A W ATC H P U B L I C AT I O N BY J O B U R G STY L E M AG A Z I N E
TAG Heuer Boutiques; Sandton City & V&A Waterfront. Also at selected fine jewellers nationwide. For further information please call 011.669.0500. www.picotandmoss.co.za
AQUARACER CALIBRE 5
Official Timekeeper of the WSL Big Wave Events. Big wave surfing is all about timing – being right there and ready when the swell of the year is maxing out. Like TAG Heuer, today’s top big wave riders live for the challenge and #DontCrackUnderPressure.
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THE PAST
p4 | The history of watchmaking Cartier p8 | Longines Heritage
INTERVIEW
p2 | The merchants of treasure Christopher Greig on luxury timepieces, design and Joburg
Time
THE PRESENT
. Man is obsessed with it. From as early as our very conception we’re in a countdown against a clock. Nine months. 273.93 days. 39,4462 minutes, for the obsessive compulsives out there. At first we’re oblivious of the concept, but as soon as you can count or your parents start incentivising certain privileges against your age, it’s a hopeless cause. A four-year-old counting the sleeps to his fifth birthday, a teenager waiting to turn 18, then 21, the time of your life when birthdays actually still mean something, perhaps only because it takes you closer to the next time-related marker, and so we carry on counting down the hours. Time. I remember the first watch I had; a rubber-ish little black Casio with an aquamarine coloured digital display, stopwatch, light, date and so on, that I bought for R27. I showed it to my friends on the playground and the first thing they wanted to see is what it could do. It miraculously lasted a year. My father had a gold (plated I presume) Citizen at the time and I remember him showing me his dad’s pocket watch which he kept in a little box in his cupboard. He always spoke of owning a fancy Omega one day and I clearly recall the awe with which he referred to Rolex. Let it be known that he is currently ‘looking after’ FINAL MOMENT (in his own p16 | Ayrton Senna TAG Heuer breathes new life into a racing icon.
EDITORIAL BOARD Editor & Publisher ERIC BORNMAN eric@ballyhoomedia.co.za Creative Direction & Design STEVE MACBETH Copy Editing JULIA RICE julia@ballyhoomedia.co.za Proofreading LYNNE YATES | LOREN SHIRLEY-CARR Distribution ON THE DOT Printed by CREDA
p10 | The watch wish list Find these in-store now words) my Breitling, which will probably also end up in a little box one day. I’m sure most guys have similar stories, probably not as colourful as Christopher Walken’s tale of the gold watch in Pulp Fiction, but a story nonetheless. Patek Philippe’s famous line rings you never quite their watch, but merely look after it for the next generation. The brands, the auras they represent, where they fit into the global hierarchy, the thrill of putting on the quintessential male accessory, what it says about you and your style – all of it is undeniable. I’ve gone through phases of watch obsession where I could simply sit and stare at their intricate detail. And then, ironically enough, as someone who seemingly lives from one deadline to the next, I currently don’t even wear one. Thirty years on from that first purchase, I have a different perspective of time. I hate wasting it because I now know it will run out for me one day. So, I reckon its time to find a watch and to savour the moments as they trickle down. Joburg Style presents 24H, our new quarterly watch supplement, split fittingly into three sections: Past (watchmaking heritage), Present (current product) and Future (brand initiatives). If you like a beautifully crafted thing and fancy a closer look into an extraordinary industry, you’ll love it. THE FUTURE Enjoy. p14 | Only Watch Charitable once-off creations p14 | #OMEGAVIVARIO Social action by Omega
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24H is published quarterly by Ballyhoo Media. Opinions expressed in Joburg Style are not necessarily those of Ballyhoo Media. No responsibility can be accepted for errors, as all information is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. Copyright subsists in all work in this magazine. Any reproduction or adaptation, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publishers is strictly prohibited and is an act of copyright infringement that may, in certain circumstances, constitute a criminal offence.
