WT_0220_Cover_4.qxp 04.02.

20 09:15 Page 1

AMERICA’S #1 WATCH MAGAZINE

PRECIOUS STEEL
–
JAEGER-LECOULTRE
ATMOS

REVIEWS:
ORIS BIG CROWN
PROPILOT X
–
PORSCHE DESIGN
1919 GLOBETIMER UTC
–
SEIKO
PROSPEX LX

BVLGARI
BULGARI
www.watchtime.com
April 2020

THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THE OCTO

DISPLAY UNTIL MAY 12, 2020
 accutronwatch.com
Baselworld Hall 1.1 Booth B83
Time Just
Changed.
Again.
WATCH_H1902783-84.1.indd 2 12/11/19 1:06 PM
WATCH_H1902783-84.1.indd 3 12/11/19 1:06 PM
TIME INSTRUMENTS
FROM THE COCKPIT TO THE WRIST
The substance of the object is function. Utilitarian elements shape the product and make it strong.
Bell & Ross watches meet four basic design principles: legibility, functionality, precision and reliability.
BR 03-92 GREY LUM Automatic 42mm 100m water-resistant bellross.com
WT_0220_PublishersLetter_03.qxp 04.02.20 16:16 Page 8

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

’Tis the
— Spring has sprung and watch show season has offi-
cially begun. The first big event of 2020 was the first-ever
LVMH Watch Week hosted in Dubai by the French luxury
goods conglomerate. Our editor-in-chief, Roger Ruegger,

Season had the pleasure of attending and was one of the first to
see the new timepieces from Bulgari, Zenith, TAG Heuer

—
and Hublot. You can read about his experience and the
new timepieces here in this issue.
The exodus of the Swatch Group from Baselworld
created the Time to Move event, which took place for the
first time in Switzerland last year. The event didn’t repre-
sent all of the Swatch Group brands that left Basel but
showcased prestige brands like Breguet, Blancpain and
Omega. It was actually two events, with one catering to
retailers and the other hosting top media from around
the globe.
In March, Grand Seiko is following suit by bringing a
group of media partners to Tokyo for a special event tak-
ing place in lieu of Baselworld. While brands like Grand
Seiko often host press trips at their HQ, this will mark the
first time the brand hosts an event like this in Japan. We
will be there as well and are excited to be a part of this
new chapter for the brand.
Immersion events like Time to Move, LVMH Watch
Week and Grand Seiko’s event will likely be the trend
going forward as they cut out the noise from the big trade
shows and allow for larger brand-centric communication
and celebration to take place.
Speaking of bigger shows, the Watches & Wonders
Geneva show will take place on April 25-April 29 followed
by Baselworld on April 30-May 5. Aside from its new
name, the W&W Geneva show has some new concepts
like hosting public and experiential events in Geneva to
engage watch collectors in the world of haute horlogerie.
With all of the criticism in the industry, the large shows
are finding it necessary to reinvent age-old concepts to
make themselves more relevant to the evolving industry
and the digital age, which makes it less necessary to
travel great lengths to attend. I have made no secret of
my love for Basel and do hope that the two shows can
continue while making adjustments to keep the watch
brands and guests happy and eager to show up.
Last but certainly not least, I would be remiss not to
mention WatchTime’s very own springtime consumer
show, WatchTime Los Angeles, which will take place for
the second year in a row at Hudson Loft in downtown LA
on May 29 – May 30. We are thrilled to return this year to
WatchTime Los Angeles again offer up top-notch brands, programming and fun to
a city that is largely underserved on the watch event side.
For more information and tickets, please visit
www.watchtimeevents.com.

My very best,
—
Sara Orlando
Publisher
—

8
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
GMT SPORT
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Limited edition

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Phone +1 212 221-8041 ∙ [email protected]
WT_0220_EditorsLetter_02.qxp 04.02.20 16:46 Page 10

EDITOR’S LETTER

Heavy Metal
—
—
Roger Ruegger
Editor-in-Chief
—

— The world’s most expensive watch, the $31 million comprehensive look into the history of the relatively
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime from 2019, is made young category in this issue. Mark Bernardo, on the other
of stainless steel. Rolex stainless-steel models, like the hand, introduces you to a unique (and also quite difficult
Submariner, GMT-Master II, Daytona or Explorer, con- to get) movement that is “driven by air temperature
tinue to be almost impossible to get at ADs; the same goes changes,” the spectacular Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos.
for watches like the Royal Oak and the Nautilus in stain- Glashütte Original has also expanded its collection
less steel. Logically, a category this popular will continue with a stainless-steel watch: last year, the German brand
to see a growing number of contenders. In 2019 alone, launched a new sports watch that we were already able to
brands like Chopard (Alpine Eagle), Bell & Ross (BR 05), take on a dive for this issue. Martina Richter tested the
H. Moser & Cie. (Streamliner) and even A. Lange & Söhne new Seiko Prospex LX while sailing and the Porsche
(Odysseus) all joined the club of the luxury stainless-steel Design 1919 Globetimer UTC (unfortunately without
sports watch (usually with an integrated stainless-steel getting to test drive the matching car at the same time).
bracelet). And just now, Bulgari is finally joining the race Speaking of sailing and diving, Roberta Naas took a deep
with its record-breaking Octo Finissimo Automatic that dive into Ulysse Nardin’s recent focus on “Xploration”
will, for the first time, be available in what can only be and talked with Alessia Zecchini about Free Diving. Neha
described as the most popular material for men’s watches. S. Bajpai tracked down a descendant of Louis-François
Undoubtedly, the influential ultra-thin model will be as Cartier to provide “a definitive family history of the iconic
much in demand as its previous versions in ceramic and jewelry brand.” Nitin Nair introduces you to “the most
titanium. We were fortunate to get to see the first watches interesting chronometer wristwatch you have never heard
from the Italian brand in January and immediately fell in of,” the Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer.
love with the extra weight and increased water resistance Jens Koch got his hands on one of the most modern pilots’
of the Finissimo in stainless steel. watches currently available, the Big Crown Propilot X Cal-
The biggest question with most of these launches will ibre 115 from Oris, and also introduces you to the multi-
be if they can attract a new segment of customers (poten- tude of different movements from Chopard. And last but
tially frustrated by the long waiting lists of other brands), not least, we were able to sit down with Zenith CEO Julien
or if they will simply create a shift within the existing audi- Tonare and Ricardo Guadalupe of Hublot (a brand that
ence. We asked contributor Allen Farmelo to look at this has just surprised us with a Big Bang with an integrated
horological “20th-century phenomenon” and to provide a metal bracelet).

10
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
 Breguet La Marine
Chronograph 5527

BREGUET BOUTIQUES – NEW YORK 646 692-6469 – BEVERLY HILLS 3 10 8 6 0 - 9 9 11 – L A S V E G A S 7 0 2 7 3 3 - 74 3 5

T O L L F R E E 8 7 7 - 4 0 3 - 8 1 6 3 – W W W. B R E G U E T. C O M

WATCH_H1900627.1.indd 1 1/21/19 3:19 PM

WT_0220_TOC_03.qxp 04.02.20 17:08 Page 12

TABLE OF

Contents
COVER STORY
44

—
WATCHTIME, MARCH-APRIL 2020
LVMH WATCH WEEK DUBAI: ALL EYES ON THE OCTO
By Roger Ruegger | The Italian “Jeweler of Time” started the
watchmaking year ahead of Baselworld with several strong new
releases. WatchTime traveled to Dubai for a first look.

TESTS & REVIEWS

52
BRIGHT FUTURE

44
By Martina Richter | Seiko’s new Prospex LX collection
introduces sports watches that go beyond the simple passion
for a professional dive watch. The version we tested has a
rarely seen compass bezel that makes it well suited for extreme
outdoor activities.

58
UNDERWATER SPEZIALIST
By Roger Ruegger | The retro-inspired SeaQ Panorama Date
from Glashütte Original takes the brand’s signature complication
to new depths.

70
MODERN INSIGHTS
By Jens Koch | Oris is well known for its functionally designed
divers’ and pilots’ watches. Now this Swiss label has created a
modern skeletonized version of its manufacture movement.
Does this fit the brand’s image?

84
A TRUE GENTLEMAN
By Alexander Krupp | “Gentleman” is an apt name for Tissot’s
latest mechanical timepiece, which combines elegance, good
looks, inner virtues and always correct (rate) behavior.

86
JUST ONE CLICK AWAY
By Martina Richter | In today’s era of worldwide contacts and

58
around-the-globe travel, a watch with a time-zone function has
the pulse of the times. The Porsche Design 1919 Globetimer UTC
forges its own path, with a specially designed movement that lets
you switch time zones at the push of a button.

FEATURES
64
ULYSSE NARDIN SETS SIGHTS
ON XPLORATION FOR 2020
By Roberta Naas | The year 2020 promises to be a big one for
Ulysse Nardin as the brand pulls out all the stops and focuses
on “Xploration,” adding brand ambassadors, incredible

52
partnerships and more.
 REACH YOUR SUMMIT
Buck Island Reef National Monument

SEASTRONG DIVER 300

Swiss Professional Diving Watch
INDEPENDENCE, PERSEVERANCE, HERITAGE.
us.alpina-watches.com
WT_0220_TOC_03.qxp 04.02.20 17:09 Page 14

TABLE OF CONTENTS − March-April 2020

76
RUNNING ON AIR
By Mark Bernardo | Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atmos clocks, whose
ingenious, near-perpetual mechanical movements are driven by
air temperature changes, have been pushing the boundaries of
horology and design since the 1930s. 76
92
KEEPING UP WITH THE CARTIERS
By Neha S. Bajpai | How a descendant of Louis-François Cartier
traversed the world and scoured old letters to stitch together a
definitive family history of the iconic jewellery brand

102
STEEL WATCHES — A 20TH-CENTURY PHENOMENON
By Allen Farmelo | We take a look at the growth of steel watches

64
— from their introduction as tool watches to their popularity as
luxury timepieces today.

108
ALL IN ONE
By Jens Koch | The Chopard Manufacture builds a multitude of
different movements — from simple calibers for two-handed
watches to chronographs, innovative minute repeaters and grand
complications such as the L.U.C All-in-One.

114
A VERY BRITISH STORY
By Nitin Nair | The Double Impulse Chronometer, the first wrist-
watch completely made in England in more than half a century,
has thrust the old firm Charles Frodsham & Co. into the spotlight.

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

8
70
PUBLISHER’S LETTER

10
EDITOR’S LETTER 40
WATCHTALK
16 Christie’s marks 15 years in Dubai.
ON WATCHTIME.COM
A glimpse at what’s on our site to keep you up to date on the 42
latest watch news WATCHLIST
Alarms
20
WORLD OF WATCHTIME 120
See the global reach of WatchTime and its partners FACETIME
A photo mélange of readers and their watches
22
READERS’ FORUM 122
THE LAST WORD
24 Roger Ruegger talks with Bart Grönefeld.
WATCHTALK
Timepieces from TAG Heuer, Zenith, Hublot, Omega and more ON THE COVER: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo

14
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
 Our timeless classic,
rewritten in bronze.
With an ever-changing patina
that reflects the passing years.
A single red hand that marks
the present day. And a future
that’s yet to be written.

The story continues.

