Baselworld 2014: Introducing the New Tudor Heritage Black Bay Midnight Blue. Live Pictures of a Real 'Stunner' in Person.

First presented in 2012 with a red bezel insert and featured here, this fascinating watch is now released two years later with a midnight blue bezel insert and without the vintage gilded look on its dial. While the live pictures are not very flattering —last year we encountered the same issue with the lighting conditions at the Tudor pavilion—, we can tell you that this watch is a true stunner. The midnight blue color on its bezel and the optional nylon strap is really nice and darker than what pictures depict. We can't wait till we can bring you a review with pictures under natural light. For now enjoy these images.

Sticker Price TBC. For more info on Tudor click here.

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld, Tudor and tagged Tudor Heritage Black Bay Blue Tudor Heritage Black Bay Midnight Blue 2014.

Baselworld 2014: A Sneak Peek. Only Two Hours Away From Opening.

We are reporting live from Baselworld 2014. We have already obtained our press accreditation and we have walked around the grounds to get some images for you. We are less than two hours away from the opening of what appears to be another unforgettable edition of the most important watch and jewelry show in the world.

Here are some pictures of what everything looks like in preparation for the official opening during Media Day. We also included pictures of the Media Center so you can see where we will be spending a lot of time this week. The Media Center was definitely upgraded and relocated to a much larger area this year. Kudos to the organizers at Baselworld 2014. There's even a picture of our friends at WatchTime taking the escalators up to the media centre.

Now enjoy the images and pretend you came along.

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Baselworld and tagged Baselworld 2014.

Baselworld 2014: We Are Reporting Live from Basel. Stay Tuned for All The Updates in Just a Few Hours.

As you all know, Baselworld is the most important watch and jewelry event in the world. Last year, Baselworld drove 122,000 visitors from 100 countries, 1,460 exhibitors and 3,610 journalists. Baselworld 2014 is expected to be even bigger and drive close to 150,000 visitors this year.

If you've followed our updates across our different social media platforms, then you know we have landed safely in Zürich and we are more than ready to bring you unlimited updates as soon as Baselworld 2014 kicks-off Wednesday 26th at 12pm —Basel Time— for what is called 'Media Day'.

The Baselworld 2014 Media Conference is scheduled for 11am and afterwards, the exhibition halls will be officially open at least for the press and the media. The official opening of Baselworld 2014 for all visitors is Thursday March 27th at 8:30am.

Some of the brands that are expected to bring some big news this year include Rolex, Tudor, Omega, Patek Philippe, Zenith, TAG Heuer, Breitling, Bell & Ross and of course all the independent 'haute horlogerie' manufactures like MCT, MB&F, HYT, Breva, Romain Jerome, Christophe Claret and De Bethune amongst others.

Will we finally see the return of a Rolex GMT Master II Pepsi or perhaps, even a Rolex Tri-Compax with Moon Phase?

Will Tudor wow us with a reissue of the iconic Ranger or perhaps a new blue Black Bay?

One thing we know for sure, is that this edition of Baselworld 2014 will be very special as Patek Philippe is celebrating its 175th Anniversary.

As soon as the halls open, we will be publishing our updates. Stay tuned and those miss any of them!

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under News and tagged Baselworld 2014.

Experience: MB&F's M.A.D Gallery. A Must See When You are Visiting Geneva.

Next time you are visiting Geneva, you need to make sure you stop by MB&F's M.A.D —Mechanical Art Devices— Gallery. This fascinating cozy and intimate gallery is not only the office to some of the team members from MB&F, but also an interesting place where horology and mechanical objects blend into one.

Currently, the gallery is exhibiting work mainly from four different artists including:

Xia Hang, sculptor from Beijing, China and the main source of inspiration for the new MB&F Legacy Machine N°1 Xia Hang reviewed here. Here are some of the sculptures we saw while we were there. The sculptures are meant to be touched and play with as a link between the artist and the visitor.

Fabian Oefner a Swiss artist is presenting his 'Hatch & Disintegrating' breathtaking photographs that we featured here back in December of 2013. The three images of the Disintegrating series are exploded views of classic sports cars that Fabian has painstakingly created by deconstructing vintage roadster scale-models, photographing each component, piece by piece in a very specific position, to create the illusion of an exploding automobile. The images show exploded views of classic sports cars: intricate scale models of an eye-wateringly beautiful Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé with gullwing doors from 1954; an iconic sleek, black Jaguar E-Type from 1961; and a curvaceous sensual Ferrari 330 P4 from 1967.

Quentin Carnaille a French architect converted into an artist to explore time’s mysteries. The young artist develops an increasingly thorough reflection around the notion of time, questioning themes like infinity or relativity with the use of mirrors, magnets and mechanical watch movement parts. He is the creator of the 'Apesanteur' and the 'Infini' sculptures. The 'Apasanteur' —which can be translated as ‘Zero Gravity’ or ‘Weightlessness’—is a sculpture fitted with a levitating disk composed of thousands of mechanical watch components and suspended in air thanks to the powerful magnetic field of a magnet hidden inside the wooden base of the sculpture. ‘Apesanteur’ is an invisible link between astronomy and mechanical watchmaking in a limited edition of 12 pieces priced at around $15,000 USD.

‘Infini’ —Infinity— is made of 16 watch sculptures also composed of thousands of vintage micro-horological components that are magnetically stuck to one another. They float in an endless picture, part light fixture, part sculpture and part mirror. There, time and infinity coexist in a stunning work. 'Infini' is available in a limited edition of 12 pieces and priced around $21,500 USD.

Lastly, Berlin-based Frank Buchwald who worked as a freelance artist and science-fiction illustrator until 1993 when he turned his attention to designing and manufacturing metallic furniture. He created all manner of metal furniture until about a decade ago when he started to focus his efforts on making lamps. It took Frank many years before he felt that the designs of his sculptural lights were moving in the right direction, and an even longer time until he could say he was completely satisfied. His work titled 'Machine Lights' is literally a combination of industrial machines and lights to create captivating light fixtures and lamps that are priced between $10,900 and $27,500 USD.

At the gallery, you will also find other interesting objects and works from artists like Japanese artist Chicara Nagata whom for the past 20 years, has been dedicating his entire energy to the creation of art pieces, most commonly known as motorcycles. His motorcycles called Chicara Art I, II, III, IV and V cost approximately $407,000 USD each and Chicara Nagata became the World Champion of Custom Bike design in the Freestyle category when he presented the Chicara Art I in 2006.

Oh and if you were wondering if any MB&F machines are on display at the gallery, the answer is yes. The M.A.D Gallery is located on Rue Verdaine 11 in Geneva, Switzerland.

For more info on MB&F's M.A.D Gallery click here.

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Travel, MB&F and tagged MB&F M.A.D Gallery Chicara Nagata Xia Hang Frank Buchwald Fabian Oefner Quentin Carnaille 2014.

Experience: Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite Porte-Documents Voyage. A True Watchlifestyler's Bag.

