THE WATCHES MAGAZINE Summer 2017

Swiss International Magazine Summer 2017 #049 Interview Philippe Delhotal - Guest Vanessa Martinelli

English Edition

Omega

The mech an ical od yss ey Alpina - Bell&Ross - Blancpain - Breguet - Breitling - Bvlgari - Cartier - Jaquet Droz - Chanel - Chopard Emile Chouriet - Eterna - Fabergé - Frédérique Constant - Hermès - Hublot - Longines - Louis Moinet - March LA.B - MB&F Montblanc - Oris - Patek Philippe - Perrelet - Rebellion - Rolex - TAG Heuer - Tissot - Tudor - ulysse Nardin - Zenith suisse: 10 francs FRANCE MéTRO: 7 EuROs - BEL/LuX/POLAND: 8 EuROs - uK: £8 - A/D/GR//PORT.CONT: 8,40 EuROs - CAN: 11,95 $CAN - usA: 14,99 $us

C ove r wat Ch

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OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra

By Sharmila Bertin

T

o the delight of its fans, the most classic watch in Omega’s Seamaster collection has been given a new look this year. The timepiece puts its ocean flavour (waterresistant to depths of 150m) into a cool gentlemanly watch in two models in different sizes. Both the 38mm and 41mm pieces (this issue’s cover star) can be worn by men and women alike.

In terms of changes to the new Seamaster Aqua Terra, the case has been made more symmetrical, the date has moved from 3 to 6 and the Teck stripes are now horizontal and not vertical. The “150m” figure has moved from the dial to the case back whilst the cone-shaped crown and built-in strap make the watch more comfortable to handle and wear.

The Seamaster Aqua Terra on the cover has a 41mm steel case with a Sedna gold dial (Omega’s rose gold with a red hue and unique shine). The precious metal also appears on the central lugs and ergonomic crown. The silvery white dial showcases the new Teck pattern reminiscent of the wide strips of wood decking on yachts.

The rose gold chapter ring is rimmed by a black-on-silver minute track around black triangular hour markers inspired

by nautical flags and highlighted by white Super-LumiNova® that glows blue. Two dauphine-shape hands in the centre are joined by a phosphorescent-tipped central seconds hand to track the hours, minutes and seconds.

The new Seamaster Aqua Terra is fuelled by the self-winding 8900 calibre designated as a “Co-Axial Master Chronometer” which means it has been COSC and METAS-approved. The Omega movement provides a 60-hour power reserve.

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E DIT OR IAL

The K.I.S.S. Principle

S

© Mickael Gautier

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ummer is finally right around the corner and, looking in the rear-view mirror, both the SIHH and Baselworld are now water under the bridge! These two major watchmaking tradeshows are behind me but the pressure is still on, as watchmakers now realise they must romance the press and court clients all year long. As a result, new products are released in June, September and December, in addition to the conventional January and March. And some watchmakers even offer them for sale simultaneous to the launch, thereby dodging customer expectation and disappointment. I’m not sure if this is also the case for you, but once I see a gorgeous dress on Instagram, I want it at that very instant! I don’t want to wait for it to be in stock at the brand’s website or in its boutique. I want it IMMEDIATELY! There is nothing worse than falling in love with a watch (or dress) and then reading “available in x months“ in the product description. In x months, I will have already forgotten the watch (or dress) and moved on to something else.

At Baselworld, I paid a visit to the stand of Alain Marhic, founder of March LA.B. I absolutely love his watches, the Seventy range especially, and adore the man behind them as well. During our discussion, he brought up the K.I.S.S. principle, which utterly intrigued me. Yes, you read that correctly, K.I.S.S. Not the glam rock group of the ‘70s, but rather the acronym for Keep It Simple, Stupid. A principle that’s as universal, multi-purpose and practical as a chest of drawers. Please, can we just keep things simple, particularly when it comes to product presentation? When I look at press releases that use an overly embellished style to describe a watch, I just want to play the K.I.S.S. wild card. This principle should apply to everything pertaining to watchmaking, from the product itself (including the straps and tired trend of how wonderful interchangeability is), to marketing (enough already with the dull “balance of tradition and modernity“) and sales (present a product to the press at the same as it is

available in retail venues). I, for one, vote readily in favour of K.I.S.S.!

Sharmila Bertin Editor-in-Chief

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2017

TIM E , A HE RMÈS OB JECT.

Slim d’Hermès, L’heure impatiente For the moments to come.

Gu e st The Watches Magazine invites a new guest writer to share their vision of time in each issue.

“ Each time of the day has a mood and energy ”

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Vanessa Martinelli Jewellery designer and founder of Vanessa Martinelli Jewellery

T

ime is the greatest treasure and mastering it is a powerful skill. Knowing how to structure your time is the key to freedom, and freedom is to me the biggest

luxury.

Working as an independent jewellery designer and artist I have the luck to work on my own schedule depending on my projects, productivity and plans. Being able to organize my schedule after my own needs is my biggest luxury. I feel more creative and my mind is fresh. I am more productive and at the same time I get the most out of life.

“Time is money“ is one of my mottos. And money is not necessarily referred to as a material thing, but as that intangible treasure. You shouldn't waste your time in anything that is not fully rewarding for you personally nor in line with your value and vision. You should make time for the things that matter and the people who are important to you. To them your time is the biggest gift you can give.

In today's hectic modern society people constantly run around in circles, always stressed out, just like the white bunny in Alice in Wonderland,crazily running around looking at their clock in panic, because they are constantly late for what they think is going to be the most important appointment of their life. Like Alice, I observe and try to understand what's going on. What are people really running after?

I love scheduling my days and months in advance in my agenda.

It gives me a sense of accomplishment and excitement for what

is coming. I plan my schedule and work appointments in order to avoid running late or being stressed. I create space in my agenda for play and rest, wellbeing and socializing, because we need all of it in order to keep us happy, healthy and most productive. You cannot be productive if you are overloaded with only stressful 'to do' things.

Punctuality is one the greatest quality. Being 'fashionably late' to me is just impolite and lack of respect of other people’s time, the opposite of stylish. True style is punctuality, and respecting yours and other people's time.

To me, morning hours are the most productive, as my mind is rested and fresh. Waking up early is important to me in order to be productive. I love to sprint start my day and kill my 'to do' list and luckily get some free time when I'm done. Each time of the day has a mood and energy, I use them accordingly to get most productive.

'Me time' is very important for me. Time alone to observe, absorb and process. Time to think as well as to recharge. I love to travel alone and fully immerse myself in a different culture feeling time passing in a different level.

If I could just change one thing about time, it would be to stretch out moments when you are having fun and fast forward the boring moments.

But then again, the preciousness of time lays in its ephemerality and vulnerability. That's why it is to be treasured.

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2017

Automatic movement Diameter 40 mm Water resistant 50 m Price 1'100CHF

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INSIDE

30 Cover Story Omega

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10 12 20 22 24 28

Editorial Guest Vanessa Martinelli We love Design We love Colors Trends The Eye of Jewelry

30 Cover Story Omega 42 Hermès Interview Philippe Delhotal 44 Breguet 46 Patek Philippe 48 Zenith

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Chopard Frédérique Constant TAG Heuer Hublot Montblanc Hermès

INSIDE

60 Louis Moinet

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58 60 62 64 66 68

Rebellion Louis Moinet Blancpain MB&F Emile Chouriet Alpina

69 70 71 72 73 74

Longines Tudor Cartier Ulysse Nardin Perrelet Oris

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Bvlgari Eterna March LA.B Emmanuel Bouchet Opinion

IMPR E SSU M

Swiss International Magazine Été 2017 #049 Interview Philippe Delhotal - Guest Vanessa Martinelli

WElCOME TO THE WOrlD OF WATCHES www.watches-news.com Édition francophone

Omega

L’o d y ssée mé c ani que Alpina - Bell&Ross - Blancpain - Breguet - Breitling - Bvlgari - Cartier - Jaquet Droz - Chanel - Chopard Emile Chouriet - Eterna - Fabergé - Frédérique Constant - Hermès - Hublot - Longines - Louis Moinet - March LA.B - MB&F Montblanc - Oris - Patek Philippe - Perrelet - Rebellion - Rolex - TAG Heuer - Tissot - Tudor - Ulysse Nardin - Zenith SUISSE: 10 FRANCS FRANCE MÉTRO: 7 EUROS - BEL/LUX/POLAND: 8 EUROS - UK: £8 - A/D/GR//PORT.CONT: 8,40 EUROS - CAN: 11,95 $CAN - USA: 14,99 $US

Rédaction/Edition ACE Publishing SA Direction/Management Alain Carrier acarrier@ace-publishing.com Rédactrice en chef/Editor-in-Chief Sharmila Bertin sbertin@ace-publishing.com Designer graphique/Graphic designer Célia Sozet Contributeurs/Contributors Tiffany Cartier-Millon - Dan Diaconu Fabrice Eschmann - Mickael Gautier - Isabelle Guignet - Vanessa Martinelli Serge Panczuk - Eléonor Picciotto Publicité/Advertising ACE Publishing SA Alain Carrier acarrier@ace-publishing.com Yannick Ortolan yortolan@ace-publishing.com T +41 22 752 60 12

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SUMMER 2017

We Love de sign

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Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Quantième Satin-Brushed

By Sharmila Bertin

T

wo of the typical hallmarks of Jaquet Droz watches are at the heart of this Grande Seconde Quantième duo.

First of all, although the dials are neither “Grand Feu” enamel nor mineral, as they generally are in the watchmaking collections by the Chaux-de-Fonds brand, they still have all the purity that gives them their elegance. No excess flourishes or sense of narrowness – just space. A great deal of space. Secondly – and this is one of the symbolic strengths of the Swiss watchmaker – a large 8 formed by the fusion of two counters extends its loops over the dial with masterful sophistication.

This Grande Seconde Quantième Satin-Brushed Grey duo, introduced at BaselWorld 2017, was a success from the very opening of the trade fair. All the aesthetic codes and mechanical power of Jaquet Droz are on display in these two watches with prices under the threshold of 10 000 Swiss francs. Another attractive element for the Grande Seconde Quantième Satin-Brushed Grey that will widen its clientele even more.

In fact, this model model has two faces – one silver grey and the other steel grey – and two diameters – 39 and 43mm.

Theses choices will also help attract more customers and fans of Jaquet Droz.

Each dial is adorned with a satin-brushed finish and fine sunburst engravings, with rays beginning not at the heart of the dial, as is the case in most watches, but near 6 o'clock, where the long second hand and the varnish-tipped date hand are centred. These two displays are, in fact, grouped in a single counter, with lowered edges to house the date, encircled by the second markers. At the 31st day of the month (shown in red), this sub-dial interlocks with the hour and minute counter to form the magic number 8.

Ringed by white markers against a black background, the hour rim, made up of applied indices, is the setting for a couple of silver or blue lancine-style hands, displaying the hours and the minutes.

At the heart of the steel case, measuring 39 or 43mm in diameter, is housed the JD2660Q2.P calibre. This automatic mechanical movement has a double barrel, and provides 68 hours of power reserve, while driving the hours and minutes (offset at 12 o'clock on the dial) and the seconds and the date (brought together at 6 o'clock).

