World of Watches Indonesia #14 (Spring Issue) 2015

INDONESIA’S

PREMIER

WATCH

PERIODICAL

#14 SPRING ‘15

2015 SIHH REPORTS

The very latest in watchmaking technology combined with the craftsman’s art

SMART VS MECHANICAL

What does it take to change the face of luxury watches?

+PLUS

• Inside Rolex: How the world’s best watches are made • Pre-Basel: Bulgari, Hermès, TAG Heuer, Breguet • New & Noted:Top novelties of the 2015 watch year

Contents

18

REGULARS NEWS 11

WOW Team

12 WOW Contributors

Frederique Constant launches Manufacture Zodiac 24H Limited Edition to celebrate the Year of the Goa

13 Publisher’s Note

20 Crème De La Crème

20 Cover Watch

Meet the 17 winners of the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

204 Terminology

COVER

Art Direction Joaelle Ng Watch Bell&Ross BR-X1 Carbon Forgé

18 Zodiac Watch

208 Directory

AGENDA

22 Opinion: Apples & Oranges Is there room in life for a functional smart-watch and a beautiful mechanical watch?

23 Ask The Expert Intrepid watch collector and star horology blogger, SJX, lends a hand on all things watch related

design a n d technology.

luminor 1950 regatta 3 days chrono flyback automatic titanio (ref. 526)

Surabaya - Tunjungan Plaza IV - Tel. +62 31 532 79 91 Jakarta - Plaza Indonesia - Tel. +62 21 310 77 15 • Plaza Senayan - Tel. +62 21 572 57 59 pa n e r a i . c o m

Contents

42

REPORTS

24 A Rolex State Of Mind To fully understand the world’s best loved watch company, one must embark on a journey to discover the way – the Rolex Way

34 Auto Inspired Formula One racing is the driving force that spurs these watch companies in their quest to produce the best precision machines

42 Picture Perfect Portofino Portofino was the locale for IWC’s latest campaign by Peter Lindbergh, starring five friends of the brand and the dazzling new Portofino Midsize

48 Protector Of The Arts

64 Second To None

A completely new facility dedicated to the traditional crafts, the Maison des Métiers d’Arts puts the art in Cartier

Time-honoured meets state-of-the-art in Breguet’s new Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097

52 Bohemian Sensation

66 Honouring The Past

Montblanc’s new collection addresses an expanding segment of sophisticated female watch buyers, while strengthening the links between the maison’s product lines

Reminiscent of two-counter chronographs of the 1960s, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 18 sports a stylish vintage appeal

HIGHLIGHT 63 Smoking Hot Hublot reprises an earlier partnership to create a new collection featuring unique dials made with tobacco leaves

67 Dead Serious Marching to its own steady beat, the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Deadbeat combines age-old with new-world

68 Blue Blazes Bulgari celebrates 40 years of iconic designs with a rich sapphire blue hue

AVAILABLE AT:

PLAZA INDONESIA Level 1 No.165-168 Jl. M H . Thamrin Kav. 28-30 Jakar ta 10350 Tel: +62 21 310 77 15

Big Bang Unico.

UNICO column-wheel chronograph.

In-house Hublot movement. 72-hour power reserve. Case crafted in a new red gold alloy: King Gold, with ceramic bezel. Interchangeable strap by a unique attachment.

PLAZA SENAYAN Level 1 No.125-127 Jl. Asia Afrika No.8 Jakar ta 10270 Tel: +62 21 572 57 59 PACIFIC PLACE Ground Floor Unit 12A-B Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav.52-53 Tel: +62 21 5140 27 76 www.hublot.com •

twitter.com/hublot •

facebook.com/hublot

Contents

2015 SIHH REPORTS 71 Chiming In

For a watch with a digitial hour and minute display like the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk, a decimal minute repeater makes complete sense

72 Loud & Clear Borrowing from the principles of traditional stringed instruments, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept RD#1 belts out sonorous chimes that can be heard literally from across the room

75 Smart Casual Baume & Mercier balances dapper elegance with everyday practicality in the new Clifton Big Date and Power Reserve

76 Tour De Force Containing everything necessary for optimal functionality, the Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication presents a trifecta of high complications in an ultra-thin package

79 Seventh Heaven Greubel Forsey makes the boldest possible statement with a perpetual calendar coupled with the rare equation of time complication

80 Breaking New Ground IWC’s new Portugieser Annual Calendar marks the collection’s jubilee, and several firsts for the manufacture

82 Beyond The Moon Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Moon couples the now iconic Sphérotourbillon with a classic moon phase display, showcasing two spellbinding complications on its dial

86

88 Thinly Veiled

In tribute to the original Tonda 1950, Parmigiani Fleurier presents a subtle and elegant ultra-thin option as a perfect excuse to dress up

91 Skilful Integration

98 Perfect Harmony Only a manufacture as old and as accomplished as Vacheron Constantin is capable of the Harmony, a new collection that commemorates its 260th anniversary

92 Automobile Connection

101 Natural Beauty

Cars can excite with more than just speed as Ralph Laren proves with the RL Automotive Skeleton, which explores the common ground between watches and automobiles

93 The Roaring Twenties

Montblanc is unstoppable with the release of one remarkable timepiece after another

86 Dark Energy

94 Gentle Sides

After ceramic and bronze, Panerai encases its iconic Luminor Submersible 1950 with an all-new material, Carbotech

Roger Dubuis released a supreme technical implementation that is the only skeletonised Double Flying Tourbillon in the market

Adding extraneous elements to minimalistic products is never an easy feat, but Piaget does it anyway, and with much grace

It might bear similarities to previous models from the collection, but the 867 Tuxedo explores the Art Deco connection far more deeply

85 Daring Package

97 Not of This World

Richard Mille defies the conventional notion that being technical means being devoid of verve and life

Like picturesque scenes from an enchanted forest, the two new Lady Arpels Jour Nuit models by Van Cleef & Arpels herald luck and abundance, joyfulness and bliss

102 Being The Best From technological upgrades to design ingenuity, this year’s novelties raise the stakes in haute horlogerie

114 The Art of Audacity Cartier, ever the artist and craftsman, unveiled a new bold timepiece during the 2015 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, and it does not disappoint.

Contents

HIGHLIGHTS 122 Spring Forward

Cartier promises an exciting 2015 with two new models, the Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar and the Tank Crash Skeleton

124 Fine Timing With a new flyback chronograph joining the family, Piaget’s Altiplano is now the official byword for ultra-thin

125 All Over The World A new era has dawned for Montblanc with the arrival of the Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum

126 Bare Bones In a stroke of sheer watchmaking brilliance, Parmigiani Fleurier skeletonises its already ultra-thin Tonda 1950

127 Cool Elements Timekeeping takes a stylish turn with the new Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Ceramica

128 Wish Upon A Star Jaeger-LeCoultre combines traditional watchmaking with a fragment of our celestial universe in the new Master Calendar

129 Seaworthy Meet the Ulysse Nardin Marine Diver Monaco Limited Edition, a bona fide dive watch with yachting influences

130 Big Time With its updated case dimensions, the new Breitling Galactic 44 appeals largely to the adventurous ones

131 Depth Of Character

Longines dive watches combine workhorse movements with an old school aesthetic

132 A Flair For Drama Franck Muller’s spectacular new line up dabbles in outrageous black PVD-coated white gold, glamorous gem-setting, and extreme skeletonisation

135 Bold Simplicity The Chimera Day-Date maintains U-Boat’s hefty case, but tempers it with a minimalist dial design

176 136 Ask For The Moon

Frédérique Constant offers a poetic touch with the new Slimline Moonphase Ladies

137 Visual Effect

Ingersoll blends an assortment of details in a pleasing way with the Ragtime

138 German Pedigree Junghans’s deeply symbiotic relationship with its hometown keeps it thriving

140 The Durable Ones Whatever shenanigans you are up to this festive season, you’ll probably do well to be out with a hardier watch that can survive knocks and grazes.

150 Happy Hour Like it or not, there are rules to follow on what to drink and wear, be it a dreaded social obligation or some keenly-awaited dinner

160 Kings Of Bling Pull out all the stops and turn that dial up this festive season with a timepiece sporting enough gems to make a rapper blush

168 Daily Dozen Whether it’s for the 12 days of Christmas or counting down to the New Year, these 12 watches are ready for some festive cheer

176 The Captain’s Watch The new Breitling Chronoliner reinterprets the spirit of aviation in an original and timeless style

Contents

186 FEATURES

INTERVIEWS 177 Rising Star

199 Time for INTime

As the smart watch creeps dangerously close to the luxury mechanical watch, the industry’s top brass is not about to brush it aside, although CEOs remain buoyant about the relevance of fine watchmaking

Dimitri Aubert, General Manager, Luxury Timepiece Division of FJ Benjamin, outlines Indonesia’s bright future for the two brands he plans to expand here.

Indonesia’s leading luxury timepiece retailer inaugurated its fifth INTime store at Grand Indonesia Shopping Town

180 The Apple Has Fallen

186 The Watch Is Art Mechanical watches are finished? Only if you mean they’re beautifully chamfered, polished, brushed, engraved, or decorated with guilloché – then yes, they are

EVENTS

198 A New Icon Cartier unveiled yet another iconic timepiece for the discerning Indonesian customers, the Ballon de Cartier

200 HYT Soiree Avant-garde watchmaker HYT hosted an exclusive soiree to introduce its novelty of the year and teaser for the 2015 Baselworld

201 A Diamond Jubilee IWC Schaffhausen brought forth a starstudded night to celebrate its 75th annivesary

INDONESIA’S

PREMIER

WATCH

PERIODICAL

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

MANAGEMENT

CELINE YAP

AILEEN SOH

FASHION DIRECTOR

SENIOR SALES & MARKETING MANAGERS

OLIVIER BURLOT TONY SUMARNO

MANAGING EDITOR

TOK WEI LUN WRITER (WEB & PRINT)

JAMIE TAN CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

JOSHUA YAP ARVADA HARADIRAN

CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR

JOAELLE NG FEBRINA HANISHA DESIGNERS

TAN BOON HAU JEREMY ANG KIKY SEPTIKA ANJANI PETER H. SIAMI

VP, SALES & MARKETING

CEO/PUBLISHER

VP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

WILBER GO REMUS HENG IVAN DE LUNA-SISON

ALAN TAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

JULIAN PEH GAEL BURLOT

COORDINATORS, SALES & MARKETING

FINANCE

SHIKIN MOHD SHOBANA GUNASAGAR RIA CAHYANI EVI CHAERUL NISA

CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER

MARKETING DIRECTOR

ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT

ELLIN ZHAO CYNTHIA ZHANG

NICHOLAS TAN MARKETING MANAGER

CLARENCE CHOI MARKETING EXECUTIVE

SYENLI STEPHANY

ASIAN EDITIONS SUMMER 2014

EARTH, MOON AND SÖHNE ISSUE 4

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$50 #4 SUMMER 2014

A. Lange & Söhne Breaks New Ground in Haute Horlogerie

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Contributors

Su Jia Xian

WATCH SPECIALIST Jia Xian has had a keen interest in horology from a young age. Known throughout the watch industry, he is a prolific contributor to over a dozen publications across Asia, and blogs about watches frequently on his own blog, watchesbySJX.com. His contribution to this issue of WOW includes the story on watches with hidden activators, third party movement sources, diffusion lines in brands, and a stunning photo gallery featuring eight iconic tourbillon watches.

12

Green Plastic Soldier

Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle

Photography has taken this jovial shutterbug to more places than he cares to remember, but Singapore’s best watch and lifestyle photographer (who goes by the moniker, Green Plastic Soldier) still prefers the comfort of his own home. The proud father of one enjoys nothing more than spending quality time with his wife and daughter, who is the darling subject of all of his cameras from DSLRs to Polaroids to iPhones. This issue, he has photographed the watches on our cover and in our cover story.

Having lived on three different continents, Y-Jean is no stranger to change. A peripatetic lifestyle such as hers adapts easily among cultures. She finds joy and solace in writing and contributes regularly to regional and international titles, shining a spotlight on art, architecture, design, horology and jewellery.

PHOTOGRAPHER

JOURNALIST

Joshua Yap

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Joshua admittedly wasn’t inducted into the world of watches (pun not intended) by choice, but he was smitten by its mechanical wonders in no time.

Although he personally favours modestly sized, no-nonsense timepieces, he sometimes misses the outrageous mindbogglers of the pre-Credit Crunch years. As he dreams of owning a modern haute horlogerie watch one day, he’s currently content scouring the Internet for vintage value buys.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

A NEW CHAPTER

A

s we have successfully navigated through our first quarter in 2015, we hope you are all doing well. Things have been exciting at World of Watches Indonesia too, as we embark on new projects and endeavors, which we will soon unveil in due course. In the meantime, there were no shortages of events to report, parties and galas to reminisce about and, of course Baselworld 2015, which is coming up fast on all of us.

In the meantime, enjoy our comprehensive reports on the annual, always charming, always dazzling Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva. SIHH 2015 was another testament of how the magical world of haute horlogerie never ceases to amaze us all. The brilliance of watchmakers from the best brands continually challenges us to push forward, to think outside the box, and to always push innovation into the next level. This is why, we think, the haute horlogerie market is really quite evergreen, despite fluctuations of the dear Swiss Franc, which may have jittered several buyers in the past. Buyers continue to be enamored with watchmakers’ visions and inspirations, and they want to be a part of mankind’s history.

See our highlights for SIHH 2015 and find out which watches caught our attention the most. Admire the beautiful photo spreads of select watches from SIHH 2015 in addition to dozen other watches that we have carefully selected for your enjoyment this issue, including the latest novelties, greatest innovations and other desirable timepieces.

We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we do putting it together for you. We have entered a new era that is more hopeful, more exciting, and most importantly, more promising when it comes to the world of horology. We have much more updates coming up, so stay tuned!

Tony Sumarno, publisher

13

NEWS

THE ZODIAC WATCH Frederique Constant launches Manufacture Zodiac 24H Limited Edition to celebrate the Year of the Goat WORDS ARVADA HARADIRAN

I

ndependent Swiss watch brand Frederique Constant has introduced the amazing Manufacture Zodiac 24H limited edition watch to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Goat. Unique among any other watches, the Manufacture Zodiac 24H Limited Edition is a 24-hour watch, and the hour hand takes a turn and runs 24 hours (a regular watch runs 12 hours a circle) and the minute hand turns a circle and runs 120 minutes (regular watch runs 60 minutes a circle). On the whole dial plate, the scales of the twelve terrestrial branches replace the Arabic from 1 to 12 or Roman numerals.

The outer ring is evenly divided into eight scales, including the original quarter, original first quarter, original second quarter, original third quarter, positive quarter, positive first quarter, positive second quarter and positive third quarter. The position of the six o’clock is marked the “Year of the Goat”, and all Chinese characters are shown in small seal script, adding a simple temperament.

14

As a young brand straight from Geneva, Frederique Constant has been making a steady and constant inroads within the Swiss luxury watch industry. Fans of the brand often cite the brand’s perceived value of providing true Swiss quality and pedigree at very attractive price bases. Its watchmaking pedigree also continues to grow by the day, as exemplified by this Manufacture Zodiac.

The Manufacture Zodiac 24H limited watch sports the Frederique Constant in-house movement FC-724, which is the 16th manufacture movement developed by Frederique Constant. The 24-hour full-automatic movement is decorated with the Perlage & Circular Côtes de Genève and is inset with 26 gems. It has a 42-hour power reserve. Stainless steel and polished rose gold plated steel are available for the watch, and each type has 888 limited editions launched globally, worthy of a treasured collection.

The Chinese Zodiac is based on a twelve year cycle, each year in that cycle is related to an animal sign. 2015 is the Year of the Goat, marked at 6 O’Clock on the dial.

The Manufacture Zodiac 24H Limited Edition has a beautiful hinged case back and is water resistant to 3 ATM

15

NEWS

CRÈME DE LA CRÈME

T

Here are the 17 winners of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève of 2014 WORDS JAMIE TAN

he Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève was created in 2001 as an annual highlight of watchmaking excellence around the world. Its 14th edition culminated in an award ceremony held on

Men’s Watch Prize: Urban Jürgensen & Sonner Central Second

31 October in the Grand Théâtre de Genève, which welcomed over 1,500 guests. The ceremony was translated into English for viewers in real time, and simultaneously broadcasted on several news and horology

Ladies’ Highmechanical Watch Prize: Christophe Claret Margot

Chronograph Watch Prize: De Bethune DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon

Artistic Crafts Watch Prize: Voutilainen Hisui

Striking Watch Prize: Hublot Classic Fusion Cathedral Tourbillon Minute Repeater

16

websites. During the ceremony, the international jury handed out 16 prizes, with the 17 th prize coming from a public vote held both online and at the pre-ceremony exhibitions.

Sports Watch Prize: Zenith El Primero Lightweight

Public Prize: Breguet Classique Dame

“Petite Aiguille” Watch Prize: Seiko Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 GMT

Calendar Watch Prize: A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar “Terraluna”

Revival Watch Prize: Omega Speedmaster “Dark Side Of The Moon

Jewellery Watch Prize: Bulgari Diva High Jewellery Emeralds

Ladies’ Watch Prize: Blancpain Women Off-centred Hour

Mechanical Exception Watch Prize and Innovation Watch Prize: Urwerk EMC

“Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prize: Breguet Classique Chronométrie

Tourbillon Watch Prize: Grönefeld Parallax Tourbillon

17

AGENDA

APPLES & ORANGES

Is there room in life for a functional smartwatch and a beautiful mechanical watch?

WORDS SU JIA XIAN

S

martwatches have been in the headlines all year round as Apple just unveiled its Apple Watch, with expected availability in early 2015. Many in the luxury watch business are asking what this means. Some regard the smart watch as irrelevant, while a handful quietly recall the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s that nearly decimated the Swiss watch industry.

Though the Apple Watch is not the first smartwatch, it will probably outsell all the others, just because it’s an Apple. Pebble, the crowd funded smartwatch launched in 2013, has sold some 400,000 units to date, not to mention smartwatches from fellow makers like Samsung, Nike, Garmin, Sony and most recently, Microsoft.

Plenty will be sold, but what does the Apple Watch really mean for the luxury watch business?

History is replete with examples of obsolete technologies being ousted by newer and better inventions. The automobile replaced the horse drawn carriage, and the iPod did the same to the Walkman, iTunes to compact discs, and so on. Consumers switched from one to the other so drastically that the carriage and Walkman have become historical relics, and CDs appear to be on their way out. That is explained by the fact that the new technology fulfilled the exact same purpose as the obsolete technology it replaced.

That was precisely what happened during the Quartz Crisis. At its nadir, employment in the Swiss watchmaking business fell by some three quarters – Swiss watchmaking was essentially wiped out.

It took years, and a few brilliant minds like Nicolas Hayek and Jean Claude Biver, for 18

the Swiss watch industry to climb out of that hole. But it did and in spectacular fashion: Last year Swiss watchmakers enjoyed their best year ever. Yet the question lingers, might history repeat itself?

Probably not. The impact of smartwatches on the luxury mechanical watch boils down to the true purpose of each – which are two very different things.

On the surface, it appears Apple is gearing up to position itself as a luxury accessory of sorts. The maker of iPhones reportedly hired TAG Heuer’s vice-president of sales earlier this month, having already recruited the former heads of Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent in quick successions.

But the Apple Watch and any other smartwatch is still an electronic gadget. It is in effect an extension of the mobile phone, able to make calls, display information on the weather, markets, and so on. Of course it tells the time. In short, the smartwatch is a functional object – something a luxury watch is not.

On the surface it appears Apple is gearing up to position itself as a luxury accessory. But it, like any other smartwatch, is still an electronic gadget The last thing a mechanical watch is meant to do is to tell the time. Owners of such timepieces would hope fine watches reflect taste or wealth, or both. Fine timepieces are what economists term positional goods – their value lies in their desirability in the eyes of others. Women’s jewellery has zero function, but they are perfect positional goods. Luxury watches are just that. Functionality is a minor, or even absent, consideration.

In the past, timepieces were far more essential as functional objects. A gentleman’s pocket or wristwatch was one of the few methods of time telling. The success of the quartz watch at the expense of the mechanical watch was precisely because of

that – both fulfilled the same function.

But today, the time can be found on the mobile phone, inside the car, and on all manner of home appliances. And people actually collect watches. Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard, famed patrons of Patek Philippe, are often cited as historically important watch collectors thanks to their taste and resources. But they were also uncommon figures.

Today, there are numerous watch aficionados with vast chequebooks and even bigger appetites for complications. A casual glance at internet watch forums will reveal legions of people with a fervent interest in mechanical watches, even if not the money to buy them. The context of the wristwatch today is utterly different from what it was in the 1970s.

And there is the simple matter of wearability. The iPod had to replace the Walkman because the two could not coexist, but the same does not hold true for the wristwatch. Both a mechanical watch and smartwatch can be worn at the same time with no effect on the utility of either.

Francois-Paul Journe summed up the watch industry’s reaction best: “There are wrist jewels, wristwatches, and now wrist computers. You can attach whatever you wish [to the wrist]. What will its impact be on fine timepieces? None. You cannot compare something disposable with something that will last hundreds of years.”

AGENDA

ASK THE EXPERT Intrepid watch collector and star horology blogger, SJX, lends a hand on all things watch related Q: I understand when gold or platinum watches cost more than a similar one made in a non-precious material like stainless steel, but I’ve also noticed that a similar watch is also priced higher when in titanium or ceramic than in stainless steel. Why are we paying more for ceramic or titanium, both of which, like stainless steel, are non-precious?

A: The cost of a watch relative to the case is dependent on three things: Material cost, production cost (processes like moulding, stamping, milling and polishing), and also the novelty of the material.

Titanium and ceramic usually cost more than steel to produce due to the nature of the materials. Ceramic is harder than steel – it can be between two to four times as hard as stainless steel depending on the type of ceramic – which makes it tougher to machine, especially into complex forms. And the expertise necessary for ceramic cases or components is limited in Switzerland, with only two major producers of ceramic cases, Comadur, part of the Swatch Group, and G&F Châtelain which is owned by Chanel.

Titanium is more expensive than steel right at the very start of the supply chain.

Extracting and refining titanium is more complicated than steel, which is largely composed of iron and carbon. Machining the raw alloy into shape also takes more effort than steel. Titanium, for example, tends to soften and stick or weld to the tool if not handled properly during machining. And titanium is also a poor conductor of heat, meaning the heat generated during machining builds up at the tool tip, leading to greater wear on the tool.

That nature of the material is why titanium watch cases rarely have a mirror polished finish (common with gold or steel cases), due to the difficulty of achieving such a finish with titanium. Titanium, however, is now used widely in aerospace, medical equipment and also watchmaking, so the expertise needed to process and finish the metal is well developed. So while titanium watch cases do cost more, the difference tends to be minimal and not prohibitive.

Another important reason is that both of these materials are widely perceived as being more exotic and rare, compared to steel, making them more desirable, leading to a price premium.

Omega Speedmaster Moon Watch in titanium (left) and in steel (right)

Q: I’ve heard that it is not advisable to adjust the time of my watch when the hands are above three and nine o’clock positions because this will damage the movement.

I’ve actually done so on several occasions but my watch seems fine. What exactly is the reason for this precaution?

A: That’s incorrect. The common advice is not to adjust the date or calendar functions on a watch between 9pm and 3am. Obviously that only applies to watches with a date or calendar display.

The reason is simple. The calendar functions change at or around midnight, so adjusting them during the changeover can dislocate the mechanism. Many calendar functions are driven by a spring or lever, which will be halfway engaged in the lead-up to midnight, so advancing the function can cause it to go out of alignment.

However, a simple date function usually will not suffer severe damage even if the date is changed during that time. The most common result is that the date will not change the subsequent day, but will work fine after. With perpetual calendar watches, significant damage can be caused with a hefty bill for repair.

The simple solution is to move the hands to either before or after the time period in question, and then set the calendar.

GOT A BURNING QUESTION OR AN AXE TO GRIND? Send your letters to react@heart-media.com

NB: Thank you to the engineer with a background in materials and machining who provided technical details for this answer.

19

R EPORTS | COVER STORY

RAW & RUGGED

On the heels of the white-hot launch of the BR-X1 Hypersonic Chronograph comes the all-new BR-X1 Carbon Forgé WORDS KELVIN TAN

A

timepiece that is all set for its big reveal at the BaselWorld 2015, the BR-X1 Carbon Forge aims to chart the direction in which the newly born BR-X1 line will proceed and evolve in the future. Launched late last year, the BR-X1 marks the birth of a completely new line of watches that augments the brand in the minds of watch collectors and enthusiasts.

To recap, the BR-X1, with its innovative rocker chronograph push-buttons, offers a generous dose of practicality for pilots (using heavy gloves) of fifth generation fighter planes. The upper bridge of the BR-X1 is formed in the shape of an X, alluding to NASA experimental projects, and thereby, establishing its name. At its launch, the watch was an instantaneous hit with watch collectors thanks to its radical design and ergonomic construct. Proving that performance and utility are always foremost in the design of its products, Bell & Ross engaged the help of engineering systems specialists, Dassault Système CATIA, and employed the same lightweight materials found in the aeronautical industry.

TOUGH AS CARBON

Following the release of the BR-X1 is a new version of this watch to herald a new year – the BR-X1 Carbone Forgé. Like its predecessor, the BR-X1 Carbone Forgé is an avant-garde skeletonised chronograph that is now cased in a new material. Where the earlier model is offered in a titanium-and-rubber case, this one is made primarily of ceramic and 20

aeronautical composite materials. Its case back is rendered in tinted sapphire to offer an unimpeded view of the skeletonised movement within. Toggle push-pieces at the side enable the wearer to start, stop, and reset the chronograph.

Primed to be the new hero of the brand, the BR-X1 Carbone Forgé is a harbinger of new futuristic concepts from Bell & Ross.

Just look at the execution of the skeletonised chronograph and date display. At its core, this raw and rugged timekeeper is an automatic chronograph with two sub-dials, one providing the continuous seconds and the other, a 30-minute counter.

Tipped with Super-LumiNova, the skeletonised hour and minute hands chart a steady path around the dial. Super-LumiNova is also present on the applied indices, allowing perfect legibility even in the dark. BR-X1 Carbone Forgé is also water resistant up to 100m, and to finish off its stealthy appeal, the strap is done in woven black rubber with a matching PVD-finished steel pin buckle. Going by the insanity that ensued when this watch was first launched, the Carbone Forgé’s limited edition run of 250 pieces would set off the next wave of frenzy.

PIONEERING PERSPECTIVE

As the now iconic BR 01 watch from the brand achieves its 10th anniversary, Bell & Ross co-founder, Carlos Rosillo reveals his thoughts about the series as well as how the BR-X1 represents the immediate future of Bell & Ross.

COVER STORY | R EPORTS

Encased in aeronautical composite material and ceramic, the BR-X1 Carbone ForgĂŠ encapsulates the technical direction of the new line from Bell & Ross

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R EPORTS | COVER STORY

clock into a wristwatch. The numerals, hands, and square case are inspired by the design codes of aeronautical instruments to optimise legibility and functionality. Since every detail has a meaning and a purpose, this watch is a perfect illustration of the principle “form follows function.”

Bell & Ross co-founder, Carlos Rosillo

What are your thoughts after a decade since the appearance of the now iconic BR 01 series?

The BR 01 became our iconic model, and is now the reference model of our house. Unique and recognisable at a glance by its square case, it has revolutionised traditional watchmaking codes. Its design, at that time, was really daring and avant-gardist, but I was convinced that this watch could conquer the greatest of numbers. Representative of a philosophy of our brand, the BR 01 embodies the identity and values of Bell & Ross – legibility, functionality, reliability, and precision. Fighter pilots and elite units have also immediately recognised and adopted it.

By its readability and its shape, it is the most aeronautical model of the watchmaking landscape.

How did the BR 01 begin?

Our ambition was to be part of the great tradition of Swiss watchmaking while satisfying the requirements of men confronted by extreme situations. In 2005, in a quest to create the ideal utilitarian watch, we created an original concept with the help of engineers, master watchmakers, designers, and professional aviators who combined their skills. The BR 01 instrument watch was born. This iconic model comes from the simple idea of turning a plane’s cockpit 22

What are the milestones for the BR 01 series?

The first major step was in 2005 with the launch of the first model of the BR 01. On that same year, RAID, one of the most important French elite units, chose us to produce a limited edition for them. Two years later, 2007 was marked with the creation of what is today one of our signature concepts, the all-black timepiece, the BR 01 Phanthom.

It also saw the release of the first BR 01 Tourbillon, the exceptional instrument version. In 2008, Bell & Ross was chosen from among the greatest watchmaker brands, to make a watch for the French Air Force Pilots – the BR 03 Aviation Type. Being chosen to make a watch for Air or Sea forces is a guarantee of quality, professionalism and technical know-how. It increases very much the awareness of the brand. When a brand has such prestigious references, it becomes synonymous with quality and reliability.

Back in 2010, another big milestone was the launch of the first BR 01 Radar, which revolutionised the reading of time with the innovative discs concept and its singular design. Following on that success, we developed in 2012 and 2013, a series of Flight Instrument timepieces, reproducing the design of the six most important tools for pilots, and turning them into watches. And of course, 2014 had been an enriching year with two strong products, the BR-X1 and the B-Rocket concept.

The former is a timepiece that is to luxury watchmaking what fifthgeneration fighter planes are to aviation – a guarantee of ultimate performance. It is much more than a top-of-the-range contemporary sports watch. The latter is actually a fantastic second-time partnership with Shaw Harley-Davidson.

What are the reactions of watch collectors and enthusiasts to the BR-X1 so far?

The skeleton chronograph symbolises the ultimate evolution of our iconic watches shown in a high-tech version. The BR-X1 is a perfect synthesis of our expertise in the fields of professional watches and high watchmaking complications with a very modern design. It is a big conviction because the BR-X1 features the perfect combination of materials and qualities – titanium, ceramic and rubber. Those materials make it light, virtually scratchproof and ergonomic. As tough as a 4x4, but light like a drone, this watch stands out because of the innovative design of its 45mm case made from grade 5 titanium. So far, the reactions are very good, and it has been well welcomed, even though the line was launched just three months ago!

How did the concept for the BR-X1 Carbone Forgé evolve from the original BR-X1?

Last October, we were very excited to reveal a new line which is a new step for Bell & Ross. With the BR-X1, we are launching a new concept – the ultimate utility watch or the most sophisticated version of the BR 01 iconic watch. We have to keep in mind that the Hypersonic BR-X1 is the first watch of a new line for Bell & Ross, and the beginning of a

whole new chapter in the saga of our brand. The objective here is to develop new creations, play with materials, and use new combinations in order to complete and fill in this new line within the next few years.

What were the challenges in bringing this concept to life?

The technical know-how was the main challenge to create this new line. The BR-X1 is a guarantee of ultimate performance for pilots using fifth-generation fighter planes. The square case of the BR-X1 is covered with a high-tech band made from ceramic and rubber. It is designed as a cover around the edges, acting as a defensive shield that protects it from possible impacts. Its innovative rocker push-buttons are used to activate the chronograph functions in a very easy way with professional gloves. This is a unique function in watchmaking industry.

The chronograph is the complication par excellence in aviation.

It can measure short periods of time and has become an essential tool in navigation. For this reason, it is only natural that the latest creation from Bell & Ross – the BR-X1 – is not just any chronograph.

Its rare skeleton chronograph movement is an exceptional motor combining haute horlogerie finishes and extreme lightness. Structured in the shape of an X, its upper bridge (treated with black DLC) reads like a mark of its identity. X is the code name that refers to NASA’s experimental projects, which gives the watch its name: BR-X1.

Is the arrival of the Carbone Forgé a signal for a new series of models based on the BR-X1 with variations of materials and colours?

As I was saying previously, the design of this latest generation case,

using a combination of materials, makes the possibilities endless. It also opens up a vast potential for creativity, mostly in customisation.

It is the perfect synthesis of our expertise in creating professional, greatly complex watches.

Where will the BR-X1 go from here?

We will once again push the boundaries in terms of watchmaking and technical sophistication, and it is indicative of our desire to always innovate and meet new challenges.

How will the BR 01 and BR 03 lines continue to grow?

Ten years ago, the launch of our iconic piece was not an immediate success, because it turned the watchmaking codes anchored in the best traditions upside down. Today, the BR 01 has become a watchmaking icon and it is our bestseller product in the world. In 2015, we are honouring it by bringing more sophistication through materials such as ceramic.

What are the necessary elements to ensure that the series continues to excite and inspire watch lovers and fans of the brand?

We need to keep on making them dream through our design, our creativity, and our singularity. Today, the main challenge is to design something new every year, yet remain faithful to the brand and its vision. The only way to make sure that we are not deviating is to always go to the original objective and vision – create watches for professionals of the extreme that answer to their needs.

“The BR-X1 is a perfect synthesis of our expertise in the fields of professional watches and high watchmaking complications with a very modern design.”

Innovative rocker chronograph push-buttons, offers a generous dose of practicality for pilots of fifth generation fighter planes

The exceptional skeleton chronograph movement combines haute horlogerie finishes with exttreme lightness

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A ROLEX STATE OF MIND

Cutting edge doesn’t even begin to describe Rolex, and yet traditional is only the tip of the iceberg.

To fully understand the world’s best loved watch company, one must embark on a journey to discover the Way – the Rolex Way WORDS CELINE YAP

One of the last steps of final assembly is to assemble the rotor

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t is very hard not to be impressed, indeed to be awed, by Rolex.

The sheer magnitude of its operations, the mere utterance of its name, the very sight of its insignia, the striking aura of its products, the success of its endeavours, and the pride of its people…

Rolex is in a league of its own. As André Heiniger, the company’s CEO from 1962 to 1992, once famously said: “Rolex is not in the watch business. We are in the luxury business.” Perhaps this mindset is what led the company to grow to its present size of four sprawling manufactures and more than 6,000 employees all around the world.

ACACIAS: WHERE EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER

Of its four sites, the Rolex manufacture in Acacias, a short 10-minute drive from Geneva, is probably the most emblematic of the company because it is the only one that has a façade in the familiar Rolex green.

This site, inaugurated in 1965, is now the home of Rolex’s worldwide headquarters and where the final phases of watch production take place. Final assembly, final control, and specialist quality testing are all in a day’s work for the people in this facility.

Possibly the single most impressive thing about Rolex is the unrivalled efficiency with which it produces such outstanding watches.

There is none of the customary delusions about everything – every 24

single thing – being in-house or handmade. Steps that are better automated, Rolex automates; those that are better done by human hands, Rolex does by hand. And those which are better outsourced, are outsourced. Approximately 150 people are involved in final assembly work, amid the drone of robots of all shapes and sizes.

Fully tested components arrive daily from the other three manufactures – cases and bracelets from Plan-les-Ouates, dials and gem-set components from Chêne-Bourg, and movements from Bienne. At Acacias, they are all assembled over two imposing 10-floor production units in about 10 different operations. It begins from assembly of the dial with the movement, followed by fixing of hands, then encasing, and lastly, final control.

Each and every one of those steps, which precede final control, has been accomplished with multiple carefully homologated procedures that are all geared towards quality consistency. As an example, before hands are fitted onto the movement, the technician first places the movement into a machine specially designed to adjust the gears to exactly before midnight, so that the date of every Rolex watch jumps exactly before midnight. In addition, unlike many watch companies that test only one out of every 50 or 100 watches, Rolex tests 100 per cent of its watches.

R EPORTS Clockwise from top-left: The Acacias manufacture, Planles-Ouates, the sky roof at Bienne, and ChĂŞne-Bourge

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Along with reliability, performance, and precision, one of the most important values of a Rolex watch is waterproofness – they wouldn’t be called Oysters otherwise. That’s why the water resistance testing at Acacias is a complete system unto itself. Again, 100 per cent of its watches are tested, and under real-life conditions by submersion in pressurised water tanks. Non-dive watches are tested to more than 10 per cent of their official depth rating while dive watches, in accordance with the ISO 6425 standard, are tested to more than 25 per cent. This is certainly impressive, although not quite as impressive as the waterproof test done on the Rolex Deepsea. This very special watch, certified to 3,900m, is tested to 4,950m in a tank developed for Rolex by none other than COMEX. Each watch also goes through several rounds of precision testing, conducted over a 24-hour period, where robots simulate various wrist positions.

Having survived these brutal tests, Rolex watches can pretty much stand up to anything, which is perhaps the secret formula behind its numerous successful endeavours, from scaling the world’s highest peak to exploring the world’s greatest depths.

PLAN-LES-OUATES: WHERE TIMEKEEPING TAKES SHAPE

The largest of all the Rolex sites, Plan-les-Ouates is a further 20-minute drive from Acacias and comprises six wings, each 65m long by 30m wide and 30m high. It is primarily dedicated to the production of watch cases and bracelets, including the casting of gold and forming of raw materials, as well as machining and polishing of finished components. The Plan-les-Ouates manufacture is also where Rolex produces one of its most extraordinary creations: The one and only Cerachrom bezel.

From its inception in 2005, this facility has been busy stamping, machining, and finishing exterior components like cases, crowns, bezels, and bracelets. Rolex works with a number of different materials to make these components, namely 904L steel (as opposed to the standard steel generally used in watchmaking which is less corrosion-resistant), various types of gold, and 950 platinum. While it secures its stock of steel and platinum externally, Rolex casts its own gold alloys in its own foundry here in Plan-les-Ouates. It is thanks to

The assembly of watch hands is done at Acacias

Bracelets and cases are united in a handoperated process

Rolex employs a total of 6,000 employees worldwide

Rolex tests 100 per cent of all its watches

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The Sea-Dweller Deep Sea is tested in a tank specially manufactured by COMEX

Each Rolex watch consists of a middle case, a case back, a bezel, and a winding crown. All combined there are between 10 and 20 components requiring approximately 150 operations

this highly controlled proprietary process that Rolex was able to create its very own Everose gold alloy in 2008.

Raw materials like 24k gold, copper, silver, platinum, and palladium are first analysed for fineness and inherent quality. In the case of Everose gold, the materials used are gold, copper, and platinum. After these materials are cast together in the foundry, the new alloy is formed into rods and slabs through a series of rolling, drawing, and annealing operations, before being heated again to 1,000 degrees Celsius to stabilise the alloy’s internal molecular structure.

This is a crucial step as it softens the rods and slabs for future stamping or machining. When the alloy has cooled, it is sent to the high security vault for storage or used in subsequent production phases.

Because of its matchless efficiency, stamping is the optimal method to begin the case manufacturing process. Each Rolex watch consists of a middle case, a case back, a bezel, and a winding crown.

