For the 6th edition of the ONLY Watch auction, Richard Mille and Rafael Nadal are partnering up once again to donate the RM 27-02 tourbillon prototype for the auction taking place in Geneva on November 7th, 2015. This unique piece has accompanied “Rafa” to all the biggest Grand Slam tournaments, from the French and U.S. Opens all the way to Wimbledon. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to research against Duchenne muscular dystrophy. With the Rafael Nadal RM 27-02 tourbillon prototype, the Swiss brand unveiled the very first skeletonized baseplate to be known as “unibody”. Inspired by the bodywork of racecars and machined from NTPT carbon, this construction increases rigidity and shock-resistance, and seamlessly fuses the case middle and the baseplate, eliminating the need to join the two components together.
Insider: Panerai Radiomir Black Seal 8 Days PAM 609. Delivered an Actual 9 Days, 3 Hours and 10 Minutes of Power Reserve During Our Hands-On Review.
Launched a few months ago, the new Panerai Radiomir Black Seal 8 Days PAM 609 is the latest addition to the 'Black Seal' family within the Radiomir collection. The first modern Panerai Radiomir watch honoring ref. 3646 from the late 1930s was launched in 2004 as the Panerai 'Radiomir Black Seal' PAM 183 with a 45mm —the original Radiomir watches had a case measuring 47mm in diameter— stainless steel cushion-shaped case. Since then, many iterations of the 'Radiomir Black Seal' have followed with dial changes —i.e. today, the PAM 183 features the 'Black Seal' writing at 12 o'clock instead of at 6 o'clock as it did when it was launched in 2004—, release of new models with in-house calibres that include date functions, power reserve indicators and most recently powered by the manual wound Panerai in-house calibre P.5000 with an outstanding 8-day power reserve. Interestingly enough, while working on our hands-on review, the PAM 609 reviewed here, ended up delivering an impressive total power reserve of 9 days, 3 hours and 10 minutes.
Insider: Zenith Pilot Montre d'Aéronef Type 20 Annual Calendar. A Vintage Inspired Massive Chronograph and Annual Calendar.
More than a century ago during the summer of 1909, air pilots were challenged to fly across the English Channel in a competition set by the British newspaper The Daily Mail. On July 25, 1909 Louis Blériot achieved a major first by crossing the English Channel by air, while wearing a Zenith watch on his wrist. At 4:15 am, the wind had dropped at Calais, France and it seemed like a propitious time to accomplish the challenge flying 40 kilometers from Calais, France to Dover, England. With his Zenith on his wrist, he took off aboard the Blériot XI, a frail ‘bird’ featuring a wooden frame and parchment-like wings and crossed the channel in merely 37 minutes.
Insider: A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1. Larger, Thinner and Just as Good Looking as the Lange 1.
The A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1 in white gold ref. 117.028 is another spectacular and iconic creation from this manufacture that was unveiled earlier this year. This iconic Grand Lange 1 is fitted with a white gold case measuring 40.9 mm in diameter and 8.8 mm in thickness —2.4 mm larger and 1.2 mm thinner than the Lange 1— and is also available in platinum, yellow gold or pink gold. As it is common with watches from this manufacture, the craftsmanship is just exceptional. This white gold model features a black dial with the exact same layout as the Lange 1 with an off-centered hour/minute sub-dial at 10, a small seconds counter at 5, an Up/Down power reserve indicator between 2 and 4 and a large date aperture at 1 o'clock. The dial is perfectly balanced and simply beautiful.
News: Introducing the Richard Mille RM 69 Erotic Tourbillon. The Classiest and Most Tasteful Erotic Timepiece Out There.
Today, we present you the new Richard Mille RM 69 Erotic Tourbillon. Its name is a clear affirmation of the creative longing to reveal our most secret intentions in all their glory. Playfully and tastefully interpreted, this fine watchmaking creation will delight and amuse its owners, teasingly displaying phrases that evoke desired pleasure without being as graphic as other erotic timepieces out there like the Ulysse Nardin Hourstriker Erotica Jarretière we featured here. Erotic timepieces are an important part of watchmaking history since Jaquet Droz was around. Because they broke with conservative moral, religious and political customs, these objects were often banned and confiscated. But like all forbidden love, their pleasure was enjoyed away from prying eyes. Thus by concealing the complications at the heart of watches in question, certain models have survived to this day.
