REVOLUTION_International_Vol 56
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CELEBRATING THE MACHINE WITH A HEARTBEAT
INTERNATIONAL VOL. 56
PANERAI — THE YEAR OF THE LUMINOR MARINA
USA ISSUE 03 FALL 2020
AGUIDETOTHE
CARTIER PASHA
THE STORY OF
LAURENT FERRIER
A TUDOR BLACK
BAY STEEPED IN
HISTORY
SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
IN A NEW AGE
PANERAI
The Year of the Luminor Marina
FALL 2020 $14.95US
USA 03
2020-08-17 11:16 AM
10.10am on a NYC rooftop.
N 40° 45’ 31’’ W 73° 58’ 43’’.
Starting at USD 44’000.
www.grand-seiko.com/us-en
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TIME INSTRUMENTS
FROM THE COCKPIT TO THE WRIST
The substance of the object is function. Utilitarian elements shape the product and make it strong.
Bell & Ross watches meet four basic design principles: legibility, functionality, precision and reliability.
DIVER FULL LUM
Automatic 42mm 300m water-resistant bellross.com
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PANERAI:
The style and
history of the
Luminor Marina
COVER STORY
SPLIT SECONDS
18 Spotlight - Patek Philippe
26 Debuts from Montblanc, Longines, and more
44 Openwork dials exposed; Re-focus on ladies
48 Trash day; Upscale salmon; Still/home life
60 Sustainability’s day of reckoning;
Q&A: Hublot’s Ricardo Guadalupe
66 Behind the scenes with Watchfinder
THE FEATURES
82 The Cartier Pasha lives on
90 Dior lifts the mask on Haute Couture watchmaking
96 GirardPerregauxfacesthefuture
104 The history behind Tudor’s latest release
112 The undeniable cool of the Rolex King Midas
142 Gentlemen drivers hit the road
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THE MAN, THE MYTH,
THE LEGEND
118
LAURENT FERRIER
From Le Mans to Plan-les-Ouates
CALIBER RM 037
COLLECTING
152 Mechanical marvel: Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 920
160 California dreaming with J.N. Shapiro
166 Watchfinder highlights
168 Introducing The Rake & Revolution Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin
172 The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT for The Rake & Revolution
176 Final Thoughts: Hublot x Italia Independent
RICHARD MILLE BOUTIQUES
ASPEN BAL HARBOUR BEVERLY HILLS BOSTON BUENOS AIRES
CHICAGO LAS VEGAS MIAMI NEW YORK ST. BARTH VANCOUVER
www.richardmille.com
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FOUNDER’S NOTE
’ve been thinking about how our tastes as watch collectors will
be shaped by the crazy roller-coaster ride of 2020, which,
as I write this, coincides with second and even third waves of
resurgences of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world.
And my takeaway is this. First, it is absolutely incredible to me
how so many people think that not wearing a mask, socializing
in groups, arms around each other at dinner venues like chorus girls,
gyrating en masse at nightclubs and beaches while hosing each other
down with an Old Testament deluge of vapor molecules directly into
each other’s eyes, mouths, noses and, yes, lungs is totally unrelated to the
staggering, skyrocketing increase in infections that’s happening around
the world. Sorry, that was just a bit of me venting. Because as someone
who is normally caught up a perennial peripatetic transcontinental
whirlwind of an existence, I’ve found myself unexpectedly but very clearly
grounded for the foreseeable future.
Which brings me to my second point, which is the following: What
is clear to me is that each time we purchase something, especially a
non-essential luxury object, we are making a declaration about the
world we want to live in. And, for me, there has never been a time when
the underlying ethics and core philosophy of the companies producing
the things I want to consume are more important. What is my primary
consideration? Well, it’s pretty simple and if it sounds facile, please
forgive me. But I want any company that I am buying something from
to affect the world around it and the people working for it in a positive
way. Which means, does it treat its employees with dignity? OK, great.
Is it pillaging natural resources and blasting a hole the size of Texas into
the ozone layer? Ah… you see, this is not so f**king great. Is it trying
to empower women and minorities that work for it? Very cool. Does it
leave its staff with severe depression and chronic anxiety issues due to
the constant gonad-cupping, hyperaggressive workplace environment,
because its leader models his managerial style on Jordan Belfort of The
Wolf of Wallstreet? Ah, not so good. Does that company try to over-deliver
in terms of value for its consumers, or does it try to spin some vacuous
marketing yarn to distract from its criminal profit margin? Really, it
just comes down to this — you can either be an asshole destroying the
world we live in and f**king up the lives of the people in it because of
your selfishness and greed, or you can try to improve the planet and the
lives of the people living in it. It’s a pretty clear choice: Meshugaas or
Menschlichkeit. Assholedom or non-assholedom. I want to buy my luxury
good from the perpetuators of Menschlichkeit.
You might think that the big businesses are led by people following
the 20th-century philosophy of maximizing profit no matter its impact
on the planet and its citizens. But that’s not necessarily true. OK, you
have a point that the fourth richest man on Earth, Mark Zuckerberg, is
a class A asshole that seemingly has no issue spreading misinformation
for profit on the various social-media channels that he has what is in
essence a monopoly on. And that sh*t he pulled in 2017 when he filed
lawsuits against native Hawaiians who had owned tiny parcels of land
for generations, so that he could buy them up to “enhance the privacy”
of his 100-million-dollar, dick-wagging estate of douchebaggery.
It’s interesting how, in a decade, Zuckerberg has gone from nebbish,
quirky genius to full-blown draconian despot asshole. But there are
some good rich people too, and many of them are in the luxury watch
business. Despite a projected 600-billion-dollar downturn in the luxury
sector, many of the biggest groups like LVMH and Kering were quick
and generous to donate significantly in the fight against the COVID-19
pandemic. Incredibly, the CEO of Bvlgari, Jean-Christophe Babin, even
set up a virus eradication fund to empower scholarships for key medical
researchers of the future, including helping to fund the COVID-19
vaccine being developed by Oxford University. Does that make me feel
even better about wearing the new Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT
Limited Edition that we are launching with Bvlgari — with a tachymeter
on the bezel and a fully luminous dial? You bet it does. And even though
it is a significant departure from the normal version of this chronograph,
we wanted to price it almost the same as the regular production watch,
because we believe in giving value to our readers and customers. Are we
going to donate part of our proceeds to the fight against COVID-19?
Yes, of course, we should and we will. Because just like anyone else, we
need to do our part.
We will and should be measured by you, our readers and customers,
in terms of our contribution to making this planet a better place. As
you know, six weeks ago, we launched our Revolution × The Rake
COVID-19 Solidarity Auction to generate funds for countries that have
been badly affected and that are still combating the virus. Thanks to our
amazing brand partners, we raised a total of USD282,945.
We had to convert the US-dollar amount donated to pounds in order
for Givergy in the UK to help us manage the final amount, which was
£219,619.34 (at the time of conversion).
Part of our auction promise was that we would allocate the funds to
any COVID-related charity that the winners wanted. Of the 38 winners,
we had two winners that wanted to do this. For the winner of the Sinn
“Dark Star” prototype (Lot 14), we donated his £4,130 to the YMCA
and Social Kitchen’s Feeding Children during COVID-19 in Singapore.
The winner of the Huitcinq 1988 bespoke watch strap (Lot 32) wanted
his £358 to go to the Gates Foundation’s COVID-19 Research Project.
That left a remaining £215,131.34 that we had to donate. We divided this
amount into five donation tranches of £43,026.26.
So this is how we’ve broken down the allocation of funds. We wanted
to target five countries around the world. (Please note that the following
statistics are accurate as of August 6th, 2020.)
The first is India where you can see that the COVID-19 pandemic
is still very much at its peak with 1.96 million cases and 40,772 deaths.
South Sudan in Africa was selected because while the COVID-19
pandemic is on the rise, the country’s already fragile healthcare
system is under real threat of collapse. There is much that can be
done if we act now, according to this article: https://news.un.org/en/
story/2020/06/1066952. For both India and South Sudan, we have
chosen to work with Save the Children.
Next is Mexico, where Revolution is proud to have one of our editions.
Mexico has been hard hit with 456,000 cases and 49,698 deaths.
Together with our editor for Mexico and Latin America, Israel Ortega,
we have selected the Mexican Red Cross as a beneficiary.
Italy was one of the countries that was truly devastated early on by
COVID-19 with 249,000 cases and 35,181 deaths. Yet we were deeply
touched by this wonderful country’s spirit of resilience and humanity
during the darkest hours of the crisis. Forza Italia, we love you.
Because we have an Italian edition and because the majority of
brand partners for The Rake are Italian, we wanted to show our care and
affection for this amazing country. For Italy, we have also selected the
Red Cross as the beneficiary of our auction.
Finally, we wanted to do something for the UK which was one of the
worst affected and has one of the highest rates of mortality in the world
with 307,000 cases and 46,364 deaths with both Prime Minister Boris
Johnson and Prince Charles contracting the disease. And yet the United
Kingdom was one of the most inspiring nations in the way it rallied
together to fight the pandemic.
When the National Health Service (NHS) asked the British public
for 250,000 volunteers in April, one million people signed up to help.
On April 6th, 2020, the 99-year-old Captain Tom Moore started to
walk laps around his garden with the aim to raise £1,000 for the NHS.
By the end of the 24 days leading up to his 100th birthday, he had raised
£32.9 million, and on July 17th, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
Because we have a Revolution UK edition and because England is
the home of The Rake, and because we love the British people and their
enduring capacity to show immense courage and grace under fire, we
have selected the NHS as the final beneficiary of our charity auction.
But this result would not have been possible without the amazing
brands and individuals that donated such extraordinary auction lots to
the cause. And so I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all.
It is really because of their generosity, kindness and spirit of unity that we
were able to organize this auction at all.
From Bamford Watch Department, we would like to thank George
Bamford for the lovely Bamford GMT pièce unique in pink and green,
which achieved USD4,000. From Breitling, we would like to thank
the incomparable Georges Kern, Tim Sayler and Romy Hebden, who
arranged for us to auction Kern’s personal Navitimer PAN AM on an Air
Racer bracelet, which achieved USD9,000.
From Chopard, we would like to thank the amazing Karl-Friedrich
Scheufele and Celine Wackie-Eysten, who donated the prototype of the
Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Grigio Speciale worn by Ryan
Reynolds in the film 6 Underground, which achieved USD11,500.
From Girard-Perregaux, we would like to thank Patrick Pruniaux
and Meera Anand, who donated a wonderful prototype Place Girardet
watch engraved with “E Pulribus Unum,” which achieved USD14,050.
From Hublot, we would like to thank the great Ricardo Guadalupe
and Annabelle Garcia for the prototype of the Hublot Aerofusion
Chronograph “Molon Labe” for The Rake, which achieved USD15,000.
From IWC, we would to thank our dear friends Chris Grainger,
Riccardo Soliani and Jessica Gasser for donating the prototype of the
Spitfire Timezoner “Longest Flight,” along with a flight suit from pilot
Matt Jones, which achieved USD22,222.
From Panerai, we would like to thank the dynamic Jean-Marc
Pontroué and lovely Carla Salicini for donating the prototype of the
PAM01661 Luminor Marina Carbotech, which achieved USD16,600.
From Reservoir Watches, we would like to thank the wonderful
François Moreau and François-Marie Neycensas for donating the
prototype of the bronze Hydrosphere “Fari Islands” edition, which
achieved USD4,500.
From Roger Dubuis, we would like to thank the excellent Nicola
Andreatta and Laurent Toinet for the creation of the epic Excalibur
Essential Blue that achieved USD16,012.
From Van Cleef & Arpels, we would like to give a huge merci to the
brilliant Nicolas Bos and Hugues de Pins for the transcendent Midnight
Palais de la Chance Trefles, which achieved USD53,100.
From TAG Heuer, we would like to thank the epic Frédéric Arnault,
Stéphane Bianchi and Catherine Eberlé-Devaux for the amazing pièce
unique Heuer 02T Tourbillon Chronograph and Monaco F1 experience,
which achieved USD17,500.
From Time+Tide and DOXA, we would like to thank our buddies Jan
Edöcs, DOXA’s CEO, and Andrew McUtchen, Time+Tide’s founder, for
the Sub 300 Carbon Aqualung US Divers, which achieved USD5,050.
From Zenith, we would like to thank the phenomenal Julien Tornare
and Romain Marietta for donating the prototype of the 2020 edition
“Cover Girl” A3818, which achieved USD20,000.
We would like to thank the very kind individuals with the following
Instagram profiles: @hands.faces.cases for the Baltic × Worn &
Wound time-only watch that achieved USD1,850; Richard Lee for the
chronograph version of the same watch that achieved USD3,000;
@timeandgrooves for the vintage Caravelle diving watch, which achieved
USD900; and @zeaccesorios (Jose Girona) for the vintage Omega
Constellation that achieved USD1,800.
From the non-watch side of things, we would love to thank the
following people: My dear friend Ahmed “Shary” Rahman for the two
Goyard cigar cases, which achieved USD1,700 and USD1,600; the
geniuses Lorenzo and Massimo Cifonelli, and Romain Le Dantec for the
Cifonelli bespoke suit, which achieved USD7,000; the lovely Caroline
Andrew for the bespoke suit, which achieved USD4,801; the great
George Glasgow Sr. and Jr. for the bespoke George Cleverley shoes that
achieved USD4,100; the dynamic Thom Whiddett and Luke Sweeney of
Thom Sweeney for the bespoke suit that achieved USD5,150.
The kind Fabien Fryns for the artwork by Jia Aili that achieved
USD3,200; Assouline for the book Rolex: The Impossible Collection, which
achieved USD1,000; Ettinger for the Overnight Bag and Double Watch
Roll, which achieved USD800; the wonderful Vicente Castellano and
Globe-Trotter for the aluminum travel case, which achieved USD4,500;
Jemma Freeman and Hunters & Frankau for the El Rey del Mundo “La
Reina” Regional Edition cigars, which achieved USD 1,050.
Our friend Federico De Peppo and Huitcinq 1988 for the bespoke
watch strap that achieved USD450; Linley for the Azure Vermillion
Jewelry Box, which achieved USD1,350; New & Lingwood and Fratelli
Piacenza for the vicuña gown that achieved USD4,800; Purdey for
the titanium sunglasses that achieved USD1,000; the Royal Berkshire
Shooting School experience that achieved USD650; our friends James
Fayed and Jonathan Baker, and Turnbull & Asser for the bespoke shirting
experience, which achieved USD900; and the inimitable Alexander
Kraft for the stay and cocktails with him at his Provençal hotel La Maison
Bleue, which achieved USD3,750.
Lastly, I would like to personally thank all bidders and winners for
their amazing generosity!!! Because, like everyone in this wonderful
industry we love, we are trying to do our small part to contribute and,
most importantly, avoid being assholes.
Wei Koh, Founder
wei_koh_revolution
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EDITOR’S
NOTE
’ll be honest: Working from home has made writing
this editor’s note difficult. In the past, my time was
spent at trade fairs and fashion shows, traveling the
world and running around New York, always more
brand appointments and more new collections and
more inspiration, easily providing enough material for a year’s
worth of columns. These days, I hardly venture more than a few
blocks from home.
It’s funny, the things we took for granted. One auspicious
morning, in the Before Time, I was rushing from my Brooklyn
home to the office, carrying bags of props for a photo shoot. I
jumped into an Uber, then realized on the Manhattan side of
the Battery Tunnel that I’d left my wallet at home. I was wearing
my watch (I could never forget my watch) and I imagined my day
of coping, wrist adorned and pockets empty. My first thought:
Excellent fodder for a future editor’s letter!
This trivial experience has become oddly important to me. I
think about it all the time. As the situation continues to improve
in New York City, news from the rest of the United States seems
to be getting worse. Updated travel restrictions are in place, and
attending the upcoming Geneva Watch Days and Watches &
Wonders Shanghai seems all but impossible.
But time hasn’t stopped. In some ways, my new way of work
(and life) feels normal. I catch up with friends and colleagues
over Zoom; collections of fresh-faced watches continue to
arrive, even without my brand appointments. When I’m writing
my column — or workshopping ideas, writing articles, reviewing
pages — I’m also adapting. It’s still a process, just a different one.
The issue you’re holding reflects this balance — years
of editorial experience informing the present realities of
storytelling. Our Prime Time section highlights my favorite
recent debuts, including surprises from Geneva in the form
of not one, but three(!) Patek Philippe Grand Complications.
Openworked and skeletonized dials are transcending their
genre, so they get some attention, too. Also on my radar is a
small wearable tech company, which is repurposing trash (yes,
literal garbage) to create a witty and inventive timepiece.
On to our cover story. We’re diving into Panerai, examining
how the Italian watchmaker is sharpening its point of view
while simultaneously broadening its horizons. An impressive
collection of new timepieces — including the fabulous whitedial
PAM01314 — celebrates the anniversary of the Luminor,
an enduring design icon 70 years after its debut. Meanwhile,
the fascinating PAMCAST initiative is looking ahead further,
creating an immersive digital space that feels especially relevant
in our socially distant moment. How can a brand evolve so
effortlessly? Panerai’s military history initially draws me in, but
I stick around for the sprezzatura.
Elsewhere in this issue: contributor Victoria Gomelsky
investigates sustainable business practices; Hublot CEO
Ricardo Guadalupe explains why upsetting the status quo
leads to success; and J.N. Shapiro reveals how he mastered the
delicate art of engine-turning watch dials inside his California
home workshop. Dior brings a touch of glamor, showing us
the influence of haute couture on bespoke watchmaking. On
the technical side, we study Jaeger-LeCoultre’s caliber 920, a
true mechanical marvel. We also have a profile of the brilliant
Laurent Ferrier — and the reveal of a very special Revolution
timepiece collaboration. Like Guadalupe and Shapiro and
Ferrier, we’re continuing to adapt. When pressed, watchmakers
(and editors) can get pretty resourceful.
As I arrived at my office on that fateful day, I pressed on,
successfully talking my way past security without an I.D. At
lunchtime, the Amazon Go store at Brookfield Place allowed
me to grab a bite, charging items to my account without even
stopping at a register. Later, I downloaded the MTA app, then
used my phone to ride the subway with a quick e-swipe through
the turnstile.
For a full day, I was able to handle business without
borrowing money (or pawning my watch). It may seem silly, but
the experience was oddly exhilarating. I would give anything to
be that carefree and mobile again, and while I’ll always be able
to give you the time of day, I’ll never walk out of my apartment
without my mask, and I swear I’ll never forget my wallet again.
Stephen Watson, Editor-in-Chief
stephen@revolutionmagazines.com
Ludwig neomatik 41 date—175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte. Since 1845 the finest timepieces have been produced in Glashütte—and the tradition continues
today: with three limited edition versions of the classic NOMOS model Ludwig. The hallmarks of the watchmaking company are also evident in the new
releases, namely quality of the highest order, clear and confident design, and traditional handcraft together with cutting-edge technology. There are 175 of
these special edition models worldwide—find yours here: Bhindi, Blakeman’s, Borsheims, Brinker’s, Brown & Co., Chatel, Classic Creations, Diamond Cellar,
Hamilton, Henne, Hyde Park Jewelers, JB Hudson, L. Majors, Lewis, London Jewelers, Long’s Jewelers, Reis-Nichols, Schwarzschild, Shreve & Co., Shreve,
Crump & Low, Swiss Fine Timing, Timeless Luxury Watches, Tiny Jewel Box, Tourneau, Wempe, and Windsor Jewelers. As well as online at nomos-glashuette.com
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EDITORIAL
FOUNDER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Wei Koh @wei_koh_revolution
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Stephen Watson stephen@revolutionmagazines.com
GLOBAL CONTENT COORDINATOR
Stephanie Ip stephanie@revolutionmagazines.com
EDITOR, REVOLUTION ONLINE
Sumit Nag sumit@revolutionmagazines.com
HEAD, SPECIAL PROJECTS & MANAGING EDITOR, ONLINE
Kevin Cureau kevin@revolutionmagazines.com
SUB-EDITORS
Catherine Koh & Eileen Sim
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Yong Wei Jian weijian@revolutionmagazines.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Punam Nikki Rai nikki@revolutionmagazines.com
INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS
ASIA Wei Koh
AUSTRALIA Felix Scholz
CHINA Taitan Chen
HONG KONG Stephanie Ip
ITALY Maurizio Favot
MEXICO Israel Ortega
LATIN AMERICA Israel Ortega
RUSSIA DenisPeshkov
UAE JolaChudy
UK RossPovey
VISUAL
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Darius Lee darius@revolutionmagazines.com
PHOTOGRAPHER-AT-LARGE
Munster munster@revolutionmagazines.com
DIGITAL IMAGING ARTIST
KH Koh
PHOTOGRAPHER
Toh Si Jia
VIDEOGRAPHER
Don Torres
ON THE COVER
Panerai
Luminor Marina Edition PAM01312, PAM01313
and PAM 01314
in 44mm stainless steel with a black dial (1312), a
blue satin dial (1313) and a white dial (1314).
Photography Toh Si Jia
Styling Yong Wei Jian
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Adam Craniotes
CONTRIBUTORS
Adrian Hailwood
Amelia Hudson
Andrew Hildreth
Alan Seymour
Arabella Boardman
Arno Haslinger
Atom Moore
Auro Montanari
Cesare Maria Manucci
Felicity McCabe
George Cramer
James Dowling
Jason Singer
Jeff Stein
Josh Shapiro
Lucia Svecova
Michael Tay
Nick Foulkes
Nick Gould
Nick Scott
Orland Punzalan
Rikesh Chauhan
Robert Hoffmann
Silas Walton
Simon Alexander
Simon De Burton
Tom Chng
Tom Craig
Victoria Gomelsky
MANAGEMENT
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Walter Tommasino walter@revolutionmagazines.com
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Maria Lim maria@revolutionmagazines.com
SENIOR PUBLISHER
Nathalie Naintre nathalie@revolutionmagazines.com
LEAD, OPERATIONS
Shazlina Shukor lina@revolutionmagazines.com
INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC COORDINATOR
Christina Koh christina@revolutionmagazines.com
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER
Yvonne Koh yvonne@revolutionmagazines.com
FINANCE MANAGER
Jay Wong jaywong@revolutionmagazines.com
ACCOUNTANT
Sandy Tan finance@revolutionmagazines.com
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Low Sze Wei szewei@revolutionmagazines.com
REVHLUTION is published quarterly by
Revolution Media Pte Ltd.
All rights reserved. © 2020 by Revolution Media
Pte Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without
permission is prohibited.
Opinions expressed in REVHLUTION are solely
those of the writers and are not necessarily endorsed
by the publisher and its editors.
Editorial enquiries should be directed to the Editor.
While every reasonable care will be undertaken by
the Editor, unsolicited materials will not be returned
unless accompanied by a self-addressed envelope
and sufficient return postage.
For other enquiries, contact:
info@revolutionmagazines.com
For circulation and distribution, contact:
circulation@revolutionmagazines.com
PPS 1609/06/2013 (025530) MCI (P) 037/12/2018 ISSN 1793-463x
USA circulation, marketing and operations: Frank Ruiz and Carlos
Garcia, CircSense Marketing & Publishing Solutions
REVHLUTION USA Pte Ltd South Miami FL 33143 USA, Tel: 305 608
1460. REVOLUTION (ISSN # 1793-463x) Fall 2020, USA issue 103.
REVOLUTION is published quarterly by Revolution Media Private
Limited, The Mill, 5 Jalan Kilang #04-01 Singapore 159405. Agent for
this publication is CircSense Publishing Solutions, LLC, 16245 SW 81st
Terr., Miami, FL 33193. Periodicals postage paid at Miami, FL and at
additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: US$79.95 per year
in the US; US$74.95 per year in Canada.
CALIBER RM 07-01
RICHARD MILLE BOUTIQUES
ASPEN BAL HARBOUR BEVERLY HILLS BOSTON BUENOS AIRES
CHICAGO LAS VEGAS MIAMI NEW YORK ST. BARTH VANCOUVER
www.richardmille.com
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CONTRIBUTOR’S PAGE
Hanhart x The Rake & Revolution Limited Edition
Bronze 417 Chronograph
ATOM MOORE
is an internationally
renowned, New York Citybased
photographer who
fell into the watch world
by virtue of his love for the
subject plus a keen eye for
macro photography. He has
three acclaimed photography
exhibitions under his belt.
Atom describes himself as a
cycling, digital technology and
beard enthusiasts. He also
really loves desserts.
CESARE MARIA MANNUCCI
Celebrated automotive
journalist and co-author of
Time to Race, Cesare Maria
Mannucci has covered more
than 320 F1 Grand Prix, 28
editions of the 24 Hours of Le
Mans and 25 editions of the
500 Miles of Indianapolis.
Cesare has been in the
business for over 35 years.
In addition to his passion for
racing and watches, he loves
Lhasa Apso dogs.
JOHN GOLDBERGER
Growing up in a family of art
collectors, Auro Montanari
(nom de plume John
Goldberger) has collected and
studied vintage watches for
40 years, writing some of the
most trusted reference books
of today, like 100 Superlative
Rolex Watches and Patek
Philippe Steel Watches.Heis
also a member of Counseil
Cultural Fondation de la
Haute Horlogerie.
MUNSTER
A fashion and commercial
photographer based in
Singapore, Munster has 13
years of experience in the
industry and has worked
with brands and titles both
locally and internationally.
His love for creating
beautiful visuals began
while he was in film school
and he translates the same
richness in motion pictures
to his photography today.
NICK FOULKES
has penned over 20 works
of non-fiction on subjects
as diverse as cigars and
porcelain, but to us, he
is one of the best-known
English language writers on
timepieces. His most recent
book was Patek Philippe: The
Authorized Biography.Heisa
contributing editor to Vanity
Fair and How to Spend It.
NICK SCOTT
is currently the editor-inchief
of Robb Report UK and
was formerly the editor-inchief
of The Rake. Describing
himself as a passionate
storyteller, Nick specializes
in celebrity interviews,
menswear and watches. His
writing has also appeared in
The Observer, Radio Times, How
to Spend It and Sky Magazine.
RIKESH CHAUHAN
Also known by his stage name
RKZ, Rikesh Chauhan is
a man of many talents. He
is photographer and social
media manager to The Rake,
as well as a menswear writer
and a recording artist based
in London. Rikesh has a
penchant for coffee (only the
really good kind) and prefers
to shoot on 35mm.
VICTORIA GOMELSKY
is the editor-in-chief of JCK,
a 148-year-old jewelry trade
publication. Her work has
also appeared in The New York
Times, International Herald
Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer,
Hollywood Reporter, and The
Sun. Obsessed with travel (55
countries and counting), she
splits her time between New
York and Los Angeles.
The Hanhart 417 Flieger Chronograph is one of the most
iconic pilots chronograph in history. We are proud to re-issue this faithful
homage rendered in quick-patinating bronze CuSn8, inspired by the vintage
brass watches as their chrome coating wore away.
The watch is priced at USD 1,900, measure 42 mm in diameter like the original
and will be made in just 150 examples.
For enquiries, please email: shop@revolutionmagazines.com
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P R I M E
T I M E
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NEW
I
t’s no mystery that I worship at the altar of the Patek Philippe
perpetual calendar chronograph. That when it comes to this
magnificent combination of my two favorite complications,
there is none better than Patek who was the first to produce
this type of watches in series. Indeed I have always admired
that each time the world has faced any form of inclemency,
the Stern family who took the reins of Patek Philippe in 1932
has responded with the creation of sublime acts of horological
magic. And this was certainly the case with the reference 1518
that was launched in 1941 amid the full maelstrom of the Second
World War. This watch driven by the Valjoux caliber 13 base
(also featured in the reference 130 launched in 1936) forged
the aesthetic blueprint of the modern perpetual calendar. Two
windows at 12 o’clock just above the Patek signature provided
day and month. Date was told from a subdial at six o’clock
which also provided a reading for phase of the moon. In both
the 1518 and its iconic successor, the 2499, there is no leapyear
indicator — that would only emerge in 1985 with the 3970.
Patek Philippe gives an aesthetic update to the Holy Grail-worthy 5270 and 5370 chronographs.
Words Wei Koh
LOOK
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The legendary Ref.
1518 (Image: John
Goldberger).
WHY IS THE CH 29 SO AWESOME?
The caliber
CH 29 which
forms the base
caliber of the
Ref. 5270.
1. Optimized Tooth Profile
The first patent relates to an all-new tooth profile for both the
central chronograph wheel and the drive wheel. In previous
movements, these wheels meshed in such a way that the teeth
might not mate precisely which caused chronograph backlash
or the seconds hand to jump forward or backwards in an
unsightly way. Patek eliminated that with its all-new profile
which allows the teeth to slip easily into place even if they
contact point to point.
3. Optimized synchronization of the clutch lever and brake lever
The third patent relates to the eccentric cap on the column
wheel. OK, so to meet Geneva Seal requirements, your column
wheel needs to wear a decorative cap. But leave it to Patek
Philippe’s engineers to transform this into an eccentric element
that actually controls the depth to which the drive wheel and
the chronograph wheel mesh. This is absolute genius as it takes
what was previously a purely decorative element and gives it a
vital function. Bravo, Patek!
5. Hammers pivoted between jewel bearings
The fifth patent has to do with self-adjusting hammers. On
the Lemania 2310, the reset hammers for the minute counter
and the chronograph seconds wheel are one piece. Getting
them to strike their respective heart cams at the same time
is challenging. In the CH 29, the minute reset hammer is
individually sprung and pivots on the seconds hammer. Again,
why no one ever thought about this before is incredible but
leave it to Patek to achieve it.
The unbroken chain of Patek perpetual chronograph
majesty goes as follows: the 1518 (1941–1954), the 2499
(1950–1985), the 3970 (1985–2004), the 5970 (2004-2010)
and then the fantastic 5270 (2004–present day). While the
1518 and the 2499 used the Valjoux base, the 3970 and the 5970
used the Lemania 2310 caliber as their base. But when the 5270
was launched, it had the honor of being the first Patek Philippe
that featured a completely in-house movement. And what a
movement it was! The CH 29 which formed the base caliber
of the 5270 was one of the most advanced and technically
innovative chronograph calibers in existence. It is to my mind
the best thought-out laterally coupled chronograph movement
ever designed, and it featured six patents.
2. Precision adjustment of engagement depth at the column wheel
The second patent relates to the synchronization of the brake
and clutch lever. Basically the brake needs to be off precisely
as the clutch engages and needs to be back on as soon as it
disengages from the chronograph wheel. Previously these
two levers were operated by the column wheel and had to be
adjusted individually, so getting the timing right was extremely
labor-intensive and challenging. In the CH 29 the brake lever
is operated by the arm of the clutch lever. An eccentric screw on
the clutch lever allows Patek’s watchmakers to adjust the depth
of engagement and the timing to perfection.
4. Slotted minute-counter cam
The fourth patent relates to the system for the precise jumping
minute counter. The first watch to feature this type of chrono
counter was the Lange Datograph. However, this watch uses
a system with a snail cam on the chronograph wheel and a
feeler that drops off the end of the cam each time the seconds
hand passes the one-minute mark and drags the minute
counter forward. This can create some amount of friction and
can potentially be a drag on the movement especially when
the torque of the mainspring weakens as it unwinds. Patek
came up with a system with a pierced cam and a much gentler
slope; a system that appears to be aided by a spiral all its own.
A sort of remontoir d’egalité just for the minute counter.
6. Self-setting hammers
Patent six is that these reset hammers are pivoted between
jewels to eliminate friction and bring an ever greater aura of
horological finery to this amazing movement.
Finally, the CH 29 oscillated at the much more stable rate
of 28,800 vibrations per hour versus the CH 27’s 18,000
vibrations per hour.
THE HISTORY OF THE REF. 5270
OK, so now that we understand how amazing the CH 29 is, let’s
look at the history of the ref. 5270. The watch was launched in
2011. And instantly you could see several key differences. First,
the leap-year indicator was no longer coaxial to the minute
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Between 2011 and 2013 the 5270
was released in white gold with no
tachymeter scale (Image: Sothebys).
counter (as in the 3970/5970) but in the form of two apertures. The one at 4:30
showed the four-year sequence of the leap-year cycle. The aperture at 7:30 turned
blue during evening hours — a pragmatic indication while traveling, but that was
also important for setting your watch without damaging the date mechanism.
Subdials were placed slightly lower on the dial and were enlarged to aid in visibility.
Says Patek Philippe’s CEO Thierry Stern, “I love perpetual calendars but the irony
is when you get to the stage in life when you can own one, sometimes your eyesight
is not the best. As such I wanted to create a design that was as clear and visible as
possible.” And looking at the dial of the 5270, you can immediately see that every
single indicator has been subtly optimized for better visibility. The case of the
watch received flared lugs similar to those of the 5970, but with just a touch greater
exaggeration which made for a wonderfully exciting timepiece.
The different series of the 5270 break down as follows. The first-series
watches have no tachymeter. The second series has a tachymeter and what is
referred to by collectors as the “chin” where the tachymeter wraps around the
date indicator. The third series has a tachymeter but no chin and the integration
of the date into the tachymeter is beautifully done and reminiscent of the way it is
incorporated in the 5970. The fourth-series watches featured a pink-gold, black
dial watch on an integrated brick bracelet as well as an amazing salmon dial watch
with Arabic Indexes in a platinum case.
The moonphase and
date sub-dial dips into
the tachymeter scale in
a more subtle manner
minus the chin.
2013 marked the 2nd generation 5270
now with a tachymeter scale that
features a chin at 6 o’clock when the
track juts out to follow the edge of the
sub-dial.
2015 saw the release of the rose gold version with a redesigned dial to remove the chin.
The two previous white gold versions are also re-released with the redesigned dial.
New for 2020 is a wonderful watch now executed in a yellow-gold
case combined with a silver opaline dial. The immediate effect is a feeling
of wonderful nostalgia as this color combination immediately brings
to mind the 1518 and the 2499 as well as the first-series 3970 watches.
The hue of the dial in particular is perfectly selected to exude the same
warmth as vintage grand feu enamel dials do. This version of the watch
“enriches” the current collection, according to Patek. However, to some
extent, it seems to also signal a possible end of series for the now iconic
5270, which is 10 years old as of this year. This is important to collectors
as with each phasing out of the older model of a Patek Philippe perpetual
calendar chronograph, the model increases in value, collectability and
desirability. I’m not saying it is definitely going to be discontinued but
if you think about it, Patek has now completed every possible color
combination for this timepiece. Finally, as this is the first and only
yellow-gold 5270 even though the model has been in existence for a
decade, it is probably the rarest execution of this model.
PATEK PHILIPPE
REF. 5270J
2014 version came with a blue sunburst
dial, also with a tachymeter chin.
A new platinum 5270 was introduced
with a salmon dial in 2018.
The rose gold 5270 was also introduced in
2018 with an integrated full gold bracelet.
Yellow gold is used
for the first time in the
ref. 5270, a very much
welcome addition to
the prestigious family.
MOVEMENT Manual-winding caliber CH 29-535 PS Q; hours and minutes;
subsidiary seconds; chronograph; perpetual calendar with leap-year
indicator; 65-hour power reserve (with chronograph disengaged)
CASE 41mm; 18K yellow gold with opaline dial; water-resistant to 30m
STRAP Hand-stitched matte chocolate brown alligator leather with
fold-over clasp
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Predecessors of the
current ref. 5370 include
the ref. 1436 (left) and
the ref. 1563 (right) splitseconds
chronographs.
The manual-wind
caliber CHR 29-535 PS
in the new ref. 5370.
PATEK PHILIPPE
REF. 5370P
MOVEMENT Manual-winding caliber CHR 29-535 PS; hours and
minutes; subsidiary seconds; split-seconds chronograph; 65-hour
power reserve (with chronograph disengaged)
CASE 41mm; platinum with blue grand feu enamel dial;
water-resistant to 30m
STRAP Hand-stitched shiny dusk blue alligator leather with
fold-over clasp
THE REF. 5370 IN PLATINUM WITH
BLUE GRAND FEU ENAMEL DIAL
OK, I’m just going to say it. The Patek Philippe ref. 5370
split-seconds chronograph is potentially one of the best Patek
chronographs of all time. Why? To me it’s the combination of
aesthetics and technical innovation. From the aesthetics side,
it reminds me of my two favorite Patek Philippe split-seconds
chronographs: the 1436 which is the split-seconds version of the
hallowed reference 130, and the 1563 which is the split-seconds
version of the transcendent 1463 or “Tasti Tondi.” From the
perspective of the square pushers, it is more in alignment with
the 1436, but from the viewpoint of the case, its robustness and
especially its size at 41mm in diameter, it borrows spiritually
from the 1563 which was considered large for its time.
