasingly real-time nature of the Internet, you know that information travels fast online – and reigning in a broken embargo is like trying to coax a cat out of a tree with the dog who treed it at your side – the kitty don’t come back easily, if you know what I’m saying.  If not, let me put it this way:  Twitter, Blogs, Forums, Facebook.  You catch my drift here?  Online media ain’t print media, and you need to get this figured out and fast because I’m about done making efforts to hold back embargoed information when it has already been leaked by others.  The practice of trying to contact every website which posted embargoed information and ask for a redaction is not sustainable.

This prompts me to make another point – I have never knowingly or intentionally broken an embargo on this blog, nor do I intend to start.  I have and will continue respect your brand’s wishes if you are kind enough to provide me with embargoed information.  But if you see a new watch on this blog that you think/know is embargoed, rest assured that I did not get the information as such and as far as I am concerned this is your problem not mine.  Which leads to my last and final point…

Our New Embargo Policy

As I stated above, at this time I am not going to declare my own “Death to the Embargo” a la Michael Arrington , however I am going to work by this embargo policy until further notice:  All embargoed information provided directly to me will continue to be respected as long as the embargo is not broken elsewhere.  All other information and images posted here on this blog will stay on this blog unless a representative of the brand whose name is on the watch/information in question contacts me and we agree otherwise.

If I hear a convincing argument for a better policy, I’ll be glad to consider making a change.

No related posts.

Did You Know?
TechnoMarine was founded by entrepreneur Franck Dubarry in 1997 in the French resort, St. Tropez. In 1999, TechnoMarine became the first brand to put a diamond bezel on a diving chronograph and, later, was the first to introduce colored ceramic watches.

No related posts.

Zenith is not a watch I cover much on this blog mostly because I find their watches in recent years to be much less than impressive.  Seems this is changing a bit with new Zenith CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour, on board since mid-2009.  I dare say that he may have a winner on his hands with this new Zenith El Primero Foudroyante 1/10th Chronograph.  I think that this watch just goes to show that if you stick with what you know and do best, well, good things will happen:

The movement of this watch has been designated the “El Primero 4052 B automatic calibre” and it has what is known as a “foudroyante” function, in this case a 1/10th second.  If you are not familiar with the term, “foudroyante” is also known as a “Jumping Seconds” function and on this watch it works like this:  the foudroyante hand (the primary/red hand on this watch) makes a complete rotation in just 10 seconds as opposed to 60 with a normal seconds hand.   This explains why on the outer edge of the dial you see 10 seconds instead of 60 which enables readings to within 1/10th of second.  The watch consists of a 42mm diameter case and will be available in rose gold or stainless steel.  Water-resistant to 100 meters, and sapphire crystal on top and bottom.

As an aside, if you want some good watch history, you should read up on the El Primero movement – it is legendary!  First introduced on January 10, 1969….been in many popular/famous watches ever since!

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon.  You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum right now!  And many many more when the event starts on March 18th.  Just click here!

Related posts:

1. LVMH 1H’09 Watches Review (TAG, Hublot, Zenith)

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon.  You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum, and many many more when the event starts on March 18th.  Just click here!

Related posts:

1. Chanel J12 Tourbillon Retrograde Mysterieuse Concept Watch
2. One-of-a-Kind Chanel J12 Joallerie

So far so good for Perriard and his team in what was surely a very fast 6 or so months (at most) – a nice re-work of what is and will likely remain the brand’s core collection…the “Cruise Collection”…this one will be available in 40mm and 45mm versions.  Well I now have at least the start of an answer to my question (posed graphically – see Vincent Perriard Gears Up To Transform TechnoMarine, July 29 2009), but the ocean is vast and there is much more to come before we say if TechnoMarine can “get its cool back” Got to start somewhere, though…here it is:

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon.  You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum, and many many more when the event starts on March 18th.  Just click here!

Related posts:

1. Can TechnoMarine Get Its “Cool” Back?
2. Vincent Perriard Gears Up To Transform TechnoMarine
3. Breaking News: Vincent Perriard resigns as Concord CEO

The 80th Annual Geneva Motor Show runs from March 4-14, 2010 and you can count on all the players being in town – Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Porsche and more – to pull the cover off some so-sweet new rides.   In addition, “Instruments for Professionals” maker Bell & Ross has teamed up with Peugeot to produce a combination dashboard clock / watch for the Peugeot SR1 concept car that will be unveiled.  Most interesting here is that if you look closely at the watch, you will see that it is a good example of some high-tech machining – the dial is finely milled from a single block of metal (steel or aluminum…not sure?), giving it a neat intricate pattern and very cool “3D” effect.  You can also pop the watch into the dash of the car when it is time to hit the road – eh, why not…then you can put another watch on while you drive.

Bell & Ross SR1 Concept Watch (Show here “In Dash”)

Cool Machined Dial with “3D” effect

On Wrist

Peugeot SR1 Concept Car (2010)

No related posts.

Let me just say that when I think of Alpina I am NOT thinking of spending $50 large, even if it is a “fairly valued” tourbillon. If I can spend that kind of money on a watch, I am already a “Player” – and I don’t need to “be one” by owning an Alpina (Alpina’s current marketing slogan:  “Be a Player”).   Even with a nicely done tourbillon and silicon escapement.  Do you see the contradction here, people?  I also find the overall design of this watch highly lacking in its visual appeal.