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2017

Darwel

EmbracE timE Our story, our brand, our passion. carole & Pierre Dubois

carole and Pierre Dubois. a love story that gives a unique beat to their lives and their watch creations.

Pictured here, two his and hers world-exclusive royal retro models with their six dancing retrograde seconds hands.

PiErrE DErOchE - LE rEvErs 1 - 1345 LE LiEu - switzErLanD - t. +41 21 841 11 69 - www.PiErrEDErOchE.cOm

We Love C oL or s

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ROLEX Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40

By Sharmila Bertin

W

ho said that Rolex only had traditional timepieces in its collection? With the new Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40, the brand has pushed back the limits in terms of aesthetics. This precious and fun-filled watch immediately stands out with a bezel covered in jewels of every colour like a dazzling rainbow.

Made from a single piece of Everose gold – an alloy specially developed by Rolex that produces an intense radiance – the famous Oyster case in this new timepiece, first presented at BaselWorld 2017, is 40mm wide and has a screwed back, along with a crown shielded by two lateral protections. A triple-waterproof Triplock system helps it withstand depths of up to 100m.

The star of the show, if we can put it this way, is the bidirectional bezel encircling the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40. A set of exceptional jewels, including 32 multicoloured sapphires (blue, pink, yellow, orange) and 8 green tsavorites, while a triangularcut diamond provides a diving indicator at 12 o'clock.

The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40 is powered by calibre 3135. This automatic mechanical movement made by Rolex

runs at 28 800 vibrations an hour (4Hz) and has a power reserve of up to 48 hours.

On the dial, the shiny black disc houses an hour rim made up of pink gold markers covered with a layer of Chromalight, a luminescent material developed by Rolex. In the centre, three hands, also phosphorescent and gold in colour, display the hours, minutes and seconds. The date is black against a white background, and shown in a counter at 3 o'clock. It is topped by a Cyclope magnifying glass that is directly fitted into the sapphire glass protecting the dial.

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

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T R E NDS

24 Breitling

Skin-deep

By Dan Diaconu

T

hey’re fans of Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Joaquin Phoenix. Stella McCartney is their goto designer as she only uses Eco Alter Nappa, an innovative leather-look material. Many of them want to wear something other than leather. How do you meet the needs of new generations who want the best for the environment and planet? In the luxury car world, the likes of Tesla and Ferrari provide a synthetic leather option in their range. So how about watch brands?

If you don’t want to wear a leather strap anymore then things like fabric or rubber could meet your needs. But do their textures make straps stylish enough to be worn anytime?

Steel is another option. Although straps made of this metal alloy come in a range of polished or brushed finishes, their looks can seem too sporty for a watch. The weight doesn’t do anything to help matters either.

There is one manufacturing process that makes steel straps

stylish: Milanese mesh. The original technique designed by Italian watchmakers weaves metallic wires. The straps may be tricky to make but they last a long time. They are now as hardwearing as regular steel straps but with extra flexibility.

Their timeless and chic design goes with both vintage and more contemporary watches.

Many of the new pieces unveiled at Baselworld 2017 had this type of strap. Vintage fashion has helped restore it to its former glory. The Breitling Superocean II has given a modern twist to the strap from the original 1957 model. It is the perfect match for the case design and steel bezel with a hi-tech ceramic ring.

The same goes for the Tissot Heritage 1958 Chronograph whose dial has had an update. The Milanese mesh strap has transformed this sporty watch into a classic piece.

The trend is growing for women too. Bell & Ross has given its BR S NovaRosa model a delicate Milanese mesh strap. The piece is sophisticated and makes wrists look elegant in any

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situation. Rado has given its Hyperchrome Captain Cook a new look. The 37mm piece has 8 dazzling diamonds on the dial. The divers watch goes stylish and sporty.

What’s next? The Richard Mille watch unveiled at the last SIHH gives a sense of the future of straps. The RM 50-03 McLaren F1 has a rubber strap injected with graphene, a hitech composite that ensures the ultimate in strength.

Other little-known materials could become must-haves.

Pinatex, leather made from pineapple leaf fibres, could be one of them as could Luskin made by Grado Zero Espace! This Italian company makes a super-soft fabric from mushroom heads with incredible breathability. The US start-up Modern Meado has designed a 100% lab-based leather made of animal cells with modified DNA. If you’re all about Swiss Made, Schoeller makes a Swiss fabric approved by OekoTex Standard 100, the most demanding standard in textile production with no harmful products.

Just like new materials can improve mechanisms and bring about new designs, they can also meet current ecological demands.

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

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Bell & Ross

The e ye of Je we lry

JACOB & Co. Astronomia Solar

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Timekeepers and storytellers

By Eléonor Picciotto

A

watch that tells the time is a given but some watches aren’t made primarily for that. In Basel this year, watch brands won us over with design stories that weren’t just about mechanical jargon!

Fabergé’s Libertines may be cheeky but they’re memorable.

A meeting of talented minds is behind the third piece. Fiona Krüger, a Scottish artist and watchmaker who has lived in South Africa paired with the enamelling expertise of Anita Porchet who was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds and has been embellishing dials since 1983. Together they bring the Montepuez to life with a mine of rubies from the Gemfields in Mozambique. The textured rubies and pink sapphires depict a red land contrasting with the turquoise engineturned waves that froth as they wash over the sand in white and silver enamel. Together they have turned a watch dial into a dazzling scene.

The Astronomia was first unveiled in a 50mm x 25mm case that has now shrunk to 44.5mm x 21mm. The Astronomia

Solar’s glittering planets hover over the aventurine dial whose domed sapphire setting brings a starry sky to mind.

Earth is a Jacob-cut citrine with 288 facets, Saturn is a tiger eye and Mars is red jasper. The eight planets orbit a flying tourbillon with a 60 second rotation. A down-to-earth watch for any woman who has stars in their eyes, or on their wrist.

Jaquet Droz’s idea is simple : “some watches tell the time, others tell a story.” Duly noted. The brand’s latest masterpiece, the Loving Butterfly Automaton, is an eyecatching and contrasting artwork in rose gold and onyx.

Butterfly wings flutter vertically and put into motion the chariot wheel with a play on movement between the fixed and mobile spokes. The chariot driven by cupid and drawn by an oversized butterfly in the midst of the forest is in fact 40 pieces of painstakingly hand-engraved gold…that’s no tall tale!

Last but not least, we have to mention Gabrielle whose life is a legend in itself. Coco Chanel takes centre stage on the

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

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FABERGE Libertine III

JAQUET DROZ Loving Butterfly Automaton

latest J12 in her black and white suit, naturally. Her arms are hands that tick through the day as if ordering us to keep up with her or simply to keep an eye on her!

CHANEL Mademoiselle J12

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Cove r st ory ome ga

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Omega Speedmaster 60th Anniversary 1957-2017 >

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

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Gemini 4 (1965)

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Speedmaster: the mechanical odyssey

By Sharmila Bertin

O

nce upon a time there was... the Speedmaster!

The word “speedmaster” implies a command over technical and aesthetic innovation that this watch collection has encapsulated for 60 years. What’s made the Speedmaster an icon is its role in the famous “great leap for mankind” when it joined man in discovering and conquering the moon.

Stratospheric fame Let’s not deceive ourselves: if you ask a watch enthusiast for the name of an Omega watch collection, 9 times out of 10 the answer will be the Speedmaster. The range is is worldfamous, even among novices, and has a strong identity. “The Speedmaster, isn’t that the watch that went to the moon?” we hear you ask. Yes, the Speedmaster is the first watch to be worn by an American astronaut, to travel through space and join man on the moon. That’s a brief recap of the most famous things that have happened to this legendary timepiece.

But there’s so much that this 60 year old watch is famous for.

Starting with its design, especially the tachymeter scale on the bezel which made it a sports watch when it launched in 1957. The CK2915 is the first wristwatch to have a built-in tachymeter whose scale enabled wearers to measure average speed based on the time required to cover a given distance.

Hence the name Speedmaster.

A legend is born Aside from its seamless movement and irreproachable looks, the Speedmaster became famous is 1962 when it was worn by Wally Schirra (1923-2007). The US astronaut of Ticino origin piloted the Sigma 7 space capsule for 9 hours, 13 minutes and 11 seconds as part of the Mercury 8 mission (part of the first American Mercury programme) with an Omega on his wrist.

He beat the record at the time and became the ninth man in space.

After this initial experiment, the Speedmaster and watches from different brands underwent extremely thorough tests (changes in temperature, humidity, shock, pressure and

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

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Apollo 17 (1972)

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Cove r st ory ome ga Certification NASA (1965)

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vibrations to name but a few). The Omega model passed the tests hands down to see off its competition and become the official chronograph approved by NASA for all its flights with human crews in March 1965. The watch went on its first official trip three months later, in June 1965, on the Gemini 4 mission led by US astronaut Edward White (1930-1967), the first man to walk in space for 22 minutes.

A great tool for mankind A watch isn’t just something that tells the time. History has proved that it can be indispensable and can even save lives. The Speedmaster is so resilient that it has joined four men on a polar expedition for forty days in 1968... before going back into space the following year. The Speedmaster’s new mission was called Apollo 11 and it was a milestone moment in the history of both mankind and the watch. It was worn by American astronaut and engineer Buzz Aldrin (born in 1930) when he walked on the moon. After this unique experience, the Speedmaster was affectionately renamed the Moonwatch. It wasn’t until 1970 and the disastrous Apollo 13 mission that the watch and its infallible accuracy saved the lives of the three astronauts it was worn by. This event earned it the Silver Snoopy Award, the highest recognition given to an external supplier by NASA. In 1972, the Speedmaster went on the last Apollo mission with Gene Cernan (1934-2017), the captain and pilot of Apollo 17.

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Buzz Aldrin (1969) >

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36 Speedmaster 38mm

From 1957 to 2017: the new Speedmasters

By Sharmila Bertin

A

t one time or another during their childhood, every little boy (and some little girls too!) dreams of becoming an astronaut, going into space and walking on unknown planets. Since it was first worn by famous astronauts and made the official watch for NASA flights in the 1960s, Omega’s Speedmaster has captured this intergalactic magic. Wearing it on your wrist makes you part of the legend… its legend. A modern Buzz Aldrin walking the city streets with the same passion as when he walked on the moon, wearing a watch whose dial may have changed slightly but whose identity is still as strong.

A bold personality The famous Speedmaster may have stood the test of time with

pride but it has changed since the first model was unveiled in 1957. It has held onto its signature design features such as the asymmetric case with curved lugs, the tachymeter scale on the bezel and the domed glass that was originally in hesalite (a type of plexiglas that’s more resistant to changes in temperature than sapphire crystal).

The 1957 model had Broad Arrow hands which turned into sharper Alpha ones before becoming the classic straight and slim baton shape.

The Speedmaster has come in a range of options (limited edition or in the current collection) since launching and it’s been able to adapt to please everyone, especially its biggest fans and collectors: black or colourful dial (blue, white, panda

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Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Limited Edition

etc.); steel, titanium or gold case; bicompass or three counter format; small (date) or complex technical complication (moon phase); manual-wind or self-winding movement; back engraved with the classic seahorse logo or in sapphire crystal to give a glimpse of the movement.