All combined there are between 10 and 20 components requiring approximately 150 operations. Blanks for the middle case and case back are first stamped from metal slabs. They are then precision machined to obtain a definitive shape, followed by detailed polishing and satin-finishing. Bracelets, on the other hand, are made up of more than 110 components requiring more than 900 operations, which include machining, assembly by hand, polishing, and satin-finishing.

Every finalised component is sorted into trays, which are barcoded for tracking purposes. These trays then enter an automated stock system devised especially for Rolex. Found in all four manufactures, this high-performance logistical behemoth is one of the key reasons why Rolex is so efficient in producing watches. Stocking and flow of raw materials and components, as well as finished products, are moved from workshop to workshop with minimal losses and next to no down time. This stock area is located underground in the middle of the building, and consists of two 12,000 cubic metre vaults containing a total of 60,000 storage compartments. A network of rails totalling 1.5km spreads throughout the manufacture, like the circulatory system in the human body, sending cargo to individual workshops in under eight minutes.

Rolex uses only the purest gold alloys including its very own Everose

Its in-house gold foundry casts three types of gold alloys

Gold bezels are cut from raw materials and then machined to perfection

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micro cracks or bubbling distortion. Then, the insert is sintered to increase its density by bringing the particles of the structure closer together in lieu of the binding agent.

As the insert shrinks, its colour also intensifies.

Rolex produces its ground-breaking red-blue Cerachrom bezel insert by using, not zirconium oxide, but high purity alumina which is harder and can be fired at a higher temperature when sintering. In general, to produce two-tone bezel inserts, it is an imperative to first identify which is the dominant colour. In the case of the Ref. 116710BLNR, it is black over blue; in the case of the

Case middles are stamped quickly and efficiently

Rolex bracelets consist of more than 110 components

Of course, it is not possible to discuss Rolex’s Planles-Ouates manufacture without touching on its ceramic workshop. Introduced in 2005 in the GMT-Master II Ref. 116718LN, the Rolex bezel with Cerachrom insert has had watch collectors craning their necks for a two-tone one in the classic red-blue Pepsi combination. When Rolex released the GMT-Master II Ref. 116710BLNR with the black-blue Cerachrom bezel, it was obvious that red-blue Cerachrom was in the offing. True enough, Ref. 116710BLRO came along and now everybody wants to know how Rolex did it.

The production of Cerachrom bezel inserts begins with coloured ceramic powder (zirconium oxide), which is combined with a binding agent, and then injection moulded to achieve the shape of the bezel, but about 25 per cent bigger to account for shrinkage that would occur at the sintering stage. At this point, the insert is extremely brittle, so they have to be handled with care. Next, the binding agent is eliminated when the insert is fired to 700 degrees Celsius. This process takes between one and two days as the temperature is increased gradually to avoid 28

The Plan-les-Ouates manufacture is where Rolex’s famous Cerachrom bezels are produced

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This year Rolex has successfully produced Pepsi Cerachrom

Ref. 116710BLRO, it is blue over red. The process begins by forging the insert in the weaker colour (red) until before the sintering stage when the dominant colour (blue) is carefully applied over one half. When sintered, the blue will consume the underlying red and eventually half of the red insert will be turned blue.

Next, the entire insert, except for the bezel cavities, is polished using diamond-coated tools and PVD-coated with two microns of gold or platinum. Finally, the precious metal is removed from the external surfaces of the insert but retained in the cavities.

Such inimitable mastery of these processes is testament to Rolex’s commitment to quality and performance. The pursuit of perfection continues at its other sites where state-of-the-art machinery is met by longstanding tradition.

CHÊNE-BOURG: WHERE BEAUTY IS BORN

After final assembly and case construction, the next operations Rolex has mastered in-house are dial production and gem setting. Both of these are done in its third manufacturing facility in Chêne-Bourg, just a 20-minute drive east of Geneva. Inaugurated in 2000, this 160-metrelong site has the expertise to produce a staggering array of dials, from the Cellini dials which are either lacquered or embellished with the

Bracelet assembly is a process done by hand

unique “Rayon flammé de la gloire” guilloché motif to the classical engine-turned Jubilee dials, and also dials made of extraordinary materials like mother-of-pearl, meteorite, gold, or platinum.

Dial making is a traditional operation and Rolex keeps it that way using mostly traditional machinery. Every Rolex dial requires a total of some 60 operations involving both the dial itself and the appliques, which are always manufactured in 18k yellow, white, or pink gold.

Produced mainly in brass, dials are first cut into blanks from strips and then machined to obtain a more definitive form, before they are sent for decoration and colouring. Occasionally, depending on the ultimate design, some dials are machined directly from a solid bar. The broad range of designs offered by Rolex coupled with the sheer number of watches it makes every year (approximately 800,000) suggest that dial manufacture here is on a completely different level than ordinary watch companies.

A large proportion of Rolex dials are chemically treated and there is an entire floor in the manufacture dedicated to this operation. Rolex employs two techniques in electroplating: Physical vapour deposition (PVD) as well as magnetron sputtering. The principle of PVD is where a solid material is heated in a vacuum chamber and sublimates into a gas, which rises and deposits onto the desired surface on the top of the 29

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Dial making is a traditional operation and Rolex keeps it that way using mostly traditional machinery. Every dial requires a total of 60 operations on the dial itself as well as the indices The Cellini Dual Time come with a dial with a unique guilloché motif

Rolex’s proprietary Chromalight display has an unbeatable glow

chamber. Magnetron sputtering, on the other hand, is a plasma coating process where different types of gases interact in a vacuum chamber causing ions of the sublimated gas to bounce all over and get attached to the desired surface in the middle of the chamber. Essentially, the difference between PVD and magnetron sputtering is that magnetron sputtering can apply a thicker coating than PVD. Thus, Rolex uses PVD to apply less than one micron coatings and magnetron sputtering for coatings more than one micron in thickness.

Electroplating, however, is not a simple process in dial making.

Rather, it is a lengthy and detailed one that calls for dexterity in handling. After they are cut and machined, the blanks are coated in nickel, gold and silver, before receiving a sun decoration and another layer of gold plating. They are then plated with the final colour as determined by the design department, and receive a final protective varnish. In addition to PVD and magnetron sputtering, dials are also lacquered or coated with transparent varnish to protect from the effects of UV rays, although watch collectors would hardly complain about the beautifully aged ‘tropical dials’ in vintage Rolexes. Still, Rolex aims for perfection.

Once the dials have gone through all the necessary rounds in production, they are matched with hour markers. Strictly applied by hand, each hour marker is welded with one or two ‘feet’, which are inserted into tiny holes bored into the dial. When all of the markers 30

All dials are printed with the famous Rolex insignia

are properly affixed, the operator sends the dial into a machine that exerts a powerful vertical force on the end of the feet in order to rivet the marker permanently on the dial. A specialist at the end of this production line performs a quality test by dropping the dials at a height of 20cm on a mild surface.

Gem setting is the other major operation at Chêne-Bourg. Rolex uses only the most precious stones like diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. The in-house gemmology department literally puts each and every stone under the loupe and microscope to determine if it is good enough for its watches. This department possess sophisticated equipment usually found only in independent gemmology laboratories, proving how serious Rolex is in assuring top quality.

Rolex has strict criteria for stones. Only DEFG colour diamonds are used and they are all compared against master stones. Coloured stones are checked against a colour range and they must fall within the minimum and maximum colour acceptable or be returned to the supplier. Stones that have passed the gemmologists’ checks will be sorted and grouped for specific watches. The types of cuts Rolex uses include the classic brilliant cut, the 8/8 cut, the trapeze cut, and the baguette cut, where the 8/8 cut is used only on dials.

Gem setting on dials is another operation that involves a large degree of handcraftsmanship. These dials are machined with cavities meant for the stones but each individual claw or prong needs to be

Indices are applied onto the dial by inserting feet to holes

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chiselled and rounded by hand. The craftsmen use manual tools to polish the holes, carve out the claws, and secure the stones, all of which must be set at the same height and have their facets oriented in one same direction. This operation alone takes between five days to a week to fully accomplish.

BIENNE: WHERE MOVEMENTS COME TO LIFE

Freshly renovated in 2012, the Rolex site in Bienne is arguably the most sacred of the four, as it is where all of its movements from the fabled Daytona Calibre 4130 to the classic Submariner Calibre 3135 are manufactured and assembled. Its location far away from the other three in Geneva is not without meaning. In the era of Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex obtained large numbers of movements from the manufacture Aegler SA in Bienne and Wilsdorf’s company subsequently came to take over Aegler in the 1930s. The original building still stands proudly with a Rolex insignia on the top but today the movements come from a decidedly more state-of-the-art facility.

Totalling 92,000 square metres, this manufacture is indeed a breath-taking sight. It is here that movement components – from 200 to nearly 400 for the most complex calibre – are stamped, machined, finished, tested, and assembled. Not forgetting that every Rolex movement is chronometer certified, they are all tested by the Swiss

Rolex also manufactures key movement components like the escapement, balance wheel, and hairspring

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Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) for 15 days and nights before being sent to Acacias where they are destined to become fully assembled watches with a case, dial, and bracelet.

Movement components are produced in a similar operation as that of cases and bracelet parts. Coils of raw materials are fed into a machine fitted with a stamp-and-matrix tool that punches out pieces while cutting machines mill pieces from bars and slabs. As a matter of fact, because Rolex also produces its own tools for these operations, many of them are unique to this manufacture. After the pieces are stamped or cut, they are cleaned and then heat treated to 200 degrees Celsius. Efficiency is paramount during these steps and Rolex delivers one finished component approximately every 45 seconds, although there are some components like the main plate of Calibre 4130 which take slightly longer – up to one minute – to produce. Running 24 hours a day seven days a week, the machines are calibrated to plus-minus two microns precision and accommodate between three and five hundred different technical specifications.

Critical components like the balance wheel, escape wheel, and pallet forks are also produced here. Rolex uses copper beryllium to make its balance wheels and they exist in three dimensions: 10mm for men’s movements, 8mm for women’s movements, and a special 9mm for Calibre 4130.

The Parachrom hairspring made its debut in 2000

This furnace fuses niobium with zirconium to produce Parachrom, which is not naturally blue

Pairing the Parachrom hairspring with a balance wheel

Rolex introduced the Syloxi hairspring in 2014

Since 2000, Rolex has successfully produced its very own balance spring called the Parachrom hairspring. Easily identified due to its rich blue hue, it plays an instrumental role in Rolex’s independence as a watch company. To produce a Parachrom hairspring, it is essential to first produce the alloy from which it is made. Smelting two bars of niobium with one of zirconium in a vacuum furnace at 2,500 degrees Celsius is the process in a very modest nutshell as, understandably, Rolex does not reveal the exact method for Parachrom. The purity of the material is of utmost importance because at this level of chemistry, even the smallest speck of dust can cause huge problems in the entire batch of the alloy. Once it is successfully produced and cooled, the alloy goes through several stages of laminating and reheating until it flattens from 4.5mm to 1.8mm to 1.5mm to 0.1mm and finally 0.05x0.15 in cross section.

Next is a process involving human hands and expertise: Shaping the hairspring, all 20-something metres of it. The operator coils the pre-cut hairspring into a circular tool, which can accommodate three hairsprings at one time. This is called the estrapadage process, which means to wind springs around barrels. The tools are then placed in a furnace where the hairsprings are heated to obtain a ‘memory’ of this shape. After, they are removed and separated into individual hairsprings.

Parachrom is not naturally blue; it obtains this distinctive colour from an anodising process. According to Rolex, apart from aesthetic reasons, the manufacture made the decision to anodise the Parachrom hairspring to protect it from the effects of humidity.

The raw materials are heated to 2,500 degrees Celsius

When the hairsprings are complete, they need to be fitted with the other components of the oscillator. A technician changes the shape of the hairspring’s inner circle to fit it with the collet, which fixes the hairspring to the axle. Then he cuts the hairspring at the other end and places it in a machine that creates the Breguet overcoil.

Pairing hairspring and balance wheel is next, an extremely delicate process performed only by the most experienced watchmakers. This is because each balance wheel has a marginally different moment of inertia and each hairspring, a marginally different level of torque. Rolex has up to 60 different classifications of balance wheels and hairsprings, so pairing which balance wheel to which hairspring would impact the movement’s ultimate precision.

Since 2014, Rolex has also brought a new technical innovation to modern watchmaking – the Syloxi hairspring. Made of silicon, it is the fruit of several years of research and covered by five patents. It offers all of the advantages of silicon coupled with high performance and peerless chronometric qualities. For the moment, its silicon laboratory remains a secret closely guarded from the outside world but Syloxi, along with the other outstanding inventions by Rolex like the Parachrom hairspring, the Paramagnetic escape wheel, and the Paraflex shock absorbers, is proof that Rolex is light-years ahead of the competition. The quest for perfection permeates every single operation in all four of its manufactures; it permeates the mind of every single individual contributing to building these astounding timekeepers. To others, this is science and methodology. To Rolex, this is the Way, the Rolex Way. 33

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AUTO INSPIRED

Formula One racing is the driving force that spurs these watch companies in their quest to produce the best precision machines WORDS JAMIE TAN

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he link between motorsports and horology is an easy one to make, given their shared sensitivity to time, and respect for tight tolerances in engineering. The following watch brands have built extremely successful partnerships in Formula One, the pinnacle of motorsports, despite having differing circumstances and starting points. Here’s a look at how they’ve managed to develop such close and productive relationships with their partners, and the watches that have resulted from them.

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Ingenieur Automatic Carbon Performance Ceramic

IWC & MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS

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WC’s involvement in Formula One began as far back as 2004, when it signed a long-term partnership with AMG, the high performance arm of Mercedes. In 2012, the brand came on board as the official engineering partner of Mercedes AMG Petronas, Mercedes’s F1 team. The choice of this nomenclature rather than the usual “timekeeping partner” is unsurprising, given IWC’s technical focus and shared penchant for performance engineering with Mercedes. IWC’s role as official engineering partner formally began with the 2013 season – the same year IWC overhauled its Ingenieur collection and centred it on the team.

Sporty designs aside, the revamped Ingenieur collection comes with features and complications that will be well appreciated in a motoring context. The Ingenieur Automatic Carbon Performance Ceramic, for instance, has an integrated shock absorption system to protect it against extreme acceleration (and deceleration) as well as vibrations. In the same vein, the Ingenieur Double Chronograph Titanium has a split seconds chronograph function that is perfect for tracking lap times. Carbon fibre, ceramics and titanium, the materials widely used in F1 cars, also feature prominently within the collection, to confer specific benefits such as lightness or scratch resistance. The collection is rounded off with high complications, including a perpetual calendar and a constant force tourbillon.

and proposals that had been prepared by IWC beforehand, along with an identical tool kit with which to modify them. Christian Knoop, associate creative director of IWC, revealed that time constraints was partly why the drivers’ watches are “built on an existing case construction” i.e. the Ingenieur Chronograph Racer – it is “proven” and meets quality requirements, which makes it a suitable platform for modifications.

Knoop also expressed his priority of maintaining IWC’s heritage by adhering to timeless (and not merely fashionable) designs, which was why the watches were not designed from the ground up. Instead, they will maintain the Chronograph Racer’s design and movement, with each driver customising the colours and materials of his watch.

The process is not as simple as it sounds though.

Rosberg revealed that it was difficult to visualise the final result of a complete watch with just an array of watch parts in various materials and colours in front of him.

Nico Rosberg at the press conference unveiling the new IWC watches

FURTHERING THE PARTNERSHIP

The manufacture upped the ante when it unveiled two new timepieces in September this year. The two watches, the Ingenieur Chronograph Edition “Lewis Hamilton” and the Ingenieur Chronograph Edition “Nico Rosberg”, were each designed in partnership with its namesake driver from the Mercedes team. Their unveiling came together with the announcement that the two companies have renewed their partnership for an additional three years.

For the watches’ designs, each driver was presented with ideas 35

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Ingenieur Chronograph Edition “Nico Rosberg”

Hamilton and Rosberg with their watches

DESIGNED BY DRIVERS

Interestingly, despite the Chronograph Racer’s sporty platform, each driver opted to tweak his watch’s design into something more classic.

They also chose to use Grade 2 titanium independently, in lieu of the more common Grade 5 titanium (which has greater tensile strength) used in watches. According to Knoop, both drivers thought that Grade 5 titanium looks too similar to stainless steel when finished, and preferred Grade 2 titanium for its similarity to the alloy used in race cars.

Choice of material aside, the final products also differ significantly, both from the Chronograph Racer and each other.

Hamilton, ever the technophile, wanted a watch crammed full of technology. To that end, his watch’s dial, crown, pushers, and crown protection are all constructed in carbon, which sees widespread usage in F1 cars due to its light weight and stiffness. Hamilton’s watch also has a titanium bracelet – a first for IWC – as he wanted a metallic bracelet that was rugged and skin friendly.

Rosberg’s watch, on the other hand, contains more personal elements. Like Hamilton, he had wanted to showcase technology in his watch, hence the use of ceramic in its crown, pushers, crown protection, and bezel screws’ heads. Unlike Hamilton’s monochromic design, however, Rosberg’s watch has chronograph hands in bright splashes of 36

Ingenieur Chronograph Edition “Lewis Hamilton”

yellow, the signature colour of his previous helmet. A silver plated dial further lightens up the watch’s colour scheme for an airy look.

The drivers’ watches share the Chronograph Racer’s Calibre 89361 movement, which combines the chronograph minute and hour totalizers into a single sub-dial for a bi-compax layout. The chronograph’s flyback function has been retained as well. The watches are, however, 1mm thicker, due to a carbon medallion which has been affixed to the case back. Each medallion has been cut from the undertray of the respective driver’s F1 race car – the watch’s owner is literally carrying a piece of each driver’s car around.

IWC’s departure from its previous practice of revamping a major collection each year, coupled with the extension of its partnership with Mercedes, should prove interesting in the coming few years in terms of further collaborations with the team’s drivers. Rosberg, in particular, has expressed interest in creating his own watch based on the Portuguese, which was what his father gifted him for his graduation when he was 16.

Besides the two additions to the Ingenieur collection this year, IWC and Mercedes had more to cheer about. The latter performed extremely well in the 2014 Formula One season, by first winning the Constructor’s Championship with three races to go at the Russian Grand Prix. Hamilton also won the World Drivers’ Championship with 384 points following the final race at Abu Dhabi. His teammate Rosberg finished as the season’s runner-up and its inaugural FIA Pole Trophy champion, which is awarded to the driver who qualifies on pole the most number of times in the season.

Hamilton celebrates his victory after the final race at Abu Dhabi

Valtteri Bottas

The WilliamsF1 Team Limited Edition chronograph

ORIS & WILLIAMS

O

ris, too, has a long history of involvement in motorsports.

The brand’s connection with the realm of car racing is obvious – Motor Sport is one of its four core collections. The brand’s most recent partnership is with Audi Sport earlier this year, to support the latter’s efforts in the World Endurance Championship and Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters as its official watch partner.

Within Formula One, Oris has been collaborating with the Williams team since 2003, also as the official watch partner. Oris’s sponsorship livery is prominently displayed on the nose of Williams’s race cars, as well as the drivers’ and mechanics’ overalls, and the team personnel’s kit. The longevity of this partnership has seen a changing roster of drivers over the years, with several notable ones, including Ralf Schumacher and Nico Hülkenberg, acting as Oris ambassadors. Current ambassadors for Oris watches include Valtteri Bottas and Susie Wolff, the driver and development driver for the Williams team respectively.

600 AND COUNTING

With the length of time Oris and Williams have partnered each other, there have been, as to be expected, quite a number of limited edition watches released by Oris over the years. The latest is the Oris WilliamsF1 Team 600th Race Limited Edition, which was released last year. As its name suggests, the timepiece was made to commemorate the 600th race of the WilliamsF1 team since its debut in 1977.

True to the subject it’s paying tribute to, the timepiece is a sporty chronograph with a multi-piece steel case that measures 44mm across. The watch runs on the self-winding Oris 773 movement, which is based on Sellita’s SW500. It maintains a less cluttered bi-compax layout with the sub-dials at six and 12 o’clock, which frees up space for the Oris and Williams signatures to be placed at three and nine o’clock.

The watch’s bezel is DLC coated for scratch resistance, and printed with a tachymeter scale to measure an event’s rate in conjunction with the chronograph second hand. Articulating lugs, together with a rubber strap fitted with a deployant buckle, ensure a close and comfortable fit on the wrist.

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R EPORTS Steve McQueen in Le Mans

TAG HEUER & MCLAREN

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s a brand, TAG Heuer has a long history of involvement with both Formula One and motorsports in general. The brand, known then as Heuer, first introduced the Carrera in 1963 as a chronograph designed specifically for professional drivers. Named for the Carrera Panamericana Rally of the 1950s, the Carrera did extremely well immediately due to its clean lines which imparted great legibility. Heuer followed up with the Monaco in 1969. The watch was the first square-shaped automatic chronograph in the world, and became a hit when Steve McQueen accessorised his character with it in the 1971 classic race film Le Mans.

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A Carrera from 1963

Monaco 24 Calibre 36

Former CEO Stephane Linder with Kevin Magnussen at the Monaco Grand Prix

Carrera Calibre 6 Automatic 39mm

FORMULA ONE CONNECTIONS

The year 1971 also saw Heuer stepping into F1 as Scuderia Ferrari’s team sponsor and official timekeeper – the first such partnership between a watch brand and a race team. During the partnership, every Ferrari driver wore a Heuer chronograph, usually a Carrera, with his name and blood type engraved on the case. Heuer also had close relationships with several Ferrari drivers in this period due to its involvement with the team, including Mario Andretti, one of the most successful Americans in motorsports.

Heuer’s subsequent collaborations include being Formula One’s official timekeeper from 1992 to 2003, and the ongoing partnership with McLaren which began in 1985, following Heuer’s acquisition by the TAG Group. The partnership is one of the longest running ones to date, and also one of the most successful – McLaren has won the Constructor’s Championship six times and Driver’s Championship nine times since the partnership began. TAG Heuer’s current ambassadors in Formula One are Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen, the drivers for the McLaren team. .

RACING INSPIRED TIMEPIECES

TAG Heuer’s range of racing inspired timepieces currently spans several collections, with the Monaco being arguably the most iconic. Squareshaped case aside, it is also noteworthy for having several of its models with blue colour schemes, just like McQueen’s model in Le Mans. The Carrera too, remains popular after over five decades, and maintains the original’s simplicity and legibility. The Grand Carrera is derived from it, with a unique feature being its use of rotating discs in lieu of sub-dials for functions such as recording the elapsed minutes on a chronograph.

Finally, there is the TAG Heuer Formula 1, which is unusual for being a quartz-only model until last year. First launched in 1986, the Formula 1 was noted then for its case which was fibreglass-coated steel. This collection has undergone several design changes, and currently has both quartz and mechanical models.

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R EPORTS One of the 20 Ferrari-stamped Hublot timepieces

HUBLOT & FERRARI

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ublot, the relatively new entrant to both watchmaking and Formula One, has nonetheless managed to make great strides in both fields. The brand entered F1 with a splash when it was appointed the official watchmaker of Formula One in 2010.

It promptly released the F1 King Power, a limited-run King Power model with the F1 logo in white gold. This was followed up with the F1 King Power Tourbillon, and the F1 King Power Ceramic models in 2011.

In a series of developments parallel to the above, Hublot also released limited edition watches to pay tribute to several prominent Grands Prix, beginning with the F1 King Power Monza, which is named after the famed Italian circuit. The F1 King Power India followed in early 2011, to commemorate the first Grand Prix that was to take place in New Delhi. Other entries in this circuit-themed collection include the F1 King Power Suzuka and the F1 King Power Austin, to salute the race tracks in Japan and the United States respectively.

masculine designs and their efforts to make technical breakthroughs in their respective fields. Under the terms of the agreement, Hublot is both official timekeeper and official watch for Ferrari, and will participate in Ferrari’s full range of activities – down to partnering Ferrari Club France, and participating in various Ferrari Track Days around the world.

Unlike Hublot’s direct F1 involvement previously, the timepieces resulting from the Hublot-Ferrari partnership are centred on the Big Bang model. The Big Bang Ferrari had several iterations, beginning with a 20-piece Ferrari-stamped one that was unveiled during the

PARTNERING THE PRANCING STALLION

Besides partnering with Formula One as its official watchmaker, Hublot was simultaneously involved with Ferrari beginning in November 2011. This connection is natural, given both brands’ bold, Hublot as the official watchmaker for F1

The MP-05 LaFerrari

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Fernando Alonso at the British Grand Prix this year

Big Bang Ferrari Titanium Carbon

Big Bang Ferrari Titanium Carbon

announcement of the partnership. Others soon followed, including the Big Bang Ferrari Magic Gold and the Big Bang Ferrari Titanium in 2012. The synergy between the two, and the success that came with it, was easy to quantify. In just over a year, Hublot and Ferrari had already jointly hosted over 130 events around the world.

THE SCUDERIA FERRARI CONNECTION

After stepping down as Formula One’s official watchmaker at the end of the 2012 season, Hublot was able to deepen its Ferrari partnership by collaborating with Scuderia Ferrari, the racing arm of the prancing stallion, beginning with the 2013 F1 season. Naturally, the manufacture honoured the cooperation with additional Ferrari-themed

watches that year, including the Big Bang Ferrari King Gold Carbon.

The highlight was, however, the MP-05 LaFerrari watch. Its avantgarde design was highly unusual, even for Hublot, and matched only by the details that went into its creation. For one, the LaFerrari has a record breaking 50-day power reserve – the longest ever for a handwound tourbillon. This is achieved by arranging 11 barrels in series, with them discharging power into and supporting each other. Its 637 components is also the most for a watch Hublot had created, including the sapphire crystal with its complex shape that mirrors an automobile.

As a sign of Hublot’s audacity in watchmaking, the watch even comes with its own special tool for winding it up quickly. The LaFerrari’s complexity limited it to just 50 pieces worldwide.

As Hublot’s partnership with Ferrari and Scuderia Ferrari continued into 2014, it returned to focusing on the Big Bang model, by releasing the Ferrari Ceramic Carbon, Ferrari King Gold, and Ferrari Titanium Carbon models. The three timepieces are all fitted with the Unico movement, which is developed and produced at the Hublot manufacture. Its features include a flyback chronograph with the column wheel visible from the dial side of the watch, and a fairly long 72-hour power reserve. The Ferrari Titanium Carbon model also references the marque with its red-hued sapphire crystal, which was achieved by adding chemical components during the crystal’s manufacture.

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“This year’s Portofino shoot was a pleasure, it is always an enjoyable experience working with Peter, wearing a tuxedo changes the way one faces the world.

Although I loved portraying the dolce vita of the 1950s and 1960s during the Portofino photo shoot in 2010, I think this year’s experience with Peter Lindbergh was filled with more chic, more intensity and more passion.” – CATE BLANCHETT

PICTURE PERFECT PORTOFINO A favourite haunt of the rich, the famous, and the beautiful, Portofino was also the locale for IWC’s latest campaign by Peter Lindbergh, starring five friends of the brand and the dazzling new Portofino Midsize WORDS CELINE YAP

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R EPORTS Emily Blunt (left) and Zhou Xun (right)

“I am delighted to join this exciting and exclusive group of artists with whom I share my passion for fine watches. To work together with Peter Lindbergh in Portofino was an experience I will not forget, because his magnificent sense of beauty and attention to detail allowed us as cast members to truly transcend in time and space.” – EMILY BLUNT Christoph Waltz (left) and Ewan McGregor (right)

“Portofino is one of the most magical places on the planet. Being dressed in a tuxedo, wearing these amazing pieces of art while speeding along the Italian Riviera, I wished for nothing more than to stop time and linger just a little longer.”

– CHRISTOPH WALTZ

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“IWC understands how to merge breathtaking aesthetics, technical know-how and the art of savoir-vivre. Witnessing IWC’s professionalism at the Beijing Film Festival first-hand, I have come to understand that IWC sincerely lives its passion not only for style and design, but also its passion for storytelling.” – ZHOU XUN

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ate Blanchett, Emily Blunt, Zhou Xun, Christophe Waltz, and Ewan McGregor. Apart from being silver screen A-listers, these five actors have one more thing in common: Their fascination with watches made by IWC. Sensing this keen appreciation, the Schaffhausen manufacture embarked on what must be the most ambitious brand campaign in the industry. It invited the glamorous pentad to the Italian coastal town of Portofino one fine summer weekend, and who should capture all that enviable camaraderie but photographer-to-the-stars Peter Lindbergh? Adding a sixth familiar name to this endeavour, Lindbergh skilfully captured all of the most beautiful candid moments shared among the cast.

BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS

When asked about his approach for this shoot, Lindbergh was an open book. He relates, “I hardly even spoke to the actors while we were shooting. I worked with them as a director does a film – there are no direct instructions on poses. These actors are among the best in the business! You just put them somewhere and then they just do what they want. I was the one who moved around, changing between lenses. It’s comparable to the voyeurism approach in filmmaking. The stars don’t do anything for the camera. This is the difference between actors and models. Models do everything for the camera whereas actors, their whole lives, they’re trained to forget the camera. That’s the main difference.”

This campaign is dedicated to the new IWC Portofino Midsize collection – the manufacture’s first selection of wristwatches speaking openly to a feminine clientele as well as men looking for a more discreet, classical timepiece. CEO of IWC, Georges Kern, explains the motivation for this campaign: “As we are originally a men’s product brand, we needed to find a suitable approach to launch the Portofino Midsize line. What you will notice immediately is the ‘Marlene Dietrich’ styling of our female actresses and that was our message. This look was the inspiration that we felt could bridge this men’s watch into a midsize model which could certainly be worn by women.”

After three days in Portofino, Lindbergh shot over 21,000 pictures, from which he selected about 300 for IWC. Kern reveals that

this process was extremely intense and took about a year and a half to finalise. “After Peter sends us his selection, we had to narrow it down further, and then get the approval of the celebrities. Here’s where it got really tough because you’re not just working with the celebrity. There are managers, agents, lawyers, publicists, and stylists to handle. But I must say, at the end of it all, we may be exhausted but we are also extremely proud.”

BEHIND THE SCENES

A photoshoot of this magnitude brings with it a certain amount of drama. Lindbergh describes, “We had easily 120 people on the set. It’s like filming a Hollywood movie. We went to about six different locations – from the hotel balcony and the park, to the harbour, the restaurant at the harbour, and the boat – so as to have some diversity in order to tell a story. It was extremely complex, but the photos were great.”

He continues, “With five stars like that, you cannot just walk into any bar in Portofino because you will get mobbed. There is one scene in a bar, but IWC had flown in a whole bar, a beautiful old bar, from Paris. They sent it to us, so we don’t have to move. Isn’t that crazy?”

Indeed, there is no question about IWC’s seriousness and commitment to this project. Looking at the series of images, one immediately gets a sense of relaxation and elegance, two emotions which would have otherwise been lost had the actors been instructed to pose prominently with the watches.

Says Kern, “We were not concerned at all whether the watches are prominent in the pictures because there is always a way to make the products visible through other marketing materials. The last thing we want is for this shoot to appear like a commercial. Everybody knows its IWC anyway, so we don’t have to put a big stamp and be obvious like that. We believe it’s much more elegant like this, and it is also what the stars appreciate. People at our price level know and appreciate the elegance of this photoshoot.”

Sharing those sentiments, Lindbergh adds, “You don’t really want to be part of a world where everybody is just sitting there and posing with their watches. No one wants to be part of that world. Here, however, everything looks elegant and intelligent.”

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“In January of this year, I shared the stage with artists of Cirque du Soleil wearing a narrator’s hat for a performance about lost time. Now, just a few months later, I find myself in one of the most picturesque and trend-setting places on the planet wearing a tux and an elegant Portofino. IWC never ceases to surprise me.” – EWAN MCGREGOR

Photo Flickr_Christine Zenino

Portofino

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PHOTO FINISH

Peter Lindbergh tells us more about the IWC Portofino campaign

What was the general direction on this photoshoot with Cate Blanchett, Christophe Waltz, Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, and Zhou Xun? First, it was difficult and not difficult to shoot like this because it’s a pretty gigantic project. You have these five actors and they all have their own schedules. I was thinking we could shoot over three days, with the five actors, and perhaps we could work with the locations and so on. Then we discovered that not all of them will be there on the first day, some will be gone before the last day, and everything exploded into nothing.

Then we had to improvise. We had in mind a real story, a real narrative, but it was impossible because we never have the right people at the right time. So we just did an open shoot. We did have a cast of the five most incredible actors, so the story is they are in Portofino having a wonderful time together.

sitting at the café. Then, there’s also one with all of the five actors at one table, that one is really nice too, the restaurant scene. It’s amazing when you look in the camera. It’s not every day you get to see five such amazing actors in one same frame. It was almost like I’m dreaming.

Can you share with us one interesting anecdote on the set?

Of course! Christoph is not very used to doing such things so at first he was afraid he has to sit with his wrist and elbow in front of him all the time. It was so funny. He was doing all kinds of poses with his wrist. I said to him, “Christoph that looks awful, it looks like advertising. Put the watch away.” He was, like, “What?” I told him it was too inyour-face and to just forget about the watch.

This made him really confident about the campaign. You do see the watches, they’re there, but we were certain we didn’t want to oversell it.

How do you like the styling of the women in this shoot?

I love it! I always use this kind of woman who is looking a little boyish.

It’s practically a small trademark of mine. Using men’s clothes for women, obviously without turning them into transvestites. I also think it really gels well with the watches which are like a man’s watch becoming a women’s watch. Then the idea was, why don’t we put them in the Marlene Dietrich look, black tie and all that? Although that can be very restrictive, we loosened it up a little bit with open collars, etc. We stepped back from any kind of story except what was really happening.

These five people were in Portofino at the same time and everything comes their way, like taking the boat, sitting in the bar, walking to the harbour, cafes, was exactly what happened. That was the story, the reality of it.

What about the shoot with Karolina Kurkova and Adriana Lima? Why is there a different approach?

A model’s job is to do advertising to sell a product. An actor, on the other hand, is to do film, so they will not be so posy all the time. They can’t do that because it’s not good for their image. With the actors, we don’t even think about the watches in the pictures. Often you don’t even see the watch. But if you do, then you do. With the models, we really photograph the watches really well. I didn’t want the two shoots to be too similar. That’s why the models’ shoot was done in colour. This also brings out the watches a bit more.

If you had to pick one shot as the opening picture, which one would it be?

I like the scene with Cate, Emily, and Xun

Karolina Kurkova (left) and Adriana Lima (right)

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PROTECTOR OF THE ARTS

As a completely new facility dedicated to the traditional crafts, the Maison des Métiers d’Arts puts the art in Cartier WORDS CELINE YAP

Cartier’s new Maison des Métiers d’Arts is located just a short distance from its main manufacture

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ver the last five years, the world of luxury watches has become that much more beautiful, thanks in no small part to the proliferation of traditional métiers d’arts, or artistic crafts, imbued into mechanical watches. While haute horlogerie is, in itself, an artistic craft, métiers d’arts bring the fine arts into watchmaking and they include hand engraving, miniature painting, grand feu enamel, gem setting, and more. Among the watch companies with the most profound interest and know-how of the métiers d’arts, the one that practices the widest repertoire of crafts, including the most arcane and age-old crafts, is undoubtedly Cartier.

With a long and fabled history with the world of art that continues till today, it is only natural that the luxury maison gains full mastery of the métiers d’arts. What’s more surprising, though, is Cartier’s ability to blend technique with creativity and to marry lost arts with modern watchmaking. Also impressive is the extent to which Cartier is devoted to métiers d’arts. Now that they have become a major preoccupation of the maison, they deserve a dedicated space where the crafts are consolidated and artisans can work uninterrupted.

Fittingly, Cartier calls this space Maison des Métiers d’Arts, or house of the artistic crafts.

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Cartier preserved most of the original interiors, installing only what was absolutely necessary

CONSOLIDATED CRAFTSMANSHIP

Just a short distance away from Cartier’s magnificent manufacture in La Chaux-deFonds, what used to be a Bernese-style farm dating from the end of the 18 th century is now the Cartier Maison des Métiers d’Arts.

Considering how watchmaking used to be a part-time job for farmers in the winter when there are no crops to tend, this beautiful historical mansion is a perfectly chosen site.

Cartier preserved as much of it as possible even as the interior has been refurbished with a modern framework – perhaps a metaphor for its gift for bridging the past and the present. All this becomes apparent as soon as you step into the mansion. Abundant light streaming in from the roof and open-worked gables lead one to think of the classical architecture of watch manufactures while wooden panelling and 18 th century limestone flagstones, lime plaster, and period furnishing keep the spirit of the original building intact.

Three rooms occupy the ground floor: Grand Salon, Petit Salon, and Salle de Présentation.

The maison also owns and continues using traditional machinery today

PRECIOUS METALWORKING

King of jewellers and jeweller of kings, Cartier prides itself on jewellery making know-how and the mansion’s first floor is given to all things gilded and glittery. Traditional gem setting and jewellery making are both accomplished here by Cartier’s master craftsmen and women, and motifs that are perennial favourites of the maison like the panther and the caiman, in addition to all manner of flora and fauna, sparkle with life. A painstaking process, the pieces are first rendered in an open-worked design drilled with cavities, which will eventually be studded with precious stones. It is the master gem-setter’s eye that decides which stone goes with which and then he carefully crafts the appropriate setting – prong, claw, collet, or bezel. The piece is polished several times throughout the crafting process, and is a consummate skill requiring years of experience to master.

In recent years, Cartier has expanded its repertoire of skills to include gold granulation and filigree work. To much critical acclaim, Cartier launched the Rotonde de Cartier Panther with Granulation in 2013, a watch that introduced a completely new craft to modern watchmaking. Having discovered the ancient Etruscan art of gold granulation, Cartier promptly researched deeply to study its technique.

Likened to sowing seeds of gold, granulation involves creating gold beads using long gold wires that have been cut up, rolled in charcoal dust, and heated with a flame. The beads are then assembled one by one to create a motif, and then fused with a gold surface. Cartier’s panther with granulation is made up of nearly 3,800 gold beats and took approximately 360 hours to complete the underlying engraving and bead fusing.

