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Cartier Dec 26, 2019

Hands-On: A. Lange & Söhne Tourbograph Dubail Edition

Before the monumental Grand Complication was launched in 2013 – essentially a wristwatch remake of a pocket watch sized like a pocket watch – the most complicated A. Lange & Söhne was the Tourbograph. Launched in 2005, it combined a split-seconds chronograph with a tourbillon regulator as well as a chain and fusee. A limited edition of 51 watches conceived as a tribute to the Günter Blümlein (1943-2001), revered for having reestablished A. Lange & Söhne after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Tourbograph was powered by the L903.0 movement, made up of 465 parts, excluding the tiny chain. Cased in platinum, it was the original Lange uber-complication; a later edition of 50 pieces had a honey gold case, followed by an even more complex version with a perpetual calendar. Same but different Level up But Lange went one better and made a singular example of the ultimate Tourbograph, which was the most expensive Lange at the time. This Tourbograph was a unique piece set with 202 diamonds on the case – including one brilliant-cut diamond on the crown – and 175 on the bracelet, for a total of 377 diamonds weighing 40.6 carats. Diamonds aside, it is also unique as the only Tourbograph known that’s fitted to a matching platinum bracelet. Unveiled in 2009, it was made for Dubail, destined for its flagship store – which opened just the year before – on the Place Vendome, the posh square in Paris that is home to the Hotel Ritz and grand French jewellers like Cartier and...

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Vacheron Constantin Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar Dec 23, 2019

The SJX Christmas Wishlist

I rarely write “listicles” but the holidays are always a good excuse for one: a run through of the year’s wants. It’s a wish list of watches I desire, and in a handful of instance bought, and not about the most significant or notable watches (which will be published just before the year’s end). Surprisingly the list is a pretty short one, and heavier on affordable watches than top of the line ones. That’s perhaps reflective of both the state of the industry – often saturated and occasionally unimaginative – and the fact that I’ve seen quite a lot. That being said, sometimes it’s the simple and affordable that surprises, like the Tudor P01, or something from an expected corner, like the Chanel Monsieur Edition Noire. High hopes Even for a price-is-no-object list there are barely any must-haves. The list of candidates was long, but most were crossed out for one reason or another. That also in part reflects the fact that the more expensive a watch is, the higher the standards it should be held to. The Vacheron Constantin Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar, for instance, is exceptionally interesting and smartly conceived, in fact, it’s one of the year’s best watch in terms of mechanics, but the design is a bit of a let down. Even in a more affordable tier of complicated watches, the wants come with caveats. The Hermes L’Heure de la Lune is unconventional and poetic, typically Hermes in style. Though its face is elegant, the case profile is less so; it is a ...

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Audemars Piguet François-Henry Bennahmias Dec 23, 2019

Interview: François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet

François-Henry Bennahmias is one of the most successful chief executives in Swiss watchmaking: since taking the top job at Audemars Piguet in 2012, revenues at the watchmaker have more than doubled, to well over a billion Swiss francs. He took some flak earlier this year with the high profile launch of an entirely new line, the Code 11.59, which was widely panned at the time. But Mr Bennahmias appears to have been partially vindicated after the unique Code 11.59 skeleton tourbillon (which I was surprisingly drawn to) sold for a million francs – more than four times its presale high estimate. But Mr Bennahmias does not seem to be the sort to look back reflectively, he is forging ahead full speed with rolling out new iterations of the Code 11.59, while also working on “huge” and “very cool” collaboration that will be announced in mid 2020. During a recent visit to Singapore a month ago, Mr Bennahmias discussed the Code 11.59, while dropping a few hints about an upcoming vintage remake, as well as the upcoming partnership. The interview was edited for clarity and length. I really like what you have done recently with the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Skeleton in black ceramic. At the same time, I hear that there are some updates and extensions planned for the Code 11.59 in 2020. Can you talk anything about that? No. [With a smile] Can you say anything about the Code 11.59 for Only Watch, which is a two-tone skeleton of sorts? I saw the watch in Geneva; two-tone doe...

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Richard Mille Dec 22, 2019

Hermès Introduces the Slim d’Hermès Cheval Ikat

The often quirky or abstract equestrian themes Hermès applies to its watches recently received an unusual twist: its newest pair of timepieces feature dials decorated in ikat, a traditional dyeing and weaving technique usually associated with Indonesian textiles. Characterised by individually dyed yarns and slightly fuzzy motifs, ikat has been given a touch of gold – literally – in the Slim d’Hermès Cheval Ikat. Combining the traditional art with modern technology, the dial is decorated with tiny threads, each the third the width of a human hair – some 1,165 of them in total. Each thread is secured on the dial at two points, creating a network of linear, perpendicular threads crisscrossing the dial that form a prancing horse. The ends of each thread sit in a laser-cut divot on the dial that’s been filled with a drop of 24k gold, which secures the thread while giving the dial a metallic glint. Offered in two variants – in white or rose gold with dark or light dials respectively – the Cheval Ikat is powered by the H1950, an extra-thin calibre with a micro-rotor made by Vaucher, a movement specialist part owned by Hermes that is probably best known for supplying movements to Richard Mille. Key facts and price Slim d’Hermès Cheval Ikat Diameter: 39.5mm Material: 18k white or rose gold Water-resistance: 30m Movement: H1950 Functions: Hours and minutes Winding: Automatic Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3Hz) Power reserve: 42 hours Strap: Alligator L...

