Jaeger-LeCoultre Haute Joaillerie – Genuine Works of Art

September 2nd, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

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Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of a handful of watchmakers that can be called the Grande Maison. Combined with ultimate functionality and practicability, art is the most significant nature embodied in watches by the Grand Maison. And from Jaeger-LeCoultre Haute Joaillerie released this year, we can easily deduce that the prestigious watch company is trying to endow its novelties with a second nature – magic.

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The new Haute Joaillerie models, the perfect union of the expertise of the masterwatchmakers and the virtuoso skills of the gem-setters, demonstrates profoundly the magic of ornamentation, the magic of mechanics, and the magic of watchmaking. Bearing the Jaeger-LeCoultre heritage, these gorgeous timepieces have explored the way for specialised crafts, which in turn entrust the remarkable fusion of mysterious beauty in watchmaking and noble manner from jewellery creations. They are genuine works of art sublimated by inspiration and the love of detail.

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I want to thank the genius designers and interpretive craftsmen who excel in clothing watches with the mysterious snow-setting and meeting specific aesthetic demands such as those involved in decorating reversible cases. It is the human hand that make each watch unique, revealing time in a whole new light and transforming it into sparkling treasures featuring an astonishing variety of materials. This year’s new Haute Joaillerie models symbolise the legend of an enchanting time admirably expressed through the decorative arts, and the watchmaking magic.

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Linde Werdelin 3-Timer White Limited Edition for Women

August 31st, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

All watches from Linde Werdelin remain true to the brand DNA, which makes it no difficulty at all to recognize the watch even without a glance at the company’s logo. The new Linde Werdelin Limited Edition, marking the brand’s very first ladies watch, is definitely no exception. Released in a limited edition of 51 pieces worldwide , the Linde Werdelin White Watch is nothing short of stunning, looking tough and delicate at the same time.

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It is widely acknowledged the young company have a strong, clear vision of how their timepieces should look and function, and they adhere to it religiously. The new watch, probably nothing new for some fastidious watch experts, should not be expected to be different dramatically from the design cues of their core 3-Timer collection. The result suggests that it is most certainly a conscious decision on the behalf of the brand’s founders, Morten Linde and Jorn Werdelin, who have worked incredibly hard to build a strong identity for their young company. To reinforce this point Linde, LW’s Creative Director, states simply that; “I am very pleased that our designs although male marketed are appealing to women as well. Maintaining the brand’s DNA is very important for LW and The White Watch is no exception.”

The enchanting novelty comes with a steel case, featuring the dimensions of 46 mm x 49 mm x 12 mm, offset by a 24-hour bidirectional turning bezel. It securely holds a 2.2 mm sapphire crystal, treated with anti-reflective coating. The black galvanic sanitized dial reveals 12 rhodium-plated applied indexes and sleek diamond-cut rhodium-plated hands. To stress the feminine status, the white calfskin chosen for the new model has a reduced width which allows the watch to sit well on slender wrists. With white as the dominating colour the dial and calfskin strap match the details in colour.

At the heart of the LW Limited Edition is an ETA 2893 – A2 mechanical self-winding movement , which provides a power reserve of 42 hours. This caliber drives basic hours, minutes and seconds indications. Additionally, it animates the function of date, presented in the aperture at 4 o’clock, as well as the second time-zone, indicated by a 24-hour centralized hand.

The Linde Werdelin White Watch is a sexy, tough and just downright cool piece for an intelligent, active woman with discerning tastes which does not compromise on the brand’s core offering.

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IWC Appears in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

August 30th, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

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IWC watches will appear in Oliver Stone’s upcoming film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. In the new movie, two of its classic watches are presented on wrists of both leading actors: Michael Douglas as the notorious Gordon Gekko and Shia LaBeouf as the innovative Jacob Moore. While Shia Lebeouf wears an IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar, Ref. IW502303, the infamous Gordon Gekko has Michael Douglas wearing an IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar watch in rose gold, Ref. IW376205.

