Watch Journal December 2014

Volume 17, N 6

All That’s Good in Time

December 2014

Watch Journal Featuring: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic 1958

The Craftsmanship Issue

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$10 USD

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Also: Crafting Ultra-Thin Timepieces. Sotheby’s and the Graves Supercomplication.

Our Spin on the Tourbillon. The Logical Approach of Romain Gauthier.

The Art of the Handcrafted Enamel Dial.

Making Sense of Quality Certifications.

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

Contents DEPARTMENTS 20 Masthead

CONTENTS

22 Editor’s Letter 24 Publisher’s Letter 26 Chart 28 Intelligence 48 Happenings 64 Profile Thomas Morf, Daryn Schnipper, Romain Gauthier 72 Collection Joe Doucet, Brett Orlando, Joshua Abram 78 Play Manhattan, Singapore

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80 Stay La Réserve Paris Hotel and Spa 82 Getaway Andaz Hotel Tokyo 84 Necessities

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www.vacheron - constantin.com

Mécaniques Ajourées

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

Contents FEATURES 102 Jaeger-LeCoultre

CONTENTS

Paying tribute to history and scientific exploration with a modern reinterpretation of a classic.

110 So Little Time We get the skinny on slim watches and all that goes into crafting these marvels.

116 Seal of Approval From the COSC to the Patek Philippe Seal, making sense of watchmaking’s quality certifications.

120 The World’s Most Famous Timepiece Sotheby’s brings Patek Philippe’s Henry Graves Supercomplication to auction once again.

124 Manufacture The traditional craftsmanship behind a Donzé Cadrans enamel dial 130 Substance Examining a new rose-gold alloy that is engineered to maintain its characteristic warm glow forever.

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132 Style Positive Spin: Watches with gravity-defying tourbillon mechanisms put their own spin on timekeeping.

142 Legacy German watch manufacture A. Lange & Söhne marks 20 years since returning to its historic Saxon homeland.

147 Watch Advisor Watch Journal’s brain trust of top watch sellers offers expert advice on selecting, wearing and caring for watches.

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

Watch Journal

MASTHEAD

Chief Creative Officer Marc Lotenberg SALES AND MARKETING

EDITORIAL

Publisher Glen B. Bowen

Editorial Director Marie A. Picon

Sales & Marketing Director Suzanne Mitchell

Creative Direction NoĂŤ & Associates

Advertising Directors Adriana Gelves, Laurel Nuzzo

International Editor Keith W. Strandberg

Luxury Director Julia Farah

Editorial Coordinator Kay Hodgdon

Marketing Manager Hayley Merrill

Copy Editor Hally Wolhandler

OPERATIONS

Editorial Assistant Roxy Kirshenbaum

Controller Miles Bingham

Contributing Writer Carol Besler

Circulation Manager Karla Barone

Editorial Interns Ayla Brewster Sarah McLean

Operations Manager Taryn Watzman

Editor-at-Large Spencer Bailey

Executive Coordinator Laurie Sadove

Digital Imaging Ned Robertson

WATCH JOURNAL LLC

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Board of Directors Adam Sandow & Eric Crown

To subscribe, visit us online at: watchjournal.com/subscribe

Chief Executive Officer Marc Lotenberg

One-Year Print and Digital: United States: $60 / International: $110 Single issue shipped: US: $15 / International: $30

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Watch Journal, LLC 110 E. 25th St., Fourth Floor New York, NY 10010 info@watchjournal.com

Digital Only: iPad: $14.99 Digital back issues: $6.99 ONLINE

#watchjournal watchjournal.com Twitter: @watchjournal Instagram: @watchjournal Facebook: facebook.com/watchjournal ISSN N 2325-4130 Watch Journal publishes nine issues a year. Watch Journal is a registered trademark of Watch Journal, LLC. Copyright 2014, Watch Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduction or transmission in whole or in part in any form or by any means without written permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in Watch Journal are not necessarily those of the publisher. Watch Journal, its affiliates, employees, contributors, writers, editors and publisher accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors or omissions in the information and/or advertisement contained herein.

The publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims made by advertisers or the merits of products or services advertised or promoted in Watch Journal. The publisher makes no representations or warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, as to the information, services, contents, trademarks, patents, materials or products included in this magazine. Advertisers and their agencies assume all liability for advertising content. All images reproduced in Watch Journal have been accepted by the publisher on the condition that such images are reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the photographer and/or other creator and the subject. As such, the publisher is not responsible for any infringement of the copyright or otherwise arising from any publication in Watch Journal.

Printed in the USA. To subscribe, visit us online at watchjournal.com/subscribe. Email: subscriptions@watchjournal.com.

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1958 THEY SAILED BENEATH THE NORTH POLE. THEIR WATCH HAS SAILED ACROSS TIME.

Geophysic® 1958. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 898/1. Limited series of 800.

On August 3rd 1958, the submarine Nautilus achieved the extraordinary feat of crossing the North Pole by sailing beneath the ice floe – a challenge taken up within the context of the International Geophysical Year (IGY). As a reward for this achievement, Captain Anderson received a watch worthy of such an impressive accomplishment: the Geophysic® Chronometer by Jaeger-LeCoultre, a paragon of reliability and precision that has now become a legend. Through the new Geophysic® 1958 watch, Jaeger-LeCoultre pays tribute to the inventive spirit that defined the year of 1958, and that has consistently defined the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre for over 180 years.

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YOU DESERVE A LEGENDARY WATCH.

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

Editor’s Letter

The Emotional Pull of Craftsmanship

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

EDITOR’S LET TER

Why the Apple Watch Can’t Replace a Fine Mechanical Timepiece.

As I write this, reaction to the September 9 introduction of the Apple Watch is rippling through the watch industry. Some say that the Apple Watch is a viable threat to the luxury watch industry, while others contend that it poses no danger and might even help young people get into the habit of wearing a watch. For the most part, I’m in the latter camp, but I don’t think the watch industry, particularly the Swiss watch industry, can afford to ignore the impending impact of Apple’s smartwatch (coming to market in 2015). If history is any teacher, the Swiss should have learned not to underestimate new technology, as they did with the quartz watch, which almost destroyed mechanical watchmaking in the 1970s.

Why do I believe this new Apple product poses little danger to the traditional watch industry? In one word: uniqueness. Apple’s products are extremely well designed and well manufactured, and they often hold cultish appeal for confirmed Apple lovers, but they are mass-produced electronic gadgets, the output of huge factories filled with robots and assembly lines.

Every iPhone is exactly alike, and virtually everyone owns one.

By contrast, luxurious mechanical watches require the intervention of craftspeople, including watchmakers, polishers, engravers and so on. Sure, computer-controlled machines have been introduced where they make sense, helping to improve the precision of watches, but these fine timepieces need the human touch to make them what they are. Fine watchmaking is as much (or more) an art as it is a science or a technology—and this is what makes watches so special.

Of course, I come at this question from the point of view of the initiated watch lover. From the mainstream perspective, the Apple Watch and its inevitable imitators represent both a threat to and an opportunity for the watch industry. At a starting price of $349, the Apple Watch is certainly a competitor to some entry-level watches—something watch companies should be aware of. At the same time, the Apple Watch is likely to land on the wrists of many people for whom wearing a watch has never been a habit—meaning it could function as an entrée into the watch world. The traditional watch industry should immediately begin educating potential Apple Watch wearers about the joys and benefits of wearing a fine, handcrafted mechanical watch.

—Keith W. Strandberg International Editor

“Fine watchmaking is as much (or more) an art as it is a science or a technology—and this is what makes watches so special.’’

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

Market Trend:

The High Price of Faking It

PUBLISHER’S LET TER

Consequences of Buying or Selling Counterfeit Watches Ripple Through the Global Economy.

Anyone who believes they can buy an authentic Rolex for $40 is living a delusion. Then there are those who knowingly purchase counterfeit watches. They may be less deluded, but they are no less culpable for the far-reaching consequences of supporting counterfeiting.

Economic losses due to counterfeit watch sales are difficult to measure; however, the Swiss Customs Administration estimates that 30 to 40 million counterfeit watches are sold each year, causing an estimated loss of CHF 1 billion per year in Switzerland alone. Worldwide, it is thought that watch counterfeiting causes the loss of several hundred thousand jobs each year, along with millions in lost tax revenue—and the ripples are felt throughout the global economy.

At best, buying counterfeit watches is a setup for disappointment. Inexpensive knockoffs are produced using inferior materials and components, especially substandard movements. Additionally, the workmanship of fake watches is shoddy in comparison to the legitimate watches they attempt to emulate. At worst, these purchases encourage criminal violation of patents and trademarks and support organized crime. Sales of counterfeit watches have even been rumored to fund terrorist groups.

In some countries, including France and Italy, buying counterfeit items is a crime punishable by hefty fines and jail time. And in the US, if you are caught bringing more than one knockoff watch through customs, they will likely be confiscated and destroyed on the assumption that you intend to sell them, which is a crime in this country—even for individuals who aren’t involved in counterfeiting as a business.

Generations of highly skilled craftsmen and inventors have invested heavily in the art, craft and technology of fine watchmaking, and they have built an incredible legacy. As consumers of fine watches, we should always challenge those who would engage in the business of counterfeit watches for all the reasons stated above, but also because of the questionable ethics of such behavior. The practice of counterfeiting is damaging to the legitimate watch industry, and it should be countered at every opportunity by everyone who admires finely crafted authentic watches.

GL EN B . B OW EN

—Glen B. Bowen Publisher

“Regardless of legality, there are consequences inherent to watch counterfeiting, and in the end, everyone pays.’’

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CHART

WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

Fake watch parts are imported from China for the total cost of 27 cents per watch.

The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry reported that more than 120,000 counterfeit Swiss watches were seized during anti-counterfeiting campaigns in 2013. In a single raid on a warehouse in Dubai, authorities seized about 90,000 fake Swiss watches.

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

CHART

The net profit on the estimated 40 million counterfeit watches sold each year is roughly $1 billion.

By contrast, the legitimate Swiss watch industry produces about 28 million watches, valued at

SOURCES: swissinfo.ch, havocscope.com, fhs.ch

approximately $23 billion.

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WATCHJOURNAL.COM

ART AND INNOVATION

INTELLIGENCE

Previewing a landmark exhibition set to open next September in San Francisco, Swiss watch manufacture Breguet and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco hosted a lavish event to officially announce the curation of “Breguet: Art & Innovation in Timekeeping.” When it premieres next year at the Legion of Honor museum, the exhibit will present the largest collection of antique Breguet timepieces ever shown in the Americas. The watches will come from the collections of the Breguet Museum in Paris and other museums. The exhibit is being co-curated by Martin Chapman, curator of European decorative arts and sculpture at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and Emmanuel Breguet, descendant of brand eponym Abraham-Louis Breguet and curator of the Breguet Museum.

Emmanuel Breguet came to San Francisco to participate in the gala.

Three exquisite historical pieces from the Breguet Museum made the journey as well, and they were on display inside the Tourbillon Boutique in Union Square, where the evening began with an in-store cocktail party. The oldest of the three pieces is a half-quarter repeater carriage clock, Breguet N 2655, with an eight-day movement, calendar, moon-phase and alarm functions. It was originally sold to Caroline Murat, the queen of Naples, in 1812. There was also a 45-mm half-quarter repeater pocket watch, Breguet N 3519, ca. 1822, on display. Beneath a hinged back cover, this elegant piece conceals a miniature portrait on ivory of a young woman. The third piece, first sold in 1827, is a large but thin 61.2-mm repeater watch, Breguet N 4111, with equation of time and perpetual calendar functions. Each is interesting as an example of virtuoso watchmaking, but they are also interesting because they illustrate Breguet’s range and his remarkable business sense. Even though it wasn’t standard practice for watchmakers of his time, Breguet signed each of his pieces. He also developed a signature look—involving fine guilloché engraving, Breguet hands and so on—that is apparent throughout his work.

Following cocktails, guests were transported to the Legion of Honor for a viewing of contemporary Breguet watches and fine jewelry, a memorable gala dinner in one of the museum’s grand halls—the venue for the future exhibit. It is estimated that Breguet created about 5,000 watches during his lifetime. Today, the whereabouts of only a few hundred of these are known. The opportunity to view a significant exhibition of these rare pieces outside of Paris is certainly not to be missed. breguet.com

THE EXHIBITION "Breguet: Art & Innovation in Timekeeping" opens September 2015 at the Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco

OPPOSITE: The Legion of Honor museum and two views of the Breguet No. 3519, ca. 1822

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

INTELLIGENCE

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WATCHJOURNAL.COM

INTELLIGENCE

THE BIG REVEAL

Patek Philippe celebrated its 175th anniversary in grand style in Geneva on October 13. For this special occasion, the brand transformed its Planles-Ouates factory into an event space, showcasing its history and its limited edition timepieces. As anticipated, the brand introduced a number of extraordinary watches, including a series of Swiss-themed timepieces from its Rare Handcrafts Collection. The star of the evening, however, was the Grandmaster Chime, Ref. 5175, the brand’s most complicated wristwatch ever. Seven years in development, this extraordinary piece features an ornately hand-engraved, reversible 47-mm rose-gold case and a total of 20 complications, including grande and petite sonnerie, a minute repeater, an instantaneous perpetual calendar with a four-digit year display, a second time zone, and two never-before-seen chiming complications—an acoustic alarm that strikes the alarm time and a date repeater that sounds the date on demand. A total of 1,580 parts go into this watch, and there will only be seven made (one of the seven is reserved for the collection of the Patek Philippe Museum). The price: CHF 2,500,000 Swiss, the equivalent of about $2.6 million. patek.com

ABOVE AND RIGHT: The Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, Ref. 5175, and its ornate presentation box

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WATCHJOURNAL.COM BELOW: Chopard's Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Edition, $12,890

INTELLIGENCE

RIGHT: Blancpain Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback in gray ceramic with high-frequency chronograph movement and silicon balance wheel spiral, price to be announced

ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE

Blancpain’s support for environmental causes advanced on October 9, when the brand’s president and CEO, Marc A. Hayek, unveiled plans for a special limited edition series conceived to raise funds for ocean conservation. The first watch in the series is the Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback, a numbered limited edition of 250 pieces.

