Europastar time keeper 317 lr by Europa Star HBM

EUROPE N°342 & INTERNATIONAL N°395 Two folios – Not sold separately

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18K BEIGE GOLD. CHANEL Manufacture movement with integrated complications. Instant jumping hour, 240Â° retrograde minute, small second. 3-day power reserve.

COVER STORY

CARL F. BUCHERER, UNDER THE SIGN OF THE MANTA RAY Spotlight on the latest offering by the Swiss watch manufacturer, the Patravi ScubaTec Manta Trust.

PARAPHERNALIA

JEAN-MARC WIEDERRECHT Continually forgetting in order to start afresh…

| ON ITI ED AL OB GL

08 14

T AP CH

3 ER 017 .2

OUR COVER

CARL F. BUCHERER PATRAVI SCUBATEC MANTA TRUST Elegant and mysterious: Carl F. Bucherer

TECHNOLOGY

QUARTZ: THE MOMENT OF TRUTH Once a pioneer, yet now decidedly run-of-the-mill, the quartz movement is approaching a crucial point in its history.

is launching a limited-edition timepiece dedicated to the Manta Trust, a charity active in the conservation of manta rays. Each watch is one of a kind: a unique engraving on the back of the case depicts the pattern on the underside of a specific individual manta ray. And its sales will help finance an entirely new kind of research expedition.

PORTFOLIO

PORTRAIT

WRIST JEWELLERY Our selection of the most beautiful jewellery timepieces, or ”Swiss wrist jewelry”, as Americans call it.

XVINCENT CALABRESE The Neapolitan wanderer.

INDUSTRY

THE CLASP It says a lot about your watch.

MATERIALS

XWOODEN WATCHES Some watch brands have specialised in using wood to create timepieces. An introduction.

64 HISTORY

XWATCH AUCTIONS: THREE DECADES OF A LEGEND

INTERNET

DIGITAL BESPOKE More and more luxury brands are offering online customisation, but each in their own different way.

TRENDS

JEWELLERY AND THE NEW WAYS OF WEARING IT Now jewellery is everywhere, popularly occupying every square inch of our bodies.

PART I

SUBSCRIBE TO EUROPA STAR MAGAZINE www.europastar.com/subscribe | SUBSCRIBE TO THE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER www.europastar.com/newsletter | CHAIRMAN Philippe Maillard PUBLISHER Serge Maillard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Pierre Maillard CONCEPTION & DESIGN Serge Maillard, Pierre Maillard, Alexis Sgouridis PUBLISHING / MARKETING / CIRCULATION Nathalie Glattfelder, Marianne Bechtel/Bab-Consulting, Jocelyne Bailly, Véronique Zorzi BUSINESS MANAGER Catherine Giloux MAGAZINES Europa Star Global (Europe & International) | USA | China | Première - Switzerland | Bulletin d’informations | Eurotec EUROPA STAR HBM SA Route des Acacias 25, CH-1227 Geneva - Switzerland, Tel +41 22 307 78 37, Fax +41 22 300 37 48, contact@europastar.com Copyright 2017 EUROPA STAR | All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Europa Star HBM SA Geneva.

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louisvuitton.com

Tambour Automatic Chronograph

Editorial

1984

ON YOUR WRIST

BY PIERRE MAILLARD

“

Before the advent of the railway, owning a watch was a mark of wealth, but afterwards it became proof of civilisation. There is no civilisation without railways, and there are no railways without watches,” declared author Henri Vincenot, referring to the expansion of watchmaking in the 19th century. Watchmaking, that great social regulator, did indeed make a decisive contribution to the emergence of industrial civilisation, by enabling the coordination of production, transport, logistics and thus the circulation of goods and merchandise. But in its way, watchmaking also helped to enslave workers, by subjecting them to the inflexible dictatorship of timetables and the tyranny of the punch card. Today, the smartwatch takes this enslavement even further. The laboratory of this new era of civilisation is not mighty industry, steel or the railways. No, it’s finance, or more accurately, what is known as “behavioural finance”. Research carried out at Cambridge University beginning in 2009 showed that physical attributes play an important role in the financial success of stock-market traders, whose emotions fluctuate wildly, who are obliged to take split-second decisions, and who work in an ultracompetitive environment. These factors are all major stressors. It turns out that heart rate, perspiration and accelerated movements are all stress indicators, and they can all now be tracked by a smartwatch. Recent studies carried out by the same Cambridge team, led by neuroscientist (and former trader) John Coates, show that traders equipped with smartwatches, who actively use them to control their physical parameters, manage stress better and perform better than other traders (whom one images sporting expensive mechanical watches that they are increasingly unable to afford, given their mediocre performance...). It seems clear, therefore, that an ability to read one’s own “gut feelings”, as indicated by body temperature, breathing frequency, heart rate, thirst, hunger and anxiety, makes for a better trader. It has also been shown, however, that too much stress over a long period, which generates the hormone cortisol, can contribute to the sudden onset of “risk aversion and irrational pessimism” among bankers during a financial crisis. Stress, clearly, must be handled sensitively, to ensure that traders feel some pressure, but not too much, and not too little. This kind of fine-tuning is possible with the help of a smartwatch. Hence why banks are now looking at how they can manage, and control, their employees’ emotions. “Keeping management informed of performance in real time, measuring the emotional stability of a trader during recruitment, helping him to master his emotions throughout the day, even blocking access to trading platforms if his stress levels exceed a given point,” – these are the goals of the emotional controls being put in place, according to researchers Sylvain Frochaux and Ariel Cecchi. And it’s all now possible, thanks to the smartwatch. Or because of it, as you might be inclined to say if you’ve read George Orwell’s 1984.

CALIBER RM 63-01 DIZZY HANDS RICHARD MILLE BOUTIQUES SWITZERLAND

Rue du Rhône 78 1204 Geneva - Tel.: +41 22 810 85 73

•

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Reef manta ray, Manta alfredi, surface feeding, Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arros Island, Amirantes, Seychelles ÂŠ Guy Stevens, Manta Trust 2016

Cover Story

CARL F. BUCHERER, UNDER THE SIGN OF

THE MANTA RAY

The Swiss watch manufacturer is launching a limited-edition timepiece dedicated to the Manta Trust. This British charity is committed to protecting and ensuring the survival of manta rays, which are being threatened by overfishing. Part of the proceeds from sales of the 188 ScubaTec watches will go to help finance an entirely new kind of research expedition.

arl F. Bucherer has supported the Manta Trust for many years in order to help with the conservation of manta rays. This partnership now embraces a new dimension with the launch of a dive watch series limited to 188 watches and dedicated to the Manta Trust charity. Two manta rays are pictured on the ridged dial, appearing as though they are surfacing from beneath the ocean waves. Each watch is one of a kind â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a unique engraving on the back of the case depicts the pattern on the underside of a specific individual manta ray captured on underwater camera by Manta Trust CEO Guy Stevens and his team. The identification number is engraved underneath it. This number acts as an access code to a website where the new owner can bestow a name upon this real manta ray. The new Patravi ScubaTec Manta Trust features an automatic helium release valve, making it perfectly equipped for dives of up to 500 metres. The luminescent indices and hands round off its distinctly sporty look and ensure that it is easily readable underwater. With part of the proceeds from the sale of this watch, Carl F. Bucherer will finance an entirely new kind of scientific expedition, during which data will be gathered that will help to protect the habitat of the manta rays. In August 2017, a team will spend two weeks out at sea monitoring the manta ray population in the waters surrounding the Maldives to analyse their habitat use and feeding habits, as well as the planktonic prey on which the mantas feed. The information gathered will be essential for ensuring the survival of the species.

“EVERY WATCH IS UNIQUE AND FEATURES A DIFFERENT MANTA RAY PATTERN” The Patravi ScubaTec Manta Trust, in the silvery grey tones of the creatures the company is helping to protect, will appeal to lovers of both fine watches and sea life. Carl F. Bucherer’s CEO Sascha Moeri lets us into some of the secrets of this limited edition. What are the main features of the Patravi ScubaTec Manta Trust? Every watch is a unique timepiece! Each of the 188 watches features a different manta ray pattern that identifies an individual creature, a bit like a fingerprint. In addition, the owner of the watch can name “his” manta on a dedicated website. In addition to these unique features, we also wanted to contribute to a worthy cause by supporting the Manta Trust and their incredible work in more than 20 countries. As such we decided that a defined amount of the proceeds from every watch we sell will be invested in a two-week observation expedition as well as in a database which helps to classify the observations and findings. Scientists have been waiting a long time for both the expedition and the database. The manta ray is the symbol of our ScubaTec family. Each model in this flagship collection has two manta rays engraved on the reverse. But it’s only the Manta Trust limited edition that features the markings of a unique manta ray.

So, who are these watches aimed at? Traditionally, our ScubaTec collection is very strong in Europe, the Middle East and the United States. The limited edition will appeal to connoisseurs looking for an exclusive, high-quality timepiece with COSC chronometer certification, as well as to lovers of marine life. The watch is both elegant and mysterious, and its colours reflect the colours of a manta ray. Mr Bucherer himself, who generally wears a tourbillon or perpetual calendar model, always takes a ScubaTec with him on summer holiday! With all these advantages, as well as a price tag of CHF 5,900, I have no doubt that this limited edition will quickly find an audience when we launch it this summer.

Reef manta ray, Manta alfredi, Dhiggaru Kandu, Ari Atoll, Maldives © Guy Stevens, Manta Trust 2015

Do you have any follow-up projects planned? Of course! This limited edition takes our partnership with the Manta Trust to the next level. Given the scope of the ScubaTec collection, there are lots of future development possibilities, and we’re not short of ideas. It’s very important to us that we continue to showcase the activities of the trust. For the record, it was because of this partnership, which we concluded quite a few years back, that we now engrave two manta rays on the back of all our ScubaTecs. In fact, our first joint project with the Manta Trust involved monitoring two manta rays in the Maldives. Naturally, we decided to call them... Carl and Friedrich!

PATRAVI SCUBATEC MANTA TRUST Reference number: 00.10632.23.33.98 Movement: Automatic, CFB 1950.1 calibre, chronometer, diameter 26.2 mm, height 4.6 mm, 25 jewels, power reserve 38 hours Functions: Date, hour, minute, seconds Case: Stainless steel, stainless steel and ceramic bezel, automatic helium valve, screw-down crown, sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, water-resistant to 500 m (50 atm), diameter 44.6 mm, height 13.45 mm, unique manta-ray engraving Dial: Black with two mantas Strap: Rubber with finely adjustable diving folding clasp in stainless steel Limited edition: 188 watches

“THERE IS STILL A GREAT DEAL WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE MANTA RAY” Whether ocean or reef dwellers, manta rays are a potent symbol of marine life, boasting the largest brain of all species of fish. But they are also extremely vulnerable, and are currently under grave threat from the fishing industry. The Manta Trust, which is supported by Carl F. Bucherer, studies them at close range and leads concrete initiatives to save them from extinction. Guy Stevens of the UK, who founded the trust, answered our questions.

The manta ray is categorised as a “vulnerable” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. What are the main threats to its survival? The biggest threat comes from fishing – both fishing that targets the manta ray directly, and also what is called “bycatch”, where they are caught unintentionally. The manta’s gill plates are prized in medicine, which unfortunately has led to increased fishing for this fragile species. The results are shocking. Populations have declined dramatically in Indonesia, the Philippines and in the Indian Ocean. These fish have a very fragile life cycle, and their population levels are naturally low. They don’t reach sexual maturity until the age of 10 or 15 years, and then they reproduce slowly and bear just one pup at a time. This makes the impact of fishing all the more devastating.

Researcher using a stereo camera to measure manta rays, Hanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll, Maldives © Guy Stevens, Manta Trust 2012

What concrete actions does the Manta Trust undertake to preserve the manta ray? We were heavily involved at a global level in having the manta added to the CITES, the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species. We helped the countries concerned and provided scientific data. We are very proud that our perseverance paid off! We also campaigned to have manta rays listed in the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). It is difficult for countries to take unilateral measures when the rays migrate to different habitats.

Are you also active at national level? Yes, in Peru and Indonesia, for example. We’re also very active in the Maldives. Thankfully, manta ray fishing is banned there, as are the fishing nets that can trap them accidentally. That is why the islands are home to such an enormous concentration of reef mantas, with an estimated population of around 5,000. We have also helped to identify their key aggregation sites in the Maldives.

Manta rays have the biggest brain of any fish. Are there any other scientific mysteries to solve, where the manta ray is concerned? Yes, a huge number! To give you an idea, it is only in the last ten years that we have begun to answer some key questions about their lifespan, how they reproduce, their habitat, what they eat, etc. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’m a scientist myself, and I have many colleagues who are also trying to answer these questions. For example, the only way we can establish their lifespan is through photographic identification, which is why it is so important to record each individual accurately. The size of their brain is also a fascinating topic, and hints at the complexity of their social interactions.

You go diving regularly to photograph and document the manta rays. What are the rules for approaching them in the water? In general, it tends to be the rays who approach the divers, they are very curious creatures! The best tactic is to remain as calm as possible and swim slowly, slightly off to the side and never straight at them, so as to leave their way ahead clear. Let them get a good look at you, don’t surprise them.