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Dec 20, 2019

Editorial: Marco Lang on Being a (Newly) Independent Watchmaker

The label “independent watchmaking” does not come from watchmakers themselves. Rather, it is an attempt by collectors, and also journalists, to distinguish smaller watch manufacturers from larger luxury companies. The phrase usually refers to brands or makers that share certain qualities: being niche as opposed to mainstream; having highly creative products made in small quantities; often founded by watchmakers with high horological competence, who are also rather non-commercial, while possessing the idealistic philosophy of an artist. From this, the important question arises for the watch collector – are resulting timepieces fundamentally more valuable, particularly when compared to watches from big brands that are produced by the thousands and boosted by heavy marketing? That can only be answered by the collector. The watchmaker, on the other hand, has to balance the pros and cons of being an independent. Marco Lang in his workshop, located within his home. Photo – Marco Lang Going independent Starting up an independent watch brand is quite different from building a more conventional watch company. A watchmaker probably starts with a good idea and from that, builds a very unusual watch. He would like the world to know about his idea, so scrapes together all his savings – maybe even he savings of friends and family – and then exhibits his creation at a fair. The more business-minded watchmakers might think of market studies or analyse the competition. But some...

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Richard Mille Introduces Dec 19, 2019

Richard Mille Introduces the RM 33-02 Automatic

Originally introduced in 2011 as a round, dressy-ish watch that was distinct from most other Richard Mille watches, the RM 33 has now been revamped and looks like, well, other Richard Mille watches. The new RM 33-02 is still round, but is aggressively styled and executed in a striking combination of materials. Just as it is with Richard Mille’s better known tonneau-shaped watches, the RM 33-02 has an angular, notched bezel, while the case is a sandwich combining carbon composite and gold held together by large, visible screws. The bezel notches at six and 12 are continued onto the integrated rubber strap, which has a fin running down its length, accentuating the sporty look. The bezel and back are made of Carbon TPT, a carbon composite made by North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT), a Swiss materials specialist that supplies the material for all of Richard Mille’s composite cases. Layers of carbon fibre within the composite give it a distinctive, striped appearance that is now found on most Richard Mille watches. In between the carbon composite is a case middle in 18k red gold. Also in red gold are the large Arabic numerals, which sit on a pair of black-coated titanium rings mounted on the base plate of the movement – necessary because the watch has no dial. Despite the bold styling, the RM 33-02 is a relatively compact watch, measuring just 41.7mm in diameter, and a slim 8.8mm high. That’s thanks in part to the extra-thin RMXP1 movement inside. It’s an automatic that...

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Dec 19, 2019

Breaking News: ETA Movement Sales Halted by Swiss Authorities

News last weekend that Switzerland’s competition regulator, COMCO, also widely known by its German acronym Weko, was weighing a ban on ETA movement sales to third-party brands caused a major stir in the watch industry – and a terse, lengthy response from Swatch Group, ETA’s parent and Switzerland’s biggest watchmaking conglomerate. The move was ostensibly to allow alternatives to ETA – once Switzerland’s dominant supplier of mechanical movements – to develop. According to the Swatch Group, the ban was entirely without merit, especially given the fact that ETA was no longer the biggest supplier of movements to the industry. That title now belongs to Sellita, which supplied a million movements in 2019, compared to half the number for ETA. Now COMCO has formalised the year-long ban in an announcement that puts in place a “temporary suspension of the supply of [ETA] mechanical movements to customers”. The ban will be in force until COMCO makes its final decision by the summer of 2020. The ban, however, allows ETA to sell its movements to existing clients that are small- and medium-sized watch brands, defined as having less than 250 employees, which will probably be of little consolation to ETA. According to a Swatch Group spokesman quoted by Reuters, the majority of ETA’s movement sales are to companies with more than 250 employees, and as a result, ETA foresees it won’t be able to sell any movements next year. According to the statement, the ban is foun...

