Carl F. Bucherer founded in Lucerne since 1888, as a modest Swiss family business has grown into the internationally renowned Bucherer brand with its own worldwide chain of stores and it remains a family-owned business since then. Their watches and their movements are developed and manufactured in the company’s own workshops in Switzerland and all very reasonably priced for the caliber of watch that you get. This time we are talking about the elegant Manero Power Reserve in 18K rose gold ref. 10912.08. This elegant timepiece also available in stainless steel is exquisitely finished with a 42.5 mm 18K rose gold case and a beautiful sunburst silvered dial featuring a recessed power reserve indicator at 3, a big double date aperture at 11, day of the week at 9 and subsidiary seconds at 6 o'clock.
Insider: Richard Mille RM055 Bubba Watson Americas Limited Edition White Drive. Only 30 Pieces Available.
Nothing beats doing hands-on reviews on Richard Mille timepieces. There's something about holding a Richard Mille watch and feeling that special vibe from it. This time, we bring you our hands-on review of this amazing timepiece with live images and the mandatory wristshots. The Richard Mille RM055 White Drive —exclusively available in North and South America— comes fitted with a fully black rubberized grade-5 titanium case, a black ceramic bezel and a very distinctive white flange. As a side note, all of the previous watches created with Bubba Watson feature stark white cases, bezels and straps. This watch, just like the Rafael Nadal RM27-01 lacks of a dial and the time can be easily read with its skeletonized hands with white tips and seconds hand with red tip — a very delicate and well-thought element that adds the right amount of contrast without being distracting.
Insider: H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Small Seconds. Where Simplicity and Clean Lines are the Name of the Game.
Not too long ago we brought you our hands-on review of the Endeavour Perpetual Calendar 'Funky Blue' here. Well, now is the time we talk about another one of those understated pieces from H. Moser & Cie. This time, we are talking about the Venturer Small Seconds in 18K white gold. This exceptional timepiece where simplicity and clean lines are the name of the game, is not only a watch with superb craftsmanship but one of those watches where 'less is more and less translates into more rare'. But what makes H. Moser & Cie. so rare? Well, not only the fact that they make a 1,000 watches a year, but also their rich history. This company now under the reigns of former legendary Audemars Piguet CEO Georges Henri-Meylan, was originally founded in 1828 by Heinrich Moser in Russia. A year later, Heinrich Moser opened up a factory in Le Locle, twenty years later he moved to Schaffhausen —his birthplace— and in 1979 the company disappeared only to be brought back to life in 2005 when a new manufacture was built in Schaffhausen.
Experience: Ferrari F430 Scuderia and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ref. 26470OR Rose Gold. Absolute Perfect Pairing.
What best way to showcase the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26470OR.OO.A002CR.01 than to feature it along with one of the most amazing supercars out there. We are talking about the Ferrari F430 Scuderia. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore line in 42 mm unveiled at the SIHH 2014 as we presented it to you here, was slightly redesigned 20 years after its launch in 1993. Today, the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore features beefier crown guards, ceramic crown and pushers, new dial options, straps with pin buckles and display case backs. Thankfully, the watch didn't lose much of its original essence and Audemars Piguet needs to be congratulated for that. We all know how bad it is when iconic watches get redesigned and they end up being so far from their original designs that they become a completely different timepiece.
Insider: Bovet Amadeo Fleurier Orbis Mundi Moonphase. A Three in One Worldtimer.
A few weeks ago we met with our friends from Bovet to review some of their timepieces. Bovet was formally established in Fleurier in the canton of Neuchâtel in 1822 by Edouard Bovet and his three brothers Alphonse, Frédéric and Gustave. Rapidly, Bovet became one of the most prominent watch companies supplying the Chinese Empire with refined and sophisticated timepieces in the nineteenth century. In 2001, 179 years after being found, Mr. Pascal Raffy became the sole proprietor at Bovet Fleurier SA and took the brand to the next level.
The Bovet Amadeo Fleurier Orbis Mundi Moonphase is by far one of our favorite timepieces from this brand. Fitted with an 18K red gold case measuring 46 mm in diameter, this timepiece is what we like to refer to as a three in one worldtimer with moon phase.
News: Presenting the Linde Werdelin Oktopus Frogman. Expressely Made and Exclusively Available for the Frømandskorpset Danish Frogman Corps.