Many of you have noticed the Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite background on some of our pictures posted here on our website, via Twitter and on our Instagram account. Since we rarely show the whole bag, we decided to work on this post to showcase one of our most faithful companions and what we consider a true watchlifestyler's bag of choice. The Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite Porte-Documents Voyage is a perfectly sized briefcase capable of carrying a 15" laptop in conjunction with documents as big as 14" by 10" and even our Leica camera equipment fits in it. This briefcase that has been our companion along all sorts of watch reviews, pleasure travels and watch events like the SIHH —Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie—, Baselworld and the SIAR —Salón Internacional de Alta Relojería— is nothing but durable and practical. Today, after years of ownership, it still looks as good as when it came out of the store.

This distinguished briefcase measuring 16.1" wide, 12.2" tall and 4.7" deep will surprise you when you realize how much stuff you can fit in it. The briefcase features a convenient foamed laptop pocket for added protection, a zippered compartment for A4 documents, two small flap pockets where you can fit your planner or small notebook, two pen loops, interior d-ring for your keys, an exterior flat pocket on the back side, lock and a removable shoulder strap —we personally like the look of the bag without the strap as it is looks more elegant. Lastly, the added feature that Louis Vuitton doesn't tell you about, is that it makes one of the nicest backdrops for watch photography.

Now, let's share with you some of our favorite images where we have used this briefcase as the backdrop for some amazing timepieces. Indisputably, this is the most stylish way to walk around the streets and airports of the world and this briefcase is now for sure one of the staples in WatchCollectingLifestyle images.

Sticker Price $2,290 USD. For more info on Louis Vuitton click here.

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Fashion & Style and tagged Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite Porte-Documents Voyage Ferrari 360 Modena 2014.

News: John Mayer Sues Bob Maron for At Least $656,000 USD. What This Means for Vintage Watch Lovers.

On March 18, 2014, the celebrity news source TMZ broke the news that American recording artist John Mayer was suing Robert Maron a.k.a Bob Maron —renowned watch dealer to the stars with clients like Charlie Sheen— for at least $656,000 USD, claiming that some of the watches Maron sold him, were 'counterfeit' as confirmed by the Rolex Service Center.

John Mayer, besides being quite popular for his guitar playing abilities, is also well known in the watch collecting circles due to his close relationship and contributions to a well respected watch blog. John's love for watches probably started when he met Eric Clapton —also known to be an important watch collector.

No matter how much you know about watches or how close you are to the experts, you could always find yourself lost in the murky waters of the vintage watch collecting world. Especially, when it comes to vintage Rolex and Tudor timepieces. Always, always do your homework and if necessary, reach out to well renowned experts like Philipp Stahl, Stefano Mazzariol, Marcello Pisani or Pucci Papaleo.

For those of you not familiar with Robert Maron, according to his website, he has been a watch dealer since the 80s and known throughout the world for his 'expertise' in rare and vintage timepieces, especially around Patek Philippe and Rolex. Maron is a graduate of Harvard University and it was while attending UCLA Law School that he first considered taking his hobby to the next level becoming a full-time watch dealer. During this period, Maron began actively buying and selling vintage wristwatches and the extra money earned from his part-time business helped finance his law school education. Maron soon realized that his love for fine watches outweighed his desire to become a lawyer and following his graduation from law school, he chose watches over law as his full-time career. It is hard to believe that a watch dealer with such credentials could be caught up in a scandal like this.

But what does this mean for the vintage watch world and vintage watch lovers? Well, the moral of the story is that you really can't trust anybody and 'buying the seller' is no longer the safe route to go anymore.

When someone like John Mayer —a so called 'watch expert'— gets allegedly ripped off by another watch expert like Bob Maron and not even John Mayer's friends could tell that these watches were indeed 'counterfeit', it means that the vintage watch industry could be facing huge issues moving forward. If you are not any of the four expert gentlemen mentioned earlier, you should probably be more than careful when buying vintage. Not only have we seen a large number of 'counterfeit' cases, bezel inserts, dials and bracelets but also even punched papers.

While collecting vintage Rolex watches is very appealing and wearing a 'Freccione', a 'Paul Newman' or a 'Double Red Sea-Dweller' gives you a ton of street credit among other connoisseurs and heavy hitters, you are taking big risks. While there are many watch dealers that will never misrepresent watches and only sell you fully legit watches, there are others that are well known to offer what we call 'put-together' vintage watches trying to make them pass for 'original untouched safe queens' —you guys know who you are. In reality, these watches are just the sum of pristine different parts of many watches.

Oh, and don't forget those selling 'artificially aged' bezel inserts. There are a ton out there selling for thousands of dollars. Also, if you look deep enough, you'll find an Asian company selling 'counterfeit' Rolex and Tudor vintage watch parts online that we were told about by a watch dealer—we still wonder why this company has not been busted yet after so many years in the market. If, after checking that website you are still brave enough to buy another vintage Rolex, that means that you could be one of the four vintage experts mentioned earlier.

To us, the only way to buy with peace of mind, is to buy from the original owner. Here's one that we know for sure comes from the original owner.

You can find the full complaint documents here.

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under News and tagged John Mayer Robert Maron Marcello Pisani Pucci Papaleo Philipp Stahl Stefano Mazzariol.

Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167. Perfectly Suited for the Springtime.

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167A-001 is the perfect sporty yet elegant watch for the Spring and Summer months. Since today is March 21st, and it's officially the Spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, we thought it would be appropriate to welcome the warmer weather with a watch that is perfectly suited for water activities and hot humid swelling wrists thanks to its rubber 'tropical' strap. Furthermore, this year Patek Philippe will be celebrating its 175th anniversary and we only wonder what Baselworld 2014 will have in store for us.

This wonderful and iconic Patek Philippe sometimes referred to as the 'perfect first Patek' or even negatively called by tasteless collectors as the 'poor man's Patek' or the 'Daewoo of Pateks' is nothing but exceptional. Frankly, every time we hear these type of comments when it comes to timepieces, we feel sorry for those making them.

The iconic Patek Philippe Aquanaut Jumbo was originally launched in 1997 under ref. 5065A —measuring 38 mm in diameter— or in a slightly smaller size as ref. 5066 'Mid-Size' —measuring 36 mm—, as a casual Patek alternative with lines and design slightly inspired by the iconic Nautilus. The Aquanaut, is the only Patek Philippe watch fitted with a rubber strap and ready to take on all types of activities inside or outside the water.

Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5066. Photo by noonan from PuristSPro Collectors Market.

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167A-001 is fitted with a stainless steel case measuring 40 mm in diameter —2 mm larger than its predecessor— with highly polished and satin-brushed finished areas and a slightly rounded octagonal shape, the Aquanaut is a watch that comes with great proportions and a timeless design. The embossed black dial —ruthenium looking with a brownish hue— features white gold applied Arabic numerals and a white minute track.

Since its launch, the dial on the Aquanaut was meant to replicate the attractive texture of the strap; however, we feel that the current dial looks less like the strap and more like the earth globe with wedges from where it takes some of its inspiration. Frankly, we personally prefer the original dial with raised 'guilloché' square pattern and the perfectly balanced look with the '3' Arabic number next to the date aperture. Regardless, this watch is ready for those watchlifestylers seeking a more inconspicuous wrist presence without compromising quality, elegance or price value. Furthermore, the fact that we watch is fitted with a screw-down crown and waterproof to a 120 meters, makes it a perfectly suited timepiece to be worn on the beach or by the pool while sporting your Vilebrequin trunks.