While I could surely apply this analogy to several watches, this is the first it popped into my head so it will go to Alpina:  this whole situation reminds me of Volkswagon’s move “upmarket” a few years back….turned huge flop – more commonly known as the Volkswagon Phaeton.  Sure it is a souped up luxury car…but at the end of the day it’s still a Volkswagon!

While I admire its gusto, I think that Alpina is reaching way, way over its head on this one.  That said (and note to Alpina):  if and when you sell all 18 of them, please let me know and I will gladly give you the props you deserve for in fact properly assessing your market.

Strange Bedfellows?

Related posts:

1. Baselworld 2010: Alpina 12 Hours of Sebring Automatic Chrono GMT

At SIHH we saw Cartier’s ID One Concept Watch (video here, pics here).  Now it is evident that Chanel has likewise been up to something “big” and the word on the new Chanel J12 Tourbillon Retrograde Mysterieuse Concept watch will be out at Baselworld 2010, if not sooner.  More to come…..for sure….stay tuned in.  Here’s the preview video:

Related posts:

1. Details Emerge on the Chanel J12 Retrograde Mysterieuse Watch
2. One-of-a-Kind Chanel J12 Joallerie

While Ernst Benz is not for me, mostly because their signature size of 47mm is far too big for my smaller wrists, they make some neat looking watches that have engendered a solid following.  Designed and manufactured in Switzerland, the Ernst Benz ChronoScope PEK Limited Editions you see above come in Black and “China Red” color variations and are to be limited to only 88 pieces.  Additionally an even more limited version of only 8 pieces per dial which be available in Black PVD.  The dials feature a Traditional Chinese pattern for fire (look closely you will see it) as well as incorporate Traditional Chinese characters for the numerals; with the 8th hour marker written as 08 signifying the importance of this momentous year.  If you are wondering what’s up with all the number “8″ business it comes down to this – the number 8 is a “lucky number” in China ie one of prosperity and wealth in Chinese culture.  Other design elements include a specialized version of the Traditional Ernst Benz hands as well as the EB signature black PVD coated rotor (not pictured) for both the steel and black PVD designs.

Interested in buying?  You can order one right now from Barney’s New York for $6,800.  The price seems a quite steep to me, but I suppose Barney’s knows a thing or two about selling expensive items so I’ll leave it at that.  Anyway – just think of all the wealth and good fortune that would come to you if you happened to get number 8/88!

For those of you wanting to know more about the Chinese New Year, I recommend what else but Wikipedia.  And as for the other “Year of the Tiger” watch I mentioned, I hope to be back soon with more information…stay tuned in.

No related posts.

New for 2010 Linde Werdelin introduces the Oktopus Moonphase diver watch.

Titanium case, Rose gold bezel, helium escape value, 888 meters water resistance, 29 pieces limited edition

If you did not know, it was just last year that this up and coming brand led by Jorn Werdelin and Morten Linde announced its first “Oktopus” watch – a very exciting dive watch with a thick bezel and rugged looking titanium DLC case with hefty 1,111 meter water reistantance.  Later in 2009, they announced a similar version except with a black lacquer bezel which was a nice addition to the collection – you can read my take on this particular watch here.

So what’s new with the Oktopus Moonhpase?

Well a few things to note.  First, the thick bezel on this watch is rose gold, the first we see this metal in the collection.  Second, the water resistance is “only” 888 meters, not 1,111 meters like the other two watches – this is because the Moonphase version has a sapphire crystal caseback and relative to a metal caseback, the see through back reduces the water resistance rating. At the same time, however, you are able to see and enjoy the movement – a worthy tradeoff, in my view .  Third, the production will be limited to 29 pieces, not 88 like the other 2 models.  Finally, and what immediately grabbed my attention about the Oktopus Moonphase is well, it’s moonphase!  This feature (or “complication” in watch industry parlance) is developed by Svend Andersen and is different than your “typical” moonphase because of its photorealistic moons – and you can see they do look quite realistic!  Also what is neat here is that the moonphase is built on the “date” function of what is a Frederic Piguet Caliber 1150 movement (a nice upgrade from previous use of ETA-2892 movements) - and basically this lets you see the a countdown until the next full moon, not to mention that should be very easily adjustable using the crown!  Very cool!

Photorealistic Moonphase, by Svend Andersen

Now, if any of you are wondering, “Why a Moonhpase function on a dive watch?”, well I’ll just let Linde Werdelin co-founder Morten Linde tell you:

“moonlight creates the perfect conditions for afterhours sports activities and particularly diving. More and more people these days enjoy sports under the full moon. This is one of the reasons why we wanted to produce a moonphase complication for our diver’s watch. One can plan their next diving trip by checking when the next full moon is going to be, then clip the Reef for a safe dive.”

This kind of out-of-the-box thinking is what I am used to seeing from Linde Werdelin and I love it!

If you want to buy this watch, and I’m sure some of you will, Linde Werdelin will start taking pre-orders in September 2010.  Given that the other two Oktopus models go for about $7,700 and $8,000, respectively, I expect this watch will very easily be priced above $8,000 (perhaps even $9,000+)  given its new moonphase complication and very limited production.  Update:  $9,000+ was an understatement – this watch is priced at a hefty $21,600.  A very pretty penny, I know, but I have no doubt thees 29 will find a home relatively quickly!

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon.  You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum, and many many more when the event starts on March 18th.  Just click here!