Shrouded in secrecy, Frømandskorpset —Frogman Corps— is the Naval Special Operations Force in the Danish Military. This collaboration is a rare opportunity to lift the veil and explore the uncharted waters of the Frogman Corps. Typical missions will see the fraternal unit drop into the most hostile environments to rescue hostages from pirates off the coast of Somalia, often under the cover of darkness. They have been deployed directly into the heart of the most heated conflicts. In a rare instance of surfacing publicly, the Frogmen, through Conventus Ranae, have joined forces with Linde Werdelin to create a wholly unique timepiece commemorative of their brotherhood. Conventus Ranae is the formal association of past and present members of the Frogman Corps. A fraternal bond is naturally formed between active Frogmen, and Conventus Ranae exists to strengthen that bond between active and retired Frogmen.
Insider: MCT Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps Sequential One S100 and S110. Changing the Face of Time with Prisms.
The workshop of MCT —Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps— is located in the heart of the Swiss watchmaking region of Lake Neuchâtel. Each watch is made by hand and a single watchmaker follows its assembly from the beginning to the end to ensure the ultimate quality and traceability. The Sequential One is product of a collaboration between designer Eric Giroud and concept engineer Jean-Francois Mojon. This fascinating timepiece is very unique because of its monumental hour numerals, ingenious for its in-house movement and pioneering for its mechanism of sequential display. This manufacture lead by François Candolfi is living example of the level of innovation and the creative spirit of independent watchmaking companies. In order to ease the review of this timepiece, let's start with a video produced by MCT that clearly explains the complexity of this mesmerizing timepiece.
Breaking News: Audemars Piguet Appoints Claude Emmenegger as New Creative Director After Octavio Garcia's Departure.
Audemars Piguet is proud to announce Claude Emmenegger as new Creative Director after the sudden departure of Octavio Garcia after the SIHH 2015. Octavio had been the Chief Artistic Officer —Creative Director— at the manufacture from Le Brassus for more than a decade. Claude Emmenegger started his career with an interesting start at Longines followed by Gucci —where he created 23 collections including the G Watch—, to later join Audemars Piguet in 1999 and then leave in 2003 to launch his own horological consulting firm and work with more than 40 brands during 12 years. Passionate about complicated movements, horology and in constant pursuit of innovation and creativity, his main creations include the Tradition of Excellence models 2, 3 and 4. Not only do they combine design and technique, they also represent a new milestone for Claude in terms of approach, as case and movement are addressed simultaneously for a perfect fit.
Insider: Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 45th Anniversary Limited Edition. Even Better on an OEM Titanium Bracelet.
Back in April of last year we brought you the news straight from Baselworld 2014 about the release of the new Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 45th Anniversary Limited Edition here. This time, we are bringing you a full review of this new watch the way we like to do it, under natural light and with plenty of macros that we know you'll love. Furthermore, we have a surprise at the end of the post with the watch fitted with a 'Speedy' X-33 OEM titanium bracelet. These images are a world premiere and the result of a crazy idea from a watch collector that wanted to see what the watch would look like on a matching titanium bracelet. Frankly, the watch looks even more amazing on the bracelet. Considering that our previous images from Baselworld 2014 were not taken under natural light, these new images we have prepared for you depict the watch more accurately. This is a watch that one needs to see in person to truly appreciate it and understand the color variations coming from its PVD blackened dial.
Video: Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono King Gold Ceramic.
Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono King Gold Ceramic in action. See the retrograde seconds hand jump back to 0 in 30 seconds. On the occasion of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Hublot released the Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chronograph in black ceramic and carbon fiber as presented by us here.
Insider: Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono King Gold Ceramic. Expressely Made for the World of Soccer.
Last year on the occasion of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Hublot released the Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chronograph in black ceramic and carbon fiber as presented by us here. A year later, Hublot presents the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono King Gold Ceramic ref. 413.OM.1128.RX —this watch is also available in Titanium and Ceramic under ref. 413.NM.1127.RX. This Bi-Retrograde chronograph is not your average flyback chronograph as it is fitted with a different type of display. It's a watch specially designed for the world of soccer —fútbol. The Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono King Gold Ceramic is a first for Hublot, who has never before produced a bi-retrograde function until the release of its predecessor in 2014. The Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono King Gold Ceramic features a 45 mm 18K King Gold satin brushed finished case with a strikingly beautiful black ceramic bezel, black composite resin lower bezel with 6 H-shaped black PVD titanium screws and a black dial featuring gold accents, a bi-retrograde chrono display at 12 o'clock, subsidiary time display dial at 6 o'clock and running seconds at 9 o'clock.
News: Presenting the MusicMachine 3 Reuge by MB&F. Inspired by the TIE fighters from Star Wars.
