The Breitling Navitimer 1 Airline Editions celebrate the brand’s very important role in the golden era of aviation and some of the most emblematic airlines of that time. Honoring Swissair, Pan Am and TWA, the Breitling Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph brings the golden era of aviation to the wrist with three colorful and very good looking executions. All three watches are available in either vintage-inspired nubuck leather straps —brown or black—, stainless steel mesh bracelet or on stainless steel the Breitling Air Racer bracelet with big perforations throughout —not our cup of tea. All three watches feature display sapphire crystal case backs as well as convex sapphire crystals with double anti-reflective coating on both sides.
News: Breitling Pulls Out of Baseworld. Tudor to Have its Own Stand-Alone Booth as Rolex Grows within the Fair.
After two years of uncertainty whether Breitling would continue at Baselworld or not, the Swiss luxury watch brand has finally opted to leave Baselworld as of next year. Breitling now in the reigns of Georges Kern —former CEO for Richemont’s IWC—, has decided that is better to showcase in its own format for 2020. In the words of Michel Loris-Melikoff —Managing Director of Baselworld—: “We very much regret that Breitling will not be exhibiting at Baselworld 2020. However, there have been very constructive and cooperative discussions with the watch manufacturer in recent weeks.” In 2020, Breitling will be relying on its previously launched Summit platform to which dealers, the media and collectors will be invited.
Eye Candy: HYT H0 Diamonds Red and Black. The Watch with 1,206 Diamonds Totaling 7.43 Carats on its Dial.
An unprecedented watch by HYT but one that happens to work very well with its dial full of diamonds. As they say, diamonds are allegedly forever, but how long is forever? And as Marylin Monroe would say: “ Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” but in this case and due to the nature of the HYT watches they are also a man’s best friend as these pair of HYT H0 Diamonds are entirely unisex. On the new H0 Diamonds, a total of 1,206 diamonds totaling 7.43 carats flow through the design of the dial and every corner of it to interplay with light and sparkle through every millimeter of the watch.
Insider: Hublot Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II. A Horological Multifaceted Wrist Sculpture.
Going beyond other brands, Hublot presents what we like to call a horological multifaceted wrist sculpture. The new Big Bang Sang Bleu II has gone above and beyond when it comes to the design of its case. A complex combination of satin-brushed finishes and highly polished chamfers throughout the case, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II is not necessarily the best watch to tell time but a fantastic object of desire to adorn your wrist. Designed in collaboration with tattoo studio Sang Bleu London —now also present in Zurich, Switzerland— and their creative director Maxime Plescia-Buchi, the second collaboration of this partnership is pure fire. Located in the heart of London’s East End, the Sang Bleu Tattoo Studio is the home to a wide array of tattoo artists as well as world renowned guest artists.
Experience: Rolex Baselworld Chocolates. A Highly Coveted Triplock Crown Sweet Treat.
It’s been a while since we last posted those special watch goodies that as watch collectors we all love. A now long tradition at Rolex during Baselworld is to give out to their VIPs and special friends from the press, a box of their highly coveted signature Rolex crown chocolates. A special sweet treat in the form of a Rolex triplock crown filled with four different flavors. These sixteen chocolates are looking to please the most demanding palates combining milk and dark chocolate as well as coffee and hazelnut flavors.
Insider: Arnold & Son HM Perpetual Moon Aventurine. The Nicest Moon Phase Watch Gets Even Better.
The Arnold & Son HM Perpetual Moon is for sure the nicest moon phase indicator watch in the market. Well, just as if it wasn't stunning enough, the brand released this new iteration during Baselworld 2019. The new HM Perpetual Moon Aventurine is now sporting a beautiful sparkly Aventurine dial. Fitted with the biggest moon phase indication in the market, the Arnold & Son HM Perpetual Moon displays the moon as seen from the northern hemisphere on a wide spread aperture that spans from 10 to 2 o’clock on the dial.
Rare Bird: Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M James Bond. The Discontinued 45.5 mm Model.
Referred to by Omega as Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M James Bond, the Seamaster ref. 232.30.42.21.01.001 that was released in 2011 to replace the first generation of Planet Oceans 2500 —initially released in 2005— is in our opinion the best Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M ever released. Equipped with a massive 45.5 mm case in stainless steel and powered by the in-house Omega Calibre 8500 with Silicium Escapement, this is for sure one of the best daily beaters if you’re looking for a tool watch that is not necessarily your typical Rolex Submariner.