Technical Specifications - Oktopus Moonphase

Limited to 29 pieces

Size 46mm (w) by 49mm (l) by 14mm (h)

Movement Automatic mechanical Frederic Piguet movement calibre 1150,

Linde Werdelin & Andersen Geneve personalised oscillator

72 hour power reserve / 28 jewels / 28,800 bpm

Moonphase complication by Svend Andersen with luminous photorealistic moon

phases and moonphase countdown, manually adjustable by second crown position

Case Titanium gr. 5, microbille finish

Screw on case-back with sapphire crystal

Rose gold unidirectional turning bezel with 10 minute markings & Super Luminova

marker at 12 o’clock

3.8mm anti-reflective sapphire crystal

Screw in crown with LW logo

Helium escape valve at 9 o’clock

Dial Black matt dial

Arabic numerals rose gold plated applied indexes with Super LumiNova

Hands Rose gold plated, diamond cut rhodium plated with applied Super LumiNova

Water Resistance 888m / 2913 ft

Strap Black alligator strap with titanium ardillon buckle

Related posts:

1. Dive With A Titanium Oktopus from Linde Werdelin
2. Linde Werdelin Unveils Two Spectacular SpidoLite SA’s
3. Watch Review: Linde Werdelin SpidoLite Svend Andersen

The inaugural Geneva Time Exhibition (“GTE 2010″) was held January 17-22, 2010, concurrent with this year’s SIHH.  Although I did not aggressively cover GTE 2010 here on First In Watches, I did express my excitement for the event’s potential in my January 9, 2010 article Geneva Time Exhibition 2010: Independent Watchmaker Showcase, particularly for its ability to bring much needed exposure to the  many independent watchmakers who will be there.  I previewed the Snyper watch and the Rebellion Predator, too.  Thus I am pleased to report that the event appears to have been a resounding success.

There were about 5,500 visitors from 5 continents in attendance, of which 500 were media people.  Perhaps the best measure of success, though, is that all 38 brands who exhibited indicated that they would be back in 2011.  On that high note, here is a neat video from Perpetuelle.com media partner The TimeTV who produced a video recap of the event.  In particular you will see and hear commentary from Florence Noël (GTE co-founder along with Paola Orlando and Dominique Franchino), along with “spotlights” on 3 brands:  ASPEN Watch & Jewelery Co. (Founder/CEO René van Ass), Volna (CEO Sébastien Bottinelli), and Louis Moinet (CEO Jean-Marie Schaller).

Congratulations to all – events like this are just what independent watchmakers need!  And stay tuned for the Mumbai Time Exhibition in September 2010!

The Full List of Exhibiting Brands

No related posts.

Key specs: Case Black PVD steel, 44 mm diameter, 3.3 mm sapphire crystal, anti-reflective on both sides, mathematical formulae engraved in the crystal, PVD steel and black rubber crown, Water-resistant to 200 m, Black carbon fibre dial

Maybe it is because I am not a mathematician, but I don’t get the appeal of this “code”.  While the engraving of an algebraic formula/cryptic mathematical equation directly into the crystal of the watch is novel, it seems to make the (already busy) dial hard to read and I wonder what is the real allure of this for a potential buyer?  I see none.  Sure it might look cool up close and in person, but I can see this novelty wearing off rather quickly.  It seems to be a bit gimmicky without any real meaning.  What say you?

Related posts:

1. Concord & Turiaf Team Up
2. Perpetuelle.com Interview with Concord President Vincent Perriard
3. The First Concord C1 QuantumGravity Is Delivered

Pierre DeRoche is a brand that produces high-end, limited edition watches with great design and function.  The brand is introducing a couple new watches in 2010, one a ladies watch, the other this one – the GrandCliff TNT Penta.  It is a flyback chronograph with 60 minute and 12 hour counters.  Production will be just 21 pieces in 45.5 mm pink gold-steel-titanium combination case.  I really like the shape of the watch case and the lugs – very unique, very cool looking.  I would love to rock one of these watches on my wrist, except I feel that the 45.5mm case size might be a bit too big – but until I try it on I won’t know for sure.  Read a bit more about the brand below the pic:

Close Up View of the Pierre DeRoche GrandCliff TNT Penta’s dial

The more I learn about Pierre DeRoche the more I like the brand.  If you want a unique watch that you will not see everday, this is definitely one to consider.  I was reading a bit about the brand on its website, and it was interesting to learn that the family behind Pierre DeRoche lays claim to an impressive set of contributions to watchmaking:

In 1937, Marcel Dépraz, the great-grandfather of Pierre Dubois, CEO of Pierre DeRoche, developed a chronograph movement that was revolutionary for its time. More than 3.5 million pieces were produced until 1970. His grandson Gérald Dubois, Pierre’s father, invented the first automatic chronograph.  And, not wanting to be outdone, the present generation of Pierre Dubois and his two brothers, Jean-Philippe and Pascal, invented the concentric chronograph, a Pierre DeRoche exclusivity.

Of course we also know that Pierre DeRoche developed the first movement in the world able to  house six retrograde seconds mechanisms as we saw at Baselworld 2009 when it unveiled the Pierre DeRoche TNT Royal Retro – what a spectacular watch!  I never tire of watching this very cool video which demonstrates the wow factor of the six retrograde seconds mechanisms:

Wait there’s more!  BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon.  You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum, and many many more when the event starts on March 18th.  Just click here!

No related posts.

[at the request of TAG Heuer, information regarding this watch will be temporarily withheld.  word travels fast around the 'Net, though and I suspect it may be difficult to get this one back completely under wraps...but it has been done before]

The new TAG Heuer Caliber 1887 (announced December 2009)

BASELWORLD 2010 is coming soon.  You can see all the hot new pre-releases on Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum, and many many more when the event starts on March 18th.  Just click here!

