New Watch Releases from Girard-Perregaux, Hublot, Tag Heuer, Seiko at Baselworld 2013

Girard-Perregaux Constant (Force) Escapement

These watchmakers have unveiled what they claim are new innovations in the Swiss watch industry. I can’t tell you how many times a watch brand has made a claim of creating something completely new or whether that function or design detail has any real value.

However, this elite group of brands can certainly back their claims and I believe they have succeed in doing that with products that are listed below.

Girard-Perregaux Constant (Force) Escapement (top photo)
It’s not often that one experiences a horological breakthrough but this may have been in the case at the Girard-Perregaux booth during Baselworld 2013. It is about as a complicated as a complication can be but in short the Swiss luxury watch brand has created a way to provide constant energy to the balance (regulator) wheel. The brand describes the solution to this problem as the “holy grail” of watchmaking.

What this means that there is no revving up or slowly down the rate of speed of a watch, which is typical in the operation of a mechanical watch. For example, when first winding a watch the movement sometimes works at a faster than normal rate of speed. As the watch loses power its speed diminishes until it slowly stops or is manually wound again. The solution created by Girard-Perregaux keeps the watch at constant and consistent regulated speed throughout this cycle.

This breakthrough (if indeed it is a breakthrough and time will tell) uses a 14 micron silicon buckled-blade, six times thinner than a human hair, which acts as a way to provide a repeated pulse to two escape wheels at a rate that is constant and consistent. This in turn provides the same consistent force of energy to the balance wheel. It beats at the frequency of 3 Hz or 21,600 vibrations per hour.

It is a bit more complicated than my explanation. There are detailed stories of how this process works at Hodinkee and Revolution that include Girard-Perregaux videos.

The operation of the escapement and its butterfly-shaped wing frame is clearly visible on the lower half of the dial. The hours and minutes occupy a sub-dial off-centered at 12 o’clock. This is flanked by two energy reservoirs in the shape of double barrels. The power reserve indicator is placed at 9 o’clock.

Tag Heuer Carrera MikroPendulumS
The Swiss luxury watch brand explains this as the first ever magnetic double tourbillion. Two magnetic pendulums replace hairsprings: one is for telling time and the other for timekeeping. The watch chain turns at 12Hz and its chronograph chain turns at 50Hz (60-minute power reserve). The chronograph tourbillon, the world’s fastest, says the watch brand, controls the 1/100th of a second, beats 360,000 an hour and rotates 12 times a minute.

The case is forged from a chrome and cobalt alloy used in aviation and surgery. It is biocompatible, harder than titanium, easier to shape and as luminous as white gold. The case design, with its stopwatch-like placement of the crown at 12 o’clock, is based on the 2012 Aiguille d’Or winner, the TAG Heuer Carrera Mikrogirder, and the Carrera 50 Year Anniversary Jack Heuer edition. The two tourbillon pendulums and their solid rose gold bridges (18K 5N) are visible through the fine-brushed anthracite dial. The hand applied “100” at 12 o’clock is in solid rose gold. The chronograph minutes counter is at 12 o’clock, chronograph seconds at 3, and the chronograph power reserve at 9. The 1/100th of a second scale appears on the silver flange.

Hublot Big Bang Unico Chrono
This is the first in a new line of products designed to house all future incarnations of the Unico movement. The iconic design of the Big Bang has evolved to contain the Unico, an in-house made column wheel chronograph movement with a dual horizontal coupling visible on the dial side. This marks the start of a new line of Hublot products designed to complete the Big Bang, Classic Fusion, King Power and Masterpieces ranges, the company said.

For the very first time since the creation of the Big Bang in 2005, the push-buttons are round. Each one is protected by a push-button guard integrated in the middle and finished like an engine piston. A skeleton dial reveals the movement. A minute counter is positioned at 3 o'clock and a small seconds counter at 9 o'clock. The date view is at 3 o'clock.

The HUB 1242 Unico manufacture movement is a flyback chronograph that can be reset at any time with two push-buttons. The hour counter is driven directly by the barrel, and there is no jumper in the chronograph mechanism. This simplification boosts reliability and robustness. Its silicon pallet fork and escapement wheel are fixed to a removable platform and are made from silicon. The movement has been trimmed to 330 components. It has a frequency of 4hz/28,800 vibrations per hour with a power reserve of about 72 hours.

Seiko Kinetic Direct Drive
Seiko made the world’s first kinetic watch 25 years ago that used the motion of the wearer to create the electrical energy to power a quartz movement. Using the mechanical energy of a traditional oscillating weight, the Kinetic rotor spins at up to 100,000 rpm, creating the electrical energy that drives the quartz movement without having to change the battery.