The styles may differ but the sporty aspect remains as we can see from the three self-winding chronographs that were unveiled at this year’s BaselWorld: Speedmaster 38mm, Speedmaster Racing Master Chronometer and Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday Limited Edition.

Glittering personality Speed and sport isn’t just for men. Ladies who want to wear

a more sophisticated and feminine Speedmaster have always got what they want from the collection as Omega has never forgotten this section of their clientele. The wide range of chronographs for women has expanded in 2017 with four new timepieces called the Speedmaster 38mm. A clever trick stays true to the model’s sporty identity yet with a glittering personality to strike the perfect balance between a “useful” watch (time, tachymeter, chronograph and date display) and “bejewelled” watch (gold and diamond bezel, mother-of-pearl dial, pastel hands).

The most eye-catching of the four Speedmaster 38mm models is the watch affectionately named Cappuccino because of its ivory dial with three oval counters that bring to mind our

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Speedmaster Racing Master Chronometer

38 favourite frothy coffee. The best thing about this model is the bezel on the 38mm steel case: the inner ring is in chocolate aluminium bearing the white tachymeter scale and the outer ring in SednaTM gold is paved with brilliant-cut diamonds.

The three other models stand out for their pastel features: mint green hands and yellow gold bezel, sky blue dial and navy central seconds hand, baby pink hands and mother-ofpearl dial.

Sporty DNA The original 1957 Speedmaster was the first to have a tachymeter scale on the bezel and opened the door to countless variations (even among Omega’s competitors). The blackon-steel or white-on-black scale is perfectly clear and links the Bienne brand to the world of motor racing. The bond is showcased by the famous 1968 “racing” dial that has inspired the new Speedmaster Racing Master Chronometer.

A two-level minute track on the matt black dial has soft white features fuelled by orange squares over the arrow-shape time markers. The bright colour appears again on the central hands highlighted by Super-LumiNova®, the small seconds hand at 9, the tip of the chronograph hand, the word “tachymètre” on the black ceramic bezel and the lining that gives a glimpse of the black leather strap’s holes. One of the two wide and rounded counters groups together (at 3) the chronograph hours and minutes whilst the date appears discretely at 6.

The 44.25mm steel case houses the self-winding Omega 9900 calibre. The mechanical movement is METAS-certified (a quality standard reflecting the watch’s resistance) and has a 60-hour power reserve.

Unique charm Children aren’t the only ones who dream of becoming astronauts and being whisked away on an adventure in space.

Adults do too as you can tell from the amazing adventure that Robert-Jan Broer, the founder of Fratello Watches, had in 2004. The fan of watchmaking, especially the Speedmaster, paired a photo of one of his items with what would, in a matter of years, become a social movement, a symbol of togetherness and a declaration of love for one of Omega’s collections: #SpeedyTuesday. The hashtag created in 2012 is all over social networks (over 40,000 times on Instagram) and has elevated Robert-Jan Broer to the ranks of serious Speedmaster experts. This simple #SpeedyTuesday was posted five years ago with no thoughts about marketing or anything else, just pure passion, and gave rise to a watch.

The limited edition Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday (2012 available) is only available to pre-order on the Omega website.

Well, it was available as it sold out in four hours and fifteen minutes but there is a waiting list that you can sign up to online.

The Speedmaster Speedy Tuesday is true to the Alaska III model designed for NASA. Just like the original Moonwatch, it is powered by the famous manual-wind mechanical 1861 calibre with a 48-hour power reserve. Its dial features the “inverted panda” layout: three white and luminescent counters on a black background. This graphic design extends to the black NATO strap striped with two white strips.

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Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch

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Int e r vIe w

40

Philippe Delhotal, reinventing time

By Sharmila Bertin & Mickael Gautier

A

few days before unveiling the new Slim L’heure impatiente at BaselWorld, we met Philippe Delhotal, the Artistic Director of Hermès Watches at the Geneva store. It was a unique opportunity to have a one-on-one with the passionate man behind Hermès’ watches.

Let’s start with an easy question: where are you from Philippe Delhotal?

Where am I from? That is easy. I went to technical college in France, in Besançon. I’ve always had a passion for design, even before I started college.

One of my grandfathers – I often talk about my grandparents – worked at customs. When I was about 10 he gave me a watch that had been seized at customs. I took it apart, knocked it together and sanded down its case. It was my first encounter with watchmaking. That watch gave me a taste for timekeeping and it’s never left me. Actually, there

were two things that interested me about it. There was the technical aspect that I saw in the watch, even though at 10 you have no idea of the complexity of a product, but also because I’d managed to turn a watch my grandfather had given me into one that was more personal to me. I used my mum’s tools to customise my watch as she worked in watchmaking.

Are you more into technology or art?

When I was looking for courses, I automatically went to the Besançon watchmaking school that trains watchmakers and technicians. When I got my degree, I studied at the Fine Arts school.

So actually, I’m into both technology and art. I’m a bit... two-headed which has advantages and disadvantages but I get the best out of it. Both courses enable me to do my own thing.

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>

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Int e r vIe w How did you first get into watchmaking?

My first job was in Paris. I took my little bag, at the time (it was 1985) I was 23 and I “headed to the capital” alone to work at Vacheron Constantin who were looking for people working in design. I’ve never left the world of fine watchmaking since. After Vacheron Constantin I went to Piaget then Jaeger-LeCoultre then Patek Philippe and now Hermès. I’ve always been very happy to be part of the rather privileged sphere that is fine watchmaking. I’m very grateful to my parents who have always encouraged me but it’s down to luck too because I was fortunate to meet people who helped, advised and made me what I am today. I wouldn’t change a thing if I had to start again. I loved the job and I still do.

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But certain brands have serious history and heritage in watchmaking that Hermès doesn’t.

Oh yes in the big “manufactures” we’re talking about watch businesses, fine watchmaking, great technical skills and everything that goes with it. It’s a bit different at Hermès.

I often say it’s a design brand made up of several different departments meaning the creative ability is vast and, most importantly, diverse. I really liked that when I joined Hermès because it enabled me to mix with areas I knew nothing of such as leather, silk, crystal; a cross-section of creative sectors and opportunities that I think are broader and more interesting than in a traditional watch company. Even though the traditional watch brands make beautiful things too.

Watch brands have a common theme whilst Hermès is more open to creativity and focuses on colour.

Yes, that’s true and we do have a lot of creatives around us. Many of my colleagues are Artistic Directors in silk, leather and crystal and we often meet up to discuss ideas and expertise. It enables me to learn about crystal with Saint-Louis [ Editor’s note: the Arceau Millefiori model was designed in 2014 in collaboration with Saint-Louis Glassware, owned by the Hermès group since 1995] which epitomises the wealth of creativity that sets us apart as I mentioned earlier.

When did you join Hermès?

I joined in 2008 so it’s been 9 years; I’ve had a great time at the brand. I love coming to work here, I’ve made friends with some of my colleagues, I’m surrounded by fantastic people like Pierre-Alexis Dumas [ Artistic Director and descendant of the founder Thierry Hermès], Bali Barret [Creative Director for Women ] and everyone who I work with regularly and who have given me a lot, advised and guided me. I can’t thank the brand enough for giving me the opportunity to thrive in this environment.

The last decade has been important in watchmaking terms for Hermès with major technical developments.

Yes exactly. One of these major developments has been Hermès’ involvement in Vaucher’s resources (I came on board shortly after) which was its first step in traditional watchmaking. It was a milestone moment influenced by

Guillaume de Seynes [ Managing Director] which resulted in the development of the movement and the incorporation of mechanical watchmaking into the Hermès collection. At the same time, and I think this is an important point, we built on our specific form of watchmaking related to different products, meaning the unconventional watches that we call Le temps de l'imaginaire such as Arceau Le temps suspendu, Dressage L'heure masquée and the new piece we’re unveiling in Basel, Slim L'heure impatiente. This trio of products stands out from what you find with other watch brands. The world of unique timekeeping is our brand’s territory; it’s leisurely, playful, enables people to see time in an often emotional way namely when you look at the Arceau Le temps suspendu and the time that you stop for me-time.

The same goes for the Slim L'heure impatiente which I find even more personal as there’s a sense of excitement as we count down 60 minutes to the chosen time. I often say it but it’s like seeing through the eyes of children; when you’re a child, you look forward to Father Christmas coming and you’re excited an hour before; then later, when you’re going to meetings, dates and events that mark milestones in your life, you have the same sense of excitement in the lead-up.

This crescendo, this countdown, celebrates 60 important minutes.

Is it a product that you designed with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, with Agenhor?

Yes it is. We’d already discussed it a bit but it was when we met on the steps of our old stand at the 2012 fair in Basel that we started hashing out what would be L'heure impatiente.

I don’t know where the name came from but it followed on naturally from Le temps suspendu which was also designed with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. He’s the one who conjured up the technical magic such as controlling the bell which is a very personal alarm. Since it isn’t a minute repeater, there’s only one sound. Its own sound.

Whilst unveiling new products in Basel, we sensed your enthusiasm when discussing fine craftsmanship.

I’m as passionate about talking about L'heure impatiente as I am about craftsmanship as there are stories to tell and pass on. So it’s both more interesting and more motivating. I’m careful about talking about fine craftsmanship because lots of other brands do it. When I came to Hermès, we’d only made one product. I think it’s only natural that Hermès works in fine crafts as it’s an artisan designer so of course this appears in Hermès watches. I’m also passionate about it because I have the opportunity to travel a lot, especially in Japan which inspired the famous porcelain dial [Slim d'Hermès Koma Kurabe]. I uncover new, sometimes unlikely techniques that may not necessarily suit watchmaking but enable us to create new stories.

Usually fine craftsmanship from other brands is fairly traditional and beautiful but far removed from crystal or porcelain dials.

Yes, that’s what’s great about working for a brand like Hermès: having the opportunity to use crystal, bringing

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artisans on board, travelling to find treasures and meeting new people. What you always have to remember is your roots, where you’re coming from. For us we have to stay true to the importance of colour, even in our fine craftsmanship and unlike other brands: keep this central theme and core value.

I’m going off on a tangent but I’d like to know what you think about the current watchmaking crisis?

It’s happening but it mustn’t let us forget that we’re here.

We may have forgotten to be creative and we need to shake things up and become more innovative than in previous years when we may have rested on our laurels or money came easy or there was a sense of carefreeness. The crisis is a wake-up call but we mustn’t be pessimistic either. The world of watchmaking has been through equally bad times in the past but it has a talent for being able to adapt to sometimes difficult situations.

Photos © Mickael Gautier

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B r e gu e t

44

The Power of a Queen

By Sharmila Bertin

A

strong bond has held fast through the ages and seen through over two hundred years: the bond between a Queen and her watchmaker, a woman with taste and a man with talent. Caroline Murat and Abraham-Louis Breguet may no longer be with us but their names will be remembered together for eternity.

The Queen and the watchmaker In 1808 Caroline Bonaparte (1782-1839) was crowned the Queen of Naples at the tender age of 26 after less than a decade married to a Marshal of France, Joachim Murat (1767-1815). Napoleon I’s

sister only kept the title for six years following his death in 1815.