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Roger W. Smith Dec 18, 2019

Recommended Watching: Roger W. Smith Explains History of the Mechanical Watch

Just over two weeks ago the annual George Daniels lecture took place at the City University of London, an institution supported by the late watchmaker’s charitable trust. This year’s speaker at the sold-out event was none other than Roger W. Smith, protege and successor to Daniels. Just over an hour long, including questions, the lecture is erudite, accessible and packed with nerdy trivia, like the fact that a movement running at 28,800 beats per hour will make 252,288,000 vibrations per year. Roger explained the history and rationale behind the mechanical watch, and how watchmakers are working to improve it even today. That naturally led into the lubrication-free co-axial escapement invented by Daniels (pictured above), which Roger delves into in a satisfyingly detailed manner, like comparing the sliding friction of a lever escapement against the tangential impulse of the co-axial. Fortunately, the entire proceedings were recorded and are now available online:  

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Cartier Dec 18, 2019

Tudor Extends Warranty on All Watches to 5 Years

In keeping with the lengthening guarantee periods throughout the watch industry – eight years at Cartier and most other Richemont brands, and five years at Rolex and Omega – Tudor has just announced the guarantee period for all its watches is now five years, for all watches sold from January 1, 2020 onwards. But owners of recently purchased Tudor watches will also get a warranty enhancement: all watches sold from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 get an 18-month warranty extension, in addition to the existing two-years, for a total of three and a half years, or 42 months. Watches sold before July 1, 2018 retain the unchanged, two-year warranty. The Tudor Black Bay Chrono Dark Tudor’s warranty extension further enhances the value inherent in its remarkably well-made and well-priced watches, which are amongst the best value propositions on the market today. The warranty extension is unsurprising, not only because of the competition, but also because Tudor watches – particularly those powered by its in-house movements – are extensively tested and notably reliable.  

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Patek Philippe Dec 18, 2019

Editorial: The Meaning of Quality in Vintage Watches

There are endless ways to collect in any category of art and collectibles, including watches. The easiest way is to buy whatever strikes one’s fancy, as a hobbyist’s pastime. Carried on over an extended period of time, one is bound to possess a sizeable collection, a mixed bag consisting of nice and, more likely than not, middling objects. But is this the best way? The alternative – and far more meaningful – way to collect, is the focus on quality. But just what, one may ask, is “quality”? In this day and age, it is a word thrown around a lot, by laymen, dealers, and collectors alike. To me, “quality”, first and foremost, refers to the significance of a given object. For the most serious collectors of timepieces made by Rolex and Patek Philippe – the two most important manufactures in watchmaking due to their continuous histories of producing illustrious craft – it entails the pursuit of models that are the most significant both aesthetically and technically.  At the pinnacle of Rolex collecting lies the ref. 6062. Debuted at the Basel fair in 1950, the 6062 was the world’s first waterproof, self-winding wristwatch with complete calendar and moon phase (pictured at top, a steel Rolex ref. 6062 from 1953). One of only two original Rolex models with moon phase – the other being the non-waterproof ref. 8171 with snap-back case – the 6062 represented the epitome of postwar Rolex watchmaking: a complicated yet robust and accurate automatic movement s...

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Panerai Radiomir 8 Days 45mm Dec 17, 2019

Hands-On: Panerai Radiomir 8 Days 45mm PAM 992

Panerai has gently eased itself towards a focus on more civilian sports watches, as opposed to retro-navy diver instrument remakes, since chief executive Jean-Marc Pontroué took the helm in 2018. So its most recent releases this year include the extra-thin Luminor Due in titanium, along with commemorative editions for the America’s Cup yacht race. But Panerai is still keeping one eye on its Marina Militare heritage, exemplified by the pair of Radiomir watches unveiled last month, the most interesting of which is the Radiomir 8 Days 45mm (PAM00992). It has a vintage-esque style – not really a one for one remake – combined with an in-house, eight-day movement and a relatively accessible price of US$8,500. Most unusually, the steel case has a faux aged finish that Panerai is trying for the first time. Marina Militare The new Radiomir is not a remake of a vintage Panerai, but rather it’s a mix-and-match of various elements, including the engraved logo and “8 Giorni” emblem at three. Traditionalists might find it impure, but that was essentially the founding formula for the modern Panerai company. The result is a good-looking watch that approximates the look of a vintage Panerai while offering modern conveniences like a long power reserve. Even though it’s a large watch – the case is 45mm – it’s smallish by Panerai standards, since the military-style Panerai watches are usually 47mm. But it is big enough to look like a Panerai, and it wears well for a 45mm...

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Parmigiani Fleurier has created Dec 17, 2019

Parmigiani Introduces the Hijri Perpetual Calendar

The conventional calendar used in most of the world is the Gregorian calendar, which has 365 days and an extra day in February every leap year. Consequently, and quite sensibly, almost all calendar watches display the Gregorian calendar. But there are other calendars used by various cultures and countries, like the Japanese calendar used for its Imperial eras, and also the Islamic, or Hijri, calendar. And now for the very first time, Parmigiani Fleurier has created a wristwatch with a Hijri perpetual calendar. Founded in 1996 by watchmaker Michel Parmigiani, the brand has long been synonymous with inventive and complex watches, most notably the supercar-inspired Bugatti timepieces. In 2011, the brand unveiled the Hijri calendar table clock, a US$2.5 million creation elaborately constructed in silver, rock crystal and semiprecious stone. Now Parmigiani has refined the concept and miniaturised it for the wrist with the Tonda Hijri Perpetual Calendar. A lunar calendar Made up of 12 lunar months and used to track important dates and events in Islam, the Hijri calendar differs from the common Gregorian Calendar in being a lunar calendar, one based on the cycles of the moon, and not Earth’s revolution around the sun. Its 12 months have either 29 or 30 days, resulting in a year that’s between 10 and 12 days shorter than the conventional 365-day year. The Islamic calendar began in 622 AD when the Prophet Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina, both in present-day Saudi Arabia, ...