The merchants of treasure
Eric Bornman from 24H sat down with jewellery master CHRISTOPHER GREIG, of fifth generation company Charles Greig, to chat about luxury timepieces, design and Joburg You’re a fifth generation jeweller and watch merchant here in Joburg. Does the passion for watches run as strongly through your veins as with your father and grandfather? The company was founded in 1899, the same year as Joburg. Five generations in one business in South Africa is a mean feat, let alone Joburg. My great grandfather came to South Africa in the late 1890s. It was the tail end of the diamond boom and Joburg was teaming with gold. He was a watchmaker in Aberdeen, Scotland and he found there was a specific need for clocks in Joburg – to be used all over – but largely in the mines, stations and various public
spaces. So, he came to this country on a timekeeping related call. My father, who’s the grandson of the founder, studied watchmaking for a year in Switzerland, so he was very much into the watch side of the business. Personally, I’ve been more involved in the jewellery and design side but I do love watch design. Historically we’ve always combined the sales of watches and jewellery in our business. The two go well together by virtue of the fact that they are both luxury items. There are very few jewellers left in South Africa, and the world for that matter, who combine the two so we decided to
What do you love most about what you do? I love people. I’m an aesthete so I love anything that’s beautiful and anything that has a design aspect. My clients always tell me how lucky we are to work with beautiful things that sparkle and shine. We’re dealing in treasures and that’s a fabulous thing. The business moved to the upmarket suburbs in the mid-80s after establishing itself in the Joburg CBD. What is your fondest memory of the times when you were still in the city? Joburg, from a commercial and cultural point of view, was much more intertwined – everything happened together. Whereas today, from what I can see, more so than any other city I’ve ever seen, Joburg has become rather fragmented. There isn’t a centre and in those days, when I first got into the business in the late '70s, everything was as one. We still had the old theatres, the Colosseum, His Majesty’s Building, the Carlton Centre, the Rand Club, the JSE, the mining houses, the market and the station. That’s what I remember most favourably about the city centre, those busy bustling streets.
specifically with the Seiko brand, with the advent of the Quartz era and the Quartz movement-operated offering. It had a terrible effect on the Swiss watch industry. Switzerland’s economy is largely about its watch industry. So we’d given up Rolex, much to my horror, and some years later the Swiss industry started to make a comeback and we got the agency back again. My father said, “Let’s kick off the new agency with a new Rolex each.” We both bought a new Rolex Submariner and that was definitely the most exciting watch I’d ever had in my life. That model still exists today. What should every watch selection or collection comprise? I always like something of age in a collection. It’s lovely when you see a person wearing a watch they might have inherited, or maybe one they’ve purchased with a history, say, from the1930s. There are various models from different brands considered highly collectable from a rarity point of view. One of the most iconic watch models is the Rolex Daytona in steel. It’s a watch found in any typical good watch collection. More recently, a Rolex model that’s become as rare and collectable is the Rolex GMT with the black and blue ceramic bezel. You can’t even get that model at the moment. Panerai is a quality brand. We only receive a couple of units a month so this is also one that’s found in most good watch collections. Along with some of the other more high-end quality handmade timepieces like Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Jaeger Lecoultre, those are some of the brands that come from the leading watch houses in the world. Any good collection would include a high-end watch brand.
INTERVIEW/JOBURG JEWELLER
create a specialised watch selling area that we’re following through in all our branches. We have a watch boutique in Hyde Park Corner adjacent to our jewellery store.
MY FATHER SAID, “LET’S KICK OFF THE NEW AGENCY WITH A NEW ROLEX EACH.”
Are watches under threat in an age where we are so intertwined with digital devices that also tell the time? In terms of my market I would say definitely not. I can’t think of a moment when my clients have ever looked at their cell phones for the time. I think a watch is so much part of you, what you’re saying about yourself, what you’re saying about your status, your style, your success and your look. I’m always quite surprised when I do meet people who don’t wear a watch. It’s almost as if they’re missing out on something, it should be part of your attire. In spite of where technology is at, and where it’s going, it has had absolutely no effect on watch sales. Thirty years ago my father owned two watches (that was a lot at the time): a dress watch, and an everyday watch. Today, I would say the average man who walks into my boutique in Hyde Park owns five or 10 or even more watches. Watches have become a collectable, certainly for men, and for women too. They collect watches, and that’s the difference. Thirty years ago watches weren’t such a collectable item. A lot of it can be put down to the marketing of the luxury brand, because people aspire to a luxury brand. For example there’s Rolex, their marketing and what the brand stands for is incredible. Cartier is an extremely powerful brand. We’ve got clients who collect the brand and when a new model comes out a lady will come in to get that watch even though it’s the same brand. Watches have become a commodity that people collect. What was your first watch? My first special watch was one I got in my early 20s. We’d just taken back the Rolex agency, which we’d given up in the late 80s, because of what the Japanese did to the watch industry and how they affected the Swiss watch market. The Japanese climbed in,
What’s your personal favourite? In my everyday working life I wear a Jaeger Lecoultre. It’s a stainless steel master control with a very simple dial and black leather strap. It looks like a 1950s watch. When it comes to a weekend sports watch I wear the commemorative issue Rolex Submariner with a black face and green enamel bezel. This watch isn’t available anymore. Who’ll take over the reigns from you when you’re done? We’re three brothers and between the three of us we each have two children. My middle brother Donald’s daughter Tamsyn is already in the business. She’s in her early 20s and has just returned from the US having completed a degree in Gemology at the Gemological Institute of America. Hopefully some of the other 5th generation players will follow soon. Particularly the young men; Richard has two sons so hopefully one of them at least will continue, especially from a watch point of view. You could probably live anywhere you want but you choose to live here. What is Joburg’s most endearing quality? I’m more passionate about Joburg than I think most people. I think it’s the most remarkable city. It boils down to its energy, buzz and the people. Aside from the luxury industry, my other biggest passion in life is nature and the outdoors. I love gardening and I think from a gardening point of view Joburg probably has the finest climate in the world.