The Portuguese Perpetual Calendar unites the vintage look of the famous Portuguese models, with a wide range of striking horological complications, including the date, day of the week, month, leap year, year indicator, and power reserve indicator moon phase indicator, as well as the company’s very popular 7 day power reserve automatic perpetual calendar. The retail price for a white gold version of the watch goes for $38,800. The film co-stars Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Frank Langella, Eli Wallach and Susan Sarandon. Opening September 24.

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Bremont Creates an Unique Clock for Jaguar Concept Car

August 29th, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

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Bremont has created an unique bespoke mechanical clock and stopwatch for the Jaguar XJ75 Platinum Concept Car . The car is a one-of-a-kind design project that marks the 75-year anniversary for the well-known car manufacturer, highlighting the distinctly personalized nature of contemporary luxury car aesthetics. And this is the first time that the British watchmaker has made a car clock.

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Bremont’s Co-founder Giles English commented, “Jaguar is one of the world’s premier manufacturers of luxury cars and a great British brand. We are very proud to have been asked to make this clock for their XJ75 car and were keen to make something different for Jaguar. As such rather than a quartz clock we have created a beautiful mechanical clock that also has a chronograph function”.

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The XJ75 Platinum Concept, dominated by a striking white and black contrast theme, literally creates a glamorous bespoke persona for the high-performance 470-hp Jaguar XJL Supercharged, from which it was derived. The contrast theme continues with gloss pearlescent white air vents, veneers and diamond stitch suede inserts to the seats and headliner, all set against the backdrop of a full Jet Softgrain leather interior. Further material upgrades are seen in the addition of suede accents on the door armrests and driver’s binnacle, leather finish on the rear of the center console and seat switchpack and the striking mauvine purple flashes lining the center console and glove box.

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The XJ75 Platinum Concept is a pure expression of personalized luxury that accentuates the visual and dynamic excitement of the new Jaguar XJ lineup. Launched in 2010, the all-new 2011 XJ completes the revitalization of the Jaguar brand and subsequently has earned media praise globally.

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Chief Designer for the XJ, Giles Taylor, comments on the project, “Jaguar has a rich heritage of producing beautifully engineered cars with sleek, sporting body styles. As we create modern Jaguars for our future range of customers, the same design principles that underpinned the creation of such icons as E type and the original XJ guide us today. There should be an effortless visual purity with any new Jaguar design, borne from an understanding of the functional and technical aspects of the vehicle, whether sports or saloon. On this basis, our collaboration with Bremont in developing a new clock for XJ75 has been seamless. Our design teams talk a similar language when it comes to clean cut form with a sharp, sporting edge. The XJ75 Bremont clock design has superb functional clarity in its detailing and this is combined with a beautifully crafted outer metal bezel that suggests strength and longevity. It fits the crafted luxury feel of the XJ interior perfectly and all who have seen it so far ask the same question: How can I dismount it and wear it on my wrist?”

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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban for Omega in Hong Kong

August 28th, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

Recently, luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega has organized a charity event in Hong Kong, raising more than US$175,000 for programmes to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in China. At the special event, Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, in her capacity as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), introduced her husband, Grammy Award-winning singer Keith Urban in a private concert to benefit the organisation.

Nicole Kidman.

Commenting on the event, Omega president Stephen Urquhart said, “Nicole and Keith are two of the world’s great entertainers, but more than that, they are true humanitarians. We are proud to count them among our friends and are delighted that we can make a meaningful contribution to an organization as worthy as UNIFEM.”

Keith Urban private concert.

Nicole Kidman, who is also a brand ambassador for Omega, added, “I feel passionately about support for UNIFEM because the work to empower women and advance their human rights is so important. Together with Omega we are in Hong Kong to raise awareness and also vital funding for UNIFEM’s projects in China.”

Nicole Kidman and Stephen Urquhart, CEO of Omega.

The proceeds from the fundraiser will strengthen UNIFEM’s work in China, which has a strong focus on ending violence against women. The funds will support shelter and legal protection for survivors of violence. They will also advance programmes that focus on training and education as well as women’s political participation at the local level.

“This Hong Kong benefit for UNIFEM highlights what we can do together to build support for effective programmes that help women live free from violence and realize their rights,” said Joan Libby-Hawk, Public Affairs Chief, UNIFEM. “Together we can show what an impact a global community can make.”