Nearly 150 years on, and still in Sainte-Croix, Reuge is the only remaining manufacturer of high-end music boxes in the world. Reuge's collection has grown to offer both quintessentially classical pieces and contemporary designs —including a service for specially commissioned bespoke pieces. With the MB&F MusicMachines, Reuge has pushed the frontiers of music box design: MusicMachines belong more to the 25th century than the 21st. Designed by MB&F and made by Reuge, the first MusicMachine was launched at Baselworld 2013. Building on the success of this initial collaboration, Reuge and MB&F joined forces in 2014 for MusicMachine 2 and again in 2015 for MusicMachine 3, which completes the trilogy.
The TIE fighter-inspired MB&F MusicMachine 3 Reuge is positive proof that both the child and the Force are still going strong within MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser —who was 10 years old when he first saw Star Wars in 1977.
Insider: Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph Panorama Date. Live Pictures and Pricing.
Glashütte Original reveals the fascinating art of fine mechanical watchmaking with a new chronograph movement designed and hand-crafted entirely in its own manufacture in Glashütte, Germany. The new Senator Chronograph Panorama Date is powered by the new in-house automatic calibre 37-01 column wheel chronograph and available in two different metals with a case measuring 42 mm in diameter and 14 mm in thickness. These two watches are available in either platinum or 18K red gold. While the ref. 1-37-01-02-03-30 features a platinum case and a hand-finished silver dial with Roman numerals and tachymeter scale, the ref. 1-37-01-01-05-30 is fitted with an 18K red gold case and a lacquered silver grained dial with Roman numerals. Both watches are fitted with an elegant alligator strap —black on the 18K red gold model and dark blue on the platinum one— with folding buckle and equipped with display case backs that allow for uncompromised view of this new and nicely decorated movement.
Experience: Goyard Watch Box. Where Hand-Painted Personalization Makes a Difference.
An important part of our watch collecting lifestyle is to find the right box or boxes to safely keep our precious timepieces at home or while traveling. In the past, we've shared with you here the Tiffany & Co. watch box we own and which we think is the ultimate watch travel box that we recommend for most watchlifestylers in terms of quality, looks and price. However, this time we are bringing you another special box owned by one of our contributors. Part of the many joys of owning a watch is the ability to just admire them when they are not on our wrists. We often find ourselves spending way too much time just looking at our own collections and while it may sound silly to those who don’t share our passion for watches, the rest of us watchlifestylers surely get what we mean.
To make that time looking at your pieces much more enjoyable, our contributor JK was fortunate to be given this wonderful Goyard watch box —Coffret 4 Montres Noir— as an anniversary gift this year. Interestingly, the box that houses part of JK's amazing Audemars Piguet collection, is befitting of the watches inside it.
News: Presenting the Breguet Type XXI Flyback Chronograph in Platinum ref. 3813PT. Unique Piece for ONLY Watch 2015.
Breguet and its President & CEO Marc A. Hayek are renewing their support to ONLY Watch by participating in the 6th edition of the biennial charity auction co-organized by the Monaco Association against Muscular Dystrophy and the Monaco Yacht Show. Within this context, the Maison has developed a one-of-a-kind creation for this sale, from which the proceeds will benefit research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The watch, a special Type XXI chronograph, made for the first time in platinum. This model will be on show in Monaco at the end of September before moving on to Hong Kong, Beijing, New York and London. It will end its tour in Geneva, where it will be sold to the highest bidder on November 7th 2015. Stemming from the wrist chronographs produced by Breguet in 1935, the first Type XX watches were developed to order for the French military and delivered to its air force and navy from 1954 onwards through to the 1970s. Supplied to pilots as standard issue, the Type XX soon became a cult object much sought-after by aviators. This enthusiasm incited Breguet to produce a contemporary civilian version some years later.
Experience: Porsche 991 Carrera S in the Company of a Richard Mille RM015 Le Mans Classic in Red Gold.
Here's one of the most fascinating watch-car combos we've featured in a while —a Richard Mille RM015 Le Mans Classic in red gold in the company of a gorgeous Porsche 991 Carrera S with Carrera Red interiors.
'991' is the internal designation —also the number used by serious Porsche enthusiasts— for the seventh generation of the Porsche 911 unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the '997'.
This silver 'beast' is fitted with a horizontally opposed six-cylinder 3.8 liter rear engine that delivers 400 hp that can go from 0-60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. A 'beast' of a car in all senses of the word.
This particular car in GT Silver Metallic color comes with 20-inch Carrera S wheels, a Carrera Red leather interior, a PDK transmission and the sport chrono package. The interior is really gorgeous, spacious and very comfortable. It is a joy to drive this beauty every day.
