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New: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus in Machina with Editorial Commentary
Roger Dubuis unveils a minute repeater with flying tourbillon - a piece unique with the full RD DNA - the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus in Machina.
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Quill & Pad
Vintage Watch Snobbery AKA How I Met Your Mother - Reprise
Standing before his eyes was the most perfect of God’s creatures, a wonderful mix of Audrey Hepburn and Penelope Cruz. What Makes Me Tick thought his heart had skipped a beat, and he heard the chimes of every single minute repeater Patek Philippe had ever created – all chiming at exactly the same time! Six months later the gentle creature and he were married. This extraordinary story reflects the marvelous world of vintage watches: finding the rare bird, linking it to a story, and never letting it go.
SJX Watches
In-Depth: Inspiration and Creation of the Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series
Earlier this year, I paid a visit to Seiko’s headquarters in Ginza, Tokyo. I was there for two reasons. One was to present my Ideal Watch Size Survey to their design, product and development teams. The other was to find out more about a particular Grand Seiko I had recently purchased, the SBGZ001. Launched in 2019 to celebrate the Spring Drive’s 20th Anniversary, the SBGZ001 is an extraordinarily finished version of the Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series from the Elegance collection. What started as a few questions from a collector ended up being a dive into how a significant new line of watches at Grand Seiko was born. In the interest of full disclosure: The Armoury, which I own, has been a retailer of Grand Seiko in Hong Kong for about six years now. I have been collecting Grand Seiko for about nine years. Neither the SBGZ001 nor the SBGY003 detailed in this article are available for sale at the store. But they are special so I wanted to delve further into their creation. The Credor Eichi I, 2013 First some background. Back in 2013, I bought a Credor Eichi I, a well-known watch in certain circles for its exceptional finishing. It was made in the Micro Artist Studio (MAS), a division within the Seiko-Epson Shiojiri plant where all the cutting-edge high horology – namely Spring Drive movements – is designed and made. That includes things like the Credor Minute Repeater, the Grand Seiko 8 Day Power Reserve and the Credor Eichi II. I toured the facility in 2014 and visite...
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All That’s New at Watches & Wonders 2020
The virtual doors of Watches & Wonders 2020 are now open – here’s an overview of all notable new releases from the exhibiting brands. This page will be updated as additional watches are launched in the coming months, so bookmark this. A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Datomatic in white gold Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in white gold Cartier Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique Maillon de Cartier Pasha de Cartier Santos-Dumont XL Santos-Dumont Limited Editions Santos de Cartier ADLC Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Light IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 Portugieser Chronograph 3716 Portugieser Monopusher Chronograph Edition “Laureus Sport for Good” Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Collection Master Control Memovox and Master Control Memovox Timer Montblanc 1858 Automatic 24H 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 100 Heritage Manufacture Pulsograph Panerai Luminor Marina Carbotech PAM01661 Luminor Marina Titanio DMLS PAM01117 Luminor Marina Fibratech PAM01663 Submersible EcoPangaea Tourbillon GMT PAM01108 Parmigiani Toric Tourbillon Red Gold Slate Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Vacheron Constantin Égérie collection Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Split-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo” Les Cabinotiers Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music” Les Cabinotiers “The Singing Birds” Overseas Ultra-Thin Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus In Machina
This piece-unique minute repeater is not for shrinking violets.
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Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music”
Just revealed at Watches & Wonders 2020, the Les Cabinotiers Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music” is the latest chiming watch to emerge from Ateliers Cabinotiers, Vacheron Constantin’s dedicated department for commissions and ambitious unique pieces that showcase the brand’s technical as well as artisanal skills. If the watch looks familiar, that’s because it is based on the Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600, the most complicated wristwatch ever created by Vacheron Constantin at the time of its launch in 2017, but more importantly, the most comprehensive astronomical complication wristwatch ever made. The new Ode to Music retains all of its astronomical prowess, but replaces the tourbillon with a minute repeater, while omitting the tide indicator and power reserve display. Rebuilt grand comp As a result, the Ode to Music retains the same astronomical display module but is actually constructed on an entirely different base movement from the Celestia. While the Celestia relied on a base movement with a tourbillon and six barrels, the Ode to Music utilises the minute repeating cal. 1731, a wide but ultra-thin movement measuring just 3.9 mm high. Comprising a total of 600 parts, the resulting cal. 1731M820 is hand-wound, with a frequency of 3Hz and a 60-hour power reserve on a single barrel. Because of the thinner base movement, the Ode to Music clocks in at a relatively svelte 12.45 mm high, versus 13.6 mm for the Celestia. ...
