Ludovic Ballouard…

As you do every year, you were waiting for this one, and here it is:  Harry Winston Opus XIII.  And yes, it is as crazy as it looks.  The Opus XIII has only one thing in common with any other watch and that is its balance and escapement; the rest of the mechanism is the brainchild of independent watchmaker Ludovic Ballouard.  Honestly it is next to impossible to understand this watch just by looking at it — be sure to watch the video below to help you out.

Opus XIII once again defies the conventional rules of watchmaking. Fifty-nine pivoting minutes hands, eleven rotating triangles for the hours, and a sliding trapdoor perform a magic show where minutes and hours appear or vanish instantly — and, of course, tell the time.  Harry Winston believes nothing in watchmaking is beyond human ingenuity, and Opus XIII invariably proves it right.

Harry Winston Opus XIII

in collaboration with Ludovic Ballouard

Limited Edition 130 Pieces

44.25mm x 13.6mm white gold case.

Instantaneous hours and minutes; Cumulative display of minutes via a peripheral, jumping retrograde system with fifty-nine hands; Successive display of hours via a peripheral, jumping system with eleven hands; Sliding shutter revealing the “HW” logo every twelve hours

Minutes accumulate around a track, each five minutes in red, withdrawing in unison when they complete the circle of the hour. Silver triangles spring in turn from a faceted dome to show the hours, rotating back when their duty’s done. Every twelve hours, Harry Winston’s logo is revealed on the dial, only to vanish sixty minutes later.

The fifty-nine minutes hands pivot on a ring of as many steel shafts, each held between two ruby bearings, bringing the number of jewels in the timepiece to 242. No other timepiece ever made has as many functional jewels. The ruby ball bearings for the sliding shutter are so tiny that the package had to be opened in a non-static environment lest they fly off.

Beneath a smoked sapphire crystal you catch a glimpse of what looks like the fan of a jet engine. This is an extraordinary component, comprising fifty-nine jumper springs — one for each minutes hand — carved from a single piece of steel using LIGA technology (lithography, electroplating and molding).

How It Works

The display is produced by two separate power sources working as a team. One mainspring barrel drives the escapement through the going train and keeps the balance swinging at a steady 21’600 vibrations an hour. The other barrel provides the energy for the display of minutes, triggered every 60 seconds by the center wheel of the going train.

The key element is an outer minutes ring driven by the second barrel. Every minute, it jumps forward a step, released then locked by a rocking lever with two pallet stones, controlled by a cam working off the center wheel. A peg on the advancing ring flips each minutes hand forty degrees in turn, revealing them in succession around the dial. At the end of the 59th minute, a second outer ring comes into play, its crenelated rim simultaneously rotating the fifty-nine minutes hands back into their hiding places.

The mechanism for the hours is no less ingenious. Here again it relies on an outer ring that jumps forward every sixty minutes, turning the triangle of the old hour 180° so that it disappears beneath the faceted dome on the dial, and simultaneously turning up the next hour. At the heart of this mechanism is a snail cam that rotates once an hour. A lever drops off the edge of the cam, pulling a rack to turn a pinion that advances the hours ring. At the 12th hour, instead of turning up a triangular hour hand, the hours ring rotates a wheel attached to a connecting rod that pulls open a sliding shutter to reveal the Harry Winston logo in the center of the faceted dome.

Both mainspring barrels are wound by turning the crown back and forth. A rocking pinion engages the barrel for the going train when the crown is turned in one direction and shifts over to engage the other barrel when the crown is turned in the opposite direction. Similarly, when setting the time, the crown is pulled out and turned one way to advance the minutes and the other to advance the hours.

All of this packaged in a modest 44.25mm x 13.6mm white gold case, Harry Winston style.

Baselworld 2013 preview…tri-axial tourbillon

***UPDATE: Tourbillon in Motion — VIDEO added***

Here’s a first look at Harry Winston’s latest “Histoire de Tourbillon”, the fourth such piece in a series that began in 2009.   This main feature of the watch is an interesting tri-axial tourbillon positioned at 6 o’clock — envision a tourbillon cage fitted inside a tourbillon cage fitted inside a tourbillon cage, each rotating at different rates per minute (more on this below, and sorry, no video yet).   The Histoire de Tourbillon 4 will be limited to just 20 pieces.  Follow along below as I run down the various highlights of this new piece from Harry Winston.  I will also show you a quick look back the Histoire de Tourbillon 1, 2 and 3 as well.
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Another pair of new references from Harry Winston, these from the brand’s typically more elegant and reserved collection, the Midnight Collection.   However while these references maintain key elements of the brand’s unmistakable style (note the signature HW arches at 3 and 9 o’clock), the usual reserved look of the Midnight Collection is replaced here with an open-worked flair.  That is, the Midnight Skeleton takes the fundamental essence of the Midnight Collection and transforms it into something more visually striking through the use of a skeletonized dial.  The skeleton dial is of a more contemporary flavor, and one can visualize a sort of “spiral” effect which moves counterclockwise around the dial, around the gear train.