Insider: Bulgari Octo Roma Tourbillon Sapphire. A Stunning Creation with Extreme Transparency.
Released a couple of weeks ago during Baselworld 2019, the new Bulgari Octo Roma Tourbillon Sapphire is not only a very photogenic watch but one of our favorite timepieces released by Bulgari this year. The purity of the lines of its unique case construction along with its sapphire crystal middle case and the blue tones of its strap and blued skeletonized bridges are flawlessly combined in a very attractive watch that can play well in the boardroom as it would while sailing on a mega yacht along the French Riviera.
Insider: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Carbon. A Featherlight Masterpiece.
With a mere total thickness of 3.95 mm, the new Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic now in Carbon is the world's thinnest self-winding watch. Setting the fourth world record under the Octo Finissimo line, the new Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic is simply incredible. The automatic movement equipped with a tourbillon follows the Octo Tourbillon Finissimo in 2014, the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater in 2016 and last year’s Octo Finissimo Automatic. Bvlgari’s mastery of the art of watchmaking was duly acknowledged at last year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève which rewarded both the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton and the Octo Finissimo Automatic.
Experience: The Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. A Must Visit for Porsche Lovers.
If you’re as big of a fan of Porsches as we are here at WCL, a visit to the Porsche Museum and the factory is a must, at least once in your lifetime. Located 15 minutes away from Stuttgart’s city center in Zuffenhausen, the Porsche Museum is a temple for those wanting to learn everything about Porsche’s history and immerse themselves in one of the most beautiful modern architecture spaces in the world. The Porsche Museum opened its doors on the last day of January in 2009 after four years of construction. The project had one goal, to perpetuate the history of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. The firm responsible for taking on the project, Austrian —at the end of the day Ferdinand Porsche was Austrian— Delugan Meissl Associated Architects were chosen amongst 170 firms all over Europe that pitched the project.
Eye Candy: Rolex Day-Date 36 Galore. Some Wild Presidents from Baselworld 2019.
This Baselworld 2019 Rolex introduced a new generation of its Oyster Perpetual Day‑Date 36, available in 18K yellow, white or Everose gold with distinctive new dials and gem-set bezels on some versions. Without a doubt the wildest releases this year from the Rolex a.k.a. The crown. First released in 1956, the Day-Date became very popular among the elite as well as world dignitaries to then soon be referred to as the Presidents’ watch. A significant innovation at the time, the Day-Date was the first calendar wristwatch to indicate the date and the day of the week spelled out in full in an arc-shaped window at 12 o’clock.
Insider: Tudor Black Bay Chrono Steel & Gold ref. M79363N. Reminiscent of Those Vintage Chronograph Days.
The new Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G —for steel and gold— is the newest addition to the Black Bay collection. With a two-tone look combining stainless steel and yellow gold, the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono Steel and Gold is an automatic 45-minute chronograph powered by the Tudor Manufacture Calibre MT5813 which is derived from the Breitling B01 as the result of a mutual collaboration between Tudor and Breitling. Regardless, this column-wheel chronograph with vertical clutch features Tudor finishing, Tudor regulating organ and a Tudor oscillating weight. The movement provides a power reserve of 70 hours when fully wound.
Insider: Zenith El Primero A386 Revival 50th El Primero Anniversary Limited Edition. Three Types of Gold in a 50-Piece Edition Each.
As we mark the 50th anniversary of the release of the Zenith El Primero A386 in 1969, Zenith has decided to bring back the original model in its 38 mm case in a highly coveted limited edition of 50-pieces each in 18K white, yellow and rose gold. Maintaining the traditional faceted straight lugs of the iconic El Primero Chronograph A386, the watch was originally christened 'El Primero' referring to ‘the first' as it was presented on January 10th, 1969. The new Zenith El Primero A386 Revival 50th El Primero Anniversary Limited Edition is as close as you’ll get to owning the original watch from 1969. From its case proportions to the dial and even the plexiglas on it, this revival edition is as good as it gets.
Insider: Rolex Yacht-Master 42 White Gold ref. 226659. Very Nice but Something is Missing.
The first iteration of the Yacht-Master with Oysterflex bracelet was released at Baselworld 2015 sporting an Everose Gold case and in two different sizes that included a 37 mm —perfectly sized for ladies or for men with smaller wrists— and a 40 mm one. Now, at Baselworld 2019 a new iteration of the Rolex Yacht-Master makes its appearance in 18K white gold and with a 42 mm case diameter. But why go with a bigger case when even the Explorer II at 42 mm is not a Rolex favorite? Well, only Rolex knows why they do things certain way. The new Rolex Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226659 is a very casual understated looking watch that looks as good at home as it does on the open sea.
