Complications

RGM Professional Automatic Diver Model 300 - A Serious Dive Watch from Lancaster, PA

Roland Murphy and his crew at RGM have almost single handedly put the US back on the fine watchmaking map.  Known industry-wide for his skills and attention to detail, Roland is on the short list of many notable collectors when it comes to the restoration of a vintage timepiece.  RGM also has a great line of watches and recently has begun manufacturing its own movement, the Caliber 801. 

The RGM Model #300 Professional Automatic Diver is, without any doubt, a serious diving watch.  The uni-directional bezel is attached to the case with screws to prevent any incidental contact with an underwater object from dislodging it.  The bezel is easy to grasp and incredibly well engineered (240 clicks per revolution).  The crown is large and protected to mid-crown by guards on either side - enough of the crown protrudes to make it easy to unscrew.  There's a date wheel at three o'clock and a seconds hand to make the Model #300 equally functional above sea level.  Both indices and hands are luminous and easy to read in low light conditions.   

Inside of the RGM Professional Automatic Diver is an ETA 2892-A2.  As you would expect of anything coming from the RGM shop, it's been extensively modified both mechanically and aesthetically (bridges and plates decorated with perlage and Cotes de Geneve).  It's anti-magnetic and double gaskets on both the caseback and crown along with a 5mm thick sapphire crystal ensure that it will remain free of water down to its 2500ft rating (do not exit the submarine - the watch won't stop working but you will).

The RGM Model #300 is just over 43mm in diameter and almost 16mm thick.  A lug width of 22mm accommodates a nice wide strap that keeps the watch in place handily when it's worn over a wetsuit.

This is a great watch for divers who appreciate a no-nonsense tool watch that doesn't compromise on quality or fit and finish.  RGM is always a pleasure to do business with and I couldn't recommend Roland or his work any more strongly.    

          

Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees - Picking Up Where Breguet Left Off

In their quest to take the tourbillon concept to new levels of precision, the designs of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey are advanced interpretations of concepts developed by Abraham-Louis Breguet himself. 

The Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees is undoubtedly one of the most technically complicated wrist watches ever created.  Comprised of a one minute tourbillon within a four minute tourbillon, the former is inclined at an angle of 30 degrees effectively negating the error produced by the pull of the earth on the balance - the result being one extremely accurate timepiece.  The 39 jewel movement, called the GF 02, uses two spring barrels and has a power reserve of 72 hours. 

The double tourbillon mechanism occupies much of the lower half of the skeletonized dial of the Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees, four curved 'hands' rotate with the outer four minute tourbillon as each has its turn at marking the passing of one minute on the arc shaped minute track.  There's a power reserve indicator in retrograde at 3 o'clock and a seconds subdial at 9. 

The level of finishing on the movement, dial, and case of the Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees is something to behold.  I'm not sure if it knows any equal in the world of haute horology - truly superb is the only way to describe it.

The case itself is 43.5mm across and almost 16mm thick.  Of course, there's a sapphire crystal display back and the view from the reverse is quite riveting as well. 

In platinum, the Double Tourbillon 30 Degrees is $425,000 US - red or white gold versions are $360,000.  He who hesitates may be lost as the messieurs Greubel and Forsey have a quadruple tourbillon in the works.

Bremont ALT1Z - For Pilots By Pilots

Most watch brands have a back story and some are more compelling than others.  Bremont is a British brand (made in Switzerland of course) with an origin that's definitely among the most memorable.  Nicholas and Giles English, Bremonts co-founders, are the sons of Evan English, a well known RAF aerobatic champion and, by all indications, a father extraordinaire.  Evan also shared a passion for WWII era aircraft with his sons and spent a great deal of time doing display flying of vintage aircraft.  In 1995, Evan and his son Nicholas crashed a North American Harvard - Evan succumbed to the injuries he suffered in the accident while Nicholas, with more than 20 broken bones, miraculously survived.  Obviously not one to refuse to 'get back on the horse', just one year later, Nicholas and Giles were on their way to meet some friends in France.  Their ride - a 60 year old plane.  The genesis of Bremont - A forced landing (due to weather) in a pea field in the Champagne region where they met a startled farmer who, as luck would have it, was a pilot during WWII.  His name, as you might suspect by now, was Bremont and the trio spent the better part of two days talking about watches and the stories that they tell. 

