Vilebrequin was launched in Saint-Tropez —the heart of the French Riviera— back in 1971. Daytime, outside. View of the port. Café Sénéquier, meeting place of the happy few on the French Riviera. In the background, the village is abuzz with the news of the imminent arrival of Brigitte Bardot with her admirers, to spend a night at one of the legendary Saint-Tropez nightclubs. Music and champagne, non-stop! The stars have their own country here, governed by the laws of pleasure, carefree living and legend.
Insider: Hublot Classic Fusion Dallas Cowboys Limited Edition. First Luxury Brand to Ever Partner with an NFL Team.
Today, we bring you three of the watches product of the partnership between Hublot and the 'America's Team'. Yes, we are talking about a very special partnership between the legendary Dallas Cowboys and Hublot. Whether you were a fan of Roger Staubach or not, this watch presented at the end of 2014, will interest you as Hublot is the official watch and timekeeper of the Dallas Cowboys and the first luxury brand to ever partner with an NFL team in the U.S.
Macros: Louis Moinet Tourbillon Piece Unique. 18K White Gold Hand Engraved Case & Sapphire Crystal Dial.
Louis Moinet was one of the greatest watchmakers ever and the inventor of the chronograph in 1816. Today, his spirit lives on thanks to Jean-Marie Schaller, who as founder and creative director of the Louis Moinet brand, revived the prestigious name of the inspirational master watchmaker.
Insider: Breguet Classique Small Seconds ref. 7147. Hands-on with a Very Slim and Super Elegant 'Time Only' Watch.
In our book, Breguet stands for ultimate elegance and unparalleled classical horological design and such is the case of the newest addition to the Breguet family. We are talking about the 'time only' Breguet Classique Small Seconds ref. 7147. This new timepiece, that couldn't be more Breguet as it is heavily fueled by the rich DNA and history of the brand is available in 18K rose gold or 18K white gold.
Insider: Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller D-Blue Dial ref. 116660 a.k.a James Cameron. Built like a Marine Tank and Exceptionally Beautiful.
It's been a long time since we've done a hands-on review of a Rolex timepiece. While we've never been big fans of the Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller ref. 116660 since its launch several years ago, we've always liked the looks of the D-Blue dial version a.k.a. James Cameron that came out in August of 2014. A watch that doesn't fly under the radar due to its crazy thick case construction —17.7 mm thick—, this ultra-resistant diver's watch was engineered by Rolex to conquest the deep.
Insider: Arnold & Son Eight-Day Royal Navy. A Gorgeous Stainless Steel Timepiece with a Polished Lacquered Guilloché Dial, Priced Just Right.
Demonstrating its rich British history and quality Swiss craftsmanship, the Arnold & Son Eight-Day Royal Navy brings the best from this manufacture in a stainless steel piece at a very nice entry level price point for this calibre of watch. This watch is a testament to Arnold & Son's tradition of building marine chronometers. With a stunning new eight-day power reserve movement, it is part of the sophisticated Royal Collection that took its inspiration from the timepieces commissioned by King George III.
Rare Bird: Zenith El Primero Striking 10th Limited Edition. Equipped with 'Foudroyante' Seconds and 36,000 vph.
The Zenith El Primero Striking Tenth limited edition is without a doubt, one of our favorite chronographs out there and one, that you rarely run into. Released in 2010 in a limited edition of 1969 pieces in stainless steel or 500 pieces in 18K rose gold, its case measuring 42 mm, features the traditional faceted straight lugs of the iconic El Primero chronograph. Christened 'El Primero' —meaning ‘the first'— and presented on January 10th 1969. Its exceptional performance made it possible to develop and launch two calibres, the '3019 PHC' for the chronograph with date and the '3019 PHF' for the chronograph with triple date and moon phase.
Insider: L.U.C Perpetual Twin by Chopard. Hands-on with a Classic Complication at Great Value.
For 20 years, Chopard Manufacture has been creating the watches in the L.U.C collection. This year at Baselworld 2016, Chopard is once again shaking up the classic codes of complicated Haute Horlogerie by introducing the new L.U.C Perpetual Twin, an all steel chronometer-certified perpetual calendar. The L.U.C Perpetual Twin is endowed with the mechanical excellence of Chopard complications while housing its perpetual calendar movement within a stainless steel 43 mm case.
News: Presenting the new MB&F Legacy Machine LM1 M.A.D. Dubai Edition. 13 Pieces in Titanium Exclusively Sold at the M.A.D. Gallery in Dubai.
The concept of Friends is such an integral part of MB&F that it's right there in the name: the “F” in MB&F stands for Friends. And few Friends have been as supportive to the creative horological lab as the Seddiqi family in Dubai. Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons was one of the six core retailers that supported —well before the first watch had been produced— Büsser's vision of a horological laboratory focused on creating kinetic sculptures that give time.
Experience: Some of Our Picks from the Phillips Watch Auction THREE. Live Pictures of Nine Exceptionally Rare Lots.
Last spring, the international team of Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo consisted of only nine people. Today, only a year later, their team around the world has almost doubled and grown to 17. Thus far, Phillips Watches sales exceed $80 Million USD and have set price records for different watches including the Patek Philippe Split Seconds chronograph ref. 1436 that sold for $3.301 Million Swiss Francs as we reported it here, the Patek Philippe Monopusher Chronograph ref. 130 Doctor's Watch selling for $4.645 Million Swiss Francs as we reported it here and of course the privilege to bring down the gavel on what is today the world’s most valuable wristwatch ever sold —not only at auction—, we are talking about the Patek Philippe reference 5016A selling for $7.3 Million Swiss Francs as we reported here.