But then there is the dial which is an absolute masterpiece.
First, it is an applied Breguet numeral dial which, from
the perspective of all the dial variations for vintage Patek
chronographs, is by far the most collectable. Second, the
dial is crafted from grand feu enamel which produces the
most beautiful hand-fired dials in Christendom. And third,
the dials are a dark background in the case of the whitegold
watch with a black dial, and here with a blue dial,
which means the subdials, chemin de fer and tachymeter
are all printed in white. This color combination is not only
extremely rare from a Patek perspective, it is also much more
legible than a light dial with these same elements printed
in black. Finally, the leaf-shaped hands are luminous,
something that many people overlook because it is so subtly
executed. But I can tell you for a fact that any Patek Philippe
chronograph with luminous hands and Breguet numerals
belongs to the Holy Grail of collectability. Add to this the
split-seconds function and this is without a doubt the most
sought-after triumvirate of Patek features in the world.
But that is just on the dial side. The other reason I love the
5370 so much is that its movement, the CHR 29-535 PS, is
the single best and brilliantly designed manual-wind, laterally
coupled rattrapante in existence. It is really the only modern
rattrapante around, with the movements in other similar
watches rooted in the 1940s or earlier. I will exclude the
vertical-clutch split-seconds movements from this because
they are to me a totally different category of caliber.
Why is the CHR 29-535 PS so reliable and brilliantly
conceived? Well, to begin with, it was designed from the ground
up to accommodate a split-seconds function. Says Thierry
Stern, “The Lemania movement was never really created to
have a split-seconds function, so to get the movement to work
in the context of the 5004 split-seconds perpetual calendar, it
was really very challenging.” One of the solutions Patek came
up with for the 5004 was to add an isolator to the split-seconds
function. An isolator is essentially a wheel with a finger that lifts
the spring-loaded return lever off the reset heart cam on the
chronograph wheel. This helps to eliminate rattrapante drag.
But in the CH 27, the device operating this wheel — a
beautifully shaped element dubbed the “Octopus” — could
only turn in one direction, as such its isolator wheel spring had
to overcome the force of the spring exerting pressure on the
split-seconds brake. In the case of the CH 29, the isolator is able
to move back and forth in both directions so it no longer has to
overcome this spring force, which is much better for long-term
reliability. Second, in the CH 27, you had a spring integrated into
the isolator wheel to get it to return to its original position (this is
the aforementioned isolator wheel spring) when released. In the
new movement, a long, incredibly designed and engineered
spring that is integrated into the cap of the split-seconds
column wheel does this with far less force, also helping with
long-term reliability. Finally, the CH 29’s frequency of
28,800vph also helps it to have greater stability.
Note that throughout the lifespan of the CH 27, there
was never a split-seconds, chronograph-only version of
this watch. There were of course references such as the
5959 but that watch was based on an ancient Victorin Piguet
ébauche. The CH 29-based 5370 is unique in that it is the
only modern split-seconds chronograph, designed from
the ground up with this feature with a fully contemporary
movement and excellent reliability in existence. Add to this
the host of aesthetic flourishes and it is definitely the one
current collection Patek I don’t own that I would love to
have. Finally, this new watch marks the very first time that
platinum has been used in the 5370, which pairs beautifully
with the stunning blue grand feu enamel dial.
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is fully deserving of your consideration. The increased size
underscores the four “claws” on the side of the case — arguably
the collection’s most celebrated design feature, introduced by
the Constellation Manhattan in 1982.
These refreshed 41mm pieces keep other aesthetic
signatures alive, too — namely the mono-link bracelet and
bezel indexes. But the case (available in 18K yellow gold,
proprietary 18K Sedna gold, stainless steel, or a combination
thereof) is both reshaped and slimmed down. Redesigned
hands and hour markers draw inspiration from New York City,
their angular shapes based on the graceful slope of One World
Trade Center. With the exception of the entry-level model, all
the new 41mm models feature slick-looking polished ceramic
bezels, a reference to the sapphire-glass bezel used on the
original 1982 Constellation Manhattan.
Clearly, the collection’s downtown looks are adaptable,
not only across time but also across the model’s range. To
emphasize this, the strap system on the 41mm model has a
quick-release function, allowing the wearer to easily switch
out the standard-issue leather or rubber strap for any metal
bracelet from the 39mm collection. It’s a neat detail, as is the
ATIMEFOR
OMEGA
The 41mm Constellation arrives in stores this
September, enhancing 2020’s collection even further.
Words Stephen Watson
The global marketing division of Omega, one of the watch
industry’s most consistent and powerful machines, has
had a wrench thrown into its spokes. The release date
for the next James Bond film No Time to Die, in which the spy
wears a new Seamaster 300m, looks uncertain once again. The
2020 Olympic Games, for which the Swiss brand creates a line
of special-edition pieces, will now be held in 2021. Maybe.
By comparison, promoting the Omega Constellation Gents’
collection should be a cinch.
Pedigree will only make it easier. The Constellation
launched in 1952, but came into its own during the 1980s, when
a cosmopolitan redesign laid the groundwork for the current
collection. Those new fifth-generation watches arrived earlier
this year, sized at 39mm, available in various configurations
to offer a diverse selection of 26 total models. Omega quietly
added a 41mm version in mid-July, but this stealth update
optional silk embossed dial, a particularly attractive face with a
rippled surface that produces a beautiful, wavy, textured effect
to catch the light — and, in turn, the eye.
There’s plenty to see when you flip the watch over, too.
The domed scratch-resistant sapphire-crystal caseback
reveals Omega’s self-winding Master Co-Axial 8900/8901
movement, a certified master chronometer. Inside, a freesprung
balance with silicon balance spring, two mounted in
series, provides automatic winding in both directions, allowing
a 60-hour power reserve. The movement is finished with a
rhodium-plated rotor and bridges with swirling Geneva waves
in arabesque. The watch is also approved by Switzerland’s
federal metrology agency, METAS, and resistant to magnetic
fields reaching 15,000 gauss.
Serious credentials. Omega has signed on Eddie Redmayne
as the collection’s ambassador, but since James Bond has
some unexpected downtime, perhaps they should consider
swapping? The spy might wear a Seamaster, but Bond loves
making it look easy. The Constellation Gents’ collection would
suit him just fine.
OMEGA
CONSTELLATION CO-AXIAL MASTER CHRONOMETER 41MM
MOVEMENT Self-winding Master Chronometer-certified Master
Co-Axial caliber 8900/8901; hours, minutes and seconds; date;
60-hour power reserve
CASE 41mm; stainless steel, 18K yellow gold, 18K Sedna gold,
or two-tone steel and 18K Sedna gold; water-resistant to 50m
STRAP Rubber, leather or integrated metallic bracelet
PRICE USD 5,850 to USD 20,400
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VALLEY OF TIME
A special-edition NOMOS Ludwig celebrates 175 years of Glashütte watchmaking.
Words Stephen Watson
What does it take for an
industry to flourish?
Infrastructure and capital,
certainly, but don’t discount the value
of local resources. In eastern Germany,
in a valley where the rivers Müglitz
and Priessnitz merge, the unique
geography and resident ingenuity
of Glashütte has provided the right
elements for watchmaking to thrive for
more than 175 years. Traditions have
been revered and upheld, fostering
a unique environment, creating
something singular: a town of less than
10,000 that’s home to nearly a dozen
makers of mechanical fine watches.
To celebrate this fascinating
anniversary, one of those watchmakers,
NOMOS Glashütte, is paying tribute
with a limited-edition series of
its classic model, the Ludwig.
So it goes without saying that
NOMOS takes immense pride in its
Saxon heritage. Inside, the brand’s
movements are decorated in the
Glashütte tradition, and assembled with
a level of care befitting the town’s legacy.
But NOMOS isn’t afraid to mix those
longstanding German watchmaking
codes with updated (and award-winning)
contemporary styling. And it’s with these
cool, Bauhaus-inspired designs — like
those of the Ludwig — where NOMOS
differentiates itself from its neighbors.
For this new Ludwig Glashütte
limited edition, though, NOMOS has
taken a surprising turn. Instead of
its usual sophisticated modernism,
the brand has borrowed motifs from
vintage pocket watches, incorporating
old-school elements into the Ludwig’s
super-clean lines. The result is a
series of timepieces that appear
more refined, at least by traditional
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE
LUDWIG NEOMATIK 39 – 175 YEARS OF
WATCHMAKING GLASHÜTTE
MOVEMENT Self-winding chronometer-standard
caliber DUW 3001; hours and minutes; subsidiary
seconds; 43-hour power reserve
CASE 38.5mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 50m
STRAP Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan
black leather
PRICE USD 3,800
hand-wound model; all three pieces
are engraved with “Limited Edition
Ludwig – 175 Years Watchmaking
Glashütte” on the caseback. And,
as a special feature, all three models
are also regulated chronometers.
Callbacks to vintage German pocket
watches abound, but do not overwhelm.
Distinctive Roman numerals combine
with simple indexes to denote the hours,
alongside railroad minute markers
to enhance the readability. Roman
numerals appear in the date window of
the Ludwig neomatik 41 Date, standing in
for the usual Arabic numerals, a first for
the NOMOS brand. Leaf-shaped hands
replace the typical straight indicators and
are blued, nodding to a local Glashütte
detail. (While the lacquer dial is referred
to as “enamel-white,” this remarks on
the crisp white color of the dial, rather
than the technique of manufacturing.)
These cues are an unexpected twist
for NOMOS, which was founded in
1990, making it a relative youngster
compared to some of its Glashütte
siblings. But it speaks to the mentality
of the brand as a whole: Proud of its
remarkable achievements, yet humbled
by each success, and ultimately
aware that it’s one part of a larger
watchmaking tradition. A high tide raises
all boats, and by acknowledging the
accomplishments of the entire Glashütte
region, NOMOS finds its stepping
one foot closer to the spotlight.
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE
LUDWIG NEOMATIK 41 DATE –
175 YEARS OF WATCHMAKING
GLASHÜTTE
MOVEMENT Self-winding
chronometer-standard caliber
DUW 6101; hours and minutes;
subsidiary seconds; date;
42-hour power reserve
CASE 40.5mm; stainless steel;
water-resistant to 50m
STRAP Horween Genuine Shell
Cordovan black leather
PRICE USD 4,200
standards, adapted seamlessly to the
forward-looking NOMOS aesthetic.
Each of these special watches
reimagines the Ludwig in very subtle
ways, each elevating its smart details
with careful thought and nuance. There
are three models in total, and all of them
feature in-house crafted movements.
The flagship piece, called Ludwig – 175
Years Watchmaking Glashütte, uses
the acclaimed NOMOS Alpha handwound
caliber. Meanwhile, the other
two versions, the Ludwig neomatik 39
and the Ludwig neomatik 41 Date, are
offered with automatic movements.
Power reserve is 43 hours for the former
watch, and 42 hours for the latter. Water
resistance is rated at 50 meters for the
automatic models and 30 meters for the
NOMOS GLASHÜTTE
LUDWIG – 175 YEARS OF WATCHMAKING GLASHÜTTE
MOVEMENT Manual-winding chronometer-standard Alpha caliber; hours and minutes;
subsidiary seconds; 43-hour power reserve
CASE 35mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 30m
STRAP Horween Genuine Shell Cordovan black leather
PRICE USD 2,260
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COCO CLOCK
The 20th-anniversary celebration of Chanel’s J12
unwinds in glorious black and white.
Words Stephen Watson
According to Luke Sullivan, the revered copywriter, to
succeed in branding is to represent a single, simple
adjective. Mercedes-Benz means luxurious, Nike
equals athletic, Apple means innovative. These connections
take time to establish; clever advertising helps, but real brand
equity is built, not bought. So what do we make of Chanel,
which, over the course of 111 years, has given us the classic
tweed suit, the 2.55 quilted handbag, and No. 5 perfume?
What adjective does the French fashion house embody?
Inaword:Iconic.
So it’s only natural that Chanel’s flagship timepiece,
the J12, should make an indelible mark on the horological
landscape. Now 20 years old, the watch remains revered for
its groundbreaking use of ceramic
materials, as well as its cool nauticalinspired
look. This dichotomy has
always been central to the J12’s appeal:
a lighthearted appearance that belies
an extremely serious timepiece.
And while Chanel’s seasonal fashion
offerings debut rapid-fire worldwide,
behind the scenes, the company’s
watch division has been playing the long
game. Early in 2019, Chanel Horlogerie
laid the technical groundwork for its
future by investing in Kenissi, the Swiss
manufacture that creates movements
in partnership with another iconic
brand: Rolex Group. An updated J12
emerged soon after, housing the new
caliber 12.1 in-house movement — no
small achievement, and the technical
specifications speak for themselves.
CHANEL
J12·20
MOVEMENT Self-winding caliber 12.1; hours, minutes and
seconds; 70-hour power reserve
CASE 38mm; white or black highly resistant ceramic and steel;
white or black lacquer dial set with 12 brilliant-cut diamonds;
steel unidirectional rotating bezel and dial feature 20 rhodiumplated
motifs; screw-down crown with white or black ceramic
cabochon; sapphire caseback with “20 YEARS. LIMITED TO
2020” metallization; water-resistant to 200m
STRAP White or black ceramic bracelet with steel triple
folding buckle
PRICE USD7,750
A true Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute
(COSC) certified chronometer, this self-winding mechanical
heart offers 70 hours of power reserve and water resistance of
200 meters. It also shares traits and components with some of
the best tool watches on the market. Still, there were only subtle
tweaks to the exterior of last year’s J12, rendering it nearly
indecipherable from previous versions; many clients wouldn’t
notice the difference, or would think of unseen changes as
frivolous. But the increase in quality was essential to the Chanel
Horlogerie brand. This speaks volumes about everything the
company does and its overall approach.
Now, with its first in-house movement established, Chanel
has started to play with the J12’s aesthetic, and to fantastic
results. Earlier this year, the new Paradoxe model offered a
brilliant riff on the watch’s traditional monochromatic finish.
The case is split vertically: two-thirds is white, while the other
third is black. It’s an inventive twist on the typical two-tone
watch, and the Paradoxe Diamond takes it even further: twothirds
black, one-third gem-set white gold.
Then there’s the dazzling sapphire crystal X-Ray version.
The first non-ceramic J12, this watch is completely seethrough,
including the transparent sapphire links of the
bracelet. Developed and assembled by the Chanel manufacture,
the sapphire mounting bridge, and gear bridge adds to the
clarity. The baguette diamond bezel provides sparkle, like the
idea of a watch imaginatively constructed out of thin air.
But icons aren’t always so serious. Hence the J12·20, a
wonderfully manic celebration of the watch’s 20th anniversary.
Here, all the symbolic markers of the house are combined
into a graphic illustration, incorporating camellias, pearls,
thimbles, comets, lions — and 15 additional motifs. Composed
erratically, these rhodium-plated details take over the dial
of the J12, like the distracted scribbles of the designer’s
imagination run wild. In a neat homage to Coco Chanel’s love
of numerology, only 2,020 ceramic editions of the J12·20 will
be available. A pair of (even more) exclusive limited-edition
pieces — five each in black and white, with champlevé enamel
motifs, set with randomly scattered brilliant-cut diamonds —
are also to be made.
It’s a reminder that Chanel understands the intrinsic value
of irreverence. Because while the J12·20 uses the caliber 12.1,
with its Swiss pedigree and manufacture bona-fides, the
watch’s playfulness removes all pretension — an important
concept Karl Lagerfeld brought back at Chanel during his
long-lasting career. The first two decades of the J12 established
an icon; these new anniversary pieces suggest the house isn’t
content to rest on its laurels. It seems we’re only getting started.
One can only imagine what the next 20 years will bring.
CHANEL
J12-20 ENAMEL
MOVEMENT Self-winding caliber 12.1; hours, minutes and
seconds; black or white oscillating weight set with 34-brilliant cut
diamonds; 70-hour power reserve
CASE 38mm; white or black highly resistant ceramic and
18K white gold; 18K white-gold bezel and dial adorned with
champlevé enamel motifs set with 20 brilliant-cut diamonds; 18K
white-gold crown set with one brilliant-cut diamond; numbered
limited edition of five pieces; water-resistant to 50m
STRAP White or black ceramic bracelet with 18K white-gold
triple folding buckle
PRICE USD75,100
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ALL AROUND
THE WORLD
Montblanc presents its accessible and attractive world-timer
complication in the Star Legacy collection.
Words Israel Ortega
When it comes to the world-time wristwatch, there
are a number of truly illustrious examples in history:
the epic, contemporary and very artistic Patek
Philippe 5131, the Breguet Classique “Hora Mundi” 5717 and
the Greubel Forsey GMT. Some other watches that deserve
affectionate mentions include Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Geophysic
Tourbillon Universal Time, Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas
World Time, Bovet’s Récital 22 Grand Récital, Franck Muller’s
Vanguard World Timer GMT, and Omega’s Seamaster Aqua
Terra Worldtimer. Because they too illustrate how much the
world-time watch is well-regarded today, despite its relatively
low media profile.
Some of the above examples cost a small fortune, for they
belong to the pinnacle of multi-timezone haute horlogerie.
Fortunately, for the rest of us, there exists examples of graphic
“multi-timezoners” that are much more affordable. And if
there is a brand that has put the world-timers front and center,
it is Montblanc.
At the 2015 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie
(SIHH) in Geneva, Montblanc presented the Heritage Spirit
Orbis Terrarum, featuring multiple timezones inside a 41mm
stainless-steel case carrying the self-winding caliber MB
29.20 — a Sellita-based workhorse to which a complication
module was added. Since then, the function has remained in
one or another collection within the firm and has established
itself as the most accessible world-timer on the market at just
over US$5,000. And this year, the success of Montblanc’s
aesthetically pleasing world-timer takes another upward step in
the form of the new Star Legacy Orbis Terrarum.
The Orbis Terrarum has always been one of the most
attractive multi-timezone watches on the market, by virtue of
its meticulous design and self-explanatory dial. In this new
iteration, in addition to the new case, the projection of the
Northern Hemisphere, seen from a high location above the
North Pole, is added to the new and delicate engraving work,
and the clear graphics complete the usefulness of this timepiece.
It all starts with the design of the 43mm-diameter case,
which adds a touch of artistic complexity to its lines. For
example, we have the new stepped lugs that echo the beveling on
the rounded-edge case, which is kind of pebble-like. An equally
prominent new “onion” crown adds a more classic look and
nicely juxtaposes the rectangular push-button on the left side.
The dial has been refreshed with a much more modernlooking
texture. The projection of the transverse Mercator map
is enhanced by the relief, which replaces the more conventional
print of the previous iterations — a really nice touch from
Montblanc. The indicators are built in two layers that rotate
with the mechanism. The upper rotating disc is made of
sapphire and is partially transparent. This disc has a metallic
coating of rhodium or rose gold — depending on whether the
case is steel or rose gold — applied directly to it so that the
continents and meridians stand out against the seas, providing
a striking aesthetic. Around it, a ring is printed with the names
of 24 cities.
On the second “layer,” the day-and-night disc rotates. In
the steel version of the new watch, it changes from light blue
for the day to dark blue for the night, and from light brown
to dark brown in the 18K rose-gold version. The center of
the day-and-night disc is now decorated with waves using
the “flinqué-froissé” guilloché technique. In addition, a red
triangle was added at 12 o’clock pointing to the user’s timezone
of residence. Crowning the set are also new leaf-like hands that
have been generously filled with Super-LumiNova.
The complication of this Orbis Terrarum is wonderfully
simple to use, which adds even more to this valuable
proposition from Montblanc. To explain the operation, let’s
start with the crown. In its original position, the large crown can
be used to manually wind the barrel of the 42-hour-powerreserve
MB 29.20 caliber (the same as in the original Orbis
Terrarum). In the first pulled-out position, the hour hand can
be adjusted in one-hour increments to determine the local
time. A further pull out to the next position enables the regular,
precise hour and minute settings. Using the pusher on the left
side of the case, the user turns the numeric dial with the 24
timezones to set the reference time, signaled by the red arrow,
while at the same time the hour hand jumps by one hour to set
the local time. The Star Legacy Orbis Terrarum is as attractive
as it is effective.
MONTBLANC
STAR LEGACY ORBIS TERRARUM
MOVEMENT Self-winding caliber MB 29.20;
hours and minutes; day/night indicator; world-timer;
42-hour power reserve
CASE 43mm; stainless steel or 18K rose gold;
water-resistant to 50m
STRAP Matching blue or brown Sfumato alligator leather with
triple-fold clasp
PRICE USD 6,800 (Stainless steel);
USD 20,800 (18K rose gold); limited to 500 pieces
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PARMIGIANI’S SPORTING FORAY
Parmigiani Fleurier releases its first ever integrated-bracelet
sports watch model.
Words Stephanie Ip
Parmigiani Fleurier has launched, for the first time ever,
its first luxury sports watch model with an integrated
bracelet — the Tonda GT.
For some time now, there has been a surge in brands
making integrated bracelet sport watches, but Parmigiani
Fleurier, who made its name in complicated dress watches with
high craftsmanship and finishing (and prices to match), never
succumbed to the demands of the market. Until now that is. But
it’s not a bad thing. The new Tonda GT marks a new direction
for the brand in terms of both form and price, opening up a new
category the brand had not explored, and at a price point that is
much easier to swallow for collectors both old and new.
The Tonda GT line debuts in three designs; the Tonda GT is
a time-and-date model, available in steel or rose gold, and the
Tondagraph GT is a chronograph and annual calendar model,
available in steel. The collection is brand-new, but the design
codes are inspired by Parmigiani’s past creations. The case
shape comes from the Tonda Chronor watch, which was awarded
the Chronograph Watch Prize from the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie
de Genève in 2017. For the new line, Parmigiani worked with
watch designer Dino Modolo to reimagine the case with updated
lugs and an integrated bracelet that prioritizes comfort. The
fluted bezel is recognizably a design from the Toric collection,
and the dial, finished with the traditional “clou triangulaire”
guilloché pattern, is a signature of Parmigiani Fleurier.
THE TONDAGRAPH GT
The Tondagraph GT is powered by the PF043 automatic
caliber, and features an annual calendar and a chronograph,
two of watchmaking’s most desirable complications. It is a
rather unusual combo compared to the perpetual calendar but
at a much lesser price, it’s an appealing one, and the annual
calendar only requires one adjustment
per year in February.
There is a lot of information
displayed on the dial, including two
subdials for the chronograph function
at six and nine o’clock, and a bigdate
aperture at 12 o’clock. The
subdial at three o’clock displays
the running seconds in two
tracks where the shorter end
of the hand counts from 0 to
30 seconds and the longer end
counts from 30 to 60 seconds.
This is also rather unusual,
but makes space for the month
display, in a vibrant orange for
added legibility. The 42mm watch is
water-resistant to 100 meters, and
comes with a screw-down crown. The power reserve is at 45
hours. Through the open caseback, the fine Côtes de Genève
stripes can be found, as well as the 22K gold rotor. In steel with
a sleek black dial on a rubber strap or integrated bracelet, the
Tondagraph GT is limited to 200 pieces.
THE TONDA GT
The Tonda GT comes in steel with a black dial or rose gold with
a blue dial. This watch is the simpler three-hander version
that also features big-date at 12 o’clock. Like the Tondagraph
GT, the small seconds (at six o’clock) also displays the running
seconds with a twist. Instead of running in a full circle, the
seconds are indicated through two tracks in a half-arc shape.
The automatic caliber PF044 powers the Tonda GT, which
is also finely finished, with a power reserve of 45 hours, water
resistance to 100 meters via a screw-down crown. On the
integrated bracelet, the Tonda GT is almost dress-watch-like,
but fit it on a rubber strap and you’ve fully transitioned to the
territory of casual sporty elegance.
Both the Tonda GT models are also limited editions, with
250 pieces in steel and 150 pieces in rose gold.
Says Davide Traxler, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier, “This is
yet another step forward for Parmigiani Fleurier as it continues
to evolve and innovate. The new Tonda GT line, with its more
casual shape and attractive price point, reflects current market
needs and is, at the same time, distinctively Parmigiani.”
PARMIGIANI
TONDAGRAPH GT
MOVEMENT Self-winding caliber PF043; hours and minutes;
subsidiary seconds; annual calendar; chronograph; 45-hour
power reserve
CASE 42mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 100m
STRAP Black rubber or stainless-steel bracelet with folding clasp
PRICE USD 19,500 (bracelet) or USD 18,500 (rubber strap);
limited to 200 pieces
PARMIGIANI
TONDA GT
MOVEMENT Self-winding caliber PF044; hours and minutes;
subsidiary seconds; big date; 45-hour power reserve
CASE 42mm; stainless steel or 18K rose gold;
water-resistant to 100m
STRAP Black or blue rubber, or matching metal bracelet with
folding clasp
PRICE USD 49,500 (bracelet) or USD 24,900 (rubber strap);
limited to 150 pieces
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New Colour Code
AUDEMARS PIGUET’S NEW
COLOR CODE
The new Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 takes the technical
innovation and case styling from the launch models and adds a colorful
twist and finish as a firm response to mixed initial feedback last year.
Words Ross Povey
The CODE 11.59
now comes in five
colorways with a
beautiful smoked
lacquer finish.
AUDEMARS PIGUET
CODE 11.59 SELFWINDING 41MM
MOVEMENT Selfwinding AP
manufacture 4302 caliber; hours,
minutes, seconds; date; 70-hour
power reserve
CASE White gold, rose gold, rose
gold case middle with white gold
top and bottom; 41mm; gradient
lacquer dials in five colorways;
water-resistant to 30m
STRAP Leather in colors matching
the dial
PRICE USD26,800
It’s a commonly accepted fact amongst fans of the
Star Wars saga that The Empire Strikes Back was
superior to the original Star Wars: A New Hope.So
too is the second act of CODE 11.59, as the range
finally steps out of the long shadows cast by its iconic
big brother, the Royal Oak. We take a look at the
newest iterations that have more than just good looks.
But then, it has to be said, these watches are indeed
very good-looking!
IN THE BEGINNING
It would be difficult to write about the launch of the
CODE 11.59 without making some comment on the
fact that it received an initial welcome that, on a good
day, might be seen as lukewarm. One of the biggest
criticisms of the launch collection was aimed at the
dials that were in the original models. Being the
giant of the industry that it is, instead of retreating
into its cave, fingers in ears and pretending it never
happened, Audemars Piguet has done the sensible
thing in the face of such a backlash. AP has taken the
feedback on the chin and given the watches a facelift.
And what a facelift it is, with beautiful new dials and
the addition of two-tone gold cases to add another
dimension to the freshly rejuvenated range.
With the 2019 launch, one element that could not
be argued with were the incredible new movements.
The CODE 11.59 housed newly developed calibers that
took a huge amount of time, effort and perseverance to
ensure they met the lofty expectations of the maison.
The chronographs are driven by the in-house caliber
4401 with column clutch and flyback chronograph
feature. AP worked hard to make as much of this new
caliber’s workings as visible as possible, including the
usually obscured column wheel and the ‘dance’ of the
hammers when the mechanism is reset. The 22K gold
rotor has been made in openworked form to extend
the viewing opportunities of AP’s latest mechanical
marvel. The vertical clutch is important to stop any hand
jumping when the chronograph is stopped and started,
and there is even a patented zero-setting mechanism
that ensures the perfect reset to zero. Fully integrated
and fully in-house, this is certainly an achievement
that all at AP are quite rightfully proud of. Audemars
Piguet has an illustrious history of producing highend
complications and so fans of the brand had been
waiting for a new in-house complication, and they were
certainly not disappointed with the proffered engine.
REIMAGINED FUTURE
When Audemars Piguet decided to create an entirely
new concept in the CODE, the octagonal bezel of
the Royal Oak and the Offshore is a design cue it felt
strongly about referencing in the collection. Just as
Tudor tips its hat to its vintage Submariner line with the
‘snowflake’ hands on the Black Bay, so too AP is paying
its eight-sided respects to its greatest achievement to
date. The mid-case is octagonal in construction and
yet they’ve hidden this nod partially from plain sight by
obscuring it with the round bezel and caseback. Literally
a mark of the brand, depending on what angle you look at
it! The ‘house shape’ is also referenced in the lug screws,
which echo the bezel screws on the Royal Oak.
One of the most innovative and interesting aspects
to the CODE case are the lugs, which are attached
to the bezel and then sit against the caseback. These
suspended lugs are actually unattached to the caseback,
as doing so would have made it impossible to remove
the back to access the movement for regulating and
servicing. The lugs are, like the movement rotor,
openworked, which, to this writer’s eyes, gives the watch
a very contemporary look that screams 21st century.
DIALS TO DYE FOR
The new dials are refined and about as elegant as you
could hope for, so I believe the CODE has shown its
hand. These dials are beautiful…really beautiful. A
smoked lacquer finish emboldens sunburst effects in
blue, burgundy and purple, and two shades of grey —
light and dark. The ‘Refined Intensity’ is a sunburst
burgundy and is paired with a white-gold case. I like
white gold for its under-the-radar look that to the
untrained eye could be a simple steel watch, yet the
heft on the wrist is reassuringly gold. ‘Ocean Deep’
does what it says on the tin with a stunning run through
every possible shade of blue from the blackest navy
through to vibrant royal blue. Paired with pink gold, this
a serious-looking watch and not so politely demands
your attention. ‘Uncompromisingly Purple’ is the third
color and is sultry and smoky and works particularly
well against the pink-gold case. The refinement also
continues in the cases.
According to Audemars Piguet, the house has
seldom produced two-tone gold cases. In fact, only
eight models have been produced in this combination
since the genesis of the brand in 1882 and less than eight
in pink- and white-gold livery. The watches are set up
with pink-gold mid-cases sandwiched between whitegold
casebacks and bezels. The signature attached lugs
are also in white gold. The octagonal mid-cases are even
more noticeable in the bi-color cases and, as you would
expect, the finishing is first rate.
The beautiful two-tone,
with the pink-gold
mid-case sandwiched
between the white-gold
caseback and bezel.
AUDEMARS PIGUET
CODE 11.59 Selfwinding
Chronograph
MOVEMENT Selfwinding AP
manufacture 4401 caliber;
hours, minutes, seconds; date;
chronograph; 70-hour power
reserve
CASE White gold, rose gold, rose
gold case middle with white gold
top and bottom; 41mm; gradient
lacquer dials in five colorways;
water-resistant to 30m
STRAP Leather in colors matching
the dial
PRICE USD42,400
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MID-CENTURY CHARM
Longines adds two 1940s-inspired models to its
Heritage collection that tug at heartstrings with their
mid-century charm.
Words Stephanie Ip
The Longines Heritage collection is one of our favorite
collections to write about and well within reason. With
a historical archive that dates back to 1832, the Heritage
collection has so much to draw from: the military and diving
watches of old, and beautiful, original mid-century classics that
carry an echo of decades past.
For 2020, Longines adds two new Heritage models to the
family: the Longines Heritage Classic Chronograph Tuxedo and
the Longines Heritage Classic Tuxedo. Tuxedo was a nickname
coined by collectors due to the contrast of black and white on
their dials. The three-hand model dates back to 1945 while the
chronograph dates back to 1943.
A31.501. The movement beats at 25,200vph and is equipped
with a silicon balance spring. Keeping to the ‘40s aesthetic,
Longines intentionally left out the “Automatic” label it typically
includes on its self-winding timepieces, and kept the crown
on the larger side in tribute to its historical watches that were
hand-wound and featured larger crowns for winding. For
its modern iterations in the Heritage line though, Longines
has equipped its watches with a self-winding movement for
convenience’s sake. On the closed caseback, the old-school
Longines logo with the winged hourglass can be found. The
drilled lugs are also a period detail that doesn’t go unnoticed.
LONGINES HERITAGE CLASSIC CHRONOGRAPH TUXEDO
While Longines has yet to revive the hugely desired 13ZN
chronograph (we tried to ask vice-president Charles Villoz but
he very cleverly evaded our questions), this has not stopped the
brand from coming up with vintage-inspired chronographs that
continue to make us dream.
The new Heritage Classic Chronograph Tuxedo takes
design cues from a 1943 chronograph, a bi-compax
chronograph with the same matte black hour track with Art
Deco-like numerals, an opaline dial and blued tachymeter
scale and chronograph hands. At 40mm in diameter, the watch
is also equipped with a large crown and pushers as befitting a
watch from this period. Inside, the movement is sadly not the
hand-wound 13ZN but the caliber L895. The ETA-based selfwinding
movement is still a robust one, beating at 28,800vph
with a power reserve of 54 hours.
Both additions are beautifully executed and at their price
points, they really are a steal. We might all have opinions on
how Longines could do even better — give people what they
want, like a manual-wind version — but we cannot deny, when
it comes to vintage-inspired pieces, Longines really knows
its stuff.
The vintage
models that
inspired the
new Tuxedo
watches.
The Longines
Heritage Classic
Chronograph
Tuxedo
LONGINES
HERITAGE CLASSIC TUXEDO
MOVEMENT Self-winding caliber L893;
hours and minutes; subsidiary seconds;
64-hour power reserve
CASE 38.5mm; stainless steel; water
resistant to 30m
STRAP Black leather
PRICE USD 2,000
LONGINES HERITAGE CLASSIC TUXEDO
Simple three-hand watches like these were a popular design in
the 1940s and this one was special because it came with a matte
black hour tracks with raised luminous Arabic numerals and a
small seconds counter at six o’clock with snailing detail. The
black and white gives the watch an almost Art Deco vibe and a
dressy feel — with a nickname like Tuxedo, you might even be
convinced that the watch was made for jazz club and partygoers.
But noting the year — 1945 — and the legible dial layout
and application of lume, the original watch was probably meant
for the field.
The 2020 version pays pretty faithful homage to the
original, but is now 38.5mm in diameter and fitted with the
caliber L893 automatic movement, Longines’ take on the ETA
The Longines Heritage Classic
Tuxedo
LONGINES
HERITAGE CLASSIC CHRONOGRAPH TUXEDO
MOVEMENT Self-winding caliber L895;
hours and minutes; subsidiary seconds;
chronograph; 54-hour power reserve
CASE 40mm; stainless steel; water-resistant
to 30m
STRAP Black leather
PRICE USD 3,000
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A NEW FACE
FOR THE RM 011
Richard Mille adds a fifth chapter to their widely
beloved family of chronographs with the RM 11-05
Automatic Flyback Chronograph GMT that has its
bezel made of Cermet.
Words Sumit Nag
Richard Mille adds to their most beloved line of
timepieces, the RM 011. This family of chronographs
was first launched in 2007 as the RM 011 Automatic
Chronograph Felipe Massa, establishing for the brand a legacy
and several lifetimes’ worth of admirers.
For 2020, the RM 011 welcomes its fifth chapter, the RM
11-05 Automatic Flyback Chronograph GMT. The first thing
that should strike you about the watch is that as opposed to the
more aggressive take on the Richard Mille tonneau case that
we see now on the RM 11-03 and 04, the RM 11-05 has the
prior sleek case styling that we last saw on the RM 11-02. And
probably for good reason (we’ll come back to this).
The movement powering the watch is the caliber RMAC3
that we’ve seen previously in the RM 11-03. As it is the Richard
Mille religion, the baseplate and bridges of the RMAC3 are
all forged in grade 5 titanium with extensive skeletonization.
However, what makes the movement different from those
used in previous instances is the inclusion of the GMT hand,
seen here with the orange arrow-tipped fourth hand on the
central pinion. The GMT hand can be independently adjusted
using a pusher integrated into the watch at nine o’clock.
Beyond that the movement includes hours, minutes
and running seconds at three o’clock; 60-minute and
24-hour chronograph totalizers at nine and six o’clock
respectively; lastly, the annual calendar comprising the large
date display at 12 o’clock with the month aperture between
four and five o’clock.