News: Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Hourstriker Erotica Jarretière. Equipped with a Little Something for Voyeurists.
Ulysse Nardin reveals its sensual side with the new Hourstriker Erotica Jarretière. Ulysse Nardin is known for its daring watchmaking ingenuity, with the new Hourstriker Erotica Jarretière, the manufacture pushes the boundaries, once again, revealing a side never seen before —sensuality. Adding a little risqué to its repertoire of wristwatches is the new Hourstriker Erotica Jarretière. Erotic scenes are a long-standing tradition in the watch industry. Ulysse Nardin takes the subject matter to new heights through its implementation of the Hourstriker movement and Jaquemarts. A delicate, handcrafted miniature brings the romance of Venice to life. The delicately finished black onyx dial portrays the scene exposing lovers, viewable from the interior balcony, enjoying each other. Set admist traditional Venetian décor, the nude man and woman make love on a chaise; these figures are handmade 18K gold Jaquemarts that move in rhythm with the Hourstriker.
News: Introducing the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 'Cornes de vache' 1955. Pre-Watches & Wonders A Legendary Chronograph Makes its Appearance.
Celebrating a heritage forged by 260 years of uninterrupted expertise and innovation, Vacheron Constantin is enriching its Historiques collection with a classic chronograph fitted with iconic ‘cow-horn’ lugs. This contemporary interpretation of a legendary model created by Vacheron Constantin in 1955 embodies a remarkable blend of rigorous technicality and bold creativity. Featuring a central complication in line with the heritage of the Geneva-based Manufacture, the Historiques Cornes de vache 1955 ref. 5000H/000P-B058 is powered by the hand-wound Caliber 1142, housed in a 38.5 mm-diameter platinum case. This timepiece bearing the Hallmark of Geneva and issued in an exclusive production run is joining an exceptional collection dedicated to connoisseurs and which revives legendary Vacheron Constantin creations in a spirit of timeless excellence.
Insider: Panerai Radiomir Black Seal 3 Days Automatic PAM 388. An Upgraded PAM 183 with Date and Automatic Movement.
In the 1930s, the men in the Italian Royal Navy's Gamma Group, carried out their maneuvers astride human torpedoes a.k.a. "pigs" or indeed "black seals". The first modern Panerai Radiomir watch honoring ref. 3646 from the late 1930s was launched in 2004 with a 45mm —the original Radiomir watches had a case measuring 47mm in diameter— stainless steel cushion-shaped case with detachable wire lugs, display case back, black matte sandwich dial with superluminova, onion-shaped crown, gold calf strap with beige contrast stitching, large pin buckle and the OP XI hand-wound movement —based off of the ETA 6497/2 but with a swan neck regulator. This Panerai, was released under the 'Radiomir Black Seal' name and usually referred to by Paneristi as the PAM 183. Today, the PAM 183 includes the 'Black Seal' writing at 12 o'clock under the word 'Radiomir' instead of at 6 o'clock as it did when it was launched in 2004.
Experience: The Audemars Piguet Floral Clock at Singapore's Gardens by The Bay. Celebrating Singapore's 50th Year of Independence.
To celebrate Singapore's 50th Independence anniversary, Audemars Piguet and Gardens by The Bay have come together to commemorate the occasion with the unveiling of Singapore’s only sizable public floral clock. Blending timekeeping precision with botanical artistry, the Floral Clock was unveiled by Minister for National Development, Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, together with Dr. Kiat W. Tan, CEO of Gardens by the Bay, and Mr. Oliviero Bottinelli, Member of the Board of Directors, Audemars Piguet Holding SA. Displayed prominently in the Gardens, at the intersection between the cooled conservatoires and the Supertree Grove, the seven-meter-wide Floral Clock draws inspiration from the signature characteristics of Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak collection and fuses traditional and contemporary landscaping elements in its design. Featuring tropical plants with colored foliage and flowers, its plant palette will be refreshed regularly for the public to enjoy.
