Baselworld: U-Boat. The Venenum Motorcycle Takes the Attention.

This year the U-Boat pavilion draw a lot of attention thanks to the Venenum motorcycle that was on display. The Venenum motorcycle is one of a hundred bikes that will be created exclusively for U-Boat by Dino Romano from Moto Dal Cuore—which translates to 'Bike from the Heart'.

Dino Romano's shop is located in Grosseto, Italy just 50 miles south of Siena. During the show we had a chance to talk to Dino for a little while and he explained to us how every component on this customization is fully handmade without the usage of any heavy machinery. Yes, all done by hand from cutting metal sheets to giving shape to the handle bar and even creating the clutch and brake grips.

Dino mentions that the bike took approximately four months to create and it's a customization of a Triumph Rocket III bike with three cylinders and an engine of 140 cubic inches. The Venenum boasts 160 hp with a total weight of 595 lbs.

As you will be able to appreciate in the pictures, every single detail on the bike was done in a way where U-Boat's iconic elements—i.e. the crown guard—where incorporated to the motorcycle in a functional yet very stylish way.

If you like watches and motorcycles, this could be your next dream bike.

For more info on this amazing bike click here. To browse the whole U-Boat collection click here.

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld, Other Brands and tagged Dino Romano Venenum Motorcycle U-Boat Baselworld 2013 Grosseto Italy Moto Dal Cuore.

Baselworld: A Typical Day in Pictures. Commuting From Zürich to Basel.

These pictures will show you what our typical day attending Baselworld looked like. Since we were staying at the fabulous Park Hyatt Hotel in Zürich, we had to commute to Basel everyday. We did this daily for almost a whole week.

Now, it's your turn to experience the journey and pretend you were there with us.

Getting ready to leave our hotel on Press Day, April 24th, 2013.

Our companion for the day. Discontinued Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15300 with blue dial.

Taking the ZVV Tram at the Stockerstrasse stop.

Street view on Banhofstrasse and Paradeplatz from the tram. Heading to the Banhofplatz to take our train to Basel.

Watch stores on the way to the train station on Banhofstrasse.

Türler, one of the biggest authorized watch dealers in Switzerland.

Checking the timetable for the next train to Basel. 14:34 Departure. We are right on time.

One of the famous Mondaine clocks at the train station. All train stations in Switzerland are stocked with Mondaine clocks.

Time for some caffeine. We are slightly jet lagged but excited about Baselworld. Segafredo, one of our favorite coffees.

We have boarded our train and getting ready to leave. We will be in Basel in 51 minutes.

The Swiss landscapes. Relaxing and comforting.

We have arrived at Basel's train station.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15300. Time check, 15:30.

Basel's train station. We were greeted by a Hamilton small airplane hanging from the roof, heavy watch advertising and the blue colors of Baselworld.

Time to get on the tram to the Messeplatz/Exhibition Square. We are 10 minutes away.

The street view from the tram. We are one stop away.

We have arrived at our destination. Baselworld 2013, here we come.

The entrance. Quite empty as it is Press day. The next day was very crowded as expected.

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld, Travel and tagged Baselworld 2013 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Zürich Basel Switzerland Banhofstrasse Park Hyatt Zürich.

Baselworld: JEANRICHARD. Its First Time at Baselworld.

JEANRICHARD—sister company to Girard-Perregaux— featured a small pavilion at Baselworld 2013, marking its first appearance. As you all know, both companies departed the SIHH last year and are now at Baselworld. For Girard-Perregaux it's a comeback, for JEANRICHARD a first time.

JEANRICHARD takes its name from a legendary name in watchmaking, Daniel Jeanrichard. This genius pioneered the development of the watchmaking industry in the Neuchâtel mountains in the late 17th century. Daniel Jeanrichard was born in the hamlet of Les Bressels, midway between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle. In 1681, he created his first watch, then set up his watchmaking workshop.