For the Kinetic Direct Drive caliber, not only does the rotor power the watch as one moves, but the wearer can also power it by turning the crown, just like a mechanical watch. In addition, when winding the crown, the power reserve changes function to become a real-time indicator of the energy that is imparted to the watch through the winding. 

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The Swatch Group Brands at Baselworld 2013 (including Harry Winston)

Harry Winston Opus XIII

The powerful presence of the Swatch Group was present like never before at Baselworld 2013, taking up a larger chunk of the renovated Hall 1.0, the most prestigious area at the show for the majority of its 19 watch brands, which span just about every segment of the watch industry.

In addition, the company, which also owns watch movement manufacturers and retail brands, hosted a separate museum-quality exhibition in Hall 2.0 for its Swatch timepieces; the brand that has been the most responsible for the company’s enormous success.

The newest brand under Swatch Group’s enormous umbrella, Harry Winston, still had its own space in Hall 1.1, as the $1 billion acquisition occurred in March, well too late  for Harry Winston to be folded into the other company holdings (perhaps next year).

Below are some of new releases from the seven brands in the group that I had the chance to visit during the eight-day tradeshow. I included Harry Winston as the company's new CEO, Nayla Hayek, was announced Friday.

Blancpain Carrousel, Minute Repeater and Chronograph
The Swiss luxury watch brand has created a fully mechanical watch that combines a one-minute flying carrousel (similar to a tourbillon) and a minute repeater with a flyback chronograph.

For the minute repeater, the blades of its cathedral gong wrap one and a half times around the movement to emit the sound. Its transmission is optimized by fixing the gongs inside the case, which increases volume and clarity. A flying governor reduces the background noise produced by the movement.

The pusher for the chronograph function with the flyback or instant-restart function (historically used by pilots) is located at 4 o’clock and enables the wearer to restart a time measurement while a first measurement is in progress.

The watch comes in a red gold 45 mm case with a chapter ring, a 30-minute and hour-markers in grand feu enamel. The open dial and sapphire crystal case-back provides in-depth views of this complex device.

Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727
Available in rose or white gold, the watch is fitted with the new in-house caliber 574DR, which has a balance frequency of 10Hz.thus, improving the time-keeping performance of the balance and spring. It is fitted with a double balance-spring, pallet lever and escape wheel, all in specially prepared silicon. The result is a regulating power equivalent to around 830 microwatts. Despite its high frequency, it has a power reserve of 60 hours.

However, Breguet says the major innovation of this model is the use of magnetic pivots, which not only controls the negative effects of magnetism in a watch, but also uses the magnetic force to improve the pivoting, rotation and stability of the balance staff.

The dial shows an off-center chapter of hours and minutes, small seconds at 12 o'clock, a power-reserve indicator at 5 o'clock and a tenth-of-a-second indicator at 1 o'clock having a patented lightweight silicon hand with low inertia that doesn’t affect the balance. The pare-chute is visible at 2 o'clock, both as a reminder of A-L Breguet’s 1790 invention and to make the timepiece slimmer.

The dial is engine-turned in six patterns: “Geneva waves” in the center, a hobnail pattern for the small seconds, sunrays on the tenth-of-a-second dial and chevrons for the power-reserve indicator. The hours chapter is cross-hatched while a barleycorn pattern decorates the outer edge. The hands are in polished steel with the Breguet open tip, while the case displays delicate fluting.

Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer Regulator
This new timepiece unites the classic regulator display with an officially certified manual winding chronometer movement.

The dominant central position on the lacquered silver-grainé dial is the blue minute hand with its polished eye. On the central axis above and below the minute indicator are smaller hour and seconds displays.

The Glashütte Original panorama date display is placed at 3 o’clock. The date change takes place at midnight. From 6 in the morning until 6 in the evening, the small circle in the region of the hour display is white; from 6 pm until 6 am it is black. This timepiece is framed by a 42 mm polished case in red gold or a white gold version.

The watch is driven by the caliber 58-04, which permits the precise coordination of minute and seconds hands. A second-zero-stop-mechanism makes it is easy for the wearer to set the exact time. When winding the crown, the time display is stopped, the second hand jumps to zero and remains there. At the same time, the minute hand is also moved to the next full minute index. When one winds the crown to set the time, the minute hand always rests only on the full minute indices. This provides the correct relationship of the displayed seconds and minutes. A power reserve display at 9 o’clock indicates the energy remaining in the manual winding movement.