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces Dec 17, 2019

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Atmos Transparente

As crucial to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s identity as the swivelling Reverso wristwatch, the Atmos clock remains a unique and intriguing invention almost a century after its invention – a clock that runs on air. Having been offered in a variety of iterations over the years, including several by industrial designer Marc Newson, the latest is the Atmos Transparente, a clean, modernist reinterpretation of a longstanding model in the line-up. Despite being synonymous with Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Atmos was actually invented by someone else, who was inspired by a much older idea. Clocks wound by changes in atmospheric temperature were invented sometime in the 17th century, but remained largely experimental until French engineer Jean-Léon Reutter invented the Atmos in 1928. His idea was actually an evolution on the 400-day clock, which is regulated by an exceptionally slow pendulum and need only be wound once a year. The magic of air The genius of Reutter’s invention was a sealed metal bellows containing mercury, which expanded and contracted with changes in temperature, thus winding the clock’s mainspring. Despite its novelty, Reutter’s clock met with little commercial success – early Atmos clocks marked “J.L. Reutter” are rare but not especially valuable – leading him to sell the idea to LeCoultre in 1935 (and two years later the company joined forces with Edmond Jaeger to form Jaeger-LeCoultre). The company refined his concept, with the key improvement being the repl...

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Hermes did Dec 16, 2019

Hermès Introduces a Duo in Delicate Wood Marquetry

In its usual tasteful yet quirky style, Hermès has unveiled a pair of wristwatches featuring dials decorated in wood marquetry,  tiny pieces of exotic woods assembled like a puzzle to form striking, abstract motifs; last year Hermes did the same in leather. Created by a young French marquetry artist, the dials start with a line drawing on tracing paper, which is then digitised and scaled down to the size of the dial. The reduced drawing is then printed out and cut into its component parts with a scalpel, forming the pattern for cutting. Each piece is then glued to a thin slice of exotic wood that is then cut with a small electric fret saw. The resulting bits of wood are then assembled with a tweezer, and occasional gentle hammering, before the dials are sanded and varnished, making them seem like an unbroken whole. Monochromatic yet intriguing enough to make you look twice, the Arceau Astrologie Nouvelle reproduces the pattern from the silk scarf of the same name. The original Astrologie scarf featured a classical star chart, but in 2012 designer Cyrille Diatkine reinterpreted the motif – nouvelle is French for “new” – breaking it up into alternating and inverted segments. The Astrologie Nouvelle motif has been recreated using tulipwood, a wood that can vary in colour from white to dark blue according to Hermès, resulting in the contrasting colours of the dial. Its case is 41mm and 18k white gold, containing the H1837 automatic made by Vaucher, a movement maker...

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Longines unveiled Dec 16, 2019

Marnaut Introduces the Seascape 200 “Super Compressor” Diver

A retro-inspired dive watch that’s been popular since Longines unveiled the first Legend Diver in 2007, the “Super Compressor” is characterised by two crowns, one for the winding and setting, and the other to rotate the inner bezel. The latest brand to get on the “Super Compressor” bandwagon is Marnaut, which just launched the Seascape 200 on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Founded by a Croatian watch enthusiast with an eye for detail, Marnaut’s design is centred on a simple but distinctive feature – circular, applied markers radiating outwards on the dial – 34 markers in total – inspired by the shell of a sea urchin. The rest of the dial is typical of retro-style dive watches, with large hands and an inner elapsed time bezel with a vintage-inspired serif font. And that is complemented by the perforated rubber strap modelled on vintage “tropic” bands. The steel case is a compact 40mm in diameter, but somewhat thick at 13mm high. As is convention for a “Super Compressor” the crown at four is for winding and setting, while the crown at two rotates the bezel. But the “Super Compressor” nickname has nothing to do with the crowns – Super-Compressor (as well as Compressor) was a type of water-resistant watch case patented by defunct case maker E. Piquerez SA (EPSA), which had a unique sprung, screw-down case back that sealed tighter against the watch case with growing atmospheric pressure as depth increased. Like all crowdfunded watches at thi...