Big Crown
Bronze Pointer Date
WT_0220_onwatchtimecom_02_Proof.qxp 04.02.20 11:53 Page 16

REAL TIME

on
watchtime.com
—
Visit our website for Off the Track,
On the Wrist
more information IWC has released the latest
about the world of fine special edition of its Big Pilot’s
Watch Perpetual Calendar,
watches. To read the developed in collaboration
with Formula 1 racing champ-
Bleached Bones
Winter has barely started giving way
stories shown here, ion Lewis Hamilton. The time-
piece represents IWC’s highest
to Spring, but Bell & Ross has released
go to watchtime.com. elevation of this complication to
a watch that already has us in mind of
Halloween, namely the latest edition
date, and uses a creative combi-
of its clever, quirky automaton
nation of materials and colors,
model, the BR 01 Laughing Skull,
marrying a black ceramic case
which has as its central attraction a
with a Bordeaux red dial and
photorealistic white, “bone-effect”
rose-gold details.
skull, whose movable mandible is
powered by a proprietary movement
from the artisans at Concepto.

Moser’s Serbia Meets Japan

Since Seiko partnered with Serbian tennis
Stopwatch champ Novak Djokovic in 2014, two
Simplicity Gray, Gold and Bold
years after the Japanese
Breitling’s Navitimer 1 B03 Rattra-
H. Moser & Cie. kicks off watchmaker’s launch of its
pante 45, unveiled in 2017, repre-
2020 with an all-new groundbreaking Astron Solar
sented a new technical height for the
collection that applies the GPS watch, the company
aviation-focused watchmaker: namely
Schaffhausen brand’s has released several special
its first model with an in-house-made
renowned minimalist “Novak Djokovic” limited
split-seconds chronograph movement.
aesthetic to one of the editions of the model. The
This year, Breitling reinterprets its
most technically complex horological machines, latest timepiece to emerge
most highly complicated chrono-
the chronograph. The Streamliner Flyback from the partnership honors
graph in a new model pairing a luxur-
Chronograph debuts as the first self-winding the flags of both Djokovic’s
ious rose-gold case with the brand’s
chronograph with a central display also and Seiko’s home countries on
hallmark “Stratos gray” dial.
equipped with a flyback function. its colorful dial.

Generation Next: Omega

Constellation Gents
Omega’s Constellation series has
been around since 1952 but has in
recent years been relegated to the
fringes of the Omega portfolio, at
least on the men’s side. Omega
follows up the recent facelift it gave
the ladies’ Constellation with the
launch of a major new Constellation
Gents collection, comprising 26 new
models, a variety of materials and
colorways, and, for the first time,
Master Chronometer movements.

16
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
 Introducing
SUPER TITANIUM ARMOR

CITIZEN unveiled the world’s first titanium watch in have spent half a century refining our technology.
1970, one year after man first set foot on the moon.
Lightweight. Scratch resistant. Gentle on the skin.
That, however, was only the start of a long quest. CITIZEN Super Titanium™.
We’ve been single-mindedly pursuing the ideal
material for a watch ever since.

Stronger. More elegant. More comfortable. It is

because we believe in titanium’s potential that we HALL 1.1 D79 & D83
WT_0220_Masthead.qxp 04.02.20 14:16 Page 18

AMERICA’S #1 WATCH MAGAZINE

Editor-in-Chief/Managing Director Roger Ruegger Management & Administration

Managing Editor Dara Hinshaw
Senior Editor Mark Bernardo Publisher Sara M. Orlando
Art Direction/Design trurnit GmbH, Munich Event Manager Minda Larsen
trurnit Publishers
Office Manager Julia Mosby
Contributing Writers Rüdiger Bucher
Accountant Martha Samuel
Maria-Bettina Eich
IT Infrastructure Terry King
Jens Koch
Newsstands (MCC) Ralph Perricelli
Alexander Krupp
Newsstands (MCC) Irwin Billman
Martina Richter
Newsstands (CMG) Sherry Kurth
Neha S. Bajpai
Nitin Nair
EBNER MEDIA GROUP GmbH & Co. KG
Caleb Anderson Ulm, Germany
Allen Farmelo
Roberta Naas Executive Board Dr. Günter Götz
Translations Howard Fine Gerrit Klein
Joanne Weinzierl Martin Metzger
Photographers Nina Bauer Marco Parrillo
Group Publisher Jens Gerlach
Marcus Krüger
International Editorial Director/
Olaf Köster
Watch Division Rüdiger Bucher
Nik Schölzel Production Director Thomas Heydn
Zuckerfabrik Fotodesign

EBNER PUBLISHING INC.

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WatchTime (ISSN 1531-5290) is published bimonthly for $49.97 per year by Ebner Publishing International, Inc., 37 West 26th Street, Suite 412, New York, NY 10010.
Copyright Ebner Publishing International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. March/April 2020, Volume 22, Number 2. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WatchTime,
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WT_0220_Media_Worldwide.qxp 04.02.20 10:59 Page 20

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and Chronos (Europe, Asia). Ebner also owns the ‘Inside Basel.Genevaˇ event brand.
 In house movement
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WT_0220_Readers_Forum_02.qxp 04.02.20 16:02 Page 22

READERS’ FORUM

AMERICA’S #1 WATCH MAGAZINE

It would be great to read

LONGINES
HERITAGE
–
BLANCPAIN
FIFTY FATHOMS
about some real-life examples
REVIEWS:
IWC
PILOT'S WATCH
DOUBLE
CHRONOGRAPH
of watches actually being
–
TISSOT
SEASTAR 1000
–
BULGARI
OCTO FINISSIMO
CHRONOGRAPH
magnetized.
ROLEX
www.watchtime.com
February 2020
$8.95
02

TAKING THE DAYTONA AND 6 OTHER

0 74470 94830 8
DISPLAY UNTIL MARCH 10, 2020
CHRONOGRAPHS TO THE RACE TRACK

Magnetism This is a familiar set of words I able, since almost everyone owns magnetized, and half of these
I thoroughly enjoyed the Feb- have read often in WatchTime a smartphone or a purse. (Induc- (30 percent) had severe defects
ruary 2020 issue article on but do not recall reading about tion cooktops, refrigerators, caused by magnetic fields.” For-
Longines (I own two), “The His- any actual examples in the strong speakers and medical tunately, a magnetized watch
tory Channelers,” but was then a Readers’ Forum or elsewhere in equipment can also be men- can easily be demagnetized, and
bit disappointed with the follow- WatchTime although please cor- tioned, but fewer people will get the use of silicon hairsprings and
ing Tissot Seastar 1000 Power- rect me if I am wrong (a search their watches very close to them other non-ferrous materials have
matic 80 Silicium article [“Quite of the website didn’t show any on a daily basis.) Ninety years greatly increased the level of pro-
an Achievement”]. So while I’m results). It would be great to read ago, we would have talked about tection in the last several years.
on my soapbox: from the Seastar about some real-life examples of magnetic deflectors used in the
article, “[According to its manu- watches actually being magnet- radar screens found in airplane Hard Hat Diver
facturer, Caliber C07.811 Si is] ized and what possibly caused cockpits; today it is more about Your December 2019 issue was
protected against magnetic the problem, thereby assisting the many different magnets excellent as always. I happened
fields such as those emanating the readership in preventing the found in a house. (A low mag- to notice that on page 26, the
from the clasps on handbags or same problems. netic field exposure of 4,800 A/m, article re: the Jaeger-LeCoultre
briefcases, refrigerator magnets, for example — roughly one quar- sport-luxury Polaris collection
loudspeakers or transformers.” Eric Stein ter of the pole strength of a com- [WatchTalk, “Blue in the Face”]
Virginia Beach, VA mon household magnet — can shows a beautiful watch showing
lead to an accuracy error of ± 30 the watchback with the icon of,
Roger Ruegger replies: The watch seconds per day, according to the according to the caption, “The
industry has a long history of try- R&D team from Sinn watches.) caseback is engraved with a
ing to protect watches from mag- Unfortunately, we rarely get to scuba diver.”
WatchTime welcomes corre- netic interference (e.g., a protec- learn from someone that was I doubt many would notice,
spondence from readers. Send tive container inside the watch- affected, what the real reason for but the engraving is a “hard hat
comments to editor-in-chief case, use of selected non-ferrous a magnetized movement was. We diver” from days of old, which
Roger Ruegger at 37 West materials), since it can in fact do know, however, from some relied on a tethered airline from
26th Street, Suite 412, New
influence the accuracy of a brands and ADs that magnetized a ship above to the diver below.
York, NY 10010 or via email
watch, and our environment is watches represent a fairly com-
to [email protected].
Please include your full name, increasingly subject to magnetic mon reason for a watch to be Bill Cripe
city and state, and country (if disturbance from various sources. returned outside the normal serv- Waterville, ME
outside the United States). The ones often mentioned by ice intervals. In a study of 1,000
Letters may be edited for watch brands and special interest watches by Sinn's customer serv- Roger Ruegger replies: You are, of
length or clarity. publications are probably the ice department, “nearly 60 per- course, absolutely correct. Hats
products most easily recogniz- cent of the watches received were off for noticing.

22
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
 Vacheron Constantin ©2020 South Coast Plaza
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WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 04.02.20 12:05 Page 24

WATCHTALK

Time for a TAG Heuer: TAG

New Event Heuer Carrera
Format 160 Years Silver
— Limited Edition
—
— LVMH watch brands Bulgari
(see pages 44-49 in this issue),
Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith
hosted the first edition of LVMH
Watch Week from January 13 to 15
in Dubai. The venue was the Bul-
gari Resort, the largest establish-
ment in the Bulgari hotel collec-
tion. LVMH decided to organize The re-edition is
an exclusive event of its own as a limited to 1,860 pieces.
complement to the traditional
Swiss watch industry shows,
which this year decided to sync
their scheduling at the end of
April and beginning of May.
This first edition welcomed
over 200 journalists and almost as
many retailers from around the
globe. “We are absolutely
delighted to have launched this
first edition of LVMH Watch Week
and showcase the exceptional
strength, creativity and innova-
tion of the Group’s watchmaking
brands. This event has enabled
our maisons to share a unique
brand experience with all our
partners and ushers in an exciting
new format for watch shows,”
said Jean-Christophe Babin, Chief
Executive Officer of Bulgari.
LVMH is already gearing up to
build on this success with plans to
organize a second edition of
LVMH Watch Week in 2021,
possibly including other LVMH
brands with a presence in
watchmaking, enabling the
Group to drive further momen-
tum for its Watches & Jewelry
division. Meanwhile, here’s a first
look at some of the highlights of
the four brands.
WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 04.02.20 12:05 Page 25

WATCHTALK

Heuer Carrera
2447S from 1963

— To kick off “a year of tributes reintroduced with some updates.