How did your partnership with Carl F. Bucherer come about? A little over three years ago we were contacted by the company, who were in the process of creating a diving watch. Their

designer was fascinated by manta rays, and wanted to engrave one on the watch. He approached us to find out more about the species, and the company decided to support us. With their support, we were able in the first instance to begin tagging rays in Mexico. Thanks to Carl F. Bucherer, we have also created a code of conduct to promote best practice in interactions with manta rays, which we have distributed to the tourist industry.

The partnership is moving to the next level today with the launch of a Manta Trust limited edition comprising 188 watches, each featuring a different manta ray. Were you involved in designing these watches? During our discussions we all agreed on engraving pictures of the manta rays we identified during our dives on a limited number of watches. I felt it was a unique and amazing idea, because it allows us to monitor each of the 188 creatures chosen. The owner of the watch can give “their” manta ray a name of their choice. We always name the manta rays we identify: it’s more friendly, and it’s also easier to remember a name than an ID number! The watch also creates a logistical challenge, because we’re creating a special database that will be accessible to the watch owners. They can get basic information about the manta ray they are sponsoring, like age, size, the state of their health etc. So you not only buy a great timepiece but you also help to protect Mantas by purchasing that watch.

Another important aspect of this operation in partnership with Carl F. Bucherer is an expedition to the Maldives next August. What is its purpose? We’re bringing together a small group of scientists from different domains to try to better understand how manta rays feed. This will enable us to identify the species’ key habitats, where they find their food, and consequently the places that must be protected as a priority. To achieve this, we will be diving to collect plankton – their sole food source – and tissue samples from the manta rays. By comparing them we hope to establish a precise link between the two.

As a diver, you no doubt have a very special relationship with watches... A diving watch is an essential part of our equipment, but my view of them has changed. When I started diving, I was happy to wear a big, complicated block of plastic over my wetsuit, but today I have a proper elegant watch on my wrist, which I also wear on land. That would have been unthinkable with the watch I was wearing 15 years ago!

Paraphernalia

JEAN-MARC WIEDERRECHT,

CONTINUALLY FORGETTING

IN ORDER TO START AFRESH

Fred Merz, Lundi13

ean-Marc Wiederrecht, watchmaker and founder of Agenhor, may have no fewer than seven Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève awards to his name (for Best Watch Designer in 2007, for Harry Winston in 2009, Van Cleef & Arpels in 2010, Hermès in 2011 and 2015 and Fabergé in 2015 and 2016) and a plethora of patented inventions each more stunning than the next, but he is nonetheless a deeply modest man, who says of himself: “My biggest strength is that I always forget everything, because that forces me to continually start afresh.” And with the help of these perpetual new beginnings, Jean-Marc Wiederrecht is able to invent idiosyncratic processes, and discover new creative paths. The result is a collection of outstandingly poetic pieces that tell the time in a new way – such as Temps Suspendu, l’Heure Masquée and l’Heure Impatiente, three pieces created for Hermès, as well as Pont des Amoureux and Midnight in Paris, designed for Van Cleef & Arpels – and radically revolutionary inventions, like his recent Visionnaire Chronographe for Fabergé. The one constant factor in his work? His quest to achieve the utmost simplicity. This quest is reflected in certain objects that can tell us a little about both his background and his creative journey. (PM)

1 The “Crocodile” locomotive by Märklin “Like all little boys at the time, I was fascinated by electric toy trains. I had always thought they were spectacular. But I wasn’t interested in just seeing them go round. No, I built complicated circuits, marshalling yards, and switch points. I looked at how the trains were made and then I took them apart and put them back together in a different way. I built meccano cranes and then immediately dismantled them just to do it again differently. Once complete, I lost interest in them. Material objects don’t interest me in general. I could live without them. I would actually prefer to live with nothing.” 2 Bolex Super 8 projector “My father travelled the whole world, video camera in hand, to buy precious oils for the perfumier Givaudan. When he came back, he would show us his films on the projector. And so I travelled the whole world in my imagination, to the most remote places, and that made me immensely curious; I was in awe of the world. I hate the current climate of rejecting otherness, it’s a climate of fear, of barriers and borders. Otherness, the world, has always fascinated, attracted, and enchanted me.” 3 Stones “I love stones, looking at them, touching them. Simple stones, that aren’t worth anything. One is from Namibia, it’s Pietersite, which was only discovered in 1962. The other one comes from Crete, from a small and remote place that’s inaccessible by road, a place that I love and visit often with my wife. I don’t need spectacular scenery. I love simplicity. When I’m in the mountains, or there in Crete, under a tree, away from it all, looking out to sea, watching the branches of a tamarisk sway, that’s when my best watchmaking ideas come to me. It takes years, it gradually builds up, and then suddenly it comes to me. And everything falls into place in my mind.”

of this accumulated horological knowledge, you also have to use it to explore new forms and functions. The computer has opened doors for us, and makes possible things which seemed unimaginable before. But the aim is always to make things clearer. And to express time in new ways.” 5 Mechanical pencils, sketches, mock-ups “I love this simple mechanical pencil so much. It’s become my lucky charm. It was a gift from my employees. I always use this pencil because I always need to erase things. For a long time, I can’t think of anything, and then suddenly it comes to me, so I draw some designs, some sketches. There are four pages there, and that’s enough, everything I need, including the dimensions, to build the chronograph invented for Fabergé. I said to myself: what about making a hole in the middle of the movement? And everything came from there. After that, the mock-ups, they’re pretty, but that’s just to show the journalists...” 6 Sun dial “I designed this sun dial, which received the Gold Medal at the Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva in 1996. It accurately shows the real solar time, summer and winter civil time, the equation of time, Greenwich time, the times of the sunrise and sunset, the height of the sun on the horizon, the length of the day and the direction of true north. Thanks to two cams, the style moves and the various indications adjust themselves. Calculating all that was a pain, but the result is simple, magical, and doesn’t need anything to work. In a thousand years, in ten thousand years, it will still work.”

4 The book Time & Space: Measuring Instruments from the 15th to the 19th Century “When I was at watchmaking school, I spent a lot of time flicking through books. My memory is very visual. I have a lot of admiration for everything made in the past, before the computer. Incredible. I don’t invent anything, but I reinvent a lot of things, always with the utmost respect for what has already been done. All

The indications of the Visionnaire Chronograph made by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht for Fabergé are displayed centrally with concentric counters, providing a reading that we see at a glance. Rather than having to look for the seconds, minutes and hours displayed at different places on the dial, all the indications are provided on one central dial. Reading is made even easier thanks to the chronograph hands in gilded aluminium with red tips.

1 6

The E63.171 calibre by ETA

QUARTZ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HOW DOES IT WORK? In 1880, the Curie brothers discovered that some materials vibrate when an electric current is passed through them, a phenomenon known as piezoelectricity. Quartz crystal, which is a silicon dioxide, provides the best stability/machinability/price ratio for timekeeping. The current standard frequency for these vibrations in 32,768 Hz. They are counted by a processor, which acts as a master clock. The processor then proceeds to divide this frequency to derive the second. In the case of analogue watches, a system of micro-motors operates the hands, powered by the same battery that makes the crystal vibrate.

Technology

QUARTZ: THE MOMENT OF TRUTH BY DAVID CHOKRON

Once a pioneer, yet now decidedly run-ofthe-mill, the quartz movement is approaching a crucial point in its history. With mechanical watches becoming less and less expensive, and with the arrival of functionally superior smartwatches, quartz is feeling the pressure on all sides. Will it still be around tomorrow? 17

tools they need for quality control and maintenance. With barely any moving parts, lubrication, or wheels, the watch becomes shock-proof and is unaffected by ageing oils. Finally, quartz’s biggest strength is usually kept under wraps by the world of mechanical watchmaking,

Chronometry made easy Quartz movements are impressively accurate, once protected against variations in temperature, which strongly affects A raw quartz crystal, them. The COSC criteria provide a clear scale of the quartz produced in a Seiko movement’s abilities. A mechanical chronometer must be acautoclave, which will then curate to within 3 minutes per month. Accuracy for a quartz be shaped into little slivers. chronometer, meanwhile, should be within 25 seconds per year, which is 85 times more accurate than a mechanical watch. We’re even seeing a return to high precision. With the release of the Conquest V.H.P, Longines is ccurate, reliable, durable: reviving the 1980s, when a model of the Quartz is like a quartz once represented the same name offered the same level of precisachet of freeze-dried future of the watch. But elecsion, accurate to 5 seconds per year. British food: inexpensive tronic movements regulated company Hoptroff has miniaturised an by a quartz crystal (known as atomic clock for the wrist: accurate to one and effective, but quartz movements) have become so runsecond per thousand years. And if that’s artificial and generic. of-the-mill that they are now ubiquitous. still too much, various radio-controlled Capable of almost everything, the quartz watches (from Junghans in particular) removement has been left to its own devices. The reputation ceive DCF77 signals in Europe and WWV signals in the United of quartz today is not unlike that of freeze-dried food: inex- States. They are hooked up to atomic clocks, which are accupensive and effective, but artificial, bland, and generic. And rate to one second per million years. to open up a watch to find a plastic casing-ring and a little battery lost in the middle is a terribly sad sight. Ironically, after having come close to forcing the mechanical movement into retirement, the quartz movement itself is now at risk of losing its functional and economic relevance.

Massive industrialisation In 1969, after decades of miniaturisation, the collective initiative of the Beta 21 movement in Switzerland, and Seiko’s Astron, finally succeeded in developing a quartz movement to fit the wrist. They had managed to switch from a mechanical to an electronic approach. Soldering replaced screws, and batteries replaced barrels. Increasingly energy-efficient, the movements were produced via a process of industrial, automatic, and bulk manufacturing. Now, an assembly workshop for quartz movements is composed of a long, automated production line. A few rare humans push around trolleys with the

The Longines Conquest V.H.P: accurate to 5 seconds a year, perpetual date, hands are re-synchronised after an impact.

KLONDIKE MOONPHASE Automatic Chronograph with moon phase, full calendar and unique day-and-night indicator.

TIME TO PERFORM

Delma Watch Ltd., CH-2543 Lengnau, Switzerland, Phone +41 32 654 22 11, info@delma.ch, www.delma.ch

Junghans created the first radio-controlled wristwatch in 1990. The Force Mega Solar is its successor.

Easy energy

scene, like a bull in a china shop, is unprecedented. In the space of three years, the quartz watch has become outdated. Another of quartz’s strengths: it is battery-powered. Progress Connected, upgradeable, and interactive, the smartwatch in battery technology means that a watch can now run for is a micro-computer for your wrist, complete with a touch five years before switching to standby for fifteen years, or screen, integrating a quartz master clock among its thounever stopping at all if equipped with solar panels, which sands of electronic elements. The quartz watch, meanwhile, have long been transparent and ultra-thin. cannot update itself. Some smartwatch The result of all of these benefits is total manufacturers have even bet on the disA COSC quartz domination. The quartz movement is fitappearance of the quartz movement for chronometer is ted in 95% of watches, and 72% of Swiss exall but the most basic watches. Because ports. As an object, the mechanical watch the smartwatch is in a whole different accurate to within is an anomaly, almost a technological abcategory. As Moore’s law predicts, costs 25 seconds per year. erration. As if every car in the world were decrease as quickly as performance inThat’s 85 times better electric and yet a small minority still chose creases. Already, an Android Wear toucha steam engine despite all opposition. But screen smartwatch starts at around 100 than its mechanical we know that mechanical watchmaking is CHF. Already, ETA, Ronda, and IsaSwiss counterpart. based on things beyond the reasonable. are competing with Intel, Samsung and Google, whose quarterly profits are close to a year’s worth of Swatch Group’s annual turnover. Already, Pressure the Swatch Sistem 51 is on sale for 150 CHF, for an automatic Swiss-made watch, though it is disposable and 80% plastic. Today, quartz has come face-to-face with its spiritual son, the smartwatch, which could soon kill the father. Through touchscreens, the addition of connected modules, and lowenergy processors developed by the field of telephony, electronic movements have fundamentally changed. The speed with which the smartwatch burst onto the watchmaking

High-end applications Quartz technology still has some applications in the luxury segment and there are some brands working to develop it further, but these opportunities are rare, and above all, dwindling. The progress made by Citizen in the area of extreme thinness, with its 2.98 mm Eco-Drive One, is restricted by the physical limits of the case, as in mechanical watchmaking. Can the ergonomic research implemented in Bulova’s Curv Chronograph Watch, with its curved movement and case, move beyond the anecdotal? It hardly matters that it has a frequency of 262 KHz, 8 times the standard frequency set by Girard-Perregaux for this technology. As a matter of fact, the biggest Swiss watchmakers have joined in the adventure, and continue to do so. Patek Philippe applies the same finishing to its two inhouse quartz calibres, which are still used in about 25% of production, as used on its other calibres. On the whole, quartz chronometers make up a quarter of Breitling’s production. Even François-Paul Journe has turned its hand to quartz. The champion of classic watchmaking, positioned as a spiritual heir of Berthoud and Breguet, has launched Elegante, a battery-powered watch, and not just for ladies.

