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Alfred Helwig's 1920 tourbillon variant with no upper bridge; the entire cage is visible.
Moser's wildest Streamliner yet pairs a flying tourbillon skeleton with a ceramic case, all under the Alpine F1 banner
Four new calibers in 12 months. The latest drops a flying tourbillon and a micro-rotor into a 39mm Laureato case, and it looks the part.
Breguet's 1801 rotating-cage escapement, explained.
Revolution
The Laureato has come in tourbillon versions, skeletonized ceramic versions and many more. This Absolute incarnation may well be one of its appealing executions yet.
Revolution
Greubel Forsey releases a limited “Sincere Fine Watches Edition” of its GMT Sport in bright orange, with world time, and its speedy Tourbillon 24 Secondes.
Time+Tide
Editor’s Note: When we originally ran this story, there was a flurry of male athletes spotted wearing the AP Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon. Recently, however, a very notable powerhouse athlete has entered the mix. Her message: move over boys, cause this G.O.A.T rocks it just like the best of ‘em… When the … ContinuedThe post EDITOR’S PICK: Look which G.O.A.T just joined the sports star ranks of AP Black Panther owners appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
The tourbillon-only company's high-velocity tourbillon is based on a surprisingly old idea.
SJX Watches
Francois-Paul Journe’s creation for Only Watch 2021, the F.P. Journe FFC Blue, sticks to a familiar template. Like prior watches conceived for the biennial charity auction – the tourbillon of 2015, split-seconds chronograph of 2017, and the Astronomic of 2019 – this year’s timepiece has a tantalum case and blue dial. But FFC Blue is a strikingly unique watch – the five-fingered time display is a first in watchmaking. Though it has a conventional round case, the FFC Blue is conceptually closer to the unconventional Vagabondage watches than the brand’s round watches. Short for Francis Ford Coppola, the FFC Blue originated with a question posed to Mr Journe by the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now in 2012. Mr Coppola suggested a watch that indicated the time with human hand. Over the following years Mr Journe worked on the concept, with Mr Coppola suggesting the finger positions to indicate each hour. And now the filmmaker’s idea has been realised as a one-off creation for the charity auction. Though entirely unique compared with F.P. Journe’s other creations, the FFC is powered by the workhorse cal. 1300 of the Octa series Initial thoughts I found the hand-display concept intensely compelling when Mr Journe described it during my visit to Geneva in 2017. In the metal the FFC is equally compelling. It is inventive and appealing. It’s rather large at 42 mm in diameter, though like nearly all F.P. Journe watches it is unusually thin given the c...
SJX Watches
Following a slew of affordable, vintage-inspired watches, with several made by Habring2, Massena Lab has moved decidedly upmarket with the Old School. The time-only wristwatch retains a typical of the American watch-design studio – once again vintage inspired with a sector-like dial – but boasts a significantly more refined finishing. The model name is a play on words – a reference to its classical design but also the watch is meant to evoke a montre d’école, or “school watch” in English, the graduation project of a watchmaking student. Despite the academic inspiration, the Old School is the work of an experienced watchmaker, Luca Soprana, who cofounded Ateliers 7h38, the complication workshop best known for the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon. Initial thoughts Massena Lab founder William Rohr is an industry veteran – amongst other things he’s been managing director of Antiquorum Switzerland and consultant to Bonhams – who has cultivated a sharp eye for design an details. Mr Rohr also has a finger on the current pulse of watch collecting, and the Old School unsurprisingly encapsulates what many enthusiasts currently desire. The design and movement feature traditional elements that are popular now. It’s not meant to be an intriguing or creative product – it is old school after all – but instead a simple watch executed well. One element that illustrates Mr Massena’s keen eye is the dial. The simple design has just enough flair to make it attrac...
Quill & Pad
Our pals at The Watches TV went hands on with three of the unique timepieces on offer at the upcoming Only Watch 2021, which takes place on November 6, 2021. The unique watches featured are the F.P. Journe x Francis Ford Coppola FFC Blue, the Moser Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Only Watch, and the Urwerk UR-102 Gaïa. Enjoy this rare treat!
