James Free FW23: Dayton

FALL/WINTER 2023

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14 A LEGEND LIVES ON

6 SHE’S GOT THE LOOK

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary recalls a race too dangerous to continue—and a watch too elegant to forget.

Whether they’re worn on their own, layered or stacked, Messika’s timeless jewels are a classic choice.

8 WHO’S THAT GIRL?

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Marco Bicego’s multi-colored gemstones on your ears, neck, fingers and wrists add pizzazz to your looks.

16 IN FULL BLOOM

Diamonds set in white gold are always a smart choice.

22 THE HEAD TURNERS

20 THE WAY SHE WEARS IT

10 COLOR ME BEAUTIFUL

Surprise every person on your list this year.

Gold, enamel and diamonds from Roberto Coin help you grab the spotlight this season.

Add a little hue to your collection of gems.

25 OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS

A chic cocktail ring can showcase your birth month, your favorite color—or simply your enduring style.

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32 TIMEPIECE TYPES

No matter your style—and lifestyle—you’ll find a luxury watch to match your personality at James Free Jewelers.

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CONTENTS F/W 2023

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36 THE AUDACITY OF EXCELLENCE

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust is a classic timepiece designed for a lady.

42 THE SECRET SWITZERLAND

Swiss skiers in the know consider Val d’Anniviers the place to go—not for chic ski crowds, but for skiing.

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44 BARHOPPING EUROPE

52 SEEING RED

47 ABOVE AND BEYOND

56 AT YOUR SERVICE

If you only have time for one drink in each of these storied cities, let it be here!

At James Free Jewelers, we’re devoted to giving back to the community we serve—and having a little fun too!

Your holiday party will be a hit when you keep glasses filled with these crimson-colored cocktails.

Service has always been the heartbeat of James Free Jewelers.

JAMES FREE

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SHE’S GOT THE LOOK 6

JAMES FREE

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Messika White Gold Move Uno Small Diamond Hoop Earrings; Messika Yellow Gold Move Link Multi Diamond Ring; Messika White Gold Move Link Multi Pavé Diamond Ring; Messika Rose Gold Lucky Move PM Mother-of-Pearl and Diamond Ring; Messika White Gold Move Uno Pavé Diamond Ring; Messika White Gold Move Pavé Diamond Necklace; Messika White Gold Move Uno Pavé Diamond Drop Pendant Necklace; Messika White Gold Move Classic Pavé Diamond Bracelet; Messika Rose Gold Lucky Move PM Mother-of-Pearl Bracelet; Messika White Gold Move Noa Full Pavé Diamond Bangle; Messika Yellow Gold Move Noa Full Pavé Diamond Bangle.

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COLOR ME BEAUTIFUL

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Omi Gems Rose Gold Garnet and Moonstone Diamond Ring; Charles Krypell Diamond and Sapphire Lariat Necklace; Piranesi Diamond and Sapphire Flower Stud Earrings; Omi Gems Rose Gold Purple and Pink Sapphire Diamond Ring; Omi Gems Platinum Moonstone and Tanzanite Diamond Ring; Omi Gems Platinum Purple Sapphire and Violet Spinel Diamond Ring; Charles Krypell White Gold Diamond and Emerald Tri-Layer Ring; Charles Krypell White Gold Diamond and Sapphire Tri-Layer Ring.

JAMES FREE

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WHO’S THAT GIRL? 10

Marco Bicego Yellow Gold Murano Collection Mixed Gemstone Drop Earrings; Marco Bicego Yellow Gold Murano Collection Mixed Gemstone Necklace; Marco Bicego Yellow Gold Murano Collection Mixed Gemstone Ring; Marco Bicego Yellow Gold Murano Collection Mixed Gemstone Bracelet.

JAMES FREE

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Profile

A LEGEND LIVES ON The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph 60th Anniversary recalls a race too dangerous to continue—and a watch too elegant to forget. By Christen Fisher Long before there was a Mexican Grand Prix on the F1 circuit,

genre-defining timepiece by releasing the TAG Heuer Carrera

there was the Carrera Panamericana, an annual road race that

Chronograph 60th Anniversary. A faithful reinterpretation of

began in 1950 to celebrate the completion of the Mexican section

the highly coveted Carrera 2447 SN of the late 1960s, this new

of the Pan-American Highway. Sponsored by Mexico’s National

version features a silver, sun-ray-brushed dial and a silver flange

Automobile Association and encouraged by the Mexican govern-

with a 60-second/minute scale as well as three contrasting black

ment to increase tourism, it was a perilous, nine-stage, five-day,

subdials, a configuration known as a panda dial. The subdial at 3

2,096-mile, border-to-border trek through major climate and

o’clock is a minute chronograph counter; the one at 6 o’clock is a

elevation changes that ran from Juárez in the north all the way

permanent second indicator; and the one at 9 o’clock is an hour

to Cuauhtémoc on the Guatemalan border to the south. In 1951,

chronograph counter. All three have silver hands and markings.

Time magazine said the route consisted of “hairpin curves, roll-

A masterpiece in legibility, the dial is complete with rhodi-

er-coaster dips and erratic paving…bone-jarring at tourist speeds,

um-plated, faceted, polished hour and minute hands, a black

and highly dangerous for even the most experienced racer.” After

lacquered central hand and the Heuer logo, also in black.

the 1955 LeMans racing disaster, authorities decided the Carrera Panamericana was too dangerous to continue.

