50 Rose gold, 100 Titanium, Beautiful Presentation Box…

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

The “right” way…..

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

Yawn…..

Here’s the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore New York 57th Street special edition that some have been waiting for.  Obviously this watch is to commemorate, and will be exclusively available at, AP’s recently opened New York flagship store that was opened late 2009. 

While some will clamor to get this watch, well as for me…..what can I say – I’m less than impressed.  What’s up with that color scheme? The stitching on the strap doesn’t even appear to match the “peachy” looking color on the dial.  I guess I am just getting tired….yawn….with AP’s “SKU proliferation” (c’mon let’s face it – Audemars Piguet has way, way too many variations on its famous Royal Oak Offshore line).  Do we really need a Montauk Highway ROO and a 57th Street ROO?  I’m not even going to comment on the diamond bezeled version.

Maybe I’ll post some more details / specs later, but for now here’s the watch (and a nice exterior pic of AP’s 57th St Boutique):

Night View of the Entrance to the Audemars Piguet Boutique – 65 East 57th Street, New York, NY

Another new one from Audemars Piguet – the Millenary Chronograph.  To be honest (I’m always honest here!) The design of this watch is one that I have not and still do not like.  Is this a dress watch?  Or a sport watch?  Now we seem to see a combination of both with the addition of chronograph counters, one of which is larger than the other two.  There are way too many circles on this dial for me.  In other words, the addition of a chronograph to this watch design seems awkward to me.  Because there is so much more to like from AP this year, on this one I’ll pass, thanks.  If you are interested in the specs on this watch, check it out over on the SIHH forum.

Watch fans – your enthusiasm can continue to run on high, because there are still new watches being “revealed” at SIHH 2010 in Geneva!  And of course as your loyal editor here at First In Watches, I remain vigilant and at the ready to share with you some of the most interesting ones here on this blog…..but of course if you want to see them ALL, just check out Perpetuelle.com’s official SIHH 2010 forum! 

So here’s a new one from Audemars Piguet that will no doubt be pleasing to many.  The Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Perpetual Calendar with Caliber 2120.  The watch comes in 2 variations, both pictured – Case in 18-carat pink gold, silvered dial and (26390OR.OO.D093CR.01) case in 18-carat pink gold, brown dial (26390OR.OO.D088CR.02):

Well watch fans this is it!  Just a quick note to tell you that all the action for the next few days will be over on Pereptuelle.com’s Official SIHH 2010 Forum.  The best thing for you to do is check in and check back often because these pages are being updated CONSTANTLY over the next few days.

Quick tips:

1) in any given thread, the newest watches posted will always be at the top.

2) EVEN BETTER – If you sign up / register with Perpetuelle.com, the threads are actually marked so that you can see which brands have new watches since you last viewed/checked in.  Makes it much easier to browse the forum!

Quick word – Don’t be surprised if you see just an image or two – we have so many watches and specs to post but sometimes the image is worth a thousand words!!  But don’t worry for all you detail-oriented  guys – we’ll be back around to fill in the specs or other interesting details as soon as we can!

For now, here’s just a few that caught my eye:

IWC Da Vinci Ceramic

Jaeger-leCoultre Extreme Labs

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Grand Prix

The 2009 – 2010 NBA season is now officially underway (finally!).  Many of last year’s top teams got even stronger during the offseason, and the competition for the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy is going to be fierce.    Will Ron Artest help Kobe Bryant and the already solid Lakers team repeat?    Or, will Cleveland’s offseason acquisition of Shaq help Lebron James and the Cavs take down the West.  My prediction:  if Kobe Bryant and the Lakers stay healthy I will have to put my money on them.

When you look at watch brands you tend to notice most relationships (or “ambassadors”) are created with athletes that are in racing, water sports, polo, tennis, and golf. When it comes the NBA and NFL you don’t see a lot of these relationships.  However, the star of the biggest contender in the West (Los Angeles Lakers – Kobe Bryant) and in the East (Cleveland Caveliers – Shaquille O’Neil) are an exception.  Let’s take a look at each athlete and their watches and see which one comes out with the “W”.