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Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Grand Complication Split-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo”
Three years after the debut of Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication boasting 23 complications, Vacheron Constantin has topped its own achievement at Watches & Wonders 2020 by launching Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Split-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo”. Without going into the minefield of what counts as a complication; the new Grand Complication incorporates 24 complications, if each function counts as one – with everything displayed on a massive, two-faced case. A reversible giant In addition to showing the time, the Grand Complication includes a minute repeater, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, split-seconds chronograph as well as a number of astronomical indications including equation of time, sunrise and sunset times, plus a retrograde moon phase. The reverse face Unsurprisingly, the case is enormous – 50 mm wide and 21 mm high. But it is intriguingly designed – perfectly symmetrical in profile, the case allows the watch to be worn with either side facing up thanks to a quick-release strap. Swapping faces is a matter of unlatching the strap, flipping the watch over, and reinstalling the strap. Time, chronograph and perpetual calendar on the front; tourbillon, running Equation of Time, retrograde moon phase and times for sunrise and sunset on the back Mechanical layer cake Inside is the cal. 2756, which is derived from the cal. 2755, a movement first found in the Traditionnelle Calibre 2755 grand complication that has since been iterated ...
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Up Close: Jaquet Droz Magic Lotus Automaton
Even though Jaquet Droz is a part of Switzerland’s largest watchmaking conglomerate – its parent Swatch Group also owns more mainstream names like Omega and Longines – the brand has consistently demonstrated an independence of thought with its impressive range of automata wristwatches – the latest being the Magic Lotus Automaton. Combining artisanal decoration with miniature automata – complex mechanical devices that typically imitate humans or nature – these watches continue a lineage that began with the brand’s founder: Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721–1790). Jaquet-Droz built automata that were shockingly lifelike for the period, with his greatest invention being The Writer. A seated figure capable of writing a pre-programmed sentence up to 40 characters long, The Writer was such a feat that during the Spanish Inquisition, its maker was suspected of using witchcraft to create the uncanny contraption. Over two centuries later, Jaquet Droz has developed several modern-day interpretations of its allegedly supernatural devices, often wristwatches that combine an automaton with a minute repeater – and even in monumental pocket-watch format. The recent Magic Lotus Automaton, on the other hand, is much simpler, but one of the most unusual and intriguing. It is not a minute repeater, but manages to be brilliantly conceived and effective. Garden of wonders Despite not having a repeater, the Magic Lotus Automaton is still a mechanical bombshell – so it is massive,...
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Uncommon Longevity - The Story of Golay Fils & Stahl of Geneva
Auction catalogues often offer early 20th century pocket watches of impressive, refined quality that bear the names of unfamiliar Geneva firms. Amongst the most prominent are Agassiz, Ed. Koehn, Haas Neveux, and Touchon. Despite their obscurity now, these brands were once amongst the best in the world – arguably the equals of Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin, producing or retailing highly complicated and extra-thin timepieces. All of them, save for one, are now defunct and long forgotten. In fact, most went under long before the Quartz Crisis. A single name has survived and prospered while remaining a family business, by evolving its business over the centuries – Golay Fils & Stahl. A familiar name As an avid reader of auction catalogues, I had come across Golay Fils & Stahl on several occasions, and the name stayed with me because of the high quality of firm’s pocket watches (Haas Neveux being another). Then in November 2019, Phillips sold the Patek Philippe ref. 3652 minute-repeating wristwatch. Not only was the watch relatively recent, having been made in 1985, it was a unique reference powered by a reworked vintage movement – and signed “Golay Fils & Stahl” on the dial. Few retailers get their name on modern Patek Philippe watches, let alone a one-off, custom timepiece. It piqued my curiosity. The ref. 3652 – essentially a Calatrava ref. 96 minute repeater By sheer chance that curiosity was satisfied when Melissa Wolfgang Amenc got in touch after see...
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Hands-On: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste
Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled a trio of grand complications last year, a substantial number given how complex each watch is, although two of the three are powered by existing movements. The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle (the only one equipped with a new calibre) and the Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite were launched first, and late in the year came the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste to mark 15 years of partnership with the Venice International Film Festival. Among the brand’s grand complications, the Tourbillon Celeste is one of the most interesting, boasting a quirky combinations of functions – an orbital, flying tourbillon calibrated for sidereal time as well as a star chart, and sidereal annual calendar. And it is also unusually high tech for a Jaeger-LeCoultre, with the movement being equipped with a silicon escape wheel and pallet fork. A simpler complication As with most of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s recent grand complications, the movement in the Tourbillon Céleste is an iteration of an earlier calibre – something the brand has made a habit of in recent years, which is a bit of a shame given its rich history in movement development. Specifically, the movement inside is a streamlined and simplified version of the more complicated Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, which was launched in 2010 and also included a minute repeater. Being a separate module mounted on the case-back side of the movement, the repeater was s...