18k white or rose gold case, black or brown alligator strap:  $44,200.

18K white gold (ref. 450/MAS42RL.W)

Available in a 42mm case of white or rose gold, the watch fairly thin at 7.5mm — helped in large part by an automatic mechanical movement with a micro-rotor.

18K rose gold (ref. 450/MAS42RL.W)

October 17, 2012 — Reuters reports:

Harry Winston Diamond Corp is looking to sell its watch and jewellery business to concentrate on mining, and has been approaching potential buyers, a source close to the matter said.

….As always when this type of activity hits the market, the big names in luxury, like LVMH and PPR, figure prominently among potential acquirers.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Irene Nattel, quoted in the article, sees Harry Winston’s luxury brand alone worth some $1.2 billion, net of debt.

This was confirmed in a statement released by Harry Winston yesterday:

“In response to recent media reports, Harry Winston Diamond Corporation today announced that while it is the company’s general policy not to comment on market rumours, it confirms that it has received various indications of interest regarding a potential purchase of its luxury brand segment. It is not in active negotiations regarding any such transaction.”

44mm Zalium™ case with DLC finish (11.7mm thick),

Ref. 400/MATZ44ZKC.K2

Photo:  Mike Mellia

When I showed you the new Harry Winston Ocean Triple Retrograde chronographs a couple days ago, I neglected to mention that there was more to come!  So here we go again, this time a look at the new Harry Winston Ocean Dual Time Black Edition.  This watch was first shown at Baselworld 2012 earlier this year and is now avaliable (price around $30k).  The Harry Winston Ocean Dual Time was originally developed off of Harry Winston’s fourth Project Zalium (‘Project Z”) collection (pictured below) which launched as a 100 piece limited edition in 2004, and it was awarded Best Men’s Timepiece of the Year at the 2008 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Asia.   With that proud lineage in mind, I’ll take you through the new Harry Winston Ocean Dual Time “Black Edition”, on the jump>>>
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DLC-Zalium (ref. 400/MCRA44ZKL.S) see through dial

DLC-Zalium (ref. 400/MCRA44ZKC.A1)

Here’s a first look at several new references of Harry Winston’s Ocean Triple Retrograde Chronograph model.  I’m not sure when this model was first introduced, but right now there are only three references offered on the HW website.  As the name says — there are three retograde chrono counters on this watch — not an easily achieved feat!   These new reference are in Harry Winston’s “Zalium” metal case (black DLC-finish) for a more sporty look, or more luxurious versions in pink, yellow or or white gold.  All watches are 44mm case size, with automatic mechanical movement. There are a variety of different dial finishes — mostly a mix of satin and guilloche finishes.  Prices here will be around $35k in Zalium case and $48k in the golds.

If there are any specific models for which you’d like to see a close-up of, just drop a comment and I’ll be glad to update the post and add a high-res close-up.  Check them all out, on the jump Read the rest of this entry »

Harry Winston’s Opus 12, created in partnership with Emmanual Bouchet, has clearly been one of the attention-grabbers at Baselworld 2012.  In my first look at the Opus 12, I shared video as well as discussion of how the piece works.  Now I just want to revisit the piece with some press photos provided by Harry Winston.  I will also again point out some of the salient features of the watch, but if this is the first you have seen this watch, I do recommend that you visit my “Opus 12 first look and overveiw” for more details on how the watch works.

Harry Winston Opus 12 by Emmanuel Bouchet

limited edition 120 pieces

46mm polished white gold case (Zalium mid-section),manual-wind mechanical movement (607 parts, 2 barrels, 24 hands, 45 hr power reserve), on black alligator strap with white gold buckle