and celebrations,” TAG Heuer has The stainless-steel case now
revealed the Carrera 160 Years measures 39 mm instead of the
Silver Limited Edition (1,860 original 36 mm. The permanent
pieces) during the inaugural second indicator is at 6 o’clock
LVMH Watch Week in Dubai. instead of at 9 o’clock due to the
The chronograph will be available difference in the construction of
worldwide from June 2020. the Valjoux 72 from 1963 and
The TAG Heuer Carrera 160 today’s Heuer 02 movement.
Years Silver Limited Edition (Ref. Another change from the original
CBK221B) is powered by the is the shape of the central hour
Heuer 02 in-house movement. and minute hands, which are
The most important design aspect now faceted and coated with
is the silver dial with starburst beige SuperLuminova. The
finish, based on the Heuer Car- Carrera name and Heuer
rera 2447S from 1963 (one of the shield are printed on the dial,
first Carrera models offered). which is protected by a domed
Back in 1962, then-CEO Jack sapphire crystal.
Heuer heard the story of the The tribute model is powered
legendary Carrera Panamericana, by the brand’s Heuer 02. This
one of the most treacherous road in-house movement comprises
races in the world. The word “car- 168 components, including a
rera,” which in Spanish means column wheel and a vertical
any and all of road, race, career clutch and boasts a power reserve
and course, caught his attention: of 80 hours. Presented on a black
he knew immediately that this alligator strap, the reissue is
would be the perfect name for a limited to 1,860 pieces — a nod to
new timepiece. The following the year that Heuer was founded.
year, the first Heuer Carrera “One of 1860” and “Limited
chronographs left the factory. Edition” are engraved on the
The silver-dial model of 1964, caseback. List price in the U.S. is
with its three counters and star- expected to be $6,450.
burst silver-colored dial, is being — Roger Ruegger

25
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 04.02.20 12:05 Page 26

WATCHTALK

“YOU HAVE TO WAKE

UP THE SLEEPING
BEAUTY.”
Zenith CEO Julien Tonare talked to WatchTime about the
changes he made in the three years since he has been working
for the brand, the main challenges and what to expect next
from a brand that has been part of LVMH’s portfolio since
November 1999.
WT: Where is Zenith today?
JT: It’s going well. We still go with a lot of humility. We are in
the mountains, continue on, continue to climb and there is still
a way to go. But at least we get very good signs. I was, last
Friday, in front of the board in Paris and we got very good
comments on where we are going, on the results, despite the
environment that hasn’t been very, I would say, easy and sup-
portive over the last couple of years. The results are getting
there, and I'm very happy.
When I came onboard, Jean-Claude Biver, who hired me, told
me very clearly that it’s going to be a tough job. To summarize,
“You have to wake up the sleeping beauty and you have to clean
up things and you have to make it clear.” I didn’t really fully
understand at the time; I didn't really realize how big the task
was, but when I got on board, I immediately felt that the lever-
age was huge. It’s a beautiful brand. Obviously, I’m not going to
tell you something different, but it’s the truth. It’s a brand that
deserves so much more.
WT: What needed to be changed first?

Zenith: Looking JT: We had 860 doors in the world. Now we have 620. The
number of SKUs also. I think in the year 2005 they were
around 840, when I came onboard 118, now we’re close to a

To the Stars
hundred. We focus, focus, focus, concentrated our efforts and
then worked for the last 18 months a lot on what I would call the
brand platform, to better understand who we are. What do we

—
want to communicate? That's how we came up with “time to
reach your star.” My job was to bring the brand back into a
healthy situation, but without going crazy, meaning doing it in a
clean way. One of the big issues of the industry in the past has
— With its new creations dedi- ent. Equipped with the auto- been people arriving and saying, “Okay, what’s been done
cated entirely to women, Zenith matic Elite in-house movement, before is crap. We erase everything. We start again and then we
is elevating both ends of the the Defy Midnight provides push the sell-in like crazy, even if the sell-out is not behind. And
spectrum of women’s watches. autonomy of 50 hours. then we give the keys to the next one and good luck.” And that's
something I told the board of LVMH. They’re not like
On one end, the Defy Midnight, The Defy Midnight features an
Richemont, they’re not watch experts. They have so many
and on the other, the elegant assortment of bracelets and straps
other businesses. I told them I don’t want to do that. I want one
Elite collection. For Zenith’s first that can easily be interchanged by day to be happy to hand over the keys and a clean situation.
purely feminine watch, the the wearer, allowing the Defy Sell-in, sell-out are perfectly equal this year. We even have
brand sought inspiration from Midnight to adapt to different more sell-out than sell-in over the last three years. This, I can
the sky when creating the Defy looks and situations. The integra- tell you that it’s been perfectly respected.
Midnight. Housed in a 36-mm ted stainless-steel bracelet as well
WT: Quite a challenge, we imagine.
stainless-steel case embellished as a selection of colored satin and
with brilliant-cut diamonds, the leather straps with rubber JT: It’s a tough exercise. I mean, if you follow me or if you heard,
dial of the Defy Midnight gives backing can be swapped by I’m spending a lot of time on the markets. I’m spending a lot of
Zenith’s “time to reach your star” means of a quick strap-change time talking to people and promoting my brand because I think
philosophy a literal, visual mani- mechanism integrated directly the business is on the field, is in the market, is not in headquar-
ters and obviously I would say the main challenge has been, how
festation. Available in deep blue onto the back of the straps. Each
do we build brand awareness and how do we then build brand
or gray colors, the dial features a Defy Midnight will come in a spe- desirability? Because, Zenith is quite good with the collectors,
glossy finish with a vertical gradi- cial box that includes three addi-

26
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
what you value
deserves
to be cared for

Official distributor North America +1 201 894 4710

and Caribbean: +1 917 288 8052
Totally Worth It (TWI2 Inc.) [email protected] www.SwissKubikUS.com
WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 04.02.20 12:05 Page 28

tional colored straps and an inter- tone for Zenith’s vision of con- with the watch geeks. The number one market, believe it or not,
changeable folding clasp. temporary elegance. it’s been Japan. Why Japan? It’s quite unusual, because Japan-
The radiant sunburst pattern of ese people, they go so much into technique.
Elite Collection the Elite Classic is set with tapered They understand so well that they valued for a long time the El
Zenith revisits its own past from hour markers that are faceted Primero, the brand and different things. We’re actually quite
the vantage point of today, with and polished. The minutes and good in Japan without having done much more than in other
the newly revamped Elite collec- seconds track lend the dial a tech- markets. But we are totally missing the marketing part around
tion of unisex watches. Through nical touch, while slightly larger and it’s probably what, 5 percent? I cannot live only with watch
two models available in two sizes applied hour markers break up geeks and Japanese people. I need the other ones. My job has
and a number of case and dial the track and highlight the four been how to preserve a long history and authenticity. Everyone
will tell you I’m authentic, my brand is authentic, but 100
combinations, the Elite Classic cardinal points of the dial.
percent of our watches, they have a Zenith movement and
and Moonphase models set the Floating above the dial are sharp
this I will never do differently. But then express it in a more
and slim dauphine-shaped contemporary way. It’s not because you have a long history
hands, a nostalgic nod to Zenith that you need to repeat the past. The people who made the El
timepieces from mid-20th cen- Primero in the ’60s, they were so innovative, creative, they
tury. The movement is the Elite already had a startup spirit, even if the word didn’t exist. That’s
670 SK with silicon-equipped what we need now. That’s why we came with the Defy 21, the
escapement. Prices start at CHF Defy Inventor, etc.
5,900 (approx. $6,000) for the WT: Speaking of the current product families, what is your
stainless-steel version. strategy here?
The Elite Moonphase is pow-
JT: What happened and what helped me a lot, is that besides
ered by the Elite 692. Prices start
working on the awareness, besides working on the marketing
at CHF 6,900 (approx. $7,000) for
strategy, I had two product lines, Elite and Chronomaster, that
the stainless-steel version. The were overdistributed, far too many references, but I couldn’t
Elite Classic and Elite Moonphase change that immediately. I slowed down intentionally on those
models are available in 40.5-mm two for a couple of years. And thank God I launched Defy.
and 36-mm case diameters, in
And the Defy collection was my new growth engine that
stainless steel or rose gold.
enabled me to keep the head out of the water. And now finally
I’m in a position to relaunch Elite in a good way this year. And
Chronomaster, you need to wait a few more months, but you
will see that we’re coming back to something that is perfectly in
line with the DNA of this product line. Finally, this year I would
say things are getting together and we are improving the results.
We’ve had double-digit growth again with reduction of SKUs,
reduction of POS and sell-in equal sell-out minimum.
WT: Your highlight of the novelties we’ve seen in Dubai?
JT: From what you have here, I would say definitely Defy Mid-
night is super important to us because we used to be quite good
in the ladies’ segment during the [Thierry] Nataf years, with the
open heart, with all the extreme of the Nataf period of time.
But after that, we quite disappeared, I would say, in the ladies’
segment and it’s important for us to come with this one in a way
that we want to talk to 21st-century women, if I may say. On
one side with that emotional dimension, a story dimension,
because we have the starry sky, the time to reach your star vis-
a-vis. You know about achievers, about doers, and women today,
they want to do something, they want to achieve. They have the
star here, they have the sky, and one of their stories is their own
star. It’s a bit of a story and the emotional part. And then you
have the rational one. Women are very well known to be much
better at multitasking than we are.
But what we did is to bring three straps. Within the first watch
you buy, you have basically four watches in one. And I imagine,
yeah, the client, the owner, going to the gym and then at night
she has a metal bracelet. Then she has an event. She's dressed
in red, she wants to go to the restaurant, et cetera, et cetera. It’s
really something that’s in line with the 21st-century woman, and
that’s what we wanted to do. – R.R.

28
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
 Ma ri
neAr abi
c40
Diameter40.5mm
He i
ght10.6mm
Manualwoundmo ve
ment
Pr
ice$1 ,
6 00.
00USD
WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 06.02.20 19:29 Page 30

WATCHTALK

Hublot
Big Bang Integral:
The First Big Bang with
An Integrated Bracelet — Hublot celebrated 15 years of

—
its flagship Big Bang model at
LVMH Watch Week with the intro-
duction of a number of new varia-
tions, with the lion’s share of buzz
devoted to the Big Bang Unico
Integral, the first-ever Big Bang
with an integrated metal bracelet.
The watch represents an exten-
sion of a sort to Hublot’s existing
Big Bang Unico 42 series, but also
notably features an updated case
design whose first link is fused
with the new bracelet and whose
chronograph pushers recall those
of the very first Big Bang released
in 2005. The bracelet itself is, of
course, the big news here, with
three links (two lateral end pieces
and one larger central piece)
whose shaped edges echo those
of the pushers and the cutout
areas of the main case. With
alternating polished and satin-
brushed surfaces, beveling and
chamfering, the links provide a
seamless visual continuation of
the case and its lugs. The 42-mm
case is, of course, dominated in
the front by the round “porthole”
bezel with its now-familiar eight
H-shaped screws. The use of
applied indexes at 12 and 6 o’clock,
rather than Arabic numeral
appliqués, is another subtle but
distinct difference from other Big
Bang Unico 42 models.
The movement inside, whose
elements are on full display
behind the clear sapphire dial,
will also be familiar to fans of
Hublot’s more recent Big Bang
models: the skeletonized Unico
HUB1280 caliber, made
in-house and equipped with
a chronograph function driven
by a column wheel and a

30
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
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WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 04.02.20 12:06 Page 32

WATCHTALK

horizontal double-clutch mech- dial side, another Big Bang stan-

anism. The self-winding move- dard, is also present in this new
ment, which comprises 354 com- execution, as are familiar “fusion”
ponents including 43 jewels, elements such as the overmolded
boasts a flat automatic winding rubber crown casing and the
system and stores a power reserve black composite resin bezel lugs.
of 72 hours, or three days, in its The Hublot Big Bang Unico
mainspring barrel. Its column Integral is offered in three versions,
wheel is visible from the front, each with the bracelet material
behind the bicompax dial with matching that of the case — one
subdials at 3 o’clock for elapsed in robust, lightweight titanium
minutes and 9 o’clock for running ($20,900); one in sleek, scratch-
seconds, while the openworked proof black ceramic ($23,100,
rotor and other micromechanical limited to 500 pieces); and one in
components are seen through the Hublot’s proprietary King Gold,
sapphire exhibition caseback. The an alloy of 18k rose gold, copper
openworked date wheel on the and platinum ($43,500).

