On World Oceans Day, IWC Schaffhausen announces its support for a pioneering environmental project, spearheaded by its partner, Cousteau Divers. Cousteau Divers intends to study the effects of climate change by measuring the temperature beneath the ocean’s surface, combining data from precision sensors with measurements taken by thousands of recreational divers. The goal is to give scientists a better understanding of how the ocean’s temperature affects biodiversity and climate.
News: Watches of Switzerland Group Goes Public. Trading Now at the London Stock Exchange.
Watches of Switzerland Group, the leading multi-channel luxury watch retailer in the UK and a leading retailer of luxury watches in selected regions of the U.S., has gone public and commenced its trading on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, trading under the ticker WOSG. The market capitalization of the Company will be approximately £647 million at the commencement of conditional dealings.
Insider: Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Green Bronze. A Stunning 999-Piece Limited Edition.
Two years ago, Bell & Ross released the BR 03-92 Diver with a black or a blue dial as its first diving watch within the square-shaped collection. However, Bell & Ross has been making diving watches for more than a decade now. As a matter of fact the discontinued Marine BR 02-94 is one of our favorite all-time diving watches. The new Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Green Bronze capitalizes on the huge success of bronze cased watches in a limited edition that distinguishes itself from the others through its dial. Bell & Ross introduces an appealing combination that makes two worlds meet with the combination of bronze —the diving industry’s metal of choice– and an olive green dial—mirroring the color of the military camouflage uniform— that works beautifully together, giving it a neo-retro rugged look.
Insider: IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar 'Rodeo Drive' Edition. Even Better than the Top Gun Perpetual.
Rewriting history and comparable in terms of wrist presence with the uniqueness of one of the coolest and sportiest perpetual calendars out there, the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Perpetual Calendar 'Rodeo Drive' Edition ref. IW503001 is an even much sexier watch than its predecessor the IWC Big Pilot’s Top Gun Perpetual Calendar in black ceramic. Also fitted with a matte black ceramic case but this time with a gorgeous navy blue dial this complicated Pilot's Watch acquires a very unique character.
Experience: A Summer Soirée with HYT Watches. The Hydromechanical Horologists Come to Dallas.
Even though the summer has not officially arrived, the warm spring weather in Dallas makes you feel the heat just as if the summer had already begun. Therefore, a summer soirée at the end of spring is not necessarily the wrong name for a great evening with friends, watches, good food, Aperol Spritz and Negronis. This time, HYT the hydromechanical horologists, partnered with us to bring their collection down to Dallas. In our opinion one of the most avant-garde watch companies and the only independent watchmaker that has gone where others have not, HYT was launched in 2012 by Lucien Vouillamoz, Patrick Berdoz, Emmanuel Savioz and Vincent Perriard. Their product offering, the most unique horological complication ever developed and the idea of introducing fluids into the heart of a mechanical watch seemed like the craziest thing to do.
News: Presenting the Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic 2019
Hublot revealed its third limited-edition timepiece in collaboration with Veuve Clicquot in honor of the 12th anniversary Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic taking place on June 1, where Hublot is serving as the official timekeeper and scoreboard sponsor. This 12-piece limited edition watch ref. 521.CM.1490.lR.VCP19 is available with straps in Veuve Clicquot Yellow alligator and black leather and features a 45.5 mm case in satin-finished and polished black ceramic. To kick off this year’s Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, Hublot and Veuve Clicquot unveiled this third limited edition timepiece at Hublot’s Fifth Avenue Boutique and hosted an intimate dinner at Nobu 57 afterwards.
News: HYT Presents Two New Versions of the H0. A Khaki and a Slate Grey that are Pure Fire.
With its latest H0 timepiece, HYT showcases the bare essentials of time’s transience in a watch that is as grounded as it is elevated. Fluidity is the language of the design’s appearance and message. This is translated clearly through sleek lines and shaping, subtly punctuated by splashes of color and underlying utilitarian confidence. The new H0 model’s take on transience and transparency has two variations. In one of these, a khaki dial and rubber strap stylishly camouflage the DLC anthracite coating of the stainless steel case. Red and pale green complete the color palette, with the former taking on the essential task of visualizing recently elapsed hours.