The watch is officially certified and bears a certificate from the German Calibration Service after a 15-day testing period.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Regulator
The H-12 movement in this watch allows the separation of the minute and hour hands on  different axials and sub-dials. The idea is to make the watch more accurate and provide an easier way for the person who owns the timepiece to read the time. However, I think most people wear such a watch is because of the appearance. Add to this the blue or silver dial and you have watch that can be worn for casual or formal occasions. There are three 42mm timepieces in the collection. In addition to the dial choice straps come in either leather or stainless steel.


Harry Winston Opus XIII (top photo)
It was difficult to determine which of the many technically advanced and aesthetically pleasing timepieces from this luxury brand to show. In the end I chose the newest addition to its iconic Opus collection. Opus is the watch that introduced Harry Winston to the world as more than just luxury jeweler. Each year the brand works with gifted independent watchmakers to build a timepiece with the goal of defying the conventional rules of watchmaking.

This year the newest member of the Swatch Group created a watch where the minutes accumulate around a track. Eleven rotating silver triangles spring from a faceted dome to show the hours. Every 12 hours, Harry Winston’s logo is appears on the dial and vanishes after sixty minutes. The 59 minute hands pivot on a ring of steel shafts that are held in place by 242 ruby bearings.

The mechanical watch is powered by the in-house HW4101 movement, which has 364 components. The case is made of 18k white gold.

Jaquet Droz Perpetual Calendar Eclipse
This newest version of the Eclispe line presents a new moon phase complication, which displays the cycles of the night of the sky on the dial, with the perpetual calendar complication. On the black or ivory-colored Grand Feu enamel dial, two straight hands contrast with the curves of two wavy hands, tipped with a crescent moon. The calendar information is easily read on several places on the dial: on the right is the date, on the left is the day of the week. At 12 o’clock, a single-hand counter indicates the month with the leap year appearing in a small window. At 6 o’clock, a black or ivory-colored onyx index moves across the face of a golden moon, revealing, and then concealing it until its total eclipse, unfolding on a night sky of eight golden stars, the watchmaker’s favorite number. The timepiece is powered by a Jaquet Droz 5853LR.4 self-winding mechanical movement, double barrel, perpetual calendar, retrograding moon phase, 22-carat white gold oscillating weight.

Longines Heritage Military 1938
Following Orb’s victory in the Kentucky Derby, Longines, the Official Watch and Timekeeper for the celebrated race, awarded the horse’s owner, trainer and jockey with watches from the brand’s Saint-Imier collection at the event’s Winners’ Circle Party. The Swiss watchmaking brand was the Official Watch and Timekeeper of Kentucky Derby 139 and Entitlement Partner of Longines Kentucky Oaks 139. Now the luxury watch brand is Paris where it is the Official Timekeep of Roland-Garros, home of the French Open.

Prior to both events, the brand was in Baselworld showing off its new watch collections. Among them was the Longines Heritage Military 1938, which uses the same aesthetics based on the design of a military watch produced by Longines in the 1930s. With a diameter of 42 mm and fitted with the automatic calibre L705, this timepiece displays the hours and minutes, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, the date at 6 o’clock and the small second at 9 o’clock. Large white Arabic numerals, coated with Super-LumiNova and a minute circle white as well contrasts with the deep matt black of the dial.

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Chopard Unveils 65-Carat, $1.58 Million Happy Sport Anniversary Watch

Chopard is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its successful Happy Sport watch line by releasing the Happy Sport Diamantissimo—an 18-carat white gold timepiece set with 958 baguette-cut diamonds and 1,978 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 65 carats. It retails for 1.5 million Swiss francs ($1.58 million).

And it’s not just another pretty face as this timepiece is driven by a Chopard L.U.C 96.17-L in-house movement. The company said in a statement that this watch combines its expertise in high jewelry and fine watchmaking.

It took more than 4,500 hours of work to create the watch—with 1,700 hours dedicated to gem setting. The dial, bezel, case and bracelet links are covered with diamonds using the “invisible” setting technique. This involves each stone being cut and adjusted to create a seamless diamond-studded surface showing no spaces and no setting prongs.

Caroline Scheufele created the Happy Sport in 1993 and it has since been reinterpreted in elegant and even humorous ways, appearing in a number of identities, including Happy Beach, La Vie en Rose, Happy Spirit and Mystery Pink.

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Is Hublot’s New Red Gold Watch Actually Red Gold?

Hublot's Big Bang Caviar Red Gold Diamonds ladies watch

For Hublot’s Baselworld preview, the Swiss luxury watch brand released images of its “5N red gold” Big Bang Caviar ladies watch, featuring a bezel set with 36 diamonds. As you can see in the picture it is quite a beauty. However, I have a bit of a dilemma that I will get to the bottom of eventually.

