Endowed with a relatively small case in 18K rose gold measuring 38.5 mm wide and 38.8 mm long, the new L.U. Chopard Heritage Grand Cru is one of the most traditional and elegant looking watches from this young manufacture. Similar in looks to a Cartier, the Heritage Grand Cru is fitted with a white lacquered dial with black Roman numerals and small red accents.
Experience: Our 10 Favorite Timepieces of 2017. Happy New Year to Everyone.
Without a doubt, 2017 was a year full of incredible new watches and exceptional releases from the majority of the brands at the SIHH and Baselworld; however, just like with everything else, we can only pick a handful of watches that took our breath away for one reason or another. From million dollar watches to incredible celestial complications, perpetual calendars, striking time watches and everything in between, here are our 10 favorite watches released this year to wrap up the year 2017.
News: Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance with Hand Guilloché Dials. Partnering with Master Watchmaker Kari Voutilainen.
Last year in November of 2016, we brought you the news regarding the Armin Strom Mirrored Force Resonance Fire in 18K rose gold, the first truly Resonance timepiece in the market. Then six months later, in May of 2017, Armin Strom released their Resonance watch also in stainless steel. Well, today after the great success of the inaugural rose gold limited edition and the visually technical stainless steel edition, Armin Strom’s most innovative piece to date, will now be offered to collectors with superb, hand-executed guilloché dials, creating an outstanding synthesis of tradition and innovation —two values dear to the brand.
Insider: Hublot Classic Fusion Chrono Aero Carbon 'Best Buddies' Limited Edition. With a Good Cause Behind it.
You guys know we are not big fans of the Classic Fusion collection from Hublot; however, this particular watch comes with two things that we really like. The first one, a very good cause behind it and the second one, a spectacular brushed carbon fiber case. The Hublot Classic Fusion Chrono Aero Carbon 'Best Buddies' Limited Edition ref. 525.QX.1799.QR.BBE15 was created as a 100-piece limited edition to support 'Best Buddies International', a nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for friendship, employment and leadership training for people with IDD —intellectual and developmental disabilities. This partnership is not surprising at all, as Tom Brady —New England Patriots Quarterback and Best Buddies Global Ambassador— is a huge watchlifestyler and up until now, he had been a well-known friend of Audemars Piguet. However, after this partnership between Hublot and 'Best Buddies International', any chances Brady could've had to work more closely with AP are now long gone.
Experience: Zaha Hadid's Condo at the W South Beach. A $6.5 Million Dollar Modern and Eclectic Space Like No Other.
Here at WCL we are suckers for modern architecture and design and when you get to step into late Zaha Hadid's condo at the W South Beach Residences it is for sure an afternoon to remember. Considered the most prominent and successful female architect of the century, Zaha Hadid was an Iraqi-British architect who was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004 and the UK's Stirling Prize architectural award in 2010 and 2011.
Insider: IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Racer ref. IW378508. Our Favorite Ingenieur Ever.
The IWC Ingenieur was originally launched in 1944 and since then, it has experienced several changes and major redesigns. Today, even though the IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Racer ref. IW378508 has been discontinued, it remains our favorite Ingenieur ever. Released in 2013 as the result of the collaboration between IWC and the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team, the IWC Ingenieur Chrono Racer ref. IW378508 maintains the essence of the original iconic Ingenieur design with a much more robust construction.
Experience: Mercedes-Benz G550 4x4 Squared. When a 'Beast' Meets Two AP Original Royal Oak Offshore 'Beasts'.
With a size that dwarfs the regular Mercedes-Benz G Wagon, the MB G550 4×4² is one helluva a 'Beast' and a new highlight in the history of the G-Class that blends all the advantages of the model series. Drop shipped in all the way in from Graz, Austria, manufactured by Magna Steyr, the 'Geländewagen' was originally developed as a military vehicle upon request of the Shah of Iran and launched for civilian use in 1979. But what makes this Mercedes-Benz G550 4x4 Squared a real 'Beast' is its 88 inches —2.2 meters— height and its impressive ground clearance at 18 inches —almost half a meter.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26470ST.OO.A028CR.01. Hands-on with 'The Real Batman'.
