Complications

Jaeger-LeCoultre 1833 Master Minute Repeater - 'Crystal' Clear

The stream of new and notable watches from the Jaeger-LeCoultre workshops seems to have taken on a fevered pitch.  Among the most impressive revelations at SIHH 2008 was the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Minute Repeater.  Part of JLC's 1833 Collection, this state-of-the-art minute repeater utilizes a crystal gong to produce an incredibly crisp and robust sound. 

The stunning rose gold case of the Master Minute Repeater is 44mm in diameter and encases the ruthenium-finished Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 947 movement.  It's a 43 jewel manually wound powerhouse that utilizes twin serially operated barrels and boasts a power reserve of 15 days. 

The skeletonized dial of the 1833 Master Minute features retrograde displays for both power reserve and torque, the latter being useful in keeping the watch operating within its optimum power band and insuring the best performance -  Jaeger recommends winding whenever the indicator falls beneath 4.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Minute Repeater is limited to 175 pieces - to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the brand.  If you like your watches extremely rare yet very well done, visit your authorized JLC dealer now - there's most likely already a waiting list!   

Parmigiani Pershing 115 Chronograph Palladium - Haute Horology meets Italian Style

Michel Parmigiani isn't wasting any time in creating a collection of timepieces to rival any of the top-tier multi-generational Swiss houses.  From very humble beginnings in a small town in Switzerland's Val de Travers - Fleurier, the Parmigiani brand has quickly become both a serious producer of fine timepieces (+/-5,000 pieces in 2007) and is now a well respected player in collector circles. 

Parmigiani has created an alliance with Tilli Antonelli, the founder and president of Pershing SPA, a well respected Italian boat builder- the result of which is the new Pershing collection of Parmigiani watches.

Not wanting for style and perhaps the most robust of Parmigiani's current offerings, the Parmigiani Pershing 115 Chronograph Palladium is an incredibly impressive watch. 

At 45mm in diameter and just over 14mm thick, the Pershing 115 definitely establishes a presence on your wrist.  The depth and texture of the dial is enhanced with Cotes de Geneve, raised bezels around the subdials and applied markers.

The palladium case has a distinctive but subtle luster that sets it apart from stainless steel or white gold.  There's a palladium crown and black rubber pushers to offer some contrast.  The external bezel is of the uni-directional rotating sort and engraved to track bottom time during diving operations (the Pershing 115 is waterproof to 200M).  The interior bezel is set with a tachymetre rail for calculating speed.

Inside the Pershing Chronograph is the Parmigiani Fleurier PF Calibre 190 automatic movement.  It has a fifty hour power reserve and drives hours, minutes, central chronograph seconds, 12-hour counter, 30-minute counter and large date indicators.  As with all Parmigiani watches - the watchmaking talent exhibited in the fit and finish of the movement is second to none.   

The 115 nomenclature denotes the largest Pershing vessel and the watches namesake - a 115' yacht that adorns the caseback of the Pershing 115 in dramatic relief.  The lines of this vessel are breathtaking and the inspiration for design unquestionably Italian.

The 115 Chrono is supplied with a natural rubber strap with deployant buckle.  A palladium bracelet is also available. 

The Parmigiani Pershing 115 Chronograph is a limited edition watch.  115 pieces will be produced in both rose gold and palladium.  Retail is from $47,000 - $68,000 USD. 

Hublot Big Bang King All Black - Flying Under the Radar with the Biggest of Bangs

Under the watchful eye of Carlo Crocco its owner; Hublot, 'the watch of all watches' has enjoyed an incredible surge in business with the introduction of its Big Bang collection.  The brainchild of Jean-Claude Biver, the man who orchestrated what many insiders view as the salvation of Blancpain, the Big Bang is a statement watch that's rich in originality, quality and design.  Now just a few years since its launch, the range of offerings in the Big Bang collection is hard to keep track of - and they are all great watches!

When I first saw the details (and pictures) of the Hublot Big Bang King All Black, I knew that this was a watch that I had to have.  I love big watches and prefer design elements that are more understated than in your face - the Big Bang King All Black is huge at 48mm and ultra stealthy with its tone on tone (charcoal over black) design.

The case of the King All Black is ceramic - it's incredibly durable, seemingly impossible to scratch and has a subtle matte finish that's unlike any other case material on the market.  The huge upside of ceramic is that you can finally enjoy a black watch without having to worry about the PVD holding up to everyday wear. 

There's a black ceramic countdown bezel with raised markers and arabics that's anchored by a bezel lug that's made of black composite resin.