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AS EARLY AS 1888 THE FIRST REFERENCE TO WRISTWATCHES
CAN BE FOUND IN THE CARTIER ARCHIVES.
AT AROUND THE SAME TIME, POCKET AND CHATELAINE
WATCHES WERE ALSO POPULAR, BUT FOR LOUIS CARTIER,
THE FUTURE LAY IN WRISTWATCHES
The Santos watch The world was speeding up and time with it. In 1904, Louis Cartier made a major breakthrough in the watchmaking world by creating one of the first ever wristwatches. It was made for a man, the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, who wanted to tell the time without having to let go of the controls of his flying machine. And that was how, from the original pocket watch that was only taken out when needed, the watch became an accessory which was visible to all, displayed on the wrist, a jewel that is the result of thorough research. The Santos watch represents an early expression of the Art Deco style. It was launched in 1911 and was a great success. It reappeared in 1978, when Cartier was bold enough to fit it with a gold and steel bracelet, materials that had never been associated with watches before. The result is a sophisticated, polished and satiny watch playing on contrast. It was a daring combination that enjoyed an astounding success. With its visible screws, raised bezel and ridged bracelet, the Santos watch is a truly masculine timepiece, totally in tune with the times when signatures were flaunted as status symbols.
Cartier 1847 - 2015
1902 Pierre Cartier (1878-1964), Alfred's second son, opened a branch at 4 New Burlington Street in London. The opening coincided with the coronation of King Edward VII.
1847 Louis-François Cartier (18191904) takes over the jewellery workshop of his apprenticeship master, Adolphe Picard, at 29, Rue Montorgueil in Paris.
1904 Louis Cartier creates a wristwatch with a leather strap, expressly designed to be worn on the wrist, for his friend, the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont.
1856 Princess Mathilde, niece of Napoleon I and cousin to Emperor Napoleon III, made her first purchase from Cartier. 1888 The first jewellery braceletwatches for ladies.
THE PAST/HERITAGE
t’s the beginning of a long love story, and the stepping stone to the creation of many other models: the Tonneau watch, the Tortue watch, the Tank watch, the Baignoire watch, the Panthère watch and the Pasha watch. These names refer to a certain shape, a winding crown, a ‘rail-track’ minute circle, hands and a dial. Similar yet different, they are recognisable at first glance, reflect a simple but stylish aesthetic, geometric but soft, always elegant, never fussy. The perfect equation that makes them either men’s or women’s watches, casual or sophisticated, depending on the time of day or the way in which they are worn. Their growing success bears witness to the fact that time is on their side. Cartier was to gain renown in 1938 by presenting Princess Elizabeth with one of the smallest wristwatches in the world.
1899 Cartier opened at 13 Rue de la Paix in Paris. Louis Cartier (1875-1942), eldest son of Alfred (1841-1925), had been in business with his father for one year.
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The Tonneau watch It was first launched in 1906, a pair of ‘brackets’ around a dial displaying Roman numerals and a sapphire cabochon set into a winding crown. The features are characteristic of the Cartier style inaugurated by this emblematic watch. With the Santos watch, and later the Tank watch, the Tonneau watch is, according to Cartier, a major watchmaking creation. A seemingly simple shape – that of a barrel to which it owes its name. Its shape has been thoroughly studied: oblong, curved, totally ‘avant-garde’ with its etched dial that snugly fits the wrist. This form is the hallmark of the Tonneau watch, and the inspiration for Cartier’s infinite variations. One of which had visible screws attaching the bracelet to the case joints instead of hidden away as in the past. The same design was used on the Santos watch, on the bracelets, with the astounding success we still know today.
The Tank watch With its joints built into the case, it’s both a square and a rectangle – a stroke of stylistic genius and quite unique as the connection points of the strap are concealed under the famous sharp-edged, flat, vertical sidepieces. Legend has it that Louis Cartier designed the watch in 1917, based on the horizontal section of the Renault military tanks. Created during World War I, the first prototype of the Tank watch was presented to General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe. The strength of its design made a clean break with the fashion of the times, full of twirls and twists, pioneering a new formal rigour. The watch became immediately a popular premonitory of a trend that would impose pure lines and stylistic elegance. Adopted by the most famous people, from Indian princes to film stars, it’s timeless, modern and contemporary, an eternal favourite whatever the times. The list of celebrities who keep the myth alive is endless: from Catherine Deneuve to Elton John and Princess Diana.