Jewellery working and gem setting occupy the full first floor of the maison

To produce gold granulation dials, Cartier conducted deep research and devised its own methods to craft each gold bead

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Filigree working is the latest craft to be introduced at the maison

Filigree work is just as intricate as gold granulation. Attributed to the ancient Sumerians, this craft dates back to 3000 BC and is done by twisting gold or platinum wires and then hammering to flatten the strips, which are shaped to form a motif and then soldered onto a surface. The latest craft to join Cartier’s repertoire, it will be featured in the Ronde Louis Cartier in 2015 which combines filigree work with the application of lacquer and gem setting. Taking the form of two panthers locked in an embrace, the filigree work in yellow gold and platinum takes no fewer than 10 days to complete.

COLOUR & FIRE

All kinds of grand feu enamel work is performed here, including champlevé (pictured), cloisonné, grisaille, and plique-à-jour

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One of the best loved forms of métiers d’arts, enamelling can be done with a wide range of techniques. Found on the second floor, the most superior and traditional technique is said to be grand feu enamelling, which requires the enameller to create a mixture of raw enamel and metallic oxides to be fired at a temperature of over 800 degrees Celsius. In order to create an elaborate painting with shades and colour nuances, the enameller has to use a palette of coloured raw enamel and each shade of each colour has to be fired individually. The result is a painting brought to life by layers of colours.

There are different techniques to apply enamel to a dial, all of which are considered traditional. Champlevé enamel involves carving out cavities where the raw enamel is to be applied, leaving only strips of metal in between the cavities. Cloisonné enamel is quite the opposite, as it involves applying strips of metal on the dial to demarcate where the raw enamel is to be applied. These strips are called cloisons (meaning partition) in French.

Much rarer than champlevé or cloisonné is the plique-àjour enamel which resembles stained glass windows in churches. Plique-à-jour is similar to cloisonné except it does not have a base.

Grisaille enamel is also very rare. In fact it was almost a lost art. To perform grisaille enamelling, the enameller begins with a dial of black enamel and uses only translucent white enamel called limoge blanc to paint the desired images. Multiple layers of the limoge blanc is needed to achieve a clear white stroke, and each layer has to be fired individually, making grisaille enamelling one of the most laborious techniques of all. Yet, Cartier has managed to find a silver lining, make that a gold lining, with grisaille enamelling. Working with a gold paste instead of limoge blanc, the maison utilises the same technique with a precious material, adding just that bit of prestige to the age-old craft.

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Cartier is the only maison to produce dials with floral marquetry

Some historical timepieces on exhibit at the maison’s eaves

In addition to enamelling, this part of the Maison des Métiers d’Arts is also where one of Cartier’s most talked-about watches, the Ballon Bleu de Cartier Floral Marquetry, is made. Marquetry as an art traditionally involves combining pieces of sculpted wood to form a larger canvas. Instead of wood, however, Cartier made stunning works of marquetry using rose petals and straw. Again, these painstaking processes call for enormous concentration on the part of the craftsman as well as inordinate numbers of man-hours to complete. The Ballon Bleu de Cartier Floral Marquetry took two weeks just for the marquetry work alone while a straw marquetry creation like the Rotonde de Cartier Straw Marquetry with lion motif, where individual blades of straw were hand chosen, split blade by blade, flattened with a burnishing bone, and assembled by hand, took 45 hours to make.

Similar to marquetry, stone mosaic is another craft practiced

by Cartier and is done on the Rotonde de Cartier Stone Mosaic with tiger motif. In this watch, the maison combines small miniature square stones for the background with irregular-shaped stones known as tesserae that are used for the motif. Observe how the natural nuances of stone has been used to create shadowed hues. Nearly 500 tiny tesserae and up to 70 hours of work were required to literally put this dial together.

GLORIOUS PAST

Ascend to the eaves of the Maison des Métiers d’Arts and you would enter into a sacred space devoted to Cartier’s creative universe. Not just reserved for exhibitions and private events, this area is open to the artisans of the maison should they seek a place to exchange ideas and share knowledge. Indeed, the exchange of ideas and sharing of knowledge is the primary objective of Maison des Métiers d’Arts. It is also why all the floors and rooms are designed with an open concept and are easily accessible from one to another. Like the masterpieces of yesteryears, Cartier’s modern creations break boundaries and rethink conventions but they are always beautifully interpreted. Now with Maison des Métiers d’Arts, Cartier looks set to bring haute horlogerie even closer to the fine arts.

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BOHEMIAN SENSATION Montblanc’s new collection addresses an expanding segment of sophisticated female watch buyers, while strengthening the links between the maison’s product lines WORDS JAMIE TAN

The Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery in red gold

A scene from the Lady Bohème Parade show depicting the urban chic of the Bohème lady

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ontblanc has identified a growing population of women who are interested in mechanical timepieces with mid to high complications. As such, the maison has been increasing its efforts to address them while balancing its offerings with entry-level watches. Montblanc is not alone though; several other Richemont brands are also doing so. Unlike its siblings, however, the maison also happens to have full-fledged leather goods and writing instrument divisions for its watchmakers to leverage on. The result is the new Bohème watch collection.

LAUNCHING THE COLLECTION

The Bohème name isn’t new to Montblanc. Originally a range of shorter pens for urban ladies to comfortably carry around in their purses, the Bohème has just been expanded to include watches. This echoes Montblanc’s strategy with the Meisterstück collection at SIHH this year, and hints at a trend for the maison’s product lines to further synergise with each other under its CEO Jerome Lambert’s tutelage.

The new collection’s importance is readily apparent. Rather than unveiling it at September’s Watches & Wonders in Hong Kong, Montblanc chose to host a separate launch event for it in Shanghai a month before. Jens Henning Koch, executive vice president of marketing for Montblanc, opined that only a separate event would give room for the brand to elaborate on the collection at length.

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The collection made its international debut at Shanghai’s Children’s Art Theatre on 28 August, with the evening’s highlight being the Lady Bohème Parade show. It included live music, dance, and even acrobatic performances to highlight the aspects of the contemporary Bohème lady, whom Koch defined as being confident while possessing an urban chic, and most importantly, a free spirit – attributes that Montblanc felt were exemplified by women in the Asia market, hence the choice of Shanghai for the launch.

Montblanc’s brand ambassador Gwai Lun Mei

THE BOHÈME LADY

At the launch, Montblanc put a face to the collection by identifying brand ambassador Gwai Lun Mei as the embodiment of the Bohème lady. To associate an entire collection with an individual is certainly an unusual (and risky) marketing move, but a telling one nonetheless.

Clearly, Montblanc has enough confidence in both its products’ and ambassador’s

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The diminutive Bohème Blanche Fountain Pen, part of the Bohème pen collection

Bohème jewellery collection

longevity to immediately draw such an intimate link between them.

Lambert had waxed lyrical about the reasons behind this choice. Apart from the Bohème lady’s qualities described earlier, he cited Gwai’s talent, beauty and cultural acumen as reasons for her choice as face of the collection. Those familiar with the Taiwanese actress will likely agree – she has appeared in numerous films and television series, and looks to be on an upward trajectory career-wise for a long time to come. The articulate actress, who is fluent in English, Mandarin, and French, even corrected the emcee when he made a translation error at the afternoon press conference.

(Left) The Bohème Date Automatic Jewellery in red gold and The Bohème Date Automatic in steel (right)

THE COLLECTION

The Bohème Date Automatic models with two-colour leather straps

Even though Montblanc is rapidly increasing its visibility in high watchmaking, thanks in no small part to its Villeret manufacture, the maison remains intent on achieving broad-based appeal with the Bohème collection. A simple and fuss-free timepiece? The Bohème Date is exactly that, with its MB 21.12 quartz movement.

A mid-range mechanical watch? There is the Bohème Date Automatic driven by a MB 24.14 self-winding mechanical movement. A high complication? The Perpetual Calendar Jewellery is the flagship that anchors the collection, and features a perpetual calendar and moon phase indicators.

Despite their differing levels of technical complexity, the collection’s models speak a very consistent design language, owing to a laborious development process, according to Koch. The dials alone went through over 30 iterations before being finalised, for instance. You will notice the guilloché that is common to them, with 60 or 90 facets depending on the model, as well as the elliptical date windows on the Date and Date Automatic. The latter is a motif that’s found in the Bohème Jewellery Collection’s pieces as well, further establishing the linkages across product lines within the Bohème family. Depending on the specific reference, the Date and Date Automatic models also offer various options for gem-setting, from none at all, to having diamonds on the dial and/or the bezel. Lastly, fashion forward watch connoisseurs will be pleased to know that the Bohème is also available in two-colour leather straps for a more contemporary look, a first for the maison.

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R EPORTS

TIME WALKER

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n the back of the Bohème collection’s launch, WOW speaks to Hugh Jackman, who was the face of Montblanc’s ‘I Tell Stories’ campaign. Koch shared that the campaign, which spanned multiple products including Montblanc pens and watches, was conceived in order to have “stronger and a more impactful communication” and establish the brand’s products as “fine lifetime companions”. Far from being just a friend of the brand, Jackman is also a personal purveyor of Montblanc products – he showed up with his Extreme backpack for the filming of a television program.

How did your partnership with Montblanc come about?

I was really delighted when Montblanc asked me whether I would consider being part of their family. I have always admired what the brand stands for, its fascinating history and the quality and uniqueness of the products they create.

When such an iconic brand sends you an invitation to collaborate, you really cannot refuse.

Since coming on board, have you discovered anything about the brand that you didn’t know previously?

Yes, I’ve discovered the Pelletteria in Florence in July for the launch of the new Extreme leather collection, and I am really looking forward to visiting Montblanc’s ateliers in Hamburg and its two watch manufactures in the Swiss Jura. It is fascinating to see these products being designed with such inspiration, then created with precision by real craftsmen.

Is there anything particularly noteworthy or inspiring about Montblanc that stands out to you?

The arts is unfortunately an area that increasingly has to fight for funding.

Montblanc has done a fantastic job over the years supporting visual artists, musicians, dancers, and even theatre directors! I share its commitment to supporting the arts in all its forms and helping them flourish.

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Hugh Jackman

What are your earliest memories of Montblanc?

I’ve always loved the classic pen. I love the weight of it in my hand. I used to hold one and think I was very grown up!

Your movie character Wolverine is practically immortal, and has lived through various periods and even travelled back in time. Have you ever thought of what you’d do if time weren’t a constraint?

Wolverine is a part of me at this point. I have been playing him for 14 years. That’s as old as my son. I know everything about him. What makes him tick, what makes him rage, everything. It is always interesting to put that ‘hat’ back on, because the story is different each time.

There are many things to do, actually. This fall, I am going back to Broadway with a new play called The River.

I’m also co-hosting the Global Poverty Project event in Central Park in September.

Then, in early March, a new film called Chappie is coming out. Other than these, I am staying home and not travelling for a few months. I’m really happy I’ll be home with my family and sleeping in my own bed! I get up early, work out, and do the morning rush of having breakfast and taking the kids to school. I also do all the ‘normal’ things a husband and father does, like picking up the kids after school, and taking them to afternoon activities. We try to have family dinners when I am home. It’s all rather normal, I guess.

BELL & ROSS SPECI AL

BELL & ROSS SPECI AL

BELL & ROSS SPECI AL

BELL & ROSS SPECI AL

BELL & ROSS SPECI AL

AN ICON REVISITED

Bell & Ross celebrates the 10th anniversary of its flagship watch, the BR01

Robust and always legible, the Bell & Ross BR 01 is perpetually combat ready

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our strict design principles of visibility, functionality, water resistance, and precision guided the hands of a team of designers and aircraft control specialists that came together for a singular project: To create watches perfectly suited for professional use in a variety of pragmatic applications and in multiple scenarios. The singular goal was to be part of the great Swiss watchmaking tradition while meeting the demands of professionals facing extreme situations.

Instruments for such diverse professions with unique and specific tasks must be able to bear excessive temperatures, tolerate violent accelerations or withstand dangerous pressures. These very extreme conditions are studied by Bell & Ross alongside the people who experience them – astronauts, pilots, bomb-disposal experts and divers. Their conclusion is unanimous: Professional personnel require a watch that must not only perform faultlessly but also be a synergistic instrument.

These very same designers, aircraft instrumentation specialists, engineers, and master watchmakers began and ended a quest to create the ideal timekeeping instrument that was not only precise, but also ruggedly pragmatic. Close inspection reveals that every detail has its purpose – a specific function. This complex exactness is expressed through pure lines and timeless elegance.

The result of all their efforts is the Bell & Ross BR 01 instrument.

Today, special-forces units, astronauts, pilots, divers, and bomb disposal experts are equipped with Bell & Ross watches as an integral instrument on their assignments.

UNPARALLELED LEGIBILITY

A simple but brilliant idea of recreating a plane’s dashboard clock as a wristwatch became the basis of the creation of the BR 01. This faithful reproduction of the cockpit instrument is highly evident in the production of this austere but practical timepiece. The entire piece 59

BELL & ROSS SPECI AL

Not unlike a plane’s dashboard instrumentation that feeds crucial data to the pilots, the BR01 instrument watch is distinctively readable on the fly

Accompanying military men outfield, Bell & Ross is a trusted name

Cockpit instruments of vintage and modern aircraft inspired the BR 01

At such high altitudes, legibility is key

including numerals, hands, and square case complete with retention screws are inspired by the design codes of aeronautical instruments to optimise legibility and functionality. Justification and purpose follow suit in every minute detail of this timepiece and it falls fluidly in line with the Bell & Ross’s principle of form following function.

High stress situations and volatile environments that demand near perfect dexterity require efficient and accurate information input.

Not unlike a plane’s dashboard instrumentation that feeds crucial flying and environmental data to the pilots, the BR 01 instrument watch is distinctively readable on the fly.

Readability is perfected through the clear and distinct shape of the large hands, easy-to-see hour numerals, and the pragmatic clean dial. Slightly raised due to the healthy amount of Super-LumiNova, the index markers and hands provide a vivid contrast to the black of the dial. Also, inspired by the aesthetics of the instrument panel, the function of the anti-glare matte-black carbon finish was to facilitate the reading of the dials by contrast, eliminating any glare. Black coated metals are preferred in cockpits because it does not reflect any light, which may impinge on visibility.

Since its launch in 2005, the BR 01 has taken on countless guises

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BELL & ROSS SPECI AL

Its square case is especially robust, and highly recognisable, with its round dial and four distinct screws

Watch aficionados and design mavens all love the strong and simple aesthetic of the BR 01

AT THE HEART

Far from being a cold, merciless timepiece, the BR 01 sports a wellknown, tried and tested Swiss ETA 2892-2 automatic movement.

The BR 01 watch series makes it very clear which movement is inside of them. The BR 01-94, for example, has an ETA 2894 automatic chronograph movement while the BR 01-97 has an ETA 2897 automatic movement with power reserve. Unlike other watch companies, Bell & Ross focuses not on movement making, but watchmaking as a whole, and thus it uses reliable, industrytested movements inside its watches. As a result, the collections communicate a strong identity fulfilled by pioneering design.

At its workshops in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Bell & Ross’s engineers and watchmakers work continually to reinforce the utilitarian spirit of the dashboard clock. Precision is the name of the game in this environment, for how else would the timepieces perform but flawlessly? Precision and shock testing are carried out rigorously, with unwavering attention to detail paid to every single timepiece, regardless of its inherent mechanical complexity.

As an illustration, the four screws on the top of the case, also called retention screws in aviation jargon, reflect the BR 01’s aeronautical origins. Not unlike the front-fastening system of planes’ cockpit instruments, the movement is accessed via the top of the case. The four retention screws attached the lid to the case, ensure that the watch is water-resistant. Little details such as the four dial mounted screws that match the bezel add an aura of authenticity to the timepiece.

Options with Velcro straps make it all the more rugged

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BELL & ROSS SPECI AL

The many faces of the BR 01

As wide as the watch is, at a robust 46mm x 46mm in width, the BR 01 feels reasonably thin at a height of only 10.5mm. This low wrist profile is a stroke of brilliance central to its core design.

The case is water resistant to 100m and the sapphire glass – de rigueur in luxury watchmaking – is given an anti-reflective coating for unparalleled legibility. Finer touches such as the grooves on the screw-down crown with engraved Bell & Ross logo are welcomed features. The large flat watch sits very comfortably on the wrist, which means that while large, it is not cumbersome.

Another instance of ingenious design is seen in the way the straps integrate the lugs for a continuous, seamless effect.

The straps gently taper and are facetted (on the rubber versions) to help visually reduce the size of the watch.

Strap design is quite refined and visually elegant, while also being very simple. Also offered in leather, nylon Velcro, and others, the most popular one for the BR 01 may still be the rubber strap. Rugged in design, the rubber strap matched with the sexy buckle, is effortlessly easy to wear, and very comfortable.

Finally, the BR 01 case is constructed with a system that allows you to easily and quickly change between straps, making the watch extremely versatile.

Within the stellar stable of the BR 01, Bell & Ross explores aeronautical navigation instruments further with the development of such unique and high-tech BR 01 models as the BR 01 Compass, Radar, Horizon, Altimeter, and Turn Coordinator. These models represent Bell & Ross’s commitment to a new perspective of time by offering an innovative display inspired, as always, by aeronautical instruments. Of course, more variations exist in a host of materials, sizes, and functions.

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A DECADE OF EXCELLENCE

Ten years of history for the BR 01 is marked by the launch of the limited edition BR 01 10th Anniversary watch and only 500 pieces are available to the most passionate collectors. The new piece is identical to the 2005 model, but utilises state-of-the-art techniques and materials in its production.

Housed in high-tech ceramic, the 10th Anniversary watch is resistant to high temperatures and corrosion. Its laboratories engineers its own industrial ceramics, creating an enhanced material using special manufacturing processes, the result of which is a material that is virtually scratch-resistant, pleasant to wear, soft to the touch, and thermo-regulated. The matte black ceramic case is incredibly durable, non-deformable, lighter than steel, hypoallergenic, and almost as hard as diamond.

At just a glance, one might not be able to fathom the difficulties encountered by Bell & Ross when redesigning the already complex case. Modelled off a subsection of a spacecraft nose, the 10th Anniversary piece comprises a steel box section nestled in the new ceramic case, much like a streamlined fuselage. The ensuing two distinct parts complete the engineered design and synergistically reinforce each other, while the steel case back is tastefully engraved with the limited edition motif.

This commemorative piece wears this motif proudly on the dial at six o’clock. Eager collectors will be rewarded with a unique limited edition serial number engraved on the case back – a subtle reminder of your place in this exclusive 500-piece club.

A modern legend, the Bell & Ross BR 01 is a must-have for professionals and a must-want for watch aficionados.

HIGHLIGHTS

SMOKING HOT

Hublot reprises an earlier partnership to create a new collection featuring unique dials made with tobacco leaves WORDS JAMIE TAN

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ublot’s myriad partnerships span a range of themes, from sports teams and personalities, to non-profit organisations, to professional poker. Of these collaborations, its work with Arturo Fuente is probably the most uncommon. One of the most well-known and beloved cigar makers outside Cuba, Arturo Fuente often eschews tradition for results. Its Opus X cigar, for example, comprises nine leaves rather than the usual five for a more complex flavour. The parallels with Hublot, whose penchant for breaking the mould has created timepieces such as the La Ferrari, are apparent; a partnership seemed natural, and resulted in 2012’s King Power “Arturo Fuente”.

Hublot and Arturo Fuente have entered the second phase of their partnership with the Classic Fusion “Forbidden X”, which sports a tourbillon model as its flagship. Named for an extremely popular cigar that Arturo Fuente produced, the new watches have dials of tobacco leaves identical to the ones used in said cigars, but vacuum sealed in epoxy resin for stability and rigidity. On the “Forbidden X”

Tourbillon, parts of the manual-winding MHUB6011 movement can be glimpsed through the translucent dial, and the tourbillon itself is visible through the cut-out at six o’clock. The dial is matched by the brown ceramic bezel and tobacco brown calfskin strap, with gold hands and indexes, and Hublot’s proprietary King Gold case rounding out the earth toned colour scheme.

To complete the package, each Classic Fusion “Forbidden X” timepiece will come in a display case that doubles as a humidor for cigars. Undoubtedly aimed at watch collectors who are also cigar enthusiasts, The Classic Fusion “Forbidden X” Tourbillon comes in a limited run of only 30 pieces.

MOVEMENT Manual winding MHUB6011 tourbillon movement with five-day power reserve CASE 45mm in King Gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Tobacco brown calfskin sewn onto black rubber, with 18K gold deployant clasp

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HIGHLIGHTS

SECOND TO NONE Time-honoured meets state-of-the-art in Breguet’s new Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 WORDS CELINE YAP

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here are few watches as greatly revered and awe-inspiring as Breguet’s La Tradition – a towering beacon in the modern luxury watch landscape. First launched in 2005 after the Swatch Group doyen, the late Nicolas G Hayek, revitalised the Breguet brand, the La Tradition was made in tribute to the early watches of brand founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet.

Called subscription watches, these timepieces were fitted with simple movements and sold literally by subscription. This means the client was required to put a down payment upfront before Breguet would start work on the watch, and the balance was to be paid upon delivery. Its watches may no longer be sold by subscription, but the spirit of those timepieces still lives on today, most evidently in the La Tradition. Thus, short of engaging in a bidding war at an auction with other impassioned collectors for a historical Breguet pocket watch, this is the closest one can get to the patrimony of Breguet.

The La Tradition’s core aesthetic draws deeply from the structure of movements used in subscription watches, which is easily identified by its fully exposed bridges, wheels, escapement, barrel, and other components. Also, the positioning of the balance opposite the intermediate wheel provides visual symmetry and quickly leaves a deep impression. Today, the La Tradition’s breathtaking architecture is its most prominent single trait.

Since the very first model was introduced, the collection has expanded steadily to include two different case sizes, one tourbillon model with fusée-chain mechanism, and one GMT model. Incidentally, Breguet has recently shortened it to simply Tradition, much to the dismay of those obsessive watch connoisseurs, but the good news is this year, on the Tradition’s 10th anniversary, the manufacture introduced the latest addition to the family, Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097.

This newcomer respects everything that makes the Tradition family unique, matching even the magnificent finishing and embellishments on the movement bridges, which, like the base plate, are peened according to a decorative technique. Peening is a process of working the surface of a metallic component to de-stress the 64

material (after it is machined) and improve its tensile properties, and the most traditional method involves hammering with a manual tool.

Viewed up close, the bridges of this timepiece appears perfectly flat, thanks to the manufacture’s inimitable mastery of the technique.

Offering a delightful retrograde seconds indicator at 10 o’clock, Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 is a visual feast for the eyes. Revel in the circular-brushed semi-circle which defines the seconds display, take in the Breguet-style open-tipped blued steel hands showing the hours and minutes, marvel at the gold hour sub-dial with traditional guilloché patterns clous de Paris and sauté piqué… Off-centred at 12 o’clock, it is also a throwback to Breguet’s history, as the master watchmaker’s famous tact watches, which allowed people to tell the time by touch alone, were made with this feature. Switch over to the back of the watch for yet another pleasant surprise: The oscillating weight. Made entirely in gold, it follows the design of oscillating weights made in the 18 th century – something practically impossible to get these days. This also makes Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 the only self-winding Tradition model today, as the earlier self-winding reference 7037 has been discontinued.

Now that all tribute has been duly paid, the watch indulges in the present with its inverted in-line lever escapement, which has silicon pallets and a silicon Breguet overcoil balance spring that ensures superb rate stability. It is no secret that the manufacture has become a major advocator of silicon in watchmaking, and naturally, all its new products stand to benefit from the results of its research and development. Spicing up traditional elements with contemporary flourishes, Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 is a worthy modern emblem of the collection.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre 505SR1 with retrograde 60 seconds and 50-hour power reserve CASE 40mm in white or rose gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Black or brown alligator leather

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HONOURING THE PAST Reminiscent of two-counter chronographs of the 1960s, the new TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 18 sports a stylish vintage appeal WORDS YEO SUAN FUTT

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nother year, another TAG Heuer Carrera. But we’re not complaining. The round-case watch is among the most appealing in TAG Heuer’s repertoire, and the vintageinspired models in particular have their design codes grafted from a halcyon age of derring do, romance, and adventure. In principle, at least, these are the very qualities that characterise the Carrera Panamericana, the most dangerous endurance race of its day when it was held annually between 1950 and 1954. The first Carrera watch introduced by Heuer in 1964 took its name from the race because Heuer intended it for the hardiest race car drivers and motorsport enthusiasts. As such, the Carrera was built tough to withstand shock, water, and magnetism; with a clean, open dial that made it easy to read time and timings without a second thought. Five decades on, these same qualities continue to define the Heuer Carrera.

Calibre 18 automatic chronograph is imbedded with the same practical elegance found in historical timekeepers, particularly the ones designed by Jack Heuer. As a throwback

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to that era, this timepiece features a vintage Heuer logo instead of the more contemporary TAG Heuer one. The ‘panda’ bicompax layout also offers sufficient visual drama; TAG did well to dial down the colour, presenting a most charming monotone chronograph in slate and silver. A telemeter lining the flange is a somewhat odd choice for a motorsport-inspired watch. Where a tachymeter for measuring speed is the more usual choice, but the former could see more everyday use. Polished and facetted hour markers and hands make the layout neat, elegant, and versatile, as befitting a watch that can be worn for most occasions and activities.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre 18 chronograph movement with 40-hour power reserve CASE 39mm in stainless steel, water resistant to 100m STRAP Black perforated leather

HIGHLIGHTS

DEAD SERIOUS

Marching to its own steady beat, the Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Deadbeat combines age-old with new-world WORDS YEO SUAN FUTT

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artly in reaction to the horrors of the religious wars of a century before, the 18 th century in Europe was a time of flowering, an unshackling of the imagination from the strictures of religious tradition that brought on a golden era of learning, arts, and refinement that is still fondly remembered as the Age of Enlightenment. In watchmaking, ‘deadbeat’ timepieces were a novelty then much in step with the spirit of the times. Instead of having the second hand advancing in continuous micro-steps as fluidly as the escapement would allow it, a deadbeat is socalled because the hand advances in discrete one-second steps, in a more dignified, precise canter like ceremonial troops doing a slow march. It was ballroom-elegant, and visually more precise, which saw it implemented on chronometers, high precision clocks, and where doctors needed to measure pulse accurately. It’s also what quartz watches do to conserve battery life, but on a mechanical watch, it’s an affair above the mundane that points back – in some ways – to a rosier time in history.

While the Grande Seconde Deadbeat has its soul in the 18 th century – this begins with a beautiful grande feu enamel dial, with time and retrograde calendar forming an auspicious figure-eight and central second hand to show off its primary deadbeat characteristic to full effect – the watch beats with a 21st century heart. Its balance spring is made of silicon, a material borrowed from the semiconductor industry that allows the heart of the watch to beat with precise regularity, unaffected by magnetic fields, and fluctuations of temperature and pressure.

Jaquet Droz also created a new self-winding calibre for the Grande Seconde Deadbeat, and the most advanced nanotech processes were employed in its production. LIGA, in particular, was used to produce parts to exceptional degrees of precision. This allowed the company to optimise the shape of the pallets, and fabricate a 10-tooth cam instead of a conventional 30-tooth cam normally used for an independent second hand display. The sum effect is a refined and more pronounced metronomic beat that mirrors the elegance of the dial layout.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Jaquet Droz Calibre 2695SMR with deadbeat second, retrograde date display, and 40-hour power reserve CASE 43mm in red gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Rolled-edge hand-made black alligator leather

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HIGHLIGHTS

BLUE BLAZES

Bulgari celebrates 40 years of iconic designs with a rich sapphire blue hue WORDS CELINE YAP

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o pull a quote from French aristocrat, writer, poet, and pioneering aviator, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, “a designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there’s nothing left to add, but when there’s nothing left to take away”. Of the luxury watch world’s thousands of unique designs, only a few can be said to have outlasted the passage of time, and the twice named BulgariBulgari timepiece is one of them.

Created in 1975 and designed by the late great watch designer, Gerald Genta, who had counted other influential watches such as the Royal Oak, the Nautilus, and the Ingenieur under his belt, the BulgariBulgari was a milestone not only for Bulgari but also the luxury watch industry at large. Its fortuitous birth was serendipity at its best. The story goes that the Bulgari-Bulgari was made as a complimentary gift for the company’s top 100 customers and not as a product to be sold.

As fate would have it, people went knocking on Bulgari’s doors to purchase this extraordinary timepiece with its brand name so boldly emblazoned across the bezel. Unlike the logo-mania craze of the early 1990s, then, luxury goods companies were highly discreet about labels on their products, and no company other than Bulgari was audacious enough to swim against this current. This landmark decision eventually paved the way for Bulgari-Bulgari to become one of its best-loved emblems.

To celebrate 40 years of the Bulgari-Bulgari, a host of new 68

special editions have hit the market, all featuring intense sapphire blue dials. There are three sizes for the Bulgari-Bulgari – 41mm, 31mm, and 26mm – underscoring the remarkable versatility of this timepiece.

Irrespective of gender, age, or wrist dimensions, the Bulgari-Bulgari is truly a watch for everyone. With a clean, sober dial accented by angular hour markers and numerals, as well as sword-shaped hands, the watch gives pride of place to the double Bulgari engraving on the bezel, which may be prominent, but also tastefully executed with elegant lettering.

These special editions boast dials that shimmer luxuriantly from every angle, and according to Bulgari, this is achieved by a dexterous process involving up to 20 layers of lacquer, first applied and then polished. The result is a stunning sunray effect unseen on ordinary electroplated or even lacquered dials. As the American art director and graphic designer, Paul Rand, says, “Design is so simple, that’s why it’s so complicated”. The Bulgari-Bulgari’s pure and understated design is its most endearing attribute – which, in all honesty, is par for the course for a luxury design powerhouse like Bulgari.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Solotempo movement with 42-hour power reserve CASE 41mm, 31mm, 26mm in stainless steel, water resistant to 50m STRAP Stainless steel bracelet or blue alligator leather

Where the Bulgari-Bulgari defines itself by simplicity, the Octo is all about complex shapes.

Characterised by a multipart case with numerous facets, alternating brushed and polished surfaces, Octo is a sophisticated confluence of curves, angles, and straight lines. Even its bracelet is specially designed to complement this one-of-a-kind case. This watch, inspired by the octagonal geometric motifs adorning the inner arches of the Basilica of Maxentius, made big news last year when it emerged with an ultra-thin model and an ultra-thin tourbillon model.

Possibly one of the most uniquelyshaped ultra-thin watches on the market, Octo Finissimo is Bulgari’s take on this elegant complication.

Joining the line up of special edition watches is the Octo 38mm powered by a Solotempo (timeonly) movement while the dial, like the Bulgari-Bulgari pieces, is presented in sapphire blue.

Fastidious watch aficionados will appreciate the tilted hour markers on the Octo’s dial, as opposed to the straight ones on the BulgariBulgari, since this makes perfect sense for the watch’s octagonal inner flange. Arguably, this is but a minor detail in a watch as complex as the Octo, but as Charles Eames so adeptly put it, “The details are not the details. They make the design.”

MOVEMENT Self-winding Solotempo movement with 42hour power reserve CASE 38mm in stainless steel, water resistant to 50m STRAP Stainless steel bracelet or blue alligator leather

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2015 SIHH REPORTS | HIGHLIGHTS

CHIMING IN

For a watch with a digitial hour and minute display like the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk, a decimal minute repeater makes complete sense WORDS CELINE YAP

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here are several reasons why the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater is such a provocative timepiece, the first being its case material, platinum. Conventional wisdom states that the density of this noble material dampens whatever sound emitted, thus yielding softer chimes. According to A. Lange & Söhne technical director, Anthony de Haas, however, one should not pass over the other advantages this material offers just because of volume. De Haas explains further, “When I was still a watchmaker at Renaud & Papi, I had the opportunity to work on a repeater that was to be encased in platinum. This particular timepiece’s chimes were loud, fine, very clean, and very bright. We were surprised by this quality of sound. In fact, our Zeitwerk Striking Time was first released in platinum.”

Indeed, in the exalted realm of striking complications, there exists repeaters with much more robust chimes, but the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater isn’t just about volume. This watch boasts chimes that are fine, regular, and resonate with a gentle but smooth finish. Yet, de Haas didn’t decide to make the watch in platinum just to ruffle a few feathers; the reason was as simple as “because it looks good”.

Likewise, his decision to raise the stakes with a decimal minute repeater – another intriguing feature – was based on fundamentals. The Zeitwerk displays digital time and so it deserves a repeater that strikes each individual digit, rather than the hours, quarters, and minutes. Taking the example of 7:52, it strikes seven low notes, five high-low notes, and two high notes. A conventional minute repeater would strike seven low notes, three high-low notes (for the quarters), and then seven high notes.

To achieve this new decimal striking system, Calibre L043.5 is equipped with three snails, each of which transmit the hours, ten-minutes, and minutes to racks, and they in turn activate the hammers that strike the gongs. A total of

771 components complete the manually-wound movement, which is driven by just one large barrel that stores a maximum of 36 hours of power.

While “robust” is not a word we’d use to describe its chimes, it is the perfect term for the striking mechanism. De Haas implemented a system that prevents the crown from being pulled when the strike train is in motion. Essentially, when the repeater is chiming, the strike train completely decouples from the ratchet wheel, thus preventing the entire wheel train from turning at all. In addition, the numeral discs switch only when the chiming has ended; the maximum succession, 12:59, takes up to 20 seconds.

For even more safety, the repeater cannot be activated if there are fewer than 12 hours left of power reserve. This can be simply monitored against the red dot of the power reserve indicator. Finally, like all the other Zeitwerks, this model is reinforced with a remontoir system that provides constant force throughout the 36 hours. “The barrel is big and powerful, as we need it to switch the numerals every minute. We let it loose on the gear train for the repeater and it works perfectly with no influence on timekeeping because of the remontoir system,” de Haas explains.

Capturing the modern spirit of the Zeitwerk, this minute repeater is A. Lange & Söhne’s contemporary take on a traditional high complication, and with his unique brand of humour, de Haas mentions that the only thing that is traditional about this watch is the hand-engraved balance cock. Verily, dear sir!

MOVEMENT Manual-winding Calibre L043.5 with decimal minute repeater, constant-force escapement, and 36-hour power reserve CASE 44.2mm in platinum, water resistant to 30m STRAP Hand-stitched black alligator leather

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HIGHLIGHTS | 2015 SIHH REPORTS

LOUD & CLEAR

Borrowing from the principles of traditional stringed instruments, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept RD#1 belts out sonorous chimes that can be heard literally from across the room WORDS CELINE YAP

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ight years of sound research, three patents pending, 13 years since its first concept watch, and not forgetting 140 years of heritage with repeaters…

Audemars Piguet is one of only a handful of manufactures richly skilled in this most traditional of high complications.

Yet, tradition should be the last thing on your mind when you look at the new Royal Oak Concept RD#1. The watch’s ultra-modern exterior is equally matched by state-of-theart technology on the inside, once more testifying to the manufacture’s mantra that in order to break the rules, one must first master them. Indeed, with over 140 years spent making striking watches, no one can accuse Audemars Piguet of not having paid its dues, and this centuries-long expertise was what spurred its modern day custodians to rethink the concept of a striking watch.

What makes a 1924 minute repeater wristwatch sound so good? Prising an historical model from its slumber in the Audemars Piguet archives, the watchmaker was struck by the crystal clear tones of this square-cased timepiece.

Of course, timepieces then were not waterproof, and so, repeaters chimed sonorously and robustly. Today, however, a luxury watch has to be water resistant up to 30m to withstand the daily rigours, but a watertight case muffles sound. Thus, Audemars Piguet thoroughly studied traditional

chiming watch artistry and combined those findings with an empirical benchmark measuring acoustic quality. For the first time, a repeater’s chimes were fine-tuned to factors established scientifically, as opposed to intuitively or by experience (which is arbitrary), resulting in unprecedented sound and volume level. Details of the patents remain under wraps for now, and all Audemars Piguet can (will) divulge is that the Royal Oak Concept RD#1 was developed according to the principles of stringed instruments.

A collaborated effort between Audemars Piguet and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the RD#1 had also passed through the watchful eyes of a musician who crafts stringed instruments, an academic consultant from the Geneva conservatory, and a sound engineer.

The sheer volume of this repeater is a force unto itself.

Not only does it chime for its owner, but also everyone else within a radius of 10m, maybe more. One of the reasons for its powerful chimes is the age-old method Audemars Piguet uses to produce the gongs since 1875. Not fixing what isn’t broken would be a good rule by which to abide by, especially with components as sensitive as a repeater’s gongs. Filing them to refine the sound is an even more meticulous task because, like sculpting, every stroke is permanent and irreversible. In general, filing more and more material off the gongs produces progressively louder chimes. Improving the sound even further is a new striking mechanism regulator that has an almost silent contact with the gong, producing almost no reverberation, thus the tone of the chimes are observed to be brighter.

Also a tourbillon chronograph, the Royal Oak Concept RD#1 is the very first brainchild of the Audemars Piguet Acoustic Lab and it represents the manufacture’s bold new direction in striking complications. Expect more to come from the technical geniuses at Audemars Piguet once the three patents have been awarded.

MOVEMENT Manual-winding Calibre 2937 with tourbillon regulator, chronograph, minute repeater, and 42-hour power reserve CASE 44mm in titanium, water resistant to 20m STRAP Black rubber with titanium AP folding clasp

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SMART CASUAL

Baume & Mercier balances dapper elegance with everyday practicality in the new Clifton Big Date and Power Reserve WORDS JAMIE TAN

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ffordable luxury has long been Baume & Mercier’s battle cry, and to its credit, the brand has consistently presented well-designed watches powered by reliable movements proffering useful complications. The Clifton Big Date and Power Reserve is proof that a manufacture can deliver incredible value – both mechanically and aesthetically – by concentrating its efforts and resources in the right places.

This timepiece is named after the two complications it houses; it sports a big date aperture at 12 o’clock that is balanced by the power reserve indicator at six o’clock, thanks to an externally sourced movement with a large date module. These two complications are arguably the handiest ones that can be included in a self-winding watch meant for everyday wear: The perennially useful date display is now instantly readable at a glance, while the power reserve indicator warns the wearer to wind his watch, especially if he already owns several others. As an added benefit, the latter also makes it easier for the watch’s wearer to monitor the mainspring’s tension and keep it wound up, thus ensuring that consistent torque is

maintained for smoother power delivery.

Aesthetically, the Clifton Big Date and Power Reserve conveys its status as a luxury timepiece via the myriad details that only reveal themselves upon closer inspection.