Now the hardcore follower of Richard Mille watches will
note that the material we see on the bezel of the RM 11-05
is not one we’ve seen previously. After their last foray into a
brand-new material utilized in case construction — graphene,
used in the RM 50-03 — the brand has now plunged into
using Cermet. Cermet is a compounded material formed using
a metal element and ceramic. The metal element provides a
lattice structure which is then filled with ceramic forming the
Cermet (cer-met, i.e. ceramic + metal).
In the case of the RM 11-05, Richard Mille has utilized a
zirconium-based Cermet for the bezel, also formally known as
zirconium carbide (ZrC). The brand has stated that the Cermet
they are using “combines the lightness of titanium with the
hardness of a ceramic.”
The production of ZrC requires starting off with zirconium
dioxide, where the compound is reduced using a carbon source
giving us ZrC in powered form. ZrC is a gray substance, which
explains the color of the bezel on the RM 11-05. From there the
solid form of the material is obtained by flash sintering, where
the material is subjected to temperatures of up to 2,000ºC
all while a direct electric field is applied using specialized
electrodes. Sintering is what helps form the solid; the flash
aspect of it helps to dramatically reduce the time it takes for the
sintering process to be completed.
According to Richard Mille, the resulting solid has a, “…
density of 4.1g/cm3 — less than that of titanium — and its
hardness of 2,360 Vickers — almost the same as diamond’s
2,400 Vickers — makes Cermet a judicious choice for use in
bezels that are very exposed to scratches, while maintaining
overall lightness.” The tripartite case of the RM 11-05,
therefore, has a Cermet bezel, a Carbon TPT® mid-case and a
titanium back all held together by Richard Mille’s spline screws
in grade 5 titanium.
The RM 11-05 Automatic Flyback Chronograph GMT will
be available as of July 2020, in a limited run of 140 pieces.
RICHARD MILLE
RM 11-05 AUTOMATIC FLYBACK CHRONOGRAPH GMT
MOVEMENT Self-winding caliber RMAC3; hours, minutes and
small running seconds; chronograph with 60-minute and 24-hour
totalizers; annual calendar with date and month display; 50-hour
power reserve
CASE 50mm × 42.70mm; front bezel in gray Cermet, caseband
in Carbon TPT® and caseback in grade 5 titanium; waterresistant
to 50m
STRAP Baby blue rubber
PRICE CHF 204,000 (excl. VAT)
AVAILABILITY July 2020, in a limited run of 140 pieces
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S P L I T
S E C O N D S
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Bell & Ross
BR 05 Skeleton Blue
Ref. BR05A-BLU-SKST/SST
USD 6,900
bellross.com
Roger Dubuis
Excalibur Diabolus
in Machina
Pièce Unique
Ref. RDDBEX0842
Price upon request
rogerdubuis.com
Cartier
Pasha de Cartier
Skeleton in Steel
Ref. WHPA0007
USD 25,300
cartier.com
RADO
TrueSquareOpenHeart
Ref. 27083202
USD 2,550
rado.com
Louis Vuitton
Tambour Curve
Flying Tourbillon
Poinçon de Genève
in Titanium and
CarboStratum
Price upon request
louisvuitton.com
OPEN HEART
Gaze into the soul of a watch, where less is most certainly more.
Piaget
Altiplano Ultimate
Concept Watch
Ref. GOA45502
Price upon request
piaget.com
Reservoir
GT Tour Skeleton
Ref. RSV01.GT/430-02
USD 6,300
reservoir-watch.com
Skeletonized timepieces first appeared during the 18th
century, and were once exclusive to the highest levels
of watchmaking. Today, numerous interpretations of
openworked dial can be found at all levels, and in nearly every
collection. On the bleeding edge, Piaget has exposed the inner
workings of a groundbreaking ultra-slim movement, wherein the
mainplate and case are integrated, machined from a single piece
of cobalt alloy. Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton leaves only tourbillon
mechanicals and the house’s famed monogram rendered in
beveled edges, a monument to all-out precision. Roger Dubuis
uses twisted shards to keep 558 components in place, as if by
magic, and Breguet introduces a new Tradition Automatique
Seconde Rétrograde 7097 with a blue guilloché dial in gold.
Reservoir famously took away the hour hand; now it’s effectively
removed the rest of the dial, too. The Bell & Ross movement can
be seen through a blue-tinted lens, while Rado’s circle-withina-square
and Cartier’s square-within-a-circle is an optical
masterclass in negative space. The common thread? These
pieces reveal everything we love about mechanical watchmaking,
stripping away the unnecessary, in the pursuit of something
greater. Somehow, even hundreds of years later, an openworked
design can still feel like a glimpse into the future.
Breguet
Tradition Automatique
Seconde Retrograde
Ref. 7907
USD 36,100
breguet.com
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PICK YOUR POISON
Anewdecadeinwomen’swatchmakingstartshere.
Words Stephanie Ip
How many watches does it take to make a trend?
Looking at this year’s selection of watches for
women, we’re instantly struck with the thought:
there really wasn’t one discernible trend, although
many exciting offerings. You have maisons like Cartier
and Piaget returning to their roots in jewelry. You have
manufactures like Audemars Piguet and Breitling
downsizing and returning to classical sizes that suit both
genders. And then of course, there are new creations
designed from the ground up with women in mind;
from beloved brands like MB&F, Bvlgari, Vacheron
Constantin and Zenith.
So back to the question, what is trending now? Maybe
it’s that women are finally being seen and heard. Maybe
what we’re trying to say is, women have been left out of
the equation for too long and it’s about time we got our
prime pickings. In 2020, with the new releases we’ve
seen so far, it looks like we’re off to a good start.
JEWELRY-FOCUSED
DESIGNED FROM THE GROUND UP FOR LADIES
DOWNSIZING
Breitling
Navitimer
35mm
Cartier
Revelation
d’Une Panthère
MB&F Legacy
Machine FlyingT
Vacheron
Constantin
Égérie
Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Selfwinding
34mm
Piaget
Limelight Gala
Bvlgari Serpenti
Seduttori Tourbillon
Zenith
Defy Midnight
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THIS WATCH IS
GARBAGE
How one man’s trash became another man’s wristwatch.
Words Stephen Watson
Each year, more than 55 million tons of electronic waste
— computers, TVs, cell phones, and other devices —
gets sent to landfills. Along with potentially harmful
materials, like beryllium and lead, this waste also contains some
$60M in precious metals. In fact, as much as seven percent
of the world’s gold can be found in e-waste, according to the
World Economic Forum.
Vollebak, a London-based tech startup, thinks it’s time we
did something about it.
“To avoid trashing our own planet, we need to start figuring
out how to reuse stuff we already have,” says Steve Tidball, who
co-founded the company with his twin brother, Nick.
Together, they’ve been rethinking the future of clothing,
developing fabrics and manufacturing techniques that might lead
us into the next age of sustainability. On the Vollebak website,
you’ll find the “Full Metal Jacket,” made from 11 kilometers of
copper, which conducts heat while killing bacteria and viruses.
(Disease-resistant clothing? Sounds like a growth market…)
The jacket is waterproof, windproof, and surprisingly soft.
Now, Vollebak is working on a new project: a wristwatch.
“Our ‘Garbage Watch’ started with a very simple idea:
What if electronic waste isn’t garbage? What if it’s simply preassembled
raw materials that we can use to make new things?”
says Steve Tidball. “That’s why everything you can see on the
Garbage Watch used to be something else — a motherboard
from your computer, a microchip in your smartphone, or wiring
from your TV.”
The project is a collaboration with the Wallpaper* Re-
Made Project, an initiative to promote sustainable product
research and creation. Vollebak has already greenlighted an
early prototype of the timepiece; the brothers are aiming to
launch and begin production next year. In the meantime, they’ll
be sourcing components from sustainable e-waste recycling
efforts, sharing updates about the process online, and, yes,
taking early pre-orders.
The Garbage Watch’s unique design should drive real
demand. To that end, Vollebak was inspired by the “insideout”
approach of Centre Pompidou in Paris, whose distinctive
architectural style leaves the building’s structural elements,
mechanical systems, and circulation exposed on the exterior.
Says Nick Tidball: “Our aim was to reframe an often invisible
end of the supply chain, and make people think deeply about the
impact of treating their wearables in a disposable manner.”
It’s a clever idea. And maybe proof that the smartwatch isn’t
so smart after all.
Get on the waiting list: vollebak.com/product/garbage-watch.
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Prada + A. Lange & Söhne
A. Lange & Söhne
Datograph Perpetual
Tourbillon, Ref. 740.056;
18K white-gold case
with alligator strap;
USD 287,800;
alange-soehne.com
Officine Générale + Montblanc
Montblanc Heritage Manufacture Pulsograph
Limited Edition 100, Ref. 126095; 18K rosegold
case with alligator strap; USD 33,000;
montblanc.com
Gucci + Bvlgari
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo, Ref. 102912;
18K rose-gold case with rose-gold
bracelet; USD 45,700;
bulgari.com
Ami +
Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe
Perpetual Calendar
Chronograph, Ref.
5270P; Platinum
case with alligator
strap; USD 192,780;
patek.com
BACK IN THE GAME
A relaxed attitude gives tailoring a fresh new look. The suit is dead,
long live the suit!
What does the future of work attire look like? Certainly, the
Brooks Brothers’ bankruptcy has shoppers questioning the
relevance of a tailored suit. And months of dressing for the
home office has surely loosened a few ties, figurative and literal. But if the
fall-winter 2020 menswear shows are any indication, fashion designers
aren’t ready to give up on traditional suiting just yet. Turn an eye to the
runways of Milan and Paris for an innovative take: These aren’t the
usual dreary salaryman-style jackets and pants. Relaxed fits with casual
proportions look as cool and effortless as comfy T-shirts and sweats. When
the time comes, pair with your favorite shoe and a sophisticated salmondial
watch. Then reemerge from video conference limbo, stepping back into
the real world (and revealing your lower half) with confidence and style.
Tod's + Breitling
Breitling Navitimer Automatic 35, Ref.
A17395201K1A1; Stainless-steel case
with steel bracelet; USD 4,860;
breitling.com
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“A man should look as if he has
bought his clothes with intelligence,
put them on with care, and
forgotten about them.”
– Hardy Amies –
Balenciaga + Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon
Extra-Thin, Ref. 26515OR.OO.1220OR.01;
18K rose-gold case with rose-gold
bracelet; Price upon request;
audemarspiguet.com
Valentino + Breguet
Breguet Marine, Ref.
5517; 18K rose-gold
case with rose-gold
bracelet; USD 49,100;
breguet.com
Hermès + Rolex
Rolex Cosmograph
Daytona, Ref. 116505;
18K Everose gold case
with Everose gold
bracelet; USD 45,600;
rolex.com
Tom Ford + Bucherer
Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Bicompax Annual, Ref.
00.10803.07.42.01; Stainless-steel and 18K rosegold
case with calfskin strap; USD 10,500;
carl-f-bucherer.com
Christophe Lemaire + Grönefeld
Grönefeld 1941 Principia Automatic
Salmon Dial, Ref. 1941; Stainless-steel
case with blue buffalo leather strap;
USD 35,940;
gronefeld.com
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STILL LIFE
As the leaves outside turn into shades of crimson,
gold and silver, we’re reminded that time is
fleeting, but there is permanence in these objects
of time.
PHOTOGRAPHER FELICITY MCCABE
CONCEPT BY ARABELLA BOARDMAN & ROSS POVEY
PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT LUCIA SVECOVA
FASHION ASSISTANT AMELIA HUDSON
Omega
Speedmaster 38 Co-Axial
Chronograph 38 mm. Yellow
Gold on Leather Strap.
Patek Philippe
Men’s Annual Calendar
Chronograph Ref. 5905P-001
in platinum. Blue sunburst
dial with gold applied hour
markers and numerals.
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This page
Vacheron Constantin
Overseas Perpetual
Calendar Ultra-thin.
Opposite page
Chopard
L.U.C XPS Spirit of Nature,
40 MM Automatic, Certified
Fairmined Ethical Rose Gold.
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IWC
Portugieser Automatic 40 Blue
Alligator leather strap with
Silver plaited dial.
A.Lange & Sohne
LITTLE LANGE 1, Pink gold
with guilloched dial in brown.
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Great Expectations
The events of 2020 have put corporate social responsibility programs
in the luxury watch industry to the test.
Words Victoria Gomelsky
At Cartier, Black Lives Matter.
“As a Maison, our creativity is nurtured
and inspired by the diverse cultures of
the world,” reads a statement from the brand
accompanying a black square posted to its Instagram
feed on June 2nd. “We find our own richness in this
diversity, and we stand firmly against all forms of
racism directed toward the Black Community. At
this moment we are examining our own company to
identify actions we can take that will result in real
change. #BlackoutTuesday.”
Protests supporting
the Black Lives
Matter movement,
like this one in
Washington D.C.,
have spread around
the globe.
CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
The French luxury brand was not the only
watchmaker to express solidarity with the Black Lives
Matter movement on June 2nd (others included IWC
Schaffhausen and the luxury group Kering, owner
of Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux), but it was
certainly among the few. It’s unclear how to interpret
the watch industry’s overwhelming silence on the
matter — except to say that navigating the churning
waters of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in
2020 is trickier than ever.
Twenty years ago, making a public statement on a
hot-button social issue may have been enough to land
a luxury brand a news mention and applause at the
annual banquet. Today, unless a brand is prepared to
publicly detail its accountability, “it’s probably better
to say nothing,” says Fabrice Paget, a former Cartier
executive and founder of the London-based Luxury
Brand Agency. That’s because social media-savvy
consumers are quick to punish companies that fail to
back up their platitudes with consequential actions.
“So, what exactly are your plans to change?”
commenter @aggie_dreams_a_bit wrote in response
to Cartier’s #BlackoutTuesday post. “Because if you
have no plan in place or haven’t give it much thought,
you’re just pandering to POC, like so many other
companies are doing now.”
To hear Mercedes Abramo, president and
CEO of Cartier North America, tell it, the work
is just getting started. “We recently held a series
of listening sessions with our employees to hear
directly about their personal and professional
concerns, experiences and feedback regarding
racism, discrimination, and diversity and inclusion
at Cartier,” she wrote in an e-mail. “We are also
partnering with a leading diversity and inclusion
consulting firm, to help us develop a thoughtful and
strategic plan to make lasting and meaningful change
at Cartier.”
That so much soul-searching is going on at the
highest levels of luxury speaks to the ways in which
CSR programs are evolving. Ever since American
economist Howard Bowen coined the phrase
“corporate social responsibility” in 1953, the concept
has been in flux. Popularized as a business model
in the 1970s when the idea of a “social contract”
between companies and society gained favor, CSR
was still in its infancy in 1984, when Cartier created
the Fondation Cartier to promote contemporary art,
becoming one of the first luxury brands to establish
a corporate philanthropy initiative (not counting
the charitable yet ultra-secretive Hans Wilsdorf
Foundation, the private family trust established by
Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1945).
Social media-savvy consumers are quick to
punish companies that fail to back up their
platitudes with consequential actions.
It wasn’t until the 1990s, however, that most
luxury firms recognized CSR as an essential business
strategy. In 1996, for example, Kering, then known
as Pinault-Printemps-Redoute or PPR, created its
first code of ethics.
To appreciate how the luxury industry’s approach
to CSR has evolved in the quarter-century since,
peruse the Kering Instagram feed, which is less a
paean to the group’s deluxe products, from Gucci
handbags to Boucheron jewels, than a platform to
promote its creeds, such as its stands against racism
and gender-based violence. You’d be forgiven for
thinking the posts were the work of a posh, wellfunded
artist-activist invested in issues including,
but not limited to, sustainability, the environment,
LGBTQIA rights, systemic racism and the myriad
challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group’s magnanimous positioning reflects
the multifaceted approach to CSR required of
luxury goods companies today. Because even
though current clients may not feel strongly
about today’s wide-ranging set of issues, future
luxury clients — the purpose-driven members of
Generation Z — will judge brands for how well,
or poorly, they handle them.
Cartier’s official
statement was also
announced on its
Instagram account.
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“When we say ‘corporate social responsibility,’
we are talking about three things: The first one is
ethics, the second is being charitable and the third
is sustainability,” says Milton Pedraza, CEO of the
Luxury Institute. “Across all three fronts you have to
now deliver beyond your product or service.”
Swiss watchmakers have a rich track record
of supporting issues related to environmental
causes, women’s programs and arts initiatives
(see Blancpain’s eight-year-old involvement with
the World Ocean Summit, Cartier’s longstanding
support of female entrepreneurs and Rolex’s Mentor
and Protégé Arts Initiative) — though cynics might
insist that’s because these causes lack controversy,
and are near and dear to many of their clients’ hearts.
As of this year, many watch brands can add
pandemic relief and coronavirus research to their
philanthropic resumes. Kering donated $1 million to
the Centers for Disease Control Foundation to
support healthcare workers in America. Rolex has
been supporting the Red Cross, the World Health
Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response
Fund, as well as the City Harvest food program and
Mount Sinai Hospital, both in New York City.
Bvlgari tackled the crisis with a combination of
monetary and in-kind contributions. In addition to
transforming its fragrance factory in Lodi, Italy, to
produce sanitizing gel for hospitals in Italy and
Switzerland, the LVMH-owned brand created a
multimillion-euro Virus Free Fund in June to support
vaccine research at Oxford University’s Jenner
Institute and Rome’s Lazzaro Spallanzani National
Institute for Infectious Diseases.
“The path to CSR started for Bvlgari a long time
ago,” says CEO Jean-Christophe Babin, referring
to the brand’s 11-year involvement with Save the
Children, for whom it’s raised almost $100 million
benefitting more than two million disadvantaged kids
around the world. “The COVID-19 crisis was just an
accelerator in realizing that this is absolutely the
right way.”
Clockwise from top:
The launch of the
BVLGARI Virus Free
Fund; shifting its
perfume factories
to produce hand
santizier; Oxford
University’s
Jenner Lab.
Meanwhile, Breitling did its part for COVID-19
frontline workers in May, when it unveiled a
second limited edition of its 2020 breakout hit, the
Superocean Heritage ’57 “Rainbow,” with a blue
dial — to match the color of the UK’s National Health
Services logo — and donated proceeds from its sale
(around $700,000) to six nonprofits, one for each
of the brand’s hardest hit markets, including Direct
Relief in the USA, NHS Charities Together in the UK
and the Humanitas Hospital Group in Italy.
At press time, the brand was also preparing to
formally unveil a new eco-friendly approach to
packaging in the fall that would give customers the
option to forgo boxes and paperwork in favor of soft
pouches and digital documentation.
“We are a small company, but we have very
influential customers,” says Breitling CEO Georges
Kern. “And we’ll give them a choice to be part of that
new thinking.”
When it comes to issues of social justice, however,
Breitling, as with most luxury brands, would prefer
to stay out of the fray. “We don’t want to be part of a
problem, we want to be part of a solution,” Kern says.
Plenty of watchmakers, from Audemars Piguet
to Zenith, seem to agree. “You don’t see Rolex
blustering around on any of these social issues yet
and they’re still the no. 1 brand in the world,” Paget
says. “It takes time to get policies and actions in
place. The key thing would be recognizing the truth:
A brand, a company or an industry is not going to
change overnight but it has to start on the path.”
Indeed, if the consumer response to the crises of
2020 is any indication, even an industry as traditional
and slow-moving as Swiss watchmaking will have to
confront these issues sooner than later.
“There is a growing activism on the part of
both brands and consumers and that’s new,” says
Pedraza. “Disney just announced a partnership with
Colin Kaepernick — what? He was a pariah. Now
America’s brand is embracing him because he stood
for something. You can’t afford to not contribute and
add value.”
From top:
Breitling CEO
Georges Kern;
the Superocean
Heritage ‘57
“Rainbow.”
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Magical Thinking
After a decade of unprecedented growth, Hublot is at the top of its game.
Interview by Stephen Watson
Since becoming CEO of Hublot
in 2012, Ricardo Guadalupe has
focused his energy on combining
traditional watchmaking expertise with
a cutting-edge point of view. Always
at the forefront of new technology and
innovative materials, the brand now has
over 750 points of sale and 80 exclusive
boutiques worldwide. There is no denying
it: Hublot is one of the most fascinating
success stories of the 20th century.
How would you define Hublot’s core
customer demographic?
Hublot’s customers are women and men
who are young, who know success, follow
an entrepreneur philosophy, and who
[are] trendy and like fashion and lifestyle.
Recent special editions have been
especially fun and appealing. How
important have these watches, which
are often made for specific markets,
become to Hublot? Is the intention to
become collector’s items in the future?
We don’t have 200 years of history,
which is why we have developed our
own particular concept with the “Art of
Fusion.” I think brands repeating the past
and re-issuing models from 50 years ago
is an issue. We need some evolution in
the industry, so why not use ceramic and
sapphire to make watch cases? This is the
technology that we have today but didn’t
exist 50 years ago. For us, it was evident to
use this, but for brands with over a century
of history maybe it’s not as obvious.
And we go where our clients are! We
continuously focus on our customers,
we elaborate our partnerships in
accordance with the interests of our
clients, to better suit their needs and
expectations. Football, cars, art, music
are areas where our customers are. So
we are partners with FIFA and UEFA,
the two most important organizations in
the football universe, and with Ferrari,
certainly the most famous car brand in
the world. We do things differently than
other traditional watchmakers [and in
accordance with] our motto: “First,
Unique, Different.”
Therefore yes, I believe some of our
limited editions immediately become
collector’s items. For example, the
limited edition we created in partnership
with Depeche Mode, or the newly
launched Big Bang Millennial Pink that
sold out within three days. Creativity and
innovation are key for us at every level.
How has developing these watches
influenced the primary collection?
The limited editions are products that
arouse interest, and they are talking
pieces. These collections sell super
rapidly as they represent the universe
of Hublot and our partners. It’s a
real fusion. Of course, they help us to
[sell] the core range, as people enter
our boutiques and discover the whole
collection of our brand.
The past few months have been
particularly challenging, impacting how
we work and our personal lives. Has
there been a silver lining for Hublot?
Any positive takeaways?
By way of precaution, and to protect
our personnel, on March 17th, we
decided to go beyond our Swiss
government’s recommendations and
close our manufacture’s production
site for the necessary time. This was
a temporary measure, and in May
we started the production again, but
working in two shifts. The goal of this
decision still is to slow/stop the spread
of the coronavirus and protect our
employees as well as all of our citizens.
The confinement has definitely
changed timing in everybody’s life.
Since the beginning of this sanitary
crisis, I’ve taken time to read, time
to walk in the forest, time to think,
time to cook, et cetera. It is too early
to already say what we will learn from
the COVID-19 situation, but for sure
there will be a before and an after!
Hublot has always been ahead of the
competition in terms of presenting our
products. We were the first to create a TV
[channel]. We started on social media
right at the beginning and now are leaders
in terms of followers. We were ready
when the digital transformation started
a few years ago. We, now, more than
usual, are really active on social-media
channels, like Instagram, but also with
other digital actions — for example our
digital boutique or with our e-commerce.
This allows us to keep in touch with our
clients and friends without having them
obliged to come to our boutiques.
Environmental concerns and
sustainability are also top of mind in
2020. How will these concerns impact
Hublot in the future?
Hublot shows a strong commitment to
charitable and humanitarian institutions.
We have supported [the nonprofit
organization] charity: water, on three
other occasions since 2013. The funds,
raised in collaboration with Depeche
Mode, have given life to 229 projects in
Nepal and Ethiopia, with 220 standpipes
and 19 wells drilled and dug by hand,
which now bring safe, clean water to
over 30,000 people. For the second
campaign, we have set the goal, again
together with Depeche Mode, to beat
this previous achievement and bring
clean water to 50,000 men, women, and
children around the world. Everyone
has the right to water, everyone has the
right to life. We have the chance to have
a strong brand image, and therefore we
need to give back!
Evolution comes slow to the watch
industry, but the past few months
have forced radical changes. What
should we look forward to in the post-
Baselworld era?
I strongly believe brands need to
reconsider their global strategies in order
to overcome the crisis. Social distancing
will remain a concern and people will
need to be cautious. Local customers
must have direct access to the brands,
because it will take time to come back to
“normal.” At Hublot, we continue to be
different and to dare. The good examples
are the products we launched during this
period. It is our role to continue to make
people dream. And therefore we create
stunning pieces of art to wear on the wrist.
Last question. Do you have a particular
favorite Hublot style? Which one do you
reach for most personally?
My favorite watch is, without any
discussion, the Big Bang All Black.
The most iconic product!
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What is your role at Watchfinder?
Describe a day at the office.
I’m the CEO. My day is currently spent
battling with Skype, and Zoom, and
Teams, and wishing I had a better Internet
connection.
What do you like about watches? How did
it all start for you?
I like that mechanical watches appear
simple on the surface but the dial hides an
incredibly complex and miniature power
plant that beats around 30,000 times an
hour. My professional interest started
20 years ago when a couple of old school
friends told me they intended to test the
commercial potential of the Internet by
selling watches online and [asked] did I
fancy joining them?
What was your first watch?
A navy-blue TAG Heuer F1 sports watch.
What is your daily beater? And why?
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Memovox Tribute to
Polaris. It’s a great-looking watch.
What does a watch say about the person
wearing it?
Everything and nothing. I try not to judge a
book by its cover.
Who is Watchfinder & Co.?
They’re known to the watch world as one of the most trusted pre-owned watch
specialists, but beyond the hands and the voice behind their hugely popular
YouTube channel, who are the people behind Watchfinder & Co.? How did they
get into the business, what do they wear, and what do they like? We chat with a
fewofthekeypeopleontheteamtofindoutwhatmakesthemtick.
Interviews Stephanie Ip
MATT BOWLING, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO
If you can put together your own threewatch
collection, what would it be?
Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Tribute
to Polaris, Patek Nautilus, Rolex Sea-
Dweller.
Vintage or current?
Discontinued.
Gold or steel?
Steel.
Time-only or complication?
It depends if I’m wearing my glasses.
Daytona or Submariner?
Sea-Dweller.
Who is one watchmaker, dead or alive,
you want to meet the most?
Edmond Capt, who designed the Valjoux
7750.
Which is one watch that has passed
through your office that you got really
excited about?
There were three of them. All Vacheron
Constantin, and all featured in a video
we published in February this year: the
James Ward Packard Pocket Watch, the
Ultra-Thin Pocket Watch and the Grand
Complication Ref. 6526 Pocket Watch.
What are you currently reading?
Commander in Cheat by Rick Reilly.
What do you do to unwind?
Light the barbecue, walk the dog, ride my
bike, or enjoy a round of golf.
ANDREW MORGAN, CONTENT DIRECTOR, AKA THE HANDS,
THE VOICE AND THE KNOWLEDGE BEHIND WATCHFINDER’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
What is your role at Watchfinder?
Describe a day at the office.
I am Watchfinder’s content director,
overseeing the content production at
Watchfinder. We have developed the
ability to produce our content exclusively
in-house, so most days will involve the
planning and production of audio/visual
media for use throughout the company.
What do you like about watches? How
did it all start for you?
I can’t say there was any specific moment
where I became aware of watches, but
as I grew through my teens and into my
20s, I slowly became aware of the obvious
brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe,
and then became more fascinated with
lesser known entities like MB&F and De
Bethune. Being a former engineer and
a fan of exceptional engineering, the
mechanical craftsmanship has a deeprooted
interest for me.
What was your first watch?
I had a Casio F-91W in school, long since
gone.
What is your daily beater? And why?
I have a Grand Seiko SBGV245. It’s
relatively affordable, exceptionally well
made, doesn’t need winding and the
finish of the dial rivals watches some 10
times the price.
What does a watch say about the person
wearing it?
Any number of things. It entirely depends
on the person’s motivation for buying
it. It can be a social symbol, a source of
passion, a timekeeper, a hit of nostalgia,
a memory of a loved one. In any case,
I try to judge people by the things that
come out of their mouths rather than the
watches they choose to wear.
If you can put together your own threewatch
collection, what would it be?
An F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu, an A.
Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph, and
the [Omega] Speedmaster Buzz Aldrin
wore on the Moon — although I’d have to
find it first.
Vintage or current?
I like the romantic appeal of vintage but
the steadfastness of contemporary.
Gold or steel?
I’m not sure I could pull off gold,
so steel for me.
Time-only or complication?
A nice hand-wound
chronograph is the sweet spot
for me.
Daytona or Submariner?
The Submariner.
Who is one watchmaker, dead or alive,
you want to meet the most?
I hope one day to meet François-Paul
Journe himself.
What are you currently reading?
The Plague by Albert Camus — that’s not
a joke. I started it in mid-December (I’m
a slow reader) and I must admit it’s lost a
bit of its appeal since.
What books would you recommend to
any watch lover?
Rather than a book, I’d recommend
buying a cheap movement on eBay, a set
of screwdrivers and having a go yourself.
But if it’s a book you want, I’d suggest
Watchmaking by George Daniels.
What do you do to unwind?
Currently playing The Last of Us Part II.
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JOSHUA PENI, HEAD WATCHMAKER
What is your role at Watchfinder?
Describe a day at the office.
I am the head watchmaker here at
Watchfinder. We are Europe’s largest
independent service center and I am
proud to say we are accredited by 19 of the
world’s leading watch manufacturers. I
am responsible for the smooth running of
the workshop and maintaining the highest
standards in our servicing department.
As for a typical day — I like to arrive at the
office very early in the morning, when it’s
nice and quiet, so I can get a head start on
servicing watches right away.
What do you like about watches? How did
it all start for you?
I liked watches from a young age; I found
myself drawn to them as a kid and would
always stand and stare at them through
shopfront windows and wonder what
was going on inside. I started my career
as a watchmaker at The British School of
Watchmaking in 2006 with the WOSTEP
3,000 Hour program.
What was your first watch?
My first decent Swiss watch was a TAG
Heuer Formula 1. I was around 17 years old
when I bought it and remember having to
save for a long time to get it.
What is your daily beater? And why?
The watch I wear day-to-day is a Rolex
Submariner [Date] Ref. 16610. I bought
it when I first arrived in London back in
1998. It’s a classic design that I still
love today.
If you can put together your own threewatch
collection, what would it be?
If I could choose three watches for my
personal collection, I would go with a
Richard Mille RM 011 in titanium, a
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle
Perpetual Calendar Chronograph and a
vintage Rolex Daytona.
Vintage or current?
I’d have to say modern watches, due
to them being more reliable and easier
to maintain. Vintage watches have the
sense of history that comes with them,
but servicing costs are high, and parts
availability can also be a problem.
Gold or steel?
Although I love the look of gold, I would
go with steel as it is more durable when
wearing as an everyday watch.
Time-only or complication?
As a watchmaker, I love a watch with
complications. The movement looks so
much more impressive.
Daytona or Submariner?
I already own a Submariner so I would go
with a Daytona. It’s a beautiful watch and I
have never owned one.
Who is one watchmaker, dead or alive,
you want to meet the most?
I would have loved to meet Antoine Le
Coultre. He was responsible for inventing
the Millionomètre back in 1884, a tool
capable of measuring the micron. This
was revolutionary for the time and allowed
the company to refine the manufacture of
watch parts.
Which is one watch that has passed
through your office that you got really
excited about?
It’s so hard to pick just one watch that
has come through the office. I do love
seeing A. Lange & Söhne watches as their
movements are finished to the highest
standards.
What are you currently reading?
The last book I have read was Scar Tissue.
It’s an autobiography of Red Hot Chili
Peppers’ frontman, Anthony Kiedis — a
memoir of his life spent in the fast lane.
What books would you recommend to any
watch lover?
An interesting book about horology is
Longitude. It centers around the master
clockmaker John Harrison, who solved
“the longitude problem” with his invention
of the maritime chronometer.
What do you do to unwind?
I’m a dad, and spending quality time with
my two boys trumps everything else for me.
ANTOINE BERARDI, HEAD OF HONG KONG & MACAU
What is your role at Watchfinder?
Describe a day at the office.
I am the head of Hong Kong and Macau
for Watchfinder & Co. My day starts with
a quick morning briefing with the team
to discuss priorities for the day. After
that, each day is different. But the goal is
always the same: make Watchfinder shine
in the city!
What do you like about watches? How
did it all start for you?
I like that there is a story behind
each watch. It starts with its own
characteristics when it was born in the
manufacture, and then [is] shaped by its
— sometimes multiple — owners. Take
the Rolex Daytona 6239, for example;
without Paul Newman, this watch would
certainly not be the icon it is today. I have
always been a fan of watches, but more
particularly so when I started to work for
Cartier seven years ago.
What was your first watch?
My first watch was a Baume & Mercier
Classima — classic, elegant, and
affordable for a fresh graduate.
What is your daily beater? And why?
Cartier Ballon Bleu with steel bracelet.
One of my first watches that can really be
worn any time, for any occasion: at work
or during big events, thanks to its elegant
style and shape, but also during the
weekend for a more relaxed occasion as
the steel and bracelet looks quite sportive.
If you can put together your own threewatch
collection, what would it be?
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, Rolex
Daytona 116500LN, IWC Pilot’s Watch
Edition “Le Petit Prince.”
Vintage or current?
Both, depending on the mood and style.
Gold or steel?
Steel for me, more discreet.
Time-only or complication?
Time only. I’m easily seduced by the look
of the watch rather than its complications
or its watchmaking prowess.
Daytona or Submariner?
Daytona!
Who is one watchmaker, dead or alive,
you want to meet the most?
Roger Dubuis. As [he was] a modern
watchmaker who came up with a very
eccentric, unique and recognizable
brand that met success in just a few years.
Impressive.
Which is one watch that has passed
through your office that you got really
excited about?
Patek Philippe Grand Complications
5270G-001, purchased recently by
the HK team. The quintessence of
watchmaking!
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THE PANERAI LUMINOR MARINA:
Enduring Classics
How a watch from the annals of military history — and
a brand that embodies Italian swagger — redefined
“cool” for a new generation of collectors.
Words Stephen Watson
“I have discovered a universal rule which seems to apply more
than any other in all human actions or words; namely, to
steer away from affectation at all costs, as if it were a rough
and dangerous reef, and to practise in all things a certain
nonchalance (sprezzatura) which conceals all artistry and
makes whatever one says or does seem uncontrived and effortless.”
The above comment is from Baldassare
Castiglione, the Renaissance-era author, in his
famed Book of the Courtier. He is expounding on
the fashionable concept of sprezzatura, the Italian art of
understatement. Castiglione proposed that everything
one does should appear relaxed and confident, and that
this ideal can best be achieved avoiding the superficial,
while practicing a studied type of elegant detachment.
He is, essentially, describing the very essence of
inner cool.
It should come as no surprise that Castiglione
was Italian. Nearly five centuries after he espoused
the virtues of sprezzatura, the concept remains deeply
ingrained in his nation’s sense of style; so much so
that men (and women) there still strive to emulate
its ineffable magic, carefully curating details — an
unfastened strap, an unbuttoned sleeve, an uneven tie
blade — as to appear carefree.
This same elusive trait explains the appeal of
Panerai. The beloved watchmaker — founded in Italy,
of course — makes everything about the craft seem easy,
look simple, and feel special. Its design hallmarks, like
the pairing of an oversized case to a minimalist dial, or
a utilitarian crown guard next to a supple leather strap,
capture an unforgettable incongruity of beauty and
toughness without fuss. Signore Castiglione
would approve.
This page: The PAM775
features the throwback
“OP” logo from
Panerai’s first publicly
sold collection of
watches.
Opposite: The Luminor
Marina - 44mm
PAM01312, the
definitive modern-day
classic.
At the same time, careful work behind the scenes
has enabled Panerai to evolve into a fully-fledged
lifestyle phenomenon. A look back at the brand’s
distinguished military ties reveals its core DNA,
workmanship in the service of durable and deliberate
timepieces, while today it continues to push the
boundaries of possibility in design and materials.
Macho celebrity envoys like Sylvester Stallone and
Arnold Schwarzenegger initially helped put Panerai’s
modern offerings on the map. Still, it’s the hardcore fan
base, the Paneristi, that gives the business a not-soquiet
enthusiasm, inviting collectors of all stripes, all
around the world, into the fold.
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“Everything about the look and design of our
watches, both in their first iteration back in 1930,
but also today, speaks of boldness and innovation.
For many, the name has also come to represent a
community,” says Jean-Marc Pontroué, the affable
55-year-old Frenchman who was named CEO of
Officine Panerai in 2018. “Panerai is a brand that has
always inspired adventure, daring, and an important
historical connection to Italy and the sea.”