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Up Close: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle
Chiming movements – as in a minute repeater or grande sonnerie – have been fairly consistent in construction, being both rare and difficult to master, let alone be improved upon. But over the past two decades, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed an impressive number of engineering improvements for its repeating movements, from “trebuchet” hammers that are hinged like the medieval catapult for enhanced striking power, to “crystal” gongs that are welded to the sapphire crystal to boost volume. This year, the brand has added to its list of striking innovations with revamped, ultra-long gongs in the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle, which was designed to raise both the quality and quantity of the chimes. The Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle with a grained, silver dial An elaborate case Available with the dial in either a blue flinqué enamel or a simpler, silvered and grained finish, the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle (MGTRMP) combines a minute repeater with one of the most user-friendly perpetual calendar mechanisms on the market, plus automatic winding. The self-winding capability is important and practical, because the movement has a short 38-hour power reserve. The two dial variants. Image – Jaeger-LeCoultre All of that is naturally voluminous, and packed into a large white gold case measuring 43mm wide and 13.72mm high. Though by no means a small watch, it is surprisingly thin for such a grand...
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F.P. Journe Introduces the Astronomic Souveraine Grand Complication
Just days after the F.P. Journe Astronomic Blue made for Only Watch 2019 sold for a record 1.8m Swiss francs, the watchmaker has unveiled the regular production version of the same – the Astronomic Souveraine. While the last unique F.P. Journe produced for Only Watch eventually made into production in a significantly different form, the Astronomic Souveraine is largely the same. Save for the steel case, dial colours, and movement decoration, the Astronomic Souveraine is identical to the unique Only Watch creation. Inspired by a pocket watch Francois-Paul Journe produced in 1987 – itself inspired by the earlier works of Breguet and George Daniels – the Astronomic Souveraine has 18 complications, shown on two faces on each side of the case. These include showing both mean solar time and sidereal time, as well as an annual calendar, equation of time, tourbillon with remontoir d’egalite constant force mechanism, and a minute repeater. Despite its complexity, the indications are remarkably well-presented, and furthermore, can all be adjusted via a single crown. Though the case is 44mm wide – the largest wristwatch ever by F.P. Journe – it remains notably compact at just 13.8mm high, helped in part by his ultra-thin minute repeater mechanism with flat hammers and gongs. As with most F.P. Journe watches, the dial on the front is solid gold, as are the bridges and plate of the movement. The 758-part cal. 1619 is equipped with double barrels, which are partly visible ...
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In-Depth: The Bexei ‘Vox Vinum’ Grande Sonnerie Wristwatch
The only independent watchmaker in Hungary, Aaron Becsei, or more properly Becsei Áron, has created a distinctive style for his eponymous brand, Bexei – ornate, Gothic engraving; a double-ellipse case; and top-class movement finishing. His latest creation, a custom and unique grande and petite sonnerie wristwatch named Vox Vinum, is all of the above, except in a more conventional round case. Created at the behest of an important, Asian collector of independent watchmaking, the grande sonnerie took more than a year to complete. It is the first, and so far only, striking watch ever produced by Bexei. The Vox Vinum The grand sonnerie A grande et petite sonnerie – French for “large and small strike” – is widely regarded as the pinnacle of mechanical watchmaking. Also known as a clockwatch, it strikes the hours and quarters en passant, as they pass. And it is also a minute repeater, being able to chime the time on demand. Modern day grande sonnerie wristwatches are exceedingly rare – the number of watchmakers having produced one can be counted on both hands. The most notable makers of grande sonnerie wristwatches are Patek Philippe with its Grandmaster Chime, F.P. Journe with the recently discontinued Sonnerie Souverain, and Greubel Forsey as well as Vacheron Constantin, both of which use the same base movement in their respective grande sonnerie wristwatches. But the pioneers in the field were Philippe Dufour in 1992, and followed shortly after by Gerald Gen...