Owners of this watch become members of Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment Circle, and Blancpain will donate €1,000 from the sale of each piece to various initiatives concerned with the health of the ocean environment. blancpain.com

RACING CULTURE

Chopard, the official timing partner of Porsche Motorsports, hosted VIPs and media at a memorable day of endurance racing in Austin, Texas, in late September, as the FIA World Endurance Championship series came to the Circuit of the Americas for a late-season event. It’s all part of a year-long celebration of Porsche Motorsports’ return to racing, during which the team is testing the advanced technology of its Porsche 919 Hybrid by participating in LMP1 competitions.

Before and during the six-hour race, Chopard exhibited the Superfast Chrono Porsche 919 Edition, a chronometer-certified flyback chronograph with design elements inspired by the race car. The 45-mm steel-cased watch uses a self-winding mechanical movement. Production is limited to 919 pieces. chopard.com

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L I F E

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WATCHJOURNAL.COM LEFT: Felix Baumgartner

INTELLIGENCE

BELOW: Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Tribute to Felix Baumgartner, $275,000

HIGH FLYING LIMITED EDITION

Zenith has announced a new version of its Academy Christophe Colomb watch, dedicated to Austrian sportsman and base jumper Felix Baumgartner, who parachuted to earth from a stratospheric capsule on the edge of space in 2012.

Baumgartner’s adventurous spirit is one that Zenith identifies with, and the watch manufacture pays tribute with a representation of Baumgartner on the dial.

Master artisans reproduced a famous photo of Baumgartner preparing to jump from space. The figure is engraved on a gold plate. Another striking feature is the turquoise aventurine dial representing Earth and the Milky Way viewed from the stratosphere. Only 10 pieces will be produced. zenith-watches.com

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The Saxon One with its bold, timeless design lends this conviction a new form: elegant, dynamic, distinctive. And created with exactly that perfection which has made the predicate “Made in Glashütte” into a world-famous promise of quality. Available at your local authorized retail specialist.

Saxon One Chronograph 6420-04

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REV 10/14/14

INTELLIGENCE

WATCHJOURNAL.COM

AT HOME ON MADISON A. Lange & Söhne opened its first boutique in New York City on September 25 to much fanfare. The two-level, 2,500-sqare-foot space at 785 Madison Ave. was filled to capacity during the opening event. A resident watchmaker, who will remain on staff at the new location, was on hand to give demonstrations throughout the evening. The boutique will house a wide assortment of the brand’s most popular collections along with boutique-only pieces. A. Lange & Söhne CEO Wilhelm Schmid introduced one of these boutique exclusives—a white-gold version of the Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour le Mérite (previously in pink gold or platinum)—during the event. The store is located on Madison Avenue at 66th Street, a coveted address that took years for the brand to acquire, according to Schmid. “Finding the right location in New York and on Madison Avenue isn’t easy,” he says. The newly opened location is A. Lange & Söhne’s 12th boutique worldwide. alange-soehne.com

TOP AND RIGHT: The new A. Lange & Söhne boutique, New York

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INTELLIGENCE

OCEAN WORTHY

IWC marked the start of the eight-month, around-the-world Volvo Ocean Race in October by unveiling a new limited edition of 1,000 watches as part of the watch brand’s ongoing role as official timekeeper of the race. The Swiss watchmaker introduced the Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Ocean Racer in Alicante, Spain, home of the Volvo Ocean Race, aboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s boat, Azzam. From the start in Alicante in October 2014 to the arrival in Gothenburg in June 2015, seven teams will be battling for victory under the most extreme conditions. “The Volvo Ocean Race stretches the world’s best sailing crews to their limits,” says IWC CEO Georges Kern. “We’re dedicating this watch to the teams’ sporting spirit and their commitment to extreme racing.” iwc.com

ABOVE RIGHT: IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Ocean Racer BELOW: Team Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing at the unveiling

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TREAD 2 Godiva Something An Extraordinary Gentleman Would Wear

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INTELLIGENCE

WATCHJOURNAL.COM

ADVENTURE ON THE ITINERARY

Swiss watch manufacture Alpina has launched a schedule of adventure voyages called Alpina Adventures for customers and the public. Each itinerary is planned as a totally immersive experience of exploration that is both breathtaking and respectful of nature. Organized and conducted by legendary polar explorer Borge Ousland—the only man to have crossed the North and South Poles alone—and his team of adventurers, each Alpina Adventure lets participants experience the values of the brand in an environment that can be hostile yet magnificent. Itineraries range from three to 23 days and cost between €900 and €39,570. Participants who own Alpina watches receive special promotional prices. alpina-adventures.com

CELEBRATING IN STYLE

Swiss watch brand Hautlence celebrated its 10th anniversary on September 2 by unveiling a new marketing campaign with the tagline “Cross the Line” and introducing a new timepiece designed with French soccer legend and brand partner Eric Cantona. At the Centre Dürrenmatt Neuchâtel, Hautlence showcased a traveling exhibition featuring historical and current Hautlence timepieces and works of street art from Cantona’s personal collection. Reflecting on the past 10 years and on the future of Hautlence, CEO and co-founder Guillaume Tetu says, “I hope this brand will continue after my journey on this earth. I think we will be a part of the history of the watch industry. My goal is to have fun, create great products and celebrate with our collectors.” hautlence.com

ABOVE: A polar expedition led

by Borge Ousland and the Alpina Alpiner 4 chronograph in steel, $3,495

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GALET CLASSIC TOURBILLON DOUBLE SPIRAL

18K / 750 5N RED GOLD CASE I WHITE GRAND FEU ENAMEL DIAL I EXCLUSIVE MANUFACTURE-MADE MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT I TOURBILLON DOUBLE HAIRSPRING I CHRONOMETER CERTIFIED

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INTELLIGENCE

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ABOVE: Ball Engineer Master II Sportsman in titanium with sunrise and sunset indication and a solar compass, $1,999 ABOVE RIGHT: Kinetic artist Theo Jansen

WATCHES FOR WETLANDS

Ball Watch Company has entered into a multi-year license agreement with Memphis-based Ducks Unlimited, a leader in wetland and waterfowl conservation. The partnership will produce a line of sportsman’s watches, and a significant portion of sales proceeds will help to fund Ducks Unlimited’s wetland conservation efforts. The first watch is the Engineer Master II Sportsman, limited to 1,937 pieces in honor of the year Ducks Unlimited was established. “We are thrilled to partner with the preeminent wetlands conservations organization in the world. It is our primary objective to support and fund the many honorable efforts of DU worldwide as the gatekeeper to our precious wetlands,” says Jeffrey P. Hess, CEO of Ball Watch USA. “In doing so, we are working to create watches that have all of the elements that an outdoorsman dreams of in a timepiece and to create the ultimate line of sports watches.” ballwatch.com

OCEANFRONT ARTWORKS

Visitors to this year’s Art Basel Miami will be treated to a display of uncanny, lifelike, wind-powered locomotion, December 4–7. Swiss manufacture Audemars Piguet, in its second year as global associate partner of Art Basel, is collaborating with the Peabody Essex Museum of Salem, Mass., to bring artist Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests to Miami Beach. Jansen builds his fanciful creatures from PVC, and over 25 years of experimentation, they have evolved in complexity. They are able to autonomously respond to environmental conditions, change direction when they sense water and anchor themselves to prepare for oncoming storms. Audemars Piguet sees the complexity of Strandbeest mechanics as a reflection of the precision and technological mastery applied in fine watchmaking. The Miami outing previews the first major US tour of Jansen’s Strandbeests, which begins in September 2015 in Salem. audemarspiguet.com

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WATCHJOURNAL.COM

BOSTON UNCOMMON

TOP: Co-owner Douglas Dorfman, jewelry designer Alexandra Mor and Dorfman general director Gerard Riveron in front of the jewelry store's temporary façade on Newbury Street in Boston ABOVE: Christophe Claret Sonata, a finalist in the GPHG

Dorfman, Boston’s landmark Newbury Street jeweler and Patek Philippe specialist, is slated to reopen in mid-November, following a six-month renovation project headed by noted local architect Klaus Fuchs. The interior and exterior construction project will take the retail store from traditional to contemporary elegance and create an atmosphere in line with today’s sophisticated jewelry and watch consumers. Jewelry designer Alexandra Mor, for one, is excited about the nearly completed renovation. She is one of the jewelry designers whose work is represented at Dorfman, and she recently posed for pictures in front of the temporary façade of the store. One thing that won’t be changing is Dorfman’s emphasis on quality and craftsmanship. “There’s a tension between excellence and mass distribution—you can’t have both,” says co-owner Jonathan Dorfman. “We connect with consumers of sophistication and style who can tell the difference and who have the confidence to wear something different.” dorfmanjewelers.com

IN THE RUNNING

Organizers of this year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the watch world’s most glamorous awards program, announced the selection of finalists in September. With a record number of entries, it was quite a task for the jury to narrow the field to just 72 watches in 16 categories. Christophe Claret is one maker who has multiple watches in the running for a prize this year. The watchmaker’s Margot and Soprano models are competing in the categories of Ladies’ HighMech and Striking watches, respectively.

The pre-selected watches embarked on a world tour in late September with stops in New Delhi, Beijing and Geneva before the October 31 awards ceremony at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Following the ceremony, the winning watches will be exhibited at Salon QP. gphg.org

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CHALLENGE

SEA-LINER

212.463.8898 WWW.CVSTOS.COM

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INTELLIGENCE

WATCHJOURNAL.COM

TOP: The star of Cartier's latest short film is a CGI panther, constructed from images of watch components RIGHT: A group wrist shot with Bell & Ross in Miami

DREAM SEQUENCE

Cartier has partnered with French film director Bruno Aveillan for a second time to create a raw display of energy and emotion in the form of the new 90-second short film “Shape Your Time,” which is now receiving air play in the US. Cartier first tapped Aveillan to create 2012’s “L’Odyssée de Cartier,” which was viewed by 160 million people around the world.

The new project is a fantastical highspeed CGI journey through Cartier’s past, its traditions, its watchmaking innovations and its most recent horological inventions—Cartier now has more than 30 manufacture movements to its credit.

View the film online at Cartier’s website. cartier.com

DIGITAL DINNER PARTY

Bell & Ross hosted an exclusive dinner for a group of watch collectors and fans of the brand at the Villa Azul restaurant in Miami on September 11. The group, which is very active on social media, was delighted to delve into the world of Bell & Ross and see some of the brand’s special complicated timepieces. The get-together was organized in large part by Carter Combs, who manages Bell & Ross’s social media platforms in the US, and hosted by Bell & Ross Americas president Stacie Orloff along with team members Alexandra Castro, Anna Delgado and Lázaro Medina.

It was an evening filled with enthusiastic watch talk as guests enjoyed limoncello cocktails and light summer fare. bellross.com

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HAPPENINGS

TAKING FLIGHT

Watch brand Hautlence and French actor, sports star and art collector Eric Cantona recently unveiled a new watch together in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The Invictus Morphos limited edition is Hautlence’s first chronograph, and it was developed and designed in collaboration with Cantona. The dial decoration— emulating the blue Morpho butterfly with mother-of-pearl insets—reflects Cantona’s sensibilities, and Cantona’s signature and digital fingerprint are reproduced on each individually numbered caseback. Production is limited to 250 watches. hautlence.com

RIGHT: Hautlence CEO and co-founder Guillaume Tetu with Eric Cantona at the La Chaux-de-Fonds unveiling ABOVE LEFT: Hautlence Invictus Morphos limited edition chronograph, $24,200 ABOVE RIGHT: Tetu’s Hautlence HLRS 02 in steel and titanium, $32,100

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HAPPENINGS

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HAPPENINGS

GAME ON JeanRichard managing director Bruno Grande joined Arsenal FC’s first-team squad during training in Hertfordshire, UK, to present each of the players his own timepiece from JeanRichard’s Arsenal FC Collection. The Swiss watch brand and the famed London football club have an ongoing partnership, and the watches will be worn as part of the players’ match-day outfits this season. “It is my great pleasure to hand over to each of these energetic and talented players his personal JeanRichard timepiece,” says Grande. “This is the next step and a continuation of our partnership as well as an emphasis on the players’ own philosophy of life.” jeanrichard.com

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

EXPANSION PLANS

LEFT: The Special Edition JeanRichard Aeroscope (with red dial), $6,200, and the JeanRichard Terrascope, $3,200

Lew Sherr of the US Tennis Association and Jeffrey Cohen, president of Citizen Watch Company of America, got together at the US Open in September to announce the extension of the long-term partnership between their organizations. Citizen has been a sponsor of the US Open for 22 years, and this new deal will take the relationship beyond the 50th Anniversary of the US Open in 2018. Beginning next year, Citizen will have an expanded brand presence throughout the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and on US Open digital platforms. citizenwatch.com

BELOW LEFT, LEFT TO RIGHT: Arsenal FC's Theo Walcott and Mathieu Flamini, JeanRichard managing director Bruno Grande and Arsenal FC's Per Mertesacker BELOW: The USTA’s Lew Sherr with Citizen’s Jeffrey Cohen at the US Open RIGHT: Jeffrey Cohen’s 44-mm Citizen Signature Grand Touring watch in steel with automatic winding and 200-meter water-resistance rating, $995

HAPPENINGS

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PEACE INITIATIVES Swiss watch manufacture Bovet cohosted the annual Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) fundraising gala at Casa Loma in Toronto this September. The event raised $1.5 million for building schools in Haiti. Inspirational community organizer Father Rick Frechette, who has been working in Haiti since the 1980s, spoke about his experiences in that country. “Helping children in Haiti is a matter of justice that leads to peace,” he says. Bovet owner Pascal Raffy has pledged to support the APJ’s fundraising efforts for at least five years and a commitment of $5 million. bovet.com

ABOVE: Father Rick Frechette, Bovet’s Pascal Raffy, APJ founder Paul Haggis and APJ CEO David Belle RIGHT: David Belle’s Bovet Pininfarina Chronograph Cambiano, $25,300

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Š2014 SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION

THE PURE ESSENTIALS OF WATCHMAKING, ELEVATED TO THE LEVEL OF ART.