The dial too is matte black with hands and markers in a satin finish that's luminescent in low light conditions.  Even the date window inside the 3 o'clock marker gets the stealth treatment with a black field that matches the dial and slightly darker numbers. 

The crown is high polish stainless steel with a black rubber insert - it, along with the titanium screws that affix the band and bezel lugs, contrasts nicely with the otherwise monotone presentation.

Inside the waterproof case (300 meters) is the Hublot HUB21 calibre movement.  It's based on the ETA 2892 and extensively modified - among the more interesting enhancements is the tungsten carbide rotor that's PVD coated and has a dimpled texture.   

The Hublot Big Bang King All Black is supplied with a black rubber strap that's secured with a stainless steel and PVD deployant buckle.  Only 500 pieces are being manufactured - secure yours now as they are sure to sell out quickly and ultimately command a premium over MSRP.          

 

Jaeger-Le Coultre Memovox Tribute to Polaris - A Must Have Re-Edition of a Classic

There are good looking watches and great looking watches and then there are a few watches that it's tough to imagine ever taking off of your wrist - the huge (for its time) JLC Memovox Polaris, manufactured by Jaeger-Le Coultre from 1965-1970 is definitely one of just a handful of watches that makes it into the latter column in my book.  Technically the first watch designed for diving that featured an alarm, its real appeal back then most likely rested in the fact that it was, as a result of its size, extraordinarily easy to read.   

A target of collectors since production stopped in 1970, an original Memovox Polaris is almost impossible to find now.  Anyone who has one won't part with it easily - that's for sure.

Luckily though, for 768 lucky watch aficionados, Jaeger is offering a re-edition of the celebrated Jaeger-Le Coultre Memovox Polaris this year.  It is undoubtedly the one new watch to buy this year if you are buying only one. 

The new Memovox Polaris, as you might imagine since it is a re-edition, is a very faithful replica of its predecessor.  Jaeger has even abandoned the now ubiquitous sapphire crystal in favor of a domed synthetic glass that's accurate to the original design specifications.

The dial of the Polaris is perfection - there's plenty of room for all of the indicators, nothing is superfluous and everything is just where you'd want it to be.  Conspicuous in its absence is an external bezel of any sort (the internal bezel rotates to log bottom time) to take the focus away from the important stuff.  A hallmark of the original version, the triangle that marks the alarm time is there too - it's subtle but spot on.

Inside of the Jaeger-Le Coultre Memovox Polaris (2008) is the Jaeger Calibre 956 manually wound movement.  It should be even more reliable (and accurate) than the original powerplant with the modern technology it incorporates but it still features a suspended gong - the feature that made the alarm of the original audible underwater and the subject of much of the advertising for the Polaris back in the late 60s. 

On the wrist, the look and even the feel of the 42mm Polaris is like no other watch you've ever worn.  It isn't often that you find a watch without a single design element that couldn't use some tweaking - the Jaeger-Le Coultre Memovox Polaris is one of those watches!

Jaeger is making 768 of these in stainless steel - fly don't drive to your JLC authorized dealer!

 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Chronograph - Deep Sea Nirvana

Jaeger-LeCoultre has made a serious investment in the development of cutting edge watches for serious divers - the dividends are evident in JLC watches like the Master Compressor Diving Chronograph.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Chronograph looks like it's ready for anything you can throw at it.  It's massive grade 5 titanium case - 44mm in diameter and 16.25mm thick - protects the JLC Caliber 751D that beats inside.  The 751D is a 41 jewel automatic movement that operates at 28,800 vph with twin spring barrels and a power reserve of 65 hours. 

The thick sapphire crystal and patented compression key system that protects the crown and pushers keeps the Master Compressor Diving Chronograph dry down to 100ATMs. 

There's a uni-directional bezel for tracking bottom time that's easy to grip with gloves and easy to read underwater against the large luminescent hands.  Subdialed at 3 and 9 o'clock respectively are chronograph displays that track elapsed minutes (up to 30) and hours (up to 12) respectively.  There's also a date display at 4:30 and a white and blue movement operating indicator just north of 6 o'clock.

Along the inner bezel of the Master Compressor Diving Chronograph is a pulsometer scale - start the chronograph, count 30 heart beats and then look at where the seconds hand is on the scale to indicate your pulse in beats per minute.  For SCUBA divers this is just a novelty - for free (breath hold) divers, its extremely pertinent.

With a titanium bracelet, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Chronograph retails for $11,000 USD.

JLC has devoted a whole new website to its Master Compressor Divers - it's definitely worth a look. 