The curved movement of the Bulova Curv Chronograph. 22

2.98 mm thick thanks to its 1 mm movement, the Citizen Eco-Drive One’s thinness is limited by the solidity of its metal case.

TITONI.CH

SWISS MADE

MASTER SERIES # 9 4 6 8 8 S - S T- 5 7 9

Piaget’s calibre 700P, the latest example of what a mechanical-quartz hybrid can achieve, but at a steep price. The calibre Seiko 9F62, one of the few to represent true technological, yet limited, progress.

Fusion For a while now, hybrid watches have been making their mark. Following the incorporation of rechargeable kinetic batteries (Seiko’s Kinetic, 1988), Audemars Piguet and JaegerLeCoultre’s quartz movements with chronograph modules (1980s), and the emergence of Seiko’s Spring Drive in 2004, quartz has once again adapted to pair itself with gears. In Piaget’s Emperador Coussin XL 700P, a generator/quartz regulating organ powers a mechanical calibre, for over 70,000 CHF. Seiko continues to innovate with its calibre 9F, featuring ultra-high precision micro-motors. Casio is developing expensive limited editions of its G-Shock, putting Japanese metallurgical expertise in the spotlight. But look beyond these Japanese initiatives, produced by a country that has built its entire watchmaking industry on this technology, and quartz technology has plateaued. Even the multi-function and touchscreen T-Touch dates back to 1999.

Looking ahead Caught between a rock, smartwatches, and a hard place, low-cost mechanical movements, the pressure on quartz could yet prove fatal. Because in 5 to 10 years, it may well face a struggle to prove its very relevance. What purpose will it serve beyond the most economical of uses? The options seem scarce. The functional one-upmanship within the market is so fierce that quartz must do better than an ultra-thin, solar-powered, back-lit watch automatically regulated via satellite, with a ten-year warranty and battery life. Because this type of watch is already on the horizon.

The T-Touch Expert Solar is solar-powered, but the model invented the multi-function touchscreen back in 1999. 24

HIGHLIGHTS In this section, Europa Star provides brands with the possibility to express themselves. The concept is straightforward: one watch per brand, on one or two pages, and deliver your arguments to convince the markets! So, do you accept the challenge? This is a visually efficient way for retailers, distributors, collectors or simply watch lovers to catch up with the latest offerings on the market. We give a price indication of the watch presented, using the following categories: Less than 500 dollars $$ 500 – 1,000 dollars $$$ 1,000 – 3,000 dollars $$$$ 3,000 – 10,000 dollars $$$$$ 10,000 – 50,000 dollars $$$$$$ 50,000 – 100,000 dollars $$$$$$$ More than 100,000 dollars $

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HIGHLIGHT

ZENITH

DEFY EL PRIMERO 21 THE EL PRIMERO LEGEND IN THE HUNDREDTHS OF A SECOND AGE Swiss watch manufacturer Zenith is resolutely taking its place in the third millennium with a new 100th of a second chronograph movement. While remaining true to its legendary roots, the 21st century Defy El Primero flaunts standout performance.

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“In the next months we will stick to Zenith’s DNA and positioning, but we wish to connect this exceptional and authentic Manufacture not only with its great history, but also with its future. Zenith has won 2,333 chronometry prizes and is known for its high-frequency El Primero. We are now introducing Defy El Primero 21, offering 100th of a second timing. It’s the most accurate series-made chronograph on the market and it combines Zenith’s expertise in terms of technical precision with a more powerful and particularly cool-looking design. This is an historic moment for a brand with such an innovation and a stunning technical achievement.”

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With its powerful 44 mm titanium case, Defy El Primero 21 becomes the master of extreme precision. The world’s most accurate series-made chronograph in 1969 enters a whole new era. The new watch features a certified in-house movement driving a hundredth of a second display by means of a central hand, with its unique and exclusive dynamic signature of one rotation per second. The chronograph beats at a frequency of 50 Hz, making it ten times faster and more accurate than its illustrious predecessor. Its double-chain structure is based on two regulators, made of Carbon-Matrix Carbon Nanotube composite. The new balance- Julien Tornare, new CEO of Zenith springs developed by the LVMH group engineers stem from a patented technology that is also a world premiere. The exceptional physical and mechanical properties of this balance-spring with its graphene matrix render it insensitive to temperature and to the influence of magnetic fields, well beyond the known 15,000 Gauss standard, thereby guaranteeing peerless precision in all conditions of use.

Portfolio

WRIST JEWELLERY BY LAURENCE JANIN, D. MALCOLM LAKIN, PIERRE MAILLARD AND SERGE MAILLARD

“After not getting a pay rise for many years, there are better things to spend money on than Swiss wrist jewelry”, wrote Bloomberg in a recent article about middle class angst. We were struck by this typical American expression to denote a watch. They are jewels indeed! With arguments for some of them that might open up the wallets of the readers, after all… 30

The Diamond Outrage by Audemars Piguet is part of the brand’s diamond trilogy. It’s a tour de force that was inspired by Baroque Punk and a forest of iced conifers straight from the Vallée de Joux. It couldn’t be any more modern.

PORTFOLIO WRIST JEWELRY PAGE DE GARDE

Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Moon: Simple, elegant and pure – the Rendez-Vous Moon is a very subtle piece, as are the guilloché motifs on its dial and its moon disk. It features an accurate moon (with a variation every 972 years) with a sanded finish that confers it a remarkable depth, just like moonlight has.

Patek Philippe 7130: Patek Philippe’s reference 7130 is a reinterpretation for women of one of the most iconic – and useful – complications of the leading Genevan brand – World Time. 24 time zones are spread around a delicate greyblue dial that features guilloché decorations at the centre and is enhanced by a bezel set with 27 diamonds. The watch represents the quintessence of good taste and mechanical art.

Luna by de Grisogono: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the ultimate ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; watch. A draped dial. Sensual shapes. An almost smiling face. The watch seems to take on a life of its own. To top it all off, there are different, eclectic contrasting-colour versions.

If you’re looking for a garden with a difference, the Grand Soir Botanique No 2 by Dior could be your nirvana. A unique white gold timepiece paved with snow-set round-cut diamonds and a white gold pavé dial set with snow-set round-cut pale sapphires, diamonds, blue and pink sapphires, emeralds and rubies. A kaleidoscope of colour with a burgeoning flower at 7 o’clock and the hour and minute hands blending into the floral mosaic at 10 o’clock. The Grand Soir Botanique No 2 has a quartz movement and the colourful dial is enhanced by a midnight blue fabric strap with undulating lines.

Take a round 36 mm stainless steel case, set the bezel with 24 arc-cut blue topazes, insert a grey sunray outer dial with a round inner central blue mother-of-pearl dial encircled with a diamond ring, applied silver studs and three diamond indices, add silver-coloured hour and minute hands, attach a blue Dolce T. calfskin leather strap and ensure the watch functions with a Swiss-made quartz movement. The result is an elegant Fendi timepiece that can be worn anywhere, anytime. However, if you want to make a statement of your intent, show the fashionistas the latest trendy wrist adornment, simply attach a blue Dorothy Glamy made of arctic fox fur to the watch and hey presto, you’re wearing a modernised corsage showstopper. My Way Topazes Special Edition by Fendi is available with either blue or green topazes, matching leather strap and a flamboyant Dorothy Glamy.

Montre à Secret Haute Joaillerie Caméléon by Cartier: It features an 18 ct green tourmaline, which is as round as a chameleon’s eye. A blend of semi-precious and precious stones (emerald, onyx, turquoise, tourmaline) and an exceptional strap, fashioned like the spine of a mythical animal.

The Divine Time by Harry Winston can either be worn on the wrist or as a pendant. Six marquisecut diamonds have been used as indexes on a dial paved with diamonds. The fire of the stones is at its best. The elegantly cut midnight blue alligator strap is a refined addition.

With its white gold dial entirely paved with diamonds, the refinement of Blancpain’s Ultraplate (reference 6104-1963-58A) lies in its elegance and its in-house 913 calibre, which is only 3.28 mm thick. It’s a translucent ocean of precious stones.

Breguet Tradition Dame 7038: Launched in 2005, Breguet’s Tradition collection gave birth to a style – imitated by many others – which allowed for the visual spectacle of the movement’s mechanics to be admired. With this oh-so-delicate new piece, Breguet has fully succeeded in adding a feminine touch to the transparent play of mechanical gears that was hitherto deemed to be reserved for men. The piece proves that technical spectacle (of the silicon lever escapement and of the balance equipped with a silicon balance-spring) can go very well with diamonds, engravings, mother-of-pearl and pink gold.

The moon has rarely been as dreamy and elegant as it is on the Moritz Grossmann Tefnut Sleeping Beauty. Created for the Glashüttebased manufacture by designer Michael Koh of Singapore, the model displaying a moon crafted on its dial stands out thanks to the sized precious stones. These, combined with the sparkling guilloché decoration, create a wave-like pattern and give the watch unprecedented grace.

Kerbedanz is all about symbolism. The Tree of Life Black Edition is a declination of last year’s women’s piece that attracted great attention. As its name suggests, it represents the tree of life – a symbol of growth and immortality – with branches that climb towards the sky and roots that plunge deep into the soil. Different crafting techniques were used on the dial, including enamelling, bas-relief and glazing. The black diamonds on the case and the lugs give the model a particularly mysterious aura.

Gucci Le Marché des Merveilles: A honeybee, a tiger and a snake are the three beasts we can find delicately embroidered on this piece’s dial, which is covered with a nylon fabric in the brand’s iconic colours – green, red, green or blue, red, blue. The piece comes with a strap embroidered with the motto “L’Aveugle par Amour” (blinded by love). All the unconventional, colourful, daring and romantic elements of Alessandro Michele’s style (he is Gucci’s artistic director) feature in this watch.

Bulgari Lucea Moon Phases: With the Lucea Moon Phases, Bulgari plays with shapes, materials and colours in all subtlety. The moon, mounted on a disc set with rubies or aventurines, moves from phase to phase in an aperture cut into a motherof-pearl dial. Brilliant-cut diamonds are placed as hour markers and a further 45 also adorn the gold bezel, which is enhanced by a cabochon crown with a diamond-tipped pink gemstone.

Mademoiselle Privé Décor Aubazine by Chanel: Inspired by the stained glass of a Cistercian Abbey in Aubazine, the piece awakens a plethora of emotions. With its rhodium-plated gold and its diamonds, it is a blend of rigour and discipline. A whole new conception of refinement.

La Sirène by Ateliers de Monaco was created in 2009 for Princess Charlene of Monaco using light blue topaz stones set into the leaves of the King Protea, South Africa’s national flower, which is depicted on the dial. Now Ateliers de Monaco have extended the collection with two new models, La Sirène Diamant and La Sirène Rubis. Seen here is the all-diamond version in white gold with a total of 737 diamonds (3.06 carats) set into the case, crown, bezel and the mother-of-pearl dial. Powered by the in-house automatic dMc-700 calibre with a 22 carat gold rotor engraved with the shield of the principality of Monaco, La Sirène exudes refined elegance with its luxurious and stunning diamond-set dial and case, underlining the brand’s desire to create iconic timepieces. 48

Smartwatches, you say? Can you reconcile elegance, accessibility and connection? Frederique Constant seeks to prove it is possible with the introduction of the Horological Smartwatch Ladies. A pioneer of analogue movements with connected modules, the brand has reinterpreted its 2015 women’s version. As co-director Aletta Stas put it: “We are currently the only ones who offer connected watches that have been genuinely designed for women. Women tend to prefer quartz over mechanical watches – we provide them with the same userfriendliness in our connected watches. To top it all off, the watch doesn’t need to be recharged, as is often the case with smartwatches.”

Century, an expert in sapphire-set cases, has combined sapphire and mother-of-pearl on the Dragon Stone. The “Nacrilith” technique is a process in which a thin mother-of-pearl layer is inserted between two sapphire blocks. As refined as it is, the material is also fragile since it is extremely friable. On the watch, it is revealed in all its glory. Its shimmering effects are enhanced by light as all 36 sapphire facets reflect it at every movement of the wrist. At the peak of its glory, the Dragon Stone Skeleton – first introduced in 2009 – offers a clear view of every gear of the hand crafted skeleton self-winding movement.

Trends

JEWELLERY AND THE NEW WAYS OF WEARING IT BY LAURENCE JANIN, FOUNDER OF THE LAURâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LOGE BLOG AT WWW.LAURLOGE.COM

Nowadays, adornments for the ears and fingers are teaching us a thing or two about our anatomy. For a long time, our phalanges held no fascination for us, the mysteries of the helix, concha and lobule were known only to the medical world. Now jewellery is everywhere, popularly occupying every square inch of our bodies. It has rocked the market from the lowest to the very highest echelons of society. Bond bracelet by Charlotte Chesnais 53

e women are being swept off our feet by the new jewellery-wearing possibilities. These novel ideas are now suffused with passion and daring: they are speaking out for freedom and captivating a whole new transgenerational clientele. Many a fifty-something woman can now be seen entering a top prestige location, turned (multi) piercing parlour due to popular demand. Take, for example, the White Bird in Paris (just a stone’s throw from the Place Vendôme), the sophisticated showcase for designers, where such sessions are held every month accompanied by High Tea. Whether jewellery junkies for all time or more recent converts to the cause, more and more of us are starting to sit up and take notice of these creations for flesh long left fallow; “left fallow” meaning left provisionally uncultivated. For a long time, the body was indeed a desert waste, bereft of adornment, while jewellers and metalsmiths were producing pure marvels of exquisite execution. We were long witness to what can only be described as a prolonged abandonment of the body by Western societies, while in so many other civilisations, all parts of the flesh had been bedecked and bejewelled from time immemorial. Seen in a historical sense, the loss of interest is a recent trend and an entirely relative one.