The young monarch had a passion for art and culture and was fascinated by watchmaking, especially the work of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823). As one of his clients, in 1810 she commissioned a watch to be worn on the arm.

Two years later the master watchmaker delivered what we now believe to be the first wristwatch; a never-before-seen timekeeping tool worn in a never-before-seen way. The elongated and flat timepiece was finished with a braided gold strap. Between 1808 and 1814, the Queen of Naples bought thirty-odd clocks and watches from Breguet to become his biggest and most loyal client.

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45 The Queen and the collection Almost 200 years have passed since the first watch was made. It has inspired a modern collection of ladies watches called Reine de Naples in tribute to Caroline Murat. The dazzling timepieces are real treasures that tell the time and showcase fine craftsmanship such as engine-turned engraving, gem-setting, cameo and pearl inlay. The collection has signature features: ovoid case, ribbed sides, off-centre crown near the lower lug and Breguet-style hands.

At the international BaselWorld watch fair in 2017, Breguet unveiled new versions of its ladies watch such as the reference 8918 and a model named Mini 8928. Both have mother-of-pearl dials.

cut diamonds don’t just cover the bezel and chapter ring but creep onto the lower lug linking the rose gold case to the satin strap with a total of 139 gemstones (1.255 carat). The crown at 4 on the notched case is topped by a 0.26 carat briolette diamond.

This model and its 38-hour power reserve is brought to life by the 586/1 calibre. The self-winding movement powers the hours and minutes on the mother-of-pearl dial with two small Breguet-style hands gliding over black shaded Arabic numerals.

There’s a less “conventional” version of the Reine de Naples Mini in white gold with diamonds. It has the same mother-of-pearl dial but the black Arabic numerals dip into raspberry pink to match the alligator leather strap.

The Queen and pearls Going back to the collection’s design features, the Reine de Naples 8918’s dial glows with Tahitian mother-of-pearl whose coppery hue goes perfectly with the warm rose gold case. The 36.5x28.45mm case dazzles with a diamond bezel and its sapphire crystal back gives you a glimpse of the mechanical movement: the self-winding 537/3 calibre.

On the diamond-rimmed dial, black Arabic numerals in different sizes surround a white mother-of-pearl disc adorned with a handturned Clous de Paris pattern. The disc at 6 displays the hours and minutes with little Breguet-style “pomme” hands in blue steel.

After being dazzled by the sparkling mother-of-pearl, the eye is soon attracted to the 0.09 carat pear-shape diamond in place of the number 6 on the hour rim.

The Queen and her small size The Reine de Naples Mini 8928 may be slightly smaller at 33x24.95mm but it has all the magic of its big sister. The brilliant-

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Pat e k PhiliPPe

46

Perpetual “vintage” style

By Fabrice Eschmann

I

f there’s a complication that Patek Philippe can boast of pioneering, it’s the perpetual calendar. The highly complex mechanism appeared in the late 18th century in pocket watches and had to be seriously shrunk to fit wristwatches.

The Genevan brand did it first: in 1925 it unveiled the N° 97 975 watch which displays the hours and minutes in the centre, small seconds at 9, moon phase at 3, date with a central hand, day with hand at 12 and month with hand at 6. The piece is now on display at the Patek Philippe Museum.

The look changed over time until 1941 when it became what we now know: the day and month appear in a double display at 12 whilst a secondary dial at 6 houses the moon phase and date with hands. The brand has given the new 5320G model this incredibly classic and easy-to-read dial. There’s also a day/night indicator and leap year cycle at 4.30.

Collectors love the vintage aspect that appears in all its glory here: the cream dial, the baton-shape hour and minute hands with pointed tips, the Arabic numerals, the curvy white gold case and the “box” sapphire crystal are some of the features taken from models from the 1940-50s.

Patek Philippe has nothing left to prove in terms of the movement. This one has the 324 self-winding movement plus a perpetual calendar module. The main difficulty is providing enough energy to move the additional four spinning discs on the displays and astronomic moon phase. They’ve pulled off the feat with a large gold central rotor mounted on ball bearings with excellent winding capabilities. The system is finished by a Gyromax balance wheel and Spiromax spring, both made in-house in silicon.

These precision mechanisms are designed to be handled with

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ease. The small and subtle correctors peak out of the case, mainly between the lugs. The watch comes with an ebony wood pencil to set the days, months, date and moon phase separately. As you’d expect, the hour and minute hands are controlled by the crown.

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Z E NIT H

Colour is bang on trend

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By Sharmila Bertin

Z

enith specialises in vintage-style pilot timepieces and has unveiled a range of watches with colourful straps and dials in far more “reasonable” sizes than their predecessors.

Unisex sizes and colour ranges are two major trends that rocked 2017’s BaselWorld. Zenith is nailing the trends with a smaller version of its famous pilot watch which usually comes in large sizes (e.g. the 45mm Pilot Type 20 GMT and Pilot TonUp, 48mm Pilot Type 20 Annual Calendar and 60mm Pilot Type 20 Tribute to Louis Blériot).

The new kid on the block is the Pilot Type 20 Extra Special 40mm and, as the name suggests, it has a vintage steel 40mm case. The size is ideal for both men and women and is bound to please fans of the Pilot Type 20.

The Pilot Type 20 Extra Special 40mm is a collection in itself as it features four trend-setting models in four colours: burgundy, saffron, khaki and royal blue. They may be classics but they’re bold statements in the otherwise black and white (anything from glistening silver to ivory) world of watchmaking.

The new Zenith case houses the Elite 679 calibre. The selfwinding mechanical movement made in the brand’s Le Locle workshops fuels the “simple” functions (hours, minutes and seconds in the centre of the dial) and a power reserve that lasts over 50 hours.

Three of the grained dials on the Pilot Type 20 Extra Special 40mm quartet match their nubuck straps whilst the saffron model has a slate grey dial. Otherwise, the timepiece is true to its pilot watch roots (e.g. the fluted ball crown at 3 on the case side): large Arabic numerals coated in beige SuperLumiNova® and “cathedral” hands with a sandy luminescent coating.

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C hopar d

Let's go to the beach!

By Sharmila Bertin

A

s summer draws near, Chopard takes us to meet the ocean wildlife with four new sports watches with a main colour - deep blue - poetically evoking the sea

world.

Spring has not yet ended, but Chopard is already getting ready for summer. The brand from Geneva has unveiled four new watches with a blue theme to join the Happy Sport collection first launched in 1993, with two dressed in steel and two covered in precious stones. The blue colour evokes the ocean wave but also the turquoise waters lapping against fine sand beaches and multi-coloured fish dancing around coral reefs.

In its steel version, the Happy Ocean model features a 40mm case, waterproof down to 300m, with a unidirectional revolving bezel. The bezel is fitted with a blue anodised aluminium ring etched with a diving scale, and the area from 0 to 15 coloured turquoise or raspberry.

This metal setting contains an automatic mechanical movement, the calibre Chopard 01.01-C, beating at 28 800 vibrations an hour (4Hz) and providing 60 hours of power reserve.

Decorated in deep blue with a matt finish, the dial features five mobile diamonds with a harmonious dance that has forged the reputation of the Happy Sport collection. During

their gleeful round, the sparkling gems pass over an hour rim made up of rounded and rectangular indices. The centre of the Happy Ocean dial houses two sword-shaped hands with a luminous coating. The minute hand is lined with turquoise or pink, depending on the model chosen. The white SuperLumiNovaÂŽ used here gives out a blue light for the indices, the dots at the end of the second hand and the hour hand. The minute hand, however, emits a green gleam when the watch is plunged in darkness.

Since Chopard is a synonym of jewellery, the brand based in Geneva has also produced a pair of Happy Ocean watches with precious stones. The white gold case is crowned with a bezel paved with diamonds and sapphires, joined by rubies and topazes, and all in baguette size. The dial, where the five moving diamonds revolve, features a navy blue mother-ofpearl disc.

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FRE DE R IQU E C ONSTANT

Uninhibited complication

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By Sharmila Bertin

A

first for Frédérique Constant: the watchmaker from Plan-les-Ouates has unveiled its first automatic calibre, including a chronograph with flyback function.

In Plan-les-Ouates, in the canton of Geneva, the Frédérique Constant workshops have surpassed themselves in designing a movement equipped with one of the finest complications: a chronograph with flyback function. This specific and demanding mechanism took six years to develop, before finally seeing the light of day in 2017. First introduced at BaselWorld, four of the five model in the new Flyback Chronograph Manufacture collection are available for under 4 000 Swiss francs.

This newly launched line does indeed feature five pieces, two made of polished steel, two made of pink-gold-plated steel and one made of pink gold. The dials have also been designed to attract a wide-ranging clientele with a fairly traditional aesthetic appearance or a totally contemporary look.

At the heart of the 42mm case of the Flyback Chronograph Manufacture model is the latest movement made by Frédérique Constant. This is the calibre FC-760, an automatic mechanism that is partially visible through a sapphire glass window adorning the back of the watch. The calibre drives the hour, calendar and chronograph with flyback functions, while providing a power reserve of 38 hours.

In the most traditional version, available in a steel or pinkgold-plated case and a silver opaline dial, the central disc is

decorated with a Clous de Paris pattern and encircled by an hour rim with black Roman numerals. Two central pommestyle open hands display the hours and minutes, while the seconds are shown in an offset counter at 9 o’clock. The date is indicated by a hand and is also in a counter at 6 o’clock. At the centre, the chronograph hand takes care of the seconds, which are then counted up in the minute counter at 3 o’clock.

While the visual organisation is the same in the more contemporary version, the silvered or anthracite grey dial, with a chapter ring circled by a tachymetric scale, includes a sunburst finish adorned by three azure counters. Metallic or gold applied hour indices replace the Roman numerals and two lancine-style hands coated with a luminous material show the hours and minutes in the centre.

The third version of the Flyback Chronograph Manufacture features a pink gold case and a chocolate-coloured dial with a warm tone heightened by touches of gold (on the indices and hands).

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TAG HE U E R

The past in the present

By Sharmila Bertin

A

feature of Formula 1 racing since the 1960s, the Autavia model by TAG Heuer has been reborn 55 years after the original watch, but equipped with contemporary aesthetic and mechanical codes.

In 1933, Heuer produced its first Autavia chronograph, used as an on-board counter in car races. Its name comes from the contraction of “automobile” and “aviation”. It reappeared 30 years later when Jack Heuer created the first Autovia chronograph wrist watch in 1962. Much appreciated by racing drivers, especially by the German-Austrian F1 driver Jochen Rindt (1942-1970), whose last name was given to the watch as a nickname, the Autavia timepiece has been brought to life for a second time this year.

In 2016, TAG Heuer organised a kind of online contest during which 50 000 participants were asked to choose which watch to recreate from among 16 Autavia models. And it was the Autavia “Rindt” from 1966 that won the vote. But although it has kept some of its more striking signs, such as the revolving bezel and the white counters, other elements make it different to the fifty-year-old version, especially the size of the model and the mechanism inside it.