This history provides a unique halo effect. But the
story begins long before those first watches, in the city
of Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, where
Guido Panerai founded his workshop in the latter part
of the 1860s. His studio’s expertise in high-precision
mechanicals caught the attention of the Ministry of
Defence and Royal Italian Navy, which requested
production for a range of instruments. During WWI,
working under the banners “Guido Panerai & Figlio”
and “Officine Panerai”, the company began producing
military equipment and automatic machine tools, often
incorporating luminous elements.
The shop’s Radiomir coating immediately set itself
apart. This special material, a radium-based mixture,
made Panerai devices readable in complete darkness:
crucial for the military’s covert nighttime maneuvers.
Soon, the company would be supplying frogmen and
divers with lines of luminescent wrist-worn gear for
underwater use —torches, compasses, and depth
gauges. While much has been lost to history, it’s
believed the first Radiomir wristwatches were made for
the Italian Navy around 1935. Panerai timepieces were,
quite literally, battle-tested.
This page: PAM372
(top), an homage to
the original, down to
the Plexiglass crystal
instead of sapphire.
PAM 1351, an example
of Panerai’s most iconic
dial size 44mm, in
titanium with a vintage
look brown dial.
Opposite: Joining the
black PAM01312 is
the PAM01313 with
a stunning new sunbrushed
blue dial.
Not that ruggedness came at the expense of
appearances. During the interwar period, Guido’s
children, Giuseppe and Maria, opened a stylish
watch and clock shop called L’Orologeria Svizzera
in Florence, further aligning the family with both
horlogerie and Italian design. The shop still exists today
as a Panerai boutique, reimagined by Milan-based
architect Patricia Urquiola. She added numerous
nautical references, brushed bronze-like fixtures, and
warm walnut panelling throughout, a graphical contrast
to the subtle striping of grey and white marble floors,
which create unexpected geometric patterns. This old
family flagship sits directly across the street from the
Duomo, whose soaring structure is bathed in dedicated
exterior lighting at night. Radiance, always.
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The Luminor Marina
PAM01314 with
a stunning white
sandwich-style
dial with new grey
SuperLuminova and grey
strap. The PAM1359
with “dirty dial” as
it is affectionately
known, features all
Arabic numerals with a
beige-brown lume color
for a unique vintage
appearance.
As decades passed, collector interest in vintage
Italian luminescent service equipment only increased,
commanding extraordinary prices at auction.
Eventually, Officine Panerai responded to the market.
In 1993, it reissued the legendary Luminor — along with
the Luminor Marina and Mare Nostrum chronograph
— in limited runs available to the public. The buzz
surrounding these pieces dovetailed into an instantclassic
cameo on Stallone’s wrist in the action-thriller
Daylight. The momentum helped Panerai score an
investment from the Vendome Luxury Group, now
known as Richemont, in 1997.
A careful rollout began in Italy the following year,
with a global launch planned for 1999. Two models
made worldwide debuts, the Luminor and Luminor
Marina, in three different variations. The Mare
Nostrum also got a rerelease, after being updated
slightly to improve non-tactical wearability. The case
sizes of these pieces, all measuring 44 mm or larger,
made them unlike any other luxury watch available,
lending an unusual appeal that proved self-evident.
Other current-day Panerai signatures, most of them
highly-stylised nods to the brand’s military roots, were
established here as well: the unmistakable cushionshaped
case, the unique crown-locking system, the
superior water resistance.
The Luminor Marina
44mm PAM01313,
features the P.9010
calibre, entirely
developed and
created in the
Panerai Manufacture
in Neuchâtel. The
PAM1058 (below), the
latest iteration of the
first Panerai bracelet
design, a detail beloved
by serious collectors.
Panerai’s relaunch was something of a perfect
storm, offering products whose historical narrative
appealed to horology buffs and whose striking design
language initiated a new generation of collectors.
Market demand for big, bold luxury timepieces
exploded; Officine Panerai rode the lighting. All the
while, the core Paneristi eagerly snatched up each
new watch added to the core collection. Wearing one,
they could immediately imagine themselves taking on
a daring underwater adventure or military operation,
piloting the Luna Rossa in America’s Cup or sailing the
Amalfi coast, or simply lifting a glass of rosé at the
local trattoria.
At the same time, internal leadership resolved to
further elevate the company’s technical expertise.
Hence, the development of a manufacture operation
in Switzerland, beginning in 2002. The first in-house
Panerai movement, a hand-wound calibre with a GMT
function and an eight-day power reserve, arrived in
2005, dubbed P.2002 to commemorate the inaugural
year of the production facility project. Three more
exceptional in-house calibres followed in short order:
P.2003, whose tourbillon completed a single rotation
in 30 seconds; P.2004, a chronograph; and P.2005, a
GMT with tourbillon.
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For the modern-day
sailor, the PAM1020
commemorates the
Panerai Classic Yacht
Challenge “PCYC,” and
PAM0525 is a classic
Luminor that houses
Panerai’s in-house
movement with a
regatta timer, the only
function in watchmaking
madeexclusivelyfor
sailing.
Before the end of the decade, the P.9000 family of
movements arrived, providing a strong foundation to
bolster and expand the core collections. Panerai slowly
started replacing base calibres with its own in-house
creations, which soon included automatic movements
with chronograph flyback functions and fascinating
regatta countdown timers. Finally, in 2014, a new
manufacturer was inaugurated at Pierre-à-Bot, on the
hills of Neuchâtel. It allowed for further research and
development, manufacturing, assembly, and quality
control — all under one roof. The final union between
Italian design and Swiss watchmaking. Today, Panerai’s
Laboratorio di Idee takes this concept and goes one
step beyond.
“The core competencies of materials innovation,
customer experience, and sustainability have evolved
from the Laboratorio di idee over the years and
have fundamentally changed the Panerai
brand as a whole,” says Pontroué, the
CEO. “The lab constantly pushes the
boundaries of industry-first materials,
like this year’s Prima Assoluta release of
Fibratech — a volcanic basalt treated into
a [special] polymer, which, prior to
its introduction as a material used
for Panerai, was only used in the
aeronautical industry.”
There is plenty to be said about the artistry of
Laboratorio di Idee. But Panerai’s forward-looking
mindset extends beyond the physical space. Aiming
even higher, the brand is looking to expand its universe
with the launch of the PAMCAST this summer. This
multimedia platform will provide in-house editorial
content, offering one-of-a-kind experiences and
storytelling journeys, like exploring the best diving
sites in Italy, from Porto Santo Stefano to Portofino.
Through web content, podcasts and Spotify playlists,
the company can paint a fuller picture of its identity. La
dolce vita, Panerai-style. No doubt, the Paneristi will
come in droves.
“This project took inspiration from the huge
streaming media industry and targets new levels of
expectation, strengthening brand advocacy,” Pontroué
says. “We believe this impactful content will allow our
community members to feel closer and let them
have a deep dive into the Panerai world.”
What draws them to that world is cohesion
and balance — Italian design and Swiss
mechanics, complex and effortless, all in
concert with history. And as any brand
devotee will tell you, this year is of
particular reverence, as it marks the 70th
anniversary of the original Luminor.
The watch was named for yet another
Afavoriteamong
collectors, the
PAM233 houses
Panerai’s first
in-house P.2002
movement.
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groundbreaking luminous material, this one made
using tritium, which Panerai engineered to replace the
radioactive Radiomir compound after WWII. Today,
the Luminor is considered a technical landmark.
Fittingly, Panerai has chosen this moment to
announce its latest technological breakthrough: a
new generation of high-performance “X1” Super-
Luminova. Not only is this said to be brighter and
more durable, but the stealth detail looks different in
daylight depending on application: white lume for a
blue dial, grey on a white dial, and neon green for a
black dial — a distinctive colourway that recalls the
original Luminor. Pontroué calls it “an important
aspect of the functionality of the design”, ensuring
the next generation of Panerai watches “glow in the
greatest depths of the ocean and at night”.
But the arrival of upgraded X1 Super-Luminova is
just one facet of the “Year of Luminor” celebrations.
Panerai is also releasing three anniversary-edition
versions of existing pieces, an arresting trio whose
specialised treatment demands new reference
numbers: Luminor Marina (PAM1117), Luminor
Marina Carbotech (PAM1118), and Luminor Marina
Fibratech (PAM1119). According to Pontroué, these
pieces feature “a heavy focus on luminescent details”,
which can be seen on the dial, flange, crown, bezel
ring, and on the straps, where lumed accent stitching
is sewn. Only 270 examples of each of these models
will be made. And, in a neat acknowledgment of the
occasion, they all carry a 70-year warranty.
Meanwhile, another new Luminor Marina
(PAM01313) joins the collection this year. Its
satiné soleil sunray-finish blue dial is paired with a
corresponding blue alligator strap, or the optional
rubber alternate. It’s accompanied by a sibling piece,
the PAM01314, which is the real knockout of the group.
Here, a white dial appears in a sandwich configuration,
a layered style that intensifies luminescence, for the
This page: Housing
the P.2002E in-house
movement, the PAM670
Luminor GMT Equation
of Time features an AM/
PM indicator, power
reserve, date, and
month.
Opposite: The
PAM01313 and
PAM01312, perfect for
underwater adventures,
piloting a craft in the
America’s Cup, sailing
the Amalfi coast, or
simply lifting a glass
of rosé at the local
trattoria.
first time in any Panerai collection. Underpinning both
watches is calibre P.9010, a svelte automatic movement
designed and built in Neuchâtel, offering a full threeday
power reserve. The hour hand can be set in steps,
one hour forwards or back, while simultaneously
adjusting the date, adding more real-world practicality.
“The Luminor design has become an iconic
shape over time … [the watch] continues to be sleek,
functional, and significant to the core characteristics of
the brand with every new reference added,” Pontroué
says. “It has become a look that is immediately
recognisable by those in the know.”
The man understands his clientele. They will always
buy into the Italian status and commando pedigree, the
ingenious and straightforward design of that distinctive
crown guard, and the durable materials that tie it all
together. They want the glowing lumed Arabic and
Roman numerals, the clarity and legibility of those
dials, whose large hands and small seconds indicators
have barely changed in size or appearance for decades.
Because without bending to trends or gimmicks —
avoiding the superficial, as it were — Panerai has been
able to evolve by celebrating its strengths, adapting
gradually over time, rarely — if ever — misstepping.
Sprezzatura, indeed.
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35 Years of The Cartier Pasha
We trace the history of the sporty round watch with a crown cap and
assured sense of style that is Cartier’s Pasha de Cartier.
Words Felix Scholz
Cartier’s hero collection du
jour for 2020 is one of its
more youthful creations — the
sporty Pasha. At first glance, its simple
round case stands out from the diverse
geometry of Cartier’s broader catalog.
Still, on closer inspection, the tensions
of a shape-within-a-shape that defines
the maison’s watch design is very much
in evidence, thanks to the angular square
layout of the dial, contained within the
perfect circle of the case. These key
design codes, along with the Vendôme
lugs and screw-down crown protector,
are still very much in evidence.
But where did the Pasha come from?
Well, there are two sides to that tale.
The Pasha of Marrakesh,
Thami El Glaoui.
APOCRYPHA
One version of the Pasha’s origin story,
and the inspiration for its name, is full
of everything one could want or dream
of from a Cartier collection: one full
of exotic locales, aristocracy and just a
hint of mystery.
This story, so it goes, begins in 1931
or ‘32, when the Pasha of Marrakesh,
Thami El Glaoui, ordered a one-of-akind
watch from Louis Cartier. A gold
watch, resilient enough to keep pace with
the Pasha’s active lifestyle, and one that
could boast a level of water resistance that
was uncommon for the time. The solution
was a watch with a (comparatively) large
diameter, a crown cover and metal grid
to protect the dial. The only fly in this
ointment is that there is no substantive
proof that this watch was actually made
for the Pasha of Marrakesh.
The closest we can get is a photograph
from 1943 of a watch that bears all these
features and that does look quite a lot like
the modern Pasha. And while this unique
piece may surface at some point (and
it’s likely someone at Cartier is keeping
an active eye out for it), it’s telling that
Cartier themselves don’t draw any direct
links. The official line is that “its name
pays tribute to the Pasha of Marrakesh, a
The latest
Pasha de
Cartier
41mm in
yellow gold.
lover of fine watchmaking and a lifelong
customer of Louis Cartier.” Until we’re
treated to some spectacular horological
sleuthing, the story of the Pasha and his
watch is just that — a story.
1985: THE BIRTH OF THE
PASHA DE CARTIER
It would be hard to talk about Cartier
without mentioning a legend in the
watch industry named Alain-Dominique
Perrin, Cartier’s CEO from 1975 to
1998. Understanding that he was at
the helm of Cartier during a turbulent
era beset by both the Quartz Crisis as
well as the OPEC Oil Embargo and the
global economic recession of 1973 to
1975, he knew he had to think out of
the box. It was also a turbulent time
for luxury watches; not just because of
Alain-Dominique Perrin,
CEO of Cartier from 1975 to 1998.
quartz, but also the emergence of the
luxury steel sports watch. The Patek
Philippe Nautilus and the Audemars
Piguet Royal Oak had been released in
the previous decade and were making
waves with their innovative designs.
Riding on the massive hit represented
by the Le Must de Cartier watches —
the brand’s lower-priced diffusion
line — launched the year before in
1977, he introduced a revolutionary
new wristwatch named the Santos in
1978 with the objective to connect the
design language of Cartier to a whole
new generation. In the 1980s, when
Alain-Dominique Perrin was at the
full height of his creativity, it was clear
that there was a market for waterproof
luxury watches, with timepieces such
as the Ebel 1911 Classic Wave rising
The one
photographic
proof of the 1943
watch that bears
resemblance to
the modern day
Pasha de Cartier.
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Swiss watch designer
and artist, Gerald
Genta, photographed
inthe1980s.
in popularity and the solid-gold Rolex
Submariner taking a dominant stance.
And in 1985 it was time for something
sporty and new. A large, masculine
watch intended to make a statement,
but still hold dear to Cartier’s inherent
elegance. And to assist with the design,
they enlisted the help of a designer with
experience in the space, Gérald Genta.
The design that was finally released
definitively delivered on the brief to
make a statement. The round watch
stood out from Cartier’s crop of ovals
and rectangles. The Pasha also featured
a large (for the time) 38mm case, with
a broad bezel, the very era-appropriate
Vendôme lugs and the screw-down
crown cap, complete with cabochon
and dainty retaining chain. Throughout
its history, details have remained at the
core of the Pasha silhouette. The dial
also claimed its fair share of identifying
marks. Namely, the square minutes
chapter ring placed front and center
of the circular dial. And then there was
the 12-3-6-9 dial layout, which along
with the oversized crown cap that, if
you use your imagination a little bit, was
reminiscent of some of the more iconic
military watch designs out there.
For George Cramer, noted Cartier
expert and authority, it’s the distinctive
design of the Pasha that ensured its
initial success and enduring appeal:
“The different case that looks a bit like
a porthole and the winding crown that is
covered with a cap — for the ‘80s, this
was a change in men’s watches. Not to
mention the grille [more on that shortly]
that covered the dial, that was released in
the ‘80s and often a point of discussion.”
The initial production of the Pasha
was small, and limited to boutiques. This
initial series of watches cased in yellow
gold is identifiable thanks to the lack of a
date-magnifying cyclops that appeared
on later variants. And while this 38mm
time-and-date reference was the first, it
was far from the last. Cartier quickly built
on the Pasha platform, offering a range
of complications and variants throughout
the ‘80s. Some models replaced the
smooth bezel with an elegant diving bezel
(the original time-only Pasha offered 100
meters of water resistance), and some
added a distinctive and protective grille
to the equation. The addition of this grille
not only harkened back to that photograph
of the 1943 watch that serves as a design
inspiration, but also demonstrates the
interplay between the angular and circular
geometry of the dial layout in a very
pleasing manner — highlighting the gridbased
design of the Pasha dial.
THE MANY FACES OF PASHA
The first generation of Pasha watches
received more than just minor
design additions, as Cartier released
chronographs, GMT models, a
moonphase and even a perpetual calendar.
And while all these models demonstrated
Cartier Pasha GMT Power Reserve
(Image: George Cramer)
The Pasha
de Cartier
from 1985.
varying degrees of Pasha — take, for
example, the chronograph with its spinelset
pushers very much in keeping with
the prominent crown guard that defines
the Pasha — already we’re starting to see
the evolution and diversity of the line, as
the dial design of the Pasha Chronograph
doesn’t feature the same square-in-acircle
motif as other models.
Another model that adds complication
to the equation is the Pasha Perpetual
Calendar, a Genta-designed model
that featured a classical iteration of the
perpetual calendar, with the brand-mark
and moonphase inset in an elegant night
sky ovoid at the top of the dial. And while
this version of the Pasha shows just how
traditionally chic the collection can be, it
also highlights another interesting fact: for
some Pasha models, quartz was an option.
After all, this is the 1980s we’re talking
about — the Swiss watch industry was still
reeling, and the overwhelming importance
of “in-house” was decades away.
This era also gave birth to the model
that Cramer asserts is the most unusual
Pasha ever, the Pasha de Cartier Golf.
It’s certainly distinctive, thanks to a
grand total of six crowns that balloon
the 38mm case to a substantial 50mm.
The purpose of this proliferation of
protrusions is as unexpected as the watch
itself — this remarkable watch allows the
wearer to keep track of the score of a golf
game, not just for the wearer, but also for
three of their friends. Four of the pushers
(distinguished with different colored
cabochons) were, in fact, pushers that
served to manually operate a counter
for each player and were easy to read,
thanks to the four date magnifiers on the
crystal. Much like the perpetual calendar,
this model was offered in quartz and
mechanical versions and was produced
through to the ‘90s. Earlier versions saw
the center of the dial in dark blue, while
later ones went for a full silver dial with
larger Roman numerals that, for many,
will look much more “Cartier.”
FIGARO, FIGARO
Now we come to one of the most iconic
iterations of the Pasha de Cartier — the
yellow-gold Pasha, replete with protective
grille and the distinctive “Figaro”
bracelet. “That Figaro bracelet is the best
bracelet Cartier ever created for their
larger watches,” Cramer explains, “and
it was only available during the first few
years, after the release of the Pasha line.”
For Cramer, it was the combination of
gold, grille and bracelet that made this
model such a hot property, at least until
some limited editions arrived on the scene
in the late ‘90s. The Figaro — presumably
Believed to be
the most unusual
Pasha created that
resembles Genta’s
own Golf Watch.
Automatic
Cartier Pasha
Perpetual
Calendar from
1989 (Image:
Christie’s)
inspired by the titular character from
Pierre Beaumarchais’ plays — is a lovely
bracelet, offering precisely the sort
of heavy elegance you would hope for
from a solid gold dress bracelet. The
combination of the Pasha’s lugs and
the five, smooth-shouldered links of
the Figaro, along with its hidden clasp,
exudes the opulence of the era. Sadly, the
life of Pasha’s Figaro was short-lived, as
it disappeared from the catalog shortly
after it arrived, to be replaced by a much
more conventional bracelet, meaning
the original Figaro is a hot commodity
amongst Cartier collectors.
Pasha with
grill on Figaro
bracelet (Image:
George Cramer)
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1990: THE STEEL PASHA
As 1990 ushered in a new decade,
Cartier’s Pasha ended five years of
precious metal exclusivity and ushered
a new case material — steel — into the
collection. And while other details, such as
the 38mm case size, screw-down crown
cover and various bezel options remained
the same, the stainless-steel case
reinvigorated the once-precious Pasha’s
sporty promise. This model is, according
to Cramer, “a great Pasha to start with. It
is a good-looking watch that can be worn
on any occasion and it has a no-nonsense
and easy-to-service ETA caliber.”
The fact that the 38mm case dimension
remained meant that the Pasha was still
primarily marketed as a men’s watch.
1995: THE PASHA C
The Pasha’s reign of steel continued
in 1995, with the introduction of the
Pasha C. Smaller at 35mm and with a
sporty “H” link bracelet, the Pasha C
represented a new entry-point into the
world of Pasha. It also saw several new
dial designs emerge, including a coppery
or salmon toned offering, overlaid with
a delicate grid that offered yet another
interpretation of the ever-evolving
square-in-a-circle motif.
As should be expected, the Pasha C
was not limited to time-only releases,
with offerings like a gentlemen’s traveler
GMT with a steel 24-hour bezel and a
black dial that sees the straight grid-like
dial distorted to evoke the meridians of
the globe.
Not only does the Pasha C
continue to appeal to a new, younger
demographic, the smaller size is also
a nod to the fact that
more and more women
are wearing the Pasha.
This was something
formalized a few years
later, in 1998, with the
release of a 32mm
Pasha, offered in a
range of gem-set
options and with
softer hues of strap.
1997: CELEBRATING 150
YEARS IN STYLE
As the millennium drew to a close,
Cartier was in fine form, celebrating
its 150th anniversary across the globe.
In London, for example, the party was
held in the Egyptian Room of the British
Museum, with a guest list of the rich and
the royal. It’s also the year that Cartier
released what Cramer thinks is the most
underrated Pasha: “The steel Pasha with
the grille and the ruby [spinel] in the
Cartier Pasha Steel
(Image: George Cramer)
crown that was launched for Cartier’s
150th anniversary is always available
in the market, and for very reasonable
prices. The movement was very nicely
decorated, and it was limited to 1,847
pieces.” Indeed, it was only one of the
many celebratory creations Cartier
released that year, offered in editions of
three, 150 or 1,847 pieces. Don’t mistake
this limited edition (with the red spinel)
for the regular production (with a blue
spinel) released shortly afterwards.
Left: Pasha C
Right: Limited edition
Cartier Pasha 150th
Anniversary in steel
(Image: George Cramer)
Clockwise from left The
first ref. 2406 in white
gold with pink gold dial,
numbered and limited
to20examples;Theref.
2406 in white gold with a
decorated blue enamel
logo, numbered and
limited to 20 examples;
Ref. 2542 released in
the 2000s, limited to 20
examples and Ref. 2578
in 18K pink gold, limited
to25examples.
1998–2008: THE CPCP ERA
Now, we enter one of the most hallowed
eras for collectors of modern Cartier,
the so-called CPCP releases. CPCP
stands for Collection Privée, Cartier
Paris and represents a collection of
limited releases, typically of 100 pieces
or less. The Pasha saw numerous editions
released under the CPCP umbrella,
typically complicated offerings such as
a perpetual calendar. But for Cramer,
this long-running collection-withina-collection
produced two of the most
desirable Pasha models ever made, the
tourbillon and the day-and-night.
Cartier made several tourbillon
models of the Pasha; each was a limited
edition powered by a Girard-Perregaux
three bridges movement, dubbed the
caliber 492 MC, with a semi-skeletonized
tourbillon. The first of these, the Ref.
2406, was released in 1998 in ultralimited
editions, featured blued hands,
an intricate hand-engraved dial and the
iconic Cartier “double C” logo occupying
most of the dial in pink gold. The 2000
edition was particularly striking thanks
to the intertwined logo being inset with
blue enamel. The 2001 release, while
still being made to the highest standards,
offered a more conventional dial design,
applying a bridge shaped like the Pasha’s
distinctive square minute track over the
tourbillon movement.
The Pasha de Cartier Day & Night
is equally refined, yet an altogether
different offering. Presented in 1999
as a limited edition of 20 pieces, the
Day & Night model took the by-now
familiar form of the Pasha case (in yellow
gold) and added to it a design inspired
by another iconic Cartier creation —
the “mystery clock.” The Day & Night
evokes the floating arcs of the maison’s
historic clocks by utilizing a reworked
Fréderique Piguet caliber which showed
24-hour time, allowing for a single
central hand, one end marked with a
sun and matching the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
arc, while the other moon-tipped hand
was read against the track displaying
the night time hours of 6 pm. to 6 am.
There’s a running seconds at the bottom
of the dial, and the dial design is kept
visually engaging thanks to a beautifully
executed clous de Paris pattern. The
designer behind this striking and
contemporary concept was none other
than the acclaimed Svend Andersen.
The Pasha de Cartier
Day & Night, designed by
Svend Andersen in 1999.
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The Pasha 42mm, marking 20
years of the collection.
The Pasha gains a sportier look
in the Pasha Seatimer.
The chronograph version of the Pasha de
Cartier, released circa 2007.
The Cartier Miss Pasha, released for
the younger female market.
Cartier has managed to, once again,
balance the impetus of the original with
the tastes of the now. There are two main
sizes on offer; a 35mm case (in stainless
steel or pink gold) with no date, or a
larger 41mm model with date (in yellow
gold or stainless steel). All the dial details
of the original are still there but realized
in a much more textural, subtle and
sophisticated manner this time around.
The movement is the caliber 1847
MC. The lugs and bracelet appear the
same as ever, though now wearers have
the added benefit of Cartier’s excellent
“QuickSwitch” system, to allow on-thefly
strap changes, and the “SmartLink”
system to enable pain (and tool) free
bracelet link adjustments. Also present
is that most Pasha of details, the screwdown
crown cap, which helps with
the 100 meters of water resistance
(unchanged from the 1985 original,
funnily enough). A nice touch is the fact
that, hidden on the case profile, only
visible when the cap is removed, is just
enough space for a small engraving.
Very classy, very Cartier.
Of course, for 2020, we only see
the most straightforward time and date
options. Without a doubt, there are more
Pashas in the pipeline. When asked
what the future of the Pasha looks like,
Cramer was clear: “The Pasha has always
been available with complications from
third parties. Tourbillons, perpetual
calendars, chronographs and the
like. But, since Cartier has developed
so many of their own complicated
calibers in the past 12 years, I expect
to see releases of the new 41mm model
equipped with a manufacture tourbillon,
minute repeater and the like.”
The Pasha of Marrakesh, Thami
El Glaoui, may never have ordered
or worn the prototypical waterproof
Cartier. At the end of the day, that
doesn’t matter. What does is that Gérald
Genta’s iconic 1985 Pasha de Cartier
is a sporty design that has given birth
to its own distinguished dynasty.
2005: 20 YEARS OF PASHA
The 2000s onwards marked the time
of a significant shift for Cartier’s
watchmaking, as the brand consolidated
its watchmaking facilities “in-house”
and the maison developed its own Fine
Watchmaking collection under the
management of Carole Forestier-Kasapi,
leading to an explosion in Cartier’s
high-end complications. And of course
2005 marked the 20th anniversary of
the original Pasha, so a celebratory
update was in order. That watch was the
Pasha 42, which added 4mm to the case
diameter, in keeping with that decade’s
expansive taste in watch size (for those
of you who need some context, 2005
also saw the unveiling of Hublot’s Big
Bang, so a 42mm dress watch would have
raised very few eyebrows indeed). In
addition to the upgrade in size, the Pasha
42 also received a movement upgrade,
the caliber 8000 MC, made exclusively
for Cartier by Richemont stablemate
Jaeger-LeCoultre (who had, by the by,
been supplying Cartier with movements
since 1900). Aside from these two
changes, not too much had changed when
it came to the visuals — there was a little
guilloché on the dial, but that circlearound-a-square
intersected with
Arabic numerals was still very much front
and center. The Pasha 42 again saw that,
with incremental upgrades, the core of
Genta’s design remained unchanged and
as relevant as it ever was.
2006: THE PASHA SEATIMER
The mid-aughts’ preoccupation with
masculine designs continued to be felt
at Cartier, and the catalog reflected
this. Naturally, the sporty design of the
Pasha was a fertile field for this sort
of experimentation, so 2006 saw the
release of the Pasha Seatimer. It was a
watch that took many of the dive watch
attributes of the Pasha (the waterresistant
crown cap, the rotating bezel,
etc.) to their natural conclusion: a
40.5mm case with black luminous dial
(a white version was also available). The
most striking feature, however, was the
addition of a rubber strap, or rather a
rubber bracelet with a steel core. Two
years later, Cartier doubled down on the
sporty style with a chronograph version.
2009: MISS PASHA
While the trend for the Pasha throughout
the 2000s was for it to get larger and
increasingly complex, in 2009 Cartier
went the other way, releasing the smaller,
and quite colourful Miss Pasha. Aimed
(as you may have surmised by the name)
at a younger female customer, the Miss
Pasha added some colourful dials (think
pink and blue) and a smaller 27mm case.
This fun, fashionable take on the Pasha
was also, like some of the original 80s
models, powered by a quartz movement.
2020: THE PASHA OF TODAY
So we come to the current version of
the Pasha, launched earlier this year.
The Pasha is now 35 years old, and it’s
telling that this “new” Pasha enters the
market shortly after a “new” Santos de
Cartier (initially released in its bracelet
form in 1978) and the revived Panthère
de Cartier (originally 1983). Now, as to
whether it’s more telling of the times in
which we live in or the far-sightedness
of Cartier’s product development teams,
I’m not sure. But what I am confident
of is that with this generation of Pasha,
The screw-down crown cap hides a space for a
small personaly engraving.
The “SmartLink” system.
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A
Wonderful
Time
How the “Party of the Century” inspired
Maison Dior’s latest timepiece.
Words Stephen Watson
PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATION WILLY MAYWALD ADAGP. COURTESY DIOR.
Opposite A primary
source of inspiration,
an archival image from
Dior’s illustrious fashion
history. Top Examples
of the Dior Grand Bal
Masqué collection, a
new series of one-of-akind
timepieces inspired
by the masked ball.
he story behind Dior’s opulent Grand Bal Masqué timepieces begins,
appropriately enough, with an opulent party.
The year was 1951, and the world was finally reemerging from
wartime austerity. Don Carlos “Charlie” de Beistegui, heir to an
enormous Mexican silver fortune, planned a remarkable celebration — a
masked costume ball at his magnificently restored palazzo, just off the
canals of Venice. Invitations went out six months in advance, leaving
more than 1,000 prospective guests with ample time to arrange travel
plans and prepare their elaborate attire. The party was officially called
Le Bal Oriental, but has since been given another name: The Ball of the Century.
One of the most extraordinary and lavish social events of the 20th century, this
was a singular coming together of European aristocrats and Hollywood stars, royalty
and socialites, artists and politicians. Orson Welles, Barbara Hutton, Daisy Fellowes,
Princess del Drago, Hélène Rochas, Prince Mathieu de Brancovan, and Aga Khan III
were all in attendance. So was Cecil Beaton, who documented the surreal grandeur
with his camera. The mythology of Le Bal only grew after his photo essay from the
party appeared in Vogue magazine the following month.
Christian Dior’s work was front and center. He created the costumes for several
guests, including Salvador Dalí, who in turn designed an outfit for Monsieur Dior to
wear that night. But for the famed French couturier, Le Bal was more than merely a
wonderful time. In his memoirs, he didn’t mince words: “It was the most beautiful
evening ball I have seen or will ever see.”
It also had a profound impact on his creative vision. Elegant masks soon became
an essential code for Dior, inspiring his later collections and those of his successors.
The motif continued into the modern era with Maria Grazia Chiuri, appointed
creative director in 2016, who paid homage to the tradition with her debut haute
couture presentation in Spring 2017.
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Which brings us to the Grand Bal Masqué, the latest addition to Dior’s acclaimed
Grand Bal watch series. This new design takes the founder’s mask fascination even
further, using it as an aesthetic and thematic framework for a line of extravagant
horological creations. There are 12 model variants, but each is made bespoke for the
client, ensuring it looks and feels as exceptional as a handmade gown from Dior’s
Autumn-Winter 2020/21 Haute Couture collection.
For that runway show, Chiuri wanted to explore “mystery and magic,” which she
sees as “a way of exorcising uncertainty about the future.” She also took inspiration
from surrealist images, focusing on how they “manage to make visible what is
invisible.” Seeing the hours and minutes of a Grand Bal Masqué perpetually unravel,
it’s apparent how those sentiments have translated to the new line of timepieces. Here,
the dials are transformed into golden-faced women, extravagantly concealing their
secret identity; mysterious masks adorn the visible rotor, with colorful feathers applied
to accentuate the delicate nature, extending outward from the center of the watch face.
Below The Dior Grand
Bal Masqué, powered
by the automatic Dior
Inversé 11 calibre,
exclusive to Maison Dior
featuring the oscillating
weight on the top side
of the dial. Opposite
Masked costume balls
have provided design
inspiration to Maison
Dior ever since Monsieur
Dior attended the Venice
“Ball of the Century”
held by Charles de
Beistegui in 1951.
THE MAGIC OF DIOR
Rarely do haute couture and haute horlogerie merge so perfectly, both in terms of
concept and execution. Just as fabric comes to life in a flowing garment, the Grand
Bal Masqué offers magic in movement as it dances on the wrist. The oscillating weight
on the dial (offered in gold and platinum) not only turns smoothly while worn, lending
a subtle motion reminiscent of a ballroom twirl, but it also provides an animated
element that’s perfect for customization. The latter is crucial to the Grand Bal
Masqué’s luxury proposition.
PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATION WILLY MAYWALD ADAGP. DETAILS: LAZIZ HAMANI. COURTESY DIOR.
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Because, as with reserving haute couture, each watch can be entirely reimagined
to a client’s specifications. And as with Dior’s legendary bespoke gowns, whose
prices can rise to stratospheric levels, the artistry and quality found in the Grand Bal
collection are unsurpassed, put proudly on display. Indeed, a truly dazzling array
of materials — diamonds, pink quartz, emeralds, sapphires, garnets, lapis lazuli,
amethysts, garnets, opals, malachite, aventurine, mother-of-pearl, and more — can
be specified inside the Grand Bal Masqué’s 36mm gem-set case.
Mechanical components are similarly inspired. The Grand Bal Masqué
makes use of Dior’s Inversé 11 ½ caliber, exclusive to the brand, allowing that
decorated mask-and-rotor assembly to power the automatic movement in the most
enchanting way possible. When fully wound, the watch boasts a 42-hour power
reserve. Remarkably, it’s also water-resistant to 50 meters, but the embossed
satin strap (replete with snow-set-diamond prong buckle) might not be amenable
to swimming — at least not without a few glasses of champagne beforehand.
To that end, the Grand Bal Masqué is something of a toast to Monsieur Dior,
his imagination and approach, and the inspiration he found in Venice on that night
nearly 70 years ago. It’s a totem of his vision, as shaped by the Ball of the Century,
where no two guests would dare arrive wearing the same costume. Accordingly,
these individual watches are truly unique pieces, unlike any other. And each stands
as a reminder that if you can dream it, as always, Dior will be there to create it.
DIOR
GRAND BAL MASQUÉ
MOVEMENT Self-winding Dior Inversé 11 caliber; hours and minutes; functional
oscillating weight on the dial in gold and platinum, set with precious and semi-precious
stones; 42-hour power reserve
CASE 36mm; 18K white gold with diamonds; white-gold crown set with diamonds, with
semi-precious materials used for the caseback; water-resistant to 50m
STRAP Embossed satin with a white-gold buckle set with diamonds
PRICE Upon Request
PHOTO CREDIT: DETAILS: LAZIZ HAMANI. COURTESY DIOR.
Opposite, clockwise
Golden faces adorned
with hand applied
precious metal, stones,
even colorful feathers;
Masks making an
appearance in Dior’s
2017 spring haute
couture show; Animated
watch dials closely
share similar DNA
with details from past
seasons collections.
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To Infinity and Beyond
Girard-Perregaux 2020 Infinity editions:
Cosmos, Free Bridge, Vintage 1945, 1966 and Laureato
Words Wei Koh
What I’ve always liked and
admired about Patrick
Pruniaux the CEO of
Girard-Perregaux and Ulysse Nardin
is his honesty and openness. Helming
not one but two significant watch
manufactures, and ably guiding them
both through the precarious shoals of
2020, means understanding where
the consumer mindset is.
“Mechanical watchmaking will
survive this challenging period. It has
already survived the Great Depression, two World
Wars and the Quartz Crisis in the 20th century.
But I think the COVID pandemic will change our
patterns as consumers,” says Pruniaux. “You already
see that the underlying ethics and authenticity of
companies are more important than ever. Collectors
will still want beautiful executions of mechanical
timekeeping; perhaps now more than ever, we want
objects that inspire us and make us dream, but
at the same time, I think there will be a return to
discretion, understatement and internal content.
Because in the context of society today, where many
people are experiencing economic challenges,
the message related to wearing something very
Above: CEO
Patrick Pruniaux
Opposite page,
clockwise from left:
The Infinity editions
of the Cosmos, the
Laureato, the Free
Bridges and the
1966
extravagant or overtly opulent
might not be the right one.”