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Dec 15, 2019

Business News: Swiss Authorities Weigh ETA Sales Ban

According to Swiss newspaper Schweiz am Wochenende (via Reuters), Switzerland’s Competition Commission, a federal body that oversees competition and antitrust matters, is considering an outright ban of movements sales by ETA to third parties, in other words brands outside of the Swatch Group, starting January 2020. Also known as COMCO, or its German acronym WEKO, the agency is expected to deliver a verdict on December 19 . No explicit reason was cited for the potential ban, but it was implied that a recent COMCO report on the industry structure of the movement business is the reason. It is possible that COMCO believes the number of alternatives to ETA is sufficient that the watch industry would be better served over the long term by forcing watch brands to switch away from ETA. COMCO has long tussled with Switzerland’s biggest movement maker, in a dispute that began 17 years ago, when ETA announced it would gradually halt sales of ebauches, or movement blanks, to brands not owned by its parent company, Swatch Group. Because ETA was, and still is, Switzerland’s largest movement, reputedly producing some five million movements a year, its decision was regarded by COMCO as anticompetitive. And the wider Swatch Group – which is the country’s largest watchmaking conglomerate – produces perhaps a third of the components needed for watch movements in the entire industry. In the subsequent years ETA and COMCO reached various agreements over movement supply, with the l...

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Dec 13, 2019

Up Close: J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series

An educator by profession, Josh Shapiro had a longtime interest in watchmaking, which sharpened into a pursuit of traditional engine turning in 2013. After several years of practice – and a roomful of guilloche machines – the self-taught guillocheur and watchmaker produced a handful of dials for American watchmaker David Walter in 2016. And last year Josh launched his own brand, J.N. Shapiro, which he now pursues full-time, while remaining a part-time vice principal at a high school in Los Angeles. His debut watch was the Infinity Series, named after the Infinity Weave, a proprietary guilloche pattern he invented. The first J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series delivered, the watch pictured here, was finished earlier this year – and is numbered “N.01”. Though Josh offers a variety of options for the case and dial colours, this watch hews closely to the prototype, with a rose gold case, silver dial, and blue hands. It’s important to note this is actually the first watch Josh sold, and consequently shows some of the inevitable inconsistencies of a watchmaker’s early work. There are a couple of stray marks and burrs on the dial, and a bit of lint, but the early work of independent watchmakers is usually inconsistent, which is part of the hand-finished charm, and also proof of how artisans evolve. Josh’s subsequent dials have improved tremendously. Josh Shapiro with one of his straight-line machines. Photo – J.N. Shapiro The Infinity Series has a simple but effect...

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Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Dec 13, 2019

Up Close: Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater ‘Romantic Note’

Vacheron Constantin’s annual collection of one-off and custom haute horlogerie watches was titled La Musique du Temps this year, being most made up of minute repeaters. They ranged from the strikingly simple to exceedingly ornate, with one of the prime examples of simplicity being the Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Ultra-Thin ‘Romantic Note’. Being one of two time-only minute repeaters in the collection – the other is ‘Dance of the Gemstones’ – the Romantic Note is essentially a variant of the regular-production Calibre 1731 repeater. It’s a large but elegantly proportioned watch, measuring 41mm by 8.5mm, so it sits wide but flat on the wrist. Though not overly large, the watch would be a bit more elegant if it were smaller. On a small wrist the wide-but-flat proportions can resemble a dinner plate. The smallest case size possible, given the diameter of the movement, is about 39mm, which would have given the watch a more tangible vintage feel. Design-wise the case is simple, which suits the watch well. The styling is taken from the Traditionnelle line, meaning it is relatively angular, with lots of flat surfaces when viewed from the front, which is deceptively simple. Much of the case detail lies in its profile – the case band has a single, lengthwise step, along with lugs inspired by the Maltese cross, the company’s logo. And the case back has a fluted edge as a design feature, being a snap-on, rather than screw-down back. Though the case design is fo...

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Breitling Introduces Dec 12, 2019

Breitling Introduces the Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Edition

The entry-level model in Breitling’s Navitimer line, the Navitimer 41 is a three-hander with date – plus the Navitimer’s trademark circular slide rule bezel. Already available in a variety of guises, it’s now available in a small, 36-piece run for Breitling’s Southeast Asian boutiques, with a blue dial and red gold bezel. The Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Boutique Edition has a 41mm steel case, but dressed up with the rotating bezel in 18k red gold. As with all current Navitimers, the bezel has a “beads of rice” rim, a detail taken from the first generation Navitimer of the 1950s that was later replaced by a more functional knurled edge. To match the bezel, the hands and hour markers are plated in red gold, while the dial is a deep metallic blue. Though not available on the Navitimer prior to this, the combination is a familiar, having been used by numerous brands in recent years, especially with blue dials being fashionable now. And the movement inside the Breitling 17, which is a rebadged ETA 2824, a robust, no-frills movement, here with a COSC chronometer certification. The SE Asia edition is limited to 36 pieces, and not 50 as engraved on the case back of the prototype above Key facts and price Navitimer Automatic 41 Southeast Asia Boutique Edition Diameter: 41mm Height: 10mm Material: Steel with 18k red gold bezel Water resistance: 30m Movement: Breitling 17 (ETA 2824) Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, and date Winding: Automatic Freque...