When the whole body was a canvas For anthropologists, to discover the first items of adornment was to reach out and touch the beginnings of mankind. Jewels are symbols, they stand testament to man’s symbolic thinking. In the Dordogne in France, there is a tomb dating from the Palaeolithic era depicting a child whose head, ankles and wrists are decorated with more than 1000 shells, as well as fox and deer teeth. Before writing was invented, adornment was a form of communication, a message that could be conveyed by the whole body. Jewellery had an identity function, marking a person as a member of a group, and also a social function, indicating status. Depending on the era, it co-existed, with varying degrees of ease, alongside the increasingly popular invention of clothing. In the Western world, up until the First World War, only the face remained uncovered. Long sleeves, hats, veils, gloves reduced the surface of the canvas. Jewellery, in brooch-form, was attached or stitched onto the garment itself. The hippie trend provided a good excuse for the return of embellishments on more unconventional parts of the body. So, too, did the punk movement, which strove to “stylise a person’s body to mark his/her membership of a group, while nurturing a culture of hyper-singularisation”, to quote Philippe Liotard, an expert in body-altering practices.

The Jean-Paul Gaultier shockwave Jean-Paul Gaultier, without question the enfant terrible of fashion, created a sensation on the runway in 1994 with his spring/ summer womenswear collection. Gaultier’s “Les tatouages” collection channelled Joan of Arc-type armour with face piercings, graffiti prints and nose clips. This seismic event occurred bang in the middle of the radical minimalist era. The purist’s less is more approach had meanwhile been taken to extremes, making even the tiniest accessory uncool. It finally imploded when the mischievous designer successfully imposed his own unbridled, joyful, cross-cultural vision of fashion. Since then, accessories in general, and jewellery in particular, have become decisive factors in a fashion show’s success. They are what make the runway spectacular, in the same way as lighting or music. The piercing was irrevocably launched. Once a symbol of “kinkiness” in SM and gay communities, the safety pin ended up piercing the cheek in a rebellious demonstration of transgression and is now well on its way to becoming mainstream.

From Prada to Givenchy and back, Haute Couture adopts new ways of wearing From hairpins sporting the Prada label through to Dior’s chainmail bibs, jewellery of every kind abounds in all the grand Maisons. Featuring in Chanel’s Spring-Summer 2012 runway show, pearls were used to embellish hair-buns and adorned the neck (and back) of top model Arizona Muse, in her show-closing catwalk. As every brand well knows, jewellery contributes to the style of a collection. It is the distilled essence of a vision, the quintessence of a season’s inspiration. Often crafted in relatively cheap materials, including resin, acrylic, leather, and brass, they are the shortcut keystrokes for every budding fashionista on a shoestring seeking to fulfil a dream. For designer Tiffany Bähler, jewellery is no longer the investment it once might have been. From haute couture to readyto-wear, the world of fashion has created a whole new clientele who follow trends by adopting bold statement pieces that contravene traditional wearing habits. Yet, these new ways are not everyone. For example, the facial embellishments created by Riccardo Tisci for the Givenchy AutumnWinter 2015 show will not be readily copied. Charlotte Chesnais, a big fan of conundrums and young designer working for the likes of Balenciaga, Kenzo and Paco Rabanne is, however, in her element. Produced under her namesake jewellery brand, her silver or vermeil bracelets proved an instant success. A word of caution: you’ll need an instruction manual to set these jewels off to their best advantage! ou bien to figure out how and where to wear these beauties.

A lesson in style, Chanel Iman by Jacquie Aiche

Berbere earrings by Repossi

@INLOVEWITHDOTDOTDOT

Voilette by Reny Kestel

Best-of-the-rest in new practices Nowadays it’s possible to find a reasonably affordable ring for two or three fingers. A few centimetres further away, nailwear is also making a notable breakthrough. Paris-based sisters Chloé and Chanael Knopfer, co-founders of the Asherali Knopfer jewellery line, established a reputation for themselves with their minimalist nail caps in black or white gold, mounted on a diamond- or tsavorite-studded band encircling the fingertip. In Beverly Hills, you may bump into a super-cool designer walking around with bare feet and a long tousled mane on her way to her celebrity hang-out showroom. The body chains designed by Jacquie Aiche, born to American and Egyptian parents, are the offspring of an unlikely union between two cultures, Native American fossils and turquoise and hammered gold amulets from the Middle-East. Meanwhile, over on the east coast at Jacob & Co, Rare Touch Glove has been around for a while, but it still managed to create a stir at the last edition of Baselworld. Midway between luxury prosthetics and hand corsetry, these precious gloves shine with the fire of 382 brilliant-cut diamonds inlaid into rose gold mesh. Finally, the Chanel 2018 cruise collection recently unveiled at the Grand Palais proves, if proof were needed, that headbands and head jewellery are more fashionable than ever.

Maison Margiela mask

The exceptional case of the ear

Preciousness reigns

Hoops, chandeliers, clips, studs, sleepers: the vocabulary associated with earrings is evocative of a singular world that says much about lovers of ear adornments. Ear-lobe piercings are the oldest known act of body alteration. In cultures throughout the world, women, and many men, wear earrings every day. Buddha himself was no exception. His elongated ear lobes are a reference to his princely origins and to a time when they were adorned with impressive jewels. In 2011, Gaia Repossi designed an ear cuff for his Berbere collection, inspired by his studies in social anthropology and archaeology. The organic ear embellishment soon became a must-have among fashion designers. Ever since, the High Jewellery creations of the Maison Repossi have decorated the bodies of stars and starlets at red carpet events all over the world. It is certainly a whole new world for the adventuresome spirit. The terra incognita of the ear has inspired many a designer’s imagination. According to Elizabeth Fischer, in charge of the design, fashion and accessory department at HEADGeneva: “It’s here to stay. Any new territory is highly motivating for the designer. Before short hair styles were in fashion, the ears were kept firmly hidden, they were not revealed until the nineteen twenties. But ear piercing was a taboo subject”. Yet another bastion has fallen. Multiple piercings thus give us a delicious sense of transgression. What joy!

We have finally understood that jewellery has broken free. It has found its own territory, the more it advances, the more space it needs. The thirst for territorial conquest has resulted in the blurring of boundaries. Take, for example, the masks made by the Maison Margiela, headed up by the Belgian designer and supreme master of anonymity, who asked his models to walk the runway incognito. The crystalembellished rosette facemasks continue to fascinate us and constitute a work of art in their own right. Theatrical, yet not quite so obliterating, the Swarovski crystal veils created by the Australian milline, Reni Kestel play on their precious duality and mystery. Demonstratively ostentatious, shawls and capes crafted in diamonds by the Chinese brand Kimberlite Diamond are sketching the contours of a new world of excess and immoderation. Perhaps we are witnessing the “gemmification” of everyday objects, clothes, glasses, headsets, and mobile telephones? It is as if we see no beauty in banality, the mundane is no longer sufficient, it can only exist if embellished and adorned with refinements. Jewellery, joie de vivre, it’s the same difference!

www.abraitalia.it

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Internet

DIGITAL BESPOKE BY SERGE MAILLARD

More and more luxury brands are offering online customisation, but each in their own different way. We look at two interesting examples: Bulgari, which targets the end customers directly with its Serpenti, and Armin Strom, which addresses retailers first and foremost â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and ultimately the customer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with its online configurator. 60

ARMIN STROM In the case of the independent Biel-based brand, the new online configurator was designed first and foremost for retailers. “It’s not easy to find a good retailer in the first place, but when everybody has different tastes, it’s really tough for a brand that produces 600 watches a year!” explains CEO Claude Greisler. It was to solve this problem that they came up with the configurator tool: the retailers themselves create the watch and design their assortment to suit their customers’ tastes. To align itself as closely as possible to the expectations of different markets – such is the ambition of Armin Strom, thanks to the web. “Moreover, if retailers have configured a model themselves, they’ll be more likely to push sales of it. Once they’ve designed a few variants, we send some advance stock. They can also configure a watch directly with the customer, but there will be an additional waiting time before they receive the model.” And of course, aficionados can also personalise their models directly on the brand’s website.

BULGARI The Italian luxury brand has launched an application that allows customers to create no fewer than 312 different configurations of one its emblematic models, the Serpenti. “It’s now possible to personalise your watch on the internet, whether the diamonds, the colour or the strap, and to have four letters engraved on the back,” explains Fabrizio Buonamassa, who heads up design at Bulgari. ‘Love’ (or ‘Hate’), it’s up to you! Case, strap, dial – virtually everything about the Serpenti is now customisable. “The watch is delivered within two months for a starting price of CHF 3,800, to which you have to add CHF 500 for the customisation.” A very affordable price which, quite apart from the personal touch, is also likely to charm digital natives. And that is the whole point of the operation!

History

WATCH AUCTIONS: THREE DECADES OF A LEGEND

PART I

BY OLLIVIER BROTO, WATCHONISTA CONTRIBUTOR, AND JOËL A. GRANDJEAN, CHIEF EDITOR OF WATCHONISTA

In the early 90s, watches at auction could only be found among the general objects to come under the hammer at non-specialist sales. We take a look back in time.

The Rolex “Bao Dai” reference 6062 ignited a bidding war of 13 minutes, eventually selling for CHF 5.1 million, at the Phillips auction in Geneva in May 64

The age of the visionaries Auctions dedicated exclusively to horology were once spe- the pioneer Helmut Crott remembers how Patek Philippe alcialist rivulets supplying, alternately, the ever-widening ready dominated the field back in the day. The remainder of stream of dealers and, albeit less frequently, the three main the offering comprised complicated pocket watches produced general auction houses present in Geneva. by home-grown (Swiss) and foreign brands, including those A handful of personalities with a nose for the business, genu- made by Abraham-Louis Breguet in the 1800s, steel Rolex ine watchmaking enthusiasts and legend builders, came to Sport watches, such as the Stelline Moon ref. 6062, the Jeanthe fore immediately prior to this period. Osvaldo Patrizzi was Claude Killy or Paul Newman Daytona chronograph watches, one such figure. In 1974, he had already founded the “Galerie Vacheron Constantin’s pocket or wristwatches, and the old A. d’Horlogerie Ancienne”, an auction house for “wristwatches, Lange & Söhne models from Glashütte. clocks and other objets de vertu”, which became Antiquorum In addition to these figurehead models, one could also find SA in 1987. He also subsequently took advantage of the demise enamelled pieces made in Geneva in the first half of the 19th of Habsburg Feldman, whose last auction in Hong Kong was century and Swiss automaton models dating from around back in 1990. the 1800s, stellar mechanical works of art, The other leading figure was Dr. Helmut which fetched over 2 M CHF. On the other Suddenly, based on an Crott, an expert collector somewhat eclipsed hand, wristwatches made by brands less in idea of Osvaldo Patrizzi, demand, often chronographs, commandby the much-hyped Osvaldo Patrizzi. He is the concept of the nevertheless one of the visionaries to whom ed derisory prices. Thus, brands such as the industry owes so much today. Originally Omega, Eberhard & Co, Heuer or Longines themed auction revothe founder of Dr. Crott Auctioneers in 1974, were far more affordable compared to lutionised the industry. he embodies a German tradition, which, at Patek Philippe. the time, was just as, if not more, important than that of Geneva. He still owns what purists consider to be the largest Patek Philippe database for old watches. A reliable The turning point of 1989, tool, which continues to be regularly updated and consulted the birth of themed auctions to this day, listing all the product references with their sales scores and which is based on a system that relies on trace- Suddenly, based on an idea of Osvaldo Patrizzi, the concept ability and exhaustive documentation. The information con- of themed auctions revolutionised the industry. “Today, they tained therein proves just how independent of stock market are milestones in watchmaking history”, Dr. Helmut Crott developments these pieces have been in terms of investment confides. He may well have been inspired by Sotheby’s famous sale of a watch collection in the United States in 1986 and legacy value over the last 25 to 30 years. Still active in the industry and highly respected among an en- belonging to Seth Atwood, the American industrialist, who tire breed of collectors impervious to passing crazes and trends, sold off his Time Museum in Rockford, Illinois. Be that as it

Dr. Helmut Crott, the founder of Dr. Crott Auctioneers in 1974, an expert collector and one of the visionaries to whom the industry owes much today.