Just released a few months ago, the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26470ST.OO.A028CR.01 with black dial and blue registers is the latest addition to the Royal Oak Offshore line and a watch that we have now nicknamed 'the Real Batman'. With its 42 mm case in stainless steel with black ceramic crown/pushers and display case back, the Real Batman is a stunner in the metal and a watch that discreetly evokes the colors of the Dark Knight in a regal combination of black and blue.
News: Pre-SIHH 2018 Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Automatic 910P. The World's Thinnest Automatic Watch with Peripheral Rotor.
Defying the limits of feasibility, Piaget provides a new demonstration of its supremacy in the field of ultra-thin watchmaking, stemming from the excellence of its two integrated Manufactures. Three years after the launch of the revolutionary slimmest manual-winding watch in the world at that time, Piaget is once again defying the laws of horology by presenting the new Altiplano Ultimate Automatic watch with a mere thickness of 4.30 mm. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Piaget Altiplano, Piaget has now added to their lineup what is now the world’s slimmest automatic watch.
News: Greubel Forsey Nano Foudroyante EWT. Second Part of the Mechanical Nano Project.
From tower clocks to wristwatches, the history of clock- and watch-making over the past four centuries chronicles the ever-increasing miniaturisation of mechanisms. Up until now, the power needed to drive a wristwatch mechanism has been a limiting factor in terms of design and innovation. Greubel Forsey’s fundamental work on Mechanical Nano, based on the mastery of energy and available space, is once again confirmed and now applied in a watch mechanism.
Experience: Art Basel Miami Beach with the Audemars Piguet Art Commission. When Watches, Artwork and Parties Intertwine with Slow Moving Luminaries.
Last week, we had the pleasure to join our friends at Audemars Piguet during their third year in a row as participants of at Art Basel Miami Beach. For those of you not quite familiar with this international event, this is one of the most renowned art fairs in the world with three shows staged annually in Basel, Switzerland; Miami Beach, Florida; and Hong Kong. Art Basel showcases contemporary artworks by established and emerging artists.
News: Presenting the MB&F Automatons Kelys & Chirp. A Collaboration with Reuge and Nicolas Court.
The result of a collaboration between Reuge —the mechanical music box and singing birds specialists— and Nicolas Court, one of Switzerland’s most talented automaton experts comes a set of two automatons —a first for MB&F— named ‘Kelys & Chirp’. The first, a walking turtle and the latter his singing bird companion, are both fully mechanical creatures. By pressing Kelys’ tail, this turtle will start to gently walk across the table in an amazingly realistic turtle-like gait. After a few seconds, another surprise is revealed when one of the scales on his back opens up and his friend Chirp pops out, flapping her wings vigorously and singing loudly.
Insider: Panerai Radiomir 3 Days Special Edition PAM 721. Hands-on with the Just Released Panerai Inspired by its Origins.
nspired by its historical origins and exclusively available at the Panerai boutique at the Miami Design District comes the just released Radiomir 3 Days Special Edition PAM 721. A real tribute to the history of Officine Panerai, many of the characteristics of this watch come straight from the prototype created by Panerai in 1936 to equip the commandos of the Royal Italian Navy. Fitted with a cushion case in stainless steel measuring 47 mm in diameter, the Radiomir 3 Days Special Edition features the iconic slender wire strap attachments of the Radiomir line...
News: Pre-SIHH 2018 IWC Tribute to Pallweber Edition “150 Years” ref. IW505002. A 250-Piece Limited Edition Celebrating the Brand's 150th Anniversary.