Sinn 756 Diapal - Oil Free for the Long Haul

The Sinn 756 Diapal might just be the hottest pilots watch to hit the market in '08.  Using Sinn's oil free escapement technology (called Diapal since early research involved replacing the ruby pallets with diamonds) , this new Sinn is designed to perform flawlessly for extended periods of time since there's no oil to degrade and gum up the works. 

The design elements of the new 756 Diapal will appeal to both desk flyers and real pilots alike, the anthracite coal galvanized dial is super sharp and contrasts nicely with the over-sized markers and arabic quadrant numbers (12, 3, 6 and 9).

There's a rotating bezel to track elapsed minutes and chronograph functionality as well.  The current time in a second zone is displayed via the skeletonized second hour hand that's set via the crown.  The date is shown at the four o'clock position and is discreet enough to preserve the clean and uncluttered nature of the dial.

Inside the Sinn 756 Diapal is a modified ETA Valijoux Caliber 7750 automatic chrono movement that's been protected against magnetic fields to 80,000 A/m, fitted with the aforementioned oil-free Diapal escapement (now a function of nanotechnology and not the old diamonds for rubies switcheroo), and shockproof. 

The case of the 756 Diapal is Sinn's famous tegimented stainless steel (1,200 Vickers) - it's exceedingly tough and it looks great.

I can't wait to get a 756 Diapal on my wrist!  I imagine that it will quickly become one of my favorites.   

Louis Erard 1931 Big Date GMT - Open Wheel Style

Louis Erard is an old Swiss brand that, after 10 years of dormancy and a cash infusion from a group of investors, began producing watches again 5 years ago.  While the company is very small (only 20 employees) and produces a minuscule number of watches each year, the quality-to-price ratio is excellent.  While many watchmakers of this size would be happy with a collection that closely mirrors that of a larger firm, the design crew at Erard has a taste for the unique and dramatic.  In it's 1931 Collection, modern movements and a fresh look at several different complications are combined with design elements present in the brands offerings during it's first year of production (1931). 

One of my favorites in the 1931 line is the Louis Erard 1931 Big Date GMT.  The skeletonized dial of this watch allows you to view both of the date wheels that come together to indicate the day of the month beneath a black bridged aperture that's suspended between the minute rail and the cannon pinion.  The perlage on the bottom of the movement is a prominent element of the dial space and offers both an added perception of depth and a nice contrast with the black minute rail, date window, and subdial (GMT).  Time in a second time zone is indicated with a separate set of hour and minute hands that revolve around a subdial in the 6 o'clock space.  The hour and minute hands on both the main dial and GMT subdial are gunmetal in color and half polished / half brushed - a treatment that draws the eye into the dial and conveys a sense of the attention to detail that is becoming synonymous with Louis Erard.

The 40mm stainless steel case is nicely finished and supplied with a leather strap that's stamped in a crocodile pattern.  Powering the 1931 Big Date GMT is an ETA 2892 Movement (with a TT651 Module). 

By virtue of it's small annual production and limited distribution, owning a Louis Erard puts you in an exclusive group of watch buffs.  Erard is a brand that I think will receive a lot of attention in the future.  It's designs are fresh without being overdone and it's price-points (the 1931 Big Date GMT is $2,500 US) reasonable.      

Panerai Luminor 10 Days GMT - Two Zones and Plenty of Reserves

As Panerai begins to showcase its newly attained 'manufacture' status in its collection, the capabilities of the new in-house Panerai movements are being translated into significant benefits for the Panerai enthusiast.  The Panerai Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT owes two extremely practical functions to it's Panerai manufacture Caliber P2003 movement:  it displays a second time zone when the wearer finds that meaningful; and its power reserve exceeds 10 days. 

Suffice it to say that the rise of the Panerai brand has been astonishing to even the most critical of watch industry observers.  As one of Richemont's premier houses, Panerai's sales results now routinely eclipse even the most well recognized Richemont brands that have been household names for generations.  While many 'old-school' Panerai collectors wince each year as Panerai introduces its new creations, none would argue that, on the whole, Angelo Bonati (CEO) and his team at Panerai have always kept the history of the brand at the forefront of the design process.  Routinely , Mr. Bonati connects with collectors and fans of the brand to exchange ideas and get feedback.   

