Tag Archives: steel watch

Breitling’s Limited-Edition Collaboration With Victoria Beckham Combines Elegance And Craftsmanship

This year, Breitling teams up with fashion icon Victoria Beckham to introduce the Chronomat Automatic 36 Victoria Beckham collection, a thrilling new take on one of Breitling’s most versatile timepieces. Limited to just 1,500 pieces, this series encapsulates the best of both worlds, featuring

Beckham’s unmistakable chic signature melded seamlessly with Breitling’s legendary watchmaking prowess. Beckham, now the matriarch of a legitimate empire, shot to fame as a member of the famed, Spice Girls, and subsequently established herself as a major voice in British fashion with her eponymous label. Both commercially and creatively successful, the Victoria Beckham brand represents a sleek, unfussy aesthetic that sits well with Breitling’s approach to watch design.

“It has been wonderful watching Breitling’s craftsmanship and innovation come together with my ideas to create something so elegant and fresh,” Beckham shares, to which Breitling’s CEO Georges Kern agrees. “The Chronomat is already a versatile watch with a classic form. With Victoria Beckham’s signature style, this collection is a modern, radiant expression of that timepiece.”

The collection retains the Chronomat’s well-loved features like the sleek metal rouleaux bracelet and the distinctive rider tabs at the 15-minute mark, while introducing an array of elegant new colourways inspired by Beckham’s Spring/Summer 2024 line. These include sophisticated shades like peppermint, midnight blue, dove grey, and sand, which add a touch of runway glamour to the watch’s robust functionality. With a decent water resistance of 10 bar, this watch is a great candidate for a wellrounded, sturdy and stylish everyday watch. It boasts a nice heft with a case height of 10mm, introducing a muscular element into the watch’s overall feminine appeal.

Each model in the collection boasts refined details that speak to connoisseurs of both fashion and horology—Victoria Beckham’s initials grace the seconds hand, while a discreet VB logo also embellishes the bracelet. Limited edition numbering, with exclusive inscriptions such as “One of 400” for the stainlesssteel models and “One of 100” for the yellow gold variations, has been specially revived by Breitling for this collaboration.

The technical aspects are just as impressive, with the Chronomat Automatic 36 Victoria Beckham powered by Breitling’s Caliber 10. This robust engine ensures a power reserve of approximately 42 hours and, like all Breitling watches, achieves the highly-coveted Contrôle officiel suisse des chronomètres (COSC) certification, confirming its accuracy and reliability. True to the spirit of luxury, each piece comes in a specially designed co-branded box, and the gold versions include an exclusive travel pouch, enhancing the unboxing experience to delightful new levels.

This collaboration is more than just a merging of two brands; it’s a celebration of style, precision, and innovation. The Chronomat Automatic 36 Victoria Beckham is bound to appeal to collectors with a penchant for fashion and style, and a good indication of what can happen when two masters of their crafts unite to create something quite spectacular.

Grand Seiko’s SBGH327 Has a Dial Inspired by Japan’s Mount Fuji When Summer Turns to Autumn

A pillar to Grand Seiko inimitable identity is its unwavering belief in the Japanese-inspired aesthetics. Evidence is laid out on the dial of the SBGA211, endearingly dubbed the Snowflake, which bears imprint of a fresh snow dusting, or the dial of the SLGA007, which evokes the crests of waves gliding across the surface of Lake Suwa. While nature serves as an inspirational source, the manner of which Grand Seiko goes about its business transcends the trope; it is an encapsulation of Japan’s distinctive culture and tenets.

Few sceneries in Japan can rival the majesty of Mount Fuji. The iconic volcano is to Japan, what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris or the Statue of Liberty is to New York City. The importance of which can’t be understated and it has manifested in countless artworks, like The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Now, Mount Fuji has made it onto watches, referenced by Grand Seiko’s latest timepiece, the SBGH327.

The vermilion colour dominating the dial alludes to a fleeting moment when Mount Fuji transforms into the stunning Aka Fuji, or Red Fuji, where it bathes in a beautiful deep-red radiance. This natural phenomenon occurs once or twice a year, during the changing of the seasons, when summer eases into autumn, when clear air and altostratus clouds combine to reflect the fiery glow of sunrise and sunset onto the mountain. It carries with it ethnological significance, symbolising happiness and success. The Aka Fuji is thought to bring good fortune, thus bridging the gap between nature’s beauty and human aspirations.

A limited edition, the timepiece is produced to commemorate the first anniversary of Grand Seiko Asia Pacific’s establishment. Therefore, it is also the organisation’s first-ever regional exclusive timepiece, available in 168 pieces and Grand Seiko’s boutiques and authorised dealers across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines.

The exceptional features of the watch span beyond the dial. The watch embodies Grand Seiko’s commitment to excellence and attention to detail. The Zaratsu polishing technique is employed to impart the 39.5mm stainless steel case with an exquisite sheen, while the case is fitted with a dual-curve sapphire crystal to enhance legibility. The transparent caseback invites admiration of the in-house Hi-Beat Cal. 9S85 automatic movement, with a brilliant decorative finish and a precision of +8 to -1 seconds per day with normal usage. The 36,000 vibrationper- hour frequency ranks above industry standards, with the power reserve lasting approximately 55 hours. The watch is provisioned with a stainless steel bracelet, equipped with a three-fold clasp.