The 'tropical' rubber strap takes its inspiration from the vintage 'tropic' straps from the 60s and 70s and is equipped with a very elegant double-folding clasp than when fastened showcases the iconic 'Calatrava' cross used by Patek Philippe in bass-relief. One great thing about the ref. 5167 versus its predecessor ref. 5065/5066, is that the strap is perfectly flushed against the case providing a more elegant and seamless look.

For those of you interested in world history, the 'Calatrava' cross was the emblem used by the first military order founded in Castile, Spain and confirmed as a Militia by Pope Alexander III on September 26, 1164. 'Calatrava' means "Fortress of Rabah" and is also the name of a castle in Spain recovered from the Moors in 1147. The 'Calatrava' cross was originally worn by the Order Calatrava —composed by monks that later became knights— as a red Greek cross with fleur-de-lis ends.

The strap also features the 'Calatrava' cross on its interior and its rubber composite is very supple and quite malleable. Perhaps the biggest downside to this strap, is the fact that it needs to be cut to the size of your wrist with no room for error and making it quite difficult to get the exact perfect fit. Now, if you are one of those watchlifestylers that likes to flip watches constantly and your wrist is on the smaller side, be prepared to add an additional brand new strap when selling your watch as most buyers with larger wrists won't be interested in buying from you.

The beating heart inside this Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167 is the automatic calibre 324 S C composed of 213 parts, 29 jewels, six bridges and which provides a power reserve of 45 hours when fully wound while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph. One downside of this calibre is the lack of hacking seconds that prevents the wearer from an accurate time setting operation. The calibre is fully visible via the display case back and as with any other Patek a real treat for the eyes.

On the wrist, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut is quite comfortable but a watch that wears slightly smaller than its actual size. If you are a watchlifestyler that has to wear a Patek everywhere you go, then the Aquanaut is a must have in your collection. Paired with the right Vilebrequin trunks during a nice relaxing week in Saint-Tropez will show others that you know about watches and the good life.

The Aquanaut is also available as ref. 5165 measuring 38 mm in diameter, in 18K rose gold ref. 5167R, in stainless steel with matching bracelet ref. 5167/1 and in three different colors for the ladies model under ref. 5067.

Sticker Price $20,300 USD. For more info on Patek Philippe click here.

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Patek Philippe and tagged Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167 Patek Philippe Aquanaut Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5066 Calatrava Cross Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167A-001 Patek Philippe Calibre 324SC 2014.

Time Machine: A Dozen Rolex Oyster Perpetual 'Bubblebacks'. It Took 10 Years To Hunt Them Down.

From time to time we receive emails from watchlifestylers that want to share their watch collections with us. While we only feature these collections sporadically as we get dozens of emails every month, we are always very careful on featuring only those collections or timepieces that spark our interest and those which we believe would be appealing to our readers. Last week, we received an email with an interesting subject line: "Dozen Bubblebacks, All Rare and in Working Condition". As soon as we opened the email and read the kind words from this collector, we knew we had to schedule a private meeting to peruse these timepieces and feature them here. The collector who prefers to remain anonymous, is a fine gentleman that currently lives in Chicago and that spent 10 years hunting down these fascinating 'Bubblebacks'. In his own words: "once I bought my first 'Bubbleback' —pictured below—, I knew I had to get rid of all the other watches that I had been collecting for years and focus my attention on this beautiful Rolex icon".

Rare Bird: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Mexico' Limited Edition. A Must Have for Mexican Watchlifestylers.

A few days ago, we heard through the grapevine that a close friend had somehow sourced a brand new in box Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Mexico' limited edition. Thereafter, we decided to pay him a visit and work on these images and review for those of you that still feel Mexican at heart. This very special watch was released in 2010 by Audemars Piguet in a limited edition of 200 pieces in titanium with stainless steel bezel ref. 26297IS.OO.D101CR.01 and in a 100 pieces in 18K rose gold ref. 26297OR.OO.D101CR.01. Soon after its release, the watch sold out. While many gray watch dealers claim to have these watches in stock, they don't and finding a brand new one, is as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.

The 'Pride of Mexico' was released as a celebratory piece to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Mexican Independence using the standard 42 mm Royal Oak Offshore case, a white silvery dial with some key color accents and equipped with a very elegant dark green —almost black looking— alligator hornback leather strap with light green contrast stitching.

Fitted with a 'méga tapisserie' white silvery dial with green Arabic numerals and a red chrono seconds hand, the watch has just the right amount of color to celebrate Mexico's Independence the right way without overdoing it. The three colors utilized in its dial are representative of the Mexican flag and are very well executed in this timepiece. The 'méga tapisserie' dial is quite nice and shimmery when exposed to fluorescent light sources and the numerals and hands feature luminescent material, a must have on a Royal Oak Offshore.

Flipping the watch over reveals a very nice surprise that is engraved on the case back. The engraving, an image of the 'Ángel of Independence' that is located on a roundabout on 'Paseo de la Reforma' —Mexico City's most important avenue. The 'Ángel of Independence' is a constant reminder of the War of Independence against Spain —which lasted eleven years and eleven days from September 16th, 1810 until September 27th, 1821— and is also one of the most beautiful and iconic landmarks in all Mexico City. The 'Angel of Independence' most commonly known as 'El Ángel' was built in 1910 to commemorate the centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence and years later it was turned into a mausoleum where the remains of the most important Independence war heroes are kept.

To round out this amazing limited edition watch, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Mexico' limited edition is presented in a special wooden box with the three colors of the Mexican flag and topped with a round plate that features the same engraving of the 'Ángel of Independence' that appears on the case back of the watch. The beating heart inside this watch is the Audemars Piguet automatic calibre 2326/2840 —second generation movement inside the Royal Oak Offshores but not the latest one calibre 3126/3840— which provides a power reserve of 38 hours when fully wound.

On the wrist, the watch wears true to its size but heavier than other titanium Offshores due to its stainless steel bezel. In reality is hard to tell the difference in weight between this watch and a regular stainless steel Offshore. If words like 'Bosques', 'Bandasha', 'Teca', 'La Anáhuac' or 'El Baby' are very meaningful to you and every time you hear them you feel transported to your 'wonder years' in Mexico City, then you know that sooner rather than later, this particular limited edition Audemars Piguet will become part of your collection. Let the hunt begin!

Sticker Price $29,000-34,000 USD. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Audemars Piguet and tagged Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Pride of Mexico Angel of Independence Mexico City Audemars Piguet calibre 2326/2804 2014.

Experience: London's Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel. Just as Exceptional as the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Platinum on the Wrist.

The Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel in London is one of the original London railway hotels, formerly opened as the Great Eastern Hotel and housed in a beautiful red brick Victorian building dating back to 1884 right behind the Liverpool train station and a couple blocks away from iconic Gherkin building. The Andaz is the perfect hotel to help you overcome your jet lag after a long transatlantic flight and welcome you with a perfectly nested and nicely stocked watch boutique —Carr Watches— right next door. Once inside the hotel, you will be pleasantly surprised by its ultra modern and minimalist decor that is the common denominator in boutique hotels like this. As you walk in, you will realize there's no check-in desk so just go ahead and make yourself comfortable in one of their elegant leather chairs or chaise lounges. Within seconds, someone from their friendly staff will come greet you, ask you if you need any water and check you in without any hassles. As you take a deep breath, you'll sense the beautiful scents from their candles that are perfectly placed around the lobby area and that make the space super cozy and intimate.

