The renowned watch historian and author Gisbert L. Brunner noted that collecting watches is a passion that can go deep or wide. As far as building single-brand collections go, the realities of 2022 are generally irrelevant except for those who focus on Rolex. This is particularly true for those new to watch collecting who are going with the safest and easiest to understand approach. It goes something like this: buy Rolex and you cannot go wrong. This seems facetious but, in our view, it includes and incorporates what happens if you buy a watch you do not like. Bought a steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona only to discover a year later that you do not like chronographs? No problem, because you can easily find willing buyers for the watch. We grant that this scenario is improbable, but it applies to any Rolex watch. That is an appealing proposition, but first you would have to be able to buy a Rolex…
As we wrote in our Festive issue, it is still possible to buy Rolex watches. But it is also true that Rolex boutiques only have display pieces now — to buy a watch you have to register your interest at the store with the authorised dealer. If you find this unacceptable, you could try to find so-called new old stock (NOS) from traders who are on a variety of platforms, including good old brick-and-mortar. The main downside here – there are a few but this is the main one — is that you will be completely outside the official retail system, including the recommended retail price. To state the obvious, the price for all NOS current production models will be above the recommended retail price.
If older watches are your game, then these types of traders will not suit you because they mainly try to ride on the hype (and advertising) for current production models. To be sure, by older here we do not mean models from the 1950s or 60s. Even the Submariner Ref 16610 (produced between 1987 to 2010, and probably the most widely available pre-owned Submariner) will not be in these traders’ inventories. Certainly more esoteric models such as the Oysterquartz and the Prince will not be in stock. The larger players such as Peng Kwee may have options for both. As a seasoned collector, you do not need us to tell you what to do. Nevertheless, we have more to say on the general state of the pre-owned market elsewhere, if that interests you.
Returning to current Rolex models, the burgeoning collector must consider what safety is really worth. Wait times are uncertain, and you are not guaranteed a watch just because you have been waitlisted. We can report that authorised dealers may even refuse to waitlist you for popular models in steel such as the GMT-Master II and the Sea-Dweller. For something like the 126600 Sea-Dweller reference, it becomes relevant to consider the Rolesor version, reference 126603. The current retail price is $23,490 while the reference 126600 is selling pre-owned for upwards of $22,000. On the other hand, if you must have the GMT-Master II with the Pepsi bezel then you have to choose between steel and white gold. The price gap is significant so the pre-owned steel reference is still a better deal, and the steel version is arguably more authentic.
With this in mind, let us consider the state of pre-owned for something like the GMT Master II, while also noting that we address the matter of pricing elsewhere; pricing requires its own dedicated space, and we are obliged by a lack of transparency and regularity in the pricing of watches in general to approach this subject obliquely, by looking only at current recommended retail prices and listed secondary market prices. All that aside, traders have a window stretching a few years at most to clear their inventory, which we consider to be sometime within the five year manufacturer warranty; Rolex warranties are between two and five years, depending on the movements in use. When this warranty goes into effect is a big deal, but first, a bit of a disclaimer.
Full disclosure: the principal author of this section is the editor, and he has been on the hunt for a GMT-Master II since the aluminium bezel first got phased out. With regards to price checks on this watch, his personal research has been used for the story. He is also on the hunt for multiple Rolex watches. Readers should be aware of potential biases. On another note, and to be absolutely clear, professional traders and secondary market dealers will certainly need to move products far more quickly than even the shorter two-year window proposed here. No dealer we spoke with for this story wanted to be quoted on exact figures and practises, and we did a considerable amount of research without disclosing our intent to publish. As such, we must be circumspect and even elliptical in our descriptions.
Back on point, you will have to be careful about warranties because you may not be considered the first owner of the watch, should you buy it. Rolex says the warranty is good from the date of purchase, but this presumably only applies to watches bought from authorised dealers. Consequently, any GMT-Master II that has been sitting on someone’s shelf for too long — even if that shelf is in a proper shop — must be considered suspect. We would recommend purchasing the watch from someone who has actually been wearing the watch, and presumably caring for it. You at least know that such a watch works. Remember that once you go pre-owned, you are out of the safe authorised dealer space.
Finally, Rolex collectors need to resign themselves to having to coexist and compete with investment and asset-protection obsessed buyers. This can be frustrating, typically for people who want current production watches, but it can also be a great boon for seasoned collectors who are primarily interested in vintage watches. Look at the pre-owned prices of Rolex Submariners (reference 16610) and compare this to current after-market prices. This point is true for Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet collectors too, because the new set of buyers are only concerned with existing models. It is also tremendously useful for anyone interested in gold or half-gold watches, for reasons we propose in another segment in this issue.
It may be strange to find this written anywhere, but this moment in time is perhaps still too early to ask questions about sustainability in watchmaking. Not premature mind you, just a little too early to get useful answers. It is the useful answers part there that informed the decision to begin this section with caveats.
On the face of it, given that climate change is progressing no matter our perspective on it, the discussion on this subject is still at the start line. For example, the industry has just about come around to the idea that the origins of the materials used to make the watches are key. As far as we know, the first public discussion of the realities of the supply chain was at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (now called Watches & Wonders) in 2019.
Unfortunately, this is not an indication that watchmaking is ahead of the game here because public reports, including the World Wildlife Fund had already called for greater transparency in this regard as early as 2018, as we dig into elsewhere in this section.
Prior to this, some watchmaking maisons were talking about how their new manufactures were carbon neutral, and of course their support for various causes. These days though, just these steps will fall short of the mark, at best. At worst, they open the industry to accusations of greenwashing. This is really a shame because a lot of good work is being done, or supported by watchmaking brands.
Typically, we avoid watchmaking industry insider stories in favour of those with a stronger relevance to consumers – collectors and enthusiasts like you, in other words. There is a good reason to care about transparency and sustainability for all of us though, and it can summed up in one word: cost.
Not only will prices of Swiss watches likely rise as companies add measures and oversight to cope with regulatory pressures, there may be environmental and reputational costs as well. Just think about how you would feel about your watch if the brand that made it was found to be supporting forced labour in gold mines, or contributing to the degradation of the environment thanks to the practices of some random supplier. It happens in fashion all the time, after all.
Sustainability watch
The Deloitte Swiss Watch Industry Study2020 notes that more than 50 per cent of consumers surveyed said that sustainability was very important to them, so the cost of not running afoul of this group will certainly be worth it. It seems from the report that the so-called Millenials and Gen Z groups care even more about sustainability than other age groups. We will be referring to this report and its findings quite extensively in this story.
We pause here for a moment to congratulate Chopard on having the foresight and the will to do better, as far as the gold they are using goes. The brand’s Fairmined initiative back in 2013 was the first effort by a major watch and jewellery house to address the impact of the business on the natural world and marginalised communities. We also congratulate Oris on becoming a climate-neutral company, certified by ClimatePartner, a leading independent climate action expert.
The company not only makes products that are sustainable, but also calculates the impact of its entire business, right down to workers commuting to the office. It earned climate-neutral status by offsetting more than 2,500 tonnes of CO2 through its sustainability initiatives. We will have a little more to say about this elsewhere in this section, but we wanted to single out Oris here as a way to show how other brands might also be doing the same, yet not communicating it directly enough.
This may lead some to draw links with the fashion industry, which recently received a tongue-lashing from firebrand climate-change activist Greta Thunberg. Bear in mind, the fashion industry actually makes raw data available to a variety of authorities to confirm that their supply chains are not contaminated by any evil practices. Even so — or perhaps because of this — it gets a lot of flak.
Clear and present danger
Some may see a certain degree of adjacency in the worlds of watchmaking and fashion [Editor’s note: on LUXUO, watches used to fall under the Style category], with the world’s largest luxury conglomerate LVMH running iconic names such as Louis Vuitton and TAG Heuer. Of course, it also runs Moet Chandon and Glenmorangie and no one suggests any adjacency there.
For our part, it seems clear that all industries will have to see that they are not causing harm, at the very least, so some standards might apply across the board. Setting such standards is a challenge, of course, and poses all kinds of political risks.
This was on show at the World Economic Forum this year, as global business leaders cited climate action failure as a major risk for the economy, and one with the best chance of being mitigated by a coordinated global response. The key point here is that risk, which is not acting in a harmful manner, but in merely failing to prevent harm.
Accountants everywhere are now working to integrate this particular risk into their formulas, especially with regards to multinationals. One relevant example here was called the Responsible Business Initiative, which was rejected by Swiss voters last November, but this is not the end of that story.
Fast fashion certainly receives the lion’s share of the wrath of climate activists, and it probably deserves it, if news reports are anything to go on [Editor’s note: too many to cite]. Any so-called luxury brands using child labour for any reason ought to be tarred and feathered (and probably fined into oblivion). So far, there has not even been a whiff of scandal in watchmaking, but this might come down to the subject that preoccupies us in this issue: transparency. But we are racing ahead of ourselves again, and risking getting tripped up by our own feet.
The realistic view
Backing up again to our opening assertion, by too early to discuss, we mean to say that there are many industries that have to grapple with their impact on the planet – tier one players, if you will – and watchmaking firms (especially those with a mechanical focus) are nowhere near that level.