Its stainless steel case, for instance, is finished with both polished and satin surfaces that catch and reflect the light differently. By the same token, the watch’s silver dial is domed instead of flat, and has a subtle sunburst texture that radiates from the centre – details that a flippant glance might miss. Turn the watch around, and the view through the transparent sapphire case back tells a similar story. Baume & Mercier’s attention to detail extends to the movement finishing, with different finishing techniques on various parts of the movement. Case in point: The oscillating weight is not just decorated with the brand’s signature and its characteristic Phi symbol, but also finished with Côtes de Genève in the middle portion and sunburst engraving on the fringe. Other details include perlage on the bridges and blued screws.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and those who are looking for a well-made luxury timepiece that doesn’t break the bank ought to give this watch a try.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Swiss movement with large date module and 42-hour power reserve CASE 43mm in stainless steel, water resistant to 50m STRAP Brown alligator with triple folding deployant clasp

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TOUR DE FORCE

Containing everything necessary for optimal functionality, the Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication presents a trifecta of high complications in an ultra-thin package WORDS CELINE YAP

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artier has outdone itself with the Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication. Its most complicated watch to date, it combines a minute repeater with a perpetual calendar in a skeletonised movement with a flying tourbillon regulator. As far as grande complications go, it had been exceedingly challenging to produce. According to Cartier’s head of high watchmaking, Carole Forrestier, it comprises a total of 578 components, required the attention of no fewer than 50 technicians, engineers, and watch specialists, and took the R&D team a full five years to successfully develop.

The production process was no less painstaking, with 15 weeks for manufacturing, 10 for finishing and decoration, and a further five for assembly. Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication was by no means child’s play even for the great Forrestier because she insists on realising every single complication to the highest quality level possible.

“A grande complication is not simply bringing together a few complications in one movement. It is much more complicated than the sum of its parts because every complication has its own specifications and all that needs to fit in the space of the movement. Making a grande complication is, thus, exponentially complicated,” says Forrestier.

In this movement, the flying tourbillon is given Cartier’s traditional three-armed carriage, as opposed to the more figurative C-shaped one, and made of titanium with gold pillars acting as a counter-balance. Like the one in the Mysterious Double Tourbillon, this flying tourbillon is produced in-house, and not by Renaud & Papi – it wouldn’t be awarded the prestigious Poinçon de Genève if it were.

The perpetual calendar had also been given her magic touch and, although it retains the classical three sub-dial layout, it is just as robust as the famous AstroCalendaire.

Adjustments to the calendar indications are to be made via pushers set into the case, but if the watch is stored safely 76

in a watch winder, it needs no adjustment for 100 years.

Next, the minute repeater comes reinforced with a host of safety catches, in particular, an all-or-nothing mechanism that prevents partial activation of the strike train. In addition, its inertia fly-wheel is freed of its upper bridge, thus appearing to truly fly when the repeater is chiming. Forrestier also made sure to include surprise pieces on the quarter and minute racks to prevent inaccurate chimes.

Maximum contact between the movement and case, as well as between the gongs and the case, help generate the highest chime volume, as does the square profile of the gongs. Forrestier elaborates, “Square profile for the gongs and hammers give maximum contact and, correspondingly, louder chimes.” In spite of the platinum case, the repeater’s chimes are clear, precise, pure, and soft.

There’s more. Calibre 9406 MC is a self-winding movement with a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.

Its platinum micro-rotoris particularly efficient thanks to its two-level construction, which discourages over-winding while limiting energy loss. Forrestier elaborates, “With rotors, whether they’re single or bi-directional is not so important. What is more important is the speed of winding.

Too fast, and it wears out the components; too slow, and it doesn’t wind the barrel.” Forrestier implemented a new type of inverser buttressed by ball bearings, called a oneway system, to channel the motions of the micro-rotor to the mainspring through the winding train.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre 9406 MC with minute repeater, flying tourbillon, perpetual calendar, and approximately 50-hour power reserve CASE 45mm in platinum, water resistant to 30m STRAP Black alligator leather with 18K white gold double adjustable folding buckle

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SEVENTH HEAVEN

Greubel Forsey makes the boldest possible statement with a perpetual calendar coupled with the rare equation of time complication WORDS KELVIN TAN

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reubel Forsey has brought us no less than six major inventions in watchmaking, including the hypnotic Tourbillon 24 Seconds, and it now presents a seventh invention that involves the perpetual calendar which comes with a unique equation of time complication. The seventh invention embedded in the Quantième Perpétual à Equation is known as the Computeur Mécanique – a mechanical computer made of just 25 parts which has several patent pending applications within it. Inspired by large astronomical clocks of the late 15th century, this wondrous assembly of parts allows for the watch to calculate the difference between solar and mean time. Coupled with the perpetual calendar mechanism, the Computeur Mécanique makes possible the display of key yearly events including a full perpetual calendar, the equinoxes, the solstices, and the leap years.

This wonderful smorgasbord of complications also includes the GMT display, and clarity is obviously a key consideration for Greubel Forsey, as the watch uses two sapphire discs to show the equation of time. And best of all, perhaps, is the ability to set the all the functions via a single selector set into the crown.

This masterpiece comes in a white gold case measuring 43.5mm in diameter and a tolerable 16mm in height. Its 570 components come together to feature not

only the perpetual calendar with equation of time but also a 24-second Tourbillon inclined at 25 degrees. With a large free-sprung balance wheel made possible with the Double Balancier 35-degree system that receives power from the fast rotating superimposed barrels, the watch oscillates at 21,600vph and those barrels power the watch for 72 hours before requiring the owner to manually wind the watch again. As a safeguard, these barrels include protection against excess tension.

Greubel Forsey does not make many watches each year – just about 100 or so annually. This piece that showcases the genius of the dream makers of the maison is further enhanced with the introduction of a real invention with several patents pending. Stunning whether viewed from the front or the back, this marvellous creation is the reason why collectors continue to keep faith with independent watchmakers like Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey. Certainly a masterpiece for one that has everything else.

MOVEMENT Manual-winding Calibre GF07 with perpetual calendar, equation of time, GMT, 24-second tourbillon, and 72-hour power reserve CASE 43.5mm in white gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Hand-sewn black alligator with white gold folding clasp

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BREAKING NEW GROUND

IWC’s new Portugieser Annual Calendar marks the collection’s jubilee, and several firsts for the manufacture WORDS JAMIE TAN

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hen two Portuguese businessmen approached IWC for wristwatches with the precision of marine chronometers, the manufacture responded by housing its Calibre 74 pocket watch movement into an oversized wristwatch, thus creating the first Portuguese. Both the watch and its manufacture have come a long way since then, and 2015 marks the 75th anniversary of the Portugieser collection.

Naturally, IWC has designated 2015 as the Year of the Portugieser, and refreshed the collection with new models and updates to existing ones. For those who are confused about the collection’s nomenclature, the manufacture has replaced Portuguese with Portugieser, ostensibly to allow it to trademark this collection name.

Among the manufacture’s 2015 novelties, the Portugieser Annual Calendar is particularly significant for introducing several firsts. For a start, it is the manufacture’s first annual calendar, which requires an adjustment just once a year at the end of every February. This addition beefs up IWC’s mid-complication segment, and bridges the gap between its existing offering of simple calendars and perpetual calendars. Lest one mistakes the watch for a simpler complete calendar (which displays the date, day of the week, and month, but does not account for differing lengths of the months), the timepiece’s eponymous complication is prominently displayed beneath the three apertures at 12 o’clock.

The Portugieser Annual Calendar is also noteworthy for being one of the first watches equipped with movements from the new Calibre 52000 family. According to Thomas Gäumann, IWC’s head of movement research and development, this is part of IWC’s overall push to focus on in-house base movements, which also includes the 80

Calibre 42000 and Calibre 69000 families that will be introduced in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Calibre 52000 was conceived as an improvement on and replacement for the Calibre 51000 family. To that end, the manufacture has raised the new movement’s balance frequency from 21,600vph to 28,800vph for greater precision, while endowing it with a seven-day power reserve through the use of two barrels. Gäumann also revealed that feedback from the servicing department had prompted IWC’s movement designers to execute the most easily abraded parts of the movement – the winding pawl, automatic wheel, and rotor core – in ceramic for greater durability.

Design wise, IWC’s creative director Christian Knoop has repeatedly stressed on the need to respect every collection’s design codes, lest new watches detract too far from them. Without a precedent to refer to for the Portugieser Annual Calendar, however, Knoop and his team had more freedom to create an original design.

The most obvious is probably the curious arrangement of month-date-day for the dial’s apertures – a format common in America, and IWC’s nod to its American founder F.A. Jones. Of course, the key elements that make a Portugieser what it is remain here. The large round case with a slim bezel houses a dial bearing Arabic numerals and a railway track chapter ring, with feuille-shaped hands rounding off the Portugieser’s iconic look.

MOVEMENT Self-winding IWC Calibre 52850 with 168-hour power reserve CASE 44.2mm in stainless steel or red gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Black alligator with deployant clasp in steel or red gold

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BEYOND THE MOON

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Moon couples the now iconic Sphérotourbillon with a classic moon phase display, showcasing two spellbinding complications on its dial WORDS KELVIN TAN

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here a classic moon phase complication has a discrepancy of one day every two and a half years, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Moon has one that only needs to be corrected every 3,887 years – yes, you read it right. And this remarkable moon phase is executed in a most regal fashion, with a disc made of lapis lazuli set in a deep blue two-tone ambience that adds to the beauty of the display.

Surely, it is an achievement made to match the stunning Sphérotourbillon that sits just across it on the egg white dial of the watch.

This configuration is because of the Duomètre, which is a ‘Dual-Wing’ system created by Jaeger-LeCoultre specifically to simultaneously couple two mechanisms, one related to accuracy and another to functionality. In the case of the Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Moon, the timepiece has brought together the one-of-a-kind Sphérotourbillon with the moon phase complication. Earlier iterations of the Dual Wing concept includes the Duomètre à Chronograph and Duomètre Quantième Lunaire.

For added timekeeping accuracy, Jaeger-LeCoultre borrowed from the principle of flyback chronographs to incorporate a zero-reset function for the small seconds.

Ordinarily, the zero-reset is linked to the crown and the seconds hand flies back to zero when the crown is pulled, but in the Duomètre Sphérotourbillon, this operation can be carried out whenever the wearer wishes, simply by pushing the button at two o’clock. Because resetting the seconds has no impact on the watch’s balance and escapement, time setting can literally be adjusted down to the exact second.

With a limited run of 75 pieces, the Duomètre Sphérotourbillon serves well as a showcase timepiece for those who have been waiting to land their hands on a rare masterpiece from the fine watchmaking house of JaegerLeCoultre. The mesmerising Sphérotourbillon takes up a large amount of real-estate on the dial and deservedly so.

The multi-layered effect of the aperture that presents this complex mechanism is much like a stage that peels open its nickel silver curtains to present the main attraction juxtaposed against the other starring role, which is the moon phase.

The mesmerising Sphérotourbillon can be admired via a large aperture on the timepiece

MOVEMENT Manual-winding Calibre 389 with flyback small seconds, two power reserve indicators, moon phase indication, 24-hour reference time zone, Sphérotourbillon, and 45-hour power reserve CASE 42mm in platinum, water resistant to 30m STRAP Black alligator with platinum pin buckle

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DARING PACKAGE Montblanc is unstoppable with the release of one remarkable timepiece after another WORDS RUCKDEE CHOTJINDA

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atch brands never fail to remember anniversaries and identify worthy causes to celebrate. This is particularly true for Montblanc this year as it centred its new watch models around the successful voyage of a 15th century Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama.

Back in his days, the Southern Seas remained largely unchartered and dependable navigation tools did not become available until about three centuries after. All da Gama had in 1497 was a simple astrolabe and the cross staff to determine cardinal directions and latitude respectively. Armed with those and using the constellation of the Southern Cross as his guiding star, he sailed along the coast of Northern Africa then turned around the Cape of Good Hope before entering the Indian Ocean and eventually arrived in Calicut about 11 months after leaving Lisbon. The voyage established a naval trade route which allowed the Portuguese access to valuable commodities of the East without having to depend solely on Arabian, Persian, and Turkish middlemen.

Simple time-telling aside, Montblanc Tourbillon Villeret Cylindrique Geosphères Vasco da Gama relives this legacy with its various functions and display elements.

As the eponymous navigator has efficiently connected the Northern and the Southern Hemispheres together, the world time indication of this watch is executed refreshingly with the use of two three-dimensional globes on the lower part of the dial. These hand-painted globes are fixed but what moves about are the 24-hour rings around them which are segmented to show whether it is day or night in the various

The cylindrical hairspring is paired with an arched carriage and bridge

time zones around the world.

When travelling, owners of this watch can use the button at the eight o’clock position to set the local time without interfering with the continuous functioning of the minute hand. He is simultaneously reminded of the home time with a compass rose sub-dial at the six o’clock position.

Perhaps, the most distinct and unmistakable component of this 47mm red gold watch is the one-minute tourbillon at the 12 o’clock position. Peering underneath the double-infinity bridge, one can take notice that the use of cylindrical hairspring where the turns of the spring is wound on top of one another in such a way that the diameters are all the same. This configuration eliminates the impact of eccentricity caused by centre of gravity in the conventional design of balance springs. The exercise in extreme accuracy is yet another homage to Vasco da Gama who completed his expedition with unfailing precision.

The association with Vasco da Gama may be over the top or not completely relevant, but consider just the product without its marketing story, and you will see that it is no doubt an intriguing and technically competent timepiece which is certain to spark a lively conversation. Only 18 people will enjoy the experience of owning this watch in real life, though.

MOVEMENT Manual-winding Calibre MB M68.40 movement with one-minute tourbillon, cylindrical hairspring, triple time zone, and approximately 48-hour power reserve CASE 47mm red gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Hand-sewn black alligator leather with red gold folding clasp

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DARK ENERGY

After ceramic and bronze, Panerai encases its iconic Luminor Submersible 1950 with an all-new material, Carbotech WORDS CELINE YAP

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rguably a cult within a cult, the Submersible is one of Panerai’s most elusive timepieces. While the Luminor (and increasingly the Radiomir too) has been all-too frequently spotted on wrists of watch aficionados everywhere, the Submersible tends to be the Panerai of choice for a decidedly more atavistic – or some may say, insouciant – crowd. It is, after all, a direct descendent of the legendary, one and only Egiziano.

With its unidirectional rotating bezel, the Submersible appears to be something of an anomaly for Panerai, but of course, Paneristis know better; they had been the ones who snapped up every last piece of the infamous Bronzo when it was introduced in 2010.

PAM382 was the first Submersible made in an exotic material, which also bound the watch ever tighter to the maritime world. Thus, not only was bronze an utterly handsome choice of case material, it also made perfect sense for the Submersible.

Then in 2013, Panerai produced another Submersible with a material never-before used in this line: Ceramic. Those who know high-tech ceramics are also aware of the challenging parameters imposed by it. Most commonly moulded in simpler shapes and used for parts like the bezel and case middle, PAM508 featured a full ceramic case, bezel, and crown protector as opposed to only the bezel insert as seen in the amagnetic Submersible PAM389. Fabricating such a complex component as the crown protector was an immense challenge, which is why PAM508 is a milestone achievement for Panerai. Now in 2015, the manufacture has released yet another exotic material to its collection Submersibles: Carbotech.

A composite material based on carbon fibre that’s unique in its own way, Carbotech boasts numerous high performance properties. It is even lighter than titanium and ceramic, yet just as resistant to scratches and corrosion, and is also hypoallergenic. Used for the case, bezel, 86

crown protector, and lever, Carbotech is made by a hightech process where thin sheets of woven carbon fibre are compressed at a controlled temperature under high pressure, bonded by a high-end polymer called polyether ether ketone (PEEK), which makes the final product even stronger and more durable. Essentially, the use of PEEK is what distinguishes Carbotech from other carbon fibre-based composite materials like NTPT as used by Richard Mille.

To ensure aesthetic uniformity, the carbon fibres used are very long and the sheets are superimposed and pressed together such that the fibres of each layer are set at a different angle to the ones above and below it. This results in a more robust end product as well as a unique aesthetic that resembles fine wood grain or the nuanced texture of Damascus steel.

PAM616 comes with a black dial highlighted by ecru hour markers and stencilled hour and minute hands tipped with ecru Super-LumiNova. Apart from the case material, what’s new and never-before seen are the bluecoloured Super-LumiNova indications for the small seconds.

Panerai’s style has always been more understated than overstated, so this added touch (which is innocuous at worst) would be a point of contention for the purists. Its case back is rendered in black-treated titanium, which is a great idea especially if one recalls the untreated titanium case back of PAM382. In terms of showmanship, this watch definitely delivers but the real question is: Will collectors worship it as they did PAM382?

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre P.9000 with three-day power reserve CASE 47mm in Carbotech, water resistant to 300m STRAP Black rubber with blue OP logo

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THINLY VEILED

In tribute to the original Tonda 1950, Parmigiani Fleurier presents a subtle and elegant ultra-thin option as a perfect excuse to dress up WORDS KELVIN TAN

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pon initial inspection, the Parmigiani Tonda 1950 Squelette looks like a finely made time only watch with a skeletonised movement to show off the superb finish of its components. Delving deeper, one begins to take note of the delicately handbevelled main plates and bridges of the watch – a testament to the skilled hands of Parmigiani Fleurier’s talented watchmakers.

The watch is made in an elegant ultrathin form thanks to the presence of a platinum micro-rotor, which is visible through the skeleton movement that is attached to a transparent sapphire dial. Placed against this dial to enhance time-reading legibility, the hands are made in a typical Parmigiani delta form and painted with luminescent coating.

The watch comes in two variations for men – with a white gold or rose gold case and matching Hermès alligator strap in black or tan, fastened with a pin buckle. The case is made of three parts

and features characteristic Parmigiani lugs. As a finer option for the fairer sex (or those who desire a bit more bling for the wrist), the watch also comes in a rose gold case framed by a bezel set with 84 brilliant-cut diamonds (totalling 0.6460 carats).

Unlike the men’s version, which is completely open, this one instead comes with a matte finished dial as a throwback to the original Tonda 1950.

Rose gold plated indices and matching cordcoloured alligator strap to complement the tint of the case finish off the look for this watch.

It is indeed rare today to see the introduction of a dress watch that has a slightly smaller than expected diameter of 39mm. In actuality, though, this is most welcome in the Asian market where wrists are generally smaller. Also, those who desire watches that fit under shirt cuffs will find this timepiece most suitable. Finally, this watch is a definite option for those seeking that little bit of Parmigiani fine watchmaking DNA to accompany them for evening events.

MOVEMENT Automatic-winding Calibre PF705 with 42-hour power reserve CASE 39mm in white gold, rose gold or diamond set rose gold with an 84 diamond bezel, water resistant to 30m STRAP Hermès alligator with matching ardillon buckle

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SKILFUL INTEGRATION

Adding extraneous elements to minimalistic products is never an easy feat, but Piaget does it anyway, and with much grace WORDS RUCKDEE CHOTJINDA

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iaget’s Altiplano is widely regarded as an icon of pureness with its slim case and thin lines. In its most simple form, the 38mm round watch is resolutely and thoroughly unfettered, thanks to its pared down design, straight lugs, and clean dial. The only adornment given to the Altiplano is ever so subtle and that is the use of single dashes in alternate with double dashes for the hour markers.

This year, the manufacture from La Côte-aux-Fées has introduced the new Altiplano Chronograph watch in 41mm as a natural evolution from the base model. Its sunburst dial has the necessary displays but are otherwise uncluttered: Running second hand at the six o’clock position, 30-minute chronograph totaliser at the three o’clock position, and discreet second time zone indication at the nine o’clock position. These three counters under the sweep of the slender baton hour and minute hands are not hollowed into the surface of the dial as in most chronograph watches, leaving the dial smooth, pure, and not any more complicated than it needs to be.

The successful integration is not limited to the aesthetics, however. Piaget takes the self-winding 880P movement and worked on it for two years until a new chronograph movement is born. It is impossible to tell from the general look of the watch that the chronograph is of

the flyback variety (so the owner of the watch can instantly restart the chronograph without stopping and resetting it first) and that the movement offers an ample power reserve of 50 hours.

Elongated push buttons serve as the point of interaction between the wearer and the refined mechanics inside. The operational phases of the chronograph are controlled by a column-wheel while a vertical couplingclutch system ensures optimal precision. Watch aficionados are typically in favour of transparent case backs so they should wholeheartedly welcome the decision of Piaget to show off the fine execution of Calibre 883P. What’s not to like about the sight of circular Côtes de Genève, bevelled bridges, sunburst wheels, and blued screws?

This practical timepiece for daily wear measures only 8.24 mm in thickness, making it the world’s thinnest hand-winding chronograph with flyback function. Such is most befitting for a brand with a long heritage of ultra-thin watches. Two version of the watch are available. You can either have it in a pink gold case or in a bedazzled white gold case with 56 brilliant-cut diamonds, totalling 1.8 carats in weight. Both models are coupled with alligator straps with matching pin buckles. And both are every bit as Piaget as a watch can be.

MOVEMENT Manual-winding Calibre 883P chronograph movement with flyback chronograph and approximately 50-hour power reserve CASE 41mm in pink gold or white gold with diamond-set bezel STRAP Brown or black alligator leather with ardillon buckle

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AUTOMOBILE CONNECTION

Cars can excite with more than just speed as Ralph Lauren proves with the RL Automotive Skeleton, which explores the common ground between watches and automobiles WORDS JAMIE TAN

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utside the realm of fashion, Ralph Lauren is perhaps best known for his extensive automobile collection which numbers over 70 cars. Several of them are extremely rare, including a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and a Blower Bentley. It was thus of no surprise that his watch design would be influenced by this interest, when he launched the Automotive collection in 2011. The muse behind the collection’s creation is Ralph Lauren’s Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe, which was the last of the only four Atlantics ever produced. Five years on, this car continues to inspire his creations, including the RL Automotive Skeleton, the brand’s first watch with an openworked movement.

The RL Automotive Skeleton’s design is supposed to recall the luxurious interior of a luxury car. To achieve this, the front of the watch has been is rendered mostly in black. The watch, however, looks neither ‘stealthy’ nor dull despite this colour scheme, as its various surfaces have different textures that contrast with each other. The stainless steel case, for example, has a shot-blasted matte finish, while the movement’s plates and bridges are flat black. The small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock and the circular element bearing “RL” at 12 o’clock, on the other hand, are textured with engravings of concentric circles that play with light differently depending on the angle they are viewed from. Not all is black on the dial though – parts of the movement, including the balance wheel,

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remain in brass or steel, and the hour and minute hands have coatings of beige Super-LumiNova on them to provide a dash of colour.

To further recall the interior of a luxury car, the watch is topped off with a bezel of amboyna burl. This wood comes from the fairly common padauk tree, but is highly prized (and priced) as burling – the wood’s deformed graining – occurs very rarely. Quite understandably, working with such a wood is challenging. For one, amboyna burl’s beautiful figuring stems from its irregularity, but that makes it difficult to work with, as it is prone to chipping during cutting and sanding. Another issue lies in presenting a three dimensional figuring within the confines of a watch bezel, which is largely two dimensional – the choice of how the wood is cut is crucial as well. Lastly, wood can shrink and/or crack as it dries, which affects manufacturing tolerances. Care must thus be taking during the manufacturing process until the wood is finished.

MOVEMENT Manual wound Ralph Lauren Calibre RL1967 with 45-hour power reserve CASE 44.8mm in stainless steel, water resistant to 50m STRAP Black alligator with pin buckle in black shot blasted stainless steel

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THE ROARING TWENTIES

It might bear similarities to previous models from the collection, but the 867 Tuxedo explores the Art Deco connection far more deeply WORDS JAMIE TAN

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alph Lauren’s 867 collection is named for the brand’s New York flagship store at the Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House on 867 Madison Avenue. Geometric designs and rich materials have always been mainstays of this collection, owing to its Art Deco inspiration, and the new 867 Tuxedo adheres closely to this theme.

A signature facet of the Art Deco style is its usage of bold geometric shapes, which the Tuxedo manifests in several layers, beginning with a rectangular case – the case shape for that era. Besides just a shaped case, the Tuxedo also sports arch-shaped strap attachments in lieu of traditional lugs, with square and rectangular components to connect all these elements. This combination of curves and straight lines echo the buildings also designed in the Art Deco style, such as the upper sections of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.

Case aside, Ralph Lauren’s play with shapes in the Tuxedo also extends to its dial – note how the concentric squares printed on it splits it into layers.

The remaining details on the watch’s dial have been neatly sorted into the aforementioned layers, beginning with the brand signature at the centre of the watch. Hour markers occupy the next layer, and minute markers take the outermost ring. Like several other iconic rectangular watches, the watch’s dial markers are neatly grouped in threes on each side of the rectangle – a logical design choice given how easily these markers are divided by four. Despite this regularity in arrangement, however, the typeface and alignment of these markers are anything but. To begin with, the hour markers are written in both Roman and Arabic numerals: three, six, nine, and 12 in the former, and the rest in the latter. A mixture of fonts on a dial is not unheard of – California dials are a notable example – but the varying index sizes in addition to that is quite rare indeed. Another quirk present on the dial is the mismatched orientation of the hour and minute indexes, although they maintain bilateral symmetry, which is yet another hallmark of the Art Deco style. Breguet hands complete the package.

Art Deco’s penchant for lavish materials is mirrored within this watch, beginning with its case of 18K rose gold. The dial is executed here in off-white lacquer, with all markings printed in black to match the black alligator strap.

Two versions of the Tuxedo are available: 27.5mm model with a hand-wound mechanical movement, and 21.5mm version (the first in this collection) powered by a quartz calibre.

MOVEMENT Manual-winding Ralph Lauren Calibre RL430 with 40-hour power reserve CASE 27.5mm in rose gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Black alligator with rose gold deployant clasp

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GENTLE SIDES

Richard Mille defies the conventional notion that being technical means being devoid of verve and life WORDS RUCKDEE CHOTJINDA

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he phenomenon where small crowds gather in front of the novelty showcases lasts only two days into the 25th instalment of SIHH. Only one watch in particular seems to have that magical allure to capture interest well into the latter days of the event and even compel people to hoard it to themselves for minutes at a time. Such is the level of patience required if you wish to see the Richard Mille RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur in action.

Why? Because this new model features an intriguing automata in the form of a magnolia blossom that blooms every five minutes. As it does so, the five gold petals open up slowly to reveal the flying tourbillon mechanism within.

The tourbillon also rises by one millimetre in the process, mimicking the motion of the stamen of real flowers as it reaches out to maximise pollination. This wondrous action takes about five seconds from beginning to end and truly is a marvel to witness. Richard Mille is also thoughtful enough to include a button at the nine o’clock position, which allows for manual opening of the magnolia tourbillon assembly on-demand.

RM51-02 Diamond Twister

MOVEMENT Hand-wound Richard Mille Calibre RM51-31 with 48-hour power reserve CASE 47.95 x 39.70 mm. in white gold, water resistant to 50m STRAP Black alligator leather

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Driving this magic is a collection of five levers surrounding the underside of the petals, plus another system including a long pinion responsible for the raising of the tourbillon and the precious gem-set stamen. This whole arrangement is powered by a second barrel, which is completely separated from the time-telling function of the watch. After all, RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur tells time with a small dial on a corner diagonal from the magnolia. The case is also heavily paved with diamonds, lest one forgets to notice, which is entirely possible given the anticipation for the magnolia to bloom.

Another less animated but equally dazzling model introduced is the RM 51-02 Diamond Twister. For this model, Richard Mille has opted to execute 14 spiral rays in white gold, radiating from the tourbillon at the six o’clock position. This vortex of 270 diamonds is also a play on the French word “tourbillon” which can be translated to English as “whirlwind”. The brilliance continues on the tonneau case, as well as the winding crown. This generous setting of the stones may obscure the fact that Richard Mille cases are composed of three parts and not easy to produce. In order for the front and the back sections to be curved, precision is crucial to ensure that there is no stress on the metal.

The result is an invariably ergonomic watch case that is comfortable on the wrist.

One last noteworthy design feature of the RM 51-02 Diamond Twister requires the watch to be flipped over.

Visible through the anti-reflective sapphire crystal on the back is the black onyx baseplate of the movement. Onyx is a kind of cryptocrystalline quartz. There are the type with bi-colour parallel stripes and the type in all black. The latter is called black onyx and believed to be a charm stone that works against spells and deflects harmful energy. Think of it as Pascal’s Wager; you have all to gain and nothing to lose.

The baseplate must be made of one material or another.

Therefore, it doesn’t hurt if that foundation is made of a stone believed to ward off bad mojo.

Both the RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur and the RM 51-02 Diamond Twister are produced in a limited quantity of 30 pieces each. These specimens are proof that being technically sophisticated does not necessarily mean a product has to look flat and industrial, and that the everfuturistic Richard Mille can be sweet and gentle too when he wants to.

MOVEMENT Hand-wound Richard Mille Calibre RM19-02 with 36hour power reserve CASE 45.40 x 38.30mm in white gold, water resistant to 50m STRAP Black alligator leather

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NOT OF THIS WORLD

Roger Dubuis released a supreme technical implementation that is the only skeletonised Double Flying Tourbillon in the market WORDS KELVIN TAN

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s possibly the spiritual flagship of the technical skeletons of Roger Dubuis, the construction of the Excalibur Spider Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon watch is actually more complex than its name. Its most ostensible feature is the star-shaped skeletonised bridge that is now a character of Roger Dubuis skeletonised watches, and reflects the otherworldly inspirations of the designers of the brand. Omnipresent on the movement and dial is the monochromatic colour scheme. As an offset, the red aluminium elements on the inner bezel ring, crown and case band completes the sporty, race car feel of the timepiece, while the red bordered luminescent hands sits prominently on this intricate dial.

The RD01SQ calibre is made with a total of 319 parts and features a double flying tourbillon regulator. It takes 1,200 hours of manufacturing to construct such a movement (including 360 hours devoted to the Poinçon de Genève certification). The differential tourbillon cages

Capped by a Celtic cross, each of the tourbillon is adjusted to six positions

sitting at 4:30 and 7:30 highlight carriages in the shape of the Celtic cross and are each one minute tourbillons finely adjusted to six positions.

The Geneva seal-certified Excalibur Spider Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon comes in a limited edition of 188 pieces and is truly representative of Roger Dubuis’s DNA. The highly technical skeleton implementation of the movement is tangibly three-dimensional in nature and inspires one to think about industrial architectural and highly technical structures. Truly futuristic in concept and design, the watch exudes a dreamy aura that conjures images of a mechanically complex alien landscape or a finely-tuned sports car from the distant future.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre RD01SQ with double flying tourbillon in a skeletonised movement, with 48-hour power reserve CASE 47mm in titanium and black DLC titanium, water resistant to 50m STRAP Black rubber strap with folding buckle

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PERFECT HARMONY Only a manufacture as old and as accomplished as Vacheron Constantin is capable of the Harmony, a new collection that commemorates its 260th anniversary WORDS JAMIE TAN

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015 marks Vacheron Constantin’s 260th anniversary, and it remains the world’s oldest watchmaker with an uninterrupted production run.

For this jubilee, the manufacture has unveiled an entirely new collection, Harmony, with only limited edition commemorative models available this year, and regular production models to be released from 2016.

Inspired by a monopusher chronograph the manufacture introduced in 1928, the Harmony collection’s cushion-shaped watches, though, have modernised dials designs. Although each model is a statement piece in and of itself, the flagship is undoubtedly the Harmony Ultra-Thin Grande Complication Chronograph. Its Calibre 3500 movement, which took seven years to develop, measures just 5.2mm thick despite having 459 parts. This allows the case to be a mere 8.4mm high, thus making it the world’s thinnest monopusher split seconds chronograph.

Technical superlatives aside, the watch itself is special for the symbiotic relationship between its engineering and design aspects. One needs to look no further than the oscillating weight to see this.

From a technical perspective, the usage of a peripheral rotor reduces the height of the movement, yet this also allows the entirety of the movement to be visible via the sapphire crystal case back.

On the other hand, the rotor’s gold

construction lends itself well to being decorated, and has been done so in the fleurisanne engraving common to all commemorative watches released this year. This design is an original one created by the manufacture’s design team, and consists of a scrolling motif that was inspired by the arabesques on the balance bridge of the oldest pocket watch – from 1755 signed by Jean-Marc Constantin – currently in the manufacture’s possession.

As Calibre 3500 was developed in-house, the manufacture was able to mix and match various chronograph design elements, or invent new ones, in order to reap their benefits while minimising drawbacks. For one, the choice of a lateral clutch allows the manufacture to reduce the movement’s thickness and better display all its components from the case back, while its associated cam actuation was passed over in favour of a column wheel to give a better tactile feel while operating the pusher.

Lateral clutch chronographs tend to suffer wear and tear, especially around the wheels as their teeth mesh together during activation.

Calibre 3500 deftly addressed this problem: The teeth of its gear wheels have ultra-precise profiles that allow them to be separated by a miniscule 0.03mm.

The Harmony Ultra-Thin Grande Complication Chronograph is housed in a platinum case, Poinçon de Genève certified, and has a limited run of 10 pieces.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Vacheron Constantin Calibre 3500 with monopusher split seconds chronograph and 51-hour power reserve CASE 33.4mm in platinum, water resistant to 30m STRAP Blue alligator with deployant clasp in platinum

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NATURAL BEAUTY Like picturesque scenes from an enchanted forest, the two new Lady Arpels Jour Nuit models by Van Cleef & Arpels herald luck and abundance, joyfulness and bliss WORDS CELINE YAP

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t’s been almost a decade since Van Cleef & Arpels truly ascended to the realm of haute horlogerie. For over a century, the French maison has consistently been a market leader in the high jewellery segment, but with luxury watches, it really came of age in 2006 with the introduction of a brilliant new concept, Poetic Complications, along with its seminal timepiece, the Lady Arpels Jour Nuit. Marking a huge milestone in the maison’s history, this watch tells the time in 24 hours and features an exquisitely polished motherof-pearl plate cantilevered over half of the rotating dial, which is decorated with a yellow gold sun and a white gold moon.

Following the earth’s rotation from day to night, the watch displays either a golden sun or a silver moon with twinkling stars. Time telling has never been so poetic.

Having found its unique voice in watchmaking, Van Cleef & Arpels continually introduced more creative concepts year after year, culminating in such one-of-akind timepieces as the Lady Arpels Féerie, Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux, Lady Arpels Poetic Wish, and many more, all of which are as inspirational as they are groundbreaking. Simultaneously, the maison has steadily honed and perfected numerous traditional métiers d’arts and even revived moribund ones like grisaille enamel. Now, as a leading haute horlogerie maison in its own right, Van Cleef & Arpels had even started an entire métiers d’arts renaissance where the who’s who of high watchmaking all jumped swiftly onto the bandwagon.

Themed on an enchanted nature, Van Cleef & Arpels’s new Poetic Complication pieces revisit the 24-hour rotating dial day/night concept while bringing in métiers d’arts to the

fore. Richly adorned by traditional crafts, the Lady Arpels Jour Nuit Coccinelles and Lady Arpels Jour Nuit Oiseaux de Paradis creatively replaced the sun and moon with day and night scenes enlivened by either a pair of adorable ladybirds or majestic Bird of Paradise flora and fauna. Pairing two kinds of traditional enamel techniques, the Lady Arpels Jour Nuit Coccinelles features champlevé enamel and diamonds on sculpted gold for the upper dial and cloisonné enamel on engraved gold for the lower one.

Likewise, the Lady Arpels Jour Nuit Oiseaux de Paradis features both champlevé and cloisonné. Examine the dials up close to see the key difference between the two techniques. Cloisonné has the craftsman solder strips of metal to form shapes and then filling those shapes with a mixture ground enamel powder and oil, and then fired in a kiln. Champlevé, on the other hand, involves engraving shapes in low relief and then filling those shapes with the ground enamel powder (in a host of different colours or hues) and oil mixture, before firing in the kiln. As the lower dial gently rotates, slowly but surely the scenery changes from diurnal to nocturnal, signalling to the wearer as well as to the ladybird and the Bird of Paradise that, once more, another day has reached its twilight.

MOVEMENT Self-winding mechanical movement with 24-hour module developed exclusively for Van Cleef & Arpels, with 60-hour power reserve CASE 38mm in white gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Dark green (Coccinelles) or navy blue (Oiseaux de Paradis) alligator leather

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BEING THE BEST

From technological upgrades to design ingenuity, this year’s novelties raise the stakes in haute horlogerie WORDS JAMIE TAN & CELINE YAP PHOTOGRAPHY CHING

A. LANGE & SÖHNE LANGE 1

What happens when A. Lange & Söhne evolves the iconic Lange 1? In short, nothing really changes – on the outside, that is. The inside is a different story though. Constantly looking to improve on the precision and quality of its timepieces, the manufacture has just upgraded this legendary timepiece with a larger free-sprung balance wheel with eccentric poising weights. Calibre L121.1 now powers the Lange 1 instead of Calibre L095.1 with its variable inertia balance.

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AUDEMARS PIGUET MILLENARY QUADRIENNIUM

The Millenary’s unique oval case affords plenty of space with which to admire the beautifully finished components of the movement. In the Millenary Quadriennium, Calibre 2905/B01 adds an annual calendar complication to this elegant timepiece while the prominent balance wheel, with Audemars Piguet’s proprietary Audemars Piguet escapement and double balance spring, continues to take centre stage.

Day, date, and month indications are discreetly set into apertures and sub-dials with minimal disturbance to the off-centred dial.

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BAUME & MERCIER CLASSIMA

In its bid to target a younger market, Baume & Mercier has repositioned the Classima collection as a timepiece with which one celebrates his first success. Among the various references available, the bimetal version stands out for having an extra touch of class, thanks to its balance of warm rose gold and cool steel.

Case and bracelet aside, the two-toned scheme also extends to the watch’s dial, with gilt rose gold hour indexes and hands set against a silver coloured dial. The icing on the cake is the straight-line guilloche pattern finishing in the middle of the dial.

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CARTIER ROTONDE DE CARTIER ASTROTOURBILLON SKELETON

Pulling off one of the most daredevil stunts this year, the Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon Skeleton balances the movement, which had been hollowed out to the brink of emaciation, on only three support points. This leaves the unique flying tourbillon to teeter perilously off the edge as it rotates gracefully around the dial assisted by ceramic ball bearings. Also highly visible is the tourbillon’s carbon crystal carriage, which is a Cartier innovation.

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IWC PORTUGIESER PERPETUAL CALENDAR DIGITAL DATE-MONTH EDITION “75TH ANNIVERSARY”

The proprietary and much-loved IWC Calibre 89801 perpetual calendar movement with digital date and month finds its way into the refreshed Portuguese line, which is newly renamed Portugieser. Boasting also a chronograph with flyback function, this calendar needs no adjustment until the year 2100. Variations in gold and platinum afford eager collectors with luxurious options while the plush Santoni leather strap rounds it off with a sumptuous touch. View the movement through the sapphire case back to fully appreciate the immense watchmaking savoir-faire of IWC.

