The Breguet Type XXII Flyback Chronograph ref. 3880BR/Z2/9XV in 18K rose gold is perhaps our favorite sporty Breguet out there. As if the flyback chronograph and dual time zone features were not enough, this exceptional watch is also powered by a high frequency automatic movement beating at a frequency of 10 Hertz, yes 10 Hz. What makes this flyback chronograph even more special, is that the red chrono-seconds hand and red-tipped gold chrono-minutes hand, need to run twice around the dial to account for one elapsed minute when the chronograph is activated —in other words this watch features a 30-second/half-minute totalizer at the center— allowing for measurements of up to a 20th of a second.
News: NOMOS Glashütte Autobahn Awarded Gold at the 2019 German Design Awards
The NOMOS Glashütte Autobahn was released in 2018 and it is the most dynamic design from NOMOS Glashütte to date. This minimalist watch has officially joined the top echelons of the international design world by winning the Gold “Excellence in international design” at the 2019 German Design Awards —despite some less than stellar hands-on reviews by some of our competitors. The GDA is presided by the German Design Council, founded as an initiative of the German Federal Parliament in 1953. Since then, it is the leading authority on branding and design in Germany.
Insider: Bell & Ross BR V2-94 Garde-Côtes. A Gorgeous Watch That Won't Break the Bank.
Last time we talked here at WCL about Bell & Ross was back in 2017 when the brand had just released its BR-X1 Tourbillon Sapphire —you can read our review here. Disappointed by seeing the brand trying too hard to conquer uncharted territory in a price point that doesn’t match their brand essence and product offering, we decided to take a hiatus at reviewing any of their watches. However, with the release of the BR V2-94 Garde-Côtes, the brand picked our interest one more time by going back to their basics and what they’re well known for, making good looking watches that won’t break the bank and that give you a little bit more than a TAG Heuer, a Longines or a Baume & Mercier would give you just to name a few.
Insider: Armin Strom Skeleton Pure Chocolate Brown Ceramic Unique Piece. Hands-on with one of the Best Matte Ceramic Cases We've Ever Seen.
As you guys know, Armin Strom is an independent haute horlogerie brand known to master the art of skeletonization but also a brand that excels in making some unique pieces here and there, like the WatchCollectingLifestyle unique piece we shared with you at the end of September, here. Well, this time we are bringing you a hands-on review of a very unique Armin Strom Skeleton Pure featuring a middle case made of matte ceramic.
Experience: Audemars Piguet Private Dinner with Watch Collecting Lifestyle. Where Gold AP Watches Were the Common Denominator.
Yesterday November 13, 2018, we had the honor of hosting a private dinner with our friends from Audemars Piguet at one of Dallas’ best steakhouses. With Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House as our meeting point, the common denominator for the night, were the so many gold APs on the wrists of our watch collecting friends. From the massive 334-gram Royal Oak Offshore Chrono in 18K rose gold with ruthenium dial ref. 26470OR on our wrist, to the vintage-inspired champagne color dial Royal Oak Extra-Thin Jumbo in 18K yellow gold ref. 15202BA on the wrist of one of our friends, to the ultra-rare and exclusive 200-piece limited edition Royal Oak Frosted Gold in 18K white gold with a stunning 'grande tapisserie' blue dial ref. 15410BC, these were not the only gold AP watches on the wrists of our guests.
Eye Candy: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon Ladies. Fire and Ice.
Like the snow blizzard that puts out the campfire, the ladies Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon ref. 26227BC.ZZ.D011CR.01 with its diamond encrusted case is like ice on fire as the watch rests over a Feu de Bois Diptyque candle. With its perfectly sized 38.5 mm white gold case, the watch’s distinctive aesthetic brilliantly evokes winter in the Vallée de Joux where it takes its inspiration. The white gold dial sparkles with diamond-set, faceted pyramids and white lacquer finishing as the openwork ‘snowflake’ barrel echoes diamond ‘ice’ on the flying tourbillon escapement.
News: Phillips Watches Sells Over $21 Million USD at Their Geneva Watch Auction EIGHT. The Impressive Results of 16 Very Important Lots Are Here.