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Tissot T-Complication Squelette Tissot has Dec 11, 2019

Hands-on: Tissot T-Complication Squelette

Tissot has a stellar reputation for well-made watches at notably affordable prices, like the recent Ballade Powermatic 80 or Heritage Petite Second. Switzerland’s biggest watchmaker by production, Tissot maintains a vast portfolio of vintage-inspired, dress and technology-focused watches, including a skeleton wristwatch with modern styling. Skeletonised watches are intriguing as the intricate mechanics that make a movement tick are front and centre. Combining both aesthetics and mechanics can be a tough nut to crack, however, as legibility in particular suffers when a movement is open-worked. Tissot managed to nail both looks and legibility with the T-Complication Squelette, which retails for a little under US$2000. At 43mm in diameter and 12mm high, the T-Complication Squelette is a sizeable watch on the wrist – it has presence – but also an expansive canvas of gears and springs. The stainless steel case is fully brushed with substantial “horn” lugs, and a handful of interesting details that contribute to its character. Most notably is the asymmetry on its upper right flank that is not initially obvious. The case subtly widens from the crown to the top-right lug, filling the angular space between the lug and case that’s present on the other three lugs. And the signed crown has an interesting knurled pattern reminiscent of a turbine, creating a subtle mechanical motif that is echoed in the movement. The bezel is relatively narrow and simply gets out of the way....

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Blancpain Introduces Dec 11, 2019

Blancpain Introduces the Villeret Ultraplate in Platinum

Originally introduced in stainless steel and red gold earlier in the year, Blancpain has just unveiled the top of the line Villeret Ultraplate 6605, now in platinum with a deep blue dial in an 88-piece limited edition. Ultra plate is French for “ultra flat”, and it aptly describes the line, which includes both automatic and hand-wound models. The new Villeret Ultraplate 6605 is essentially the hand-wound, time-only version of the self-winding (plus date) Ultraplate 6223 that’s a decades-old mainstay in the Blancpain line-up. At 40mm wide and just 7.39mm high, the Ultraplate 6605 is compact on both dimensions and exceedingly elegant. It’s also slightly larger but thinner than the automatic 6223. Entirely polished, the platinum case is done in typical Blancpain style, with a thin, double-stepped bezel and slim, short lugs that allow the watch to wear smaller than expected. The deep blue dial has a simple sun-ray finish and features applied Roman numerals in white gold, along with a pair of elegant, open-worked leaf-shaped hands – a tiny detail but one that lightens the dial. Powering the watch is the hand-wound cal. 11A4B. Though a new movement, it is based on the automatic Frederic Piguet cal. 1150 introduced in 1988. The 11A4B is essentially an enlarged, hand-wind variant of the cal. 1150, with a diameter of 27.8m versus the 1150’s 26.2mm. Some of the enlargement is thanks to wider base plate and bridges, while retaining the original architecture – explain...

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Hamilton Big Pilot’s Watch Dec 10, 2019

IWC Introduces the “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar

To mark British racing driver Lewis Hamilton’s sixth Formula 1 World Championship, IWC has unveiled the “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition. One of the most striking executions of the Big Pilot to date, the watch departs from the subdued, technical colours that characterise the line – which was inspired by German airforce navigators’ watches of the Second World War – and instead opts for a Bordeaux dial and pink gold accents. Measuring 46.5mm wide and 15.9mm high, the case is made of matte black ceramic, which accentuates its burgundy dial while downplaying its massive dimensions – though the watch is hard to miss on the wrist. The richly coloured dial is combined with a pink-gold crown and case back, while the hands are gold-plated and filled with cream-coloured Super-Luminova. All the indications are also printed in a golden hue, along with a black four-digit year disc and moons, matching the case. Visible through the case back is the in-house, automatic cal. 52615, which sports a solid pink-gold rotor. It features the brand’s trademark Pellaton winding system, a 7-day power reserve courtesy of twin barrels and most crucially, the landmark perpetual calendar module invented by IWC’s longtime technical guru Kurt Klaus. The perpetual calendar tracks the day, day of the week, date, month, four-digit year, with both northern and southern hemispheres moon phases displayed concurrently. All indications advance in a coordinated sequ...

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Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette Dec 9, 2019

Up Close: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395

In terms of press, Breguet’s most significant watch of the year is a relatively simple one, the Type 20 for Only Watch, which sold for 210,000 Swiss francs at the charity auction, or just over four times the high estimate. But the most significant watch in terms of haute horlogerie is the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395. The ref. 5395 a large, thin, and ornate watch that’s actually a variant of the large, thin, and simple ref. 5367 introduced two years ago. More elaborate than the typical Breguet, the ref. 5395 is beautifully executed, down to the smallest elements, like the blued-gold hobnail hour markers or mirror-polished countersinks. But most importantly, the movement within is finished exceedingly well – by hand – to a level that’s a cut above the average Breguet complication. Most of that is obvious in the photos below. Graceful proportions At 41mm and just 7.7mm high – thinner than the 8.1mm Royal Oak “Jumbo” – the ref. 5395 sits elegant and flat on the wrist.  Compared to larger, and usually more complicated, Breguet watches, this feels like what a classical Breguet should be. Because of its diameter, however, it can look like a dinner plate on smaller wrists. And the ref. 5395 doesn’t work on hairy wrists either, because the skeletonisation leaves a wide gap in between the bridges. That’s because the skeletonisation of the cal. 581SQ inside is extreme; according to Breguet some 50% of the movement’s mass was removed. And th...