Rolex Ref. 6265/6262 Daytona ’Paul Newman Panda’ circa 1971 (Sotheby’s)

may, he made the year 1989, coincidentally the date of Patek Patek Philippe’s Henry Graves Philippe’s 150th anniversary, a turning point. Osvaldo Patrizzi Super-Complication had, in fact, held the very first auction exclusively dedicated to the legendary maison’s timepieces. Head honcho organiser and expert hammer-wielder with a firm grip on the finer points of interpersonal and communication skills, the exuberant entrepreneur auctionthe owner of the brand, Philippe Stern, ever eer managed to gather a sufficient number keen to add to his watchmaking and enamel of sought-after pieces to turn the event into collections, and build upon his prestigious an overwhelming success with the public. library. His thirst for acquiring historical This brief overview helps give an idea of pieces of his own, as well as Swiss watchmakthe watch offering in the late 80s and of the ing items in general, only served to boost trends that would emerge. It was the end of sales and excite interest. a decade, which, after the fatal quartz crisis, To sum up, 1989 saw the breakthrough of contributed in its own way to the rebirth of vintage wristwatches onto a market hiththe mechanical watchmaking industry. erto dominated by pocket watches and auLot no. 34 was a PPC 2499/100 in platinum, tomata. It also marked the point at which where C stood for & Cie, since the company Osvaldo Patrizzi, watchmaking pieces acquired a division of still carried the name Patek Philippe & Cie. the founder of Antiquorum and their own in the auction sector, a fact that The price achieved for this unique timepiece a legend of watch auctions the grand old institutions of watchmaking under the hammer was CHF 380,000. Lot no. had to learn to live with. It was therefore at 297 was a rectangular minute repeater, the only piece attrib- this moment that a genuine division was born and the sound uted to Mel Blanc (1908-1989), the Californian actor dubbed of the gavel reverberated for the first time at exclusive watch“the man of a thousand voices” for his mastery of the cartoon making sales. Since then, in collectors’ circles, the collector’s voice, which went for just over half a million at CHF 520,000. watch has had a special place, of the kind hitherto reserved Lot no.229, a rectangular Patek Philippe timepiece with tour- only for paintings and sculptures. The new business area has billon, topped all sales at CHF 650,000. continued to gather momentum to this day, save only for As Dr. Helmut Crott himself proclaimed in response to this a sharp downturn at the end of the Gulf War in 1992. “Even remarkable result: “At that time, as in previous years, it was Patek Philippe pieces were victims of the crisis and falling the pocket watch, not the wristwatch, that was putting up prices,” Dr. Helmut Crott remembers. the best sales performance.” Thus the grand complication dubbed as Lot no. 300 and Calibre 89 achieved a record CHF Other key dates 850,000 and CHF 4.5 million, respectively, at auction. 1989 was also the inaugural year of the Patek Philippe Museum, at 7, Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers, Geneva. The wealthy First off are the themed auction dates arranged by Osvaldo Italians who were contributing largely to the surge in horolo- Patrizzi. Patrizzi organised several events under the banner gy-specific auction sales were then joined by a newcomer, fol- of Antiquorum, whose cultural staging approach and imlowed by aficionados from all over the world: none other than pressive catalogues helped bring together the world of vintage watches with that of art in the form of painting, sculpture and legendary objets d’art: “L’Art de Breguet” in 1991, “L’Art de l’Horlogerie Française” in 1993, “L’Art de Vacheron Constantin” in 1994, “L’Art de l’Horlogerie Anglaise” in 1995, and “L’Art de Cartier” in 1996. Dr. Crott Auctioneers created a buzz in Frankfurt in 1992 with its themed auction of watches from Glashütte, in particular a number of timepieces produced by A. Lange & Söhne. It topped the one million DM mark with a gold and enamel pocket watch with tourbillon dating from 1900. The millennium ended on a record note, when, in 1999, Patek Philippe’s Henry Graves Super-Complication, the most famous watch in the world, went under the hammer at Sotheby’s and sold for a record-breaking 11 M USD, thus making it the most expensive timepiece in history. Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, inaugurated in 1989 68

Read the article online at Watchonista.com

AUREL BACS: A COLLECTOR OF

SUPERLATIVES

INTERVIEW BY SERGE MAILLARD

Aurel Bacs has put his stamp on today’s auction world with his record-beating sales. What hidden mechanisms are at work behind these skyrocketing sales statistics? Without a doubt the most iconic figure in today’s watch auction world, Aurel Bacs has been with several prestigious auction houses, each time leaving his own inimitable stamp on the industry: Sotheby’s (1995-2000), Phillips, for the first time (2000-2003), then with Christie’s (2003-2013), before returning to Phillips in 2015 with the stand-alone consulting firm Bacs & Russo, founded jointly with his wife. In May, the auctioneer packed a big punch with a Rolex ‘Bao Dai’ wristwatch, which went for over 5 million CHF.

You drove Christie’s ahead of Antiquorum, you are now driving Phillips ahead of... Christie’s. Is the success of an auction house mainly linked to the aura of the auctioneer – Osvaldo Patrizzi back then, now your good self? Is it really just a matter of personality? At the risk of appearing provocative, I’d say that even if you start out with a McDonald’s logo, you can still make it to the top, if you build the best team! I’m no miracle-maker, or angel sent from heaven. Success is built on reputation, a good address book and a solid team. Whenever I’ve joined a house in the past, sometimes I’ve found a team already in place, other times none at all. Each time, we were either no.3, no.4, or nowhere in the ratings. On two occasions, I started from scratch at Phillips. But we’ve always been able to build a team and secure a leadership positioning. Have your teams always followed you from one house to the next? I’ve never taken any teams with me! You can find new talent everywhere. The man who currently manages the American market had never worked in a watch auction house before: he previously worked in defence... But he had what mattered most: passion, an address book and a reputation. You could

call it obsession, love, the pleasure of dealing in fine watchmaking... We move in a world where there are no contracts to protect you, where you rely solely on a relationship of trust between the client and the auction house. That’s why our reputation must be flawless. And that’s the guarantee that also attracts the finest experts. Have you noticed how your clientele has evolved since you first started out? It has completely changed: only 10% of the clients I had in 1995 are still in business. If the top specialist a decade or so ago had fallen into a deep sleep and woken up today, he would never be able to organise a 10 million CHF auction sale. Firstly, we work with new players and the address book has changed totally: hugely wealthy clients with an interest in watchmaking are turning up from nowhere. Information is widely available, collectors are now acquiring an indepth technical knowledge of timepieces. Trends have also evolved: the square pink models with manual winding popular back then have been replaced by round steel automatic designs. And appraisals have become highly complex.

The current development in the vintage market is no doubt linked to the general resurgence in interest for watches after 2000. In that respect, your own fortunes seem to be inextricably linked with those of the contemporary watchmaking industry... I’m indeed very grateful to those people who have never abandoned fine watchmaking at the manufactures, for example Messrs. Stern, Hayek, Cologni, Rupert and Biver. They have been responsible for giving millions of people the taste for watchmaking, and of course we also benefit. At the same time, globalisation has contributed enormously to the rise in popularity of watchmaking and watch auctions. Never would we have grown so fast if we had confined ourselves to Western, or, indeed, Japanese demand. But the correlation with the current industry appears to end there: you are now achieving record sales, while modern watch sales are in decline... There’s an easy answer to that: the demand outweighs the number of vintage watches that are actually saleable. No one’s likely to come across a safe containing a million rare watches. And lots of old watches are no longer saleable, they are either damaged, poorly restored, or altered almost beyond recognition. Consequently, the prices have necessarily risen. What to do if you don’t have the wherewithal to buy your precious Patek Philippe or Rolex? You look for alternatives. This explains the recent successes posted at watch auc-

tions by brands such as Longines, Tudor, Omega and Heuer, and the “independent” watchmakers, such as F.P. Journe, Richard Mille, MB&F, to name but a few.

The internet has nonetheless increased the amount and reach of information and knowledge available: we can find out anything we want about a particular model, old or new, whenever we want...

Occasionally, one hears criticisms that today’s boutique staff lack expertise. Does this also explain collectors’ current interest in the vintage watch world?

I’m still sceptical about the internet. Recently, Twitter’s founder apologised that what started out as an information dissemination tool has ended up being invaded by fake news, to such an extent as to even influence the election results... We shouldn’t bury our heads in the sand: much of the stuff written on the internet about watchmaking is fake! We use the web for our communication and people can now bid at our auctions via the internet, but there are some experiences that technology cannot replace, such as talking with people face-to-face... And 95% of our clients bidding on the internet have already seen the timepiece in the flesh.

The subject of knowledge is a tricky one. If someone spends millions of CHF on watches, does it make him a specialist? For instance, I’m not a wine connoisseur, if I were to be handed a wine list the length of an auction catalogue, I’d tell the wine steward: “I’d like to enjoy some quality time in good company; I’ll leave it to you: this is my budget and my preference.” It’s also like that in the watchmaking world. It’s perfectly OK to not be a specialist, it doesn’t make you unworthy in any way!

RESURRECTING ANTIQUORUM: ROMAIN REA’S TRICKY TASK INTERVIEW BY SERGE MAILLARD

Despite being the first house to launch thematic auctions devoted to watchmaking under the impetus of the charismatic Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum has seen a drop in its fortunes in the past decade. The task that lies ahead for French expert watchmaker Romain Réa, who has just taken over the reins, is an obvious, but not easy, one.

Were you not in two minds about taking over the reins at Antiquorum since the decline in its fortunes over the past decade and the forced departure of the legendary Osvaldo Patrizzi? I gave the matter a lot of thought before agreeing to take over the management. I was certain in my heart, because Antiquorum, a pioneering auction house in the field, is one of the reasons I am so passionate about watches! But as far as my head was concerned, the decision was less instinctive, given its eventful past. But my task was to put those events behind me and turn a new page. I submitted an action plan, which was accepted by the owners of Antiquorum Management. I should just like to point out that our shareholder, FIDES, is based in Zurich and invested in the company in 2014. We have no contact at all with Antiquorum USA, which suffered so many setbacks involving Osvaldo Patrizzi. One of my conditions, in fact, was that we should be backed by a powerful shareholder... without any complications.

What kind of auction experience do you have? I was first approached as watchmaking expert and entrepreneur in the sector. I’ve had several stores in Paris and was the founder of the watchmaking department of Artcurial. In particular, I led the first thematic auctions devoted to JaegerLeCoultre and Panerai in France.

How do you intend setting Antiquorum back on its feet? I have a three-pronged action plan. First of all, my task is to resurrect the company’s heritage and rekindle the “magic” of Antiquorum. We want to restore the undeniable quality of the entity’s expertise, put a stop to the rumours surrounding the company and defend the brand on every level: that’s the main objective, the main task from which everything else will follow. The second strategic move is geographical: while sales in Geneva remain very good, the same cannot quite be said for Hong Kong, a market that was abandoned by the previous management team. We want to revive the momentum in Asia, not just in China, but also in Japan. Also, we are launching a new permanent presence in Monaco, or “little Geneva” as it is known, where I have several on-the-spot contacts. As is the case with Geneva and Hong Kong, we’ll be there 365 days a year. It’s the French Riviera, so watchmaking will grow increasingly in importance. We should also point out that even though we’re not specialists in everything, we’re going to extend the range of items for sale to include jewellery and other luxury goods. We’ve therefore planned another jewellery auction in Monaco in July.

Finally, our third task is to re-establish the prestige of Antiquorum’s thematic watch auctions, which came into existence within our company. Although the last big date in the calendar was Omegamania in 2007, we’re going to make this our core activity. The first thematic sale that we’ll be organising in November in Geneva will be the Art of Calatrava to mark the 85th birthday of the model and the anniversary of the creation of the Croix de Calatrava. It will be a tribute to The Art of Patek Philippe, Antiquorum’s first thematic sale in 1989. What about the digital revolution? Surprisingly enough, the .com address of the site still belongs to the former director, Evan Zimmermann. We therefore launched a new antiquorum.swiss address, firmly connecting the company to its roots in Geneva, the birthplace of luxury watchmaking. More generally speaking, the online store will be developed before summer. There are a lot of projects going on at the same time. We’ll carry on as if we’d just started up!

How do you reckon on repairing the poor image plaguing Antiquorum following the ousting of Osvaldo Patrizzi, even though he has since emerged as blameless from the affair, cleared of all suspicion? It’s difficult to rise untainted from such a business, in the watch connoisseur’s eyes... We are undertaking a major overhaul from the catalogue graphics chart to the pieces exhibited! Our task is to preserve the DNA of this historical company intact by recreating a top-quality image and content symbolic of its rebirth. Antiquorum is now way behind its competitors. As for Osvaldo Patrizzi, he is still the founder of the company and in this regard he retains his integrity. We must not forget this. I simply have a new vision for the company.

But what, in particular, can you offer collectors, when there are people like Aurel Bacs at Phillips, Christie’s and Sotheby’s, who occupy nearly the entire territory? I work with a huge team of experts in France and Monaco. Many companies have a distinctive face, an expert who dominates. We rely heavily on teamwork and have many experts. The quality of our skills is already top-notch, but hardly anyone realises it. We must work on promoting them. In fact, we have garnered an extraordinary wealth of experience since 1974. As far as I’m concerned, I won’t be abandoning my activities in Paris or my work as expert at the Court of Appeals. Basically, I’m placing my networks at Antiquorum’s disposal. That’s the network we’ll be building on.