The steel case of the Autovia has gone from 39mm in diameter to 42. It is topped by a notched and revolving bezel, including a black aluminium ring inscribed with a 12-hour scale. The

watch is waterproof down to 100m, and the case back is fitted with a sapphire glass window partially unveiling its mechanism. This an automatic mechanical movement made by TAG Heuer, the calibre Heuer-02, which provides the various hour, calendar and chronograph functions while supplying a big power reserve of 80 hours.

On the black dial, with its white second markers, the applied metal indices have been highlighted with a luminous beige coating. The hour markers are crossed by two stick-type hands showing the hours and minutes. The seconds are set apart, in one of three white and blue counters, brought together with the date at 6 o'clock. The chronograph, meanwhile, is shared out between the seconds at the centre, the minutes at 3 o'clock and the hours at 9 o'clock.

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HU B LOT

52

The king of made-to-measure

By Sharmila Bertin

T

he watchmaker from Nyon, in the canton of Vaud, unveils its third joint project since 2014 with the Italia Independent brand, founded by Lapo Elkann, dressing its Classic Fusion chronograph with precious fabrics made in Italy.

Since the great speciality of Hublot is the art of fusion, it is not surprising to see some of its watch creations spiced with absolutely original touches, especially in such a “calibrated” field – if you’ll excuse the pun – as watchmaking. After stained glass and embroidery, to mention just two of Hublot’s slightly zany creations, the watchmakers from Nyon have called in Italia Independent to dress the dial of its Classic Fusion watch.

This limited-edition collection of six watches named Classic Fusion Italia Independent is the third joint partnership between the watchmakers and the firm founded in 2007 by the Italian Lapo Elkann, the king of made-to-measure. The two previous creations from the partnership between the two brands since 2014 adorned a more rock’n’roll model, the Big Bang Unico, and now it is the turn of the Classic Fusion family to benefit from the limitless creativity of Lapo Elkann.

As the well-dressed Italian businessman, aged just 39, is famous for his elegance and unique way of matching his car with his clothes, it was quite natural for him to call in the Italian tailor, Rubinacci, whose clothes he himself wears, to complete this partnership with Hublot. Among the 60 000 m² of precious fabrics kept in the dressmaking workshops of the sortoria, Lapo Elkann and Italia Independent have chosen six tartan and check fabrics with light wool materials and often bright colours.

Each tartan or Prince-of-Wales check fabric now adorns the dial of a new Classic Fusion Italia Independent watch. This is a painstaking and perilous exercise, since a watch dial has a relatively small disc and textiles have a tendency to slacken over time.

This textile decor is adorned with an hour rim made up of silver or gold applied indices, depending on the model. Hours and minutes are displayed in the centre with two stick-type hands matching the hour markers, while the seconds tick away in one of the two blue-black or blue counters at 3 o’clock.

The chronograph function, meanwhile, includes a central second hand equipped with a counterweight featuring the watchmaker’s logo, while the minutes are shown in a counter

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at 9 o’clock. The date is discreet and is coloured white against a black background inside a window at 6 o’clock.

The solid case of the chronograph is 45mm in diameter and 13 mm thick, and is available in three different materials, highlighted by reinforcements on the sides made of black or blue composite resin – titanium, black ceramics or King Gold, the famous pink gold developed by Hublot. The case contains the calibre HUB1143, an automatic mechanical movement, beating at a frequency of 28 000 vibrations an hour (4Hz) and providing 42 hours of power reserve.

Each strap is, of course, made of the same fabric as the dial and reinforced with coloured rubber.

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Mont b lanc

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Out in front

By Diaconu

T

he sound of a distant engine. It draws closer. The noise gets louder and becomes deafen-ing. An instant later, it disappears. The spectator at the edge of the track has just meas-ured the racing car’s lap time by pressing the chronograph. This unique racing atmosphere has now been given material form by Montblanc with the TimeWalker Chronograph 1000 Limited Edition 18.

A measurement of performance and a performance in measurement. These two ideas per-fectly characterise the watch.

The 488 components in the self-winding watch mechanism are put to work on behalf of very precise timekeeping. Montblanc makes use of its virtu-oso skills for this achievement with the help of an ingenious mechanism equipped with two couples of barrels and balances that function independently.

The hours and minutes are displayed thanks to the oscillations of a balance with a tradi-tional frequency, 8 000 beats an hour. The higher the frequency of the balance, the great the precision of the mechanism. Duly noted! So to guarantee a measurement to 1/1000th of a second, the pace is greatly increased on the second balance, associated with the chronograph complication and beating at 360 000 vibrations an hour! This combination provides the system with its incredible performance. The crown plays the role of an or-chestra conductor. When you turn it anti-clockwise, it winds up the barrel dedicated to the hours and minutes and sets a power reserve of over four days. For the chronograph barrel, you just need to turn the same crown clockwise to get 45 minutes of optimal per-formance.

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While developing an exceptional mechanical movement is an exploit in itself, displaying the measurement of time in a clear and simple way is quite another. Montblanc manages to do so with an exemplary and well-spaced display. The hour and minutes are shown in the normal way at the centre of the dial.

There is a small second hand at 9 o’clock. It rotates to show that the calibre is working. At 3 o’clock is the power reserve of the chronograph.

A press on the stylised monopusher at 12 o’clock sets the chronograph to work to meas-ure time. The large central and slow-moving red hand showing one-hundredths of a sec-ond begins to turn, as do the two hands in the small counter at 6 o’clock. One, with a red dot, counts the seconds, and the other, the minutes. A second press stops the mecha-nism. In

the window at 12 o’clock, the hand then leaves the neutral (N) position and dis-plays one thousandths of a second. The time displays are perfect, as is the finish of the mechanism, all the complexity of which can be seen through the titanium and ceramic case back, 46.4 mm wide. If you look for perfection, you find excellence.

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He r mè s

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How to make impatience is a virtue

By Sharmila Bertin

P

layful Hermès unveiled a new watch with a unique and poetic complication as soon as the doors opened for 2017’s BaselWorld.

Impatience isn’t a vice if it’s used wisely; it can be a virtue.

It’s a little boost that can set the tone or a gentle rush that wakes time up. Try your patience! Hermès is a regular that likes to bend time in a playful and poetic way. In keeping with its signature timeless fun, the Parisian brand has designed a new complication in its Swiss factory to power a slim and stylish piece: Slim L'heure impatiente.

The H1912 produced by Hermès for the Slim – the cool collection launched in 2015 – has a slim module that’s been specially designed in Agenhor’s Genevan studios and called “heure impatiente”. The movement brings to life the classic

hour and minute functions alongside the new complication which acts as a mechanical hourglass with a 42-hour power reserve in the 40.5mm rose gold case.

In line with the Slim collection, the Slim L'heure impatiente’s dial is as minimalist as possible. The finishes on the silver opalescent dial capture the light: sand-blasted hour rim with black “Slim” Arabic numerals (the ethereal font by designer Philipe Apeloig), round engine-turned grooves on the subdial at 4.30 and the main dial where the gold hour and minute hands stem from and, last but not least, the “heure impatiente” dial at 6 is textured like wallpaper.

The famous “heure impatiente” is actually a counter that starts once the appointment time is set in the sub-dial at 4.30.

Its smooth, unique and subtle sound gives the Slim L'heure impatiente’s owner 60 minutes to get ready for a business

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meeting or hot date and heighten the wearer’s impatience and all the emotions it entails.

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R E B E LLION

58

Weapon of mass seduction

By Dan Diaconu

I

s associating a unique look with an original mechanical movement the guarantee of a watch that people will want? With its new Weap-One, Rebellion is trying out the experiment again. Touché ?

In 2010, Rebellion introduced a surprising device, the T1000.

What was original about it? First, it provided 1 000 hours of power reserve with the help of a movement including six barrels. Second, this exceptional watch had an original hour and minute display featuring two parallel rollers. This surprising arrangement can be seen again in the new WeapOne. And although the new watch - limited to 20 pieces - only has 60 hours of power reserve, it also dazzles with an unusual mechanism displayed in an equally unique titanium case.

Traditionally, a flying tourbillon is not kept in place inside a cage, but seems to float in the air. This is indeed the case for the tourbillon in the Weap-One. However, here it is linked to two plates rotating at different speeds. One completes a circle in a minute, the other moves twice as slowly. The result? The rotational axis of the tourbillon gives rise to an asymmetry and a movement that is far from being straight and unvarying. Visually, the difference in speeds creates

variations in position, so that the tourbillon takes up all the available space.

The ingenious calibre is the fruit of a collaboration with the Concepto Watch Factory and required no less than 529 components. The vast majority of them, although perfectly fitted into the case, are partially invisible, despite the omnipresence of glass. Because the architecture of the watch is built around a 40mm-long and 25mm-wide sapphire tube.

This iconoclastic shape, born from the fertile imagination of the designer Fabrice Gonet, resembles a test tube. It is not there to carry out thermodynamic tests, however, but to produce a unique mechanical experience around the tourbillon. The glass has an anti-reflective coating, guaranteeing abundant light to show off the rotation of the flying tourbillon perfectly.

At each end of the tube, the hour and the minutes are displayed on parallel revolving discs. The figures are coated with Super-LumiNova®, so they can be read day and night.

Two “wheel-nut” crowns top the cylinder. The crown to the right is used to wind the timepiece and the one to the right to set the time.

The Weap-One is a watch with a strong power of attraction. In the introduction to the latest season of the series Mad Men,

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an adman presents his brief about a Swiss watch from the 1960s. He ends the presentation with the slogan: “It’s not a Timepiece, it is a conversation Piece”. The Weap-One by Rebellion really does hit the target!

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Lou is Moine t

60

Abracadabra, here’s Mobilis!

By Isabelle Guignet

B

y sleight of hand, Louis Moinet has conjured up watch mechanism magic with Mobilis. This timepiece could make you lose your head or at least cast a spell over you with its kaleidoscope effect and flying tourbillons.

It’s hard to tear yourself away from the hypnotic effect exuding from the Mobilis, the latest watch design by Louis Moinet.

And you’d be right! Two flying tourbillons seem to float as they work in opposition on two ceramic ball bearings and add to the off-centre hour dial whose optical illusion is based on the kaleidoscope complication. This dizzying timepiece pays tribute to the mechanical expertise of Louis Moinet as well as the graphics arts mastered by the French watchmaker and creator of the first chronograph in the early 19 th century.

If you know about Louis Moinet then you know how much the brand loves both the stylish and the unusual. So to make the Mobilis, the watchmaker had to request not one but

two patents. The first because Mobilis is the only existing tourbillon whose function is to power another complication, the kaleidoscope effect. The second because the tourbillons work differently: one spins clockwise and the other goes anticlockwise. They are made from titanium which is light enough for them to rotate in 60 seconds. The 0.4g tourbillons spin in their 14.9mm cages fuelled by an inverted gearwheel which, like a Houdini trick, conjures up a captivating optical illusion.

This piece of fine chronometry captivates with its kaleidoscope effect produced by layers of openwork discs spinning opposite ways beneath the ellipse openwork dial’s structure. The optical illusion at 12 is topped by two so-called dew drop hands which enhance the watch’s elegance. The watch has a self-winding mechanical calibre, a 52-hour power reserve and its mechanical heart beats at 21,600vph.

The avant-garde case is a quirky and complex design.