We take the view that it is pointless to tear into watch firms when coal-fired power plants are still merrily burning away like there is no tomorrow. Actually, more are being built to meet tomorrow’s demands, according to The Economist, the Financial Times and many more mainstream sources.
There is some understanding within the trade of this obvious fact, with executives still claiming that mechanical watches are sustainable products, because they are not disposable. This is not a false statement, of course, but it does tend to lead to some unearned praise. H. Moser & Cie made quite a memorable joke about this some years ago with a statement watch, but we will hear more from the brand directly and candidly on the subject of sustainability later in our conversation with CEO Edouard Meylan.
To refer back to our earlier praise of Oris, CEO Rolf Studer put it most succinctly in a comment related to the climate neutral news, as delivered to WatchPro: “A mechanical watch has a very low impact on the environment because it’s designed to last. But that’s not enough,” he says. The first part of Studer’s statement is echoed by many watch industry executives, high and low. The second part, not so much, with a number of executives concerned about trade secrets and competitive advantages.
Walking the talk
Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron addressed this directly with us as he explained the brand’s drive towards greater transparency in its entire operations. “The transparency I am talking about has nothing to do with trade secrets. It is about the raw materials that go into our products, and our supply chain.”
He publicly explained during Watches & Wonders earlier this year that the brand was deeply concerned about the world, and the impact of its business on the same. Vigneron noted that brands could not just say they were sustainable, they had to prove it. Richemont, the parent group of Cartier, has been talking the talk, and walking the walk for perhaps longer than any other group, which is why its brands rank highest in the WWF report.
To frame this admittedly long narrative, we must add an expected caveat. If you love watches but are concerned about the environmental impact of current industrial practices, then you must turn to vintage watches. Aside from the obvious (you are extending the lifespan of a watch), you also do not have to trouble yourself with any thoughts about how the contemporary company making watches with the same badge conducts itself.
This is important because it is often impossible to be sure watchmaking firms are doing all the right things if you do not want to take their word for it. This brings us back to sustainability, and that law that will go before Swiss legislators in place of the aforementioned Responsible Business Initiative.
The sustainability conversation in watchmaking tends to coalesce around the unfortunate subject of transparency. Well, transparency is the most significant roadblock, and is thus the most well-known and persistent problem. It goes back to the debate over Swiss Made standards, and to third-party movement suppliers working surreptitiously for a few major brands.
It all sounds very suspicious, like some sort of Tom Clancy novel, but really it is all quite pedestrian. Like the business of making hairsprings, there really is not much to shout about here but to prove that we would need to supply evidence.. which is lacking. As you will have guessed, the Swiss watchmaking trade tends to be opaque by tradition.
Coming changes
This is where Swiss legislators hold the reins as they consider a law next year that will force even private companies to make certain non-financial disclosures. These include the following, according to Deloitte:
Environmental concerns
Social and employee concerns
Respect for human rights
Combating corruption
Reportedly, this legislation cannot be shrugged off by even private and family-owned firms because every Swiss firm will be called to order, as long as they meet the following criteria:
500 full-time positions or CHF 20 million balance sheet total and/or CHF 40 million in sales (source: Deloittes). The New York Times reports that affected companies will have to “ensure the traceability of their supply chains, and make their reports publicly available for 10 years…” We need not spell out exactly which companies will be taking notice here.
As watch enthusiasts, collectors, traders and even hobbyists, we know that these will include the biggest and most powerful names in watchmaking. As mentioned, watchmaking firms are not specifically targeted, and are certainly far from being tier one players, which we repeat for clarity.
That being said, climate change rhetoric is heating up, thus lighting a fire under the feet of watch industry executives. In 2018, the WWF report called out a startling number of brands for their alleged lack of transparency in a widely cited public document.
You can easily find these stories — and the report itself — online by searching for sustainability in watchmaking, but despite the attention, the topical subject remains largely difficult to discuss. The expert sources we found for this special section mostly pointed to one chief area: the supply chain, specifically where and how watchmakers get their raw materials.
To outline the problem more succinctly, consider all the metal that gets used to make wristwatches, cases, movements, bracelets and all. Most of the world might be shocked to learn that the average watch in stainless steel already uses a significant percentage (up to 50 per cent) of recycled iron.
This varies from material to material, with titanium and aluminium on the higher end of the scale, while ceramic hugs the bottom at zero percent. This is because of material properties and engineering challenges, not some sort of conspiracy, to be clear. Indeed, the ceramic used in your typical higher-end watch might very well be eternal — well everlasting and evernew as a sapphire anyway.
No silver bullets
For the purposes of transparency, we will acknowledge a few points before moving on. First and foremost is that this magazine urges better transparency for Swiss watchmaking, in general. Having said that, dear readers, you may detect sour notes of cynicism throughout this section, but what you are sensing is our pessimism.
Pessimism is a little more honest than cynicism, and we hope to blunt this by making a few active recommendations. Transparency is the most important thing, for the same reason we asked CEOs how their manufactures were coping with the pandemic. Watches are fun, and they are meant to be.
Something that is fun should not be hurting anyone, at the very least. No one should be suffering so that we can have fine timepieces, in other words. This article alludes to this point, but it should be made explicit. This, we think, is the most basic position we can take. Indeed, this should be the starting position for any firm that makes watches.
Secondly, we should be wary of arbitrary standards. One such example is illustrated by the Panerai Submersible eLab-ID, which would be currently the most sustainable watch in the world, if it were a full production model, which it is not. In any case, Panerai had found a way to make this watch out of 98.6% material.
To be more precise, that is the percentage of recycled material in the watch, by weight. So, the obvious question is why not go the extra mile? “To get that last 1.4%, we would have to use so much energy that it wouldn’t be saving anything…Our idea isn’t to do something at an idotic level, just to say we did it,” Panerai COO Jerome Cavadini told us. In other words, the cost of doing something positive for the world should not result in a negative for the environment. That would be idiotic, and yet it may well be the result of reductionist thinking. Sustainability is a complex matter that will not be solved by overly simplistic approaches.
On that note, we have to move to the unknowns, which is the most vexing aspect of sustainability. For example, are Richemont brands so highly regarded by the WWF report because they are better communicators than some independents? While we do try to present each major group’s position on sustainability elsewhere in this section, often there is no news to report.
Even the very positive Oris news does not mean it will rank highly in the next edition of the WWF report, assuming the brand is included, which it was not in 2018. How you feel about the Oris achievement depends on what you think of ClimatePartner, an organisation you may never have heard of. We have a compromise solution to suggest, which we will get to in the second part of this section.
This historical Breguet table clock exhibits all manner of clever mechanisms, including a constant force escapement and a detent escapement. In relatively immobile timekeepers, the detent escapement would have hit its stride. Image: Breguet
The story of the wristwatch escapement spins hard and fast, not always aiming for absolute precision. In presenting the basics of the beating heart of the mechanical calibre, we have only covered the basics. Considering that watch brands keep throwing research and development into this area, there will likely always be more to cover. No one expected the Zenith escapement when it was first announced, for example. Even in 2020, there is a new escapement in play, thanks to Seiko — but more on that specific development later. Believe it or not, there is more to cover in terms of escapement approaches already out there in the world.
In this story, we will be covering the natural escapement and the detent escapement. These two are somewhat related, which is why we opted to group them together. We will not be covering single-beat escapements overall, instead folding this type of regulating organ into the detent section. The reasons will become obvious once you get into the detent escapement, if you do not already know them.
As we previously noted in our coverage of the verge escapement, there were a few escapement ideas that preceded the Swiss lever, including a number that were in use before Christiaan Huygens pioneered the balance spring, ultimately perfecting it in 1675. We pause here for a moment to be clear that English scientist Robert Hooke (of Hooke’s Law) also has a claim to the balance spring but Huygens definitely had one built to his specifications.
While we pause to take stock, we also note that this story works best with an understanding of the basics of the escapement. A short summary is included here, for convenience.
The rest of this story is divided into a few parts, including the aforementioned sections on the two related escapements. We had planned to include a section on contemporary watches featuring these somewhat archaic and quite rare technologies, but it was not to be. It is a fact that these sorts of escapements are the rarest of all non-Swiss lever escapements out there.
As mentioned earlier, Grand Seiko is debuting an original escapement this year, but we will reserve that for our next story on escapement, when it can shine as the star of the show. To our knowledge, it is the only new type of escapement for 2020, a year that will definitely be the most unbalanced (so far) in the new millennium. It is important to note here that the new 9SA5 calibre features a dual-impulse escapement. So although it might remind some observers of variations on the detent escapement theme, it is most assuredly not that type of escapement.
A contemporary illustration of how the Earnshaw detent escapement works. Image: Cvetkovic, Stojicevic, Popkonstantinovic
We end this introduction with a note about pricing. Pioneering escapement technology is no easy matter, and the costs can be significant. Every press release about the development of such exotic regulators as the Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement or the Zenith Oscillator implies tremendous research and development expense.
To illustrate this point, let us take a look at a specific example relevant to this story. The Urban Jurgensen 1140C, is an excellent case in point. This watch has a recommended retail price of EU48,100 in rose gold (excluding VAT). This contrasts with the 1140 RG Brown also in rose gold, which goes for EU28,200 (excluding VAT); this version has a regular Swiss lever escapement.
