Luxury Watch Post

Four years ago, Graham decided it was time to make a timepiece that was worthy of its namesake, famous British watchmaker George Graham. In order to do this, the brand partnered with renowned movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret (with whom it partnered on the development of Graham’s chronograph foudroyante). The result is the Automatic Chronofighter Trigger Tourbil-lograph, a combination of tourbillon and chronograph with a unique ‘British eccentric’ off-centre tourbillon.
The movement powering this timepiece is the Graham Caliber G1780, a tourbillon with column-wheel chronograph, known as ‘roue À colonne’ in French. Housed in a 46mm 18 carat 5N red gold case, the new Tourbillograph features a domed sapphire crystal on the front and a flat see-through back. The frequency of the new movement is 28,800, while the spiral, balance, escapement wheels and anchor are reinforced with an Incabloc anti-shock system. The Tourbillograph’s tourbillon cage weighs just 0.485 grams and is made of 48 pieces.
The Automatic Chronofighter Trigger Tourbil-lograph comes in five variations – Ruthenium, Havana, Raven Black, Carbon Black and All Black.

Since it was founded in 1963, Swiss Military – Hanowa has excelled in the production of watches that are both sporty and trendy. With its new “Revenge Dual Time”, the emblematic Swiss army brand combines these two attributes more strongly than ever before. First, there is the extremely practical second time zone that will appeal to a wider audience than just travellers, then the watch’s truly remarkable precision and robustness, and finally its large date and the fact that it is water-resistant to 100 metres.

If fine watchmaking today is about the secret life of time i.e. the mechanical movement and the craftspeople who build it, BNB Concepts S.A. in Switzerland would be Deep Throat.

Not a brand but a company responsible for mechanical innovations across many different brands, BNB Concepts is driven by the vision of CEO Matthias Buttet. In order to unlock further secrets from the vaults of timekeeping, Buttet came up with the Confrerie Horlogere in 2008 and enlisted seven craftspeople to its cause.

In 2009 at Basel World, the Companions of the Confrerie Horlogere showed off their first creations, as pictured here. On offer are Les Complications (limited to 10 pieces each), Les Classiques (small series) and Les Masters (unique or very small series).

Each watch is of course a reflection of the craftspeople who built it, not unlike Max Busser’s watches and those of the independent watchmakers. What’s also interesting here is that Buttet is offering a lifetime warranty for these pieces, showing just how committed he and his team are. Confrere Horlogere also guarantees that their watches use 100 percent Swiss parts.

By Ashok Soman

Schizophrenia has come to watchmaking, with brands using ultra-modern methods and facilities to create ultra-modern watches that masquerade as strictly traditional. For Max Busser, the charismatic leader of MB&F and bona fide watch creator, there are no such superficial gestures. “I make kinetic sculptures that happen to tell the time…watches that I myself would want to wear,” said Busser as he prepared to unveil his latest creation, the Horological Machine 3 or HM3.

In the press notes to the HM3, the MB&F press office warns that sensory overload is a strong possibility. The warning is appropriate, if a little too low-key, as the HM3 is truly overwhelming. First of all, this is really one watch with two distinct configurations: the Starcruiser and the Sidewinder. According to Busser, the Sidewinder came about because a prominent journalist to whom he showed a prototype of the Starcruiser said “wouldn’t it be cool if you flipped it (so that the twin cones face away from the wearer)?” Obviously, Busser agreed.

The second thing you will notice about the HM3 is that conservative (or born-again conservative) watch connoisseurs will be running for the hills in search of cover at the very sight of either the Starcruiser or the Sidewinder. In fact, these collectors are likely to have turned elsewhere the moment they saw the picture of the watch. This is a shame of course because the HM3 is neither a monstrosity nor superfluous. In fact, the HM3 is very practical.

Take a look at the Starcruiser. You will notice no doubt that time is told via a display on the twin cones. In this photograph for example, the time is 10.30am (note also the day/night indicator). There is also an oversized date wheel marking the months that is actually larger than the diameter of the movement. But wait, where’s the second time zone normally associated with a day/night indicator? Well, there isn’t one. The indicator simply provides an AM/PM display.
You can’t tell from the pictures but, in either configuration, the watch sits comfortably on just about any wrist, thanks to its clever design (s). Busser frequently talks about his slim wrists and that he wants to make the large size of contemporary watches more accessible to people like him. The HM3 continues this product evolution. Additionally, it is very easy to read off the time here, again depending on the configuration. For my money, I would say the Starcruiser has the edge but this is a matter of personal preference as both work quite well.

