If you are a true watchlifestyler and a Patekaholic, it is very likely that you already know who's wearing the ultra rare Patek Philippe ref. 5208 in this picture. If you are still in the process of becoming one, this epic wrist shot was taken by us with monsieur Thierry Stern, President of Patek Philippe during the unforgettable 175th anniversary celebration —the brand hosted at the Rainbow Room in New York City— that we were honored to attend. Very often, journalists in the watch industry become jaded by the amount of watch parties and watch related events they attend and take for granted invitations like this one. Luckily for us, we are collectors first and then journalists. Therefore, we like to share with our readers these type of events and do a full article about the experience. Now, this once in a lifetime invitation, is one that we will never forget and one that we will always cherish. Before we go into the details of the celebration and the amazing watches we enjoyed two nights ago, we would like to thank Patek Philippe for thinking of us.
News: Presenting the new MB&F Horological Machine No. 6 HM6 'Space Pirate'. Straight Out of a Sci-Fi Film Pushing the Boundaries of Horology.
Space is an extremely hostile environment. To survive you need protection against powerful accelerations, dangerous thermonuclear radiation, extreme temperature fluctuations and constant risk of unexpected collisions. The new MB&F Horological Machine N°6 —HM6— ‘Space Pirate’ has been designed to operate in the hostile environment of space: the space on your wrist. The initial inspiration for this new MB&F HM6 Space Pirate came from a Japanese anime TV series from Maximilian Büsser's childhood called "Capitaine Flam" —Captain Future in English. "Capitaine Flam" had a spaceship called the Comet that consisted of two spheres joined by a connecting tube.
The curved lines of Horological Machine N°6 make it a softer, more organically shaped Machine than its predecessors. The inspiration for this came from the biomorphism art movement, which takes its cues from design elements based on the shapes of living organisms.
News: The Winners of the 2014 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. Congratulations to the Winners and Especially to Breguet.
Excellence, innovation and watchmaking expertise were duly rewarded today October 31st, 2014 at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, on the occasion of the 14th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève —GPHG— prize-giving ceremony. The international jury of this edition 2014 of the GPHG handed out 16 prizes, including the supreme “Aiguille d’Or”, distinction, awarded to Breguet for the Classic Chronométrie model. This prize was officially presented on-stage by the Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann, who praised the vitality of the Swiss watch industry. Jointly hosted by Melanie Winiger and Frédéric Beigbeder, the ceremony was attended by around 1,500 guests including influential figures from the world of watchmaking, finance and politics, who congregated in Geneva for this annual celebration of the 12th art.
News: Presenting the Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater Openwork. The Manufacture Does it Again with a Half a Million USD Timepiece.
In 2012, The Bird Repeater featured two blue tits and their young birds close to the heart of the company’s founder Pierre Jaquet-Droz. This remarkable model reaffirmed the virtuoso expertise of Jaquet Droz, passed down from the 18th century and realized here in miniature. The following year, The Charming Bird watch marked the brand’s 275th anniversary with a new interpretation of the bird in an ultra-modern decorative setting and this time singing.
Now, the story continues with a previously unseen version of The Bird Repeater in a more streamlined, contemporary-looking model that has nonetheless retained intact the animated features that made it a success: a duo of blue tit birds feeding their fledglings, the spreading wings, the tumbling waterfall and the hatching egg.
Insider: Hublot Big Bang Depeche Mode Steel Limited Edition. 'Your Own Personal Jesus'.
If you used to dance to the beats of Depeche Mode's 'Music for the Masses' or 'Personal Jesus' was your party anthem, then the Hublot Big Bang Depeche Mode Steel Limited Edition ref. 311.SX.8010.VR.DPM14 is no stranger to you. This limited edition watch unveiled at the beginning of the year during a very special event at the Hublot boutique in the heart of the Place Vendôme in Paris, is the result of a fundraising project with Charity:Water, for which Depeche Mode's Delta Machine Tour is raising funds. The non-profit's mission is to ensure clean and safe water supply in developing countries.
This watch definitely targeted to all of us that were teens in the 80s —and most Generation X individuals— is available in a limited edition of 250 pieces that also includes 10 exceptional unique box sets, each containing a signed guitar by Depeche Mode and a special watch with a red chrono central hand, each engraved for one of the 10 cities with iconic meaning to Depeche Mode including Paris, New York, Basildon, Los Angeles, Milan, Warsaw, Moscow, Zurich, Berlin and Hamburg.