While there is no way to know if the difference in prices is down to the movement, you can certainly expect to pay a premium for special escapements. They are certainly worth more, being far from vanilla, but how much more depends on where you stand on the value such developments add.
Détente: the most reliable mechanical systems for watches
The famous Harrison H4 chronometer
The escapement with the most poetic name, it is also one of the most reliable mechanical systems for watches in motion. So, in anything that is not a pendulum clock, the detent escapement is the precision winner. If you take it further, put a pendulum clock on something that rocks about, like a ship, and its accuracy takes a major hit. The timekeeper with the detent escapement does not have this problem. Indeed, Huygens came up with the pendulum clock in part to create a precise and accurate marine chronometer. Once the clock was tested upon the high seas, it was back to the drawing board, and to some cross-Channel rivalry.
John Harrison had developed a marine chronometer regulated by a verge escapement that worked well in theory. His H4 watch won the longitude race between English and French watchmakers, but it was difficult to reproduce. Larcum Kendall, the watchmaker engaged by the Board of Longitude to reproduce Harrison’s design, found it impossible to mass-produce while keeping costs down. Part of the problem was Harrison’s exotic parts for the time — he used diamonds for the pallets — but the other was the sensitivity of the verge escapement.
In France, watchmaker Pierre Le Roy had delivered a promising escapement as early as 1748 that could have been the solution to making the chronometer easier to produce. English watchmakers John Arnold and Thomas Earnshaw (likely separately) got hold of this design and improved upon it to create what would be called the detent escapement.
The verge and lever escapements both work based on the gear train giving and receiving energy through two contact points, which is easy enough to understand given that the anchor has two arms that contact the escape wheel of the gear train at two points. That also means that the balance receives energy in the form of dynamic force twice — once per swing. This is an indirect way to deliver a way to impulse or power the balance. What if the balance spring and wheel could interact directly with the escape wheel, without an intermediary?
Arnold, Earnshaw, Le Roy and Ferdinand Berthoud knew that friction was the main enemy of accuracy in the mechanical timekeeper. All these watchmakers were key figures in the chronometer side of watchmaking i.e. the pursuit of chronometric excellence. Le Roy, Arnold and Earnshaw’s innovation here was figuring out how to reduce contact between the balance and the escapement; Berthoud’s achievement was a double balance wheel construction, as reported by Su Jia Xian for WatchesbySJX. As a consequence of their pioneering work in reducing friction in mechanical regulating organs, Arnold and Earnshaw developed (independently) the pivoted detent escapement (1773).
The pivoted detent escapement controls the movement of the escape wheel by allowing it to advance one tooth at a time by means of a helical spring (separate and distinct from the balance spring, which is still in play). This helical hairspring allows for a direct impulse on the balance because there is no anchor or lever here. This makes the detent escapement a single-beat escapement because there is only one impulse for each oscillation of the balance wheel. The to-and-fro motion of the balance here thus includes one oscillation without an impulse.
Imagine, dear reader, for a moment a balance wheel and spring whose staff could both receive and deliver force to the escapement. There are still two pallets here, but only one is dynamic; the other acts as a brake for the escape wheel. A special note here is that there is a version of the detent escapement that uses a flat spring rather than a helical one.
The short of all this is that the detent escapement did indeed work as intended, produced great results in marine chronometers, but had some trouble in both pocket and wristwatches. Berner’s Illustrated Dictionary of Horology provides a concise sense of the problem, describing the detent escapement as “a costly, delicate (solution).”
Overcoming the problem in every mechanical escapements
Portrait of Abraham-Louis Breguet. Image: Breguet
The natural escapement, or to use its formal name, echappement naturel, was a significant and early attempt to address the shortcomings of the detent escapement while realising its benefits. Abraham-Louis Breguet (yes that Breguet) was a peer of Arnold and Earnshaw so he inevitably had to play his part in the escapement as well. His echappement naturel took its final form in 1808, and uses two escape wheels. The idea was to make the single-beat nature of the detent escapement more stable, and thus less prone to stoppage due to sudden shocks. The natural escapement does this not by adding a lever (although a sort of lever is present), but via the usage of two escape wheels meshed together. Crucially, this also makes the balance self-starting.
Just as the lever impulses the balance in two steps, so do the dual enmeshed escape wheels. Because the wheels are enmeshed, one drives the other in the opposite direction. In Breguet’s design, both wheels have additional protrusions in a different plane to the teeth of the escape wheels. Basically, this is a double-decker of gearing teeth; this second level of teeth impulses the balance in both directions. In this way, the motion of the escape wheels are regulated by the balance.
Now, there is an obvious problem here: all those gloriously friction-loving gearing teeth. To address that, the meshing of the wheels has to be a bit loose. Unfortunately, this results in a lot of backlash in the unpowered wheel. Breguet could not figure out how to get around this problem, and it was thought that the state of manufacturing at that time could not get the tolerance right. However, it is more than a matter of tolerances — for any alternative to the lever system to be effective, it must offer significant benefits. In the current state of mechanical escapements, that does not seem to be the case.
Indeed, it seems the industry has settled on a particular architecture for the regulating organs, and is content to focus on material innovation to realise gains.
Basics of a mechanical escapement
There are three components to the mechanical escapement, typically. This includes the hairspring, balance wheel and anchor-escape wheel. The anchor or lever receives energy from the mainspring via the escape wheel at the end of the gear train. It sends this to the balance, causing it to spin. The hairspring reacts against this motion, forcing the balance to move in the direction opposite to its initial motion. This to and fro motion is the regulated energy that drives the hands of time, again via the anchor and escape wheel.
Contemporary watches and the detent escapement
Reverso Grande Complication à Triptyque. Image: Jaeger-LeCoultre
The fact that the detent escapement is so easily perturbed by sudden movements makes it unsuitable for the contemporary wristwatch. In the form used by marine chronometers, the detent escapement was also not self-starting, which is also far from ideal in a wristwatch. Nevertheless, the beguiling detent escapement has lured watchmakers in the current era with its promise of better precision, less friction and improved accuracy in timekeeping rates. Pierre Maillard, writing for EuropaStar almost 10 years ago, called this escapement “one of the Grails of chronometric precision.” After all, 21st century engineering solutions should be able to resolve the deficiencies of the detent escapement.
According to Vincent Daveau, writing for Journal Haute Horlogerie (2019), a number of brands have attempted to revive the detent escapement, including big names such as Breguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet. The various editors of World of Watches have experienced these developments directly, but it is certain that none of these promising watches are still in production today. Indeed, Daveau confirms that the Breguet example was merely a prototype, revealed in 2005.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre version of the detent escapement, called the Isometre a Ellipse, was a deeply fascinating experiment that the manufacture deployed in the Reverso Grande Complication a Triptyque. It was a proper pivoted detent escapement, but with a feature that allowed for indirect unlocking of the escape wheel. This seems like an approach that brings a feature from the lever escapement into the picture. For whatever reason, Jaeger-LeCoultre has not used this escapement in any other watch since 2006.
It is a similar story with at Audemars Piguet, which revealed a new escapement to the world based on the detent escapement, also in 2006. This escapement was based on the work of 18th century watchmaker Robert Robin, which also attempted to bring together the advantages of the lever and detent escapements. Unfortunately, the Robin escapement of 1791 was as delicate and difficult to manufacture as the detent escapement, and indeed the natural escapement. Audemars Piguet also did not pursue this escapement for much longer, instead going in a different direction. Hopefully, we will be able to get into that in another issue.
Back in 2011, it seemed only one name in watchmaking wanted to connect strongly with the detent escapement, and it is still amongst the first names one encounters when doing a Google search on the “detent escapement.” The Urban Jurgensen 1140C uses a contemporary version of the detent escapement, and it is still listed on the brand’s website. David Chokron, writing for WatchAround, reported that this version of the detent escapement was finally suitable for use in a wristwatch, if still rather “experimental.”
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust is in the lineage of the Datejust, the emblematic model that has been a byword for style and accurate timekeeping. Image: Rolex
For an object of such diminutive stature, the wristwatch often has an outsized presence. The bon vivant will absolutely love these four outstanding Rolex watches — while the captivating shine of their diamonds and precious materials will draw in everyone else. The Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust, Oyster Perpetual Pearlmaster 39, and two Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 watches all demonstrate the wondrous pairing of diamonds and precious metals found in the finest of watches by Rolex.
Precious metals such as gold and platinum come to us from the stars, literally. They were born in the hearts of giant stars that exploded and scattered the particles across the universe. Diamonds, by way of contrast are born in the depths of the Earth over the course of a billion years. Through their unique brilliance and the extreme care taken in their setting, the high-quality precious stones selected by Rolex endow gem-set watches with unbridled prestige.
Using only the highest quality gemstones, Rolex own in-house gemmologists and gem-setters work in perfect harmony to reveal the diamond’s radiance. The process begins by sourcing the most striking stones, and then deciding how best to showcase them. As the art of gem-setting lies in ensuring that the sparkle and beauty of each stone is fully revealed, the Rolex gem-setter expertly sets each stone, one by one, taking care to ensure symmetry in size and placement — Rolex tolerates variances of no more than 2 hundredths of a millimetre, which is around a quarter of the diameter of a human hair. A final polish makes the tiny metal settings shine, intensifying the watch’s splendour.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust
The Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust is Rolex’s classic feminine watch par excellence. It is one of the most varied lines in the Oyster Perpetual collection, distinguished by its elegance and refinement. Image: Rolex
The classic Rolex feminine watch, the Lady-Datejust benefits from all the attributes of the Datejust, the emblematic Rolex watch that has been a byword for style and technical performance ever since its launch in 1945. The feminine version of the iconic chronometer, the Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust first appeared in 1957, showcasing the elegance of the Datejust in a small 28 mm size perfectly suited to a slender wrist, and it has retained its iconic size since that time.