Q&A: HUBLOT CEO

RICARDO GUADALUPE
WT: How was 2019 for Hublot and what is going WT: To return to the subject of China, are those
to be the brand’s major focus for 2020? consumers beginning to embrace the bold,
larger style of watches that Hublot offers in
RG: Twenty-nineteen was a good year for Hublot,
addition to the smaller, simpler watches that
not on the same level as 2018, which was incred-
they’ve traditionally favored?
ible, but at this point I would say that Hublot is
reaching a size at which double-digit growth every RG: You must remember, the Chinese remain the
year becomes complicated, especially while main- biggest consumer of luxury products, including
taining quality, so we are happy with the single- watches. Throughout the whole watch industry,
digit growth. In 2020, we believe that the situa- one of every two watches is sold to a Chinese
tion in Hong Kong will continue to make things customer. Our Chinese consumer is a younger
tough, so we’ve worked that into our budgets. In a consumer. Hublot is a watch brand that speaks
way, Hublot is fortunate that Greater China is still perhaps more to younger people than older people
not one of our largest markets; for some other because it is, in fact, a young brand. And it’s a
brands, China might represent 50 percent of their brand with a strong identity, which I think the
sales. For us, we expect it to be around 14 percent, consumer looks for. A Big Bang can be recognized
and we will be strong elsewhere — in the U.S., the from far away as a Hublot watch. The younger
Middle East, Southeast Asia, even Europe and Chinese want something different from what their
Japan. Our plan is conservative growth, including parents wore. Just a round watch with three hands
a retail strategy of opening more boutiques. is not necessarily enough for them.
WT: Would the strategy be toward more stand- WT: With other brands, even ones within the
alone boutiques or more retail partners or both? LVMH Group, adopting concepts for which
Hublot has been at the forefront, particularly
RG: We would like to increase our number of
experimenting with new materials, how does
[monobrand] boutiques, either directly operated development into that. We invest in the areas of
Hublot plan to stay unique in that identity
by Hublot or in a franchise with other retailers. design, in the materials, in the movements. We
you’ve described?
Next year is also going to be a big year for football were the first brand to make all-sapphire watches
[soccer] for us, with the Euro Cup 2020. We’ll be RG: Hublot has certainly created trends in the in any kind of quantity, and that set another
launching a new connected watch for that, like industry, starting with using rubber, which you trend. Now we have accomplished blue sapphire,
the Big Bang Referee Smartwatch that we did now see from nearly all the brands, even Patek yellow sapphire, and recently even green sapphire.
for the 2018 World Cup. Of course, our main Philippe. Ceramic is now in use by many other When you have success, it’s normal to be followed.
business is still producing mechanical watches, brands. The “All Black” concept has found its way If we can inspire not only TAG Heuer and Zenith,
but still we are open to the concept of connected to many other brands. We want to continue to be but also brands across the industry, that’s fine. The
watches that are very high end and more concep- leaders, to create new concepts that no other key is to continue to stay one step ahead.
tual than traditional. brand has, and we invest a lot of research and
— Mark Bernardo

32
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
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WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 04.02.20 12:06 Page 34

WATCHTALK

The Next James

Bond Movie
Watch Revealed
—
— After much anticipation tropical accented markers for
and speculation, Omega has each hour. Toward the top of the
announced the release of the dial is the classic Omega logo,
watch to be worn by cinematic with a red-line script “Seamaster”
super-spy James Bond in the just below it. More dial details are
upcoming Bond film, No Time to found toward the bottom of the
Die: the Seamaster Diver 300M face, including the arrow marker
007 Edition. This new timepiece above 6 o’clock that recalls the era
will feature a similar red, black, of the very first Bond movie,
and brown color scheme to that 1962’s Dr. No.
seen on previous Seamasters, but Sweeping over the dial are two
is now updated using the Sea- large hands for the hour and
master Diver 300M design, with minute, in the style commonly
different vintage-look details, and used in the series, while a red-
set to run as a non-limited edition. tipped lollipop pointer counts the
For reference, the last official seconds. Inside the watch, pow-
Bond movie watch was the Sea- ering these hands, is the Caliber
master 300 “Spectre” piece, which Omega 8806 automatic move-
was a neo-vintage-inspired model ment, which like all modern
released in 7,007 editions in the Omega movements uses a co-
fall of 2015 alongside the 24th axial escapement, is certified as
Bond film, simply titled Spectre. a Master Chronometer approved
This new model is designed in the by METAS, and is resistant to
style of the Seamaster Diver magnetic fields reaching 15,000
300M, a descendant of the origi- gauss. The movement stores a
nal Seamaster first released in 55-hour power reserve and is
1993, which has since evolved to protected by a solid caseback
become one of the most popular engraved with commemorative
luxury dive watches out there — 007 markings meant to hearken
in part because of its long-term back to genuine military-issue
presence on the wrist of James watches from the time of the
Bond throughout the popular original Bond film.
movie series. No Time to Die is set to be
This newest Seamaster Diver released in April as the 25th offi-
300M features a 42-mm titanium cial James Bond film and the
case, with a brown “tropical” ninth outing in which an Omega
aluminum bezel ring to match its watch will make an appearance as
dial. It uses crown guards on its the secret agent’s watch of choice.
side to protect the screw-down The new model will be available
crown, and features a helium on either a NATO-style polyester
release valve at the 10 o’clock strap for $8,1000, or on a Milanese
position. On the dial, you can bracelet for $9,200.
find an outer minute ring, with – Caleb Anderson
applied circular and rectangular

34
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
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WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 04.02.20 12:06 Page 36

WATCHTALK

Pedals in Two in
between Sachs and RGM founder
Roland Murphy — like the first
one, a limited-edition, bespoke

The Metal timepiece that speaks to both

brands’ shared love for traditional Damascus
—
styles, handcrafted workmanship

— Pennsylvania-based watch
and functional art. The new 500-
GMT-RS uses a 41-mm steel case
that rises 11.3-mm off the wrist.
Steel
manufacturer RGM has released The case uses polished finishing — Corum has released two new designed to fit within the unique
Model 500-GM-RS, a new sports throughout, with the sides using a additions to its Lab 01collection, case shape of the Lab 01 models.
watch in partnership with bicycle ribbed design reminiscent of the which was first unveiled as an This automatic movement uses a
frame builder Richard Sachs. This tubing used in bicycle frames, experimental series in the brand’s spiral-accented microrotor visible
new model is the second watch to while the crown is a complement eclectic lineup. The two new through the face of the model on
result from the collaboration to the style in its sturdy appear- models at first glance seem very the upper right-hand corner of
ance. Surrounding the face is the similar to their two predecessors the dial, and features côtes de
watch’s bidirectional GMT bezel, but are now distinguished by their Genève finishing throughout. The
marking the first time RGM has use of Damascus steel — a mate- two new watches will be limited
used this function on one of its rial very uncommon in watch- to 99 pieces each, and will be
watches; the bezel features making. Damascus steel, for those available at Corum boutiques
engraved Arabic numerals for unfamiliar, is a wavy-patterned, worldwide, with pricing begin-
each of the even-numbered hour high-carbon steel which is excep- ning at $16,800. – C.A.
positions, and simple dots for the tionally popular today among
odd-numbered hours, both of knife and sword makers for its
which are filled with ceramic. beauty, hardness, and resistance
On the dial of the Model 500- to shattering. The use of this mate-
GMT-RS is an outer minute ring, rial, which dates back to as early
with highlighted hour markers, as the 4th century, hearkens to an
and blocky Arabic numerals overarching ethos that Corum is
inside of it for the quarter-hour working to establish in the Lab 01
positions. At the 4:30 position collection, i.e. creating “a dialogue
is a subtle date indictor, while between the past and the future”
sweeping around the dial are two by melding traditional and con-
skeletonized sword hands for the temporary mechanical watch-
hour and minute, and a red GMT making and, in the case of these
hand featuring the Richard Sachs newest watches, marrying ancient
logo for its tip. and modern materials.
Inside the watch is the RGM- Like the previous Lab 01
finished ETA 2893-2 caliber, a models, the two new editions use
Swiss-made automatic movement a 39.89-mm by 55-mm tonneau-
capable of 50-hour power reserve. shaped case with rubber inserts
The movement features RGM- on its side as well as an integrated
implemented rhodium finish- rubber bracelet. The case uses a
ing, côtes de Genève, and blackened, DLC-treated Damas-
perlage. The movement and its cus steel, and features a crown at
embellishments are hidden, 6 o’clock made of the same mate-
however, behind a solid caseback, rial. The skeletonized gray dial of
which is engraved with an artistic the watch is available with either
interpretation of the Richard blue or green accents, featuring
Sachs logo, alongside information applied Arabic numerals at each
on the watch and its model num- 15-minute mark, an off-center
ber out of the 50 pieces that will Corum logo, and rhodium-
be produced. coated, baton-style hour and
The new model will come on a minute hands. Powering the
Hirsch Performance rubber and watch, and visible through the
leather strap, and will be available openworked dial, is the Corum
for purchase directly through Caliber CO 410, a barrel-shaped
RGM for $4,750. movement capable of a 50-hour
– C.A. power reserve, specifically

36
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
WATCH_H1902764.1.indd 1 11/22/19 1:39 PM
WT_0220_WatchTalk_03_Proof 04.02.20 12:06 Page 38

WATCHTALK

The Delicate
Sound of Thunder
—
— MB&F’s new Legacy Machine under a large domed sapphire
Thunderdome features a world- crystal that gives the model its
first, proprietary tourbillon device cinematic, sci-fi nickname. Off-
and also marks the first collabora- center at 6 o’clock is an analog
tion between watchmakers Eric subdial with Roman numerals on
Coudray and Kari Voutilainen. which the watch tells the time
The heart of the latest piece in with two blued hands. innermost completing a turn The LM Thunderdome, with a
Bussser’s popular Legacy Machine To control the rate of energy every 8 seconds, the intermediate 44-mm case and a blue hand-
series is the so-called TriAx tour- escaping from the movement’s one every 12 seconds, and the stitched alligator strap, is avail-
billon mechanism designed by barrel, MB&F and Coudray opted outermost cage making its full able in two limited editions: 33
Coudray, developer of, among for a so-called Potter escapement, orbit every 20 seconds. Despite pieces in platinum 950, with a
other standout high complica- named after 19th century watch- the dizzying, hypnotic effect that light-blue guilloché dial plate
tions, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Gyro- maker Albert H. Potter, which is the front of the watch offers, the and 10 pieces in tantalum, with
tourbillon. It replaces the tradi- notable for its use of a fixed rear side of the movement, visible five pieces bearing a dark-blue
tional but more cumbersome escape wheel rather than the through the clear caseback, is guilloché dial and five pieces
system, which links one tourbil- more common, mobile wheel. where you’ll find the signature with an inlaid aventurine dial.
lon cage with each rotating axis, This combination of a fixed wheel finishing style of Voutilainen on The retail price of the platinum
with a three-axis, two-cage con- within a tri-axial mechanism, has proud display. (The delicately edition is CHF 270,000 + VAT
figuration that allows for maxi- never been used in watchmaking applied circular guilloché ($280,000 + tax).
mum visibility of the tourbillon before. It allows for higher rota- pattern on the blued front dial – M.B.
escapement’s beating heart — all tional speeds for the cages — the is also Voutilianen.)