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JAEGER-LECOULTRE RENDEZ-VOUS MOON

Unmistakeably feminine, RendezVous by Jaeger-LeCoultre now comes endowed with a moon phase complication, but make no mistake, this is no ordinary moon phase. Accurate to a whopping 972 years, it is easily one of the most accurate watches of its kind, leaving you plenty of time to pass it on to your future generations. The oversized moon aperture also makes it impossible to miss, and the moon is accompanied by zodiac constellations of the velvety night sky. Mother-of-pearl is used as the material for the moon as well as the dial, while diamonds stud the lugs and bezel, lending this watch a luxurious appeal.

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MONTBLANC HERITAGE CHRONOMÉTRIE EXOTOURBILLON MINUTE CHRONOGRAPH VASCO DA GAMA LIMITED EDITION

Venturing into uncharted territories, Montblanc takes a voyage to the Southern Hemisphere, paying tribute to one intrepid explorer whose name is now immortalised in the annals of haute horlogerie: Vasco da Gama. Raising the prestige of its proprietary tourbillon cylindrique movement – talk about lofty ambitions – Montblanc pairs this singular calibre with an aventurine dial, bringing to mind instantly the night sky that guided da Gama on his odyssey. A lone Montblanc star diamond occupies the position at 12 o’clock, reminding one of constellations, which were central to da Gama’s success, particularly the Southern Cross.

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PANERAI MARE NOSTRUM PAM603

Not one for the meek, the historical Mare Nostrum by Panerai would easily dwarf most contemporary sports watches today.

Made in 1943 for the Royal Italian Navy, it measures a strapping 52mm and was possibly Panerai’s very first chronograph. This new rendition stays faithful to the original in aesthetics but cleverly reduced its weight with the use of titanium as the case material. To evoke an historical vibe, the dial is in tobacco brown.

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PARMIGIANI TORIC CAPITOLE

The craft of watchmaking cannot get more authentic than at Parmigiani, where things are constantly done the traditional way. The Toric Capitole minute repeater with wandering time display is the perfect launch pad for the manufacture to demonstrate its dedication to mÊtiers d’art. In this iteration, traditional grand feu enamel occupies the wide expanse of what should have been just plain transparent sapphire crystal, performing both utilitarian and aesthetical functions. Studded with baguette diamonds on the bezel, this timepiece is haute horlogerie at its best.

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PIAGET EMPERADOR COUSSIN 1270S

The Piaget Emperador Coussin has become a familiar shape in the upper echelons of high watchmaking. This iteration raises the stakes further with a skeletonised ultra-thin tourbillon movement. Most immediately noticeable is its contemporary appeal where what’s left of its bridges are finished with clean, broad strokes and high polished surfaces. Its micro-rotor on proud display is positioned beside the flying tourbillon with Piaget’s signature carriage design typified by a letter P, which stands for Piaget. This timepiece makes one of the 27 ultra-thin movements belonging to the manufacture.

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ROGER DUBUIS EXCALIBUR AUTOMATIC SKELETON

One of the most standout pieces of this year, this watch’s artfully skeletonised time-only movement is Roger Dubuis’s first one without the tourbillon complication, giving watch collectors the option of a – for lack of a better phrase – simple skeletonised timepiece. The prominent star motif of its bridges makes this an instantly recognisable watch. Connoisseurs of haute horlogerie will also notice the faithful attention to detail, as even the micro-rotor had been skeletonised. Awarded the prestigious Poinçon de Genève, this watch is beautiful inside as well as out.

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VACHERON CONSTANTIN HARMONY TOURBILLON CHRONOGRAPH

Like the rest of its siblings commemorating Vacheron Constantin’s 260th anniversary, the Harmony Tourbillon Chronograph comes in a limited run and features “fleurisanne engraving” visible through its case back, specifically on the tourbillon bridge. From the front, the tourbillon at 12 o’clock dominates the dial, and its cage is shaped like the manufacture’s signature Maltese cross.

This monopusher chronograph records elapsed time to an uncharacteristic (by modern standards) 45 minutes, via the minute counter at the three o’clock position. A power reserve indicator rounds off the dial’s indications.

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THE ART OF AUDACITY

During the 2015 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, Cartier successfully dazzled audiences with its representation of the ultimate luxury: daring creativity  WORDS ARVADA HARADIRAN

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he venerable French Maison Cartier has always kept ahead of the curve. It thus comes as no surprise that the Maison remains as relevant and industry-charging today as it did when King Edward VII declared it as “Jeweller to Kings, King of Jewellers”, and when anyone from Princess Diana to Alberto SantosDumont to Elton John and the Maharajah of Patiala, among many others, wears one of its exquisite, oftentimes iconic, timepieces.

It is then relieving to know that Cartier has carefully safeguarded and preserved its watchmaking pedigree after all these years. As can be evidenced by the Maison’s (relatively) recent hire of a brilliant new head of movement creation, Carole Forestier-Kasapi, Cartier has ensured its fans that it will continue to invest in its timepiece business quite seriously.

Carole’s work at Cartier has bred several new timepieces that are unmistakably impressive, such as the Rotonde de Cartier and Calibre de Cartier. This reinvigorated push within Cartier’s timepiece division is certainly a welcome gesture in today’s increasingly indolent – that is to say, unpassionate, commercialised and risk-averse – watchmaking industry. Where others have been happy to sit on their laurels and still charge the

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same premium prices, Cartier is doing something many brands choose not to do: they are trying.

And so it is with this premise that Cartier approached the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva, from 19 through 23 January 2015. Drumming up the theme of “daring creativity”, Cartier boldly exclaimed that its history as a creative watchmaker is kept alive by an enduring spirit of innovation. A pioneering ethos; one which has brought about not just technical advances, but also engendered ground-breaking new forms: the square for Santos, the rectangle for Tank.

CLÉ DE CARTIER

It is as an artist and craftsman that Cartier approached the creation of watches for the 2015 edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. How can the three most prestigious Fine Watchmaking complications be combined within one extra-flat self-winding movement of only 5.49 mm? How can the amplitude of a tourbillon’s rotation be showcased and minimalist skeletonising be used to reveal the concealed part? What jewellery style should be given to the first feminine day/night complication?

Cartier positions the ClÊ de Cartier in the same range of iconic collections as the Santos and Tank and the newer Ballon Bleu – bold claim indeed, but if anyone can pull it off, it would be none other than Cartier itself.

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The flushed sapphire crown adds a hint of fineness while at the same time serves to break up the consistency of the case, a minute detail that matters only to those with such high eye for style as Cartier.

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Where others have been happy to sit on their laurels and still charge the same premium prices, Cartier is doing something many brands choose not to do: they are trying.

These are the kinds of questions that Cartier’s master watchmakers continually challenge themselves with. This year, in a show of daring creativity, drawing on the arrays of expertise and trend-setting fervor that the brand is known for, Cartier released a new timepiece collection named Clé de Cartier.

So named for the watch’s jewel- and key-like crown, “Cle”, which means “key” in French, is a fitting new symbol in the Maison’s long line of emblematic timepieces. Cartier positions the Clé de Cartier in the same range of iconic collections as the Santos and Tank and the newer Ballon Bleu – bold claim indeed, but if anyone can pull it off, it would be none other than Cartier itself.

Will it become as iconic as the Tank and Santos? Only time will tell, but in the meantime Cartier has ensured that its iconic march of shapes from Santos to the Tank to Ballon Bleu is inspired by simplicity of innovation, design and form. For Clé de Cartier, the Maison has looked into the perfect circle as inspiration.

Clé de Cartier is all about gentle slopes and swooping curves and snug fit. The hard lines, geometry and sharp edges have gone all away, replaced by unbelievably elegant smoothness. The watch, it seems – and feels – aspires to be the perfect circle.

One of the most distinctive features of the Clé de Cartier is its winding crown, that feels very much like turning a key when adjusting the time and date – a fitting nod to its name. Cartier claims that the winding crown and subsequently the act of setting the time and date introduces a new gesture in the world of watchmaking, one that recalls the traditional turning of a key to wind up a clock.

The crown of the Clé de Cartier is set with a sapphire and it immediately infuses a certain air of elegance at first sight. The flushed sapphire crown adds a hint of fineness while at the same time serves to break up the consistency of the case, a minute detail that matters only to those with such high eye for style as Cartier.

When the watch is viewed sideways, the beautiful, sleek, tapered edges give the impression of organic lines. The rounded bezel, tapered lugs, and 40mm case seem to embrace the wrist, giving off the impression that the watch is personally tailored for the wearer.

The Clé de Cartier collection includes models for men and for women. The men’s 40 mm offerings include pink gold or white gold matched to an alligator leather strap or a bracelet. The women’s models come with a choice of 31 mm or 35 mm case, and either partially adorned with brilliant diamond set or entirely set with brilliant-cut diamonds. The 35 mm version features the same manufacture movement of the men version.

The watch is powered by Manufacture automatic movement 1847 MC, sporting a 42-hour power reserve. 1847 refers to the year of the founding of the Maison’s Creation – hence the “MC” – so it’s safe to assume that Cartier places high importance in this new in-house movement. And indeed Cartier claims a unique new mechanism in the form of a special lever along with a specially developed barrel that contributes to increased efficiency and stability of the movement.

To top it off, the movement is decorated with “Vagues de Genève” pattern, which is a special, luxurious wavy pattern distinct from the straight or circular stripes of Côtes de Genève.

Creativity, passion and pure excellence are Cartier’s keys to a success that has endured for more than a hundred years. Thankfully, Cartier has indicated that it will continue to invest in those qualities for the near future, as can be evidenced in its latest launch of Clé de Cartier. Will it be as iconic as the Santos and the Tank? Only time will tell, but so far the Maison has only done wonderful things with its timepieces, Clé de Cartier included.

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THE HOUR MARKERS

Presenting the latest novelties, greatest innovations, the most desirable timepieces

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SPRING FORWARD

Cartier promises an exciting 2015 with two new models, the Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar and the Tank Crash Skeleton WORDS CELINE YAP

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ver since 2009 when Cartier revitalised its haute horlogerie line, the Fine Watchmaking collection, there has never been an occasion where its novelties failed to impress. From mind-blowing technical innovations like the Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon and the über-futuristic ID project to classical, elegant creations like the Ballon Bleu de Cartier Flying Tourbillon and the Tank MC Skeleton, the Cartier touch is omnipresent, superlative, and unmistakeable. After leaving watch collectors reeling from the aftereffects of its novelties from Watches & Wonders in September 2014, Cartier strikes again with two beautiful pieces that will reach out to two distinct breeds of collectors.

The Tank Crash was revived two years ago as a woman’s watch, the Crash. One of the most unique timepieces to have ever been made, the Tank Crash first came out in 1967 and its unorthodox case design instantly shook the luxury watch world. As a men’s watch it was, in retrospect, an exercise in badassery but at the same time, as a woman’s watch, it cannot be sexier. Still, today’s collectors, forever insatiable as they are, lament the lack of a skeletonised version of the Tank Crash, and when customers demand, Cartier delivers. The new Tank Crash Skeleton is everything an avid watch collector or Cartier enthusiast could want.

Just as how every skeletonised Cartier watch features figurative skeletonised movement bridges in the form of Roman numerals, so does the Tank Crash Skeleton. Compared to the historical model, this one is about 10 per cent bigger in order to accommodate a sapphire 122

crystal case back. This very specifically manufactured sapphire crystal case back is curved on not one but two axes due to the irregular profile of the case, and because Cartier has its own laboratory producing sapphire crystal, the expertise required to realise this component is all in-house. According to Cartier’s head of high watchmaking, Carole Forrestier, the most challenging part about creating this watch is not in the production of components but in the polishing of the case. Another point to note is that the strap is integrated into the case seamlessly, making this watch more comfortable to wear than it looks.

Such an exceptional piece is naturally also very exclusive.

Indeed Cartier makes sure of it by limiting its production to only 67 pieces in platinum and a further 67 in platinum with diamond set case and bridges. In the latter version, even the bridges are made of gold, as opposed to German silver. “This watch shows that sometimes technique is at the service of aesthetic,” says Forrestier. The Tank Crash Skeleton is one of those watches that look markedly different on the wrist and in the display case, so the best way to appreciate it is up close and personal.

MOVEMENT Manually-wound Calibre 9618 MC with three-day power reserve CASE 28.15mm x 45.32mm in 950 platinum, water resistant to 30m STRAP Grey alligator leather with white gold double folding clasp

Seemingly endowed with a Midas touch that makes everything it touches stylish, sophisticated, and timeless, Cartier has expanded its portfolio to include not just high complications, concept watches, and style icons, but also medium complications with useful functions fit for everyday wear. From dual timers to annual calendars, even dive watches, it is clear that a new category of Cartier watches has begun to crystallise.

The Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar has received a minor facelift and this new model re-emerges looking absolutely spiffy. Most immediately noticeable is the downsized case, from a generous 45mm to a more manageable 40mm, while updates on the dial details require closer scrutiny. Essentially based on the same movement, Calibre 9908 MC, the dial however appears to have been turned inside out. Working our way in from the outermost edge, the annual calendar of the new model displays the day, date, and month where in the previous piece it displayed month, date, and day. Cartier had clearly worked towards reducing the amount of information on show since, instead of the 12 months, the date, and seven days, there is now the seven days, the date, and three of the 12 months that’s visible. Overall, the look is cleaner, more organised, and this greatly increases the user-friendliness of the watch and its legibility. Who needs to see everything all the time, anyway?

Having cleaned up the dial, Cartier now has room for a more creative dial construction. Over three layers, the bottom-most one contains the day disc while the middle one bears the date and month, with the top-most one imprinted with the familiar classic Roman numerals in white for the anthracite version and in black for the silvered version. According to Forrestier, the date change is semi-instantaneous and the calendar complication is not a module but completely integrated into the base movement Calibre 1904 MC.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre 9908 MC with annual calendar and 48-hour power reserve CASE 40mm in 18k white gold or pink gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Matte black or brown alligator leather with double adjustable folding clasp in matching material

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HIGHLIGHTS | 2015 PREMIER

FINE TIMING

With a new flyback chronograph joining the family, Piaget’s Altiplano is now the official byword for ultra-thin WORDS CELINE YAP

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t seems that Piaget’s quest for ultra-thin watches is a neverending one. After the mind-blowing Altiplano 900P last year, the manufacture decided to up its game by adding a complication.

The concept of an ultra-thin chronograph is not exactly new to Piaget as it has already been using the Calibre 880P since 2007. At 5.6mm in height, Calibre 880P is one of the thinnest self-winding chronograph movements on the market, where the average height is at least 7mm.

Powering the sporty Polo FortyFive Flyback Chronograph, it proffers not only a chronograph with flyback, but also date and dual time zone.

A variation without dual time, Calibre 882P, is used in the Gouverneur Chronograph, but to produce the ultimate ultra-thin chronograph, it can only be an Altiplano, and Piaget knows that by heart.

Enter Calibre 883P and the all-new Altiplano Chronograph.

This double record-breaking duo follows in the footsteps of all of the manufacture’s 25 ultra-thin movements and 14 world records. The new movement is a modified version of the Calibre 880P, which is a perfect platform for Piaget to start with. Two years of development went into bringing this masterpiece to life. Achieving the twin feat of thinnest movement and thinnest watch involves looking at everything from a new perspective.

Piaget’s watchmakers and developers need to achieve extremely slim proportions all around, from the cannon pinion 124

(0.12mm) and the barrel staff (0.115mm) to the chronograph levers (0.06mm) and the watch’s exterior like the dial, hand-fittings, and glass fastening. In addition, the oscillating weight and automatic winding gears have all been removed. Calibre 883P nonetheless employs a vertical clutch coupling system measuring only 0.55mm in height and column wheel chronograph control at just 0.95mm. It also offers a useful second time zone function.

On the aesthetics, the Altiplano Chronograph remains faithful to the codes of the collection: Sharply defined lines, fine details, sunburst satin-brushed finish on the dial, slender baton hands, and alternating single and double hour markers. Its case finishing is also exceptional, with rectangular but smoothened chronograph pushbuttons and a finely fluted crown. This modern gentleman’s chronograph may be slim in proportions but it speaks volumes about one’s tastes in the finer things in life.

MOVEMENT Manually-wound Calibre 883P with chronograph, second time zone, and approximately 50-hour power reserve CASE 41mm in pink gold or white gold with diamond bezel, water resistant to 30m STRAP Dark brown or black alligator leather

2015 PREMIER | HIGHLIGHTS

ALL OVER THE WORLD A new era has dawned for Montblanc with the arrival of the Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum WORDS CELINE YAP

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n the spring of 2014, Montblanc launched its new Meisterstück Heritage collection, which was met with great enthusiasm on the part of watch collectors and aficionados worldwide. There were several reasons for this encouraging response, among them, the collective cheer that newly-appointed CEO, Jerome Lambert, had so swiftly and successfully carved a practical niche for the brand, and the high quality-to-price ratio of the goods Lambert delivered.

The Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar, in particular, was a big hit that landed Montblanc on the front pages of innumerable magazines and newspapers.

Staying close to this course, Montblanc is set to release another new collection for 2015 called the Heritage Spirit.

Evocative of all the codes of fine watchmaking down to the last and smallest detail, this collection will be defined by elegant, clear dials and refined cases. Montblanc has also promised it will be a full collection with model variations including everything from classic time-only pieces to the most exalted high and grand complications. As a teaser, here’s the first of many more to come, the Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum.

What is Orbis Terrarum? Wiki it and you’ll discover that it is the name of the first true modern atlas. It is also Latin for globe, earth, and world. Look at the watch and the answer is also right there. Smack in the middle of the dial is a map of our planet’s seven continents as seen from the North Pole.

Crafted out of multiple layers of different materials, the uppermost plate is a piece of blue-tinted sapphire crystal with the continents cut out, so it represents the five oceans. Underneath it, there is a white rotating disc shaded over one half that creates the impression of day and night on the map. This disc is geared to the movement’s 24-hour mechanism.

Surrounding the map are two additional rotating discs independent of each other, one displaying the names of 24 cities and another, the 24 time zones with day/night indication.

This watch is extremely user-friendly, as the cities disc is controlled by a pusher at eight o’clock and home time can be adjusted via the crown. It is also very easy to read. The hour and minute hands display local time while a discreet red triangle at six o’clock displays home city and home time.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre MB29.20 with world time indication, day/night display, and approximately 42-hour power reserve CASE 41mm in stainless steel, water resistant to 30m STRAP Black alligator leather with triple folding clasp

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HIGHLIGHTS | 2015 PREMIER

BARE BONES

In a stroke of sheer watchmaking brilliance, Parmigiani Fleurier skeletonises its already ultra-thin Tonda 1950 WORDS CELINE YAP

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s if the ultra-thin watch is not difficult enough to accomplish, Parmigiani Fleurier – ever the vanquisher of conventions – cuts through the numerous horological hurdles and makes a watch that is not only extremely slender, but also painstakingly skeletonised. The Tonda 1950 Squelette exposes every nook and cranny of its movement, Calibre PF705, showing off extremely delicate internal angles, all of which are carried out by hand. Yes, the manufacture is fastidious like that. Also an exercise in restraint, the watch shows how simple lines can be used to create timeless beauty.

Two variations have been launched simultaneously, one in white gold for men and another in rose gold expressly for women. Where the men’s piece is sharp, immaculate, and unambiguously technical, the feminine model exudes sophistication, luxury, and an enigmatic beauty evoked by its subtly frosted sapphire dial, which has a translucent misty effect.

On the other hand, the masculine model uses a clear sapphire crystal dial that hides none of the superb finishing and intricate 126

mechanisms like the micro-rotor decorated with a spiral motif suggestive of movement or motion, as in with every swing of the wrist.

It is, however, encircled by a metal rim that serves to elegantly hide the points of attachment between the movement and the case. The Parmigiani Fleurier logo is also affixed onto this component.

These new Tonda 1950 Squelettes demonstrate two sides of Parmigiani Fleurier, technical and passionate, and jointly, they make for a stunning pair especially for the horologically savvy couple.

Beautiful from the front and the back as well, even the ultra-thin side view is a breathtaking sight.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre PF705 with 42-hour power reserve CASE 39mm in rose gold or white gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Red or “ficelle” Hermès leather (rose gold pin bukle) black or tan Hermès leather (white gold pin bukle)

2015 PREMIER | HIGHLIGHTS

COOL ELEMENTS

Timekeeping takes a stylish turn with the new Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Ceramica WORDS CELINE YAP

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s a brand dedicated to the production of sports watches, Panerai and the chronograph function have come to be close bedfellows, especially since the burgeoning of new models last year. Now with a wide array that ranges from the highly traditional to the exclusive and complicated to the basic and functional, the brand also launched a proprietary movement that allows for the complete disposal of chronograph sub-dials. Calibre P.9100 ingeniously combines the chronograph seconds and the chronograph minutes with the hours and minutes, resulting in unrivalled legibility and uncluttered simplicity – two of the most deeply rooted values of every Panerai timepiece.

The latest member to join its family of chronographs is the Luminor 1950 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic Ceramica PAM580. Panerai’s iconic Luminor 1950 case is notoriously complex to fabricate, given its numerous individual components, some of which are exceedingly intricate, like the crown protector and its lever. Produced entirely in black ceramic, it is a lengthy procedure executed over three days where the raw material, zirconium powder, is moulded into individual components and then fired multiple times, first at a low temperature of about 100 degrees Centigrade, followed by a higher temperature of up to 1,500 degrees Centigrade. Finally, the cases are then bead-blasted to achieve the perfectly even matte finish.

Reminiscent of the PAM524, this black ceramic model gets its pure aesthetics from the movement within, Calibre P.9100. Compared to typical chronograph watches with sub-dials all over, PAM580 is a picture of Zen. Apart from the date aperture and small seconds indication, its dial stays completely unblemished. Instead, two centrally mounted chronograph hands are used to display elapsed time, where the blue hand keeps track of the seconds, and the rhodium-plated one, the minutes.

Sand-coloured SuperLuminova add just a tinge of colour, bringing out an elegant contrast with the jet black dial and case. Significantly lighter and completely scratchproof, PAM580 promises to be comfortable to wear and a breeze to maintain.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre P.9100 with flyback chronograph and three-day power reserve CASE 44mm in black ceramic, water resistant to 100m STRAP Natural untreated leather plus a second strap in rubber, with black-coated titanium buckle

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HIGHLIGHTS | 2015 PREMIER

WISH UPON A STAR Jaeger-LeCoultre combines traditional watchmaking with a fragment of our celestial universe in the new Master Calendar WORDS CELINE YAP

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he face of a watch, its dial, is often the first thing that tells us what kind of watch it is. Dial production in traditional watchmaking is a lengthy and complex operation involving numerous steps and a multitude of different materials. Most dials are made of brass and go through stamping or cutting, machining, finishing, decoration, and colouring; luxury watch manufactures have also been known to produce gold or platinum dials, as well as dials in exotic materials like mother-of-pearl, semi-precious stones, and also meteorite stone. And with this latter material, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s latest novelty comes.

Meteorite stone may not be considered precious like diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, or even semi-precious like jade, amethysts, carnelians, or onyx; yet it remains rare, exalted, and no less beautiful. Estimated at millions or hundreds of millions of years old, it should be known that while there may be any number of them traversing the universe, only very few actually manage to reach the surface of this earth. Apparently the ice caps of Antarctica is a sort of hotbed for meteorites but only scientists can get to them for now.

As a dial material in watchmaking, meteorite needs to go through a series of processing stages. The iron content in meteorite makes it 128

difficult to work with and after a block is cut into thin plates to yield dials, the plates are treated with acid to bring out the unique texture of the material. Known as Thomson structures, they exist in the cross section of the stone. Imagine being able to wear something that is millions of years old – that would be quite out of this world.

The Master Calendar also brings to the fore a complete calendar display that complements the celestial allure of the meteorite dial, for it is the earth’s constant rotation about its own axis that determines the length of each day, and its rotation around the sun that defines the year.

In addition, the moon phases, and the 29-day gap between moons, are behind the duration of the week and month. In all, this elegant timepiece is both functional and poetic.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre 866 with complete calendar, moon phase, and 43-hour power reserve CASE 39mm in steel or pink gold, water resistant to 50m STRAP Black alligator leather with folding clasp (steel) and pin buckle (pink gold)

HIGHLIGHTS

SEAWORTHY

Meet the Marine Diver Monaco Limited Edition, a bona fide dive watch with stylish yachting influences WORDS JAMIE TAN

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lysse Nardin currently offers four collections of watches, from the Exceptional collection’s high complications, to the Classical collection’s métiers d’art and dressier offerings. Out of them, the Marine collection arguably remains as the brand’s cornerstone, steeped as it is in history – Ulysse Nardin is famous for supplying highly accurate marine chronometers that was at one point used by over 50 navies globally.

The Marine Diver Monaco Limited Edition here is the latest addition to this storied collection, and marks the brand’s sponsorship of the Monaco Yacht Show for the sixth consecutive year. This watch sports one of the busiest designs from the Marine collection so far, with various details that reinforce its connection to sailing and the sea. Note, for instance, the repeating motif of stylised sailboats on the dial, and the wavy pattern on the bezel. The watch also conveys its maritime sensibility with a blue and silver colour scheme that’s punctuated

by dashes of red. These are all topped off by Ulysse Nardin’s signature, which contains an anchor emblem, at three o’clock.

Beyond these nautical references in its design, the Marine Diver Monaco Limited Edition is actually a capable dive watch as well, never mind that it’s unlikely to be used as one. This timepiece is water resistant to 300m, and has a large 44mm case with bold hands and indexes to make time reading a cinch underwater. Other functional features include a small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock to indicate that the watch is running, and a power reserve counter at twelve o’clock to show when the watch needs to be wound up. Finally, the watch has a unidirectional bezel, which, like some of its siblings, comes with an asymmetric shark tooth edge that both improves grip and generates visual interest.

The Marine Diver Monaco Limited Edition comes in a limited run of 100 individually numbered pieces.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Ulysse Nardin Calibre UN-26 with 42-hour power reserve CASE 44mm in steel, water resistant to 300m STRAP Rubber and titanium with deployant clasp

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HIGHLIGHTS

BIG TIME

With its updated case dimensions, the new Breitling Galactic 44 appeals largely to the adventurous ones WORDS CELINE YAP

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reitling’s Galactic collection may be much more recent than the iconic Navitimer or Chronomat, but it is no less valiant. Evocative of space explorations and contemplations of intergalactic travel, it is most immediately recognisable for the avant-garde numerals on its bezel and strongly utilitarian case construction. Up until now, the watch exists in three sizes: 41mm, 36mm, and 32mm. This latest entrant brings things up a notch with a bold 44mm case that simply cannot be ignored.

Sturdy and solid, the Galactic 44 is also highly legible even in pitch-dark conditions thanks to oversized hands and hour markers coated with beige Super-LumiNova that stands out prominently against the black dial. The finely finished case is paired with a uni-directional rotating bezel satin-brushed for a contemporary masculine appeal. Only the notches marked 15, 30, and 45 are polished for added contrast. This model also includes a compass scale and a graduated scale with 1/100 th of an hour divisions on the inner bezel. Unique features are the black rubber inlaid hour markers on the bezel, which

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provides extra traction and, not to mention, a cool sporty yet technical vibe.

Without interrupting the orderliness of the dial, two apertures provide simple but essential calendrical information: Day and date. Like all Breitling mechanical watches, this one is a certified chronometer, one that is also robust and water resistant to a mind-numbing 200m. To protect the movement from water damage, Breitling had given this watch a secure twin-gasket screw-down crown that’s further cushioned from shocks by two crown guards. The new Galactic 44 is available with a black, blue or silver dial, and fitted with a choice of steel bracelet or a strap in leather, crocodile leather, rubber, or military-type fabric.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre Breitling 45 with day, date, and 42-hour power reserve CASE 44mm in stainless steel, water resistant to 200m STRAP Leather, Diver Pro, Military, Ocean Racer, or Pilot

HIGHLIGHTS

DEPTH OF CHARACTER

These dive watches from Longines combine workhorse movements with an old school aesthetic WORDS JAMIE TAN

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ongines’s Heritage collection contains timepieces that recall past models, but improved with the benefit of modern technology. The Heritage Diver and Heritage Diver Chronograph do so as well, by utilising modern movements within classically styled cases.

The two watches are essentially variations on a theme, given their role as tributes to diver’s watches used in the 1970s. This is readily apparent given their cushion shaped cases, which are made in steel and measure 43mm across. In lieu of an external rotating bezel normally seen on dive watches, they utilize a separate crown to rotate an inner flange bidirectionally. The bezel, like the crown and case back, are screwed down to confer a water resistance of 300 metres. Water resistance aside, a dive watch always puts a premium on legibility, and these two timepieces are no different – they share a common design of satin finished black dials against which white markings and red accents are placed.

Although some watches from the Heritage collection have movements that are exclusive to Longines, the brand has opted to use workhorse ETA movements for the two watches.

The Heritage Diver and Heritage Diver Chronograph run on the ETA 2824-2 and ETA 2894-2 respectively, with the additional chronograph function affecting the choice of flange markings.

The simpler three-hand design of the Heritage Diver necessitates the use of count-up markers on the inner flange, to allow its user to track elapsed time underwater. This is done by aligning the inner flange’s dot at 12 o’clock with the minute hand at the beginning of a dive, and reading off the inner flange’s marking as the dive progresses. The Heritage Diver Chronograph, on the other hand, has a chronograph complication ostensibly for this function. The count-down markings on the inner flange can thus be used to time a separate event.

Of course, few people will use these watches for actual diving. Longines has thus included details that grant the watches a stylish sensibility for daily wear. The upper surface of the case, for example, has a brushed sunburst finish, to contrast with the polished case middle.

MOVEMENT ETA 2824-2 (Heritage Diver); ETA 2894-2 (Heritage Diver Chronograph) CASE 43mm in steel, water resistant to 300m STRAP Black synthetic strap with ardillon buckle, and black rubber strap with deployant buckle

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HIGHLIGHTS

A FLAIR FOR DRAMA

Franck Muller’s spectacular new line up dabbles in outrageous black PVD-coated white gold, glamorous gem-setting, and extreme skeletonisation. Hey, what’s life without a little drama? WORDS CELINE YAP

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here is always a time for discretion and understatement, but when your inner creative soul craves an outlet to express itself, no vessel is more apt than a Franck Muller timepiece. Indeed, if breaking out of the proverbial box is your go-to modus operandi, then Franck Muller models like the all-new Vanguard, as well as classics like the Casablanca, would echo your values perfectly.

Debuting at this year’s World Premiere Haute Horlogerie, or WPHH as the industry calls it, the Vanguard is an extension of Franck Muller’s sports watches line, positioned alongside such collections as the Conquistador GPG. Still unmistakeably an offspring of the Cintrée Curvex, the Vanguard embraces the iconic tonneau shape but adds its own twist into the mix. Clearly more contemporary and performanceoriented, it features oversized appliqué relief numerals and raised hands against a rich black dial.

In addition to a self-winding time-only model and a chronograph, Franck Muller had produced a special limited edition tourbillon to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Southeast Asian watch specialist, Sincere Fine Watches. This precious piece is regulated by Franck Muller’s instantly recognisable tourbillon with the mirror- or 132

black-polished FM carriage. When viewed at a right angle, the carriage appears black because its perfectly polished top surface absorbs all the light. However, when tilted at any other angle, light reflects off evenly and brilliantly unlike any other type of hand polishing.

The anniversary of Sincere Fine Watches inspired Franck Muller’s designers to replace the numeral 12 with 60 to mark the momentous occasion. Paved in beautiful diamonds, this symbolic element gives the Vanguard Tourbillon a unique touch, but only for the non- and partial-diamond-set models. A third model, fully set with diamonds on the case and dial, comes with a red lacquer-painted 60 numeral instead – for extra prominence and a touch of good luck.

MOVEMENT Manually-wound Calibre FM 2001 with 60-hour power reserve CASE 44mm x 53.7mm x 12.8mm in red or white gold, gem-set versions with 307 diamonds, water resistant to 30m STRAP Rubber with croco leather and deployant buckle

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iven the high level of skill required by watchmakers to produce the parts, assemble, and regulate them, skeletonisation is often regarded as a complication unto itself. To successfully remove all of the unnecessary bits of metal yet retain optimum rigidity for the movement, creativity often takes a back seat in lieu of technicality. With the new 7 Days Power Reserve Skeleton, however, it appears that Franck Muller has found a way to evoke a sense of ethereality and weightlessness in skeletonisation.

Reducing the movement plates and bridges to mere strands, this timepiece truly inspires awe, especially when viewed through the light. Its extreme skeletonisation obscures nothing, and so everything from the mainspring and gear train to the escapement and crown stem can all be clearly admired.

All the bridges are painstakingly hand-chamfered and their surfaces are finished with a vertical satin pattern known as dressage. Examined up close, several bridges connect at sharp internal angles, which is proof positive of hand chamfering, since no machine is capable of it. When the polished edges catch and reflect light, they are juxtaposed elegantly with the satin-brushed surfaces or those decorated with perlage. The wheels of the movement, on the other hand, are finished with circular satin brushing.

With so much metal out of the way, this timepiece truly exposes all of its inner secrets. To achieve a seven-day power reserve, not only are there two barrels lined in series, but each mainspring is also extra long. As it unwinds across the span of seven days, one can observe how the springs gradually uncoil.

Winding the movement, too, allows one to admire the tightening of the springs. Farther down, the escapement is also completely exposed. The balance, which is of the variable inertia kind, oscillates at 18,000vph with an in-house manufactured Breguetstyle hairspring.

Reminiscent of the Giga Tourbillon introduced not too long ago, the 7 Days Power Reserve Skeleton exists in two case variations: CintrĂŠe Curvex and round.

MOVEMENT Manually-wound mechanical movement with 7-day power reserve CASE 55.4mm x 39.5mm x 13.1mm for the CintrĂŠe Curvex case and 49.1mm for the round case, in red gold, white gold, and steel, water resistant to 30m STRAP Hand-sewn black alligator leather

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HIGHLIGHTS

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ll that glitters is not gold, as the saying goes, but what does not glitter could well be precious too, as the Franck Muller Casablanca Limited Edition shows. The usually prominent Cintrée Curvex case here has been given the stealth treatment, where a black PVD treatment enshrouds it in total darkness. Except for the twelve Art Deco-style hour numerals, and the hour and minute hands, which are rendered a bright cheery yellow, the entire timepiece (case, crown, dial, and strap) is pitch black. This conspicuous contrast does remind one somewhat of the colour markings of the deadly but striking poison dart frog – try not to mess around with this beautiful monster.

The matte black surfaces, however, mask a hidden secret: This timepiece is crafted in 18K white gold. Now why on earth would anyone PVD-coat white gold? Isn’t that like the horological equivalent of blackface? Or has someone taken the concept of stealth wealth a tad too literally?

Black PVD-coated gold may not be the most commonly spotted feature in luxury watches, but it does offer additional benefits, especially to those for whom the glitter and glamour of gold isn’t all that matters. One major bugbear of a gold watch is its vulnerability to

scratches. Sending it back to the workshop for polishing might rid it of the unsightly marks, but it also reduces the material albeit marginally. A PVD coating erases (pun unintended) this problem entirely and lends the watch a strong, masculine appeal in the process. It also tells others that you’re all about the techniques behind the product. And as if to reiterate the message, this watch comes with a platinum rotor, which remains hidden behind a solid case back.

Especially for Sincere Fine Watches, two variations of the Casablanca Limited Edition were made, one a chronograph and the other, an automatic time and date model. Only 28 pieces each will be available.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre FM 2800 with 42-hour power reserve CASE 39.6mm x 55.4mm x 11.9mm in black PVD-coated white gold, water resistant to 30m STRAP Black rubber with yellow topstitch

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HIGHLIGHTS

BOLD SIMPLICITY The Chimera Day-Date maintains U-Boat’s hefty case, but tempers it with a minimalist dial design WORDS JAMIE TAN

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ne will never mistake U-Boat watches for anything else, given their strong designs and bold sizes. The Chimera Day-Date is no different with its 46mm case, but brings something new to the table by being the first from the brand to have both a day and date displays.

The new Chimera Day-Date comes in two references – one sports a stainless steel case with a black dial, and the other has a bronze case with a dark brown dial instead. These dials actually comprise two distinct layers, with the upper one brandishing indices cut-outs at just four, eight, and 12 o’clock. This is certainly a departure from the brand’s usual offerings, which flaunt far busier dials. In lieu of that, the Chimera Day-Date only has a date window at three o’clock, and day window at ten o’clock to round out its dial. Colour aside, a steel case is likely to look more

consistent over time, while a bronze case will acquire a patina that is unique to the watch; the choice of material here will impact how the watch will appear in the future too.

Besides its signature crown protection device, U-Boat has also implemented its patented crown release system here. When the crown protector is unlocked, it reveals a key on the case at eight o’clock. Pressing this key ‘ejects’ the crown outwards once, allowing the day and date to be quickly set by turning the crown clockwise and anti-clockwise respectively. Pushing the key a second time ‘ejects’ the crown again, for the time to be set. Without the need to pull the crown out manually, the risk of damage to it is minimised.

The Chimera Day-Date comes in a limited run of 300 watches each for the stainless steel and bronze references.

MOVEMENT Self-winding ETA movement with 38-hour power reserve CASE 46mm in stainless steel or bronze, water resistant to 100m STRAP Alligator with steel ardillon buckle (steel) or calf with bronze ardillon buckle (bronze)

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HIGHLIGHTS

ASK FOR THE MOON Frédérique Constant offers a poetic touch with the new Slimline Moonphase Ladies WORDS CELINE YAP

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ost people find that the moon phase complication on a watch instantly gives it a romantic appeal. And they would be right, for how else is one meant to moon over a loved one? Jokes aside, this classic complication, which displays the phases of the moon as it waxes and wanes across the sky, may not be relied upon as much in these modern times as they were in the past, it nonetheless reminds us of the age-old craft, and that is certainly something worth mooning over.

Drawn to the myths and wonders of the moon, Frédérique Constant introduced a new Slimline collection united by this medium complication. If you thought this rings a bell, you are absolutely right. There already is a series of Frédérique Constant Slimline Moonphase models. The difference between that collection and this one, is that this one is specially crafted for women. Indeed, the Slimline Moonphase Ladies brings a host of precious, lustrous, feminine materials such as yellow gold,

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diamonds, and mother-of-pearl to the fore.