Experience: 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15300ST. A Perfect Combo of the Good Life.
A Ferrari 330 GTC is as iconic in the 'Cavallino Rampante' history as it is the Royal Oak in the history of Audemars Piguet. The Ferrari 330 GTC Berlinetta was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1965 as a two-seater coupé designed by iconic car designer Pininfarina. Produced for a short period of two years between 1966 and 1968, the 330 GTC quickly turned into a popular Ferrari for those seeking for a quieter and smoother ride. It has been stated that this "was probably the first Ferrari in which you could actually enjoy a radio". This fascinating Ferrari 330 GTC of which only 598 cars were ever made is as mint and pristine as it gets, just like the discontinued Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15300ST on our wrist.
This 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC in one of our favorite colors the 'Nocciola Metallizzato' —metallic hazelnut– is a successor to the Ferrari 250GT and 275 GTS sharing the short wheelbase of the 275 as well as its independent rear suspension. Equipped with a 12-cylynder engine this 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC is one of the most iconic automobiles we have ever featured here.
Experience: 20 Years of A. Lange & Söhne. Like a Phoenix Rising from the Ashes in 1994.
No other event has spurred the renaissance of fine watchmaking in Saxony like the presentation of Lange & Söhne’s first four timepieces 20 years ago. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, what must be Germany’s most famous watch brand took the stage of time. The beating heart of a flourishing region, it has long since regained its place among the world’s best watch brands. After the presentation of the quartet of new watches from A. Lange & Söhne on 24 October 1994 in the residential palace in Dresden, the world of fine watchmaking would never be the same. Congratulations to everyone at A. Lange & Söhne for this amazing milestone!
Suddenly, exclusive mechanical timepieces no longer came from Switzerland alone, but also from Saxony once more. Indeed, with their new technical ideas, individual signature construction and supreme perfection of craftsmanship, the four watches on exhibition set a new standard. This historic moment was the culmination of four years of intensive development work.
News: Presenting the Blancpain Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback Limited Edition. Only 250 Pieces to Help Protect the Ocean.
On October 9, 2014 Blancpain President & CEO Marc A. Hayek, unveiled a special Ocean Commitment limited edition which will be part of a series of limited editions. Each purchaser will join the Ocean Commitment Circle and will contribute and reinforce Blancpain's support for oceanic environmental causes through an additional donation which will be made for each watch. First of this series, the new Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback is limited to 250 pieces. Blancpain commits to donate 1'000 Euros of the revenues from the sales of this piece to various initiatives.
The Bathyscaphe is a legendary name at Blancpain. Three years after the 1953 debut of the original Fifty Fathoms, Blancpain introduced the Bathyscaphe as a smaller diameter diving watch alternative adapted to daily wear. Over the years, the Bathyscaphe evolved in parallel with the Fifty Fathoms and became a part of the Fifty Fathoms legend.
Rare Bird: Bell & Ross Vintage WW1 Régulateur Pink Gold. Only 99 Pieces Available and Here's One of Them.
During Baselworld 2013, Bell & Ross unveiled several novelties and this coveted Vintage WW1 Régulateur in Pink Gold is one of them. The Vintage WW1 Régulateur is a limited edition watch comprised of only 99 pieces in pink gold —extremely difficult to find, but we were lucky enough to find one.
A 'régulateur' a.k.a. regulator, is a watch with non-coaxial hour and minute hands, which means, that the hour and minute hands do not share the central pinion position on the dial but are independently placed. On regulators, the minute hand is traditionally the most important hand and it is typically placed on the central pinion at the center of the dial.
Experience: Cohiba Maduro 5 Mágicos. Just Like the Royal Oak, It Takes More than Money to Smoke One.
Just like an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo 5402SA, when it comes to cigars, Cohiba is a name that needs very little introduction. Savvy watchlifestylers already know that Cohiba stands for the highest quality in fine cigar making and the flagship brand of Habanos from Cuba.
Created in 1966 for Fidel Castro and handmade at the world famous 'El Laguito' factory, these cigars were originally only seen outside of the island when presented as gifts to heads of state or dignitaries throughout the world. Additionally, Cohiba is a brand with a very limited production of cigars per year making it even more exclusive.
The Cohiba name has its origins from the the ancient 'Taino' language word that was used to refer to bunches of tobacco leaves. 'Taino' is the language used by the Taino Indians that populated the islands of the Caribbean before the Spanish Conquest in the 1500s.
Experience: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver in the Cayman Islands. A Perfect Companion.