Available in Oystersteel, in 18 ct yellow or Everose gold, or in Rolesor versions that combine both Oystersteel and 18 ct gold, the Lady-Datejust comes in a wealth of versions to perfectly reflect the different personalities of its wearers. The range of materials of the Lady-Datejust is equalled only by a stunning range of bracelets and subtle dials that enhance its style.
A fluted, domed or diamond-set bezel? Exclusive, shimmering dials paved with diamonds or the fascinating hues of mother-of-pearl? Simple or gem-set hour markers, or even Roman numerals? The many faces of the Lady-Datejust make this model one of the most varied in the Oyster Perpetual collection.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust in 18 ct yellow gold fitted with a diamond-paved dial and a diamond-set President bracelet
A showstopper of a wristwatch unveiled this year, the Lady-Datejust is paved with sparkling diamonds, with its 18 ct yellow gold case and President bracelet just peeking out between the prongs. The case sides and lugs of the new Lady-Datejust are set with 158 brilliant-cut diamonds as well as 44 brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel. The President bracelet sparkles with a further 596 brilliant-cut diamonds. Showcasing the captivating shine of the diamonds that adorn every surface, the dial is fully paved with 291 diamonds. For an added touch of splendour, the dial also features 18 ct yellow gold Roman numerals that bear a lustrous black finish.
The function of timekeeping itself is uncompromised in the Lady-Datejust, with the watch carrying the Superlative Chronometer certification. This new version of the Lady-Datejust is equipped with calibre 2236, a movement at the forefront of watchmaking technology, entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. It boasts several patents and offers outstanding performance in terms of precision (+/-2 seconds per day), power reserve (approximately 55 hours), resistance to shocks and magnetic fields, convenience and reliability. Especially notable here is the fact that calibre 2236 uses the Syloxi hairspring, which was patented and produced by Rolex. This silicon hairspring remains up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks, and its patented geometry ensures the calibre’s regularity in any position.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Pearlmaster holds a special place in the Oyster collection; it represents the height of exquisiteness with precious metals and gemstones. Image: Rolex
The pearl in the Oyster collection, the Pearlmaster is synonymous with elegance and brilliance. First introduced in 1992, the Pearlmaster shares some characteristics with the Datejust. This descendant of Rolex’s emblematic Datejust model displays the date, magnified by a Cyclops lens, in a window at 3 o’clock. Only available in 18 ct white or Everose gold, the Pearlmaster is a vivacious blend of watchmaking expertise and artful gem-setting, with its own defining hallmarks. Precise and lavish gem-setting is one such element, with a harmoniously contoured Pearlmaster bracelet being another. All in all, the collection is an exquisite expression of refinement with gently rounded styling.
With its softly curved lines, the Pearlmaster bracelet, entirely set with diamonds, contributes to the distinctive character and sophistication of the watch and offers the wearer maximum comfort. Created especially for the Pearlmaster in 1992, this solid gold bracelet with round five-piece links is fitted with a concealed Crownclasp — which is opened using a Rolex crown-shaped lever — adding to the watch’s aesthetic appeal and ease of use. The bracelet includes ceramic inserts inside the links to enhance its flexibility and longevity.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Pearlmaster 39 in 18 ct Everose gold with dial paved with 713 diamonds, featuring a diamond-set bezel, case and signature Pearlmaster bracelet
The Oyster case of the Pearlmaster 39, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet), is a paragon of robustness and elegance. The middle case is crafted from a solid block of 18 ct white or Everose gold. Its case back, edged with fine fluting, is hermetically screwed down with a special tool that allows only certified Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The Twinlock winding crown, fitted with a double waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. The crystal, with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimum protection for the Pearlmaster’s movement.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date was the first calendar wristwatch to indicate, in addition to the date, the day of the week spelt out in full in a window on the dial — a technical feat at the time. Image: Rolex
Launched in 1956, the Day-Date was the ultimate watch of prestige, and remains so to this day. Watches in the Day-Date range are made only of precious metals — 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold or 950 platinum. If the spotlight gravitates to you, the Day-Date is a fitting companion, as demonstrated by the many US presidents and eminent figures who have chosen it. The appeal of the collection first captivated President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, leading the Day-Date to be known as the “president’s watch”. All Day-Date watches are equipped with the President bracelet, which was specially created for the watch.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 in 18 ct yellow gold, with a turquoise dial, diamond-set bezel and a President bracelet
Resplendent at every angle, the turquoise stone dial and diamond-set Roman numeral hour markers give this Day-Date 36 an air of elevated sophistication, with its diamond-set bezel acting to draw the eye of every onlooker. The middle case is crafted out of a solid block of 18 ct yellow gold, as is the fluted caseback, and the President bracelet. Its distinctive dial features hour markers in 18 ct gold, set with 32 diamonds, and a Roman VI and IX in 18 ct gold, set with 24 diamonds accompanied by the instantly recognisable President bracelet represents the ultimate in refinement and comfort. Like all Rolex watches, the Day-Date 36 s covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification redefined by Rolex in 2015.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 in 18 ct white gold, with a diamond-paved dial, diamond-set bezel and a diamond-set President bracelet
The dial of the opulent Day-Date 36 features 10 baguette-cut, rainbow-coloured sapphires that function as the hour markers. These contrast brilliantly with the diamond-paved dial, creating a sparkling symphony to enhance the watch and enchant the wearer, and everyone around her. To deliver this alchemy of sublime grandeur, Rolex gem-setters have to work carefully and meticulously. They finely carve the precious metal to hand-shape the seat in which each gemstone will be perfectly lodged. Besides the intrinsic quality of the stones, several other criteria contribute to the beauty of Rolex gem-setting: the precise alignment of the height of the gems, their orientation and position, the regularity, strength and proportions of the setting as well as the intricate finishing of the metalwork.
Fuelled by a storied legacy, no efforts were spared in crafting the new-generation movement, calibre 3255. Developed and manufactured by Rolex, calibre 3255 boasts 14 patents and, thanks to its barrel architecture and the escapement’s superior efficiency, the power reserve of this movement extends to approximately 70 hours with an accuracy of +/-2 seconds a day.
The classic watch of reference. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 in Oystersteel and white gold, 36 mm case, bright black dial and a Jubilee bracelet.
There is something powerful about having time on your side, which is precisely what you will have with these Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date and Oyster Perpetual Datejust models. The new models we are presenting in this article reflect the strong personalities of the wearers yet convey a sense of poise and purpose effortlessly. Of course, the effortless part only applies to wearing the watches, because they have gone through decades of refinement and development to get them to the status of the modern horological icons they are today.
To get a little more granular here, we are looking at two gem-set Day-Date 36 models in 18 ct Everose gold, one fitted with an Eisenkiesel dial and the other with a mother-of-pearl dial; for the Datejust, there are also two options vying for your attention. One Datejust is in 36 mm with a bright blue fluted motif dial, while the other is a 31 mm gem-set model with mother-of-pearl dial. You only need to feel any of these four watches against your skin to understand, but ahead of that, we will present the case for each of the models featured here. There are also elements common to all Day-Date and Datejust models that we will cover, briefly.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date
This refined, exclusive metal bracelet with semi-circular three-piece links was created in 1956 for the launch of the prestigious Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date.
The Day-Date holds the unique distinction in the brand’s catalogue of being the only model offered exclusively in precious metals. At its launch in 1956, it was meant as the most prestigious watch, befitting only the worthiest wrists. It went on to live up to its billing, appearing on the wrists of the world’s most prominent individuals and visionaries. This included, famously, US President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, leading the Day-Date to be called the President’s watch. It is equipped with the President bracelet, which debuted with the watch in 1956, but when Johnson was photographed wearing the watch, the name President’s watch stuck. More recently, women such as Jennifer Aniston and Victoria Beckham have been spotted wearing the Day-Date watch.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 in 18 ct Everose gold with an Eisenkiesel diamond-set dial and a President bracelet
The extraordinarily fetching Eisenkiesel dial seen here in the Day-Date 36 is entirely new in watchmaking this year, making Rolex the first brand to use this decorative stone. Nothing expresses strength and power quite like being a ground-breaker, which the wearer of this watch will be. Eisenkiesel is a type of dark quartz with striped inclusions of iron oxide, making each dial truly one-of-a-kind. The discs of stone produced for the dials are cut from a block of raw material, with each disc individually selected by Rolex designers – only those whose colour and structure fully meet Rolex’s strict aesthetic criteria are selected. This pairs well with the resplendence of the diamond-set Roman numeral hour markers in the 36 mm case endowing the watch with quiet sophistication.