Before heading upstairs to your room, make sure you stop by their intimate coffee lounge —right before the lifts— to get some well needed caffeine from their perfectly calibrated Nespresso machines or perhaps a cup of English tea or maybe just some pear elderflower refreshing soda. Now, if you have a sweet tooth and you like to have your coffee or tea with some shortbread biscuits, just help yourself to the canisters on top of the wooden block table filled with delicate and freshly baked goodies, all at your fingertips.

As you head upstairs to your room, you can't stop thinking about the beautiful watches you saw at Carr Watches as you were walking into the hotel. As you walk into one of their beautiful modern rooms and you sit down on the inviting red chair in the corner of the room to do the first watch change, you realize you shouldn't be in the room too long as you want to head downstairs and make sure you take a closer look at the amazing Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore End of Days you saw upon arrival. The last thing you want, is for another watchlifestyler to get there before you do and buy it.

As you head out of your room, you spend some time checking out the space and the tasteful architecture inside the hotel. For some reason, the circular opening across from the lifts reminds you of the Guggenheim as you look downstairs. After snapping a few pictures you are finally back in the lobby to go do some watch shopping.

After a nice visit at Carr Watches —featured here—, you walk all the way to the London Bridge with your mind full of ideas on what to buy next and see if you can make a decision the next morning. Honestly, you just flew across the globe and you still have a full day of watch shopping in London —one of the watch shopping capitals of the world as we published it here— before you end up making an impulse buy. As you walk back into the hotel you are starving; therefore, you decide to check one of their seven restaurants and bars to choose from. You can savor some afternoon tea and British fine dining in London's highly-reviewed 1901 Restaurant & Wine Bar; have some authentic Japanese cuisine in Miyako; a brasserie grill menu in Eastway; traditional English pub fare in George or for the perfect place to meet, relax or party the night away, the new Catch Champagne Bar & Lounge. Since it's your first night, you want to take it easy and you head to Catch Champagne Bar & Lounge where you can have a little bit of everything while sipping a few glasses of your favorite Laurent Perrier Rose champagne.

Pleasantly satisfied with your meal, you feel you're not ready for bed yet and you decide to have a nightcap drink at their pub named George. Since the name of the pub reminds you of a very dear 'drinking friend' from New York City, you decide to have a few Bombardiers and even a Symonds cider. Now, you are perfectly relaxed and ready for bed. As you head upstairs to dream about watches and peacefully rest in your comfy bed, you realize you might not even be able to fall asleep thinking of all the watches you'll see the next day on Old Bond Street and New Bond Street. Sweet watch dreams!

For more info on Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel click here.

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Travel, Girard-Perregaux and tagged Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel Gherkin Building London 2014.

News: Armin Strom Continues Partnership with F1 Team Marussia. It's Been Four Consecutive Years Now.

We have some great news for all our readers that our Formula One fans —and we know it's most of you. Armin Strom, is pleased to announce the continuation of its collaboration with the Marussia F1 Team. Armin Strom will be acting as the official timing partner for the Anglo-Russian Formula 1 Team for a fourth consecutive season. With the dramatic new regulations introduced for the 2014 season as we shared them here, will see some important technological developments potentially upsetting the balance of power at the front of the grid.

Equipped with a Scuderia Ferrari powertrain, the Marussia F1 Team hope to improve on their 2013 achievement of the all-important 10th position in the constructors’ championship. With Max Chilton, friend and ambassador of the Biel manufacturer, being retained as a race driver after an impressive debut season, Armin Strom is proud to have Max as its brand ambassador within the paddock.

The exceptionally strong relationship between the Team and the Manufacturer has developed over the past seasons, and this has led to Armin Strom creating watches for Baselworld 2014 that incorporate the precision and composites used to build the Marussia F1 Team MR03. Here are the images of the five watches that currently conform Armin Strom's Racing collection and once we are reporting live from Baselworld 2014 we will bring you images of the new timepieces to be unveiled there.

For more info on Team Marussia click here and for Armin Strom here.

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under News, Armin Strom and tagged Armin Strom Racing Collection Armin Strom Armin Strom Team Marussia F1 2014.

Rare Bird: Patek Philippe 18K Gold Perpetual Calendar with Moon Phases ref. 3448 for Tiffany & Co. To Be Auctioned by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. UPDATE: Hammer Price.

On April 8, 2014 our friends at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will host perhaps the most impressive Timepieces auction in their history. This upcoming sale No. 294, will include 91 lots with rare and exclusive timepieces coming from different Estates including the property from the Estate of Gerard L. Cafesjian from Naples, FL, the property from the Estate and Trust of Elise Reeder Olton from Boca Raton, FL, the property from the Collection of a Member of the Royal Family of the United Arab Emirates and a property of a Palm Beach Estate. The auction, to take place next April 8th at 5:30pm CST, will include several highly collectible Patek Philippe timepieces as well as a nice assortment of vintage and modern timepieces from Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux, Rolex, Longines, IWC and Corum amongst others —we will be showing you in the next weeks some of the special pieces they will be auctioning. Nevertheless, the star of the auction without a doubt will be a very rare Patek Philippe 18K Yellow Gold Perpetual Calendar with Moon Phases ref. 3448 for Tiffany & Co. with movement number 1,119,164 and case number 325,520.

This fascinating Patek Philippe 18K Yellow Gold Perpetual Calendar with Moon Phases ref. 3448 for Tiffany & Co. circa 1970, features an 18K yellow gold case measuring 37.50 mm in diameter and 12 mm in thickness. The watch features a silvered dial with day and month apertures at 12, a date and moon phase indicator at 6 o'clock, dauphine hands, pearl minute track, raised gold hour markers and with the Tiffany & Co. imprint on the dial as this particular watch was originally sold by them.

While this example to be auctioned next month, is nowhere near the rarity of the Patek Philippe 18K Yellow Gold Perpetual Calendar with Moon Phases ref. 3448 Blue dial from 1978—probably a unique piece and only three other examples with color dials— sold at the Christie's auction in Geneva on November of 2013 for a hammer price of $684,626, we are confident that this watch will fetch some serious money. The estimate for this special piece is between $70,000 and $90,000 USD but we are confident the hammer will come down at a higher amount.

Only 586 pieces were ever produced of this fine and rare Patek Philippe ref. 3448 between 1962 and 1985, mostly in yellow gold with handful of examples in white gold and two or three in platinum. The ref. 3448 was the first automatic Perpetual Calendar with Moon Phases and the current example features the upgraded calibre 27-460 Q. Patek retired the ref. 3448 and replaced it with the ref. 3940. The watch is fitted with a snap-on solid case back and correctors for the perpetual calendar and moon phase around the case band. The watch is fitted with an original Patek Philippe black lizard strap with original Patek Philippe 18K yellow gold buckle.

Next month we'll get to see if the current price trend that was set in Geneva at the Christie's auction will continue for these rare and coveted Tiffany & Co. Pateks. As expected, on the wrist this watch couldn't look or wear any better. Ladies and Gentlemen, make sure to check the results of the auction next month or even better, let us know if you became the new owner of this beautiful watch on April 8th. Based on what we have seen in the market in the past couple of months, this watch could sell for another record-breaking amount. Everything is possible when it comes to Pateks. UPDATE: After last night's auction we are pleased to inform you that this watch fetched a hammer price of $182,500 before any buyer's fees.