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Patek Philippe Ref 2499 Dec 8, 2019

The Mysterious Patek Philippe Ref. 2499 with a Vichet Case and Round Pushers

Watches that are historical curiosities often make for good stories, and sometimes record-setting prices. The Patek Philippe ref. 2499 at Phillips’ upcoming New York sale, as it happens, is one such watch. Rare and usually expensive, the ref. 2499 is not the first perpetual-calendar chronograph made by Patek Philippe – that distinction goes to the smaller ref. 1518 – but it’s the most desirable, broadly speaking, because it has a largish case well suited to modern tastes. Introduced in 1950, the model is regarded to have been produced in four distinct series, each distinguished by various details like the shape of the pushers and the dial. The first series ref. 2499 is characterised by square, or rectangular, pushers, applied Arabic numerals on the dial, which also has a tachymetre on its periphery. For approximately the first two years of its production, the ref. 2499 relied on cases made by Emile Vichet, a Geneva specialist that was the go-to case maker for Patek Philippe during the period. Vichet case, round buttons. Image – Phillips Vichet and Wenger Vichet cases feature distinctive lugs, usually described as claw-like, which are elongated and curve sharply downwards. And because Vichet cases have a flat, as opposed to domed, case back, they sit slightly elevated, on the the tips of each lug, when placed on a table. The number of 2499s with Vichet cases is tiny: around four known in pink gold, and about 10 in yellow gold. Though Vichet went out of business i...

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Breguet Skeleton 30-Day Constant Force Dec 7, 2019

Auction Watch: Breguet Skeleton 30-Day, Constant Force Clock by Philippe René Jaccard

One of the most intriguing timepieces being offered in the final run of watch auctions for 2019 is not a wristwatch, but an incredibly rare table clock made by Breguet in 1934 that’s going under the hammer at Christie’s. It hardly looks like a typical Breguet – having no engine-turning or gilding or blued steel hands – but is remarkably striking, with a skeletonised, architectural movement that is modern-looking despite being 85 years old. Abraham-Louis Breguet is rightly regarded as one of the most important watchmakers in history, whose inventions range from the natural escapement to the tourbillon, while being commercially savvy enough to become a leading watchmaker to the Ottoman Empire. But his descendants ventured into other businesses by the mid 19th century, most notably aviation, so the watchmaking operation was sold by Louis-Clément Breguet, grandson of Abraham-Louis, in 1870 to English watchmaker Edward Brown. The Browns kept the workshop in Paris, though it moved several times over the decades. During the century that the Brown family ran Breguet – Brown’s grandson George sold the company to French jeweller Chaumet in 1969 – the firm mostly retained the signature Breguet style and produced a large variety of timepieces, but in tiny quantities, often relying on external specialists for movements and components. Timepiece no. 3142 This clock is one such timepiece from the period. A unique piece according to the accompanying Breguet museum archive...

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Audemars Piguet SE Asia Audemars Piguet Dec 7, 2019

Business News: Stefanie Ng Appointed CEO of Audemars Piguet SE Asia

Audemars Piguet (AP) recently named Stefanie Ng to lead its operations in Southeast Asia, India and Australia. She succeeds Jonathan King, who departed the brand in April 2019. Having started her career at Swatch Group, Ms Ng joined AP in 2012 as marketing manager for the region, where she helped execute projects like the Royal Oak 40th anniversary exhibition and a giant floral clock at Gardens by the Bay. The past two years have been formative for the brand, both in Asia and the wider world, as it has steadily trimmed its third-party distribution while growing sales within its own stores, making the marketing efforts of Ms Ng and her team vital, particularly with the launch of the all-new Code 11.59 collection earlier this year. As chief executive, Ms Ng will work alongside two board members of AP, which is unusual amongst Swiss watchmakers in having shareholders resident in Singapore: Oliviero Bottinelli, whose family inherited its stake from former AP chief executive Georges Golay (1921-1987), and Sunil Amarasuriya, who was once the distributor for AP in the region and acquired a minority stake in 1990. The Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 tourbillon made for Only Watch, which sold for a record 1m Swiss francs at the charity auction in November Though the watch industry in the region, like that back home in Switzerland, is dominated by men, it’s noteworthy that two of the most important brands – coincidentally both family owned – are now run by women. The Patek Philipp...