Related posts:

1. Baselworld 2010: TAG Heuer Ceramic
2. Tag Heuer Silverstone Reissue – Somebody Tell Watchismo!!
3. TAG Heuer Partially Supports Tiger Woods, But Will It Last?

 Dial close up – check that bezel lume!

Click here to keep an eye on Perpetuelle.com’s Official BASELWORLD 2010 forum for other new watches as they are announced.    I can’t and don’t feature them all here on the blog!

Related posts:

1. Watch Review: BALL Night Train DLC

In October 2009, I wrote an article “Beyond the Big Bang – What’s Next for Hublot?” in which (among other things) I stated the following:

…I do think that Hublot Big Bang has and continues to be a very desirous watch right now.  But…… I am concerned.  I am concerned that Hublot has now effectively become one watch, and one watch only – the Big Bang.   Not only that, but I also see that the appeal, the allure, the magic, of the Big Bang is at risk of fizzling due to the number of variations that Hublot continues to introduce.   Seemingly every month a new “limited” or “special” edition Big Bang is released, but in reality these are nothing more than Big Bang’s with a new color scheme or with a special logo on the dial….My point here is that it is too much – it is getting tiring – and I think it is starting to dilute the credential of the Big Bang.   Audemars Piguet found itself in a similar position several years ago with its Royal Oak Offshore watches – too many variations and one-off special editions – and some watch enthusiasts started to turn away.   Thankfully for AP, it was diversified – offering a much broader lineup of watches than just the Royal Oak.   Hublot is not in this position.

While my position hasn’t really changed – and in fact Jean-Claude Biver very recently acknowledged the validity of my position (which I’ll get to in a second) -  it is noteworthy that (anecdotally speaking) Hublot continues to defy the watch slump by being one of the better performing watch brands in the marketplace today.   I can believe this because Hublot makes very cool watches – watches that people want – and it creates a very special aura around owning a “Big Bang” through its often personal and hands-on marketing efforts from Jean-Claude Biver himself.

Fast forward to the present.  Earlier this week, watch enthusiasts were treated to two very interesting encounters with The Man himself.  I’ll excerpt a couple tidbits here, but I do highly recommend reading each one of them.  First Hodinkee.com, at a Hublot sponsored event at a swank New York  restaurant, gleaned some great insights as can be read in “A Glance At The New Hublot: Jean-Claude Talks Giving Back, BNB, & The Future of the Big Bang“.  Most notable for me was this exchange:

[Hodinkee asked] When will we see something from Hublot that’s NOT a Big Bang? Mr. Biver had this to say, “Asking me that question is like asking a Porsche engineer in 1990 when we will see something besides the 911. It is a benchmark for the brand and right now we are going to continue with it for many years to come. I say 1990 because years later Porsche released the Boxster (a less expensive sportscar), the Cayenne (an SUV), and now even the Panamera (a four-door), but in 1990, Porsche had only the 911. In ten years, I may have something else to say, but the Big Bang is our Porsche 911.”

OK, good point JC Biver makes – overall, the Big Bang is working, so why not continue to drive that for all its worth. Even so, Porsche had to broaden its portfolio eventually!  There is another good picture and discussion with Hodinkee about Hublot’s new UNICO movement family and where the fit in the overall Hublot pyramid – so be sure to check out the full Hodinkee article here.

Next, Revolution Magazine’s Wei Koh penned “The Luxury Übermensch: An Interview with Jean-Claude Biver” – posted in its entirety for your enjoyment also at Horomundi.com. The interview is very good, very insightful and by no means coddling:

Have you made any mistakes or failed in anyway at Hublot? [Biver:] I would say that I have made mistakes but fortunately, none that have impacted me in a major way. I think I expanded the collection too fast. I think I have too many references, and I abused limited editions. So that is already quite a few mistakes, but they did not do any lasting damage and we had it corrected.

In what way did you go wrong with limited editions? [Biver:] The idea was correct but the quantities related to limited editions were wrong. The idea was correct because if you are a mono-product brand, you have to ask yourself how many of the same watch is a consumer willing to buy from you. He can buy one watch ultimately. If I make the same watch in three materials, in theory, he can buy three. But how can I get him to buy the fourth one? You see, when I have a customer with my watch on his wrist, I never want him to quit my brand. But if he is buying three or four watches per year, I want to remain in consideration. How do I achieve this? How do I get these people? I make a limited edition in memory of Ayrton Senna because it has a great emotional story or I make one related to Alinghi or Manchester United because this will strike a different emotional chord. So you see, limited editions are a necessity. But between the necessity of making a few and the evil of making too many, there is a fine balance! We lost this balance but have corrected it.

My point exactly (!) and I am heartened to hear JC Biver speak candidly on this.  Now these 2 questions were only a small part of the broader interview – there is a wealth of great insights throughout the rest, including more discussion of Hublot’s move towards being a manufacture, the importance and meaning of the “in house movement” moniker, the [possible] classic-ization of the Big Bang, and much more….if you are interested it is very much worth the read.

So what’s my point in all this?  Well, first it is Not hear to say “I told you so” – rather I am glad that Hublot realizes that while there may be lots of runway left for the Big Bang, it is a bit overextended in terms of references, limited editions and colors.  This is the best thing about a great leader and visionary like Jean-Claude Biver – he is not so hung up on his own accomplishments (of which there are many!) as to think that he can do no wrong.  He comes across as being constantly introsepctive and adaptive.  And this is why, even though I have not met him, I admire Biver and in my own actions try to emulate qualities such as these.  Still, while Hublot is now mostly focused now on its new UNICO movements and becoming a manufacture, as well as continuing to extend the success of the Big Bang, I still think that the top of the mountain has already been reached for the Big Bang and I hope that Hublot will be ready for the next ascent.