DID YOU SAY

VINTAGE?

BY DOMINIQUE FLÉCHON, EXPERT AT THE FONDATION DE LA HAUTE HORLOGERIE, GENEVA

The term ‘vintage’ appears to be invading the entire watchmaking world and yet it covers many very different realities from the authentically ‘vintage’ preowned, pre-loved watch to the modern, so-called ‘neo-vintage’ model inspired by the past, not forgetting the timeless classics with an eternal vintage flavour. But there is a meaning behind the term!

n the context of current-day watchmaking, 2017 is often referred to as the “year of vintage”. Today, the term is used mainly in connection with clothing and accessories, jewellery, furniture and automobiles. Depending on the context, in watchmaking it refers not only to timeless models, such as the Cartier Tank, JaegerLeCoultre’s Reverso and the Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet (to name but a few), or second-hand or new versions of old classics 30, 50, and sometimes 100 years old, but also to more or less faithful re-editions and contemporary creations. The latter, referred to as retro or neo-retro, were designed to recall or resemble old objects by means of artificial ageing. To conclude, the term would therefore appear to be a generic

concept, although our studies have revealed a contrary reality and indeed other aspects beyond the field of semantics. Forming part of the oenologist’s vocabulary, the term vintage was originally used to refer to the age of a quality wine or the year of harvesting the grapes that went into its making. Gradually, it extended to fashion to describe any item of clothing or accessory made at least thirty years ago and pinpointing the time at which it was made. This definition was then gradually enriched by its association with remarkable moments in the history of clothing, furniture, automobiles and other industries.

Vintage, neo-vintage and other watches A genuine vintage watch is a pre-owned object generally manufactured between 1945 and 1980, a period covering several creative movements in the twentieth century and therefore different styles. Each model is a classic that has withstood the test of time without becoming outmoded. Its past may be read in the varying degrees of wear and tear. Such a timepiece is considered authentic in respect to the brand, as well as the techniques and materials used. It can recall a particular moment in the measurement of time, sporting achievements or epic tales of science. These wearable pieces form part of our cultural heritage and imply a certain level of knowledge on the part of their owner. They are sold through specialists and auction houses.

While retro fashion consists in wearing authentic items from the past, neo-retro is used in reference to contemporary creations designed to resemble or recall other older models. This notion is also found in the furniture industry. For example, an armchair dating from the Louis XVI era could only have been made somewhere between 1774 and 1792, whereas its counterpart in the Louis XVI style may have surfaced anywhere between the late 18th century and today. In the watchmaking industry, the term applies mainly to re-editions of successful models, whose original aesthetic codes from the period are reworked and reinterpreted. Such re-editions are made necessary by the relative rarity of originals in good condition. However, many examples have been repolished, thereby losing some of their original surface relief, much to the displeasure of some purists. Moreover, although a broad clientele is drawn to these period designs, it is nonetheless also captivated by the performances and dimensions of contemporary timepieces. The ensuing “contemporanisation” is achieved through the incorporation of modern characteristics: watchcases that are water-resistant to the stated measurements and fitted with sapphire crystals, present-day mechanisms with automatic winding and equipped with a shock damping device. The neo-retro watch is therefore the result of a fine balance between yesterday’s aesthetics to lend a hallmark signature and today’s technology. Inspiring without compromising is the key to the success of any re-edition, a fact that is not totally incompatible with creativity. In fact, neo-retro watches appear to have in their DNA a number of symbolic virtues that provide credible insights into history and that can be translated differently. Retro-futuristic watches, for example, respond to the desire of enthusiasts wishing to link the past to the future. The extravagant features of past times were attenuated by the use of purely avant-garde elements.

Vintage, a recent phenomenon? The interest in timepieces dubbed vintage for some, or neoretro for others, is not a new phenomenon. Back in the 19th century, the so-called fantasy watch adopted cases in the form of animals and insects, fish and shellfish, flowers and fruit that had been so popular two hundred years earlier. Equipped with ingenious 19th century mechanisms, they would likewise have been called vintage if the term had been in use. The same applied to Napoleon III furniture, which also adopted many styles from previous years either wholesale or in a reworked form. Closer to our times, the mechanical watch, albeit overtaken by technology, once again went into production after the 1980s, either continuing in the same vein, or adopting a revamped aesthetic driven by talented designers specialising in watchmaking, with Gérald Genta leading the pack.

The Rolex Submariner falls under this second approach. Housed in a case inspired by the celebrated 1926 Oyster, it first appeared in 1959 before it was adopted by James Bond. In 1981, it was replaced by a version that was the ancestor of the current model and technically superior. Its aesthetic codes remained fundamentally unchanged, but were discreetly updated. The Submariner, therefore, like other emblematic watches, was a nod to the timeless timepieces, which blurred the boundaries between vintage and neo-retro.

A protest movement... and a nostalgic nod to the past The repeat success of the neo-retro watch since the early 2000s is the result of a rebellion against everything that moves too fast in life. It displays a certain nostalgia for less oppressive times, a time when life was perceived, rightly or wrongly, as less complicated. The enthusiasm for vintage models illustrates the search for assurances that are found in contemporary watches with their uncomplicated back-stories and the disillusionment with the watchmaking extravagances of the 2000s. The latter manifested itself in a flurry of novel inventions, complications often difficult to understand for the layperson, the search for precision to within the nearest thousandth of a second, and other performances that had nothing to do with mechanics. This race for innovation took its toll on prices, many of which appeared to be unjustifiably inflated and largely unaffordable for most enthusiasts. The terms vintage and neo-retro also express a longing to return to human values, the need to be advised by a watchmaker and the desire for interaction among enthusiasts. At once easy to wear and more affordable, these models make it possible to break free from fashion constraints. They are a symbol of “self-indulgence”. Their subtle beauty replaces ostentation. The sobriety of their designs and the reduced dimensions of watchcases after 2012 marked a return to the watchmaking basics, a vector of timeless values.

What will the vintage models of 2050 look like? In these politically and commercially troubled times, vintage and neo-retro models represent the best of the present and the most aesthetic of the past. They enable the watchmaking brands to minimise commercial risks while offering them the manufacturing volumes they need. Bereft of any grand complications, requiring no costly research studies and technical developments, they consolidate the entry-level range to the collections. However, not all models are worth updating and only the most creative new designs, especially where time-telling aesthetics and finishes are concerned, will serve as the basis for the 2050 vintage.

Materials

WOODEN WATCHES

BY MR. E

Should you go for wood? Over the last few years, wooden accessories have gone mainstream. Increasingly, we’re seeing more lifestyle brands popping up specialising in wooden products like sunglasses, caps, and yes, even wristwatches. But today’s wooden watches are not like early models, which were very much a niche phenomenon. Today’s models are more refined, less bulky, and more durable. And they can also be found at very attractive prices, making this growing market very accessible to a range to consumers. In this special feature, we profile seven brands specialising in wooden timekeepers. From America, Canada, Italy, Germany, and Latvia, they’re all part of the global eco-fashion trend and are capitalising on today’s growing environmental conscientiousness movement. 76

TIMESHAPES: SCULPTURES OR TIMEKEEPERS? Timeshapes is the creation of Iowa-based designer James Borden. Since the 1980s, James has been in the business of creating some very special kinetic sculptures. They are essentially mechanical weight-driven or spring-driven clocks, and maybe most impressive of all is that every component is made of wood. James Borden hails from a small town in the state of Illinois – once a strong centre of American watch and clock making. But interestingly, his formal training had nothing to do with clock making. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and then went on to finish a Master of Divinity Degree. In the meantime, he opened a clock repair and restoration shop while attending his courses. From repairman he became a designer, creating standing and suspended clocks that have all of their gears exposed. Gradually he then went on to make the hand-carved pieces we are familiar with today, all of which are made from fine woods like walnut, cherry, maple and hickory. They have been so well received that they have won several awards at the Smithsonian Craft Show.

Designs include clocks that can be suspended from the ceiling, which can measure nearly 3 metres in length and 2 metres in height, or standing clocks, which can be even larger. The table clocks are a bit smaller, standing at about 60 cm. The inspiration behind the unique clocks comes from shapes found in nature, whether that is a tree or the silhouette of an animal. When set in motion, the pieces have a smooth motion and the passage of time can be heard through soft and woody clicking sounds. This is quite different than the high-beat ticking of watches – it represents a slower and calmer passage of time. Borden mostly sells his clocks at fairs and exhibitions. He also makes specially commissioned pieces for private customers, and prices range anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 USD. Of course, there is no mass production here – the master craftsman and clock maker can only manage to make about 10-15 of these clocks per year.

AB AETERNO, A WOODEN WATCH FOR ETERNITY? Italy is a country full of history. Rome is, after all, called the “Eternal City”. But the country also seems to be full of wooden watch makers, too. Ab Aeterno is yet another Italian fashion brand looking to leverage environmental consciousness. The formula is the same as with many other brands in the same space: cases and bands designed from sustainably sourced wood and quite affordable quartz movements on the inside (in this case courtesy of Ronda). The brand in particular prides itself on being toxin-free. Like with other wooden watches, the appearance of these watches will change a bit over time, making the watch a more personal item. The fact that wood remains somewhat of a “living” material gives such watches their character. Generally the watches are quite versatile and can be worn by either sex comfortably. To add a bit more flexibility and pop to their designs, the watchbands are interchangeable. Popular options besides the standard wooden band is the NATO style canvas straps for a sportier look. Their first collection was the Nature and Sky series, followed up with the more sober looking Horizon collection. But for Baselworld 2017, Ab Aeterno raised its level and introduced its first chronograph series: the Ianus.

THE “LOVE FOR WOOD” AND KERBHOLZ

The story of Kerbholz is half romantic, half silly. According to their website, Matthias & Moritz had been travelling across Central America when “they rediscovered their love for wood”. That’s when they got the idea to integrate the organic material into everyday street style. Joining Matthias and Moritz were their two friends Adrian and Nils, and after some planning, they started producing wooden glasses and wooden watches in 2012. Now that we know the origin story, what about that unique

The collection includes three models made from different woods: maple, walnut or black sandalwood. Positive early signs from the Italian brand, and we’ll watch out for them at next year’s show.

brand name? The word Kerbholz is German for “notches in wood” and it is meant to be a metaphor for all of the memories you would notch up wearing a wooden watch. The wood used in Kerbholz is sourced from certified sustainable forests, as it usually is with wooden watchmakers. Sustainability is an important part of the brand’s message. For their part, Kerbholz promises to donate a share of its profits to reforestation projects in Nicaragua. Besides using wood for their lifestyle products, Kerbholz also uses slate and acetate. Slate is known for its folded and parallel surfaces, which makes it a unique material to use in their sunglasses collection. Acetate, on the other hand, is essentially made from wood waste such as bark and other plant fibers, which makes it light and also somewhat weather-resistant. In terms of watches, the brand uses natural wood and Swiss sourced Ronda 762 E movements. A natural varnish is used to protect the cases from humidity and weather, which makes them splash proof. This also allows the watch to become darker with time, producing a patina similar to leather. Overall, with Kerbholz wooden watches you get a fine balance of German design, Swiss (quartz) mechanics and eco-friendly material sourcing. All that, and a great price to match makes this young brand a great option for those looking for something a bit different from the watch industry.

TENSE WOODEN WATCHES FROM A VERY CHILL PLACE The story of Tense Wooden Watches begins with Ken P. Lau, who in in 1957 started to work as a professional clock designer. From the beginning, Ken experimented with natural components like wood and stone. But in 1968 he moved on to making wristwatches, and three years later he founded Tense Wooden Watches. Being around since 1971 makes this brand one of the pioneers in this sub-category of the watch industry. And today Ken brings nearly a half-century of watchmaking expertise to the company. The name itself comes from the word “tense”, as in one moment in time in relation to another moment in time (as in: past tense, present tense). That all makes perfect sense. Except for those who might unfortunately associate the brand name with “tension” instead… This brand, however, seems to be anything but tense. For starters, they come from Canada. More specifically, Canada’s west coast, which is know for its chill vibe and beautiful scenery. Those characteristics are reflected in the watches as well. In this case, the watches are made from 100% recycled or reclaimed wood, and are manufactured by hand in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The watches are powered by either Swiss Ronda or Japanese Miyota quartz movements, and they seem to offer something for everyone.

For instance, the Vermont – part of the Hybrid Series – can be had for $360 CAD (270 Swiss francs, at the time of writing). Believe it or not, that’s on the more expensive side of their collection. The square face watch has a wood and metal case on a wood and metal band, hence the “hybrid” designation. It is powered by a modest Ronda 6004D Swiss Movement and is protected by scratch resistant sapphire crystal and stainless steel with PVD coating, both nice additions at this price point. For the ladies, there’s the fashionable and affordable Delta. It costs only $230 CAD (164 Swiss francs) and is made from teak. The triangular face is paired with an elastic band with angular pieces of wood forming the bracelet. This model is powered by a Japanese Miyota quartz movement. Most of their other watches, however, can be worn as unisex models. For instance, the Leather Hampton is a good option for either sex. It is made from genuine Italian leather and 100% recycled or reclaimed wood and costs only $180 CAD (135 Swiss francs). With a broad range and excellent price points, Tense Wooden Watches has done the Canadian watch industry proud.