That having been said, in many
ways, Girard-Perregaux’s latest
Infinity collection of watches —
comprising the spectacular Cosmos
in a limited edition of eight pieces,
a new model named the Free Bridge
that capitalises on the merger of
form and function that is the Three
Bridges movement, a Vintage 1945 a
1966, and a Laureato in both 38mm
and 42mm, all in onyx dials — brings an added layer
of significance and emotional resonance.
“Of course we didn’t know what the world
would be like today when we planned it, but there is
something very relevant about the use of the stone
onyx,” says Pruniaux. “In mythology, it has always
been linked to the casting away of negative energy
and thought. It is a stone that is believed to have a
powerful ability to heal. And while it is a material
that is wonderfully refined and extremely elegant, it
is the paradigm of discretion. You might mistake it
for a simple black lacquer dial unless you examine it
closely and see that there is a depth there than cannot
be replicated by any manmade material.”
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COSMOS
When the Girard-Perregaux
Cosmos was launched last year, I
already found it highly appealing.
This year, in a new execution with
an onyx dial as well as miniature
globes crafted in onyx, I find it
even more so. Let’s look at the
underlying mechanism for the
Cosmos and the powerful artistic
representation of time it achieves.
On the dial side of the watch,
you’ll find the hour and minute
indicator in a sub-dial at 12
o’clock. Occupying the main real
estate of the dial are two miniature
globes. These were crafted in titanium in the regular
production model introduced last year, and in onyx for
this year’s Infinity collection.
The globe on the right represents terrestrial time,
while the globe on the left represents celestial or
sidereal time. Each of these globes relates to the most
ancient ways in which human beings have told time.
Terrestrial time relates to how the Earth completes a
rotation every day. In fact, the Earth completes a full
rotation every 23 hours 56 minutes and four seconds.
But at the same time that it rotates on its own axis, it
is orbiting around the sun. Over the course of a day,
From top:
The globe on the left
represents sidereal
time while the
globe on the right
represents terrestial
time.
The watch uses the
bélières system to
set its mechanisms
asseenontheback
of the case.
the Earth moves about one degree
along its orbit, which creates an
additional four minutes each day,
hence we have the 24-hour day
here on Earth. (There is, of course,
a small overage each year — which
is why we create the leap year every
four years at the end of February.)
What is sidereal time? Well,
because the Earth is rotating, if
we look up at the night sky, we see
a rotation of the canopy of stars
above. These stars are actually fixed
in place and it is our planet that is
rotating. Each night, looking up at a
specific time, stars will appear in the same location at a
given time. Because the Earth completes a full rotation
in 23 hours 56 minutes and four seconds, this is the
exact length of a sidereal day. Thus this is the time it
takes for the sidereal globe on the left of the Cosmos to
complete a full rotation while the terrestrial globe takes
24 hours to account for the additional four minutes
created by the Earth’s rotation around the sun.
Even when the sun is out, the stars are still
present overhead; it’s just that they are now
obscured with light reflecting off our planet and
into the sky. What is wonderful about the Girard-
Perregaux Cosmos is that it is the first watch
that miniaturises these two ancient methods
of time-telling and places them side by side
in the same watch.
Now I want to discuss some comments
I’ve seen by Internet keyboard warriors
stating that the Cosmos is overtly
reminiscent to Greubel Forsey’s GMT earth.
This is incorrect and is based on a superficial
observation of both watches without a deeper
understanding of their underlying mechanics or
purpose. Greubel Forsey’s GMT watch, which
is also an incredible timepiece, is a GMT/worldtime
watch with indications for local and home time,
which are complemented by a beautiful animation on
a miniature globe which shows time across locations
in the different zones when you align their longitude
with the time indicator around the globe. There is
also a flat world-time indicator on the back. To be
honest, function-wise, the GMT Earth has more
to do with Montblanc’s very cool Geosphere
watch which also has two half-domed miniature
representations of Earth for the northern and
southern hemispheres, which can be aligned
with a time indicator to tell time in all 24
zones at one glance, if you are good with
Geography.
The objective of the Cosmos is very
different. Its function is to reach back
to the very roots of timekeeping and
simultaneously capture the essence of the
two most ancient ways of telling time and
express them in a wonderfully evocative way. If
you think about it, the perspectives represented
by these two globes are polar opposites. The
globe on the right gives you an understanding
of time on Earth if you were able to stand on the
surface of a fixed star high up in space, while the
globe on the left gives you a representation of time
with you standing on a fixed location on Earth
looking up into space. Of course the stars that
appear overhead during a given time period varies
depending on your location on Earth, which is why
Girard-Perregaux will adjust the celestial globe to
your selected location. To me, the visual poetry of the
Cosmos is to remind us of how insignificant we as a
race are, relative to the universe as a whole. At the
same time, the Cosmos reminds me of how powerful
we’ve been as a race to be able capture and measure
From top:
Last year’s Cosmos
in titanium and
the new Cosmos
Infinity edition
time based on our observation of our planet’s
rotation around its own axis and the sun.
“More and more, these kind of highly
technical but very poetic representations of
time are becoming part of our core identity.
The point is that no one needs a mechanical
watch to tell the time. We want a watch to
inspire us and I think that this is certainly
true with the Cosmos,” says Patrick Pruniaux.
The two versions of the Cosmos are also
starkly different. The regular production watch
features a titanium case with titanium globes and
even has the application of luminescent ceramic
on the continents and constellations of the two
globes. The effect of this in ambient light or darkness
is incredible, with the entire watch coming to life
with luminous animation. The Infinity Edition is
different in that both the dial and the globes are
crafted from onyx and then painted with red gold for
the constellations and the continents, which not
only brings the craftsmanship involved to another
level, but also lends a more sober, reflective
and meditational mood to this majestic
complication. Lest we forget, located at six
o’clock on both models is a Neo Bridge, the
sculptural shaped bridge in titanium that
bears a tourbillon. Pruniaux says, “For me,
the Cosmos is a wonderful merger between
visual poetry and technical watchmaking.”
What is also extremely innovative about
this model is the watch case, which borrows
several elements from the case developed for
the award-winning Girard-Perregaux Constant
Escapement. This comprises an aggressively
boxed and dome-shaped sapphire crystal, as
well as the removal of any crown or adjustors for
the various indications. Instead, laid out on the
back of the watch are four keys — one for adjusting
the terrestrial globe, one for adjusting the celestial
globe, one for setting the time and one for winding
the watch. This particular setting mechanism based
on the four rotating bows is called “bélières” and is
also reminiscent of pocket watches in the past. Says
Pruniaux, “We wanted to optimise the wearability
of this watch, which is why we selected titanium
for the case and incorporated all these functional
innovations.”
The Cosmos Infinity Edition will be made in eight
examples and is priced at CHF 274,000.
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Left: Constant
Girard’s La
Esmeralda
Tourbillon with
Three Gold Bridges
Right: The Free
Bridge Infinity
edition
The Quasar Light
FREE BRIDGE
One of the most iconic movements in horology’s great
canon is Girard-Perregaux’s Tourbillon With Three
Bridges. This movement, first created in 1860 in a
pocket-watch tourbillon, is a masterpiece of form
and function united. The unique blueprint of the
movement architecture is as follows: three bridges
are arrayed horizontally, each precisely symmetrical
in length and width; the top bridge retains the barrel,
the middle bridge bears the cannon pinion and the last
bridge at the bottom supports the tourbillon. Between
the bridges, the extremely clear transfer of energy to
the third wheel (this wheel takes centre stage in the
watch just under the hands) — which engages the
pinion of the tourbillon cage to drive the escape wheel
around the fixed fourth wheel — is a marvel of logic.
Adding to the beauty of this system, the gear train is
arrayed on a perfectly vertical axis, so you can clearly
see how energy is transferred to the tourbillon and
balance wheel. Looking at this amazing microcosm is
to see the entire history of mechanical timekeeping.
While the tourbillon with three bridges has
remained one of the most enduring and appealing
movements in Girard-Perregaux’s arsenal, it has also
become a canvas for expression. A Laureato was made
with sapphire bridges, which has since developed a
fan base that counts renowned collectors such as Auro
Montanari, aka John Goldberger, amongst its proud
owners. (Montanari had purchased a watch formerly
belonging to famed retailer Laurent Picciotto.) In
February 2020, the single most stunning execution of
the three bridges movement was unveiled in the form
of the Quasar Light, which combined a completely
transparent sapphire case with three sapphire bridges.
The stunning sapphire bridges in this watch followed
the form of the Neo Bridges, which transformed
the three-bridges architecture into a curvilinear
modernist masterwork. Pruniaux says, “For some
time, we’ve been thinking about how to apply the use
of the Neo Bridge to a watch that was more accessible
in price than a tourbillon, but at the same time was
extremely innovative and visually exciting. The result is
our new Free Bridge.”
The new Free Bridge uses a sort of threequarter
dial. The top of the dial is dominated by the
skeletonised barrel, which is retained by a V-shaped
bridge that is part of the dial and fixed with a ruby.
What is cool about this barrel is that
simply by looking into it and observing
the mainspring, you can tell the state
of wind for your watch. Also integrated
into the dial is a second bridge that
supports the cannon pinion and hands.
Then just under this bridge slightly to the
left is a seconds wheel, which is driving a
blue silicon escape wheel that is also fitted
to yet another small bridge. This escape wheel
interacts with the silicon anchor that is driving
the massive proprietary balance wheel that is
fixed to the single Neo Bridge that traverses the
width of the dial in an open space at six o’clock.
The balance wheel is itself shaped like a bridge and
crafted from silicon; it is free sprung and utilises
opposable weights for its regulation. It should be
noted that Girard-Perregaux (and its sister brand
Ulysse Nardin) benefits from the expertise of Sigatech,
a company that specialises in manufacturing incredible
silicon parts, including proprietary escapements.
Girard-Perregaux’s own reputation in silicon
technology was forged with the Constant Escapement
Above: The Free
Bridge in steel
Watch, where a buckled and springloaded
blade powered each and every
impulse to the balance wheel, making
the watch totally autonomous from
the mainspring’s variable torque as
it unwound. Here in the impressive
new Free Bridge, silicon technology has
once again been tapped to create a visual
dynamic feast of innovative new design for
the oscillator. Pruniaux says, “The Free Bridge
alludes to the three bridges design, but also
brings its own design language and asserts our
position as one of the leaders in silicon innovation.
We feel that the resulting watch perfectly expresses
Girard-Perregaux’s spirit of continuous horological
evolution in the pursuit of excellence.”
The Free Bridge’s movement is self-winding,
beats at 4Hz and it will be made in two versions — one
in steel and one in DLC-treated steel with an onyx
dial and rose-gold indexes in the Infinity edition. The
watch measures 44mm in diameter. The price of the
Free Bridge watch is CHF 16,250 and the price of the
Free Bridge Infinity Edition is CHF 19,410.
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Clockwise from
top left: the 1966
Infinity 30mm
for ladies; the 1966
Infinity 40mm,
bothfeaturingonyx
dials.
1966
New for 2020 are two version of the 1966, in 30mm
(for ladies) and 40mm, also featuring onyx dials.
To me, the 1966 has always been something of a
Zen watch —something to strap on when you want
to create a state of mental calm, which, let’s face it,
has been of significant importance over the last few
months. Indeed, to me, one of the few antidotes to
the maelstrom of sensory overload that is the news, is
turning my television off and gazing into the grand feu
enamel dial of my white-gold 1966. What is nice about
these two models is that looking into the onyx dial,
you’re transported to a state of serenity. (Multiple
negronis may also help enable this state.) Pruniaux
says, “These watches are a great example of what I
was discussing earlier: timepieces that are discreet
and understated, but have a real depth to them
because of the use of onyx. You can only get this kind
of perfection in a black dial using grand feu enamel or
onyx, and with these watches you’ve got a kind of extra
level of richness you can keep discreetly to yourself.”
The 1966 Infinity Edition at 40mm costs CHF 9,100
while the 30mm with diamonds cost CHF 10,780.
VINTAGE 1945
As always, the Vintage 1945 overdelivers in terms of
pragmatic complications relative to its price point
of CHF 15,690. The watch features both a date
mechanism as well as a moonphase indicator at six
o’clock integrated with the small seconds indicator.
Pruniaux says, “The resulting watch is incredibly
charming. This is my first Vintage 1945 and the use of
onyx with this elegant Deco-styled case, offset by the
gold indices and seconds hand, is highly appealing.”
The Vintage 1945 will be made in a limited series of 88
watches only.
The Vintage 1945
Above: The
Laureato in 38mm
(with diamonds)
and the 42mm
LAUREATO
Along with the Nautilus and the Royal Oak, the
Girard-Perregaux Laureato is one of the famous
sports-chic integrated-bracelet watches that were
the prevailing style of the ’70s and which still resonate
with collectors today. By selecting onyx for the dials of
the two new Laureato versions in 42 mm and 38 mm
(with a diamond-set bezel), Girard-Perregaux has
chosen to enrich the “chic” dimensions of this model
with appealing results.
Once again, that added level of depth by the
onyx dials endows the Laureato with a soupçon of
dressiness that suddenly makes it highly suitable
for black-tie functions. Pruniaux says, “To me, the
onyx really makes the Laureato even more adaptable.
It elevates its dressiness, yet the material’s lustre
is so subtle that it is still equally at home in a sporty
environment.”
This limited-edition Laureato will be retailed
exclusively at Wempe Jewelers. Pruniaux says, “It
is a statement of our belief in partnerships with the
world’s best retailers such as Wempe or The Hour
Glass. For us, our retailers are our partners and we
always enter into dialogue with them, even related to
our product development, because we feel that they
truly are in touch with the hearts and minds of the
world’s greatest collectors.”
The Laureato onyx-dial Infinity edition in 42mm
is priced at CHF 12,260 while the 38mm version with
diamonds cost CHF 15,600.
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Tudor Black Bay Fifty-
Eight Navy Blue —
Steeped in Military Service
Born more than eight years ago, the Tudor Black Bay
continues to delight its devotees with new ways to enjoy the
snowflake hands and no-crown-guard dive watches.
Words Ross Povey
Tudor’s surprise
release for 2020
—theTudor
Black Bay Fifty-
Eight Navy Blue.
The Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue was a surprise
release from Tudor. Nobody who has lived through the
uncertainty, fear and loathing of spring and summer
2020 will ever forget the COVID-19 pandemic that caused
the well-oiled gears of Planet Earth to grind to an abrupt and
terrifying halt. An unprecedented time for all of mankind that
will likely change the way we live for the foreseeable future. As
the lockdown eased and the infection rates seemingly began to
subside, Tudor made its move and presented us with the Black
Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue. Let’s dive into the story of a watch
steeped in the rich and esteemed military history of the Tudor
watches, one that began in the early 1950s that is still relevant
today: the Black Bay and its forefathers were truly Born
To Dare…
The Tudor Black Bay has been one of the most important
watches of this millennium for Tudor. Actually, it has been
THE most important watch of the past 20 years for the brand.
Following the brand’s withdrawal from key markets in the
early 2000s, Tudor’s triumphant return in 2010 with a whole
new look and feel and the launching of the Heritage line, was
nothing short of genius. The reimagined watches from Tudor
archive were exactly what collectors wanted at the time. A huge
boom in vintage watches was well underway by 2010, with
prices of Rolex watches, in particular, rising on a monthly basis.
The vintage Tudor ‘Home Plate’ chronograph from 1970
was a serious proposition in the collectors’ market and so
when the Heritage Chrono was unveiled at Baselworld in 2010,
it was the talk of the fair. And it wasn’t just in Basel that the
excitement erupted — the shockwaves quickly rippled around
the globe and people went crazy for this vintage-esque watch.
Two years later, things got even more serious with the unveiling
of the Tudor Black Bay. This large, no-crown-guard diver’s
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2012 TUDOR
Heritage
Black Bay
Above: 1954 Tudor
Oyster Prince
Submariner
Right: The Marine
Nationale photographed
in 1986 (Image: Joël
Brun/ ECPAD).
watch was more than a heritage piece — it was an opportunity
for collectors to own a Big Crown Tudor. The versatile Big
Crown watch could be worn on the beach, in the pool or for just
about any other modern-day activity for which a vintage piece
would never be suitable. The Black Bay had arrived and it was
the beginning of a new chapter for Tudor.
To truly appreciate the heritage and importance of the
Black Bay Fifty-Eight, we need to head back to the 1950s. By
the early 1950s, modern diving equipment was emerging on
the market. The diving systems of the early 1940s and post-
WWII developments meant that more people were able to
dive recreationally. Like many, Tudor was at the forefront of
developing a wristwatch that would serve as an essential piece
of safety equipment. Its first toe-dip into the diver’s realm was
reference 7922 in 1954, a self-winding automatic watch that
was driven by the cal. 390, based on a Fleurier movement. The
watch had a highly legible dial layout, with radium-filled hands
and radium hour markers. This allowed the wearer to tell the
time under dark conditions such as underwater or at night. The
rotating bezel allowed divers to measure elapsed time by moving
the triangle, also with luminous filling, to where the minute
hand was at the beginning of the dive, to track exactly how long
they had been submerged — vital for their safety. The first batch
of 7922 watches were fitted with pencil hands that were the
predecessor of the more well-known Mercedes-pattern hands.
On the dial of the
1958 “Big Crown”
Tudor Oyster Prince
Submariner ref.
7924, note the gilt
“meters first” 200m
depth rating (Image:
antiquorum.swiss).
One of the most fascinating elements of the Tudor dive
watch story is the brand’s relationship with a number of key
navies around the world. The most famous relationship was
perhaps the most important: in 1956, the French Navy ordered
a batch of Tudor Submariners, the reference 7922. The watches
were put into active service with the divers and stood up well
to the rigours of military life. The watches had slim cases and
a small 6mm winding crown that gave the early Submariners a
sporty look and pedigree, ensured by the watches’ depth-rating
of 100m. This was the beginning of a collaborative relationship
between Tudor and the Marine Nationale (MN), with the latter
offering valuable insights into the watches’ abilities in the field.
The feedback was that the French Navy wanted a watch that was
a little more robust and the divers requested a winding crown
that was easier to use.
The reference 7924 came to market in 1958 and was Tudor’s
response to the French divers’ request for a more robust watch
that was easier to operate. The robustness led to Tudor being
able to depth rate the watch to 200 metres — double what
the 7922 could go down to. To make the Submariner easier to
operate, Tudor adopted the oversized 8mm crown that they
had tested in the prototype second batch of 7922. It is this large
Oyster crown with the word ‘BREVET’ on it that led to these
1950 Subs being known as Big Crowns by collectors. For any
vintage collector, the magic of the Big Crown is unbeatable.
Ref. 7923
The 39mm case, with super-domed acrylic crystal and the
large winder, gives the watch a real presence on the wrist like
no other vintage Submariner. In early 1958, a batch of these
watches was delivered to the French Navy and the watches
went into professional use. It wasn’t, however, just the French
Navy that issued the Tudor 7924 to its troops. The United
States Navy and the Argentinian Navy also issued the Tudor Big
Crown. These were super-tough durable watches that could
withstand the rigours of military service, but at a price point
that was affordable for the defence budgets of these navies.
This had always been the key component for Hans Wilsdorf
when he dreamt up the Tudor concept. He wanted to offer
people a watch that had all the hallmarks and quality of Rolex,
but at a more accessible price point. This was achieved by the
use of third-party movements that Tudor modified to meet its
stringent standards. In fact, many or most of the components
of vintage Tudor watches are the same as that of their Rolex
counterparts, except for the movements and dials.
One interesting watch of note from this era was the
reference 7923. These watches were made in very small
numbers and were a very niche offering from Tudor. The
7923 was a manually wound Submariner and is in fact the only
manual-winding Submariner from either Rolex or Tudor.
Nobody can know for sure why the decision was taken to test the
market with these pieces, but a good guess would be that it was
perhaps intended as a very well-priced, entry-level submariner
for recreational divers. These watches are incredibly rare and
were made for a short period in 1955. A small number of these
watches have appeared with a so-called ‘red depth’ dial. And it
was this watch that was the inspiration for the inaugural Tudor
Only Watch piece.
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The original Black Bay One was the first
time that Tudor participated in the Only
Watch charity auction. The watch took its key
characteristics from the original 7923 and
was the only time a Black Bay watch had been
produced without the iconic snowflake hands.
Instead, the watch featured yellow-gold pencil
hands and a small-lollipop seconds hand
(where the bubble appears on the tip of the
seconds hand). This detail was an important
part of the original 7923’s aesthetic and they
have been faithfully reinterpreted here. Also
present was the ‘red depth’ rating on the
dial, above the stylistically correct SHOCK
RESISTING. This classic 1950s Submariner
feature was charming and striking in equal
measure, and the watch broke all records for
the sale of a Tudor watch!
The Ref. 7923 (left)
inspired the Tudor Only
Watch timepiece (top); the
Ref.7928(right),notable
for its crown-guard and
Mercedes-pattern hands.
For just over a decade from 1958, Tudor continued to
supply both the French and US navies with Submariners. In
1959, the reference 7928 was introduced that featured a new
7mm winding crown and, most notably, crown guards that
flanked the winder and afforded more protection to the most
vulnerable part of the watch. The 7928 was always fitted with
Mercedes-pattern hands, but the French divers requested
something new. In 1969, Tudor began offering snowflake
hands on their Submariners. This coincided with the brand’s
move away from Fleurier movements and adopting ETA
calibres that they modified to meet the Wilsdorf standard.
One element that the divers requested be improved was
the legibility of the hands under dark conditions, which was
especially important underwater. The Mercedes-pattern hands
had luminous material, but the divers wanted something that
The Tudor Black
Bay Fifty-Eight
Navy Blue (right)
seen with its direct
ancestor, the
1969 Tudor Prince
Oyster Submariner
ref. 7016 (left).
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The Black Bay was originally
released in red, followed by
versions with a blue bezel
and a black bezel, but always
with a black dial.
The Black Bay models have
since 2016 been fitted with the
in-house calibre MT5602.
chronographs, a GMT watch and a number of paired-down
dress-watch interpretations and riffs on the classic. When the
Black Bay was originally unveiled, it was using a modified ETA
movement. However, in 2016, Tudor rolled out its new in-house
caliber, so all the watches (except the smaller dress versions of
the Black Bay) were updated to house the new movement. The
original Black Bay was a 41mm watch with a black dial with gilt
printing and a dome sapphire glass. The watch borrowed from
various elements of the vintage watches: the case of the 7922, the
large winding crown of the 7924, and of course, the snowflake
hands from the 1970s watches. This fusion of key design
elements was the perfect celebration of everything that was great
about the vintage Submariners, repackaged for 21st-century
living. Following the original red, Tudor also introduced a blue
bezel and finally a black bezel, but always retaining a black dial.
In 2018, six years after the first Black Bay was unveiled,
Tudor gave the world the Black Bay Fifty-Eight, giving true
vintage fans exactly what they’d been waiting for. The ‘58’ in the
watch refers to the year that Tudor launched its 200m-rated
Big Crown Submariner, the reference 7924. The watch is
incredibly faithful to the proportions of the 7924, from the
The calibre
MT5402 is
COSC-rated with
a waterproof
rating to 200m.
was easier to read. For comparison, the British MOD-spec
Rolex Military Submariner had to have the Mercedes-pattern
hands replaced with the so-called sword hands, in line with the
MOD specification for diver’s watches. The Tudor snowflake
hands served a similar purpose to the sword hands, but Tudor
opted to also use them in civilian watches. It was this snowflake
hand that became Tudor’s most well-known signature that we
can now see in the Black Bay watches. The Tudor Submariners
were fitted throughout the 1970s until the early 1980s when the
Mercedes-pattern hands returned to active duty. The first series
of snowflake-hand-equipped watches were the 7016 and 7021;
the 7021 was also the first Tudor Submariner that was equipped
with a date function. Alongside the introduction of the snowflake
hands, Tudor also offered a new colour for the dials and bezels of
their Subs — a beautiful blue! The blue was immediately popular
and it is the blue no-date snowflake Submariners that most
people associate with the French Navy and the MN watches.
The snowflake watches were also issued to a range of other
navies around the world including the United States, South
Africa, Italy, Argentina, Jamaica and Canada. For many people,
the de-facto Tudor military Submariner look is a blue snowflake
on a grey NATO-style strap. This is the way in which the military
divers wore the watches in service too. There are a couple of
reasons for this. The first is simply cost — when budgets are tight,
the cost of a steel bracelet is significant when it’s a large order.
The second is security — the steel bracelets, as good as they were,
had a number of ‘fail points’. If any of the links, the clasp or end
links break, this would send the watch to a deep, watery grave.
The nylon strap meant that even if a spring bar broke or popped
off, there was still another to hold your watch securely in place.
Fast-forward three decades from the early 1980s to 2012,
and we arrive at the unveiling of the Heritage Black Bay. As
mentioned at the start of this article, the Black Bay has become a
Goliath for Tudor and the range now encompasses dive watches,
The Black Bay Fifty-
Eight launched in
2018, is faithful to
the proportions of
the legendary 7924
from 1958.
39mm no-crown-guard case and domed glass, to the gilt print
dial and rivet bracelet. It was an instant hit with collectors of
both modern and vintage watches.
And now, in 2020, fans of the blue snowflake watches have
had their prayers answered with the Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy
Blue! The watch is every bit as cool as the original, with a 39mm
steel case and a bracelet that echoes the rivet-style bracelets of
the 1950s and ’60s. The original rivet bracelet was not the most
hardy, but it was a very cool look on a vintage watch. Tudor’s
reinterpretation has the styling cues down to a fine art. Now
the rivets are far from being just a visual accessorily, but are
actually key to the construction of the bracelet. The watches are
waterproof to 200m, again faithful to the 7924 in an era when it
would be well within the brand’s capability to increase this depth,
and the sapphire glass is even domed to add to the heritage charm
of the watch. The Black Bay Fifty-Eight houses the in-house cal.
MT5402, which is COSC-rated and can boast a 70-hour power
reserve — all of this comes with a five-year warranty, too.
With the blue bezel and dial with the snowflake hands,
combined with the 39mm shoulderless case, it’s exactly what
the offspring of a blue 7016 and 7924 would look like — a
very good thing! On the wrist, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight has
always been the watch of choice for those who lean towards
vintage watches. The original Black Bays are very cool, but
are bigger and deeper than vintage Tudors, which is ideal for
many modern watch buyers, especially those for whom vintage
doesn’t quite pack the punch they need. The blue of the dial is
also incredible. Tudor have truly captured the same grey and
blue hues that made the 1970s watches desirable, yet they have
captured it in a thoroughly modern way that gives the watch
a very contemporary look. Certainly, this is a watch that can
hold its own against any sports watch, and whilst it looks the
business, it’s also important to remember the pedigree and
heritage in which this watch is steeped.
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Worth Its Weight in Gold
The Rolex King Midas is enjoying a revival among collectors, and deservedly so.
Words Nick Foulkes
Nick Foulkes
expounds on his love
for the extravagant
Rolex King MIdas in
this issue.
Iwas recently strolling down the
Burlington Arcade, when my eye was
caught by a watch in the window of
George Somlo’s shop. Somlo is the only
authorized dealer of vintage Omega, and
has a strong line in vintage Cartier, Patek
and 1960s/’70s Piaget…. But this was
something I had not seen in a fashionable
West End window, at least not for some
years: a Rolex King Midas Cellini with
gadrooned case and bracelet.
As a weathervane of tastes in vintage
timepieces, Somlo is as good as any, and
with West End rents being what they are,
he’s not about to put dead merchandise
in the window, ergo, this esoteric
offering from the bowels of Rolex history
must be enjoying a comeback and all I
can do is ask why it took so long.
It is probably because the Rolex King
Midas has been the black sheep of the
family overlooked and underappreciated
for at least a generation that I like it so
much. Even people who claim to know
Rolex well will tell you blithely that the
only numbered and limited series that
Rolex has ever done is the fabled ref. 5100
“Rolex Quartz” that made its debut in the
1970s. Whereas in truth, Rolex had issued
a numbered and limited series of watches
long before the first clouds of the looming
Quartz Crisis had even begun to gather
on the horizon. Although its distinctive
design suggests the 1970s, the King Midas
appeared in Rolex catalogs as early as 1962.
One of the most daring pieces ever
launched by Rolex, the King Midas
was both far ahead and way behind its
times, and so sui generis as to defy, or at
least complicate, accurate description.
As the name suggested, the watch was
unabashed in its lavish use of 18K gold.
Once worn, the Midas is impossible to
forget; it weighs on the wrist like an 18K
gold manacle rather than a watch. But
there was much more to it than simply
Nick Foulkes’
own Rolex King
MIdas Ref. 9630.
a large quantity of precious metal. The
bracelet, composed of articulated ingots,
was closer in appearance to the tracks
of a tank than the conventional watch
bracelet. The case and bracelet were not
merely harmonious; it was impossible
to tell where the head of the watch
ended, and the bracelet began. Even in
the 21st century, the King Midas looks
idiosyncratic and unusual; in the early
’60s, it must have seemed like a UFO.
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movement in the caliber 9P, an ultrathin
hand-wound movement of 2mm
height that enabled the development of
elegant dress wristwatches of avantgarde
design, often using exotic stone
dials. A new language of horological
ornament had been invented and with
the Midas, Rolex was to prove that it was
fluent. And, highly unusually for Rolex,
the King Midas ref. 9630 was limited
to 1,000 pieces each with a number
engraved on the underside of the bracelet
close to the junction with the case.
Straight on one side and angled to
a point on the other, when laid flat on
its edge, it evokes the pediment and
tympanum of a classical building. “We
created this as a modern tribute to ancient
Greece,” explained one advertisement.
But anyone who had even just glimpsed
the packaging would have been well aware
of the debt to the ancient world.
The “box” was a true tour de force and
a collectible on its own merits; ranking
alongside the cork box housing the first
Nautilus and the moon-cratered box
in which the 1969 Omega Speedmaster
Tribute to Apollo XI was presented. Like
the watch inside, it was truly remarkable,
taking as its inspiration a masterpiece of
antiquity in the collection of the British
Museum. The famed Midas stamnos, a
lidded pottery vessel combining aspects
of vase and amphora, was created around
440 BC, the black ground is decorated
with red figures depicting Silenus led
before Midas. The incident recorded
on the two-and-a-half-millennia-old
stamnos is the moment at which the
satyr Silenus, found drunk by peasants,
is brought before the Phrygian monarch
Midas, who recognizes him as the teacher
of Dionysus and treats him honorably,
extending several days of hospitality
before returning him to Dionysus who,
in thanks, grants Midas the famous
touch that turns all to gold. This scene
is reproduced on the lid of the chaliceshaped
Rolex King Midas “stamnos”
which is further printed with a battle
scene from classical antiquity.
Only ever intended to be sold in small
numbers and, as the advertising pointed
out, priced to be beyond the means of all
The first series of the watch
carries only the words “Rolex”
and “ ” on the dial.
Using solid gold throughout, the King Midas was bruited
about as the heaviest and most expensive men’s watch in production,
not just at Rolex, but in the entire industry.
The Midas’s early adoption of the
integrated case and bracelet design,
along with the watch’s angular styling,
has fueled speculation that Gérald
Genta, who would become famous
for integrated designs for both Patek
Philippe and Audemars Piguet, was
involved in the creation of the Rolex
King Midas. Whatever the truth of this
assertion, it was certainly a bravura
exercise in detailed design: the winding
crown with a sawtooth-style profile and
the concealed clasp were not familiar
from other models in the Rolex range.
And just in case the wearer was unable
to decipher the in Greek script
on the dial, the angled case wall either
side of the winding crown was deeply
engraved with the words “Rolex King
Midas.” Unlike later examples, the first
series of the watch carried only the words
“Rolex” and “ .”
The key to understanding this watch
lay in the name — using solid gold
throughout, it was bruited about as the
heaviest and most expensive men’s watch
in production, not just at Rolex, but in
the entire industry.
“Never before — a watch so daringly
new, so outrageously different, so
harmoniously classical. Named after
the legendary king with the golden
touch, sculptured from a block of solid
18ct gold, the King Midas is a watch
designed for the most discriminating
people in the world,” enthused an
early advertisement. “Each watch is a
wonderfully solid mass of gold, very,
very heavy and… very, very expensive.”
“You may not be able to afford one,
but you can’t afford not to see one. Come
and daydream. See Midas. Touch Midas.
A real masterpiece in gold, to which no
illustration can do justice.”
It is, unarguably, an extreme
expression of watchmaking. Nobody
needed the Midas. But then nobody
needed a watch that would work at
the bottom of the Marianas Trench 11
kilometers under the waves; the point
was that Rolex could, and dared, to
make it. It is fascinating to think that
at around the same time that Rolex was
developing its very special Deepsea
model with the hemispherical watch
glass for the Trieste bathyscaphe
excursion to the deepest point on the
planet, it was also working on a watch
that was almost the diametric opposite.
ROLEX AND THE AVANT-GARDE ’60S
With the Midas, Rolex was responding
to a new type of timepiece: in 1957, the
family-owned firm of Piaget, which
until the 1940s had been a supplier of
movements, had launched a remarkable
Left The Ref. 9630 is accompanied
by a Rolex King Midas Urn inspired
presentation box (Image: sothebys.com).
The black box is shaped like the mythical
Midas stamnos, with scenes depicting
Silenus led before Midas in red.
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Elvis Presley is presented with the Rolex
King Midas for his Houston Astrodome
Livestock Show and Rodeo concerts.
He’s seen here holding the urn-shaped
box, with the watch seen on his left.
Ref. 4017 in gold with gold mirror dial,
circa 1975.
Ref. 4015 in white gold with fluted bezel
and blue dial, circa 1976.
Ref. 4126 in yellow gold with
hobnail-textured bezel and polished
wood dial, circa 1981.
Later versions
of the King
Midas lost the
asymmetrical
case design, like
the Ref. 4611
(right) in yellow
gold with lapis
lazuli dial.
Smaller versions were made for women
aswell,likethisQueenMidaswith
paved diamond dial and bezel.
but the most plutocratic of customers
(approximately 50 per cent higher than
the previous prestige model, the Day-
Date), the King Midas enjoyed celebrity
status. Wearers included John Wayne
and Elvis Presley, who was presented
with a Midas engraved with the words,
“To Elvis Presley from the Houston
Livestock Show Officers 1970.”
When the first “homage to
Benvenuto Cellini” brochure appeared
in 1964, the King Midas enjoyed a
prominent position but the Midas did
not become a Cellini-signed model
until much later (the copperplate Cellini
signature first appeared on watch dials
in 1968). The ’70s was a particularly
fecund era for the Cellini range —
the King Midas was interpreted in a
variety of different shapes and styles
and became a pillar of this family of
watches. The Midas name last appeared
in the catalog in the early 21st century,
by which time the all-gold original
had been replaced by the “Cellini
Midas-First” on crocodile strap.
Now at last it is, I hope, enjoying
a well-deserved renaissance. What
I find truly remarkable is that for the
sort of money that will not even get you
started in collecting vintage steel sports
Rolex, it is possible to buy a watch that
is (i) a huge chunk of gold; (ii) part of
a limited and numbered series; and
(iii) a real piece of Rolex history.
It may be hoping for too much to
think that Rolex will ever relaunch the
King Midas but I would like to think
Rolex collectors will look on it with
increasing respect.
Ref. 4315 in white gold, brushed, with a
silver dial, circa 1975.
IMAGES: HERITAGE AUCTIONS.
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LAURENT FERRIER would become our bridge
between the past and the present.
The Master of Neo-Classical
Watchmaking — Laurent Ferrier
Words Wei Koh
When discussing LAURENT FERRIER, I am brought
to mind of Marcel Proust for a vividly evocative
reason. According to the French novelist’s
statement, “Style. . . is a revelation of a private universe which
each one of us sees but which is not seen by others.” Deep
inside Laurent Ferrier’s imagination, inchoate but present
when he made his first pocket watch in 1968 and enriching
itself to full maturity over his 37 years in a famous watchmaking
maison, was a singular voice of immeasurable horological grace.
