Results for Carrousel

BaselWorld 2014: Belles of the Fair: Blancpain Villeret Carrousel Moonphase and the 12 Jour Tourbillon

BaselWorld 2014: Belles of the Fair: Blancpain Villeret Carrousel Moonphase 12 day jour tourbillon

Baselworld 2014: Blancpain Carrousel Phases de Lune – The Sophistication Of Signature Complications United In Elegance

Ever since the resurrection of Blancpain by Biver and Piguet in the 1980’s, the moon has played an important part in the history of the brand. Their first full calendar model with moon phase was a classical beauty, whose legacy lives on until today. The same can be said for the carrousel (karrussel) that Blancpain […]

The Revolutionary List: 24 Technically Brilliant Watches – Blancpain Villeret Tourbillon Carrousel

Bonniksen Reborn with Handmade Le Carrousel

Bonniksen makes its debut with the aptly named Le Carrousel, a 30-second carrousel wristwatch that will launch under the secondary banner of Naissance d’une Montre 4, which means it will be fully handmade. Le Carrousel’s completion date has not been announced, but good things take time, especially when made without the assistance of automated machinery. Left to right: Bonniksen co-founder and CEO Jason Chevrolat, Greubel Forsey CEO Michel Nydeggar, Bonniksen co-founder Maximin Chapuis, and David Bernard from the Time Æon Foundation. Initial thoughts It’s shaping up to be a big year for independent watchmaking, with a number of new and old names making their debuts. Bonniksen is among the latter, and looks to be a good-faith effort to do justice to the legacy of the inventor of the carrousel. While the rebirth of an old name is a familiar (if not tiresome) formula, one can’t help but appreciate the care with which the name of Bonniken makes its return. For one thing, the movement, which still exists only in sketches and models, is a true carrousel, built to co-founder Maximin Chapuis’ design after 5,500 hours of technical research. In other words, it’s not just an old name attached to an off-the-shelf calibre. The fact that it will debut as a Montre 4 in the Naissance d’une Montre project is another reason to take the effort seriously. If that weren’t enough, the brand has apparently been given the blessing of Bonniksen’s living descendants, which helps t...

HANDS-ON: Blancpain, but not as we know it. The L-Evolution Tourbillon Carrousel

The watch you’re looking at isn’t a Richard Mille or Hublot creation. No folks, this is made by Blancpain. And who would have expected a brand best known for its famed Fifty Fathoms and dressy Villeret collections to come up with this delicate symphony of complication, housed in an avant-garde, industrial body? Precisely no one. But that’s … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: Blancpain, but not as we know it. The L-Evolution Tourbillon Carrousel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Naissance d’une Montre 4 “Le Carrousel” and the Revival of Bonniksen

Announcing – The Naissance d’une Montre 4 “Le Carrousel” Project and the Birth of Bonniksen

Few initiatives in modern watchmaking genuinely place craft above product. The Time Æon Foundation is one that looks to safeguard and transmit traditional handmade techniques at the highest level. Its Naissance d’une Montre series has become the best expression of its mission, not just watches, but workshops of knowledge, where historical methods are relearned, applied, and […]

Blancpain Journeys “In The Lost Land” in New Film: an Interview Featuring George R.R. Martin, Paul W.S. Anderson, and Milla Jovovich

More now than ever it seems, watch companies fight their way onto the big screen through influencer programs or partnership deals with film production companies. Sometimes the partnership feels natural and complements the film, though the savvy enthusiast can still spot  a brand deal when it is played out in front of them. However, there are the rare occasions where a watch is chosen by the actor, the director, costume designer, or even the writer. Those instances are special as they better integrate into the final piece and add a bit of fun watch spotting for the enthusiast. I recently had the opportunity to join the Blancpain team in Santa Fe, NM for a special world premier screening of the new George R.R. Martin story directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, In The Lost Land. The film takes place in a dystopian reality and stars Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista with the Blancpain Carrousel Répétition Minutes Chronographe Flyback taking center stage with a prominent feature as an ancient and coveted relic. Watching the movie, the casual enthusiast may be left with questions such as why they chose this particular watch, how did Blancpain work their way on set, and was it a real watch at all? Well, we had the opportunity to sit down for a roundtable interview with George R.R. Martin, Paul W.S. Anderson, and Milla Jovovich to try and answer these questions ourselves.  Perhaps most interestingly, this partnership is one that reaches back quite a long time ago while the film was v...