This brand includes four collections that pay tribute to the elements of our universe: Aquascope, Aeroscope, Terrascope and 1681. The novelties for this year include the new Aquascope and the Aeroscope chronograph.

The Aquascope, an accurate, robust and resolutely masculine timepiece, has found the perfect ambassador in Franck Cammas. The French yachtsman was named “Sailor of the Year” in 2012.

The Aeroscope chronograph with its cushion-shaped case in titanium is both light and robust at the same time. A large, round bezel with vertical satin finishing sits on the case, which is built of several parts, allowing for various satin or polished finishes and for a play with colours on the metal, natural grey or black with DLC coating. To accompany the take-off of this practical and exciting chronograph, JEANRICHARD chose an exceptional ambassador, a man known for his levelheadedness, his self-mastery and his passion for flying. An experienced pilot, captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger made history on January 15, 2009, when he ditched the Airbus A320 he was piloting in the Hudson River in New York City, saving the lives of all 155 people on board.

For more info click here.

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld, JEANRICHARD and tagged JEANRICHARD Aquascope Terrascope Aeroscope Chesley Sullenberger Sully 1681 Franck Cammas Baselworld 2013.

Baselworld: Girard-Perregaux. The Return to Baselworld.

After leaving the SIHH—Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie—, Girard-Perregaux is kicking-off its return to Baselworld, with a small but tasteful pavilion located towards the back of the exhibition hall 1.0 next to its sister company Jeanrichard—both companies part of the Sowind Group. This beautiful pavilion includes a wide display of historical pieces from their museum, as well as two horologists on duty, one working on movements and the other on dials and designs. Additionally, there was a special screening of the documentary 'Mission of Mermaids' funded by Susan and David Rockefeller. This 15-minute call to action documentary explores the issues of ocean acidification, overfishing and pollution and advocates for the need for ocean protection and environment preservation, all seen through the eyes of the mythical mermaid.

This year, Girard-Perregaux unveiled eight new models: the Constant Escapement—a true technical revolution that stunned connoisseurs when prototypes of the innovative mechanism were first presented, the Constant Escapement is now integrated into the movements driving the new models of Girard-Perregaux’s Haute Horlogerie collection—, the 1966 Integrated Chrono, the 1966 Lady 38mm, the Chrono Hawk Ceramic, the Sea Hawk Ceramic, the Traveller Moonphases, the Traveller WW.TC and the Vintage 1945 Lady. For more info on these models click here. Please check the video under the images for the new pieces to see how the Constant Escapement works.

Some of the historical pieces displayed at the pavilion include a Hunter pocket watch from 1860 and a Sea Hawk from 1965 amongst other rare vintage pieces from the mid-1900s. For sure Girard-Perregaux's return to Baselworld was a nice surprise full of horological innovation, rich history and very interesting new product launches.

Baselworld: Shinola. A Beautiful Story Made in Detroit.

One of our favorite discoveries this year is Shinola. A fairly inexpensive brand that launched in 2011 after adopting the name of the extinct Shinola-Bixby corporation founded in 1907—a manufacturer of small-scale shoeshine. Today, Shinola manufactures handmade bicycles, leather goods, journals and watches; all of them, proudly American made and part of a growing movement that celebrates the beauty of manufacturing and investing in the American workforce.

To build the first handmade watches in Detroit, they had to build the first watch factory in the city. A brand with great marketing, back-to-basics craftsmanship, high quality materials and superb branding make Shinola a brand to follow closely in the upcoming years. Made of U.S. and Swiss components and assembled in Detroit, this bright concept started with a partnership with a world-class watchmaker based in Switzerland to help them build a state-of-the-art watchmaking factory in 30,000 sq. ft. of the College for Creative Studies—CCS— in midtown, Detroit. Then, they began training Detroit locals on the delicate process of movement and watch assembly. The quality, designs and finished product are up to par with that of Swiss made timepieces in the same price range and category.