To be clear, just looking straight down at the watch, where a dial would normally be, will not give you the time effectively. You have to look at it from an angle, as if you were looking at the side of the case. Where most traditional watches reserve the front of the watch for the display of time, Max Busser decided that valuable real estate should go to showing off the movement. In itself, this is not unusual. What is more than a little unusual is Busser’s decision to eschew dial cut-outs, translucent dials and skeletonised movements. Instead, his brand has gone and inverted the movement so that the traditional sapphire caseback view has taken center stage at the front of the watch.

Now, this is not like making an upside down cake, where one simply cooks the cake in a pan and turns it over to complete the effect. In the case of the HM3, MB&F redesigned the entire gear train to create the watch. Basically, the double-bladed battle axe rotor performs its dizzying whirlwind attack to transmit power to the movement, which then transfers the timekeeping information back up to the twin cones rotor-side via large ceramic bearings. These bearings are visible via the caseback.

It is important to note that none of the HM3’s technical innovations improve the basic timekeeping properties of the watch. Busser is very clear that MB&F makes complicated machines that tell time, not necessarily more accurate or functional watches. This level of complicated craftsmanship is reflected in the case as well, particularly in the twin cones. These sapphire cones feature polished interior surfaces and are attached to the case via brazing, not epoxy. Busser often remarks that his cases are as challenging as his movements, if not more so.

The high-tech case of Horological Machine No. 3, both the Starcruiser and Sidewinder varieties, is available at present in 18K white gold and titanium or 18K red gold and titanium. Regardless of the material, every case also features a marriage of satin and polish finishes.

http://www.mbandf.com/

Legitimately proud of its Titanic-DNA collection dedicated to the world ‘s greatest maritime legend, Romain Jerome launches out into space in homage to the most fascinating human adventure of all : the conquest of space. Second legend from the « DNA of Famous Legends » concept, the Collection Moon Dust-DNA, limited to 1969 pieces, incorporate authentic elements from the aerospace universe such as moon dust as well as fragments of the Apollo XI and Soyuz space shuttles and the International Space Station ISS.

The watchmaking workshops of Daniel Roth in Le Sentier are awe-inspiring for collectors, in particular, the brand’s prowess with adapting base calibers and for its know-how with minute repeaters. However, Daniel Roth is no slouch when it comes to the chronograph.

The brand launched its first chronograph – an automatic column wheel piece – in 1990 and today continues to refine its expertise in this ever-popular complication. Read the rest of this entry »

Carl F. Bucherer opens a new dimension for those who travel in time: 1 watch, 3 time zones, 4 materials.

The result of this equation is a new image of time: part mechanical, with its original and simultaneous reading of 3 time zones, and part technical, with its subtle combination of some of the most noble materials – palladium, ceramic, titanium and rubber. Much more than a timepiece, this powerful-looking instrument is the smallest engineering masterpiece around.

Introducing the Br 01 Tourbillion Phantom by Bell & Ross! This unique timepiece is limited of 18 pieces world wide. This fantastic watch has a tourbillion movement with a carbon fibre mainplates and black gold tourbillion carriage associated to three additional complications. Has the regulator at 12 o’clock, hour’s counters at 12 o’clock and main central hand for the minutes. The BR 01 has 120- hours of power reserve! The reserve indicator is located at 9 o’clock with a black carbon fibre dial a titane case with a DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) unscratchable numerals. It’s hands and indexes with photoluminescent coating for night reading. Of course the unique timepiece is water-resistant: 100 meters.

Luxury Swiss watchmaking maison Audemars Piguet revealed the fruits of its research and development labors at the recently concluded Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. The watch itself is a time-only proposition, with power reserve indication (56 hours), but it is a horological masterpiece.

This is actually visible, since the escapement assembly (at 4 o’clock in the image) is meant to function dial-side. Given that it operates at 43,200 vibrations per hour and features the double balance spring direct-impulse escapement (revealed to the world in 2006), the visible action of this escapement is a treat.

With this series-production watch, Audemars Piguet demonstrates both the stability of their balance assembly and the necessary improved shock resistance. No information is available at present on the rate of the watch.

This is a massive 17 2/3 lignes movement, with the open three-dimensional aesthetic showing off the true scale of the engine. It also confirms the brand’s commitment to producing large watches, with this model cased in platinum 250 at 46mm. Given the current real estate of this movement, calibre 2908, it will be interesting to see how the brand executes a chronograph or perpetual calendar display.

Another very unique timepiece from Alain Silberstein called the Tourbillon Wild Safari. The case is titanium with a bronze PVD finish, gained with alligator skin. Alain Silberstein watches are generally very colorful as you can see in the picture.