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Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 New York Limited Edition

August 27th, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

Girard-Perregaux presents a new Limited Edition Vintage 1945 watch for New York watch lovers who are in the perennial search of gorgeous vintage stuff. Though proposed with a classy style, the watch by no means simply reminds the pastness of the past, as it features the finest contemporary craftsmanship from one of the world’s most prestigious watchmaker.

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The zest of the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 New York Limited Edition is the “NY”, short for “New York”, found at 12 o’clock, having replaced the original numeral of the typical dial featured by GP Vintage 1945 watches. The dial is made from the rare “Grand Feu” black enamel, demonstrating easy to read hands and indexes as well as a nice splash of red. Alongside with hours and minutes, the dial also indicates small seconds in a propeller-shaped counter located at 7 o’clock. It is joined by a power reserve indicator and a subsidiary date.

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Strictly limited to 10 pieces, the special edition watch highlights an 18carat white gold 36mm x 37mm case. The heart of the watch is the in-house made Girard-Perregaux Calibre GP1900. The 29-jewel movement, beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour, provides a 46-hour power reserve.

The watch is exclusively available at Girard-Perregaux’s newer Madison Avenue boutique store, with a price high enough to make most watch enthusiasts yell.

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Yvan Arpa Teams Up With Jacob & Co.

August 26th, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

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Yvan Arpa, one of the most audacious and creative minds of the contemporary Swiss watch industry, has recently announced his association with the New York-based brand Jacob & Co., which normally caters to a celebrity crowd. The man, who first became known to a wider watch audience with his attention-getting reinterpretation of the boutique brand Romain Jerome , was appointed as the COO of Jacob & Co, the brand founded by the famous Jeweler Jacob Arabov.

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Before this partnership, Arpa has founded the unique Artya concept and designed a number of outstandingly crazy pieces for Volna . As for his new partner, Jacob & Co has also created some breathtakingly different examples of high watchmaking in the past five years. The Five Time Zone collection pictured above is the first timepiece that the brand created, demonstrating a well thought-out and executed design.

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“I didn’t head right for the watch industry because is so difficult to get into,” Arabo explains of his path to timepieces through the jewelry industry. “It’s such a closed industry; they don’t let any new people come in. I was a designer, and it was easier to get product designed and sold.” To enter the high-end watch market, Arabo enlisted the help of a major behind-the-scenes veteran: Claude Sanz of Bunter. It was Sanz in conjunction with Arabo that conceived and manufactured some of the most talked-about pieces of the last ten years-such as the Quenttin, which boasts a 31-day power reserve and a vertical tourbillon that seems disconnected from the rest of the movement.

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“My objective is to solidly anchor Jacob & Co. in the universe of high watchmaking,” Arpa told Worldtempus, while emphatically confirming that the company plans to continue working with Sanz at Bunter. Since BNB is no longer an option for movements, the company will now use one of Arpa’s favorite suppliers, Concepto, for the technical insides. Have Arpa and Jacob already cooked up something new to wow the waiting watch world at Baselworld 2011? “An atomic bomb, baby!” Arpa laughs. “I have a lot of ideas, just need to check their feasibility now.”

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Watch of Happiness – Panerai Luminor Marina PAM 366 “Fu” China Edition

August 25th, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

Five year ago, Panerai first appeared on the market of China. Maybe pleased with the remarkable growth of the Chinese market, the watchmaking company unveils its Panerai Luminor Marina PAM 366 “Fu” watch, a exclusive special edition for China. It is surely a watch that shows the brand’s high respect to Chinese culture and pays homage to its Chinese customers.

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The character “Fu” (福), the zest of the special edition, is the sign for “Good Fortune” in Chinese. It is placed at 6 o’clock, having replaced the original numeral of the typical dial featured by Panerai watches. While I don’t think a watch with a character of a country is competent enough to be the special edition for the country, the watch is thought to become a valuable blessing for its wearer, nicely blending Chinese tradition elements and Italian classic design.