It's great to find a small independent brand like Bremont where the founders of the company are still very much a part of the day to day operations and there's a real passion for the work being done and the watches being produced. 

On now to the ALT1Z - my favorite watch in the current Bremont lineup.  The Bremont ALT1Z is a great example of a truly functional aviators chronograph.  UTC (or time in whatever other zone you prefer) is shown over an internally rotating 24 hour bezel that's controlled by a crown in the 8 o'clock position on the left side of the case.  Normal chronograph functions are controlled by pushers on either side of the crown in the customary arrangement.  There's a date display at 3 o'clock.  All of the indications are easy to read and instinctively positioned on the dial. 

The ALT1Z is powered by a Valjoux 7754 automatic movement that's been modified by Bremont - the skeletonized rotor, visible through the transparent sapphire caseback, is especially nice.

At 43mm, the Bremont ALT1Z is the perfect size for a pilots watch that's sure to see at least as much wrist time outside of the cockpit as inside of it.  For both venues, rest assured that the ALT1Z will perform flawlessly and look great while doing so.  Standard is a leather strap with deployant buckle.

If you like your watches to be part of a story that's much more interesting and compelling than just the result of great ad campaign or an impulse buy while enjoying a change of scenery, you'll love having a Bremont on your wrist.  Most watchmakers today rely on a story that they truthfully didn't have any part in - the English brothers are out there living it and their watches reflect that experience.       

F P Journe Centigraphe Souverain - 1/100th of a second and the World's Most Capable Tachymeter

You can always count on the creative mind and technical proficiency of Francois-Paul Journe to bring some unique and difficult to execute complications to the watchmakers ball. 

There's some incredible work being done at the Journe shop in Geneva and the F P Journe Centigraphe Souverain is a stunning example of Journe's passion for the unique and complicated. 

Designed to display elapsed time in 1/100ths of a second intervals and capable of totaling up to 10 minutes of expired minutes, seconds, and hundredths of a second, the Centigraphe Souverain is first and foremost the creme de la creme of chronographs.  The revolution of the flying seconds hand, subdialed at 10 o'clock, is hypnotic in its pace of one complete revolution per second.  The speed of this little red hand alone conveys the accomplishment inherent in manufacturing a watch with this capability.  All three of the Centigraphes subdials - the minute foudroyante at 10 o'clock, the 20 second indicator at 2, and the minute totaler at 6 - has a tachymeter scale on its outer track.  Using these scales, it's technically possible to time an object moving at up to 1/3000ths of the speed of light - 360,000 km per hour!  Of course, you'd have to hone your hand-eye coordination skills a little bit.  Journe points out that with the Centigraphe Souverain, you can calculate the speed of anything from a casual stroll in the park to a rocket going into orbit - and, of course, everything in between.

To activate the chronograph, there's a a rocker at 2 o'clock on the right side of the case.  It turns a column wheel to activate the stop, start and zero functions.

Another unique aspect of the F P Journe Centigraphe Souverain is that Journe has designed, patented and installed a mechanism that isolates the chronograph from the timekeeping functions of the Centigraphe - completely eliminating any changes in amplitude while the chronograph is active.

There's a remarkable 100+ hour power reserve in normal timekeeping operations and 30+ hours of juice while the chronograph is active.

The characteristic Journe crown is nestled between 3 and 4 o'clock on the right side of the case - just beneath the chronograph rocker. 

Of course, fit and finish are without equal and the Centigraphe Souverain looks and feels great on your wrist.  As with most of Journe's offerings, there's usually a waiting list that only gets shorter when your name is on it.  Sign up now - this ones a scorcher!

          

Anonimo Cronoscopio Mark II - 44mm Stunner from Firenze

Federico Massacesi has a nose for tradition, a taste for luxury timepieces, and an unending passion that's contagious in the Florence offices of his 10 year old watch manufacturer: Anonimo.  Massacesi was in the right place at the right time when the Vendome Group purchased Panerai and moved it's production facility to Switzerland.  Not making the trip was a group of passionate and talented craftsmen who had nurtured the Panerai brand in the early years.  Sensing the opportunity to involve this crew in a new project that would put their talents to good use, Mr. Massacesi re-united the troops and launched Anonimo.

The unique case designs and dial configurations of Anonimo watches are a huge departure from the course most new brands choose to take.  Everything here is unique to the brand.  Anonimo watches don't look like just another watch; the design elements they encompass are fresh and uncharted yet they still maintain a certain sense of history -most likely owing to the influence of the people who make them.