For more info on Leslie Hindman Auctioneers click here.

Disclaimer: Please do not use our images or content as your buying guide or condition report for this watch. Only Leslie Hindman Auctioneers can provide you with such information.

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Patek Philippe, Watch Auctions and tagged Patek Philippe ref. 3448 Tiffany Dial Patek Philippe Calibre calibre 27-460 Q Leslie Hindman Auctioneers 2014.

Experience: Vega Sicilia Tinto 'Valbuena' 5° Vintage 2007. A Superb Wine Just as Good as a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Perpetual.

When it comes to wines from Spain, 'Ribera del Duero' is one of our favorite wine regions and when you think of 'Ribera del Duero', Vega Sicilia is the first name that comes to mind as this is one of the most amazing wineries in that region. Just like when one thinks about one of the best perpetual calendars in the market and the first name name that comes to mind is Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Vega Sicilia Tinto 'Valbuena' 5° vintage 2007 is an spectacular wine mainly made from 'Tempranillo', Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and it is one of the best examples of what great wines are supposed to taste, smell and look like. Vega Sicilia is without a doubt the best and most refined wine made in Spain. In 1864, Eloy Lecanda founded the winery that symbolizes the golden legend of Spanish red wine. Throughout its long history, it has belonged to different owners, although it has always maintained an unquestionable personality, making concentrated, mature, generous and extremely elegant.

Vega Sicilia only makes three different wines under the Vega Sicilia winery brand name: 'Valbuena' 5°, 'Reserva Especial' —with no vintage as this is a blend of different vintages— and 'Único'. Vega Sicilia is also the owner of Pintia, Alion —often called the poor man's Vega Sicilia— and Tokaj Oremus which are not sold under the Vega Sicilia name; however, they still happen to also be some of the best wines in the world.

Bodegas Vega Sicilia is located in the town of Valbuena de Duero between Peñafiel and Valladolid in the wine region of Ribera del Duero in Spain. Since 1982, the company is owned by the Alvaréz family. What makes this wine so unique and well balanced, is the aging process. For the 'Valbuena' 5°, the duration of the aging process in wood is three and a half years and during this time, the wine is rotated form new casks to heavily used American oak casks with the only goal in mind of obtaining the perfect balance between the wine and the wood. Once this has been achieved, the wines finally rest in large wooden vats, which prepares them for later bottling to then end their journey with a calm rest in the bottle in specially acclimatised installations. The time they remain there, depends on the format of the bottle: Vega Sicilia 'Único' —750ml bottle— takes three years or more to age in the bottle, while for the 'Valbuena 5°, the period for aging in the bottle is around a year and a half.

Considering the time that it takes for a certain vintage to make it to the stores you are guaranteed a wine with certain level of maturity and perfection that will be ready to be drank. Now, when it comes to Vega Sicilia wines in the U.S., be prepared to look for it as hard as you can as this winery has a very limited production and only 100 stores carry it in the country.

This wine is characterized for its strong notes of black cherry and oak on the palate and a superb delicate finish with almost no acidity or alcoholic taste on the throat. Best paired with some 'Ibérico' ham, lamb or venison.

Sticker Price $180-230 USD. For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here and for Vega Sicilia here.

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Food Wine & Cigars, Sybarite Guide, Jaeger-LeCoultre and tagged Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5 Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual ref. 1302520 2014.

Watch Goodies: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Wall Clock. Unboxing an Iconic and Coveted Clock.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak wall clock is perhaps one of the most coveted items of watch swag but unfortunately for AP lovers this clocks are not for sale to the public but given by the brand to top clients and 'friends of the brand'. The AP Royal Oak wall clock just like the Royal Oak, has evolved in the last 15 years and the current generation of the clock is not only bigger but nicer. While the previous generation of Audemars Piguet wall clocks is still beautiful and as coveted as the new generation, the older clocks were bulkier and slightly smaller —13" in diameter compared to the 15" diameter of the new ones. While the hex bolts on the new AP clocks are recessed just like on the watches, the previous clocks had protruding bolts that made them look more like a ship porthole. Additionally, there is one other 13" AP wall clock with actual tapisserie and recessed bolts that was launched as a transitional clock right in between the 13" clock pictured below and the 15" on the first picture.

Another big difference between the newer clocks and the older ones, is that the new version comes with an actual raised 'tapisserie', while the older clocks featured a 'tapisserie' that was just printed on the dial. Something we do love about the previous generation of AP clocks is the double baton at 12 o'clock, the super bright luminescent material on the batons and hands and the Swiss quartz movement —ironically, the new clocks feature a German quartz movement.

The Audemars Piguet clocks are typically located in 86 Delta Air Lines Sky Club lounges throughout the United States and internationally, at NetJets locations in Woodbridge, NJ, Beverly Hills, CA and New York City, throughout 21 Four Seasons Hotels in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Latin America and aboard The World by Residensea.

Additionally, you will also find them at the Audemars Piguet boutiques, authorized dealers carrying the brand and at the prestigious Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey where Audemars Piguet is the Official Timekeeper.

As we mentioned earlier, these clocks are not for sale by Audemars Piguet but from time to time they will pop-up on Ebay or watch forum classifieds posted by private sellers or authorized dealers wanting to make a quick buck. This particular clock was purchased by a very close friend of ours and true watchlifestyler that waited over two weeks to meet with us before unboxing it, so that we could document it. What a great friend!

While we could've done the unboxing at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago —since they have a couple Audemars Piguet clocks there—, we decided to honor the German quartz movement in the clock with some beer 'steins' filled with the finest German beer at the Hofbräuhaus here in Chicago. Now, enjoy these images of the iconic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak wall clock. As expected, the finish on the clock is up to par with the finish on the Audemars Piguet timepieces.

Estimated Sticker Price $1,400-2,500 USD. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Audemars Piguet, Watch Goodies and tagged Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Wall Clock 2014.

News: Pre-Baselworld 2014 Arnold & Son Presents the DTE: Double Tourbillon Escapement Dual Time Watch. Another Masterpiece of Horology.

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John Arnold was born in Cornwall in 1736. His father was a watchmaker and his uncle a gunsmith, which probably explains his early interest in precision engineering and metalwork. A talented craftsman and scholar, he left England for the Netherlands at the age of 19 after completing his apprenticeship to hone his watchmaking skills. He returned two years later speaking excellent German, which stood him in good stead later at the court of George III, and had established himself as a watchmaker of repute in London's Strand by his mid-twenties. After Arnold presented the smallest repeating watch ever made to King George III and to the court, he rapidly acquired a wealthy clientele. He was one of the most inventive watchmakers of his day and held patents for a detent escapement, bimetallic balance and helical balance spring. Arnold's "No. 36" was the first timepiece to be called a chronometer, a term reserved for unusually precise watches to this day. Arnold also played a central role in the events of his day. Along with other watchmakers, he addressed the problem of determining longitude, and won several grants and awards offered by the British Parliament. He enjoyed such respect in his profession that he became a close friend of Abraham-Louis Breguet. The timepieces of Arnold and his son accompanied famous explorers on their voyages of discovery, helped the East India Company establish its empire and how Napoleon Bonaparte himself presented an Arnold clock to the Observatory of Milan in 1802.