Shinola's pavilion is located on the third level of exhibition hall 1 across from Festina and Doxa. The modern design of this pavilion—evoking the modern architecture lines of Philip Johnson, Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe—, the custom bicycles, leather straps, journals, footballs, unique looking watches and the Shinola cola we received upon departure, make this exhibit one of the most unique displays at Baselworld.

The calibre inside the Shinola watches is named Argonite and it is made of Swiss components in its majority. The calibre was named after the building that houses
their manufacture—the Argonaut, where GM’s legendary design teams produced countless industrial innovations, from the first fully automatic transmission to the first heart-lung machine.

All watches come with a unique manufacturing code, composed by a category number, a series number and a case number. All of these, engraved on the case back in a style that evokes the old black metal plaques that used to be used for VIN and engine serial numbers on cars, decades ago. For more info click here.

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and tagged Shinola Detroit Leather Goods Argonaut Argonite Made in Detroit.

Baselworld: Rolex Yacht-Master II in Stainless Steel. The Only One that was Missing.

Here's another one of the Rolex Baselworld 2013 novelties. The Yacht Master II in stainless steel has been a piece that many have been wishing to have for years and now, it's finally here. Thank you Rolex.

This particular reference 116680 —up until now only available in yellow gold, white gold or in a combination of stainless steel and everose gold— is fitted with a programmable regatta countdown and a ring command bezel that can be programmed from one to ten minutes. It incorporates a mechanical memory that can be adjusted to match the official regatta countdown. Once launched, it can also be synchronized on the fly and adjusted accordingly. This timepiece comes with a matte white lacquered dial, blue lacquered small seconds register, hands/markers in blued 18K gold and a red seconds hand. The beating heart inside this reference is calibre 4161 with a 72-hour power reserve. For more info click here.

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and tagged Yacht Master II Stainless Steel Yacht Master II Rolex Baselworld 2013 New Baselworld 2013 Yacht Master II.

Baselworld: Oris. More Focus on Diving Watches.

Oris, the brand with the iconic red rotor has definitely come a long way since the launch of the Big Crown watch in the late 90s. At Baselworld, an updated Big Crown watch was unveiled as well as the Depth Gauge Aquis diving watch. Based on what we saw at their pavilion, Oris will continue to position their core brand essence within the confines of precise mechanical diving watches, with additional interest on their aviation timepieces and lesser on their racing line.

Their pavilion includes a wide range of pieces on display as well as some historical museum pieces that are eye-catching. Enjoy the video at the bottom with the Depth Gauge Aquis in action.

For more info click here.

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and tagged Oris Pro Diver Aquis Big Crown Baselworld.

Upcoming: IWJG Las Vegas. May 27-28, 2013.

The International Watch and Jewelry Guild trade show for Las Vegas will take place on May 27th and 28th, 2013 at the Tropicana Las Vegas hotel and casino. Expect tons of dealer activity and some of the most fascinating timepieces.

For more info click here.

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Events and tagged IWJG Las Vegas Trade Show.

Baselworld: Harry Winston. Ocean Sport, Project Z6 and Zalium.

Exclusive watchmaker Harry Winston—with a pavilion located across from Hermès and next to Oris— presented their Ocean Sport line, Project Z6 Black Limited Edition and the Zalium collection.

Zalium is a zirconium alloy exclusive to Harry Winston that is also utilized in the aerospace industry, extremely resistant to corrosion, very light and scarcer and harder than titanium. A true revolutionary material. The collection comprised of different pieces ranging from simple chronographs to skeletonized watches and grande complications, is definitely pleasant to the eye, however, not so much to the pocket unless you have extra cash to spare.

For more info click here.

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and tagged Ocean Sport Project Z6 Project Z6 Black Edition Zalium Harry Winston Baselworld.

Baselworld: Raymond Weil. More Musical Inspiration.

Behind Breitling and across from Tissot, Movado and Concord, the massive Raymond Weil pavilion catches everyone's attention. This three story music box with a living tree that stands up in its courtyard, also includes a 27 feet high violin, made up of 59 components—its assembly required over 2000 hours of manual work— that is more than a musical instrument; it symbolizes Raymond Weil's passion for music that has always been the source of its inspiration.