Related posts:

1. Perpetuelle.com Interview with Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver
2. A look into the Passion that IS Jean-Claude Biver
3. Beyond the Big Bang – What’s Next for Hublot?

Here is a question nagging me for too long now:  Why do certain watch websites watermark the images that they receive from various watch brands?   Mostly I am thinking of ThePurists (aka WatchProsite) and to a lesser extent Horomundi.com (sites I enjoy on a daily basis, btw).  For years I see this, these nagging watermarks on images that are not even their own.  I’m not trying to be snide about this – I honestly just don’t get it, particularly in this day and age.  Heck, even TimeZone, the most guarded, controlled and walled-off watch community on the Internet doesn’t even watermark their images – and if anyone would be expected to do such a thing it would be them.

Sure, I can understand and respect these people for wanting to preserve some level of propriety for images that they or their teams create – but images that a watch brand provides to all media (bloggers, print media, etc. etc.)?  C’mon who you kidding?  If these aforementioned watermark-happy sites go beyond their own walls (which maybe they do and thus they will weigh in accordingly here), I wonder why they don’t wonder why these MANY other legitimate websites are sharing with their readers the same information and images – except without an exclusive “seal of approval”.

To me, this behavior shows a fundamental lack of understanding of where the true value lies in online media today (hint:  it’s not watermarked images).  Besides, there is this little unwritten code called a “hat tip”, a “nod”, or a “linkback” – and in my experience most people are more than happy to hand them out now and again – no watermarks needed.  What goes around, comes around, you know?

Anyway, with that off my chest – I’d really love to hear what others think on this topic.

No related posts.

Water resistant to 3,300 feet (1,000 meters), the big and bold Breitling Avenger Seawolf Chrono Blacksteel is definitely a watch that will turn some heads.  The case is 45mm in diameter and very tough looking with a lot of depth to it as well.  The movement is Breitling’s Caliber 73, a Breitling “SuperQuartz” certified chronometer movement.  Also worth noting is that the watch utilizes a Breitling patented “magnetic pushpiece” system which enables the chronograph functions to be fully functional even at 3,300 feet deep (most chronographs can not be used at meaningful depths because it can compromise the watertight-ness of the watch.  As part of a total production run of 2,000 pieces, this watch can also be had on Breitling’s Ocean Racer strap and will be coming soon to a Breitling dealer near you)….and the price (per Breitling) will be $5,015 on the diver pro strap, $5,460 on the ocean racer.

This watch is not to be confused with the Breitling Super Avenger Avenger Skyland Blacksteel (thanks to our astute readers for the correction) which was announced in 2008.  While this watch was the first “Blacksteel” model from Breitling and it did capture a lot of attention for its bold look, the watch was only water resistant to 300 meters.  So this is a big step up for the hard-core dive watch fans (of which I am not one) who like the Breitling Blacksteel look.

Related posts:

1. Breitling Chrono-matic QP & Chronomatic 1461
2. Breitling Limited Edition Superocean Héritage Chronographe
3. New Shoes for Breitling’s Colt GMT+

So….which one would you choose?  Why?

The 2010 Leica M7 Hermès Edition Camera

Price:  about $13,000

Limited Edition of 200

Nod to Luxury Insider and many others for the camera scoop.

The 2010 Hermès Clipper Chronograph Titanium Watch

Price:  between $5,000 and $10,000

Me?  I’d take the watch.  Why? No real reason except that I’m a watch guy!

Related posts:

1. Baselworld 2010: Hermes Clipper Chronograph Titanium
2. Baselworld 2010: Hermès Clipper Chronograph Ladies
3. ONLY WATCH 2009 – 34 One-of-a-Kind Watches

Like many of you, when I think of Oris, I tend to think of dive watches, and not being a die hard fan of the brand that’s about all I thought.  But I was doing a bit of research for this article, and wouldn’t you know it seems that Oris is the King of Jazz Watches!  First let me confess that I am far from an expert on Jazz musicians, but I do enjoy my fair share of John Coltrane and other tunes by some of the fellas noted below….so indulge me, will you? 

In 2010, it will be the Oscar Peterson watch from Oris.  Among other nicknames, Oscar Peterson is known as the “Maharaja of the Keyboard” – that’s a piano, for all you musical neophytes out there. Of the many “jazzy” tribute watches Oris has done, the Oscar Peterson watch is probably the best looking one yet.  Note the subtle but tastefully incorporated “piano key” designed hour markers.  Not quite as bold (or pricey) as something like the Audemars Piguet Quincy Jones piano-inspired watch, but still a nice take on the piano theme.  The plated Roman numeral “VIII” is a nod to Peterson’s eight well deserved Grammy awards.  And although I’m not sure it is intentional, the center of the dial looks to me a lot like an old vinyl record – and not just any record but one that would play some good ragtime or big band:

cool, caseback, too – the Lion being a symbol representing the king of the keyboard

But did you know this is just the tip of the iceberg for Oris and jazz?   2010 will in fact be the 10th Jazz tribute watch in a long history that dates back to 1996 when Oris first sponsored the London Jazz Fair and rolled out the Andy Sheppard tribute watch!  Here’s a quick look at history:

1996 – Andy Sheppard 1997 – McCoy Tyner

1998 – John McLaughlin 1999 – Lionel Hampton

2000 – Louis Armstrong 2001 – Miles Davis

2002 -Duke Ellington 2003 – Charlie Parker

2007 – Dizzy Gillespie

(Note:  In 2004 it was Frank Sinatra and 2007 Bob Dylan – neither are really known as Jazz artists, so I did not include them on the list.)