GRAND SEIKO. With our unique Spron* 530 alloy for the mainspring, the Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 delivers precision of -3 to +5 seconds a day with a power reserve of 55 hours. It is a masterpiece of traditional craftsmanship from Grand Seiko, where the pure essentials of watchmaking are elevated to the level of art. SeikoUSA.com

PROGRESS TO SEIKO AVAIL ABL E AT 510 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 212.355.3718 *Spron is a registered trademark of Seiko Instruments Inc.

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HAPPENINGS

MEET AND GREET Tissot US brand president Sharon Buntain welcomed NBA basketball star and Tissot brand ambassador Tony Parker to the brand’s recently opened Fifth Avenue boutique in New York for a fan meet and greet on September 9, and more than 500 people turned out to see Parker. Tissot took the opportunity to promote its newly introduced T-Touch Expert Solar Tony Parker 2014 limited edition watch, featuring Parker’s signature on the caseback.

“Tony Parker is not only a world-class athlete, but his energy and strong sense of social responsibility make him an esteemed brand ambassador who lives up the the brand’s values,” says Tissot global president François Thiébaud. tissot.ch

ABOVE: The Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar Tony Parker limited edition in titanium with black PVD treatment, $1,200 RIGHT: Tissot's Sharon Buntain with NBA star and Tissot brand ambassador Tony Parker in New York

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HAPPENINGS

WATCHJOURNAL.COM

SHARED PURPOSE

ABOVE: Nile Rodgers and Nancy Hunt of the We Are Family Foundation with Girard-Perregaux and Sowind Group CEO Michele Sofisti in La Chaux-deFonds

Girard-Perregaux welcomed music legend Nile Rodgers, founder and chairman of the of the We Are Family Foundation, and Nancy Hunt, the foundation's president, to its ateliers in La Chaux-de-Fonds in September for a cocktail party and jam session celebrating the two organizations' shared goal of nurturing young talent. Participating in the music-filled event were some of Girard-Perregaux’s young watchmakers who are also musicians. Girard-Perregaux and Sowind Group CEO Michele Sofisti presented Rodgers with a limited-edition version of the Shadow Hawk watch with the We Are Family Foundation’s heart logo on the dial and a special dedication engraved on the back. girard-perregaux.com wearefamilyfoundation.org

LEFT: The rose-gold Girard-Perregaux Traveller WW.TC worn by Sofisti, $34,700 Limited edition Shadow Hawk with We Are Family Foundation dial, $18,300

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PRECISION INSTRUMENTS FOR TIMEKEEPING

CHRONOSCOPE | CHRONORACER

www.ernstbenz.com

London Jewelers - East Hampton & South Hampton, NY l Levinson Jewelers - Fort Lauderdale, FL l Westime - Beverly Hills & West Hollywood, CA l E.D. Marshall Jewelers - Scottsdale, AZ l Piccione’s - Lyndhurst, OH l Topper Fine Jewelers - Burlingame, CA l Peyrelongue - Mexico City l Berger - Mexico City l Moray’s - Miami, FL l John Varvatos Boutiques - West Hollywood, Costa Mesa, Malibu, CA - Bowery, Soho, East Hampton, NY - Las Vegas, NV - Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, FL l Diamonds InternationalSt. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Aruba, Barbados, Nassau, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Belize, Cozumel, Cabo San Lucas & Puerta Vallarta

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HAPPENINGS

FASHION FORWARD

BELOW: Photographer Bruce Weber, actress Julianne Moore and David Lauren at the Ralph Lauren spring 2015 collection show in New York

As fashion week unfolded this fall in New York, actress and Oscar nominee, Julianne Moore attended the Ralph Lauren spring 2015 collection show, wearing a Ralph Lauren Slim Classique 32-mm rose gold timepiece on a black alligator strap along with a Ralph Lauren Collection blazer, sweater and pants. Although Moore is a longtime acquaintance—and a neighbor—of the Lauren family, this was her first appearance at one of the iconic designer’s shows. Along with renowned American photographer Bruce Weber and David Lauren, one of the designer’s sons and a VP at the Ralph Lauren Corporation watches.ralphlauren.com

LEFT: Ralph Lauren Slim Classique in 18-karat rose gold with Caliber RL057 quartz movement, $7,800

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In any area that has been devastated by killer tornadoes—as if an atomic bomb has gone off—Dr. Wurman drives directly into the storm, often times at night. With limited visibility, he is accompanied by a watch that lights up the darkness of the night. Each mission can be both risky and dangerous, which is why a dependable timepiece like Ball Watch is so important in an environment that features truly adverse conditions.

The watch that once ran America’s railroads now helps the world’s explorers keep time. There is no other timepiece that is as rugged and dependable.

“Let there be light.”

M

M

Dr. Josh Wurman - Meteorologist and Creator of the Doppler Radar on Wheels

Y

Chronograph with accumulated measurement up to 12 hours

Y

Telemeter

Self-powered micro gas lights on hands and dial that glow for up to 25 years

Aluminium top bezel

100m water resistance 5,000Gs shock resistance Sapphire crystal case back

Fireman Storm Chaser Pro Automatic - 42mm

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HAPPENINGS

A FOOTBALL FIRST Hublot, the Swiss watch brand well known for its involvement with soccer worldwide, has set its sights on American football. Hublot’s CEO Ricardo Guadalupe visited AT&T Stadium in Dallas recently to announce an exclusive partnership with the Dallas Cowboys football team and unveil three limited edition timepieces, designed in collaboration with team owner Jerry Jones and his family. With five Super Bowl Championships to their credit, the team is among the most famous football franchises the the world. Guadalupe says, “The Cowboys are more than a local team; they are an American institution and the world’s favorite football team.

We are thrilled to become the first luxury brand to partner with an American football team.” hublot.com

ABOVE: Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in Dallas RIGHT: Hublot Classic Fusion Dallas Cowboys, $18,300–$20,000

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STAR POWER

HAPPENINGS

TW Steel launched its new Kelly Rowland Canteen Bracelet special edition timepiece at a special event cohosted by Feldmar Watch Company in Los Angeles in early September.

Rowland has been a TW Steel brand ambassador since 2011, and she joined the party along with a list of other VIPs and Feldmar clients. The Grammy Award–winner’s new watch features an all-black, PVD-coated 40-mm steel case and bracelet with a brushed finish and a Miyota chronograph movement. It is the third TW Steel watch inspired by Rowland and bearing her name. twsteel.com

RIGHT: TW Steel CEO Jordy Cobelens, Kelly Rowland ABOVE: The TW Steel special edition Kelly Rowland Canteen Bracelet, $650

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QLOCKTWO CLASSIC | CREATOR‘S EDITION RUST ®

®

QLOCKTWO W | BLACK

info@absdist.com +17144531622 w w w.qlock t wo.com 176_ADS.indd 54

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PROFILE THOMAS MORF

THOMAS MORF

By Keith W. Strandberg

One Industry Veteran and His Passion for Timelessness and Timekeeping.

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PROFILE

Thomas Morf, a watch industry executive with a resume that includes stints with Carl F. Bucherer and German chronograph maker Hanhart during both brands’ market relaunches, is now applying his talents to expanding US distribution of Eberhard & Co. Swiss watches and other niche brands as a partner—along with Anthony Siragusa, another watch industry veteran—with Brandmasters International. Morf says the continuous thread of his career has always been a love of timepieces. “Watches have always meant something special to me, because I like timeless style, cool yet contemporary design and mechanical technology,” he explains. “In today’s super fast–moving and bits-and-bytes-driven world, it is cool to be old school.”

cause retailers are never really safe, even with a strong brand they have carried for years. As soon as they don’t meet a brand’s expectations, the relationship can change very quickly. For example, the N 2 retailer in Switzerland recently lost seven brands (all part of the same major luxury group) all at once.”

“In today’s super fast– moving and bits-andbytes-driven world, it is cool to be old school.”

—Thomas Morf

ENDURING APPEAL OF TRADITION On the other hand, Morf is confident in the long-term prospects for and enduring appeal of luxury watches, even in the face of technological advances, including the recent unveiling of the Apple Watch. “Does anyone compare energy drinks to a fine wine?” he asks. “No, definitely not, although both are made to drink. These two things are lightyears away from each other. Smartwatches are trendy, and in no time, new things will replace them, while luxury watches have staying power. Life is not only about speed; life also has to have an element of enjoyment. That’s why luxury watches are so appreciated today.”

FREEDOM AND PASSION Beyond watches, Morf envisions his distribution company expanding in diverse

THOMAS MORF

Morf is excited about Eberhard & Co. because he sees great potential for the brand with retailers who appreciate traditional watches with a twist. “The brand is really something special, from a technological standpoint as well as from a design standpoint. Eberhard was established 127 years ago, and it has never ceased producing mechanical watches. The brand has its roots in mechanical chronographs, and today the Chrono4 family is Eberhard’s signature product. The entire Chrono4 module is an in-house development by Eberhard and has achieved worldwide recognition.”

Bringing a relatively small brand into a huge market like the US is not an easy task.

Morf is charged with finding the right retailers around the country. “Retailers generally want to carry well-known brands, and some of them are not willing to leave the beaten track. That is very dangerous, be-

directions. “We call Brandmasters International ‘the home of exceptional brands,’ so we are not limited only to watches. We’re constantly scouting cool brands with potential.” One recent addition is the award-winning Qlocktwo series of text-based clocks and watches by Biegert & Funk. “I think Qlocktwo is the coolest thing in timekeeping. I saw it, I loved it, and I wanted it, and it is in our portfolio now.”

Morf is enjoying another kind of freedom as well. “As an entrepreneur with a global vision, I don’t need to please a board of directors or a group of shareholders,” he says. “We represent cool brands with a twist, and our retail partners can make money if they go for it. We provide authenticity, honesty, fair business practices. For Anthony and for me, this is not a job, it’s a passion. We love what we do.” eberhard-co-watches.ch brandmasters.org

LEFT: Thomas Morf ABOVE, FROM LEFT: The Eberhard & Co. Chrono4 in steel, shown on a bracelet and on a rubber strap, $6,200–$6,950 The Eberhard & Co. Gilda in white gold with sapphires and ETA quartz movement, price upon request

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PROFILE D A RY N S C H N I P P E R

DARYN SCHNIPPER

By Keith W. Strandberg

Witnessing the Rise of the Collectible Watch Market.

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LEFT: Daryn Schnipper wearing a favorite Ulysse Nardin San Marco GMT Dual Time Big Date LEFT: The Graves Supercomplication that will be offered at Sotheby's in Geneva on November 11

TWICE IN A LIFETIME Schnipper appreciates that every day is different in the auction world. “There is always a new challenge,” she says. “No two clients are alike, no two watches are alike, and no two days are alike. Even though we have sold some incredible pieces, there is always the feeling that something fabulous is going to come up.”

It was certainly something fabulous when, in 1999, Schnipper worked on the record-setting sale of the Graves Supercomplication.

This year, she’s involved with the unique timepiece again, as Sotheby’s prepares to bring it to auction a second time as part of its November 11 sale in Geneva. “It has indeed been an extraordinary experience and a true

privilege to offer the Henry Graves Supercomplication at auction—I never dreamed it would happen once, let alone twice in my career,” says Schnipper. “It’s a true work of art, and brings together everything that is compelling in what we do: knowledge, artistry, history and so much more. For the upcoming November sale, what has been fascinating is having more documentation than we did in 1999, which really fleshes out the history of how this watch came to be, how it was made, its fame at the time. It’s extremely unusual to have all of those things together, so this second opportunity has been a great one in new and exciting ways.”

A JOB WELL DONE One of the key aspects of Schnipper’s job is developing relationships with clients. “I have to source watches, and relationships lead to watches,” she explains. Schnipper often travels to look at private collections, and her office receives inquiries from estates, collectors and others with watches to unload.

Often, these inquiries turn into something interesting.

“One gentleman came in with a Rolex,” she says. “He had been in an elite underwater demolition team unit in one of the wars, and he didn’t know what he had. It was a Single Red Rolex Sea-Dweller with no helium escape valve, given to him in 1967, and the back was stamped ‘Patent Pending.’ It was a prototype for what would become the Double Red. We estimated it at $60,000–$80,000, and it sold for $375,000 with the buyer’s premium. It was a wonderful story. I get a kick out of situations like that. Who doesn’t like to have a job well done and present a client with good news?” sothebys.com

Andy Warhol and others started collecting watches in the late ’70s, but things were ill-defined— no one really knew what was and what wasn’t collectible.”

—Daryn Schnipper

D A RY N S C H N I P P E R

Daryn Schnipper, the New York–based chair of Sotheby’s International Watch Division, went to work at the auction house in 1980, just after her graduation from Boston University. Since then, she has spent a successful career there. During her tenure with the auction house, Schnipper has witnessed the development of the collectible watch market, and she has had the distinction of bringing the remarkable Graves Supercomplication to auction—twice.

During her early days at Sotheby’s, “wristwatches were popular but not very collectible,” Schnipper says. “Auction houses were just starting to dip their toes into the water.