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The watch possesses a 44mm signature Luminor Marina case like other pieces in the collection. Sculptured from polished and brushed stainless steel, the watch features 300-meter water-resistance. The brand’s exclusive hand-wound mechanical movement – OP II Calibre, beating inside the “Fu” special edition, guarantees precision of the COSC-certified chronometer. It comprises 17 jewels, runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour, and provides a 56-hour power-reserve. The watch is presented on the brand’s personalized black calf strap featuring ecru stitching and fitted with a polished steel buckle.

More about “Fu” (福):

The Chinese character “Fu” is interpreted in ancient Chinese writings in five aspects: longevity, health, prosperity, virtue and a well-ended life. You can often see decorations of “Fu”, usually written on red paper, on door fronts of Chinese people – this tradition has been maintained since the time of Southern Sung Dynasty. Some people believe that the character speaks of their best wishes, while for others it serves as an expression of the pursuit of happiness. As time goes by, the meaning of the Chinese character is further extended and expanded.

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Frederique Constant Joins Hands with Cohiba Cigars

August 23rd, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

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It is thought to be a win-win combination that Frederique Constant joins hands with the universally known cigar maker Cohiba for a limited edition watch and humidor. Presented in a giftbox that doubles as a humidor, and are produced in a very limited edition of 188 pieces in stainless steel and 188 pieces in rose gold plated steel . Imagine that a fresh tobacco smell is imparted upon your watch every time you take it out of the humidor. How fascinating it would be!

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The Frederique Constant Cohiba limited edition is proposed with a case inspired by the “Toro” shaped cigars. It reveals a warm, ivory colored dial, complemented with Roman numerals in tobacco brown. Strikingly placed at the 12 o’clock are the logos of the two brands. There seems an awkward intersection of the logo and the numeral “XI”. But for a holistic point, it can not prevent the watch from being a pretty good creation.

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The movement for the watch is still unknown. As for the price, these limited edition sets (watch + humidor) are phenomenally priced at $1,750 for the Rose Gold Plated version (FC-325CW4C24) and $1,650 for the steel version. Frederique Constant and Cohiba will be launching these exclusive timepieces during a dedicated event on September 22nd, 2010 at Club Macanudo in New York City.

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CX Swiss Military Hurricane Pilot Watch

August 22nd, 2010 by Kevin No comments »

The year of 2010 marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the legendary fight between the German Luftware and the RAF, the Royal Air Force. To commemorate this significant event, CX Swiss Military Watch introduces its new Hurricane timepieces. As far as we know, Hurricane is also the name of a reliable battle-plane of the RAF, which ensured the majority of RAF victories during the World War II, and was called “the lord of the sky”.

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The Hurricane watch is presented with a solid stainless steel case, treated with a black DLC coating and measuring 47mm (width) *17mm (thickness). The di-directional circular slide-rule bezel features SuperLuminova-applied indices. On the flank of the case is an oversized screw-down crown with two timekeeping pushers, revealing red safety markings visible when unscrewed. The screw-down case-back of the CX Swiss Military watch is embossed with a limited edition engraving. Water resistance up to 200 meters.

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The novelty by CX Swiss Military Watch also shows off a bewitching dial, performed in silver, black, arctic blue or RAF red. The indices and hands are all highlighted with SuperLuminova, assuring exceptional nightime readability. Besides the traditional displays of hours and minutes, the dial also illustrates small seconds in a propeller-shaped counter located at 9 o’clock. It is kept company by a chronograph with a 30-minute counter, positioned at 12 o’clock as well as a date indication arranged at 3 o’clock. The 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock ensures the overall equilibrium of the watch. It is an anti-glare sapphire crystal that protects the face of the watch.

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Beating inside the watch is a COSC-certified self-winding ETA chronograph movement – caliber 7750 Valjoux. Comprising a Glucydur balance bridge as well as a Nivaflex mainspring, the movement is also endowed with the Etachron regulator system. In addition, it is also equipped with the Antichoc system, which incorporates the Incabloc shock-absorber. This caliber runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a 48-hour power reserve.

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Securing the watch to the wrist is a genuine Swiss-made nano-tech leather strap, outfitted with a black DLC-plated buckle. Strictly limited to 200 pieces, the CX Swiss Military Hurricane Pilot watch is an excellent reminder of the lord of the sky that was never known to fail.

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