During its five-year sojourn, however, the alluringly dangerous

boasts sleek lines throughout. A raised profile sapphire-crystal, referred to as a Glassbox, and polished steel crown and round

race attracted F1, Rally and NASCAR drivers from all over the

pushers contribute to the watch’s cool, retro feel. Its screw-down

world as well as European and American manufacturers. It drew

steel-and-crystal caseback reveals the Heuer 02, TAG Heuer’s

close to two million spectators, was marked by a shocking 27 fatal-

80-hour in-house automatic chronograph caliber movement,

ities, and inspired two of Mexico’s greatest racing drivers, brothers

and is adorned with a limited-number special engraving that

Pedro and Ricardo RodrÍguez, for whom Mexico’s Grand Prix

reads “TAG HEUER LIMITED EDITION, XXX/600,” as

circuit, the Autódromo Hermanos RodrÍguez, was named.

well as a note of the watch’s 100-meter water resistance. Also

When Jack Heuer met the RodrÍguez brothers at Twelve

visible are the movement’s Geneva Stripes decoration, its column

Hours of Sebring in Florida in 1962, they regaled him with

wheel—the device that makes the activation of a chronograph

tales of the short-lived Carrera Panamericana, which in turn

precise—and a special Carrera 60th Anniversary rotor. Present-

inspired him to create a wristwatch reflecting the spirit of that

ed on a calfskin leather racing strap with steel pin buckle, the

legendary race. One year later, Heuer debuted what would be-

limited-edition piece comes in a racing-red box that includes Jack

come a legend in its own right, the eponymous Heuer Carrera

Heuer’s famous quote about the Carrera name.

Chronograph. Of the name, Jack said, “I loved not only its sexy

With a run of only 600 pieces, the TAG Heuer Carrera

sound but also its multiple meanings, which include road, race,

Chronograph 60th Anniversary is a highly collectible cele-

course and career. All very much Heuer territory.”

bration of the enduring spirit of racing and the first entry in

For 60 years, the Carrera Chronograph set the standard for chronograph design. This year TAG Heuer celebrates this

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The new Carrera’s 39mm polished steel case with fixed bezel

a season of releases planned to mark this milestone in Swiss watchmaking and racing history.

JAMES FREE

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IN FULL BLOOM 16

JB Star Alternating Diamond Circle Necklace; Picchiotti White Gold Xpandable Diamond Ring; Roberto Coin White Gold Cento Diamond Twisted Hoop Earrings; James Free White Gold Diamond Flower Riviera Necklace.

JAMES FREE

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THE WAY SHE WEARS IT 20

JAMES FREE

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Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Cialoma Knot Ring; Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Mosaic Diamond Accent Ring; Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Cialoma Single Knot Diamond Ring; Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Cialoma Diamond Knot Earrings; Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Cialoma Diamond Cloud Bangle; Roberto Coin White Gold Cialoma Diamond Cloud Bangle; Roberto Coin Rose Gold Mosaic Black Jade and Diamond Bangle; Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Navarra Large Diamond Link Bangle; Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Mosaic Turquoise and Diamond Bangle; Roberto Coin Rose Gold Mosaic Diamond Bangle; Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Domino Diamond Crossover Necklace.

10/19/23 12:19 PM

M A N U FAC T U R E Classic Tourbillon

B EYOND CONVENT I ONS

frederiqueconstant.com

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Gift Guide

Goshwara Blue Topaz Charm Necklace James Free Yellow Gold Layered Diamond Bracelet

Marco Bicego Yellow Gold Alta Diamond Earrings

Messika Yellow Gold Lucky Eye Malachite & Diamond Ring

THE HEAD TURNERS

John Hardy Yellow Gold Surf Diamond Pavé Ring

Surprise every person on your list.

Scan for more info.

Messika Yellow Gold Move Link Diamond Bracelet

Sloane Street Yellow Gold Blue Topaz Ombré Earrings

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JAMES FREE

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Gift Guide

Roberto Coin Rose Gold LoveBy-The-Inch Diamond Station Necklace

Mikimoto Yellow Gold Akoya Cultured Pearl Pendant Necklace

Oris X Bracelet Aquis 43.5mm Watch

John Hardy Classic Chain Silver Love Knot Bracelet John Hardy Yellow Gold Classic Chain Diamond Pavé Flex Cuff

Roberto Coin Yellow Gold Cialoma Diamond Cloud Bangle James Free Yellow Gold Teardrop Diamond Earrings

Sloane Street Yellow Gold Pearl Huggie Earrings

Roberto Coin White Gold Love-By-TheInch Diamond Station Bracelet

Scan for more info.

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JAMES FREE

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OH! YOU PRETTY THINGS

Goshwara Rose Gold Lavender Amethyst and Diamond Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold Blue Topaz and Diamond Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold Three-Stone Blue Topaz and Peridot Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold London Blue Topaz and Diamond Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold Three-Stone Amethyst and Garnet Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold Citrine and Diamond Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold Three-Stone Prasiolite and Peridot Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold Prasiolite and Diamond Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold Three-Stone Peridot and Lolite Ring; Goshwara Yellow Gold Citrine and Garnet Ring.

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Gift Guide Charles Krypell Diamond Angel Heart Pendant Necklace

John Hardy Silver Surf Diamond Pavé Link Pendant Necklace

James Free Yellow Gold Diamond Band

Bell & Ross BR 03 Black Matte Watch

John Hardy Classic Chain Silver Love Knot Orange Cord Bracelet

Goshwara Two-Stone Amethyst and Garnet Earrings

Mikimoto Yellow Gold Akoya Cultured Pearl Earrings

Marco Bicego Yellow Gold Masai Diamond Crossover Bracelet

Scan for more info.