Insider: Manufacture Royale 1770 Haute Voltige Dual Time. Hands-on with a Beautiful Execution of Haute Horlogerie.
Presented last month at Baselworld 2016, the new Manufacture Royale 1770 Haute Voltige Dual Time is enriching the 1770 Voltige line with this new version equipped with an easy-to-set second time zone and a raised balance wheel that dominates the majority of the dial. Available in a 45 mm micro-blasted stainless steel case, the watch comes with either blue or black dial. Personally, we feel the blue dial is way more appealing and extremely beautiful since we are suckers for blue dials.
The Watch Collectors: Meet Yanina LeCristal. An Instagram Fashionista that Loves Watches and Everything Hermès.
A few weeks ago, we were asked why we've never featured any female collectors or watchlifestylers within our Watch Collector's Corner. Well, today we bring you what you've been asking for. A little over a year ago, we came across Yanina LeCristal's Instagram profile. After realizing we had friends in common, we started following each other. The fact that she keeps her feed very real and ultra luxurious, is something that we really enjoy about it.
Experience: Our Picks from the Upcoming START-STOP-RESET Phillips Watches Auction. Live Pictures of Exceptionally Rare Stainless Steel Chronographs.
A meeting with Paul Boutros at Phillips Watches is always a real treat and a thrilling experience. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will be conducting their Geneva Watch Auction Three next month in Geneva at the Hotel La Réserve. After two very successful auctions last year, their third auction will take place on May 14th and May 15th. The auction will kick-off with the START-STOP-RESET watch auction, a very special auction dedicated to 88 epic stainless steel chronographs.
Experience: A Special Night with Panerai in New York City. A Delightful Dinner at Daniel.
When watches, food, wine and superb people get together, the end result is an epic unforgettable evening. Such is the case of the amazing dinner we were invited to that was organized by Panerai to celebrate the kick-off of Madison Avenue Watch Week and the release of their novelties at the SIHH 2016. If you consider yourself a true Paneristi, you are then definitely a foodie and a connoisseur of great restaurants.
Insider: Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer Blue Dial. Hands-on with a Refined Elegant German Beauty.
Presented at Baselworld 2016 less than a month ago, the most recent edition of the Glashütte Original Senator Chronometer offers certified precision in a distinctive and expressive dark blue version. The color blue is inseparably bound up with the Glashütte Original collection. For more than twenty years the brand has presented, again and again, exclusive timepieces in vibrant shades of blue, thus adding a modern, elegant nuance to the watchmaker's classic color palette.
Experience: A Day at the North American Institute of Swiss Watchmaking NAIOSW. An Exceptional Free Program Fully Subsidized by Richemont Group and Cartier.
Last week, we had the pleasure to visit the North American Institute of Swiss Watchmaking —NAIOSW— invited by our friends at Cartier. This visit that we can refer to as one of the 'most enlightening' days in our watch collecting life, was for sure a day very well spent. The NAIOSW was established in 2008 —education began in 2009— by the Richemont Group with the purpose of educating and training successful watchmakers for a career in luxury watch repair.
Rare Bird: Audemars Piguet 18K Yellow Gold Coin Watch. Twenty Dollars in Your Pocket with a Concealed Watch.
Only twice in our watch collecting life we have ran into one of the most fascinating and unique timepieces made by Audemars Piguet. We are talking about the ultra rare Audemars Piguet Coin Watch in 18K yellow gold. As far as we know, these rare coin watches were created by Audemars Piguet between 1915 and the late 1980s. The coin watches were produced in very limited quantities and in different currencies including U.S. dollars, Swiss Francs, French Francs and Mexican Pesos.
Insider: Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon Minute Repeater in Titanium. Hands-on with an Exceptional Timepiece Light as a Feather.
The new Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon Minute Repeater in Titanium just released at Baselworld 2016, brings the ultra-light metal into the equation for the very first time. Typically seen in 18K pink gold, the new Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon Minute Repeater in Titanium features a titanium case measuring 45 mm in diameter by 9.35 mm in thickness.
Insider: Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Off-Centered Onyx. Hands-on with the Perfect Watch for a Black Tie Gala Night.
The new Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Off-Centered embodies the essential Jaquet Droz design codes, balancing a sense of history with sheer, modern elegance. The Grande Seconde Off-Centered Onyx displays a striking graphic simplicity and its stylized black dial of edgy, intense black draws one deep into the heart of Jaquet Droz’s history. The creative concept underlying this model was born in the 18th century, at the height of the Enlightenment, when Pierre Jaquet-Droz revolutionized watchmaking with his Grande Seconde.
Insider: H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time. Hands-on with a Classic Looking Timepiece Priced Right Under $100K USD.
TGIF, and just because of that, how about we now talk about another one of those gorgeous looking pieces from H. Moser & Cie. so you can dream and think about it the whole weekend. The new Baselworld 2016 Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time in 18K white gold is a perfect addition to the existent Venturer Tourbillon Dual Time line. This exceptional timepiece where simplicity and clean lines are the name of the game.
