The Tank watch was born in 1917 as the result of a powerful vision and the culmination of a lengthy design process. It was a timepiece which swept aside tradition, shook up habits and ushered modern design into the workshops, destined to become a watchmaking icon. Now 100 years old, Cartier celebrates its birthday with 13 new watches that make the Cartier Tank as new as it was in 1917 when it was first released. The Tank is a universal symbol of style and elegance that has taken an unprecedented path spanning an entire century centered around three cult models: the Tank Louis Cartier, the Tank Américaine and the Tank Française.
Insider: Vacheron Constantin Quai de L'Ile Date ref. 86050/000T Titanium. A Customizable Timepiece from the Oldest Watch Manufacture in the World.
The Quai de L'Ile is the most modern collection offered by Vacheron Constantin, the oldest watch manufacture in continuous operation in the world established in 1755 by Jean-Marc Vacheron. This collection, launched in 2008, not only offers watches in materials like titanium or palladium —materials typically not used by someone like Vacheron Constantin—, but also the ability to customize and personalize the watch with no less than 700 possible combinations allowing the client to choose everything from the middle case, to the bezel, the case band —flanks—, the strap, the buckle, the dial and the movement.
Insider: Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon High Jewelry ref. 5349PT. A Platinum Case and 417 Diamonds Compose this Massive Grand Complication.
There are 'iced out' timepieces and then there's the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon High Jewelry ref. 5349PT. While we are not fans of 'iced out' watches or watches with diamond accents here at WCL, we do have to recognize that this Breguet Double Tourbillon is a masterpiece of horology and high jewellery. Fitted with a massive 50 mm case and a total of 417 diamonds throughout its dial and case, this Grande Complication is simply as special as it gets, thanks to its twin rotating tourbillons.
Insider: Panerai Radiomir 1940 3 Days Green Dial PAM 736. One of the Best 47 mm Radiomirs Ever Released.
With a very distinctive green dial in a hue that sits in between the green of the Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Bronzo PAM 382 and the green of the Panerai Luminor Marina Harrods Limited Edition PAM 693, the just released Panerai Radiomir 1940 PAM 736 brings another breathe of vintage air to the Radiomir 1940 collection. Fitted with a highly polished 47 mm stainless steel cushion-shaped case, this is by far one of the best Radiomir 1940s ever released by the brand.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 44 ref. 26401RO. Hands-on with One of the 'Big Boy' AP Watches.
Released several years ago, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 44 ref. 26401RO.OO.A002CA.01 in 18K rose gold quickly became one of the hottest rose gold watches amongst AP lovers and anyone else that wanted to own one of the 'Big Boy' watches from Audemars Piguet. Fitted with a larger and more robust case than the original Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph line, the AP ROO Chrono ref. 26401RO measures 44 mm in diameter and 14.12 mm in thickness.
Insider: Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Quantieme Annuel. Hands-on with a Great Looking Annual Calendar.
As an ode to the sea and the maritime nature of Ulysse Nardin comes the new Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer Quantieme Annuel ref. 1133-210/E3 with a strikingly beautiful 'Grand Feu' blue enamel dial with wave guilloché pattern. With an easy to read layout, its dial features a 60-hour power reserve indicator at 12 o'clock and a month and date indicator at 6.
Insider: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Carbon Skeleton Flying Tourbillon. Hands-on with an Exceptional 28-Piece Limited Edition.
Following the racing theme set by the new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli Skeleton Automatic collection —the result of the partnership between Pirelli and Roger Dubuis—, comes the new Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Carbon Skeleton Flying Tourbillon featuring an oversized case measuring 45 mm in diameter in black DLC Titanium Carbon with highly contrasting red accents throughout the bezel, crown, strap and dial.
Eye Candy: Jaquet Droz Éclipse Onyx. The Perfect Watch for the Solar Eclipse 2017.
Without a doubt, the perfect watch for a day like today as we are just a few hours away from the beginning of the total solar eclipse 2017 is the Jaquet Droz Éclipse Onyx. Fitted with a 43mm stainless steel case and an onyx dial that includes a complete calendar with a moon and eight stars on relief, this watch features a retrograde moon that is eclipsed with an independent rotating cover as the phases advance and a serpentine hand marks the date around the circumference of the dial.
Experience: Vilebrequin Mistral Limited Edition Swimwear. Perfect Match to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
Watchlifestylers, get ready to experience the fanciest Vilebrequins out there. The Mistral Limited Edition is the latest exclusive swimwear line by Vilebrequin. This line features embroidered patterns in the same style and fit as the Moorea. On this post we are featuring the embroidered turtles and the embroidered starfish designs along with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15300ST with a perfectly matching blue 'grande tapisserie' dial.
News: Presenting the Ulysse Nardin Classico Zheng He Treasure Boat. A Stunning 30-Piece Limited Edition.
Saluting the fascinating world of Chinese maritime history, Ulysse Nardin honors the Zheng He Treasure Boat in its new Classic Collection. This 30-piece limited edition timepiece features a stunning cloisonné enamel dial with the legendary Chinese Treasure Boat —or Bao-Chuan. The Bao-Chuan was a large wooden ship in the fleet of admiral Zheng He, the renowned explorer and mariner, who led seven incredible voyages during the early 15th-century Ming Dynasty.