Cartier 1847 - 2015 1906 Alfred Cartier's third son, Jacques, took over the London branch. Creation of the first Tonneau wristwatch.
1907 First exhibition and sale in Saint Petersburg, at the Grand Hotel Europe.
1909 Opening of a new address at 175-176 New Bond Street, London. Pierre Cartier opened a subsidiary in New York at 712 Fifth Avenue. Patent for the folding buckle for wristwatches.
Cartier and his three sons
1912 The first mystery clock: Model A. Launch of the Tortue watch.
1919 Launch of the Tank wristwatch.
1914 The bezel on a lady's round wristwatch was paved with diamonds and onyx to create the first ‘panther’ motif.
1923 The first Portico mystery clock. 1925 Death of Alfred Cartier.
The Pasha watch This watch was created in 1943 – a round watch with a waterproof case. It is powerful, massive, with a large diameter and all in gold. Like some army watches, it was originally fitted with a grid that protected the glass from shock. The watch was made watertight thanks to the case’s screw-down crown and a cap (attached to a small chain) that screws over the winding crown to prevent water from getting in. Sword-shaped hands, Arabic numerals, a natural leather strap; it’s simple yet unique. The Pasha watch is an obvious expression of masculinity, even though in the 1980s women were to adopt it as a fashion accessory, which contributed to making it the bestseller it has since become.
1928 Creation of the Tortue single button chronograph wristwatch. 1935 Cartier opened in Monte-Carlo. 1938 Cartier opened in Cannes. The smallest wristwatch in the world, by Cartier, was given to Princess Elizabeth of England. 1942 Death of Louis and Jacques Cartier. 1943 Creation of the Pasha watch. 1945 Pierre Cartier was now the head of Cartier Paris. Claude, son of Louis, took the helm of Cartier New York while Jean-Jacques Cartier, son of Jacques, was the head of Cartier London.
1947 Cartier celebrates its centenary. 1964 Death of Pierre Cartier. 1967 Creation, in London, of the famed Crashwatch. 1968 Creation of the Maxi Oval watch in London. 1969 Opening of Cartier in Geneva. 1970 Opening of Cartier in Hong Kong.
What gives Clé de Cartier’s its name is the jewel-like, key-like crown. For the conception of this timepiece, the challenge was in creating a new form based on a perfect circle. Sharp edges were eliminated. The bezel is gently rounded and the horns smoothly tapered. Cartier has traditionally placed great emphasis on the volumetric qualities of its designs and with Clé de Cartier introduces a tightly drawn curve. In profile, it’s arched, streamlined and sleek, organic and ergonomic. Cartier’s rich history of creating innovative crowns presents one of the watch’s most distinctive features and also the inspiration for its name. ‘Clé’ in French means ‘key,’ and the crown’s resemblance to one is unmistakable. Its sizeable dimensions make the crown remarkably easy to handle. It’s adorned with a sapphire that’s ingeniously inserted to remain flush with the metal surrounding it. The new indexed winding mechanism incorporates a system that allows time to be set with great ease. Decorated with ‘Vagues de Genève,’ it boasts a semi-instantaneous date indicator and a 42-hour power reserve. www.cartier.com www.richemont.com
1983 Creation of the Panthère de Cartier watch. 1985 Launch of the Pasha de Cartier wristwatch.
1998 Creation of the Collection Privée Cartier Paris Fine Watch collection. 2001 Launch of the Roadster watch.
1991 Establishment of the Comité International de la Haute Horlogerie (CIHH). The first Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva.
2004 Marking the 100th anniversary of the Santos de Cartier wristwatch, creation of the Santos 100, Santos Demoiselle and SantosDumont wristwatches.