What is entirely contemporary here is the self-winding calibre 3255. Developed and manufactured by Rolex, calibre 3255 boasts 14 patents and, thanks to its barrel architecture and the escapement’s superior efficiency, the power reserve of this movement extends to approximately 70 hours (more than enough to get through the weekend) and an accuracy of +/-2 seconds a day.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 in 18 ct Everose gold featuring a white mother-of-pearl diamond-set dial and a President bracelet
The mother-of-pearl stone dial provides a stunning backdrop to this Day-Date 36 watch, with its combination of round and baguette diamond hour markers. The 36 mm model is thus bestowed with a commanding presence on the wrist, like the exclamation mark on a well-made point. Like its companion model with Eisenkiesel dial, this Day-Date model is also in 18 ct Everose gold and is distinguished by the President bracelet, which was created for this collection in 1956. You can always recognise the President bracelet by its three solid semi-circular links that provides complete reliability and comfort, along with the concealed Crownclasp. Like all Rolex watches, the Day-Date is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification redefined by Rolex in 2015.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust
Today, more than ever, the Cyclops lens is an inseparable part of the aesthetics of the Oyster collection. It continues to evolve and perpetuate the brand’s singular care for the wearer’s comfort.
The Datejust is a classic and robust watch suitable for daily wear; it is capable of reflecting strength of character too, as this series of stories will show. To begin with, the Cyclops lens, which takes its name from the one-eyed giants of Greek mythology, was patented by Rolex in the early 1950s and introduced for the first time in 1953 on a Datejust model. This innovation makes it appreciably easier for the reading of the date and has become a signature feature that classic watch lovers look out for. On the other hand, the Datejust can be restrained or unabashedly bold with the large variety of configurations available, as its owner wishes.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36 in Oystersteel and 18 ct white gold fitted with a bright blue fluted motif dial and an Oyster bracelet
New for 2021, this Datejust 36 model showcases a bright blue fluted motif dial, matching the signature fluted bezel design. The fluted motif emphasises the pattern found on a range of Rolex bezels that has become one of the brand’s signature aesthetic styles. This recognisable style adds heft to any owner’s personality.
Launched in 1945, the Datejust was the first self-winding waterproof chronometer wristwatch to display the date in a window at 3 o’clock on the dial. The watch consolidated all the major innovations that the brand had contributed to the modern wristwatch until then. The Datejust has spanned eras while retaining the enduring aesthetic characteristics that make it so instantly recognisable.
The new versions of this 36 mm watch are equipped with calibre 3235, a movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex that was released in 2015 and has been fitted on this model since 2018.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 in 18 ct white gold featuring a white mother-of-pearl diamond-set dial and a President bracelet
Diamonds add just the right amount of lustre to this Datejust 31 from all the elements, including the 18 ct white gold of the 31 mm case and President bracelet, to distinguish the owner in meetings and professional settings. Alongside the diamond-set hour markers on the mother-of-pearl dial, the bezel is also fully set with 36 diamonds, whose elegance belies the gemmology expertise and gem-setting skills at the Rolex manufacture. The gem-setters work with tweezers to handle trapeze-cut diamonds, each the size of a pinhead. To get each diamond to sit at the right height on the bezel, they must manually excavate a tiny bit of metal from the cavity. This process is then repeated, three times on average, until the table of the stone – its topmost facet – is perfectly aligned with its neighbour. Furthermore, in terms of the dimensions of the diamonds, Rolex tolerates variances of no more than 2 hundredths of a millimetre, which is around a quarter of the diameter of a human hair. Once finished, 36 diamonds will form the perfectly uniform, radiant circle of the watch’s gem-set bezel. This bezel alone illustrates the wide range of skills and know-how mastered in-house by Rolex.
The Datejust 31 is fitted with the self-winding calibre 2236, featuring a Perpetual rotor that ensures continuous winding of the mainspring by harnessing the movements of the wrist to provide constant energy. It offers a power reserve of approximately 55 hours.
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Reinvention is the theme for Rado and its storied Captain Cook lineup as 2021 proves to the year for the brand to reveal an unprecedented and revolutionary watch for the said collection. The introduction to the new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic is necessary especially in the world of horology and style as it is the culmination of years of research and development alongside the natural evolution of the Captain Cook collection.
The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic is a watch fully imbued and endowed with Rado’s DNA in its purest and most distilled form. The timepiece showcases many of Rado most famous and applauded advancements including Rado’s innovative scratch-resistant and hypoallergenic high-tech ceramic in its monobloc case construction and the premium highly accurate Rado calibre R734 featuring a NivachronTM hairspring powering the watch.
“In 2017, the iconic look was re- launched and hit the nerve of time with the renewed worldwide interest in vintage-style diving watches. As the Master of Materials, we did not stop there but continued to develop the product with the launch of the 42 mm steel version in 2019, and the re-interpretation in Bronze in 2020. It is therefore a logical next step to produce this very iconic timepiece in high-tech ceramic, which perfectly combines the Rado past with the present. It is pure Rado DNA.“
– Adrian Bosshard, Rado CEO.
THE CASE AND THE MOVEMENT
Coming in for the first time with a more prominent case diameter of 43mm, the Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic is presented in four attractive versions. The first version (Ref. R32127152) comes in black high-tech ceramic case and bracelet with a hardened steel turning bezel and black high-tech ceramic insert for a monochromatic outlook. Next (Ref. R32127156) is a version with the same case and dial. Here, a rubber strap is attached instead of the bracelet to offer a more casual look. The third version (Ref. R32127162) also arrives in a similar black high-tech ceramic case and bracelet. However, in this case, contrasting rose gold coloured PVD coats the steel turning bezel and black high-tech ceramic insert. Last but not least, the fourth model (Ref. R32128202), stands out with its distinct plasma high-tech ceramic case and bracelet. Blue high-tech ceramic is expertly inserted into the hardened steel bezel.
All versions of the High-Tech Ceramic come powered by the finely finished Rado calibre R734. It impressively provides up to an impressive 80 hours of power reserve for the watch. The monobloc case of the watch ensures a reliable and practical 300m of water resistance. The outstanding façade of the dial and case back is due to the black-tinted sapphire crystal on both sides. It provides the wearer with a secret up-close view of the skeletonized movement without interfering with the legibility of the watch. The stunning dial also acts as the perfect platform to house the iconic Rado rotating anchor at the 12 o’clock position. Key accent elements of the watch such as the triangle on the bezel, the indexes, and the classic Captain Cook arrow hands fitted on the dial are painted with bold white Super-LumiNova® providing clear visibility in low light. A final layer of protection for the dial is the perfectly transparent and robust chevé box sapphire crystal.
FIVE POSITIONS OF ADJUSTMENT
To achieve a high level of accuracy in timekeeping, a five-position adjustment process is employed for each mechanical watch. It is a very time-consuming and technically complex operation and as such, this level of quality control and standard is normally only offered by brands in the luxury segment, including Rado. This is as opposed to the more typical and cost-effective three-position adjustment. What is the five-position adjustment? The position of a watch determines how strongly gravitational pull influences the moving components of a mechanical movement.
The accuracy of a watch movement will therefore vary depending on the position of the watch due to the wearer’s movements. With that in mind, there is a need to adjust a watch in more than just one or three positions. It is due to the fact that a watch that is adjusted in a certain position may show completely different accuracy values in another position. That said, the more positions a watch is adjusted in, the more precise it is during everyday use.
The five-position adjustment is executed in these positions:
THE ANTI-MAGNETIC NIVACHRONTM
Apart from the five positions of adjustment, to further bolster the accuracy and capabilities of the High-Tech Ceramic, the special alloy NivachronTM has been employed in the construction of the watch’s balance springs. NivachronTM is an innovative titanium-based alloy first developed with the involvement of the Swatch Group specifically for such purposes.
Magnetism wreaks havoc onto mechanical watches when the steel components in the watch movement becomes magnetized by a nearby magnetic source and this renders the watch to tell time either much too fast or too slow. Magnetic fields are very present in our surroundings from items such as smartphones, computers, televisions and refrigerators to even magnetic closures on handbags or jewellery. A balance spring made from NivachronTM enables the effects of a magnetic field on the accuracy of a mechanical watch movement to be significantly reduced and helps minimize the need for a Rado service centre to demagnetize the watch under such circumstances.
The key features of NivachronTM are that balance springs made with it are much reduced in sensitivity to the effects of a magnetic field, extremely resistant to fluctuations in temperature and shock as well as significant improvement in timekeeping. When all comes into play, Rado’s calibre R734 is proudly able to boast greater accuracy of the movement thanks to the combination of the five-position adjustment and NivachronTM.
This means that the Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic watch also enjoys a high level of magnetic field resistance and can run for 80 hours when fully wound. The new Captain Cook in High-Tech Ceramic is truly a wonder of engineering from the inside and out. Emanating Rado’s DNA in the mastery of materials and avant-garde watchmaking, this is the dawn of a mechanical masterpiece that has to be experienced first-hand.
As a bonus, let us enjoy Li Edelkoort’s sense of style and trend which are exhibited in her interpretation of Rado’s beautiful watches as seen on the rough coasts of Normandy, France. as Abbe Marie, and even studied with the scientifically inclined cleric.
Amidst a post-pandemic climate, Richard Mille has valiantly gone against the disruption with a steady momentum of new launches and innovations.