From my understanding of the different colors of gold, 5N refers to rose-colored gold, while 6N refers to red gold. Pink gold is usually 3N and 4N gold. The colors are based on the types of metals that are mixed with pure gold. Usually 18k gold, which I am assuming this watch contains although the materials don’t clearly state this, is mixed with cooper to make it red. Red gold can be made with 75 percent yellow gold and 25 percent cooper. However, I believe this is usually labeled as 5N gold, which refers to rose gold.

Anyone who has an answer is welcome to respond. I will ask Hublot when I get the chance. I’m sure there’s a simple explanation.

Now for the rest of story behind this watch. It’s based on the design of Hublot’s famous One Million $ Black Caviar, and directly inspired by the black ceramic Big Bang Black Caviar, which has been one of the brand's bestsellers since 2011. The 41mm watch has a sleek, graphic look with sharp angles and reliefs designed, cut, beveled and polished to look like the black baguette diamonds on the Caviar watch.

It's fitted with the HUB1112 self-winding mechanical movement. The 5N gold dial has a date window at 3 o'clock. It has a power reserve of 42 hours. The strap is made of either shiny silver or 5N gold colored calfskin sewn onto black rubber.

The timepiece also is available in a steel version, with 36 diamonds on the bezel and the same size, movement, look and workmanship as the “red” model. 

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Breguet Clocks Mark Premiere Performance at Carnegie Hall

Breguet held a special reception at Carnegie Hall on February 7 to unveil a collection of new clocks that Swiss luxury watch brand built and installed at various spots inside the landmark building.

The event, which included tours of famed music hall and brief remarks, was held to celebrate Breguet’s designation as Carnegie Hall’s first-ever Exclusive Timepiece sponsor.

The five clocks (four Classiques and one Reine de Naples) at Carnegie Hall symbolize some of Breguet’s most notable collections. The Classique collection features designs and complications known worldwide for its horological craft and achievements. Features such as guilloche dials, caseband fluting, the blue Breguet hands and the innovation of the tourbillon are all hallmarks of the brand’s design. The Reine de Naples collection pay tribute to the Queen of Naples, Caroline Murat, sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, for whom the first wristwatch was invented by Breguet in 1812.

The first Breguet clock installed at Carnegie Hall, located in the Morse Lobby of Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, was a Classique Tourbillon. It was unveiled prior to the start of the 2012-2013 season’s opening night gala performance on October 3, 2012. It represented the first addition to Carnegie Hall’s lobby since the landmark building’s renovation in 1986.

The reception and tours that unveiled the remaining timepieces were hosted by Michael Nelson, Breguet U.S. brand manager. In brief remarks, Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, paraphrased Teddy Roosevelt, saying, the two organizations “share a unique bond based on our rich history of dedicated artists who keep their eyes on the stars, and their feet on the ground.”

The reception preceded a performance by Pablo Heras-Casado leading the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

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Luxury Ladies’ Watches with Beauty, Brains and Brawn

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Florilège

The masculine world of watchmaking is showing a newfound respect for women by producing luxury timepieces that are beautiful and built with quality in-house movements and, in some cases, multiple complications. This was evident at the recent Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), the exclusive annual tradeshow for luxury watches held in Geneva.

The majority of the 16 brands exhibiting were proudly displaying their feminine side and it’s about time. In my own humble way, I lobbied a few watchmakers to build lady timepieces that are comparable to men’s, though my reasons were selfish. I wanted my wife to stop wearing my watches and damaging the leather straps by tightening them around her much smaller wrist.

Some of the watches below certainly depict feminine themes but there are a few that have a masculine edge to their design. All are powered with mechanical or automated movements. In most cases these movements are superb; comparable to haute horlogerie produced for men. These are not jewelry watches with quartz movements. This group of new timepieces shows that the brands are on the right track when it comes to developing product for modern, active women. At least now, women have more choices.



Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Florilège
The venerable Swiss luxury watch brand has gone all out to attract women this year. It created three new collections of haute horlogerie for women culminating with the elaborately decorated timepieces that make up the Métiers d’Art Florilège (top picture). This three-watch collection pays tribute to the delicacy of 19th Century English botanical illustrations, in particular, Robert John Thornton’s landmark illustrated guide, The Temple of Flora, published in 1799. The botanical renderings on the watch dials combine the artistic crafts of enameling, guillochage and gem-setting (the video above depicts the process). The timepieces are powered by a Vacheron Constantin manual-winding caliber 4400 movement. The three watches in the collection are the Queen, White Lily and China Limodoron. The Métiers d’Art Florilège is available in a limited series of 20 collector’s watches with the bezel set with round-cut diamonds and 5 more with the bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds for the Vacheron Constantin Boutiques.
 