Minimalism certainly isn’t Louis Moinet’s thing. Two lateral

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shafts in solid gold glitter with black zirconia and are openwork to make the construction even more ethereal. The sapphire crystal and case back give the piece transparency and a sense of depth on this 47.4mm plot.

Mobilis is an allegory for Louis Moinet’s artistic work and gives a real sense of gravity melting away like an endless drop in space. The undeniably captivating optical illusion will cast a spell over the biggest admirers of hypnosis.

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SUMMER 2017

B LANC PAIN

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The predator of the ocean depths

By Sharmila Bertin

O

ver 50 years after the birth of the first Fifty Fathoms, Blancpain pays homage to this legendary watch by unveiling a new timepiece inspired by the original model with the famous water-tightness indicator in the lower half of the dial.

The Fifty Fathoms divers' watch, created by Blancpain, boasts a rich and fascinating history. It is based on two events that emerged in parallel and later dovetailed. First, the projects launched by Jean-Jacques Fiechter (born in 1927), CEO of Blancpain for three decades (from 1950 to 1980) and a big fan of scuba diving, which led to three patents, and above all to the first Fifty Fathoms model. Secondly, the research carried out by the founders of the French Navy’s combat swimmers unit, set up in 1952, Robert Maloubier (1923-2015) and Claude

Riffaud (1924-2016), to find a reliable diving watch, and which led to the three men meeting. The Fifty Fathoms was adopted by the French Navy in 1953. Between 1957 and 1958, the watch was provided with a water-tightness indicator, which turned from white to red when there was liquid in the case. This was the Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC 1. From 1958, the model was also adopted by the US Navy, particularly by members of such elite groups as the UDT ( Underwater Demolition Team ) and the Navy SEALs. This version of the Fifty Fathoms is the one that Blancpain is now celebrating, with the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC, a special limited edition with 500 pieces.

While this new watch borrows features from its ancestor of 1953, especially the water-rightness indicator, it also benefits from the very latest technology. Beginning with the black, notched, unidirectional revolving bezel on the case, equipped

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with a scratch-proof sapphire glass ring and luminous markers - essential for keeping track of time when diving. The steel case on the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC model is 40mm in diameter and waterproof down to 300m. The case back is sealed with a sapphire window revealing a solid gold rotor adorned with a platinum alloy for the calibre 1151. The automatic mechanical movement made by Blancpain includes a silicon spiral – a light and rust-resistant material that is impervious to magnetic fields – plus a double barrel providing 96 hours (or four days) of power reserve.

The dial on the Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC is adorned in brushed black with rays extending to the chapter ring from the centre, where the luminous hour, minute and second hands are set. The hour markers are made up of three different geometric shapes (rectangular, round and

triangular) following the aesthetic codes of the 1953 version.

At the bottom of the dial, at 6 o'clock, is the water-tightness indicator with a disc split in two crosswise and showing a white lower half-moon and an orange upper half-moon. The date, meanwhile, is shown discreetly in an open window at 4.30, white against a black background.

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MB &F

64

The end of a reign

By Sharmila Bertin

“

End on a high note” after a last farewell to the crowds: six years after conquering the hearts of its public, the Legacy Machine 1 gives way to new watches in the MB&F range.

In 2011, when I was taking my first steps in watchmaking journalism, I met Charris Yadigaroglou, the communications director at MB&F, who introduced me to the brand’s new creation with his warm smile. Named the Legacy Machine 1 (LM1 for the fans), the piece was totally different from the models that could usually be found in the HM collection. Quite the reverse, in fact, comparatively, with its painstakingly elaborated and even zany (in a positive way!) style, the LM1 looked like a well-behaved and shy little sister, but endowed with a big personality once you get to know it. So, thanks to the first version of the LM1, back in 2011, I fell head over heels in love with MB&F. Over time, my love grew and extended to all the models made by the brand from Geneva, including all the versions of this fabulous watch, such as the LM2 and the LM Perpetual, but in particular I’m fond of the Legacy Machine 1.

In 2017, in the presence of Maximilian Büsser, the founder of MB&F, Charris Yadigaroglou introduced me to a new version of the LM1, while announcing that this would be the last, that the collection will conclude with this piece, fittingly named the LM1 Final Edition, and that after they would be no more...

Even though I do understand the “reason”, even though I did do marketing studies, even though I know that everything has an end, as well as a beginning, it still breaks my heart. So, here I have this last jewel in my hand and I feel sad. It is beautiful, so beautiful. This is something like a Greek tragedy, but I will try to keep my emotions in check.

Taking up the aesthetic codes used in the family, the LM1 Final Edition nonetheless stands out from the original version through the shape of its balance wheel bridge. The two polished steel arches arise at 12 o’clock and support the balance wheel like two metal beams, but now have rounded, ergonomic curves. The gentle frequency of the balance wheel oscillating at 18 000 vibrations an hour (2.5Hz) means you can watch its rhythmic dance under the sapphire glass dome.

Two dials are set on a disc decorated with a black chocolate

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colour and grooves. The dials’ concave shape recalls the stripes on nautilus shells (a pattern called Côtes de Genève or “Geneva stripes”). Bevelled with polished metal and coated with a translucent white colour, the dials contain two independent time zones, each with its own crown. The two hour rims feature black Roman numerals, with a pair of blue hands floating above them. The information on the left-hand disc, at 9 o’clock, is adjusted using the crown placed at 8 o’clock, while the hands on the disc at 3 o’clock are moved by a crown at 4 o’clock, which is also used to wind the watch. The vertical power-reserve indicator at 6 o’clock and looks like two metal tusks pointing up to the sky (but perhaps I’m letting my imagination get carried away...).

The steel case on this edition, limited to 18 pieces, is 44mm wide and 16mm thick. The case back is equipped with a wide sapphire glass window, displaying the mechanical heart of the LM1 Final Edition, a manual winding movement specially developed by Jean-François Mojon (Chronode) and Kari Voutilainen for MB&F and providing 45 hours of power reserve.

After this majestic grande finale, the LM1 can finally say goodbye.

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SUMMER 2017

E milE C hou r iEt

When watchmaking and ballet come together

66

By Dan Diaconu

H

igh standards and tradition. These terms define watchmaking and ballet. It’s only natural that the young brand Emile Chouriet brings both disciplines together. This year the Genevan brand is partnering the Prix de Lausanne which gives young dancers from all over the world the chance to pursue their calling in the best conditions.

In ballet, the positions are stances before a step, sequence or scenario. They were outlined by Beauchamp, Louis XIV’s dance tutor. Modern watchmaking appeared during the same period from the work of the Dutch physician Christiaan Huygens who got the idea of pairing a spring with a balance wheel to control the precision of oscillations. Dance and watchmaking may have changed since then but the basics haven’t. Let’s review the foundations with Emile Chouriet’s new models unveiled at Baselworld 2017 and all labelled Swiss Made!

First position. The base. Hériter Édition Limitée Genève is a classic-looking watch with three hands and the date. The case back is engraved with two symbols of Geneva where Emile Chouriet is based: the famous Jet d’Eau fountain and

Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, the former 19 th century hydro power plant turned concert venue in a bend of the Rhône.

The case houses a mechanical EC9316 movement on an ETA 2824 base.

Second position. The same calibre brings the new casual Ice Cliff models’ hands to life. The dials have had a new look this year with brushed sunburst brown and sand-blasted cobalt blue. The watches rise to the occasion with soaring surrounds like the Swiss Alps’ peaks.

Third position. There’s a clear change in style with the Soleos watch. The timepiece’s name is an offering to our solar system’s star. It brings together Sol, the Roman sun god, and Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn. The time markers beam like sunrays on the shimmering silver hollowed and sandblasted dial. That’s how to dazzle fervent admirers of beautiful watches!

Fourth position. Complexity enters stage left. The Hériter à Guichets has a new take on timekeeping so forget about classic hands! Discs display the time digitally and vertically.

This ingenious spectacle gives you the chance to own a timepiece with a similar style to the classic and sophisticated mid-20 th century watches.

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Fifth position. This one requires real focus to get right. For a watch brand, this sort of expertise can only happen when the movement is made in-house. The Alchimie watch embodies this commitment. The classic watch has a movement with a spring and Swiss lever escapement all made in-house.

Emile Chouriet has spent the last 20 years paying tribute to the 18th century watchmaker of the same name with a range of luxury watches that anyone can afford. In 2016 after three years of research and development, the brand has become a “manufacture” with its first in-house movement: the EC5318.

Its thirteen collections to date feature a fairly impressive number of options to suit any taste. Looks may be vital to the range but fine watchmaking hasn’t been forgotten as there’s also a minute repeater and tourbillon.

Just as smooth movements elevate ballet, the latest watch

designs by Emile Chouriet celebrate another performance: the dance of time.

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SUMMER 2017

ALPINA

Automatic pilot mode engaged

68

By Sharmila Bertin

F

our new automatic watches have joined the pilot's watch collection by Alpina. Their simple but impressive style is just as fascinating as their affordable prices.

The name Alpina (of course) evokes mountain summits and, by extension – if you let your imagination run further – exploration, human physical and mental effort and weather conditions. In short, Alpinais a like a synonym for the word “adventurer” but also – and above all! – a brand famous for its top-quality watches sold at reasonable prices, generally well under 2 000 Swiss francs – as is the case for these four new Startimer Pilot Automatic models that have joined the collection of the same name first launched in 2011 and which were presented at BaselWorld, with only the model with a golden case priced over 1 000 Swiss francs.

True to the aesthetic codes of pilot's watches, each watch in the Startimer Pilot Automatic quartet features a large steel case (satin-polished, anthracite or pink gold plated) measuring 44mm in diameter, along with a projecting crown. This metal setting houses the AL-525 calibre, an automatic mechanical movement driving the hours, minutes, seconds and date, and providing a power reserve of 38 hours.

The dial, available in three matt colours (grey, blue or white), borrows elements from the timepieces designed for pilots, aiming to optimise readability and information-gathering in flight and in extreme conditions. The hour rim contains large Arabic numerals together with rectangular indices, and all with luminous applied chapters. The minute track – traced in white or black, depending on the colour of the dial – runs along the chapter ring, with a red, triangular reference point at 12 o'clock. At the heart of the dial of the Startimer Pilot Automatic are two leaf-shaped and phosphorescent hands displaying the hours and minutes. The seconds, meanwhile, are shown by a central second hand with the counterweight repeating the triangular, red-coated silhouette of the Alpina logo. A counter discreetly rounds off the functions to display the date at 3 o'clock.

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SUMMER 2017

LONGINE S

The time machine

By Sharmila Bertin

T

he collection bringing together re-editions of past watches by the watchmaker from Saint Imier welcomes a new arrival based on a model dating from

1945.

The Longines archives are a real treasure trove. For proof, you only need to look at the aptly named Heritage collection, which is brimming with new editions of watches that have helped the watchmaking brand become what it is today.

Because, without wanting to fall into the grotesque “links between tradition and modernity”, we should nonetheless note that our past has helped us construct what we now are.

This observation is valid for human beings, but also for such traditional and crafted objects as timepieces. Like the rest of the collection, the new Heritage 1945 model is a recreation of a model dating from the end of the Second World War. Apart from a few details, the Longines designers have changed nothing in the original piece’s aesthetic appearance.