Sloane Street Yellow Gold Toi et Moi Blue Topaz Ring

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JAMES FREE

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Gift Guide

Messika Yellow Gold Baby Move Diamond Necklace

Mikimoto White Gold Pearl and Diamond Drop Earrings

John Hardy Classic Chain Yellow Gold and Silver Diamond Flex Cuff

John Hardy Yellow Gold Diamond Pavé Surf Link Bracelet

Messika Yellow Gold Move Link Diamond Ring

Goshwara Emerald and Diamond Earrings

James Free White Gold Diamond Butterfly Bracelet

James Free Yellow-Gold Three Row Diamond Ring

Scan for more info.

James Free White Gold Two-Stone Diamond Band

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JAMES FREE

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TIMEPIECE TYPES

No matter your style—and lifestyle—you’ll find a luxury watch to match your personality at James Free Jewelers.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Ref. Q3918420

THE TRADITIONALIST

Traditional doesn’t have to mean boring. Beloved classic objects are those that never go out of style and those you hope to pass along to future generations. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface Calendar (ref. Q3918420) is one such piece. The latest model maintains the aesthetic of the original Reverso styles—two distinct, reversible, rectangular-shaped faces—but adds a contemporary look that’s equally elegant and enduring. Honor tradition by wearing the front dial, a clean white face with full calendar at 6 o’clock. To break the mold, flip the dial and reveal a blue sunray face, which features JLC’s new day-night disc and double hour markers. Along with the stainless-steel case, the contrasting styles keep in the true timeless spirit of the iconic Reverso.

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JAMES FREE

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THE PROFESSIONALIST

The watch you wear to the office should be a polished piece—one that can take you from corporate meetings to after-work negotiations. The IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Chronograph (ref. IW371617) is the epitome of sophistication and a versatile companion for your workday. For the first time, the watch comes with a stainless-steel bracelet featuring butterfly folding clasps for a sporty yet refined style. It’s neutral in color with unique blue hands and appliques, so the piece is suitable for any outfit—whether you’re dressed to the nines or simply keeping it casual. And thanks to its robust sapphire glass in front and back, the timepiece allows you to view IWC’s precise chronograph movement and rest it ergonomically on your wrist for all-day use.

IWC Schaffhausen Portugieser Chronograph Ref: IW371617

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OMEGA Seamaster Ref. 210.32.42.20.10.001

THE OUTDOORIST

Yachtsman, fisherman, diver or hiker, not just any watch will do for the nature enthusiast. The outdoorsman needs a timekeeper that matches his lifestyle, polished yet functional for the guy on the go. And what better watch for the job than James Bond’s? The Omega Seamaster Diver 300m (ref. 210.32.42.20.10.001) is water resistant to 1,000 feet with a selfwinding movement, a dual-sided scratch-resistant sapphire crystal backing and a date window at 6 o’clock. A handsome touch is the olive-green strap and ceramic bezel, a camo-inspired color to complement your nature-inspired hobbies.

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JAMES FREE

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THE TRAVELER

Loved by generations of explorers, the Breitling Navitimer has been the preferred watch of aviators worldwide and the official timepiece of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) for more than 70 years. The latest iteration, the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 (ref. AB0137211C1A1), features all the complications you’d expect from the classic Breitling, but it’s a modern refinement of the original. Wherever your travels take you, show off understated luxury with the watch’s domed sapphire crystal, brushed metal finish and updated dial shades, including the sophisticated blue face shown here. But what many will appreciate most is the return of the AOPA wings to their original 12 o’clock position—a piece of nostalgia that appeals to pilots and timepiece enthusiasts alike.

Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 46 Ref. AB0137211C1A1

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OYSTER PERPETUAL GMT-MASTER II

40 mm, Oystersteel, black lacquer dial, bidirectional rotatable bezel fitted with a 24-hour graduated Cerachrom insert in green and black ceramic, Oyster bracelet, calibre 3285.

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Oyst e r P e r p e t ua l G M T- M a st e r I I

OYSTER PERPETUAL GMT-Master II

THE COSMOPOLITAN WATCH The Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II is designed to display the time in two different time zones simultaneously.

Robust and functional, it is the ideal watch for criss-crossing the globe.

ADVERTISEMENT, 1959

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Oyst e r P e r p e t ua l G M T- M a st e r I I

Oyst e r P e r p e t ua l G M T- M a st e r I I

L L

aunched in 1955, the GMT-Master witnessed the rapid expansion of inter-

continental travel in the latter half of the 20th century. The GMT-Master, a aunched in 1955, the GMT-Master witnessed the increasing rapid expansion of intertrue “tool watch”, evolved continually to offer technical perform-

continental travelintroduced in the latter half of the 20th that century.

The the GMT-Master, a be ance.

In 1982, Rolex a new movement allowed hour hand to true “tool watch”, evolved to offer increasing technical set independently of the othercontinually hands. To clearly mark this evolution, andperformto avoid any

ance.