Montblanc Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco Pétales de Roses
The Hamburg-based luxury brand introduced a number of new models of the Montblanc Princess Grace of Monaco Collection—ranging from one that can transcend from casual to formal to two haute joaillerie pieces. They compliment the jewelry line under the same name by designer Susie Otero. All of the watches are 34mm and all contain the self-winding movement MB 4810/409. One of the high jewelry pieces is the “Pétales de Roses” (rose petals). Invisible joints connect individual petal contours to create floral loops that form a linked bracelet. The entire ensemble is made from 18k white gold set with 533 brilliant-cut diamonds. The white mother-of-pearl dial is adorned with rose petals made of 79 brilliant-cut diamonds. The face is surrounded by 130 brilliant-cut diamonds while the bezel that bears 44 baguette diamonds.

Second Authentic Jewelry Watches from Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858
Montblanc’s haute horlogerie manufacturing brand, Villeret 1858, also produced a line of high-performance ladies’ watches using the same hand-crafted Swiss techniques that it employs for its men’s counterparts. The company has long been known for its hand-crafted movements and it didn’t spare any of the skill and technique to produce it mechanical hand-winding calibre MB2.00 for this ladies timepiece. The 36mm watch has a mother-of-pearl dial with black Roman numerals. The seconds are shown on a subdial at 6 o’clock. The concave polished bezel is adorned with 144 brilliant-cut diamonds with a total weight of 0.93 carats. Production will be limited to 58 pieces.

Van Cleef & Arpels Ballerine Enchantée
The famed Parisian jewelry brand also went after women’s market in a big way with three collections of watches combining artistic techniques with in-house movements. The Ballerine Enchantée added a nothing “poetic” step by adding a double retrograde movement with time on demand. The dial depicts a golden ballerina, sculpted in relief and set with diamonds, emphasizing her waist and face. At the push of a button on the bezel, the outer veils of her tutu come to life, taking the appearance of butterfly wings. The first veil that rises indicates the hours and second veil the minutes. They remain in place allowing enough time to read the time and then return simultaneously to their initial positions (the video below demonstrates how it works). Several shades of blue on the dial in the background are created with layers of enamel in guilloche patterns. The bezel of the 40.5 mm white gold case is set with diamonds.

Audemars Piguet Ladycat Royal Oak Offshore chronograph
It’s the 20th anniversary for the Royal Oak Offshore and with it the Swiss luxury watch brand introduced new ladies’ pieces including this 37mm chronograph. The stainless steel case of this limited-edition timepiece reveals the Royal Oak Offshore logo on the back. The bezel is set with diamonds. The black dial with its “Mega Tapestry” pattern includes pink gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating. The self-winding caliber 2385 movement is an integrated chronograph movement that provides separate hour, minute and second functions, displayed on the dial at 9 o’clock, 3 o’clock and 6 o’clock, respectively. The date display appears at 5 o’clock.

Baume & Mercier Linea
The 27 mm case of the new Linea automatic is engraved in steel or in steel trimmed with gold. Its mother-of-pearl dial has a date window at the six o’clock position and can be set with 11 diamond hour markers. The Linea’s automatic movement displays hours, minutes and seconds. One of the signature details of this iconic collection is interchangeable bracelets that include leather and satin in several colors. 

Cartier Crash
Housed in its iconic asymmetrical case and dial, Crash appears in a limited edition of four new models adorned for the first time with a bracelet composed of drops in white or pink gold, or gem-set. In reference to the year of its creation (1967), this year’s pieces are produced in 267 numbered pieces for the models with gold bracelets and 67 numbered pieces for the models with gem-set bracelets.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur 36 Jewelry
This is another high jewelry piece with a superb movement, in this case the mechanical calibre RD821. This piece from has a bracelet adorned with 708 brilliant-cut diamonds, totaling 4.25 carats, which form two symmetrical rows on either side of the polished center. The bezel is set with 48 diamonds totaling 0.99 carats. The pink gold extends onto the Roman numerals of the dial and on the circle around the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock.

Parmigiani Pershing Chronograph 002 CBF
This 42mm chronograph contains the PF334automatic winding movement. The tinted mother-of-pearl dial contains a small seconds subdial at 3 o’clock a 12-hour subdial with date window at 6 o’clock and a 30-minute subdial at 9 o’clock. The polished rose-gold bezel is set with set with 56 brilliant cut diamonds.

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Inside Montblanc Montre Headquarters

While going through my blog I realized that there was a story from November that I failed to post. Below is the story of my trip in the fall to the headquarters of Montblanc Montre SA. It's still timely, especially as the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) tradeshow for luxury timepieces approaches. Enjoy

Montblanc Montre Headquarters

LE LOCLE, Switzerland — It doesn’t take long to realize this city on the border of France is an industry town. And the industry in this town is watches. In fact, it is here that the Swiss watch industry is said to have been founded.