I was hired as a watch cataloguer. Rumors about the death of the Swiss watch industry were abounding, so this opened the door to a whole new collecting area. The market gradually gained momentum until the late ’80s, when it really heated up. In the ’90s, we were full steam ahead with wristwatches, and that became my love.”

PROFILE

WHAT’S ON HER WRIST: Working with timepieces every day hasn’t dulled Schnipper’s love of watches. “I like so many watches,” she says.

“Generally, I switch between a 1930s Patek Calatrava, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, a Cartier Tank and a few others.

They all have stories—my stories. Owning something of tremendous value is not my goal. I am just a custodian, someone who appreciates them.”

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PROFILE RO M A I N G AU T H I E R

Romain Gauthier

By Keith W. Strandberg

An Independent Spirit and a Micromechanical Approach.

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IN PURSUIT OF A DREAM

INNOVATIVE MICROENGINEERING That first caliber, the HM, was followed by the HMS and then by the Logical One, which launched in 2013. From the beginning, Gauthier has sought to identify weaknesses in traditional movement design and introduce improvements based on good engineering. For example, in the HM, he simplified the winding system by eliminating the traditional crown (which turns on a different plane from the mainspring) and positioning a winding wheel on the back, directly above the mainspring barrel. The result is an efficient and robust winding mechanism and a streamlined case profile.

The Logical One movement has four patents pending. It introduced pushbutton winding and Gauthier’s reimagined fuséeand-chain constant force mechanism, which reflects a focus on the relationship between power and precision. “People would not accept a car that produces more horsepower when the tank is full and less when the tank is near empty. I wanted to address this problem in watches and maintain the same precision throughout the power reserve,” he says. “I thought the fusée-and-chain was the best mechanism for countering the

loss of precision, and it worked.” Gauthier’s version of this constant-force mechanism replaces the traditional cone-shaped fusée with a snail cam and the traditional long chain with a shorter but stronger one with links made of low-friction synthetic ruby.

The smart design brought Romain Gauthier the prize for Men’s Complications in last year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

We’ll be interested to see what Gauthier comes up with next. montres-rg.com

“If I am to have a future in watchmaking, I have to satisfy collectors with something different.”

—Romain Gauthier

RO M A I N G AU T H I E R

For three years, while continuing to work at the parts factory, Gauthier devoted his free time to designing his first caliber. Finally, with CAD plans in hand and with the support of his boss, he fabricated his very first movement using the company’s machinery at night and on weekends. Gauthier is still thankful for that opportunity. “I made the parts of the first movement myself. This was a key that allowed me to get to where I am today,” he says.

When the movement started beating, Gauthier knew he had something unique.

He went to the bank and borrowed the money needed for his start-up, and the Romain Gauthier brand was born in 2006.

“I clearly saw that there was a place in the market for very high quality,” he says. “If you produce thousands of pieces, it is much more difficult to do the highest quality than it is if you make only 50 watches a year. I knew I could be a small brand focused on exclusivity and quality, elegance and fin-

ishing. This year, we will produce between 40 and 60 watches. The long-term target is to produce between 50 and 100 watches a year.”

PROFILE

Independent watchmaker and entrepreneur Romain Gauthier grew up in Le Sentier, a stone’s throw from the famed maisons of Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin and others. Growing up to work in the watch industry was almost a given for Gauthier. “When I was young, I was very interested in small machines, always disassembling them to see how they worked,” he says. “I decided to do a technical course—more practice than theory— at the watchmaking school in Le Sentier, after which I did my military service.”

Gauthier went to work for a company that produces watch components and quickly advanced to a management position. But with dreams of doing something bigger, he soon returned to school to pursue an advanced business degree. His MBA graduate thesis was the business plan for what became his namesake watch company.

He passed with distinction.

LEFT: Romain Gauthier RIGHT: Romain Gauthier Logical One in platinum with white enamel dial

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JOE DOUCET

COLLECTOR

JOE DOUCET President of Joe Doucet x Partners

“The role of the watch goes beyond telling you what time it is, as it may have 50 years ago.

It becomes much more of an aesthetic and personal statement.”

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COLLECTOR

Nautilus with a beautiful dial—such an elegant and simple watch that I couldn’t resist. It was sort of an indulgence.

There are several different dial colors, and they have this really striking blue, and that’s the version I got.

I also have a TAG Heuer Monaco. Somehow you feel a bit like Steve McQueen wearing it. It’s a little more ornate and a little more technical than the other watches in my collection. It’s definitely one that I wear in certain instances. For example, Porsche took me down to drive one of their cars, and that was obviously the watch you have to wear right? You feel like it goes along with that venue.

My daily watch that I wear most of the time is the Braun BN-42. It is square-faced, simple and elegant. I think it’s about $200, but I get more compliments on that than any other watch I wear. I love it. It’s simply utilitarian. It’s like wearing a Swatch on your wrist—it’s not a statement about being successful, more an appreciation of pure function. It is definitely my daily go-to watch.”

—As told to Roxy Kirshenbaum

OPPOSITE: Joe Doucet ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Patek Philippe Nautilus, Ref. 5711 Panerai Luminor (PAM 112) IWC Portofino Chronograph

JOE DOUCET

“The first watch that I can remember was when I was 10 years old. For my birthday my mother got me an Armitron, which was probably like a—how do you describe it? I don’t think they even make them anymore. It was just this really insignificant watch, but it was the fact that I had time on my wrist constantly. It made me aware of the passage of time. It left a big impression on me, and I think that, as I started to delve deeper into my chosen career of design, I started realizing the implications of watchmaking—someone making conscious decisions about what that will look like, how it will perform, how it will function. Everything today tells you time—from your phone to your microwave. In a way, the role of the watch goes beyond telling you what time it is, as it may have 50 years ago. It becomes much more of an aesthetic and personal statement.

I do have a collection. It’s quite small and tailored I would say. I only have about five watches. They are quite nice, and each one has a different significance to me. The first nice watch I bought was 10 years ago, and it was a Panerai Luminor. I got it when I was working at Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners, and I ran the design booth there. I was made partner, so it was a treat for myself, I thought. I am the youngest partner they've ever had, and I got myself something nice. At the time, it was quite a novel watch. I had a friend who was Italian, and I noticed this watch that he had, and it looked unlike anything else I had ever seen. On a trip to Italy, I bought myself one. I also had another big milestone when I bought myself a Patek Philippe

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BRETT ORLANDO

COLLECTOR

BRETT ORLANDO Area Managing Director, Thompson Miami Beach

“I don’t like to wear what everyone else wears. I always look for that unique find, something that tells a story that relates to who I am.”

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WATCHJOURNAL.COM LEFT: Brett Orlando BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: TW Steel 48-mm Grandeur Tech TW125 in steel with silicone strap Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue in steel with fabric strap Bell & Ross BR03-92 Ceramic Phantom in a 42-mm matte black ceramic case

COLLECTOR

my watches with what I’m wearing. I have this awesome yellow and blue diver’s watch, and it totally stands out. I really want a Patek Philippe, a classic, traditional, simple one, like a dinner watch. That is high on the wish list.

I like watches because not many guys wear jewelry— some do, but I don’t wear a necklace or bracelets or anything like that, so for me my watch is my jewelry. It’s my accessory, and I think it’s fun to find unique watches that you don’t see everybody else wearing—because I don’t like to wear what everyone else wears. I always look for that unique find, something that tells a story that relates to who I am, and sometimes I like to be simple—or at least, I like to refer to myself as simple, but my friends don’t believe that."

—As told to Hally Wolhandler

BRETT ORLANDO

"I started collecting watches about 10 years ago. There are a couple of things in life that I’ve always kind of had a fetish for, if you will: watches and socks. I think I fell in love with the whole watch scene before it was in ads and in every magazine—I always liked the classic side of it. My first watch was a classic TAG Heuer S/el on a steel and gold link bracelet. That was the first watch I purchased after I got my first real job after college. From there, I started admiring watches, and over the years, they became more fun and unique.

When I lived in Tribeca, I would find cute little stores that sold vintage Swatch watches that were probably cool 15 years ago—and my kids laugh about it today. That was fun. Then I started collecting more specifically— going to different stores and trying different looks and styles, from Panerai all the way to my favorite watches, the Lego watches. I love collecting Legos. Someone I used to work with found this Lego watch of mine that’s this vintage cool watch in yellow and red and green, and it looks just like it was put together with Legos. That’s probably one of my most unique, fun watches.

Over the years, as watches have started taking center stage in terms of fashion, I’ve stuck to some of the classics. I love the Bell & Ross Phantom styles. They are neat and simple. Watch style has become more fun over time—you can wear a Rolex Submariner with a T-shirt and jeans. I think the Submariner is my favorite watch.

It’s simple and it goes with everything. I always match

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J O S H UA A B R A M

COLLECTOR

JOSHUA ABRAM Co-Founder of Neuehouse

“In a world of ones and zeros, the analog quality of watches is so appealing.”

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WATCHJOURNAL.COM LEFT: Joshua Abram BELOW: Rolex Submariner Date in steel with ceramic bezel Shinola Runwell Contrast Chrono; photo courtesy of Shinola

COLLECTOR

with the orange strap. It's a very classic unadorned watch with a shocking orange strap—I’m wearing it right now. I also like the backstory of what Shinola is doing in Detroit.

I’m far more into watches than my son is, but strangely enough, he got me into them. When he was 14, he introduced me to trench watches. Historically, wristwatches began during World War I. There were no wristwatches before that war: Instead, men would wear big watches that they tucked into their vests or their waistcoats. But World War I marked the first mechanized war run on a schedule. Therefore, it was very important that the massive forces be synchronized, so watches were given to all the officers—but they couldn’t see them when they were tucked into their vests. Men began improvising and strapping them onto their wrists. I hadn’t had a watch in 20 years, and then I bought a trench watch. The one I have is called a Buren.

I am a recovering tech entrepreneur, and I think part of the recovery is that I increasingly appreciate things that are the opposite of what I was doing for a living—so in a world of ones and zeros, the analog quality of watches is so appealing. I like the care and feeding of watches, the fact that some are being wound as they move. There’s something kinetic and physical about them, and I find that connection with physicality comforting."

—As told to Hally Wolhandler

J O S H UA A B R A M

"My wife was a designer with Donna Karan for many years, and Donna’s line in the design room always was that great design really runs the range from pizza to caviar, and that’s my personal approach to watches as well.

You have the most fun when you have some that are for every day—watches with a design you admire, but it’s not necessarily a very dear thing—as well as more considered pieces. Often when I dress formally, I wear a less serious watch, and then when I dress informally, I wear a more serious watch.

About two weeks ago, I bought a watch for my son for his 18th birthday. I chose a watch that I really wanted, and I wore it for three or four days, just to establish that connection between us before happily giving it to him. It was the Rolex Submariner 50th anniversary edition with the green bezel. I think it’s a beautiful watch—I love that watch and one other, the Rolex Daytona, for the same reason, which is that the design is absolutely classic and timeless. They’re stripped down to their core function, but in a very beautiful way. Both of these watches—the Submariner and the Daytona—look great on women. I like watches that somehow transcend the masculine and feminine.

I also love Paul Picot watches, particularly the Gentleman series. It’s a beautiful, old style chronograph, and the back often reveals the complexity of the watch.

It’s like a private guilty pleasure. Shinola has done an interesting job in an inexpensive watch. I like the Runwell

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MANHATTAN

P L AY

A New York-inspired Bar in Singapore Makes the Classic Contemporary.

The Regent Hotel in Singapore looks to bring the past into the present with its new lounge bar, Manhattan.

Located on the hotel’s second floor, the space mixes textures such as velvet and leather to transport patrons back to the classic cocktail bars of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Red lacquer paneling and low marble tables make Manhattan feel timeless and modern simultaneously.

This bar takes cocktails as seriously as it does interior design. With 300 artisanal spirits and 105 American oak barrels imported straight from Minnesota, plus a rickhouse for aging cocktails and spirits, the handcrafted drinks are inspired by turn-of-the-century New York City. The rotating menu features 25 cocktails, complemented by bar food that similarly updates American classics. The menu includes Maine lobster rolls with avocado butter and remoulade sauce, and a hot dog topped with a whiskey-laced ketchup.

Whether you’re more interested in the luxurious interior or sipping on a quality cocktail, Manhattan brings something of the experience of drinkers past to the present. regenthotels.com

ABOVE AND BELOW: Views of the lounge and the bar RIGHT: Aging barrels in the rickhouse

M A N H AT TA N, S I N G A P O R E

MANHATTAN Regent Singapore 1 Cuscaden Rd. Singapore 249715

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WATCHJOURNAL.COM TOP: View of the Eiffel tower from La Réserve BELOW: One of the new property's 40 guest rooms

L A R É S E RV E PA R I S H O T E L A N D S PA , PA R I S

S T AY

LA RÉSERVE PARIS 10 Place du Trocadéro Paris, France 75116

LA RÉSERVE PARIS HOTEL AND SPA The Third La Réserve Offers a Peaceful Retreat in the Center of It All.

This November, as Paris cools into winter, hotelier Michel Reybier will open La Réserve Paris Hotel and Spa—a sister hotel to La Réserves in Geneva and Ramatuelle. Nestled in Paris’s Eighth Arrondissement, the private and luxurious hotel occupies a Haussmannian mansion right off the Champs-Elysées—offering guests an exclusive and quiet experience within a celebrated and busy neighborhood.

The hotel and spa act as additions to La Réserve Paris’s existing apartments, which are located on the Place du Trocadéro. The new space holds 40 rooms, including 25 suites, while the spa features treatment facilities, a gym, sauna and 52-foot pool.

Designed by Jacques Garcia with understated luxury in mind, the hotel represents the third collaboration between Reybier and the designer. Additionally, the hotel will house a lounge, private bar, smoking parlor, library and restaurant.