THE GOOD THAT COMES FROM WOOD: LAIMER’S CASE This young company – it was only established in 2012 – is based out of South Tyrol, the picturesque region straddling the Italian side of the border with Austria. While the region can’t compare with Swiss watchmaking heritage, it can certainly compete with its natural beauty. And nature is what it’s all about with Laimer. Patrick Laimer, the brand founder, has been working in the wood industry for years. He now applies his skills in making lifestyle products – including watches and sunglasses – combining fashion and the protection of the environment. The benefit of using wood is that it is a sustainable material – but only when it’s done right. Often, wood watch brands use leftover materials, for example using offcuts that would be otherwise too small to make furniture. Laimer’s watches and sunglasses are made of high quality leftover woods like maple, hackberry, zebrano, oak and sandalwood. In many cases, they use woods native to South Tyrol in Italy, which also lowers the carbon footprint of the business by

consuming and producing locally. On top of their sustainable sourcing of materials, the company also supports various projects for reforestation. Of course, it’s pretty hard to make a movement using only wood. So on the inside of their watches we typically find Miyota quartz movements. The light movements, and also the light weight of the wooden cases and bands, makes these watches very comfortable to wear. The nice thing about wooden watches is that grain itself can provide an excellent aesthetic, especially if different patterns and materials are mixed. In my opinion, the natural look is the best for these timepieces, and Lamier gives us some fine examples. But for those looking for a bit more flash, some models also incorporate crystals from Swarovski, like the “Julia”. Prices are generaly in the mid-100 euro range and that is a great price point for anyone looking to enter the wood watch movement. And in this case, it is a proper social movement, too, since the company looks to be doing more than its fair share to work in a very sustainable way.

HOW WEWOOD STAYS SUSTAINABLE WeWood is an Italian brand founded in 2009 in Florence. And coming from Florence can be a blessing and a curse for a brand. On one hand there is the great cultural and artistic heritage. On the other hand, the brand has to actually live up to it. That’s possibly a difficult ask since the city is known for its art scene, its architectural beauty, and even its T-bone steaks, but not really for its watches. But on balance, WeWood’s designs seem to hold up. One example that stood out for me is the Oblivio, which sports a bold, circular case with metallic hands, large industrial indices, and a rich wood grain 46mm case. For those looking for a bit more resilience from a wooden timepiece – which they are not really known for – the Phoenix is a good option. It features the brand’s first waterproof case up to 5 ATM or 50 metres. It is paired with a Miyota VD54 movement and standard issue mineral glass.

Like most other wood watch brands, WeWood uses remnants of hardwoods from all over the world. That helps keep material sourcing affordable and also environmentally sustainable. And just in case that wasn’t enough, for each watch sold WeWood promises that they plant a tree in collaboration with nonprofits like American Forests and Trees for the Future. So far, the company has planted nearly half a million trees since the programme began in 2010. If that is an accurate indication of the number of timepieces they’ve sold since then, WeWood seems to be in decent shape. But while WeWood watches are designed in Florence, full disclosure: they are assembled in China. That might raise some sustainability questions, but they’re not exactly the only fashion brand to set up camp in China. And it seems that the brand does more than most to make up for it in the end anyway.

ANOTHER UNUSUAL MATERIAL… THE TAMAWA STORY: FROM SNOOKER BALL TO WRISTWATCH

OVI WATCH: PUTTING LATVIA ON THE WATCHMAKING MAP We’ve covered many wooden watch brands of late, some relatively young and some that have been around for decades. And with the market for eco-fashion on the up, we’re still seeing some new players enter the space. We recently discovered another example from Latvia: Ovi Watch company. We don’t see much in terms of watchmaking from the Baltic country, so they’re worth a closer look. As it turns out, starting a lifestyle brand specialising in wooden products in Latvia makes a lot of sense, because wood is the country’s number one export. Most of the place is covered with trees, after all. Ovi takes this plentiful natural resource and adds value to it by designing some interesting timepieces. They’ve even delved into making wood brimmed caps. But let’s stick to the timepieces for now. Starting from 3D models at the Liepāja Design and Art College, the team produces all of its timepieces in the Latvian town with the same name. Typical source materials used for the cases include elm, cherry, walnut, and teak. On the inside we get Swiss made Ronda quartz movements, and each is topped with a sapphire crystal. That’s notable because their price points are very good, typically ranging from the low to high 100s in euros. Getting your own personalised Ovi watch, for example, will run you 189 euros, which enables you to choose among wooden materials and a specific signature to mark the watch as your very own. Typically of wooden watches, these too are quite light. They are also quite versatile – perhaps more than most wooden watches – and they can be worn daily and even during some formal occasions without much of a second thought. Having seen my fair share of wooden watches recently, what I really like about Ovi’s watches is the integration of the hour indices from the dial up to the bezel. It’s a nice bit of wood carving that adds depth and detail, making Ovi one of my favourite wood watch designers.

This contemporary brand executes a mono-form design concept to perfection, with a wide range of lifestyle products inspired by the Bakelite ball. We first came across innovative Belgian brand Tamawa at Baselworld 2017. The relatively young company was founded by Hubert Verstraeten, who also plays an active role in design for the company. The unique name is Japanese for “ball on steel ring”, but all Tamawa products are 100 % made in Belgium. What really makes this lifestyle brand stand out was the unique monoform design concept across the entire product range. You might have recognised that the brand’s identity is firmly tied to Bakelite, an early plastic that was invented by a Belgian-American inventor over a century ago. Bakelite is the same material that snooker and billiard balls are made from. The idea came about when Hubert Verstraeten met with a Belgian snooker ball manufacturer, which would then go on to supply a special resin to the designer to make his watches and eventually jewellery pieces. This mono-form design also makes is relatively easy to have a single design aesthetic running throughout the entire product range. The company employs the talents of up-and-coming designers, artists and silversmiths to create a very colourful and contemporary product line. On offer we have everything from jewellery, to salt and pepper mills, coat stands, wall hooks, and even lighting systems. All pieces have a unique shine and are quite durable. They also come in a wide range of bold colours – in fact all the official colours that snooker balls are available in: white, blue, yellow, purple, black, orange, red and pink But what I’m really interested in is their watches. The two emblematic pieces comprising the collection are the TW27 and TW35 watches, designed by Hubert Verstraeten himself. Again, a Bakelite ball is at the core of the design, complemented by a spherical dial and usually a double bracelet. I also enjoy the simplicity in the naming of the different models. There is the “Small Watch” option which comes in a 27 mm Bakelite casing, and the “Big Watch” which is larger at 35 mm. It’s hard to make a mistake about choosing the wrong size in this case. Watch prices range from € 255 to € 286 depending on the size. Each can be customized online, with plenty of case colours to choose from, as well as two different options for the watch hands. For those who can’t decide one way or another, there is also the option to purchase a complete set, allowing the different components to be interchanged. The set comes packaged nicely in a case which looks more like a snooker set than a watch collection, which certainly makes these Tamawa pieces conversation starters.

Industry

THE CLASP

THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR WATCH BY PIERRE-YVES SCHMID, EUROTEC

Not always intuitive to fasten, the clasp is often a stumbling block for the owner of a new watch. So the best thing is to be prepared. But why are there so many different systems? And what are they exactly? We have the answers.

here are two parallel approaches to clasps, that baseline component of virtually every watch. Some see them simply as a means of opening and closing the strap. But others make them an integral part of the design, an asset of differentiation. In that case, the choice of model, materials used and degree of personalisation take on an importance all of their own. In this article, we present the principal clasp systems used in the industry and explain the rationale behind them. The degree of complexity depends largely on how they are produced and how secure they are once closed, but also on the type of material used to make the strap.

The different types of clasp The pin buckle: Identical to the system used for belts, this clasp takes its name from the small metal pin that you insert into the holes in the watch strap. It is without a doubt the simplest and most widespread system. Although its relatively low cost can be a sales argument, it has the disadvantage of wearing out fairly rapidly. As for its scope of use, that’s easy: only supple straps in leather, plastic or silicone can be fitted with pin buckles. Folding clasp: With its hinged system, the folding or deployment clasp ensures that the two parts of the wrist strap are never separated. That means that the risk of losing your watch is virtually nil. There are two versions of this type of clasp. In the ‘single-fold’ version, the clasp unfolds on opening and folds itself again through a ‘V’-shape on closing. The doublefold version, also called a ‘butterfly’ clasp, has two hinges and opens in two stages. On closing, the metal sections on the inside of the strap fold over symmetrically on either side of the clasp. These two types of clasp are often used with steel watches, but it is perfectly possible to mount them on supple wrist straps. Although they are already reputed for

being hard-wearing and secure, they may additionally be fitted with a security system either in the form of a pushbutton that locks the clasp, or a ‘flap’ that folds down over it. Just above, we mentioned two versions of the folding clasp. In fact there is a third, a derivative of the butterfly version. This is the invisible butterfly clasp. For reasons of elegance, the clasp closure is hidden from view. It is opened by pressing tiny buttons on the sides. It is especially popular for ceramic wrist straps. If there are any disadvantages to this deployment-type clasp, it is the risk that the curve does not perfectly mould to the wrist. Clip clasp: Also very common, this is a fairly basic type of clasp. It has a lever system which clips onto the strap simply by pressing it down. It is most frequently found on metal watch straps and jewellery bracelet watches. It has the advantage of blending discreetly into the links of the strap. Some brands use it on their metallic straps in Milanese mesh – that is, without links.

Sliding clasp: Closely related to the clip clasp, the sliding clasp offers the possibility of adjusting the length of the strap to the size of your wrist. It is mainly used on Milanese straps. Hook-and-loop clasps: Some watches (we’re clearly not talking about the top end of the market here) use bands of Velcro to make the straps. The good thing is that they’re easy to open, but the downside is the lack of security of this system and its tendency to snag all over the place and to succumb rapidly to wear and tear. This system is used first and foremost for sports watches.

How to make a clasp, in four easy stages It all starts with the design. This can be made on the basis of ideas or precise wishes voiced by clients, or left up to the designers. As soon as an initial design emerges, the draft is passed on to the engineers who check the concept for feasibility in terms of materials and performance. If the engineers give the all-clear, a prototype is produced to obtain a visual idea of this first stage. These same engineers then make the transition from design to production by producing technical drawings using CAD programmes. The clasp will usually be manufactured by stamping, that is shaping the material by pressing it over tools specially created to reproduce the desired shape. The workers in charge of manufacturing these tools, called press tools or swages, have over time developed special techniques and tool types that respond to the specific aesthetics and precision needs of the watchmaking industry. Today, technological advances (electrical discharge machines, milling on multi-axis CNC machines, etc.) have further developed the profession towards greater productivity, higher precision and increasingly complex shapes (such as incorporating logos by overstriking). Once the stamping operation is completed, the part goes to polishing. ‘Polishing’ covers several techniques: actual polishing (to make it shiny) or calendering (to make it matt) a piece by rubbing it with different materials. The difficulty lies in removing the defects without deforming or changing the size or geometry of the object. Whether polishing

is manual or automated largely depends on the volume of parts to be processed. As regards automated polishing, there are several types of equipment for this: for example, machines with a continuously rotating table for production volumes of anything from 30 to 500 parts an hour. The parts are loaded and unloaded while the machines are running, which limits idle times and consequently lowers costs. As for robots, they have been used for several years now, but for a long time had the disadvantage of being unable to reproduce the exact movements of an experienced polisher. It is worth noting that mechanical engineering company Crevoisier solved this problem with its POLIcapture concept: with the aid of complex software, 3D-modelling of the parts and the polishing system, as well as a highly accurate definition of the geometries, it succeeded in capturing the exact movements that have to be performed. The final operation consists of assembling and then inspecting the different parts of the clasp. By agreement with the customer, inspection can be carried out from the perspective of performance, dimensions and aesthetics. The aesthetics inspection is conducted purely visually with or without a magnifying glass to spot the slightest flaw. If a flaw is found, the part returns to the polishing workshop for correction. Lastly, special packaging (foam boxes, adhesive tape or protective film) is used to ensure that the work of the polishers is kept intact.

Golden Bridge

Portrait

VINCENT CALABRESE

OBSESSIONS OF A NEAPOLITAN WANDERER BY PIERRE MAILLARD

Just published by Editions Slatkine, Le Temps d’une vie (in English ‘Time and a lifetime’) is Vincent Calabrese’s novel-like autobiographical account of independence. It tells both his own story and that of the Swiss watchmaking industry.

incent Calabrese has just brought out a book that anyone gravitating around the watchmaking “ecosystem” should consider reading. Although it reads it like a fully-fledged novel, describing the very singular personal journey of an extraordinary watchmaker born into a poor family in Naples, it also gives us many insights into the world of Swiss watchmaking. Vincent Calabrese is obsessed. Obsessed with existing, with creating, with innovating, and with telling the whole story. In fact, without these obsessions and his thirst for independence, he would probably not be the person he is today. And without this Neapolitan wanderer, the Swiss watchmaking landscape would no doubt look very different. Vincent Calabrese is temperamental, he’s as stubborn as a mule, does exactly as he pleases, is not afraid of facing up to the big boys, and he’ll always tell you exactly what he thinks of you, good or bad.