The Anonimo Cronoscopio Mark II is my favorite Anonimo to date.  It's a chronograph with day and date functions that's based on a Valijoux 7750 automatic chronograph movement.  Anonimo has the 7750 movement modified to suppress the small seconds subdial - a proposition that results in a much cleaner dial arrangement.  The sandblasted stainless steel case contrasts nicely with the satin finish of the bezel and the polished crown of the Cronoscopio.  There's a ton of detail in the case design and the fit and finish of this watch leaves nothing to be desired.  The Cronoscopio Mark II comes shod in a fantastic leather strap that's treated with the Kodiak process that's famously associated with pre-Vendome Panerai straps - the result is a thick and incredibly comfortable leather strap that's sea waterproof. 

When you consider that, other than the base movement, every part of an Anonimo is created specifically for the watch that uses it; the price point of all of Anonimo's offerings seems very reasonable.  The Anonimo Cronoscopio Mark II retails for $4,600 US.       

Rainer Brand Panama Classic - Pure and Straightforward

Rainer Brand enjoys quite a following among watch aficionados who seek out independent watchmakers producing exemplary watches.  Nestled almost mid-way between the watchmaking mecca of the Jura region of Switzerland and its German counterpart, Glashutte; the much more relaxed setting of Heimbuchenthal, Germany seems picture perfect for the work Rainer is doing.  His watches are unique without being overstated and classic although not entirely predictable.  The quality of construction, attention to detail and fit and finish are exemplary.  Equally important, a Rainer Brand watch can still be acquired for something far short of a kings ransom. 

The Rainer Brand Panama Classic is one of those watches that you just can't get enough of.  Maybe it's the vivid blue hands and markers against the perfectly executed texture of the dial or the way the beautifully finished case seems to settle into your wrist like it was made just for you. 

Based on the ETA 2892-A2, the Panama Classic displays hours, minutes, seconds and the day of the month.  In my opinion, it strikes the perfect balance between timeless and modern in that it seems like it will always be appropriate while never being boring. 

The case of the Panama Classic is stainless steel, 36mm in diameter and 11mm thick.  Although I usually wear a much bigger watch, everything comes together well in the smaller footprint of the Panama Classic and it doesn't feel undersized at all.

If you're looking for a clean and honest watch that can be worn anywhere, it's hard to beat the Rainer Brand Panama Classic.  At well under $3,000 US, it's an incredible value.   

MB&F Horological Machine No. 2 - A Study in Unbridled Creativity

Maximilian Busser and Friends is a small and exceptionally creative watch house headquartered in Geneva.  Busser, it's namesake, spent some time at the helm of Harry Winston Rare Timepieces and, while there, created the Opus line where Winston partners with one independent watchmaker each year to create a unique limited edition watch.  He has further refined this concept in his own firm, MB&F, and is now producing some of the most original, creative and inspired watches in the world of haute horologie. 

The MB&F Horological Machine No. 2, is a stunning example of the synergy Busser has created among his friendly crew of horo-masters.

The HM2 delivers instantaneous jumping hours, concentric retrograde minutes, retrograde date, and two-hemisphere moonphase displays along with automatic winding.  The unique and beautifully finished case is titanium and 18K white gold (also available in Ti and 18K red gold).  It's 59mm across, 38mm high and 13mm thick.  Inside is a movement that's been designed by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht / Agenhor and is powered by a Girard-Perregaux oscillator and gear set.  The rotor is skeletonized in a battle ax style and all can be seen through a sapphire crystal display back.  On deck, there are two dials - a left dial that features retrograde date and moonphase indications - and a right dial with jumping hours and concentric retrograde minutes.  The HM2 is held in place by a black hand-stitched alligator strap that's secured by a titanium and gold deployant buckle. 

Suffice it to say that everything about the HM2 is stellar!        

      

Ernst Benz Mario Batali Great Circle Automatic Limited Edition - Great Watch - Great Cause

What happens when a great watchmaker joins forces with a superstar chef to help out a worthy cause?  Let me introduce the cast of characters:  The watchmaker is Leonid Khankin, Ernst Benz's 'chief creative officer' and managing director.  The chef, of course, is Mario Batali, a world renowned chef who owns no-less than 11 restaurants, has several award winning culinary TV shows, and is a star on the Iron Chef America series.  The 'worthy cause' is Food Bank For New York City, a non-profit that feeds over a quarter of a million hungry New Yorkers each day.  It's mission statement is to end hunger by organizing food, information and support for community survival and dignity. 