First up – Kobe Bryant and the Black Mamba from the Swiss watchmaker Nubeo.  For those of you wondering where the name “Black Mamba” comes from it is actually Kobe’s nickname.

If you’re unfamiliar with Nubeo I recommend checking out their website – www.nubeo.com.  They have a very cool line of men’s and women’s watches, though they are “priced for the pros” at about $25,000 on up.   Nubeo certainly has a much different look in the “sport watch” category than any other brand I have seen.  My favorite is by far Kobe’s Black Mamba (pictured below), which sells for about $25,000 (a hefty price tag….unless you are Kobe Bryant).   The collection goes all the way up to $250,000 for the very limited Black Mamba MVP, which has rings of baguette cut, whiskey-colored sapphire crystals (also pictured).

48mm diameter, ceramic with matt black finish, with a black natural rubber buckle in Titanium Grade 5 with DLC treatment

The Nubeo Black Mamba on the Lakers Black Mamba

Nubeo Black Mamba MVP Watch – $250,000

Now let’s take a look at Shaquille O’Neil and his AP (Audemars Piguet) Royal Oak Offshore.  This watch was introduced in 2007, and it’s probably good that AP limited its production to only 960 pieces being that it was designed when Shaq was wearing #32 and playing for the Miami Heat.  Oops!  Even so, a quick Google search shows that this watch is still selling for more than $30,000 (likewise a hefty price tag….or about 3 minutes of playing time for Shaq, depending on how you look at it).  I have been unable to locate any information on whether AP is continuing to work with Shaq and the collection, so if you have some info on this please leave a comment below.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O’Neal Watch, Steel, Limited Edition

The Superman himself wearing the special edition Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore:

Kobe and Shaq were at once arguably the best tandem in the NBA when they both played for the Lakers.  Who you like more is up to you (if you like either player), but i’m going to have to give Kobe the win for best watch.

Presenting the Audemars Piguet Millenary Quincy Jones – Now That’s a Watch!

Sometimes the expression of a particular watch design can often “make it or break it.” Here is an example of a watch design that definitely “makes it” – the just announced Audemars Piguet Millenary Quincy Jones Limited Edition.  Audemars Piguet has released several different variations of the Millenary, and I think this one is by far its best.  It is a watch unconditionally fitting of a Music Impresario such as Quincy Jones. The watch – limited to 500 pieces – has a blackened and polished steel case with the Millenary’s signature “off-center” positioning of the hours, minutes and seconds functions. The case back is engraved with Quincy Jones’ signature, and also reads “Millenary Quincy Jones – Limited Edition” as a reminder of its exclusivity. The piece is comes on a black leather strap with matching “AP” folding clasp. The watch contains Audemars Piguet’s in-house Caliber 3120.

Who is Quincy Jones, you ask? He is arguably the most successful and accomplished musician, composer, producer, arranger and conductor of all time!  Some of you may know him as the producer of Thriller, by late pop icon Michael Jackson.  Others, for his landmark 1989 album, Back On The Block–named “Album Of The Year” at the 1990 Grammy Awards– which brought such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Miles Davis together with Ice T, Big Daddy Kane and Melle Mel to create the first fusion of the be bop and hip hop musical traditions.  You can click here to learn more about him on The Official Quincy Jones Website.

The Man With 27 Grammy Awards to his name

The Kind of Watch That is Made In Honor of A Man with 27 Grammys

Jumping back to my opening statement, take a minute to visually contrast the Millenary Quincy Jones to another recently released take on the Millenary – the Carbon One Tourbillon Chronograph. Although the Carbon One Tourbillon Chronograph is in some ways a “cool” looking watch, its expression just does not seem to fit the Millenary collection very well – particularly when compared to the refined elegance of the Quincy Jones version.