When he did unveil this vision to the world with the launch of
his eponymous brand in 2009, the watch that he created, the
Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral, meaning double balance
spring, triggered an incredible flood of what Proust would call
“involuntary memories.” Ferrier reconnected us all with the
love for classical watchmaking, a remembrance of things past,
that we had almost forgotten. But now, thanks to him, it came
flooding back to us more powerfully than ever. Laurent Ferrier
would become our bridge between the past and the present. His
watches are the living, beating repository of horology’s greatest
collective memories. So artfully did he wield nuanced details
inspired by 19th and mid-20th century Swiss watchmaking
that his vision felt like it had already
existed for a century or more, already
permanently inscribed into the lexicon of
horology’s great canon.
Even more importantly, at a time
when watchmaking was becoming
bombastic and theatrical, he
reintroduced the world to the type
of watchmaking that was serene.
Says Ferrier, “In art, a baroque
period is always followed by an era of
renewed classicism. That is the type of
watchmaking I wanted to reintroduce to
the world. Classic watchmaking as I loved
it.” Which is to say watchmaking that is
devoid of hyperbole. An ethos of smooth
curvilinear forms inspired by the touch
of the divine in nature. Watchmaking
that champions restrained beauty belied
by technical prowess that instantly
made Laurent Ferrier one of the most
compelling high watchmaking maisons
around. In his humility, Ferrier demurs, “We are hardly a
Maison. We are just a small enterprise that makes just around
150 watches a year.” Yet the emotional impact of LAURENT
FERRIER far exceeds the quantities of watches he creates.
I have witnessed grown men, sagacious and learned, lost in
rapture in the microcosmic depths of the Tourbillon Double
Spiral. Its ethereal movement architecture and its visual
symphony of hand-finished details triggering memories of
past horological loves like a poem by Pablo Neruda. I have seen
jaded weary collectors smile in childlike delight at the delicate
hue of Ferrier’s chemin de fer on his Grand feu enamel dials or
revel in the dynamic tension presented by the smooth pebblelike
form of his École case contrasted by its virile Officer’s
lugs. I, myself have been immutably seduced by the Constantin
Brâncus ’
i-like linear attenuation of his Assegai hands. Each
LAURENT FERRIER watch is part of a multi-level codex. As
you examine it, you unearth layer after layer of detail that is
the product of the watchmaker’s internal reflection and quiet
consideration. All of which combine to create his horological
intellect, many elements of which were taught to him years
before he dreamed of creating his own brand.
Launched in 2010, Laurent Ferrier
championed a renewed era of restrained
beauty and classic watchmaking.
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Every element has been
painstakingly considered over and over
until we thought it was perfect.
THE STORY OF LAURENT FERRIER, THE MAN
Ferrier explains, “I grew up around watchmaking so
there was always a sense of predestination that I
would work in watches. I imagine in the same way
that it was for my son, Christian. My father was
a specialist in grand complications and I was
infected by his passion in particular early on.
He would tell me stories of how timekeeping
was interlinked with the story of human
history. That the marine chronometer was
the instrument which allowed man to safely
navigate the seas.” But at an early age,
Ferrier was also swept up by a passion for
auto racing. Which he feels added to his interest
in watchmaking in a unique way. He explains, “I
started in local races but soon gravitated to endurance
racing. I loved the idea of trying to achieve perfection
and consistency with each lap. I suppose this is also
one of the things that drew me to horology; the idea of
trying to express something perfectly. Racing taught
me a lot about details. If your car is not prepared
correctly, if you are not mentally focused, if you do not
enter each turn at the right speed or the correct angle,
it effects the outcome.”
For Ferrier, the mental discipline, the rigor of character, the
focus necessary to be a great driver was similar to his approach
to watchmaking. He says, “Similarly in watches, every single
element makes a critical difference in the outcome. This is
something that I have tried to apply to LAURENT FERRIER
watches. Ours is a design language that is restrained, some
might even say minimalist, but if you look at the details, the
color density of the font for each marker, the shape of the
crown, the compound curve of the sapphire crystal, every
element has been painstakingly considered over and over until
we thought it was perfect.” In addition, Ferrier would quickly
understand that both racing and watchmaking involved every
one of the human senses — a revelation that would serve him
well in life. He explains, “When I was young, my father would
encourage me to touch and feel the watches he worked on to
start to develop a sensitivity to their tactility. It is similar to
driving; you see with your eyes but you control the car through
feel that comes from the wheel to your fingertips, and the
interaction of the car with your body through the seat.”
As Ferrier explains, the sense of his family’s horological
predestination led him to watchmaking school where he
excelled graduating at the top of his class. But even at an
early age, Ferrier had a very distinct perception of what style
of watchmaking he loved. He states, “When I was 16 years
old, I completed my watchmaking studies and presented my
Montre d’École in 1968, which was an attempt to create a
very elegant and pure expression of watchmaking. The next
40 years would be a period where I would learn and define
the codes of my vision for watchmaking. I would come to love
apparent simplicity or purity in design combined with extremely
ambitious technical innovation. What I love is the dynamic
tension between a watch that is wonderfully restrained and
charmingly understated when you look at it from the front, but
as you examine the details and then turn it over to look at the
movement, you suddenly become aware of how complex it is.”
It would be impossible to fully understand Laurent Ferrier
without discussing his time at Patek Philippe. Says Ferrier; “I
owe a tremendous amount to my time spent at Patek Philippe.
For 37 years, I only worked at one watch brand and I can say
unequivocally that it is an incredible Maison. Their tradition
“School Piece” watch
made by Laurent
Ferrier during his
watchmaker’s
training, 1968.
was to always take on board the top one or two graduates
from the watchmaking school and as I was fortunate enough
to do well, they recruited me. My first job was to work on a
project related to a quartz digital display chronograph which
had finally been abandoned. This left an impression on me;
that human beings still respond to traditional time telling in
a very fundamental way. It would really reinforce a belief in
mechanical watchmaking for me even when the Quartz Crisis
started. I recognized that all electronic devices eventually
become obsolete. Whereas my father might be working on a
watch that had been left dormant for many years, but with some
oiling and service, it would start immediately and keep time as
perfectly as when they were new.”
Amusingly, his passion for racing caused a brief departure
from watchmaking, but its call to Ferrier was ultimately
too beckoning. Eventually his two passions found a healthy
compromise thanks to a kind boss. He explains, “My boss
was very kind to me so, by 1971, I started by working in all
the different departments at Patek Philippe. But I was really
catching the auto-racing bug at this time. So I left for another
job in the auto industry but really because it would afford
me the flexibility to race. If you are going to compete on the
weekend, then you need all of Friday to prepare your car and
learn the track. And all of Monday to debrief, and for repairs
and maintenance. Eventually my boss at Patek asked me if I
would be willing to come back. I was very happy to but asked if I
could apply my holiday leave such that I could take each Friday
off during the racing season to prepare my car. As soon after the
Quartz Crisis hit the industry, my work week was shortened to
four which was perfect for me.”
But even as his racing career flourished, his adventure in
watchmaking also offered new opportunities. Says Ferrier,
“In 1974, I ended up in the department that oversees the
development for all the external parts of the watch. Meaning
that when Philippe Stern decided on a new watch, the
movement would be developed by another team, while our
team would create everything that ‘touched the air’ or that was
external, specifically the case, the dial and hands, the crystal
and the bracelet. This was an incredible job because you really
understand how the smallest detail, how the hands are bent to
follow the curve of the crystal, the thickness of lugs, the size of
the crown, of the pushers, the integration of the bracelet, all of
these things made such a huge difference.”
One of Ferrier’s first projects was a watch that would
become one of horology’s most recognizable icons, an
iconoclastic design for an integrated-bracelet steel watch
created by Gérald Genta. Says Ferrier, “I was lucky enough to
be part of the project that developed the Nautilus. We received
the plans from Genta’s atelier and the instructions from the
great Philippe Stern to make these two-dimensional drawings
a reality. What is funny is that because this was far before the
era of three-dimensional digital modeling, the front of the
watch was always drawn perfectly, as was the back of the watch,
but the side was often left as something for us to interpret. The
brilliance of this design was the dramatic contrast between the
oversized 39mm incredibly modern case, contrasted by the
thinness of its profile at just 7.6mm. The Nautilus is a two-
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Ferrier with a laugh, “People often describe us as being on the
same podium as Paul Newman but Le Mans has no podium to
speak of. However, we were of course well aware of him as he
was our competitor. We were very impressed by his co-driver
Rolf Stommelen. Despite all my racing, I had never really
won any money and it was only in 1979 that I finally received a
significant cash prize. So I took part of this money and offered
a Patek Philippe Nautilus to François. On the back of it, I had
engraved ‘Le Mans 1979.’ Throughout my entire racing with
François, we would always talk about what we might do together
one day. That evening he proposed the idea of us starting our
own watch brand. It intrigued me but I really loved my job at
Patek so it would be something I put on hold for many years,
until I finally felt I was ready.”
Indeed, it would take Ferrier a full 37 years at this famous
watchmaking Maison, where he would eventually rise to head
the product development department, before he felt he was
ready to create his own brand. To me, this is a remarkable
contrast to the multitudes of young upstart watchmakers so
eager to impart their vision of horology on the world. For
Ferrier, he felt he had first of all to fulfill his obligation to his
employer and second, wait until his vision for watchmaking
was at the peak of its expressive possibility. He recalls, “I went
to speak to my superiors. At first they thought it was curious
that I would want to leave just a few years from my retirement
and the pension it would provide. I explained I was leaving to
create my own small brand. I suppose it was not normal for
someone my age to leave to start something new in their early
60s. But I finally knew it was time. Part of the motivation was
the idea of being able to collaborate with my son Christian,
who was at Roger Dubuis working on movement development.
I suppose it is the dream of every father to be able to create
something together with his son. It is also a very complementary
relationship because I like to focus on the design of the watch
even though I also love the technical aspects of the movement,
while he loves to focus on the technical aspects even though
he has a huge appreciation for design. It was really the
opportunity to create our dream watch, the exact type of watch
we would love to wear ourselves. We knew we wanted to create
a watch that was perennial that resonated with a great classic
watchmaking language that we both loved. We also wanted the
watch to express that dynamic contrast I speak about often. To
have a wonderful discrete language on the dial side, and then
to have a real vision of virtuoso watchmaking on the movement
side.” The first manifestation of Laurent Ferrier’s vision for
high watchmaking did all that and more.
Racing would lead to a meeting with industrialist François Servanin
who would eventually become Ferrier’s partner.
Paul Newman during the 1979 Le Mans race.
part interlocking and overlapping case that is held together by
special screws that travel through the vertical axis of the case’s
ears. When we were finished we thought it was one of the most
beautiful and original watches we had ever seen.”
A PARTNERSHIP BORN IN RACING
Ferrier’s early life began to find its rhythm and with success in
both racing and watchmaking, he found himself content. What
he didn’t realize was that a friendship would lead him both to a
podium position at the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as the
creation of his own brand. He explains, “Throughout this time
I began racing quite competitively. Eventually starting in 1975,
I began competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That is how I
met the man that is now my business partner, as President and
main shareholder, in LAURENT FERRIER watches, François
Servanin. He was a very interesting man. He had already
established a reputation for helping to develop race engines
and he was a rising driver on the endurance-racing scene. At Le
Mans in 1978, François came in 11th overall and first in the grand
touring category driving a Porsche 911. That same year I came
in 10th overall and first place in the under-two-liter prototype
category in a Chevron ROC. Based on our friendship and our
mutual respect for one another, we decided to race in a Kremerprepared
Porsche 935 in 1979 where we placed third overall.”
That same race Paul Newman and his co-driver placed
second. It is incredible to think of Ferrier and Servanin
celebrating in the same paddock as Newman and his team. Says
The1979LeMansbroughtwithitan
incredible third-place finish. That same
year Paul Newman came in second.
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CLASSIC TOURBILLON DOUBLE SPIRAL
I recall the first time I heard of Laurent Ferrier, it was from
one of the watch collectors I respect most in the world. This
is a man who is in possession of both a Patek Caliber 89 and
some of George Daniels’ most important works. So, when
he professed his admiration for LAURENT FERRIER, I was
eager to learn more. But being in the presence of the Classic
Tourbillon Double Spiral was an experience I was not prepared
for. Immediately I was swept up by a powerful sense of Proustian
nostalgia. It struck me deep in my emotional epicenter that it
expressed precisely the style of watchmaking I longed for but had
not even realized I missed. At 41mm in diameter, it was certainly
modern but not oversized. But the delicacy with which the grand
feu enamel dial, the lithe elongation of the Roman numerals in an
act of interpretative brilliance that rivaled even Louis Cartier’s
mastery of typography, was the first thing seduced me.
Everything, the position of the sub-seconds, the slate
grey used for the minute track and the ivory cream Grand Feu
enamel of the dial was perfectly executed. If the dial of a watch
can be likened to the face of a person, it was simultaneously
arresting in its beauty and somehow tremendously warm
and inviting because of its familiarity. Ferrier laughs when
he recalls telling Servanin that he wanted to create his first
watch as a round three-handed watch with an ivory dial and
Roman numeral indexes. In the context of the first decade of
the new millennium, where watchmakers were experimenting
with different modernist approaches to displaying time,
this seemed almost willfully anachronistic. Ferrier says,
“François would later tell me that of all the ideas to start
the brand he considered it the least inspired. This was of
course before he saw the watch.” The Classic Tourbillon
instantly awakens a longing for true classical watchmaking
from the 19th century. Says Ferrier, “The idea is how do you
design something that brings out this emotion yet it is totally
original?” And originality is indeed prevalent in his design.
Ferrier’s Roman numerals are long and graceful and unlike
any other I remember. His unique shape hands similarly long
and sleek. Ferrier names these hands “Assegai” models, and
they are inspired by the javelins used by the legendary Zulu
warriors. The magic of the Grand Feu enamel dial really comes
to light when Ferrier explains the delicate use of complementary
colors. He explains, “If you look closely, you’ll see the minute
track is a type of slate grey as opposed to the black of the indexes.
The same thing with the signature and the words ‘Tourbillon
Double Spiral.’ These are rendered with a softness and delicacy
that makes them look like they have faded over a century.”
When you touch a Laurent Ferrier case it too exudes a sense
of familiarity. Every surface has been modulated to feel like a
caress on the skin. The term “Galet” which Ferrier gave to his
very first case design refers to a pebble. And this was precisely
what Laurent Ferrier had in mind. He explains, “I wanted to
Acasewhereeverysurfacehasbeenmodulatedto
feel like a caress on the skin.
As someone who loves cars, I always felt the best automotive design mixes soft,
rounded feminine lines with stronger, more masculine ones.
create a case that had all the satisfying tactile smoothness of a
pebble you find in a river whose surfaces has been worn smooth
by time and water, so that no matter where you touch it you feel
this sense of tranquility and perenniality.”
Ferrier recalls multiple times during his career designing
and prototyping cases where endowing a round case with a soft
organic smoothness suddenly made it a pleasure to wear. At the
same time, he wanted to energize his design with the inclusion
of sharper, straighter lines, which he applied to the profile of
his lugs. He explains, “As someone who loves cars I always felt
the best automotive design mixes soft, rounded feminine lines
with stronger, more masculine ones. This creates an amazing
dynamic tension, a sense of energy resulting from the contrast
and I wanted to apply this to my Galet Classic model.” What is
interesting is that even though the case for Ferrier’s first watch
is 12.5mm in thickness, necessitated by having a tourbillon
Ferrier’s first independent foray unveiled a horological design language of
extraordinary sensitivity to detail.
Caliber LF 619.01
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Christian Ferrier.
I wanted my watch to be a symbol
of discrete elegance.
located at the back of the watch, it wears like a much thinner
watch because of the way almost every line is expressed as a
curve. Finally, the moment you turn a LAURENT FERRIER
watch over, is to be utterly obliterated by the beauty of the
movement. In this case, the devastating richness of finish and
the magnificent 19th-century Vallée de Joux pocket watch
architecture of the tourbillon caliber.
But why start with a tourbillon? Says Ferrier, “There are
certain complications such as a split-seconds chronograph
that I love, but these are very delicate mechanisms and have
to be treated carefully as they are fragile. What I like about the
tourbillon is that it is, of course, difficult to poise and regulate.
But once this is correctly done, it continues to run with great
stability. For me, it was very important that our first watch be
an incredibly reliable one and that all the owners would have a
great experience with it.”
Importantly, Ferrier decided to make his Classic Tourbillon
Double Spiral a masterwork of subtlety, not just with the
restrained beauty of his dial, but by also placing his tourbillon
at the back of the watch. He explains, “This was very important
to me. I wanted my watch to be a symbol of discrete elegance,
where the owner keeps the secret of its incredible complexity to
himself. He has the opportunity to share this with his friends, but
only when he chooses.” In a world dominated by social media
and perhaps aggressive oversharing, Laurent Ferrier’s watches
militated against bombastic extroversion with intentional
and wonderfully charming understatement. In the context of
2008, with the world swept up by a financial crisis, this became
something very significant, an expression of sensitivity and taste.
Interestingly, in 2020, in a post-COVID-19 environment,
this concept of discrete elegance is perhaps more relevant than
ever. Says Ferrier, “Eventually I was asked to make a version of
my watch where the tourbillon could be viewed from the front,
but whenever possible, I prefer to design my watches to be the
ultimate statements of restrained beauty.”
What is certainly not restrained in his first horological
overture was the utter transcendent magnificence of his
31.6mm-wide, 5.57mm-thick caliber LF 619.01. To create this
movement, Laurent Ferrier and his son, Christian, reached out
to old friends, and former colleagues from his time at the famous
manufacture, who had since founded their own watchmaking
workshop, La Fabrique du Temps. They had worked at Patek
Philippe on complicated watches before moving to Franck
Muller to collaborate with the legendary Pierre-Michel Golay of
Gérald Genta on, amongst many things, a grande sonnerie. The
movement that they would create with Laurent and Christian
Design schematics
of the two opposing
hairsprings.
Ferrier would be one of their milestone achievements. Says
Ferrier, “There have been many beautiful tourbillon movements,
but my favorites were 19th-century pocket watches made with
Vallée de Joux ébauches. So we decided to create a movement that
expressed this style of watchmaking. At the same time, we wanted
to bring an added technical dimension to the tourbillon. That’s
when we came up with the idea of a double balance spring.”
Says Christian Ferrier, “The idea of the double spiral, or
balance spring, has to do with optimizing concentric breathing. A
balance spring depending on its orientation will have a tendency
to develop more in one direction than the other. As wristwatches
adopt numerous positions throughout the day, this can also place
unequal friction on some of the regulating elements such as the
balance staff. The idea is that by placing two balance springs
in opposing directions — head-to-tail as Ferrier calls it — the
two springs offset each other and allow for regular and uniform
development of both springs. This works particularly well in
combating errors caused by gravity. As the original purpose of
the tourbillon as designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet was to
compensate for errors caused by gravity on the sensitive regulating
organs of the watch, in particular the balance spring, we thought
it would be particularly meaningful to elevate the performance of
our tourbillon with the double balance spring solution.”
Says Laurent Ferrier, “For me every element of the watch
should have a meaning and be rooted in historical significance.
Yes, it is interesting to use a double balance spring in any
movement because it helps to offset gravitational errors, but
even more meaningful to use it in a tourbillon because you could
imagine Breguet being pleased by this idea. The fact that together
these two springs better hold the center of the axis of the balance
even as they turn within a one-minute cage seems to really strike a
chord with collectors that love high watchmaking and its history.”
In order to achieve this innovative solution, Ferrier tapped
Precision Engineering AG to create the two balance springs.
The company uses a proprietary material named after professor
Reinhard Straumann who patented the material Nivarox.
The tourbillon cage
powers a small seconds
indicator on the dial side.
What is extraordinary about the Laurent Ferrier Tourbillon
movement caliber LF 619.01 is the beauty of its architecture.
Bridges are executed as stunning and powerful horizontal
expressions of masculine design. The gear train is clearly
delineated and your eye naturally follows the pathway
from barrel, to second wheel to third wheel. Where a lot of
tourbillons are designed so that their third wheels engage with
the pinion of the tourbillon cage, Laurent Ferrier opted for a
different design. Here, the third wheel drives an intermediate
wheel, which engages directly with the exterior of the tourbillon
cage. A wonderful detail is that this tourbillon cage in turn
drives a small seconds indicator on the dial side.
Says Laurent Ferrier, “I was surprised to discover that
there are little tourbillons with a sub-seconds indicator at six
o’clock. I suppose it has to do with the complexity of creating
a functional seconds indicator on top of the tourbillon. I’ve
always loved the beauty of a three-hand chronometer and when
I had the opportunity to create my tourbillon, I wanted it to have
precisely this appearance from the front of the dial.”
For watch lovers, discovering this movement is like being
swept up in a love affair of extraordinary passion. The barrel
features a decidedly old-school blade-style click ratchet,
which has been mirror polished to such a high level that it
doesn’t reflect light. All five of the bridges (excluding the
tourbillon bridge) receive Geneva waves contrasted by stunning
hand beveling on their angles. While many brands shy away
from sharp bevels as these have to be painstakingly created by
hand, LAURENT FERRIER almost goes out of his way to supply
these in force. But it is his tourbillon bridge anchored by two
fixed points on the left and by one point on the right that is his
high finish tour de force, the orgiastic crescendo to the visual
opera of his creative brilliance. The rounded left side of the
bridge receives this same mirror polish or “spéculaire” while
the left side provides extraordinarily perfect sharp internal
angles which are the single most challenging type of hand
beveling there is.
The lascivious use of sharp
internal angles and mirror
polish on the tourbillon
bridge speaks of a great
deal of handwork.
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Says Ferrier, “For those that understand these details,
I thought it would make them smile to see a movement
intentionally designed so it could only be finished by very skilled
hands. Of course we make about 150 watches a year so we are
able to devote the time, energy and affection to every one of our
timepieces.” Indeed, every countersink and screw head has
been mirror polished to perfection and added together becomes
a visual experience that is horological edification at its very
finest. The Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral was launched in
2010 and soon developed a cult reverence that culminated in its
winning of the 2010 Geneva Grand Prix.
CLASSIC SECRET TOURBILLON DOUBLE SPIRAL
In 2011, LAURENT FERRIER unveiled an intriguing version
of the Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral. Laurent Ferrier
featured a dial that could be retracted at 240 degrees to reveal
a second dial underneath. That dial made as a bespoke order
for each client could be gem-set, gold-engraved or miniaturepainted.
He explains, “The Secret was actually the first watch
that I designed. I love the idea of a highly personalized dial.
But because the philosophy of our brand is about discretion,
we liked the idea of being able to keep an amazing artwork as
something very private. I came up with the idea of a dial like a
fan that would open to reveal a second dial underneath that was
painted or decorated with a motif.”
The Secret can be opened on demand using the pusher
co-axially mounted on the crown. But at the same time, you can
program the dial to open from a specific time to another. If after
dinner, from nine to midnight, if this is your time for personal
reflection, then the dial can be programmed to open a full
240 degrees during this period. Over the life of this charming
model, Ferrier has collaborated with extraordinary artisans
like Anita Porchet, the late Dominique Baron and others. Each
Secret is a bespoke creation limited only by your imagination.
Once people started to notice the Tourbillon Double Spiral,
many of them began to approach me to ask “We love your style of watchmaking but
is it possible to create something that is more accessible in price?”
The dial on the Secret
can be retracted at
240 degrees to reveal a
second dial underneath.
CLASSIC MICRO-ROTOR
Launched in 2012, the Classic Micro-Rotor featured an
automatic movement wound by a small fan-shaped mass
mounted on a high-polished bridge. However, what was hidden
within its depths was an escapement created by the legendary
watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet. More than just an
accessibly priced LAURENT FERRIER, the Classic Micro-
Rotor soon developed a passionate following. Says Ferrier,
“Once people started to notice the Tourbillon Double Spiral,
many of them began to approach me to ask, ‘We love your style of
watchmaking but is it possible to create something that is more
accessible in price?’ For Christian and me, this was important
because we wanted people who loved our watches to be able to
wear them. So, we began to have a conversation about a simpler
automatic watch.” Says Christian Ferrier with a smile, “Well,
of course my father would say simple, but in fact the movement
we arrived at was anything but. I always liked that the tourbillon
model and the Micro-Rotor model appear identical from the
front of the watch. This was always my father’s philosophy that
the complexity and technical value of your watch should be
something you keep for yourself. However, we wanted owners of
the automatic watch to also be able to turn their watch over and be
able to feel a similar emotion that owners of our tourbillon feel.”
How did the father and son arrive at the unique combination
of automatic winding and a novel escapement? Says Laurent
Ferrier, “I love the practicality of an automatic movement. But
so much of the experience of owning a LAURENT FERRIER
watch is the enjoyment of the movement, so we couldn’t cover
this with a full-sized rotor. We decided, along with La Fabrique
du temps, to mount this rotor on a bridge that resembled a
tourbillon bridge that received the same level of mirror polish.
Similarly, the bridge for the balance wheel is inspired by our
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tourbillon bridge — this is also mirror-polished and with sharp
internal angles that can only be created by hand.”
But there would be one more element to Ferrier’s automatic
caliber FBN 229.01 that would be obscured from the naked eye.
Says Christian Ferrier, “When Breguet created the tourbillon
he was trying to solve the issue of errors created by gravity on the
hairspring and the escapement. But he was also trying to resolve
the issue of oil. In fact one of his most famous statements is,
‘Give me the perfect oil and I will give you the perfect watch.’ He
understood that lubrication or more specifically the loss on parts
had a very negative effect on watches. Because of this, in 1789,
he created the natural escapement.” One of Breguet’s signature
inventions, the natural escapement uses two escape wheels
turning in opposite directions to all but reduce the sliding friction
found in most escapements. In Breguet’s design, the first escape
wheel is driven by the mainspring, while the second escape wheel
is driven by the first escape wheel. This way the release of the
escape wheels, which alternates, is in each direction to reduce
sliding friction. A lever in the center rocks back and forth and is
what provides the impulse to the balance wheel.
The challenge facing Laurent Ferrier was to define a
functional balance between the limited thickness of an automatic
movement and a high degree of efficiency for winding the barrel.
Achieving this implied finding a system ensuring perfect winding
in order to compensate for the lower inertia of a small oscillating
weight. In fact a micro-rotor needs as twice as many rotations
(300 vs. 150) needed for one complete turn of the ratchet wheel.
Thanks to the efficiency of LAURENT FERRIER escapement,
the number of rotations needed can be reduced by one third – to
approximately 200 rotations. A gain for the owner of the watch.
Caliber FBN 229.01
This exclusive double direct-impulse escapement in silicon,
directly on the balance, has been inspired by the father of modern
horology, Abraham-Louis Breguet. This modern construction,
associated with the use of cutting-edge materials, maximises the
restitution of energy. Thanks to the excellent efficiency of this
escapement, the moment of couple (= torque) required to wind
the mainspring is reduced and hence optimizes the movement
winding. Inspired by the concept of the detent escapement
this escapement has the advantage to give two impulses per
oscillation (1 oscillation = 2 vibrations). This means that
LAURENT FERRIER’s movement frequency of 3Hz (21,600
vph) allows to impulse the balance 21,600 times per hour.
To use a metaphor, we can explain the double direct impulse
by comparing with a swing: with a detent escapement you push the
swing once and you wait until it bounces back to give it the next
impulse; with the double direct impulse escapement you push the
swing and another person opposite pushes it back on his side.
Says Christian Ferrier, “Breguet’s idea was brilliant. He
implemented the escapement in 20 pocket watches. But the
escapement was extremely difficult to manufacture with the
tools of this era as the tolerances had to be perfect for the wheels
to have no play but be able to move freely. As we discussed
the natural escapement in collaboration with La Fabrique du
Temps, they came up with the idea of using advanced technology
and materials, specifically nickel phosphorus, for the escape
wheels. These are galvanically grown and have tolerances that
are incredibly precise, down to the micron. For the lever they
suggested we use silicon and because of these materials, we
were able to reduce to a minimum the use of lubrication.”
Says Laurent Ferrier, “I think it is wonderful that we were
able to implement the famous natural escapement, I must say we
were very impressed with the results of this escapement. Like the
tourbillon, it is challenging to install and regulate but once this is
correctly done, it has proven to be incredibly stable. It was also
important to me that we expressed the same movement design
language in the micro-rotor and so you see that on the angle of
the upper bridge we created a sharp internal angle just to show
collectors who appreciate these details that this movement is
hand finished to the same standard as our tourbillon.”
The dial design of the Classic Micro-Rotor exudes a
wonderful minimalism invoked here by long pointed baton
markers that perfectly complement the finesse of Ferrier’s
signature Assegai hands. The minute track, rather than being
printed or applied, uses a pierced technique that results in
the relief effect of 60 tiny bowl-shaped indexes. Says Ferrier,
“This was a technique that was once popular but has largely
disappeared. It is an example to me of a technique that is
beautiful yet very subtle and as such, perfect for our dial.”
Upon launch, the Classic Micro-Rotor became one of the most
coveted timepieces around and struck a chord with the world’s
leading watch experts. So much so that Aurel Bacs, senior
consultant at Phillips Watches and the world’s leading watch
auctioneer; Auro Montanari, the legendary Italian collector;
Ben Clymer, the brilliant founder of Hodinkee; and Eric Ku, the
owner of vintage Rolex forums, and a vintage watch guru and
Rolex expert, all ended up creating unique executions of this
watch for themselves.
Schematics
of LAURENT
FERRIER’s
escapement.
The Classic Micro-Rotor became one
of the most coveted timepieces around
and struck a chord with the world’s
leading watch experts.
Auro Montanari
Auro Montanari’s
LAURENT FERRIER
watch.
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SQUARE MICRO-ROTOR
Launched in 2015, the Square brought an all-new energy
to Ferrier’s lineup. This cushion-shaped 41 × 41mm watch
added an injection of sporty energy. Says Ferrier, “I was
always attracted to this style of case. While the cushion shape
is very distinct from our Classic, it precisely follows our ethos
concerning a form that provides a great tactile pleasure to
wear.” The Square was the first Laurent Ferrier watch to
be produced in series in steel, and won the prize for Best
Horological Revelation in 2015.
Over the course of his life, Laurent Ferrier has made
several special versions of the Square that demonstrate his
extraordinary design acumen. Indeed, the watch has become
TheSquarewontheprizefor
Best Horological Revelation in
2015 at the GPHG.
something of a showcase for Ferrier’s imagination. One of
these models is the Boréal launched in 2016, which features a
stunning luminous sector dial. There are two more sector-dial
versions with applied indexes and track made for US retailer
Swiss FineTiming (silver dial with applied Arabic numerals
in 2016 and salmon dial with applied Breguet numerals in
2017) and, of course, the wonderful original sector-dial watch
created for the Only Watch charity auction in 2015.
Beating inside the Square is the FBN229.01 micro-rotor and
natural escapement movement that was introduced in the highly
successful Classic Micro-Rotor. The Square also comes in a
Regulator configuration where each hand is placed in a different
position on the dial, emulating a watchmaker’s regulating clock.
The design
of the watch
is a perfect
expression of
Ferrier’s focus
on intuitive
displays of
information.
CLASSIC TRAVELLER
One of Laurent Ferrier’s objectives in the expansion of his
complication vocabulary was to retain the beautiful design
purity of his brand while adding real and pragmatic functions.
In 2013, he did just that with his Classic Traveller. Says Ferrier,
“One of the realities of the modern world is constant travel. So
I wanted to create a watch that addressed the need to read both
home time, local time and date at one glance. The first thing
that struck me is that many watches have the date synchronized
to home time which is technically incorrect. Because wherever
in the world you are, the local date is the information relevant
to you. The second thing I noticed was that even when the date
was synchronized to local time, it would be brought forward but
most often it could not be brought backwards.” Thus motivated,
Ferrier embarked on a mission to create one of the easiest to
use, functionally innovative and of course classically stunning
watches on the market.
He named this watch the Classic Traveller. This watch
would be powered by his micro-rotor, natural escapement
movement. But what would make a huge difference to
discerning watch collectors is that the caliber LF 230.02
is an integrated movement. That means that the additional
mechanism to display the home and local time is integrated into
the baseplate of the movement. Most other brands would have
simply added a module to the base caliber. But as Christian
Ferrier explains, this would not be the prevailing philosophy at
Laurent Ferrier.
The design of the watch is a perfect expression of Ferrier’s
focus on intuitive displays of information. He explains, “When
someone looks at a watch, their eyes will naturally move to
certain displays. I want to create a sense of visual logic so
that when someone looks at it, you don’t even have to explain
how to operate the watch. You understand intuitively. For
example, on the Traveller, your eyes will move from left to
right as this is the direction in which we read. On the left of the
case at 10 and eight o’clock, you will find the two pushers to
move the local time hour hand either forwards or backwards.
The Square Regulator.
The additional
mechanism to
display the home
and local time is
integrated into the
baseplate of the
movement.
Square Boréal.
Piece unique created for the Only Watch
charity auction in 2015.
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The lower advances the hand while the top pusher makes it
go backwards.” At nine o’clock on the dial, you have a display
for home time. This is told with a dragging indication and the
aperture is made larger than that of the date for two reasons.
First, that you immediately identify its function; and second, so
you can see the hour just before and just after your home time.
At three o’clock, you have the date. This indication follows the
local time both forwards and, very importantly, backwards.
Then you have a small seconds indicator at six o’clock which is a
visual signature for Ferrier’s brand.
The dial iconography of the Traveller is an exciting
departure from the ultra-classic nostalgia of both the
Tourbillon Double Spiral as well as the Micro-Rotor watches.
Here we find a much more contemporary energy expressed
through the use of long pointed applied hour markers called
drop-shaped and printed minute markers in high-contrast
relief to the matte or contrasting finished dials. The watch
measures 41mm in diameter and is 12.64mm thick. From the
back, one visual clue that this is a different timepiece from the
Micro-Rotor is the use of a lovely barleycorn guilloché pattern
on the rotor. The standard Micro-Rotor watch has a fanshaped
engraving applied to it.
ÉCOLE MICRO-ROTOR
2017 was a momentous year as it marked the launch of Ferrier’s
new case shape, this time one that paid homage to his roots.
The École’s design was based on the pocket watch that Ferrier
crafted to graduate from watchmaking school. Says Ferrier,
“As I began to think of a second round case shape, I first asked
the question what its purpose would be. The Classic has a very
specific form that is very curvaceous. However, when it came
to enlarging its dimensions to add more of the complications,
I didn’t like the effect on its proportions. As such, I began
to think of a case that would be particularly well suited to be
the home of complications such as the annual calendar and
the minute repeater that we were developing. Interestingly,
I found myself back at the very origins of my journey with
watchmaking. As I mentioned, to graduate from watchmaking
school in 1968, I made my own pocket watch. This timepiece
was very much inspired by the watch design I loved from the
1950s. Interestingly, I think I can now see much of the design
philosophy that would take shape later in life in evidence in
this project. In particular, I liked the case of this pocket watch
and thought it would be a strong inspiration for a new model. I
called this École in reference to its link to my school project.”
Of the various case designs that emerged from the ’50s,
one of the most beautiful was the “Disco Volante” case shape
used by several high watchmaking maisons for some of the most
iconic watches from this period. This is a serene round “Flying
Saucer” shape that was counterpointed by soldered lugs.
However, Ferrier’s approach to this style of case was markedly
different. His École takes the iconography of the Disco Volante
and softens it with a sensitive organic plasticity to imbue that
same feeling of having been worn smooth by water that is in
evidence in his Classic. The result is a watch that is an even
higher expression of harmony and tranquility.
While the Classic is about the contrast between curved lines
and straighter ones to result in a dynamic tension, the École
case does not have a single straight line. Its bezel and case band
are curved, and even the caseback is rounded. Every section of
this three-part bassiné case feels sculpted by nature. So, the
dynamic contrast here is achieved through the muscularity and
power of the lugs with their curved shape but straight sides.
Each lug is capped with a cabochon that covers the spring bar
and endows the design with a kind of Officer’s case aesthetic,
which is augmented by the ball-shaped crown that is a pleasure
to wind. The final result is a case that is more curvilinear than a
traditional Officer’s case, but more functional and robust than
a Disco Volante.
Some collectors have posited that the form of the École is
reminiscent of these early wristwatches that had lugs soldered
onto them for use by pilots and military officers. But I feel that
the ethos of the École is far more nuanced and charmingly
executed in its wonderfully rounded form to be so easily
described with this simplistic comparison. Launched in 2017
with a diameter of 40mm, the École immediately became a
worthy sibling to Ferrier’s other case shapes.