John Arnold and Abraham Louis Breguet, silver cased chronometer with tourbillon and spring-detent escapement, London, England, 1774 and Paris, France, 1808.

250 years later, Arnold & Son celebrates its 250th anniversary with another masterpiece of horology in a limited edition of only 28 pieces, the DTE: Double Tourbillon Escapement Dual Time watch. A generous 43.5 mm watch 18K red gold with two white dials —one with Roman numerals and the other with Arabic numerals— accentuated with blued hour and minute hands. The DTE is a masterpiece of symmetry, balance and three-dimensional beauty combined with technical foresight and ultimate performance precision.

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The double barrels of the watch offer a superb 90 hours of power reserve. In typical Arnold & Son style, the watch is incredibly detailed and features superlative Haute Horlogerie finishing. The dial side of the timepiece offers symmetry and depth. It features two white lacquered domed dials – one each at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock – for the dual time displays. The two tourbillon escapements are harmoniously balanced at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock and seem to float over the dial thanks to their alluring raised 18K red gold bridges. The backdrop for these double lacquered dials and double tourbillon escapements is a magnificently decorated vertical Côtes de Genève stripes plate.

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The two crowns – one each for setting the local and the home time – are located at 2 o’clock and 8 o’clock, and the two mainsprings are wound using the crown at 2 o’clock. In addition to the double tourbillon escapement and the dual dial/dual time indication, the watch is incredibly efficient in that it not only offers local time in hours and minutes, but also offers hours and minutes of a second time zone to be set separately —thereby enabling the wearer to have precise time in zones that differ from Greenwich Mean Time by quarter-hour or half-hour increments. Each time zone display has its own gear train and its own tourbillon escapement.

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The watch, powered by the all-new mechanical hand-wound calibre A&S8513 —visible via the display case back—, brings the centuries-old tradition of double movements back to life in 21st century style. The watch is fitted with an very elegant hand-stitched brown or black alligator strap.

Sticker Price $210,000 USD. For more info on Arnold & Son click here.

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Technical Specifications Arnold & Son DTE ref. 1DTAR.L01A.C120A

Case: 18K red gold measuring 43.5 mm in diameter with display case back.

Movement: Calibre A&S8513 Exclusive Arnold & Son mechanical double tourbillon movement, hand-wound, 42 jewels, diameter 37.3 mm, thickness 8.35 mm, power reserve 90 hours, double barrel, 21,600 vph. Fully decorated nickel-silver movement, rhodium treated with hand-chamfered bridges and polished edges, fine circular graining and 'Côtes de Genève' rayonnantes, plate dial side with 'Côtes de Genève', circular satin-finished wheels with
hand-chamfered and polished edges, blued screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads.

Functions: local hours and minutes, GMT hours and minutes, double tourbillon.

Tourbillon: 18K red gold bridges, satin-finished and mirror- polished surfaces with hand-chamfered and polished edges. Hand-chamfered and mirror-polished tourbillon cages.

Dial: domed and white lacquered.

Crystal: cambered sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides.

Water Resistance: 30 meters.

Strap: Hand-stitched brown or black alligator leather.

Limited edition: 250th Anniversary, 28 timepieces.

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under News, Baselworld, Arnold and Son and tagged Arnold & Son ref. 1DTAR.L01A.C120A Arnold & Son Double Tourbillon Escament Dual Time Arnold & Son DTE Limited Edition 2014.

News: Louis Moinet Presents the Qatar Tourbillon at Doha. A Timepiece with Two Fragments of the Only Meteroite Ever Found in Qatar.

Louis Moinet presents the Qatar Tourbillon at the 10th edition of the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition. This new timepiece in an exceptional 18K white gold case measuring 47 mm in diameter, composed of 59 different components and equipped with the Louis Moinet signature crown guard features the essence of this wonderful Middle Eastern country with a hand-engraved applique around the periphery of the dial, depicting sand dunes and two Qatari bent swords. It also features the oldest known fossil on earth, a three-billion-year-old red stromatolite, which is found in the center of the dial, between the tourbillon at 6 o’clock and the visible mainspring at 12 o’clock.

In addition to the ultra special fossil located on the center of the dial, the watch features two fragments of the one and only meteorite ever been found in Qatar and acquired by Louis Moinet to be turned into horological art. The meteorite was discovered in the middle of the desert on May 10th of 2010 by Luc Labenne, the highly-regarded internationally renowned meteorite hunter. This unique meteorite Chondrite type H5-W4-S2 was discovered after a ten-day hunt with ten hunters and three vehicles. According to the Meteoritical Society, the meteorite’s official name is Qatar 001 and it originated from the asteroid belt situated between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter from where it traveled more than 260 million kilometers before landing in the area of Jariyan al Batnah in Qatar.

The view through the Qatar Tourbillon display-back is almost as spectacular as the dial side, with the ‘octopus spring’ of the winding and setting mechanism taking the center stage. This ingenious component is effectively three springs in one —pull-out piece spring, lever spring and click spring— all radiating from the center like the swirling legs of an octopus. The movement plate is engraved with Louis Moinet's “Côtes du Jura” motif. The watch is equipped with a gorgeous dark blue hand-sewn Louisiana alligator leather strap with 18K white gold & black titanium folding clasp with Louis Moinet logo. The Qatar Tourbillon is available in an exclusive limited edition of only 12 pieces.

Sticker Price TBC. For more info on Louis Moinet click here.

Technical Specifications of the Louis Moinet Qatar Tourbillon

Dial: Hand-engraved dial depicting two bent swords and sand dunes set with Qatar meteorite 001 with exclusive tourbillon escapement, central hour and minutes.

Movement: Manual wound with “octopus” spring, 19 jewels, power reserve of 72 hours, 21,600 vph, tourbillon cage with one full rotation every 60 seconds, side lever escapement, “Côtes du Jura” decoration and blued steel screws.

Water Resistance: 30 meters

Case back: Display case back secured with 6 screws, engraved with individual number and Louis Moinet markings.

Crystals: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment.

Limited Edition of 12 pieces

Reference No. LM-14.70.21

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under News and tagged Louis Moinet Qatar Tourbillon Louis Moinet Louis Moinet Reference No. LM-14.70.21.

Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Oceanografía' Limited Edition. One of the Most Beautiful Offshores Exclusively Made for a VIP Client.

Back in 2012, Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak book commemorating the 40th anniversary of the birth of the Royal Oak. As soon as it came out, we had to have a copy of it. In the book, not only will you find very interesting historical information about the iconic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Royal Oak Offshore but also great images of vintage advertisements and even pictures of some of the 'friends of the brand', major AP collectors and even some of their brand ambassadors.

In the book, you'll find big names like Ticiane Pinheiro Justus —Brazilian TV Anchor, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Suhaim Al Thani from Qatar, Abdulmagied Ahmed Seddiqi — Chairman of renowned Middle Eastern jeweler Seddiqi & Sons, Claude Nobs —Founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, Marcus Margulies —one of the biggest AP collectors and owner of MARCUS watches in London, Graeme McDowell, Juan Pablo Montoya, Leo Messi, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Schumacher and Gerald Genta amongst others. However, there's one picture in the book that caught our attention, the picture of someone named Amado Omar Yañez Osuna, CEO of Oceanografía, S.A de C.V., a Mexican company extremely involved with Pemex —Mexico's Petroleum company— and everything related to offshore oil drilling and offshore oil platforms construction. The watch on his wrist, a Royal Oak Offshore we had not seen until then and that was really beautiful.