Insider: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Chronograph. One of the Most Classical and Elegant Chronographs in the Market.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Chronograph ref. 1538420 is another one of those classical timeless pieces from this manufacture. The Master Chronograph is perhaps the most well balanced and most classical looking chronograph in the market. This chronograph fitted with a highly polished stainless steel case measuring 40mm in diameter, comes with perfectly balanced proportions and a timeless design. The Master Chronograph ref. 1537420 is fitted with a convex silver sunray brushed dial with applied hour-markers, recessed chronograph registers and alpha hands —all chronograph hands are anodized blue. The configuration of the dial includes an hour-chrono register at 9, a minute-chrono register at 3, running seconds at 6, a date aperture between 4 and 5 o'clock and a pulsometer scale around the edge of the dial.
Macros: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore Dials. The Different Types of Tapisseries.
We often run into watchlifestylers that are curious about the differences between the different types of 'tapisseries' on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore dials. While many know their names, few know the difference between them. Now, how does Audemars Piguet create these iconic 'Clous de Paris' guilloché pattern dials?
The brass dial is engraved by a burin —a precision metalwork chisel— that reproduces the motif on a disc attached to the machine, like a pantograph. A pointer rotates across the disc from the periphery to the center. The system is combined with a tool that forms the little lozenges between the pyramidal squares and takes between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on the dial's diameter. It's a delicate operation. A mere skip is all it takes to damage the piece as the slightest impact is as visible as dust on a mirror. Here's a video courtesy of Audemars Piguet showing the work to create one of these iconic dials.
Insider: Christophe Claret X-TREM-1 White Gold. Hours and Minutes Displayed by a Magnetic System.
Christophe Claret's X-TREM-1, is one of those watches where your mind needs to wrap around the idea that a magnetic field is the one working behind the scenes to display the hours and minutes. While horological fans understand that magnets and mechanical timepieces don't go well together, Christophe Claret decided to do the impossible by mixing them in one amazing horological complication. The X-TREM-1 ref. MTR.FLY11.100-108 features an 18K white gold and grade 5 titanium case with white gold metalized numerals and a tourbillon case at 6 o'clock. This timepiece is as visually striking as it is technically innovative. Christophe Claret has always focused on developing original timepieces incorporating the latest technological innovations. The brand is known for pushing the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking and straying away from the beaten horological path. First presented in 2012, X-TREM-1 is a testament to this endeavor and represents a totally new way of telling the time.
News: Officine Panerai Opens Flagship at Miami Design District. Largest Panerai Point of Sale in the U.S. To Date.
Adding up to the large number of watch boutiques now opening in Miami's Design District, Officine Panerai presents its first ever flagship store in the Americas, created by the architect and designer Patricia Urquiola. The new flagship is situated in the heart of the Miami Design District, an area of the city which has recently been transformed into an exclusive luxury shopping destination. The boutique extends over an area of 2,200 square feet on two floors with two different entrances making this the largest Panerai point of sale in the United States to date. The flagship store is in the south-west corner of the Design District’s Palm Court and it has seven windows, five on the ground floor and two on the upper floor. The boutique windows face onto the piazza of the Palm Court, which is easily recognized by the large glass sculpture shaped like a geodesic dome in the center of the courtyard.
Insider: MB&F Horological Machine No. 6 HM6 'Space Pirate'. Hands-On Review of a Biomorphic Extraterrestrial Looking Watch.
By now, we are used to seeing some of the most spectacular space inspired creations coming from MB&F. The new MB&F Horological Machine N°6 —HM6— ‘Space Pirate’ has been designed with space in mind and its inspiration 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. In each of the four corners of HM6's biomorphic case there is a 360° sphere, capped top and bottom by transparent sapphire crystal domes.
Insider: IWC Ingenieur Double Chronograph Titanium ref. IW376503. Just the Right Amount of Blue.
The Ingenieur Double Chronograph —Doppelchronograph in German— in titanium is a state-of-the-art timepiece. With a very rugged sporty look, but a very comfortable lightweight titanium case, this 45mm watch offers the perfect balance between functionality and design. The watch on review, has now been replaced by the newly launched ref. IW386503 fitted with the new calibre 79420, a redesigned rubber strap and a black calendar wheel.
The rattrapante or split-seconds function in the Double Chronograph allows the user to record multiple time elapsed events. The word 'rattrapante' describes the split-seconds mechanism on a chronograph, which catches up with the primary chronograph hand. A watch featuring a double chronograph, always comes with two chrono seconds hands set at the center pinion. One hand is superimposed over the other, and while one hand moves continuously, the other one can be either stopped, started or reset to zero as necessary.