In 1982, with Rolex introduced a new movement that allowed the hour movement hand to bewas confusion the GMT-Master, the model fitted with the optimized set independently of the other named the GMT-Master II.hands. To clearly mark this evolution, and to avoid any confusion with the GMT-Master, the model fitted with the optimized movement was named theinstrument, GMT-Master II. several time zones One Designed as a navigation aid for professionals criss-crossing the globe, the

One instrument, several timeofzones GMT-Master II became the watch choice for travellers. It has a unique and

Designed as recognizable a navigation design aid forwith professionals criss-crossing the globe, the instantly a bidirectional rotatable bezel and a 24-hour GMT-Master became the watch of in choice for travellers.combinations It has a unique and graduated II insert, which is available various dual-colour – the lower instantly recognizable designand with a upper bidirectional rotatable bezel and a 24-hour half symbolizing daytime the signalling night-time. graduated whichhour, is available in and various dual-colour – the lower Withinsert, traditional minute seconds hands,combinations its triangle-tipped 24-hour

halfhand symbolizing daytime and rotatable the upper bezel signalling and a bidirectional withnight-time. a 24-hour graduated Cerachrom With traditional hour, minute and seconds hands, its triangle-tipped 24-hour insert, the GMT-Master II can display the time in two time zones simultaneously: hand and a bidirectional rotatable bezel with 24-hour graduated Cerachrom either the local time and the reference time,aor the local time and that of an alterinsert, the GMT-Master II can display the time in two time zones simultaneously: native time zone. The date is synchronized with the local time.

eitherThe the latest local time and the reference time,with or the local3285, time and that of an alterGMT-Master II is equipped calibre a self-winding mechannative time zone.

The date is synchronized with the local time. ical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. A consummate The latest GMT-Master II is equipped with calibre 3285,a anumber self-winding mechandemonstration of technology, this movement carries of patents.

It offers ical outstanding movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex.

A consummate performance in terms of precision, power reserve, resistance to shocks,

demonstration ofand technology, a number patents. Ithairspring offers convenience reliability.this It ismovement fitted withcarries the exclusive blueofParachrom outstanding performance the in terms of precision, power reserve, resistance to shocks, and also incorporates patented Chronergy escapement.

The movement’s power convenience and reliability.

It is fitted with the exclusive blue Parachrom hairspring reserve extends to approximately 70 hours. and also incorporates the patented Chronergy escapement. The movement’s power reserve extends to approximately 70 hours.

High-technology ceramic The GMT-Master II’s bidirectional rotatable bezel is fitted with a 24-hour gradu-

High-technology ceramic ated, two-colour Cerachrom insert manufactured in a single piece by Rolex from

Theextremely GMT-Master bidirectional rotatable bezel isisfitted with a 24-hour graduhardII’s ceramic.

This high-tech material virtually scratchproof and keeps ated, two-colour Cerachrom insert manufactured in a single piece Rolex from it is its vibrant colours over time. In addition, thanks to its chemicalby composition, extremely hard ceramic.

This high-tech material is virtually scratchproof and keeps inert and cannot corrode. its vibrant colours over time. thanks to its chemical composition, it is For optimum legibility, In theaddition, numerals, graduations and inscriptions are moulded

inert corrode. inand thecannot ceramic and then coated with an extremely thin layer of metal – yellow or For optimum legibility, the numerals, graduations and inscriptions are moulded pink gold or platinum, depending on the watch material – approximately one micron

in the ceramic then coated with an extremely layer A offinal metal – yellow or a thick, usingand a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition)thin process. polish achieves pinksmooth gold or and platinum, depending on the watch material – approximately one micron lustrous finish. thick, Rolex using introduced a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) process.

A final polish its first two-colour, single-piece Cerachrom bezelachieves insert ina2013 smooth and lustrous finish.

– a world first. Blue on the lower half and black on the upper half, it was launched Rolex introduced its first single-piece Cerachrom bezelreleased insert inthe 2013 on a GMT-Master II intwo-colour, Oystersteel.

One year later, the brand two– a world Blue oninsert the lower half and black onGMT-Master’s the upper half,original it was launched colourfirst.

Cerachrom in red and blue – the colours. The

on a GMT-Master II in Oystersteel. One year later, the brand released the twocolour Cerachrom insert in red and blue – the GMT-Master’s original colours. The

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Oyst e r P e r p e t ua l G M T- M a st e r I I

Launched in 1955, the GMT-Master witnessed the rapid expansion of intercontinental travel in the latter half of the 20th century.

OYSTER PERPETUAL GMT-MASTER, 1955

38 mm, stainless steel, black dial, rotatable bezel fitted with a 24-hour graduated two-colour insert in red and blue Plexiglas, Oyster bracelet.

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The GMT-Master II, with its combination of peerless functionality, robustness and instantly recognizable aesthetics, became one of the most iconic Rolex watches.

OYSTER PERPETUAL GMT-MASTER II

40 mm, Everose Rolesor version (combining Oystersteel and Everose gold), black lacquer dial, bidirectional rotatable bezel fitted with a 24-hour graduated Cerachrom insert in brown and black ceramic, Oyster bracelet, calibre 3285.

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Oyst e r P e r p e t ua l G M T- M a st e r I I Oyst e r P e r p e t ua l G M T- M a st e r I I

company carried out pioneering research to develop a red ceramic corresponding to its aesthetic and quality criteria, and came up with a different approach regardcompany carried out pioneering research to develop a red ceramic corresponding ing the initial ceramic mixture. In 2018, the brown and black ceramic insert was to its aesthetic and quality criteria, and came up with a different approach regardintroduced on two new variants of the GMT-Master II – one in 18 ct Everose gold and ing the initial ceramic mixture. In 2018, the brown and black ceramic insert was the other in Everose Rolesor In 2022, II Rolex a novelgold version introduced onan two new variants of version. the GMT-Master – oneunveiled in 18 ct Everose and of theother GMT-Master II. On this watch, theIn crown crown guarda are onversion the leftof side the in an Everose Rolesor version.