In another record-breaking sale this past weekend at the Hôtel La Réserve in Geneva, Switzerland, Phillips Watches, the leader in watch auctions achieved $21,250,815 USD after selling 99% of their 226 lots offered at auction. Just as usual, new records were set for Patek Philippe, Rolex, Audemars Piguet and independent brands like F.P. Journe. Even though most of the lots were very important from a horological standpoint, there are sixteen watches that broke records and that are considered highly important due to their rarity and history in the world of horology.
News: Rolex Becomes the Official Partner French Tennis Federation and the Official Timekeeper of the Roland-Garros Tournament
The French Tennis Federation —FFT— is proud to welcome Rolex as a Premium Partner and the Official Timekeeper of Roland-Garros. Within the framework of this new long-term partnership, the Swiss watchmaker also becomes an Official Partner of the FFT. Having been a loyal partner to the tennis world for the last forty years, Rolex will become a Premium Partner of Roland-Garros in 2019 and the Official Timekeeper for the Roland-Garros tournament in Paris. The bond between Rolex and tennis is built upon a shared passion for excellence, perfection, precision and elegance.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked. The Watch First Unveiled by Shanghai Watch Gang Founder @Horoloupe.
The latest and greatest from Audemars Piguet is the new Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked ref. 26587TI.OO.D031CA.01. First unveiled on Instagram by one of the founders of the Shanghai Watch Gang, watch collector Chu a.k.a. @horoloupe —the first watch collector to own this watch and who told us he owns the actual prototype of this watch—, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph Openworked is the first Royal Oak Concept selfwinding model since the collection's introduction in 2002.
Experience: Audemars Piguet Suite at the SIAR 2018. Bringing the Look and Feel of the AP House to Mexico City.
Following the ‘Le Brassus’ theme but with an edgier and even more modern look, Audemars Piguet presented a new setup at the SIAR 2018 in Mexico City. Somewhat mirroring the look of their recently unveiled Audemars Piguet Houses throughout the world, the AP Suite was not only very inviting but also a cozy place where one could just hang out for hours. Just like every year, AP found the perfect balance between highlighting its horological prowess, the display of the timepieces in their collection, the watches from their museum and their passion for art with the Audemars Piguet Art Commission.
News: MB&F Legacy Machine No. 2 White Gold Purple. A Very Vibrant 12-Piece Limited Edition.
Initially launched in 2013, the MB&F Legacy Machine No. 2 was only available in 18K white gold with dark grey dial, 18K rose gold with silver dial, a limited edition of 18 pieces in platinum with blue dial and in an 18-piece limited edition in titanium with its strikingly beautiful vivid blue greenish dial. Today, we bring you the fourth iteration of the MB&F LM2 this time in white gold with an unconventional purple dial. MB&F started using purple as far back as 2011 in their winding rotors on the HM3 Frog Zr, HM5 CarbonMacrolon and on the HM8 Only Watch. More recently purple was utilized on the limited editions of the HMX Black Badger and the Legacy Machine Perpetual.
Insider: Chopard L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of 'La Santa Muerte' Unique Piece. Celebrating 'Día de los Muertos', One of Mexico's Richest Traditions.
To celebrate the Mexican holiday of ‘Día de los Muertos’ —the Day of the Dead— which is celebrated throughout Mexico on November 2nd, Chopard decided to create a unique piece to be released at the SIAR a couple of weeks ago and which sold immediately after its reveal. The Chopard L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of 'La Santa Muerte' is a unique piece cased in a 43 mm rose gold case that is fully hand-engraved with motifs related to this Mexican holiday. The ‘Day of the Dead’ is now widely known outside of Mexico thanks to the opening sequence on the movie ‘007 Spectre’ released in 2015.
The Watch Collectors: @Bharmon417. A Young Watch Collector that Happens to Also be an Incredible Photographer.
If you follow watch content accounts on Instagram that are known for some of the best photography, then the handle @Bharmon417 might not be new to you. A young watch collector that happens to also be a professional photographer, @Bharmon417 is not only passionate about Panerai, Audemars Piguet and Rolex, but all those other things we like to refer here at WCL as the good life. With eye-catching photo compositions that are the perfect embodiment of the hashtag #WatchLife we created five years ago, @Bharmon417 is a watch collector truly enjoying the journey and not so worried about the destination…
News: Jaquet Droz Unveils Three New Versions of the Loving Butterfly Automaton
For Baselworld 2017, Jaquet Droz released the Loving Butterfly automaton, a watch that features a 90-second on-demand animation —read our hands-on review here. Today, Jaquet Droz has decided to add three new versions of the Loving Butterfly Automaton to their collection. The three new versions of the Jaquet Droz Loving Butterfly include new choice of dials in meteorite, aventurine and opal. Each of the compositions draws on the Jaquet Droz codes: automatons, Ateliers d’Art, exceptional mechanisms, mineral dials and numerus clausus —limitation.