In 2013, we were invited to a very exclusive event and one of the attendees was wearing the exact same watch that was featured in the Royal Oak book. Interestingly enough, the gentleman wearing the watch was also Mexican but not the one featured in the book. It is amazing how small the watch collecting world really is. As we started talking about the amazing 'never seen before' Offshore on his wrist, this watchlifestyler shared with us the story behind the watch and allowed us to take these pictures for our website.

According to this watchlifestyler, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore on his wrist was a very special edition that was custom made by Audemars Piguet and commissioned by Oceanografía, S.A. de C.V. to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the company. The Royal Oak Offshore 'Oceanografía' Limited Edition bears a beautiful 'mega tapisserie' blue dial with silver registers and yellow Arabic numerals, a yellow chrono-seconds hand, blue therban crown and pushers and a beautiful engraving on the case back with the number '40', the seahorse logo of Oceanografía, S.A. de C.V. and the years 1966-2006. To round out the beautiful color combo and design, the watch is fitted with a blue alligator large square scale strap with yellow contrast stitching and equipped with the usual AP deployant buckle. We were told the watch also came with a second blue strap in smooth calf leather and a stainless steel bracelet.

Frankly, this company could've not picked a better watch to commemorate such an important milestone when you're in the business of oil ships and 'offshore drilling'. The watch, a late F-serial, does not bear any information as to how many pieces were commissioned; however, if our memory serves us correctly, we were told that there were 50 watches ever made —including a solid 18K white gold piece— in order to be gifted to friends, family and business partners. We can only imagine how much Audemars Piguet would charge to do something like this. One thing we can assume is that it wasn't a cheap limited edition and likely no bulk discount was offered. Now, for those of you wondering what small luxuries Oceanografía, S.A. de C.V. was funding with their millions —currently under investigation as published by Bloomberg here—, you may now have a good answer.

On a positive note, we are not sure what you guys think of the color combination, but we think that If Audemars Piguet were to launch an Offshore with the exact same color combination right now, we are confident it would become a huge success.

Estimated Sticker Price $40,000 USD. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Audemars Piguet and tagged Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Oceanografia Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Oceanografia Limited Edition 2014.

Insider: MB&F Horological Machine No.5 in Red Gold. A Fascinating Retro-Futuristic Timepiece in a 66-Piece Limited Edition.

Last month while we were visiting the M.A.D. Gallery in Geneva, we decided to work on this special review with live pictures of the fascinating MB&F Horological Machine No.5 in red gold. After the original Horological Machine N.5 5 in zirconium was presented in 2012, most would wonder why would MB&F craft the HM5 in a limited edition of 66 pieces in red gold. Well, because they thought it would look damn beautiful and they were damn right. Perusing this watch in the flesh was an exhilarating experience and a tremendous joy.

This watch inspired by iconic watches from the 70s —with a similar case shape— like the Girard-Perregaux Casquette LED, the Amida Digitrend Jump Hour and even the Bulova Computron Driver, comes full of surprises.

Fitted with an 18K Red gold and titanium case —with internal water resistant titanium engine container— measuring 51.5mm x 49mm x 22.5mm, a slide button to open/close its back louvers and exhaust ports to drain water, the HM5 RT is something out of this world and conceived in the most futuristic and flawless way possible.

Perhaps one of the most interesting features of this fascinating timepiece is the way the hour and minutes are shown via a display that faces the front of the watch, but where the time is indicated with bi-directional jumping hours that are inverted, reflected at a 90° angle and magnified at a 20%. The smoked optical grade sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides and magnification provides excellent readability in any angle. Looking at this watch directly from the front, definitely brings memories of WALL-E the romantic robot from Pixar's science fiction animated movie with the same name.

HM5 RT has a mechanical movement, but its inspired by an era when quartz was king. The rear louvers on super cars block light, but on the HM5 RT they let light in. Befitting its automotive heritage, HM5 RT has exhaust pipes, but they drain water. The gold endowing the HM5 RT case with such a rich lustrous glow was found on earth, but was actually created billions of years ago in deep space. The louvers are angled and the back of the watch appears as if it was the rear window of the iconic DeTomaso Mangusta but fitted with louvers. Frankly, a watch doesn't get any sexier than this.

Via the display case back of the Horological Machine No. 5 —HM5 RT— one can see the amazing beating heart inside this timepieces. The display case back also reveals the surprise of an inner case. Like a Russian Matryoshka doll, peeling away one layer reveals a second case in titanium/zirconium. The reason for housing the movement in an inner container is for water resistance. Jean-François Mojon, Vincent Boucard and the team at Chronode developed the HM5 movement. The automatic calibre is composed of 224 parts, 30 jewels, a battle-axe 22K gold ‘mystery ’ rotor and is fully hand-finished. Opposed to what one would think, the discs with the hours and minuted are actually placed in horizontal position but displayed vertically thanks to the reflection and magnification of a sapphire crystal optical prism. It may appear simple, but it’s very complicated. Jumping hours are bi-directional, enabling the time to be easily set both forwards and backwards —via the crown located at the back of the watch or what would be considered the 12 o'clock position on a conventional watch. The two mineral glass disks of the hours and minutes are supported by a flat wide bridge and the disks overlap to maximize their diameter and space for large legible numerals.

To round out the amazing design of the MB&F Horological Machine No. 5 in Red Gold, the watch is fitted with a black rubber strap with pin buckle. The strap features oval perforations as well as very thin ridges to match the ridges on the back of the case and the oval display window on the front. Although the rubber on the strap is very malleable and comfortable, the ridged texture on it is a magnet for collecting dust and lint.

On the wrist, be prepared to wear a very unconventional watch with a funky but very comfortable fit. Once you strap this timepiece to your wrist, be prepared to be transported back to the future. While the design of the case and the time display window are very reminiscent of those 70s iconic watches, the craftsmanship, finish and overall design of this watch is definitely years ahead of our time. Without a doubt, this is another singular and fascinating creation from MB&F.

Sticker Price $82,000 USD. For more info on MB&F click here.

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under MB&F and tagged MB&F Horological Machine No.5 RT MB&F HM5RT Red Gold MB&F HM5 RT Limited Edition 66 Pieces Jean Francois Mojon Chronode Vincent Boucard 2014.

Experience: Sebastian Vettel's Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula One Car. Big Changes Taking Place During 2014's Formula One Season.

As we prepare for the 2014 Formula One season to kick-off in two weeks with the Australian Grand Prix on March 14th thru the 16th, we decided to bring you these up close and personal images of Sebastian Vettel's Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula One car. As you all know, Sebastian Vettel is the current Formula One champion and champion for four years in a row since 2010. In his first year driving for Red Bull in 2009, Vettel finished the season as the youngest-ever World Drivers' championship runner-up and in 2010, he went on to become the youngest driver to ever win the World Drivers' Championship. That same same year, he helped Red Bull win the team's first World Constructors' Championship. Today, he is the youngest triple and quadruple champion that has ever existed in Formula One.