2022,and Rolex unveiled novel of the case.

The date aperture and the Cyclops lens have also moved and appear the GMT-Master II. On this watch, the crown and crown guard are on the left side

9 o’clock.

Made Oystersteel, watch features a two-colour ofatthe case. The datefrom aperture and the this Cyclops lens have also moved andmonobloc appear Cerachrom bezel insert in green and black ceramic – a colour pairing never before at 9 o’clock. Made from Oystersteel, this watch features a two-colour monobloc seen on thebezel model.

Cerachrom insert in green and black ceramic – a colour pairing never before seen on the model.

PERPETUAL CALIBRE 3285

Since 2018, the GMT-Master II has been PERPETUAL CALIBRE 3285

GREEN 24-HOUR HAND

The GMT-Master II features an additional GREEN 24-HOUR HAND

RELIABILITY AND COMFORT

The Oyster bracelet the GMT-Master II RELIABILITY ANDofCOMFORT

equipped calibre 3285,IIahas self-winding arrow-tipped hand that circles the dial onceThefeatures the Rolex-designed, patented Since 2018,with the GMT-Master been The GMT-Master II features an additional Oyster bracelet of the GMT-Master II mechanical entirely developed arrow-tipped every 24 hours. the version Oysterlock folding safety clasp, which equipped withmovement calibre 3285, a self-winding handOn that circles theunveiled dial oncein features the Rolex-designed, patented and manufactured

by Rolex.

2022, is lacquered green, echoing preventsfolding accidental opening, and is also mechanical movement entirelyThe developed every 24ithours.

On the version unveiledthe in Oysterlock safety clasp, which movement’s power reserve extends to hue of the lower half of the green and black equipped with the Easylink comfort and manufactured by Rolex. The 2022, it is lacquered green, echoing the prevents accidental opening, and is also approximately 70 hours.

Cerachrom insert. extension movement’s power reserve extends to hue of the lower half of the green and black equipped withlink. the Easylink comfort approximately 70 hours.

Cerachrom insert. extension link.

Superl ative chronometer certification

Superl certification Like all ative Rolex chronometer watches, the GMT-Master II is covered by the Superlative

Like all Rolexcertification. watches, the GMT-Master is covered by the Superlative Chronometer This designationII testifies that every watch leaving the Chronometer certification.

This designation testifies that every watch leaving brand’s workshops has successfully undergone a series of tests conducted by the Rolex

brand’s workshops has successfully undergone a seriesThe of tests conducted

by Rolex in its own laboratories, according to its own criteria.

Superlative Chronometer instatus its own according to its own criteria.

Superlative Chronometer is laboratories, symbolized by the green seal that comesThe with every Rolex watch and is status is symbolized by the green seal that comes with every Rolex watch and is coupled with an international five-year guarantee. coupled with an international five-year guarantee.

Conquering the skies Conquering the skies

The GMT-Master was launched in 1955, at a time when intercontinental travel was The GMT-Master was launched in 1955, at a time when intercontinental travel was experiencing a rapid expansion. It even became the official watch of Pan American experiencing a rapid expansion. It even became the official watch of Pan American World Airways – better known as Pan Am – then the most prominent American World Airways – better known as Pan Am – then the most prominent American international airline. Four years after its launch, the GMT-Master played a starring international airline. Four years after its launch, the GMT-Master played a starring role in an event that secured its reputation as a watch that connected people beyond role in an event that secured its reputation as a watch that connected people beyond time zones: the first non-stop Pan Am flight from New York to Moscow. time zones: the first non-stop Pan Am flight from New York to Moscow.

Heir to the original model, the GMT-Master II, with its combination of peerless Heir to the original model, the GMT-Master II, with its combination of peerless functionality, robustness and instantly recognizable aesthetics, became one of the functionality, robustness and instantly recognizable aesthetics, became one of the most iconic Rolex watches. most iconic Rolex watches.

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Travel

THE SECRET SWITZERLAND Swiss skiers in the know consider Val d’Anniviers the place to go—not for chic ski crowds, but for skiing. By Everett Potter I have been skiing in Switzerland for decades, visiting

Grimentz sits at about 5,200 feet in Val d’Anniviers,

dola, from the base area to the main resort area, offers

classic resorts like Zermatt, which is dominated by the

which is an offshoot of the Rhône Valley. It’s over-

access to tree runs, a godsend on those flat light days.

imposing presence of the Matterhorn and welcomes

looked by the jagged peaks of the mountain known as

There’s a total of 115 kilometers of pistes in Grimentz,

an international mix of skiers and riders. I’ve skied the

the Becs de Bosson. This French-speaking part of the

connected by 21 lifts. The views of the Rhône Valley

glittering slopes around Gstaad, which attracts some of

Valais lies south of Sierre, and while there are groomed

are a delightful bonus.

the most moneyed skiers in the world. It’s outflanked

runs, it’s especially noteworthy for its backcountry

only by St. Moritz, which is even flashier and wealthi-

skiing.