For all the romance that goes into the marketing and advertising of watch brands the reality is a little different. Many of these culturally and historically significant companies are housed in non-descript identical glass and steel structures located in what can only be described as an office park. The only distinguishing feature on the buildings is their logos on the front. They could very well contain insurance companies, pharmaceutical firms or just about any kind of unexciting endeavor.

A display of the individual components of an automatic movement that was conceived, developed and manufactured in house for Nicolas Rieussec timepieces. Its manual counterpart is the MB R100.  Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

 
Pass the office park and onto the edge of a residential community you come upon an attractive Art Nouveau villa. This is the headquarters of Montblanc Montre SA.

Inside this one-time residential building is where nearly all of the Montblanc watches are made (with the exception of Montblanc Villeret watches). This includes the Star Collection, Sport Collection, Lady Profile Collection, Summit Collection and TimeWalker Collection. Its newer lines are the Nicolas Rieussec Collection, named after the person who invented the chronograph, and the Montblanc Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco, in honor of Grace Kelly, the famous actress and Princess of Monaco. In recent years it began building its movements in house, such as MB R200 for the Nicolas Rieussec.

Montblanc Montre recently began designing and building its own in house movements.Designing the piece is the first step in the process.  Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Comparing this building with the institutional-like facilities on the outskirts of town, it’s difficult to believe that Montblanc is the newcomer in the Swiss watchmaking industry. Known for its luxury writing instruments, the venerable Hamburg, Germany-based company entered the world of Swiss watchmaking in 1997, when it purchased the villa. Unlike some of its competitors, Montblanc uses this attractive, old-world building in its marketing.

Thierry Junod, general manager of Montblanc Watch Production, had to deal with all of the barbs from his established competitors. “Where do you put the ink?” is one of the most common ones.

Even with modern technology, skilled watchmakers are vital to making superior timepieces. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

 
“We have a lot to do and lot to prove,” Junod said.

The brand already has proven a lot and now stands as a permanent fixture in the world of Swiss watchmaking, particularly with the chronograph models that is its specialty. Inside the one-time residential building, there’s a lot activity as approximately 135 employees churn out watches throughout the year, combining traditional Swiss watchmaking techniques with the high-tech machinery that is now commonplace in the industry.
 

Automation with the human touch. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

In addition to upholding tradition, this newcomer has also shown innovative tendencies, particularly with its testing facilities. An area in the building is dedicated to testing the integrity and endurance of watches through five sets of tests for a total of 500 hours. The program is designed to simulate the first five years in a watch’s life. Approximately 2 percent of the watches produced are tested for winding performance, accuracy, function of the movement, general performance and water tightness. Videos of the some of the testing are below following the story.

An example of a typical workstation. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Junod said he has a lot of plans for the future. Those plans someday may have to include moving Montblanc Montre to one of those nondescript buildings in the office park.

That would be a shame.

Montblanc will be releasing a number of timepieces at SIHH (January 21 - 25 in Geneva). I will be attending and will provide an overview of the new products. 






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A Luxury Marketing Partnership: Rolls-Royce, Vacheron Constantin Host A Thomas Keller Dinner

Chef Thomas Keller explains the meal he prepared for the well-heeled guests of Rolls-Royce and Vacheron Constantin. Photo credit: Derek Gardner Photography

Luxury automobiles and high-end timepieces seem to go hand-in-hand among collectors. Those who appreciate the high-powered engines and vivid design of the most expensive automobiles, also admire the miniature components of mechanical watch movements and the more subtle finishes of well-crafted haute horlogerie. Many of these car and watch brands develop long-standing partnerships that include joint product introductions and long-term marketing agreements. This is especially true when it comes to sports cars.

However, it was a different kind of partnership that recently occurred between Rolls-Royce and Vacheron Constantin. The British luxury automobile company and Swiss luxury watch brand invited about 50 of their clients to dinner, but it wasn’t just any meal. 

Guests talk in front of a Vacheron Constantin watch display.  Photo credit: Derek Gardner Photography

The event was held in a villa on the Monterey Peninsula in a development at least partially owned by Clint Eastwood. The food was prepared by a staff led by Thomas Keller, arguably the best chef in the United States. The event was held on the night before the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the internationally renowned annual antique car competition held on August 19.

While the event was formal, the partnership between the two brands was informal and temporary, which is how they both want it. They have worked together a few times for small events in the past—including annual private events in Europe and when Vacheron Constantin opened its Madison Avenue boutique in late 2011. But this is the first time they’ve teamed up to put together an outing of this magnitude.