A total of six references complete the collection, with a panoply of options including strap or bracelet, diamond-set bezel or standard bezel, and stainless steel or yellow gold-plated steel.

Their 30mm case size exudes just the right amount of femininity while having enough space to contain a standard moon phase aperture just above six o’clock. With all functions adjustable through the crown, these quartz-driven models are also extremely well priced, making them just about irresistible.

MOVEMENT Quartz-powered Calibre FC-206 CASE 30mm in stainless steel or yellow gold-plated steel, water resistant to 30m STRAP Dark blue alligator leather or steel seven-link bracelet

HIGHLIGHTS

VISUAL EFFECT

It’s not easy blending an assortment of details in a pleasing way, but Ingersoll has done just that with the Ragtime WORDS JAMIE TAN

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ome watch brands have well established collections with iconic designs that they cannot stray too far from, lest these timepieces’ aesthetic codes are disrupted.

Ingersoll, however, has much freedom in this area, which it exercises to great effect – the brand regularly conjures up unique watches that meld various influences, whether in their dial details, lug designs, or elsewhere. These watches are also priced competitively to make them compelling buys, especially for the value conscious.

The Ragtime is a good example of Ingersoll’s penchant for juxtaposing different design cues. It has a GMT complication, and tracks the home and second time zones separately with sub-dials at three and nine o’clock respectively. The former is slightly larger and marked by Arabic numerals, while the latter has roman numerals and indexes rimmed by a railway track chapter ring. This contrast is striking, as is the quirk of a smaller font for the 6, 7, and 8 numerals to accommodate the retrograde date indicator at six o’clock. In addition, the watch dial has not one, but two other fonts: One each for the power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, and the seconds marker on the edge of the main dial.

Rounding things off is the triangle at 12 o’clock of the main dial – a nod at pilot watches.

Range of fonts aside, the Ragtime’s dial is also decorated with several guilloché-like patterns.

The retrograde date indicator has a regular sunburst pattern, while the two sub-dials for time and the power reserve indicator have scalloped sunburst patterns. The rest of the dial, on the other hand, features a sunburst pattern scalloped in a wavy pattern that’s reminiscent of décor flamme.

The Ragtime is available in either a stainless steel case with a white dial, or a rose gold plated stainless steel case with a cream dial.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Calibre 848 with 30hour power reserve CASE 43mm in stainless steel or rose gold plated stainless steel, water resistant to 30m STRAP Leather with deployant buckle

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HIGHLIGHTS

GERMAN PEDIGREE

Junghans’s deeply symbiotic relationship with its hometown of Schramberg ended its darkest times, and keeps it thriving today WORDS ZENTRIX CHIU Junghans Aerious Chronoscope

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unghans began as a clock components factory founded in 1861 by Erhard Junghans and his brother-in-law. By 1903, it had grown into the largest clock- and watchmaker worldwide, with 500 million timepieces sold and an annual production of three million units. Furthermore, the brand has had over 3,000 patents registered, which has

Junghans originated from the town of Schramberg, in the eastern Black Forest.

At its peak in 1903, it employed over 3,000 people, and had facilities and subsidiaries in various parts of Europe, including Venice and Paris. Unlike some watchmakers that uprooted themselves for Switzerland upon tasting success, Junghans remained rooted to its

helped it weather the watch industry’s many crises without pausing production or shuttering.

Naturally, such feats are no products of coincidence, but the result of very specific factors.

hometown, where it continued making waves.

In 1956, the brand became Germany’s largest maker of chronometers, behind just Rolex and Omega worldwide. This streak continued with its appointment as official timekeeper for the Olympic Games in 1972 – to date the only German watchmaker that has done so, and undoubtedly a great source of German pride. 1990 was another significant year for Junghans, when it revealed the world’s first radio-controlled watch accurate to just one second every million years.

Quite ironically, the brand that survived industry wide catastrophes such as the Quartz Crisis almost keeled over due to internal management. When Junghans’s Hong Kong parent company Egana Goldpfeil Holding

DECIDEDLY DEUTSCH

When discussing Germanic entities such as Junghans, adjectives such as punctual, precise, and professional often come to mind. These are traits that Germans are renowned for, and the very reasons for their country’s rapid recovery post World War Two. The somewhat clinical descriptions have, unfortunately, masked the very human passions that have driven the brand and kept it thriving.

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Junghans Meister Calendar

Erhard Junghans

declared itself bankrupt in August 2008, Junghans followed suit one week later. For the first time in its history, its existence was in serious jeopardy. Thankfully, several people were on hand to handle the situation. Managing directors Werner Wicklein and Matthias Stotz joined the insolvency administrator in the search for a bail out option, and were aided

by Schramber’s mayor Herbert O. Zinell.

Junghan’s insolvency was seen as a chance to finally return to independence, and it was taken

Junghans’s current manufacture in Schramberg, Germany

An early Junghans chronograph movement, Calibre J88

over shortly by Dr Hans-Jochem Steim in

its return to private ownership, Junghans has

crystals and have bent tips on their hour and

2009. Quite fittingly, Steim himself hails from Schramberg, where he had been conferred the title of honorary citizen of the town just two years ago – Junghans had come full circle in its management.

sought to revive the significant collections that reflect its heritage, and the Meister collection is one of them. As the first mechanical wristwatch collection launched by the brand in the 1930s, it saw an apropos reintroduction in 2011 to mark Junghan’s 150th anniversary.

Since its return, the collection’s watches have scooped up several awards abroad, including first place in the Success Class category in 2012’s Chrono Awards.

Awards aside, the Meister collection has also been extremely well received by the watch buying public, and for good reason. Like many other watches of Germanic origin, these watches have very austere looks: Sharp lines and clean edges dominate here, from their cases to their dials. Despite this adherence to the clean German design language, the Meister collection do have their own distinguishing features. All its watches feature domed

minute hands, which are Junghans signatures.

Beyond their design, Junghans has made a conscious decision to keep the watches to a classic ‘size’ like the original Meister was.

The chronograph and moon phase references of the Meister collection measure 40.7mm wide, while the automatic is just 38mm across. Coupled with the short lugs on them, these watches are determined to remain manageable, even as the rest of the market continues with burgeoning watch cases.

As a sign of confidence in its watches’ quality, Junghans offers a five-year warranty on each Meister. To further differentiate itself, serial numbers are properly documented on sale to improve the chances of recovery should a watch be lost or stolen. With the typical German attention to details such as this, it is little wonder that the Meister collection has been so well received.

SECOND WIND

Clearly, Junghans was getting it right by going back to its roots, with an increased international demand that was apparent back home. The production floor of its historic facility in Schramberg got busy with watchmaking activities once again, and was even staffed by third-generation employees that have stuck with the brand through thick and thin.

Junghans even saw need to further expand its production capacity in 2012, by purchasing several buildings in Schramberg to add another 19,000 sqm of production space.

What led to such a swift recovery? Since The look of every Junghans timepiece had been very carefully studied before going into production

Swiss artist, Max Bill, had worked with Junghans on several key models

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HIGHLIGHTS

THE DURABLE ONES

Whatever shenanigans you are up to this season, you’ll probably do well to be out with a hardier watch that can survive knocks and grazes. Here are some options to consider WORDS JAMIE TAN

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part from mobile phones, watches are the largest group of casualties. Besides spilled drinks, watches must also contend with dings, scratches, and cracked crystals, especially when things get a little… out of control. While we can’t help you with random splashes of beverages, we can advise on helping your watch to survive reasonable blunt force trauma. Whether it’s protecting your watch case with a coating or using a harder material entirely, there are myriad choices to consider.

SURFACE SHIELDING: COATING THE CASE

If a material is too soft and scratches easily, one possible solution is to protect it with a layer of something harder. It’s usually a straightforward process of preparing the case surface, then applying and finishing the coating.

TAG HEUER MONACO CALIBRE 6 FULL BLACK

TAG Heuer has a long history that’s seen the creation of more than a few iconic timepieces. The brand is far from traditional though – it fully embraces technological developments, such as belt driven movements. The combination of the two results in a watch like the Monaco Automatic Full Black. Although the timepiece retains the Monaco’s instantly recognisable square shape, its stainless steel case has been coated with titanium carbide. The material is extremely hard, which confers a scratch resistance that will keep the case looking pristine for a long time to come. At the same time, the case’s black fine-brushed surfaces give the watch a minimalist aesthetic.

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MAURICE LACROIX PONTOS S SUPERCHARGED

The Pontos S Supercharged is one of Maurice Lacroix’s sportiest offerings, beginning with its huge 48mm wide case, which has undergone a black anthracite PVD treatment. The gigantic case is matched by a large (16½ lignes) ETA Valgranges chronograph movement, to spread the sub-dials out comfortably – an equivalent Valjoux 7750 would have clustered them around the dial’s middle instead. As you can guess from its name, the watch was created with motoring in mind. Its chronograph movement and count-up inner bezel can time two events simultaneously, such as individual lap times and the entire duration of a race, while the calf leather strap with rubberised parts has cut-out patterns recalling watches designed for drivers in the past.

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SCRATCHING THE SURFACE

CARTIER CALIBRE DE CARTIER DIVER

The Calibre de Cartier Diver maintains classic dive watch aesthetics with a touch of luxury, thanks to a rose gold case. Its bezel, however, has been protected with a layer of ADLC (Amorphous Diamond-Like Carbon), which has a hardness of 3,500 to 4,000 on the Vickers scale. Given a bezel’s greater propensity to be scratched, an ADLC coating makes sense for higher levels of protection. Its deep black colour also contrasts very well with the rose gold. An improvement in both aesthetics and toughness? You can have your cake and eat it too.

The harder a surface is, the more difficult it is to scratch it. But, there are many ways to measure a surface’s hardness. The Mohs scale is perhaps the best known, but not accurate enough outside the context of gemmology.

Among all the other scales, the Vickers is probably the best overall compromise to gauge a material’s scratch resistance. On the Vickers scale, iron’s hardness measures between 30 to 80, stainless steel between 140 to 180, and diamond at 10,000.

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HIGHLIGHTS BULGARI DIAGONO ULTRANERO CHRONOGRAPH

As its name suggests, the Diagono Ultranero Chronograph has an all-black colour scheme, starting with a case coated in an ADLC called Diamondblack. According to Bulgari, Diamondblack’s hardness measures 3,000-5,000 on the Vickers scale, which makes it quite difficult to scratch indeed. In the event that it does get scratched, it is actually possible to strip the finish before polishing out the nick and reapplying the ADLC coating. To match the black case, Bulgari has opted for a black crown, dial and strap to create a stealthy look to the timepiece. White dial markings and hands complete the design with a monochromic colour scheme that’s easy to read at a glance.

PVD VS DLC A common point of confusion is the difference between PVD and DLC. PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) is a process whereby a coating material is first vaporised before being applied onto the substrate material via condensation. DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon), on the other hand, is the actual material used by most brands to coat their watch cases. It comes in different forms with varying properties, but they usually share some properties with diamond, such as extreme hardness. PVD is a process that can coat different materials, while DLC is a material itself.

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HIGHLIGHTS

BELL & ROSS BR 126 HERITAGE

Yes, it’s a Bell & Ross, and no, it’s not a square watch this time. The BR 126 belongs to the increasingly popular BR Vintage collection, and features a round case in lieu of a square one. Its steel case has undergone PVD to yield a matte black finish, which is matched by a black dial.

A sand-coloured luminescent coating gives it a tinge of old school cool, which extends to the natural colour leather strap. For someone who’s looking to get a Bell & Ross but wants to avoid its most popular square shaped models, the BR 126 is a worthy contender.

HAMILTON KHAKI TAKEOFF AUTO CHRONO

The Khaki Takeoff Auto Chrono was made with Hamilton’s relationship with Air Zermatt, the Swiss mountain rescue service, in mind. To that end, the black PVD case can be removed from the watch entirely to function as a cockpit or desk “clock”. The bullhead chronograph pusher layout also helps the watch to function in its other roles, since pushers mounted on the side of the case might not be ergonomic for a pilot. Other features that make this a bona fide pilot’s watch include the bi-directional bezel with countdown markings, with the final 15-minute segment highlighted in yellow.

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LIGHTER YET STRONGER: TITANIUM

Titanium comes in many grades, with Grade 2 and Grade 5 the ones most commonly used in watchmaking. The metal is harder and lighter than steel, and rapidly oxidises when exposed to air, which helps to conceal a scratch.

SINN EZM 9 TESTAF

Sinn deserves special mention in this category. The brand’s use of titanium for its watches extends to a proprietary technology called TEGIMENT, which is a combination of engineering processes and specific raw materials. Conceived as a pilot’s watch, the EZM 9’s case has been hardened by TEGIMENT for greater scratch resistance than untreated titanium, to better survive the rigours of use in a cockpit. Simple hour indexes and needle hands make reading the dial a breeze, while a countdown bezel allows one to time events easily.

Sellita’s SW200 workhorse movement completes the package, for a timepiece that’s built to tell the time reliably in a rough environment.

JAQUET DROZ GRANDE SECONDE SW TITANIUM

Jaquet Droz’s Grande Seconde SW (sport watch) is, as you can guess, a sporty reinterpretation of the brand’s iconic Grande Seconde collection. Of course, the off-centre hour and minute subdial remains untouched, along with the oversized large seconds sub-dial below it. Jaquet Droz has, however, redesigned the lugs and bezel for a bolder look, and reworked the case to better protect the crown, with a similar detail mirrored on the watch’s left. This particular model has a case middle and case back that is executed in titanium, thus reducing its weight vis-à-vis a similar model in gold or stainless steel, while making it more hardy as well. Curiously, its crown and bezel have rubber surfaces – it’s not the most scratchresistant material, but certainly bump-proof.

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HIGHLIGHTS

IWC AQUATIMER AUTOMATIC 2000

The Aquatimer Automatic 2000 clocks in at a hefty 46mm wide and 20.5mm thick, so you’ll be relieved to know that its case is constructed of titanium. The watch’s impressive proportions aren’t for show: it has been made to be water resistant down to 2,000 metres. It’s wholly unnecessary, of course, but who could resist the benefits of a greater margin of error for a dive watch, and the allure of such over-engineering? Like its siblings from the collection, the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 has IWC’s new SafeDive system to ensure that the inner bezel does not understate a diver’s elapsed dive time. You can wear it confidently whether in the sea or at a party.

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THE IMMUTABLE: CERAMICS

In an industrial context, ceramics are a category of materials that share some common properties – lightweight, extraordinary hardness, and a high melting point being some of them, with the first two of particular interest to manufactures.

RADO HYPERCHROME COURT

Ceramics are Rado’s raison d’être. The brand has pioneered many variations of the material, including plasma high-tech ceramic, which can achieve a metallic sheen akin to platinum. The HyperChrome Court Collection shown here uses high-tech ceramic for both the watch case and bracelet, to keep the entire watch light yet scratchproof. Although Rado has mastered the production of high-tech ceramic to offer it in different colours and finishes, black is used here to allow the orange markings – representing the clay court – to stand out even more. An automatic chronograph movement completes the package, with a familiar tri-compax layout on the dial.

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

The Speedmaster needs no introduction, having gone to the moon on the wrist of astronauts. This edition takes it up a notch with case, dial, and chronograph pushers all constructed of ceramic. As can be expected, this makes the watch exceptionally resistant to scratches. What is more surprising is its weight – the entire watch with its fabric strap weights a mere 91 grams due to the ceramic’s lightness. Material aside, the Dark Side of the Moon is also non-traditional for using Omega’s Calibre 9300 Co-Axial movement, which combines the minute and hour totalizers into a single sub-dial at three o’clock, for a bi-compax chronograph layout.

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PANERAI LUMINOR SUBMERSIBLE 1950 3 DAYS AUTOMATIC CERAMICA

This watch’s name sums up all its features, beginning with a Luminor 1950 case, which measures a chunky 47mm wide.

As a Submersible sub-model, the watch’s design is more contemporary, especially given its unidirectional rotating bezel, a feature of modern dive watches. The next part of its name refers to the self-winding P9000 calibre, which has a going time of three days. Ceramica naturally refers to the material, which Panerai is no stranger to. The watch’s case middle, bezel, and crown protection device are all constructed of it for a uniformly black look that is highly resistant to wear. The only contrast on the timepiece comes from the ecru Super-LumiNova on the hands, indexes, and bezel’s graduated scale.

TUDOR FASTRIDER BLACK SHIELD

The Fastrider Black Shield actually owes its development to its sibling, the Pelagos.

Tudor’s work on the Pelagos’s ceramic bezel gave the brand the necessary experience to produce the Fastrider Black Shield’s monobloc ceramic case, rendered here in deep black. The details speak for themselves on this watch. Note for example the tachymeter scale – it has been engraved into the ceramic bezel directly instead of being just printed. The only accents on the watch are red, in the form of the indexes, hands, and interestingly, the seal underneath the sapphire crystal. Depending on your intended use, you can pair it with either the black rubber strap, or the black leather strap with contrasting stitching in red.

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BLACKED OUT: CARBON

Like titanium and ceramics, carbon is extremely light yet strong for its weight. It also comes in a multitude of variations, from carbon fibre to forged carbon to NTPT carbon, each with a different look and properties.

LUMINOX SXC PC CARBON GMT 5020

Luminox’s Space series is built for actual space travel, to support its partnership with XCOR Space Expeditions. The case of the SXC PC Carbon GMT 5020 is carbon reinforced polycarbonate, which yields a hardness and impact resistance superior to steel, at a fraction of its weight – just 64 grams for a case that’s 45.5mm wide. The watch comes with Luminox’s signature illumination system which uses tritium tubes in lieu of Super-LumiNova for round-the-clock visibility without the need to charge the luminescent material beforehand.

HUBLOT BIG BANG ALL BLACK CARBON

Good luck finding this watch in the dark! True to Hublot’s audacity in watchmaking, the brand has created a timepiece that is entirely, completely, utterly black. The whole of the watch case, including its bezel and case back, is done in carbon fibre, just like its dial. Besides making it harder to damage, the watch also maintains a uniform texture upon which its other elements can be placed. These include applique indexes in black nickel, matte black hands, and even the six signature H-shaped screws on the bezel. If that’s not enough, we are happy to share that the movement is all black too, thanks to the PVD, ruthenium, and gold coating, which are all black.

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HIGHLIGHTS AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE DIVER

This particular reference of the Royal Oak Offshore Diver may have a ceramic bezel and titanium case back, but its highlight is undoubtedly the forged carbon case middle. Originally from the aeronautical industry, forged carbon’s production has been adapted by Audemars Piguet for the smaller products in watchmaking. Its hardness and lightness are already a given, and the unpredictable way the fibres align themselves under heat and compression makes every piece’s appearance unique. This contrasts greatly with the dial’s ordered Méga Tapisserie guilloché, hence generating much visual interest. The theme continues with the use of yellow in the diving scale and hands to stand out from the watch’s black colour scheme.

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HAPPY HOUR

Like it or not, there are rules to follow on what to drink and wear, be it a dreaded social obligation or some keenly-awaited dinner. Feeling lost? Take heart!

Here’s your compass with which to navigate the treacherous waters ahead.

WORDS JAMIE TAN PHOTOGRAPHY CHING/CAPSULE PRODUCTIONS STYLING TOK WEI LUN MODEL LUKE/AVE

BREGUET CLASSIQUE “GRANDE COMPLICATION” (REF: 3757BA/1E/9V6) Despite its relatively svelte dimensions – just 39mm across and 10.25mm thick – this watch is anything but understated. A sizeable portion of its dial is devoted to the quintessential Breguet complication, the tourbillon, which is prominently displayed at six o’clock. The tourbillon highlights the manual-winding Calibre 558 QPT’s technical prowess, which also extends to a perpetual calendar with little surprises, such as a retrograde date indicator. The ornate silvered gold dial dazzles with several types of guilloché, including clous de Paris, barleycorn, and straight chevron, thus balancing the movement’s technicalities with artisanship. To cement the watch as a statement piece, it comes in a yellow gold case. With such sophistication both on its surface and within it, you’ll be hard-pressed to find something that fits so well in this setting.

Dolce & Gabbana Silk blend 3-piece suit, Cotton shirt; Dunhill Leather gloves, Metal cufflinks; Hermès Porcelain ashtray, Adage double old fashioned glass

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FOR LOUNGING WITH THE OLD BOYS

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ou’ve known them for decades, and you’re meeting them at the gentlemen’s club tonight. Between the cigars and the do-youremembers, surely there’s space for a few drams of scotch? There’s a certain convenience to be had with them, since they’re not too fussy about factors like serving temperature. Have it your way, whether straight, on the rocks, or with a dash of water. And forget the marketese behind single malts and age statements – they might be useful information, but these are no guarantee of quality, or even a taste that you’d like, for that matter.

May we suggest the Laphroaig Quarter Cask? It has a slightly smoky yet buttery nose, which belies its unexpectedly full body – expect an initial rush of sweetness followed by a fiery heat, and the signature peat and smoke of Islay whiskys. A medium-long finish lingers on your tongue, but it won’t be long before you take another sip.

PARMIGIANI FLEURIER TORIC QUAESTOR WINCHESTER Visually, this timepiece’s faceted dial mirrors vaulted ceilings, a mainstay of Gothic architecture; the watch is named after the Winchester Cathedral, after all. Curiously, the power reserve indicator and small seconds sub-dial are curved and circular respectively, which contrasts greatly with the aggressive bevelling everywhere else on the dial. Their seamless integration into the dial, however, is proof of the brand’s design expertise.

Aurally, you’d be pleased to know that the minute repeater in the watch’s Calibre PF357 features cathedral chimes for improved acoustic quality. Surely this watch would be apropos for an evening with other esteemed gentlemen like yourself?

PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 5204P-011 This reference has neither a tourbillon nor a minute repeater, but amply displays Patek Philippe’s expertise in haute horlogerie. It has two of possibly the most useful complications for daily life – a perpetual calendar and a split seconds chronograph. The watch’s movement is based on the CH 29-535 PS, Patek Philippe’s first proprietary chronograph movement, but modified with a calendar module and split seconds mechanism. It’s complex but only has three pushers. Other adjustments are made via recessed push pieces, to maintain a streamlined look for its 40mm platinum case. With a monochromic colour scheme that understates its value, this timepiece asserts itself quietly, and only when it wants to.

BLANCPAIN TOURBILLON CARROUSEL The Tourbillon Carrousel is exactly that: a tourbillon and a carrousel at 12 and six o’clock respectively, linked by a differential to even out the chronometric discrepancies between them. The differences between the two – the tourbillon has a single gear train, while the carrousel uses separate ones to power its escapement and rotating carriage – can be observed both from the front and the see-through case back. It’s a perfect conversation piece, especially with people who are unfamiliar with the carrousel. At 44.6mm wide and 11.94mm thick, the Tourbillon Carrousel is bold enough to present all its details, yet slim enough to fit under your shirt cuff.

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FOR PARTYING THROUGH THE NIGHT

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hether you prefer doing the Tecktonik in a secret underground club, or miming to ‘70s disco with a thousand other people somewhere more established, you’ll find the experience greatly enhanced with a little tipple. Its exact choice deserves some thought though.

You’ll want to get a buzz, but avoid downing too much liquid in the process, lest you feel bloated and lose the groove. Get to the bar, and order tequila shots. Do the lick-shoot-suck with salt and a slice of lime if you must, or just down it neat like the Mexicans do, and make your friends join you. Then hit the dance floor, and come back for more when you need a boost.

We recommend the Sauza Extra Gold in this case. It isn’t premium tequila, but this isn’t an appreciation session for connoisseurs either.

Instead, its golden hue is matched by a smooth and balanced taste, making it a breeze to knock back multiple shots consecutively.

MB&F HM6 SPACE PIRATE The HM6 Space Pirate is quite the visual spectacle. It has a sapphire crystal sphere at each corner making up the corners of an imaginary square, with a flying tourbillon housed in a dome in the square’s middle.

The highly unusual design neatly segments the watch’s functions – the two spheres at the “lower” edge of the case tell the time with indicators that rotate perpendicular to the movement, while the other two contain turbines that regulate the winding speed of the movement. To top things off, a semispherical titanium shield can be extended over the flying tourbillon to protect it, ostensibly against UV radiation which might degrade the lubrication oils. If a watch that looks like a cross between a space craft and an alien isn’t flashy enough, then nothing ever will be.

ROMAINE JEROME BATMAN-DNA The only thing it seems to offer is various shades of black, like the Dark Knight’s costume. The 46mm steel case, for instance, has been coated via PVD, with the bezel’s facets a mix of both polished and satin brushed finish. The Batman logo applique on the dial too, has been filled with matte black lacquer. The rest of the dial has been engraved and finished with a “graphite” effect, and even the hands and Hornback crocodile strap are black. The Batman-DNA is not a very exciting watch visually… until the lights go out, or the black lights come on.

The excavated portion of the dial around the logo is filled with black Super-LumiNova that emits blue light. Here’s one more weapon in your glowsticking arsenal.

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RICHARD MILLE RM57-01 PHOENIX AND DRAGON – JACKIE CHAN You can’t miss the Phoenix and Dragon, Richard Mille’s latest collaboration with Jackie Chan. It maintains a formidable presence on the wrist not least because of its size which, at 50mm by 42.7mm, is among the largest within Richard Mille’s line-up. Like its other tonneau-shaped siblings from the brand, the RM57-01 remains wearable given its lack of lugs and gently curved case back.

Materials-wise, the watch’s case is 18k red gold. If that isn’t enough, you’d be please to know that a pair of hand engraved phoenix and dragon reside within it. Instead of being simply mounted on a convenient bridge or inner case, the beasts have been integrated into the movement three-dimensionally, and appear to guard the tourbillon at six o’clock.

Mythical creatures on your wrist, in solid rose gold no less: how do you top that?

HIGHLIGHTS

HUBLOT KING POWER UNICO KING GOLD CARBON It’s easy for details to get lost amidst the flashing lights and thumping music. This is not the time to be shy, so go easy on the subtlety and bring out the bling! Like the rest of the King Power Collection, there’s no missing the Unico King Gold Carbon given its chunky 48mm case.

Done in satin 18k King Gold and topped with a carbon fibre and rubber bezel, the watch is quite a treat for the eyes in the club – its matte black and brushed metallic surfaces play with light differently, while the hands and indexes seem to blaze under black light thanks to the copious amounts of white luminescent material applied.

In the unlikely event that you need to time an event while partying, the watch’s flyback chronograph has got you covered.

Dior Homme Wool sweater

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FRANCK MULLER BLACK CROCO For people who appreciate Franck Muller’s audacity, yet seek something a little more understated, the Black Croco warrants serious consideration. This is, of course, the perfect opportunity, since the ‘rules’ are slightly relaxed when dining with the people one is close to. The timepiece is executed in Franck Muller’s iconic Cintrée Curvex shape, and presents a sleek image from afar. On closer look, however, you’d see that the case and dial have morphed into jarring extensions of the black alligator strap. The colour is achieved with a black coating applied via PVD. The texture, on the other hand, was created with machining to produce a relief. A separate reference with Crazy Hours exists for the Black Croco, for aficionados who prefer something even more over the top when viewed up close.

Dunhill Wool tuxedo suit; Dolce & Gabbana Cotton shirt; Hermès H Déco porcelain plates, Attelage cutlery

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FOR AN INTIMATE EVENING OF FINE DINING

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eeling adventurous? Why don’t you put the cart before the horse for once, and choose a wine before deciding on the food to pair it with? If it’s a fine dining experience you’re after, then there’s no reason to pass on the wine, complete with a sommelier of course. Beyond being an excellent social lubricant, the right food-and-wine pairing will present an experience that is simply sublime.

Of course, an excellent bottle of wine needn’t break the bank, and we present the Mitchell McNicol Shiraz as proof. Colour-wise, it’s a very dark red that borders on black. Its nose contains notes of (French) oak and dark fruits; the latter comes to the fore on the palate with hints of blackberries and plums, which are balanced by tannins. A dry, long finish rounds off the experience.

ROLEX DEEPSEA D-BLUE DIAL Rolex timepieces effortlessly straddle the line between tool and dress watches, and the Deepsea D-Blue Dial is no different.

This watch marks Rolex’s partnership with James Cameron, the explorer/filmmaker who reached Earth’s deepest known point in the Deepsea Challenger submersible. On the engineering front, the Deepsea D-Blue Dial has a 44mm wide steel case and titanium case back utilising Rolex’s patented Ringlock system, for water resistance down to 3,900 metres. Aesthetics-wise, the ‘D-Blue’ dial – a deep blue to pitch black gradient from top to bottom to mimic the gradual loss of light when one dives deeper – is immediately apparent. Less so are the bezel graduations in platinum, for a touch of understated class.

GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL SENATOR PANORAMA DATE MOON PHASE There are times when the good ol’ classic three hand will suffice, but there are also occasions to jazz it up a little. The Senator Panorama Date Moon Phase offers greater visual impact with its big date indicator and moon phase display, but stays classy like the rest of the collection. Its dial design is maintained, for one, done here in varnished silver-grainé, with black Roman numerals within a railway track chapter ring. The watch’s red gold case measures 40mm across, and remains relatively modest with an 11.52mm thickness. Big date and moon phase aside, the Calibre 100-04 in the watch also features a reset function for the seconds hand, to let its user set the time precisely.

GRAND SEIKO SBGA107 In lieu of a Swiss luxury mechanical watch, you can opt for its Japanese counterpart to go against the grain. The Grand Seiko is the obvious choice. It was conceived to showcase Seiko’s approach to fine watchmaking, with emphasis on functionality, and the limited edition SBGA107 delivers exactly that. A tribute to 1964’s “Self-dater” model, the SBGA107 shares the original’s wide and flat lugs, and date complication. It uses Calibre 9R15 Spring Drive, a hybrid movement that’s powered by a mainspring but regulated electronically. The benefits include a higher precision of +/- 0.5 seconds a day, a long power reserve of 72 hours, and a true gliding motion of the seconds hand that even high-beat mechanical movements cannot replicate. A hand polished platinum case completes the package.

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FOR A NIGHT WITH THE BROS

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very clique has a regular watering hole where it meets at, and each member has a preferred drink the bartender knows is his ‘usual’. Grab a beer! It’s excellent whether by itself or with bar snacks, can be sipped between your turns at Texas Hold ’em or chugged at the end of a round, and even contains vitamins!

Now, you might be tempted to settle on a craft beer that was brewed and bottled in some hippie’s basement, all in the name of taking the road less travelled. Don’t. Make yours the Guinness Stout. Its low carbon dioxide content and ultra-fine nitrogen bubbles creates an extremely smooth taste, which presents notes of roasted malt, burnt caramel, and hops. The beer isn’t as heavy as its dark colour suggests though. Have multiple pints in one sitting if you want – it contains less calories than even skim milk or orange juice.

BELL & ROSS BR 03 RADAR Bell & Ross models its watches after cockpit instruments, most commonly the altimeter.

The BR 03 Radar eschews this in favour of its namesake instrument, which is reproduced on its dial. It has three concentric black discs with contrasting indexes on them; as the discs rotate, the indexes appear to sweep around the middle of the watch, just like a radar beam. The discs track, from the periphery to the centre, the hours, minutes and seconds respectively, making it a cinch to tell the time without much practice. As a testament to the brand’s success, the BR 03 Radar bears no Bell & Ross logo, save for a subtle ‘&’ in the middle of the sapphire crystal.

GIRARD-PERREGAUX SEA HAWK To survive the roughest of nights with the boys, pick the Sea Hawk, which was built to be extremely tough, and designed to scream it. The latter is immediately apparent through the watch’s bold styling. Note, for example, the angular faceted steel case, sharp bezel fluting, and bold colour scheme of cobalt blue and coral orange. The watch also generates visual interest with its three dimensional dial, which is honeycombed and set with raised indexes that contrast with the deeply sunken date disc. The Sea Hawk clocks in at a bold 44mm, and will sit higher than usual on the wrist, given its 17.1mm thickness. Do not worry though – it meets ISO standards for a dive watch, and is more than splashproof (beer or otherwise) thanks to a water resistance of 1,000 metres.

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BREITLING CHRONOMAT 44 RAVEN This is probably the most “serious” watch in this category, and for good reason – the Chronomat was conceived as Breitling’s flagship when it was launched in 1984, and became the first to house the brand’s in-house Manufacture Breitling calibres in 2009. True to its name, the Chronomat 44 Raven is nearly all black, what with a black dial and black carbon-based coating on the case. Contrasting accents come in the form of orange rubber numerals inlaid on the bezel.

The use of orange also extends to the inner bezel, and sub-dial and chronograph seconds hand. Breitling’s Calibre 01 movement within the watch is COSC certified, and boasts an ample 70-hour power reserve. If you want to exude seriousness, even in a casual social situation, then this is it.

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TAG HEUER MONACO CALIBRE 11 STEVE MCQUEEN Need something more sporty and casual for poker night at the bar? Sporty timepieces go beyond pilot and diver watches; for some variety, consider the TAG Heuer Monaco. This iconic model shot to fame when Steve McQueen wore it in the 1971 racing classic Le Mans, and the Monaco Calibre 11 Steve McQueen references that watch in several areas. The blue dial with white racing stripes, for example, is reminiscent of McQueen’s Monaco, which had white sub-dials on a blue dial. The crown placement is also peculiar for being on the left, just like Monacos with Chronomatic movements from the 1970s. Finally, the eagle-eyed will notice the old Heuer logo at 12 o’clock, which was replaced with TAG Heuer only after the brand’s acquisition by the TAG Group in 1985.

Dior Homme Wool sweater

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AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK SELFWINDING While there’s some leeway in one’s choice of timepiece at a private dinner with his inner social circle, a more public occasion might be trickier – best to err on the side of caution and stick to dressier timepieces. This is where the Royal Oak Selfwinding really stands out. As a simple watch with just a date complication, it maintains a conservative 41mm diameter and 9.8mm thickness that is perfect for such settings. The magic’s in its details. Examine the dial’s Grand Tapisserie guilloché pattern under a loupe, and you’ll see thousands of tiny rhombuses between the raised squares that catch and reflect the light in a circular pattern. A ‘simple’ dress watch needn’t be plain! The finishing touch is its stainless steel bracelet, which takes its formality down just a notch.

Dior Homme Wool jacket, Cotton shirt

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FOR CELEBRATORY OCCASIONS

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here are good reasons why sparkling wine and its subset, champagne, are the de facto booze of choice at celebrations. Generally, their lower alcohol content let the revelries continue for longer. The spectacle of opening a bottle by popping out the cork, its sweet taste and fizz on the tongue, even the sight of the numerous bubbles rising up in the glass – these also greatly enhance a joyous occasion, no?

Surely we should have some champagne during festivities, if even ships are christened with them.

As for the exact one, we advise that you pick the Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial Non Vintage. As one of the largest and most popular champagne houses – even Queen has namedropped it in their song Killer Queen – the brand is familiar to millions, so you’ll find instant recognition and ready acceptance for it. It’s also an easy one to appreciate, with notes of green apple and citrus plus a touch of bread and yeast.

ZENITH CAPTAIN ULTRA THIN Due to the success of the El Primero movement and the timepieces equipped with it, the Captain Ultra Thin tends to, ahem, fly under the radar. This watch actually serves as the perfect counterpoint to the sporty El Primero chronograph, since it’s perfectly sized as a modern dress watch at 40mm wide and just 8.3mm thick. Dimensions aside, the watch speaks a classic design language. Its hour indexes are oversized roman numerals ringed with a plain chapter ring, while the small seconds sub-dial at nine o’clock is bounded by a railway track-styled one. A steel case, rhodium-plated hands, and white lacquered dial keeps the overall look light and airy, while the black indexes, chapter rings, and leather strap provide contrast and legibility.

OMEGA DE VILLE TRÉSOR Given the prominence of its Seamaster and Speedmaster lines, Omega’s dress watches are sometimes overlooked, making them excellent choices for less common dress watches. The De Ville Trésor is one such example. Its thin classic gold case, here in Omega’s proprietary Sedna gold, elevates it above stainless steel for a touch of class. It’s matched by Sedna gold hands and applique indexes that are set against a domed opaline dial textured with a clous de Paris pattern. A box sapphire crystal completes the look by accommodating the movement and hands without an overly thick bezel. Icing on the cake is the Master Co-Axial Calibre 8511 – an anti-magnetic COSC-certified movement – that beats within.

BULGARI OCTO SOLOTEMPO Should you require a dress watch that can carry both itself and your outfit, have a look at the Bulgari Octo Solotempo. It is technically a dress watch, but its angularity conveys an aggressive personality that is highly atypical for timepieces of this category. The round upper bezel mitigates this somewhat, but its overall design remains decidedly masculine. This boldness carries over to the choice of materials and colours.

The case, hands, and applique indexes are all rose gold, which starkly contrast the black polished lacquered dial, alligator leather strap, and decorative ceramic crown setting.

The Calibre BVL 193 driving the watch has a 50 hour power reserve, and is decorated with perlage, Côtes de Genève, and chamfering.

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KINGS OF BLING

Pull out all the stops and turn that dial up to 11 this season with a timepiece sporting enough gems to make a rapper blush WORDS JAMIE TAN

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his season isn’t the time to be shy or modest, so splurge on that bejewelled watch that you’ve been eyeing all year and show it some love!

Because if not now, then when?

JAEGER-LECOULTRE MASTER GRANDE TRADITION GRANDE COMPLICATION

Arguably the most complicated watch here, the Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication has, among its other functions, an orbital flying tourbillon, a minute repeater, and a zodiacal calendar. Each of these complications comes with its own twist, with the minute repeater using trébuchet hammers that retain more energy supplied by the spring, for example. Of course, the focus here is on the rocks, and what a glorious array of them! The aventurine dial has been set with sapphires and diamonds, and the case completely paved with the latter, down to the case middle, lugs, and crown. The total weight of the gemstones on each watch is around 20.7 carats, which makes for a truly dazzling timepiece in every sense of the word.

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ROLEX COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA

Add this to the list of reasons why Rolex is the king: A platinum Daytona that’s been paved with diamonds.

Apart from a case that’s been milled from a single block of platinum, Rolex has also made the bracelet from the same metal, with polished centre links and satin-finished outer links to provide some contrast. Don’t worry though, as a person in the know wouldn’t mistake your watch for a lesser one in white gold or, worse still, stainless steel.

That’s because the chronograph sub-dials are in ice blue, which is reserved only for Rolex’s platinum watches. Save for the chronograph counters, the rest of the dial has been paved completely with 437 diamonds. The bezel too, sports 36 baguette-cut diamonds to complete the look.