Hands On: Ulysse Nardin Freak One Navy Blue

Ulysse Nardin has been breathing new life into its flagship Freak collection for the past several years, and the latest model to benefit from this focus is the Freak One Navy Blue, featuring a blue dial that pays homage to the original Freak from 2001. And that’s fitting, because the Freak One collection is a retelling of the story, imagining what the Freak would look like if it were to debut in the present day. Initial thoughts I’ve always had a great deal of respect for the Freak, though I admit I have not always been attracted to the aesthetic. That started to change for me when the design language started evolving to its current, more futuristic form. The Freak Vision of 2018 was the first step in this direction, but the model that really convinced me was the Freak S Nomad launched earlier this year. What makes these watches so satisfying is the way the mechanics have been reimagined to become the central design element; the time is revealed as the movement walks its way around the dial. In many ways, the One can be seen as the little brother to the Freak S. At 44 mm, the One is a fraction smaller than its more complicated sibling, but shares much of the same construction and materials. The case is titanium and finished with a black DLC coating, while the bezel is made of recycled carbon fibre composite. Like the Freak S, the One wears smaller than its dimensions suggest, thanks in part to its muted colours and the way the central carrousel draws the eye. The mater...

Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Razzle Dazzle

The flying carrousel equipped Freak X receives a dose of artistry inspired by naval camouflage and Cubist art.

Ulysse Nardin Introduces the Freak X Qatar Watch Club

Created for a group of watch enthusiasts in Gulf nation, the Freak X Qatar Watch Club is a variant of the brand’s well-priced, entry-level Freak. Conceived by Ulysse Nardin, its local retailer Ali Bin Ali, and members of the club, the new Freak X is a limited edition of just 10 watches. It’s the third timepiece made for Qatar Watch Club (QWC), following on last year’s Tudor Pelagos. Dressed almost entirely in black, the QWC edition has its hour markers in dark green, a colour historically associated with the Middle East. Initial thoughts Essentially a simpler version of the original Freak, the Freak X manages to retain a good deal of the features that made the original unique, while dialling back on the complexity to make it more affordable. A value proposition in all its iterations, the Freak X remains equally compelling as the QWC edition, although it is only available to members of QWC. The affordable Freak Highly regarded by the club’s members, the Freak X an unsurprising choice for QWC’s third collaboration. “Ulysse Nardin creations always fascinated us since the beginning,” says Jassim Al Sayed, the chairman of QWC, “We’re honoured to be able to collaborate with the brand for a very special edition of Freak X.” Clad in a restrained colour palette, Freak X QWC has a titanium case coated in black diamond-like carbon (DLC), with dark green hour markers as well as a subtle green ring on the wheel that drives the time-display carrousel. The Freak...

Up Close: Purnell Escape II Double Tourbillon

Given that the tourbillon was invented for the pocket watch, adapting Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention for the wristwatch opened the floodgate for tourbillon innovations in the beginning of the 21st century – the golden age of the tourbillon, perhaps technically but surely commercially. In fact, many watchmakers have gone far beyond the traditional concept of a tourbillon since English watchmaker Anthony G. Randall invented the double-axis tourbillon in 1978. But as the years passed, tourbillons evolved into elaborate constructions seemingly just for the sake of visual complexity. And there have been so many of them. For this reason, exotic tourbillons now seem dated, with sophisticated or truly interesting technical solutions being hard to come by. Potter and Purnell But the latest development in tourbillons is one of the most intriguing of recent times: maximising the visual effect of a tourbillon regulator not just by multiplying the axes of rotation, but speeding them up with the use of a specialised escapement invented two centuries ago by Albert H. Potter, a highly regarded American watchmaker based Geneva. The full potential of the Potter escapement was recently realised when it was combined with a carrousel outer cage in the MB&F; LM Thunderdome, the world’s fastest rotating triple-axis tourbillon. But the concept was first applied, arguably in a more elaborate manner, in the Spherion tourbillon of Purnell – which was developed by the same watchmaker behin...