Insider: Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin. The First Calibre with a Flying Tourbillon for Chopard.
With the new L.U.C Flying T Twin, Chopard is unveiling its first calibre equipped with a flying tourbillon. This technically and aesthetically sophisticated timepiece is distinguished by its hand guilloché gold dial with honeycomb pattern —exclusive to Chopard—, its ultra-slim case in ‘Fairmined’ 18K rose gold and its ‘Poinçon de Genève’ certification. The L.U.C Flying T Twin is exclusively available in a 50-piece limited edition and exquisitely designed to satisfy the most demanding and discerning watch connoisseurs.
Eye Candy: Rolex GMT Master II 'Pepsi' ref. 126710BLRO. Perfect for Memorial Day.
More than a year and three months later the Rolex GMT Master II ‘Pepsi’ ref. 126710BLRO in stainless steel continues to be ‘the watch’ and prices in the secondary market are still more than double its retail price. While the Rolex GMT Master II 'Pepsi' ref. 126710BLRO has a retail price of only USD 9,250, most buyers of this watch have been willing to pay a premium through the grey market dealers with prices commanding as high as USD 22,500 and at an average around USD 19,500. Its blue and red bezel make it the perfect watch for Memorial Day when we remember and honor all of those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Happy Memorial Day and enjoy the images.
Experience: The 2019 Rally Maya with Franck Muller. Latin America's Second Most Important Rally.
For a third year in a row, WCL joined the Rally Maya in its 6th edition this past weekend and this week. This exceptionally orchestrated rally with a route that reaches the confines of the most remote roads through the Yucatán Peninsula kicked-off this year from the archeological site of Uxmal to finish off in Tulum, one of the world’s most revered archeological sites. Despite the sweltering temperatures throughout the route that passed through Mérida, Izamal, Peto, Valladolid, the K’aak Cenote and Puerto Morelos, 110 classic cars were driven by their pilots and copilots —mostly classic Mercedes-Benz, Porsches, Jaguars, Alfa Romeos, Austin Healy, an Audi that belonged to former Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos and several Mini Coopers— in what is today the second most important rally race in Latin America after the Carrera Panamericana.
News: Presenting the Ressence Type 1 ZZ. A Collaboration with Laurent Picciotto from Chronopassion Paris.
Ressence was founded in 2010, winners of the 2013 Horological Revelation Award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, Ressence takes a distinctive approach to the craft of contemporary fine watchmaking. Ressence is a Belgian brand based in Antwerp that combines Swiss made calibres with unmatched self-engineered innovation to reimagine how mechanical watches can function and interact with its user in the modern age. When Chronopassion was first founded in 1988, the aim was to gather the most exclusive items in the world of watchmaking under one roof; and today, that original motivation is just as strong as ever.
Insider: Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon. A Very Stealthy 1/100th of a Second Chronograph.
If you like stealthy watches that fly under the radar, the Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon is the perfect choice. First released in 2017, the 1/100th of a second chronograph mechanism, continues to prove why Zenith is one of the leaders and pioneers in making reliable and very accurate chronographs. The Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Carbon is one of those watches that ticks al the boxes if you are looking for a underrated, all black, sporty in-house chronograph under $20K USD. After the revival of the Defy line with a case design more in line with the historical Defy watches from the sixties and seventies, the Defy collection brings a breath of fresh air to a brand that has revolved around the El Primero look for most of his modern history since 1969.
Eye Candy: De Bethune DB28 Yellow Tones. The Beauty of Gold in Titanium.
The beauty of gold, the brilliance of precious stones, and yet none of it in this watch. Upon closer inspection one could mistaken its case with an aged yellow gold, bronze or brass case. With complete mastery of the art of thermal oxidation of metals, De Bethune explores all the possible color shades resulting from the heat released by the chemical reactions of heat-treated steel and titanium. The De Bethune DB28 Yellow Tones brings a hue of yellow never seen before on a titanium case.
Insider: Chopard Mille Miglia 2018 Race Edition. One of the Nicest Vintage Inspired Chronographs.