A little piece of advice though. You might want to start working out if you intend to go all the way over the top with this watch; all that platinum will weigh quite a fair bit.

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BREGUET CLASSIQUE GRAND COMPLICATION 5359

To make bejewelled watches with more than a touch of class, one can take a leaf out of Breguet’s book.

The Classique Grand Complication here features the brand’s signature complication, the tourbillon, along with all its other hallmarks. Note the silvered sub-dial with guilloché at 12 o’clock, complete with Breguet hands and numerals. With these iconic details anchoring the watch’s design and some clever techniques, the watch’s balance is not jeopardised by gem-setting. The 356 diamonds on the dial, for example, have been set in a pattern reminiscent of barleycorn guilloché. The baguette-cut diamonds on the bezel and lugs, on the other hand, complements the fluted case band. The watch is far from subtle with its white gold case and bedazzling array of diamonds, but you must admit that it’s been so classily bling-ed out, there’s no chance that it will ever descend into crassness.

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BLANCPAIN VILLERET SNOW SET INVERTED MOVEMENT

As its name suggests, the Villeret Snow Set Inverted Movement has its movement bridges flipped to face the dial side of the watch. Several manufactures have done this, of course. Blancpain’s iteration here, however, decks the majority of the bridges as well as the bezel and lugs with diamonds. Rather than establish a fixed pattern for uniformity like some of the other watches shown here, this timepiece features the eponymous snow-setting technique – diamonds of varying diameters are set with no fixed order, creating the stone-encrusted surfaces that mimic the glitter of snowflakes. To further differentiate the watch as an exceptional creation, Blancpain’s usual signature is conspicuously absent. Instead, the brand’s name has been engraved on the bridge at the dial’s centre.

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AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK CHRONOGRAPH

Audemars Piguet has never done an haute joaillerie version of its Royal Oak since its debut in 1997‌until now, that is. Among the four diamond-set references of the Royal Oak released this year, the sole chronograph version is definitely the loudest – while the others are either partially set with diamonds or have leather straps to provide balance, this version goes unabashedly all out. Its 18K pink gold case and matching bracelet are fully studded with brilliant-cut diamonds, to the tune of 736 stones totalling approximately 7.13 carats. The dial, too, has been paved with 230 8/8-cut diamonds that weigh around 0.71 carats.

The result? The ultimate statement piece.

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PIAGET ALTIPLANO GEM-SET SKELETON

For an ultra-thin gem-set watch, Piaget is undoubtedly the first manufacture to turn to, given its expertise in both slim timepieces and jewellery. The watch’s case here is 18K white gold, and slightly wider at 40mm to allow Piaget to rearrange the movement components horizontally.

The result, Calibre 1200D, is just 3mm thick. Piaget further minimalised the movement with skeletonisation, by removing the dial entirely and leaving just elegantly curved bridges behind.

Do not be mistaken though, the watch may be understated in terms of dimensions, but its usage of gemstones is anything but. 670 diamonds in brilliant-, emerald-, and baguette-cuts have been used to cover the movement, bezel, lugs, and watch buckle. For contrast, Piaget added 11 black sapphire cabochons (polished but non-facetted gemstones), and left the movement’s rubies untouched as well.

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CARTIER PASHA DE CARTIER 42MM SKELETON DRAGON MOTIF

Cartier’s penchant for skeletonising movements into specific themes is well known, with the best known being the execution of bridges as Roman numerals on watches such as the Santos de Cartier and Rotonde de Cartier. Its latest creation, the Pasha de Cartier, comes with the new Calibre 9617 MC movement, which has been skeletonised into the shape of a Chinese dragon. The motif does not detract from Cartier’s codes of fine watchmaking though, so do not expect a timepiece with overt oriental influences. This is largely due to Cartier’s choice of materials. The movement has been paved with brilliant-cut diamonds, while the bezel, lugs, and bracelet are in white gold, and similarly covered in baguette-cut diamonds.

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ROGER DUBUIS EXCALIBUR JEWELLERY SKELETON FLYING TOURBILLON

For variety’s sake, here’s a timepiece whose dial isn’t completely decked with diamonds, because there simply isn’t one. The new additions to Roger Dubuis’s Excalibur collection include references set with diamonds to different extents, and this one’s the most lavishly done. Its bezel and lugs have been covered with baguette-cut diamonds, while brilliant-cut ones function as indexes on the inner flange. Although the dial is absent and the movement skeletonised, there is still much to see. The movement bridges, for example, have been reduced to form an angular pattern that resembles a spider web, with a ‘star’ at one o’clock.

Underneath this ‘star’ is the mainspring, which balances the flying tourbillon at seven o’clock.

You can expect exquisite finishing on a Roger Dubuis movement, and the hand-wound Calibre RD505SQ delivers, with details such as circular graining on the bridges.

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DAILY DOZEN

Whatever the occassion, these 12 watches are ready or some actions WORDS JAMIE TAN & CELINE YAP

LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR SPIN TIME REGATTA TITANIUM

In addition to the stylish Tambour case, seen here accompanied by masculine touches, strong accents of racy red make this sporty chronograph a definite standout at any event. While it is conceived for the world of competitive yachting, don’t let this little detail hold you back even if you’re no maritime skipper. The red rotating cubes, which count down five minutes provide hours of fun – who says it is only meant for regattas? Its titanium case is a pleasure on the wrist and its halfopened dial exposes part of the LV156 movement, including the mechanism operating the rotating cubes. The Spin Time series of movements were produced for Louis Vuitton by the movement specialist La Fabrique du Temps, which is today owned by the luxury giant.

Compared to previous versions, this piece highlights the technical nature of the collection.

Indeed, because of the whimsical motion of this unique complication, one sometimes forgets how difficult it is to create a movement like this. Not only is there a question of sufficient power delivery to the mechanism, but the watchmaker must also find a technical solution to enable the cubes to turn precisely. La Fabrique du Temps used the Geneva drive, or Maltese cross, to drive the cubes, turning it intermittently and instantaneously instead of continuously. A bona fide sports watch, this timepiece is water resistant to 100m.

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GRAHAM SILVERSTONE RS SKELETON

If motor racing is your passion, then it’s time to indulge with the Graham Silverstone RS Skeleton. This brand with a unique SwissBritish heritage imbues its watches with automobile inspired design elements and an unwavering focus on performance, accuracy, and efficiency – just the way you like your cars.

Balanced and sensual, its contours express aerodynamic force and, composed of a melange of different materials, it is undoubtedly built to thrill. Polished and hand-drawn steel meets ceramic for the bezel, and luxurious red gold accents meets alligator leather for the strap. Its openworked dial exposes the regulating devices of the movement, as well as gives the watch a strong technical personality. In this special limited edition piece, 46mm black DLC-coated steel case contrasts with the red gold highlights.

BAUME & MERCIER CLIFTON TWO-TONE

Upgrading the standard Clifton’s classic good looks with a touch of gold, Baume & Mercier presents a timepiece that is perfect for life’s special occasions. In spite of its clean and simple design, the Clifton Two-Tone offers a staggering amount of detail, most alluring of all are the polished chamfers on the case middle that stretch vertically from top to bottom lug. Contrasting with the brushed finish on the other surfaces of the case, they discreetly bring to mind Baume & Mercier’s unique watchmaking savoir-faire.

Precious rose gold was used to manufacture the bezel, two rows of links for the bracelet, as well as the hands and hour markers and numerals.

Its open case back reveals the mechanics of its self-winding movement but this timepiece isn’t all about mechanics. What’s most charming is its meticulously crafted seven-link bracelet that wraps around the wrist, following every curve and nuance. Indeed, the hallmark of a well-made bracelet is its ability to adapt to any wrist, and this one definitely checks all the right boxes. At 41mm, it is large enough to make a statement but thanks to its chamfered edges and fluid design, the Clifton Two-Tone is extremely comfortable to wear. While not quite a sports watch, it conveys just the right amount of athletic spirit in its elegant package, making it a wonderful accessory to the vacation home or golf resort.

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PERRELET TURBINE CHRONO

There are times for serious watches and times for fun watches.

Perrelet’s Turbine is made expressly for fun-seekers. Indeed, its entire Turbine collection demonstrates how the brand has found a way to inject a light-hearted element into something serious and technical. As most watch aficionados are aware, the oscillating weight, or rotor, is a big part of Perrelet’s DNA. But with the Turbine collection, this critical technical component of a selfwinding watch plays an aesthetical role, in addition to functional.

As it winds the movement, Perrelet’s proprietary Double Rotor also spins on the front of the watch, underneath a dial with cut outs to display the action and accentuate the 12 titanium blades of the turbine.

Lending itself well to new iterations, the Turbine now exists with a chronograph. The Turbine Chrono displays this function without any sub-dials destroying the core design aesthetic of the collection. Where the chronograph seconds are displayed by a red centrally mounted hand, the minutes are read off a central rotating sub-dial against a red label on the dial at nine o’clock.

Start, stop, and reset the chronograph using the push buttons on either side of the crown.

JUNGHANS MAX BILL AUTOMATIC

Its neutral yet trendy design makes the Junghans Max Bill Automatic an excellent choice of gift to a friend or relative. And if you need even more prodding, consider its very attractive price tag. This slim classic timepiece would delight even the most jaded of hipsters.

With a simple polished anthracite dial, a neat yet contemporary font for the hour markers, and classic hour, minute, and seconds hands, it is a pleasure to behold. Next, the slender case proportions are a big plus and pair exceptionally well with the domed Plexiglas crystal, which has a Sicralan coating that protects it from scratches. It’s almost hard to believe that within these minute confines, Junghans was able to provide a self-winding movement, but it does, and impeccably so. Trust the Germans to always arrive at perfect engineering solutions.

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TISSOT T-COMPLICATION CHRONOMETER

Precision is the name of the game for the Tissot T-Complication Chronometer. This timepiece follows in the footsteps of an earlier model that was completely skeletonised and bared its internal mechanism for all to see. Those who appreciate its dedication to chronometric precision but seek a little modesty would be pleased with this model, that comes with a classic black dial bearing light embossment and discreet design. Only very few elements take up space on the dial, like the hour markers and 12 numeral, a small seconds sub-dial that is a prerequisite for all chronometer-certified watches, the Tissot insignia, the word Chronometre to remind one of its precision quality, and a pair of sharp, facetted dauphine hands. This smart and formal timepiece makes for a wonderful choice of gift for the corporate warrior.

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EDOX DELPHIN THE ORIGINAL CHRONOGRAPH

2014 marks Edox’s 130th anniversary. Part of the brand’s celebrations include looking back at its past and bringing back the iconic timepieces that have made Edox what it is today. The original Delphin, for one, is noted for being the first model from the brand that was aimed at marine activities such as sailing and power boating. It returns this year in stainless steel with an ultra-legible dial design just like the original, but upgraded with a chronograph complication. Powered by the Edox Calibre 10 movement, the watch measures up to 30 minutes of elapsed time, and has a 43mm wide case that is water resistant to 200m. As a reminder of its technical achievements, the watch’s case back has an aluminium ring with the “Water Champion” logo.

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EPOS COLLECTION EMOTION REF. 3391 CALENDAR MOON PHASE

An extremely useful function, the complete calendar is a small complication that is big on utility. No more forgotten anniversaries, birthdays, and important business meetings because the date, day, and month are all instantly available with just a glance. This classic stainless steel model comes with a choice of white, brown, or blue for the dial and a black leather strap or an elegant sevenlink bracelet. Its case is made with a host of fine details including a fluted case middle, a round fluted crown, and stepped lugs. Additional fine touches include applied indices on three, six, nine, and 12 o’clock. Its moon phase aperture is a classical one but looks extra poetic because it is enveloped by a blue oval segment with more stars.

TITONI WALLSTREET

Refinement meets masculinity in the Titoni Wallstreet, and from this monochrome model, a strong alpha male vibe emanates. The distinctive, subtle tonneau shape of its case stands out from a sea of round-shaped watches yet it retains a classic appeal thanks to the 12 Roman numerals in silver, which are spaced out around the dial. At the centre of its dial, an oval segment decorated with a pyramid pattern introduce a touch of watchmaking tradition as it brings to mind the traditional clous de Paris motif of historical pocket watches. Polished and brushed surfaces on the case bring in more traditional watchmaking sensibilities. Offered with either a black leather strap or a five-link bracelet, it exposes the movement within through a sapphire case back.

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ERNEST BOREL RETRO BIG DATE SECOND TIME ZONE

When a watch has such a unique dial design like the Ernest Borel Retro Big Date Second Time Zone, every glance at it – no matter how cursory – will be a watch lover’s delight. Led by notions of purity and harmony, the dial is neatly organised into three segments, first of which is the wide expanse kept absolutely free of elements. Second, the Ernest Borel insignia sitting on top of a big date aperture proudly brandishes its patrimony and the date is offered in two separate digits.

Local time is displayed as usual, via the centrally mounted hour and minute hands. Third, home time, or the second time zone, occupies its own sub-dial at six o’clock, and thus can be read clearly and conveniently. This is undoubtedly a dual time watch with a most unique character.

VICTORINOX I.N.O.X.

Indestructibility is the message at the core of the Victorinox I.N.O.X. watch.

Forged to resist, it is shock resistant, pressure resistant, fall resistant, water resistant, and also resistant to high and low temperature fluctuations. Celebrating the 130th anniversary of Victorinox, this robust watch has been put through the most gruelling series of tests including a fall of 10m, driven over by a 64-ton tank, and two hours at 90 degrees inside a washing machine. In spite of that, it’s got a suave design that’s sharp and versatile.

Utility-driven yet well-designed, it is definitely a product by Victorinox and you can definitely trust this timepiece to be your partner for life.

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AVIATOR DOUGLAS

The Aviator Douglas is named for the Douglas DC-3 airliner, which saw widespread civilian and military usage in the 20th century. As testament to its design and build quality, the DC-3 remains in daily service around the world today, despite its pre-war introduction as far back as in 1936.

Design wise, the Douglas veers away from the archetypal pilot’s watch with a different dial font, and a railway track chapter ring instead of minute indexes. While ‘historically correct’ pilot watches stick to white dials, Aviator has opted to implement a palette of earth tones in addition to black, white, and blue for variety instead. Rest assured, however, that these timepieces still share a common attention to legibility.

Although the dial’s details have been changed, the Douglas maintains the general design cues of a pilot’s watch. It comes in a round stainless steel case with gently tapered lugs, the latter a familiar update that allows for a better fit on the wrist. The large diamond crown is another staple which has been preserved here.

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THE CAPTAIN’S WATCH The new Breitling Chronoliner reinterprets the spirit of aviation in an original and timeless style WORDS ARVADA HARADIRAN

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cross more than half a century, aviation has enjoyed spectacular progress. Airplanes have gone higher and farther than ever before, while safety, undeniably, has remarkably improved as well. Along with aircraft modernisation, the instrument panels featuring pointer type counters and manual controls of the Super Constellation and the first jets may have given way to computer screens and electronic joysticks, but two things have remained unchanged: flight captains still wear the same prestigious uniform and a Breitling chronograph watch continues to sit proudly on their wrist.

Breitling, the eponymous flight captain’s watch, continues that tradition with the new Chronoliner watch that measures flight times, a second time zone display in 24-hour mode to juggle time differences around the planet, a scratch-resistant high-tech black ceramic bezel and a chronometer-certified chronograph. It is a new Chronoliner that reinterprets the spirit of aviation in an original and timeless style.

Inspired by a model from the 1950s and 60s, an era when Breitling was already an “official supplier to world aviation”, the new Chronoliner’s most distinctive feature is a broad bezel in scratchresistant high-tech ceramic with a star-shaped cut-out to facilitate 176

handling, along with white ceramic numerals ensuring optimal contrast. The second time zone is clearly and simply legible thanks to the red-tipped hand and oversized hour/minute hands featuring a white luminescent coating standing out against a black background.

The COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute)-certified chronograph also features a robust, polished steel case with 46 mm diameter and rotating bezel with graduated 24-hour scale, along with an ultraprecise ratcheted system. The caseback bears the stylized planes that were a longtime Breitling signature. The original and timeless touch is complemented by a comfortable and distinctive steel mesh bracelet.

MOVEMENT Self-winding Breitling Caliber 24 with high-frequency (28,800 vibrations per hour), 25 jewels. 1/4th second chronograph, 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers.

CASE 46 mm in steel with bi-directional rotating ceramic bezel, water resistant to 100 m STRAP Ocean Classic (steel mesh) or Navitimer

INTERV IEWS

A RISING STAR Dimitri Aubert, General Manager, Luxury Timepiece Division, FJ Benjamin Singapore Pte Ltd, explains what’s in store for Indonesia's market WORDS & INTERVIEW ARVADA HARADIRAN

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he ever-youthful Dimitri looks exactly the same as the first day I met him. Polished and eloquent, he shows no sign of tiredness despite just having flown in from Singapore for this interview – and, later, for the grand opening of INTime watch boutique in Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, in which he is due to represent two of FJ Benjamin's most dynamic brands.

He is a fitting icon for FJ Benjamin, which carriers the young and hip watch brands: Bell & Ross and Frederique Constant. Bell & Ross has made a comfortable headway in the country, with one standalone boutique in Pacific Place Jakarta shopping mall and eight current POS (Point Of Sale) spread across Time International’s chain of luxury watch retail outlets. Frederique Constant, however, is a younger brand that is beginning to gain traction in the global luxury Swiss watch market – and Indonesia is slowly taking notice, as well.

WOW Indonesia had a chance to catch up with this energetic individual for an exclusive interview highlighting FJ Benjamin’s plans in Indonesia in 2015, as well as his Baselworld 2015 launches.

Tell us about your plans for 2015 in Indonesia.

We have lots of exciting developments in the lineup for Indonesia. First of all, we will continue to focus on Frederique Constant in 2015, and by the end of 2015 we should have all eight POSs spread across our retail partner, Time International, operational and ready to go. Also, in May we will have a press conference for Frederique Constant, which will be a major event. You’ll see.

As for Bell & Ross, we will have one more opening at an INTime store in North Jakarta this year, to make a total of nine POSs so far with Time International, and the existing one standalone boutique in the Pacific Place mall. We’re making good progress here.

You seem to be getting serious in Indonesia.

Absolutely. Indonesia is an important market in our portfolio and we will continue to develop this market. There is a growing affluence in Indonesia and pretty soon there will be a class of consumers who will inspire to timepieces in which they can display proudly to their friends and families. It’s important for us to 178

keep expanding our presence in Indonesia, and it’s important for us to keep working with Time International. The POSs we have at Time International will give our clientele the perfect environment in which to display and show our timepieces in the ways that they are supposed to be seen and presented.

How do you plan on growing Bell & Ross’s and Frederique Constant’s business in Indonesia?

With Bell & Ross, we will continue to concentrate on our bread-and-butter models; those that lie within the price range of five to six thousands Singapore dollars. These are our icons. However we also look to sell some more of our newer, high-tech models such as the BR-X1, such as the one you see on the cover in this issue. Also, this year will mark our 10th anniversary celebration for the BR-01, and you can bet that we will have something exciting to celebrate that as well.

So, stay tuned for updates!

BR03 92 Ceramic Military Type

"Indonesia is an important market in our portfolio and we will continue to develop this market.”

BR03 92 MT Grey

Frederique Constant Classics Manufacture Worldtimer Blue

“As for Frederique Constant, there will be a very interesting unwrapping of a new watch in solid gold, fully automatic, and priced at an incredible price point. You will have to wait and see.”

For Frederique Constant, our strategy has always been about our best-selling models. The best-sellers of the best-sellers – that’s what we concentrate on in this market. We have around 40 top bestsellers from worldwide that we will bring to Indonesia and build upon.

I’ve heard great things about the Frederique Constant brand. Is it true the brand have several robust, in-house movements now?

Yes, absolutely. Around 25 percent of our collection now sports in-house movements.

The Manufacture Worldtimer I’m wearing right now is an in-house movement, as is several other new recent releases you may have picked up, like the Frederique Constant Manufacture Zodiac. The rest of our watches will feature either Sellita or Ronda variety movements, which are very robust, very good movements as well. The best part about all this is that our watches start at around 3,500 Singapore dollars, so you’ll be able to get a beautiful, authentic Swiss

quality for a great price point.

What can we glean from your preBaselworld 2015 activities?

At this point, I am only able to tell you that the focus will be on BR03-92 Military Type. That will be pretty much our focus at Baselworld this year. The rest you will just have to find out during Baselworld!

Of course, we are also not sitting idly by as we continue to develop modern lines such as the one you saw with the BR-X1.

As for Frederique Constant, there will be a very interesting unwrapping of a new watch in solid gold, fully automatic, and priced at an incredible price point. You will have to wait and see.

Also, during our planned press conference on May 6th, there will be a big announcement coming from Frederique Constant. I don’t even know what that would be about, but I know it will be pretty huge. So make sure to keep abreast of our news and see you in Baselworld!

FC-718NWM4H6

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THE APPLE HAS FALLEN As the smartwatch creeps dangerously

close to the luxury mechanical watch, the industry’s top brass is not about to brush it aside, although CEOs remain buoyant about the relevance of fine watchmaking Interviews by Celine Yap

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DANIEL RIEDO

CEO, JAEGER-LECOULTRE

Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica 11

Are we upset by the fact that there is a new electronic product for the wrist? No, because it targets a different market. It is exactly like the iPhone. There is no real value. Users will change it every year or two. It is a consumption good. Do you remember the first cell phone you had? No. And try to will it to your grandchildren? I don’t think they will appreciate it. These products are more about the service that the product itself.

There is no real emotion involved. If, however, you have now the watch of your grandfather, even if you don’t wear it, it is an emotional object. And you will keep it, cherish it, maintain it, and eventually pass it to your children. This is the difference.

I don’t consider the smartwatch to be a threat to fine watchmaking. In fact, I see it as an opportunity because, once again, people are focusing on what goes on the wrist.

This encourages people to communicate about this topic.

Technology must be used well in fine watchmaking. New technologies are always coming and they can be used to produce some elements for high-end watches. For example, we are always looking at the market to be aware of new technology. Just recently, we’ve introduced the latest generation of laser cutting machines in order to be more accurate for very small components, which would be impossible to produce without this technology. We are also using DRIE but only for some components.

There is no one technology able to produce everything.

That’s for sure. The paradigm of that, even if we’re looking at a watch with manual finishing and assembly, is there will always be some technology at the very beginning of the watchmaking process to produce the components. After that, at the end, it is the hand of the watchmaker that assembles all of these components and makes them work together. Technology enables us to achieve watches like the Hybris Mechanica 11. That’s 7.9mm in height of high complication. The components inside are more precise than ever. It is exactly the same with our new Master Ultra Thin.

This watch is so thin that only a high complication master watchmaker is able to assemble and regulate it.

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ALAIN ZIMMERMAN CEO, BAUME & MERCIER

When a company like Apple is launching a product, you cannot just ignore it. Of course we will look at it seriously, but first, the purpose of their product is not the same as ours. If the mechanical watch today has no meaning beyond giving the time, then I would be concerned, but it is not the case. Since a long time, the mechanical watch has evolved. Secondly, I think this new trend will help us. How many young people today don’t even wear a watch because they were not prepared to wear a watch. I think the Apple Watch or the connected watch will ease these people into having something on the wrist.

That’s good news!

One of the key considerations about the connected watch is functionality. It does a lot of things, but what about issues like battery life? At Baume & Mercier, we have a beautiful eightday mechanical power reserve watch, the Clifton 8 Days. This technology will evolve very quickly too and soon even it will be outdated.

If you’re looking for an object to commemorate important moments in life, what would you choose? I’m not sure an electronic

Baume & Mercier Clifton 8-Days Power Reserve

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watch is a good option. Again, this is the difference. Plus, the smartwatch has a lot of functions, some can tell you if you’re healthy or not, what your current heart rate is, and so on, but I don’t want to know every second of the day if I’m all right or not all right. It’s information overload. In this respect, it is similar also to a running bracelet. So, I will look at it seriously, but I am not panicking because there’s so much more we offer in a Baume & Mercier watch. It’s all in the emotions and story telling. I believe this is even more pronounced on the ladies segment where accessories focus on design and femininity. When a lady is dressed up to the nines, I’m not sure a connected watch would pair very well. And what next, then? A smart bag? Smart shoes?

At a certain point, it’s all about luxury, finesse, details, craftsmanship, savoir-faire, and exclusivity. I’m sure there will be many people buying the connected watch but this also means people will see many others having the same object. Is it luxury when you have something that millions around the world have? People look for differentiation because we are different.

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JEROME LAMBERT CEO, MONTBLANC

What are the implications of the smartwatch to us? This is something we must question. Basically if you do not question, you are stupid because to question is to start considering, improving, and creating. If you do not question, you are stubborn and you die stubborn. Every new thing that happens on our market, even on the extreme lowest part of the market, has implications. At the end, you only wear one watch at a time; you cannot wear three. I would say this is something which is not to be ignored.

Technology helps us make better watches. If you preach for cutting edge but are not considering new functionalities, then you have a contradiction in your expression. At Montblanc, we do not claim to be the most futuristic or most technologically advanced brand.

Montblanc is a maison of fine lifestyle companions. When we conceive a product, we always consider quality and functionality. We also have to question the future of wearable technology.

Everybody wants to improve performance. To make watches a little bit more precise, to require less service, to be more robust‌ At the end of the day, it is a plus. This is what we need technology for. Are we a traditional watch company or a modern one? At Montblanc, we say invention is the tradition of tomorrow.

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ALDO MAGADA CEO, ZENITH

In our business, like all other businesses, there is always a place for innovation and new products. As a fan of Apple, I have to say I was surprised by the presentation of the watch because I was expecting something quite different. For me, the proposal is not much different than Samsung. I’m used to discovering great revolution from Apple, like the iPhone smart phone was or like the iPad was. The Apple Watch, as far as I can see, is not a revolution. There are big challenges in this industry, the biggest of all is probably battery life.

I’m astonished that the watch is not water resistant when it’s supposed to be a sport device, to be with you at all times. Also you must have an iPhone to use it. It’s very complicated.

Still, I think it is a segment which will boom. Electronic companies like Casio, Tissot, Garmin, or Suunto will be more affected by it, so they might be pushed in a different way. I think connected watches have a great future but not limited to being a smart phone in a small size on your wrist. I know some brands doing connected watches on a few functions that can be updated ‘live’. For us at Zenith, it’s more or less an opportunity because if people have the habit of wearing something on the wrist, it’s a good thing. A lot of young people don’t even have watches. It’s an opportunity as these watches will be the first step or act of wearing a watch.

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Our segment is so different. To say that the smartwatch will make a luxury watch obsolete is like saying if Tesla comes onto the market, it will kill all the car brands. People react differently and their needs are different. It’s nice to have connected watches but they are just one of many segments in watches, even as they will be a very important segment in terms of volume. But it will not kill the watch industry for sure.

Luxury, as we say it, is luxury of the hand. High tech stuff don’t have this element. There is no emotion in them. Take computer generated imagery for example. When you watch a movie like Spiderman 2, when the guy jumps from building to building, it’s quite normal and for sure you enjoy the show, but you also know it’s fake. Then when you go to a ‘live’ performance like theatre or Cirque du Soleil, suddenly you get the thrill because it’s real people doing these extraordinary things. There is the human touch, and this is exactly what we have. At the manufacture, you see people who are like you and me working with their hands and they are capable of extraordinary things. So, yes, technology is important and we have to improve, but no compromise on the human touch

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KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE CO-PRESIDENT, CHOPARD

First of all, competition is always good. Second, I don’t think luxury traditional mechanical watches will be upset by the appearance of the smartwatch. They are distinctly different types of products, although for the more accessible level of traditional watchmaking, some questions may be raised. Third, with smartwatches around, hopefully more people who have not been wearing watches before will now wear watches. There will be the initial hype as with all electronic products, indeed as with all Apple products, and it will level off until newer versions hit the market. Ultimately, they are not collector products.

A mechanical watch from 10, 20 years ago can easily be worn now. It may need some servicing, but otherwise it will run. In this time, an electronic watch would have evolved into something else entirely. By definition, everything electronic will be replaced by something newer and better. It’s different. I don’t think anyone will collect smartwatches the way people collect mechanical watches. Also, do we really need all the functions being offered? There are already so many on my phone even though I never get to use them all. I have so many functions in my car, some of which I only discover after a year or two. Isn’t it nice to have something like a fine timepiece, just measuring the time so purely, simply, precisely, and clearly? That’s enough.

Some things cannot be replaced by electronics.

For the past five years or so, there is a real revival of the different handcrafts that are a part of our industry. No doubt this are treasures we have, and which we must keep. It’s a heritage, and it makes us unique in light of all these electronic development. A lot of sophisticated consumers today appreciate these crafts and specific techniques that can only be achieved by hand. As a car collector, I can tell you why I like classic cars. It’s because they’re just not so perfect as the modern machines today, the ones that do everything, including parking for you.

What’s next?

Chopard L.U.C Calibre 63.01-L

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Snailing on an A. Lange & Sรถhne wheel

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THE WATCH IS ART

Mechanical watches are finished? Only if you mean they’re beautifully chamfered, polished, brushed, engraved, or decorated with guilloché – then yes, they are WORDS CELINE YAP

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ore so than just the price or precious stones and materials, finishing is what determines the true value of a high-end watch. Calling for inordinate amounts of time and effort to realise, there are several types of finishing, some of which perform a functional role in addition to providing beautiful aesthetics, while others are applied for purely aesthetic reasons.

Increasingly rare, finishing by hand is widely considered the highest form of finishing and it makes a big difference from industrial finishing by machines. According to the technical director at Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi, Giulio Papi, in High-End Horological Finishing and Decoration, a technical manual – the only one – dedicated to the subject of finishing and decoration, the difference between industrialgrade and hand finishing can come up to a third of the price of the watch. Indeed, in the realm of haute horlogerie, it is finishing that makes all the difference.

An assortment of files, buffs, stones, burnishers, and polishing

lathes is involved in the finishing process while chisels and gravers are used to carve patterns in the art of hand engraving. These days, watch manufactures utilise hand-operated instruments and machines to apply decorations like perlage and Côtes de Genève, but even with the help of those tools, achieving perfectly executed decorations requires a lot of experience and immense hand dexterity.

Every movement consists of at least over a hundred parts; complicated watches and grande complications contain even more, amounting to the hundreds. Plates, bridges, wheels, screws, pins, pinions, springs, cams… But nothing is superfluous. They all perform a very specific function within the movement, and for them to be optimally efficient, they must be properly finished to be completely free of all the burrs and scratches sustained from manufacturing processes like cutting, stamping, and milling. Once the burrs and scratches are removed, the amount of friction between parts is reduced, and this results in higher operating efficiency.

Blancpain’s Calibre 2322 features beautiful guilloche work on the main plate

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PERFECTLY ANGLED

One of the most widely applied finishing techniques is anglage, which entails making a 45-degree chamfer on the edges of a part. Also called bevelling, although the more accurate term should be chamfering, the objective of anglage is to eliminate all residual burrs on the edges, which could potentially dislodge from the component and accumulate between the teeth of wheels, preventing the smooth running of the movement. In addition, because the chamfer is subsequently polished, anglage also performs an aesthetic function, making the movement as a whole all the more pleasurable to admire. Observing the contrast between the polished chamfer and the adjacent flanks and surfaces, which are brushed, is considered one of the greatest pleasures of watch appreciation.

Especially difficult to perfect, creating beautiful anglage involves numerous steps, chief among all is the step called détourage.

Applied onto the flanks of the component, détourage removes burrs and scratches, as well as straightens the sides to ensure there is no undulations. In short, perfectly finished flanks form the basis

Observing the contrast between the polished chamfer and the brushed adjacent flanks and surfaces is considered one of the greatest pleasures of watch appreciation Hand-drawn plates and bridges by Audemars Piguet

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for perfectly executed anglage. The watchmaker files down on the edge, buffs off the freshly filed edges, smoothens them with a stone, and then polishes the chamfer with burnishes, diamond paste, and pegwood. Alternatively, he can also use a wooden grinding-wheel to complete the anglage already formed using the file. This method, however, cannot reach inside cut-outs and sharp internal angles.

Those would have to be worked on using manual tools.

The play of light on the surfaces of a finished component can be exceptionally stunning, particularly when there is a mix of different angles on it. Watchmakers typically finish the components with internal angles, rounded angles, and external angles, depending on design direction. According to Papi in the same book, “An interior angle is where two bevels meet on an inside corner. The intersection must be clear-cut, creating the appearance of a single geometric line where the two bevels meet. This type of angle is the hardest to create, especially with a sharp tip. It calls for expert manual dexterity and no machine is currently capable of achieving it.”

Rounded angles run smooth along the chamfer with no perceivable lines where two bevels meet. This is clearly easier to execute than an interior angle. Finally, exterior angles, the opposite of interior angles, are found when two chamfers meet at a point. It is sharp at the tip while maintaining a uniform 45-degree angle. Whether interior, round, or exterior, the two edges of the chamfer must always be parallel. Interestingly, Papi also comments that, “The imperfections of hand bevelling are tokens of hand-made authenticity and depend on the know-how of the craftsman. Each part is thus unique and personalised.”

Empor am quaerum quodit, nonsequ

Anglage by Audemars Piguet Anglage on a movement component

Chamfering with a hand mill Involving extremely dexterous work, a single component can take hours to finish

Anglage can also be achieved by pressing parts on spinning discs

Empor am quaerum quodit, nonsequ A component for the Audemars Piguet equation of time movement

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Black polishing is also known as mirror or flat polishing

A LITTLE MORE POLISH

Polishing is another finishing technique that has both functional and aesthetic purposes. Undeniably it makes any component instantly look a million dollars but what it also serves to do is limit corrosion.

When a part is polished, residual burrs and microscopic specks of metal are completely eliminated, and the surface is perfectly flat, which reduces the propensity of tarnish and corrosion.

There are, however, varying degrees of polishing. For instance, the sinks and recesses of holes drilled on bridges and places are polished just enough to allow them to radiate light while key components of high complications like the tourbillon bridge, tourbillon carriage, and repeater hammers are often put through the most rigorous polishing processes to achieve what is called specular polishing. Interchangeable terms for specular polishing include black polishing, mirror polishing, flat polishing, and vertical polishing, although some purists would argue for the slight differentiation between mirror and black polishing. Still, there is one key distinction between specular and other types of polish, and it has to do with the technical process it involves.

Essentially, specular reflection is a mirror-like reflection of light from a surface, in which light from a single incoming direction is reflected in a single outgoing direction. It differs from diffused reflection where incoming light is reflected in a broad range of 190

directions. Because the specular polished surface is perfectly flat, with no irregularity or undulation, light is reflected in one direction and one direction only. Depending on the direction of the light source, the surface can appear black, grey, or white. Papi defines black polishing as such: The term black polishing stems from this apparently black surface state. It appears thus, when the light falls on the part in a perfectly perpendicular manner.

Watchmakers achieve specular polish by first rubbing the component down to eradicate the more prominent burrs. Using files, buffs, burnishers or extremely fine-grain abrasives, the objective is to achieve a surface that has absolutely no blemish. Abrasive papers are also used in varying degrees of abrasion and, on them, from roughest to finest, the watchmaker presses the component while moving it in a figure eight or infinity motion. According to numerous sources, this ensures the abrasive paper reaches every minuscule nook and cranny of the component. This stage calls for about two hours, sometimes more, to complete.

Finally, specular polishing is achieved when the component is rubbed on diamond-coated paper on a zinc plate that has been trued to perfect flatness. At this stage, all the crystalline bits and tips of the surface of the component have either been torn off or pushed down into the ‘hollows’ by numerous rounds of crushing, thus the entire surface is perfectly flat and spectacularly finished.

Flat polishing by Roger Dubuis on the tourbillon carriage

Polishing of the sinks of screws using circular rubies Every A. Lange & Sรถhne movement features polished gold chatons

The component is pressed onto diamond paper and moved in a figure-eight motion multiple times

When viewed from the front, the polished component appears to be black, hence black polishing

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Every A Lange & Söhne watch has a hand-engraved balance cock decorated with traditional floral engraving in the style of historical A Lange & Söhne pocket watches A. Lange & Söhne hand-engraves all of its movement balance cocks

Every stroke is different, from piece to piece, craftsman to craftsman Every engraver uses his or her own set of tools, which is customised to the engraver’s hand

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Hand-engraved main plates by Breguet

A. Lange & Söhne also hand-engraves case backs for special clients

An Audemars Piguet rotor being hand-engraved

Engravers first sketch the desired motif and follow it to the final detail

ART DÉCOR thanks to the resurgence of mechanical Because watchmaking is equal parts science watchmaking in the 1990s and early 2000s, and art, watchmakers put just as much age-old métiers d’arts re-emerged from the effort into the functioning mechanisms doldrums to find the glory that had evaded as they do into decorating them. After them for decades. Now – dare we say – more working so hard on something, you’d want so than ever, hand decoration is the ultimate it to look smacking too, wouldn’t you? hallmark of haute horlogerie.

Movement decoration goes back a long There are numerous examples way, right into the nascent years of of hand decoration, most prominent A. Lange & Söhne haute horlogerie, although in the past, among all, the aforementioned handcrafted balance cock watchmakers often focused on decorating engraving. Using not machines but a set of gravers the cases of pocket watches instead of the movements. or burins, plus other specialty tools like scorpers, burnishers, an Those beautifully engraved cases would then become so engraver’s ball, and of course a loupe, which is indispensible. Barring precious that the watchmaker then had to craft case holders for the other more high-tech methods of engraving like machine engraving or watches, although they would eventually be unable to resist the chemical engraving, this art form, like most art forms, is exceedingly temptation of decorating those holders as well. Inevitably, this called taxing on the craftsman’s hands and eyes. What’s more interesting for new holders to protect those now-precious holders. It is not known to the watch aficionado is that each craftsman can recognise his own exactly when this trend died down, though presumably if we hazard a work even when a common blueprint design is shared. One famous guess, it’s when people stopped carrying pocket watches. example is the team of craftsmen and women at A Lange & Söhne.

The art of watch decoration, however, continues to thrive. In the Every A Lange & Söhne watch has a hand-engraved balance 21st century, the mechanical watch is widely regarded as a work of cock decorated with traditional floral engraving in the style of art unto itself, as its role has transcended that of a mere time-telling historical A Lange & Söhne pocket watches, but every member of the device to a mobile masterpiece fit for every day use and personal team has a personal style of engraving that is completely unique, like appreciation, and decoration has a big part to play in this. Moreover, a fingerprint. Literally the human touch, it is what authenticates the 193

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watch as a piece of art.