We just returned from the Cayman Islands after a wonderful week at the Ritz-Carlton. We did plenty of water activities including interacting with stingrays, smoking a handful of Habanos —Montecristo #4— and trying on several Audemars Piguet watches at Grand Cayman's authorized dealer Magnum Jewelers. At Magnum, we perused the new Royal Oak Offshore line in 44mm, the Offshore Legacy, a Jumbo ref. 15202 and a ref. 15400, amongst others. Great friendly service by the way.
News: Presenting the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Skeleton Chronograph. A Pricey Limited Edition of 250 Pieces.
Always ahead of its time, Bell & Ross continues to innovate with the launch of the BR-X1 Skeleton Chronograph, a high-tech chronograph with a sporty design, which is as robust as it is sophisticated. Revolutionary in its design, the BR-X1 is the first watch of a new collection from Bell & Ross and the beginning of a whole new chapter in the saga of the brand. An extreme version of the BR-01, whose iconic square shape is directly inspired by aeronautical flight instruments, the BR-X1 is much more than a top-of-the-range contemporary sports watch.
Nearly ten years ago, Bell & Ross launched the BR-01, a distinctive, high-performance watch directly inspired by on-board flight instruments. It has become an iconic watch thanks to its square shape, its round dial with perfect legibility, its broad dimensions and the efficiency of its functional design. Since then, the BR-01 has continued to evolve without losing its original identity. As a guiding principle, from vintage pocket watches to the grand complication watches, each Bell & Ross signed model pays homage to a great era in military history.
Experience: Barbour Jackets. The Perfect Watchlifestyler Companions for Autumn and Winter.
Fall is here and its time to pull those Barbours out of the closet and pair them with your vintage Rolexes. Even better if its with a nicely aged Rolex GMT Master ref. 1675 with faded super fat font bezel and creamy patina. Barbour jackets are to outerwear what Hermès is to ties and what Rolex is to watches.
A Barbour jacket is indispensable, handcrafted, durable and a true symbol of a real watchlifestyler. Barbour's iconic classic wax jackets have been protecting generations of families from the cold and rain for over a hundred years. The Barbour story began in 1894 in the Market Place in South Shields. Today, the 5th generation family owned business remains in their Barbour's headquarters located in Simonside, South Shields. Barbour's classic wax jackets are still manufactured by hand in the factory in Simonside. Barbour now has 11 of its own retail shops in the UK and a presence in over 40 countries worldwide including the United States, Germany, Holland, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, New Zealand and Japan.
Barbour jackets are made of 100% cotton — of different weights, thickness and texture calibers— that is fully waxed to become thornproof and waterproof. These jackets are fitted with a soft yet hard-wearing corduroy collar that will always be the unmistakable detail of a true Barbour jacket. The collar is purposefully made of corduroy to provide warmth around the neck and underneath it is fitted with a chin-guard that can be secured when rolling the collar up in order to guarantee extra warmth.
News: Patek Philippe Presents 25 Commemorative Timepieces Celebrating its 175th Anniversary. Just Stunning.
To pay tribute to its 175th anniversary, Patek Philippe created a collection of 25 limited-edition commemorative timepieces that include the Grandmaster Chime ref. 5175R, the Chiming Jump Hour ref. 5275P, the World Time Moon ref. 5575 and ref. 7175, six Multi-Scale Chronographs under ref. 5975 and ref. 4675, three different sets of four Calatrava watches —a set with cloissoné enamel dials, a set with hand-engraved dials and a set with wood marquetry dials— ref. 5089 featuring motifs of the Lake Geneva Barques and lastly three different pocket watches. One of the celebratory pieces that stands out from the rest is the Grandmaster Chime ref. 5175R which is so far the most complicated wristwatch of the eminent family-owned watchmaking companies and decidedly one of the world's most elaborate wristwatches. This is due not only to the number of complications involved but also to the horological degrees of complexity, two of which have been added to the annals of watchmaking for the first time.
News: Presenting the Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Tribute to Felix Baumgartner. Jumping from an Altitude of 38,969.4 meters is worth celebrating.
Consistently cultivating a distinctive and special relationship with challenges, the brand with the guiding star has always accompanied human adventure at its most daring and creative. Witness this new Academy Christophe Colomb, which pays tributes to one of the great early 21st century explorers of human nature, a champion of surpassing personal limits. An experienced parachutist and base jumper, he achieved three feats in 2012 by jumping from a stratospheric capsule. A personality echoing the creative daring and the enterprising spirit of Zenith, expressed through one of the greatest horological discoveries of recent years equipping this spectacular model: the Gravity Control module.