Greubel Forsey’s First Sports Watch

— — Greubel Forsey’s first official relief-engraved on the outer, subdial both for running seconds
“sports” watch, the GMT Sport, satin-finished bezel; a large, blue, and a second time zone at the
isn’t exactly a timepiece fit for a rubber-accented crown on its 11:30 position. The caseback of
tough mudder, but the haute right side, and two pushers loca- the watch has outer and central
horlogerie brand has made great ted on the left side: one to select rings completing the sapphire
efforts to introduce a sports- the second time zone and the cities disk to give UTC Universal
focused watch that will meet the other for synchronizing the local and summer (or daylight savings)
growing demand among luxury time with the globe. The case of time for 24 cities in the major
consumers for exquisite, hardier the piece is then secured to the time zones.
timepieces. wrist using a black or blue rubber Inside the watch is a completely
The new model features its new strap, reinforced using a double- new movement built specifically
satin-finished 45-mm titanium folding clasp. for this highly valued model,
case that uses what the brand The dial uses an open architec- capable of a 72-hour power
dubs as an “original case geom- ture and features a combination reserve. The hand-wound mech-
etry”— a new shape, appearing of suspended bridges, semi- anism is constructed using 435
like a traditional round watch apparent wheels, and floating individual parts, which include
case from the top view, but reveal- subdials all in three dimensions. two co-axial series-coupled fast-
ing an arched and more ergono- Most prominently, you’ll notice rotating barrels.
mic shape from the side profile. the 24-seconds openworked tour- While pricing is not yet availa-
The rationale for this effort is to billon toward the 1 o’clock posi- ble, the GMT Sport will be offered
push the limits of “wrist comfort” tion, a power reserve at 3 o’clock, in only 11 editions.
through the new case form. The a terrestrial world-timer towards – C.A.
case has Greubel Forsey’s values the bottom right of the face, and a

38
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
 APRIL 30 – MAY 05, 2020
WWW.BASELWORLD.COM

WATCH_H1902765.1.indd 1 11/22/19 1:48 PM

WT_0220_WatchTalk_Christies_03_Proof.qxp 04.02.20 13:16 Page 40

WATCHTALK

Christie’s
Marks
15 Years
In Dubai
—
by Remy Julia, Director and Specialist of An Exceptionally The following year, in 2016, Christie’s hosted a global
Watches, and Mathieu Ruffat, Junior Rare and Fine auction series to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the
Stainless-steel Patek Philippe Nautilus. First produced in 1976, the
Specialist for Watches, Christie’s Dubai
Patek Philippe Nautilus is still to this day one of the most desired and
Nautilus Ref.
3700/1 made for sought-after timepieces. The sales kicked off in Dubai,
— As 2020 marks Christie’s 15th year in Dubai, Remy the Sultanate of where the first 10 of the 40 watches were offered. The
Julia, Director and Specialist of Watches, Christie’s Dubai, Oman in 1978. Dubai selection was highlighted by a stainless-steel
and Mathieu Ruffat, Junior Specialist for Watches, Estimate: Nautilus Ref. 3700/1 made for the Sultanate of Oman in
Christie’s Dubai, reflect on the important milestones US $150,000 - 1978, distinguished by the national emblem of Oman, the
achieved over this period. $250,000. Khanjar dagger, in the lower half of the dial.
Since then, the Dubai watch auctions have become
Christie’s Watches in the Middle East increasingly popular as interest in collecting vintage and
In 2005, Christie’s was the first international auction unique timepieces continues to grow in the region. In
house to open a permanent office in the Middle East, addition to dedicated sales, Christie’s now showcases
with auctions beginning in 2006. Shortly thereafter, the highlights from other locations, including Geneva, New
first “Contemporary Jewelry & Watches” sale was added York and Hong Kong, and offers specialist talks.
to the calendar on Jan. 31, 2007. The sale performed with
strong results with the 40 watches offered sold at 98 per- Trends
cent, and the entire auction totaling US $12 million — a According to market studies, one major trend for the
phenomenal start into a new endeavor! region is a growing population of knowledgeable and
Over the coming years, jewels and watches were inquisitive consumers. As demonstrated by the vast
offered in combined auctions, until Oct. 29, 2013, when demand for luxury brands in the UAE, consumers now
Christie’s staged the first stand-alone watch auction in pay more attention to value, craftsmanship, tradition and
the Middle East. A year later, the annual turnover for the sustainability. Over the past 15 years, Christie’s has shifted
watch sale was already up by 58 percent and on Mar. 19, our offering from unique and limited edition contem-
2015, the Dubai watch auction became the first “multi porary timepieces to vintage watches, more in line with
owner watch auction” to sell 100 percent worldwide. the sales in Geneva and New York, our long-established
auction rooms.
Dubai Watch Week Geographically, the United Arab Emirates accounts
As the market grew, these successes culminated with the for the largest market share of luxury watch buying in the
founding of Dubai Watch Week in October 2015. Estab- Middle East, representing more than 35 percent in 2019. In
lished by Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the Middle East’s largest the Middle East, GCC countries — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
watch retailer, the week was created to unite key industry the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman — are
spokespeople with horological enthusiasts. To celebrate the fastest growing markets for luxury watches owing to
its launch, Christie’s auctioned two limited edition the highest per capita spending on luxury goods. Today,
Hublot watches, Vision I and Vision II, to benefit “Dubai the Middle Eastern collector not only transacts in our
Cares,” a charitable organization supported by Ahmed Dubai auctions, but also participates world wide, hunting
Seddiqi & Sons. for the watch or timepiece that he or she desires most.

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WATCHTALK

Patek Philippe. A
Unique “Aventurier
des Roseaux” Enamel
Solar Powered Dome
Clock. Estimate:
US $80,000
- $120,000.

Rolex. A Very Rare

and Appealing
Reference made for the
Sultanate of Oman.
US $25,000 -
$35,000.

April 11, 2020 – The Next Chapter in Dubai Since their launch in 1955, few examples of these
Last year ended on a Patek Philippe high, with a new clocks are produced every year, each unique by its indi-
world auction record set for the most expensive watch by vidually decorated case featuring engravings of varying
the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A, which pattern, cloisonné enamel scenes or leather-covered with
sold for US $31 million during the Only Watch charity applied ornaments. The small production is a result of
auction in Geneva (November 2019). Just two weeks later, Rolex. An Extremely the few artisans skilled enough to decorate the clock’s
the Patek Philippe L’heure Bleue Ref. 2523 became the Rare Ref. 1802 with challenging curved surfaces, works of art highly appreci-
most expensive wristwatch ever auctioned in Asia. How- Yellow Lacquered ated in today’s collector market.
“Stella” Dial with Date
ever, where once Patek Philippe and Rolex seemed to be Consigned by the family of the original owner, a com-
and Original Certificate
the only names worth collecting, there are several other of Guarantee. Estimate: panion of King Saud of Arabia Saudi, the present Patek
brands like Heuer and Omega that are increasing rapidly US $120,000 - Philippe Ref. 2481 is part of a series of only 50 pieces com-
in value. The roster of pre-owned marques achieving $200,000. missioned to celebrate the life of the late King Abd al-Aziz III
notably high prices is also growing with A. Lange & Söhne ibn Saoud. The watch was presented as a token of appreci-
and F.P. Journe, to name a few. ation by the King during the wedding of the original owner
The year 2020 promises to be full of excitement and in 1985. Entirely fresh to the market, the watch as been
surprises. Christie’s will open the season with our Dubai carefully cherished throughout the years by the family.
auction on April 11. Ahead of that, let’s take a look at the The present Rolex Ref. 1802 is an extremely well-
Dubai highlight pieces. preserved representative of the famous model, enhanced
Manufactured in 1976, the present Patek Philippe by its magnificent intact and vibrant yellow-colored lac-
Dome clock is distinguished by its excellent overall quered “Stella” dial enriched with 8 round-cut diamond
condition. This unique piece has been designed and indexes and 2 baguette-cut diamonds traditionally placed
created by the celebrated and highly skilled enamel artist, at 6 and 9 o’clock. Adding rarity, the specimen is offered
Elisabeth Perusset Lagger. with its original Certificate of Guarantee.
The lacquer dial of the present watch is of the most
vivid shade of yellow that can be imagined, comparable
to Chinese “Imperial Yellow.” Furthermore, yellow is
considered the most beautiful, prestigious and highly
prized color among Stella dials, of which no two are the
same shade.
The present Rolex made for the Sultanate of Oman
is a rare example of the reference, blessed by the green
Patek Philippe. An Khanjar on a burgundy lacquered dial and fitted with a
Extremely Rare Ref. white-gold-and-diamond-set case. Prominently positioned
2481 with Ruby-Set on its dial, the Khanjar symbol, emblem of the Sultanate
Enamel Dial with the
Portrait Of King Saud of Oman, was applied on timepieces ordered by the
Bin Abdul Aziz and Sultan and later distributed as gifts to dignitaries or indi-
Bracelet. Estimate: US viduals close to His Majesty. Highly sought after, such
$40,000 - $60,000. timepieces are extremely collectible in today's market. —

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WATCHLIST − Alarms

by Mark Bernardo TUDOR HERITAGE

ADVISOR
Wake-up —
The Heritage Advisor is a modern reinterpretation of an alarm
watch issued by Tudor in 1957, with the same shaped lugs,
dauphine hands and central red alarm hand as its ancestor but
updated with a contemporary case size (42 mm) and material

Call
(titanium) as well as a cognac-colored dial with a combination of
textured finishes. Tudor’s Caliber 2892, an ETA base movement
with an in-house-developed module, features an alarm function

—
in which the pusher at 8 o’clock activates and turns off the alarm,
a crown at 2 o’clock sets the alarm time via the red hand, which
points to the outer minute track, while another crown at 4 o’clock
sets the time and date, the latter indicated on the counter at 6
o’clock. Price: $6,000 on leather, $6,225 on steel bracelet.

— They’re not as sexy as tour-

billons or as impressively
complicated as perpetual
calendars, but mechanical
alarm watches possess one of
the more useful complications
for a weary traveler or an over-
worked executive needing a
reminder about that big board
meeting. In a way, it’s curious
that more watch brands
haven’t embraced them.
JAEGER-
Here are five that are on the
market now.
LECOULTRE
POLARIS
MEMOVOX
—
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Memovox, a limited
edition of 1,000 pieces, channels the spirit of the
1968 original, which was the first diving watch
equipped with a mechanical alarm. Housed in its
42-mm steel case, the triple-crown-operated
alarm is driven by the modern Caliber 956, a
direct descendant of the very first self-winding
alarm movement, created by Jaeger-LeCoultre
in the 1950s. The three crowns control the
alarm function and time setting thusly.
The first winds the alarm function
and then sets the alarm and date
when it’s pulled out. The middle
crown allows adjustment of the
bidirectional inner rotating bezel.
The lower crown pulls out to adjust
the time on the central hour and
minute hands on the black, vintage-
inspired dial, which is enhanced
with “aged patina” luminous details.
Price: $12,600.