He’s an agitator, a troublemaker, a spanner in the works, an awkward customer, a fearsome opponent with the grip of a Rottweiler. At the same time, he’s also a tireless worker, an exceptional creative talent and a gatherer of energies. A genuinely good, modest man, with no hidden agenda, who likes to foster healthy competition and emulation among peers and rivals, Calabrese is the originator of the AHCI (Academy of independent creative watchmakers). What a contrast Vincent Calabrese makes in this sullen environment that is the bigbrand-name watchmaking sector, with all its jealousies and suspicions. Yet the self-taught craftsman could not care less and even when, sometimes, his path has been strewn with obstacles and hardships and he has been tempted to give it all up, he has never allowed himself to be defeated.

From Naples to Le Locle Vincent Calabrese’s journey began in 1944 in Naples, where he was born into a poor family. He lived together with his parents, his brother and sister in a basso, a space measuring 30m2, which gave directly onto a noisy narrow street in old Naples. Of his father, a former master baker, who had come home from war an invalid to join the ranks of the unemployed, he once said that he was “honest and generous, yet obsessed with the thought that he was being exploited, an illiterate man for whom violence was his sole means of expression”. His mother was “a gentle-natured, cultured woman, who loved opera and loathed vulgarity, and who worked from morning to night at her sewing machine to provide a better future for her children.” At the age of 13, he left school, moving from one minor job to another, ranging from chemist’s assistant to delivery boy

for a bookshop before securing a post as apprentice to a local watchmaker. Here, he learned all kinds of skills, such as “combining radios with alarm clocks, or making metal chairs and covering them in plastic”. But his wage was only enough to cover the cost of a packet of cigarettes a week, so he gave it up and when he was barely 14, he set himself up in business at home as a “watchmaker/repairer”. Already fiercely independent, he more or less made a living at his job, saved a bit of money, growing up in the rebellious mood of post-war Naples, until it was time for him to enter military service. “In order to escape the nightmare of spending two years in the Marines,” he wrote, “the only solution was to emigrate.” His uncle had settled in Switzerland, so why not join him? He managed to convince his mother, brother and sister that it was a good idea and so all four of them left the father behind in Naples and headed for Le Locle. It was then the winter of 1961, and one could only guess at the shock of the young Neapolitan wanderer suddenly finding himself footdeep in snow in the middle of nowhere.

“I’m a watchmaker! No, you’re an Italian.” One week later, he was hired at Tissot! Admittedly, it was an era of full-time employment. But in the workshop, whenever he announced that he was a watchmaker, the reply was: “No, you’re an Italian!”. No matter. He tempered down and was happy to be in Switzerland. At Tissot, he worked on a production line. “I sang while I worked, cracked jokes, and took far too much interest in my female workmates. I was reprimanded by my boss for my exuberant behaviour.” Eventually tired of the atmosphere and the repetitive work, he left Tissot and joined Cyma… In the coming years, he would become a man of integrity, proud, hard-working and obstinate, moving from one company to the next: in 1964, he joined Zenith, in 1965 he worked for Richard, in Morges, then he took a job at Hebdomas, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, finally becoming workshop foreman at Teriam… Every time, it was more or less the same story. He was a good, fast worker, he learned a great deal, improving the workshops or departments in his charge, but his various employers always failed to keep their promises. So he regularly handed in his notice until 1971 when he found the job of his dreams. He was appointed manager of Diamant Bleu, a watchmaking workshop in the terribly chic Crans-Montana ski resort! It was a sudden move up the social ladder and, now in contact with a rich clientele to whom he began selling prestigious brands, the self-made Neapolitan man suddenly saw his future.

The moment of truth One day, a client brought him a splendid 19th century pendant watch made by Breguet. It had been run over by a car, the case has suffered greatly, but the movement was still repara-

ble. “The client was asking me to repair the case alone. He didn’t care that the watch no longer worked. He was only interested in appearances… I remember I was boiling with rage!” The feeling of rage, once again, would remain with him for some time and that single incident would lead, a few years later, to one of the finest creations in contemporary watchmaking: the Golden Bridge. “That day, I decided that, as soon as I could, I would design a watch that would be bought for the beauty of its movement alone”. Fine words, but quite a challenge. It would be some years before Vincent Calabrese succeeded in designing and creating the object of his “spatial” watchmaking dreams, in which the entire movement was left open to view. Still without any qualifications whatsoever, he went on to fine-tune his knowledge by taking courses at Patek Philippe, then Rolex (two completely different atmospheres, by all accounts) and, one fine morning, he woke up after dreaming about his watch. “Trance-like, I began to draw the system that would enable me to invent the principle of spatial watchmaking. I could already see the solution in my head.” Corum were quick to purchase his prototype, which scooped the Gold Medal at the Geneva International Inventions Exhibition in 1977. It would become known as the Golden Bridge. From that moment on, Vincent Calabrese would not stop innovating.

The philosophical wanderer In the course of his book, Calabrese details his successive inventions in turn. This one-by-one discovery helps us to fully understand the meaning and consistency of the whole. As is often said of a painter in the process of becoming, Calabrese builds his oeuvre. And the common thread connecting his creations appears as an underlying philosophy. Yes, he dares to use the term. An emotional philosophy is at the root of his language. A philosophy, which is incarnated in watchmaking. “The only language I can express myself with is watchmaking”, he often likes to say. It is a conscious language, at which he became increasingly adept. And, throughout the book, Vincent Calabrese regularly proclaims that everything he does is undertaken in full knowledge of the facts, knowing precisely where he wants to end up. As one discovers further, the watches do indeed begin to make sense. They form a long, coherent sentence, beginning with his Spatial creations, explorations based on the Golden Bridge linear movement. But unlike the baguette-shaped movement on the Golden Bridge, the Spatial movements came in all shapes possible: the letters of the alphabet, characters, symbols, even the boot of Italy. As a result, Blancpain commissioned him to make a tourbillon. He came up with a rarity for the time, a flying tourbillon, for which he executed a prototype. But Blancpain delayed its release. Tired of waiting, two years later, he brought it out himself and the watchmaking world beheld the spatial Flying Tourbillon magically suspended between two crystals, bereft of any attachments.

Moreover, Corum appeared no longer in a hurry to produce his Golden Bridge. Calabrese, who had by then set up business on his own and was running a small watchmaking workshop in Morges, did not receive the anticipated royalties and struggled to stay afloat. And although in the meantime he had founded the AHCI, gathering around him the most talented independent watchmakers in Switzerland and elsewhere, he still felt like abandoning everything.

The Baladin One watch would get him out of the situation in which he found himself: the Baladin. A watch created “in the image of the cantastorie, the Italian storyteller who wandered the streets of town spreading news”. This meant a watch comprising a hand-free display on which time-telling was by means of an aperture digitally indicating the hours. The aperture wandered around the dial indicating the minutes as it went. Simple and ingenious. He sold his concept to the Italian Pinko and “I went overnight from CHF 30,000.- a year to several years’ worth of sales”. The watch sold by the thousands. He got back up on his feet (as he always does) and invented an extraordinary travel clock. Two Hands is a tourbillon travel clock with counterweights, composed solely of two hands suspended in the void at the end of a stem. One extraordinary feature was that the entire movement was housed in the minutes hand, including the tourbillon. A true feat of achievement. But he was keen to continue along the path opened by the Baladin and from then on designed “extraordinary watches with ordinary movements”. And presumably his Neapolitan origins were not without significance. For his obsession never faded. He felt that the big brand names had become far too omnipotent. He realised that “the public were no longer buying a product but an image”. He felt that he was clearing the ground for the big makes to start exploiting the territory.

Commedia Everything, in his eyes, is a vast Commedia. And Commedia was precisely the name of his next piece: an aperture displaying the jumping hours could be glimpsed through partly open theatre curtains. In the ultimate provocative gesture, he inserted a quartz movement. To emphasise his message, he borrowed from Dante and his Divina Commedia. This time, eleven words are made visible: Perdete Ogni Speranza, Voi Che Create, l’Arte Pagante E Solo Alle …! In English: “Abandon all hope, ye who create. Only fashionable art pays off.” But once again the wind turned. It was then 1992 and two more new chapters opened in the life of Vincent Calabrese, entitled “Sur orbite” and “Les Années ludiques”. More creative than ever, he finally followed up with his “extraordinary watches with an ordinary movement” for his own brand. He fine-

tuned the performance capabilities of the power reserve indicators for automatics and on dual time zones adjustable to the nearest minute. He devised the ingenious AM/PM, Night & Day watch, he invented the Horus, with its satellite subdial with minutes indication. He also started receiving new commissions, achieved recognition in Japan, and was awarded the Gaïa prize, known as the Nobel prize of watchmaking. With the support of his daughter, who took care of the rest of the business, he produced up to 800 watches a year, “made by my own hand”.

The carrousel A blow of fate, a drama, the sudden death of a loved one were events that would successively conspire to stop him dead in his tracks. A subsequent attempt to kickstart his activity again failed due to a partner’s indiscretions. Would the rebel finally have to fall in line? “2006 to 2008 were years of survival”, he confessed. But he went on to grant Cartier a licence, and clocked up commissions for Sellita, Vuitton and Blancpain. Blancpain wanted to be the first and only brand to bring out a carrousel, a mechanism with rotating escapement and an unfairly scorned rival of the tourbillon, invented by Bahne Bonniksen in 1892. A carrosello was music to the ears of a Neapolitan. Excellent news. He was picked up by Blancpain and could at last devote himself entirely to his research and not have to worry about a thing. He was up for it. The brand presented a promising and noteworthy prototype at the Basel watch fair 2007. Then… absolutely nothing. What had happened? It was a mystery for Vincent Calabrese who had always had a very good relationship with Marc Hayek. He never received an explanation, but maybe the answer lay elsewhere. Setting the “proletarian” carrousel against the “noble” tourbillon wasn’t going to do anyone any favours. The tourbillon had become the industry’s sacred cow. More tourbillons were now being produced in one year than had ever been produced since its invention by Breguet in 1801 and until the early 90s. Commedia was the operative word. Vincent Calabrese became a little paranoid. And for good reason, it wouldn’t be the first time that one of his innovations had been pre-empted only to end up on the back burner. Maybe someone bought it to conveniently spirit away? Once again, he handed in his notice. But he popped up again as an independent operator at the end of 2011. Independent? He will no doubt remain so until the end of his days. An independent struggler, fighter and designer. For him and others like him, such as his friend, Jean Kazès, the ingenious Carouge-based clockmaker, whose works he goes to great lengths to promote. And rebellious? Always. One of the final chapters in his book is entitled Obsession, in which he tells a few home truths about the watchmaking industry and its journalism. And he doesn’t mince his words. But why should he? He’s a lone wolf, is Vincent.

RECOMMENDED READING BY FABRICE MUGNIER, WATCHPRINT.COM

Breguet: Watchmakers since 1775 By Emmanuel Breguet First published in 1997, this is the new edition, updated and with the notable addition of pages showing the historic pieces acquired by the Breguet Museum since 2000. This unique work not only describes the life and vast oeuvre of the brilliant watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823), but also the uninterrupted history of the Montres Breguet company to the present day, including one chapter devoted to Nicolas G. Hayek, who headed the company from 1999 to 2010. The work further includes a large glossary, a table of the illustrated watches and clocks, a chronology, a bibliography and an index of names. 452 pages, CHF 130.-

Moonwatch Only: 60 years of Speedmaster By Grégoire Rossier and Anthony Marquié Numerous bloggers view this work (FratelloWatches, Timezone, Hodinkee) as one of the best books for collectors. It owes its success to an innovative methodology. The first half of the book is devoted to the parts that constitute a Speedmaster. The different calibres, dials, bevels and buttons are all described, enabling the reader to identify all the codes that go to make up a Speedmaster. Published on the model’s 60th anniversary, this re-edition is considerably expanded and has two new contributors, Petros Protopapas, curator of the Museum, and James H. Ragan, the NASA engineer formerly in charge of selecting watches for astronauts, who recounts anecdotes from the space programme about this model. Ragan also states that he does not know any other equipment suppliers to NASA who have continued to deliver their products to the space programme for so long. 566 pages, CHF 250.- Edition Watchprint

Patek Philippe: The authorized biography By Nick Foulkes There is a large body of books describing Patek timepieces, from the pocket watch to the wristwatch, to the delight of collectors all over the world. But so far, none has really charted the history of this prestigious manufacture. The narrative begins in Poland, the native country of the brand’s founder Antoine Norbert de Patek, before his meeting in Switzerland with the great watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe. It tells every stage in his story, from the purchase of the manufacture in 1932 by the Stern family to the present day. In two exclusive interviews, Nicholas Foulkes was able to penetrate the family intimacy and bring out stories and forgotten anecdotes. Together, they have made use of the brand’s extraordinary archive to present some astonishing, previously unpublished photos. 544 pages, CHF 220.- Editions Preface

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