Enter the RM74-01 and RM74-02 In-House Automatic Tourbillons as we speak, a pair of novelties being uniquely appealing and technically complex. A double act, similar yet unique—the timepieces exemplify the DNA of the avant-garde watchmaker with elements that boast of its unceasingly innovative streak.
At first glance, though the ultra-skeletonised heart of the two striking models instantly attracts our attention in their likeness, they are demarcated within close range by the fine materials used in their construction.
RM 74-01
First up, RM74-01 flaunts a case in grey Cermet, a remarkable material that juxtaposes the extraordinary lightness of titanium with the hardness of ceramic with its exceptional resistance to corrosion and scratches.
RM 74-01
Taking Richard Mille and microtechnology specialist IMI Group years to develop and design including its singular hue, grey Cermet is technically composed of a metallic zirconium matrix strengthened by high-performance ceramic inserts where the ingenious flash sintering technique is employed. Notably, the Cermet material—typically used for racing car brakes and aerospace’s external fuselage—boasts a density lower than titanium (4.1g/cm3) while its 2360-Vicker hardness is comparable to the diamond’s standard 2400 Vickers. To complement the three-section construction of the case are grade 5 titanium caseband, bridges and baseplate.
In tandem with RM 74-01, side by side and without missing a beat so to speak, is RM 74-02 with yet another Richard Mille exclusive watchmaking material, Gold Carbon TPT®. This challenge is proudly accomplished by incorporating a composite material, the unparalleled Carbon TPT®, with a noble metal, gold leaf.
Just like grey Cermet, Gold Carbon TPT® has entailed years of development in the creation of a resistance-and-lightness tour de force from alternating layers of Carbon TPT® with 24k yellow gold leaf at 45°. The result is a stunning contrast of matte black carbon and glint of precious gold including threads of 24k yellow gold spangled over the curved contours of the case silhouette—all impeccably achieved by specially adapted machining and cutting processes and tools. Complementing the radiant glow are the baseplate and the red-gold 5N caseband with polished pillars, as well as the yellow gold 3N-encircled crown.
From an outward impression, we now journey within to the twin cores of the watches to discover the two new versions of the fully in-house automatic tourbillon calibre. For the RM 74-01, the in-house CRMT6 calibre is its beating heart, while the CRMT5 calibre powers the RM 74-02. The CRMT6 calibre’s baseplate and bridges are crafted from PVD- and electroplasma-treated grade 5 titanium, distinct from the CRMT5 calibre rendered in yellow gold 3N and red gold 5N.
However, the two calibres beat to the same rhythmic mandate of a tourbillon regulator with a free-sprung balance wheel where the constant energy flowing from their fast-winding barrels is smoothly dispersed via the involute profile gear teeth for 50 hours of power reserve and mechanical ballet. Allowing the owners of the twinning but non-identical watches and to personalise the winding according to their individual profile are a variable-geometry rotor from which the two movements distil their energy.
The final compliment that can be paid to the RM 74-01 and RM 74-02 is slimline sophistication that showcases their respective tourbillons at 6 o’clock, majestically placed within their frames. Additionally, the hand-bevelling on the flange further enhances the movements, replete with the detailed touches of satin-polished surfaces, microblasting, hand-bevelling and rolled pivot joints on the movement and case.
Clearly, the peerless refinement of hand-finishing quality has elevated the grace and delicacy of each timepiece to perfectly illustrate architectural elegance and technical performance in high watchmaking.
Bell&Ross revs up with the new Alpine F1 racing team with three new limited edition chronographs pithily named BR V3-94 A521, BR 03-94 A521 and BR-X1 A521. This is part of a continuation of the watchmaker’s partnership with Formula One racing since 2016; the Alpine F1 team was formerly known as the Renault F1 team. If you know a thing or two about racing, you will guess that the team colours are changing so any dedicated watch collection must follow suit. Congratulations, because there is indeed a new Bell&Ross Alpine F1 Team collection of three chronographs, each one dressed up in the team’s Alpine blue, black and white livery.
All models also feature the Alpine team’s logo as the counterweight on the central chronograph hand. All three are variants of existing models, which you can easily suss out by the names: BR V3-94 A521, BR 03-94 A521 and BR-X1 A521, with the A521 portion signifying the particular characteristics of each new limited edition chronograph. This is a reference to the Alpine racing single-seater model A521. The latter two models have featured prominently in WOW and LUXUO over the years, and these new 2021 editions will be welcome additions.
From the left: BR V3-94 A521, BR 03-94 A521, BR-X1 A521
What is notable here are the variations within variations, attendant limited status, and we will begin with the Bell&Ross BR V3-94 A521, since the base model has received comparatively little attention from us. With the round 43mm BR V3-94 A521 in steel, there are two versions and both are limited to 500 pieces. One comes with a steel bracelet while the other sports a black and blue calf leather strap that has a carbon fibre look to it. Both have folding clasps, and of course both are powered by the automatic calibre BR-CAL.301. Bell&Ross fans will recognise this movement as the same one beating within all versions of BR 03-94. Perhaps even more obvious than this is the shape of BR V3-94 A521, which remains unusual for Bell&Ross, even if it is more in-line with sports watches everywhere.
BR V3-94 A521
Moving on, the BR 03-94 A521 is the version with the date window at 6 o’clock, and it shares the French flag on the dial, just as BR V3-94 A521 does. This is a nod to the Alpine team’s heritage but works just as well for Bell&Ross itself. This version is limited to 500 pieces. The flag touch is absent from the BR-X1 A521, which is just as well considering everything else competing for the eye here. This is of course the top of the line model in this set of three chronographs; it is limited to 50 pieces.
BR 03-94 A521
BR-X1 A521
Finally, depending on when you are reading this and where you are, the watches are all beginning with a pre-order run, with delivery for the BR V3-94 A521 and BR 03-94 A521 starting in July, and BR-X1 A521 in September.
Remember the state-of-the-art Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Red Radar from 2011? You most probably would recall if you’re an aficionado of ultramodern, aviation-themed timepieces with an attention-grabbing pop of colour. Designed almost identical to an aircraft radar screen, the watch shows time through a peculiar disc display system.
This year, Bell & Ross unveils BR 03-92 Red Radar Ceramic that is striking and spectacular in equal measure. Revisiting the pioneering display of its predecessor with a more playful appearance, the time is shown through a carefully-considered system of two rotating discs, with a passenger plane motif on the large outermost disc showing the hours and a fighter plane motif on the smaller disc showing the minutes. They are accompanied with an analogue seconds hand.
In essence, there are two levels on the display: the discs with the planes at the lower level and the hours scale printed on the inside of the bright red sapphire crystal. The fun design is reminiscent of a stylised toy, which gives the impression of two miniature planes gliding over the dial. Each component is masterfully assembled and fine-tuned by Bell & Ross in-house experts to ensure the precision of the watch movement will not be affected by friction.
Continuing its journey of superior innovation and performance, the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Red Radar Ceramic takes on the BR 03 42mm ceramic case, a high-tech material that is scratch-resistant in addition to a soft touch effect. Limited to 999 pieces, this is the third member of the Bell & Ross highly successful Radar family.
Click here to pre-order your Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Red Radar Ceramic now.
The Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph is an opus in the Minerva manufacture’s legacy now housed in Montblanc’s Villeret factory. Montblanc Master watchmaker Demetrio Cabiddu was instrumental in the creation of Montblanc’s original rattrapante chronograph and his pioneering work in the 1858 Split Second Chronograph continues to thrive as the industry’s ‘open secret’ an exemplar of Swiss watchmaking and emblematic of high horology but without the accompanying astronomical price tag.
This time the celebrated 1858 Split Second Chronograph returns with an all new visage thanks to a collaboration between Montblanc and Sincere Fine Watches.
“We are delighted to launch this stunning limited edition in collaboration with Sincere Fine Watches who shares the same passion for the pinnacle of technical and fine watchmaking as we do at Montblanc. The Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 8 in red is absolutely surprising and well planned in every detail. I believe the bold choice of colour resonates well in this region and this striking red tone is often associated with adventure and those who dare to explore in both their personal and professional lives.” – Matthieu Dupont, Montblanc SEAO President
Montblanc and Sincere Fine Watch launch Sumptuous Red dial 1858 Split Second Chronograph
Powered by the manufacture calibre MB M16.31, the new Montblanc 1858 Rattrapante or Split Second Chronograph wears large because its beating heart was built off a movement originally designed for pocket watches. Using the MB M16.29 found in earlier 1858 monopusher chronographs as a base, Montblanc integrated a split seconds module to keep track of multiple running seconds through an additional column wheel and that mistakable “pincer” (but really a mechanical brake system). Each component is nicely angled or chamfered were necessary and the overall attractiveness for a high complication chronograph retailing at slightly more than US$35,000 at this level of finnissage is quite unheard of.
Exquisitely housed in a robust, satin-finished, 44 mm Grade 5 titanium case, the Sincere Fine Watch variant of the Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 8 comes with a red gradated lacquered dial that has been created using a special process that takes dexterity and time to achieve.