With his École, Ferrier’s dial design would reach an apogee
of purity. Drop-shaped hour markers at 12, three and nine
o’clock were contrasted by a printed minute track. The subseconds
scale would only feature four hash marks adding to
the Zen minimalism of this act of horological haiku. Regarding
the surface decoration of the dial, which features contrasting
sections of vertical brushing for the main dial and circular
brushing for the section beneath the indexes, Ferrier was again
inspired by the great Abraham-Louis Breguet.
Each section of the École
dial features a different type
of decoration.
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Says Ferrier, “Before Breguet watches were very ornate in
design, he was the first person to create a restrained and subtle
design for the dial. In so doing he became the world’s first
modern watch designer. His idea was to use different styles of
guilloché to help in the identification of each section of the dial.
So the small seconds subdial would have a different decoration
from the power reserve indicator, for example.” While looking
at a “guilloché fait main” Breguet watch today in comparison
to a LAURENT FERRIER, the styles of watchmaking could not
be less similar. However, the use of subtle dial decorations to
create beauty while enhancing visibility is a strong philosophical
allegiance between the two watchmakers. Of note is that Ferrier
created a steel version of this watch, and chose a rougher
decoration for its micro rotor movement, recalling the original
materials uses in prototyping, such as brass, which offers a
contrast with steel. Further hand-finishing skills applied to
the movement include shot-blasting, known as microbillé, and
mirror polishing for the parts in steel, including the balance
cock. This gives a similar aesthetic as the frosted finishes that
were often used by British watchmakers in the 19th century.
The gold versions of this watch received the classic Geneva
stripes decoration.
The dial of the École is also configured as a regulator. This is
based on large watchmakers’ clocks that were used to regulate
movements. For maximum visibility from all parts of the atelier,
regulators had each of their hands placed at different positions
on the dial. In the case of the École, hours are placed in a
subdial at 12 o’clock, seconds at a subdial at six o’clock and the
minutes are read off the large hand in the center of the dial.
Dial of the École
configured as a
regulator.
The dial of the
Annual Calendar is a
masterpiece of Ferrier’s
intuitive approach to
information display.
Example of the ‘frosted’
finishing on the movement.
ÉCOLE ANNUAL CALENDAR
Shortly after the launch of the École, in 2018, Ferrier introduced
his first complicated version of this timepiece. The annual
calendar complication, which is one of the most pragmatic in
the realm of high watchmaking, was introduced in 1996 by Patek
Philippe. This watch marries the intelligence of the perpetual
calendar, which automatically compensates for the shifting
30/31-day rhythm of the months, with the more accessibly
priced and functional robustness of a simple calendar, which
necessitates the manual correction for any month with less
than 31 days, altogether five days during the year. In an annual
calendar, you only need to make one adjustment each year by
manually adjusting it on the last day of each February.
What was important for Ferrier was that his annual calendar
introduced an ease of adjustment that was not present in other
watches. He explains, “I’ve always loved the annual calendar.
Here is a watch that provides a correct reading for date, day
and month at all times with only one adjustment required
each year. But the reality is that as with all calendar watches,
owners have a tendency to rotate with other watches, and
eventually, the calendar information has to be reset. With
other annual calendars, a system of pushers integrated into
the side of the case are used and each display is operated using
the corresponding pusher. This means you have to create an
unnecessarily complex case, and also, if you don’t have an
instrument to adjust these pushers, you are unable to set your
calendar. At the same time, there has been a solution where the
annual calendar information is synchronized but then if you
accidentally set the information too far in advance, you can’t
turn the date backwards. For our annual calendar, we wanted to
have all the practical benefits of crown operation but a date that
could be turned both backwards and forwards.”
Adjustment of the day of week
Winding
Adjustment (forward/backward)
of the Calender
Correction of hour
of reference and the
minute hand
One of the easiest annual calendars to set, Laurent
Ferrier’s Annual Calendar has no recessed pushers;
all information is set using the crown and the large
pusher on the side of the case.
This is how the Annual Calendar
is set. Position one on the crown is
for charging the barrel of the watch’s
manual-wind movement. Pull the
crown out to position two and you can
now rapidly advance the date in either
direction. However, by turning the
crown backwards and forwards in one
motion, you can advance the month.
Days of the week are adjusted using
the pusher integrated at 10 o’clock into
the case. So in terms of sequence, you
would first adjust the months, the date,
then pull the crown out to third position.
After that you can easily use the pusher
to set the correct day of the week.
The dial of the Annual Calendar
is a masterpiece of Ferrier’s intuitive
approach to information display. Day
and month are read in twin beveled horizontal apertures that
are located at 12 o’clock just above the LAURENT FERRIER
signature. The month is read off a centrally mounted hand
and a scale that is printed on the perimeter of the dial. This
is reminiscent of one of Audemars Piguet’s first perpetual
calendar wristwatches, the reference 5518 from 1955. Indeed,
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for me, even the wonderful font selected by Ferrier with the
open “6” and “9” and vertical serif “7” pays tribute to the
masterpiece while providing a thrilling contemporary twist by
being rendered in bold colors such as Royal Blue. But it is in
the demarcation of subtly different levels and decorations on
the dial that you see Ferrier’s true genius. The center of the
dial sits slightly higher and uses a vertical satin brushing, the
minutes receive a circular-brushed finish and slope gently away
from the center of the watch, while the date track sits on an
opaline finish on a slightly recessed plane. Similarly, the small
seconds subdial is recessed and there is circular guilloché in
the center with an opaline track. And for the first time, Ferrier
uses a crosshair motif on his dial which brings an added sporty
dimension to the design. Additionally, the watch won the best
Men’s Complication prize at the GPHG in 2018.
Note that the Annual Calendar does not feature the natural
escapement found in the Micro-Rotor. Instead, Ferrier has
opted for a classic Swiss Anchor in its place.
Movement side of the
École Annual Calendar.
The LAURENT FERRIER
Bridge Manual.
LAURENT FERRIER x URWERK
for Only Watch 2017.
ÉCOLE MINUTE REPEATER
In 2019, Laurent Ferrier completed the complication range for
his watches with a minute repeater created in collaboration with
La Fabrique du Temps. Says Ferrier, “The roots of the minute
repeater are one of the most charming in horology. Noblemen
in the 18th century wanted to be able to check the time without
having to resort to lighting a candle. So they would own a pocket
watch that would play the time. By depressing a slide in the
watch, it would ring out the time.” The format in which time
is played on two gongs, one with a lower note and one with a
higher note, is as follows. Hours are struck on the low gong,
quarters with a combination of the two, and minutes on the high
gong. Ferrier’s minute repeater finds the perfect home in the
tripartite bassiné case of his École. As always this timepiece is a
masterwork of subtlety. The LAURENT FERRIER signature is
muted and the minutes are described using small printed dots.
The roots of the minute repeater are one of
the most charming in horology.
Indeed, the words “minute repeater” are so softly inscribed on
the dial that your eyes have to seek out the words.
The steel case of the watch aids in the brightness and clarity
of the minute repeater, which is activated using the large
slide located in the traditional position at the left side of the
watch. The movement, which is designed by Ferrier’s friends
at La Fabrique du Temps and Christian Ferrier, is excellent in
tonal quality. It should be noted that both these men have an
incredible history with repeaters and have created an exemplary
movement here that is typical of a Laurent Ferrier watch,
restrained but technical at the same time. What is charming to
see is the typical blade-shaped ratchet spring for the barrel,
which comes from Ferrier’s very first movement, his Tourbillon
Double Spiral, but now located on the same plane as the
hammers and flying regulator of the repeater mechanism.
BRIDGE MANUAL
In 2017, Laurent Ferrier combined with
independent watchmaking rebels URWERK on
a unique watch for Only Watch. The resulting
timepiece became one of the most hotly contested
lots. But the shape of the watch left something to
be desired for Ferrier. He explains, “ The case
was a bit bigger than what we were used too. But it
started me thinking about a bridge-shaped watch
that featured a wonderful curving case profile and
that is how we arrived at the Bridge One.”
Launched in 2019, the result is a masterful
work of old-world refinement. Of course, for
Laurent Ferrier, the idea of placing a round
movement inside a rectangular case did not sit
well. Accordingly, he conceptualized an allnew
rectangular manual-wind caliber the LF
107.01 specific to this model. Though the watch
measures 44mm × 30mm and is 14.58mm thick, it
is remarkably comfortable to wear because of the
curve of the case. The Bridge is made in an enamel
time-only version, a version with small seconds and
a version with a sector dial.
GRAND SPORT TOURBILLON
Launched in 2019, the Grand Sport Tourbillon
was created to honor three major achievements.
The first was to celebrate the 40th anniversary
of the 1979 Le Mans third-place victory by
Ferrier and his partner, François Servanin. This
remarkable moment also set into motion the
birth of the Laurent Ferrier brand. Secondly, the
Grand Sport celebrates the 10-year anniversary
of the 2009 creation of the brand, as well as the
conceptualization of the Tourbillon Double Spiral.
What is interesting to recall is that in honor of
Laurent Ferrier (center), François Servanin
(right), and his team at the 1979 Le Mans race.
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LAURENT FERRIER watches are the ultimate
in discretion and understated charm.
their third-place podium finish at Le Mans, Ferrier gifted
Servanin with a Nautilus watch as a symbol of their friendship.
Says Ferrier, “As we approached the 40-year anniversary of
this race, I wanted to give him another watch to celebrate four
decades of friendship and one decade of partnership. But this
time, I wanted it to be a watch that I designed and that was
powered by the engine that was most significant to both of us,
the Tourbillon Double Spiral.”
For Ferrier, the Grand Sport Tourbillon would be the first
watch he created that entered unabashedly into the world
of sports timepieces. Says Ferrier, “I began to think back to
those days that I was racing. And I started to think of a watch
that I could wear in the cockpit, behind the wheel, that could
live up to all the pressures of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
Ferrier recognized first that it had to be perfectly ergonomic.
He explains, “I went back to the Square which was my most
sporty timepiece at the time. And I began to conceptualize
a chassis around it. More of a tonneau shape which I always
find comfortable to wear. I wanted the case to be rigid like a
car and so I came up with the idea of it being held together by
stems or rods that would be attached to the bezel and travel
through to the caseback, where they were securely fastened.
I wanted to use these hexagon socket headed screws because
this is something we used often in racing.” Looking at the
caseback of the Grand Sport, you can see Ferrier’s meticulous
attention to smoothing every available surface, particularly in
the integration with the watch’s rubber bracelet. Says Ferrier,
“I thought immediately of a rubber bracelet because this is
The Grand Sport Tourbillon, limited to 12 pieces.
something you could wear under a racing suit and it would
perform well and not get wet with perspiration.”
Ferrier also knew that he had to have the ultimate
performance engine, specifically his amazing Tourbillon
Double Spiral. Says Ferrier, “As I mentioned, I chose the
tourbillon because it is actually a robust complication. But
because our tourbillon is using the two hairsprings arrayed
head to tail to maximize concentric breathing, this tourbillon
performs incredibly well.”
Finally, Ferrier knew he had to have a dial that provided
maximum visibility even under the duress of endurance racing.
For this reason, he selected bright orange luminous indexes
and hands. The case of the Grand Sport is 44mm in diameter,
making it the largest timepiece in the Ferrier arsenal. Yet
because of the intelligent strap integration, the watch wears
easily even on smaller wrists. The Grand Sport is also waterresistant
to 100 meters, making it the ultimate stealth sports
watch perfect in the water or behind the wheel of your racecar.
The LF 619.01 caliber, fully admirable on the back, bears
numerous Laurent Ferrier signatures, and is absolutely
stunning and elegant. It’s also treated with a dark ruthenium
coating for a more muscular look. For 2020, the Grand Sport
Tourbillon gains a integrated steel bracelet, with a threelink
tapered design that reminds one of the engine block in a
car. The matte finishing of the entire watch gives it a classic,
weathered appeal. The dial, instead of the brown from last
year, takes on a gradated blue to black presence, while the hour
markers and hands remain the same.
CLASSIC ORIGIN GREEN
LAURENT FERRIER watches are at their best when they are at
their most subtle. Seemingly subtle, at least. Because as much
as you may be looking at a time-only watch with a small running
seconds, turn the watch over and you’ll be left with no doubt that
LAURENT FERRIER means business. But with a great sense of
delicacy and elegance that only a few are able to appreciate. With
this in mind, enter the Classic Origin Green, created to mark
Laurent Ferrier’s 10th anniversary as an independent watchmaker,
and only be available directly through LAURENT FERRIER.
The watch is a time-only instance with a small running
seconds placed in the traditional 6 o’clock position. The case is
from the watchmaker’s Classic collection and features a round
polished case. We would, however, be grossly mistaken if were
to write the watch off there. Because that case is rendered in
titanium. Grade 5 titanium specifically, as it allows for the high
gloss polish we see here. Looking through the sapphire glass,
we see the beautiful gradient opaline dial that transitions from
translucent green at its centre to deep green near its periphery;
with 18k white gold drop-shaped hour indexes used for the
cardinal points, and 18k white gold Assegai-shaped hands. Just
above the hour indexes we’re presented with a railway track
minute scale that doubles up with a 24-hour scale printed in a
sharp tint of yellow, giving the timepiece a sense of sportiness.
The same yellow color is used to mark the scale of the small
seconds that’s held within a stepped down sub dial.
Now, we turn the watch over to reveal the manual wound
Calibre LF 116.01, which is making its debut in the Classic
Origin. As much as the watch has very classic elegant aesthetic
outlook from the front, Laurent Ferrier has taken a left turn
having used Grade 5 titanium for it, no doubt a very contemporary
choice. The movement’s bridges are finished in micro blasted,
black rhodium, yet another contemporary direction, but the
decorations thereafter are very much classical with hand polished
angles on the bridges, mirror polished screw heads and so on.
It’s also important to note that the LF 116.01 has a free-sprung
balance with the Breguet overcoil and Laurent Ferrier’s longblade
ratchet system. What is the long-blade ratchet system?
It’s not seen much in modern watches but was widely used in
pocket watches in a time long past. Essentially the bar has a spring
retention on one end and a pawl finger on the other. When you
are winding the watch, the ratchet wheel can, therefore, only be
wound in one direction as allowed by the pawl finger.
IS LAURENT FERRIER FOR YOU?
In conclusion, asking yourself if you are a potential LAURENT
FERRIER owner has a lot to do with understanding your
fundamental philosophy in life. LAURENT FERRIER watches are
the ultimate in discretion and understated charm. These watches
are for the individual that has style and elegance and a love for
technical watchmaking, such as the world’s first tourbillon with
double hairspring and details like Grand Feu enamel dials, but
prefers to keep the value of his watch to him or herself. You
might see his watch and like it, and you might not be sure if it is
a modern watch or even a vintage watch, but other LAURENT
FERRIER owners will recognize it and know what it is.
Says Ferrier, “I like that LAURENT FERRIER
collectors form a sort of club, or close-knit community
that is simultaneously very discerning but behaves with
ultimate discretion. Perhaps in the post-COVID-19
environment where it can be perceived as not correct to
display one’s wealth aggressively, we will see a return to
understated, or I believe the Americans call it ‘stealth’
elegance. I certainly think that this will be one major
shift in consumers’ mentalities and I feel that LAURENT
FERRIER is the perfect brand to express that ethos.”
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TIME
to
RACE
About the Book: Time to Race by Cesare Maria Mannucci and John Goldberger.
In the words of the authors:
To honour our great passions, to offer our contribution to a story that deserves to be explored
and told, with words and images. And so now, we have reached a point where the on-board
cameras during GPs show Lewis Hamilton driving with an IWC watch printed on his gloves,
or Sebastian Vettel’s helmet is decorated with Hublot logos, and the drivers race in circuits plastered
with Rolex advertising billboards; while Paul Newman’s Paul Newman Daytona or Conte Trossi’s
Patek Philippe have attracted massive media coverage for the astronomical prices that these watches
have reached at auction.
It’s not just a question of money, however, because the Heuer Carrera belonging to Arturo
Merzario or Troy Ruttman’s Universal have also hit the headlines. Thus we created a book that
aims to explore the relationship between racing and watches in every aspect. From the watch
manufacturers that have always paid special attention to racing competition, to car companies who
have been directly involved in the production of their timing equipment.
From the major circuits to the timekeepers, but above all to the men who have worn these watches
or received them as a reward throughout their careers. The result was a rather voluminous work,
which however does not want to be the classic coffee-table book that becomes part of the furniture but
is difficult to consult; all enriched by pleasant and innovative graphics created by Roberto Rinaldi.
“Time to Race” wishes to be a book of stories and images, of men and watches. A book to read
through for each main character and for each model. It wasn’t an easy job, and for several watches
it turned into a real treasure hunt, eventually finding them in countries or situations that were
completely unthinkable.
Whenever it was possible, we published the watch that belonged to the protagonist, while in other
cases we published the exact same model. It was an editorial choice not to take into consideration
current watches where drivers are involved in licensing activities because these are purely
commercial operations. Even though some drivers offered them to us insistently.
“Time to race” has thus become a journey into our memory and our passion, the memories of
racing and the technical evolution of watches, passing through a period of over one hundred years.
We had a lot of fun in writing it down. I hope that you will have the same amount of fun in reading it.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
John Goldberger, a.k.a. Auro Montanari, is no stranger to the watch collecting world. He is a
brilliant author and an all-round expert on fine wines, vintage Cartiers, Patek Philippes and,
of course, Rolex among other noteworthy watchmaking names.
Auro co-authored this book with his friend of 40 years, Cesare Maria Mannucci, an
accomplished writer having covered Formula 1 Grand Prix races through his career. In some
race seasons, he’s known to have covered than 40 races in a year.
Time to Race is a passion project these two friends have brought together their individual
fields of expertise to produce a book that explores the relationship between racing and
watches in every aspect, over the course of the past 100 years.
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Below:
Trossi in the Ferrari
magazine.
RACER PROFILE:
Carlo Felice Trossi
Carlo Felice Trossi was born in April 27,
1908 in Biella, Italy. He was born into
greatness, meant for greatness. A Count
of Pian Villar, family tree was made up of
explorers, bankers and politicians. Trossi
was one of the one of the most important
investors in — and President of — Scuderia
Ferrari in 1932, Carlo Felice Trossi was not only a race car driver,
but also a skilled pilot and sailor.
Trossi was racing as soon as he had finished his university in
1931. On the occasion he had a life altering meeting with Enzo
Ferrari. Trossi was immediately drawn to the genius of a man.
In 1932, Trossi raced with a Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo and
came in second at the Mille Miglia that year. In 1933, he moved
over to Grand Prix racing, debut at the Monaco race where he
finished fifth place.
1935 he was convinced that German cars were superior and
tried to switch over to one. However, failing to secure a German
car to race in, he went on to build his own. The car, however,
proved difficult to drive. He then turned to a Mercedes SSK,
which he built a body for in 1933 with the help of Willy White.
The car remains a legend today, in the private collection of the
one and only, Ralph Lauren.
Trossi served as a pilot during the Second World War and
returned to racing in 1947. He drove an Alfa Romeo 158 and won
the Italian Swiss Grand Prix in 1948. The irony of life though is
that on that very same occasion, Trossi was informed that he had
developed a brain tumor and passed on in the following
year on May the 9th.
The watch that is listed next to Trossi’s profile in
the book is an interesting one as it is one that is possibly
a piece unique and one that has been followed quite
closely for some time. The timepiece is an over-sized
monopusher chronograph by Patek Philippe, made
in 1925 and sold on March 26th,1932. The timepiece
bore the serial number 415702 and was last seen
in public with Sotheby’s at their 2008,
Geneva sale where it sold for USD
2,236,919; at the time, the most
expensive watch to have been
sold by the auction house.
Above:
Trossi racing with
a Scuderia Ferrari
Alfa Romeo.
Left:
Patek Philippe
monopusher
chronograph owned
by Trossi.
RACER PROFILE:
Stefano La Motta
Italian racer, Stefano La Motta is said to have been a part of a
group of rich landowners, who in post-war Sicily, worked hard
to keep local motor sport alive. La Motta, personally, owned over
3200 hectares of cultivated land.
He started racing in 1948 with Cisitalia and was soon
nicknamed “Spyder Nuvolari”. It wasn’t too moved to Ferrari
Sport 2000. Not much is out there about his racing career or his
life for that matter, but of the few things that are known, we know
that he was responsible for having organized the Tour of Sicily,
founded the Favorita” racecourse, and even took presidency of
a football club, Palermo Football Club. Stefano La Motta lost his
life on April 1st 1951 at the tender age of 31, while racing in the
Tour of Sicily, driving an Alfa Romeo 1900.
La Motta is known to have worn a Rolex 4113, a reference that
Rolex produced in 1942 in a run of just 12 examples. The 4113
is considered by many to be an odd ball reference from Rolex,
which while it was an interesting watch, was also a project that
Rolex shelved fast enough. Evidenced by the fact that only 12 were
ever made.
The most recent example of a 4113 that came through the
auction scene was seen with Phillips Watches at their November
2019 sale in Geneva. This was the piece with case number 051’318
and sold for nearly 2 million Swiss francs (CHF1,940,000 to be
specific). It’s quite well known
that Auro himself is an owner
of one of these twelve piece,
although it’s not known which
case number was initially the
property of racer, Stefano La
Motta.
Left:
The Rolex Ref. 4113
and the movement
(seen below).
Left:
La Motta wearing
the Rolex Ref.
4113 split seconds
chronograph.
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Below:
Back of
Cunningham’s Ref.
1463.
RACER PROFILE:
Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Cunningham was an American racecar
driver, who was born into an extremely well to
do family, based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. But it
wasn’t just motor racing that he was proficient
in. Cunningham is also remembered for his skills
as a sailor, who skippered the yacht Columbia to
victory in the 1958 America’s Cup race.
Cunningham clearly had a passion for speed
and the machines that enabled them, be it on
water or on the roads. Throughout his life he’s known to have
owned and raced Jaguars, Ferraris, Corvettes, Listers, OSCAs
and Abarths. However, he is perhaps most admired for his ability
to put together and supporting race teams in the 50s with Cadillac
and Chrysler Hemi-powered Cunningham sports cars.
His ultimate motor racing dream in life was to conquer 24
Hours of Le Mans in an American car with American drivers.
While this never came to pass, he made his fair share of
impressions and won several races at Sebring, Elkhart Lake,
Bridgehampton and others.
Aside from racing boats and cars, he is also known to have
had great taste in collecting these. He had a number of cars
and sail boats that he owned, some of which he modified
and entered into races. Most notable story that gets passed
around about Cunningham that he was the first person in the
US receive delivery of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.
Cunningham’s other interest was in fine timepieces.
Steel Patek Philippe watches to be exact, two of which
were piece unique creations, including a steel 1463
chronograph with a black dial, luminous Arabic
indexes and hands.
Above:
Briggs Cunningham
wearing the Patek
Ref. 1463 (seen
below).
Left:
The Breguet
movement.
RACER PROFILE:
Dan Gurney
American race car driver, Dan
Gurney was a man who raced
extensively. He participated and won
races in Formula One, Indy Car,
NASCAR, Can-Am Trans-Am Series
and even Le Mans. In fact, having won the 1967 24 Hours of
Le Mans he proceeded to spray champagne from the bottle
in his hand while on the podium. Thus beginning a race track
tradition that is now a staple at every podium celebration.
Gurney’s love for racing developed after his parents moved
the family to Riverside, California while he was still a teenager.
There he quickly got caught in the California hot rod culture
and proceeded to build and race his first car at the age of 19, at
the famed at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
After completing university and a two year stint serving with
the US Army, Gurney’s big break on the race track came when
he was invited to test a car that was labelled fast, but difficult to
handle by the likes of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. He drove
said car for the inaugural Riverside Grand Prix, where he came
in second place ahead of multiple other established drivers,
and with Carroll Shelby taking up the pole position. His feat
got the attention of the Ferrari importer in North America,
which eventually lead to his Formula 1 career with Ferrari as
of the 1959 season.
In the matter of timepieces, Gurney has been
photographed on track wearing a Rolex 6234 Chronograph.
But perhaps the most striking was the unusual Breguet
dive watch that he was photographed wearing at the 1965
Silverstone. He was wearing it on a steel mesh bracelet.
The watch had large luminous hour markers, a bakelite
diving bezel and the unmistakable Breguet signature on
the dial in cursive.
Left:
Dan Gurney wearing
the Breguet watch
(seen below).
Left:
Gurney in
Indianapolis.
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Below:
Enzo and his top
driver Alberto
Ascari
RACER PROFILE:
Enzo Ferrari
Born in Modena, Italy
Enzo Ferrari found himself
enamoured by the world of
motor racing at the tender
age of 10. With minimal
education, a stint in the army
during the First World War,
he later found himself racing
for Fiat and then Alfa Romeo.
The institution that we now know as Scuderia Ferrari was
established by Enzo Ferrari in 1929 and later in 1932 when he
became a father, he retired from racing himself to build a team of
excellent drivers. They were initially Alfa Romeo’s racing arm but
had to part ways in 1933 for financial reasons. Scuderia Ferrari,
however, trudged on.
In 1937, Scuderia Ferrari had to be shelved and Enzo Ferrari
went back to working for Alfa Romeo. His relationship with the
company this time was a trouble one and he soon went his own
way to start his own company. Times were tough,
however, with the Second World War and an
allied bombing that destroyed Enzo Ferrari’s
Modena factory. He was forced to move to
Maranello where he found Ferrari S.p.A. after
the war, in 1947.
Immediately, he went out of his way to
dominate the sport. Quite specifically to take
on Alfa Romeo. His first major win came at the
1949 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the following
year, Enzo enrolled his team into the newly
formed Formula 1 World Championship racing
and has been the only team to continuously race
at every season of the Grand Prix since. The
rest, as they say, is history.
Enzo Ferrari’s timepiece of choice was
the Rolex Chronograph ref. 3055, one of
the smallest chronograph the Crown ever
made measuring in at just 30mm. That
very watch is in the possession of Piero
Ferrari today, Enzo Ferrari’s younger son.
Left:
Piero Ferrari
with the Rolex
Chronograph Ref.
3055.
RACER PROFILE:
Jim Clark
British race car driver, Jim Clark lived a
short but accomplished life. He made his
Formula 1 racing debut at the Dutch Grand
Prix in 1960. He was 24 then and racing
for Lotus. After witnessing some horrible
accidents and deaths on the track, being involved in one
himself, when the car and driver who collided into him
were thrown into the air, his luck finally turned in the 1963
season when he won the Drivers’ World Championship.
He won seven out of the 10 races that season and won Lotus
their first Constructors’ World Championship. Clark’s record
went unbeaten until 1984, by yet another legend, Alain
Prost matched the count. Ayrton Senna was able to break
the record later in 1988 with eight wins. Jim Clark met
with an unfortunate accident in 1968 while taking part in a
Formula Two race that caused him his life.
In terms of wristwatches, Jim Clark has been spotted with
several chronographs. However, the one that is most often
attributed to him is a Ref. 806 Breitling Navitimer. He is
spotted wearing the Navitimer throughout the late 1960s
while driving and as well while attending races from the
sidelines.
Left:
Jim Clark wearing
the Ref. 806
Navitimer (seen
below).
Left:
Enzo Ferrari and
Phil Hill.
Left:
Jim Clark wearing
Enrica Sherpa.
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I Am Legend —
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 920
54 years after its debut, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ultra-thin automatic ebauché
movement is more relevant than ever.
Words Wei Koh
Vacheron Constantin Ref. 222
(Image: A Collected Man)
T
here is something to be said about our deification of
litheness throughout human history. After all, the
slender dueling sword used both as ancestral sidearm
and for disputing matters of honor at dawn is considered far
more elegant than the single-edged hacking blade known as
the saber. Similarly, the greyhound is revered as the apogee of
canine grace whilst the Great Dane is relegated to the role of
comedically uncoordinated bumbling lummox in comics like
Marmaduke. In the realm of watchmaking, there was one ultrathin
automatic movement, a masterpiece of technical elegance
measuring a mere 2.45mm in thickness, that went on to enable
the creation of the two most successful luxury watches of all
time. It even saved one of horology’s most famous brands from
financial downfall during the Quartz Crisis. Its name is the
Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 920 and this is its story.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 920 is in my opinion the
most significant automatic, ultra-thin caliber ever created for
several reasons. The first is that without it, two of the world’s
most important watches and to this day the most sought-after
grail timepieces — namely the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
reference 5402ST from 1972 and the Patek Philippe Nautilus
reference 3700/1A launched in 1976 — would not have been
possible. When I say this, I mean that these watches would not
have possessed the wonderful dynamic tension between bold,
oversized cases contrasted by the deliciously thin profiles that
this amazing ultra-thin movement allowed.
Second, the caliber 920 can be considered one of the most
important factors in Audemars Piguet’s success over the past
half-century. Not only did it power the legendary Royal Oak,
but it also made possible the watch that truly saved Audemars
Opposite page: Audemars
Piguet, Vacheron
Constantin and Patek
Philippe all utilized the
caliber 920 ebauché.
Right: Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Ref. 5402
(Image: A Collected Man)
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Whether in AP guise as the 2121 (below) or as Vacheron’s 1120 (right), the amazing ebauché
caliber 920 is still serving active duty today.
PATEK PHILIPPE CALIBER 28-255, 1976–1981
In order to achieve the slim profile of the original Nautilus
designed by the legendary Gérald Genta and launched in 1976,
Patek Philippe selected the caliber 920 as its engine. As the
Royal Oak had been launched four years earlier and to good
results, it is plausible that Patek decided to borrow a page from
AP’s success and simply use the same movement. The resulting
watch was 42mm in diameter and just 7.6mm in thickness. The
caliber 920 was transformed into the Patek Philippe caliber
28-255. This movement served faithfully in the Nautilus until
the introduction of the reference 3800/1A in 1981, a mid-sized
37.5mm-diameter Nautilus which featured the new in-house
caliber 335 SC with central seconds and date. This movement
was 3.5mm as opposed to the caliber 28-255’s 3.05mm,
although a more apt comparison would have been the central
seconds version of the caliber 920, which would have been
3.40mm. The modern version of the Nautilus, the ref. 5711
launched in 2006 for the model’s anniversary, features the inhouse
caliber 324 SC. It is 8.3mm in thickness.
The mid-sized Nautilus
3800/1A launched in
1981 with a new in-house
movement, marking the
end of the caliber 28-255.
(Image: A Collected Man)
Notice the free sprung balance. The balance cock is
even engraved with instructions on how to regulate it
using the opposable weights.
Piguet from the Quartz Crisis. That is the reference 5548, the
world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar, with a diameter
of 36mm but a thickness of just 7mm. Launched in 1978, the
watch went on to become one of Audemars Piguet’s greatest
success stories. Says AP historian Michael Friedman, “What
I love about the 5548 was, at a time when no one was creating
complicated watches, let alone an all-new, record-setting
ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar, that’s precisely what
AP did and it made all the difference. Can you imagine we made
675 of these in 1984? That year there were only 1,066 perpetual
calendars in Switzerland. Meaning, we made considerably more
than half of all these watches.” Finally, the caliber 920 stands
apart as one of the most reliable, beautiful and technically
innovative movements of all time.
One of the most interesting things about the caliber 920
is that while it was designed and made by Jaeger-LeCoultre, it
was never actually used by the Vallée de Joux’s Grande Maison.
Instead, it was sold in ébauche form to all three brands that
comprise watchmaking’s Holy Trinity: Audemars Piguet, Patek
Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. That means each brand would
purchase the movement in kit form, but would add their personal
touch and decorate it in their own distinct way. The caliber 920
was and still remains the world’s thinnest automatic movement
with a full-sized rotor. There are thinner automatic movements,
such as the Patek caliber 240 and the Bvlgari caliber BVL 138,
but they use micro-rotors. Yes, there are also thinner movements
that feature peripheral winding systems such as Bvlgari’s BVL
288 automatic tourbillon. So why did Jaeger-LeCoultre use a
full-sized rotor? Because it wanted to create a movement that,
in addition to being beautiful, was an absolute workhorse. It
should be noted that the movement without date is an incredible
2.45mm. With date, as it was used by Audemars and Patek, it is
3.05mm in thickness. And with date and central seconds, it is
3.40mm in thickness, which probably explains why it was not
used in this format as there are thinner movements, including the
Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 889 at 3.25mm. The movement features
36 jewels and measures 12.5 lignes or 26mm in diameter.
But let’s see what else makes it so special.
FREE SPRUNG BALANCE
Looking at this movement, the first thing to notice is a free
sprung Gyromax balance wheel. This means that the regulation
of the movement is performed by turning opposable weights
fitted to the balance. This alters the inertia of the balance
wheel, which is consider to be a more stable way of regulating a
watch, rather than manipulating a regulator which changes the
effective length of the hairspring. The balance of this movement
oscillates at the very unique speed of 19,800vph. Note that the
decoration on the balance cock is an instruction on how to use
the weights to alter the inertia of the balance.
ULTRA-EFFICIENT, HIGHLY INNOVATIVE ROTOR
The full-sized rotor is designed so the maximum amount of
its mass is at its outer perimeter. This thicker section of the
rotor actually fits into a recessed area in the baseplate. To aid
in stability, the caliber 920 features a beryllium ring integrated
into the rotor which floats on special jeweled rollers to aid
in the smoothness of its movement. There are four of these
jeweled rollers and each is mounted on an axle and fixed to the
mainplate. One of the effects of this system is a totally unique
sound when the rotor is moving. It sounds, for lack of a better
description, expensive. The rotor winds in both directions.
Now let’s look at the caliber 920 as it was used by each
member of watchmaking’s Holy Trinity.
Above The beautiful Patek caliber 28-255 was found
in the original 3700/1A (left) from 1976. (Image: A
Collected Man)
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VACHERON CONSTANTIN CALIBERS 1120,
1121 AND 1122, 1977–PRESENT DAY
In 1977, to celebrate is 222nd anniversary, Vacheron
Constantin entered the integrated bracelet sports chic market
with its aptly named 222. Instead of approaching Gérald
Genta who had designed both the Royal Oak and the Nautilus,
Vacheron tapped a young upstart watch designer named
Jörg Hysek. The result is one of my favorite watches, with its
stunning distinct fluted bezel and barrel-shaped, faceted case
decorated with an engraved Maltese cross on the bottom right.
This watch came in both 37mm and 34mm versions, both 7.2mm
thick and powered by the Jaeger-LeCoultre 920-based caliber
1120. The result is one of the most elegant watches of all time.
However, in 1996 when Vacheron launched the 222-inspired
Overseas watch designed by Dino Modolo, it replaced the
caliber 920 with a thicker Frédéric Piguet movement.
But it seemed the wonderful caliber was simply resting
dormant waiting to stage its triumphant comeback in 2016,
with the reintroduction of a new Overseas family that perfectly
captured the magical design ethos of the 222 through the
renewed expression of that thrilling design tension between
a muscular large case and an ultra-sleek profile. The caliber
1120 was brilliantly used in two models. The first was the twohanded
Overseas Ultra-Thin, which measured 40mm but was
just 7.5mm thick. And the second is one of the most beautiful
watches in recent memory, the transcendent Overseas Ultra-
Thin Perpetual Calendar. This watch was originally unveiled in
a white-gold case with slate gray dial. However, to me it really
flourished in 2019 with the addition of a rose-gold case and
blue-dial version available on a blue rubber strap. And as of
this year, it has been made absolutely ravishing by the addition
of an Overseas Ultra-Thin Perpetual Calendar with skeleton
dial as well as the blue dial version on an integrated rose-gold
bracelet. All versions of this watch measure 41.5mm by 8.1mm.
In comparison, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual
Calendar is 9.5mm thick while the Patek Nautilus Perpetual
Calendar is 8.42mm thick.
From left: 2016 Overseas Ultra-
Thin time-only model and the
perpetual calendar version both
with a slate-grey dial; the blue
dial version with rubber strap
that was released in 2019; the
skeletonized version released in
2020; and the Historiques Ultra-
Fine 1968 (below).
Above The Vacheron
Constantin 222; Right
the caliber 1120.