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WATCHLIST − Alarms

BREGUET MARINE VULCAIN

ALARME MUSICALE HERITAGE
— PRESIDENTS’
Breguet offers an alarm function in an elegantly nautical package
with the Marine Alarme Musicale 5547, part of the recently WATCH
redesigned Marine collection inspired by founder Abraham-Louis
Breguet’s historical role as chronometer-maker to the French
—
Royal Navy. Debuting in a new 40-mm titanium case in 2019, The first Vulcain Cricket, named for
the model has a sunburst slate gray dial with an array of indica- the shrill, “chirping” sound of its built-
tors: alarm subdial at 3 o’clock, 24-hour subdial at 9 o’clock, in alarm, was released in 1947 and con-
alarm activation aperture at 12 o’clock, and a power-reserve display tained the revolutionary Caliber 120.
for the alarm between the IX and XII Roman numeral appliqués. The watch quickly became a hit and a
The self-winding 519F/1 caliber uses a push button at 8 o’clock to favorite of U.S. presidents, inspiring
operate the alarm and possesses two separate barrels, one pro- Vulcain to give the Cricket its lofty
viding energy to the main movement, the other to the alarm’s nickname, “Presidents’ Watch.” Vul-
striking mechanism. Price: $28,600. cain has been creating new versions of
the Cricket ever since, including the
Heritage Presidents’ Watch limited
edition, a historically faithful replica
of a famous model from 1950. Vul-
cain’s manual-winding V-10 caliber
ticks inside the 39-mm case, supply-
ing energy to the alarm, which chimes
for a full 20 seconds, from one barrel
while storing the watch’s 42-hour power
reserve in the other. The watch is
offered in steel or two-tone steel and
rose gold, each limited to 500 pieces.
Price: €4,150 (approx. $4,600).

RICHARD MILLE RM
62-01 TOURBILLON
VIBRATING ALARM ACJ
—
The fruit of a collaboration between Richard Mille and Airbus Corporate Jets
(ACJ), the RM62-01 is the watchmaker’s most complicated
timepiece ever and also the most technically sophis-
ticated alarm watch on the market. In contrast
to most traditional wristwatch alarms —
which use a hammer striking a pillar, a
gong or the interior of the case — the
one in the RM 62-01 is absolutely
silent, transmitting a vibration
that only the wearer can perceive
in a similar manner to the vibrat-
ing alert function in early
mobile phones. The mechan-
ism inside the tonneau-shaped
background: iStock - Sezeryadigar

titanium-carbon TPT case of

this 30-piece limited edition,
however, is entirely mechani-
cal, made up of 816 parts,
including two barrels for the
70-hour power reserve as well
as a tourbillon. Price: $1,225,000.

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LVMH WATCH WEEK DUBAI − Bulgari New Releases

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LVMH
Watch Week Dubai:

All Eyes
On the Octo
The Italian “Jeweler of Time” started the
watchmaking year ahead of Baselworld with
several strong new releases. WatchTime
traveled to Dubai for a first look.

—
by
Roger Ruegger
—

— LVMH’s inaugural Watch Week took place

from January 13 to 15 at the Dubai Bulgari
Hotel. While the brand will still release a
majority of its 2020 novelties in Basel (April 30
to May 5), the watches shown on the Persian
Gulf coast are already another strong commit-
ment of the brand to horological innovation,
with the Octo Finissimo Automatic in stainless
steel being one of the year’s highlights (and
undoubtedly also the most requested version
of the record-breaker). Here are some of the
novelties that were shown.
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LVMH WATCH WEEK DUBAI − Bulgari New Releases

Bulgari Octo
Finissimo Minute
Repeater in
Sandblasted
Rose Gold
The most elegant interpretation of the record-
breaking watch from 2016 yet. The new Octo
Finissimo Minute Repeater in rose gold (Ref.
103279) is the latest edition of the record-breaking
Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater in titanium that
first debuted in 2016 and led the foundation for a
new approach to mechanics and complications. The
minute repeater, one of the most complex of all
horological complications, now comes in sand-
blasted rose gold with matching dial. The hour
markers and the small seconds counter have an
incised, cut-out design to amplify resonance inside
the ultra-thin case. The pusher activating the strik-
ing mechanism is located at 9 o'clock and fitted
with an “all or nothing” safety device.
Movement: Ultra-thin mechanical manufacture
minute repeater movement with manual winding,
Cal. BVL362, indication of hours and minutes,
small seconds at 6 o’clock, 42-hour power reserve,
21,600 vph (3 Hz), diameter: 28.50 mm, thick-
ness: 3.12 mm.
Case and dial: Sandblasted 18k rose-gold case with
transparent caseback, sandblasted 18k rose-gold
dial, case diameter: 40 mm, thickness: 6.90 mm.
Water resistant to 30 m.

Price: $170,000.

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LVMH WATCH WEEK DUBAI − Bulgari New Releases

Bulgari Serpenti
Seduttori Tourbillon
Seducing collectors with a unique small-sized women’s tourbillon,
specially designed for the sleek dimensions of the serpent-head
case of the Italian brand’s most unique watch collection.
Bulgari is one of the few brands to create haute horlogerie pieces
for women. After the Diva's Minute Repeater in 2018 (this year
sees a new version with a malachite dial), Bulgari now takes on the
tourbillon, often perceived as the most prestigious complication in
watchmaking. The new Serpenti Seduttori Tourbillon models come
in rose gold (Ref. 103257) or white gold with diamond pavé (Ref.
103260) and a full diamond bracelet (Ref. 103626).
Thanks to a combination of jewelry-making expertise and Swiss
watchmaking know-how, Bulgari managed to create a tourbillon
small enough to fit into the small case. The brand's rhodium-plated
new Cal. BVL150 is the smallest of its kind on the market. It is
hand decorated with côtes de Genève, perlage and beveling and
features a sapphire bridge. The winding stem is located between
2 and 3 and is inclined six degrees.
Movement: Mechanical manufacture movement with manual
winding, Cal. BVL150, tourbillon, hours and minutes, 40-hour
power reserve, 21,600 vph (3 Hz), 23 jewels. Movement dimen-
sions: 22 mm x 18 mm, thickness: 3.65 mm.
Case: 34-mm 18k rose- or white-gold case, full snow set with round
brilliant-cut diamonds. Crown set with a cabochon-cut ruby or
sapphire. Case thickness: 8.90 mm. Water resistant to 30 m. Dial
full snow set with round brilliant-cut diamonds.

Price: $78,000 (Ref. 103257), $82,000 (Ref.

103260) and $151,000 (Ref. 103626).
WT_0220_Bulgari_03.qxp 04.02.20 13:30 Page 48

LVMH WATCH WEEK DUBAI − Bulgari New Releases

Octo Finissimo
Automatic in Steel,
Rose Gold or
Ceramic
Three more reasons for a modern classic. The stainless-
steel sports watch category has been dominated for
decades by a handful of luxury watches with integrated
bracelets and manufacture movements. The exclusive
club just got a new member: Bulgari finally revealed a
stainless-steel version of the ultra-thin Octo Finissimo
with micro-rotor manufacture movement BVL138 (Ref.
103297). The Italian brand even managed to increase
the water resistance from 30 to 100 meters for the
rose-gold and steel case (thickness: 5.25 mm).
The next chapter of the Octo saga is presented by the
Octo Finissimo Automatic Black Ceramic with a sand-
blasted and polished case (Ref. 103368). The case and
dial are also made of ceramic, which is particularly diffi-
cult to work with in an ultra-thin piece like the Octo.
Movement: Ultra-thin mechanical manufacture move-
ment with automatic winding (via platinum micro-
rotor), Cal. BVL138, indication of hours and minutes,
small seconds at 7 o’clock, 60-hour power reserve,
21,600 vph (3 Hz), diameter: 36.60 mm, thickness:
2.23 mm.
Case and dial: Satin-polished steel (Ref. 103297), satin-
polished rose gold (Ref. 103286) or sandblasted and
polished ceramic case (Ref. 103368) with transparent
caseback, matching dials and bracelets, case diameter:
40 mm, thickness: 5.25 mm (Ref. 103286 and 103297)
or 5.50 mm (Ref. 103368). Water resistant to 30 m
(Ref. 103368) or 100 m (Ref. 103286 and 103297).

Price: $12,000 (Ref. 103297),

$22,700 (Ref. 103286) and $15,600
(Ref. 103368).
WT_0220_Bulgari_03.qxp 04.02.20 13:53 Page 49

LVMH WATCH WEEK DUBAI − Bulgari New Releases

Q&A with Antoine Pin

“For me, it’s the continuation of what we call
saga with a totally different perspective but
fundamentally the same philosophy.”

WatchTime sat down with Antoine Pin, Managing Director of The

Bulgari Watch Division, to talk about the new Serpenti Tourbillon
and, more importantly, how the decision was made to add this
complication to the collection.
“This product is the result of several considerations. The first
consideration is the fact that Serpenti is a collection that has been
varying quartz movements for the last 20 years. And this is due to
the fact that there is a clearly a lack of availability of [small]
mechanical movements in the market. And we do not have [small]
mechanical movements in our portfolio ourselves. And there’s
clearly, clearly, clearly a demand for pieces of jewelry that are host-
ing beautiful mechanical movements as well. We do have special
orders for mechanical pieces from women. Also, because we’ve seen
that the auctions, the bidding for the auctions on Serpenti jewelry
pieces, historical ones, are going extremely high. There’s a huge
demand for those and we’ve had the chance to have Bulgari fans
bidding for those watches. So we have the chance to talk to them.
And the comment was unanimous. It was, ‘We want beautiful
mechanical pieces with beautiful pieces of jewelry. We want it all
together.’ So there was this, ‘Yeah, we need to do this.’ And then
similarly this expertise and interest for miniaturization that we’ve
developed with our ultra-thin movements has built up, has grown
up, in this reflection about how to miniaturize. And fundamentally,
this is what micro-mechanics is about.
“And so we have more and more reflections on this, and also more
and more appetite to dig deeper into these considerations. And it’s
making so much sense for us. I mean we’re selling more to women
than men in watches. We are a true manufacturer inside, and I
guess nobody can challenge this.
“So there’s a gap here. There’s a hole that was identified. And then
the question was, ‘What should we start with?’ So it happens that
we have a freedom of action in the very high-end segment. Why?
Smaller quantities, because we do have strong clients in that
segment who are following us and supporting us. And because the
constraints in developing a tourbillon movement are very different
from the constraints to developing a more classic movement in
such a size. Why is that? Because we don’t have the constraints
of volume production, of course, in the same way as for the very
expensive product. And again, you can do it with different
machines or you can hand-make it when it’s limited quantities.
“So that's how the tourbillon idea came. We said, ‘That is something
we can address. We have the know-how, we have the expertise with
the tourbillons, we produce large quantities of high-end compli-
cated watches every year. We know there’s demand. We knew
there’s almost nothing on the market in that segment. Let's start
with this.’ And that's how we ended up with [the Serpenti Tourbil-
lon]. Also we are attracting talents. I mean because of those five
years [since the first world record], we are attracting talents that
are interested with the challenges we are addressing. So we have
the competencies, either inside or next to us, to develop and to
address those kinds of challenges. And that’s how we continued the
saga. For me, it’s the continuation of what we call saga with a totally
different perspective, but fundamentally the same philosophy.”