Grimentz was connected to Zinal by the Sorebois cable car in 2013. That gave skiers an easy way to

er, a place where Dolce & Gabbana and Prada are pa-

Lift lines are rare, and after dark the villages are

access about 43 kilometers of challenging red runs in

raded après ski. I’ve also spent time in smaller, homier

pretty quiet. Grimentz and its siblings are not for the

Zinal, as well as a selection of blue and black runs. It

resorts like Villars, Leysin and Les Diablerets, which

nonstop party crowd. They exist for those who really

also provided access to some of the best backcountry

are French-accented and charming and have a loyal

want to ski and enjoy old-fashioned Swiss mountain

terrain in Switzerland. On the return back to Gri-

British clientele who love the fact that these slopes are

hospitality. Those in the know come for the powder,

mentz, I skied the Chamois run, a favorite of experts,

only an hour from Geneva’s airport.

which is legendary and can remain for several days,

where you can test your mettle on 1,326 meters of

Yet I had never discovered one of the sweetest spots

unlike at larger resorts, where it is summarily skied off

vertical that can humble all but the best skiers. Let’s

of Swiss skiing until I chanced upon the resorts in the

within a few hours. Remarkably, these areas are just

just say I was humbled. Equally compelling was an

Val d’Anniviers, a place where alpine powder meets

two hours by car from Geneva. That’s easy enough

off-piste run to Vercorin.

old-fashioned Swiss villages. A Swiss friend suggested

now that all COVID entry requirements have been

these slopes, which have plenty of challenges but a de-

lifted for Switzerland.

Zinal is known for its venerable chalets and vintage mazots. It has a few hotels and auberges,

lightful lack of the kind of international Bogner-wear-

Grimentz has the look and feel of a traditional

but the village has also witnessed newer high-rise

ing ski crowd one finds at a typical well-heeled resort.

Swiss mountain farming town, and that’s a huge part

buildings and a spate of chalet-condos. The pick

Val d’Anniviers is an isolated, 15-mile-long valley

of its charm. There are mountain huts called mazots

of the accommodations here is the Swisspeak

encircled by 4,000-meter peaks and accessed by

that historically were used to store grain. Built of larch

Resorts Zinal. Comprising six minimalist wood-

vertigo-inducing roads. There are six resorts here—

wood, they are blackened by centuries of sunshine

en buildings, it has apartments of varying sizes,

Grimentz-St Jean and Zinal are the largest, and then

and date back as far as the 12th century in some cases.

all done in a modern Swiss chalet style.

there’s St-Luc Chandolin, Vercorin and Vissoie—and

There are also venerable chalets and newer chalets

In Chandolin, a good bet for a hotel with a

I’ll wager you’ve never heard of any of them before.

mixed in, the latter constructed according to strict

wellness center is the Chandolin Boutique Hotel,

guidelines to blend in.

considered one of the country’s best mountain

I think of this as the secret Switzerland, the ski areas that the Swiss take their families to, the resorts that

This is the sublime side of Swiss skiing. You come

hostelries. I had a memorable massage here

friends in Geneva and Zurich head to when they want

to Grimentz if you’re an expert skier or rider because

following a day of leg-pounding runs down the

deep powder and no crowds, seeking prices for lodging

so much of the off-piste terrain can be accessed by

slopes. Aesthetically, it helps that the village is

and dining that are a far cry from nearby and far tonier

the lifts. There is a good variety of such terrain, from

long on charm and tranquility—it’s one of the

Swiss resorts like Verbier, Crans-Montana and that

tree skiing lower down to a true bowl. Yet if you’re

highest inhabited places in the Alps.

all-time classic, Zermatt. It so happens that all of those

traveling with skiers of lesser ability, there are beginner

resorts are also here in the Valais, the canton where

and intermediate runs that are accessible from the

favorite hotel in the region is in St-Luc, the Bella Tola,

the Val d’Anniviers is found, but the latter is a different

Bendolla ski area, a major advantage when you want

which was built in 1859 on the foundation of a Roman

beast altogether.

to meet up at the end of a few laps. The Bendolla gon-

villa. This stuccoed mountain hotel has painted

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The smaller hamlets have their delights as well. My

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ceilings, wooden paneling, antiques and historic rooms that have been gracefully modernized, a remnant of the grand hotels that once could be found throughout Switzerland.

You don’t come to Val d’Anniviers for cutting-edge chefs and menus. The fare adheres to the tried and true mountain food that has kept Swiss skiers happily sated for more than a century.

In Grimentz, the Becs de Bosson restaurant offers traditional alpine cuisine—think fondue, raclette, gnocchi and roast pork and veal dishes.

If you’re looking for further challenges in the snow, Grimentz is one of the few resorts in the world that offers guided snowshoe hikes into the ice caves of a glacier, in this case the Zinal glacier. This five-hour walk with mountain guides is a memorable excursion, though you may prefer less rigorous Swiss activities such as good old-fashioned tobogganing.

What you won’t find are packs of Euro glitterati here for partying and aggressive Instagramming, dancing on tables après ski or a competition among Michelin-starred restaurants offering tony fare at astronomical prices. If you’re in search of those elements, head to Zermatt, Crans-Montana or Verbier. If you come to Val d’Anniviers, it’s because you’re seeking the essence of the Swiss ski experience.

Clockwise from top: Val d’Anniviers boasts some of the highest skiing in Switzerland; several small hamlets are home to mountain hotels, fine dining and, of course, many trails for skiing; after a long day on the slopes, refuel with a quick meal like raclette; sledding is just as fun and exciting as skiing in the Swiss Alps; for a different kind of adventure, explore one of many ice caves in the region.