Experience: Ten Watches Perfect for Halloween. Trick-or-Treating with Your Wrist in Style.
Whether you like to celebrate Halloween or not, there are certain luxury timepieces that are perfectly suited for a day like today and that will make your wrist as stylish as it gets when you are out trick-or-treating. If you fancy ‘calaveritas’, skulls, orange dials, orange straps, orange accents or even ultra expensive watches with a case that will remind you of candy corn, then any of these ten watches is absolutely perfect for you. From Hublot to Richard Mille and even Audemars Piguet, these watches celebrate Halloween the right way.
Insider: Hublot Classic Fusion AeroFusion Chronograph Orlinski Mexico. A 30-Piece Limited Edition in Green Ceramic.
After the huge success of the first round of Hublot watches in partnership with sculptor Richard Orlinski watches released last year, comes the new Hublot Classic Fusion AeroFusion Chronograph Orlinski Mexico ref. 525.GX.0179.RX.ORL18 in a limited edition of 30 pieces in micro-blasted green ceramic. Like a mini sculpture created by Orlinski himself, the Classic Fusion AeroFusion Chronograph Orlinski Mexico features the same case construction as its Hublot-Orlinski predecessors with a polygonal case with 12 facets that resembles the capricious angles on Orlinski’s sculptures using a three-dimensional cambering technique.
Insider: MB&F L'Epée 1839 Grant Clock. Hands-on with the Latest Transforming Clock from MB&F.
Released less than two months ago, MB&F and L’Epée 1839 continue with their partnership by releasing another robot clock, this time by the name of Grant. Named after a World War II Tank also known as the Medium Tank, this M3 was a mid-size American tank utilized by the British and nicknamed 'Grant' in honor of Union general Ulysses S. Grant who led the Union Army to defeat the Confederacy and whom became POTUS succeeding Andrew Johnson.
News: Richard Mille Opens New Boutique in New York City. Their Largest Boutique in the World.
Richard Mille opened its largest boutique in the world this month, in New York City. Located at 46 East 57th Street, in the heart of Manhattan —right across from Audemars Piguet and next to Phillips and Jacob & Co.—, the 4,200 square feet flagship becomes the ninth Richard Mille boutique in the Americas. A two-story oasis of sleek contemporary design, bathed in abundant natural light, the boutique represents a new architectural standard for the luxury brand. Richard Mille himself and John Simonian —CEO of Richard Mille Americas and owner of Westime— started the search for the ideal boutique location in New York a decade ago. As it turned out, the property they ultimately selected did not even exist 10 years ago.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ref. 26584OR Latin America. A Stunning 100-Piece Limited Edition with Bracelet and Strap.
Introduced in April, 2018, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar for Latin America ref. 26584OR.OO.1220OR.01 is one of the hottest watches this year. Featuring a gorgeous pink gold toned dial with dark blue subdials, this watch in 18K pink gold is sold with a matching 18K pink gold bracelet accompanied by an additional blue alligator strap with AP folding clasp also in gold. This new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Quantième Perpétuel —Perpetual Calendar— ref. 26584OR, joins the other three new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendars fitted with a 41 mm case and the new automatic calibre 5134.
Insider: Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 1 Malaspina Edition. An Incredible Unique-Piece in Rose Gold for Mexico.
Following the huge success of the award-winning FB1.1, FB1.2 and FB1.3, comes the latest from Ferdinand Berthoud. Unveiled at the SIAR 2018 in Mexico City where we were able to review the new Chronomètre FB 1 Malaspina Edition which is the rarest timepiece in its kind to date. The Chronomètre FB 1 Malaspina Edition is attired in a stunning 18K rose gold case framing a vertical satin-brushed silver-toned, blue-accented dial. After winning the Grand Prix “Aiguille d’Or” prize at the 16th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève —GPHG— in 2016 the brand has set a path to success with unconventional watches that exude ‘haute horlogerie’ from every angle.