But the same is not true for the manual-wind movement that powered its ancestor, since the Heritage 1945 has become an automatic, with the calibre L609 based on the ETA 2895.

The mechanism runs at 28 000 vibrations an hour, while providing a power reserve of up to 42 hours, and is housed in a 40mm-wide steel case.

The dial comes in a lightly bronzed tone, half way between copper and silver, and decorated with a brushed vertical pattern. Blending black Arabic numerals and silver pearl indices, the hour rim is encircled by discreet minute markers around the chapter ring. At the centre of this fairly traditional disc, a pair of blue steel leaf-shaped hands display the hours and minutes. The seconds tick away separately in a counter with finely grooved circles at 6 o’clock.

To highlight the vintage silhouette of the Heritage 1945, Longines has provided it with a natural coloured strap that has been aged to give it the same soft feel as nubuck leather, with ivory topstitches around the lugs.

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T U DOR

The saga continues!

70

By Sharmila Bertin

H

eritage Black Bay S&G by Tudor; a new timepiece scales the heights of a well-established collection on the contemporary watch scene.

The Heritage Black Bay may be inspired by the look of 1954’s Tudor Oyster Prince Submariner but behind the vintage mask it’s still a contemporary watch. Since the launch of the piece with a burgundy bezel, the collection has grown and struck gold with every new Tudor model. Its success story continued at 2017’s Baselworld when the Genevan brand unveiled a range of models including the Heritage Black Bay S&G, S for steel and G for gold.

The new watch has the same shape as its forebears but with flashes of yellow gold on the rotating bezel, screwdown crown, central strap link and dial features. It still oozes neoretro style without being bling.

The 41mm steel case is topped by a unidirectional rotating bezel with a matt black aluminium ring bearing the gold minute track. It houses the self-winding MT5612 calibre made

by Tudor and based on the MT5602 launched in 2015. The powerful COSC-certified movement runs at 28,800 vph (4Hz) and has a 70-hour power reserve.

The three gold luminescent hands on the black domed dial have the classic Heritage Black Bay shape and track the hours,

minutes and seconds along applied geometrical markers (also gold and luminescent) and a gilded minute track. The biggest surprise for the collection’s fans is the date display at 3.

The Heritage Black Bay S&G comes with a steel strap with a yellow gold central link or a black aged leather strap with a deployment clasp. As you’d expect from Tudor, the watch comes with an additional khaki fabric strap whose flecks of gold match the sun-kissed warmth radiating from the watch’s yellow gold glints.

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SUMMER 2017

C art ie r

71

The essentials of time

By Sharmila Bertin

A

s is the case at the beginning of each year for the SIHH, the Parisian company has presented a whole host of new timepieces, including an ultra-slim and elegant version of the Drive model.

Let's be honest: despite campaigns strongly (not to say solely) aimed at men, Cartier’s Drive model is in fact a watch that would adorn a woman's wrist as much as a man's. As someone who wore one when it was first launched in 2016, and again this year for the Salon International de Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), I can confirm that the Drive is completely unisex. And I don’t exactly have a massive wrist.

For this 27th SIHH, Cartier has designed a slim, pure version of this piece, simply baptised Drive Extra-Flat. Its cushionshaped case is 38mm by 39mm and under 7mm thick, and is available in white gold (limited to 200 pieces) or pink gold.

The case contains the 430 MC calibre, a manual winding

movement driving the hours and minutes, while providing a power reserve of about 40 hours.

On the silver dial with satin and sunburst finishes, the black minute track is displayed in the centre, where the two swordshaped blue-tinted hands show the hours and minutes. They move across an hour marker featuring black Roman figures, in characteristic Cartier style. There’s no second hand – simply the essentials of time.

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SUMMER 2017

U lysse Nar diN

A diving watch displaying swedish colours

72

By Sharmila Bertin

O

fficial partner of the Artemis Racing team, the Le Locle watchmaker proudly displays the colours of the Swedish flag on a limited edition chronograph.

A Swedish racing catamaran seems to fly over the waves, its sailing team guided by an Australian skipper and a Le Locle watchmaker renowned for its marine chronometers since 1846. Made by Ulysse Nardin, these are the three ingredients in the Diver Chronograph Artemis Racing’s recipe for success.

Formed by businessman, sailing amateur and multiple trophy winner Torbjörn Törqvist, the Swedish Artemis Racing team has been conquering the waves for ten years. A challenger in the 2017 and 35th edition of the America's Cup in Bermuda, Artemis Racing is counting on the support of Swedish watch brand Ulysse Nardin; their partnership is based in part on the creation of 250 limited edition timepieces that proudly bear their Swedish colours.

The Diver Chronograph Artemis Racing sports a 45.8mm diameter steel case covered in protective navy blue rubber to protect the screwdown crown and chronograph pushers, whilst the blue rubber surrounding the notched rotating bezel on this sturdy timepiece features a wave pattern evoking an ocean swell. On board, the UN-35 automatic calibre powers a plethora of chronograph functions and supplies a 42-hour power reserve. Guaranteed waterproof to 200m in depth, the

screwdown case back features a steel medallion engraved with a silhouette of the Artemis Racing catamaran.

The blue dial on this Ulysse Nardin boasts a 3D reproduction of a regatta in full sail. In the centre, two large and luminescent openwork sword hands display hours and minutes, with a small second hand at 3 o’clock showing the hour. Also in the centre, a large second hand with a yellow tip tracks seconds. Sporting the stylized Greek goddess Artemis and bow logo representing the racing team, a counter at 9 o’clock tracks minutes as well.

The name of the Swedish sailing team appears prominently in the centre of the hour counter at 3 o’clock whilst the aperture at 4:30 displays a perpetual calendar.

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2017

Pe r r e le t

A mechanical ballet in three dimensions

By Sharmila Bertin

T

he new collection of watches that has been produced in the Perrelet factory is available in three models with structured, three-dimensional dials.

Since the invention of its double rotor system in 1995, Perrelet has become a past master in the art of hypnotising the eye with this oscillating weight placed at the side of the dial which dances when the wrist is moving. The company, founded almost 240 years ago by the Neuchâtel watchmaker AbrahamLouis Perrelet (1729-1826) and now established in Bienne, in the Canton of Berne, takes pleasure in designing ways that time can be displayed, making it live, in the literal sense of the word as well as figuratively. You can see this in their new collection called simply LAB. The LAB range is available with dials in three elegant colours: an intense black, a grey which is mid-way between anthracite and gunmetal, and a timeless silver. It has a very structured dial with a central disc crossed by horizontal lines surrounded by a brushed ring. A large chapter ring holds the minute track, in black or white depending on the chosen model, whereas the

facetted, luminescent markers are fixed on a sapphire crystal ring, giving the hour rim the appearance of floating in the air. At the heart of the dial lies a trio of metallic hands that display the hours, minutes and seconds. The date is shown in white on a black background (except for the model with the silver dial where the colours are reversed) in a display at the 6 o’clock position.

The most spectacular aspect of the Perrelet’s LAB, however, is its oscillating weight on a rolling bearing, placed under the ring holding the markers. The part of it that can be seen is decorated with oblique lines and whirls on the dial. This rotor includes the calibre P-411, a self-winding mechanical movement designed and produced by Perrelet. It provides a 42-hour power reserve and is housed within the stainless steel, cushion-shaped case (42x42mm).

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OR IS

74

The archives, sources of treasure

By Sharmila Bertin

O

ne of the models unveiled by Oris at Baselworld takes its inspiration from two vintage timepieces in the brand's archives and, despite the limited number of pieces made, was a big hit at the opening of the trade fair.

It's impossible to deny the heart-stopping feeling I experienced when Rolf Studer, the CEO of the Oris brand, gave me this new model. It is hard to restrain your emotions, even though journalists should always try to be impartial. But my love had bloomed for this treasured object delicately placed on one of the tables of the Oris at Baselworld. Its name? The Big Crown 1917 Limited Edition.

The Big Crown 1917 Limited Edition was named after the first pilot's watch designed by the watchmakers from Hölstein – a town in the Basel-Landschaft canton, in north-western

Switzerland – in 1938 and called the Big Crown. Although Oris’ new watch borrows the Big Crown’s aesthetic features, it also takes inspiration from the style of a pocket watch made by the brand in the 1910s. The pocket watch features an engraving of the Blériot XI monoplane, built by Louis Blériot (1872-1936) in 1909, and on board which the French engineer crossed the Channel the same year. In short, the new Big Crown 1917 Limited Edition has forged very strong links with its ancestors and above all with the world of aviation.

The steel case, measuring 40mm in diameter – a perfectly unisex size, which is a good point in my book – has the same rounded sides as the vintage Oris pocket watch. It features a large, ribbed steel crown and a monopusher at 2 o'clock on the outside of the case, and which just needs to be pressed to set the time. The system was already featured on the Big

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Crown in 1938. The metal case has a solid, screwed back with the former OWC (Oris Watch Company) logo, as well as the number of the piece, out of a total of 1917. It houses the Oris 732 calibre, based on the Sellita SW 200-1, an automatic mechanical movement driving the hour and minute functions while providing a power reserve of 38 hours.

The dial on the Big Crown 1917 Limited Edition is decorated in a lightly grained, silver grey tone, and features an hour rim with large Arabic numerals coated in beige Super-LumiNova®.

In the centre are two luminous, blued, openwork and leafshaped hands, identical to the ones found on the first pilot's watches in the 20th century, displaying the hours and minutes.

This new watch made by Oris is available with a chocolate brown leather wrist protector, as well as a travel pouch with a “simple” second strap, also made of brown leather.

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SUMMER 2017

B VLGAR I

76

Grey in all its glory

By Sharmila Bertin

T

he watchmaker from Rome has developed a new automatic movement with great finesse and that is now housed in a titanium version of the famous octagonal case of its Octo collection.

Ultra-flat, ultra-light, ultra-grey: the new model by Bvlgari was one of the timepieces the press, and particularly the specialised watch press, appreciated most at 2017 BaselWorld.

Named the Octo Finissimo Automatique, this watch does indeed have numerous strengths. It not only features a magnificent grey colour and a fine graphic silhouette, but also houses a new automatic mechanism developed by Bvlgari.

The sanded titanium body repeats the gently angular outline of the Octo case; it is 40mm in diameter – a perfect size – and 5.15mm thick. Its lightness and slim figure make the Octo Finissimo Automatique a discreet but highly attractive companion.

At the heart of the delicately grained grey case, equipped with a sapphire back, is the brand-new calibre BVL138, a mechanical movement fitted with a platinum micro-rotor with a width of just 2.23mm. This mechanism designed and made

by Bvlgari runs at 21 600 vibrations an hour and provides a power reserve of up to 60 hours. It drives the essential time displays, the hours, minutes and seconds.

On the Octo Finissimo Automatique dial, adorned with a grey tone matching the watch case, the black hour rim is made up of slender indices and long Arabic numerals. At the centre of the grey disc are two dauphine-style, openwork hands coated in black PVD displaying the hours and the minutes.

The seconds, meanwhile, are offset in a counter at 7 o'clock.