So there you have it!  I encourage you to read more about each of these watches here, on the Oris website – you might learn a thing or two about jazz music!

Related posts:

1. Baselworld 2010: Oris Col Moschin Special Forces Watch
2. Watch Review: Oris ProDiver 51mm
3. Battle for the North Sea: Rolex vs. Oris

Switching it up a bit from the many Baselworld 2010 pre-releases we are covering here, I wanted to show you a very special unique piece (or “piece unique” as the French may prefer to call it) that was recently unveiled by high-end and very talented watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier (commonly known as Parmigiani).  Of course those of you who saw Parmigiani at SIHH 2010 in Geneva already know of this watch   It is the Tecnica Crystallisation watch.  While I’m not exactly sure what the inspiration for this watch – “mineral crystallisation” – is all about, I do know that this is a pretty incredible watch.  Aside from its obvious visual appeal, the watch has some neat elements – a skeletonized dial, a tourbillon, and a minute repeater with “cathedral” chimes (which I would like to hear!).  I am hoping to get some more background information on this watch and I will let you know if/when I do.

On the back:  enameling work with a three dimensional effect

Model

Tecnica Chrono – unique piece

Theme

‘Crystallisation’ inspired by mineral crystallisation

Movement

PF353  Skeleton, Manual winding, power reserve 48 hours, frequency: 3 Hz – 21,600 Vib/h, 47 jewels, tourbillon, minute repeater with 2 “cathedral” chimes, rhodium-plated bridges with lengthwise hand-drawn strokes, bevelling and backing hand polished, steel circular-grained lengthwise

Functions

hour, minute, minute repeater and chronograph

Case / Exterior

round case: 44.0 mm, thickness: 16.00 mm

material: 950 platinum, polished finish

double knurled bezel

water resistance: 3 bar / 30 m

crown: 7.0 mm, cabochon in genuine blue sapphire

case-back with sapphire crystal

double case-back with hand-engraved hinge according to the theme

covered with translucent grey enamel

individual number No. 12995 and UNIQUE PIECE engraved on the case-back

Dial

sapphire base, sand-blasted areas; transferred black minute track, counters and logo; transferred blue ring; “Javelin” shaped hour and minute hands in blued steel, with superluminova; chronograph minute counter hand and central seconds hand in blued steel.

Strap

‘Hermes’ type blue alligator strap with knurled 750 white gold ardillon buckle, polished finish

No related posts.

Limited edition of 500.  The case is pink gold, 43mm diameter.  The inner dial has some sort of a black radiating velvety flambe pattern.  500 pieces will be made.  For the $15,000 or so this watch will probablycost, I can think of many, many more attractive and interesting timepieces, but hey, that’s just me!

No related posts.

So, come this March 18th in Basel visitors to the fair will be properly introduced to Armin Strom’s ARM09 (ArminReserveMarche09).  After a full 3 years of development, on November 17th, 2009 at the Armin Strom headquarters in Bienne and manufacturing facilities in Biel, a select group of international press agents were introduced to the ARM09 and were able to witness it being produced in its various stages; from milling the base plates to the final assembly and decorating all, of course, performed by hand.

As for the nuts and bolts of the ARM09;  it’s a 34 jewel hand-wound movement pulsing at 18,000 vib/h, comprised of only 146 components.  It features an 8-day power reserve (with a reserve indicator on the dial) and in a nod to fans of the artistry of mechanical movements the crown wheels are visible on the dial side which allows the owner to view them as they turn.  With a lot of manufacturers looking into silicon parts as the future of movement production; Armin Strom stood proudly alongside history and used traditional materials for its first in-house calibre.

The ARM09 will be featured in Armin Strom’s “One Week” collection that is to be unveiled at the upcoming Baselworld fair.  Armin Strom has done a fine job of keeping this new collection under wraps until its official debut, but rest assured Perpetuelle.com will bring you pics of the collection as more information is available.  Armin Strom CEO Serge Michel is very excited about what this potentially means for the future of Armin Strom claiming;  “Of course this step is the fulfilment of a dream for us, but it also ensures our independence in other areas.”

In a time when the world’s economy is slowly working its way out of a near collapse I’m encouraged to see so much industry fanfare, and new development being showcased in Basel this March.  It’s nice to hear that watch firms, big and small, are relying on innovation to keep their customer base loyal during a time when money could easily be spent elsewhere.  I welcome Armin Strom to the exclusive club of  “manufacture” and am excited to see what the future holds for them.

Editor’s Note:  Be sure to check out our hands-on review of the Armin Strom Blue Chip Skeleton here!

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Movement: Automatic movement, 277 parts, 28 800 vibrations per hour, 65-hour power-reserve.

Functions: Hour, minute, small second, date, chronograph (hour-counter, central second, 30-minute counter).

Case: New case with the Master Control logo stamped on the case-back,18-carat pink gold, stainless steel.

Size: Diameter 40 mm.

Water Resistance: 50 meters.

Strap/Bracelet: Alligator leather.