Quill & Pad
That the tourbillon hasn't lost any of its appeal in this new era of wristwatches becomes crystal clear at Only Watch 2021. The mechanical ballet of the tourbillon remains mesmerizing and highly appreciated by watch connoisseurs. Here are five very special examples that you can bid on in the upcoming Only Watch auction taking place on November 6, 2021.
Time+Tide
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away… sorry, that’s the Star Wars nerd in me. If you search your feelings and feel the midichlorians around you, well, perhaps, you are looking for something Star Wars-related for your watch collection. Recently Star Wars and Kross Studio released a limited edition Death Star-inspired tourbillon … ContinuedThe post Let your watch turn to the dark side with the Kross Studio x Star Wars TIE Advanced x1 Watch Winder appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
We take a comprehensive first look at the new Louis Moiner Space Revolution. A watch which is currently a candidate at the category of “Tourbillon” at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) 2021. Based on one to one discussions with Jean-Marie Schaller, owner and creative director of Louis Moinet, using press release photographs. FirstRead More
Deployant
The new Roger Dubuis Excalibur Eon Gold 42mm is a nice addition to the Excalibur line, in particular for its more elegant case size. Without compromising its sporty look, the skeletonized tourbillon timepiece provides an excellent alternative to classic watches, a segment of casual high luxury watches that are on an incline. The watch is priced at S$217,000 and limited to 88 pieces.
SJX Watches
Having launched one of the best watches of 2020 with the spectacularly decorated Chronomètre FB 2RE, Ferdinand Berthoud (FB) returned to its very first model this year, remaking the FB 1 by bestowing upon it an open-worked movement accompanied by more contemporary styling. The result is the Ferdinand Berthoud FB RS – short for Régulateur Squelette, or “regulator skeleton”, which tidily sums up the time display format as well as the movement. Like the original FB 1, the new model has both a tourbillon as well as a chain and fusée. Notably, the FB RS is actually two models but equipped with the same movement, the FB-T.FC-RS. One is an octagonal case in sandblasted steel, the decidedly modern FB 1RS.6, while the other is the more conventional FB 2RS.2 in a round case of polished 18k rose gold. The FB-T.FC-RS While the two versions are quite different in terms of style, both share a similarly large diameter – resulting from the calibre within that boasts exemplary construction and finishing. The FB 1RS.6 in steel The FB 2RS.2 in gold Initial thoughts FB’s watches are best described as big and chunky – too big mostly – with equipped with exceptional movements. And the models with a tourbillon are especially big. Because of the their size, FB tourbillons tended to have a wide, empty expanse on the dial (which was dressed up with italic script in recent models). In contrast, the FB RS does away with all that empty real estate by uncovering the mechanics b...
SJX Watches
Eight years in the making, the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie – Tribute to Johannes Vermeer is a masterpiece in the truest sense of the word. Reflecting the owner’s taste that is inclined towards the subtle, elegant, and artisanal, the watch is seemingly simple on the front, yet intricately decorated on its circumference and immensely complicated within. But the true art of the watch sits on the hinged case back, which bears a magnificent miniature enamel painting by Anita Porchet that reproduces Vermeer’s ethereal Girl with a Pearl Earring. The idea for this uber pocket watch was first mooted by the owner in 2012, before being formally commissioned in 2013 during the Watches & Wonders fair in Hong Kong. Asked about his motivation in commissioning the watch – and waiting nearly a decade – the owner says, “I wanted to have a watch made, cost-and-time-no-object, that incorporated the ultimate in art – miniature enamel by the greatest practicing enameller – with the most difficult and sublime complication, the true Westminster sonnerie – and that alone – not counting the tourbillon escapement, which to me isn’t a complication.” “No such watch existed prior in the history of watchmaking,” he adds, “The watch came out more magnificent and monumental than I had imagined.” And that pretty much sums up the Vermeer pocket watch, which is unquestionably one of the greatest creations ever to emerge from Les Cabinotiers, a wo...