Even the name of the Panerai Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT is big.  Most will simply call it the PAM 270 (it's ref.).  The watch itself is substantial in every way yet exceptionally comfortable on the wrist and very easy on the eye.  Of course, instantly recognizable and exclusive to Panerai; is the crown locking device that occupies virtually the entire right side of the stainless steel case.  The whole of the case is carefully brushed with a circular pattern around the bezel and vertical patterns on the lugs and sides.  The bezel itself is high-polish and provides a perfect amount of contrast between the matte black of the dial and the satin finish of the rest of the case.  Everything on the dial is arranged logically and is very easy to read in all light conditions.  The subsidiary seconds hand at 9 o'clock has a display at it's 3 o'clock that indicates the time of day (AM or PM) in the 'home zone'.  A date display at 3 o'clock on the main dial indicates the date in luminous numbers on a black field.  The remaining power reserve is indicated via a laterally moving indicator aptly beneath the '10 DAYS' monachre and positioned just above 6 o'clock.

The crystal on the 270 is domed sapphire and anti-reflective; it creates some additional dial depth and dimension and compliments the already striking lines of the 10 Days GMT perfectly.  The caseback is also see-through owing to another sapphire crystal that's affixed by a screw-down bezel. 

When you're spending time in a timezone other than your own, the GMT displays your home time with it's arrow tipped hand that's synced with the AM/PM display that I previously mentioned.  The idea being that you likely know whether it's 3 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon where you are standing (hopefully anyway!) but if you are on an extended journey, you may lose track of the days and nights back home.  When you are on your home turf, the GMT hand tucks completely beneath the hour hand to become invisible.  Another nice feature owing to the caliber P2003 is the ability to re-zero the seconds hand (sub-dialed at 9 o'clock) by moving the crown to the third position (all the way out).  One step beyond 'hacking', this makes synchronizing the PAM 270 to atomic time even easier.

At it's base, a Caliber P2002, the P2003 movement incorporates an automatic winding system.  The 'governing' of the P2002 to 8 days of reserve power was also dispensed with resulting in the excess of 10 days reserve that the P2003 now enjoys.  Panerai limited the 2002 to account for the fact that many manually wound watches will be intermittently wound (so the torque range can vary widely).  With the addition of the automatic module, the range becomes much narrower allowing the full exploitation of the reserve capabilities without any negative consequence.  The P2003 movements performance is excellent and the fit and finish are exceptional with more than the expected attention to detail. 

Equipped with an alligator strap that's outfitted with a bottle-opener style buckle, the 270 is very comfortable on your wrist.  If you're new to big watches, the learning curve is actually very short when it comes to getting comfortable with wearing a Panerai. 

At just over $14,000 US, many will question the value proposition of the 10 Days GMT.  Certainly, this has been an ongoing theme on the various Panerai forums as collectors and devotees of the brand wrestle with the tool watch vs. technical masterpiece dilemma and skew it against the price curve. 

With the limited production and rampant demand intrinsic to the brand, Panerai watches rarely depreciate in value.  Even the early critics of Panerai now readily admit that all assertions that the popularity of the brand, that has come to be synonymous with the 'big watch', was just a passing fad have now been disproved.  Panerai is a carefully managed force with some significant history in the marketplace now that makes it much easier to justify the price of admission.

If I couldn't refer to the historic prices of Panerai watches and compare the MSRPs and secondary market pricing, I'm not sure that, even with the in-house movement, I could make a very convincing case for the Panerai Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT being a $14,000 watch.  But I can and so I will.  If history is any guide, it will be hard to lose much money at all if you purchase this watch, enjoy it thoroughly, and sell it at some point in the future.  It's hard to miss when you buy a Panerai!                 

De Bethune DB 24 - Designed for High Impact!

By Swiss standards, De Bethune, founded in 2002, is barely getting started.... but the Jura based firm has already achieved manufacture status and quickly has become known for being at the forefront of contemporary watch design.  De Bethune is a collaborative effort between Denis Flageollet, a professor at Le Locle and master watchmaker; and David Zanetta, an industry insider who's consulted for some of the most renowned brands in the watch world.   

One look at the De Bethune DB 24 and it's immediately obvious that this is far from just another watch.  Most striking is the precision-machined look of the dial and bezel.  The blued titanium outer bezel and titanium case form a perfect contrast with the three-dimensional De Bethune 'microlight' titanium dial.  The blued titanium and steel hands are huge when compared to most any other watch and, although they excel in adding to the aesthetic weight of the DB 24, also serve well in conveying the time.  The case itself is made up of three parts, all titanium, and attached with titanium bolts that seal the case submarine-hatch style.  By the way, De Bethune rates the DB 24 to 500m.  As a dive watch, it's missing many things, but it's nice to know that any unexpected immersion, however deep, won't do this masterpiece any harm.  Anti-reflective sapphire crystals front and back allow a glare free display of the time and offer a window into the inner-workings of the in-house movement.