There is one other pretty spectacular Millenary, the Millenary Piano Forte (profiled by my fellow watch blogger Monochrome) – which not by coincidence was also created in honor of Quincy Jones - but even this fine watch does not surpass the refined and sophisticated look of the Millenary Quincy Jones, in my view

What do you think?

Oh – last thing – if you are wondering when and where might you see this watch first in person – look no further than Geneva…January 2010…at the SIHH.

A huge treasure trove of items formerly owned by now disgraced $50 billion-or-so Ponzi scheme ringleader and provacateur Bernie Madoff will be up for auction this weekend in New York.  Sure there will be all the furs, diamonds, and sports memorabilia you can handle (and even a few vintage duck decoys) – but my interest in this one-of-kind auction is, of course, the watches.  Now, being a man of means – that is, a man of means with OPM (other people’s money) – ole’ Bernie managed to assemble himself quite the watch collection.  In fact, The Wall Street Journal reports today that:  “A collection of more than 40 watches, including some women’s watches, 17 Rolexes and several Audemars Piguets, Franck Mullers and Jaeger-LeCoultres, will be auctioned off. ”  The Journal actually singles out one of the more notable big ticket watches, “an 18-karat yellow gold, black-faced vintage men’s Rolex, the Monoblocco, valued between $75,000 and $87,500…” and went on to quote Antiquorum Auctioneers SA Watch Director and Expert Julien Schaerer as saying “It’s a pretty rare watch and it’s pretty desirable” suggesting that an all original timepiece could fetch as much as $75,000 to $100,000.  Not bad for a Ponzi-scheme’s work, eh?

After just a few minutes reviewing the lineup one will see that Madoff had an incredible collection of vintage Rolex watches (I wonder what my vintage Rolex-wearing friends at Hodinkee think?), but he also had quite a few other nice modern and vintage watches as well – Patek Philippe, Blancpain, Hublot, Frank Muller, IWC, JLC….the list goes on and on.  As for all these, I can make not attestations to their authenticity (do you really want to take Madoff at his word?), nor what kinds of prices they may fetch (but don’t expect to steal any of them at bargain prices)…and so while online bids will be allowed, I would highly recommend you preview these watches in person before making a purchase.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the lots that look interesting, shall we?

LOT 237- ROLEX:

Gents 18ky vintage Rolex O.P. “Monoblocco” chronograph wristwatch; aka “Prisoner Watch”; domed plastic crystal; black dial w/ rose tri-sticks &; Arabic numerals; gold hands; polished bezel; 35mm round case; dk brown alligator strap (tang); Model 3525; 17 jewel Rolex mechanical winding mvmt; Serial 380223 (1945).

The meaning of the moniker “Prisoner Watch” – Rolex offered similar timepieces to prisoners of war in Germany during World War II, including those involved in “The Great Escape.”

LOT 235- ROLEX:

Gents 18ky vintage Rolex Oyster chronograph wristwatch; Monochrome motif; gold dial w/ luminous sticks &; Arabics, 3 gold sub-dials; 35.1mm round case; Brown stitched Alligator strap (tang); 17 jewel Rolex Geneve mechanical winding mvmt; Case 4048; Serial 58105 (1935). Note: Professionally restored.

LOT 255 Audemars Piguet

Gents st.steel Audemars Piguet chronograph wristwatch; silver dial w/ 2 sub-dials (at 3 &; 9 positions); 38.81mm round case; brown alligator strap w/ AP deployant buckle; Automatic mvmt; Serial D99198.

LOT 253- Patek Philippe

Gents 18kw Patek Philippe Annual Calendar wristwatch; black dial w/ silver Roman numerals; date at 6 position; 3 black sub-dials; syn saph crystal front &; back; 36.95mm round case; black alligator band w/ 18kw deployant buckle; Model 5035G; 35 jewel Patek Philippe automatic mvmt, Cal. 315/198, Serial 3059777.