In-Depth: MB&F; LM Thunderdome Triple-Axis Tourbillon

The flying tourbillon wristwatch for women – the Legacy Machine FlyingT – that MB&F; launched last year foreshadowed its latest watch – the Legacy Machine Thunderdome, boasting the fastest ever triple-axis tourbillon developed by independent watchmaker Eric Coudray. No doubt multi-axis tourbillons are hardly new, especially after Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled its first Gyrotourbillon in 2005 – which was also developed by Mr Coudray – but the LM Thunderdome takes the concept further by every metric, primarily by building on past ideas to achieve higher cage velocities than ever before. Most intriguingly, the Thunderdome movement incorporates a tourbillon lever escapement first devised by Albert H. Potter – a talented American watchmaker who worked in Geneva in the late 19th century – as well as an unusual multi-axis tourbillon that utilises a carrousel for its outermost cage, christened the TriAx. The ingenious construction of the tourbillon is thanks to Mr Coudray, who now runs complications workshop TEC Ebauches and is best known for the numerous exotic tourbillon movements he has developed. After his two-decades at Jaeger-LeCoultre where he became the resident technical genius, Mr Coudray worked for several brands of varying levels of credibility, including at Cabestan where he perfected its vertical tourbillon, and more recently at Cecil Purnell, where he created the Spherion tri-axial tourbillon, which has a similar construction to the Thunderdome. Besides...

Up Close: Cartier Astromysterieux

In 2016, Cartier unveiled one of the most dramatic examples of an orbital regulator – the Astromysterieux – in which the entire movement was suspended in the oculus of the watch dial, mysteriously unencumbered by any visible support. The Astromysterieux sits in the same class of exotic regulators as the Ulysse Nardin Freak, Piaget Tourbillon Relatif, and Jean Dunand Tourbillon Orbital – and unsurprisingly, three of the four were conceived by the same watchmaker. Previously only available in palladium, the brand has now introduced a striking pink gold version with a black guilloche chapter ring. The dimensions of the watch remain unchanged – 43.5mm in diameter with a thickness of just 12mm, making it one of the thinnest, most elegant watches with such an unusual regulator. In the new pink gold version, the black guilloche chapter ring is paired with polished pink gold roman numerals and black Breguet-shaped hands, creating a remarkable contrast. But the true brilliance of the watch lies in the ingenious cal. 9462 MC, for which three patents were filed. The secret to the floating, mysterious movement is in the invisible gearing that is hidden behind the chapter ring. The movement is essentially baguette-shaped, with the minute hand fixed to the barrel bridge, and completes a full rotation on the dial in an hour. The central, carrousel tourbillon The basic idea of a tourbillon is to install the escapement in a mechanically driven platform in order to cr...

Intricately Nuanced Green in the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Grisaille Dragon

Christened “Récits de Voyages”, the Les Cabinotiers line-up for 2023 is all about captivating narratives told through unique timepieces, each recounting the historical expansion of the brand across diverse geographies. One of them evokes the mid-19th century when Vacheron Constantin forged its first commercial ties in China, reflecting the profound significance of the country for watchmaking in that era. The Les Cabinotiers Grisaille High Jewellery “Dragon” pays homage to that historical relationship. This extraordinary timepiece features a grisaille enamel dial in green – the technique almost always relies on greys and blacks instead – that showcases the mythical five-clawed dragon, once the symbol of the Chinese emperor. The artisanal enamel dial is contained within a case fully set baguette-cut diamonds, alongside one of the thinnest self-winding movements ever, the cal. 1120. Initial thoughts The dial of the Les Cabinotiers Dragon showcases the grisaille technique that offers a distinct, high contrast and a clear focus on the mythical subject. Departing from the conventional grisaille approach of a monochromatic palette of greys, Vacheron Constantin opted for a unique twist by employing shaded green enamel to depict the majestic dragon. The colour manages to give the dragon more life than compared to a traditional black-and-grey grisaille dial, while still retaining the discreet elegance that is characteristic of the technique. The result is remarkable and...