Materials Available: 18-carat pink gold, stainless steel.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre: JAEGER-LECOULTRE CALIBRE 751 A/1.

Ref. 1532420, 18-carat pink gold/alligator leather.
Ref. 1538420, stainless steel/alligator leather.

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Price will be somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000 – hey, what do you expect from Hermes!

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Everyone is expecting Sellita to pick up at least some of the slack from ETA, knowing this they have increased production, and appear ready to do what they can to take a strong foothold in the market. Sellita has a few popular 3-hand automatic mechanicals that are well known but the question always came up; what about a chronograph? The venerable 7750 has had such a strong presence in the market, and is in so many pieces that it’s almost impossible to imagine the use of anything else. Its versatility and ability to be easily modified has made it a favorite ebauche among many luxury brands.

Enter the Sellita SW500 automatic chronograph movement:

Stated to have the same level of quality and accuracy of the 7750 the SW500 will make its general public debut at this year’s BaselWorld fair. For those who question the ability of Sellita to just step up and make robust, quality movements it should be known that for years Sellita used to be sent movements directly from ETA themselves, for certain modifications requested by ETA buyers. The 25 jewel SW500 clocks in at 28,800 BPH [beats per hour] / 4Hz to give its sub second hand the same smooth sweep as the 7750. Like its distant cousin; the option for the day / date function is also available. From the initial looks of it, it appears that the the SW500 may be a direct drop in replacement to the 7750 [from what I can see their sizes appear to be identical; diameter of 30mm and a height of 7.90mm].  This is a benefit to watch producers who won’t want to spend the money to redesign their cases and dial configurations.  I would imagine that as the watch world becomes more familiar with the SW500 other variations will quickly become available.

Time will tell [literally] if the SW500 is destined become a favorite among luxury brands; but in a market that may be soon scrambling for automatic movements Sellita appears to be a viable option. There has been speculation among visitors of watch forums that The Swatch Group may either delay, or totally pull back on the decision to stop selling ebauches and movement parts when faced with industry uproar. Nicolas Hayek often claims that he made this decision to spur innovation in the watch industry. To his credit since the official announcement several firms began to produce their own in-house movements, and fellow movement manufacturers have started to step up. If ETA were to make the decision to continue to sell movements beyond 2010 one very positive result would be an increase of choice and varying prices…Which is never a bad thing.

I would guess that The Swatch Group will have to stop selling as the market has been adjusting to the announcement for years. If they were to continue there would surely be some shareholders that would be none too pleased.

At the time of this writing I am not aware of any brands that have opted to use the SW500 movement.

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Ulysse Nardin combined the Moonstruck case with the UN-32 COSC-certified perpetual calendar movement.  43mm red gold or platinum case.  Ceramic pushpieces and bezel.  An exclusive fast-action time-zone system, permanent indication of the original time, forward and backward adjustment of all the date indicators, and the synchronised adjustment of these elements using the hour hand.  Rubber or leather strap with titanium/ceramic folding clasp, or crocodile with red gold or platinum folding clasp.

What a cool watch.  Dare I wish that they had hidden the sub-dials for the date and days?  I should be so petulant.

Ulysse Nardin “El Toro”

Limited to 500 pieces

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Like a highly skilled watchmaker, the maki-e artisan is able to create with his hands something so intricate, so delicate, so amazing…it’s hard to put it into words.  All I will say is that these artisans are skilled in ways that I deeply respect and admire.  Watch:

You can read more and see close up photos of each of these watches on our SIHH 2010 forum by clicking here (scroll down the page a bit).

About Maki-e

Maki-e  – which literally means “sprinkled picture” – is the most sophisticated of all lacquer techniques, designating a decorative operation in which the design is created by delicately sprinkling gold or silver dust over lacquer – usually black – while it is still wet.

The lacquer is made from the sap of the lacquer tree, Rhus verniciflua. This tree, a relative of poison ivy, originated on the high plateaus of central Asia or Tibet. Today, it grows only in southern China, Korea, Vietnam and Japan, but it seems to have had a much wider range in the past. In Japanese, the word for the substance and the name of the tree are the same: urushi.

Lacquer techniques vary from country to country and are based on the quality of the lacquer and the use to which the objects will be put. The three categories most representative of the lacquer arts are carving, inlay, and maki-e. The number of possibilities is almost infinite, and the invention of maki-e and its variations by the Japanese is one of the most remarkable marriages of technical mastery and aesthetic sophistication in all the history of art. This decorative technique developed very early in Japanese history. It matured as an art form between the eighth and twelfth centuries A.D., becoming the predominant method of ornamentation beginning in the seventeenth century and remaining so to this day. It does not seem to have been used in China – or if it was, it disappeared very early on. It was highly prized there, however, as evidenced by the many orders placed from the continent over the centuries. Maki-e’s own rise allowed the techniques it involves to blossom as well. Beginning in the mid-tenth century, this technique far surpassed all its rivals and was heavily preferred over them for the delicacy of its execution, its quality of being distinct yet misty at the same time, and its incredibly poetic presence.

One of the greatest beauties of lacquer is that it can decorate the most precious of objects as easily as those used in everyday life. Lacquerware bowls and crockery have come down through the centuries, as have variously shaped boxes with all sorts of uses: document holders, tea caddies, incense boxes, paintbrush holders, inkwells, card cases, pill boxes, etc. While there has always been lacquered furniture, the preference has almost always been for small objects, for work that is enchanting in its meticulous perfection.