Insider: Hublot Big Bang Scuderia Ferrari 90th Anniversary. A 90-Piece Limited Edition for Each Model.
Another trio of good looking Ferrari watches released by Hublot this year. Even though the new Hublot Classic Fusion Ferrari GT was our real favorite this year at Baselworld 2019, the new Hublot Big Bang Scuderia Ferrari 90th Anniversary is not bad looking either. Available in platinum, 3D Carbon or Sapphire, this new watch celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Scuderia Ferrari racing team. Equipped with unique looking straps in either Nomex, Kevlar or Calf, all straps feature grey contrast stitching. For those of you not familiar with Nomex, this is a variant of aramid materials like Kevlar. While not as sturdy as Kevlar, Nomex has excellent thermal, chemical, and radiation resistance for a polymer material.
Insider: Chopard Mille Miglia 2019 Race Edition. Celebrating 'La Corsa più Bella del Mondo’.
Last year, Chopard celebrated three decades of partnership with the Mille Miglia race, referred to on Italian as ‘la corsa più bella del mondo’ —the nicest race in the world. The Mille Miglia is raced over a thousand mile —1,600 km— loop running all the way from Brescia to Rome and back. This partnership that reflects Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s —Co-CEO of Chopard— passion for classic cars, continues this year with the Mille Miglia 2019 Race Edition. Available in two different models, as ref. 168571-3004 in a 1000-piece limited edition in stainless steel and as ref. 168571-6002 in a 250-piece limited edition in stainless steel and 18K rose gold, this is one of the most unique looking Chopard Mille Miglia watches ever made thanks to its fully snailed dial.
Insider: Bulgari Gérald Genta 50th Anniversary. Honoring the Greatest Watch Designer of Our Time.
Bulgari was founded in Rome in 1884 and acquired by LVMH Group in 2011. While it's more famously known for their jewelry creations, its watchmaking credentials continue to rank higher and higher every year since then. The history between Bulgari and Gerald Genta dates back to the year 2000 when Bulgari acquired Gerald Genta and Daniel Roth along with their manufacturing facilities at Saigenlégier, La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Sentier in the Vallée de Joux. Today, Bulgari has become a watchmaking force and the new Bulgari Gerald Genta 50th Anniversary is the result of that.
Baselworld 2019: Urwerk UR-T8 Colibri Unique Piece in Collaboration with Emmanuel Esposito. Live Pictures & Price.
Emmanuel Esposito is the creator of extraordinary art knives and the collaborator involved in the release of the new Urwerk UR-T8 Colibri just unveiled at Baselworld 2019. This unique piece that is sold accompanied by an art knife by Esposito is a very elaborate piece of horology with the most unique look. Esposito’s passion for knives started at an early age back home in Italy. He developed his distinctive and unique style over the years, using high-tech materials like carbon fiber and metal alloys along with traditional materials like gold and mother of pearl. When URWERK approached him with an offer to work together, and showed him the UR-T8, he said yes unhesitatingly and decided to create a one-off matching knife for the watch.
Baselworld 2019: Jacob & Co. Epic X Chrono Messi Limited Edition. Live Pictures & Price.
Renowned Argentinean soccer player Leo Messi was Audemars Piguet’s ambassador since 2010 and the brand released three Royal Oak Chronographs in his honor back in 2012. In 2014, Messi was still visiting the Audemars Piguet manufacture around 2014 and who knows what happened since them, but somehow that close friendship and relationship ended. All that we know, is that Messi loves watches and he is now partnering with Jacob & Co. and Jacob Arabo. Right before Baselworld 2019, Jacob & Co. presented the first watch from their relationship with Leo Messi and we were finally able to check it out during Baselworld last week.
Baselworld 2019: Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition. Live Pictures & Price.
The Breitling Navitimer ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition is the fist time that the brand has brought back a reference from the past and do a reissue to the smallest detail possible. In 1952, Breitling developed the Navitimer for air pilots to be able to do flight calculations with an innovative slide rule positioned around the dial. The new Navitimer ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition, celebrates one of the most iconic Navitimers released exactly 60 years ago. A flawless execution that that replicates the early Navitimer ref. 806 to the smallest detail including its acrylic —plexiglas— crystal.