This year's novelties included pieces across the Maestro, Nabucco, Freelancer and Tango Collections, all of them inspired by musical notes, precision and classic designs.

For more info click here.

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld and tagged Baselworld Raymond Weil Maestro Collection Nabucco Music Box.

Baselworld: Breitling. The Massive Fish Tank.

Located right behind the Omega pavilion, you just can't miss the Breitling display with a massive fish tank containing a variety of tropical fish and small sharks. The fish tank glows in the center of the exhibition hall just like the luminosity on a beach with bio-luminescence.

Simulating the port holes and cabins inside a ship, this massive display is one of our favorites this year. The pavilion is mainly focused on the Emergency revamped line, the Superocean line-up and the Breitling for Bentley pieces. Please enjoy a short video of the fish tank at the bottom of the post. For more info click here.

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld, Breitling and tagged Breitling Fish Tank Superocean Emergency Bentley Baselworld 2013.

Baselworld: Zenith. 2,333 Chronometry Awards.

The Zenith pavilion is located right across from Hublot and next to TAG Heuer. This record breaking manufacture with 2,333 chronometry awards presented the largest and most beautiful display of historical pieces at Baselworld. With a historical timeline that extended well beyond 60 feet in length, Zenith presented everything from rare clocks to vintage iconic references such as El Primero Chronograph from 1969, Espada El Primero from 1975, a few Captain watches, a 1970 chronograph for the Italian Air Force, several vintage Pilot watches and other rarities. Additionally, on the right side of the pavilion, Zenith included a very unique dynamic display of all of their 2,333 chronometry awards for visitors to explore, arrange and rearrange.

Among the novelties for this year we find the Captain Grande Date Moonphase, Captain Winsor Annual Calendar Boutique Edition, Pilot Historical Type 20 GMT and Special, Pilot Big Date Special, El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th, El Primero Chronomaster 1969 and the Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane with gyroscopic 'Gravity Control' module. For more info click here.

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld, Zenith and tagged El Primero Zenith Christophe Colomb Captain Pilot Big Date 2013.

Baselworld: Hermès Pavilion. A Masterpiece by Toyo Ito.

The new Hermès pavilion is located on the second level of the main exhibition hall just short from the escalators and across from Harry Winston. Built by awarded architect Toyo Ito—awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2013—, the Hermès Pavilion is designed along the lines of traditional Japanese teahouses. With natural materials like wood and 167 live plants, Hermès provides a welcoming space at the heart of Baselworld.

The two-story box measures 34 meters long and 19 meters wide, with a total area of 1,040 square meters—approximately 11,200 sq. ft. Covered with 624 wooden planks, the façade covers a second inner structure made of wood, glass, metal and greenery. Finally, to complete the masterpiece, watch display cases were conceived to appear as metallic blossoming flowers to showcase Hermès latest timepieces.

At this pavilion you will find a nice assortment of classic looking designs, colorful dials, orange accents and some pocket watches evoking horology's antique times.

For more info click here.

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld and tagged Toyo Ito In The Pocket.

Baselworld: Jaquet Droz. Pure Art.

Next to Omega and across from Glashütte, we find Jaquet Droz. This legendary watchmaker with 275 years of history and artful creations, dominates the corner on the first turn towards the back of the Exhibition Hall 1.0 Full of artistic pieces and some amazing complications, Jaquet Droz continues to make a statement in 'Haute Horlogerie' just like it did back in November of 2012 with the launch of the acclaimed Bird Repeater. Founded in 1738 by Pierre Jaquet-Droz, this company remains focused on artistic creations and outstanding complications.

For more info click here. To see the Bird Repeater in action click here.

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld, Jaquet Droz and tagged Bird Repeater Jaquet Droz Haute Horlogerie 2013.