The Infiniti Red Bull Racing F1 car, just like all other Formula One cars, is tightly controlled by the regulations of the FIA in terms of technical specifications and car dimensions. These amazing racing machines cannot be wider than 1.80 meters —70.86"—, longer than 4.63 meters —15' 2"—, taller than 95cm —3' 1"— and the bodywork between the front and rear wheels must not exceed 1.40 meters —4' 7"— in width. As a result of these strict regulations, most constructors will end up with similarly sized cars.

With the exception of the rear wing, moveable bodywork is not allowed. Furthermore, any system, device or procedure which uses driver movement as a means of altering the aerodynamic characteristics of the car's bodywork is prohibited. Formula One cars may be equipped with moveable rear wings which allow the driver to control the wing's angle of incidence —within certain specified limits— from the cockpit with a system widely known as DRS —Drag Reduction System. However, during the race, the system is electronically governed and is only available when a driver is less than one second behind another car and going by the DRS detection point at pre-determined areas on the track. In order to use the DRS when available, the driver is alerted via a dashboard light. Once used, the DRS system is deactivated when the driver brakes and the rear wing flap returns to its original position.

Certain sections of bodywork, such as the front wing end plates, are required to be thick enough to prevent tire damage to other cars. Any bodywork that flexes excessively, could in theory be used to gain an aerodynamic advantage. Therefore, specific sections of the bodywork, such as the front wing, must be sufficiently rigid to pass the FIA’s ever more stringent deflection tests.

The construction of Formula One cars and the materials used are also strictly controlled by the FIA regulations in order to maximize the safety of the cars and the drivers. The main structure of the car comprises a safety cell which contains the cockpit plus the flexible fuel cell, which is housed immediately behind —but separated from— the driver. This safety cell must meet minimum size requirements and must have an impact-absorbing structure immediately in front of it. The design of the car must also include an additional impact-absorbing structure at the rear, behind the gearbox, and on the flanks of the car. The car must have two roll structures to protect the driver in the event of the car overturning. One must be immediately behind the driver’s head, the other at the front of the cockpit, immediately ahead of the steering wheel. The car and its survival cell must pass several strict impact, roll and static load tests before the car is allowed to take to the track.

The size of a Formula One car’s cockpit opening must also comply with strict specifications. Compliance with these specifications is tested by lowering a specially made template into the cockpit. In addition to this, the cockpit must meet numerous other requirements. A driver must be able to get in and out of the car without removing anything other than its steering wheel. Once strapped into the car with all his safety gear on, the driver must be able to remove the steering wheel and get out within five seconds, and then replace the steering within a further five seconds.

When it comes to the engine power of an F1 car, up until 2013 —some big changes will be taking place this season—, a Formula One car’s power unit consisted of a 2.4-litre normally-aspirated V8 engines outputting more than 750bhp and a gearbox with seven forward ratios. Also up until 2013, the teams were allowed unlimited fuel consumption with an average of 160 kilos of fuel per race with two exhaust tail pipes.

A team of specially appointed scrutineers has the power to check cars at any point during a Grand Prix weekend to ensure that they fully comply with technical and safety regulations. Every car is initially examined on the Thursday of a race meeting —Wednesday for Monaco's Grand Prix— and a car cannot take part in the event until it has passed scrutineering. A car must be re-examined by scrutineers if any significant changes are made to it by the team or if it is involved in an accident. In addition to scrutineering, cars are also weighed during the Grand Prix weekend to ensure that they comply with the minimum weight of 642 kilograms —1,415.37 pounds. Cars taking part in Q1 and Q2 are called in at random to be weighed, while all cars participating in Q3 are weighed after the session. Classified finishers are weighed again after the race. Any competitor failing to meet the minimum weight may lose their qualifying times or be excluded from the race results unless this is due to the accidental loss of part of the car.

Watchlifestylers get ready for one of the most exciting Formula One seasons in the last decade as in two more weeks we'll get to see some very exciting changes that will be taking place during 2014's Formula One season, these changes are perhaps the biggest changes we've seen in F1 racing in a very long time.

This upcoming season the cars will be fitted with V6 engines instead of V8s. The new regulations allow for a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine which operates in conjunction with an Energy Recovery System referred to as ERS. The ERS provides an additional 160bhp for 33 seconds per lap. For safety, each car is fitted with ERS status lights which warn marshals and mechanics of the car’s electrical safety status when it is stopped or in the pits. If the car is safe, the lights —situated on the roll hoop and the rear tail lamp— will glow green; if not, they glow red. The lights must remain on for 15 minutes after the power unit has been switched off. The engine must have six cylinders in a 90-degree formation, with two inlet and two exhaust valves per cylinder and a single turbocharger. They are rev-limited to 15,000rpm, have a fuel flow limit of 100 kilograms/hour and produce around 600bhp. They must also have a single tailpipe exhaust.

The gearboxes will now have eight forward ratios which each team must nominate ahead of the season, to compensate for the extra power being generated under braking by ERS, the teams are allowed to use an electronic rear brake control system.

To compensate for the increased weight of the 2014 powertrain, minimum weight has been increased from the current 642kg to 690kg.

For safety reasons the height of noses has been reduced for 2014 to a maximum height of 185mm instead of 550mm. Front wings will be a little narrower from 1800mm to 1650mm. The rear wing will also look a little different for 2014. The previously-legal lower beam wing has been outlawed and the main flap has become slightly shallower in profile. Support pillars, however, are allowed. The DRS slot is also bigger than in 2013.

This year in-season testing returns for 2014, albeit in a restricted format with the regulations allowing four tests of no more than two consecutive days at circuits where an event has taken place. There are also increased restrictions on windtunnel testing and CFD simulations. Double drivers’ and constructors’ points will be awarded at the final race of the Formula One season —Abu Dhabi for 2014 instead of the traditional Interlagos Brazil last race— in order to maximize focus on the championship until the end of the campaign.

Drivers will be asked to choose their race number, between 2 and 99, for the duration of their career in the FIA Formula One World Championship. Number 1 will be reserved for the current world champion, should he choose to use it. If more than one driver chooses the same number, priority will be given to the driver who finished highest in the previous year’s championship. The driver number must be clearly visible on the front of the car and on the driver's crash helmet.

Also in this 2014 season, race stewards will have the option to hand out five-second penalties for minor infringements. Any driver who earns 12 penalty points during a 12-month period will be given a one-race ban.

Lastly there will be a pole position trophy that will be awarded to the driver who scores the most pole positions during the season. In the event of a tie, the trophy will be awarded to the driver who holds the greatest number of second places. If there is still a tie, the greatest number of third places will be taken into account and so on until a winner emerges.

For more info on Infiniti Red Bull Racing click here.

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Editor & Publisher and filed under Automobiles and tagged Infiniti Red Bull Racing F1 Sebastian Vettel Formula One Racing.

Video: Fonderie 47 Inversion Principle.

Fonderie 47 was founded in 2009 by Peter Thum with the goal of reducing the number of destabilizing assault weapons in Africa. Thum realized the enormous problem these weapons created, having met boys and young men armed with assault rifles, and the victims of these weapons, while developing clean water projects in east Africa. Thum decided to transform these implements of devastation into something as removed from them and as positive as possible, i.e. exclusive objects that would inspire change and fund the destruction of weapons.