As the trees become barren and fall colors fade, the vistas will not, as the windows frame a sweeping view of the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais, the Pantheon and the Luxor Obelisk. lareserve-paris.com

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SWISS MADE, THE SKYLAB SPEED METAL IS PART OF THE MOON-DNA COLLECTION. THE SKELETON MOVEMENT OF THIS MECHANICAL TIMEPIECE IS INSPIRED BY THE SHARP ARCHITECTURE OF THE FIRST SPACE STATIONS AND CELEBRATES THE CONQUEST OF SPACE

BY INCORPORATING ELEMENTS OF THE APOLLO 11 SPACECRAFT IN THE CASE. www.romainjerome.ch

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ABOVE AND RIGHT: Some of the luxurious spa facilities at the Andaz Tokyo THE ANDAZ TOKYO Toranomon Hills 1-23-4, Toranomon, Minato-ku Tokyo, Japan 105-0001

A N DA Z T O K YO, T O R A NO M O N H I L L S

ANDAZ TOKYO A New Tokyo Hotel Features Roots in Local Culture and a Soaring Chapel.

This past June, Hyatt opened the first Andaz hotel in Japan. Set in a Toranomon Hills 52-story high-rise that sits between the Tokyo Tower and Imperial Palace, it is perfectly situated for those traveling for either business or pleasure—near both the city’s financial district and the Ginza shopping district, as well as a number of cultural attractions.

Designed by New York interior designer Tony Chi and Tokyo designer Shinichiro Ogata, the interior makes extensive use of natural materials like washi paper and walnut, creating a space of sophisticated tranquility. The hotel’s 164 guestrooms average 540 square feet each and offer incredible views of the Tokyo skyline. Bathrooms feature deep tubs that take cues from Japanese bath culture, in which bathing is an experience meant to relax, not cleanse, the body.

The AO Spa & Club on the 37th floor overlooks the Imperial Palace grounds and features a carbonated bath tub, a floating jet bath and various spa treatments. And, on the 52nd floor, guests will find the highest chapel in Tokyo, designed with copper roofing and inspired by traditional Shinto shrines. It’s a beautiful space that, with its views of the city, would make a fantastic wedding venue. andaztokyo.com

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T R A N S P O RT

NECESSITIES

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PORSCHE 918 SPYDER From $845,000 porsche.com

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NECESSITIES T R A N S P O RT

ESSENCE Built on the principles of minimum consumption and maximum performance, this vehicle combines dual electric motors (one on each axle) with a V8 combustion engine. It is race-tested technology that delivers an uncompromised hybrid driving experience.

POWER Three separate drive modes offer diversity and control, with an additional “Hot Lap“ mode that can be deployed for short spurts of maximum power, propelling the driver toward record-breaking speed. The option to run as a plug-in hybrid makes this car one of the most efficient of its kind.

MATERIAL With a monocoque and subframe made of a carbon fiber–reinforced polymer, the 918 Spyder is both lightweight and powerful.

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STYLE

NECESSITIES

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TF EST. 1968 $595 tfest1968.ch

WORKING THE ANGLES The new range of TF Est. 1968 Naked Tourbillon cuff links—inspired by the popular spinning watch mechanism—features open sides for viewing their genuine watchmaking components from various angles. Production is limited to 1,968 pairs.

TR ANSPARENCY The cuff links are constructed using sapphire crystal.

The mechanism inside spins in response to the motions of the wearer.

LOOK SMART A spring clasp system fixes the cuff links securely to shirt cuffs. The range includes versions in steel, rosegold and chocolate-brown finishes.

BUILT TO WE ATHER These sturdy pieces of craftsmanship are water- and shock-resistant. Matching companion accessories— such as pens, key rings and watches—are also available.

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NECESSITIES STYLE

RALPH VAESSEN From $1,800 ralphvaessen.com

CR AF T IS KE Y Dutch designer Ralph Vaessen started designing eyewear when he couldn’t find what he was looking for in eyeglasses. He drew the shape he wanted and took it to an atelier. Now, the collection is created at a small workshop in the German Eifel—one of the world’s best sources of natural horn eyewear.

GOOD COMPANY Ralph Vaessen sunglasses devotees include the likes of Kate Moss, Pharrell Williams, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood and Kevin Bacon. The sunglasses are available through prestigious retailers, including Barneys, 10 Corso Como in Milan and Colette in Paris.

EXTR AVAGANT German masters make the sunglasses by hand—which means every pair is unique. The horn is laminated, making the glasses durable as well as easy to wear.

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P E R S O NA L I T E M

NECESSITIES

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HERMÈS $1,350–$1,650 hermes.com

SUBTLE COMPLEXIT Y Hermès presents the Nautilus, a collection of pens with a complex rotating mechanism that’s easy to operate.

The writing point quickly retracts and disappears with just a swift twist of the barrel.

BUILDING BLOC KS The pen’s restrained shape is crafted in aluminum and stainless steel. Its inception marks the introduction of a series of Hermès stationery products that includes notebooks, writing paper and envelopes, and leather accessories.

COMMON GROUND When Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas tapped Australian designer Marc Newson to help develop the Nautilus, their initial meeting uncovered a mutual connection to the capless fountain pens made by the Japanese company Pilot Namiki: Newson had one in his pocket, and Dumas recognized it as the only style of pen his father had used. Dumas and Newson later collaborated with Pilot on the development of the retracting mechanism.

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NECESSITIES P E R S O NA L I T E M

HERMÈS $115 hermes.com

SIGNATURE ST YLE Part of the French brand's new stationery line, silk twill– covered notebooks are available in 24 designs taken from the patterns of two Hermès silk scarves.

PERFECTLY DETAILED The 10.5-by-15-cm notebook contains 144 blank vellum pages, and with such special silk coverings, these small luxuries might be considered the ultimate in fashionforward writing accessories.

HIGH FASHION The Brazil comes in graphite or mango, and features a design by Laurence Bourthoumieux; the Cavalcador comes in fuschia or navy, with a design by Henri d’Origny.

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NECESSITIES

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LEATHER HEAD SPORTS $130–$150

SPEC IALLY C R AF TED Each football is handmade by master leather craftsman Paul Cunningham, mixing only the finest materials with old-world craftsmanship.

C L ASSIC The design goes back to basics, with rawhide laces adorning the rugged leather balls, making them easy to grip, throw and catch.

leatherheadsports.com

AT TENTION TO DETAIL All Leather Head Sports equipment is created from meticulously selected hides and other, more unusual materials—including soft boot leather from a tannery in Maine.

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NECESSITIES S P O RT S G E A R

VANILLA WORKSHOP $11,500 thevanillaworkshop.com

COMFORT Vanilla Workshop's Speedvagen road bikes are designed for the most rigorous rides. Nimble and well balanced, stable at high speeds and complete with a low bracket to give the rider more agility, these bikes are comfortable and perfect for long days spent riding.

MADE TO ORDER Each year, Speedvagen selects three colors as a palette.

Customers also have the option of four different graphics, creating a customizable collection of bikes available annually.

ARTISANALLY MADE Many of the smaller parts of the company’s bikes were created by the company to fit the Speedvagen’s exact needs and specifications. This gives each customer an efficient racing machine built from years of experience.

ESSENTIALS ONLY Speedvagen takes out the unnecessary bells and whistles, leaving behind a quality bike focused on design.

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HOME

NECESSITIES

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GRAMOVOX $400 gramovox.com

OLD AND NEW Inspired by radio horn speakers of the Jazz Age, the Gramovox Gramophone may look vintage, but it connects to any Bluetooth-enabled device—so it streams sound as easily as any other wireless speaker on the market.

THROWBACK The gramophone is designed and constructed to project an organic, mid-range sound that is vintage to the ear. The horn itself, a 3-to-4 scale reproduction of a model from the 1920s, is acoustically optimized to amplify sound.

GEARED UP The gramophone features a Bluetooth 4.0 range of more than 30 feet as well as a battery that lasts 15 hours. The controls and ports, including a 3.5-mm stereo input, are located on the back of the wooden base.

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NECESSITIES HOME

WEWOOD $4,600 wewood.eu

SOLIDITY Designed by Daniel Duarte, the Mister sideboard is made of solid walnut, with a door crafted of solid oak in a herringbone pattern. Oak is also the material that makes up the interior.

QUALITY Wewood’s mission is to create carefully crafted, highend solid-wood pieces. Marrying craftsmanship and high technology, their products are environmentally responsible and built to last.

BUILT TO SIZE An extremely versatile sideboard, Mister changes to suit different storage needs and different areas of the home.

With an interior that can be completely rearranged—and with a front that elegantly hides the storage beneath—it can be a sideboard, a bar or a desk.

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WEAPON

NECESSITIES

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BÖKER $899 boker.de

HERITAGE The German Böker family began manufacturing tools in the 1600s. In 1829, the company began making sabers; now, their artisans create beautiful knives by hand using unusual materials.

BAT TLESHIP BUILT Böker’s Tirpitz Damascus folding knife is made of steel from the sunken Tirpitz battleship (one of two Bismarck-class battleships Germany built during World War II), brought up by salvage divers especially for Böker.

HARD AS STEEL Böker’s Damascus steel forger forms the knife’s 4-inch blade with more than 300 layers of steel. The extremely hard blade can cut through just about anything. An aluminum and walnut handle featuring the Tirpitz crest adds style.

INDIVIDUAL Böker’s artisans make the knives by hand in Solingen, Germany. Each Tirpitz Damascus knife has its own serial number and certificate of authenticity.

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Modern Mariner Series No. 6265: 45mm, stainless steel case, screw case back and screw down crown, unidirectional ratcheting bezel, antireflective sapphire crystal, water resistant to 200 meters, black leather strap with red contrast stitching, red lining and signature buckle, and Luminox self-powered illumination. Swiss Made.

Preferred timepiece of automotive enthusiasts.

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TECH

NECESSITIES

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TAG HEUER $3,800 tagheuer.com

NEW DIRECTIONS With its new Racer, TAG Heuer has created a Swiss luxury touch-screen smartphone made of materials, such as carbon fiber, that are drawn from the worlds of racing and aviation.

TOTAL LUXURY Models range from the Sport Classic, which comes in dark rubber and stainless steel, to the Precious Gold, made of 18-karat rose gold, and the Carbon Orange, a sporty style inspired by two GT sports cars.

AUTO - INSPIRED Throughout its more than 150 years in business, TAG Heuer has been a close collaborator with the automobile and aviation industries. The brand has been creating dashboard and cockpit instruments since 1911. Its newest communication devices draw on that heritage.

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TECH

NECESSITIES

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BOWERS & WILKINS $180 bowers-wilkins.com

COMFORT The Secure Loop design of the Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 earbuds features a padded loop that fits comfortably inside the ear, keeping the headphones from falling out while you’re on the go. The lighter weight of the new series adds to an already-impressive level of comfort.

LOOKS TO KILL Sleekly finished in black with matching cables, the earbuds have a built-in microphone and remote that work with iPhones and improved ergonomics for outstanding control.

SOUNDS GOOD The earbuds feature boosted sound quality that delivers powerful bass, offering listeners a more natural-sounding and detailed aural experience.

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atelier-zuppinger.ch

Crown Royal headgear or watch winder?

Discover the world of Fine Watchmaking at www.hautehorlogerie.org

Crown | The winding crown is a knurled or fluted button of various shapes, held between the thumb and forefinger and used to wind the watch. Some crowns incorporate a mobile pushbutton for operating a chronograph mechanism or to release the cover of a hunter case.

THE FOUNDATION’S PARTNERS | A. LANGE & SÖHNE | AUDEMARS PIGUET | BAUME & MERCIER | BOVET 1822 | CARTIER | CHANEL | CHOPARD | CHRISTOPHE CLARET DE BETHUNE | GIRARD-PERREGAUX | GREUBEL FORSEY | HARRY WINSTON | HERMÈS | IWC | JAEGER-LECOULTRE | LOUIS VUITTON | MONTBLANC | OFFICINE PANERAI PARMIGIANI FLEURIER | PIAGET | RALPH LAUREN | RICHARD MILLE | ROGER DUBUIS | TAG HEUER | VACHERON CONSTANTIN | VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

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©2009 Orbita Corporation

Fine watches stay wound, while their owners unwind.

View the aVanti – twelVe pedestal and all of our luxury watchwinders at orbita.com.

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

Chapter

2

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M OPPOSITE, FROM TOP: Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Geophysic 1958 in rose-gold and steel versions, $9,800–$20,800; Geophysic 1958 boutique edition in platinum, $32,200

F E AT U R E : HONOR I NG H E R I TAGE

Honoring Heritage

By Keith W. Strandberg

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

Jaeger-LeCoultre Pays Tribute to History and Scientific Exploration.

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K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

An example of a vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic

F E AT U R E : HONOR I NG H E R I TAGE

WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M

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F E AT U R E : HONOR I NG H E R I TAGE

The year was 1958, and scientists around the world were poised to undertake a variety of explorations and experiments to mark what was being called the International Geophysical Year. As one of the world’s leading watchmakers, Jaeger-LeCoultre developed a watch to symbolize precision and reliability, designed to accompany scientists on field explorations where they would face extreme conditions. Specifically, Jaeger-LeCoultre developed the original Geophysic chronometer to be used on the first attempt by a submarine to pass under the polar ice cap.

THE POLAR MISSION

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

On August 1, 1958, the first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus, embarked on this secret three-day mission from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, completely under the polar ice sheet. On board was the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic, helping to time and navigate on account of its precision and robustness. This was no small feat, either—for the submarine or for the timepiece. The submarine would be without communication for quite some time in extremely dangerous conditions, and the watch would need to withstand extremes of pressure, temperature and magnetism—all banes of precise timekeeping.

The watch, with its hand-winding Caliber 478BWSbr adapted from military models, became part of the Jaeger-LeCoultre range and a symbol of the company’s expertise in timekeeping. It incorporated the most advanced technology of the time, including anti-shock and anti-magnetism features.