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Spirits

BARHOPPING EUROPE

If you only have time for one drink in each of these storied cities, let it be here! By Everett Potter

The Connaught Bar, London I’ve been haunting European watering holes for decades, but I don’t think I’ve ever sat in a more spectacular drinking establishment than the Connaught Bar. It’s located in the five-star Connaught Hotel, London’s most sublime cocoon of luxury. I used to meet friends at the hotel’s lively, clubby and more casual Coburg Bar, which is still there. But in 2008, designer David Collins oversaw the construction of the dramatic Connaught Bar, an Art Deco temple to all cocktails and a nod to the hotel’s heyday. Collins essentially was given carte blanche to go over the top, and he did just that, inspired by English and Irish Cubist art of the 1920s. The result is a palace with textured walls of platinum silver leaf, mirrors galore, low lighting and leather banquettes, and it feels like a set with you at center stage, a throwback to the glorious, dandified 1920s. You might well think of “Brideshead Revisited,” and indeed, all the Bright Young Things of today are the habitués. You might go with a drink like Vieux Connaught, made with Ron Zacapa 23 rum, Bulleit Rye, a blend of dry vermouths, Bénédictine, saffron smoke, and Angostura and orange bitters. Or go gaga over the limited edition champagnes, spirits and liqueurs. You can even speak with Agostino Perrone, director of mixology at the Connaught Bar, if you want something over the top. But the classic reason to settle in here—apart from a celebrity sighting like Gwyneth Paltrow, a frequent visitor—is to order a drink from their legendary Martini Trolley. It’s martini as sacrament, painstakingly prepared tableside, using made-in-house bitters and vermouths. These martinis are always stirred, never shaken.

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Harry’s New York Bar, Paris Generations of Americans have made a beeline to this venerable watering hole since it opened in 1911 as “The New York Bar.” Long a haunt of writers, artists and expats—Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, for instance, drank here—it’s still quite clubby. I can still recall the first time I saw the ad for Harry’s in the back pages of the International Herald Tribune, decades ago, long before the internet came along. It gave the bar’s name and in parentheses read “Sank Roo Doe Noo.” Code? Well, sort of. It’s a phonetic pronunciation of the bar’s address, 5 Rue Daunou. The ad ran for years in the IHT, and it was designed so that a newly arrived Yank in Paris, unfamiliar with the French language but eager to go to the storied Harry’s, could shout it at a taciturn Paris cab driver and get there in a hurry. Even today, the bar itself is a set director’s dream, dimly lit with wooden walls lined with a century’s worth of memorabilia.

This is a classy drinking establishment, a space where George Gershwin is said to have penned “An American in Paris.” In the 1940s, Harry’s was a favored haunt of British novelist Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond.

In Casino Royale, in fact, Bond referred to Harry’s as the best place in Paris to get a “solid drink.” Solid drinks are still what to expect here; Harry’s claims credit for inventing both the Bloody Mary and the Sidecar. In this dimly lit bar, the bartenders in white coats will look at you sideways if you ever utter the term “mixologist.” The best advice is to man up and go for one of the preferred tipples: a Manhattan or a dry martini.

Potter

Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, Rome The Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, a hidden boîte in Rome, is sort of the anti-Rome, the last thing you’d expect to find in the city. The bar, which opened in 2010, is named after a legendary or possibly fictional 19th-century American bartender. That’s sort of beside the point.

Getting inside is the challenge. In a 21st century version of the old speakeasies, where entry was provided only to those who knew the password, the password for Jerry Thomas Speakeasy comes from a multiple choice question on the bar’s website. The question always has something to do with some aspect of the cocktail, and it changes all the time. Armed with the password, you can now make a booking for the same evening. But where is this place? In Vicolo Cellini, an otherwise nondescript street near Chiesa Nuova. Inside it’s small, dimly lit, and jammed with about 40 people. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but I’ve always felt that the best bars are small spaces.

If you can’t find a spot on one of the vintage leather couches, you’ll be perched on a barstool, filling out the requisite membership card and paying in cash for the privilege of drinking with Roman hipsters with perfect stubble to the sounds of jazz. The downside is that it can be awfully smoky. The upside is that if you’re one of those Yanks who think that dinner in Trastevere and a stroll along the Tiber is the real Roma—I count myself among them—it’s a passport to a side of the Eternal City that you never knew existed. Plan on sticking to classics like Manhattans, Sazeracs and Old Fashioneds, because the entire place is an homage to the American cocktail.

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Spirits Dry Martini and Speakeasy, Barcelona The concept of Dry Martini and Speakeasy, which opened more than 30 years ago, might have been dreamt by a Spanish surrealist like Salvador Dali. It starts with a bar called Dry Martini. Hidden in the backroom of this classic cocktail bar is a very small restaurant called Speakeasy. So the bar is in the open, quite public, and the restaurant is hidden. Got that? Speakeasy started as an informal restaurant for bar-goers who needed a little sustenance after a few martinis too many. A password even was needed to gain entry. It’s no longer password-protected, so you now can reserve safely a table there. But it’s still charming and has a playful air of mystery. There are just a handful of tables in a handsome setting, with walls of stacked liquor and wines, all backlit. But for my money, Dry Martini is the main attraction. There’s a wooden bar and wooden paneling, and it looks and feels like a classic English hotel bar from the 19th century. It began life as a so-called “Martineria” serving only martinis. It serves other cocktails now, but you will do well to stick to the original, because you rarely will have a tastier one anywhere in the world.