Revolution
Meet the 2019 Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Special Editions
The five 2019 Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Special Editions indlucing the Ref. 5531 World Time Minute Repeater with cloisonné enamel dial
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Inside the Jean-Pierre Hagmann-Akrivia Case Workshop
A master case maker who retired in 2017, Jean-Pierre Hagmann is back in action, as a partner in Akrivia’s case-making workshop in Geneva. Now 78 years old, Mr Hagmann struck out on his own in 1984, starting a stellar career that would see him become a case maker for most of Switzerland’s best watchmakers. (For a detailed profile of Mr Hagmann, see my 2016 story.) His client list included establishment names like Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, and of course, Patek Philippe, where he produced highly-regarded cases for its minute repeaters. In fact, Mr Hagmann was also responsible for the impressively complex case of the Star Calibre 2000, the uber-pocket watch Patek Philippe introduced to mark the new millennium. Mr Hagmann at work in the 1980s The Patek Philippe ref. 5029 minute repeater, which had a Hagmann case In the first half of his career, Mr Hagmann also worked with many of the up-and-coming stars of independent watchmaking of the 1980s and 1990s, including Franck Muller and Roger Dubuis. He produced the very first Cintree Curvex cases for Franck Muller, as well as the early cases for Roger Dubuis. Another of Mr Hagmann’s cases: the Franck Muller Cintree Curvex minute repeater with perpetual calendar, circa 1991 Three decades later, Mr Hagmann is back where he began. He’s joined forces with a rising star of independent watchmaking, Akrivia, whose founder, Rexhep Rexhepi, is just 32 years old. Though young, Rexhep grasps the impo...
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Vacheron Constantin Les Collectionneurs in Singapore
Les Collectionneurs is a small, but special, line of watches offered by Vacheron Constantin. Made up of select vintage watches that have been restored to pristine condition at the factory, Les Collectionneurs is made up of about 75 watches. A selection is available year-round at three Vacheron Constantin boutiques – the two in Geneva and one in New York City – with the balance travelling and making stops at other boutiques around the world. From now till the end of October, a pick of Les Collectionneurs watches, including the exquisite ref. 4261 minute repeater, are in Singapore, over a year since the line-up last came by. As a whole, the 19-piece selection in Singapore presents a rich and interesting overview of Vacheron Constantin’s midcentury history. The brand’s mastery of case and lug styles is well illustrated, from the dramatic, wing-shaped “Batman” Chronometre Royal to the familiar “teardrop” lugs of the ref. 4178 chronograph. Factory refreshed While the models in Les Collectionneurs are diverse, and also acquired from a variety of sources, ranging from private collectors to auctions, they are all selected based on shared criteria: rarity, provenance, and of course, current trends. More importantly, the watches are fully and correctly restored, and delivered with an archive extract as well as a two-year warranty. For the client, that’s essentially the same assurance as when buying a brand new watch. Importantly, the factory approa...
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Theo Auffret Introduces the Tourbillon à Paris
A winner at last year’s Young Talent Competition organised by F.P. Journe, Theo Auffret was one of three watchmakers in their twenties recognised for outstanding horological achievement. Now 24 years old, Mr Auffret’s award-winning entry for the competition was the Tourbillon à Paris, which has now been refined, perfected, and turned into a souscription edition of five watches for Mr Auffret to raise the money needed to establish his own workshop. Like fellow up-and-coming watchmakers Remy Cools and Cyril Brivet-Naudot, Mr Auffret graduated from Lycée Polyvalent Edgar Faure in Morteau, a small town in eastern France. The school has been prolific in turning out talented watchmakers, many of whom exhibit a flavour of 19th century pocket watch movements in their creations. The front of the Tourbillon à Paris Hand-made in Paris Mr Auffret’s final stop in his watchmaking education was a stint at Ateliers 7h38, the complications workshop led by Luca Soprana that’s best known for its work on the Jacob & Co. Astronomia. He spent a year there, working on the recently launched Astronomia Maestro Minute Repeater. But the formative years of his education were spent with Jean-Bapiste Viot. The Tourbillon à Paris is strongly influenced by Mr Auffret’s time as an apprentice at the Paris workshop of Mr Viot, well regarded for his quirky, distinctive wristwatch. Like Mr Viot, the young watchmaker relied only on pen and paper to design and construct the prototype of...