1997 Cartier celebrates its 150th anniversary.
2008 Creation of the 9452 MC Calibre, the first Cartier Calibre to be stamped with the Geneva Seal.
1971 Opening of Cartier in Munich.
The Cartier Manufacturing facility in La Chaux-De-Fonds
THE PAST/HERITAGE
Clé de Cartier watch
2010 Creation of the ID One Concept watch: a regulationfree Concept timepiece 2015 Launch of the Clé de Cartier watch. 7
Longines
ELEGANCE, TRADITION AND PERFORMANCE
BASED AT SAINT-IMIER in Switzerland since 1832, Longines’s watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. With many years of experience as a timekeeper for world championships in sport or as a partner of international sports federations, Longines – famous for the elegance of its timepieces – is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. The brand, known by its winged hourglass logo, now has outlets in over 140 countries. In 1832 Auguste Agassiz entered the world of horology when he joined a trading office established in Saint-Imier. He soon rose to become the manager and the company took on the name Agassiz & Co. At the time, he was producing timepieces under the ‘établissage’ system, whereby watchmakers worked at home
THE PAST/HERITAGE
and supplied their products to the trading offices. Auguste built up a network of commercial contacts, which enabled him to sell his watches on other continents, in particular North America. During the 1850s Auguste’s nephew Ernest Francillon took over the running of the office. When Ernest took on this responsibility, he considered ways of perfecting the manufacturing methods used in watchmaking in the area. He concluded that it would be advantageous to try to bring together the different stages that go towards making a watch under one roof. Ernest’s intention was to set up a factory where he could assemble and finish each watch, introducing a degree of mechanisation. In order to achieve this, he bought two adjoining pieces of land in 1866 on the right bank of the River Suze, which runs through the Saint-Imier valley. The site was known locally as Les Longines and he adopted this name for the factory he built there in 1867. Ernest took on Jacques David, a young engineer who was also related to him, to help develop the machines needed for perfecting the manufacture of timepieces. During the 1870s, Ernest’s choice of industrial options proved sound and the factory continually expanded until the first third of the 20th Century. In 1911 the Longines factory employed over 1,100 workers and sold its products all over the world. The technical research carried out at Longines was rewarded by various prizes, which gradually gave the company its reputation of winning the most awards in international and world exhibitions until the 1929 exhibition in Barcelona, by which time Longines had won no fewer than 10 Grand Prix. In 1889, Ernest patented a trademark comprising the name Longines and the now famous winged hourglass. Today, Longines is the oldest trademark or logo still in use in its original form, registered with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). As early as 1867, Longines was using the winged hourglass symbol and the tradename ‘Longines’ as a guarantee of quality, in order to combat counterfeit products aimed at taking advantage of the reputation already established by the company.
WALTER VON KÄNEL, PRESIDENT OF LONGINES A KEEN FAN OF THE SAINT-IMIER WATCHMAKERS
AS EARLY AS 1867, LONGINES WAS USING THE WINGED HOURGLASS SYMBOL
ABOVE: Some select pieces from the extra-ordinary 183 year old Longines watchmaking portfolio
“Watchmaking has always fascinated me,” says Walter von Känel, who spent his childhood, from 1945, at the top of the Saint-Imier Valley in the Bernois Jura, the heart of Swiss watchmaking. “When I was a boy, the great Longines Company in the foothills of SaintImier, where most of the people of our region worked, always impressed me and I was convinced one day I was going to work there. Already at that time, watchmaking was the thriving force of our region, and I knew that one day it would enable me to discover the world.” Walter’s professional career started with the Swiss customs, where he worked as a technical officer. In 1963, he joined Jean Singer Ltd a watch dial manufacturer in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1969 he joined the Longines Watch Company Francillon Ltd as a sales executive. Shortly after, he was sent to the US for a training course with Longines’ American agent, LONGINES – WITTNAUER WATCH Co. LTD in New York. His passion for watchmaking, his abilities, his talent as a negotiator and his strong personality are all qualities that enabled him to climb the ladder quickly. In 1988, after having worked as a sales executive and then as a commercial executive (sales and marketing), he was entrusted with Longines General Management. In 1991, Nicolas G. Hayek Chairman of The Swatch Group Ltd. requested him to join the Group’s enlarged management. The many years that Walter von Känel served in the Swiss Army as an officer in the militia have enabled this former colonel, commanding an Infantry Regiment, to acquire ground expertise in the fields of human resources management and general organisation. Walter is also actively involved in local and regional politics, and is a member of the ‘Conseil du Jura Bernois.’