“I spat out my drink” – Zach’s honest reactions to 3 GPHG 2020 winners that make no sense

As with any awards show, there can be a discrepancy between which watches fans think should have won and the watches that actually win. And it has to be said that the divide between popular and GPHG opinion is something of a canyon these days, with mega-brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe curiously not making … ContinuedThe post “I spat out my drink” – Zach’s honest reactions to 3 GPHG 2020 winners that make no sense appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Taking another look at the curiously underrated Tudor Pelagos

For my 50th birthday my partner, Liz, asked me if there was anything from the Tudor range that I liked. This was incredibly impressive on two fronts. The first is that Liz is not really a watch person but has absorbed an awful lot of watch information just due to my obsession. Second, although I … ContinuedThe post Taking another look at the curiously underrated Tudor Pelagos appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

This curiously affordable gold Universal Genève owned by Elvis Presley is up for sale (again)

You may have heard the news that Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson contracted coronavirus while filming the untitled Elvis Presley biopic in Australia; they are both reportedly recovering well, but Elvis fanatics will be champing at the bit for the production to ramp back up. It, like life as we know it, has … ContinuedThe post This curiously affordable gold Universal Genève owned by Elvis Presley is up for sale (again) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vacheron Constantin Dances With Degas In Grand Feu Grisaille Enamel

There are some combinations that can only result in greatness, and one example will be that of Vacheron Constantin with Edgar Degas and Grand Feu Grisaille enamel. It definitely resulted in something magical. Most people are familiar with Degas’ paintings about Ballerinas, where his soft but deliberate brushstrokes captured the essence of ballet in a mystical […]

Beyond Time, Expressing Tales: The Curiously Intelligent Watches of Van Cleef & Arpels

Don't tar watchmaker Van Cleef & Arpels with the brush of bejewelled Quartz watches when they're making movements smarter than most calibres out there

Review – The Urwerk UR-150 Blue Scorpion, Streamlined, Redefined, Still with the Same Bite

Urwerk has spent nearly three decades rewriting the rules of how a wristwatch tells time. Since Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner founded the brand in 1997, the core idea has stayed very consistent: wandering satellite hours sweeping past retrograde minutes, executed as a sort of kinetic sculpture. Models like the UR-103 put the satellite carousel […]

Ulysse Nardin Illuminates the Freak S with Flinqué Enamel

Ulysse Nardin has revealed a new take on its flagship complication, the Freak S Enamel, now offered with a silvery titanium case and with the choice of either red or turquoise translucent flinqué enamel over an engine-turned guilloché dial. While mechanically unchanged, the cleaner case design and high-gloss dial plate transform the overall visual impression and intensify the focus on the central carousel, which serves as both the time display and the heart of the movement. A limited edition of 50 pieces in each colour, the enamel edition is the fourth member of the Freak S family, which was launched in 2022 as a higher-end, dual-balance evolution of the Freak Vision. Initial thoughts Since its debut a quarter century ago, the Freak collection has given Ulysse Nardin (UN) freedom to push the boundaries of movement design. While the usually crownless case and central carousel have become familiar over the years, each iteration still manages to feel like an experiment. The new enamel edition is the most aesthetically restrained Freak S yet; paradoxically, it also feels the most luxurious, trading exotic material combinations for polished titanium and brightly coloured enamel. The result is a watch that feels as radical as ever, but more refined. The 45 mm case, for example, is the simplest Freak S case to date: no carbon flanks, and no PVD coating. The traditional brushed and polished finish helps the large case fade into the background to allow the enamel dial and starshi...