Baselworld: Omega. Unveiling of Seven New Models.

The Omega pavilion is located straight down the main aisle at the center of the Exhibition Hall 1.0, right next to the other Swatch Group brands—Jaquet Droz, Tourbillon, Longines, Glashütte, Tissot, Rado, Certina, et.al. This over-sized pavilion with displays on the front, sides and back, unveiled seven new models this week. Some of them quite fascinating.

The new line-up includes the Constellation Sedna made of a completely new alloy blending gold, copper and palladium—considered 18K rose gold as it includes a minimum gold content of 75%—, the Seamaster Planet Ocean Good Planet which is a tribute to the Good Planet Foundation—with GMT functions, blue dial and blue and orange bezel—, the anti-magnetic Aqua Terra 15000 Gauss, the Aqua Terra Day-Date, the Speedmaster Black Ceramic, the Speedmaster '57 Co-Axial Chronograph and the De Ville Ladymatic Bicolour. For more info click here.

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Omega, Baselworld and tagged Omega Aqua Terra 15000 Gauss Ladycat Omega Co-Axial Chrono Speedmaster Black Ceramic Seamaster Planet Ocean Good Planet Baselworld 2013.

Baselworld: Blancpain. The Iconic Fifty Fathoms on Display.

Located right across from Breguet and kitty corner from Swatch Group's Tourbillon, Blancpain offers a vibrant exhibit with horologists on site and historical museum pieces including a Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe circa 1960, a Fifty Fathoms from 1953, the Letters Patent issued to Jean Jacques Fiechter and a X Fathoms timepiece. Blancpain's displays feature state-of-the-art technology with video and animation on command. Each display features a screen at at the bottom with a short video about each particular reference. In all, a great exhibition with history, wow factor and elegant touches.

For more info click here.

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld, Blancpain and tagged Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Blancpain.

Encounter: Rolls-Royce Silver Spur. A Classy and Elegant Ride.

There's nothing more exciting than running into amazing timepieces or posh classic cars while going for a walk. This time it's the turn for a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur—also known as Silver Spirit—parked a few steps away from the Hermès, Prada and David Yurman boutiques located in Chicago's exclusive boutique row on Oak street, right between Michigan avenue and Rush street.

This beautiful car from the 80s is in mint condition and features one of our favorite color combos in ivory cream with a chocolate brown top. The interior also in dark brown with magnificent wood trim makes this automobile a true classic and a perfect example of a time machine.

The Silver Spur, was introduced by Rolls-Royce in 1980 and was the first new generation of models for the company. The chassis on this car is the same chassis that was also used by Bentley on their Mulsanne series.

With a 6.75 liter V8 engine with automatic transmission, the Silver Spur continues to offer the powerful, yet smooth and quiet ride prevalent across all Rolls-Royce cars.

For more info click here.

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Automobiles and tagged Rolls-Royce Silver Spur Rolls.

Baselworld: Breguet Pavilion. Fine Horlogerie and Classique Designs.

Located right next to Tudor and across from Blancpain, this 'Haute Horlogerie' name from the Vallée de Joux offers a very classy and refined exhibition that includes horologists on site. Founded since 1775, but highly popular due to the creation of the tourbillon by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1795, this horology house stays true to his values and 'classique' designs. For more info click here.

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld and tagged Breguet Baselworld Pavilion Abraham-Louis Breguet Vallée de Joux 2013.

Baselworld: Tudor Pavilion. Another Heritage Release.

The Tudor pavilion stands right next to Rolex—its parent company—, Breguet and right across from the Chopard pavilion. With a color palette in black and red and several product news including the new Black Shield line and the Heritage Chrono Blue, the Tudor pavilion is a must see.

This time, Tudor also included a small display for historical references from their museum, including a Submariner from 1954, a Chronograph from 1970 and the Monte Carlo in blue from 1973.

Everyone is awaiting Tudor's comeback to the U.S. this summer and for sure no one will be disappointed. For more info click here.