Archive for January, 2010
Basel Preview: Hublot Gold King Power Tourbillon GMT
The King Power Tourbillon GMT is Hublot’s first tourbillon with a dual time zone indicator. The red and blue GMT dial located at 1 o’clock displays a second time zone of the traveler’s choosing. A retrograde date is located at 9 o’clock. This piece also stands apart because its gold color is unique. The watch is crafted from a new gold alloy containing 5% platinum called “King Gold.” Only 28 examples will be produced.
Basel Preview: Hublot Big Bang Steel Tutti Frutti Rose
The new Big Bang Steel Tutti Frutti Rose features a fine mother of pearl dial which adds a touch of elegance. The satin-finished case is surrounded by 48 baguette-cut pink sapphires, with an alligator strap to match. The case measures 41mm in diameter and is water resistant to 100 meters. The movement is a mechanical auto-winding Hublot caliber HUB4300.
Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon
At SIHH last week Cartier launched the new Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon with their new manual winding movement, Caliber 9451 MC, designed and created by Cartier watchmakers. This unusual movement is the product of 5 years of development at the Cartier Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Basel Preview: Glashütte Original Senator Sixties Panorama Date
Glashütte Original previews the Senator Sixties Panorama Date which combines the Senator Sixties’ distinctive retro-modern design with GO’s trademark panorama date. This new model will be available in a stainless steel case measuring 42 mm x 12.4 mm, with a galvanized black or satin-finished silver dial. The GO Calibre 39-47 movement is visible through a sapphire display back
Swatch Group Enjoys Rebound in Second Half of 2009
Swatch Group struck a positive tone in its 2009 financial report as results for the second half of the year were much stronger than the first half, when watch sales were down 16.4%. Watch sales finished the year down 5.5% at a constant rate, largely outperforming Swiss Watch Federation export sales figures for the same period. The Group forecasts improved sales and margins in 2010.
Ultra-thin is In at Piaget
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of their legendary caliber 12P, the world’s thinnest mechanical self-winding movement at that time, Piaget introduces Caliber 1200P, today’s thinnest automatic movement at 2.35mm. The new movement is housed in new limited and unlimited Altiplano models, which at 5.25mm are the thinnest automatic watches on the market today.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver
Audemars Piguet launched a new diver’s watch at SIHH last week. The Royal Oak Offshore Diver measures 42mm x 13.75mm and is powered by AP’s manufacture 3120 automatic movement. The ROO Diver meets or surpasses each of the Swiss watch industry norms (NIHS) for dive watches, including time preselection device, visibility, water resistance, anti-magnetic properties, resistance to shock and thermal variations, and resistance to external forces.
Trivia Quiz: Watches in the Movies
In the February issue of WatchTime, we reveal which watch Richard Dreyfuss wore as shark researcher Matt Hooper in Jaws. Not all movie watches take decades to identify. Test your knowledge in this quiz to see how well you know your Hollywood watch trivia. Hints in the form of answers appear at the end.
SIHH: Images from A. Lange & Söhne
During my visit with A. Lange & Söhne at SIHH last week, I had an opportunity to snap some images in and around the booth, including a few of the new timepieces. The big story this year is the brand’s 165th anniversary and the three Homage to F.A. Lange pieces in Lange’s proprietary honey gold. The new Annual Calendar was also very well received.
New Manufacture Movement Powers Calibre de Cartier
At SIHH last week, Cartier introduced a new in-house automatic movement known as 1904-PS MC. It powers the new men’s Calibre de Cartier line. The movement features twin barrels to provide a steady flow of power to the escapement, and the regulation system allows for fine adjustment to increase timekeeping accuracy. A stop-seconds system facilitates synchronization to a reference signal.
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Stallone Wears Panerai Luminor Regatta in The Expendables
Girard-Perregaux 1966 Perpetual Calendar
SIHH: IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph
WOW TIME: Parmigiani Bugatti Super Sport
Breitling's Chronomat B01 With Manufacture Movement
Money Shot: IWC Lands Two Starring Roles in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
New Manufacture Movement Powers Calibre de Cartier
Celebrity Watches by Vincent Daveau: Tracking Trendsetters Through Time