LOT 254- Audemars Piguet

Gents 18ky Audemars Piguet Huitieme chronograph wristwatch; crème colored dial &; sub-dials (3); date at 3 position; gold hands; 40.4mm round case; dkBrown alligator strap w/ 18ky AP double deployant clasp; Automatic mvmt; Serial C54966.

LOT 265- Jaeger-LeCoultre

Gents st.steel Jaeger-LeCoultre wristwatch; Master Control Collection, Master Geographic model (discontinued); 38mm round case; silver dial, day at 3/24 hour GMT at 6/power reserve at 10; polished bezel; brown crocodile band w/ deployant buckle; automatic mvmt; Case 142.8.92; Serial No 1401

All pictures and lot information from Gaston and Sheehan.  I would also note that the auction is being conducted by Gaston & Sheehan Auctioneers on behalf of the U.S. Marshal’s service (not Antiquorum), and I could not yet confirm if all the watches listed are Madoff’s or if other lots are also included (will let you know if not the case).

If you happen to go to the auction, would love to hear your thoughts.

As I said…these previews are most certainly one of my favorite times of the year.  And here we have a very striking and bold looking watch from Audemars Piguet that will be officially unveiled at SIHH 2010.

At first glance, the watch dial looks to busy, too difficult to read.  But then again it has some cool materials that give the watch a very nice sporty and tough look to it – forged carbon case – bezel, crown and pushers in cerarmic – and also some blackened steel on this watch – the caseback and the buckle.  Wow – what a combination of materials!  Even so, I’m not quite sure what to think of this watch….it kinda-sorta-just-a-little-tiny-bit reminds of Audemars Piguet’s Survivor (maybe it is the carbon), but at the same time it is very much a different watch.  In fact it belongs to a completely different collection (Millenary collection rather than Royal Oak Offshore).  I will say that the look of the movement through the caseback is pretty cool.

Anyhow, got lots of great pics on this one, and also the full spec set at the bottom, just for fun Last but not least – a hat tip to my watch blogger friend Jason over at Professional Watches – seems he saw this one coming many many months ago (click here to read what I am talking about)!

Millenary Carbon One Tourbillon Chronograph

Reference 26152AU.OO.D002CR.01

Limited edition of 120 carbon-forged pieces

The watch has an Audemars Piguet Caliber 2884 in it – as described by AP:

Audemars Piguet Calibre 2884 is an oval hand-wound movement entirely developed and crafted by AP. It is a complex movement equipped with a tourbillon, an ultra-efficient column-wheel chronograph mechanism and twin barrels. Each movement is first assembled on a trial basis in order to set it into motion. This stage alone calls for ten full days of painstaking adjustments. Once the watchmaker is sure that it runs completely smoothly, he takes it apart and scrupulously cleans the parts before final assembly and casing up. It takes about 15 days to create a finished movement that then undergoes various tests.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Millenary Carbon One Tourbillon Chronograph

Reference
26152AU.OO.D002CR.01
Forged carbon case, black crocodile leather strap
Limited edition of 120

Movement
Calibre : 2884 hand-wound with twin barrel and tourbillon
Carbon mainplate
Bridges in eloxed aluminium and blackened steel
Total diameter: 38.40 x 33.40 mm
Casing diameter: 37.40 x 32.40 mm
Thickness: 9.7 mm
30 jewels
336 parts
Up to 240-hour power reserve
Cadence of the balance: 21,600 vibrations per hour
Finishing: all parts decorated by hand.

Case
Forged carbon with black ceramic bezel, crown and push-buttons
Dimensions: 47 x 42 mm
Cambered glareproofed sapphire crystal
Blackened titanium back fitted with sapphire crystal
Water resistant to 20 metres

Dial
Openworked to reveal the movement
White hour-markers with luminescent coating
Blackened luminescent hands

Strap
Hand-sewn “large square scale” crocodile leather with AP folding clasp in blackened titanium

Functions
Hours and minutes
Chronograph
Power-reserve indicator

Source:  Audemars Piguet.