“Jaeger-LeCoultre wanted to be part of the International Geophysical Year by developing a watch that could be worn by scientists exploring the world, no matter where they needed to go,” explains Stéphane Belmont, the marketing and creative director of Jaeger-LeCoultre. “The challenge was to take all the best technical advances used in our military watches and adapt them to scientific purposes. They used one of our very best movements and improved upon it by adding stop seconds, in order to have a way to set the time more precisely. They also added a new balance that was less influenced by temperature changes and an inner case of soft iron to protect against magnetism. All this in a watch that was very clean, very simple, with no military styling or adornments.”

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F E AT U R E : HONOR I NG H E R I TAGE

THE MODERN TRIBUTE To commemorate the original Geophysic timepiece, Jaeger-LeCoultre has just released a tribute to that era and the achievements of the maison, called the Geophysic 1958. The new limited edition recreates the original watch, a robust, resistant and extremely capable timepiece with a more refined design than a typical thick sports watch—but this time around, the watch incorporates an automatic movement. The Geophysic 1958 uses the original watch design as inspiration and focuses all of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s developments and innovations from the 50-plus years since the watch was introduced to improve on what was already an impressive timepiece.

“We had an opportunity to celebrate the original watch partly because of the maturity of today’s market, where people are interested in having something as good as a sports watch in terms of performance but with an understated design, something people can wear every day, classic yet rugged and robust,” Belmont says.

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

“Watchmakers have always been very inventive and they have always tried new materials and new technologies, and we need to carry on this tradition.”

—Stéphane Belmont Philippe Bonay, president of Jaeger-LeCoultre North America, agrees. He says, “This watch mixes two aesthetics that tend to be polar opposites—on one hand, it’s very rugged, precise and technical with a sporty feel; at the same time, it is a classical interpretation of a timepiece. This combination is very rare. We had to reinterpret the case in a way that would be faithful yet could still work at a slightly larger size. When you look at the new watch, it works beautifully.

When you look at the historical watch alongside it, you can see the reinterpretation. When it’s done right, it’s obvious. Watchmaking is all about details.”

Commenting on the movement, Belmont says, “For this one, we didn’t want to go back to a hand-winding movement, since we believe that automatic movements add precision. We wanted to take the philosophy of the original and create a tribute using today’s technology.”

There were two designs for the dial of the original watch: The first, with numerals at 12 and 6 only, was introduced in January 1957 and is relatively easy to find on the market today. A second, much rarer, design was introduced a year later, with prominent lines that cross at the center of the dial. JaegerLeCoultre has revived both designs in the limited edition, using the rarer dial configuration for the stainless-steel and rose-gold models, while reserving the other for the platinum edition, which is a Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique exclusive.

“The design of the dial is very close to the original,” says Belmont. “We used the same numerals, and we even placed small dots of Super-LumiNova on the bezel under the crystal, because the original did it that way.”

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Geophysic 1958 in rose gold, $20,800

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A vintage poster advertising the original Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic

THE HERITAGE AND THE INNOVATION As Jaeger-LeCoultre builds upon its heritage with commemorative pieces like the Geophysic 1958, the company stays mindful of the need to innovate. Looking back to the archives for inspiration is an important part of what this brand does. At the same time, however, Jaeger-LeCoultre is determined to do more than simply revisit history.

“We think that watchmaking is not only something from the past, but something that is always evolving,” says Belmont. “We strongly believe that if we want to nurture interest in watchmaking, we need to be in tune with the heritage we received from our ancestors. Watchmakers have always been very inventive and they have always tried new materials and new technologies, and we need to carry on this tradition. What we invent today will become tradition tomorrow. We are building on the heritage that exists and pushing it forward.”

The Geophysic 1958 is a perfect example of this philosophy and the practice of honoring heritage by pursuing innovation. In this way, it showcases exactly what makes Jaeger-LeCoultre tick. jaeger-lecoultre.com

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The numbered and decorated caseback of the Geophysic 1958 in steel, $9,800

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F E AT U R E : S O L I T T L E T I M E

OPPOSITE: Piaget Altiplano 900P in white gold with diamonds, $32,700

So Little Time CAROL BESLER

By Carol Besler

The Skinny on Slim Watches.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon, price upon request

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The trick to making ultra-slim watches is to make them thin without making them unstable, which is vastly more difficult than it sounds.

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ABOVE: The 2013 Arnold & Son UTTE wristwatch, $64,200–$73,900

by U-Boat, for the long-ago sold-out limited edition U-1942, measuring 64.4 mm in diameter.

With nowhere to go but down from there, today’s slim timepiece trend was inevitable.

Watchmakers are once again fussing over tenths of a millimeter, and the result is a new generation of “elegant” watches—the defining characteristic of which is the same as that of “elegant” people: extreme thinness. (Case diameter, however, has not waned but has held fast in the 38-to-44-mm range for style and legibility reasons).

The trick to making ultra-slim watches is to make them thin without making them unstable—a task that is vastly more difficult than it sounds. Reduce the size of one wheel, and you must follow suit with nearly every other component in the movement. Reduce it by too much, and you risk breakage.

Clever slimming strategies applied to an automatic caliber have yielded the 3.65-mm Piaget Altiplano 900P, which holds the current world record for thinnest automatic

watch. It was accomplished by making the caseback double as the mainplate, effectively integrating the movement and the case. The mainplate is also the dial plate, with hands and markers on the same level as the movement.

The feat becomes trickier, however, when a complication is added, particularly a tourbillon, which is, by its very nature, large, for both aesthetic and mechanical reasons.

But great watchmakers never shrink from a challenge, and a number of admirable ultra-thin tourbillons have been introduced over the past two years. The Classic Fusion Classico Extra-Thin Skeleton Black Ceramic, at just 8.15 mm thick, was among the first slim mechanical pieces from Hublot.

It was made according to the classic formula for skeletonization: paring down the movement to its minimum working form by means of reduction and elimination. Could it have been even slimmer? Yes, says Raphaël Nussbaumer, head of Hublot’s Product Department. “But the goal was not

CAROL BESLER

Ever since man invented the wristwatch, he has grappled with the question of size.

Should watches be thick as hockey pucks or thin as silver dollars? Early wristwatches were big, because they were basically pocket watches with improvised strap attachments. Starting in the 1920s, watchmakers began to produce movements on a more wrist-friendly scale, and vigorous competition to create the slimmest, most elegant wristwatches ensued.

Around the late 1990s, watches started to grow again, driven mainly by the popularity of chronographs, which require a wide canvas, and by the inexplicable desire for water resistance at unrealistic depths, which calls for thick cases and gaskets. In no time, most watches conformed to the oversized aesthetic (even quartz pieces, which technically can be needle thin). The frenzy culminated in a record thickness of 28.5 mm—for the CX Swiss Military 20,000 Feet professional dive watch, which is still in production. The record for the widest case is held

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Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, $138,000, and its record-breaking ultra-thin tourbillon movement

CAROL BESLER

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M LEFT TO RIGHT: 2013 Hublot Classic Fusion Classico Extra-Thin Skeleton Black Ceramic, $18,300

F E AT U R E : S O L I T T L E T I M E CAROL BESLER

the cage is turning on ball bearings, which shaved 1 mm off the thickness of the eliminates the need for the axis and the movement. rubies on the top and bottom.” How much Chaulmontet echoes Pitteloud’s caution Breguet Classique Tourbillon, Ref. 5377, $149,500–$163,800 does it save? “The old way, it is 6 to 7 mm about going too thin, citing an example Graff MasterGraff 43mm Ultra for the tourbillon cage—which dictates the from a now-bankrupt brand that went too Flat Tourbillon, price upon request thickness of the movement. This way, the far in the late 1970s. “They made absolutely movement is only 3.5 mm.” unreliable 1.2-mm movements. They rePitteloud cautions against overdoing it. moved the barrel bridge so everything was “When you set out to make the thinnest floating. If you put the watch on your wrist possible movement, and it must be cased, too tightly, the movement would stop. If you try to limit all kinds of space between you pushed on the watch a bit too much, the glass of the watch and the back of a the ball bearing would jump out of the watch. You try to have the thinnest case, mainplate and the wheels would fall off.” the thinnest gaskets, the thinnest crystal.

But you can’t sacrifice all water resistance and resistance to shocks.”

Arnold & Son introduced an ultra-thin tourbillon in 2013. The 8.34-mm UTTE (for Ultra Thin Tourbillon Escapement) reduces the depth of individual components by as much as half. “A standard wheel in a mechanical movement is 0.2 mm thick. In the UTTE, some wheels are only 0.12 mm thick,” explains Sébastien Chaulmontet, head of movement development. “We did the same with the bridges, the barrel, and so on. You remove, remove, remove.” But the key reduction strategy in the making of the UTTE is related to its 14-mm, off-center tourbillon cage and the novel configuration of wheels that turn it. Chaulmontet uses an analogy to explain: “Crossing an ocean in an airplane is easier if you can stop at an island to set a record for the thinnest watch; it in the middle and refuel. We did something was to maintain the highest level of reli- similar. We used two wheels to cross the ability while making a new skeletonized distance, eliminating the need to add anwatch that we could use to build other com- other level to the movement. That has never plications, such as the Classic Fusion been done before. It allowed us to keep it This year, Bulgari grabbed the record Chronograph Skeleton Tourbillon, which slim and still have an especially large tour- for the thinnest tourbillon with the 5-mm we launched this year.” billon cage.” The patented arrangement Octo Finissimo. In addition to eliminating Other recent thin tourbillons include the upper tourbillon bridge, Bulgari’s Breguet’s Classique Grande Complication watchmakers positioned the rotating carTourbillon Extra-Thin Automatic 5377, meariage on micro ceramic ball bearings, eliminating the need for the axis and synthetic suring 7 mm, a dimension made possible partly by the use of a peripheral winding ruby bearings and saving fractions of a rotor, as well as Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Hybris millimeter. Also, the hairspring is fixed diMechanica 11—the Master Ultra Thin rectly onto the cage of the tourbillon rather Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon. At 7.9 than onto a bridge. As in the Graff tourbilmm thick, it is both a tourbillon and the lon, the case rotates on micro ball bearings. world’s slimmest automatic minute repeater, After extensive extraction, Bulgari’s new a feat achieved by both the absence of an tourbillon mechanism emerged with 57 comupper bridge and the presence of a new ponents—compared to 80 in a standard flying balance wheel that makes it 25 pertourbillon. “Think of the watch movement cent thinner than a typical tourbillon esas a race car engine,” says Ernst Maierhofer, capement. It also uses a peripheral rotor.

Bulgari’s head watchmaker. “You look at Last year, the Graff MasterGraff 43mm how you can take off weight and give more Ultra Flat Tourbillon set a new record for power to the engine without going too far the slimmest flying tourbillon, measuring and making it unstable.” Can it go even in at 6.95 mm thick. The secret was the use thinner, or is this the end of the road for of micro ceramic ball bearings. Michel the thinnest tourbillon? Maierhofer speculates: “Maybe it could be thinner, but you Pitteloud, CEO of Graff’s watchmaking diwould have to bring in different materials.” vision explains: “In a watch, every time Stay tuned. there is an axis, there must be rubies. Here,

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M Patek Philippe Caliber CH 28-520 bearing the Patek Philippe Seal

Seal of Approval

By Keith W. Strandberg

Making Sense of Watchmaking’s Quality Certifications.

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COSC CERTIFICATION COSC stands for Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, the official Swiss chronometer testing agency. This agency tests more than 1.8 million movements per year, and about 95 percent receive certification. COSC only certifies uncased Swiss-made movements with central seconds hands and only evaluates timekeeping performance. Makers submit movements for two weeks of testing and pay a fee. Any movement that fails to meet the timekeeping standard is sent back to its manufacture. The brand can then choose to re-regulate and resubmit the movement for retesting—or it can simply use the movement in a non-certified watch.

Several watch manufactures use a predominance of COSC-certified chronometers in their watches; Breitling certifies 100 percent of its production, and Rolex certifies a significant portion of its production, as does Omega. Numerous other watch companies pursue COSC certification on certain special models.

F E A T U R E : S E A L O F A P P R O VA L

If there were only one entity issuing quality certifications for watches, evaluating a watch’s status would be a simple matter of certified versus not certified. Instead, watchmakers have numerous independent certification options available to them, and some makers have even introduced their own quality certifications as alternatives to the established options. Independent certifications are important because they offer objective testing of products and cannot be swayed by marketing dollars—watches either meet (or exceed) the criteria, or they don’t. Generally speaking, watches are evaluated against international standards for accurate timekeeping. However, the various certifying bodies perform a wide variety of different tests using their own procedures.

Some test the complete cased watch; others test only watch movements.

Some test watches for accuracy in different positions or at various temperatures, and some agencies test for water and shock resistance.

GENEVA SEAL

CHRONOMETRIC+ OBSERVATORY CERTIFICATION Also administered by Timelab, the Chronometric+ Observatory is the newest certification standard to be introduced. It tests cased Swiss watches for timekeeping performance, power reserve and other criteria that apply to performance on the wrist. “This certification considers the various elements that guarantee the functioning of the watch according to well-defined criteria,” says Anne-Sophie Guerra, ad-interim director at Timelab. “We decided to do this to ensure a reliability that was not covered by any other certifications. The course includes certification testing of the ISO-3159 standard for timekeeping, but it also includes other equally important standards in the field of watchmaking such as the ISO-22810 standard for sealing, the ISO-764 standard for magnetism and more.”

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

The Geneva Seal—also called the Geneva Hallmark or the Poinçon de Genève— is a certification established in 1886. It was initially developed to ensure that watchmakers outside the Canton of Geneva did not appropriate the Geneva name, and that companies in the canton met a certain standard. For most of its history, the Geneva Seal was primarily an aesthetic standard, focused on the finishing of movements. Recently, a performance standard was added, raising the profile of the Geneva Seal.