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THE PRESENT/IN-STORE
Rotonde de Cartier The perpetual calendar chronograph watch
Ever since the earliest days of watchmaking, craftsmen have strived to master time in two distinct areas: long periods and short periods, trying to create mechanisms that cope with the problems of the Gregorian calendar in order to display, not only the time, but the calendar information as accurately as possible. The Rotonde de Cartier perpetual calendar chronograph watch combines the measurement and display of short periods of time with a mechanism whose gears possess the ability to compensate for the irregularities of the Gregorian calendar. The two 100 percent Cartier complications that are among the most highly appreciated in the marketplace are; the perpetual calendar that continuously indicates long periods of time, and a new column-wheel chronograph calibre that, on demand, measures much shorter periods, such as brief events, with great precision. The watch is available in white or pink gold with an overall diameter of 42mm alligator-skin strap. www.cartier.com www.richemont.com
THE WATCH LIST
Today there are more timepiece styles to choose from than ever before
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EL Primero Chronomaster 1969 Tour Auto Edition A direct heir to the model that revolutionised watch making more than 40 years ago is now issued in a 500-piece special limited edition
The subtly arranged blue, white and red stripes are of course a nod to the colours of the French flag. One particular detail that connoisseurs are sure to note: The mushroom-type push-pieces for the chronograph functions each feature a coloured groove. These are blue for the chronograph start, and red for the reset. Fitted with a triple folding clasp, the strap is a nod to the gloves formerly worn by the drivers of classic cars. The perforated blue calfskin, with a black protective rubber lining, immediately create the association with sports cars and speed, creates with blue, white and red stripes extending those on the dial. The back of the steel case bears two inscriptions, in particular, the Tour Auto logo (on the sapphire crystal pane) and the serial number. www.zenith-watches.com www.picotandmoss.co.za
OMEGA Seamaster 300 ‘SPECTRE’ Limited Edition The Seamaster has been James Bond’s watch since GoldenEye in 1995
Daniel Craig reprises his role in SPECTRE due for release later this year. This is the watch he’ll be wearing and is currently on sale. The watch features a bi-directional, rotating diving bezel made from black, polished ceramic and combined with a LiquidMetal® 12-hour scale, so time can be kept with any country in the world. Other unique features include the ‘lollipop’ central seconds hands, as well as the five-stripe black and grey NATO strap. On the bracelet’s strap holder, the 007 gun logo is engraved. Each watch has a unique serial number engraved on the back, along with the SPECTRE logo. The highly innovative and revolutionary OMEGA Master Co-Axial calibre 8400 drives the watch. This special timepiece will be limited to just 7,007 pieces. www.omegawatches.com www.swatchgroup.com
The Longines Heritage 1935
In a reissue of a highly successful design, the Longines Heritage 1935 is based on a timepiece originally created for aviators in the Czech Air Force in 1935 The timepiece went on to prove highly popular among the general public. As is typical of watches intended for use in aviation, the matt black dial is decorated with large white Arabic numerals and is coated with Super-LumiNova, which ensures the time can be easily read. A railway track minute ring completes the harmony of the dial. The watch is fitted with an L615 self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve. In addition, each piece is numbered accordingly. www.longines.com www.swatchgroup.com
TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer 01
This new timepiece has been christened the Heuer 01 in honour of the founder the TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 has a new generation case (made from light titanium for greater shock resistance), new construction (not the single piece traditionally used but modular with 12 different components), new design (a combination of new materials, colours, treatments and finishes) and new calibre. The manufacture chronograph symbolically represents the markedly horological development of the calibre 1887, on which the backbone of the new collection will be based. Its supremely clean new design reveals the chronograph controls and the open worked date disc on the dial side. On the case-back, its red column wheel - a bold visual anchor - the skeleton chronograph bridge and the black weight also draw the eye into the mechanism. The subject of continuous improvement and optimisation over five years, it’s attained a very high level of quality, while its production costs have been carefully managed making it the only 100 percent Manufacture Chronograph available for less than CHF 5000. A characteristic sporty strap, made of perforated black rubber, completes the piece. www.tagheuer.com www.picotandmoss.co.za
A watch that communicates bi-directionally with both iOS and Android apps Beautiful laser cut hands on this timepiece’s dial and display information in analogue form (no digital screen) means it retains its natural classic beauty. It is high-tech Silicon Valley innovation meets traditional Swiss watch craftsmanship. The MotionX® technology platform provides a comprehensive summary of the user’s daily progress, including activity and sleep. The functionality also includes features like cloud backup and restore, two-year plus battery life and more. Frederique Constant will launch 10+ different horological smartwatches this year, in styles for both ladies and gentlemen.