As an amusing aside, the thinnest watch that Vacheron
Constantin has ever made using the caliber 1120 is the squarecased
Historiques Ultra-Fine 1968 watch reference 43043
that dates to 2010. As the name implies, this was a tribute to the
appealing square-cased reference 7614 that made its debut in
1968. The modern watch featured a 35.2mm case diameter and
was an ethereal 5.5mm in thickness.
Vacheron still uses the beautiful caliber 1120 outside of the
Overseas family and today it powers the two-hand no-date
beauty that is the Traditionnelle Self-Winding Ultra-Thin. This
wonderful work of Zen reductionist watchmaking is 7.26mm
in thickness and features a sapphire caseback where you may
revel in the beauty of the movement’s rotor replete with the
integration of a skeletonized Maltese cross. Note that Vacheron
purchases this movement from Audemars Piguet, which now
owns the exclusive rights to its manufacture.
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From left:
Reference 5548; side by
side comparison of the
2121 movement and the
2121/2800 perpetual
calendar movement.
In 1984, Audemars made the decision to marry its two most
iconic creations, the Royal Oak and the caliber 2120/2800,
and the slim 9.3mm in height Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
was born. This would go on to become the single most iconic
complicated sports watch in horological history. The Royal Oak
Perpetual Calendar remained largely unchanged from 1984 to
1995 until a limited edition was made that added the leap-year
indicator to the dial. This would become a regular feature a few
years later with the reference 25820. It was only in 2015 with
the caliber 5134 that the movement was significantly changed,
with the addition of a week-of-the-year indicator. In 2017 this
movement was used to create the highly sought after reference
26579CE Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ceramic.
AUDEMARS PIGUET CALIBERS 2120/2800, 2121,
5134 AND 5133, 1972–PRESENT DAY
Like Omega and the history of the Lemania 2310, if there is any
one brand whose history is symbiotically intertwined with that of
the caliber 920, it’s Audemars Piguet. As previously established,
thanks to the caliber 920 or as AP designed it, caliber 2121, the
Royal Oak was able to boast a 39mm case diameter contrasted
by a slim 7.2mm in thickness. Following the success of the
Royal Oak, AP’s fortunes improved, but the brand was far from
out of danger from the Quartz Crisis. Motivated to help their
manufacture, a team of watchmakers started working on a
secret project, which would turn out to be the world’s thinnest
automatic perpetual calendar movement at 3.95mm in thickness
and with a diameter of 28mm. When the three of them, Michel
Rochat, Jean-Daniel Golay and Wilfred Berney, presented their
movement, the 2120/2800, to AP’s then boss, Georges Golay,
he was so blown away by their achievement that he immediately
ordered 1,000 watches and asked his brilliant artistic director
Jacqueline Dimier to design a dynamic modern wristwatch
that would become the legendary AP reference 5548, which
measured 36mm in diameter but was only 7mm in thickness.
This ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar, whose only rival
at the time was Patek Philippe’s 3448, became an enormous
success for AP and truly secured its future.
Royal Oak
Perpetual
Calendar
(1984)
Considering the importance of the caliber 920
movement to Audemars Piguet, it is no wonder that during
the negotiation to sell their 40 percent stake holding in
Jaeger-LeCoultre to Richemont Group in 2000, AP insisted
to have the rights to manufacture this legendary movement.
Over the years this iconic caliber been used extensively by AP,
featured in every one of their automatic perpetual calendar
watches and to this day, it is still the engine for the Royal Oak
reference 15202, one of the hottest watches on the planet.
It even forms the base of the ultra-radical caliber 5133,
initially made as an experimental ultra-thin perpetual
calendar movement for the RD#2 concept watch unveiled
in 2018. The key to this movement was the integration of the
calendar mechanisms into the plate of the base caliber. This
watch was commercialized in 2019 as the Royal Oak Self-
Winding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin reference 26586
and is considered by collectors to be the Holy Grail of sports
perpetual calendars selling for well in excess of its retail price
in the aftermarket. The reference 26586 is just 6.3mm in
thickness, made possible by a movement that is just a mere
2.89mm thick as opposed to the 3.95mm thickness of the
caliber 2120/2800 or the 4.31mm thickness of the caliber 5134.
Today the caliber 920 is manufactured by Audemars
Piguet and continues to power the majority of its automatic
perpetual calendar watches such as its much sought after
Royal Oak Ultra-Thin 15202ST. It has also allowed Vacheron
Constantin to create one of the very best complicated sports
watches on the market, the Overseas Perpetual Calendar
Ultra-Thin in both skeleton and solid blue dial, demonstrating
that 54 years after it was born, it is more relevant than ever.
Clockwise from top left:
The ceramic and
openworked Ref. 26585;
powered by the caliber
5134; the newer, more
radical ultra-thin caliber
5133 inside the RD#2;
the RD#2; the Audemars
Piguet Royal Oak
Selfwinding Perpetual
Calendar Ultra-Thin
released in 2019.
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California Dreaming
Joshua Shapiro is leaving his mark on American
watchmaking with J.N. Shapiro.
Interview by Adam Craniotes
Photography Atom Moore
When the conversation turns to American
watchmaking, one name always stands out: Joshua
Shapiro. For the past four years, Mr. Shapiro has
been working quietly and steadily in Los Angeles, California,
handcrafting intricately detailed engine-turned dials that are
bona fide works of art.
We were fortunate to be able to catch him during a rare
moment of respite to reflect on the past, present, and future of
American watchmaking, and his place in its revival.
When and how did you get your start in this business?
Well, I started actually as a kid just really interested in
metal. My father and grandfather were both machinists.
My grandfather was kind of like a jack-of-all-trades. He
went from welder and machinist to founding the city where
his business was based. So just a really neat guy. And as a
kid, he would just show me stuff around the machine shop.
And he’d show me all sorts of really fascinating things, and
I enjoyed doing different metal processes. And then kind
of forgot all about it until around the time I got married,
about nine years ago. And something in marriage, maybe
the “prison sentence” of marriage, made me look for a good
fun hobby. And I walked into Feldmar, which is a local watch
store here in Los Angeles. And they had this big poster of a
Chronoswiss Opus Chronograph. And it’s this big skeleton.
I thought it was fascinating, and that kind of started it all.
How has the current crisis affected you, if at all?
So far, things have been very, very good. What happened was,
I collaborated with Collective Horology, a group of collectors
based in Silicon Valley. We came up with the idea of doing
this limited-edition meteorite-dialed watch for their watch
collector club. Every year they do a relatively large watch run
— most recently with Zenith — where they produce 50 or so
watches, but in between, they’ll do a smaller run of watches with
someone like me that’s more of an independent maker. And so
we collaborated on a meteorite-dialed watch.
When I launched the watch with them, it garnered a ton of
publicity. Honestly, I think a lot of collectors were very bored
and itching for something new and different. And those all
immediately sold out, but more importantly, thanks to the
attention that the project generated, I was able to sell quite a few
more watches on top of that. So I actually wound up selling more
watches in the past few months than I did in the past few years.
Joshua Shapiro at
work in California.
Amazing.
Yeah.
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Well, perhaps it’s also sort of pent-up demand.
Collectors are trapped at home, and they want to spend
their money on something. It’s almost like retail therapy,
but on a very high level.
I think part of it is just the market that the Patek/Rolex world has
created where you can no longer get the watches you want to get
now. If you’re going to go on a long waiting list anyway, why not
wait with a person like myself you can get to know? Make a watch
to your specifications that [will] help support a local watchmaker
rather than putting in a lot of money for a watch that you may or
may not see for a long time, based on hype instead of substance?
Excellent point. So now that we know business is booming,
can you describe an average day in the office?
Right now, like many, I’m working at home. It’s a struggle
managing home and personal life and separating that from the
workshop. But I will be moving to my own industrial facility
in the next few weeks, so that’ll be a big life change. We have
so many various projects going on. I still make dials for a few
people like David Walter, who’s an amazing watchmaker here in
California. And I have my own Infinity Series that I’m working
on, along with two other watches that I have in development that
are all in-house: a tourbillon and a time-only movement. We’re
doing all the R&D and making almost all the parts right in my
shop. But, yeah, I’m still the guy that takes out the trash, does
all the marketing, manages my employees, and tries to sit down
and engine turn as much as possible. So it’s a pretty busy day.
I can imagine. And this isn’t your only job, is it?
No, it’s not. I’m also what I’d refer to as a part-time principal.
Back when watchmaking was still just a hobby for me, I was a
teacher. Eventually, I was promoted to an administrator, and now
I’m the vice principal of a small Jewish boys’ high school. It’s a
school that I helped start. I’m very passionate about it and glad
that I can split up my day so that it lets me follow both pursuits.
Have you been able to weave your watchmaking expertise into
the curriculum and get some of your students interested?
Yes. There’s a movement in education towards STEM:
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
So I started a program where we do a lot of 3D modeling
and printing based on my work, which gives my students
a very hands-on, practical version of engineering — I
kind of build [it] into a curriculum. And the ones that love
it and show some skill, I’ll invite to my workshop for the
summer, where they get a lot more hands-on experience.
So this is a weird question, and it’s going to tie into another
one. How does it feel to be one of the few people at the
forefront of this renaissance of American watchmaking?
It feels a little strange. It’s kind of humbling. It’s also kind of
weird. My background is in history, and I have a master’s in
US history. So I’m very well aware of the history of American
watchmaking and how massive and amazing it was. And it’s
almost heartbreaking how much it disappeared and how
badly the Swiss utterly destroyed it. And I’m just super happy,
more than anything, that I can sort of revive this incredible
Clockwise from top
left The J.N. Shapiro
Infinity Meteorite P.01
for Collective Horology.
A watch designed in
collaboration with the
global watch enthusiast
community Collective
currently sold out.
A never seen before
engine-turned dial
made from a 4 billionyear-old
meteorite. A
look at the hand-wound
Uhren Werke Dresden
movement, manualwound,
19-jewels,
3Hz, with a 54-hour
power reserve.
watchmaking tradition that was here. I get a lot of joy from
using the same tools and machinery used in the industry 50 or
60 years ago. They’re so well-built that I can still make parts
to ridiculously extreme tolerances with them. It’s very, very
humbling, but it’s also very exciting.
In spite of this well-earned success, I have to ask, did you
ever consider giving up? Or maybe not giving up, but just
saying, “All right, this was a fun interlude, but let me put
away these childish things and get back to the real work.”
You mean like quit watchmaking and go back to teaching
full-time?
Yeah. Sort of like, “Look, this was a fun hobby. I’ve taken it to
a point, but you know what? Let me get back to the real world.”
It’s kind of funny. There was a point, a very small window,
where I kind of decided to do just that. Do you know [actor and
watchmaker] Aldis Hodge?
Very well.
So, Aldis was looking for rose engine machines in April of
2015. At the time, I had some, and I wasn’t quite sure where I
was going, or I was going to do the whole watchmaking thing.
So Aldis reached out to me to offer to buy them. I hate to
admit it, but probably if any average person had reached out,
I would’ve said, “Oh, I’m not sure. I’m still trying to figure
things out.” But when I realized that he was a movie star,
I’m like, “Hey, I want to meet this guy.” So he came, and he
made me an offer, which I accepted. Then it was like, “Now
what do I do?” Everything I’d been doing had kind of been
building up to buying these machines, and now they’re gone.
And I was still kind of a collector at that point too, so I’m
like, “Oh, maybe I’ll take this money and go out and buy a nice
watch.” I’d always been a Patek fan, so I went out and bought
a used Calatrava with some of the money. But within about a
month, I started looking at the watch and thinking, “Well, this
is a cool watch, but I would much rather have back the machines
to make watches.”
So I sold the watch, [and] I sold a ‘67 Mustang Fastback.
Wait, you also sold a classic Mustang?
I know, I know, it’s painful. But it came down to, would I rather
have a car, or would I rather really go for this? And so that was
kind of the turning point. Selling that first set of machines really
put things into perspective. And from that point on, there was
no looking back. I was all in.
Can we talk about your trademark Infinity Weave guilloché
pattern? How did you come up with this?
So there’s basketweave, which is a pattern that you don’t see
too often because it’s very, very difficult to do. Abraham-Louis
Breguet pioneered it, but you’ll also see it on George Daniels
watches, Roger Smith watches, and every once in a while,
Kari Voutilainen will do it. I realized that if I’m going to come
in and start making dials, I’ve got to up the ante. But I didn’t
want to do something too flashy either. So that was sort of my
impetus to try to do something very, very intricate with that
basketweave pattern.
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That’s some pretty heady company…
Indeed. And so I came up with this idea and then I had to figure
out basically how to do it. It took over a year of experimenting
with different pattern bars.
Pattern bars?
Pattern bars are what you use to create patterns on a straight
line machine and rosettes on a rose engine machine. It took
over a year of experimentation just to get a pattern bar to work.
And then I had a practice actually to make something that
looked good. It wasn’t until after a year that I realized that this
was something that I could do and, more importantly, repeat.
The Infinity Weave pattern is kind of nuts because the big
baskets are easy to do, but then the little baskets I’m doing
one line at a time under a very powerful microscope. And if I
slip, that section that I’ve been working on for however long,
sometimes up to a week, is down the drain. So it’s a labor of
love that goes into each one of those. It’s not something I can
do in a day. I have to spread it out over a bunch of days, just
because I can’t focus on that small of a level for that long of a
time. Not to mention I would just get carpal tunnel in my hands.
So when I sell a watch, they’re really getting my blood, sweat,
and tears on that dial.
Do you ever regret coming up with such a unique
and intricate method?
I wouldn’t say I regret it because I don’t think [if] I had done
something less, it wouldn’t have caught anyone’s imagination.
I’m grateful to the pattern because it’s putting food on the table.
But it is a lot of work. And it is frustrating when I mess up. So
no, I don’t regret it. But it is a lot of work. But then I do ask a lot
of money for it, and that makes me feel better. (Laughs)
I bet. So, what’s next for J.N. Shapiro?
I haven’t released any pictures of anything I’m working on,
yet, but something big is coming. When it comes to prototypes,
some people like to show the progress each step of the way. But
then if the final product ends up looking dramatically different,
or you can’t figure something out, or it doesn’t work out, then
you kind of look like an idiot. So I’ve been very quiet for the last
year or so, working on a tourbillon and a time-only manualwind
movement.
Many people think that dial making is a different skill set
than watchmaking, but to me, they’re one and the same. Almost
all the skills that go into making a dial also go into making a
watch movement. And a lot of it is significantly easier because
a watch movement is thicker than a paper-thin dial. So I’ve
found it very enjoyable to switch over to making movements and
various watch parts, gears, pinions — we’re doing it all here.
And it’s just a very satisfying feeling. It was my goal all along,
and I’m making great progress towards that. I got customers
interested, some have already put down deposits and sightunseen
deposits, which is pretty brave.
That’s a wonderful validation.
Yeah, yeah, it is. And I’m working very hard to make them
happy that they did. So yeah, there’s going to be a lot of special
things about these watches that haven’t been done in America
A colorful lineup of Infinity
options with straps by Stone
Creek Straps from Mesa,
Arizona. Below Aclose-up
of the Infinity Rose Gold.
in a long time. Some brands in America try to market their
Americanness as a selling point, but that kind of limits you
to the American market. So my goal with these watches is to
compete with the best in the world, the best of the Swiss. To
be able to hold these pieces up next to the best independent
watchmakers and be on a comparable or better level of finishing
with my dials and cases.
That’s my vision, my goal, and my team’s goal.
Wow, I can’t wait. Do you have a timetable for this? Are you
looking to launch this in a year, two years?
My goal is in the late spring, early summer of next year. I haven’t
decided from a marketing standpoint, whether to release both
together or separately. I’m still figuring all that out and also
figuring out what I’m going to do with the Infinity Series once
I launch these things. That’s why watch brands have whole
marketing divisions, but I’ve got myself and the people I hire,
and that’s about it.
Now, before I let you go, there’s one specific member
of your team that I have to ask you about. That, of course,
would be Tank.
Oh yeah. He’s our security tortoise.
A 40mm stainless steel
Infinity with German silver
dial, a custom experiment
for several clients asking
for variations on a theme.
Tank, the “security” tortoise.
“Security tortoise”?
Yeah. When we’re deep in concentration, and someone leaves
the door open, he’ll go right up to my feet and give me a fresh
reminder of who’s in charge.
I feel like everybody needs an office tortoise.
Yeah. Southern California problems.
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Watchfinder Finds
Here are a few recent highlights that were sold through our partnership with pre-owned
watch expert Watchfinder & Co. If you are in the market for a timepiece and want to see our current
selection of pre-owned watches available for purchase, head on over to www.revolution.watch.
Words Kevin Cureau
OMEGA RACING SPEEDMASTER REDUCED
On the tail end of the 1980s, Omega decided it was
about time to put a diminutive variation of their flag
bearer, the Speedmaster Professional, into the market.
The Speedmaster Reduced from a distance, can —
and often is — mistaken for its larger sibling, the
Speedmaster Professional aka, the Moonwatch.
In 1996, Omega released a special version of their
smaller Speedmaster, the Speedmaster Reduced
Racing, which was launched by the one and only
Michael Schumacher. The association with Michael
Schumacher was appropriate because let’s not forget
that the Speedmaster was conceived in 1957 as a
chronograph for race car pilots.
But let’s put aside the association with one of
motor racing’s biggest names for a second. Looking at
the dial of the 1996 Racing we can see that Omega had
made an effort here to create a better balance with the
positioning of the sub dials at nine and three o’clock.
Add to this, the striking “Ferrari” red, the racing
seconds track and those broad hour and minute hands
filled with a generous amount of Super-LumiNova.
All in all, a compelling watch for any collector looking
for quirky pieces from the Speedmaster’s timeline.
PANERAI PAM 390 STEEL BASE LUMINOR MARINA
Panerai initially created luminous instruments for the Italian
Navy and was tapped in 1936 to create a waterproof luminous
watch to be used by Italian Frogmen. It continued to supply the
Italian military well into the 80’s, until electronic technology
eclipsed mechanical watchmaking.
The PAM 390 is everything a Panerai should be which is
to say bare, stripped-down, pragmatic and essential as befits
a watch meant to be worn while sitting astride manual guided
torpedoes toward enemy warships. It has always been Panerai’s
“base” model watches, devoid of all indications save hour and
minute, that have been their most collectable because of all
these reasons. But of all the base watches that have ever been
created there is a strong argument that the PAM 390, created in
a 2000 example limited edition in 2011 for sale in the brand’s
boutiques only is the best looking. It is basically the greatest hits
list of the brand’s coolest elements.
It has the gold hands first introduced in the PAM 127 tribute
to the 1950. It has the tobacco hue dial first introduced in the
brand’s titanium watches. These dials were meant to evoke the
tropical dials in the old military issued watches. It’s the perfect
44 mm size for a Luminor Marina. It’s the perfect material in
simple pure polished steel. And it features the most beautiful
strap created by Panerai, the Assolutamente, a stunning
patinated calf strap. Thanks to the use of a Unitas manual wind
movement, the watch is affordable and is the perfect Panerai
for a one watch collection, the starting point of someone just
getting into Panerai or the ultimate very day wearer.
JAEGER-LECOULTRE MEMOVOX TRIBUTE TO DEEP SEA
In 1950, Jaeger-LeCoultre created the Memovox,
a watch with a mechanical alarm. It was powered by
the manual-wound Calibre 489 and featured two
crowns to separately set the alarm and the time. JLC
described the function of the Memovox as a watch
that “remembers, notifies and awakens,” kind of a
companion for those tireless personalities who, at the
dawn of the second half of the past century, focused
on creating value and multiplying productivity. It is no
wonder that Memovox means “voice of memory.”
1959 is the year when the Memovox plunges into the
water and cements its position as one of the iconic diving
watches of its era with the release of the Jaeger-LeCoultre
Memovox Deep Sea. Powered by the Caliber 815, it
became the first dive watch equipped with an alarm whose
sound – rather, its vibration – was perceived underwater
as an additional safety feature for divers to remind
themselves when it is time to resurface. The original
Memovox Deep Sea was the brand’s first real dive watch
and it is accepted that only 1,061 pieces were made of it.
To pay homage to the brand’s innovative history in
the field of dive watches, Jaeger-LeCoultre released
the Memovox Tribute to Deep Sea as a limited series of
timepieces in 2011. JLC pretty much preserved the original
Memovox Deep Sea aesthetics. The most notable change was
obviously the movement, which in the Tribute is the triedand-proven
Jaeger-LeCoultre 956 (with 45-hour power
reserve). The movement retains the famous two crowns, one
for setting the time and the other for the alarm.
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Laurent Ferrier
Classic Origin
for Revolution
& The Rake
Having witnessed the beauty of Aurel Bacs’ sector
dial Laurent Ferrier, we worked with the Swiss
watch manufacturer to create our special edition in
the same spirit but with different details.
Words Wei Koh
OK, let’s jump in the DeLorean, set the year for
twenty-o-ten, because in the words of the
immortal Doc Brown, “We are going back
to the future.” In 2020, Laurent Ferrier celebrated
his 10th anniversary with what might initially seem
like a counter-intuitive move, which was to launch
his most accessibly priced and simplest watch. But
this act of revisionist horological history has been in
the works for a full decade. Says Ferrier with a smile,
“It was important to me 10 years ago to position my
brand at the highest level, with a watch that had a
substantial technical value like the Tourbillon Double
Spiral. But in my heart I was always dreaming to create
something that was a core expression of my purest
values. A simple three-hand manual-winding watch
with a beautifully restrained movement expressing all
my values — elegance, love for watchmaking history,
ergonomy and finish at the highest level.”
Laurent Ferrier Classic
Origin for Revolution &
The Rake
The movement
comes in a special
yellow-gold finish
that is microsandblasted,
used
previously in the
Montre École watch.
The resulting timepiece, the Classic Origin Opaline,
is a watch that is destined to make you smile, in that it is
an expression of all that Ferrier loves. His wonderfully
smooth Galet case shape, now in grade 5 polished
titanium, is complemented with a uniquely stylized
yet charmingly understated dial. I described Ferrier
as a bridge between horology’s past and the present,
constructed through nuanced details gleaned from
vintage timepieces reaching as far back as the 19th
century but perfectly reinterpreted for the modern day.
Nowhere in his range is this more in evidence. Here,
a unique combination of applied baton markers with
printed indexes, a burgundy 13–24-hour scale (an
amusing and unconventional addition) and continuous
seconds subdial come together perfectly.
Turn the Classic Origin Opaline to the back and
the beautifully and intuitively laid out movement
will continue to charm in abundance. If the caliber
LF116.01 looks familiar, that’s because it actually
forms the base movement of the caliber LF126.01
used in Laurent Ferrier’s annual calendar. The
differences between this and the LF automatic
micro-rotor movement are significant. First, there is
no natural escapement. Instead, here the movement
uses a traditional Swiss anchor escapement in
combination with a large free sprung balance wheel.
Says Ferrier, “The free sprung balance was important
to me because it’s far more stable than a balance
that is adjusted using a regulator.” Ferrier refers to
the regulator as a device that is used to effectively
lengthen or shorten the hairspring to speed up or
slow down the oscillations of the balance wheel. His
preference is to regulate the oscillator using inertia
screws which, when adjusted so more of their mass
sits toward the center of the balance slows it down,
and when adjusted so greater mass is at the perimeter
speeds it up. Says Ferrier, “The free sprung balance
is nothing new but it is to me the best way to create
stability in timekeeping.”
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edition02_DI_Final04)
The Classic Origin
Opaline released
this year.
The Laurent Ferrier
Classic Origin for
Revolution & The Rake
additionally comes with
a “beads of rice” style
bracelet and an extra
set of luminous hands.
The movement has all of the codes that
we’ve come to love in Laurent Ferrier’s
watches. There are three wonderfully
finished bridges and a balance cock. The
top bridge which retains the barrel features
Ferrier’s signature black-polished flat-blade
ratchet spring. The second bridge retains the
direct drive seconds bridge while the third bridge
exists to retain the escapement wheel. Note the use
of a shock absorber integrated into the jewel bearing
of the escape wheel pinion for greater autonomy
from micro-shocks. The fluid shape of this bridge is
echoed in the beautiful almost bird-shaped balance
cock. All bridges received a micro-sandblasted
treatment which contrasts nicely with their polished
bezels and sharp hand-made angles.
So the point is that this “simple” Laurent Ferrier is
also one of his most appealing offers. But if given the
opportunity to run creatively rampant on the Classic
Origin, what watch would be the result? For the answer
to that, we would need to go back to the popularization
of the sector or scientific dial watches. They began in
the 1920s as a way of more clearly delineating time and
were used on both wristwatches and pocket watches.
They featured a circular track where the hour indexes
would radiate outward. This means that the hour hand
would align perfectly with this track and there could be
no mistaking its placement. On the perimeter of the
dial, you would have a clearly printed minute track that
would align with the minute hand to provide ultimate
clarity. Seconds could either be placed in a subdial at six
o’clock, or read off a central seconds hand.
Further, different sectors of the dial would always
have different decoration to more fully create a
sense of information compartmentalization. Over
the ensuing decades, brands including Omega
and Longines, in particular with their tre tacche
waterproof watches, became synonymous for this
style of “scientific” watches.
SIMPLY RAVISHING SECTOR DIALS
Laurent Ferrier has used the sector dial to great effect, in
particular in his Galet Square with the Only Watch 2015
pièce unique, the two limited editions for Chicago’s
Swiss FineTiming and even in a luminous version with
the Borealis. But to me the most beautiful execution
of this is the watch created by Aurel Bacs, the world’s
greatest vintage watch auctioneer and expert. Around
the time the Micro-Rotor watch emerged, Bacs came up
with the idea of creating a pièce unique for himself with
a sector dial. Using his extensive knowledge, he created
what must objectively be called the most beautiful
Laurent Ferrier watch of all time. It was so stunning that
when he showed it to several of his team members at
Phillips, including renowned experts and collectors Alex
Ghotbi and Paul Boutros, they too wanted to order one.
And finally the watch was anointed as an icon when it
was also ordered by none other than the incredible Auro
Montanari or John Goldberger, historian,
author and collector ne plus ultra.
Auro Montanari (above)
wears his Laurent
Ferrier Micro-Rotor
Aurel Bacs scientific
edition on a vintage Gay
Frères beads of rice
bracelet.
Right: Patek Philippe
pocket watch with
scientific dial dating
from 1923
IMAGE: JOHN GOLDBERGER
While those watches featured a micro-rotor
movement, when given an opportunity to create
something on the Classic Origin hand-wound
platform, I simply requested that Ferrier create
something in the spirit of the Aurel Bacs but without
replicating it. The resulting design by Ferrier and
Amandine Perrier was something that I could only
describe as ravishing. It features a two-tone dial with a
cream center, surrounded by a printed sector track and
Arabic markers. The dial is silver outside the central
area, receives circular brushing under the indexes
and is opaline under the minute track’s chemin de fer.
Seconds are at six o’clock with a full seconds track
and four enlarged markers at the compass points. The
hands are Ferrier’s signature Assegai models that have
been flame-blued and to me contrast perfectly with
the cream of the dial. It should be noted that the Aurel
Bacs watch features different hands selected by him, as
well as a different styled crown.
While I had the choice of titanium or steel, I
selected steel. Why? Because first, I found this more
appropriate for a scientific-style watch and second,
because we wanted to mount the watch on a steel
“beads of rice” bracelet made in Japan with straight
end-links — this is our preferred way of wearing the
watch. This bracelet was directly inspired by Auro
Montanari and his wearing of his own Laurent Ferrier
Micro-Rotor Aurel Bacs scientific model on a vintage
steel Gay Frères “beads of rice” style bracelet. A
second natural-colored calfskin strap is of course
included along with the Laurent Ferrier buckle.
But that’s not all because I’ve also sourced a
second set of blued steel LumiNova-filled hands which
are included with our Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin
Revolution & The Rake edition. I’ve always loved it
when vintage scientific dial watches were ordered
with radium hands and as a tribute to this, you now
have a choice as to which set of hands you would like
fitted to your watch. As we will be offering this watch
by preorder, please note to specify if you would prefer
the luminous hands or the normal Assegai hands fitted,
and we will include the second pair in your watch box.
Flip the watch over and there is a final surprise
waiting for you. Instead of the sandblasted black
rhodium finish, I’ve requested the finish that was
used only once before on the Montre École in steel.
That is a yellow-gold or champagne finish that has
been micro-sandblasted to appear almost like a
frosted finish, which to me sets off the high-finish
angles even better. The Laurent Ferrier Classic
Origin for Revolution & The Rake will be made in
12 numbered examples. It features a steel case, two
sets of flame-blued hands (luminous and classic
Assegai), a steel “beads of rice” bracelet and a calfskin
bracelet with tang buckle. Its price is 28,800 Swiss
francs, which to us is an amusing nod to horological
vibrational speeds, and in Asian culture means forever
prosperous which can’t be a bad thing.
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Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph
GMT for Revolution & The Rake
Bvlgari’s world record chronograph gets
a“toolwatch”makeover.
Words Wei Koh
Iremember the exact moment I set eyes on the
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph. Though it
was just over a year ago, considering the mindbending
changes that have happened to the world in
the interim, it seems like a lifetime ago. Before I get
into the details of the special edition of this watch
that Bvlgari’s amazing creative director Fabrizio
Buonamassa designed, I’d like to talk about the
changes to the world and in particular Bvlgari’s
reaction to them. When the COVID-19 pandemic
hit, Bvlgari’s CEO Jean-Christophe Babin was
one of the very first to respond: first funding a 3D
microscope to help researchers at Spallanzani
Hospital study the virus at the cellular level; second,
by transforming a fragrance factory outside of Milan
to produce hand sanitizer. And if the latter seems
somewhat commonplace today, think back when the
world and in particular Italy faced a total shortage of
sanitizers and PPE amid the decimation of the first
wave of COVID-19. But then Babin did something
truly extraordinary. He and Bvlgari created a virus
eradication fund dedicated not just to the eradication
of COVID-19, but also any future outbreaks of
infectious disease that could threaten the world.
This fund provided much-needed medical school
scholarships to the next generation of researchers and
helped to fund vaccines, such as the one developed at
Oxford University. My point is that even as the firstworld
nations return to some semblance of normality
and our human resilience sets us collectively on the
path to recovery, we will all remember how everyone,
in particular the world’s biggest luxury brands, acted
during this crisis. And it is without a doubt that thanks
to the leadership of Babin, Bvlgari has been one of the
most exemplary.
Above:
The ultra-thin BVL 318 with
a peripheral rotor.
But back to last year. At what turned out to be the
very last Basel fair in history, I was seated beside Babin
at a restaurant situated next to the Rhine River that
bisects the Swiss-German town. I was familiar with this
location as every morning, I had hauled my aged body in
some pathetic semblance of jogging past it. Babin placed
the watch in my hands and I was utterly blown away. As
you may know, I am a fan of chronographs and one of my
favorite movements is the Frédéric Piguet 1185, which
for 31 years previous to 2019 was the world’s thinnest
automatic time writer at 5.5mm. But the movement in
the Bvlgari smashed that. At 3.3mm in a watch that is
just 6.9mm thick, the BVL 318 is even thinner than the
manual-wind version of Piguet’s legendary vertical
clutch caliber, the 1180, which is 3.95mm thick. The fact
that Bvlgari added a peripheral winding automatic rotor
as well as a GMT function seemed to be something of a
victory dance, but done with the brand’s typical Latin
panache. The BVL 318 uses a laterally coupled clutch
and features a column wheel. The winding mass is made
of platinum and aluminum.
Left:
The watch is only
6.9mm thick, made
possible with the
BVL 318 movement.
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for the GMT function as well as the two pushers on
the right for the chronograph function into its faceted
architecture. Indeed they were so subtle in appearance
that you might initially mistake the start/stop and reset
buttons as crown guards on a slightly more aggressive
variant of the Octo Finissimo. The counters on the dial
were as follows: continuous seconds at nine o’clock,
24-hour home time at three and 30-minute counter
at six o’clock. It was the perfect stealthy gentlemen’s
chronograph.
Right: The entire dial
is coated in LumiNova,
which under ambient
lighting presents a light
cream colour, but glows
with perfect visibility in
the dark.
Above: Fabrizio
Buonamassa
Right: Sketches
of the watch to
illustrate layout and
pusher functions.
But it was the watch itself that charmed so
relentlessly. I’ve often spoken about my first encounter
back in 2014 with both the Octo Finissimo Small
Seconds and the transcendent tourbillon version;
how these watches seduced with the dynamic tension
between a strong virile muscular wrist presence
contrasted by their extraordinary elegant litheness in
profile. This record-setting slimness could only be
achieved through the brilliant combination of in-house
dial making, case making, movement development and
later bracelet making. The dial of the titanium watch
was 0.2mm in thickness, making it thinner than a single
index on most watches. To achieve this, Bvlgari had
to develop a whole new way to case the watch. From
2014, Bvlgari would set records for thinness in the
tourbillon, manual-wind, minute repeater, automatic
and automatic tourbillon categories. But more than that,
each watch they created added to the credibility and
power of an all-new design icon. Then in 2019, Bvlgari
unveiled their chronograph, which I could only describe
as hypnotically alluring in its beauty and technical street
cred. The 42mm case in Bvlgari’s signature sandblasted
titanium perfectly integrated the pusher on the left
FROM STEALTH TO STANDOUT
Almost immediately, though, I started dreaming of
a decidedly more aggressive version of this watch.
Broaching the subject with Buonamassa, he found the
concept appealing. He explains, “I love the idea of a
‘tool watch’ version of the Octo Finissimo Chronograph
GMT. The first thought was that we should put a
tachymeter on the bezel. For someone that is an auto
enthusiast, this would be a valuable and iconic function
to have.” Even though Bvlgari has an Octo chronograph
model with a tachymeter, its Zenith El Primerodriven
Velocissimo, it wasn’t a question of adding this
element to the Octo Finissimo. Buonamassa explains,
“That watch is considerably thicker and the bezel is
totally different. Engraving and printing a tachymeter
scale on the ultra-slim Octo Finissimo took a lot of
experimentation.” The way in which any Octo Finissimo
is assembled involves posts
integrated into the bezel which run
through the monocoque case and
which are fixed on the caseback
with special fasteners. During the
engraving and printing process
of the tachymeter, any pressure
deforming the bezel would result in
a case that would be compromised
in its security. After considerable
attempts, Buonamassa found the
solution. But then we arrived at a second challenge.
Any tool watch needs to have luminous indexes and
hands. But in the Octo Finissimo this proved almost
impossible. Says Buonamassa, “With a dial that is only
0.2mm thick the indexes and hands were just too thin
to be coated with LumiNova. But then I thought what
if we painted the entire dial and then all the indications
would stand out in negative relief?” As you can imagine,
I loved this. Buonamassa immediately set to work on dial
prototyping. He explains, “We went through quite a few
dials. Some were too luminous so that even in normal
light they were glowing and some were not luminous
enough. We wanted to find just the right balance so it
looked like a normal white dial chronograph in daylight,
but as soon as you move into darkness, it glowed with
perfect visibility and remains luminous for a long time.”
One of my favorite moments when lockdown lifted was
a video sent to me by Jean-Christophe Babin as he and
Buonamassa were discussing the dials over lunch. I
love a white dial chronograph. There is something so
appealingly pure about it and the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo
Chronograph GMT perfectly encapsulates this.
We were initially only going to make 15 examples
of this watch to commemorate Revolution’s 15th
anniversary, but the resulting watch was so good that
even within our own team we had so many expressions
of interest that we had to increase it to 20 pieces.
But perhaps what I like best about this collaboration
with Bvlgari is that this is a watch that represents our
partnership with a truly ethical brand. I like to think
that as luxury consumers, the choices we make are our
declarations about the world we want to live in and the
people and brands we want to support. I hope that the
owners look down on their watches and smile not just
because this is a crazily cool chronograph, but also
because it is made by some truly good people
at Bvlgari.
Above:
bulgari_
DIFINA
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Think Pink
Designed in collaboration with
Garage Italia and Lapo Elkann,
Hublot creates a Big Bang to capture
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Photo Courtesy of Hublot
0am on a NYC rooftop.
0° 45’ 31’’ W 73° 58’ 43’’.
ting at USD 44’000.
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– Carlo Borromeo, Creative Director of Garage Italia
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176 FINAL THOUGHTS
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COLLECTION
Villeret
©Photograph: patriceschreyer.com
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