“2020 has been an incredibly insightful year. It has given us the perfect opportunity to be selective in our projects. This limited edition of solely 8 pieces is a fantastic way to showcase Montblanc and Sincere Fine Watches’ determination, shared passion and resilience. By creating such amazing limited editions with Montblanc, we stay true to the brand’s values, authenticity and exclusivity,” – Ong Ban, Sincere Fine Watches CEO
Birthing the Red Lacquer Dial of the 1858 Split Chronograph
Red varnish is applied to dial of the Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition, but the gradation which sees its chroma darken towards the periphery of the dial is the painstaking process of “fading the center” after which fifteen layers of translucent lacquer are then applied to the dial, allowing time to dry between each layer for a contrasting shine. The even sheen of lacquer which catches the light so beautiful is the final result of fine polishing in order to remove impurities and create a dial of remarkable distinction.
The red coloured background is paired with white elements that accentuate the vintage style of the 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 8, while also providing readability of the complications both at day and night. The sapphire crystal of the titanium case has an anti-magnetized treatment to ensure greater precision of the two second hands of the chronograph.
At the center of the Split Second Chronograph lies a base 1000 tachymeter in a colimaçon (snail shape) — allowing the wearer to measure a length of time of up to three minutes, as compared to one minute in most traditional chronograph scales. The tachymeter scale can indicate the speed of a moving object, rendering speed in kilometres or miles per hour.
Movement Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M16.31 with 50 hours power reserve Case 44 mm Grade 5 titanium with 30 metres water resistance Strap Alligator Leather Price €35,000
Celebrating Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary in grand style in 2014, the Geneva manufacture created the limited edition Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime in seven gold limited editions, and it became an emblem of the brand’s historical and modern achievements.
Equipped with 20 different complications and information indicated on the Grandmaster Chime’s front and rear dials, the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime and its highly filigreed case decoration became a wrist-worn icon depicting the pinnacle of maison.
For Only Watch 2019, Patek Philippe indulges us with another edition of the 5175, this time, a stainless steel edition of the Grandmaster Chime with a salmon dial on the front and a black dial on the back.
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime in Steel for Only Watch 2019
The 47.7mm steel Grandmaster Chime for Only Watch 2019 will be auctioned to provide funds for research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy this November and as usual, took media attention as the watch to watch out at the Only Watch event. The 20-complication Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime debuted in 2014 as the reference 5175R and the Only Watch edition is available in a single, unique steel model, estimated to fetch bids of up to US$2.5 million.
The 20 complications include five chiming modes, two of which are patented world firsts: an acoustic alarm that strikes the preselected time and a date repeater sounding the date on demand. The unique steel Grandmaster Chime for Only Watch is distinguished by its salmon and black dials, a steel case and a print that reads “The Only One” within the 12 o’clock subdial.
The Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A was first rumoured in Baselworld earlier this year and in the same vein as other Patek Philippe Only Watch editions, the Triple Complication Ref. 5208T-010 and the Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar ref. 5016, was expected either in titanium or steel.
This release confirms that the single production Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A-010 is in stainless steel, the winning bidder will not just become the owner of the highly exclusive timepiece but also visit its birthplace in 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, culminating in a lunch with Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern.
Unique Grandmaster Chime in Steel for Only Watch Price and Specs
Movement Manual winding Caliber 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM with 72 hours power reserve Case 47.7mm stainless steel Strap Leather Price US$2 million to US$2.5 million
Rado introduces the True Thinline Les Couleurs™ Le Corbusier, an exclusive collection of high-tech ceramic watches that pay tributes to Le Corbusier’s legendary Architectural Polychromy color theory.
The 63 colours of Architectural Polychromy are classified into nine distinct groups of shades and tones, representing architectural significances to create space and depth, of which deliver physiological and psychological impact on the viewer.
As the Master of Materials, Rado applies their expertise on high-tech ceramic andmonobloc case construction to create the exclusive timepieces in nine exact Architectural Polychromy colours, challenging the craftsmanship without compromising designs and styles.
Vibrant, velvety, balanced, bold, powerful, expressive, luminous, impressive and pure, the Rado True Thinline Les Couleurs™ Le Corbusier watches come with a limited edition of 999 pieces for each colour.
Swipe the gallery to check out Rado True Thinline Couleurs™ Le Corbusier collection:
The Panthère de Cartier is an ever-evolving idea, capturing modernism with the French luxury house’s classical legacy and this year, Cartier introduces two new timepieces – the manchette watch and the mini watch to the range.
Featuring noble metals, adorned with dazzling diamonds, the new timepieces are endowed with the essence of Panthère de Cartier watch: a celebratory, hedonistic and ultra-feminine spirit.
Panthère de Cartier the manchette watch
Panthère de Cartier the mini watch
The manchette watch captures the flowing, silky bracelet of the Panthère de Cartier watch, besprinkled with jewels, blurring the line between timepiece and jewellery. Whilst the mini watch concentrates on proportion, borrows the exceptional elegance from the original model with a new height of sophistication.
An ever-evolving classic loved by the ladies, the Panthère de Cartier collection is something every woman needs in her arsenal of arm candies. Personally, the manchette is our favourite for that extra wow factor wherever we go(think the Oscars red carpet walk).
Swipe the gallery to check out Panthère de Cartier’s manchette watch and mini watch:
Designed for Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont in 1904, the namesake Santos de Cartier is the first watch designed specifically as a wristwatch in the early 20th century when pocket watches were still de rigueur and the trend for wrist watches was just beginning.
Conceived 5 years before the iconic Cartier Tank, the Santos de Cartier has, since its creation, always been defined by the screwed-in bezel, square dial with Roman numerals and its soft angular square case.
For SIHH 2019, Cartier unveils the new Santos-Dumont timepiece – an understated, pared-down, authentic interpretation fitted to an alligator leather strap.
Santos Dumont
Cased in gold, gold and steel or all steel, the new Santos Dumont at SIHH 2019 takes the signature design codes like Roman numerals, visible screws on bezel (a major “faux pas” in luxury watchmaking of that era) , beaded winding crown sans crown guards and blue cabochon, and continues the legacy of the early watchmaking classic.
The basic geometry while greatly refined, remains unchanged. Promoting the pure and symmetrical mirroring the four corners of the Eiffel Tower, the Cartier Santos Dumont symbolised the design revolution of the early 1900s when it ran counter-current to the time period’s accepted watch design codes.
While it is anyone’s guess why Cartier chose a high autonomy quartz movement for the new Santos Dumont when the Maison could just have easily equipped it with an ultra-thin calibre, it is our guess that in opting for quartz, the pure, pared-down Santos Dumont timepiece could then be offered at greatly enticing price points for a wider market.
With an ultra-thin movement, it would be available only to the most dedicated of connoisseurs but with the 6 years run-time high autonomy quartz calibre, Cartier makes the most potent argument this SIHH 2019 with peerless practicality in its contemporary reflection of the style of Alberto Santos Dumont.
Able to operate twice as long as traditional quartz movements, the SIHH 2019 Cartier Santos Dumont’s high-efficiency quartz movement was achieved with a reworked and resized movement for reduced energy consumption and then powered with a new high-performance battery.
Santos Dumont Price and Specs
Movement High autonomy quartz calibre with 6 years power reserve Case 38mm Stainless steel with black ADLC bezel, stainless steel with yellow gold bezel, and rose gold with 30 metres water resistance Strap QuickSwitch system bracelet and/or leather Price From US$5,500
Santos de Cartier Chronograph
2018 saw the reinvention of the Santos collection and since a chronograph has always been part of the series, it is fitting that for SIHH 2019, Cartier re-introduces the Santos de Cartier Chronograph in similar 43.3mm proportions as its contemporary pioneer.
Available in three variants: stainless steel with a black ADLC steel bezel, stainless steel with an 18k yellow gold bezel, and solid 18k rose gold, the 2019 Santos de Cartier Chronograph features a greatly modified 1904-CH MC chronograph calibre which eschews the traditional pushers around the crown layout for a more symmetrical look – putting start/stop pusher on the left side of the new Santos de Cartier chronograph and then mirrored by the crown with reset function itself integrated into the crown.
Of great horological interest is how the new Santos de Cartier chronograph makes a subtle reference to the Cartier Paris Collection Prive or CPCP mono-pusher chronograph operation concept found on vintage Cartier Tortue Chronograph models. This attention to elegance and ergonomics simply takes that heritage into the 21st century.
Fitted with the 1904-CH MC Cartier Manufacture movement, the SIHH 2019 Santos de Cartier chronograph features a fine watchmaking chronograph calibre with column wheel, vertical clutch, and linear reset hammer.
New Santos de Cartier Chronograph Price and Specs
Movement Automatic calibre 1904-CH MC with 48 hours power reserve Case 43.3mm Stainless steel with black ADLC bezel, stainless steel with yellow gold bezel, and rose gold with 100 metres water resistance Strap QuickSwitch system bracelet and/or leather Price From US$8,950 to US$24,700
Santos de Cartier Skeleton Noctambule
If the latest Santos Dumont was a spiritually authentic interpretation of the milestone 1904 wristwatch, the new SIHH 2019 Santos de Cartier Skeleton Noctambule can be considered a postmodern variant. With bridges are coated with Super-LumiNova pigments, the new Skeleton Noctambule looks similar to the first Santos de Cartier Skeleton by day but by night, the Super-LumiNova coated bridges light up the countenance of the timepiece.