“There is a natural attraction between both maisons. We share a lot of customers. And there is a mutual appreciation from their customers for both nice cars and nice watches,” said Hugues de Pins, Vacheron Constantin, CEO of North America. “As far as I know this is the only one (company that Vercheron has partnered with). This is very punctual. There is no agreement between both companies.”

A Vacheron Constantin watchmaker explains the finer points of a luxury timepiece.  Photo credit: Derek Gardner Photography

De Pins defines this type of event as providing an experience for what who he describes as “friends” of the two brands. The event he says is not about sales.

“What we organize today is a dinner among friends and what we want to bring is an exceptional moment and an exceptional experience,” he said prior to the event. “What best can we get for our friends then having this world-class dinner by Chef Thomas Keller, surrounded by extraordinary cars and extraordinary watches in this beautiful scenery? I think this is going to be magic. This kind of takeaway is at the end of the day what our customers are looking for and expect. Not just the single fact of purchasing a watch but what comes beyond the purchase of a watch. The nice experience we want to live together.”

David Archibald, president of Rolls-Royce North America, Chef Thomas Keller and Hugues de Pins, Vacheron Constantin, CEO North America. Photo credit: Derek Gardner Photography

This is a sentiment echoed by David Archibald, president of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America.

“Luxury should not be defined by a single item, but viewed as a lifestyle. Rolls-Royce and Vacheron Constantin share a discerning clientele who seek superior craftsmanship and innovative design, as well as unique and memorable experiences.”  Archibald said. “An event such as this, with its stunning setting and Chef Keller’s unparalleled cuisine, is the epitome of the luxury lifestyle that both Rolls-Royce and Vacheron Constantin represent and offer to their clientele.”

But there is product placement. Dinner was served outside and in plain view was a two-tone Rolls-Royce Ghost strategically fronting both the view of the valley below and in front the setting sun. Inside the villa Vacheron had its collection of timepieces available for viewing. De Pins stresses that they are not for sale. Some of the items were one-of-kind pieces. The brand also brought a watchmaker who gave demonstrations for the guests. 
 

Thomas Keller created an open kitchen where guests can enter while the staff works. Keller us standing in the background.  Photo credit: Derek Gardner Photography

There was a bit of sticker shock for the Rolls Royce customers who I shared a table with when they learned that a few of the watches on display were nearly double the cost of a Rolls Royce.

In a kitchen open for guests to enter while the staff worked, Keller designed a dinner themed with the two luxury brands in mind. 

 

“We tried to bring inspiration from both of these companies and bring them to life on a plate,” he said. “I think we were to at least able bring some recognition to some of the key words and key phrases that are so ingrained in the philosophy and culture of these companies.”

Among the courses was a caviar dish titled “Silver and Platinum,” the metals for Rolls Royce cars (silver) and for luxury watches (platinum). The staff cut the vegetables for a hearts of palm salad in a way that resembles the watchmaking technique of beveling. A braised short rib was titled, “Best Made Better,” after the Rolls-Royce slogan. A final desert was titled “Bespoke,” of course named after what many define as the most ultimate luxury experience. It was a chocolate tart with a selection of condiments. 

A bespoke Rolls-Royce Ghost was in perfect view of the dinner guests as the sun was setting'. Photo credit: Derek Gardner Photography

The meal from appetizers to desert was not favorable, artfully prepared and flawlessly served. To pull this off Keller brought in 19 employees from his restaurants around the country, describing it as a major undertaking that included hotel accommodations during one of the busiest times of the year in Monterey and daily transportation to and from the villa.

“It’s a major commitment,” he said. “Vacheron has the same standards. Rolls-Royce has the same standards. I don’t do many of these events.”

It also was a major expense. It was rumored that the cost of hosting this event was about $1,700 per person. 

These two Patrimony Traditionnelle timepieces were among the watches the Swiss luxury watch brand had on display. Photo credit: Derek Gardner Photography

It’s the price of what de Pins describes as creating “magic,” for friends of the brand. Magic is certainly a way to describe the evening. Few details were left unattended from the greeting at the entrance of the villa to the gifts at the end of the night. As the sun set behind the Rolls-Royce and the evening became cool as it often does in this part of the country, women were given bright orange silk shawls—with the Rolls-Royce logo.

At the end of the night the two car collectors at my table, obviously moved by the experienced, declared that were going to buy another Rolls Royce.

Now that’s what I call magic. 

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TimeCrafters Brings the Excitement of the Luxury Swiss Watches to the Public

A display of Frederique Constant timepieces at the TimeCrafters exhibit.