Khankin and Batali worked together to design the Ernst Benz Mario Batali Great Circle Automatic. 

A fantastic timepiece based on the Benz Great Circle Automatic Chronograph.  Uniquely Batali, the watch features orange arabic numerals, hands, and tachymeter track on its dial and orange stitching on its strap that match the orange Crocs that have become synonymous with Mario. 

As a chronograph, it's available in two sizes; 40mm for $4,100 and 47mm for $4,500 (huge and awesome).  Also available is a 36mm non-chrono version for $2,500. 

Each version is limited to 250 pieces.  Fifteen percent of the retail price of these watches goes to Food Bank For New York City.  Buy one!  You'll own a great watch and you'll be helping a great cause.       

Jochen Benzinger Subscription II - Truly by Hand

Jochen Benzinger might easily be described as a master of guilloche. 

While most watchmakers, even those of monumental standing, have given in to the demands of time and economy and resorted to a stamped guilloche-like treatment for their watch dials; few still make the extra effort to produce this exquisite finish by hand, Jochen Benzinger belongs to the later group and he is truly at the pinnacle of the art. 

An engraver by trade, Jochen does contract work for several major players in the Swiss and German horo-scene.  His skeletonization skills can be seen through the display back of some very notable watches that don't bear his signature.  With the benefit of the creative license that comes with your own watch brand, all of Mr. Benzinger's talents are showcased in the watches that bear his name. 

The Benzinger Subscription II has a hand-guilloched sterling silver dial that exhibits the original "Breguet" frosting.  The hour and minute dial is moved north a bit to accommodate a large subdial at 6 o'clock to indicate seconds.

Powering the Subscription II is a Unitas 5425 manually wound movement that exhibits such a high degree of guilloche, engraving, and skeletonization; that it's virtually unrecognizable.  Even the ring holding the movement is deep with guilloche. 

As a small and nimble firm, Benzinger can customize the presentation to suit the tastes of the individual collector.  The price of the Subscription II is in the neighborhood of $9,000 US.  In this price range, it would be nearly impossible to find another watch that's crafted with the level of care and detail of the Subscription II. 

Kudos to Jochen Benzinger and his small crew in Pforzheim for breathing new life into an old and worthwhile art. 

Watch Leasing? Why not!

Joseph Lam, founder of Parcel Pro and previous owner of TimeZone, has launched First Watch Leasing, Inc. the world's first fine timepiece leasing operation. 

I know this project has been underway for some time and that the hurdles that needed to be overcome to bring it to fruition were sizable.  Joseph's contacts and experience in the insurance and risk management business (Parcel Pro) undoubtedly played a critical role in providing the necessary assurances for his funding sources to feel comfortable advancing money (up to $100,000) secured by very portable fine Swiss collateral.

The program is very new, but already some heavy hitters in the retail watch business have signed on.  Among the more notable are Armstrong Rockwell of Connecticut, LaViano of New Jersey, and Hing Wa Lee of California.  Since you'll be dealing with an Authorized Dealer, the manufacturers warranty applies.  Did I mention the free loaner watch if and when repairs are necessary?   

The process is very straightforward.  Visit the website, get approved in a few seconds, locate a dealer, pick out a watch (not all brands qualify but there's Lange, Rolex, AP, Patek, Blancpain, JLC, IWC, etc.), pony up a small down payment, sign on the dotted line, and enjoy!  Of course there's the matter of the monthly lease payment, but you'll preserve a lot of cash, keep your credit lines intact, and there may even be a tax benefit (creative accounting required).

At the end of your lease, you'll have the option of keeping the watch (and paying the balance) or turning it in and moving on to a sleek and sexy new model.  In this respect, it's much like a car lease.  The good part about leasing a watch though is that there isn't an odometer so you can enjoy unlimited 'miles' while she's part of your collection.

Maybe the best part of this whole program is that the next time your wife or husband asks 'Honey.... did you buy ANOTHER watch?', you'll be able to say 'NO' and be telling the truth!  Priceless!

Best wishes and much success to Joseph and his team at  First Watch Leasing.