The DB 24 is powered by 'Self Winding Big Power', the De Bethune tag for the DB22 Power movement that's assembled by hand and uses 53-jewels.  Operationally, most significant is a patented device that allows the owner to adjust the self-winding rate (essentially the rotor speed) to 'sport', 'normal', or 'slow' modes.  This function is activated by the crown and indicated by a hand on a lever visible on the movements reverse.  Switch into the 'sport' mode before you hit the links and the increase in the amount of inertia required to move the rotor will insure that even your most aggressive swings won't result in any damage to your watch. 

Somewhat less obvious, but no less interesting, is the De Bethune "pare-chute" system that promises Triple Shock Proofing.  This 'system' is a combination of a silicon and platinum balance wheel (an industry first), and a silicon balance spring held in place by a titanium bridge.  As a nice extra touch, the blued titanium contrasts and design elements present on the dial are carried over to the movement aesthetic.

De Bethune will certainly be at the forefront of watch design for the foreseeable future and the De Bethune DB 24 is an important example of the creative latitude and cutting edge technology exhibited by the brand.  Much more importantly, we've finally found a watch that looks great on your wrist and doesn't need to be relegated to the car console or locker when you're out on the golf course!      

   

The Kobold Rattrapante Stirling Moss - Taking it to the Track in Vintage F1 Style

During the 2007 Grand Prix in Monaco, Kobold announced the fruition of a working relationship with 16 time Formula One Grand Prix winner, Sir Stirling Moss in the launch of a new watch; the Kobold Rattrapante Stirling Moss.

Kobold, one of a small group of luxury watch manufacturers that have been successful selling their collections directly to their clients, has a history of drawing on the experience of a pioneer or notable explorer to test and refine design concepts in real world extreme environments.  For the task of designing a watch that made sense for the autophile, it's hard to find someone with a greater pedigree than the legendary Sir Stirling.

Whether you are driving a car yourself or watching a race, the ability to determine split times is critical to calculating speed over fixed distances.  To do this easily, a rattrapante is the ideal complication.  A French word, rattrapante translates to 'catch up' and is simply a chronograph with an added second hand that allows intermediate times to be read off without stopping the chronograph.  When you activate the chronograph on a rattrapante, both second hands begin their journey around the dial (one on top of the other).  When the car, or whatever you're timing, reaches the point that you'd like to determine a split time for; you depress the rattrapante pusher (in the case of the Kobold - the bronze colored pusher at the 4 o'clock position).  Instantly, the split hand stops while the main second hand continues on.  After observing and/or recording the split time, you again depress the rattrapante pusher and the split second hand advances to again be linked with the main second hand - in position to be used again for the next split.  In German, this complication is referred to as a Doppelchronograph (double chronograph) and in English a Split Seconds Chronograph.

To simplify the process of determining average speed, the Rattrapante Stirling Moss is also equipped with a tachymetre bezel that's easy to read and use.  The crown and, more importantly, the main chrono pushers are located on the left side of the case - a design that, in it's testing, Kobold has determined is optimal for deploying the pushers easily while you're driving a car.  The dial on the RSM is matte silver and the sub-registers are a nicely contrasting slate gray and classically arranged.  The bezel spans 41.3 millimeters and the crown is screw-down and protected by heavy guards.  A domed and rounded sapphire crystal features anti-reflective coating on the inside only and gives the watch a classic feel.  The case is aero-grade titanium, anti-magnetic, shockproof, and rated waterproof to 20ATM.  Inside is the Kobold Caliber K.780, a re-worked ETA 7750 that's skeletonized and decorated with Geneva stripes, perlage, beveled edges and polished screws.  The winding rotor is gold-plated and also finished with Geneva stripes.  In addition to the alligator strap, Kobold supplies a unique titanium bracelet that was designed by Moss himself and based on a prototype that he crafted and wore during his racing days to rid himself of the hassle of oil getting trapped between his watchband and his wrist.  For the purist, this bracelet may have some appeal - it's definitely 'retro' and certainly has an authentic air about it.  I think that mine would stay in the collectors box that's supplied with the Rattrapante Stirling Moss - it has room for two more watches so I'm sure I could fit the bracelet in their somewhere.

You can count on Kobold for extraordinary customer service.  Michael Kobold has committed to never producing more than 2500 watches in a single year and has a reputation for being serious about the quality of the watches that his company produces - there's always time for the customer and you are always dealing directly with the manufacturer.

The Rattrapante Stirling Moss (ref. KD971712) will be available in October 2008, retail is expected to be $7450.