49
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
 MAY 29-30, 2020
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WT_0220_Seiko_Prospex_03_Proof.qxp 04.02.20 14:05 Page 52

CLOSE-UP − Seiko Prospex LX

Bright
Future
Seiko’s new Prospex LX
collection introduces sports
watches that go beyond the
simple passion for a professional
dive watch. The version we
tested has a rarely seen
compass bezel that makes it
well suited for extreme
outdoor activities.

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CLOSE-UP − Seiko Prospex LX

— We admit it — an overview of the Seiko — With the LX line, Seiko is expanding the
Prospex collection is not easy. It spans many by Prospex collection to include watches that go be-
different price ranges, including an entry-level Martina Richter yond professional diving. The name was inspired
dive watch with a solar-powered movement — by the Latin word lux (which means light), and
(SNE441, $375) and the PADI Special Edition Photos by Olaf alludes to the way light is reflected on the case’s
version (SNE435, $395), or a mechanical model Köster and Seiko highly reflective surfaces. The LX line includes a
with Caliber 6R15 (SPB079, $850) and the Spe- — model with a bidirectional rotating GMT bezel
cial Edition Twilight Blue with the same move- and one that has a compass bezel, our test watch.
ment (SPB097, $1,150). The newest version of
the dive watch from 1970, the Seiko Prospex The Compass Bezel Shows the Way
1970 Diver’s Re-creation Limited Edition If you’ve ever gotten lost while hiking, poked
SLA033, with automatic movement 8L35, is around in the fog or hit a cloud bank while fly-
priced at $4,250. And the dive watch from the ing, you may already know that a watch can be
new LX line, SNR029, with Spring Drive Caliber used as a compass — assuming it is an analog
5R65 — winner of top honors in the Diver’s version (one with hands) and you can see the
Watch category at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie sun again. You place the watch flat on your hand
de Genève — costs $6,000. or on the ground and point the hour hand

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CLOSE-UP − Seiko Prospex LX

Spring Drive Caliber

9R66 provides a 70-
hour power reserve and
has a self-winding rotor.

Tri-Synchro regulator:
An integrated circuit
(IC), quartz crystal and
rotor regulate the rate of
the Seiko Prospex LX.

DIVER'S toward the sun. The midpoint of the angle The cockpit displays provide this informa-
WATCH between the hour hand and the 12 (or the 1 dur- tion too, of course, and anyone who sails must be

PRIZE ing daylight saving time) is south and directly

opposite is, of course, north.
able to find directions with a compass. Seiko also
emphasizes that its rotating bezel is a simple com-
— It’s much simpler to determine directions
with the rotating compass bezel and the 24-hour
pass that should not be used to determine pre-
cise directions, but it can still be an important tool
The new Seiko Prospex LX hand on the Seiko Prospex LX. But the 24-hour for sports enthusiasts and adventurers.
collection also includes a hand must already be in use in this function, World travelers, on the other hand, will find
professional dive watch with and not just as a second time-zone indicator. the second time-zone function useful. This func-
water resistance to 300 The bezel must also turn smoothly in both tion is often referred to as GMT, as it is here with
directions, with its north marking set to the 12 the Seiko Prospex LX. Pulling the crown out to the
meters, which won the top
o’clock position. You can then turn the watch, hand-setting position allows the wearer to set the
prize in the Diver’s Watch in the same way described above, until the 24- 24-hour hand to the local time. Its dedicated track
category at the 2019 Grand hour hand points toward the sun. Markings on is printed on a narrow inner ring around the
Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. the bezel indicate the compass points and perimeter of the dial. The primary hands can then
Its jury was comprised of 30 degrees in 15-degree increments. If pilots or be set to the local time — forward or backward
ships’ captains have a course mapped out, they — with the crown pulled out to the middle crown
experts from the watch and can set it at 12 o’clock. Directly opposite is the position. The date will advance in either direc-
luxury fields. reverse course for the landing approach. tion. This is also the method used for quick-date

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CLOSE-UP − Seiko Prospex LX

Black-and-white
contrast on the dial
ensures excellent
legibility.

adjustment. If you’re traveling, it’s easy to quickly

crown at the 4 o’clock position to access all of
move the hour hand to the new local time while the settings of the Prospex LX. This can require
the home time remains unchanged (as indicated a considerable amount of effort. Standard ele-
by the 24-hour hand). And if you’re crossing over
ments of a professional Prospex dive watch are
the International Date Line, the date disk will ad-
also important features of the LX outdoor ver-
vance and then return when you get home again. sion — a screw-down crown, a solid caseback
Alternatively, the 24-hour hand can be and 20-bar pressure resistance.
used to indicate a second time zone. To do this, Exposure to rain and hail while canyoning,
place it in the desired setting and adjust the pri-
rafting, swimming or taking a “polar bear
mary hour hand to the home time (taking the date
plunge” — that’s all no problem for our test
into account). When the watch is running, the watch. And, of course, diving, in accordance
date does not advance immediately but begins with professional Seiko standards.
visibly moving about three-quarters of an hour In terms of design too, the almost-45-mm,
before midnight in order to move to the new date
hard-coated titanium case shows its close con-
shortly thereafter. nection to the professional dive watch, where the
surfaces polished with a Zaratsu finish stand out
Outdoor Expert with a Strong Connection to clearly. With its lightweight material and down-
The Professional Diver ward sloping lugs, the Prospex LX hugs the wrist
First you’ll need to unscrew the large grooved very well despite its size. Integrated attachments

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CLOSE-UP − Seiko Prospex LX

The folding clasp with

safety bar offers a secure
fit with a wide range of
length variations.

hold the supple titanium bracelet and its very flex-

ible titanium and steel clasp. The bracelet can be
mainspring powers the gear train, which ends in
a Tri-Synchro regulator in place of a classic SEIKO
adjusted to fit by more than 10 mm within the
clasp or by a sliding extension of about 30 mm
escapement. This produces a small electrical
charge that activates a quartz oscillator. Instead
PROSPEX LX
over 14 positions. You dont’t even need to remove of the escape wheel, a “rotor” completes a smooth, —
In the new sports watch collection, two
the bracelet from your wrist to adjust it — just lift even rotation in one direction above a coil body
more watches join the professional dive
the safety bar to change the position. To open the that generates electricity, which powers the inte- watch – one with a GMT hand and
clasp, simply press the two push buttons on the grated circuit (IC) and a quartz crystal. The IC bidirectional GMT bezel, and one with a
side of the clasp. determines the timing of electromagnetic impulses GMT hand and compass bezel. Sturdi-
in order to regulate the rotational speed of the rotor ness, excellent legibility and modern
Spring Drive Technology in the Prospex Sports and thereby the rate of the movement. Spring Drive calibers make them well
Watch Collection In contrast to the escape wheel, there is no suited for sports and adventure.
With the LX line, Seiko’s innovative Spring Drive mechanical intervention to the rotor and virtually
technology has entered the Prospex collection. For no friction loss. The Spring Drive system guaran-
the past 20 years, Spring Drive has connected the tees considerably better rate results than a
traditional spring-based power of a mechanical mechanical escapement. Seiko specifies an aver-
watch movement with modern electronics, age deviation of 1 second per day for its 5R66 cal-
requiring no battery or other external power source. iber and a maximum of 15 seconds per month.
The conventional type of energy production Over a period of several weeks our wearing test
allows the watch to be fully autonomous. The showed no deviation at all.

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CLOSE-UP − Seiko Prospex LX

Seiko’s well-known
Lumibrite provides
excellent legibility in
the dark.

SPECS
—
Seiko
Prospex LX
Manufacturer:
Seiko Watch Corp., 8-10,
Toranomon 2-Chrome, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 105-8467, Japan
(manufactured by Shizuku-ishi
Watch Studio in Morioka)
Reference number:
SNR025
Functions:
Hours, minutes, central sweep
seconds, date, time-zone function
via hour hand and additional 24-
hour hand, rotating compass bezel
Movement:
In-house Caliber 5R66 based on
5R Spring Drive, 28,800 vph, 4
Hz (rotor), 32,768 Hz (quartz),
30 jewels, brass Seiko rotor,
Tri-Synchro regulator, 72-hour
(3 day) power reserve, Diashock
shock absorption, diameter = 30.0
mm, height = 5.80 mm
Case:
Titanium case with Super-hard
coating, sapphire crystal with
A Popular Sports Watch Appears in a New During daylight hours, the vivid black-and- Super-clear coating (top), water
Price Segment white contrast behind the coated sapphire crys- resistant to 200 m
The rotor spins clockwise at a rate of 28,800 times tal (which appears virtually invisible) makes it
Bracelet and clasp:
per hour. This corresponds to the number of simple to tell the time. The time display elements
Titanium with Super-hard coating,
oscillations of the balance in modern mechani- above a shiny black background give the watch
single-sided folding clasp with
cal movements. However, in contrast to the a touch of elegance. The power-reserve indica- safety bar and extension
escape wheel, it is never stopped. The second hand tion at 8 o'clock — which shows the 72-hour
on the dial keeps up a constant movement with- energy store — is state-of-the-art for all Spring Rate results:
out conventional “ticking.” The smooth motion Drive calibers, which are also found as the 9R Average rate:
of the second hand makes the time display of the series of movements in the slightly more On the wrist ____________________________ +/– 0.0
Prospex LX unique. expensive Grand Seiko Sport collection. seconds per day
Like professional dive watches, a luminous With a modern and accurate movement, a Dimensions:
bar at the short end of the second hand serves as robust titanium case, high functionality, and a Diameter = 44.76 mm, height =
a function check. The minutes hand and two sec- seldom-seen compass bezel, the Seiko Prospex 14.35 mm, weight = 152.5 g
ond hands are also coated generously with Seiko’s LX is priced comparably with sports watches Variations:
own Lumibrite, with different shapes that make from Breitling, Omega and Tudor. — Titanium with black Super-hard
them easy to distinguish. Together with the vari- coating (SNR027, $5,000)
ous luminous-coated applied markers, they pro- Price:
vide the orientation and legibility Seiko is known
for, under any and all light conditions. $5,000
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CLOSE-UP − Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date

Underwater
Spezialist
The retro-inspired SeaQ Panorama Date
from Glashütte Original takes the brand's
signature complication to new depths.