New: Ulysse Nardin Freak X Crystalium

Unveiled at Geneva Watch Days 2025, the Ulysse Nardin Freak X Crystalium marks a new chapter in the brand’s ongoing exploration of mechanical and material innovation. Limited to just 50 pieces, this 43mm timepiece features a ruthenium-based Crystalium hour disc-each one uniquely formed through a vapor-deposition crystallization process. Priced at CHF 40,000, the watch pairs its shimmering dial with a black DLC-coated titanium case and the automatic UN-230 flying carousel movement.

Introducing – The New Ulysse Nardin Freak X Crystalium

Since 2001, the Ulysse Nardin Freak has embodied the brand’s boldest ideas, breaking from convention through its orbital carousel construction and pioneering use of silicon. Over the years, it has taken on many forms, from highly complex to artistically playful, always remaining a platform for innovation. In 2019, the Freak X brought Ulysse Nardin’s vision […]

New: Behrens x Konstantin Chaykin Kremlin Edition

Konstantin Chaykin and Behrens present a new collaboration...with a curiously notorious name: presenting the Kremlin Edition.

A. Lange & Söhne wraps the Zeitwerk Date in rose gold

Lange expands the Zeitwerk range with a new date model in rose gold, a material the German brand uses curiously infrequently.The post A. Lange & Söhne wraps the Zeitwerk Date in rose gold appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Ulysse Nardin Unveils Freak X with Grand Feu Enamel Dial

Ulysse Nardin’s entry-level Freak has been dressed up with a flinque enamel dial in a limited edition for Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the Middle East’s most prominent luxury watch retailer. The Freak X Enamel Seddiqi features a “Yas Blue” guilloché enamel dial with the signature carousel carrying an oversized oscillator and silicon escapement that acts as a minute hand. Initial thoughts The Freak X is a descendent of the original Freak, but simplified for user-friendliness and affordability. The Seddiqi edition combines the appeal of the Freak X with an artisan ally decorated dial – a combination of contrasts that are complementary. While the enamel might seem contrary to the high-tech nature of the Freak X, it complements the aesthetics of the watch. The striking, translucent enamel forms a pleasing backdrop for the carousel. Priced at AED154,000 or around US$42,000, the Freak X Enamel Seddiqi is a little more expensive than the base model Freak X, but still amongst the most affordable Freak models. Inversed calibre In 2001, Ulysse Nardin revolutionised watchmaking the Freak, a watch that reimagined the conventions of movement construction with an unprecedented design that relocated the going train and oscillator to double as the minute hand. And the watch was the first-ever application of silicon in watchmaking. The Freak X has the trademark carousel minute hand, but features a convenient automatic movement and crown, eliminating the need to wind the watch every f...

Introducing – The new Ulysse Nardin Freak X Enamel Seddiqi

In 2019, Ulysse Nardin introduced the Freak X, an entry-level to the innovative and convention-breaking Freak series, maintaining the brand’s “no-dial, no-hands” design, showcasing its signature flying carousel construction within the newly developed UN 230 movement. Though simpler than the original Freak and featuring a crown, the Freak X retained the DNA of its iconic […]

Hot Take: The Ulysse Nardin Freak X Enamel Seddiqi

The Ulysse Nardin Freak, with its open-worked dial and flying carousel movement, is one of the watch world’s most recognizable timepieces. It has also become a popular platform for collaborations. The latest of these is the new Freak X Enamel Seddiqi featuring a titanium case and guilloché dial. Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the leading luxury […] Visit Hot Take: The Ulysse Nardin Freak X Enamel Seddiqi to read the full article.

Breitling Unleashes A Slew Of New Navitimers, Including An Automatic Cosmonaute

Not to let its recent Aerospace B70 Orbiter hog the spotlight, Breitling is also unveiling a plethora of new Navitimers. Curiously, only one of these Navis is a chronograph, and it’s in the form of the limited-edition self-winding 18K red gold Cosmonaute. Considering there are nine other watches (double that with strap variants) without a […] Visit Breitling Unleashes A Slew Of New Navitimers, Including An Automatic Cosmonaute to read the full article.