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Vacheron Constantin Overseas prototype Dec 6, 2019

Highlights: A Patek Philippe Trio at Phillips’ New York Auction

The final watch auctions of the year take place in New York, and as usual Phillips is staging a thematic sale. Titled Game Changers, the auction is made up of watches owned by game-changing celebrities like Marlon Brando and Jack Nicklaus, or timepieces that were game changers in the horological landscape, like the F.P. Journe Octa Reserve de Marche prototype. Also in the sale is a would-be game changer: the Vacheron Constantin Overseas prototype in titanium, not yet a game changer since it has not been put into production, but being the coolest Overseas to date, it probably will. And also worth a look is the vintage Heuer Monaco with a hand-finished movement that’s being sold for charity. But this article is about a handful of Patek Philippe watches, including the sale’s top lot, a ref. 1518 “pink on pink”, as well as a less expensive but more intriguing skeleton pocket watch with paillonnee enamel decoration. The ref. 899 pocket watch decorated with blue enamel and paillons Lot 38 – Patek Philippe ref. 530 chronograph The ref. 530 is a desirable model because it’s oversized for a vintage watch – the case is 36.5mm in diameter – giving it proportions that are quite modern. And the ref. 530 is rare, although a several examples have come up at recent auctions. They sold for moderate prices, for varying reasons and perhaps a general market softness, so this one might be a chance to land a ref. 530 for a reasonable price. This example is attractive. The dial ...

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Greubel Forsey GMT Sport Even within Dec 5, 2019

Hands-On: Greubel Forsey GMT Sport

Even within the rarefied realm of haute horlogerie, Greubel Forsey has taken watchmaking to a level of craft few others can match – not just in terms of finishing, but innovation in chronometry while also establishing its own inimitable, three-dimensional aesthetic. And now, the brand has combined all of that onto its first sports watch – the GMT Sport. While nearly identical to the existing GMT in terms of function, combining a world time with an inclined tourbillon, the GMT Sport looks nothing like any other Greubel Forsey. And its movement is mostly made of titanium, having been reconstructed to fit into the new ovoid case. Despite being strikingly different, the watch is tremendously impressive on many fronts, especially in its finishing and construction. The new look Depth rated to 100m, the GMT Sport is a large watch that is organic in shape, with no right angles, a handful of edges, and only few flat surfaces. But it has a mechanical-looking style, with lugs secured to the case by visible screws and prominent pushers. The construction is complex and masterful, with the most unusual feature being the crystal and bezel, which are curved on multiple planes. When viewed from the top, the case appears circular, but it is in fact, tonneau-shaped with an oval bezel that is curved vertically from 12 to six o’clock. To fit the curvature of the case, the crystal is also oval-shaped and curved, which further highlights the architectural depth of the movement. The circ...

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Omega Introduces Dec 5, 2019

Omega Introduces the Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition

Omega has just revealed the watch that will be strapped to the wrist of 007 in No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s fifth movie playing James Bond that will open in April 2020. Developed with the actor’s input – he apparently likes vintage watches – the Seamaster Diver 300M 007 draws inspiration from vintage British military-issue watches, while offering modern functionality with a lightweight titanium case and high-spec movement. And unlike the James Bond editions to date – of which there are many – this is part of the regular collection. “When working with Omega, we decided that a lightweight watch would be key for a military man like 007,” says Mr Craig, quoted in the announcement for the watch, “I also suggested some vintage touches and colour to give the watch a unique edge.” Very vintage Worn on a mesh bracelet in the film but also available on a NATO strap, the watch is a 42mm Seamaster Diver 300M that’s entirely in titanium, bracelet included. But the styling goes all out – to the extreme – in being faux vintage. The dial and bezel insert are made of anodised aluminium in a dark brown to replicate the “tropical” look of vintage watches. According to Omega, the aluminium parts will fade over time – albeit over decades rather than years – for a bona fide tropical look. And the hands, numerals and indices are filled with eggshell-coloured Super-Luminova to mimic the appearance of radium “lume” on vintage watches. Military issue and prou...

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Patek Philippe Dec 5, 2019

Hands-On: Longines Heritage Classic “Sector” Dial

Longines ended the year with two spot-on vintage remakes, the just-launched Heritage Military 1938 and the earlier Heritage Classic “sector” dial that’s just arrived in stores. The Heritage Classic is based on a 1934 Longines wristwatch with dial style known as “sector” or “scientific”. Fashionable today because of its distinctive yet retro look, the sector dial was fairly common in the early 20th century, being found on both pocket- and wristwatches made by a variety of brands, ranging from Patek Philippe to Zenith. So Longines doesn’t have any special claim to the design, but with a retail of just over US$2000, its sector-dial remake is arguably the bang for the buck. At 38.5mm in diameter the Heritage Classic is compact and wears well. It’s slightly larger than the vintage originals – typically 35mm or so, while rarely and expensively 37mm or larger – but not by much. Because the case diameter has been kept smallish by modern standards, the sub-seconds at six is correctly positioned, unlike on most remakes that match large cases with small movements. While the seconds sits closer to the centre of the dial than on the vintage original, the dial still looks correctly laid out with good balance. The remake (left), and the original from 1934 that’s in the Longines museum. Image – Longines Besides the diameter, the case profile is also well done. At 10mm, the height is proportional to the diameter, with a fairly high, single-step bezel and a slim c...

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