Insider: Armin Strom Gravity Date Fire. A Limited Edition of 100 Pieces of Pure Goodness.
The Armin Strom Gravity was the first watch from the Biel-based manufacture to feature an automatic winding mechanism with micro rotor. With this first series of automatic watches driven by the manufacture’s new AMR13 calibre, Armin Strom wanted to express the essence of a fundamental law of physics —that of gravity. Thus, the laws of gravity are used in an automatic watch to transform movements into a mode of indicating the time. However, the Armin Strom Gravity Date Fire ref. RG14-DF.90 is not necessarily powered by the same AMR13 calibre but by the ADD14 automatic calibre with a power reserve of 5 days. The Armin Strom Gravity Date —just like the Gravity collection— is designed to proudly display the micro rotor while also providing the wearer with date information as well as a useful night/day indicator. The visibility of this mechanism is made possible thanks to an innovative concept of transmission for the rotor, which remains smaller in size than the diameter of the going barrel.
Experience: Galleria Ferrari. The Museum of the 'Cavallino Rampante' in Maranello.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the death of Enzo Ferrari —August 14th, 1988— we decided to pull these pictures from our archives and present you a short overview of the magnificent Galleria Ferrari.
Ferrari was founded in 1929 by Enzo Ferrari but it was not until 1947 that the first street legal Ferraris where launched. The first Ferrari to hit the streets was the 125 Sport fitted with a V12 engine. Today, Ferrari automobiles are generally seen as a symbol of speed, luxury and wealth. A visit to the Galleria Ferrari is a must for any watchlifestyler that appreciates the fine making of Ferrari. Located at Dino Ferrari 43 in Maranello, just a stone’s throw away from the Ferrari factory, this place is true treat to the eyes and a place where history is well showcased
News: Presenting the New Officine Panerai Radiomir 1940 Marina Militare 3 Days PAM 587. 1,000 Pieces of Pure Historical DNA.
The details of a special edition of strong vintage appeal recall the historic links between the Italian Navy and Officine Panerai. The story of the Radiomir 1940 is the story of the development of the design of Officine Panerai watches. Its essential lines recall the intermediate stage in the transformation of the cushion case of the first Panerai watches, created in 1936, to the more robust shape of the Luminor 1950. The new Radiomir 1940 Marina Militare presents the pure design of this case, combined with a series of historic details demonstrating the fidelity of the new model to those created for the Italian Navy. The case is 47 mm in diameter, the standard size for watches made for the commandos of the Navy, because they had to be worn over a wet suit. It is made of 316L stainless steel, an alloy particularly resistant to corrosion that is perfect for a watch water resistant to 100 meters.
News: Officine Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Automatic PAM 572 and 573. Powered by the New In-House Movement with Micro-Rotor.
The Radiomir 1940 is presented for the first time with an automatic movement and the brand new in-house Panerai calibre P.4000 calibre which was fully designed and assembled by Officine Panerai in Neuchâtel. The distinctive feature of the new calibre is it off-centered oscillating weight, winding in both directions, just like the distinctive micro-rotor inside many of the Patek Philippe automatic movements. With a diameter of 13¾ lignes and just 3.95 mm thick, it has been developed to integrate perfectly with the proportions of the Radiomir 1940 case. The new P.4000 calibre is the first Panerai automatic movement with an off-centered micro-rotor. This means that the rotor is smaller in diameter than the calibre itself: a sophisticated technical solution which enables the movement —and therefore the watch itself— to be much thinner.
Insider: Breguet Classique Extra-Thin Tourbillon Automatique ref. 5377. Exceptional Just Like the Father of the Tourbillon.
This year at Baselworld 2014, Breguet introduced eight new timepieces including the new ref. 5377 Extra-Thin Tourbillon Automatique available in either 18K rose gold ref. 5377BR/12/9WU or in platinum ref. 5377PT/12/9WU. Today, we bring you our hands-on review of this exceptional timepiece with these incredible images under natural light that we captured just for you. This new extra-thin tourbillon has already been included in the pre-selection for the 2014 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève here and is now regarded as the world's thinnest automatic tourbillon movement. This new watch featuring all the traditional Breguet elements, seems to be one of the top contenders for one of the prizes to be awarded on October 31st at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. As you all know, Abraham-Louis Breguet was the father of the tourbillon in 1795, and this watch honors his groundbreaking creation in a flawless manner.