Celebrating its 150th Anniversary, IWC will be unveiling 27 new timepieces during the SIHH —Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie— in January 2018. With new watches within the Portugieser, Portofino, Pilot's and Da Vinci collections, IWC marks this occasion, also launching its first-ever wristwatch to feature the original digital hours and minute display as it appeared on the Pallweber pocket watches back in 1884. Founded in 1868 by American watchmaking pioneer Florentine Ariosto Jones, the International Watch Company in Schaffhausen was established with the aim of combining skilled Swiss craftsmanship with American manufacturing technology to create the best pocket watches money could buy back then.
Insider: IWC Big Pilot's Watch Titanium Limited Edition. Light but Massive and Sturdy as a Fighter Jet.
Along with the recent release of the new IWC Big Pilot's Watch in bronze, follows the new IWC Big Pilot's watch in titanium. Maintaining the roots of the original model with the triangular index positioned below the minute chapter ring with Arabic numerals, the new IWC Big Pilot's watch in titanium features a black dial with vintage 'ecru' superluminova. With a bronze case measuring 46.2 mm in diameter and 15.8 mm in thickness, this iconic watch from IWC just got better, if that is even possible.
Insider: Zenith El Primero 410 Limited Edition. Only 500 Pieces of One of the Most Beautiful Chronographs with Annual Calendar.
The Zenith El Primero 410 Limited Edition ref. 03.2092.410/91.C496 of which only 500 pieces are available is without a doubt one of the most beautiful chronographs equipped with an annual calendar out there. But what makes this El Primero 410 better and greater than other chronographs, it's the fact that you not only have a vintage inspired timepiece with a fully integrated automatic 12-hour chronograph, but you also have the amazing complication of an annual calendar with moon-phases at a very reasonable price.
Insider: HYT H4 Alinghi Limited Edition. Hands-On with our Favorite Piece from the Hydromechanical Horologists.
Innovation within tradition, the DNA of haute horlogerie, the movement heritage, and so on: forget it all. HYT does things its own way, and discards these received ideas. Need a known quantity to hang on to? Good news: the H4 Alinghi tells the time. As for the rest, you will need to forget anything that has been seen, designed, or even imagined before now. Nothing has changed, except the essential. The chassis is a familiar beast. Since the start of the year, the H4 has had more ink in publicity than it has in its capillary. It is based on the same movement architecture as the H1, HYT's inaugural piece, which has been completely skeletonized. With a 65-hour power reserve, it unveiled its sculptural mechanism for the very first time and opened up a new creative universe for HYT. One so appealing that the brand decided not to meddle with it: the new H4 Alinghi is virtually a carbon copy of its big brother but with a big surprise under the hood.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked x Material Good ref. 26347TI in Titanium. As Good as it Gets.
Featuring a tourbillon and chronograph complication, the ref. 26347 was conceived out of a creative dialogue between Audemars Piguet and SoHo luxury retailer, Material Good in New York City. The watch available in both 18K rose gold and in titanium, is exclusively available at Audemars Piguet boutiques and at Material Good in New York City. Although this new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked ref. 26347TI.OO.1205TI.01 was just recently released, as usual, we already have our live images for your viewing pleasure.
News: WatchBox Launches as a Platform for Buying, Selling and Trading Pre-Owned Luxury Watches. Danny Govberg and Liam Wee Tay Join Forces.
Industry veterans Danny Govberg —CEO of Govberg Jewelers in Philadelphia— and Liam Wee Tay —former owner of Sincere Fine Watches the oldest watch retailer in Singapore— have united with investor-entrepreneur Justin Reis to transform the pre-owned luxury watch category by uniting the two largest watch markets with a global platform for buying, selling and trading luxury watches under the name of WatchBox.
Insider: Richard Mille RM 050 Jean Todt 50th Anniversary Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph
To celebrate the 50th career anniversary of Mr. Jean Todt, the president of the FIA —Federation Internationale de l'Automobile—, Richard Mille has released a total of five different watches in honor of Mr. Todt including the RM 036 Tourbillon G-Sensor Jean Todt, the RM 58-01 World Timer Jean Todt, the RM 11-03 Jean Todt, the RM 056 Jean Todt Sapphire and saving the best —or at least which we think is the ultimate best— for last.