Just as revered a form of horological art, guillochage is mainly applied to the dials of watches. Known in English as engine-turning, it is a kind of engraving except that guillochage is achieved using specific machines like the rose engine lathe (circular) or straight line engine lathe (linear) for different patterns. In addition, where hand engraving chisels out the material bit by bit to create a figurative artwork, guillochage shaves off the material in swirls or lines to create a repeated pattern. That, however, sounds a lot easier than it really is. Lathes are huge machines the size of a medium dining table while dials are minuscule in comparison. Thus the guillocheur has to be extremely sensitive to the amount of pressure put on the dial as well as the speed at which he is operating the lathe.

A number of different traditional guillochage designs exists and they include the most widely embraced Clous de Paris, as well as classical grain d’orge, vieux panier, sunray, solar, and other geometric designs created by manufactures. Audemars Piguet is one prominent example, for the Le Brassus manufacture is revered for its Grand Tapisserie guilloché in the iconic Royal Oak collection. The manufacture Breguet is also a leader in traditional guilloché. In fact, its legendary Classique Réveil du Tsar alarm wristwatch has a dial that’s famously decorated with no fewer than seven different guilloché

Blancpain’s Calibre 13RO with beautiful Côtes de Genève

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designs. They include Clous de Paris, satiné circulaire, sauté piqué (or liseré), pointes de diamant (or Pavé de Paris), vieux panier, and décor flammé.

STERLING STANDARDS

Haute horlogerie represents the crème de la crème of mechanical watchmaking but even within this venerable realm there are timepieces so perfectly flawless that they have to be distinguished from the others by an official seal. The Poinçon de Genève, or Geneva Seal, certifies the origin of a timepiece and its conformity to the most rigorous qualitative standards as determined by the certifying body. It is proof that the timepiece has been finished and decorated according to the highest possible standards and most traditional methods, as well as put through the strictest quality control tests. Established since 1886, the Poinçon de Genève is one of the most deeply respected hallmarks in Switzerland.

Pertaining to aesthetics, the Seal requires all surfaces of all parts to be finished. Plates and bridges must not show machining marks and be finished with polished chamfers and straight-grained sides, as well as be circular-grained, smoothed down, polished, or decorated with Côtes de Genève (Geneva stripes). Wheels must be circular grained and have chamfered arms. Their sinks and teeth should also be polished.

Guillochage requires hours of hard work.

The guillocheur must apply very constant amount of pressure on the dial

Guillochage was a moribund craft before the renaissance of mechanical watches saved it from extinction

The sharp point of the rose engine machine scratches material off the dial to create patterns

A movement bridge by Roger Dubuis with quality Côtes de Genève

Haute horlogerie represents the crème de la crème of watchmaking but even within this realm there are timepieces so flawless they have to be further distinguished

The veritable engraved seal of Poinçon de Genève

Circular graining on a wheel

Vertical polishing on levers and arms

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Perlage on Audemars Piguet’s Calibre 3120

A melange of details on Audemars Piguet’s Calibre 4101

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Eminent marques closely associated with Poinçon de Genève include Vacheron Constantin, Roger Dubuis, Chopard, and Cartier

Audemars Piguet Calibre 2908

A close up of the perlage on an A. Lange & Söhne main plate

Other types of finishing traditionally found in Geneva Seal-certified movements include sunray brushing, snailing, chasing, and stippling, which is also known as perlage. [Ed’s note: Some sources use the terms perlage and circular graining interchangeably, but WOW differentiates the two by diameter of the grain.] Perlage describes the ‘pearls’ ground by a machine onto main plates while circular graining is often larger and applied concentrically on components like wheels. All of these techniques involve a specific process with specific machines. For instance, to produce sunray finishing, a bell grinding wheel with abrasive turns in the clockwise direction while the component is placed on a rotating platform rotating in anti-clockwise. These two then come in contact to achieve straight lines passing through the same central point. Perlage, on the other hand, is achieved by applying a rotating abrasive pad with a flat circular head onto the component at regular intervals.

Obviously only timepieces made in Geneva are eligible for the Seal. Not only do the movements need to be assembled in this city, but the entire watch has to be cased there too. Eminent marques closely associated with Poinçon de Genève include Vacheron Constantin, Roger Dubuis, Chopard, and Cartier.

Apart from the Poinçon de Genève, the Qualité Fleurier is another certification body that aims also to raise the standards of watchmaking in Switzerland, specifically the historical Fleurier region. The Fleurier Quality Foundation puts a seal of approval on watches manufactured 100 per cent in Switzerland, and which have passed a rigorous technical and aesthetic criteria, as well as a Chronofiable test, a COSC test, and what the founders of Qualité Fleurier dubbed the Fleuritest. The last stage of control, Fleuritest checks the regularity of the rate of the movement inside the case. This is extremely beneficial to watch owners because chronometric results can vary greatly between cased and noncased movements. When the timepiece passes every stage of the Qualité Fleurier, it is officially certified ‘FQF La Haute Horlogerie certifiée’.

There are innumerable methods of decorating a mechanical watch, and with so many different components forming the whole, the watchmaker is entrusted with an immense responsibility: To create a work of art that’s beautiful both inside and out. Strangers to haute horlogerie often pass off an exquisite timepiece as plain or ordinary without seeing the vast amounts of detail and handcraftsmanship staring back at them through the sapphire crystal case back. To a watch enthusiast, however, everything about a movement or a watch is beautiful, and bliss is examining a timepiece, every iota of its existence, through a loupe.

Perlage is done by applying a circular grinding tool directly on the surfaces of the main plate

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A NEW ICON Cartier introduces its new iconic Ballon de Cartier collection

Several of the Maison’s venerable collections on display

Lulu F. Pasha, Tony Sumarno, Denise Tjokrosaputro, Dini Nur Hardini, Chris Hanrahan, Ditri Abdullatief

Mia Ismi Halida, Jean-Baptiste Tardy, & Ade Andrini

Yohana Irawan, Shannon Hartono & Debora Iskandar

Adi Surya Halim & Meiske Sunarto

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artier, the ultra-luxurious haute joaillerie French label, formally introduced its Ballon de Cartier collection to the Indonesian market on Wednesday, February 4th 2015, at its flagship Plaza Senayan boutique. The Ballon de Cartier line is notable for its passionate return to fine watchmaking as led by Cartier’s reinvigorated watch division and features several complications that are not only impressive by their technical complexity but also quite useful to the everyday wearer.

The fashionable event was attended by various invited media, local luminaries and representatives from Cartier and Time International. Mr. Jean-Baptiste Tardy, Area Manager, Southeast Asia Developing Markets, gave a short presentation of the company’s latest Ballon de Cartier collection before letting the audience roam freely within the boutique to view and try on different Cartier watches that suit their heart’s content.

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Guests at Cartier Plaza Senayan Boutique High Tea event

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TIME FOR INTIME Time International inaugurates its fifth INTime store

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ndonesia’s leading luxury timepiece retailer, Time International, inaugurates its fifth INTime store, a multi-brand retail concept for the young and modern, on Thursday night, 5 February 2015.

The exclusive inauguration party was held at the prestigious Grand Indonesia Shopping Town.

The newly-opened boutique measures 132 square meters, with minimalistic yet edgy interior design. Sleek and modern, the boutique is wrapped in elegant black, white and grey shades, conveying a certain vibe of “Urban Sophistication”, perfectly complimenting today’s young, aspirational consumer.

The décor was especially designed allowing customers to fully enjoy the luxurious shopping experience.

Dubbed “After Hours”, the INTime Grand Indonesia’s opening celebration counts among others the expert concoction from famed mixologist Tim Adams, and intoxicating beats from DJ Dipha Barus thumping throughout the night.

Guests inside the luxurious interior of INTime Grand Indonesia.

Dimitri Aubert, General Manager, Luxury Timepiece Division from FJ Benjamin Singapore Pte Ltd. chats with a guest

Widya Suryadinata & Sandrie Isan

The plush interior of INTime Grand Indonesia

Robby Alamsyah

The MC of the evening, Inga Laurina

A cheery toast by Rinto Pirngadi, Dimitri Aubert & Adidharma

Guests at Rolex section.

INTime Grand Indonesia carries select luxury brands

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HYT SOIREE

Independent Swiss luxury watch brand HYT, together with Time International, hosted an exclusive soiree for VIPs and invited media

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he winner of the 2012 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve, Best innovative Watch Concept, is back at it again this year with its teaser for the 2015 Baselworld as well as introduction of the year’s novelty, the Skull watches. The evening’s soiree was held at at Artoz Bar in Jakarta, 3 February 2015, and opened by a speech from HYT’s dashing CEO, Mr. Vincent Perriard, to give the guests a brief background and introduction of the brand. Guests were then shown an exclusive HYT teaser film as a prelude to the presentation of the collection, which saw the unlocking of the new H1, H2 and from within the showcase display safes.

Launched in 2012, The Hydro Mechanical Horologists revolutionised the horology market with its groundbreaking hybrid watch that uses both fluid and mechanical movements within the same enclosure. Named the H1 and H2, the watches from HYT boasts a unique mechanism that can tell the time upon the principle of hydraulic pressure, rare materials and ingenious watchmaking.

Dato Nik Salleh, Nicole Segundo, Dato Sri Salmah and Jeremy Lim

Ivy Ho and Ho Tak Sum

Vincent Perriard, CEO of HYT

Vincent Perriard with guests

Jerry Haryanto

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Wanda Evans & Diana Masud

Budi Notowidjojo

EV ENTS

A DIAMOND JUBILEE

In a 75th anniversary celebration befitting that of its most iconic watch family, IWC Schaffhausen brings forth a star-studded evening soiree filled with Hollywood stars, socialites and haute horlogerie luminaries

Aloe Blacc, Maya Jupiter and Lewis Hamilton

Christoph Waltz, Zhou Xun, Emily Blunt & IWC Schaffhausen CEO Georges Kern

Lewis Hamilton, Georges Kern and Oliver Bierhof

O

n 20 January 2015, IWC Schaffhausen and around 800 prominent guests gathered in one of haute horlogerie’s most traditional and prestigious gathering, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva. It was only fitting then that IWC celebrated the 75th anniversary of the legendary Portugieser watch family there as honoured guests and brand ambassadors partook in the glitzy and glamourous soiree, which included movie stars Emily Blunt, Christoph Waltz, Zhou Xun and Moritz Bleibtreu, filmmmaker and screenwriter Marc Forster, sports personalities such as Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Luís Figo, supermodels Adriana Lima and Karolina Kurkova and musicians Aloe Blacc, Ronan Keating and Mick Hucknall. The latter was responsible for the evening’s musical highlights after Marco Tempest had transported the guests to the infinite depths of the universe through his high-tech animations.

Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, said during the event, “Portugieser watches with their sophisticated complications and movements embody all of the skill and manufacturing expertise we have amassed over many years. With the 75th anniversary of the Portugieser, we are celebrating the birthday of a genuine icon.”

The theme of the gala event was “Journey to the Stars” and the entire evening was devoted to the secrets of measuring time and the complex mechanism of the Portugieser, the most prestigious watch family from IWC Schaffhausen.

Iliya Stewart, Svetlana Ustinova, Alexei Nemov and Galina Nemov

Mick Hucknall

201

TERMINOLOGY

TERMINOLOGY

A

Aperture (or dial window) Tingkap Jam; pembukaan kecil pada muka jam, untuk tampilan berbagai informasi seperti tanggal, jam, dan hari.

A small opening in a dial plate through which various information is displayed: date, hours and day of the week.

B

Barrel Kotak berbentuk silinder tipis berisi pegas utama dari sebuah jam tangan. Pinggiran silinder bergerigi berfungsi menggerakkan perangkatnya.

Thin cylindrical box containing the mainspring of a watch. The toothed rim of the barrel drives the train Bezel Ring penahan yang mengelilingi muka jam. Biasanya terbuat dari emas, atau baja anti karat.

The ring which surrounds the watch dial (or face). The bezel is usually made of gold, gold plate or stainless steel.

Bi-directional rotating bezel Ring penahan yang dapat diputar searah atau berlawanan arah jarum jam. Digunakan untuk penghitungan matematis seperti kecepatan rata-rata atau jarak, atau untuk melacak waktu yang telah berlalu.

A bezel that can be rotated either clockwise or counter­clockwise.

These are used for mathematical calculations such as average speed or distance or for keeping track of elapsed time.

Bottom plate Pelat metal yang menahan pelat penghubung dan berbagai bagian dari mekanisme pada jam.

A metal plate bearing the bridges and various parts of the movement.

Bridge (or bar, or cock) Bagian mekanisme metal yang terpasang pada pelat dasar dan menahan setidaknya satu bagian yang berputar. Umumnya diberi nama sesuai fungsinya, seperti contoh: centre-wheel bridge, barrel bridge, balance cock.

A metal movement part that is attached to a bottom plate and holds at least one bearing of a rotating part. Both ends of the bridge are secured to the plate by screws. Generally a bridge is named according to its function, e.g. centre-wheel bridge, barrel bridge, balance cock.

Breguet overcoil Sebuah pegas di mana kumparan luarnya terangkat dan diputar menghadap pusat sehingga pegas tersebut dapat berkembang dengan satu titik pusat.

A spring whose outer coil is raised and turned towards the centre so that the spring can develop concentrically.

C

Calibre Secara sederhana berarti ‘diameter’. Dalam pembuatan jam, istilah ini mengacu kepada ukuran dan bentuk tertentu dari mekanisme dan pelat penghubung serta komponen yang bervariasi dan juga berfungsi sebagai perancang mekanisme. Umumnya digunakan untuk mengartikan ukuran dari mekanisme sebuah jam tangan, kini istilah ini mendefinisikan jenis mekanisme (men’s caliber, automatic caliber).

In simple terms, it means “diameter”. In watchmaking, the term refers to the specific layout and shape of a movement and the bridges, and its various components as well as the designer of the movement. Originally used to mean the size of a watch movement, this term now denotes a type of movement (men’s calibre, automatic calibre).

204

Carillon Mekanisme pemukul atau lonceng, yang melibatkan dua atau lebih lonceng dari berbagai nada yang berfungsi untuk membunyikan waktu.

Striking mechanism, or chime, that involves two or more bells of varying tones.

Case Kontainer yang melindungi mekanisme sebuah jam dari berbagai gangguan. Terbuat dari metal dan terletak di luar bagian jam. Biasanya terdiri dari bagian pusat (caseband), ring penahan, dan kotak belakang. Juga berfungsi memberikan tampilan yang menarik pada jam tangan. Bentuk yang paling umum dari kotak jam adalah: bundar, segi empat, dan tonneau.

The container housing the movement of the watch and protecting it against dust, moisture, jarring and other hazards.

Usually consisting of the caseband, the bezel, and the caseback.

It also gives the watch as attractive an appearance as possible, subject to fashion and the taste of the public.The most common case shapes are: round, square and tonneau.

Caseback Bagian bawah dari kotak jam yang dapat dibuka sebagai akses ke dalam mekanisme jam.

The bottom of the watchcase that can be opened for access to the watch movement.

Chronograph Sebuah jam yang memiliki fungsi stopwatch yang dibuat di dalamnya (contohnya: pengatur waktu yang dapat dimulai dan diberhentikan untuk mengukur lamanya suatu kejadian).

Ada berbagai jenis khronograf yang berbeda. Namun jangan menyamakan khronograf dengan khronometer, karena keduanya sama sekali berbeda.

Watch with a built-in stop watch style device. There are many different types of chronographs. Some may show elapsed minutes or even hours as well as elapsed seconds. Chronograph & chronometer are not the same thing. The words are not interchangeable.

Chronometer Secara teknis, semua jam tangan adalah khronometer.

Saat ini, semua jam tangan harus memiliki kualifikasi khronometer, dan sekarang ini kebanyakan khronometer telah memenuhi standar ISO 3159 yang dibuat oleh C.O.S.C. (Swiss Official Chronometer Control). Apabila Anda memiliki jam buatan Swiss yang diberi label khronometer, Anda dapat yakin bahwa jam tersebut memiliki mekanisme mekanik dengan kualitas tertinggi.

Technically speaking, all watches are chronometers. Today, watches must qualify as chronometers, and most all chronometers today meet the ISO 3159 standard set by the Swiss Official Chronometer Control (C.O.S.C.). If you have a Swiss watch labeled as a chronometer, you can be certain that it has a mechanical movement of the very highest quality.

Complications Beberapa fitur tambahan pada jam tangan berupa kelebihan-kelebihan yang tidak terdapat pada jam biasa. Yang biasanya terdapat dalam komplikasi adalah: kalender abadi, tampilan fase bulan, alarm, mekanisme berulang, dan fungsi khronograf. Indikator persediaan tenaga juga biasanya dianggap sebagai komplikasi.

One or more features added to a watch in addition to its usual time-telling functions, which normally not only include the hours, minutes and seconds but also date and often the day of the week as well. Complications such as perpetual calendars, moonphase displays, alarms, repeating mechanisms, quarter strikes as well as stop/start chronograph functions. Power reserve indicators are also usually regarded as ‘complications’.

TERMINOLOGY

Crown (or stem, or pin) Tombol di luar kotak jam yang digunakan untuk memutar pegas secara manual untuk pengukuran waktu dan mengoreksi indikator kalender.

Knurled knob located on the outside of a watch case and used for winding the mainspring. It is also used for setting the hands to the right time and for correcting the calendar indications.

Ceramic Dalam dunia pembuatan jam, ceramic adalah materi berteknologi tinggi, dibuat dari aluminium dan zirconium oxides (polycrystals) untuk pembuatan elemen kotak dan elemen dekoratif, dari safir untuk kristal dan rubi untuk perhiasan.

In watchmaking, ceramic is a high-tech material, generally made from aluminium and zirconium oxides (polycrystals) for the manufacturing of cases and decorative elements, of sapphire (monocrystalline aluminium oxide) for crystals, and of ruby (aluminium oxide + chromium oxide) for jewels.

Cabochon Batu mulia yang dipelitur dan dipotong berbentuk lengkungan dan tidak bersegi. Digunakan untuk menghias muka jam dan terkadang tombol pemutar.

A polished precious or fine stone cut into a dome and without facets. Used to decorate a watch dial and sometimes the crown.

Chimes Seperempat jam yang dibunyikan melalui ‘gong’ sebanyak tiga, empat, atau lebih dengan lemparan nada berbeda. Yang paling terkenal adalah lonceng Westminster.

The quarter-hours are sounded on three, four or more gongs with different pitches, the best-known being the Westminster chimes.

Coaxial Memiliki poros yang bersamaan atau menjulang pada poros yang berpusat pada satu titik, sebagai contoh jarum jam dan menit dan mungkin jarum detik.

Having coincident axes or mounted on concentric shafts, for example the hour and minute hands, and possibly the seconds hands.

Counter Alat penghitung atau perekam pada jam. Penjumlah khronograf adalah penghitung yang mengindikasikan jumlah revolusi yang dihasilkan oleh jarum khronograf: penjumlah 30, 45, 60 menit, atau penjumlah 12 jam.

Generally speaking, an instrument which counts and/or records.

Chronograph totalisers are counters which indicate the number of revolutions made by the chronograph hand: 30, 45 or 60 minute totaliser / 12 hour totaliser.

D

Dial Disket atau pelat yang terbuat dari metal atau bahan lainnya, untuk indikasi jam, menit, dan detik. Merupakan muka jam dengan bentuk, dekorasi, dan materi bervariasi dan berisi numeral, figur, simbol, divisi dan informasi lainnya.

Disc or plate made of metal or another substance, inscribed with various markings, including obvious indications for the hours, minutes and seconds. Uniquely varied in shape, decoration and material, they are inscribed with numerals, figures, symbols, divisions and other information.

Dial foot Menghubungkan muka jam ke pelat dasar dengan cara menyekrup kaki ‘muka jam’ ke pelat dasar.

Attaches the dial to the bottom plate. The dial feet are screwed to the bottom plate.

Disc Pelat yang tipis, datar, dan bundar. Disket kalender berputar di bawah muka jam. Penandanya ditunjukkan melalui sebuah tingkap. Disket lainnya menampilkan hari, bulan, atau fase bulan.

A flat, thin, round plate. The calendar disc rotates under the dial; its indications are shown through an aperture.

Other discs display the day, month or moon phase.

E

Elapsed time rotating bezel Ring penahan yang berputar untuk melacak waktu yang telah berlalu. Ring penahan dapat diputar sehingga pemakainya dapat menyesuaikan angka nol pada ring penahan dengan jarum detik atau menit pada jam. Setelah satu periode waktu berlalu, Anda dapat membaca waktu yang telah berlalu melalui ring penahan.

A graduated rotating bezel used to keep track of elapsed time. The bezel can be turned so the wearer can align the zero on the bezel with the watch’s seconds or minutes hand. After a period of time passes, you can read the elapsed time off the bezel. This saves you having to perform the subtraction that would be necessary if you used the watch’s regular dial.

Escapement Sebuah alat dalam mekanisme mekanik yang mengendalikan perputaran roda-roda dan pergerakan jarumjarum.

Device in a mechanical movement that controls the rotation of the wheels and thus the motion of the hands.

Ebauche Merupakan istilah Perancis, namun umumnya digunakan di negara barat, yang berarti ‘mekanisme kosong’. Contohnya: mekanisme jam terpisah yang dijual sebagai kumpulan dari bagian yang lepas, terdiri dari pelat utama, pelat penghubung, pemutar, mekanisme setelan, dan regulator . Namun, sistem penentuan waktu, rangkaian perangkat penggerak, dan pegas utama bukanlah bagian dari ébauche.

French term (but commonly used in English-speaking countries) for a movement blank, i.e. an incomplete watch movement which is sold as a set of loose parts, comprising the main plate, the bridges, the train, the winding and setting mechanism and the regulator. The timing system, the escapement and the mainspring, however, are not parts of the “ébauche”.

Equation of time watches Jam yang menunjukkan perbedaan antara waktu perputaran matahari ‘yang sesungguhnya’ (waktu alami) dan waktu rata-rata perputaran matahari ‘yang diterjemahkan’ (waktu buatan manusia). Komplikasi yang jarang dan puitis ini biasanya dikombinasikan dengan indikasi astronomis lainnya.

An equation of time watch shows the difference between “true” solar time (that of Nature) and “mean” solar time (that of Man). This rare and poetic complication is usually combined with other astronomical indications.

F

Foudroyante (Jumping seconds or hand; flying seconds) Pada sebuah khronograf yang tua, merupakan sebuah jarum yang membuat satu putaran setiap detiknya, berhenti empat, lima, bahkan delapan kali untuk mengindikasikan seperempat, seperlima, atau seperdelapan dari sebuah detik.

On an old chronograph, a hand that makes one rotation every second, pausing four, five, even eight times to indicate quarters, fifths or eighths of a second. Some chronohraphs with jumping seconds have been reissued.

Fly-back (Retour en vol) Sebuah fungsi untuk penggunaan tertentu untuk menuntun di mana jarum khronograf dapat disetel ulang ke nol dan segera dimulai kembali dengan sekali tekanan pada tombol.

A function of particular use to pilots by which the chronograph hand can be reset to zero and immediately started again by pressing once on the push-piece.

205

TERMINOLOGY

G

Grande complications Jam tangan mekanis paling rumit yang menampilkan beragam komplikasi. Terminologi ini biasa digunakan hanya untuk jam mekanis. Jam tangan quartz dengan fitur tambahan biasanya dideskripsikan sebagai ‘ multi-fungsi’.

The most complex of mechanical watches featuring an abundance of complications. The term is normally restricted to mechanical watches. Quartz watches with additional features are usually described as ‘multi-functional’.

Grand strike Dalam bahasa Perancis disebut dengan Grande Sonnerie. Merupakan sebuah mekanisme yang dapat secara otomatis membunyikan jam dan seperempat jam dan mengulang jam, seperempat, dan menit sesuai keinginan. (“Grande sonnerie” in french) Mechanism that can automatically sound the hours and quarter hours and which repeat hours, quarters and minutes on demand.

Guilloche Dekorasi pada muka jam, rotor atau bagian kotak yang mengandung pola yang diukir oleh tangan atau mesin dengan motif gelombang atau garis lurus berjalin.

Decoration of dials, rotors or case parts consisting of patterns made by hand or engine-turned. By the thin pattern of the resulting engravings and consisting of crossing or interlaced lines.

H

Horology Seni dan ilmu pengukuran waktu dan teknologi dalam membuat instrumen pengukur waktu.

The art and study of watch making.The science of measuring time and technology of constructing instruments for its measurement or recording.

J

Jewel Sebuah rubi sintetis untuk membuat penahan dengan pergesekan yang rendah di mana putaran lembut dari roda mekanisme dijalankan. Berfungsi agar jam lebih akurat dan tahan lama. Dalam beberapa jam eksklusif, terkadang safir atau batu akik berwarna merah tua digunakan. Mekanisme jam yang mahal diberi perhiasan mulai dari barrel hingga seluruh mekanisme lainnya.

A synthetic ruby used for making low friction bearing in which the delicate pivots of the movement wheels run in. In some deluxe watches, sometimes sapphires or garnets are used.

Expensive watch movements are jeweled from the barrel to the balance, and all automatic work, date and complication movements are expected to be jeweled.

L

Lap timer Sebuah fungsi khronograf yang memungkinkan pemakainya menghitung bagian dari sebuah lomba. Pada akhir putaran, ia menghentikan waktu, kembali ke nol untuk memulai penghitungan waktu putaran berikutnya.

A chronograph function that lets the wearer time segments of a race. At the end of a lap, he stops the timer, which then returns to zero to begin timing the next lap.

Lugs Sambungan yang terdapat pada ujung sisi kotak jam untuk menyambungkannya dengan rantai jam.

Extensions on either end of a watch case to which the band or bracelet is attached.

Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Sumber penghasil cahaya tersegmentasi untuk menunjukkan numeral pada jam elektronik digital, dijalankan dengan sebuah tombol pendorong.

A segmented luminous source used to display numerals on electronic digital watches operated by a push-button.

206

Luminescent Lapisan pada indeks numeral, penanda dan jarum jam agar dapat terlihat dalam keadaan gelap. Sistem paling umum saat ini adalah LumiNova, yang terdiri dari bahan kandungan berbasis tritium.

Having the property to emit light rays. In watchmaking, Tritium is the name given to a radioluminescent substance containing tritium.

It was used to coat numerals, markers and hands so they could be read in the dark. The most widespread system today is LumiNova.

Lesser strike (or petite sonnerie) Mekanisme pemukulan yang terbatas untuk penandaan jam secara otomatis.

Striking-mechanism setting limited to the automatic strike of hours.

M

Manual movement Mekanisme yang diputar secara manual dengan tangan. Pergerakkan dialirkan melalui jari pemakai jam ke bagian pemutar jam yang kemudian dilanjutkan ke mekanisme melalui batang pemutar ke barrel, melalui serangkaian perangkat pada pegas utama.

A mechanical movement in which winding is performed by hand.

The motion transmitted from the user’s fingers to the crown is forwarded to the movement through the winding stem to the barrel, through a series of gears to the mainspring.

Movement Mekanisme bagian dalam yang mengatur jarum jam, kalendar, muka jam kedua, dan alarm. Mekanisme hadir dalam wujud mekanis maupun quartz.

The inner mechanisms which control the watch’s hands, calendars, sub-dials and alarms. Movements are either mechanical or quartz.

Mechanical movement Sebuah mekanisme yang dijalankan oleh sebuah pegas utama, yang bekerjasama dengan roda penyeimbang. Kebanyakan jam saat ini dikendalikan secara elektronik oleh mekanisme quartz dan dijalankan oleh baterai.

A movement powered by a mainspring, working in conjunction with a balance wheel. Most watches today have electronically controlled quartz movements and are powered by a battery. However, mechanical watches are currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity.

Minute repeater Sebuah jam yang dapat menunjukkan waktu dengan menimbulkan bunyi-bunyian melalui sebuah tombol pendorong atau alat penggeser kecil pada sisi kotak jam. Waktu dapat berbunyi menurut satuan jam, menit, atau seperempat jam. Komplikasi seperti ini biasanya mempunyai harga yang sangat tinggi.

A watch which can additionally tell the time, at the push of a button or move of a small slide on the side of the case, by striking the hours, quarter hours and minutes since the last quarter hour on small goings inside the watch. Such complex watches are never inexpensive.

Main plate Pelat dasar di mana semua perangkat mekanisme jam terpasang.

Base plate on which all the other parts of a watch movement are mounted.

Moon phases Mekanisme dan tampilan yang menunjukkan fase berbeda pada bulan. Satu siklus putaran bulan memerlukan 29 hari, 12 jam, 44 menit, dan 2.8 detik, dan dibagi dalam 4 fase, yaitu bulan baru, seperempat pertama, bulan purnama dan seperempat terakhir.

A mechanism and display representing the different phases of the moon. A complete lunation takes 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds and is divided into four phases. These are new moon, first quarter, full moon, last quarter.

Mainspring Pegas yang menjalankan jam di dalam sebuah barrel.

The driving spring of a watch or clock, contained in the barrel.

TERMINOLOGY

P

Pallet Perangkat baja atau kuningan yang mengendalikan rotasi kecil pada roda bergigi searah.

Steel or brass part of watch that controls the small rotation of a ratchet wheel.

Perpetual calendar Kalendar abadi; sebuah komplikasi yang menampilkan hari-hari dalam seminggu, termasuk tanggal dan bulannya – juga mengoreksi tahun kabisat dan fase bulan.

Beroperasi selama siklus 400 tahun, kalendar abadi tidak perlu penyesuaian manual sebelum Februari 2100. Biasanya kalendar abadi mempunyai mekanisme otomatis.

A complication displaying the day of the week, the date, the month - also correcting for leap years - and the phases of the moon. Operating on the 400 year cycle, perpetual calendars require no manual correction before February 2100.Perpetual calendars are almost always self winding and, if worn constantly, are one of the most useful of all complications.

Palladium Sebuah metal sejenis platinum yang banyak digunakan pada perhiasan tingkat tinggi karena warnanya yang putih dan daya tahannya.

A rare metal of the platinum group. Palladium is used in Fine Jewellery alloys for its whiteness and durability.

Pinion Bagian kecil dari jam tangan, berupa roda yang terdiri dari 6 hingga 14 gigi.

A watch part, generally with 6 to 14 leaves (teeth).

PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) Teknik lapisan dari titanium nitrate yang dilakukan pada kondisi vakum dan dibungkus oleh lapisan emas 22 karat untuk hasil akhir berwarna emas.

A coating of titanium nitrate applied in a vacuum and then covered by a coating of 22k gold to obtain a gold coloured finish.

R

Repeater Mekanisme yang dapat membuat bunyi pada setiap jam atau menit dan diulang sesuai keinginan. Pertama kali dirancang untuk membantu pemakai mengetahui waktu dalam kegelapan.

Merupakan mekanisme paling rumit dan paling susah untuk diperkecil dan dimuat pada sebuah jam tangan.

A watch mechanism that sounds hours, quarters or minutes or repeats them on request. First designed to help the wearer to tell the time in the dark, they were always the most complex of watches and were the most difficult to miniaturize to fit into a wristwatch.

Rotor Bagian dari mekanisme otomatis, berupa piringan metal setengah lingkaran yang berayun memutarkan pegas utama mekanisme seiring dengan pergerakkan si pemakai.

The part of an automatic (or self-winding) mechanical watch that winds the movement’s mainspring. It is a flat piece of metal, usually shaped like a semicircle, that swivels on a pivot with the motion of the wearer’s arm.

Regulator Sebuah jam tanpa jarum jam dan menit non-coaxial.

Biasanya digunakan untuk referensi akurasi para peneliti dan stasiun kereta api ketika mengatur waktu mereka.

A clock with non-coaxial hour and minute hands. Regulator used to refer specifically to an accurate longcase clock used as a reference by observatories and railway stations when setting their clocks.

Retrograde Jarum jam, menit, detik, atau kalendar yang bergerak melintasi sebuah skala, dan pada akhir siklusnya, kembali ke nol dan berulang.

An hour, minute, seconds or calendar hand which moves across a scale and, at the end of its cycle, returns immediately to zero to begin again.

S

Sapphire crystal Bahan sintetis corundum anti-gores yang digunakan untuk kristal jam, terletak pada bagian muka atau belakang kotak jam.

Scratch-resistant man-made material (synthetic corundum) used for watch crystals, fitted over the dial and sometimes set into the case back.

Screw-in crown (or screw down crown) Crown yang dapat diputar (disekrup) ke dalam, biasa digunakan agar jam lebih tahan air.

A screw that is used to make a watch more water resistant. The crown actually screws into the case, dramatically increasing the water-tightness of the watch.

Skeleton Jam dengan bagian kotak dan mekanisme yang terpotong atau transparan untuk menampilkan elemen mekanik.

Watch in which the case and various movement parts are cut away or transparent to reveal the watch’s mechanical elements.

Split-seconds chronograph Sebuah mekanisme khronograf yang mengendalikan dua jarum detik yang saling bertumpuk.

A chronograph mechanism controlling two second hands, one called the split-seconds hand, superimposed on one another.

Self-winding Jam yang bergerak atas dasar pergerakan si pemakai, bukan mengandalkan batang pemutar. Apabila tidak digunakan dalam beberapa hari, jam perlu diputar kembali untuk menjalankannya. Jam tangan seperti ini juga dikenal sebagai jam dengan pemutar otomatis.

A watch that is wound by the motion of the wearer’s arm instead of by winding the stem. If a self winding watch is not worn for a few days, it will wind down. This type of watch is also referred to as automatic winding.

Sub-dial Muka jam yang lebih kecil pada permukaan jam yang digunakan untuk fungsi tampilan detik atau tanggal di antara fungsi lainnya. Sebuah jam bisa tidak memiliki sub-dial maupun beberapa sub-dial.

Smaller dial located on the watch face or main dial used for such purposes as displaying seconds or dates. A watch can have no sub-dials or several sub-dials.

T

Tourbillon Sebuah alat pengatur yang dapat menghilangkan efek gravitasi pada mekanisme jam dengan memutarkan alat penyeimbang, tuas, dan rangkaian perangkat penggerak pada satu poros tunggal. Sebuah mekanisme yang sulit untuk diproduksi.

A regulating device that cancels the effects of gravitation on the precision of a watch movement by rotating the balance, lever and escapement around a single axis. The mechanism that, even in its most conventional version, is extremely hard to manufacture.

Tonneau Sebuah bentuk pada kotak jam yang terlihat seperti barrel dengan dua bagian yang menggembung di bagian sisinya.

Describing the shape of a watch case that looks like a barrel with tow bulging sides.

Tachymeter Alat pengukur kecepatan pada jam khronograf atau jam olahraga dengan sebuah skala untuk pembacaan kecepatan dalam satuan kilometer per jam (kph).

In watchmaking, a chronograph or sports counter with a scale for reading speed in kilometres per hour (kph) or another unit.

W

Winding Proses pengencangan pegas utama pada jam. Bisa dilakukan secara manual (melalui pemutar) atau otomatis (melalui rotor yang bergerak seiring dengan pergerakan tubuh si pemakai).

Operation consisting in tightening the mainspring of a watch. This can be done by hand (by means of the crown) or automatically (by means of a rotor, which is caused to swing by the movements of the wearer’s arm).

207

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Level G # 25 Jln. Asia Afrika Lot 19 Jakarta Selatan 10270

Ground Floor, Unit 12 A-B Jln. Jend Sudirman (SCBD) Kav. 52-53 Lot 3-5 Jakarta 12190 Tel: +62 21 5140 2776 Fax: +62 21 5140 2796

Level 3, Sogo Dept. Store Jln. Asia Afrika No. 8 Jakarta 10270

STUHRLING - PLAZA INDONESIA (EX)

Menara Sudirman Level 12A Jln. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 60 Jakarta 12190 Tel: +62 21 522 8182 Fax: +62 21 522 8181

Level 3 # H11 Jln. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30 Jakarta 10350

THE TIME PLACE – PLAZA SENAYAN

Level 2 Unit # E031A/B Jln. MH. Thamrin Kav. 28-30 Jakarta 1350 Indonesia Tel: +62 21 2992 3664 Tel: +62 21 3433 7860

SWATCH – SENAYAN CITY

TIME INTERNATIONAL

U-BOAT PLAZA INDONESIA

THE TIME PLACE – PACIFIC PLACE

STUHRLING PLAZA SENAYAN

INTIME - PLAZA SENAYAN

Upper Ground # 14-16 Jln. Basuki Rachmat No. 8-12 Surabaya 60261 Tel: + 62 31 532 7991 Fax: +62 31 532 7951

TAG HEUER PLAZA INDONESIA

MONTBLANC – PLAZA INDONESIA

STUHRLING GRAND INDONESIA

THE TIME PLACE – PLAZA TUNJUNGAN IV

Level 1 # S 138 B Jln. Asia Afrika No. 8 Jakarta 10270 Tel: +62 21 572 5137 / 8

Level 1 # 136 B Jln. Asia Afrika No. 8 Jakarta 10270 Tel: +62 21 572 5214

Ground Floor # G-28 Jln. Metro Pondok Indah Jakarta 12310 Tel: +62 21 7592 0797 Fax: +62 21 7592 0799 Level 1 # 116B-118 B Jln. Asia Afrika No. 8 Jakarta 10270 Tel: + 62 21 572 5323

TAG HEUER PLAZA SENAYAN

Level 1 # 125-127 Jln. Asia Afrika No. 8, Jakarta 10270 Tel: +62 21 572 5759 Fax: +62 21 572 5242

THE TIME PLACE – PLAZA INDONESIA

Level 1, Seibu Dept. Store Jln. M.H. Thamrin No. 1 Jakarta 10310

Level 1 # 165-168 Jln. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30, Jakarta 10350 Tel: +62 21 310 7715 Fax: +62 21 310 7712

Level 2 # 61 Jln. Asia Afrika Lot 19 Jakarta Selatan 10270

SERVICE CENTRES TIME INTERNATIONAL Menara Sudirman Level 12A Jln. Jend. Sudirman Kav.60 Jakarta 12190 Phone: +62 21 5228182 Fax: +62 21 522 8181

208

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Chopard Christian Dior Corum D&G Diesel DKNY

Ebel Emporio Armani Fendi Fossil Gucci

Hamilton IWC Jaeger Le Coultre Maurice Lacroix Panerai Rolex

TAG Heuer Tudor Vacheron Constantin Van Cleef and Arperls Zenith Zodiac

OUR SERVICE CENTER IS AT Menara Sudirman Lt. 12 A Jln. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 60 Jakarta 12190 Indonesia Phone : +62 21 5228182

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