Insider: Bell & Ross Grande Date WW1-96. Vintage Looking, Superb Sunburst Dial and a Big Date.
Bruno Belamich—Bell— and Carlos A. Rosillo—Ross—, two boyhood friends, formed the Bell & Ross brand in 1993. Known for its iconic aesthetics with their oversized watches and distinctive easy-to-read dials, Bell & Ross continues to position itself as a strong player in the watch collecting arena.
Their BR01 instrument series, perhaps the most popular within the brand collection, was based on airplane cockpit instruments. The BR WW1-96 is part of the Vintage series and is reminiscent of the first pilot watches of the 1920s and designed to resemble the look of a pocket watch but on a strap.
This beautiful watch comes fitted with a black alligator strap and a massive 45mm stainless steel case that wears nicely and comfortably for a watch of this size. The sunburst dial on this timepiece is just magnificent. At first glance, it appears to be jet black; however, upon closer inspection and while exposing the watch to a bright source of light—especially natural light— you get the mesmerizing effect of its sunburst finished dial in charcoal gray.
Panerai Luminor 1950 3 Days PAM 372. A Flawless Modern Execution with Unparalleled Vintage Look and Feel.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the Radiomir and Luminor names identified the luminescent material used by Officine Panerai to increase the night-time and underwater visibility of watch dials intended for use by Italian Navy commandos. Over the years, the two terms have come to identify the shape of the cases of Officine Panerai's two iconic watches, one case representing the evolution of the other. The Luminor case was in fact born out of the need to make the Radiomir case even more resistant and watertight. This is why the crown-protecting device was added, shielding the crown and making it more watertight, with the strap attachments made from the same block of steel as the case replacing the welded wire lugs.
Insider: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Eight Days Perpetual 40 in Stainless Steel. The Only Perpetual Calendar with 8-Day Power Reserve.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Eight Days Perpetual 40 ref. 1618420 in stainless steel brings you the best perpetual calendar that money can buy at a fraction of the price with other brands. This fascinating complication is fitted with a case measuring 40mm in diameter that houses a manual wound caliber that provides a power reserve of 8 days —when fully wound— thanks to its two winding barrels. As you can appreciate in the pictures, the dial is very clean and perfectly balanced with the same indicators as the previous model but all of them placed in a more appealing way. This is the only perpetual calendar with an 8-day power reserve fitted with a manual winding movement and mechanically programmed until the year 2100. To make this watch even more interesting, Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to fit this complication with one single corrector to set all the functions of the perpetual calendar.
Experience: Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé. Riding Along with a Hublot King Power Unico King Gold.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé is one of the most technologically advanced and potent Rolls-Royce automobiles. The Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé just like the Hublot King Power Unico King Gold, is one of those luxury items designed for those that are remarkably bold. Sir Henry Royce —co-founder of the company— once said: "Take the best that exists and make it better", well, Rolls-Royce is always at the forefront pushing the boundaries of design and engineering. With its power, style and class, the Phantom Coupé paired with the striking look of the Hublot King Power Unico King Gold white makes a statement wherever you go.
Inspired by the Phantom II Continental of the 1930s, the Phantom Coupé is a celebration of sporting style and glamour. Fitted with coach doors a.k.a 'suicide doors', the first thing you notice as you open them up is the captivating smell of its fine leather interior and the strikingly glamorous 1,600 individual fiber optics sewn into the headliner to create your very own star-filled sky.
Rare Bird: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Mexico' in 18K Rose Gold. A 100-Piece Limited Edition Impossible to Find.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Mexico' in 18K rose gold, is one of those watches that if you are a fan of AP and you are Mexican, you need to own. However, 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 —reviewed by us here— and in a 100 pieces in 18K rose gold ref. 26297OR.OO.D101CR.01. In our opinion, this is the most beautiful 'Pride' Offshore out there. Therefore, is no surprise that soon after its release, the watch was completely sold out. While many gray watch dealers claim to have these watches in stock, they don't and finding a brand new one or even a mint one like the rare bird we have here, is as hard as finding 'El Chapo' roaming around the streets of Mexico City.
While today there is no Mexican holiday to celebrate, why pass on the opportunity of featuring this rare bird as we were very lucky to find this one.