Testing is administered by Timelab, a private foundation established in 2008, and evaluates water resistance, setting and power reserve performance along with the established finishing requirements. The Geneva Seal is still only available to watchmaking concerns within the Canton of Geneva, meaning that much of the worldwide watch industry is not eligible for Geneva Seal testing.

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TOP: A Fleurier Quality窶田ertified Bovet Rising Star Triple Time Zone Tourbillon with reverse hand fitting and Amadeo system convertible case BOTTOM: The Geneva Seal, applied using nanostructural marking

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FLEURIER QUALITY CERTIFICATION

BESANÇON VIPER CERTIFICATION The Observatory in Besançon, France, also certifies watches for precision—as it has since 1897. Watches that succeed in the observatory’s testing are awarded the Besançon Viper seal. Several manufactures, including Laurent Ferrier, routinely pursue this certification.

F E A T U R E : S E A L O F A P P R O VA L

The Fondation Qualité Fleurier is an independent agency established in 2001. Its certification program is open to finished mechanical watches produced in series in Europe. The Fleurier Quality label is a guarantee of precision timekeeping, durability and high-quality finishing. Before being submitted for Fleurier Quality evaluation, a watch must first be certified by the COSC and pass Chronofiable testing, which simulates six months of wear over a period of three weeks in order to judge a watch’s reliability. For these reasons, the Fleurier Quality certification is touted as the most demanding of all watch certifications.

GLASHÜTTE OBSERVATORY CERTIFICATION In 2006, Wempe helped to established an observatory in Glashütte, Germany. Under government oversight and authority, the observatory performs testing and issues official chronometer certificates to Germanmade timepieces that meet the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN) standards for accuracy. This certification is only available to German manufactures.

GRAND SEIKO

PATEK PHILIPPE SEAL Patek Philippe made big news in 2009 when the company announced that it was developing its own quality standard, which it would adopt in place of the Geneva Seal. Administration of the Patek Philippe Seal is overseen by a legislative body and an executive body that operate independently from one another, and the program’s timekeeping standard is stricter than that of the COSC. Movements—and then cased watches—are rate-tested at multiple stages of production. According to Patek Philippe, the Seal is a constantly changing standard, as new and better processes are developed.

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

Seiko started using the term chronometer in 1960 in their Grand Seiko line. Later on, the term was removed when Seiko realized that their watches exceeded the chronometer standard. Now Seiko tests its own watches in a 17-day trial that evaluates movements in six positions and at three different temperatures. Daily variations must conform to strict tolerances. Movements that meet the performance criteria are labeled Grand Seiko.

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WA T C H J O U R N A L . C O M OPPOSITE: The Graves Supercomplication, ca. 1933, by Patek Philippe

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

By Keith W. Strandberg

F E AT U R E : T H E WO R L D ’ S M O S T FA M O U S T I M E PI E C E

The World’s Most Famous Timepiece

Sotheby’s Brings Patek Philippe’s Henry Graves Supercomplication to Auction Again.

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A view of the Graves Supercomplication, showing the sky chart and other astronomical indications; photos courtesy of Patek Philippe and Sotheby’s

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A LITTLE HISTORY The Supercomplication was designed and constructed as a special commission, the result of a rivalry between New York City banker Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard of automobile fame. The two competed to see who could commission the world’s most complicated watch. In 1925, in response to some of the purchases Packard had made from Patek Philippe, Graves commissioned the incredible timepiece designated as Patek Philippe N 198385, which later came to be known as the Graves Supercomplication.

Patek Philippe spent a total of eight years on its research, development and production. The completed watch, delivered in 1933, incorporates 24 complications—including a minute repeater, equation of time, grande and petite sonnerie, a perpetual calendar, phases and age of the moon, a splitseconds chronograph, alarm, sidereal time, sunrise and sunset indications and a celestial map of the New York City sky. It remained the world’s most complicated portable timepiece until 1989, when it was supplanted by another Patek Philippe creation, the Calibre 89, which was constructed to mark the company’s 150th anniversary and has a total of 33 complications. Nevertheless, the Graves watch still holds the distinction of being the most complicated watch made completely by hand.

F E AT U R E : T H E WO R L D ’ S M O S T FA M O U S T I M E PI E C E

In 1999, Sotheby’s auctioned the Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication.

It fetched $11 million—a sum that still stands as the auction record for a timepiece. Now, the ultracomplicated masterpiece is up for sale again; it will be offered by Sotheby’s Geneva on November 11—coinciding with the celebration of Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary. According to various sources, the timepiece bears an auction estimate of 15 million Swiss francs (approximately $15.7 million), and some expect the final price to soar as high as $17 to $20 million.

“It’s the perfect time to auction it, with the 175th anniversary of Patek this year,” says Daryn Schnipper, chair of Sotheby’s International Watch Division. “The current owner is someone who collects the best in every category, but he thought it was time to take advantage of the hot market and the events around the 175th anniversary.”

OF GRAVES IMPORTANCE

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

The Graves is a milestone for Patek Philippe, and it has come to be seen as an iconic achievement. And from an engineering standpoint, it’s amazing that the engineers and watchmakers who worked on this timepiece did it all by hand and without computers. Sotheby’s Schnipper says, “This is a force in the watch industry. I carried it back from Chicago in 1999, and when I held this watch in my hand, I could feel the beating heart. It feels so perfect, it reaches your nerve endings. When you finally see the ‘Mona Lisa,’ you are blown away by it, and the sensation of the Graves is like this. It is one of the wonders of the world.

“While it was already a famous watch in 1999, it was mostly famous among watch people,” she says. “Now, there has been so much press about it that it is famous, period. Since 1999, there has been an average of one press inquiry a week. People are captivated by genius, and this represents the genius of the 20th century. It is absolutely considered that commissions from Graves, because they required so many different disciplines, rescued the Swiss watch industry during the Depression.”

There are many incredible timepieces out there, but there is only one Graves Supercomplication. Let the bidding begin. sothebys.com

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Fire and Glass

By Keith W. Strandberg

The Enamel Works of DonzĂŠ Cadrans.

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Grand feu enamel dials in the oven and after firing

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Shinola Runwell chronograph with in-house leather strap

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Once the right number of enamel layers have been built up, the dials are stamped and returned to the oven

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Just about every step is done by hand, from applying the enamel powder to the metal disc that will become a watch dial to firing it in the oven.

M A N U FAC T U R E : D O N Z É C A D R A N S

For many, the beauty of a finely crafted enamel watch dial is beyond compare.

The production of such dials, however, is not a very pretty process. It’s a laborintensive and exacting art involving crushed glass mixed with mineral powders and high heat. In many cases, enamel artists rely on experience and finely developed instincts more than they do on formulas, and the final product is the happy result of all the elements coming together perfectly.

Swiss watch company Ulysse Nardin was one of the first in the industry to reintroduce the nearly lost art of grand feu, or hard-fired enamel, to watchmaking in the 1980s. The late Rolf Schnyder had relaunched the brand in 1983, and he was looking for a unique translucent blue color for a special dial. He discovered

dial specialist Donzé Cadrans and commissioned the company to develop his blue dial, which turned out to be an expensive process of trial and error. The fragile dials burned up in the oven, or broke in production or during assembly— because watchmakers didn’t know how to handle them. In the end, though, the San Marco watch with Schnyder’s special blue dial was a success, and all the hard work paid off for both companies. Since then, every Ulysse Nardin enamel dial has been produced by Donzé Cadrans—and a few years ago, when the owner of Donzé Cadrans announced plans to retire and sell the business, Ulysse Nardin immediately purchased the dial supplier.

THE DONZÉ CADRANS WAY K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

For many businesses, modernizing operations and streamlining production are priorities. At Donzé Cadrans, however, maintaining an artisanal approach is more important, and walking through the workshops feels like walking back in time. Here, dial production is done pretty much the same way it has been for centuries.

Nearly every step is done by hand, from applying the enamel powder to the metal disc that will become a watch dial to firing it in the oven. When enamel dials go into the oven, the temperature has to be just right and the dials have to stay there for just the right amount of time, yet there are no electronic timers present. Instead, the enameller keeps careful watch, turns the plate that holds the dials, checks as the enamel powder begins to liquefy and then harden, waits a moment and checks again. At just the right instant, the enameller removes the dials from the oven. The artisan then applies another layer of enamel powder, and the process repeats.

Photos courtesy of Ulysse Nardin and Donzé Cadrans

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ON INCREASING COMPLEXITY

Finished grand feu enamel dials ready for assembly

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Creating miniature scenes by painting with enamel employs a similar but more complicated process, as each color of enamel has to be treated differently.

The color of enamel powders before firing is generally not the color of the fired enamel, because the final colors emerge during the firing process, so the enameller has to know which combinations of powders to apply and how long to fire them in order to get the desired result. In a sense, the enameller is painting blind, because the finished enamel is never the same color as it is when it goes into the oven.

Quality control is rigorous: Enamel dials are some of the most expensive dials to make, so they have to be as close to perfect as possible. The colors have to be just right, and there can be no imperfections—even the smallest bubble or minuscule spot, too small to be seen without magnification, can result in the whole dial being discarded. Done right, however, this specialized craft produces some of the most beautiful and desirable watch dials in existence. donzecadranssa.ch

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Flinqué enamel work at Donzé Cadrans

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The limited edition Omega Constellation Sedna, the first timepiece crafted in 18-karat Sedna gold

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SU B STA NC E

A New Gold Standard

By Keith W. Strandberg

Omega Creates Sedna Gold.

without drastically changing the look of the hands and indices, are laser cut from thin material would not be easy. Since copper sheets of the special gold, and then the parts is the only element that can impart a red- are heat-treated to increase durability. dish color to the gold, the silver was the Sedna gold is 50 percent harder on the prime candidate for reconsideration. Silver Vickers hardness scale than red gold. Next, is a relatively low-density metal, and the parts are machined and ground, then pollower a metal’s density, the higher its po- ished by hand. Finally, the watch is assemtential for discoloration. Omega decided to bled, finished and quality controlled.

The development of Sedna gold is a sigreplace the silver in its new rose-gold alloy with palladium, a rarer, more expensive nificant breakthrough that is certain to figand much higher-density metal. ure heavily in Omega’s future. Stephen Sedna gold is produced by melting a Urquhart, president of Omega SA, says, mixture of 75 percent gold, 24 percent cop- “We are already planning to include this per and 1 percent palladium. The molten new alloy in more watch models, and we metal is cooled in water to form Sedna gold know that, in both men’s and women’s granules. The material is then reheated and watches, Sedna gold will be an important cast into bars or sheets (depending on the part of our product strategy going forward.” parts to be produced). Watch cases are formed from solid bars of Sedna gold, which omegawatches.com are roughly cut and then stamped to create the shape of the case. Finer parts, such as

K E I T H W. S T R A N D B E R G

Rose-gold and red-gold watches are more popular than ever before. In fact, most watch companies produce many more redhued precious-metal offerings than they do traditional yellow-gold timepieces. However, these desirable metals are not without drawbacks. Red-tinged gold will eventually change color, reverting to the look of yellow gold. Rose gold and red gold are alloys that use copper to impart a warm, reddish glow.

As the copper on the surface oxidizes over time, the color changes. A handful of watchmakers have been researching solutions to this problem. One such solution, introduced

by Omega in 2013, is an oxidation-resistant alloy, trademarked as Sedna gold.

The challenge for Omega in developing Sedna gold was that the formula for rose gold is well established. It is an alloy of roughly 75 percent gold, 20 percent copper and 5 percent silver. Altering the formula

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Positive Spin Photography by Joshua Scott

Watches with gravity-defying tourbillon mechanisms put their own spin on timekeeping.

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Piaget Polo Tourbillon in 18-karat white gold with Caliber 608P tourbillon relatif mechanical movement; numbered edition, price upon request

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon à Quantième Perpétuel in rose gold, featuring Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 987 with silicon escapement and automatic winding, price upon request

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Frédérique Constant Manufacture Tourbillon in steel with automatic Caliber FC-980 manufacture movement and silicon escapement, $52,995

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176_STYLE.indd 5 Patek Philippe 10-Day Tourbillon, Ref. 5101G, in white gold with concealed tourbillon regulator and visible power reserve indication, $395,000

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Arnold & Son TEC1 in 18-karat rose gold with tourbillon, column-wheel chronograph functions and automatic winding, $99,900

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Ralph Lauren 45-mm RL67 Safari Tourbillon in steel with gunmetal finish and self-winding movement equipped with a micro-rotor, $55,000

STYLE

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Girard-Perregaux Neo-Tourbillon with Three Bridges in rose gold with exposed Caliber GP09400 and namesake bridges rendered in PVD-treated titanium, $153,150

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Roger Dubuis Excalibur 42 Skeleton Flying Tourbillon in rose gold, $169,000

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Chapter

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A. Lange & Sรถhne L E GAC Y A. LANGE & Sร HNE

Marking 20 years since returning to its historic Saxon homeland.

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A. LANGE & SÖHNE

L E GAC Y

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The story of A. Lange & Söhne is one of determination and pioneering spirit.

Ferdinand Alfred Lange was one of the visionaries who helped to establish the Saxon town of Glashütte as the cradle of German watchmaking. He established a watch manufacture there in 1845 and began producing pocket watches that are coveted by collectors today.

Business was disrupted 100 years later, in the wake of World War II, when Glashütte became part of East Germany. The company was seized by the government, and Lange’s great-grandson Walter Lange fled to the West. It has now been 20 years since the family business was re-established in Glashütte by Walter Lange following German reunification.

A. Lange & Söhne has developed 49 manufacture movements. The brand is well respected for its outstanding craftsmanship and occupies a spot in the upper echelon of watch manufactures. alange-soehne.com 144

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1994 Lange Uhren GmbH sets up shop at Altenberger Strasse 15, Glashütte, Saxony.