For 30 years Chopard has been involved with the Mille Miglia Race. To celebrate the occasion, two new chronographs have been released under the Mille Miglia name. These two new vintage inspired looking timepieces are the Mille Miglia 2018 Race Editions, one in stainless steel and the other in a very nice two-tone stainless steel and 18K rose gold combination. Featuring a perfectly sized 42 mm case with a smooth bezel, the anthracite engine-turned dials on these two watches evoke classic car dashboards.
Insider: Breitling Navitimer Automatic 41 Steel and Red Gold. Simplicity and Elegance with an Iconic Design.
Available now with a 41 mm case that combines the sturdiness of stainless steel and the warm elegant tones of 18K red gold, the Breitling Navitimer Automatic 41 in steel and red gold is perfectly sized for most wrists including those of women. The new Breitling Navitimer Automatic 41 is available with an anthracite or silver dial and equipped with a brown or black crocodile strap with pin or folding buckle —also available with a stainless steel Navitimer bracelet. Combining the historic appeal of a true icon with the refinement of a sophisticated, contemporary timepiece, this watch maintains the same design cues as its predecessors including the circular slide rule, the distinctive beaded bezel and its clean three-hand design with a date window at 6 o’clock.
Insider: Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Perpetual Calendar. Its Aventurine Dial Evokes the Starry Sky from Le Brassus.
The Audemars Piguet CODE 11.59 Perpetual Calendar is part of the new collection unveiled back in January of this year and which caused major reactions from collectors and the press after its release. The CODE 11.59 Perpetual ref. 26394OR.OO.D321CR.01 shares the same 41 mm case construction as all the other watches in the 11.59 collection with a case that combines a round shape and an octagonal caseband. The octagonal middle case is simply gorgeous but very hard to appreciate unless you are holding the watch and looking straight at the case band. Featuring a blue aventurine dial that evokes the starry sky from Le Brassus, the warm tones of the 18K pink gold case against the highly refractive and almost iridescent midnight blue dial play an exquisite color symphony made to please the most demanding watch collectors.
News: Presenting the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Midnight Blue Dial
An emblematic model from the Patrimony collection is adopting the midnight blue shade specially created for the line. The Patrimony perpetual calendar ultra-thin watch beats to the rhythm of the legendary 1120 QP calibre, an ultra-thin automatic movement. Introduced with an 18K 5N pink gold case measuring 41 mm in diameter and less than 9 mm in thickness, the warm hue of the case is a perfect match for the sunburst satin-finished blue shade of the dial. With its sleek lines embodying quintessential elegance, this version treats connoisseurs to unrivaled contemporary refinement.
News: Phillips Watches Sells Over $25 Million USD at Their Geneva Watch Auction NINE. New Record for a George Daniels Watch and Rolex Submariner ref. 5508.
In another record-breaking sale this past weekend May 11-12, 2019 at the Hôtel La Réserve in Geneva, Switzerland, Phillips Watches, the leader in watch auctions achieved $25,800,625 USD after selling 98% of the 220 lots offered at auction. Just as usual, new records were set for Patek Philippe, Rolex, and independent brands like George Daniels. Even though most of the lots were very important from a horological standpoint, there five to six watches that broke records and that are considered highly important due to their rarity and history in the world of horology.
News: Presenting the Bremont Jaguar D-Type Limited Edition
Jaguar Classic recently re-started production of the iconic 1950s D-type race car in Coventry, 64 years after the first examples were built. In 1955 Jaguar planned to build 100 D-types but only 75 were completed; Jaguar Classic is now fulfilling the company’s original ambition by creating 25 all-new, period-correct sports cars. The triple Le Mans-winning D-type is the third continuation vehicle to come out of the Jaguar Classic workshops, following six missing Lightweight E-types completed in 2014-2015 and nine XKSSs built in 2017-2018.
Insider: Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain. One of the Most Exceptional Watches Out There.
Following its royal blue predecessor, Greubel Forsey unveiled a brand new interpretation of the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain, this time with a natural titanium movement. The timepiece is still housed in a 5N red gold or white gold case measuring 44.5 mm in diameter and 15.2 mm in thickness. The simplicity of its external appearance resonates with the harmony of its internal architecture. It's three-dimensional character is subtly accentuated by the movement's many levels.