NEW YORK — The Swiss watch industry does understand that the view consumers have of luxury is changing. No longer are they passive buyers and fans, accepting the products and marketing from the temple of the brand. Consumers now want to be engaged, active participants in the luxury lifestyle process. Digital media is the cause of this and the Swiss watch industry is still reluctant to engage in social media and e-commerce fully. Instead, they prefer providing consumers a personal touch. One example of this was the TimeCrafters luxury watch event this past weekend at the Park Avenue Armory.

This second-annual event billed as a museum-quality exhibition of timepieces, is more like an industry tradeshow showcasing the newest luxury timepieces on the market from 21 brands. No matter how it appeared, TimeCrafters provided the general public with an in depth look at watchmaking precision and craftsmanship. It also provided a look at the newest luxury timepieces on the market.

In addition to an upclose view of timepieces, there were actual museum-quality exhibitions, historical presentations, watchmakers showing their craft and a even some presentations. There were several highlights. Among them:

* Baume & Mercier brought an historical collection of its timepieces, several are the inspiration for current models, along with watchmaking tools from the early 1900s.

* Girard-Perregaux was busy for this event. The brand introduced to the U.S., one of its newest hires, legendary watchmaker Dominique Loiseau, who gave a brief presentation Thursday of the company’s “Manifesto of Time,” a philosophy of watchmaking he is leading that will culminate in the release of a luxury timepiece that will include a grande sonnerie and integrated chronograph.



* Girard-Perregaux also released a new timepiece for the exhibition: the Bi-Axial Tourbillon. It combines two concentric cages that enable the regulating part of the movement to make multidimensional rotations. An internal cage with the balance wheel, balance spring and escapement completes one full turn on its axis in forty-five seconds. An external cage completes one revolution in one minute and fifteen seconds, enabling a rotation on its second axis. A full revolution is completed in three minutes and forty-five seconds, which can be seen in the watch dial.



* Frederique Constant had a full array of its watches on hand, including its Slimline Tourbillion, a completely in-house manufactured timepiece that combines its Slimline ladies watch with a tourbillion movement.



* Dior brought a new collection of ceramic watches for women adorned with diamonds and gemstones. It includes the Dior VIII Grand Bar Resille watch, with a “Dior-inverse” caliber with an oscillating weight made of white gold that is set with either white diamonds or, the more flamboyant white-painted Italian rooster feathers.



There were some museum-quality exhibits as well, including:

The Blum Collection. The largest collection of Swatch watches, including prototypes, hybrids and variations. The collection of Peter and Linda Blum recently sold at auction in Hong Kong for $6.5 million.

A grouping of Swatch designer prototypes from the Blum Collection..

Sotheby’s Diamond Collection. Jewelry was not left out this timepiece exhibition as the auction house brought in a stunning collection of hand-crafted diamond jewelry, with the diamonds cut and polished by the Steinmetz Diamond Group.

A jewelry display from the Sotheby's Diamond Collection exhibit.

Think Time, Think Swiss Excellence. This is a grouping of interactive panels by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry that presents an overview of the Swiss watch industry along with a detailed look at the watch manufacturing process.

This event is one of several ways that the industry is reaching out to the public. Maybe someday this outreach will include full-scale digital media.

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Girard-Perregaux and Carl F. Bucherer Redux

Luxury Swiss watch brands, Girard-Perregaux and Carl F.Bucherer are on the move. Almost immediately after I posted a story that included timepieces released for the U.S. market from the two companies, they showcase new watches.

Carl F. Bucherer, has released the Patravi TravelTec FourX (top picture). 18k rose gold is paired with ceramic to form the bezel. High-quality titanium and resistant rubber also play a role in the overall structure.

The case of the timepiece contains part of the time-zone selection mechanism, which is controlled in two directions by means of a single monopusher. The process can be observed through a window that has been let into the side. The design is aimed at ease of operation. For example, the direction of travel (east or west) can be pre-selected on the multifunctional monopusher at 10 o’clock and each push causes a jump to the next time zone, the flange with its imprinted 24-hour scale turning in either direction to guarantee that the red hours hand always shows the correct local time. It is suitable both for frequent flyers and for those who communicate with people all over the world.

A skeletonized dial permits a free view of the gearing. The elegant date indication can be seen under an effective loupe: the figures are milled out of the date ring and remain invisible until they appear over a red background in the date window. 

 

Meanwhile, Girard-Perregau’s newest version of its 152-year-old Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges timepiece has a round 41 mm case is carved out of pink gold. Inside it contains the Girard-Perregaux GP9600-0018 automatic mechanical movement. It’s attached to an alligator strap with a gold folding clasp.

It is available with or without diamonds. The diamond model is $406,500 (pictured) and the price without diamonds is $211,500. It is being sold as a limited edition of 50 pieces.