L E GAC Y

The brand issues invitations to an October 24 press conference in Dresden that will introduce its first collection of timepieces in 50 years.

1845 Ferdinand A. Lange establishes his watch company in Glashütte.

1948 The watch manufacture is seized by the government, and Walter Lange flees Glashütte.

1990

Walter Lange’s business partner Günter Blümlein is one of three people—along with Lange and watch expert Martin Huber—to speak at the press conference.

Following German reunification, Walter Lange files papers to re-establish his family’s watchmaking company on December 7—145 years to the day after his great-grandfather founded the family watch manufacture.

A. LANGE & SÖHNE

The Lange 1 becomes the iconic face of A. Lange & Söhne. The Grande Lange 1 Moon Phase, launched in 2014, is the newest member of this product family, which now comprises 15 models.

The Pour le Mérite tourbillon is the first wristwatch driven by fusée and chain. It was produced in a limited edition of 200 pieces. Today, it regularly brings impressive prices at auction.

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2011 The brand’s famed Pour le Mérite Collection expands with the introduction of the Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour le Mérite, Ref. 760.025.

1999 L E GAC Y

Lange introduces its first chronograph, the Datograph, with a caliber that would be further developed with the addition of a power reserve indicator for the 2012 introduction of the Datograph Up/Down.

2013

2003

Lange begins producing its own balance springs.

The manufacture unveils the Grand Complication, the most complex Lange wristwatch of all time and the most complicated German wristwatch ever made. It incorporates seven classic complications and took seven years to develop.

2004

An in-house balance spring is used for the first time for the Double Split, the first chronograph that allows measurements of comparative times of up to 30 minutes.

2007

Lange launches the Lange 31, the first mechanical wristwatch with a 31-day power reserve. A constantforce mechanism keeps its running rate stable throughout the month.

2014

2008

A. LANGE & SÖHNE

Lange introduces the first tourbillon with stopseconds. Later, the brand will augment this patented mechanism with the addition of a zero-reset feature in the 1815 Tourbillon.

The Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar Terraluna displays the phases of the moon and the position of the moon, relative to the earth and sun, with extraordinarily high accuracy.

Walter Lange celebrates his 90th birthday on July 29.

2009

A patented constant-force mechanism makes an extremely precise jumping minutes display possible for the first time in the Lange Zeitwerk.

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Watch Advisor

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WA T C H A D V I S O R

ROYAL JEWELERS 58 Main St. Andover, Mass. 01810 Tel. 978.475.3330 Product Range: Cartier, Breguet, Panerai, IWC, Ulysse Nardin, Piaget, Girard-Perregaux, Omega, Vacheron Constantin, Jaquet Droz, Glycine, TAG Heuer, Graham, David Yurman and a large selection of certified preowned timepieces; the watch selection ranges from $1,000 to north of $200,000 Website: royaljewelers.com YouTube: RoyalJewelersMA Twitter: @RoyalJewelersMA

ROYA L J E W E L E R S

Facebook: Royal Jewelers

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ROYAL JEWELERS Steven Leed – Co-President

Steven Leed’s fascination with mechanical watches began at an early age. His father founded Royal Jewelers in 1948, and his childhood was filled with visits to the store.

When Steven and his sister, Paula, began running the store in 1979, they chose to focus on Swiss watches with mechanical movements—despite the prevalence of quartz technology—and they were among the first in the country to introduce the concept of watches as collectibles. Leeds’s knowledge, passion and company culture—including a sales staff that doesn’t work on commission—have helped this family business develop a clientele of collectors.

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ABOUT STEVEN LEED

“Why does my watch run slow and sometimes stop—isn’t it supposed to be automatic?”

All mechanical watches need to be wound to run. An automatic movement is wound by the motion of the wrist. However, a reserve of power needs to be built up first. In other words, an automatic movement must be jump-started. Many consumers believe shaking a watch with a flick of the wrist assists in winding it; more often than not, however, this action places a strain on the center pinion holding the winding rotor in place. This is not good.

Try winding the watch manually every other day. This builds up a reserve of power. Wearing it throughout the day will do the rest. The other option is to place the watch in a winder when it’s not on your wrist. The winder cannot overwind the watch—and neither can you. A clutch disengages when the wind is complete and will not allow the mainspring to overwind.

—Steven Leed

Andover is the home of Phillips Academy, a prestigious secondary school. On the picturesque grounds of the school is the Addison Gallery of American Art. It houses one of the most important collections of American art in the US, and it is open to the public with no admission fee.

ROYA L J E W E L E R S

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION

“Most watch shoppers begin their love affair with aesthetics. I always suggest they peel off more layers and delve into the history and philosophy of the brands. The watch houses’ approaches to watchmaking can vary greatly.”

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MANFREDI JEWELS Roberto Chiappelloni – Owner

ABOUT ROBERTO CHIAPPELLONI Roberto Chiappelloni grew up with a passion for watches and began collecting at a young age. In the mid-1970s, when mechanical watches were out of favor and many old watches were being scrapped for their gold value, Chiappelloni bought up as many as he could. “I couldn’t bear the thought that these mechanical wonders would be gone forever,” he says. In the ’80s, he opened Manfredi Jewels in Greenwich, Conn., with just one brand—IWC. Soon the business included additional brands and independent watchmakers, such as award-winning Finnish watchmaker Kari Voutilainen.

“How can I be certain of the quality of a piece when shopping for a pre-owned watch?”

I advise dealing with a reputable retailer who will offer at least a one-year warranty on pre-owned watches. This is imperative because the specifics of a pre-owned watch’s service and repair history are generally unknown. Some vintage watches have suffered from lack of service or poorly done repairs. On the other hand, a good pre-owned watch is one of the best values you can treat yourself to. With the exception of some rare examples, you can usually buy a vintage watch for less than half the retail price of its new counterpart.

When we take in pre-owned watches at Manfredi Jewels, our staff watchmaker evaluates them, inspects them for defects, disassembles and reassembles them, certifies that they contain original parts, and then services and regulates the watch. Our policy is to maintain the integrity of the watch, so rarely will we touch the case or dial.

We won’t arbitrarily do anything to make a watch look newer than it is.

MANFREDI JEWELS

—Roberto Chiappelloni PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION It might seem like an unusual recommendation, but the service at Greenwich Hospital is impeccable. Our daughter had a baby there, and the maternity ward was like a four-star hotel with wonderful food and very attentive staff. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone, particularly expectant mothers.

“Service your watch on a regular basis—that is, any time the watch seems not to be running as well as it used to. Some of my watches are 70, 80 or 90 years old. When they are well maintained, watches really can last for generations.”

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MANFREDI JEWELS 121 Greenwich Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 Tel. 203.622.1414 Product Range: 32 watch brands; price range: from about $600 to $750,000 at the moment Website: manfredijewels.com

Instagram: @manfredijewels

WA T C H A D V I S O R

Email: info@manfredijewels.com

YouTube: Manfredi Jewels Twitter: @ManfrediJewels Facebook: Manfredi Jewels Google+ Manfredi Jewels Pinterest: Manfredi Jewels

MANFREDI JEWELS

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TOURNEAU 175 Worth Ave. Palm Beach, Fla. 33480 Tel. 561.832.8812

Website: tourneau.com Email: gkrarup@tourneau.com

T O U R N E AU , PA L M B E AC H

WA T C H A D V I S O R

Product Range: Nine brands, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Cartier and Breitling, plus Tourneau watches and certified pre-owned pieces

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TOURNEAU, PALM BEACH Gustav Krarup – Manager

Danish-born Gustav Krarup began his career in luxury jewelry and watches with Brazilian jeweler Amsterdam Sauer. He joined Tourneau 19 years ago and has been managing Tourneau’s Palm Beach–area locations for the past 14 years. He earned a diploma from the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie. He has also received training from numerous watch manufactures. Since the early 1970s, Krarup has lived in South America, the US Virgin Islands and the US, where he became a naturalized citizen. He is fluent in four languages and gets by in three others.

WA T C H A D V I S O R

ABOUT GUSTAV KRARUP

“I am concerned that my rare vintage Rolex doesn’t have its original movement.

How can I find out whether it’s authentic?”

First of all, why do you doubt its authenticity? How long have you owned this watch?

Was it purchased new from an authorized dealer or pre-owned from a second-hand dealer? And when was the last time you had it serviced? Once we establish what is known about the watch’s history, I would recommend that you permit our watchmaker, who is an authorized Rolex repair technician, to remove the caseback and examine the movement and its components. There are numbers on the watch that correspond to the model and production date. Any discrepancy in these numbers can reveal a problem. Matching numbers can help to verify authenticity. Our watchmaker will be able to determine whether the movement is authentic and whether it is the correct one for the particular watch model.

—Gustav Krarup PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION T O U R N E AU , PA L M B E AC H

Palm Beach is one of the best-kept travel secrets. Walking along Worth Avenue, you will discover a myriad of little streets with independent shops and marvelous Mizner architecture. I recommend Ta-boo for its exquisite dining and atmosphere and independent clothier Maus & Hoffman for men’s clothing. Stay at the historic Breakers Hotel for marvelous customer service and proximity to golf and the beach.

“Care for your watch. Keep the crown pushed in; take the watch off before resetting; and remove watches before going into a sauna or hot tub.

Simple habits like these can prolong your enjoyment of a timepiece.”

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POLACHECK’S JEWELERS Brent Polacheck ­— President and Owner

ABOUT BRENT POLACHECK Brent Polacheck is the fourth-generation head of Polacheck’s Jewelers, which last year celebrated its 65th anniversary. He grew up in the store, cleaning glass and wrapping gifts, and made his first sale at age 8. He graduated from the University of Arizona before heading to New York to study with the GIA. When he landed a job helping to open the Tourneau Time Machine, he began selling watches in one of the busiest watch stores in the country. Today, Polacheck’s four children spend time in the store daily, helping out, cleaning glass and learning the business, and his 14-year-old has traveled to Geneva with him to attend the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie.

The future of this family business, it seems, is more than secure.

“How often should I have my watch serviced?”

Some jewelers say there is no reason to service a watch until there’s a problem. In my view, that’s like expecting your car to perform well without maintenance. I wouldn’t advise waiting for a problem to develop. Regular maintenance helps keep a watch in top form. I like to service my own watches at two-to-three-year intervals, especially now that I have some more important watches. Regular maintenance is an investment in maximizing the life of a watch. At Polacheck’s, we have a wonderful Rolex-certified service center, staffed by a watchmaker who is a former Rolex employee.

—Brent Polacheck

P O L AC H E C K ’ S J E W E L E R S

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION Mastro’s Ocean Club steakhouse on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu stands out in my mind as a restaurant that aims for the same excellent level of service that we strive for at Polacheck’s. The minute you drop your napkin, there’s someone there to help.

They are a step ahead as far as service, just as we try to be.

“Choose a watch that fits you, that’s comfortable and that represents who you are. When you know your personal style and stick to it when selecting timepieces, you will find that you get more use and more enjoyment out of your watches.”

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POLACHECK’S JEWELERS 4719 Commons Way, Suite E Calabasas, Calif. 91302 Tel. 818.225.0600 Product Range: Breitling, Cartier, Chanel, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Patek Philippe, Rolex and Tudor; prices range from $4,000 to $250,000

Email: brent@polachecks.com

WA T C H A D V I S O R

Website: polachecks.com

Instagram: @polachecks Twitter: @Polachecks Facebook: Polacheck’s Jewelers Pinterest Polachecks

P O L AC H E C K ’ S J E W E L E R S

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CHATEL Lincoln Street between Ocean and 7th avenues Carmel, Calif. 93921 Tel. 831.626.3445 Tel. 888.524.2835

WA T C H A D V I S O R

Product Range: Jaeger-LeCoultre, Hublot, Panerai, Hermès, Richard Mille, Bell & Ross, SpeakeMarin, Breitling, Nomos and Zenith Website: chatelco.com Email: info@chatelco.com Twitter: @ChatelCo

CH AT E L

Facebook: Chatel

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CHATEL Hugues Chatel – Owner

Hugues Chatel began his watchmaking studies at a historical watchmaking school in Besançon, France. One of his student projects—a skeletonized watch with reverse time indication, a particularly challenging assignment—won a prize in a national competition. He subsequently studied in Switzerland, and then completed an apprenticeship in watch restoration with a master watchmaker. Chatel traveled to the US and settled in California, where he went to work in a small clock restoration shop. Several years later, Chatel opened his own restoration business. In 1992, he began carrying Jaeger-LeCoultre watches and slowly built his retail business from there. Chatel still performs watch service and repair, but because he enjoys specializing, he limits himself to working on Panerai watches exclusively.

WA T C H A D V I S O R

ABOUT HUGUES CHATEL

“Should I keep my mechanical watches wound and running when I'm not wearing them?”

Watches don’t need to run constantly to maintain good function. People tend to think that watches should be wound a little bit once in a while, even when they are not being worn, in order to keep them in good working order. Some common misconceptions are that the oil inside the watch will move around and leave some parts unprotected or that the oil might dry up. Actually, the opposite is true. Oil is very stable. It stays in place through capillarity and it dries very slowly. In fact, the oil inside a watch can only break down molecularly when the watch is running; it cannot break down when it’s not being used. Even a watch that hasn’t run for years can start right up and run perfectly.

So, if you’re not wearing a watch, if you want to keep it in a drawer for a year—it’s okay.

There’s no need to wind it.

—Hugues Chatel

Just a couple miles south of Carmel is a place where I love to take friends: the Point Lobos State Reserve. It is a must-see place of breathtaking beauty.

CH AT E L

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION

“It’s a good idea to visit a watch specialist regularly for demagnetization and a timing check, especially if you notice your watch running a little fast. Demagnetization only takes a second, and it can make a big difference in performance.”

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