SJX Watches
A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Saxonia Thin 37 at SIHH 2016 as the entry-level model in its collection. But “entry level” is relative at Lange, a brand that famously applies the same rigorous standards of production and finishing to all its watches, from the Saxonia Thin to the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar that retails for more than US$300,000. For the purpose of this review, I will put this reputation to the test by examining each element of the watch in detail, and share my impressions of the ownership experience. Glashüttenomics Though owned by Swiss luxury conglomerate Richemont – which owns over two dozen brands including Cartier, IWC, and Panerai – Lange remains a boutique outfit with an annual output of about 4,500 watches, and a maximum production capacity of about 5,500 watches. This is a fraction of competitors like Audemars Piguet at about 45,000 watches per year, and Patek Philippe, where the figure is over 60,000. While production volume is small, Lange is the largest employer in Glashütte, a small town with a population of about 8,000. Lange employs about 600 people at its Glashütte campus, though some commute in from the surrounding region, including the city of Dresden. This headcount is primarily devoted to watchmaking, since Lange relocated its marketing department to Berlin in 2017. For comparison, Glashütte Original has a similar number of employees in Glashütte, while producing about 13,000 watches per year, or about three ti...
SJX Watches
F.P. Journe has swiftly become one of the most desirable independent watch brands, resulting in an ever growing selection on offer at auction. Perhaps the biggest single offering to date comes by way of Sotheby’s, which has amassed a 13-piece lineup of F.P. Journe watches for its upcoming Important Watches sale that takes place in Hong Kong on October 13, 2021. We round up eight of the most notable, a selection that naturally includes a Tourbillon Souverain “Souscription”, as well as several limited editions, ranging from Ruthenium to a Tokyo-boutique special. The full catalogue and registration to bid are available on Sothebys.com. Lot 2085: Octa Réserve de Marche with brass movement Originally the entry-level model for the brand, the Octa Réserve de Marche is today a stealth watch of sorts since it is still a simple watch, but an unusually valuable one. Launched in 2001, the Octa Réserve was part of the original trio of watches launched by Francois-Paul Journe, coming after the tourbillon and Resonance. Despite being the brand’s entry-level wristwatch at the time, it still boasted a proprietary movement with an impressive five-day power reserve, though the running time was originally envision was eight days, hence the “Octa” moniker. The cal. 1300 developed for the Octa Réserve would then go on to be the base movement for the entire Octa collection. The best part of the Octa Reserve is its asymmetric dial. Showing the time, date and power reserve, the d...
Time+Tide
Mike Christensen, our European Editor and one time foe when back in the day he was the captain of GQ Australia, is an aesthetic sort of chap. While he can appreciate a tourbillon with the best of us, his eyes are drawn more often to the lines of a case, the shade of a fumé … ContinuedThe post Mike’s top 5 picks from Geneva Watch Days are basically: 1. Moser Streamliner PC 2. Moser 3. Streamliner etc appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Celebrating its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin unveils several new models in the Marine Torpilleur collection during Geneva Watch Days 2021: two timepieces with date and power reserve, a moon phase models offered in two dial colors, a chronograph with an annual calendar, and a rather special flying tourbillon with a lustrous enamel dial.
Hodinkee
The duo will discuss the history of the tourbillon, including its theory and modern evolution.
SJX Watches
Historically a major producer of marine chronometers, Ulysse Nardin has repurposed the concept in the modern day for its bestselling line of wristwatches that retain the face of a marine chronometer while having in-house movements and eminently reasonable prices. For its 175th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin has unveiled the Marine Torpilleur 175 Years collection, a suite of limited-edition watches starting with an affordable base model and ending with a range-topping tourbillon featuring a fired-enamel dial. Initial thoughts Originally introduced as an entry-level Marine model – it was named after a torpedo boat – the Marine Torpilleur has been successful enough that it’s now an entire anniversary line up. The expansion of the line is a good thing, because the Torpilleur is classically handsome and generally good value. All the Torpilleur models are largish at 42 mm in diameter, but most are slim, with heights of about 11 mm, though the chronograph is understandably wider and thicker. As a result, they appear relatively thin on the wrist, especially for a sporty watch. The tourbillon with a black enamel dial, and next to it a vintage Ulysse Nardin chronometer pocket watch with tourbillon regulator And the watches are all equipped with high-spec in-house movements, which is a big factor in their value propositions. Even the base model, which costs US$8,200 in its simplest version, is equipped with the UN-118, a movement that has a silicon hairspring and escapement, along...