Waiters clad in white jackets make an absolutely perfect signature dry gin martini, presented on a silver tray, poured from a shaker right in front of you into a classic martini glass. These guys are masters of the martini art, which is why Dry Martini was singled out as one of the best gin bars in the world by industry journal Drinks International. It’s long been considered the best bar in Barcelona, and I like it because you rub shoulders with lots of locals here, not just wide-eyed visitors.

Prinzipal Kreuzberg Berlin You can call it time travel to the Weimar years, to a burlesque bar with tassle-clad women on trapeze swings.

Prinzipal Kreuzberg is a self-proclaimed “Rabbit Hole” where Alice in Wonderland and Lord-knows-who-else might be found in anything-goes Berlin. In this small, packed space with blinking lights, there’s a touch of Moulin Rouge Paris of the 1920s mixed with the Berlin portrayed by Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli. It’s all a bit raunchy, as the Weimar years were. Entrance is through an unmarked doorway on Oranientrasse in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood. Think lots of crystal glassware, bowtie-wearing bartenders, mirrored walls and the odd sense of being inside a burlesque star’s dressing room, which, in fact, you might be, since the doors to those rooms are usually open. Waitresses in corsets and feather boas serve you drinks that use syrups, infusions and bitters that are all made in-house. They have bizarre concoctions like the Bloody Betty, made with vodka, Scotch, house-spiced tomato and white balsamic. They get even stranger, like the Eflatun Royale, with cognac, lavender, lemon and crémant. There’s also the oddly named Potion of Sykei, with gin, fig-infused vermouth and blue cheese. Of course, not everything may be what it seems. Berlin has long been the mistress of the tease, documented so well by Christopher Isherwood in his “Berlin Stories,” the very basis of Cabaret. So while there are plenty of femme fatales disrobing on stage, other “ladies” may well be something else indeed. A Saturday night spent here is decadence writ large.

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What’s Happening at James Free?

We are not going to spoil the surprise for you. Why? Because that is tantamount to shouting what your Christmas present is before you unwrap it. Not to worry, you won’t be left hanging.

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What we can say is this: Coming soon, the James Free Jewelers flagship store will open its historic doors to reveal everything you love and more. Where are the James Free diamonds? Are David Yurman’s iconic cable bracelets where you left them? Roberto Coin’s ruby clad creations? The vintage timepieces? How about Sloane Street’s collection in every

shade imaginable? Is your drink of choice still at the bar? While the temptation to sneak a peak may be irresistible, remember what this corner means to the city. Dayton is better than ever, and our reopening is a toast to the Gem City. Let’s do some retail therapy and celebrate with a crisp tumbler of bourbon or tall glass of champagne- Drinks are still on us.

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Wine

SEEING RED Your holiday party will be a hit when you keep glasses filled with these crimson-colored cocktails.

The writers of “The 12 Days of Christmas” overlooked the gift of wine and spirits in their song—all the more reason why you should feature a signature cocktail at your next holiday get-together.

Eggnog and mulled wine might bring feelings of warmth and comfort, but a drink in the colors of the season is certain to boost spirits for the festive occasion.

Here are three easy-to-prepare drinks that will keep everyone rockin’ around the Christmas tree.

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Holiday Cheer Wassail

Classic Manhattan Cocktail

Pomegranate Prosecco Cocktail

n 1 bottle (750 ml.) red wine n 3 cinnamon sticks n 2 lemon wheel slices n 4 whole cloves n 1 cup honey n 2 cups water

n 2 oz. rye whiskey n 1 oz. sweet vermouth n 2 dashes Angostura bitters n ice, for mixing n bourbon cherry, for garnish

n 1 oz. premium vodka n 4 oz. pomegranate juice n 1½ oz. prosecco or sparkling wine n ice n sprig of rosemary, for garnish

Chill a cocktail glass. In a mixing glass, combine the whiskey, vermouth and bitters. Add ice and stir. Strain into the chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry.

Fill glass with ice and build the mixture in a glass.

Combine all the ingredients minus the wine in a large pot and heat until the honey is dissolved in the liquid. Add the wine and continue to heat, keeping the liquid below boiling. Serve the drink warm.

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At Your Service

HOLIDAY HOURS

2023

STARTING DECEMBER 11: Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.

Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Sunday, December 10, noon–5 p.m.

Sunday, December 17, noon–5 p.m.

Sunday, December 24, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

SHIPPING

CINCINNATI, OH USA

Next day shipping available

9555 Main St. Montgomery, OH 45242 513.793.0133 888.844.0177

COMPLIMENTARY GIFT WRAP Any purchase from James Free Jewelers can be wrapped beautifully by request.

DAYTON, OH USA 3100 Far Hills Ave. Kettering, OH 45429 937.298.0171 800.647.0031

SERVICES: Since 1940 generations have trusted James Free with expert repair of their precious timepieces and jewelry.

CLEANING/MAINTENANCE: We invite you to bring in your jewelry/timepiece for a complimentary cleaning.

APPRAISALS: Ensure your most treasured pieces have the correct and formal documentation of value.

REPAIRS: We have hundreds of years of experience in jewelry/timepiece repairs. Most repairs are completed in-house.

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Ombré Lariat with Sapphires and Diamonds set in 18k White Gold.

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