This latest addition to the Bvlgari range is worn with a black alligator strap rounded off with a titanium ardillon buckle in a relatively traditional version. For a more sporting touch, the Octo Finissimo Automatique is also available with a titanium link strap with a folding clasp.

THE WATCHES MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2017

E t Er na

A bronze odyssey

By Sharmila Bertin

T

he manufacturer from Granges celebrates the 70 th anniversary of the epic journey of the Kon-Tiki raft led by Thor Heyerdahl, in 1947, with a limited edition bronze version of its flagship model.

On 28 April 1947, the Norwegian anthropologist and explorer Thor Heyerdahl, with five other men, set off across the Pacific Ocean on board the Kon-Tiki. The makeshift raft built by Heyerdahl and his team took 101 days to sail from the Peruvian coast to the Tuamotu archipelago in Polynesia. This human adventure inspired Eterna to create a new collection of watches with a sports look: KonTiki. Because 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of Heyerdahl’s epic adventure, the watchmaker based in Granges has designed a bronze timepiece baptised the KonTiki Diver Bronze Manufacture.

Bronze is not only an alloy that is very much in vogue in watchmaking today, but has also been often used in shipbuilding for several decades. Sailors have long praised its robustness and resistance to rust. What is more, bronze has the advantage of oxidising delicately, creating a vert-degris patina that makes each of the 300 KonTiki Diver Bronze Manufacture watches unique.

This new timepiece designed by Eterna features a bronze case of 44mm in diameter and 14mm thick, with a unidirectional

revolving bezel. It has a screwed back and is decorated with sapphire glass, revealing the in-house automatic mechanical movement driving the hours, minutes and seconds. This is the 3902A calibre that runs at a frequency of 28 800 vibrations per hour and provides 65 hours of power reserve.

The dial of the KonTiki Diver Bronze Manufacture is anthracite grey in colour and has a roughened look, evoking granite. An hour rim featuring triangular, golden and luminous indices surrounded by a white minute track is the home for two dauphine-style hands. The counterweight on the second hand recalls the outline of an assegai spear.

The watch comes with a hazelnut brown strap with ecrucoloured stitching around the lugs and a bronze ardillon buckle.

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MAR C H LA.B

78

French-style mix & match

By Sharmila Bertin

A

watch is not just a status symbol that can tell the time, but can be a real fashion accessory, both beautiful and practical, as is shown by the new collection by March LA.B.

This year, the French brand set up and managed by Alain Marhic presented its new watches at BaselWorld. The firm’s stand, dressed in the famous “Forrest” green dear to its founder, had the same intimate, warm and deliciously Seventies atmosphere as the two March LA.B shops in Paris. You have to admit you always feel at home with Alain Marhic! You could spend the whole day in his gentleman-surfer world! The 2017 models include the new Seventy collection, a set of six watches that can be easily matched with ten or so straps in a range colours.

This Seventy model is directly inspired by the AM69, a piece that appeared in the March LA.B, catalogue a short time ago.

Although it shares its predecessor’s aesthetic codes, the design

is nonetheless much simplified and purer, without affecting its perfectly identifiable look.

The Seventy case is 36mm wide, a typical size for the vintage watches that have influenced the March LA.B creations, and with the advantage of suiting both male and female wrists.

Available in grey steel or gilded metal, the case has a screwed back, is watertight down to 100m and includes – like all the brand’s watches, except the AM3 chronograph – an offset crown at 4 o’clock.

Each model has its own name, from Seventy One to Seventy Six, and features a different case/dial combination. The pieces from One to Four have steel cases - only the colour of the dial with a brushed finish varies (silver, bronze, green or grey) along with the applied indices and dauphine-style hands (golden or silver). The Five and Six models, meanwhile, feature a golden case with a silver or green dial featuring a golden hour rim.

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The time functions (hours, minutes and seconds at the centre) and calendar functions (a white date against a black background at 3 o’clock) are powered by a Japanese quartz movement, which explains the collection’s bargain price.

Another great feature of the Seventy is that it has an interchangeable strap. This is a trend that has been gaining ground over the past two years and means you can match your watch to your outfit. Designed in woven Perlon, a highly resistant nylon, and with a metal buckle matching the colour of the watch case, the strap comes in a range of colours: navy blue, emerald green or khaki, chocolate brown or mocha, ivory white or classic black.

Once the Seventy is on your wrist, you’ll just need to put on your wetsuit, take your surfboard under your arm and run to the beach to chase the waves!

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Emmanuel Bouchet : the “complication whisperer”

By Tiffany Cartier-Millon

H

e risked his own house to progress – he got his fingers burnt, but this was the price Emmanuel Bouchet paid for achieving his dream: to found his own company.

His first model, Complication One, was born and seems to be only the tip of a creative iceberg.

For many generations now, the Bouchets have been watchmakers. The story begins on the Maiche plateau, then moves to Lorraine, facing the difficulties of a bipolar industry (it still is nowadays: hysterical one minute, and depressed the next). Born in the Haute-Marne, Emmanuel Bouchet joined the family firm when he was only 21 and for 16 years, the boutique-workshop ran very smoothly with its six employees. However, since he had stayed there so often, Emmanuel Bouchet felt more attached to his family home, and his roots on the Swiss border, than he did to his own region. He was anxious to settle down there, and left aged 38 to play with the big boys (while still going back to run the store in Lorraine at the weekend!). At Jaeger-LeCoultre, he took charge of the assembly of a limited series with a retrograde date display. His talent for fine watchmaking complications was confirmed with Frédéric Piguet, then Parmigiani (Vaucher), where he distinguished himself by practising the Haley method and running the watchmaking laboratory.

Emmanuel Bouchet is a humble man, but is confident enough to tame the mechanical process, well able to visualise the industrial production of a movement, creating radically different mechanical systems while at the same time preserving the fundamentals of a perfect functionality, able to create the first instantaneous jump minute, split between two hands.

He may have set up a new company in 2008, but he also helped to “ resolve ” others’ watchmaking problems. But not content with being someone who is a “ complication whisperer ”, Emmanuel Bouchet overflows with ideas and concepts to the point where his “ brain is overheated ”. He therefore started from the beginning again in 2013, creating his own brand. “ I had to start work on my kitchen table with the minimum of tools I had to have to carry out the work. On many occasions, I was afraid that I had lost my house ”. The entrepreneur certainly had some stomach-churning meetings which could have led to his downfall, but then the time came for some fruitful ones : no business angels or rich foreign investors with millions, but remarkably confident and benevolent Swiss providers. Dzevad Cohadarevic agreed to manufacture his components at Sainte Croix, and at Sébal he was able to obtain his sapphire crystals. What about invoices ? “ We’ll see about them later ”, they answered. Finally, thanks to his network, especially Harry Winston, Emmanuel Bouchet met backers in

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London who helped him found his distribution company (still without capital!).

Emmanuel Bouchet finalised his prototype of Complication One in the days before the Salon QP in 2014. His survival was assured by the offer of life-saving proposals, as for example from Harry Winston, where he refined the Opus 12. The fanatical worker collapsed from exhaustion before BaselWorld 2015, but he healed his karma: the first piece was sold at the opening of the trade fair. At the end of 2016, the count stood at 45 pieces sold, of which half had already been delivered. Complication One is remarkable: between a slow motion escapement which means that you can enjoy the movement every 15 seconds, the absence of a cannon pinion for changing the time, its jump minutes – it displays a brilliant construction. And the housing is harmonious as well!

Some of the media suggest that he gains from being known, but this designer is not wildly receptive of praise – his brain runs along lines where cartloads of ideas jostle for space. He has mentioned a new line called “ classique ” for BaselWorld 2017 and, with a twinkle in his eye, Complication Two. Emmanuel Bouchet is a real entrepreneur, who does not think of wealth or success, but rather of achievement. In his sights are his

brand and his DNA, features of mechanical architecture, originality of construction, purity and fluidity, and a casing that is all-important.

A brand that, like its designer, must exist without compromise.

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Can the watch sector really call itself innovative anymore?

By Serge Panczuk

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he watch fair season is over and the “new products” have come out. But can the watch sector really still call itself innovative? It’s a fair question given how some brands hide behind this all-encompassing word.

The umpteenth over-exploitation of a case from another century? A different size presented as revolutionary? The standard and obvious stack of tourbillons that spin but don’t do anything?

Once upon a time, watches were hi-tech items providing critical information to people who really needed it. The first watchmakers were today’s nerds who endlessly pushed the boundaries of technology to give ever more people critical information: time. An industry and culture have been founded on these innovations. They have fed families and contributed to the image of a country. Well before Silicon Valley, there was another Valley somewhere in central Europe. Now what’s happening? The future of an entire industry hangs on this question as it doesn’t know which way to go: should it look to the future or the past?

The past brings nostalgia for power and geographical borders that have now been conquered (deep sea, space). This form of watchmaking is based on “the good old days”. It works because nostalgia is comforting. Watchmakers have invented neo-classical and rewritten their glorious past with tools from the present day.

But the watch industry gave itself a new competitor as it played with fate. It brought back forgotten pieces which we now call “vintage.” It’s as though a cycle has ended and the present has made way for the past. Some back-track, watchmakers back-innovate. It’s hard to tell if this motion is virtuous or dangerous but one thing’s for sure: it’s not in keeping with the culture of innovation that was at the roots of watchmaking.

Other brands look to the future because they either don’t have a past or they want to surprise us. But that’s hard to do as timekeeping is no longer an innovation in itself. What made watch innovation what it was no longer exists. As soon as watchmaking stays rooted in its origins, its margin for “future” innovation stays weak.

The last major innovation was quartz. It transformed watchmaking by bringing it into the era of mass production. It changed how the client would buy watch innovations. Quartz made time easy and cheap to keep track of.

Since then most innovations are in the industrial sector so movements are more reliable or production is easier. However these new features go unnoticed by the client as they lack any power of seduction.

That means the format needs innovation so marketing comes into play. This is cosmetic innovation. For example, there are

new materials. They are successful but there’s a heavy price to pay. The industry is changing its character by innovating on looks. It becomes a fashion accessory. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as you accept it. But other figures are appearing. They don’t come from the watchmaking valleys.

They’re not “manual”. They’re “digital.” They have no legacy or history. But they’ve decided to make watches more than just timekeepers. For them, time is a detail and the watch changes its character. Some see this change with scepticism.

Others with fear. It’s the fate of any innovation. That’s how we saw the first trains and planes. We call these new items “smartwatches”. The word has become part of life without realising that by calling these watches “smart”, we make other watches “stupid”…It’s unfair but it’s not wrong as the classic watch industry has had opportunities to jump onto the innovation train that they’ve let pass by. All is not lost.

People like watches and they have something that a lot of items no longer have. They have emotion. Innovation speaks to the head but emotion speaks to the heart. The watch industry has unique emotive resources which should enable it to tie emotion to innovation. A great calibre may now be useless but you still want one. A smartwatch has become coldly indispensable. The next great watch innovation could come from the two coming together. Let’s hope that it’s already on people’s minds. Time will tell.

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Master Ultra Thin RĂŠserve de Marche watch Philippe Jordan, Chief Conductor and Music Director in Paris and Vienna