SJX Watches
The GMT and tourbillon have long been a favourite combination at Greubel Forsey, but the watchmaker is bringing the combo to an end – at least in its current form – with the GMT Earth Final Edition. Greubel Forsey (GF) is closing the model’s run with a version in titanium, matched with an all-black palette, giving it a look and feel that’s sportier than the earlier GMT Earth models, which were primarily cased in precious metals. Initial thoughts GF has offered a variety of models with a GMT complication, with each having being iterated several times in small runs. But the GMT Earth has always stood out for its simplicity – compared with the model boasting twin double-axis tourbillons for instance – yet it packs in all the defining features of the brand’s travel-time watch, such as a fully-visible rotating globe that indicates day or night around the world and of course the 24-second, inclined tourbillon. That makes it ideal for someone who wants the essence of a GF travel watch in a simple (relatively speaking) package. And the GMT Earth Final Edition the coolest looking of the bunch, with a dark dial that goes well with the greyish titanium case. It’s a good look that’s gives the watch a more edgy, futuristic design, setting it apart from the typical GF. And the darker colours should leave the 45.5 mm case appearing smaller. Unlike other ultra high-end sport(y) watches, such as those from Richard Mille, GF is slightly restrained in terms of aesthetic...
SJX Watches
Every year F.P. Journe seeks out the world’s most promising young clock- and watchmakers and selects one, or sometimes a handful, to receive the year’s F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition prize. The 2022 contest is now open for submissions. Contestants must be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, and have “independently designed and created a timepiece and/or technical construction”. A jury of industry notables, including Philippe Dufour and Francois-Paul Journe himself, will then decide on the winner, who receives a CHF20,000 grant. This year’s winner was Mario Scarpatetti, who devised a secular perpetual calendar clock. Past winners include Russian watchmaker Anton Suhanov, who has built monumental table clocks, including one with a triple-axis tourbillon within a metal flower, and Remy Cools, who unveiled his first wristwatch tourbillon not too long ago. To enter the contest, submit your entry on fpjourne.com. The deadline for submissions is February 25, 2022.
SJX Watches
According to Chinese legend, a carp that could jump the falls at the Dragon Gate of the Yellow River would transform into a dragon. The tale inspired the latest from Kees Engelbarts, a Dutchman who’s one of the most prominent engravers in Swiss watchmaking. The Dragon Gate Trilogy is a three-piece set of watches, each featuring a unique, hand-engraved and enamelled decoration that charts the carp’s transformation from fish to dragon. They are presented in an equally lavish box that’s hand made by a French cabinet maker and decorated by an award-winning lacquer artisan. Initial thoughts Over his two decades in watchmaking, Mr Engelbarts has created wristwatches of surprisingly diverse variety. Last year’s skeleton tourbillon was airy and organic, while the Dragon Gate Trilogy is decidedly more decorative. The trio is certainly not for everyone, though I do like the middle of the three watches, which depicts the carp in the midst of its transformation. The dial is striking and dramatic. The transformation dial But while the style is subjective, the quality of Mr Engelbart’s work is objectively excellent – unsurprising given that he’s long been a go-to engraver for a number of independent watchmakers, including veteran Svend Andersen. Mr Engelbart’s creations are truly high-quality artisanal work. The engraving is finely detailed and three dimensional, while being enhanced by Mr Engelbart’s clever use of exotic materials. The carp dial, for instance, feature...