THE PRESENT/IN-STORE
Frederique Constant Swiss Horological Smartwatch
www.frederique-constant.com www.picotandmoss.co.za
TUDOR Pelagos
One of the most complete traditional mechanical divers’ watches on the market, becoming the first model fitted with a movement developed, and produced, by the brand itself this year Its power reserve of approximately 70 hours means its wearer can, for example, take it off on Friday evening and put it on again on Monday morning without having to wind it. The history of the TUDOR divers’ watch is closely tied to its intensive use by professionals in underwater work, particularly by major navies throughout the world. It’s guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 500m and is equipped with special features such as a helium escape valve, a patented auto-adjustable buckle and an additional rubber strap with an extension system, so it’s easily adjustable for any type of diving conditions. www.tudorwatch.com
Seiko Astron
The world’s first GPS solar watch A full-function GPS solar chronograph with dual time display, using just the power of light, adjusts to every time zone on earth at the touch of a button. Once a day when fully charged, Astron receives the time signal automatically and, on demand, connects to four or more of the GPS satellites that orbit the earth. It finds your position and identifies the time zone and the exact time. The hands adjust automatically to the correct time with atomic clock precision. It is entirely self-sustaining and takes all the power it needs from light. There’s no need, ever, to change a battery. A GPS solar watch identifies the recognised time zones on earth. Whether you
are in the middle of the ocean or a desert, the watch displays the exact local time by pinpointing its location and identifying your exact time from four or more GPS satellites. Astron keeps that precision by automatically connecting to a satellite and adjusting the time for you. You don’t have to do anything. Additional features include an in-flight mode, a perpetual calendar, accurate up to February 2100, irrespective of leap years, and a Daylight Saving Time adjustment. Seiko’s proprietary anti-reflective coating, applied on both the front and back of the glass, prevents 99 percent of light reflection and allows the dial to be easily legible, even in bright light. www.longines.com www.swatchgroup.com
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THE FUTURE/GIVING BACK
BREGUET
TYPE XXI CHRONOGRAPH The Maison under its President and CEO Marc A Hayek has developed a one-of-a-kind creation: a special Type XXI chronograph, made for the first time in platinum. Stemming from the wrist chronographs produced in 1935, the first Type XX watches were developed to order for the French military and delivered to its air force and navy from 1954 onwards through to the 1970s. Supplied to pilots as standard issue, the Type XX soon became a cult object much sought after by aviators. This enthusiasm incited Breguet to produce a contemporary civilian version some years later. The Only Watch model meets Breguet’s current standards in the field of mechanical horology while featuring a vintage style inspired by its predecessor. This Type XXI 3813 is equipped with the special fly back function featured on the original 1950s model. This complication inherently linked to the field of aeronautics enables instant zero resetting and restarting of the chronograph counter in one smooth move. Another characteristic of this one-of-a-kind model lies in its central chronograph Every two years, Only Watch in Geneva brings together minutes counter ensuring instant readability. The date aperture and 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock also the industry’s biggest names to aid muscular dystrophy contribute to its time measurement capabilities. research by auctioning off exclusive, yet fun, one-of-aThis Type XXI chronograph is also equipped with a day/night indicator and small seconds sub dial that kind watches designed specifically for the event round off the main functions. For the first time, the mechanical self-winding IN NOVEMBER 2015 the 6th Only Watch auction will take place in 584Q/1 calibre is housed in a platinum case, fitted Geneva. Only Watch, together with the Monaco Association Against with a bidirectional rotating bezel. The design of Muscular Dystrophy, auction watches in order to raise money for the this 42mm-diameter timepiece, renowned for its charitable medical cause. It’s held every other year. reliability and sturdiness, will appeal to a broad The watches up for auction will be the ‘only watch’ of their type available. audience because of its undeniable authenticity. The pieces are either the very first watch in a limited edition, a special Its matt slate grey dial, crafted in an exclusive prototype watch unavailable for sale anywhere else, or a watch made execution for Only Watch, bears stylised Arabic numerals composed of a white transferred base especially for the occasion. The latter makes the event the most interesting. coated with Superluminova. Luminescent hands Sometimes, brands simply offer unique dial or case material executions, and hour-markers enhance it. but at other times, brands fully invest in a unique timepiece with a novel The sporty and sophisticated Type XXI 3813 case and/or dial, and on some occasions even new movements. This is what chronograph in platinum proves itself entirely renders the event something special for the watch industry as well as an worthy of its proud lineage: It’s a concentrated auction sales event. blend of technical refinement in a reaffirmed The newly created Phillips auction house and the watch auction vintage style. Fitted with an aged calfskin leather consultants Bacs & Russo will run this year’s Only Watch event. Aurel Bacs strap, it is delivered, like any great timepiece, in an will more than likely stand as the auctioneer for Only Watch, a celebrated exclusive presentation box and accompanied by a and entertaining auctioneer who has a lot of experience not only with ‘unique piece’ certificate.
On1y Watch
timepieces, but also in garnering excitement at watch auctions. Over its still short history, Only Watch has worked with no fewer than three auction house partners to facilitate its events. This fact can be likely attributed to the complexity of, not only the luxury watch auction world, but also of the Only Watch event itself. The watches to be auctioned will do a ‘world tour’ before arriving in Geneva for the 7 November auction date. The world tour begins this summer in Monaco. Herewith two of the brands that have committed to Only Watch 2015:
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THE FUTURE/SOCIAL ACTION
#OMEGAVIVARIO A community countdown to the Rio Olympic Games 2016
BLANCPAIN
VILLERET TRADITIONAL CHINESE CALENDAR A unique and exclusive horological complication, developed by the Manufacture in Le Brassus, the Traditional Chinese Calendar, pays tribute to this age-old culture in this symbolic model based on fundamental principles established for centuries and profoundly rooted in Chinese tradition. On its fascinating dial, the hours, minutes and the Gregorian calendar rub shoulders with the main indications of the Chinese calendar: Traditional double-hour indication, day, month with indication of leap months, signs of the zodiac, as well as the five elements and the 10 celestial stems. The combination of the latter with the 12 animals of the zodiac, which represent the terrestrial branches, follows the 60-year cycle that is central to Chinese culture. The moon phases, a key element in Blancpain complete calendars, are also presented and play a particularly important role in this model, given the link between the lunar cycle and traditional Chinese months. This one-off creation in red gold is fitted with a black grand feu enamel dial featuring a chapter ring with applied gold hour-markers, as well as indications that are painted in gold before firing. The 45mm-diameter case comprises five Blancpain-patented under-lug correctors serving to adjust the indications. A glance through the sapphire crystal provides a view of the oscillating weight specially crafted for this occasion in a black champlevé enamel finish and bearing the ONLY WATCH inscription on it.