The new Santos de Cartier Skeleton Noctambule is equipped with the Manufacture calibre 9612 with manual winding and skeletonised bridges in the shape of Roman numerals.
Santos de Cartier Skeleton Noctambule Price and Specs
Movement Manual winding calibre 9612 MC with 72 hours power reserve Case 38mm Stainless steel with black ADLC bezel, stainless steel with yellow gold bezel, and rose gold with 30 metres water resistance Strap QuickSwitch system bracelet and/or leather Price From US$27,000
For more than 60 years, Corum has been embracing the idea of creativity and boldness as its vision, and who better to parade for the Maison than Hu Bing, the athletic, model, singer, producer and editor.
Hu Bing’s oriental steely yet elegant aura and imperturbable style have brought him a high-profile status in the international fashion scene but it is that fearless and passionate attitude towards life that marks the genuine charm of this global icon, who truly embodied the Corum philosophy – “Craft Your Dreams”.
From elegance to sporty chic and youthful energy, the collaboration with Hu Bing brings out the timeless luxury and different artistic of Corum watches.
“His pursuit to excellence and continuous breakthrough are precisely the best interpretation of Corum’s persistent progress in fine watchmaking.”
– Mr. Jérôme Biard, CEO of CORUM
Swipe the gallery to check out more pictures of CORUM’s latest campaign starring Hu Bing:
He is known for his provocative ways in fashion in the ’90s and has also brought art to the film industry in the 2000s.
Now Tom Ford is ready to venture into the world of haute horology with the debut of his first timepiece collection – the Tom Ford 001 Watches.
An avid watch collector himself, Ford brings more than a little knowledge to bear on his eponymous 001 Watch. The sophisticated Swiss-made timepieces are finally launching to join Ford’s timeless empire of ready to wear, sunglasses, fragrance, handbags, and makeup.
For this watch collection, there will be two sizes available, in a variety of case materials such as 18-karat yellow gold and matte black DLC. The collection also features 62 interchangeable strap options in 30 shades – from hand-woven braided leather, pebbled grain leather to alligator skin.
Colours span from neutrals like black, cognac, nude to brights like cerulean and saffron, which Ford emphasises that characterizes it as a uni-sex watch.
The watch is built alongside with Bedrock Manufacturing, the company behind Shinola and Filson. Ford’s pieces may thus be designed with Ronda calibres with quartz, which is the supplier of the base movements used in Shinola and Filson watches.
However, little is revealed on the movement from the release and we wait on Tom Ford for further details.
Depending on an individual’s configuration, prices will range from $2,190 to $10,100. Catch the release here.
Sustainability has always been a core value for Chopard for more than 30 years and in its latest effort for the cause, Chopard will start the use of ethical gold for its collection.
Starting from July 2018 onwards, every single watch and jewellery made by the Maison will use 100% ethical gold, as announced by Chopard Co-Presidents Caroline and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele at Baselworld 2018.
The ethical gold Chopard uses to craft its jewellery and watches will be sourced from mines participating in the Swiss Better Gold Association (SBGA), Fairmined and Fairtrade schemes as well as RJC Chain of Custody gold, which all meet the international best practice environmental and social standards.
In an effort to contribute to artisanal gold miners’ improvement initiatives and to grow the volumes of ethical gold extraction, Chopard joined SBGA in 2017.
As one of the members of the Responsible Jewellery Council, the Swiss brand is in full control of the entire processes, from manufacturing to the final product.
At the press conference Caroline Scheufele says, “As a family run business, ethics have always been an important part of our family philosophy. Naturally, we have always put ethics at the heart of the values of Chopard”.
On top of the announcement, Chopard’s Green Carpet High Jewellery collection made of Fairmined gold made its first appearance at Baselworld along with High Horlogery L.U.C Full Strike watch and Happy Palm watch as the family-owned Maison slowly march into a new era of ethical gold usage.
[L-R] Julian Jackson, Charles de Brabant, Hassan Choudhury
[L-R] Julian Levy, Surinder Jessy, Joe Flizzow, Ashwin Rajgopal
[L-R] Samuel Poselethwaite, Michelle Lee
[L-R] Shah Shamshiri, Emi Anuar, Syafinaz selamat, Tunku Marina
Last week saw the centre court of Pavilion mall transformed into a dazzling temple of timepieces, during the annual Revolution by Time Kulture showcase. Eight brands headlined this luxury showcase: Bell & Ross, Graham, Longines, Maurice Lacroix, Oris, TAG Heuer, Tissot and Tudor.
More than 200 invited guests attended the launch party, including Malaysian hip-hop artiste and entrepreneur Joe Flizzow, chef extraordinaire Isadora Chai, fitness guru Hansen Lee and founder of MindValley, Vishen Lakhiani. Apart from perusing the latest from the eight headliners, guests were entertained by a variety of games like mini car races, a “What’s Your Watch Personality?” quiz and lucky draws. Canapes were served by Quivo, and drinks from Heineken and Nespresso. DJ Patricia Knudsen and Joe Flizzow provided music entertainment to the vibrant crowd.
Denis Martinet, Director of Asia for Graham Watches, at the Time Kulture exhibition at Pavilion in July 2017.
Hardcore history and aviation fans will be familiar with nose art, but the rest of us won’t immediately associate heavy military artillery like bombers and fighter jets with any kind of art.
So it’s apt for Graham Watches to introduce a classic, World War II era, army-man tradition into their latest rendition of the Chronofighter Vintage as reminder of its heritage: nose art of bodacious, ’40s pinup women, each clad — somewhat provocatively — according to her own style.
For background, nose art refers to the personalised decorations that air servicemen placed at the fuselages of their aircraft. Functionally, the paintings or decorations proved a useful way of distinguishing from friend or foe while airborne. Sea monsters, sharks and prancing horses were common, as were raunchier illustrations of women. It was the Germans who began the tradition, but became so popular that when it reached the Americans, it created a niche industry for professional artists like Donald Allen and Hal Olsen to make a name for themselves.
We had a chance to admire the limited edition Chronofighter Vintage Nose Art up close, at the Revolution by Time Kulture Exhibition in Pavilion, ongoing till July 16. Four different women — Sally, Anna, Nina and Lilly — feature on black or blue sun-brushed dials. Each of the ladies are skillfully and painstakingly lacquered on using featherline tools (visit their booth to watch a mesmerising video fo the process.) Calf leather straps come in black, green and blue, and of course, not to be missed is the fast-action start/stop trigger that made waves at Baselworld 2016 for its distinctiveness.
Only 100 of each design is available, according to Denis Martinet, Director of Asia for Graham Watches. Get your girl before she’s gone? We hope so.
Black sunbrushed dial with Sally pin-up. Hand-sewn black leather strap
Black sunbrushed dial with Nina pin-up. Hand-sewn green leather strap
Blue sunbrushed dial with Nina pin-up. Hand-sewn blue leather strap
Blue sunbrushed dial with Lilly pin-up. Hand-sewn blue leather strap
Classical music — a genre so unspeakably rich in content, vast in scope and so absolutely beautiful is best paired with a complication, because nothing else will quite match up.
Zenith Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot
Based off the El Primero chronograph calibre, the movement of this watch is its main draw. The El Primero Calibre 4805 here retains its base movement’s 5Hz frequency, and comes equipped with a tourbillon regulator as well as a fusée-and-chain transmission – features that are arguably archaic, yet rather indicative of a brand’s movement design and production prowess. At 45mm, the watch asserts a stately presence, and comes with a relatively slim bezel to showcase its technical highlights. Black ceramic, approx. RM356,912.
Glashutte Original Senator Cosmopolite
As far as dual time watches go, the Senator Cosmopolite is probably the equivalent of the complete symphony orchestra with more than a hundred members. This watch doesn’t just display local and home time with a set of hands and day/night indicators each, but also accounts for daylight savings time, and even time zones that aren’t offset from GMT/UTC by complete hours. What’s perhaps most impressive is its adaptability – like how a symphonic orchestra can add a separate keyboard section when needed, just a dial change will accommodate new or removed time zones for this watch. White gold, approx. RM218,267.
Nothing says classical quite like Glashütte watches so we have to include A. Lange & Söhne too. Masquerading as a chronograph, the 1815 Annual Calendar keeps its charms mainly for the wearer. Obviously, this is a manual-winding watch that invites quiet contemplation of Calibre L051.3, a composition as elegant as any by Mozart. Dial-side the symphonic action is the ability to advance indications collectively via the push piece at two o’clock. Soloist action can also be performed, with even the date being able to advance separately via a recessed pusher – a first for an A. Lange & Söhne calendar model. Red gold, approx. RM176,280.
Patek Philippe ref. 5930 World Time Chronograph
The time in the major cities around the world at a mere glance, with a flyback chronograph to boot – that’s a good description of Ref. 5930, at least for a start. There’s also the masterful arrangement of elements to keep the dial legible and aesthetically balanced, alongside the shades of blue that do not detract from the classical styling of the watch. There’s even guilloché applied to the middle of the dial that manages to enhance its overall look, without creating any hint of busyness. Truly a timepiece that’s far, far greater than the sum of its parts. White gold, approx. RM301,883.
Words by Jamie Tan. Photography by greenplasticsoldiers. Art direction and styling by Evon Ching. From: World of Watches #37.
the Patek