SJX Watches
A specialist retailer of independent watchmaking, Watch4moi recently published its first feature article – and it’s worth a look. Watch4moi founder Shawn Mehta paid a visit to Remy Cools, the 20-something French watchmaker who made his debut last year with a tourbillon of his own creation. Now based in Annecy, a town in France just an hour from Geneva by car, Mr Cools is in the process of finishing his first batch of wristwatches, with much of the work being done the old-fashioned way, with manual tools. The Remy Cools Tourbillon Souscription. Image – Remy Cools Mr Mehta took a look at the machines, processes, and craft that go into one of Mr Cools’ tourbillons, the first of which will reach clients later this year. He describes, for instance, the process of finishing the raw wheels Mr Cools obtains from a supplier: first the teeth are cut individually on a lathe, followed by a dozen or so hours of hand finishing. Read the story on Watch4moi.com.
SJX Watches
In celebration of its 230th anniversary, Girard-Perregaux has extracted part of its museum collection and sent it across the world to Singapore, where they form an exhibition on the watchmaker’s history. Shaping The Know Since 1791 provides a peek into the company’s past milestones and timepieces, illustrated by a diversity of items on show, ranging from enamelled pocket watches from the late 18th century to an ultra-modern wristwatch with its case and bridges in sapphire crystal. Pocket watches Though the Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges is Girard-Perregaux’s best known complication, the brand is instead focusing on its wider repertoire in the exhibition. Arranged in a chronological manner, the company’s history is explained with a series of displays that include notes as well as representative watches of each era, from the 18th to 21st centuries. Notable contemporary pieces include the original Laureato from 1975, as well as the avant-garde Quasar Light that reinterprets the brand’s iconic triple bridges in sapphire crystal. The original Laureato that was quartz the exhibition unfolds the brand’s unusual origins: while husband-and-wife Constant Girard and Marie Perregaux founded the brand in 1856, the company later acquired Jean-François Bautte, a brand that was established in 1791, explaining the 230th anniversary in 2021. A pioneer in ultra-thin timepieces, Bautte specialised in pocket watches decorated with enamel and gemstones, reflecting the prevail...
SJX Watches
David Candaux established his eponymous brand with the 1740 Half Hunter, a watch with several exotic features that made it decidedly unconventional, especially for a watchmaker located in the traditional heart of Swiss watchmaking, the village of Le Solliat in the Vallee de Joux. Now Mr Candaux is following up with something more concise, the DC7 Genesis. The DC7 still preserves many of the novel elements of the original model – like the inclined-balance tourbillon – but presents them in a streamlined manner. Initial thoughts For someone who appreciated the technical merits of David Candaux’s first wristwatch, but found it too fancy, the DC7 is ideal. The DC7 remains unusual in both design and construction, but inches closer to the conventional end of the scale. The cleaner and simpler design make the DC7 easier to digest. Though streamlined, the DC7 still retains the watchmaker’s signature features, including the vertically-symmetrical case, telescopic crown, and inclined-balance tourbillon. More broadly, the watch is composed of inclined surfaces – the dial and movement bridges are both inclined, making it instantly recognisable as a David Candaux creation. At the same time, the movement is finished differently from the original model, and slightly less intricate, but still appears to be done to a similarly high standard. Importantly, the simpler mechanics make it more affordable. At about US$150,000 in titanium, the DC7 is not quite a value buy, but it’...
SJX Watches
While named after a late-18th century Swiss watchmaker, Charles Girardier is a startup, having been established in 2018 by Patrick A. Ulm, a Swiss private banker with a passion for watches. The brand focuses on tourbillon wristwatches, but enhanced with elements inspired by vintage Charles Girardier pocket watches, such as paillonnee enamel dials and its whimsical “mysterious” complication. Its Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse Fleur de Sel won the Ladies’ Complications Watch Prize at last year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve, beating out competition from big names like Bulgari and Piaget. For Only Watch 2021, Charles Girardier created the 1809 Tribute to Jackson Pollock, a wristwatch with a figure-of-eight dial layout in grand feu enamel and an unusual automatic movement with a peripheral rotor. Initial thoughts Being relatively young, Charles Girardier only has one model to its name so far, the Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse. Still, it’s a technically interesting watch, making it a useful starting point for an Only Watch edition. The Tourbillon Signature Mystérieuse is symmetrical – both on the front and the back. The dial is arranged in a figure-of-eight, with a flying tourbillon at six, and the “mysterious” complication at twelve. The “mysterious” complication is the brand emblem that spins freely, thanks to a weight on its back that’s hidden under the dial. It gives the dial dynamism, though the “mysterious” complication feels a b...