With just 12 months to go until the Rio Olympic Games, OMEGA is marking the official countdown with its support of 12 ‘Social Action’ projects that will strengthen the socio economic and educational growth within Rio de Janeiro. #OMEGAVIVARIO is a worthwhile cause in partnership with Viva Rio - a non-profit organisation aimed at promoting a ‘culture of peace’ and social inclusion around the world. This year, OMEGA’s traditional countdown will reach much further, with this chance to give back to the people who make Rio such a vibrant city. The Community Countdown will encompass a selection of community spaces and education centres, with projects that will help thousands of young people and their families, including support for pregnant women in vulnerable situations. By focusing on this demographic, the overall result will be one of long-term impact. From the earliest stages of a child’s life, it will so the seeds for a better future, and create a legacy that will continue long after the Games have finished. Vice President of Marketing OMEGA Susanne Strömbom stated that the partnership with Viva Rio will ensure many young people in Rio get the best possible start in life and benefit various communities to develop and grow. Viva Rio’s aim is to generate social impact on vulnerable communities and the added awareness around OMEGA’s involvement provides a valuable boost. Everything is set for a rewarding campaign that will delve below the surface of this incredible city and offer building blocks for a new generation. OMEGA has invited users to create their own heart symbol and post it on social media. For every heart posted with the hashtag #OMEGAVIVARIO, OMEGA will donate 16 cents to the Viva Rio charity as an additional pledge. OMEGA also officially introduced three new ‘friends’ from the world of sailing. Torben Grael (pictured above) is a five-time Olympic medalist and renowned Brazilian sailor, while his daughter Martine Grael and her partner Kahena Kunze are the world ranking leaders of the new Olympic class, the 49erFX. Discover #OMEGAVIVARIO www.omegavivario.com
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FINAL MOMENT/ICONS
Ayrton Senna
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of TAG Heuer’s partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 team, the brand breathed new life into one of motorsport’s most enduring legends by creating a hologram of the great Ayrton Senna ENDORSED BY THE SENNA FAMILY, the hologram white McLarens battling at the head features the Brazilian legend in classic racing attire - overalls of the field during the 1980s and ’90s. with his helmet under his arm. Using a sample of pre-existing It’s one of my earliest memories of audio, Ayrton glanced at his watch before addressing the Formula 1, and it remains a formative audience, “I just love racing. I just love the challenge of beating experience for my own desire to race,” said Fernando. somebody else.” “To be able to sit inside one of Ayrton’s cars was a genuinely “When you’re under a lot of pressure, the objective is to be moving experience; to do it in the very chassis with which he the one that can put together the combination of aggression won his first world championship – one of the most iconic and calculation that will get the best result. And, more than and successful cars in F1 history – was simply incredible.” anything, you need a very clear mind to understand exactly when to be aggressive and when to be The event marked the calculating. To win the championship, you reveal of the Senna need the combination of those elements.” Collection comprising of Ayrton was then joined on stage by Spanish four new special-edition hero Fernando Alonso, who timepieces. Each watch spoke about his memories of features the famous stylised growing up watching the Senna ‘S’ in red lacquer, on Brazilian. Fernando also the dial, case back and bezel, explained the feelings he complete with a tachymeter experienced when, earlier scale, giving the timepiece a this year, he achieved a real racing spirit and childhood dream and drove Senna’s performance touch. Senna’s most iconic and The iconic ‘Legend’ bracelet, successful car, the 1988 with its S-shaped links, McLaren-Honda MP4/4. also makes a return – “I grew up watching the same style worn by Ayrton race – he was my Ayrton but has been With a little help from technology, idol. I still vividly remember redesigned and rounded Fernando Alonso get’s to meet his idol seeing those iconic red and for optimum comfort.
“I JUST LOVE RACING. I JUST LOVE THE CHALLENGE OF BEATING SOMEBODY ELSE.”
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www.tregerbrands.co.za
Elegance is an attitude Simon Baker
Conquest Classic Moonphase