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A Baselworld pre-release from Bulgari, and it is a nice looking chronograph in the Diagono collection.  Nice looking as in I like the choice of colors.  As you may know, the Bulgari Diagono collection has been around for more than 20 years now, and it is probably the “signature” look for Bulgari watches.  While I think Bulgari is still a bit too much on the “fashion brand” side of the watch world for me, they are clearly trying to change that now by assimilating integrating Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta, so maybe I will keep a closer eye on the brand. This particular model is of course powered by the 303-part BVL caliber 303, an automatic movement that is finished entirely by hand (it is a Piguet 1185 base movement, for you real watch nerds out there).  This movement is a column-wheel chronograph which means which is a step-up from your basic chronograph movement in that it prevents the chrono second hand from skipping when it starts/stops/resets.  Other Specs:   40mm steel case, 13mm thick, sapphire crystal caseback, water resistant 100 meters, blue alligator strap.  Here it is:

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Finely tuned – the Audemars Piguet Millenary Quincy Jones Edition

and the wrong way….

Off-key – the Piaget Limelight Jazz Party Polo Tourbillon Relatif

Seriously – those little musical notes intended to imitate Roman numerals are more than tacky!  Sure you are free to disagree – that’s what the comment button is for

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Here is a preview from Blancpain this year for Baselworld 2010 – the Blancpain Villeret Moon Phase with “half-hunter” style case.  The watch - a complete calendar model with moon-phase display – has cleverly designed “under-lug” correctors which allow the owner to adjust the calendar indications very easily…not to mention the design benefits of taking buttons off the side of the case!  Also, this model features an also impressive method for adjusting the indications which allows them to be adjusted regardless of the time of day (typically one must be careful when adjusting calendar indications on a watch as doing so at the wrong time can damage the movement). The case is 40mm, red-gold and is hinged on the back side (this is called “half-hunter” style) which allows you to see the Blancpain Caliber 6654 movement.  More below the fold…

Blancpain Villeret Half-Hunter Moon Phase Ref. 6664-3642-55B

 This watch – and hopefully the entire Villeret collection – is a welcome addition to the Blancpain lineup and seems to be a much better direction than some of the watches they released in recent years.  I and others have been less than impressed with some of Blancpain’s dial designs (see my article on FratelloWatches panning brand’s new L-evolution series watches (but praising the Blancpain Caliber 66R9)) but this new Villeret looks pretty good with raised, slightly stylized red-gold roman numerals and a patterned dial.  Here’s a look at the caseback:

(Is it just me or does that perlage finishing around the outer edge looks a bit hurried?!?)

Stay tuned to Perpetuelle.com’s Official Baselworld 2010 Forum for more information on this and other new watches being unveiled in 2010! 

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Actually this is a commemorative piece that was inspired by Grand Prix Hall of Famer from waaaaaay back in tha day, Tazio Nuvolari.  Dedicated racing fans probably know of Nuvolari’s accomplishments, but alas I am not one of these Grand Prix historians.  Ah well there’s always Wikipedia – you can read more about him there!

My only criticism of this watch is that I do not particularly care for the design of the chronograph pushers.  They seem a bit too big and the shape is out of sync with the rest of the design:

The movement is reliable, but nothing too special – an ETA 7750 base.  Still, the watch has very legible subdials and also I like the black alligator  strap with red stitching.  It all lines up very nicely with the red gold case and bold red markings on the dial.  The case is 43mm, with the autograph of Tazio Nuvolari engraved on the back.  Production will be limited to just 123 pieces!

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The stainless steel case is 40mm in diameter with nice curves.  It appears to be mostly polished but there are some satin-finished parts on it as well as you can see in the photos below:

If you look closely you will notice that the tips of the hour and minute hands are luminescent, as are the hour markers around the outer edge.

Otherwise there is not too much else to think about on this watch – just enjoy it!

You can keep an eye out for all of Maurice Lacroix’s new watches for 2010 here on Perpetuelle.com’s Baselworld 2010 Forum.  Actually there are already a few posted, so feel free to check them out now!

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While it is primarily on the lower/entry level of the luxury watch segment ($1,500 to $2,500 range), Alpina is an interesting brand in that is owned since 2002 by Aletta and Peter Stas, the owners/founders of watch brand Frederique Constant.  FC is a brand that has done relatively well over the past few years by delivering good, quality, not-too-flashy luxury watches at reasonable prices, and a similar disciplined growth strategy is surely in place at Alpina, though I don’t see it doing anything but trying to ramp volume while maintaining the same price segment. This said, I would expect the watch you see here watch to be priced north of $3,000 because it is a limited edition of 158 pieces…which, by the way – shouldn’t it be only 58 pieces as it is the 58th anniversay of the 12 Hours of Sebring Race- not the 158th?

While I think this watch is maybe a bit too generously sized at 47mm, it has a nice color scheme and I like the carbon fiber strap with red lining and stitching as well as the textured look of the center of the dial which keeps good with the sporty/racing nature of the watch.  The case is stainless steel and water resistant to 100 meters, and the movement is probably a reliable Swiss automatic (ETA or Valjoux-based Selitta-based) .  As for functionality, you will get GMT (24 hours) as well as 30 minute and 12-hour chonograph counters and the chronograph pushers are nicely shaped along the contours of the case, too.

One last interesting side note is that I recently discovered that the brand’s roots actually go back to Glashütte, Germany but it ended up a Swiss brand in the end (you can read the full history here).

Look for more to come from Alpina at Baselworld in March on Perpetuelle.com’s Baselworld 2010 Forum.

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