The Porsche '991' comes with some major improvements when compared to the previous generation '997'. There's a clear enhancement on the quality of the equipment and the overall look of the interior which happens to be roomier than the one in the '997'. While the rear passenger/luggage space is also less tight in the new model, it still really can't fit anyone taller than five feet —only a perfect fit for Santa Claus' elves. Overall, the most visible improvement is the level of refinement and how posh the interior now looks.
While the '991' is not that much faster than its predecessor, it feels faster as it is lighter. Another great improvement is that the level of noise coming into the cabin from the rear tires has been reduced and now the interior sound level is perfect. Additionally, the '991' comes with a standard sport exhaust button that is linked to an acoustic tuner which brings the characteristic flat-six exhaust note into the rear of the cabin.
If you are ready to pay a Sticker Price of $126,440 USD for a Porsche just like the one we have here, make sure you wear that Richard Mille that's been sitting in the safe for months on the day you go pick it up at the dealership.
For more info click here.
![photo 3[1].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/512f9596e4b0ed945e3306aa/1374157068216-MVH1QDK6PLZ8KES02KBC/photo+3%5B1%5D.jpg)
Insider: Ulysse Nardin El Toro GMT Perpetual. Perhaps the Most Robust Perpetual Calendar Out There.
The Ulysse Nardin El Toro/Black Toro GMT Perpetual ref. 326-03-3 is fitted with a very robust solid 18K rose gold case measuring 43mm in diameter and topped off with a fixed black ceramic 24-hour bezel and a black rubber strap with deployant buckle. El Toro, is perhaps the most robust and most user friendly Perpetual Calendar out there that also happens to also come with a sophisticated dual time zone complication. This watch is fitted with a stunning black dial with Côtes de Genève that could be perceived as slightly busy but somehow its striking design and beauty makes all elements flow nice and evenly. The dial features the traditional oversized skeletonized hands with luminescent material on the tips, day and month apertures next to the center pinion, seconds register at 9, year aperture at 6 and big date aperture at 1 o'clock. The black dial is nicely accentuated and balanced by the blued screws and the gold accents.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 25721BA. LeBron James' First Audemars Piguet Timepiece Ever Owned.
There are watches and then there are what we like to call very special watches or grail timepieces. Therefore, today we bring you a truly unique Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 25721BA.OO.1000BA.03. This fascinating Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in 18K yellow gold, is the first AP that NBA superstar LeBron James had ever owned. Yes ladies and gentlemen, this watch used to sit on LeBron James' wrist and today it sits in the watch collection of a very close and special friend of ours.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in 18K yellow gold ref. 25721BA is not only a true grail timepiece for AP fans, but a beast of a watch weighing 398 grams/14 ounces —almost a whole pound of precious metal.
Insider: De Bethune DB28 Dark Shadows Limited Edition. Exceptional, Refined, Bold and a True Example of 'Haute Horlogerie'.
Referred to as modern day alchemists, it has taken just eleven short years for two watchmaking devotees to build what history will doubtless view as the foundations of 21st century horology. In 2002, when David Zanetta, a collector with a passion for art, history and timepieces, decided to join forces in founding De Bethune with Denis Flageollet, a fourth generation descendant of watchmakers. Passion is at once the watchword, the winning formula and the reward for the constant personal commitment of these exceptional men. The De Bethune DB28 Dark Shadows clearly embraces the principles and values of the manufacture. Fitted with a sandblasted anthracite zirconium round shaped middle case with a diameter 42.60 mm and a thickness of 9.20 mm, the DB28 Dark Shadows features the traditional short and long floating lugs also in sandblasted anthracite zirconium. The finish of the middle case and the floating lugs is smooth and precise as good as it gets. The blackness of the case design along with the openworked dial create an endless symphony of avant-garde design.
Insider: Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow. Hands-On Review of a Very Nice Column-Wheel Chronograph Under $10K USD.
This time, we bring you our in-depth hands-on review with a very large number of live pictures we took under natural light and our recommendation on why you should get this exceptional chronograph from our friends from Le Locle. The Zenith El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow ref. 03.2061.405/21.M2060 just like most of the timepieces in the Stratos Flyback collection, is fitted with a robust and very solid case measuring 45 mm in diameter that features a highly polished case with alternating satin brushed finished lugs. A heir to the Zenith military chronograph legacy, the new El Primero Stratos Flyback Rainbow pays tribute to the 1997 Zenith Rainbow watch, but in our opinion, with a much nicer design that will take the test of time way better.