Insider: H. Moser & Cie. Heritage Tourbillon. When Independent Watchmaking Becomes Artistry.
For brands like H. Moser & Cie. an independent watchmaking manufacture, making timepieces has now become pure artistry. One of the strongest brands within the Independent Watchmaking scene and a company that has proven the Swiss watchmaking industry their prowess and their originality, H. Moser & Cie. is one of the very few companies that strive for real 'Swiss Made' and what this really should entail, regardless of what the 'Swissness Law Ordinance establishes as "Swiss Made" when it comes to watches.
Insider: A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Annual Calendar in Platinum. Fascinating, Classic and Precise.
A. Lange & Söhne is a company that has been around since the 1800s. Ferdinand A. Lange was born in Dresden, Germany in 1815. Fifteen years later, he began an apprenticeship with Saxon clockmaker J.C.F. Gutkaes starting his career in watchmaking. In 1837, Ferdinand A. Lange moved near Paris and worked as a foreman in a prominent horological manufactory, operated by Austrian clockmaker Joseph Thaddäus Winnerl —1799-1836, a pupil of Abraham Louis Breguet.
Insider: Richard Mille RM 028 Brown PVD Titanium. A Massive Diving Watch That is Great Looking But Not for Everyone.
The first diving watch for Richard Mille was the RM 028 Diver released in 2010 with several renditions that followed. In 2012, the most striking and colorful Richard Mille Diver RM 028 was released in a non-limited run —but knowing how Richard Mille works, maybe no more than 100 pieces or so were made— and featuring a brown PVD titanium case with orange and blue accents on the bezel and secured by a bright orange rubber strap.
Experience: 10 Watch Collector Accounts on IG We Love. Go Follow Them If You're Not Already Doing So.
As many of you know, over the past six months, the visibility of accounts with a very large number of followers like ours, has been compromised by Instagram's desire to drive up their advertising revenue. As our following on Instagram has plateaued at the 125,800 follower mark and the number of likes per post have significantly dropped no matter how hard we try, we find it harder and harder to feel motivated to spend as much time posting as we used to and liking posts of those that we follow.
Rare Bird: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jubilee ref. 14802ST. The 20th Anniversary Royal Oak with Salmon Dial.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak Jubilee ref. 14802 limited edition in 1992. With 100 pieces total including the majority in stainless steel, a few in 18K yellow gold, and only 20 in platinum. While the 18K yellow gold model came with one dial, the platinum and stainless steel models came with two different dials. The stainless steel model was available with two different dials that included a cobalt blue smoke-tinted treated like the original Royal Oak from 1972 and a salmon one which became the most special one amongst watch collectors.
News: Antonio Seward Appointed New CEO for Audemars Piguet North America as Xavier Nolot Returns to Le Brassus.
Effective August 1, 2017, Antonio Seward was named CEO for Audemars Piguet North America. Born in London to Argentinean parents —a diplomat father and an artist mother, Antonio holds a degree in History from Kings College, London and a Masters in Political Science from the Institute of Political Studies Paris. Antonio’s diverse multicultural background was further developed after living in international cities including Buenos Aires, Paris, Miami and Singapore.
Eye Candy: Armin Strom One Week Configured Unique Piece. The Armin Strom Configurator Offers Endless Possibilities.
With a very similar look to Armin Strom’s Skeleton Pure Water we reviewed here, but featuring the 'Air' titanium case, comes this Armin Strom One Week Configured Unique Piece thanks to the recently launched Armin Strom Watch Configurator. This watch configurating system is not only quite innovative but it also offers hundreds if not thousands of possible combinations. If you can dream it, they can make it.
Insider: Bell & Ross BR-X1 Tourbillon Sapphire. Hands-on with the Almost Half Million Dollars 8-Piece Limited Edition.
Following the trend set by brands like Richard Mille, Greubel Forsey, MB&F and Hublot, comes the Bell & Ross BR-X1 Tourbillon Sapphire. This new sapphire watch released by Bell & Ross during Baselworld 2017 was a big surprise, considering that the price point for their timepieces has always been under $8K and with just a few misfits highly priced in the $20K price range. Furthermore, an almost half million US dollars timepiece that is not even powered by an in-house calibre should be something even out of the question.
News: Richard Mille Releases the RM 035 Black Toro and RM 035 Gold Toro. Two New 50-Piece Limited Editions for the Americas.
Richard Mille releases two new limited editions of the manual wound RM 035. Based on the original RM 035 in the Rafael Nadal series of watches, the two new 50-piece limited editions are available exclusively and immediately at authorized Richard Mille retailers in The Americas. The new models named 'Toro' after Rafael Nadal 'The Bull' —Toro in Spanish— from Manacor in Mallorca, Spain are the RM 035 Black Toro and the RM 035 Gold Toro.
Experience: When Money is No Object. A Very Impressive Collection of Audemars Piguet Timepieces, Cars and One of the World's Largest Diecast Scale 1:18 and 1:12 Cars.
Continuing with this new series where we showcase some of the most impressive and versatile watch collections in the world, this is the time to share with you a watch collection mainly composed of Audemars Piguet timepieces. Since often, it is quite common to find that watch collectors happen to also be collectors of many other objects of desire; call it writing instruments, lighters, banknotes, coins, stamps, fragrances, bags, shoes or automobiles, just to name a few, it is no surprise that this AP watch collection...