SJX Watches
Introducing the F.P. Journe Astronomic Blue for Only Watch 2019
A young Francois-Paul Journe created his sixth ever watch in 1987; it was an “astronomic planetary watch”, a pocket watch with faces on each side. Over three decades later that has been reimagined as the Astronomic Blue, a prototype grand complication made for Only Watch 2019. Mentioned by Mr Journe in an interview late last year, the Astronomic Blue is a hand-wound wristwatch with astronomical functions on two faces, as well as a minute repeater and tourbillon with remontoir d’egalite. The complications total 18, and are powered by a movement made up of 758 parts, making it more complex than the Sonnerie Souveraine. The astronomic planetary watch of 1987, signed “Journe à Paris” Like the preceding F.P. Journe watches made for Only Watch, namely the tourbillon and split-seconds, the Astronomic Blue has a tantalum case and mirrored blue dial like that found on the Chronometre Bleu. The case is 44mm in diameter and 13.75mm high, making it comparable in size to the discontinued Sonnerie Souverain and recent Tourbillon Souverain Vertical. Remembering 1987 As with many of Mr Journe’s early creations, the pocket watch was inspired by both Abraham-Louis Breguet and George Daniels, a quality that is echoed in the Astronomic Blue. Like the George Daniels Space Traveller, the front shows sidereal and mean solar time on two symmetrically arranged sub-dials, while the reverse has a ring-type annual calendar and equation of time indicator, which is reminiscent of the...
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Live from Baselworld 2019: Bulgari
Bulgari breaks the thinnest records again. Fifth World Record. 2014: tourbillon. 2016: Minute Repeater. 2017: Automatc Micro Rotor. 2918: Tourbillon Automatic. And this year the GMT Chronograph. This year two incredible pieces: First the Finnissimo Chronograph GMT in sandblasted titanium case. Ultra thin Chrono movement of only 3.3mm. Case 6.9mm in an slightly larger 42mmRead More
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Live from Baselworld 2019: Moser and Hautlence
The twin brands of Moser and Hautlence continue to amaze us. With the new Kinetic from Hautlence and a Minute Repeater from Moser. First up, the Moser Endeavour Minute Repeater Black Concept. The first round Repeater from Moser with a one minute flying tourbillon. Good sounding. Hammers visible dial side. CHF 320,000 LE 10pcs inRead More
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Review: For Your Ears Only - The H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Watch Concept Black
We bring you the details, and our thoughts on the new H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Watch Concept Black, a unique minute repeater tourbillon watch.
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Repost: Live from SIHH 2019: Moser and Hautelence
This is a repost of our Live from SIHH coverage. First published on Jan 15, 2019, 10:08 PM SGT. The original post was lost in the system crash which caused a corruption of the server database. Moser first. Here are the highlights. Swiss Alp Concept Watch. The most minimalist Minute Repeater with flying tourbillon withRead More
Revolution
IWC’s History in Material Innovation
IWC has been one of the single greatest innovators in Swiss watchmaking. It was the first brand to industrialize the split-seconds chronograph, the minute repeater and the perpetual calendar.
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New Release: Chopard L.U.C. Full Strike in grey for Baselworld 2018
Winner of the Aiguille d’Or (Best in Show) prize at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, the Chopard L.U.C. Full Strike is adopting a new colour. This fresh interpretation clothes Chopard’s first minute repeater watch in handsome shades of grey, whilst not losing its technically revolutionary character, notably expresse
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The secret in the drawer: A. Lange & Söhne Reference 17689
A. Lange & Söhne Reference 17689 is a minute repeater with central minutes and seconds chronograph. A family owned treasure revealed recently to the public.
Revolution
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie, a technical achievement
Audemars Piguet blew our minds with the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie, for this reason the 2016 Revolution Technical Achievement award goes to this ground breaking minute repeater.
Revolution
Crystal Clear Sound: Chopard L.U.C Full Strike
As L.U.C’s 20th anniversary year comes to an end, the brand presents one of the most delightful and innovative timepieces in its history: the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike minute repeater.
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Review: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie
Full hands on review of the amazing Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Supersonnerie Chronograph, Minute Repeater, Tourbillon. With high res. pics and analysis.
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Review: Jacob & Co Twin Turbo
Full review of the Jacob & Co Twin Turbo double triple axis tourbillon with minute repeater with hands-on analysis, comparisons and high resolution pics.
Revolution
Pre-Basel: Jacob & Co.’s Astronomia Sky
Jacob & Co.’s Astronomia Sky takes the triple axis tourbillon even farther. For Jacob & Co, which has a history of creating amazing complications that the watch industry has never seen before (think of the Epic SF24, the Quentin Tourbillon and the Palatial Flying Tourbillon Jumping Hours and Minute Repeater), the Astronomia Triple Axis Gravitational Tourbillon, introduced in […]