VIDEO

Out of this world Masterpiece…

Baselworld 2012:  Speaking of rare air when it comes to elite watchmaking, feast your senses on the Harry Winston Opus 12. A mechanical genius!  Far and away one of the best new releases each year, Harry Winston never fails to deliver (Opus 11, Opus 10 are the last two).  The Opus 12 was made in collaboration with watch maker Emmanuel Bouchet, a relative unknown as is often the case for the Opus collaboration.  At a glance, the Opus 12 is not as radical in form as many prior Opus models, but the simple round case shape belies its masterful complexity and playful manner.  It is somewhat difficult to explain, so please watch the video animation I have also posted, but basically it works like this:  hours are marked by the short blue hand, minutes by longer blue hand.  The “hands” are actually 24 markers mounted on the periphery of the case — and when its “time is due”, the hand flips over and up so that its blue side is visible (again please see the video and my illustrations below to understand this). In the center of the watch is a clearly marked retrograde 5 minutes indicator, a subsidiary seconds dial (under frosted sapphire), and a power reserve indicator.  Now beyond the innovative time display, the Opus 12 does something very cool happens every hour on the hour — the hour/minute hands “roll” consecutively around the dial.  This is purely for visual effect, and wow is it satisfying

In summary — the Harry Winston Opus watches are far and away at or near top when it comes to the best watches from the best minds in watchmaking — the Opus 12 is no exception.  Nicely done, Emmanuel Bouchet and Harry Winston.  The Harry Winston Opus 12 price is about $260,000.

See also:  Closer Look at the Harry Winston Opus 12 Watch

Harry Winston Opus 12 by Emmanuel Bouchet (Official)

limited edition 120 pieces

46mm polished white gold case (Zalium mid-section),manual-wind mechanical movement (607 parts, 2 barrels, 24 hands, 45 hr power reserve), on black alligator strap with white gold buckle

Opus 12 VIDEO

Dial/Functions:  Hour and 1/12th of an hour (five-minutes) displays via a rotating, double-hand system
Animation of the 12 hour hands at each change of hour
Animation of the minutes hands every five minutes
Retrograde five-minute display, power-reserve indicator and small seconds
Small seconds with frosted sapphire crystal
Bracelet: Hand-sewn black alligator leather

Yes, the Harry Winston Opus 12 is soon to be announced — March 8th to be exact.  How about a little teaser for today? If you want to refresh yourself on the beauty of the entire Harry Winston Opus series, check out this great microsite at Watchonista.

Harry Winston Opus 12 (Teaser)

Beauty and the Beast…

Well, here’s a new one to ponder:  the new Harry Winston Histoire de Tourbillon 3 Watch.  This is the third series in Harry Winston’s exploration of the tourbillon, though in a much different form factor (see Histoire de Tourbillon 2, Hisotire de Tourbillon 1).  I see this watch as one part beauty, one part beast (a descriptor that HW probably deplores).  Beast:  the watch case is a whopping 65.9mm x 45.9mm (compare to Antoine Preziuso’s Mega-Tourbillon (65mm round) or the MB&F HM2 (59mmx38mm) for example).  Engineered to display the three tourbillon systems to their best advantage, however!  Beauty:  The hours and minutes are shown on discs rotating against their respective markers, and the seconds on a scale around the bi-axial tourbillon.  Harry Winston shows off its flair with gemstones by using blue sapphires and citrines to indicate the power reserve — very nice.

Only 20 of each tourbillon artwork in the Histoire de Tourbillon collection are produced, i.e. elite collectors only.  Officially unveiling will be in early March at Baselworld (the world’s largest annual watch show), so stay tuned in.

Harry Winston Histoire de Tourbillon 3 Watch

Limited edition 20 pieces

65.9mm x 45.9mm white gold case, caseband and lugs in Zalium (a hard and ultra-light zirconium alloy),manual-wind triple tourbillon movement w/50 hrs power reserve

Eleven color-graded blue sapphires from dark to pale show the power left in the mainspring. The markers for the hours and minutes are color-matched with the gemstones. When the six yellow citrines appear against the marker, it’s time to wind up the watch.

Three tourbillons are in action, each rotating at different speeds.  Two of them are nested one inside the other “to rotate the fourth dimension of time through the three dimensions of space.”  In this bi-axial tourbillon, one tourbillon carriage rotates every 40 seconds within a second carriage going around in 120 seconds on an axis perpendicular to the first.  This ensures that the vibrating balance moves through every possible plane in relation to the field of gravity to average out positional errors.  The third tourbillon carriage rotates a separate balance on a single axis in the conventional way, but at the relatively high speed of one revolution every 36 seconds. This tourbillon is most effective when the watch is in a vertical position, and by rotating the balance quickly it minimizes its exposure to the effects of gravity. For even greater precision, the two regulating systems are connected through a differential gear that gives an average of their two rates.

Physics aside, the seeing these three tourbillons in action will be a thing of pure beauty:

And here’s a look at the nicely designed case back: