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WatchWorld
high-end brands, models, technology and design

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Audemars Piguet

An uplifting new tourbillon from Herms New models from Hublot, Longines, Chopard, Arnold & Son
and many more Whats the most popular young watch brand? A book about a Breitling: chapter 1

RubRiek

00/24 horloges

Content

12

MOMENT IN TIME

10

1/1,000th of a second makes the difference between gold or silver

12

Novak Djokovic with Seiko on centre court, four times the Chinese Year

SMALL SECONDS

of the Horse, two typical British watches plus more news, facts & figures
and key players from the world of haute horlogerie

ARTISTS IMPRESSION

16

The time in black and white, thanks to the Domino Clock

18

0024 on the world wide web: what can you expect from us?

20

22

WHATS GOING ON(LINE)

RETROSPECTIVE

With Shakespeares Full fathom five thy father lies in mind Blancpain
dove to the depths of the sea

22

0024 MARKET SCAN

The resurrection of the haute horlogerie after the turbulent eighties

analysed with figures

25

7
7

SIHH 2014

The house of cards built by the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie

was sturdy and solidly: all 16 brands of the Richemont Group surprised the

54

audience with exciting trump cards and haute horlogerie novelties

One of the highlights of the SIHH: planetary poetry above Paris and the
Dutch village Nijehaske, with Van Cleef & Arpels

PHOTOSHOOT

58

Time goes round: 11 watches with a round case

66

Since the launch of the Arceau Lift, Herms writes Haute Horlogerie with

INTERVIEW

a capital H, according to Luc Perramond

74

25

12 short stories starring a Breitling Chronomat from 1946

ESSAY

First chapter of the book Once Upon a Timepiece, a novel made of

10

70

PRE-BASELWORLD 2014

A whirlwind of new models is on its way, so to be save weve already

picked 21 interesting BaselWorld novelties

80
82

COLUMN
Simon says: follow us online!

Karel Hubert wants to ask you one tiny favour: give a watch to your
beloved ones

35

SERVICE
Contact/subscription

74

66
0024 watchworld

TO BREAK THE RULES,

YOU MUST FIRST MASTER
THEM.
THE ROYAL OAK CONCEPT SERIES CONTINUES TO PUSH THE
BOUNDARIES OF AUDEMARS PIGUET SAVOIR-FAIRE. THIS
CONCEPT GMT TOURBILLON, WITH DUAL TIME FUNCTION,
FEATURES WHITE CERAMIC BEZEL, CROWN, PUSHER AND
BRIDGE. NINE TIMES HARDER THAN STEEL, CERAMIC IS
EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT TO WORK, YET HERE IT IS FINELY
BRUSHED AND POLISHED AS IF IT WERE PRECIOUS METAL.
THE COMPLEX FORM OF THE CASE IS MILLED FROM A SOLID
BLOCK OF TITANIUM. THE INDIVIDUAL FACETS ARE THEN
MICRO SAND BLASTED TO ACHIEVE THE DISTINCTIVE MATT
GRAINING. AUDACIOUS STYLING, PEERLESS CRAFTSMANSHIP.

ROYAL OAK
CONCEPT GMT
TOURBILLON
IN TITANIUM,
WHITE CERAMIC BEZEL.

AUDEMARS PIGUET UK LTD

TEL: + 44 207 409 0782
WWW.AUDEMARSPIGUET.COM

Lex Stolk, international editor-in-chief

Foreword

ore than 20 years ago I entered the parallel world

of the mechanical watch via a kind of interdimensional portal in Antwerp, and underwent
a transformation. From the moment I entered
that Flemish jewellery store, I wanted to feel, understand, possess,
experience, talk about watches: I was never the same again. In
fact it is the friend who enticed me to board the train to Antwerp
who is responsible for the change in me. He knew why he was
going there: to score a mechanical watch in the sales. On the way
to Antwerp I read through a German watch annual, which my
friend already knew by heart, from Audemars Piguet to Zenith. His
passionate comments, page after page, became an emotion that
settled somewhere between head and heart. I was being prepped
for my initiation a little later that
same day.
On the way back I did little else but
stare at my left wrist, which was
now graced by a Baume & Mercier
Formula S. Is it pathetic to say that
this chronograph finally made me
feel complete? Probably, but it is
the truth. The watch told so many
stories: of the illustrious history of
the house of Baume & Mercier, of
attention for every single detail, of miniaturised technology of the
highest level, of adventurous motor sport the word Formula
was written large on the bezel. I sensed all those stories and the
fact that I could understand them gave me a feeling of selfassurance. It gave me a sensation of sophisticated depth. Later
that evening I entered the dark dorm room of my then girlfriend
surrounded by an aura of superiority, of someone who had been
admitted to an elite club of aficionados.
So, did you get a new watch? Expensive?. She was already half
asleep in the pitch dark but still she noticed my radiant new aura
immediately, that much was clear. In my surprise I must have
mumbled something, put the watch on the bedside table and went
to sleep next to her. But I knew that when I woke up my world
would have changed for ever. The very next morning my daily,
unchanging ritual of looking at the watch by my bedside before
strapping it onto my wrist started...

Never the
same again

0024 watchworld

0024

WatchWorld

IS A PUBLICATION OF MOTOMAX MEDIA B.V.

Musicalstraat 34 | 1323 VP Almere (The Netherlands)
p +31 (0)36 546 01 55 | f +31 (0)36 546 01 50
e info@motomax.nl | i www.motomax.nl

International editor-in-chief
Lex Stolk

International editorial supervisor

Harry H.R. Wijnschenk

Senior editor UK
Simon Cudd

Contributing editors
Ellen Dobbelaar
Kristian Haagen
Karel Hubert
Britta Rossander

Bloggers

Simon Cudd
Ellen Dobbelaar
Kristian Haagen
Karel Hubert
Lex Stolk

Translations

Harald European Translation Partners

www.harald.nl

Art direction and graphic design

Nextdoor Design, Almere (The Netherlands)

Michel Pleiter

Production management
Sandy Hoogendijk

Digital media
Marco Postma

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Sandy Hoogendijk

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0024 WatchWorld
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Cover

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 42mm

Read more about it on page 31.

10506-1301-1001

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herms. time reinvented.

dressage
la montre herms tames time, mastering its measurement.
one press on the pushbutton and the chronographs second hand starts moving,
the counter hands hot on its heels. beneath the dial ticks the steady beat of the manufacture
h 1925 mechanical movement, embodiment of the houses high standards.
precision and elegance meet and merge, reminding us that each second is truly unique.

Hermes.com

MOMENT IN TIME

10

0024 watchworld

By Ellen Dobbelaar, picture Sochi 2014 Winter Games

AccurAte to one thousAndth

of A second
It isnt the person who puts down the fastest time; the
person who is first to finish is the winner in short track
speed skating. The sport got a lot of attention during the
Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, because the ice skaters
flew across the short oval track at speeds of 55 km/h
and pulled out all the stops to overtake their opponents.
Slaloms, cutting the inside corner, going around the
outside, and often touching the ice with their hands in
the corners. It was up to Omega, the official timekeeper
during the Winter Olympics, to not only measure accurately who was first to finish, but also clock the starting
times, for example during the ice skating. A huge job,
but Omega was well prepared. An amazing 230 tonnes
of materials were needed to make sure everything ran
smoothly: starting gates, the photoelectric cell, ankle
bands, miles of cable, scoreboards etc. Important,
because a difference of just 0.003 seconds decides
whether you win gold or silver, as Dutch ice skater
Koen Verweij found out. And for Slovenian Tina Maze
and Swiss Dominique Gisin the high-tech time recording
methods confirmed that for the first time in the history
of the Winter Games they had both won gold in alpine
skiing. Both finished in the exact same time of 1:42.57.

0024 watchworld

11

SMALL SECONDS

Rolex:

By Ellen Dobbelaar

the undisputed
number

The Internet is the perfect tool for measuring the mood

among watch lovers. We do this in conjunction with the
Dutch/German company Chronolytics, which analyses
the data of the worlds biggest online provider of (secondhand) watches, www.chrono24.com. Looking back at
2013 we see that, as in 2012, Rolex remains the most
popular watch brand among Europeans and Americans.
And whether that is because of the 50th birthday of the
Daytona or because of the virtually unassailable, mythical
image of the brand We think it might be the latter.
www.rolex.com

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

Seiko on centre court

Those who watched the Australian Open carefully may have noticed something
about top tennis player Novak Djokovic: there is no longer an Audemars Piguet on his
wrist but a Seiko. For the next three years the Japanese watch brand will be Djokovics
new Watch Partner, as it is officially called. Seiko has selected a number of models
for Djokovic: a Sportura for training, a Premier Kinetic Perpetual for official occasions
and a Divers for when he isnt on the tennis court. Also: an Astron GPS Solar, the
perfect tool for a world traveller like Djokovic, which was personally presented to him
in Melbourne by Shinji Hattori, Seikos Watch Corporation President. What else the
next three years with Seiko will bring is not clear at this point, but during the quarterfinals of the Australian open Djokovic had to concede his position: ironically enough
his Swiss opponent Stanislas Wawrinka, from Lausanne, who was the overall winner
at the final game, was too strong for him. www.seiko.co.uk

Heritage 1968

NoStalgia
Longines concluded the year 2013 in style with the Heritage
1973, an amazing chronograph which, with respect to its look
and feel, is based on its retro-elegant predecessor. A 40mm,
cushion-shaped steel case with a silvered or black dial,
nine unusually shaped hour indicators, a tachymeter scale,
chronograph functions and a date indicator. Apparently
Longines was feeling nostalgic last year, because the
companys rich watch history had already been a source of
inspiration for the Longines designers twice before: in the
case of the Heritage 1968, a chic and avant-garde design
thanks to its square case and Roman numerals, and the
Heritage Military 1938, a simple but tasteful design based
on a pilots watch from the 1930s that has been restyled into
three contemporary versions: with date indicator, 24-hour
indicator and chronograph function. www.longines.com

Heritage Milita
ry
1938

Heritage 1973

12

0024 watchworld

tHe C3H5N3o9 ZR012

explained

Be warned: the ZR012 is an explosive experiment. C3H5N3O9 is the molecular formula for nitro-glycerine, a highly flammable substance but also the
brand name of a unique watch laboratory that is managed by Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei (Urwerk), Maximilian Bsser and Serge Kriknoff
(MB&F) and Eric Giroud (independent watch designer). These geniuses wanted to experiment with technologies, materials and designs without any
obligations to a specific brand, and consequently formed a platform in which their combined characteristics created a true horological chain reaction.
In 2012 they introduced the ZR012, a limited edition of 12 zirconium watches based on a number of mathematical principles. The wankel motor, named
after its constructor Felix Wankel, which functions like a triangular rotor, the Reuleaux polygon, which serves as the hour and minute hand and the
epitrochoid, a mathematical planar curve used to shape the indicators. Twelve new copies of this scientific marvel are now available, this time finished
with a black PVD zirconium case. This watch can be yours for around 130,000 Swiss francs and it is only available through a unique outlet in Singapore,
The Hour Glass, although online orders are also accepted. www.c3h5n3o9.com

The watch features a manual movement that can be operated via the
(large) screwed-in crown characteristic of MB&F.
The scale for the hours and minutes is found on the bottom half of two
ellipses. This scale was created by 180 points, each of which forms part of
an epitrochoid, a mathematical planar curve. In other words: the points
that are indicated by the corners of the polygon as soon as the polygon
revolves around its axis.
The hands consist of Reuleaux polygons, triangles with rounded sides.
In this example it is 8.28 AM.
The case (55 x 44mm) is made of zirconium, derived from the mineral
zircon. It is comparable to titanium the material the lugs are made of
and it is extremely corrosion-resistant.
The sealed case-back reveals only the power reserve: 39 hours to be exact.

For the RuSSia loveRS

For many years the Olympic Games have been
dominated by timekeeper Omega. And in keeping
with such a grand event, Omega has issued a
limited edition of 100 watches as a tribute to the
host country Russia. The Sochi Petrograd between
1914 and 1924 the former capital of Russia was
called Petrograd is based on a historical piece
from Omegas museum collection. Omega opted
for the colours of the Russian flag (white, blue and
red) which have been incorporated in the dial of
the yellow gold, tonneau-shaped case. The caseback is graced by the Sochi 2014 logo. But German
company Grieb & Benzinger is also seizing this
opportunity with both hands to keep its hordes
of faithful Russian fans happy. The brand does
this with the Saint George, the patron depicted on
Russias Coat of Arms. This patron saint has been
skeletonised and engraved on the case-back:

only seven copies of this watch will be made and all of them
are probably sold to Russian customers.
www.omegawatches.com, www.grieb-benzinger.com

0024 watchworld

13

SMALL SECONDS

CaRtieR
muSt-HaveS
Early this year Cartier not only introduced a number of impressive watches more about those elsewhere in this magazine
but also a number of beautiful accessories, each of which was
totally Cartier. Like this watch and jewellery box, made of fig
wood and featuring a kaleidoscopic pattern. There are separate
compartments for rings, earrings, cufflinks, bracelets and
necklaces, and there is room for at least six watches.
www.cartier.com

WatCHeS elevated
to works of aRt

4
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0024 watchworld

Sarah Illenberger is a renowned artist and illustrator from Berlin. German

brand Nomos has engaged her for a unique collaboration: thanks to Sarah
the Bauhaus-inspired watches have been transformed into totally different but everyday objects. With just a few simple things like stones, paper
and even autumn leaves or biscuits, the Club, Orion and Tangente become
witty objets dart, because Sarahs creations consists of a light-hearted mix
of photography, art and graphic design and with a few simple but carefully thought-out modifications an image is created that says much more
than a thousand words. www.nomos-glashuette.com
More examples of Sarahs creations using the Nomos watches may be found
on www.0024watchworld.com.

watches

chopard
L.U.C XP Urushi

that pay tribute to the chinese Year of the horse.

ulysse nardin
Classico Horse

Jaquet droz
Petite Heure Minute Relief
Horse

Arnold & son

HM Horses

Would you like to own a special Year of the Horse watch for just 50?
On www.0024watchworld.com international editor-in-chief Lex Stolk tells you which watch it is.

Spectacular
new venue for
loNgiNeS' gtC

the aFFoRdable
automatic watch

Longines is the undisputable partner when it

comes to equestrian. The Saint-Imier based brand
is the Official Timing Partner of the Global Champions Tour, the worlds leading show jumping
series, that will take place in 14 different cities, like
Antwerp, Shanghai, Lausanne and London. This
year the GTC will take place from 14 till 16th of
August in London and the organisation announced
a spectacular new venue at historic Horse Guards
Parade this summer. The site has been used for
parades, pageants and ceremonies since the 17th
century and is world famous for the Trooping The
Colour on the Queens Birthday Parade. During
those days its possible to see the best riders competing for the highest price money in the sport and
of course Longines will be there to measure all the
times and to hand over some beautiful watches
to the winners. To give you an example: last year
British Olympic team gold medallists Nick Skelton
and Ben Maher battled for the Grand Prix honours
in one of the most exciting jump-offs.
www.longines.com,
www.globalchampionstour.com

Restraint, elegant and affordable: that describes

this re-interpretation of Les Classiques Automatic in a nutshell. Sandro Reginelli, Product
Director at Maurice Lacroix, took the Les Classiques and made changes to the bezel, among
other things, creating a slimmer version with a
beautifully finished dial and a domed, polished
surface. The dial has been given new hour indicators, the date window has moved to 3 oclock
and the watch is now available in several
colours and with Roman or Arabic numerals.
A neat 38mm steel case surrounds the ML115
calibre with its 38-hour power reserve for the
hours, minutes, seconds and date. At approximately 825 this is a worthy watch that looks
good on any wrist. www.mauricelacroix.com

Piccadilly Princess
Royal ColouRS

especially
FoR u(k)

To celebrate the 225th birthday of Backes & Strauss,

the London-based and by Franck Muller Group owned
watch and jewellery brand, created a masterpiece with
225 natural diamonds (66 different colour hues), one to
mark every year since Backes & Strauss was founded. A
white gold watch, with sword-shaped hands, a quartz
movement, but with at least 10 different diamond cuts,
that cost 1,975 hours of master craftsmen work and
25 months to design and craft the watch. And as the
name suggests, its of course a ladys cocktail watch.
www.backesandstrauss.com

Both born in the 18th century, both with an English

background: Backes & Strauss
and Arnold & Son. Both brands
announced that they will produce a limited edition watch that
pays tribute to its British heritage, each with its own identity.

tb victory
Arnold & Son pays a tribute to Britains
National Museum of the Royal Navy, that is
comprised by five museums. One of those
museums is HMS Victory, one of Britains
most famous warships, which had her finest
hour as Lord Nelsons flagship at the Battle of
Trafalgar in 1805. The cream dial of the watch, thats fitted in a 44mm rose gold case,
unveils a beautiful solid gold miniature of the HMS Victory. A case-back see-through
shows you the National Museum logo executed in metallic palladium and the A&S
26103 calibre, an automatic movement thats entirely developed, designed and manufactured at Arnold & Sons workshop in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Only one piece will be
made and it will be presented to the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
www.arnoldandson.com

0024 watchworld

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ARTISTS IMPRESSION

By Ellen Dobbelaar, picture Carbon Design Group

These simple dominoes hide an interesting story,

literally and figuratively. The Seattle-based designers of the Carbon Design Group have given the
three dominoes articulating dots that flip back
and forth between black and white to show the
time. Being wireless, the clock can be mounted
on the wall or positioned on the floor. The minds
behind the domino clock have taken a familiar,
iconic object out of its usual environment and
given it an entirely new function, so the dominoes get a totally different meaning. The numbers on the dominoes and dice are recognisable
to everyone, so it was immediately clear to us
that this object would be an ideal starting point
for a clock, Joe Sullivan, industrial designer,
explains. Most people own a set of dominoes,
but because they are not used to seeing them
that big, and mounted on the wall, it becomes a
pleasant surprise. Of course the dominoes have
to look like the real thing, but if you enlarge those
small ceramic blocks to a huge size they become
almost impossible to lift. Whats more, the white
and black dots flip back and forth soundlessly,
simultaneously and slowly, and the mechanism
also has to be energy-efficient for a long battery
life. A small, electromagnetic coil fitted behind
each dot is the solution. The magnet and the iron
revolve around the coil and because the mechanism is attached to the dots the colour automatically changes from white to black and back.
That way the hours and minutes pass slowly and
unnoticeably and you will experience time in a
more relaxed manner at least that is what the
designers hope.
www.carbondesign.com

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0024 watchworld

The domino effect

whATS gOINg ON(lINE)

Website

00
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tWitter

00
24

facebook

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0024 watchworld

RETROSPECTIVE

By Ellen Dobbelaar, picture Blancpain

1960

Back in time

Blancpain

Fifty Fathoms

0024 WatchWorld looks back in time, when innovative watches

were born that would prove to have a major impact on the
development of the watch industry. We follow the trail of these
icons, by reminiscing with the use of old advertising campaigns. In
this third edition we would like to take you back to 1960, the year
in which the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms crosses the Atlantic Ocean
and the American Marines can dive fifty fathoms deep as well.

he story of the Fifty Fathoms starts

in 1953 and in two locations. In
France, where the lead roles are
played by Captain Robert Bob
Maloubier and Claude Riffaud, two French
Marines, and in the neighbouring Switzerland,
where Blancpain CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter is
an avid diver in his spare time. What the
Marines and the CEO have in common without
being aware of it is their quest for the perfect
divers watch. Maloubier and Riffaud have been
testing existing divers watches, but the results
prove to be disappointing: too small, unreadable, and a lot of leaks. The two French Marines
approach the watch industry but are told that
their plans are unlikely to have a future. Only
Blancpain responds positively, as Fiechter has a
list of technical requirements: water resistance,
accuracy and readability are the spear points.
In concrete terms this means that a revolving

20

0024 watchworld

bezel, screwed-in case-back, a double, sealed

crown, white indicators against a black background, an automatic movement and a soft-iron
inner case are absolute essentials. It is Fiechter
who comes up with the name Fifty Fathoms,
after hearing Ariels Song from Shakespeares
The Tempest. Full fathoms five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made. He puts the Fifty
in front, because five fathoms doesnt really
have much to do with deep sea diving. Fifty
fathoms equal 91.45m, the maximum diving
depth in those days, when fathoms were used
to measure the depth of the water. A fathom
stands for 6 feet, or 1.829m: the width of the two
outstretched arms of a grown man. A length of
rope with a piece of lead attached is lowered
into the water to determine the depth, and the
section of rope that disappeared underwater is
measured between the outstretched arms, indicating the number of fathoms. The collaboration
proves to be a huge success: the Navy embraces
the Fifty Fathoms, underwater photographers
take it down into the depths (thanks to JacquesYves Cousteau) and other diving watch aficionados are also impatiently treading water. The
watch pictured in the advertisement is the Fifty
Fathoms Mil-Spec Navy, a 41mm divers watch
that was developed especially for the US Navy.

0024 watchworld

21

0024 MARKET SCAN

By Lex Stolk

What is the most popular young brand?

Those who have

youth on their side

tHe comPLete List WitH YoUng branDs

Azimuth
Bedat & Co
Bell & Ross
Chronoswiss
Clerc
Concord
Cvstos
De Bethune
deLaCour

22

0024 watchworld

DeWitt
F.P. Journe
Franc Vila
Franck Muller
Frdrique Constant
Graham
Greubel Forsey
Harry Winston
Hautlence

HD3 Slyde
Hublot
Hysek
Ikepod
Linde Werdelin
Maurice de Mauriac
MB&F
Michel Jordi
Parmigiani Fleurier

Rama Swiss Watch

Rebellion
Richard Mille
Roger Dubuis
Romain Jerome
Sarpaneva
Urwerk
Valbray
Zeitwinkel

TOp
TO
p
The history of haute horlogerie often reads like a history book, but
the enormous growth in the watch market has also resulted in a
number of new watch houses of more recent vintage: pure postQuartz-Crisis brands that were born in the world of emotion and are
therefore unburdened by rigid and limiting traditions. What is the
most popular young watch house?

omeone who starts with a blank

piece of paper has a lot more freedom than someone who simply
has to colour in an existing picture.
People who have the courage to draw their
own lines and refuse to be limited by others,
and who dont appreciate being told off for
colouring outside the lines. Look at men
like Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis and Michel
Parmigiani, and the even younger generation,
responsible for the creations of Urwerk and
MB&F. But what is the web-surfing watch
lover looking for? What is the most popular
watch brand after 1980? Thanks to Chronolytics we can see which of the 36 young
brands selected by us are the most sought
after. Thanks to Chrono24.com a website
that permanently offers nearly 120,000
watches for sale and has at least 50 million
visitors looking for all types and brands of
watches we saw our suppositions confirmed
and got some remarkable surprises, as well.
Thanks to its high-tech data analysis Chronolytics enables us to compile rankings for different watch markets. Over a 3-month period
2.5 million unique visitors are tracked to find
out which watches for sale on Chrono24.com
are viewed in the Dutch, Belgian and UK
markets and the four Scandinavian countries
Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Among other things, Chronolytics bases its
analysis on the IP address and, at the request
of 0024 WatchWorld, the search this time
was for the most popular watches of brands
established after 1980, in the combined markets listed above.

top 3

The fact that Hublot (established in 1980)

made the top of the list doesnt come as any
kind of surprise. In a relatively short space of
time watch guru Biver was able to explode
the brand into a serious player in the luxury
sports segment. What is surprising is the fact
that of the 36 selected brands, Hublot takes
an amazing 40 percent of the pie. Even more
so because Franck Muller (established in 1991
as Franck Mller) has to make do with just

twelve percent and the number three, Bell &

Ross (established in 1992) only gets a meagre
seven percent of all searches. It must be said of
the Master of Complications that, despite its
decreasing prominence among the bundled
marketing power of groups like LVMH, Richemont and the Swatch Group, the ridiculously
creative Crazy Hours and of course the voluptuous tonneau shape of the Conquistador are
so recognisable that the watch aficionados
remain loyal to the brand.
For every brand in the top 3 it can be said that
a modern icon from the collection guarantees
the place of honour. Whereas Hublot has
an absolute winner with the Big Bang and
Franck Muller very appropriately gets the
silver medal for the Conquistador, Bell & Ross
largely owes the bronze medal to its square
BR 01 and to an intensive online campaign
that reached and inspired a lot of aficionados. Watches that have a strong identity can
withstand the vagaries of fashion, although it
must be said that with respect to its appearance and image these days there are more
limited models in the collection than regular
models the Hublot Big Bang is a kind of
chameleon that sets the trend and continues
to change.

10

1. HUbLot
2. franck mULLer
3. beLL & ross
4. cHronosWiss
tant
5. frDriqUe cons
6. ricHarD miLLe
7. graHam
8. roger DUbUis
9. HarrY Winston
10. f.P. JoUrne

40%
12%
7%
6%
5%
4.4%
4.2%
2.9%
1.5%
1.3%

Franck Muller
Crazy Hours

Winners and losers

Also remarkable is the fourth place of

Chronoswiss (1983) that very recently changed
owners, which may be an explanation for its
high ranking. Maybe collectors are now looking for models from the period when founder
Gerd-Rdiger Lang was still in charge. Richard
Mille (2001) ranks highly, despite the high
prices paid for the RM, and jeweller Harry
Winston (we start counting Harry Winston as
a watch house when the brand introduced the
Opus series in 2000) is a remarkable presence
in 9th place. This position indicates that Opus
1 through 13 resonates strongly among aficionados and collectors; so strongly, in fact, that
watch master F.P. Journe is trumped (by twotenth of a percent). We expected Parmigiani
(1996) and Romain Jerome (2004) to rank
higher than 13th and 14th place respectively,

Bell & Ross BR 01 Heading Indicator

but we are happy to see couple Stas in a very
deserving fifth place with their independent
brand Frdrique Constant.
As you can see, the German brands are not
mentioned on the list. You will find the ranking
of these brands in the upcoming issue of
0024 WatchWorld.

0024 watchworld

23

T H E W A T C H N O
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PRODUCT OF ALEXANDER PHILLIP WATCH COMPANY SWITZERLAND

SIHH 2014

A
A
A
A

The cards
are on the table

A
0024 watchworld

25

SIHH 2014

By Lex Stolk

A. Lange
& Shne
10

10

Richard Lange Perpetual

Calendar Terraluna

This years complicated high point from

Glashtte is called Terraluna and we will
reveal its complexity and functionality step by step.
It all starts with the separate indicators for hours
and minutes (regulator). Then there is the large

date indicator, a perpetual calendar, and the moon

phase indicator that is mounted directly on top of
the L096.1 calibre is visible on the back. Incidentally, the movement has an amazing power reserve of

14 days and uses a constant force escapement that

releases the enormous energy generated by two
springs in doses of ten seconds each. This is done
to keep the torque constant which, in turn, guarantees the extended and accurate progress of the

movement. The 45.5mm white or rose gold case contains an amazing number of technical and aesthetic masterpieces. For example, the incredibly precise regulator layout is based on

a creation from 1807 by the then famous

clockmaker Johann Heinrich Seyffert from
Dresden. Despite their restrained style

the almost casual perpetual calen

dar and
power reserve indicators at the
bottom of
the dial still stand out. It seem
s strange
that the element that gives the
watch its
name is hidden on the back. The
Terraluna owes
its name to a patented system
that shows the
relative position of the sun, moo
n and earth,
including the rotation of our plan
et on its own
axis. The complete indicator uses
three discs:
for the earth, the stars and the moo
n. The earth
disc shows the northern hemisph
ere and revolves once every 24 hours. The star
disc revolves
around the earth once every mon
th and the
moon disc, which shows two clear
moons, revolves in the opposite direction, enab
ling an extremely accurate indication. Far too
beautiful to
hide away at the back of the watc
h, I hear you
say? Maybe so, but equally it
shows that the
German watch house moves thro
ugh the watch
universe like an autonomous plan
et and
that commands admiration and
respect.

4
26

0024 watchworld

SIHH
2014

Langes manufacture
calibre L102.1

e 1
Everything about the Grand Lang
the
case,
41mm
the
big;
is
e
Phas
Moon
e
phas
moon
the
ially
espec
and
date
1
e
Lang
c
iconi
the
in
scion
t
lates
indicator. This
the
of
nce
adva
y
stead
and
al
reviv
family (the
Saxony)
brand from the isolated hinterland of
moon,
the
of
size
the
for
out
s
not only stand
bility
reada
lent
excel
the
for
but especially
n
golde
The
l.
detai
to
tion
atten
te
and the minu
rent
diffe
in
stars
(!)
382
and
y
gentl
moon glows
ight blue
sizes have been etched into a midn
every
once
Only
acy.
accur
laser
universe with
ared
comp
cy
epan
discr
r
mino
a
122 years is there
the
of
ion
posit
The
sky.
the
in
to the real moon
tes
minu
the
ing
show
dial,
the
on
moon phase
on
place
l
tiona
tradi
the
from
rs
and hours, diffe
h
watc
the
gives
that
and
dial,
ds
the small secon
it
than
look
istic
idual
indiv
an even more
d
had before. The sublime manually woun
tte,
Glash
in
built
is
h
whic
.3,
calibre L095
drives the time, date and moon.

This 39.5mm 1815 Tourbillon is a true beauty,

but that was not the first priority of the German
watchmakers. The sizeable 13.2mm tourbillon
that dominates the view in a grand manner does
not revolve for aesthetic reasons but with the
objective of realising the most accurate possible
movement. Function over form, therefore. This is
also evident from the presence of both the StopSeconds and Zero-Reset mechanisms. When the
crown is pulled out it activates a spring that stops
the balance and propels the seconds hand back to
zero so the time can be adjusted easily
and accurately down to the last second.
This is made possible by its calibre
L102.1. Available in rose gold as well as
a limited edition of 100 platinum pieces.

Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase

8
1815 Tourbillon

On
A. Lange & Shne also unveiled a new Saxonia.
thing
every
read
can
you
om
rld.c
www.0024watchwo
about this stylish watch for women.

Lange 1 Tourbillon
Perpetual Calendar

Nothing more than a new

colour, but too
beautiful not to show you
: the rose gold
version of the Lange 1 Tou
rbillon Perpetual Calendar. Introduced
two years ago as a limited edition of 100 and now
also on the market
in an unlimited 41.9mm rose
gold case. As far as
the technology goes (inv
isible tourbillon,
ultra-fast jumping perpet
ual calendar
mechanism), nothing has
changed.
The watch masters in the
hills of
Saxony didnt think any
changes were needed and
they
were absolutely right.

8
Langes manufacture
calibre L082.1
0024 watchworld

27

8
urbillon
Clifton 1892 Flying To
is the Flying

SIHH 2014

fton collection
The king of the Cli
ld model
t January the rose go
Tourbillon. Until las
cal watch
well-finished classi
1830 a particularly
high
movement was the
with a hand-wound
ee
sup
s
thi
n and now there is
point in the collectio
e the
rior tourbillon. Lik
n has a
1830, the tourbillo
ch more
case with just a tou
made of
detail, which is also
n
because the tourbillo
Tourpower reserve and
rose gold. The Flying
of
w
bottom the vie
a spahas one bridge at the
billon has been given
structed. Those who
ob
ed
ed
ne
the whirligig is un
cious, 45.5mm case,
the
the movement and
sizefeel they have seen
to accommodate the
k
loo at
ore are right: take a
e handable calibre P591. Th
layout of the dial bef
ound and
is built
Tourbillon Hand-W
wound movement
the IWC Portuguese
simid the overwhelming
lFleurier
in Richemonts Va
its calibre 98900 an
ily trait.
s just say its a fam
y. The
production facilit
larity is obvious. Let
ers to the
50-hour
me Clifton 1892 ref
mechanism has a
Incidentally, the na
ated in
e & Mercier particip
year in which Baum
by the
petition organised
a chronometer com
1 out of
ory. The score of 91.
British Kew Observat
uld not
be a record that wo
100 points proved to
ing to be
er 10 years. Someth
be broken for anoth
er.
to name a watch aft
proud of, something

10

Clifton Chronograph

Baume &
Mercier

SIHH
2014

Clifton Retrograde
Date Automatic

Three small complications in a relatively

accessible watch with a modern-classical
look. With the arrival of the 43mm Clifton
Automatic with day and date indicator the Clifton collection, which has grown steadily since its

introduction a year ago, now welcomes a highly

practical and user-friendly newcomer that will
please many. A retrograde hand at 3 oclock is responsible for correctly showing the date, a hand
revolves at 9 oclock to show the right days and

a power reserve indicator is found at 6 oclock.

This total of six hands is powered by the Soprod
9094 calibre which is based on an automatic
ETA 2892 movement and has a 42-hour power
reserve. Sapphire crystal on the front and back is
also worth mentioning.

28

0024 watchworld

No collection is com
plete without a chrono
graph and so
there is also an autom
atic Clifton chrono in
a
43mm case.
A sober exterior remini
scent of circa 1950, but
wit
h modern proportions
at the same time. You
and styling
will have a sporty cla
ssic
tha
t comes with the fam
haps somewhat under
ous, perrated and always reliab
ly functioning ETA 775
bre with automatic win
0
Val
jou
x caliding and day and date
indicator. A strong and
te addition to the collec
very completion that leaves you wa
nting more. What wil
the Clifton? We are hop
l 2015 bring for
ing for an affordable per
petual calendar. Any sug
gestions?

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WATCHWORLD
HORLOGES

97

10

of the
This 2014 edition
T Tourbillon
Oak Concept GM
anium case
tit
combines a 44mm
of
sh
and pu -button
with a bezel, crown
er
bb
ru
ed
rat
d an integ
white ceramic an
res
tu
Pic
.
ite
wh
culate
strap in (still) imma
rd
is daring trump ca
th
to
e
tic
dont do jus
e
th
r
pe
pa
On
family.
in the Royal Oak
al
tu
ac
e
Th
ld.
rd and co
white looks too ha
the
ng soft sheen and
iti
inv
an
s
watch ha
ult
fic
dif
ry
ve
ined and
intricately mach
ng
dli
ad
str
e
idg
upper br
to make ceramic
e
ey
g
uin
rig
int
is an
the calibre 2930
r
lou
co
e,
ap
sh
of the
catcher. Because
e
th
e
this bridg
and material of
lly drawn to the
ca
ati
tom
eye is au
e second time
tourbillon and th
zone indicator.

Royal Oak Offshore

Chronograph

stays, but with the

The 44mm Offshore
42mm variant it
d
significantly update
brother that takes up
now has a small big
Unchanged is the
n.
a prominent positio
pattern on the dial,
rie
familiar Mega Tapisse
tern on the subsidiary
new is the circular pat
histicated hands, the
dials, the more sop
es the dial colour
tch
date disc that ma
embossed
tly
and the more sub
gold and
in
ts
numerals. Two varian
ce the
oun
ann
four versions in steel
And
ar.
cle
and
42mm message loud
ed.
eiv
rec
the message will be

Royal Oak Offshore

Chronograph
Vampire

Nicknames are part of the

Offshore. Now there is even
a
special nickname for the basi
c black
version. Thanks to the red deta
ils on the
dial and the blood-red stitching
on the
hornback alligator strap this
version
was nicknamed Vampire. This
sinister
chronograph houses the AP calib
re 3126. So
still no integrated chronograph mov
ement
from the companys own man
ufacture,
but a basic proprietary moveme
nt with a
Dubois Dpraz module.

Royal Oak Offshore

Chronograph Safari

2007
The first Safari dates back to
was
y,
Nav
blue
the
with
and, together
and
rary
mpo
conte
more
a
as
presented
e.
them
ore
Offsh
the
on
tion
daring varia
once
is
ore
Offsh
ted
upda
The completely
the
again available in two versions. Like
tic
cteris
chara
a
has
i
Safar
original, the
its
with
and
strap
er
leath

hornback
the
ls
detai
n
brow
and
dial
sand-coloured
and
overall model is extremely tasteful
.
restrained

0024 WATCHWORLD

Three of a kind

30

Royal Oak Concept

GMT Tourbillon
Royal

10

Audemars Piguet

SIHH 2014

Curious about the new Ro

yal Oak Offshore for wome
n?
Go to www.0024watchworl
d.com.

ith the intro

duction of
a
number of diffe
rent versions of
the 44mm Roya
l Oak Offshore
it appeared th
at the smaller
1993 original
(why did the
company neve
r celebrate
the 20th anni
versary of th
e Offshore?)
had been writ
ten off. Nothin
g is further fro
truth. A closer
m the
inspection of th
e brand new 42
version makes
mm
it clear that su
btle but impo
changes have
rtant
been made to
the Offshore
particularly w
DNA,
hen it comes to
th
e materials us
to make the w
ed
atch.

Present and pas

t

in
version. The Offshore is an icon with
may
44mm
our collection and although the
tly, we
have been dominating the scene recen
Quite
size.
never planned to phase out the 42mm
had
nt
varia
the contrary: as soon as the 44mm
t
abou
hard
been launched we started thinking
is
bezel
steel
its smaller brother. As far as the
historically
concerned, we opted for the most
on versions
ic
accurate variant. We felt that ceram
would
Navy
such as the renowned Safari and
make
to
want
t
simply be inappropriate. We didn
ons
-butt
push
too many changes. The crown and
al
logic
a
of
are made of ceramic, but thats more
tend
evolution. At Audemars Piguet we
to have a thing for steel, although I have
to say that for the gold version we were
chtempted to use the much more scrat
ver,
resistant ceramic for the bezel; howe
we were able to restrain ourselves.

Subtle details

Going back to
using Cermet
a metal
alloy incorpor
ating ceramic
was
never a consider
ation, says Garc
ia
. The
presence of ni
ckel means that
Ce
rmet
is literally and
figuratively spea
king a sensitive
subject. So: no Ce
rmet, but not a
new, integrated
chronograph m
ovement from
the companys
own manufactu
re either. We ar
e
working hard
on a new chro
nograph calibre
,
bu
t it simply
isnt where we
want it to be
ye
t,
explains
Garcia. At this
point I cannot
co
nfi
de
nt
ly say
when the movem
ent will be read
y.
No
tit
an
ium
either? Not yet,
probably not un
til
20
15,
I
th
ink.
Although we di
d give the new Of
fshore an openworked case-bac
k as a standard
feature. There
was a lot of dem
and for that. An
d can I point ou
the radically di
t
fferent dial? Th
e numerals
are smaller, th
e AP logo is
embossed
and instead of
painted dials we
now use
galvanised dials
, which does a
lot more
justice to the th
ree-dimensiona
l pattern.

Ceramic has
replaced the
vulcanised ru
the chronograp
bber of
h push-buttons
and the crow
Strangely, the
n.
bezels of the ne
w models have
been made of
not
ceramic or so
me other scra
resistant mater
tchial, but of more
vu
lnerable
steel. Octavio
Garcia, head
designer at
Audemars Pigu
et, explains
why: The
44mm Offshor
e has become an
es
tablished
model and that
s why it was hi
gh
time to
take another
look at the or
iginal 42mm

hore
ak Offs avy
O
l
a
y
o
N
R
graph
Chrono

rcia: It was
Octavio Ga
ke another
a
t
o
t
e
im
t
high
inal 42mm
ig
r
o
e
h
t
t
a
look
Offshore.
Royal Oak

royal oak offshore 42mm

evolution in miniature

0024 WATCHWORLD

31

3
SIHH 2014

er Diver

10

tier

ry of the
the rich histo
Take a look at
l, creative
fu
ur
and a colo
House of Cartier
s up to
en
op
nt universe
and extravaga
abound.
ns
tio
playful crea
you, in which
e also
us
Ho
e
th
tch creations of
The recent wa
unexan
n
te
d of
e character an
all
have a creativ
nd
hi
be
t
ep
wever, the conc
d
pected look. Ho
an
br
e
Th
.
us
es is deadly serio
uthe Cartier watch
od
pr
ng
di
lea
n seriously as a
wants to be take
and to achieve
ality horlogerie
cer of high qu
ncept watches
with striking co
this it comes up
also by reint
mplications, bu
and dizzying co
re 1904 MC
lib
evable basis. Ca
forcing the achi
te display
da
ith
ic movement w
is an automat
appears
at
th
re
own manufactu
s
er
rti
Ca
m
a
fro
odels, including
g number of m
sin
ea
cr
in
an
in
with the ISO
serious it comes
watch that is so
e
ar dealing with
to show that we
6425 certificate
watch. The
proved divers
an officially ap
ine diving
er Diver is a genu
Calibre de Carti
an original
xurious look of
tool with the lu
Diver has a
libre de Cartier
Cartier. The Ca

Calibre de Carti

42mm case w
hich is extrem
ely thin with
a height of ju
st 11mm, mak
in
g it the thinnest mechani
cal divers wat
ch in the mar
ket. It is guaran
teed water re
sistant to 300m
bezel is a won
. The
derful exampl
e of modern m
use and inno
aterial
vation. At the
front the ADLC
ting, which in
coacorporates an
amorphous ca
that is as hard
rbon
as diamond, de
livers an intens
black and virt
ely
ually unscratc
hable unidire
turning diving
ctional
bezel. The sa
me ultra-smoo
ADLC coating
th
on the back re
sults in a smoo
revolving divi
thly
ng bezel that
requires no lu
cation; a tech
brinology that co
mes directly
the experimen
fr
om
tal ID One, in
which ADLC
used for the
was
first time. Ro
man numeral
luminescent
s and
material prov
e to be a pe
combination
rfect
in the Diver an
d because Cart
will obviously
ier
always be Ca
rtier, even
if they are no
w making serio
us divers
watches, the un
derwater calib
re is also
available in ro
se gold and st
eel with
rose gold acce
nts.

Car

The moon upon

request. When the
pushbutton at 4 ocloc
k is operated a blu
e
disc
of lapis lazuli mo
ves over the tourbi
llo
n
to
accurately show the
position of the moon
. The
tourbillon represen
ts the moon and the
deep-blue disc
that moves to the rig
ht when the push-bu
tto
n is released,
the firmament. Th
e push-button at 2
oc
loc
k is used to
adjust the second
time zone with 24ho
ur
dis
play that
floats around the ma
in time display. Th
e
pla
tin
um case
has a diameter of 47m
m and a thickness of
16.
65
mm
and
that, together with
the generous use of
lap
is
laz
uli
on
the
dial and the large Ro
man numerals and
a
sty
lise
d
glo
be,
make this Rotonde
a very striking creati
on
.
At
the
ba
ck
of
the watch it is easy
to see how much wo
rk
ha
s
go
ne
int
o
the movement, wh
ich was realised in
conjunction with
Renaud & Papi. Th
e precisely skeleton
ised construction
is meticulously de
signed and beautifu
lly finished. This
pice de resistance
comes in a limited
edition of 50.
32

0024 watchworld

10

Ballon Bleu de Car tier

floral-marquetry parrot

Colourful, exotic fauna has been a theme at

panther
Cartier for many years and animals like the
the history
and crocodile are important elements in
traditional,
of the House. By using a number of
ining them
increasingly unused techniques and comb
ged to
with exuberant themes, Cartier has mana
t years. At
conquer a special place in the market in recen
l parade
every SIHH anticipation about the latest anima
the bird
is high. This year the parrot (although in fact
macaw)
portrayed on the watch is a blue and yellow
is made of
was the high point. The appealing creature
ed with
inlaid flower petals that are treated and colour
before
the use of a special method. This is a never-seenespecially
method that results in an effervescent and
lively colour spectacle.

Rotonde de Cartie
Earth and Moon r

10

tier Astrocalendaire
In the Rotonde de Car
tions. The spindle of
its all about revolu
s hands balances
the hour and second
the
olving precipice. In
on the edge of a rev
ing
fly
ing circle spins a
middle of this revolv
the
e
d it, in turn, revolv
tourbillon and aroun
s
ult
indicators. All this res
day, month and date
,
ich
olving spectacle wh
in a dynamic, rev
st
mo
estier-Kasapi, the
according to Carole For
boss at Cartier, is easier
tch
senior technical wa
al calendar watch, and
to read than a tradition
to a
er to operate thanks
is also easier and saf
s
tem
Cam-and-lever sys
system of cogwheels.
a
ing
that makes adjust
are vulnerable and
For
complicated matter.
a
perpetual calendar
d
cke
the system is blo
safety considerations
the
s
if the user pushe
at certain times, and
hidden on
s
tor
minuscule correc
hard he
too
e
the edge of the cas
gone
ely
tiv
ura
fig
has literally and
ed
cat
pli
com
the
too far. Thanks to
e
ibr
cal
the
in
system of cogs
by
ed
rat
ope
is
ar
9459 MC the calend

Rotonde de Cartier
Astrocalendaire

ving
ing crown, and mo
means of the wind
not
is
s
ard
ckw
rds or ba
the calendar forwa
can
we
tch
wa
ck of the
a problem. At the ba
or
ar
ye
p
lea
a
living in
see whether we are
is
le
rac
mi
l
ica
e mechan
a normal year. Th
s
er
rti
Ca
in
fine-tuned
constructed and
the
e
ov
ab
,
dio
gerie stu
latest haute horlo
neva
e du Rhne in Ge
Ru
the
at
boutique
nt
me
ve
mo
the
of this,
and, partly because
us
gio
the presti
has been awarded
e Rotonde de
Th
al.
Se
Geneva
daire in a
Cartier Astrocalen
e is available
platinum 45mm cas
n of 100.
in a limited editio

2
6

LHeure Envote de Cartier

The LHeure Envote de Cartier collection

consists of three pairs of watches, with each
pair highlighting its own theme in shape and
colour. Each individual watch is a unique cre
creation. In the creation we show here the deep green
of emeralds glows like a lush tropical pond that is
home to a crocodile of gold and diamonds with hyp
hypnotic green eyes. The crocodile can be removed and
worn separately as a brooch, which transforms the
watch into an idyllic garden.

H
SIH 4
201

Ballon Bleu de Cartier

extra-flat

Ultra-thin
watches
are
becoming
increasingly prominent. Just check out
the brochures of Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget,
Vacheron Constantin, Zenith, Blancpain, Breguet etc.,
and you will see a rich procession of thin movements in
ditto cases. Obviously, Cartier had to follow this trend.
The new 40mm Ballon Bleu de Cartier extra-flat is just
6.9mm thick and has an added aesthetic advantage.
The case shape of the Ballon Bleu appears to have been
invented to be ultra-thin, because the convex shape
exudes perfection and is reminiscent of famous past
creations for the vest pocket or wrist made by other
Watch Houses that had a similarly slim profile.
0024 WATCHWORLD

33

SIHH 2014

Parmigiani Fleurier
9

10

Toric Rsonance 3

You want to know what the date is? If you

need to ask you are obviously not wearing a
Toric Rsonance 3, because with this watch
Parmigiani is taking the concept of large date
seriously. The date window is huge, as are the numerals
showing the date. Because indexes are used to show
the time, the Arabic numerals in the single date win-

dow stand out even more. And this single date window
is the next striking element of this 45mm white gold
watch which, at first glance, appears so restrained. The
two large disks containing the numbers are positioned
on top of each other and are so delicate that it appears
as if there is just one single date disc in the large win-

dow; a much more sophisticated look than two separate windows that jointly show one and the same date.
Incidentally, a system with two large date disks like
this uses a lot of energy and because, in addition, the

date jumps at midnight and does not revolve gradually,

this causes even more of a problem. To ensure
that everything still works smoothly and without problems you really dont want two
numbers out of alignment in one single giant
window the movement accumulates energy
throughout the day and releases it all at once.

This enables the date to jump ahead incredibly quickly and a special brake system ensures
that the sizeable date discs stop at exactly the
right time. Although in the first instance the
time appears to be of secondary importance
after the date, that same time can be conjured
up crystal clear when the minute repetition is activated.
In addition to the fact that having the hours, quarte
rhours and minutes sound as clearly and loudly as pos
possible is a huge job, this second energy-draining comcom
plication causes further headaches. Energy is scarce
in
a miniscule movement and yet the watchmakers have
managed to make the hand-wound calibre PF359, which
has only one spring barrel, powerful enough. The low
frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour ensures dura
durability thanks to a relatively modest spring usage.
In
addition to their wonderful tone, the appearance of the
two blued gongs is also remarkable. They snake around
the movement in a rounded star pattern. Subtle design
details may be found everywhere and when you add
all those small elements together it amounts
to a long list. Strangely enough, all these
style details do not make the watch appear
busy or restless. Quite the contrary: the Toric
Rsonance 3 is the epitome of balance.

SIHH
2014

Tonda Mtrographe

8
34

0024 watchworld

New in the Tonda

line are the Mtro
models: the Mtrogra
phe for the men and
the Mtropolitaine
for the women. As the
name suggests the
Mtrographe is a
chronograph and the
word metro in the
name is
reflected in what
Parmigiani calls an
urban
appearance. What
that means exactly
? Certainly
not a big case that wo
uld be noticeable in
the busy
city, because this cas
e measures a modes
t 40mm.
The black dial does
have an urban look,
however,
and looks remarkab
ly minimalist becau
se of the
two clear hour an
d minute counters
in shiny
SuperLumoniva. Th
e asymmetrical po
sition also
gives the watch a fre
sh and no-nonsense
feel. The
white version with
silver subsidiary dia
ls is rather
more traditional. Als
o note the beautiful
ly shaped
lugs which make
the 40mm watch
look bigger
because of their siz
e, and the subtle sha
pe of the
push-buttons. It loo
ks like the two M
trographe
models, which use
the PF315 chronograp
h
calibre built in-house
at Parmigiani, are
designed for differen
t cities. Black for Ne
w
York and white for Par
is maybe?

10
The women's model from the
Mtro collection, the Mtropolitaine,
can be admired on
www.0024watchworld.com.

suBsCriBe
suBs

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0024 watchworld

35

SIHH 2014

l
Aquatimer Perpetua
l
Calendar Digita
Date-Month
are

IWC

fans who
For dedicated IWC
of haute horlogerie
not afraid of a piece
gned Aquatimer
the fully redesi
g of nine watches in
collection, consistin
r
perpetual calenda
total, offers a 49mm
s.
tor
ica
ind
d month
with digital date an
, finished in rose
tch
wa
This titanium
bber, is the biggest
gold and clad in ru
s
since the illustriou
IWC wristwatch
ow
kn
We
from 1940.
B-Uhr or Big Pilot
endar movement
cal
c
ati
the autom
from other product
used for this watch
etual diver
families. This perp
d edition of
comes in a limite
50 pieces.

Aquatimer Chronograph
Edition Expedition
Charles Darwin

As if the striking manufacture

chronograph movement with the
wasnt
monocounter
intuitive
chronoenough, this 44mm divers chrono
graph also has a high-quality
bronze alloy case. This material

is alive without staining and it is

also a direct nautical reference to
Darwins ship the HMS Beagle. FYI:
this first IWC watch in bronze is
not a limited edition.

3
4
3
Aquatimer
Deep Three

Aquatimer Chronograph
Edition 50 Years Science
for Galapagos

Definitely a limited edition is the

version clad entirely in intensely black rubber with striking blue details. The 44mm
Chronograph Edition 50 Years Science for
Galapagos is limited to 500 pieces and, like
the Charles Darwin, uses the manufacture
calibre 89365 with a 68-hour power reserve.
Of all the models the external/internal diving
ring with SafeDive system (turn the bezel to
the left and the internal dive time indicator
revolves simultaneously, turn to the right
and the indicator remains safely
in place) on this watch feels the
most pleasant of all nine Aquatimers, because this version comes
in beautifully tactile rubber.

After the iconic Deep

One and the not-quite-as
is
e
successful Deep Two ther
cnow, entirely in line with expe
this
tations, a Deep Three. And
one definitely hits the mark. The

46mm watch is made of titanium, sports the immaculately

functioning SafeDive mechanism and features an appeae.
ling mechanical depth gaug
also
In its design the watch is
y
reminiscent of the legendar
Ocean 2000.

0024 watchworld

36

tWo systems
in one
8
W

hile the main courses

are being served in the
restaurant,
Christian
Knoop talks about his five years at
IWC. The new Aquatimers are the
dessert. A headhunter approached
me about his job, but didnt tell me what
company it was. They were looking for a
creative person for a watch brand that had a
360-degree view of the brand as a whole and
was not just knowledgeable about watches.
When the mystery brand turned out to be IWC
I was extremely pleased. The broad approach I
would be able to adopt particularly appealed to
me. As a child I was always drawing, but I cant
remember ever sketching a watch... Needless
to say, my interest in watches has developed

According to the head

t,
of the design departmen
Christian Knoop, IWC is
tch
uch more than just a wa

brand. Surprising. He
se
explains why and of cour
we also talk about the
redesigned Aquatimers.

enormously these past few years

and working with a team of 15 highly
talented designers has taught me a
lot. From the watch to the brochure
to the interior of the boutique, I enjoy
designing the entire package. Dont
get me wrong, I love designing a watch, but I
dont consider myself a watch designer.

Memories of 1967

And so we noiselessly and smoothly transition

to the underwater world of the Aquatimer:
I consider the 1982 Porsche Design Ocean 2000
an iconic watch. This first titanium watch ever
made by IWC was designed by Ferdinand A.
Porsche, a man who designed many different
objects, a legend. The 2014 Aquatimers may
not look much like the illustrious

Aquatimer Automatic 2000 ro

ro-

ld be app
The name Big Diver wou
ich, in terms of
priate for this watch wh
t. It is a functioappeal, rivals IWCs Big Pilo
fully considered
nal masterpiece with care
t to 2,000m, a
aesthetics. Water resistan
ust 80110 cali46mm titanium case, a rob
manufacture
bre from the companys own
different Superin Schaffhausen and two
dials for optimal
Luminova colours on the
ous errors. Also
readability without danger
n prostriking are the black crow
.
tector and the beautiful dial

Ocean 2000, bu
t I definitely wa
s
inspired by the
pure design an
d
perfect aestheti
cs. Still, the beze
l
in particular is re
miniscent of the
first Aquatimer
from 1967. This
watch had the div
ing ring on the
edge of the dia
l instead of the
traditional
ring on top of th
e case. The new
Aq
uatimer
actually has a
dual system: by
turning
the outer bezel
the diving ring
inside the
watch revolves.
IWC called this
mechanism
the SafeDive sy
stem and com
bines the
advantages of bo
th systems. A rib
be
d bezel is
easier to operate
when wearing div
in
g gloves
than an extra cro
wn, and a scale
on
th
e dial
can be read mor
e accurately than
nu
m
bers
on an external
bezel. A linking
mechanism
installed on the
outside of the ca
se at
9 oclock connec
ts the two rings.
The
system works
extremely smoo
th
ly
and accurately
and because it
is
open, water can
automatically rin
se
the mechanism
clean.

0024 WATCHWORLD

37

SIHH 2014

Hybris Mechanica 11

Dont let the name confuse you: the word hybris has
nothing to do with a combined mechanical/ electronic
movement. For the scholars among you the word may
sound somewhat familiar, because hybris (hubris) is

an ancient Greek word that denotes excessive pride,

conceit, foolhardiness or delusions of grandeur. Admittedly, this 11th manifestation of supreme watch knowledge on the part of the Watch House is an attempt to

reach the summit, but the watchmakers from Le Sentier were definitely not foolhardy, and did absolutely
not suffer delusions of grandeur, because

0024 WATCHWORLD

striking mechanism sounds

the time is particularly remarkable. Lets say
that it is 12:05.
In a regular system the hours
sound 12 times,
the system pauses because the
quarter-hour
does not have to be struck and
then the five
minutes are sounded. That coul
d be improved
upon, they thought at Jaeger
, and so a mechanism
was developed that knows that
when the wearer activates the system at five minutes
past twelve no quarterhour has to be sounded and
so there is a much shorter
pause between the hours and
the minutes. This makes
the rhythm more flowing and
consistent. Incidentally,
the tone is extremely clear beca
use the two gongs are
mounted against the sapphire
crystal case-back and a
previously developed highly
accurate hammer system
strikes the gongs very briefly
and then retracts, so the
sound isnt muted.
A new system for sounding
the time was also developed. Instead of the tradition
al disc mechanism the
Hybris Mechanica 11 uses a
recessed pushbutton at 11 o clock. Interesting,
but things may
be getting a little too elaborat
e. You can only
activate a recessed push-bu
tton if you can
make it emerge first. That is don
e by operating
a small disc at 8 oclock. Equ
ally unconventi-

10

onal and much tal

ked about is the rot
or
of the automatic mo
vement. Opting for
a manually woun
d movement wasn
t
challenging enough
for the people in
Le Sentier and a tra
ditional rotor would
obscure the view, so
the watchmakers con
structed a periphe
ral rotor that rev
olv
es
around the move
ment out of sight
and
provides a 45-hour
power reserve. Not
en
titi
rely invisible, becau
se the platinum rot
or
that quietly recharge
s the battery on cer
aa
mic ball bearings
is visible through
the
12 apertures on the
outside of the dial.
From
a technical perspect
ive the system is ve
ry
elegant, but the ex
tra openings in the
dia
l
next to the cut-out
for the tourbillon giv
e
the cleanly coloured
, silver dial a kind
of
restlessness, especi
ally when the rotor
is
moving back and
forth. It is underst
an
dable that Jaeger
wanted to
make the rotor vis
ible, because
that way they can sh
ow that this thin wa
tch is
most definitely an
automatic and not
a
h
and
winder and, what
s more, the system
is
too
beautiful to keep it
hidden away.

One last model: on

www.0024watchworld.com
you can admire the
Master Ultra Thin Grand Feu.

10

38

the series with

for the Gyrotourbillon 3, from
al design. The
a highly three-dimension
ultre can definitechnicians at Jaeger-LeCo
ris Mechanica 11
tely be proud of their Hyb
ud.
maybe even excessively pro
in a modest
den
hid
is
rie
loge
Grandiose hor
h a height of just 7.9mm
41mm white gold case wit
ponents. The automaand constructed of 471 com
tourbillon and minute
tic movement has a flying
h this doesnt sound very
repetition system. Althoug
n method most definiteinnovative, the constructio
ng tourbillon at 6 oclock,
ly is. Take a look at the flyi
ly delicate and transpafor example. It is extreme
ause there is no bridge,
rent and that is obviously bec
nce wheel is used, for
but also because a flying bala
nce spring was deve-which a completely new bala
components result in a
loped. Furthermore, fewer
tributes to the fact that
thin tourbillon and that con
4.8mm thick.
the total calibre 362 is just
ement thin,
mov
thin
To actually keep this
be completo
had
the minute repetition
ortunity
opp
fect
per
tely redesigned the
roscope
mic
the
er
to put the system und
ments
rove
imp
and
s
and make change
the
ich
wh
at
ed
spe
where needed. The

the Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater

Flying Tourbillon, as this watch is also
called, is mostly ultra-thin and restrained.
The name Hybris is much more appropriate

Jaeger-LeCoultre

It is Daniel Riedos first SIHH in his

capacity as CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Two years after his appointment as
the brands Industrial Director he is
now the face of the watch house
from Le Sentier, which has just celebrated its 180th anniversary. Today
the successor of Jrme Lambert,
who was transferred to Montblanc,
talks about the logo, the
future and the feel of JLC.

Reverso Ultra Thin

1931 Chocolate

What a tasteful, maybe even a particularly tasty watch, this slim, rose
gold Reverso with a historically cor-

rect, deep-brown dial colour, slim

hands and a hand-wound movement that is made in the companys
own manufacture in the village of
Le Sentier in the Jura Mountains.

The fact that a strap can make or

break a watch in this case make
is more than obvious when you
look at the beautifully supple leather strap made by Casa Fagliano
from Buenos Aires. Every self-respecting polo player wears boots

made by this Argentinian house

and that completes the circle of
this rectangular watch
and polo icon.

our logo is
more important
than our name

efore Riedo moved to the rem

ote Valle
de Joux he spent 12 years wor
king for
Rolex. Why is this relevant?
Because
it puts the future plans and
ideas of the
youthful 50-something exec
utive into the
proper perspective. To the que
stion how he plans to
put the house from the watch
valley in the spotlight
he replies: All around the wor
ld Jaeger-LeCoultre is
considered a specialist watch
house that is among
the absolute top. Of course
that is fantastic, but for
the future it is not enough. Whe
n I look at our current
collection it is clearly structur
ed in individual lines,
but the identity of those diffe
rent product groups
must be communicated bett
er, as well as the fact
that we are a true manufac
ture. New product lines
are in the pipeline, but it will
take a year or two
before we are ready to present
them. What will also
be taking an increasingly
important place in the
communications is our logo.
Even more, in future we
will be communicating our
logo (a stylised anchor
consisting of a letter J and a
letter L) more
than our name. The image mus
t engender
an emotion an emotion that
says JaegerLeCoultre represents the abso
lute top in
haute horlogerie.

The magic of the logo

oyer is a logo that

The crown of Riedos previous empl
nd the world, as
arou
ry
evokes a sense of pure luxu
that has been
logo
A
well as aspiration and wealth.
h aficionados
watc
rd
tattooed onto the bodies of dieha
aiming for,
is
Riedo
countless times. This is not what
inant logo
dom
a
in
faith
but it does show where his
same as
the
not
is
p
grou
comes from. The JLC target
target
rent
diffe
this
time
that of Rolex, but at the same
h.
watc
a
by
ed
evok
ions
group is sensitive to the emot
e
haut
and
logo
of
on
inati
According to Riedo the comb
ive
creat
ted,
istica
Soph
ss:
horlogerie is the key to succe
ality. Look at the
watch complications are our speci
it is
ple,
exam
slim Hybris Mechanica 11, for
est
high
the
of
full of innovative technology
and
d
spute
level. Our creative skills are undi
and
because we have all the knowledge
e
utilis
to
able
abilities under one roof we are
e.
them even better in the futur

0024 watchworld

39

SIHH 2014

Greubel
Forsey

Quantime Perptuel
Equation GF 07

Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey have a

revolving obsession called a tourbillon and they
have shared their obsession with the public on
several occasions in many different but always
dazzling manifestations. And now they have
set their sights on the perpetual calendar
which comes with an ultra-accurate tourbillon,
obviously. The patented 24-second tourbillon,
positioned at a 25-degree angle, serves as the
regulating body for a movement
that ticks at 21,600 vibrations per
hour and has a 72-hour power

reserve thanks to two spri

ng barrels.
The 43.5mm white gold
Quantime
Perptuel Equation is 16m
m high and
in this modest space the
movement,
consisting of 570 decorated
components,
does its perpetual job. The
starting point
was the development
of an easy-tooperate calendar movem
ent that could
be moved forward as wel
l as backward.
Clear readability was also
high on the
list of priorities for both me
n, plus a new
way to show the equatio
n of time, the
difference between the loca
l mean time and the
solar time. Greubel Forsey
opted for a system using
two transparent discs, wh
ich shows when the solar
time and the time we use
on a daily basis overlap.
The result of years of thin
king, building, testing
and starting all over aga
in is a completely
new and fully integrated
mechanism that
requires a lot of knowledge
of movements
to fully understand it.

8
SIHH
2014

ng
Automotive Flyi
Tourbillon
a
Ralph Lauren is

ion king
American fash
cars and a
ctor of classic
passionate colle
horlogerie.
sseur of haute
serious connoi
e
lo salesman in th
ost successful po
s
hi
of
The fleet of the m
id
me can be sa
sive, and the sa
l
ica
ss
world is impres
cla
ible with
. What is imposs
l
ca
ni
watch collection
ha
mes to mec
ne when it co
n
ow
cars can be do
ur
under yo
haute horlogerie
r
watches: selling
creations unde
e
os
th
en putting
ve
ha
name and th
u
yo
Group so
the Richemont
,
the umbrella of
Jaeger-LeCoultre
of
e
os
ents like th
7
16
RL
access to movem
re
gh the calib
rprisingly enou
n
for example. Su
Flying Tourbillo
ive
ot
the Autom
t
en
em
that is used in
ov
mps, a m
Fabrique du Te
H
M
LV
is built by La
g
competin
now part of the
t,
company that is
atic movemen
m
to
au
A beautiful
conglomerate.
r.
to
e micro-ro
aturing a delicat
h
incidentally, fe
ssions of Ralp
pa
e
mbines th
The watch co
d
complicate
y detail. The
Lauren in ever
the watch
fie
ement satis s
tourbillon mov
pearance
ap
e
th
him and
connoisseur in
love for the
flects his deep
of the watch re

40

0024 watchworld

Lauren
6

classical automobile. This is because the

black steel Automotive Flying Tourbillon
with a sizeable diameter of 45mm is
modelled after one of the most famous
cars in history, a jet-black 1938 Bugatti
57SC Atlantic Coup that occupies a prominent
spot in Ralph Laurens coach house. The elm
burlwood around the edge of the dial is also
used in the dashboard of this voluptuously
shaped top classic, of which four were only ever
built, and both the Arabic numerals and the
plain hands of the watch are modelled after
the Jaeger instruments in the Bugattis cockpit.
For $80,000 a pittance compared to the cars
estimated value of $40 million you can buy
this interpretation of Ralph Laurens passion,
which will look particularly good when you are
driving a restored cabriolet through a sleepy
Provenal town with your arm resting casually
on the drivers door. Please make sure to wear
a polo shirt featuring the logo of a polo
player rather than a crocodile... Ralph
will appreciate that.

Ralph

Simons

p
o
t
from SIHH

w 0024 WatchWorld
Simon Cudd is the ne
s
page 80 he introduce
Senior Editor UK: on n 'Simon says'.
himself in his colum

This was my, your new 0024

WatchWorld Senior Editor UK,
first SIHH, and I have to say that
it was a real pleasure for me to
attend. Everything I had heard

to hear what I liked from the

brands that showcased at this
Richemont show.

as opposed
Being a fan of the more sporty side
atimer
Aqu
IWC
new
the
to the elegant side
and
gued
intri
me
offerings really got
duction
interested, especially with the intro
edition
Exp
on
Editi
aph
of bronze Chronogr
Perpetual
m
49m
ssal
colo
the
Charles Darwin,
anized
vulc
and
nth
-Mo
Date
Calendar Digital
out
d
stoo
that
one
the
but
rubber editions,
er
atim
Aqu
the
of
licity
for me was the simp
ry
silve
with
m,
42m
rable
wea
Automatic at a
.
strap
er
rubb
ble
dial and comforta

the watches that they liked the

most, so now it is time for you

about the show, sure enough

was correct. My colleagues have
already voiced their opinions on

ys been more
Jaeger-LeCoultre for me have alwa
hes around
about their beautifully elegant watc
billons
Tour
,
the Reverso, Grand complications
ty side
spor
e
and history. However, its their mor
n
Asto
their
that I have taken interest in from
their
to
OX
Martin collaborations with the AMV
ter ComNavy Seals Compressors, so the Mas
k 46mm
blac
pressor Chronograph Ceramic in
The
tion.
ceramic case and chronograph func
really
hand
monotone with just the red second
.
stood out for me and won me over

4
d the brand
Being a Panerai fan since I discovere
now, their
s
year
few
a
for
er
in 1997, and an own
new
of
s
term
in
t,
grea
latest offerings were
ion of
duct
intro
the
and
nts
in-house moveme
us
vario
in
1940
s
omir
Radi
their Chronograph
me
for
But
.
ions
vers
l
45mm precious meta
Luminor
it was the more simplistic 44mm
y movements
8-da
the
with
s
Marina 8 Days case
white dial
the
y
ciall
espe
me,
that were more for
these
say
will
s
risti
Pane
t
PAM00563, as mos
dials
e
whit
the
ugh
altho
,
are the true DNA
the grain
not so much, I do like to go against
sometimes!

3
Audemars Piguet have always been
Offshore
synonymous with their Royal Oak
the mid
range that has been around since
ges on
chan
few
a
see
to
t
grea
90s, so it was
ion of
duct
intro
the
with
e,
rang
2014
their new
older rubber
ceramic pushers as opposed to the
versions
ones, new inner bezels and upgraded
colours.
r
othe
ngst
amo
ri,
Safa
and
of the Navy
bed my
Interestingly enough the Navy grab
iting them
revis
n
whe
but
eva,
Gen
in
attention
me by
bed
grab
ri
Safa
the
on,
Lond
recently in
Repeater and
the throat... The Millinery Minute
n in white
Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillo
ceramic were also mind bending.

t Roger
Being fairly unfamiliar with wha
r stand at
thei
did
only
not
Dubuis are about,
e with
smil
me
e
mak
and
SIHH fascinate me
king
hma
watc
with
play
l
its surreal theatrica
,
ction
colle
e
mag
Hom
r
and exploring thei
pink
m
42m
in
aph
nogr
the Hommage Chro
reserve and
gold case, with a 52-hour power
that
got
nt,
eme
mov
housing the RD680
y.
perk
smarter side of me,

0024 watchworld

41

Collection Villeret 1885

Exo-Tourbillon Rattrapante

SIHH 2014

The construction method with the two differentsized movement components provides an optical
treat, as the revolving tourbillon is beautifully
visible in the heart of the oscillating balance.
The white gold 47mm watch provides even more
visual spectacle. The ExoTourbillon Rattrapante
is a regulator watch with a large central minute
hand, a minute indicator at 9 oclock and two hour
hands (the blued hand for the local time and the
grey hand for the second time zone) and a day/
night indicator at 4 oclock. The cherry on the top is
formed by the two central seconds hands
for the rattrapante function that move,
stop, jump and reunite like an haute
horlogerie ballet. Only 18 copies will be
made of this watch.

The word exo means on the outside and

this applies to two aspects of this complicated
pinnacle of the new SIHH 2014 collection. Firstly,
the sizeable tourbillon mechanism is positioned
next to and therefore outside the movement
and secondly the balance doesnt oscillate inside
but outside the tourbillon cage. Furthermore, the
tourbillon cage is smaller than the balance, which
is positioned above the tourbillon. This mechanism
was constructed to save energy and the
effort has been successful. Because the
balance doesnt have to support the weight
of the tourbillon cage the ExoTourbillon
needs 30% less energy than comparable
traditional movements with tourbillon.

Montblanc

8
5

You cant get more classic than with

a moon phase watch. It is a highly
traditional complication that has been
perfected many times and yet never
gets boring. The moon may no longer play a
prominent role in modern life, but the aesthetic

With the Meisterstck Montblanc not only

aims to show its heritage in the form of a classic watch collection, the Watch House which
originates from Hamburg also wants to demonstrate and expand its Swiss watch side and access a
large target group. By opting for a series of recognisable watches that comfortably meet all the criteria of
a classic wristwatch and, at the same time, keeping
the prices in the entry-level category, Montblanc is
playing a trump card. An achievable high point in
the Meisterstck Heritage collection is undoubtedly this model with perpetual calendar. In steel this
watch costs 10,000 euro and a price of 16,500 euro
has been set for the rose gold version. Serious money,
obviously, but in the world of the perpetual calendar
this is extremely competitive, maybe even aggressive
pricing. For this serious amount you will get a dial
with a harmonious layout. This is what a perpetual
calendar looks like: no frills, no surprises,

qualities of the moon are indisputable. The

moon phase indicator of the Meisterstck
Heritage Moonphase has been integrated in
the subsidiary date dial at 6 oclock. The moon
is displayed in a beautifully traditional manner
and so it should be in a watch that not only has

a classic name but, at 39mm, also has a very

conservative case size. The bezel is narrow and
polished, so the 39mm looks anything but small.
The automatic calibre MB 29.14 is revealed
through the sapphire crystal case-back and the
rotor and golden balance are particularly eyecatching. The alligator strap completes
this Meisterstck. In the summer of 2014
you will be able to choose between a

0024 watchworld

n.
actly the intentio
and that was ex
tch
wa
r
da
al calen
This is an archetyp
mm
from the modest 39
ar
cle
o
als
is
and that
.15
29
MB
re
lib
ca
c
automati
case in which the
for
s
on
cti
fun
r
da
and calen
powers the time
mashorlogerie for the
ute
ha
l
rfu
all eternity. Maste
.
masses, anyway
ses. Or some of the

8
3

42

very subtle and accessible steel version

or a warmly glowing variant in rose gold.

Meisterstck Heritage
Perpetual Calendar

Meisterstck Heritage
Moonphase

egerThe former Monsieur Ja

MontLeCoultre is now Herr
moved
blanc. Jrme Lambert
ntier in a
from the village of Le Se
forgot to the
watch valley that time
burg. Quite a
global port city of Ham
k, but Lambert
change, one would thin
e and in the
feels completely at hom
cky enough to
right place. He is also lu
regular
be able to return, on a
e Montbasis, to Le Locle, wher
hes.
blanc produces its watc

We want to add
a new dimension
to the Meisterst
ck concept

involved
visionary

react to my
How did the people in Hamburg
e different
quit
am
I
?
CEO
as
appointment
ecessor in
pred
(the
sor
eces
from my pred
involved
ain
rem
will
ge,
Beth
question, Lutz
ed.) and
nt,
ulta
cons
a
as
nc
with Montbla
right
pted
acce
yone
ever
ng
ethi
that is som
n and impart it
away. It is important to have a visio
as a CEO, you
if,
ible
poss
only
is
to others and that
le, processes
peop
s
pany
com
are involved with the
t we are seeing
and products which I am. Wha
n. We work in
visio
uct
prod
my
here at SIHH 2014 is
products we
the
so
or,
sect
nted
a highly product-orie
months
first
my
in
why
is
This
launch are crucial.
ysing
anal
time
of
lot
a
t
spen
I
as CEO of Montblanc
strategy. I came to
our products and the product
is lacking a watch
nc
tbla
Mon
the conclusion that
of the House.
collection that reflects the essence
use an iconic,
we
ction
colle
ck
With the Meisterst
nc universe
tbla
Mon
the
from
90-year-old name
esent our
repr
ction
colle
this
in
and the watches
gns
desi
ious
prec
all
are
rich heritage. They
ition and
that show the depth of our trad
A name
e.
atur
sign
nc
carry the Montbla
loaded
so
is
k
stc
like Meister
so
ains
cont
,
ition
trad
with

much emotion and

substance, that the
word becomes the
essence of who we
are as a House. With
the watch collection
we want to add a
new dimension to the
Meisterstck concept.
As a Watch House we want to consisten
tly improve
ourselves and become more substanti
al. Already we
are noticing that the name Montblan
c no longer
just represents writing instruments.
People come
to us because they specifically want
a Montblanc
watch even people who are purchasin
g a luxury
watch for the first time, and that says
a lot about
the way people perceive our brand and
products. By
continually enhancing our collection
s and giving
them more breadth and depth, we can
retain people
in the Montblanc universe.
For 2014 it is important that we prese
nt
a strong series of watches in the
1,600
- 4,100 price segment. The TimeWalk
er
Extreme DLC Chronograph is a fashionab
le,
sporty and rugged watch of amaz
ing

Read more about

the Meisterstck
on
Heritage Date (left)
m.
.co
ld
or
www.0024watchw

quality with beautiful details which will cost

4,300. Quite different, but of the same high
quality, is the classic 39mm Meisterstck Heritage
Moonphase, which comes with a price tag of 2,965
in steel with a leather strap or 3,190 with a steel
bracelet. Incidentally, there is even a Meisterstck
for just under 1,690 in the form of the Heritage
Date. This is a classic and accessible watch of
impeccable quality that perfectly symbolises my
product-oriented vision. Whether we are creating
icons with the new Meisterstck watches? Only
time will tell.
0024 watchworld

43

8
SIHH 2014

Pendulum Clock
Galileo Galileis
military
(PAM00500)
oud of their

ey are pr
r
At Panerai th
flirt with thei
ey also like to
th
t
bu
,
st
pa
in
diving
Galileo Galilei
ins. Local hero
ch
at
w
e
Florentine orig
th
of
n
of the attentio
e
ar
sh
s
hi
a
ts
particular ge
a Jupiterium,
company built
e
th
t
in
po
e
e
nius, and ther
house. At som
the Tuscan ge
ur
no
ho
to
50
minor 19
planetary clock
LAstronomo Lu
limited edition
e
th
so
dicated to
al
de
,
as
w
n Oro Bianco
llo
bi
ur
To
e
e
m
a grand gestur
Equation of Ti
Panerai makes
w
No
k.
or
w
d
Galileis life an
um clock
endulum
with a pendul
ot of the p
eticulous
e square ro
m
th
to
al
in length
on
that is a
proporti
m that is 1m
an
of
g
a pendulu
:
le
p
am
gl
reproduction
Ex
n e swin
length.
ainst a si
ag
by
d
gs
ne
in
sig
two sw
lum Galilei
instrument de
completes
The pendu
Florentine
endulum.
p
4m
en today
a
y
Galilei. The
made b
still be se
ered that
covery can
is
d
is
h
e regular
r
scientist discov
th
used fo
fact that
e
um
th
ul
d
nd
pe
an
e
l of Pisa,
a clock was
it wasnt th
e Cathedra
e useful in
b
ed
th
in
ld
in
rm
u
te
co
a
de
pendulum
weight that
built such
He never
ement of a
l.
ch
ov
el
ea
m
w
of
as
in
n
red
is idea
the duratio
he discove
eveloped h
something
e length of
e Galilei d
m
ti
e
Vincenzo
th
n
y
swing, but th
himself. B
d and his so
e
k
n
li
Th
oc
b
f.
cl
el
ly
its
te
le
pendulum
ost comp
the pendulum
eas, so the
he was alm
id
e
th
s
41
er
16
um
th
ul
s
nd
fa
shorter the pe
realise his
an Huygen
unable to
y Christia
d
b
an
as
w
ck
ed
ba
is
gs
es
al
t re
d drawin
faster it mov
t was firs
ndings an
movemen
e the time
Galileis fi
on
ed
as
forth, becaus
b
k.
but
le cloc
in 1656
dulum tab
is directly
endulum
built a pen
of the swing
ow
n
as
h
d in the p
te
ai
n
se
re
Paner
p
re
,
ever
clockmaker
ea is, how
Florentine
y
b
Galileis id
e
al
ad
m
ileis origin
t that was
ed on Gal
as
b
movemen
,
87
in
18
in
seo Galileo
Porcellotti
in the Mu
en
Eustachio
se
e
of
b
n
terpretation
and that ca
accurate in
drawings,
an
is
cm
k
ck is 35.6
nerais cloc
dulum Clo
Florence. Pa
n. The Pen
io
ct
ru
st
ons derived
n
si
co
eep; dimen
d
Porcellottis
cm
.1
11
sts
wide and
frame consi
high, 18.5cm
esign. The
d
al
in
p
ig
to
or
e
eis
ted at th
from Galil
are connec
at
th
al
n
es
io
n
ti
d, tradit
of two pla
of a crosse
The
by means
m
to
ot
b
er
d
p ed pins.
an
place by ta
in
d
are
el
m
h
echanis
connection
endulum m
p
e
th
d
an
t
escapemen

i
a
r
e
n
a
P

attached to the top crossbar. The spring barrel is

positioned between the foot of the clock and the
dial, and a 4.1m long spring provides an 8-day
power reserve. The clock is wound with a key.
The dial with Roman numerals and the black, lacquered
hands are exact replicas of the original model. The
hand-finished gear wheels, the bezel surrounding the
dial, the spring barrel and a number of other details are
gold-plated.
Needless to say, the most fundamental components
of the clock are the regulating pendulum and the
escapement as designed by Galileo Galilei. The system
consists of an escape wheel with 12 pins fitted to its side
and 12 teeth cut into its perimeter, and three levers; one
on the left side of the clock and two on the right. The long
left lever that ends in a hook stops the escape wheel, the
two scissor-shaped variants on the right are the release
and impulse levers. When the wheel is in its stopped
phase the pendulum has no contact with
the escapement, which is why this system is
referred to as a free escapement. Thirty copies
will be built of this historical replica.

Luminor 1950 Left-Handed

3-Days (PAM00557)

Lefties of the world unite and enjoy the

introduction of the left-handed version
of the Luminor 1950 3 Days 47mm.
The left-handedness originates with Navy
divers, who preferred to wear their watch on the

right wrist. A particularly nice detail of the watch

is the cusped shape of the bezel that suggests a
cushion shape and therefore differs from the
regular Luminor 1950. It is a reference to the

Radiomir that first saw the light in 1936. Seven

hundred copies will be built each year, each
equipped with a robust P.3000 movement from
Panerais own manufacture, that ticks steadily at
21,600 vibrations per hour.

0024 watchworld

44

SIHH
2014

SI
20 HH
14

(PAM00518)

Oro Rosso
(PAM00519)

Oro B
(PAM0ianco
0520)

case of
The 45mm
1940
the Radiomir
Platino
is
h
Chronograp
ls,
three materia
available in
al
on
iti
ad
tr
the
but the mix of
e
or
m
e
th
and
cushion case
or
in
m
Lu
e
of th
Plexiglas
solid looks
ies to the use of
This also appl
e.
m
sa
e
on the
th
be
ns
to
remai
ect feel and
storically corr
hi
e
th
copy
re
e
ar
su
to en
d with a sp
es are supplie
ch
at
w
e
bezel.
d
th
an
de
n
safe si
drical crow
h and the cylin
is
fin
isting
d
ns
he
co
lis
,
the po
dwich dial
renowned san
s
ai
er
rough
an
th
(P
e
al
bl
The di
material visi
luminescent
ith
w
ngly
rs
ro
st
ye
la
ly
o
of tw
, but it does re
a new design
is
The
s)
re
e.
tu
us
er
ho
the ap
tine watch
of the Floren
re
y
lib
or
st
ca
hi
e
th
e
on th
h, however, is
is chronograp
2
-2
th
13
of
t
va
in
er
po
in
high
sublime M
based on the
is
ch
hi
w
V,
t,
ON XX
orically correc
ce again hist
.
movement. On
the early days
llaboration in
co
e
th
of
d
ew
in vi
in rose gold an
platinum, 100
Fifty copies in
e.
ld will be mad
100 in white go

Radiomir 1940
Chronograph

ono
Luminor 1950 Chr ft
Le
e
Monopulsant
tanio
Handed 8 Days Ti
(PAM00579)
if you want

cisive
You need to be de
ing to purchase
nn
to be in the ru
d edition
pies of this limite
one of the 300 co
me. Just
endlessly long na
watch with the
e obstacle
579 and thats on
remember PAM
s all the
ha

fty
Le
o
is Chron
out of the way. Th
item. The
come a collectors
prerequisites to be
er of
n combines a numb
47mm Special Editio
that
es
tch
wa
e
th
ristics of
historical characte
dos
an
mm
co
e
th
ally for
were made especi
e 1930s
lian Navy in th
of the Royal Ita
arantee
gu
d
an
t
weigh
and 40s. To save
id case
sol
e
th
ar,
day we
comfort for every
tead
ins
ium
an
tit
ight
is made of lightwe
dial
ch
wi
nd
sa
cteristic
of steel. The chara
ional but,
crystal look tradit
and the sapphire
read. The
clear and easy to
more importantly,
P.2004/9,
ed manual calibre
beautifully decorat
accurately
lumn wheel to
which uses a co
ograph,
push-button chron
start the single

al
can be seen through the sapphire cryst
of
ions
funct
g
estin
case-back. Other inter
that
this movement are a minute counter
once
s
jump
but
thly
doesnt glide smoo
pulled
every minute, and if the crown is
ion
funct
time
the
of
out the seconds hand
has
time
the
n
Whe
automatically jumps to zero.
second and
been adjusted accurately to the last
ds hand
secon
the
in,
the crown is pushed back
continues where it left off.

0024 watchworld

45

SIHH 2014

5
6

Piaget

end haute
Sometimes it is difficult to compreh
in words all
horlogerie. It is hard to express
to elevate
that happens and all that is needed
quantity of
a complicated micro-mechanical
emotionally
individual components into an
a watch with a long
charged entity. When it comes to
spectacle is easier
laundry list of complications the
the functions and
to understand when looking at all
ed than when the
the quantity of components need
scale.
miracle happens on a more modest
of Piagets new
re
pictu
a
n
show
g
bein
Upon first
sees a white or
Altiplano 38mm 900P the beholder
h, at first glance,
rose gold watch with a dial whic
is very far from
appears to be openworked. But that
thickness of just
the truth. The 900P has a total
nest mechanical
3.6mm, making it the worlds thin
wafer-thin result
watch. In order to realise this
constructing the
a conventional approach to
been
movement and case would have
this
of
ic
mag
The
.
ctive
counter-produ
the

case
the
of
back
the
at
s
watch start
t,
exac
be
to
,
case
the
of
back
inside of the
the
also
is
h
watc
the
of
part
because this
ement
platine of the movement. The mov

46

0024 watchworld

was then spread out over the 38mm surface and

the dial was integrated by recessing it into the
movement.
The space between the hands and the crystal is
so small that there was a risk these components
might actually touch, with all the resulting
inconvenient inaccuracies. This is why the
Piaget technicians installed minuscule pillars
to keep the whole thing sufficiently rigid to
eliminate the possibility of contact. It took
three years to develop this miraculously
thin, technically creative and aesthetically
contemporary-looking watch. It is difficult to
express in words how a wafer-thin watch with
a visibly beating heart feels, but fortunately
the description of the creation and the
construction method of Altiplano 38mm
900P must be as meticulous as in the case
of a Grand Complication; that says enough.
And, incidentally, a world record is
always emotionally charged and
uplifting.

Altiplano 38mm 900P

ands
RM 63-01 Dizzy H th technology.

sessed wi
Richard Mille is ob
first
w seeing, for the
no
However, we are
n
ma
the
a poetic side to
time, that there is
ed
pir
ins
a watch that is
as well, expressed in
y
ps by 19th-centur
Tem
time: Le
by a poem about
th
wi
als
de
de Nerval. The poem
French poet Grard
, as Nerval
(or
e
tim
of
l
tro
the con
the surprises and
e; Mais du
surprend pas le sag
ne
ps
Tem
Le

wrote:
nat lusage)
, Car lui seul and con
Temps le sage se rit
turn these
kes an attempt to
and this watch ma
all that requiing tangible. First of
words into someth
t is the new
d for this watch tha
res a movement, an
nt uses difcalibre. The moveme
automatic CRMA3
as a column
technologies, such
ferent chronograph
showing the
phire crystal disc
wheel-controlled sap
that is located
g the push-button
hours. By activatin
lockwise while
disc revolves antic
in the crown this
ferent speed.
clockwise at a dif
the hands revolve
ms
and titanium case for
A 42.7mm rose gold
y of
wa
c
eti
po
s
thi
to
rop
the theatrical backd
ncing time.
rie
pe
ex
d
an
at
g
lookin

6
5

Richard
Mille
mp
We have one last tru
-01
61
card for you: the RM nt
wa
Yohan Blake. If you
to
to know more, just go m.
.co
ld
www.0024watchwor

RM 50-01 Tourbillon Chronograph G-Sensor Lotus F1

Team Romain Grosjean

Starting with the new season Richard

Mille is the official time recorder for the
Lotus F1 Team and that simply demands a special
watch. And so a very colourful watch was built
especially for Lotus driver Romain Grosjean. With
the Lotus F1 team colours, of course, resulting
in a successful, top class sports watch. Like the
watch made for fellow driver Loeb, the Grosjean
watch features a G-force sensor (although it is
not quite as prominent), but this is not the most
striking element of the RM 50-01. That is the use
of the so-called NTPT carbon fibre, which consists
of more than 600 layers with a thickness of 30
microns each, heated and compressed to create an
incredibly stiff, strong and lightweight material.
The production and processing methods
result in an appearance that resembles the
crosscut of a tree trunk; uniquely organic
and state-of-the-art technology at the
same time.

The craziness contin

ues! Last year Richa
rd
Mille presented his
first watch with me
chanical G-Force Sensor
, the RM 036, and thi
s
year a new variant
has been realised wi
th the RM
36-01, built especiall
y for recently retire
d rally king
Sbastien Loeb. Un
like its predecessor
,
the
RM 36-01
does not have a ton
neau-shaped case
bu
t
a round
case a 47.7mm cas
e made of lightweig
ht
an
d ultrastrong polymer, car
bon fibre and tita
niu
m
with a
height of 13.37mm,
to be exact. The cen
tre
of
attention is the G-force sen
sor that can register
up
to
6 Gs.
By turning the brown
bezel the sensor wh
ich
consists of 50 compone
nts can be turned
in
the
de
sir
ed
(driving) direction
to measure the for
ces
rel
eas
ed
in
various types of mo
tion, like bends, acc
ele
rat
ion
an
d
braking. Really? Re
ally! Anything is po
ssi
ble
in
the
world of Richard Mi
lle.

3
7

RM 36-01 G-Sensor
Tourbillon Sbastien
Loeb

0024 watchworld

47

Roger
Dubuis

Hommage Flying Tourbillon,

Tribute to Mr Roger Dubuis

This complicated model from the

Hommage
collection is really a double acco
lade. The
Hommage pays tribute to the first
collection
and this Hommage Flying Tour
billon, Tribute to
Mr Roger Dubuis was inspired
by a watch that first
saw the light in 2003. Like the
original, this Tribute
has a flying tourbillon, a large
date indicator and a
power reserve indicator. The dial
of this Hommage
was designed with rather mor
e restraint, without
jeopardising any of its presence
. The watch will be
produced in a limited edition of
208, a number that
corresponds with the student num
ber Roger Dubuis had
when attending the Geneva scho
ol for watchmakers.
The engraved signature of the watc
hmaster graces the
sapphire crystal case-back thro
ugh which the RD540
calibre is clearly visible; the true sign
ature of the master.

SIHH
2014

10

10

8
0024 watchworld

Hommage Double
Flying Tourbillon

agance and yearning

The limitless extrav
appear to be in check.
for the mythical now
is back to basics and
In 2014 Roger Dubuis
House of the same
the
nder of
pays tribute to the fou
dating
Hommage collection
name with a revived
x of
mi
ic
ect
ecl
an
is
lection
back to 1995. The col
al
ion
dit
tra
s
iou
var
ents and
high-quality movem
snt
doe
t
Tha
.
ing
rav
like eng
watchmaking skills
now
room left for the by
no
is
re
the
t
mean tha
nds,
mo
dia
of
m
for
the
nce in
characteristic extravaga
most
double tourbillons. The
opulent shapes and
t a
the collection is withou
expressive creation in
. The
Double Flying Tourbillon
doubt the Hommage
ate,
cul
ma
im
the
h
wit
ether
two tourbillons, tog
k of
tern, dominate the loo
high-gloss guilloch pat
rthy of
tching but equally wo
the watch. Less eye-ca
45mm
polished and brushed
your attention is the
robust
gorgeous finishes and
case. Beautiful lines,
ed
anc
bal
a
ult in
round shoulders res
the complication
ich
wh
t
ins
aga
op
backdr
the starring role. The
and the shiny dial play
n is the new, double
complication in questio
ibre with 50-hour
revolving RD100 cal

10

8
48

Hommage Ch
rono

graph
The two coun
ters give this
chronograph
traditional dial
a
layout, but the
sh
iny guilloch
dial, in contra
st, looks very m
odern. The sam
applies to the
e
case, which ha
s a modest 42m
size but at the
m
same time look
s ruggedly mod
to the Roman
ern, and
numerals that
ar
e essentially cla
manage to lo
ssic but
ok contempora
ry because of
which they ar
the way in
e presented. Th
e back of the w
the exquisite
atch reveals
calibre RD680
which will un
enchant the
doubtedly
informed wat
ch aficionado
intense attent
an
d attract
ion. Firstly, th
e chronograp
beautifully fin
h calibre is
ished; secondly,
it comes with
wheel for an
a column
extremely accu
rate start to
recording and,
the time
last but definite
ly not least, it co
a micro rotor.
mes with
Large rotors do
m
inate the wor
automatic mov
ld of the
ement, which
makes this view
rarer, small ve
of a much
rsion a pleasa
nt surprise. Ro
one of the few
ger Dubuis is
houses that fa
bricates movem
a micro roto
ents with
r and this fu
riously spinni
version is mad
ng
e of tungsten, a
heavy transiti
metal which,
on
because of this
ch
aracteristic, is
able to provid
e the chronogr
aph calibre w
enough energy
ith
.

10

SIHH 2014

power reserve,
consisting of
452 hand-finished
components.
After 1,200 hours
of hard but
meticulous work
this watch
is finished and 36
0 of those
1,200 hours have be
en spent on
meeting the string
ent Geneva
Seal criteria.

Midnight Nuit Borale

in this collection,
Its all about the dial
e Extraordinary
which has the telling nam
gold case is an
Dials. The 42mm white
ich the starry firmament
almost plain stage on wh
isphere shines. Inspiration
above the northern hem
of
made using a method
for the dial, which is
s
god
e, was found in the
enamelling called grisaill
gon
mythology. The dra
and creatures of Greek
, the swan refers to the
ece
guards the Golden Fle
the God Zeus to seduce
wicked plan hatched by
re
swan, the female figu
Leda in the guise of a
one
thr
d captive on her
stands for Cassiopeia hel
a Minor represent the
Urs
and Ursa Major and
h
son Arcas. The dial of eac
nymph Callisto and her
es
tak
limited edition of 22
of these watches in the
r craftsmanship to build.
erio
seventy hours of sup
-gold dots that represent
Also note the clear, yellow
llations. The back
the stars in the conste
an engraving of
es
tur
of the case also fea
the Ursa Minor
in
r
sta
Polaris, the clearest
constellation.

Midnight Nuit Australe

ern
Van Cleef & Arpels has given the south
and
hemisphere its own watch as well,
ted as
this time a rose gold case was selec
t. This
the backdrop to an exotic firmamen
explorers from
model pays tribute to scientists and
and Toucan
years past. The zodiac signs of Swordfish
m astronomer
are based on drawings by Amsterda
blue-grey dial
and cartographer Petrus Plancius. The
loped in 16th
is made using a process that was deve
g is a technique
century Limoges. Grisaille enamellin
two colours.
used to create dramatic effects with just
hed after firing.
The bottom layer is dark and is polis
a very fine
A picture is then created on top with
enamel called
needle or brush, using a white powder
re-drawing
Blanc de Limoges. After firing and
is created. The
30 times a beautifully detailed dial
the price.
mysterious blue glow is as elusive as

Pierre Arpels Heure dici &

Heure dailleurs

Pierre Arpels, nephew of foun

der Estelle,
was a bon vivant and society
figure who
was very fond of travelling, som
etimes for
his job and sometimes purely
because he enjoyed
seeing the world. His business
travel took him
to Persia in 1966 when Van Clee
f & Arpels was
invited to create the Crown
Jewels for Empress
Farah Pahlavi of Persia. Over
a six-month period
Pierre flew back and forth to
Teheran 24 times,
to carefully select the precious
stones that would
be incorporated in the Crown
Jewels in a studio
specially set up by Van Cleef &
Arpels in Persia for
that purpose. People who trav
el as much as Pierre
want to know the local time
, but also the time
back home. To put it in Van
Cleef terminology:
the time here and the time
elsewhere. Hence
this watch, which was develope
d in partnership
with creative watchmaker
Jean-Marc
Wiederrecht and his compan
y Agenhor.
A traditional watch with two
time zones

10

Van Cleef
& Arpels

would not suit the Watch Hou

se, so a
system with a double jumping
hour was
devised. The reference time can
be seen in
the top window and the second
time can
be read digitally in the bottom
window.
Both hours jump simultaneous
ly thanks to a
synchronised system that driv
es the two hours
and the retrograde minute han
d. Thanks to the
use of a beautifully decorate
d, platinum micro
rotor the automatic moveme
nt is also anything
but standard.

0024 watchworld

49

SIHH 2014

Malte Tourbillon

Those who would like a tonneau-shaped, platinum

Malte and also appreciate an accurately
spinning tourbillon but dont feel the need for
a transparent mechanism on their wrist can
always opt for the Malte Tourbillon that was
added to the Collection Excellence Platine this
year. Both the case and the dial are made of
intensely shiny, heavy platinum. Platinum
is also used in the silk thread used to stitch
the alligator strap. The 38 x 48.24mm case
houses the custom-shaped calibre 2795
that was designed and built in Vacheron
Constantins own manufacture. It has a
frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour and
a power reserve of 45 hours. All 50 copies to
be made of this Malte Tourbillon
will have the Geneva quality seal.

Vacheron
Constantin
7

Mtiers dArt Mcaniques

Ajoures

Skeletonising is a painfully precise job that

requires tremendous handcrafting skills.
It is sometimes considered a complication, but in
real terms skeletonising has no functional qualities,
just aesthetic ones, and is therefore not recognised
as such. However, that doesnt make a meticulously
skeletonised movement any less impressive. Vacheron
Constantin has a rich tradition of skeletonised
watches in which the four new Mtiers dArt
Mcaniques Ajoures watches three versions with a
ring on the outside of the dial in black, blue and grey
Grand Feu enamel and one variant with black enamel
and a bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds have a
prominent position. The calibre 4400 SQ is an openworked variant of the hand-wound calibre 4400, and
the way in which the excess material is removed is
inspired by the arches found in architecture. Picture
19th-century train stations with their arched
steel constructions, or the arches in a Gothic
cathedral.

8
7

7
50

0024 watchworld

Malte Tourbillon
Openworked

ious, the Malte

Delicate and prestig
ed has an almost
Tourbillon Openwork
ed calibre 2790
diaphanous skeletonis
This
hitectural inspiration.
SQ that needs no arc
s
les
no
traditional but
movement is a more
is
ich
tour de force, wh
artistically designed
-shaped calibre 2790
tom
essentially the cus
r.
ady vibrations per hou
that ticks at 18,000 ste
d,
ove
ial has been rem
Although a lot of mater
added, as well: two
n
bee
some things have
tor
power reserve indica
functions, namely a
This not only increases
and a date indicator.
.
ents but also the height
the number of compon
ck,
thi
m is particularly
Not that a height of 6.1m
ntion it. The Malte
me
d
but we thought we
ilable
ed, which is only ava
Tourbillon Openwork
m.
38 x 48.24 x 12.73m
in platinum, measures

Carlos Charly Torres is the selfassured front man of a leading

Watch House. He knows the ropes,
is relaxed and doesnt hesitate to
give his honest opinion. Torres talks
about the current collection and the
future of the manufacture.

K
of a new model. His estimate was much too high, which
shows us that our pricing isnt unrealistic. Our prices
are what they are and are what they should be. We
dont lie about the price, we dont use magic to decide
our prices, we calculate our prices exactly the same way

we did 30 years ago.

It s all part of our long-term philosophy. Vacheron
Constantin is what it is because it maintains high
standards. Among other things a homogeneous
collection is very important, so I make sure that the
gaps in the collection are filled with the right models.
Then I ask people like journalists what they think of

the new models. I hope to get honest answers, maybe

even extreme reactions I can do something with
those. If someone says they feel the Malte

On www.0024watchworld.com
Juan-Carlos Torres talks
about the other SIHH novelties from
Vacheron Constantin, in particular
about the Malte Small Seconds.

Malte Small Seconds

You are already familiar with the rose gold Malte

Small Seconds, and the White Gold version is a new,
fresh interpretation of the watch with the special
tonneau shape. Everything remains the
same, except the exterior. The almost basic
look of the watch is fresh, with a light
colour scheme using white gold and a mix
of simple traditional and contemporary

Small Seconds deserves a custom-shaped

movement that is an opinion I respect and
support. Being politically correct and giving

appeasing answers are part of my job.

It is interesting to see that our department
that deals with orders for unique pieces is
growing significantly. Vacheron Constantin
has a long tradition of making complicated pocket
and wristwatches to order, and that is something we
cherish and try to reinforce even more. When it comes
to realising a special order we are only limited by our
ability. Sometimes we exceed ourselves, but we keep
quiet about that. After all, we committed ourselves
to remaining silent. If the ecstatic customer is
subsequently unable to restrain himself and breaks
the secrecy by sharing the watch on the Internet, for
example, that is the ultimate compliment for us.

The year 2013 was a good one for us. You cant
possibly complain about double-digit growth.
Well have to see what 2014 brings, but I am
full of confidence because our customers seem
to have total confidence in us. I realised that,
among other things, from a conversation I recently had
with a watch collector. I asked him to estimate the price

SIHH
2014

features; call it timeless. The 36.7mm x 47.61mm

case is home to the hand-wound 4400 AS
calibre with 127 components and a frequency
of 28,800 vibrations per hour. This calibre
can be admired through the round aperture
on the back and invokes a number of questions. Why
does Vacheron Constantin use a round movement in
this watch, instead of a custom-shaped movement
like it does in the tourbillon versions of the Malte,
for example? And, when will the Malte get a customshaped movement? Juan-Carlos Torres replies: Its on
its way. I cant say exactly when, but the round calibre
in this Malte will be replaced by a custom-shaped
movement. Being Vacheron Constantin, we owe that
to our position. Until then the price for the watch with
the round movement is available upon application.

i am filling the gaps in the ColleCtion

0024 watchworld

51

SIHH 2014

By Lex Stolk

Complicated,
fashionable trump cards
SIHH flashback

The deck has been shuffled and split and the

cards are face-up on the table. As always,
Richard Mille was bluffing and mocking with
G-forces, with a complete poker face A. Lange
& Shne presents yet another astonishing
German complication and this year Panerai
hid two trump cards in its vest pocket.
However, once analysed, the trend of the
most-visited SIHH ever is more substantial,
subtle and level than the previous edition.

Roger D

ubuis H

ommag

e Autom

atic

7
52

0024 watchworld

ashionable horlogerie and small, thin

complications, two
trends that stand
out at the Salon International
de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH).
We start with relatively little
complexity but a high level of
style. Audemars Piguets Royal
Oak Offshore Chronograph in a
steel 42mm case is available in
a number of versions. The Navy
in blue with orange and the

sand-coloured Safari with brown details look

fresh and modern, but it is definitely the version
with a subtle slate-grey dial and perfectly matching alligator strap with sharp crease in the
middle (referred to as hornback) that stands
out as the most trendy and ultra-modern. Its
look is perfect and subtly sophisticated and
just one more year we will overlook the fact
that the watch does not have an integrated
proprietary chronograph movement. As a side
note, to the somewhat sarcastic comment that
the lack of a manufacture movement is not
(yet) a problem for the companys clientele and
Audemars Piguet therefore doesnt have to rush
to create a new proprietary calibre, head designer Octavio Garcia responded with an equally
sarcastic Yeah, thats exactly why. Or was he
serious? Either way, this year the vulnerable
rubber has been replaced by ceramic and the
overall package of details has been given a
much more subtle and top-quality style with
the intriguing grey, glowing variant as the
luxury trendsetter.
When Roger Dubuis focuses on the past and
exercises restraint the brand comes up with an
unexpectedly strong contender. Forget double
flying tourbillons and behold the 42mm white
gold Hommage Automatic. This basic model
combines an almost disco-worthy exterior that
shimmers like the interior of a trendy club with
Poinon de Genve quality. The Hommage
Automatic is basic as only a Roger Dubuis watch
can be basic. This effect is achieved with the
combination of a dial with manually applied
guilloch that throws back the light and the
automatic calibre RD620 manufacture move-

7
Extremes with substance

Complexity in increasingly smaller spaces

is the motto. At Jaeger-LeCoultre the
complicated movements increasingly show
up in shrinking watch cases and the rose
gold 41mm Vacheron Constantin Patrimony
Contemporaine Ultra-Thin Calibre 1731
is equally modest in its dimensions. This
model was actually presented just before the
SIHH, but the Geneva watch salon was the

first opportunity to experience the model

physically and acoustically. Named for the
year founder Jean-Marc Vacheron was born,
the calibre 1731 movement with minute
repetition has a height of just 3.9mm and
the watch as a whole is a mere 8.09mm high;
the thinnest watch of its kind currently in
production. Incidentally, the movement is not
just thin, it is also ingenious with the use of
a completely silent striking mechanism. The
fact that the watch is the epitome of carefully
balanced style with small seconds between
7 and 9 oclock makes it even more desirable.
Equally small, subtle and restrained, but
many times more accessible, is the Montblanc

et Royal Oak
Audemars Pigu
42mm
Chronograph

t er stck
nc Meis
Montbla

7
ment with micro-rotor. The signature of master
watchmaker Roger Dubuis, which is engraved
in the sapphire crystal case-back, is a subtle and
dignified tribute.

Vacheron Constantin Patrimony

Contemporaine Ultra-Thin Calibre 1731

Heritag

Offshore

e Pe r p e

tual Ca

lendar

Meisterstck Heritage Perpetual Calendar,

with a highly traditional steel 39mm case.
Within the restrictions of a classical calendar
watch this creation is a resounding surprise.
For approximately 8,000 you will get a
perpetual calendar that is accurate until 2100,
in a classic design that was realised under the
supervision of former Jaeger-LeCoultre top
man Jrme Lambert pedigree always shows.
With the Meisterstck collection as a whole,
but particularly with this model, the new CEO
of Montblanc is showing us the direction he
plans to take and that gives the critical watch
aficionado courage and confidence. What a
strong trump card.

DEViLiSH DiLEMMA

iWC AQUATiMER AUTOMATiC

VS.

CARTiER CALiBRE DE CARTiER DiVER

iWC

42mm steel water resistant

to 300m automatic movement
based on the ETA 2892-A with a
42-hour power reserve external/
internal diving ring with SafeDive
system price: 4,990

Cartier

42mm steel water resistant to

300m automatic manufacture
movement 1904 MC with 48-hour
power reserve diving ring features ADLC coating for smooth
operation ISO 6425-certified
divers watch price: 5,700

Which of these two watches do you prefer? Tell

us on www.0024watchworld.com, where you will
also can
find the top 5 favourite SIHH watches from 0024
editors Lex Stolk and Kristian Haagen.
watchworld

53

SIHH 2014

54

0024 watchworld

By Lex Stolk, pictures Van Cleef & Arpels

Planetary
Poetry

Planets like precious stones in a miniature universe. The jewel

experts at Van Cleef & Arpels are responsible for designing the
44mm firmament and the specialists in the area of astronomi-

over
Paris and l
nijehaske

cal complications at Christiaan van der Klaauw Astronomical

Watches ensure that everything rotates around each other.
Parisian flair and precision from the Dutch village Nijehaske
combine to make astronomically correct watch poetry.
et me start by confessing something.
I am not a patriot. I dont feel proud
of my homeland Holland to me
it is simply a random geographical
location on our planet in an endless universe
where I was plonked down unasked and
yet, I have recently started to understand a
little of how it feels to burst with pride when
the Netherlands is in the game. Strangely
enough this revelation did not come to me
while watching football or some other sport,
but in a temporary presentation room during
the Geneva SIHH watch salon, when the name
Christiaan van der Klaauw was mentioned
during the unveiling of the Midnight
Plantarium Poetic Complication by Van Cleef
& Arpels. The astronomical masterpiece was
realised in collaboration with the Watch House
from Friesland, a region in the Northern part of
the Netherlands, and that announcement made
me nudge the people to the right and left of me
and nod at them with a self-satisfied expression.
There you go, thats the Netherlands for you, is
the message.
Obviously there isnt really anything for me
to be proud of. However, Danil Reintjes,
co-owner of the Watch House that specialises
in celestial bodies definitely has reason to feel
proud. Together with the team of specialists in
the workshop in the Dutch village Nijehaske
he made sure that the poetic dream of Van
Cleef & Arpels could become reality. It is an
honour that the famous Parisian jeweller, who
has been based in the famous Place Vendme

0024 watchworld

55

SIHH 2014
Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight
Plantarium Poetic Complication

Celestial body on the wrist

We didnt start with a mechanical

concept, but with an idea
since 1906 and whose creations are worn by
Royals, jetsetters and idols like Grace Kelly and
Elizabeth Taylor, contacted a watchmaker in a
Dutch province.
But at the same time, its only logical: Christiaan
van der Klaauws Planetarium watch from the
late 1990s has earned a very prominent place
in the history of the astronomical watch. The
watch is among the high points of the haute
horlogerie and obviously the people in Paris
came to the same conclusion. For the realisation
of a much-talked-about and visually astounding
complication they had to get in touch with
Friesland.
That initial contact was made around
three years ago, Reintjes tells us after the
presentation which is accompanied by
thrumming animated films when we are
walking to the glass case where the real watch
sparkles in a bright spotlight. I was invited to
come to Paris to talk about the idea. Once we
agreed on the basics it became a long process
of back and forth suggestions, he explains
while he opens a notebook. Look, these are
the first sketches and suggestions for the case.
Obviously it had to be a Van Cleef watch and
not a Van der Klaauw, so in my capacity as
designer I had to work in a different way. Now
I tend to be stubborn, so we had our moments
along the way.

56

0024 watchworld

The French/Dutch collaboration ultimately

resulted in the Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight
Plantarium Poetic Complication, a 44mm
rose gold watch that is surprisingly thin for
such a complicated creation, but more about
that later. First lets take a look at the dial.
This is dominated by seven discs made of
aventurine (a quartz crystal with encapsulated
sparkling mineral particles) with in between,
on miniscule stems, the different planets in our
solar system that revolve at the true speed of
their orbit around the central sun. For the sake
of clarity and from slow to fast: Saturn (sugilite)
makes one full revolution of the dial in 29 years,
Jupiter (blue agate) does it in just under 12 years,
Mars (red jasper) in 687 days, Earth (turquoise)
in the familiar 365 days, Venus (rubellite) a little
faster in 224 days and Mercury (serpentine)
much faster in 88 days. The mechanism,
which is added as a module to the basic RD821
movement by Roger Dubuis, is a creation of the
specialists at Van der Klaauw and consists of an
impressive 396 components.
The astronomical module in combination
with the basic automatic movement caused
quite a few headaches, says Reintjes: We have
a Planetarium watch in our own collection
and although we were able to draw on our
knowledge of that watch, this is quite a
different, much smaller planetarium. So really
we started from scratch. Because the hour
display was positioned on the outside we had
to start working from the inside with the sun
as the centre, and that requires quite a different
construction than our own planetarium.
Furthermore, we encountered the problem of
the rotor when we decided to put the calendar
indicators on the back.
The influence of Van Cleef & Arpels can be seen
in a number of different aesthetic aspects. The
Watch House has considerable expertise when
it comes to precious stones, and that manifests
itself in the different types of gemstones used
for the planets. Each planet is made from a
characteristic stone not perfectly round like
the planets themselves and they circle around
a rose gold sun.
However accurately everything revolves, it
is impossible to tell the time intuitively
and anyway, that wouldnt be poetic at all.

I wanted to use a shooting star,

but that took too much space
Consequently there are no traditional hands
and those who want to tell the time must
search the firmament for a shooting star that
revolves around the scale on the outside of the
dial in a 24-hour period. Incidentally, the watch
also shows the day, date and year, and these can
be set via the push-buttons on the side of the
case. To read these functions the watch must be
turned upside down: the transparent case-back
reveals these earthly functionalities.

Shooting stars

The frivolous, unique and poetic highpoint of

the watch is the star engraved in the crystal.
By revolving the beautifully notched bezel and
indicating a special day with the use of a red

triangle a birthday, Mothers Day, Valentines

Day, a wedding day, you name it the user will
see that when that special day has arrived the
blue earth is positioned exactly underneath
the star. Astronomical precision and a touch
of eccentric poetry is obviously limited and
doesnt come cheap. The final price of the
Midnight Plantarium Poetic Complication
will be somewhere around 185,800. But apart
from a unique, creative piece, this watch is
also a technical masterpiece. Just look at the
relatively thin case. This is the hobbyhorse of
Denis Giguet, Technical Director of the horology
department at Van Cleef & Arpels.
It was a fight for millimetres, no, tenths of
millimetres, Giguet tells us with a proud
smile. Everything had to be kept as thin as
possible. The module on the basic movement,
but especially also the planets that had to move
between the discs of the dial components, had
to be kept as low as possible. I dont know how
many times I sent people back to their desk
disappointed with the instruction to go lower.
Im afraid for a while I wasnt very popular.
An astronomical module deals with strong
forces and when the cogwheels become too
thin the functioning of the watch may be
jeopardised, so it was quite a tall order to
stay within the set limits of 13.4mm, but we
managed to do it without compromising on the
very highest quality. This insistence on a certain
maximum height has mostly to do with our
philosophy, because at Van Cleef we dont start
with a mechanical concept but with an idea,
a story we want to tell. This idea then comes
to life for our CEO Nicolas Bos, the marketing
department in Paris, our designers in Geneva
and, in the case of our astronomical tour de
force, the people at Van der Klaauw as well. Only
once the idea is sufficiently crystallised and it
looks as if from a technical point of view the
watch is possible do we make the first sketches.
Some of those early sketches in Danil Reintjes
notebook feature the shooting star that is also
present in the final watch, although not quite
the same. I really wanted to do something
exciting with that shooting star, Reintjes
explains. Instead of letting that star revolve in
a 24-hour period I thought it would be a nice
idea to let the star shoot to the right time by
means of a special system. By pushing a button
you would change the static star into a shooting
star. But that would have taken far too much
space and unfortunately that is something we
didnt have. I also had to give up my idea of
excentric orbits for the planets.
It may be a pity that Reintjes idea died a quiet
death, but in the name of the all-important
aesthetics even the brand name Van Cleef
& Arpels didnt manage to make it into the
foreground. Of course we could have put
the name somewhere on the dial or in the
crystal, but that wouldnt have done justice to
the watch so we didnt, Giguet explains this
integrity. Nothing is allowed to compromise
the aesthetics of our watches, not even our own
logo. This is the kind of French hard-headedness
they understand in Friesland.

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PHOTOSHOOT

Time
goes
round
and
round
By: Britta Rossander, pictures: Eric Satten
Set designer: Niklas Hansen/Link Details
Special thanks to: Nymans Ur 1851, Krons Ur and Bo Berggren Urhandel

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Every day the watch confronts us

with the passing of the hours and
minutes: the hands spin round
and round and the time is elusive.
For some the traditional, round
watch cases are an ironic symbol
of the treadmill on which we find
ourselves, but for watch aficionados the circle represents eternity
and perfection. The perfect symmetry, the countless ways to lay
out the dial, the division into
hours and minutes... And, every
day again: a new round, new
opportunities, as soon as the hour
hand and the seconds hand join
each other at 12 oclock.

HERMS DRESSAGE QUANTIME SIMPLE

Material: steel Size: 40.5 x 38.4mm Movement: automatic, calibre Vaucher H1837
Power reserve: 50 hours Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date at 6 oclock
BREGUET MARINE AUTOMATIC BIG DATE
Material: steel Diameter: 39mm Movement: automatic, calibre 517GG
Power reserve: 65 hours Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date
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PHOTOSHOOT
TAG HEUER CARRERA CALIBRE 1887 JACK HEUER CHRONOGRAPH
Material: titanium Diameter: 45mm Movement: automatic, calibre 1887
Power reserve: 50 hours Functions: chronograph, pulsometer, tachymeter, date
BULGARI ENDURER CHRONOSPRINT
Material: steel Diameter: 56mm Movement: automatic, calibre DR 1306
Power reserve: 45 hours Functions: date, second time zone

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BREITLING TRANSOCEAN CHRONOGRAPH

Material: steel and rose gold Diameter: 43mm
Movement: automatic, calibre Breitling 01
Power reserve: 70 hours
Functions: chronograph, date

0024 watchworld

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PHOTOSHOOT

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CHOPARD CLASSIC
Material: white gold Diameter: 33mm
Movement: automatic, calibre Sellita SW300
Power reserve: 42 hours
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date
LOUIS VUITTON TAMBOUR
EVOLUTION GMT CHRONOGRAPH
Material: steel Diameter: 45mm
Movement: automatic, calibre LV92
Power reserve: 42 hours Functions: chronograph,
GMT, day and night indicator

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63

PHOTOSHOOT
OMEGA SEAMASTER AQUA TERRA > 15000 GAUSS
8508
Material: steel Diameter: 41.5mm Movement: automatic, Co-Axial calibre
Power reserve: 60 hours Functions: chronometer, date
IWC PORTOFINO AUTOMATIC
Material: steel Diameter: 40mm Movement: automatic, calibre 35110
Power reserve: 42 hours Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date

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ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL DAY-DATE

Material: white gold Diameter: 36mm
Movement: automatic, calibre 3155
Power reserve: 48 hours Functions: day and
date indicator, stop seconds

0024 watchworld

65

INTERVIEW

By Lex Stolk, pictures Herms

Arceau Lift

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 watches
have more
growth potential
than leatheR
and sIlK

The Herms flagship store in the

Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honor

in Paris looks like a fortress.
Look up from the street and see
how a horseman keeps a close
eye on everything from the roof.

The watch campaign of

Herms CEO Luc Perramond

The saddle makers of yesteryear

built an emporium based on

traditional quality and today it
is filled with a range of luxury
goods, including watches.
Increasingly complicated
watches intended to conquer
the world. 0024 WatchWorld
talks to CEO Luc Perramond in
the Parisian bulwark.

Luc Perramond

he Herms head office is a real

labyrinth. Behind the facade of
the several-stories-high flagship
people are hard at work in countless
uneven-floored offices in narrow hallways that
unpredictably meander to the left and then
suddenly veer off at right angles. In one of these
rooms CEO Luc Perramond awaits us to talk
about the Arceau Lift the most complicated
Herms watch creation and the watch strategy
of the house in general. Luc Perramond never
gives the impression that he is holding anything
back. He tells things the way they are, nothing
more, nothing less. So no diversions or smokescreens when we ask him about the movement
of the recently revealed Arceau Lift. The
movement was built in conjunction with the
specialists at La Joux-Perret, Perramond tells us.
Since 2006 we have been investing in Vaucher
for the manufacture of our own movements

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INTERVIEW

but this highly complicated calibre, of which

only very few copies are being made, is a job for
specialists.
Which doesnt mean that the integration of the
different facets of watchmaking doesnt keep
on progressing. Since 2011 we have shares in
case producer Erard and last year we became
the full owner of Nateber, a producer of dials.
That shows that we are ambitiously working
on establishing Herms as an integrated watch
producer.
The magic (marketing) word manufacture
comes up. We currently control three strategic components of a watch: the movement,
the case and the hands, Perramond explains.
That we make our own leather straps goes
without saying and together with those other
three components around 95 percent and
sometimes even more of the components of
a Herms watch actually come from Herms.
Talking about manufacture; we are the only
watch house that makes its own leather straps.
Every watch has hands, but they are still
lacking in the component chain forged by Herms. Perramond knows why this is: Although
the hands are an essential component of a
watch, I still think they are a component that
we have to integrate in our house. To be costefficient hands must be produced on a large
scale, and we are simply not big enough. Other
watch brands dont really have something that
fits in with our strategy, so we purchase hands
elsewhere. We do business with the best Swiss
hand makers to make sure that our quality
standards are never compromised. Now we can
focus on our latest acquisitions and develop
them to the best of our ability; in the area of
quality as well as quantity.
That comment takes us to the growth of Herms as a watch brand. Haute horlogerie has
conquered the world and Herms wants a share of it, but that is only possible if enough interesting mechanical watches can distributed
around the world. At Herms watches are considered a growth product, Perramond reveals,
not entirely unexpectedly. Luxury watches are
a business unit that has more growth potential
than the more established product categories like leather and silk. We have enormous

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potential with our watches. With a turnover of

176 million, watches currently constitute 5% of
the total Herms turnover. I believe that with
the production of our watches we can grow
that to a 10% share, which is why we continue
to invest in products with added value that
will surprise our customer base when it comes
to creativity and innovation. With the new
Arceau Lift we have created a serious complication that will stand firmly alongside our poetic
complications like Le Temps Suspendu. When it
comes to traditional as well as creative complications, the world will hear from us. Come and
take a look at BaselWorld 2014, when it is once
again time for complicated technology and
poetry in the shape of a watch.

We are the only

watch house that
makes its own
leather straps

The Tourbillon, The lifT

and The leTTer
A watch that draws its inspiration from a lift.
In the amazing, creative universe of Herms
anything is possible. The new Arceau Lift is
closely related to an old lift embellished with
a double H pattern. Herms has used the
emblematic motif since 1900 and it can be
seen on a lift that was installed in the boutique
at number 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honor
in 1923. The double H is a tribute to the marriage between the grandson of founder mile

Herms and Julie Hollande in 1900. The engraved tribute can be seen in the watch at 12
oclock and 6 oclock, where the spring barrel
and the flying tourbillon respectively are visible.
Incidentally, the spring barrel stores enough
energy for 90 hours. Some more numbers: the
watch consists of 170 components and both
the assembly and the finishing take 40 hours.
We continue: the Arceau Lift is limited to just
176 pieces (2013 - 1837= 176, with the number 1837 which stands for the year the house
of Herms was founded) and has a 43mm rose
gold case that is home to the hand-wound
calibre H1923, realised in conjunction with
La Joux-Perret. The price of this most complicated of all Herms watch creations will be
around 107,000. For that amount the buyer
becomes the proud owner of a watch with an
highly individual face with the unique and
inimitable Herms signature. Just look at the
chevron pattern, familiar from the silk ties
made by the company, engraved in the dial
that is not really a dial because the design uses
an open structure of the movement. This gives
the flying tourbillon a very prominent and
three-dimensional position. The image on the
case-back shows an engraving of a horse and
carriage with a coachman; pure Herms.

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ESSAY

Once Upon a Timepiece

A book about a

Breitling
Once Upon a Timepiece is a novel made up of 12 short stories
written by Starr Wood, a British journalist, writer and economist.
Each story can be read on its own, with a distinct plot, and an
unexpected twist at the end. But the stories also join together to tell
a bigger narrative. All 12 stories are set in the year 2012, with the
first starting in January, the second in February, and the final one in
December. The link that joins all the stories together is an antique
gold watch, a Breitling Chronomat from 1946. This watch passes
from story to story in many different ways.
The book is available in bookshops,
but it is easiest to buy on one
of the Amazon websites.
Prices are as follows:
UK: 7.99
Europe: 8.99
USA: US$12.99

The novel begins when Conrad Sands returns a vintage wristwatch

to a university sweetheart after 20 years apart, sparking a remarkable
chain of events. The watch passes through the hands of a golddigger, a journalist, an enchantress, and a professor. It touches the
lives of a rogue art collector, a domestic helper, and an environmental
campaigner. All of them are strangers, yet all are intricately linked in
ways that none of them see.
Once Upon a Timepiece is the debut novel from Starr Wood who
was born in England in 1970, but grew up in Nigeria, Ras Al
Khaimah, South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan. In 1992, Starr
graduated from the London School of Economics and began his
career as a journalist. Today, he lives in Singapore with his wife and
three children.

Starr Wood

Please enjoy the first chapter JANUARY: SEIZE THE DAY

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1.

JA NUARY: S E I Z E T H E D AY

onrad Sands slipped off his watch and placed it on the desk in
front of him. He stared at the second-hand ticking neatly, inevitably, dispassionately round the face, measuring out increments
of life with blank indifference. How many seconds had passed
since he had last seen her?

American Indian, a hunterslim, with sinuous limbs, long black hair and
olive skin. She caught peoples eye and held it, but it wasnt so much prettiness or good looks as it was an impression of something exotic, a determination, a confidence. She saw the world in her own way, and meeting her
made you want to understand how and why.

Conrad pulled a sheet of paper towards him and began to scribble dates
and numbers. He worked absently, only half-engaged with the task. June
22nd 1992 he wrote at the top. That was the last time he had seen Mariana
Carson. He couldnt remember the exact time. Perhaps it was 8.30am when
she had climbed into a London cab with her bags and sped off to Victoria
station, and then to Gatwick for her flight to New York.

He had first met her in the student bar at the London School of Economics.
It was the winter term of his final year. He was playing pool with a friend
when shed challenged him to a game. She lost the first, but challenged him
again and again, until she beat him on the fourth try. Conrad was a good
player who rarely lost. He maintained that hed let her win out of pity, but
it wasnt true.

He had stayed with her that last night in her rented apartment above a
newsagents on Wardour Street in Soho. They had risen early and walked
round to the Patisserie Valerie caf on Old Compton Street just as it was
opening. It was her favourite place for breakfastalways pain au chocolat and a caffe latte, sitting at an outside table, watching the day come to
life. The street had a grubby cheerfulness, the gutters full of beer cans and
cigarette butts from the night before that would be cleared away by roadsweepers as the crisp morning air brightened with the sun.

Mariana, whose swarthy complexion was a blend of Venezuelan mother

and Anglo Saxon father, was an American exchange student from Duke
University studying economics at the LSE for a year. She shared several
classes with Conrad, and after that first encounter over the pool table they
had spent more and more time together.

Today was January 12th, 2012. Nineteen and a half years had passed since
that morning7,143 days. Conrad put down his pencil. It was a quarter of
a lifetime.
He had only known her for nine months, and yet the memories he had of
her were as clear today as they were in the moments after she had slipped
away in her taxi that summer morning. At least they felt just as clear.
He pulled open the desk drawer and took out a second watch, cleaning
it on his shirt. He had never worn this one, but he had held it countless
times over the past 19 years, staring at its features. The watch was a 1946
Breitling Chronomat made from rose-coloured gold. Mariana had told him
it was designed during World War II for aviators. It had two extra dials
on its face and a rotating bezel marked with various scales and measurements. In the right hands, the watch could be used to work out speeds, distances, percentages, fuel consumption and numerous other calculations.
Mariana had given him the watch over their last breakfast. It had belonged
to her grandfather, who had left it to her in his will. Mariana had worn it
every day that Conrad had known her. It was one of his defining memories
of hera slim 23-year-old woman wearing an antique mens gold watch
that dwarfed her wrist. The leather strap showed clearly where she had
punched an extra hole to make the fit tight enough.
Conrad had protested at the gift, but Mariana had waved away his concerns
and insisted he keep it to remind him of her. At the time it had felt like a promise to keep in close contact, that their parting was just a temporary break. He
had been 21, and thought theyd be apart for a few months, perhaps a year at
most. He certainly hadnt expected to be 40 years old when they reconnected.
He wound up the Breitling and set the time so that it now ticked in unison
with his first watch. It was 5.30pm, and already dark outside. He was due
to meet her in two hours.
Conrad showered and shaved and stared at his reflection through the bathroom steam. At 21 hed been athletic, choosing to cycle whenever he travelled across London. He had been a keen windsurfer at home in his native
Cornwall, and was a regular in a five-a-side soccer league. Now the mirror
showed a man in much poorer shape. These days he jogged to keep fit, but
it hadnt prevented his paunch from filling out and his skin from losing its
elasticity. His hair was still thick and dark, but his face seemed more bloated.
How would Mariana have aged? At 23 she had been striking, if not classically beautiful. She had given Conrad the strong impression of a native

She was endlessly curious about London and its history, taking Conrad to
museums, art galleries, churches and buildings that he had never seen.
One of her more unusual interests centred on the graves of the famous. At
Westminster Abbey she sought out the resting places of Alfred Tennyson,
Charles Dickens, Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. At St Pauls Cathedral,
she visited the graves of John Donne, Alexander Fleming, William Blake
and Christopher Wren.
Once, Conrad had taken her to see a football match, a Chelsea game at
Stamford Bridge. She had loved the gruff cynicism of the life-long supporters as they watched the match, and afterwards they had drunk in a local
pub called the Pickled Pelican with a boisterous crowd of fans. Mariana
liked to drinkJim Beam bourbon and beer. On leaving the pub, she had
taken Conrad to Brompton Cemetery next to the football ground to seek
out the grave of Emmeline Pankhurst, the suffragette. It had taken them
some time to find it, and when they did, Mariana had sat on the ground
and smoked a cigarette, suddenly quiet, the rowdiness of the stadium and
the pub lost to personal contemplation.
On another occasion, a Saturday morning, Mariana had announced that she
was going to Highgate Cemetery to see the grave of Karl Marx. The great
European experiment with communism had collapsed in the previous two
years and she wanted to see where its architect lay. They had stood together
in front of the austere cuboid of grey granite, topped by a giant bust of the
man, and talked about Marxs theories, his delusions and his legacy.
As an economics student, Conrad was familiar with Marx and had
denounced his ideology. So too had Mariana, but her arguments had
seemed so much more passionate and nuanced, so much more intense
than Conrads text-book clichs.
Conrad knew that she was well-read. Her father, an engineer who ran a
company in New York that made electricity transmission machinery,
had banned television from his household. He believed in the merits
of discussion, debate, reading and study. Conrad had found it somewhat ironic that a man who spent his life improving the delivery of
electricity to peoples homes, should forbid the watching of television
in his own, but Mariana had clearly benefitted from his discipline.
In one or two instances, Conrad had found himself reading ahead so as
to impress Mariana with his own erudition. When she made plans to visit Kensal Green Cemetery, and the graves of Charles Babbage, the mathematician, and Anthony Trollopean economists novelist, as Mariana
described himConrad spent a week reading and improving his knowledge of both of them.
Conrad hadnt thought to ask her why she was so keen to see these graves.

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ESSAY

- The watch was a 1946 Breitling Chronomat

made from rose-coloured gold Looking back, he supposed it was to bring the figures of history to life for
her in some way. She seemed to admire great achievement. She seemed to
hold great respect for men and women who had used their brief candle,
their hour upon the stage as Macbeth put it, to make a difference.
Conrad flipped the Breitling watch over and looked at the back where an
inscription read May your brief candle shine brightly. Conrad had only
seen the inscription after she had given him the watch. No doubt it had
been engraved by her grandfather, or by whoever had given it to him. But
Conrad had often wondered over the past nineteen years if the dictum had
held a special resonance for Mariana. The inscription was part advocacy,
urging the wearer to live life fully, and part prayer. Perhaps it was a sense
of lifes brevity that had so animated Marianas interest in the graves of
Londons great achievers.
It certainly seemed that Marianas candle had shone brightly. In the past
few weeks Conrad had learned a little about her life since theyd parted. Her
year studying at LSE was the last of her undergraduate degree, and before
she left London she had secured a place at Harvard to study for a masters
degree in law. That much Conrad had always known. He had tried to stay
in touch, writing letters to her family address in New York. He wrote six
times in the first eight months but never heard back from her. He had no
idea if the address had been wrong or if she had simply lost interest in him.
Those were the days when the web was still in its infancy and keeping in
touch with distant friends was hard. As the internet blossomed, however,
Conrad had come across traces of Mariana and the work she was doing.
An online search on her name in 1998 showed that she was working in
Bosnia, helping to re-establish property rights for families displaced by the
Yugoslavia conflict.
Three years later, in 2001, another search revealed that she had set up an
organisation called Rule of Lawits motto was Nobody above the law,
nobody below the law. Its website described a group of lawyers fighting
for the formalisation of property rights in the worlds squatter settlements
and conflict zones. The philosophy behind the group was exactly what
Conrad would have expected from Mariana: clear deeds and ownership
rights to land were the foundation of wealth. Without formal property
rights, the poor had no assets against which to borrow, they were unable
to set up or to own legally-recognised businesses, and they were excluded from the formal economy. Only by establishing property rights for the
poor could they improve their lives. Marx would be turning in his grave,
Conrad had thought on reading it.
As the years had gone by, Conrads thoughts had turned to Mariana less and
less frequently, but her presence still lingered at the edge of his consciousness. Every few months he would trawl the web to see what new mentions
he could find of her. Disappointingly, he had never found any photographs.
She wasnt registered with any of the social media sites, and although she
was quoted periodically in news stories, they never carried a picture.
At various times he had composed emails to Marianasome of them long
and heartfelt, others short and pithybut he had never sent them. He had
always arrived at the same conclusion, that Mariana had forgotten about
him and moved on. Why else had she ignored his letters? He had given her
his familys address in Cornwall before shed left London. She could easily
have written to him, but she never did.
Over the years, Conrads impression of his nine-month relationship with
her had grown gradually less certain. Had he simply been a friend of convenience, an easy companion in a foreign city? Perhaps he had been even
less than that. Certainly it was she who had initiated the friendship, but
was it he who had sustained it? Had Mariana invited him to accompany
her on her explorations of London, or had he invited himself?
Throughout their time together it was a frustration for Conrad that they
never had sex, not once. It wasnt through any sense of prudence or chastity on her part. Mariana had been happy to kiss him, and to share a bath
with him as they smoked joints and drank wine and listened to The Grate-

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ful Dead and Neil Young and Funkadelic. She had been happy to sleep in
the same bed as him, both of them naked, caressing each other and talking.
But anything more and she had gently declined.
The reason she gave for her restraint was the ending of a long relationship just before she came to London. Mariana had said she wasnt ready to
step straight into a new one, and Conrad had believed her. But in the years
since, he had wondered whether the previous boyfriend had really existed.
He had also considered the possibility that this boyfriend had been all too
real and waiting for her in New York or at Duke. Conrad imagined him as
tall and tanned, an impressive man with great charisma.
But if all that were true, then why had she given him the watch? Surely
such a treasured heirloom handed down from her grandfather wouldnt
be so easily lost to a passing fling of no significance? If only they had made
love. Somewhere deep inside himself, Conrad suspected that some of his
enduring interest in Mariana was thanks to the unrequited nature of his
love for her.
Conrad padded through into his bedroom. It was still littered with boxes
and packing cases that had arrived a few days earlier. Hed spent the past
fifteen years in Asia, working in Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong, before
deciding to return to the UK. Hed sold most of his possessions before
the move. All that remained were a handful of books, two paintings, an
antique chest from Nepal, his golf clubs, and several cartons of photographs and papers. At the time, Conrad had thought it a good idea to get
rid of all the clutter in his life, but surveying the items that had survived
his cull, it didnt seem like much.
He shrugged to himself and began to get dressed. He could always buy
more things if he wanted to. A career spent working as a fund manager
meant he was already wealthy. He didnt have a job in London, but nor did
he need one. His return to the UK was a chance for him to reassess his life
and decide what he wanted to do next. He needed a change of scene.
For some time, hed felt a growing disillusionment gnawing at his soul.
Partly it was a sense that his job, indeed his whole industry, had lost its
way. It no longer provided social utility. But more than that, Conrad was
consumed with a gathering sense that he wasnt the person he thought
hed be at the age of 40. He hadnt lived the life hed wanted to live, and
time was getting shorter.
Occasionally hed hear a piece of music and be transported back twenty
years to a different era, to a different version of himself, a younger version,
a better version. It might be Lou Reeds Sweet Jane or Blue Cheers The
Pilot or any number of other songs. More and more, these tunes took him
back to a place that increasingly looked nothing like his life today. They
unlocked a time of possibility, a place without borders, a world of potential
and greatness and passion. It wasnt only music, it was also books and art
and conversations. More and more they filled him with a sense of a past
vision for his life, a hope, an expectation that he had failed to achieve. Conrad was filled with a sense that, if his younger self could see him now, he
would have been disappointed.
On returning to London six weeks earlier, Conrad had contacted many of
the friends hed lost touch with over the years. He had emailed Mariana
too, spending a long time crafting his message, trying to get the tone right.
He wanted to appear friendly but casual, interested but not overly so. He
avoided any mention of his unanswered letters, or questions of why she
had never been in touch. He was just an old friend re-establishing contact.
She had replied almost immediately, her email full of enthusiasm and
delight at hearing from him. She said shed missed him and wanted to
know what hed been up to in the years since university. Her response made
Conrad feel ashamed that he had pretended to be so blas, and so they had
emailed back and forth, filling in the history that each of them had missed.
Mariana was still unmarried, and still lived in New York, although she spent
most of her life on the road, meeting the donors who funded her organisa-

- He unbuckled the Breitling watch,

and cleaned it for the last time on his shirt tion, recruiting lawyers to join it, and leading efforts to represent the poor and
displaced in their legal disputes. Much of her time was spent in Venezuela,
Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Suriname. She described her work as frustrating and rewarding in equal measure. Occasionally it was dangerous too.
Mariana told how she had come to truly understand the importance of
land rights in the months between leaving LSE and attending Harvard.
She had been visiting her mothers family in Caracas in Venezuela and had
witnessed first-hand a riot in one of the barrios in the hills rising out of
the city. She had travelled to the barrio alone, wanting to understand the
plight of the urban poor, and had become caught up in an outbreak of violence that had put her in hospital.

His calmness had given way to trepidation. There she was, Mariana Carson, the woman who had lit up his life so brightly nineteen years earlier,
and whose memory had stayed with him so persistently ever since. Conrad
peered round the pillar again and was struck with familiar impressions: a
hunter, a fierce intellect, an exotic beauty, a deep passion and energy and
curiosity for life. But now he saw something else too, a sense of accomplishment that magnified all her earlier traits. She had grown in stature.
The more Conrad looked, the more his desire to meet Mariana drained
away. She had achieved so much of value with her life. She had done such
important work. Conrad felt thin and insignificant. Hers had been a life that
deserved a grave worth visiting. Would anyone visit his in the years ahead?

She had spent the next five months recovering from her injuriesa slow,
painful and frustrating experience that had delayed her start at Harvard. But
the experience was an epiphany, it had changed her life. She had witnessed
the desperate anger of people trying to protect the pitiful plots that they and
their families had worked for, but which the law said they didnt own.

Conrad called over the waiter, borrowed his pen and tore a page off his
order pad. He leant against the pillar and wrote a note onto the page,
before folding it in half. He unbuckled the Breitling watch, and cleaned it
for the last time on his shirt, watching how the flickering candle flames on
the wall above him reflected off the glass.

Conrad had still not spoken to Mariana. All their communication had been
via email, and it seemed better that way. It had allowed him the space to
grow comfortable with her once more. Tonight, however, they would meet
face-to-face for the first time in nineteen and a half years. One week earlier, Mariana had emailed saying that she was coming to London for four
days. She was meeting several law firms that wanted to get involved with
her cause. She wondered if she could see him too?

He stole one more glance at Mariana, and then gave the note and watch
to the waiter and instructed him to give them to the woman at the bar. He
made sure the waiter had understood the instructions clearly, and then
pulled open the door and strode away into the cold.

Conrad strapped the Breitling onto his wrist and checked the timeone
hour to go. It seemed right to wear the watch tonight. It would show how
important she had remained to him, and that he had never stopped thinking about her. He didnt know what to expect from the evening. The two of
them were both single. Possibly it would lead to a rekindling of the past.
Perhaps he had held a place in Marianas heart for the past nineteen years,
just as she had in his. He felt calm as he set off to meet her.
The venue for their reunion was a wine bar in Notting Hill called Wild
Thyme, just off the Portobello Road. It served tapas-style food and was a
suitably casual place for the occasion. On a Thursday night it would be
busy but comfortable.
As Conrad approached, he stopped outside to peer through the plateglass windows. The lights inside were dimmed, but thick church candles
flickered from sconces on the walls and from tall wooden candlesticks. It
looked warm against the icy darkness of the street. Many of the tables had
people sitting at them.
Conrad stepped inside and surveyed the room, looking for her. The space
was large and irregular, and parts of it were obscured by columns and corners. Mariana wasnt in the front part of the bar, and Conrad moved further in to get a better view of the back. And then he saw her. She was at the
bar alone, sitting on a bar stool, straight-backed, with a glass of red wine
in front of her. She looked poised and comfortable, and Conrad watched as
she sipped her wine and tapped at her phone.
She was wearing jeans tucked into knee-length boots and a tight-fitting grey
jumper. On the stool next to her lay a black overcoat. If anything, she looked
more imposing than Conrad remembered. Her face was noticeably older, but
her hair was still long and black and her figure still slender. Her expression
was immediately familiar, but had gained a wisdom that Conrad realised had
been inevitable. Her confidence at 23 had matured into a powerful presence.
Can I find you a table, Sir? A waiter said, approaching Conrad.
No, no, he stammered, ducking behind a pillar. Thank you, Ill sit at the
bar. Im meeting somebody.

Where is he? the woman asked when the waiter handed over the watch.
He left. You might still catch him if you run.
She opened the folded note. It read:
MarianaI saw you this evening sitting at the bar and you looked magnificent. You have become the woman I always imagined youd be. I wanted to join you, with all my heart I wanted to, but I think too much time
has passed. Or perhaps not enough time. Im returning your grandfathers
watch. You deserve it more than me. Conrad
Do you want me to see if I can catch him? the waiter asked.
No no thank you, the woman shook her head. Its fine.
She read the note several more times and studied the watch, turning it
over and reading the inscription on the back. She sipped her wine slowly,
casting her eyes over the rest of the room, and when her glass was empty
she asked the barman for her bill. A leather bag lay on the floor next to her
barstool and she picked it up, dropping the letter and watch into it and
pulling out her purse. She paid the bill and was putting on her coat when
another woman joined her at the bar.
Has there been a man in here looking for someone? Looking for a woman? Hes about 40, tallish, dark hair, the second woman asked the barman.
He shook his head. If anyone does ask, maybe you could point him in my
direction. Im sitting in the corner over there.
Sure, the barman said. Whats your name?
Mariana. And his name is Conrad. Im worried he might have been in and
missed me.
On hearing the conversation, the first woman turned and stared at Mariana. She had a face that wasnt easy to look at. Beneath her greying hair, her
right cheek and temple looked as if they had been scalded by boiling water.
While one side of her face had smooth skin the other side looked stretched
and distorted like melted plastic.
Has someone stood you up? the first woman asked.

Can I take your coat?

I hope not, Mariana replied. Hopefully hes just late. Hes an old friend.

In a minute, thank you.

Bloody men. Im sure hell show up. The first woman smiled, picked up
her bag and walked out.

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PRE-BASELWORLD 2014

By Ellen Dobbelaar

BLACK

Looking forward
to BaselWorld
Having barely recovered from the watch madness that is the Salon
International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva we are now being

inundated with a second wave of novelties. In the run-up to the watch

fair in Basel, which will be held at the end of March, new models are

coming in at an impressive rate. None of that quiet before the storm

stuff, we are heading full tilt to the second watch high point in 2014.
These six pages are only a small harbinger of things to come

H. Moser & Cie.

Perpetual Calendar Black Edition

H. Moser & Cie., usually such a traditional company, is

taking a gamble. Of the just 1,000 watches that leave the
premises in Neuhausen am Rheinfall every year, some of
the forthcoming Perpetual Calendar watches usually
only available in white gold, rose gold or platinum will
be in black. But this time the case will be made of titanium (grade 5) with DLC coating. At the time of writing
this article H. Moser & Cie. dont want to show yet the
front of the watch, so we need to be satisfied with a
picture of the case-back. So, until BaselWorld, it will be a
guess how it will look like. What is certain is that it will
be a special and rare watch To be continued.

Hublot Big Bang Unico

All Black

The Big Bang with its Unico calibre, the

Hublot movement that has been developed
and produced by the company in-house since
2009, was presented to the public last year.
This year the individualistic brand, which has
a marked preference for black and unusual
materials, is coming up with a completely
black version. There are 500 copies available,
each with a 45.5mm black ceramic case and
bezel and black PVD titanium push-buttons
and crown. And the dial? Black! But it is skeletonised. And what does it show: a flyback
chronograph and date window at 3 oclock.
Not a limited edition but just as black is the
carbon version of the Big Bang Unico.

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Bovet by Pininfarina Sergio

Split-Second Chronograph

This Sergio version is named after the president

of the world-famous Italian design studio. As
a gift on the occasion of Sergio Pininfarinas
40 years of loyal service in the family business
Paolo Pininfarina, in conjunction with Bovet,
designed a watch with an automatic rattrapante chronograph movement with split-second
function. The two push-buttons, located to the
left and right of the crown at 12 oclock provide
the start, stop and restart functions. The second
seconds hand is restarted via the crown. Typically Bovet: this Sergio can be used in a number
of different ways. Thanks to the Amadeo system
the 45mm PVD steel case can easily be fitted to
a strap, converted into a table clock, a practical
time measuring instrument or a pocket watch.

WHITE

Herms Cape Cod

Tonneau GM Silver

The name Herms doesnt even really need to be on

the watch, because this Cape Cod has all the unmistakable Herms hallmarks. The rounded shapes, the
typical handle-shaped lugs and of course the strap
are all good examples. However, new for Herms is
the special silver alloy: the brand refers to a composite that was developed especially for Herms, with
a bigger proportion of silver 97% to be exact to
retain the shine. There is a small and a large variant
of the Tonneau GM Silver, with or without 64 diamonds, and with a reliable quartz movement.

Longines Column-Wheel Single

Push-Piece Chronograph

Beauty comes with age, as Longines proves once

again. This reinterpretation of one of the first
chronographs the brand from Saint-Imier made
in 1913 is now available as a single push-button
chronograph with calibre L788. The sterile
white dial with contrasting black indicators
and the striking red number 12 refer to the art of
watchmaking as it was performed at the start of
the 20th century. A steel and rose gold version
with Arabic numerals and a steel version with
Roman numerals our personal favourite are
available for nostalgic watch lovers.

Frdrique Constant Classics Manufacture Worldtimer

The Classics Manufacture Worldtimer doesnt need to prove itself. Since its release in
2012 this watch with world time display has been embraced by watch fans around
the globe. That is because of the acceptable price-quality ratio thanks to the manufacture calibre FC-718 with its 42-hour power reserve, and the easy operation of all
the functions via the crown. Sounds feasible. The fact is that Dutch couple Peter and
Aletta Stas, the owners of Frdrique Constant, have decided to expand the line with
two further models in polished steel, with an open-worked case-back and a choice of a
silver-coloured dial with guilloch pattern or a world map. The outer ring with 24 cities
is very prominent and the watch also has a 24-hour indicator, day and night indicator
and date display at 6 oclock.

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Classic
Glashtte Original
PanoMaticInverse

After a six-year wait it will finally be revealed at

BaselWorld: the PanoMaticInverse, successor
to the PanoInverse. The concept remains
the same as that from 2008, with a
movement that has been turned inside
out. This means that the components
that are normally seen through the
case-back are now visible on the dial. The
PanoMaticInverse expands on this theme,
with the balance wheel and the typical swan
neck regulator between 3 and 6 oclock. The
Ctes de Genve-finished platine is decorated
with blued screws and synthetic rubies. Below
this platine, which takes up at least three
quarters of the dial, is a specially modified
movement, calibre 91-02, with 42-hour power
reserve. A 42mm case surrounds the hours,
minutes and seconds, plus a date window at 2
oclock in the panoramic style so typical of the
Glashtte Original.

Blancpain Villeret
Collection 8 Jours

This is a Blancpain in its purest form: a watch

with respect for authenticity and tradition,
beautifully traditional, stylish but simple, but oh
so delicate. How about a Grand Feu enamelled
dial, on which the date can be read in a recessed
window at 3 oclock? With an amazing 8-day
power reserve, thanks to its calibre 1335, which is
visible through the sapphire crystal case-back.
The Ctes de Genve finish on the platine and a
honeycomb pattern on the rotor are a pleasure
to behold. The 42mm rose gold case with stepped bezel surrounds all this beauty.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde

SW Ctes de Genve

We all know Jaquet Droz from the breathtaking automatons, moving miniature figurines, like the birds in the Bird Repeater that
the brand presented last year. But this time
the focus is not on these fairy tale tableaux,
but rather on the traditional watchmaking
standards and values. As the name suggests,
the entire focus is on the large seconds hand
that completely takes up the bottom half of the
dial. Hours and minutes are shown in a highly
traditional way using Roman numerals, but
where the two subsidiary dials meet this changes to Arabic numerals. The Ctes de Genve
finish and the 45mm steel case complete the
picture. The automatic movement, calibre
2663A-S, supplies a power reserve of 68 hours.

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MODERN
Girard-Perregaux Chrono Hawk

Girard-Perregaux has good news for fans of the Hawk family. The Chrono version is now
also available with a satin-finished steel bracelet that is combined with two different
dials: silver or blue metallic. With the extra-large lugs and sizeable links the masculine
Chrono Hawk becomes even more rugged (and heavier), with a mighty 44mm steel case
that is water resistant to 100m. The watch is fitted with an automatic chronograph that
provides a 46-hour power reserve. And for those who already have a watch with rubber
strap: no problem, the steel version can be ordered separately so proud Hawk owners can
simply change the strap.

Arnold & Son Time Pyramid

Over the past few years Arnold & Son has gradually introduced a number of new watches, such as the
Time Pyramid, a watch whose design is based on that of a 19th-century clock, with the entire focus on
the triangular movement. The Time Pyramid was previously available in rose gold, but at the watch
salon in Basel a steel version will also be seen. The pyramidal, skeletonised hand-wound movement,
calibre A&S1615 just 4.4mm thick appears to float in the steel case thanks to two sapphire crystal
layers. Still, the watch appears to have depth thanks to the different levels of the minutes, hours and
seconds (read from top to bottom). Two large spring barrels, together good for a 90-hour power reserve,
constitute the base of the pyramid. The power reserve is displayed in two places: at 3 oclock and
9 oclock. The construction slowly moves upward and its pinnacle is the balance wheel at 12 oclock.

Seiko Astron Solar GPS

Time has no limits, as witnessed by Seikos Astron watch, as this revolutionary watch is capable of showing the local time in 39 time zones
at dazzling speed, using GPS. The only thing the watch needs is the
occasional ray of sunshine to power the movement. This success story
has been given a follow-up in the form of the new Astron Solar GPS, with
a complex sapphire crystal that surrounds and protects the map of the
world shown on the dial like a stratosphere. The intended effect is the
view of the Earth much like that experienced by astronauts, a transparent, blue stratosphere.

DeWitt Twenty-8-Eight Full Moon

A rather classic complication, the moon phase indicator, has been given a
modern interpretation thanks to a special dial layout. The asymmetrical
dial is divided into two uneven sections. The right side of the dial is finished
with aventurine, the same material used in Van Cleef & Arpels astronomical
watch. This material corresponds with that of the moon phase module, which
is formed by two mother-of-pearl discs. The left side, finished with a Ctes de
Genve motif, is partly skeletonised two classic examples of watchmaking art
and contrasts beautifully with the gold-coloured cogwheels. This astronomic
tableau has been placed in a small, 33mm titanium case.

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AIR

PRE-BASELWORLD 2014

Bell & Ross

BR 03-94 Carbon Orange

Bell & Rosss instrument watches may be credited

to co-owner Bruna Belamich, who has no trouble
deconstructing an instrument panel to give form to
his fascination with aircraft attributes. He is happy
to share his passion with others via his Bell & Ross
and today countless versions of the BR 01, BR 03 and
BR S roll off the conveyor belt. This time we are talking about 500 copies of the BR 03 Carbon Orange.
A matte black watch with two contrasting orange
and white elements on the dial. A chronograph with
two counters (60 seconds and 30 minutes), date
display and time display, with an automatic ETA
calibre 2894 movement. Available with a black
rubber or orange canvas strap.

Zenith Pilot Montre dAronef Type 20 GMT 1903

Zenith has quickly made a name for itself with its collection of pilots watches, including different incarnations of the Doublematic and the Montre
dAronef Type 20. Here we are looking at the youngest scion of the latter
family. The brand is introducing this model as a tribute to the Wright brothers, because in 1903 Wilbur and Orville Wright completed the first motorised flight in history with their glider fitted out with two propellers. They
covered 40 metres, 60cm above the ground. So what is the link between these
two enterprising brothers and the Pilot 1903? For many years Zenith fitted
the Montre dAronef Type 20 in aircraft dashboards and for Zenith this was
the starting point for the Pilot 1903, with an inscription of Orville and Wilbur
Wright engraved in the case-back. The company will be making 1,903 copies
of this 48mm DLC-coated titanium classic with second time zone display, each
with a wide nubuck leather strap.

Alpina Startimer Pilot Automatic Sunstar

Another brand that is looking back to the past this year: Alpina. Originally a
supplier of military pilots watches, the brand proceeded to branch out into
divers watches, among other things. But for now lets look at these pilots
watches. These used to have soft-iron inner cases, clearly readable dials,
luminescent hands and indicators, everything aimed at making the pilots
life as easy as possible. Todays Startimer Pilot collection is obviously no longer intended for professional use but Alpina still tries to add the occasional
historical element, like in this Automatic Sunstar. Grey dial with Arabic,
luminescent numerals in a 40mm steel case, on which the hours, minutes,
seconds and date are easy to read.

Breitling Chronomat 44 GMT

Patrouille Suisse 50th Anniversary

Champagne corks pop twice in the Swiss hangars, because this is the 100th
anniversary of the Air Force and the 50th anniversary of Patrouille Suisse,
a military division that specialises in stunt flying. Breitling has been close
to these air force stunt pilots for many years and such a good friendship
demands a beautiful birthday present. This comes in the form of a special
Chronomat, a 44mm chronograph with a steel case and a black dial that
features the team logo at 9 oclock and has a second hour hand that ends
in the shape of a red F-5E Tiger II. The anniversary logo is engraved on the
case-back. In addition to all this the pilots get an automatic chronograph
movement, calibre B04, developed and produced by Breitling and COSCcertified. For aspiring pilots or for those who prefer to keep both feet firmly
on the ground: 1,000 copies of this watch are available.

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Linde Werdelin Oktopus Moon Tattoo

A rather artistic divers watch, this Oktopus Moon Tattoo

by Danish duo Morten Linde and Jorn Werdelin. A rose gold
case, which as we have come to expect of Linde Werdelin
is constructed on different levels for a three-dimensional
effect and is finished with a detailed, hand-engraved
octopus on the dial. The same kind of precise images are
also clearly seen on the rose gold case. The Oktopus Moon
Tattoo is limited to 59 copies and each watch shows two
moon cycles that each take 29.5 days. Ideal for those who
are planning a night dive, says Linde Werdelin. The dial
consists of different, skeletonised layers, which also adds
depth. A sizeable black ceramic bezel surrounds the DLCcoated titanium case. Oh, the watch is a real divers watch,
because it is water resistant to 300m

Victorinox Dive Master 500

Swiss company Victorinox has a quarter-century

of watchmaking behind it; the company became
known for its pocket knives, but is steadily working to match that success in the field of watches.
With 25 years of experience the company is still
in its infancy if you compare it to a Breguet,
Blancpain or Jaeger-LeCoultre, but age is merely
a number. For Victorinox it is in any case a reason
to celebrate this modest anniversary with a
limited edition of 500 watches, for the first time
in titanium, a lightweight material that is ideal
for a diver. A mechanical, automatic movement,
calibre ETA 2894-2, provides the watch, which
is water resistant to 500m, with the necessary
power to operate the chronograph. Not just the
hands and hour indicators are luminescent: so
are the chronograph dials. Interesting extra: the
20-minute zone on the bezel appears to radiate
the same colour in the dark, but nothing is what
it seems. The colour of this important indicator
for divers changes into light blue.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Orange Ceramic

A familiar sight in the world of divers watches: the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean. Despite that
familiarity this Orange Ceramic version, water resistant to 600m, is unique in its kind thanks to the
platinum case, dial and clasp. The 43.5mm case also displays a 24-hour scale on a revolving bezel
in orange ceramic. A world first, according to Omega, which has proudly engraved this fact on the
case-back. The calibre 8615 with GMT function, developed in-house at Omega, can be seen through
this case-back. To complete the picture the watch comes with a matching orange strap. Perhaps in
the future Omega will probably use the orange ceramic in the normal steel versions but for the
moment this platinum version is limited to 8 copies.

Edox Delfin

The Delfin is Edoxs solution for those who are looking for a watch that can be worn around the
water, on the water and underwater. As early as 1961 we already found Edox in the water, because
that was the first time the Delfin took the plunge underwater. The watch has a patented crown
system based on a double gasket. This means the crown no longer has to be screwed shut: until
then divers occasionally forgot to do so, with all the attendant problems. The new, 43mm Delfin is
water resistant to 200m, displays the hours, minutes, seconds and date and comes with a chronograph function.

WATER
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Follow us online!

COLUMN

Simon says...

ell, Ive been plucked from the social media platform, the digital area
if you like, to contribute here for the digital and print mediums for this
great watch publication. With several years as a social media professional for a watch brand, a keen photographer (especially of watches
and the infamous #womw) and avid watch fan, Ive been put to work

as Senior Editor UK at 0024 WatchWorld, where I hope to show off the skills I have learnt from
my previous positions.

So, whats happened recently?

Recently I attended my first watch event outside of BaselWorld, Belles Montres and Salon QP
Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie which is a mouthful, so well stick with its easier
to pronounce SIHH and was overwhelmed with how different a watch show can be, especially
one from the giant that is the Richemont empire... I was amazed at these brands and what they
really do. The complexities that Jaeger-LeCoultre, Parmigiani, A. Lange & Shne and Greubel
Forsey create with their jewels and tourbillons. The way the new 8 day offerings and chronographs from Panerai and the IWC Aquatimer range make me feel, to the complete surreal
wackiness that Roger Dubuis offered Eagle noises, large Cuckoo clocks and painted white men
rotating on the hour! All in all a great first experience and one which Ive now a real taste for, so
now we look ahead to BaselWorld 2014, and what the mighty Swatch and others have to whet
our pallets, make our knees go week and reach to our back pockets to get those wallets out!
What can we look forward to?
As well as 0024 WatchWorld expanding and growing to accommodate the ever increasing
demands for traditional print and digital platforms, we look forward to this expansion through
our magazine, our social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, we look
forward to serving you whatever your chosen hand held device may be! You will be able to
continue to read us in print or digital versions.
There have been some great Brand Boutiques opening up here in London over the past
12 months plus, from the likes of Parmigiani, Rolex, Bremont, Omega and Breitling, with the
promise of more for 2014 from the likes of Richard Mille and more unconfirmed brands, such
as Roger Dubuis, Blancpain and IWC on the horizon too... London, UK, especially the Mayfair,
Bond Street spreading into Mount Street locations and surrounding proximities, is stamping
its 0024 WatchWorld presence with strong authority. All in all exciting times ahead for the
Luxury Watch Industry.
Follow us @0024watchworld on Twitter and Instagram.

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Brillian ce
mee ts

march 27
april 3, 2014

Memories

COLUMN

Karel Huberts different view of life

here was a time when it used to be a treasured tradition to give somebody an

inscribed watch for a special occasion. Those were the days when there were
hardly any other products that would appropriately express the appreciation of
the giver. Today, in 2014, you give somebody an iPad, an introductory lesson in
a glider plane or a bland gift voucher, but there was a time when it had to be a

watch. Or maybe a fountain pen, but that was pretty well the end of your choices.
I think we should revitalise that tradition. Passed an important exam? Graduation, 21st birthday, retirement, 40th anniversary at work, been a grandpa for 10 years? Make it a watch with
the relevant dates and the reason for the gift inscribed in elegant script in the case-back. There is
no better gift, because everyone recognises the value, appreciates the enduring character of the
memory that is celebrated with this gift.
Watches act as the perfect markers along the road from birth to death. When I turned 18 I used
some of my study grant to buy an Omega Dynamic. This should have been something my father
gave me, but he was no longer with us. I have treasured that watch ever since, because it reminds
me of growing up and how long it took. There have been other watches with a story; the most
recent one is a Cartier Santos serving as an extra-large wedding ring, with the name of my beloved
and the date inscribed in the case-back with a flourish. I cannot think of any other product that
highlights getting older so glamorously, by making major events wearable.
To my mind a watch becomes truly beautiful and valuable if it is associated with an emotionally
charged moment in your life. The large Union stopwatch my father used for his work as a stage
director lives for me because in its crystal I can see the man reflected, at work, bent over his
scripts. The old gold Zenith that used to belong to my grandfather colours the image I have
of the man, even though I was only six when he died. His widow called me on my birthday and
bluntly told me (I was only six, remember) that my granddad was dead. So he isnt coming for
dinner tonight?, I asked. The Zenith registered all these events: when I touch it I can still hear my
grandmothers voice.
Over the course of a lifetime I have given watches to many people to mark important events for
them and also because of the incredulous, happy look on the face of someone you love or value
when they see what you have just given them. Because beautiful watches are virtually immortal
they will usually live on after the giver and keep his or her memory alive every time the recipient
looks at the watch.
Lets turn to watches to look at the past, and especially the high points. It wont increase the
physical value of the watch in question, but from an emotional point of view it will become invaluable. And that wont even increase your insurance premiums!

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