SJX Watches
Sotheby’s latest online sale is in a quirky combination of luxury watches and high-end sneakers – some of which cost more than the watches. Fortunately the large majority of the 164 lots are horological, with a selection of watches that’s diverse and interesting, led by a couple of heavyweight top lots. The heavyweights are quite literal, both complicated watches in platinum from brands widely regarded as benchmarks in contemporary watchmaking: an F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain with a platinum case and bracelet, along with the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Luminous “Phantom”. The sale also includes more esoteric watches that might be overlooked, including as a retailer-edition Patek Philippe Calatrava with ruby markers, and a Grand Seiko “First” remake in platinum. The Fine Watches and Rare Sneakers auction is live online from now until June 8, 2021. The full catalogue and registration for bidding are available here. Lot 8201 – F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Platinum Introduced in 2004, the F. P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain was the successor to the original Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite. Like the original, the Tourbillon Souverain combined both a tourbillon regulator and constant force mechanism in a quest for accuracy. Its most obvious distinction against its predecessor was the small seconds at six linked to the remontoir mechanism. The Tourbillon Souverain itself was replaced in 2019 by something bigger and vertical, making it increasingly uncomm...
SJX Watches
Best known for its ultra-exotic tourbillon wristwatches, Greubel Forsey has just made a surprise announcement: the brand will be permanently eliminating animal leather straps for its timepieces, instead replacing them with straps made of plant-based materials starting next year. While not the first brand turning towards sustainable alternatives to animal leather – Swatch and Cartier did so earlier this year – Greubel Forsey is the first to undergo a complete transition, doing away with animal hides entirely. And with its most affordable watch still carrying a six-figure US dollar price, Greubel Forsey is certainly the only brand at the top end of the market doing so. More broadly, the luxury-watch industry has been making slower progress than the luxury-car industry, which has speedily moved on to greener materials for interiors. That is perhaps driven in part by the fact that traditional carmakers are already regarded as major polluters, with upstarts like Tesla accelerating away. Giants such as Bentley and Mercedes-Benz now rely on specialists like Dinamica and Vegea for leather replacements that are actually recycled paper and plant-based material respectively. That’s proof that a similar pivot for watchmakers is achievable, which is the opinion of Greubel Forsey chief executive Antonio Calce. “The technical offer for plant-based straps is mature,” noted Mr Calce in the announcement, “And our clients are by nature forward-thinking and welcoming of innovati...
SJX Watches
Anton Suhanov is best known for impressive desk clocks – the most recent of which features a triple-axis tourbillon within a metallic flower – but he has just unveiled his first timekeeper for the wrist. Inspired by automotive gauges, the Racer Jumping Hour GMT is an inventive take on the dual time zone wristwatch and boasts a double retrograde display along with a jumping hour. Initial thoughts His talents were already evident in his desk clocks, but Mr Suhanov now proves he can be equally imaginative with wristwatches. He once worked in Konstantin Chaykin’s workshop, which perhaps contributed to the novel design. Automotive-inspired watches rarely capture the style of a dashboard without looking silly, but the Racer manages to do so successfully. The design instantly evokes the dashboard of a vintage automobile thanks to several clever design elements, including the tiny canopies over each retrograde display as well as the arched guilloche and tiny jump hour winds that gives the dial a sense of perspective. The Racer is more complex than it looks – the time-display module has as many parts as an entire chronograph movement – although the base movement is a tried and true, but no-frills ETA 2824. Still, with a price of a bit over US$17,000, the Racer offers good value given the original design and mechanical complexity, most of which is accomplished in-house by Mr Suhanov. Inventive design and mechanics The slightly retro dial indicates the hours and minutes o...
Hodinkee
The new Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Tiger's Eye tells time so you don't have to.
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