—
by
Roger Ruegger
—

— Glashütte Original, the Swatch Group- ment on the Arabic numerals and indexes. It is
owned company that emerged from the also available as a regular, unlimited SeaQ
nationalization of some of East Germany’s top model (Ref. 1-39-11-06-80-06) with less text on
watchmakers, has had quite a bit of success in the dial and consistent beige lume. Both ver-
recent years with vintage-styled models like sions offer 200- meter water resistance and
the Sixties and Seventies, which are heavily meet the DIN 8306 and ISO 6425 international
inspired by some of the “Spezimatic” watches standards for diving watches. The movement is
from the pre-unification era. In 2019, the Saxon automatic in-house Caliber 39-11, which holds
manufacture added an entirely new sports a 40-hour power reserve, beats at a 28,800-vph
watch collection called “Spezialist,’’ which frequency (4 Hz), and includes a stop-seconds
launched with the new SeaQ line of specialized function along with a traditional date display at
dive watches (which means that the collection 3 o’clock. A nice detail is the perfectly aligned
could, for example and highly hypothetically, caseback engraving of a trident, made possible
at some point be expanded with an AirQ line of by using a separate insert for the center. Prices
pilots’ watches). The SeaQ is currently avail- for both versions start at $8,700 for the configu-
able in two sizes. The smaller, 39.50-mm ver- ration with the synthetic gray textile strap.
sion is a tribute to the original Spezimatic dive Its more modern, and also more elegant,
watch Type RP TS 200 that debuted in 1969. counterpart is the SeaQ Panorama Date. This
Fifty years later, the watch was reintroduced as model integrates the brand’s signature compli-
a limited edition of only 69 pieces (Ref. 1-39- cation, an outsized date display in a double win-
11-01-80-06) with green, luminous hands and dow, in a bigger case with an increased water
beige-colored “old radium” luminous treat- resistance and display caseback. The stainless-

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CLOSE-UP − Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date

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CLOSE-UP − Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date

SPECS
—
Glashütte Original
SeaQ Panorama Date
Manufacturer:
Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb GmbH,
Altenberger Strasse 1, 01768
Glashütte, Germany
Reference number:
1-36-13-02-81-34
Functions:
Hours, minutes, central seconds
hand, date display, unidirectional
rotatable divers’ bezel (120 clicks),
screw-down crown
Movement:
Caliber 36-13, automatic, 28,800
vph, 41 jewels, silicon hairspring,
Glashütte three-quarter plate with
stripe finish, skeletonized rotor
with 21k gold oscillation weight,
fine adjustment by swan-neck
spring, 100-hour power reserve,
diameter = 32.2 mm, height =
4.74 mm
With a case measuring
43.2 mm by 15.6 mm, Case:
the SeaQ Panorama Stainless steel, polished and satin-
Date offers a lot of brushed, sapphire crystal above
wrist presence. the dial, bezel with ceramic inlay,
sapphire crystal in the caseback,
water resistant to 300 m
Strap and clasp:
steel case measures 43.20 mm by 15.60 mm, par- Like its smaller counterpart, the SeaQ Synthetic textile strap with
tially due to the domed crystals on the front and Panorama Date meets the DIN 8306 and ISO folding clasp
the back, and the bigger movement used. The 6425 international standards for dive watches
Dimensions:
SeaQ Panorama Date is also equipped with a but is powered by the automatic Caliber 36-13,
Diameter = 43.20 mm, height =
unidirectional rotating dive bezel with ceramic which holds 100 hours of power reserve with 15.65 mm
inlay, and an AR-coated sapphire crystal. The only one barrel. The in-house movement is
case is water resistant to 300 meters, even with equipped with a silicon balance spring to im- Variations:
With black dial; with rubber strap
the added crystal caseback. Two dial versions prove durability and precision, and features the
($11,200) or metal bracelet
are currently available, a galvanic black dial or brand's typical swan-neck regulator. Like the
($12,400)
a blue dial with sunray finish, and there is a 39-11, the movement beats at a 28,800-vph fre-
choice of three different straps: a gray synthetic quency (4 Hz) and includes a stop-seconds func- Price:
textile strap, a black rubber strap and a solid
metal bracelet with a micro-adjustable folding
tion. For the big date at 4 o’clock, Glashütte Orig-
inal traditionally has the first, inner disk always
$11,500
clasp. For the straps, a folding clasp or a slightly showing a number, which means that there is
less expensive standard buckle are available. never a single-digit date with an empty disk
The version tested for this issue is the Ref. 1-36- being displayed.
13-02-81-34 with blue dial and a gray textile strap
(with folding clasp) that nicely contrasts the An Unconventional Design Choice
asymmetrical case and the blue bezel and dial. Glashütte Original’s first range of sports watches,
The dials are produced in Pforzheim, where the discontinued Sport Evolution (introduced
Glashütte Original operates its own dial manu- in 2008), was clearly based on a new, contem-
facture. The applied Arabic numerals and porary design. For the SeaQ, the German brand
indexes are filled with white Super-LumiNova has chosen a model from the past as its inspi-
for a clean, contemporary look. Due to the beau- ration — more precisely, a watch that while being
tifully domed crystal, distortions around the undoubtedly relevant for the market for which
edges are inevitable. it was produced, didn’t exactly redefine the dive

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CLOSE-UP − Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date

The SeaQ Panorama

Data is powered by the
THE GUB
automatic Caliber 36-
13, which holds 100
AND THE
hours of power reserve SPEZIMATIC
with only one barrel.
—
Glashütte Original was founded in
1994 as a result of the privatization of
VEB Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe
(GUB). This step was made possible
after the Berlin wall had fallen and
Communist East Germany finally
reunited with the capitalist West.
The state-owned GUB was an East
German conglomerate formed in 1951
from several watch companies based
in Glashütte (including A. Lange &
Söhne). As the legitimate legal suc-
cessor to GUB, Glashütte Original
carries the “Original” in its name to
highlight its direct link to the origins
of the Saxon watch industry.
The GUB’s second large-volume
production model was the Spezimatic
(a portmanteau combining the two
words “specialist” and “automatic”),
which was positioned as a premium
product and made from 1964 to 1980
(3.7 million watches were produced
under the Spezimatic name). Thanks
to the introduction of the caliber
family 70 in 1960 (which included
Calibers 67.1, 68.1, 68.4, 69.1, 70.1,
70.1, 70.3, 78 and 79), GUB was able
to transition from manual-wind to
automatic watches, which resulted in
the launch of the Spezimatic in 1964.
The first Spezimatic dive watch fol-
lowed in 1969 with the Type RP TS
200. The watch was powered by the
Caliber 75.
In a nod to the original, the current
SeaQ 1969 (Ref. 1-39-11-01-80-06)
introduced in 2019 comes with the
original “25 Rubis” dial inscription —
referring to the Caliber 75 used — as
well as the word “shockproof” (until
1962/63, the GUB had to rely on
supplies from Incabloc for its shock
protection devices).

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CLOSE-UP − Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date

watch category in the 1960s. It is also not (yet) The Q is in the Name The Spezialist collection
a particularly sought-after model among col- The SeaQ can be looked at in two ways. From a is the fifth collection of
lectors: one reason might be its chrome-plated diver’s perspective, the big date is essentially a the German brand’s line-
up. The first watch in the
case, and its comparatively generic design of less important complication, unless you plan
collection is the
that era. The interesting thing about this choice on staying under water for several days. At the Glashütte Original
is, similar to what Oris has achieved with the same time, it also ensures that the watch wouldn’t SeaQ that is available in
Sixty Five, that by doing so, Glashütte Original need a loupe on dry land. The domed crystal is two different versions,
was able to, on one hand, immediately charge rather exposed, and the watch anything but each with different dials
a brand new model with decades of history, with- cheap, should you intend to use and abuse it as and straps.
out, on the other hand, risking being criticized a tool watch. And last but not least, the bezel sits
for simply copying an existing, well-known tightly and is a bit difficult to operate once in
design. Speaking of which, perhaps the brand’s water but overall legibility is excellent, also
boldest decision was to leave the original design because of the arrow hand.
of the minute hand untouched, a layout that has From a watch collector’s perspective, how-
always been regarded as highly functional under ever, the whole thing suddenly looks a bit dif-
water but not necessarily proven to be the ferent. Glashütte Original has one of the nicest
strongest commercial execution on land. As a big date executions on the market, and there
consequence, it is currently being used only by aren’t exactly a lot dive or sports watches with
a few niche brands like Triton, potentially
allowing a much larger brand like Glashütte
Original to establish it as its signature design,
similar to the (to some, equally controversial)
“Snowflake” design used by Tudor for the Black
Bay and the Pelagos. In short, Glashütte Origi-
nal made a comparatively bold and undoubt-
The SeaQ Panorama Date is
edly unconventional choice by keeping the
minute hand of the original, which could
become the biggest deciding factor for a
an understated, yet original
majority of buyers. In any case, Glashütte Orig-
inal deserves credit for having stood by a rather
take on the popular dive
watch category.
unique design in the heavily overpopulated and
quite often, generic, dive watch category.

For a diver, the minute hand traditionally is the

main indicator of time spent under water.

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CLOSE-UP − Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date

The SeaQ meets

the DIN 8306
and ISO 6425
international
standards for
dive watches.

such a feature available. The blue dial with a hint

of gray is brilliantly executed, and the bezel color
matches the dial nicely. The overall built-qual-
ity and finish are as outstanding as you would
expect from a watch in this price category, and
the watch wears comfortably, both on a strap or
a bracelet. Additionally, if “in-house” is a
deciding factor, Glashütte Original is about as
in-house as possible, even down to the dials. We
recommend, as with every watch, to make sure
At night, the blue to try on the rather large watch first; the com-
Super-LumiNova and pact lugs do help a lot, but the dimensions of
the two distinctive hands the SeaQ are still impressive and not necessar-
allow you to easily read
ily compatible with long sleeve shirts.
the time.
We particularly liked the dial finish, the
large crown and the two beautifully domed sap-
phire crystals, not to mention the sight of the
movement. While it may not be a watch that’s
intended to please everyone, the SeaQ has
already managed to convince a lot of sceptics,
once they were able to hold the watch in real
life. To some, the minute hand might be
unconventional, but it can (surprisingly) easily
grow on you, once you have the watch on your
wrist. The biggest question is, as with every new
stainless-steel sports watch from a brand, if the
SeaQ will be able to attract new customers or if
it simply will lead to a shift within the existing
target audience. One thing, however, is already
clear: the Panorama Date from Glashütte Orig-
inal has never looked better under water than
with the SeaQ. —
WT_0220_Ulysse_Nardin_04.qxp 04.02.20 15:55 Page 64

SPOTLIGHT − Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin
Sets Sights on
Xploration for
2020
The year 2020 promises to be a big
one for Ulysse Nardin as the brand
pulls out all the stops and focuses
on “Xploration,” adding brand
ambassadors, incredible
partnerships and more.

— Those in the know about Ulysse Nardin can —

eloquently recall the story of a marine history by
rich with chronometer expertise, of unique Roberta Naas
haute horology revolving around astronomical —
themes, jaquemarts and more. They can con-
nect the dots on the brand’s pioneering spirit
when it comes to new materials and new
methods to display and track time. However, as
we enter a new decade, Ulysse Nardin powers
forward, masterfully adding an unparal-
leled vitality that underscores its daring and
adventurous spirit.
From the polar ice caps to the unforgiving
and relentless seas, Ulysse Nardin vows this year
to bring today’s consumers on a journey into

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SPOTLIGHT − Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin becomes

Official Timekeeper of
the Vendée Globe
Around-the-world Race.

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SPOTLIGHT − Ulysse Nardin

This year, the Vendée

Globe race has space for
34 boats, with entrants
hailing from 11 countries,
and six women vying for
a starting spot.

worlds they may never otherwise have the Also in 2019, Pruniaux made a commit-
chance to experience. Recently, we joined the ment to the brand name: Ulysse, with a focus The Diver X Antarctica watch is designed to
Kering Group (owners of the Ulysse Nardin and on “We are Ulysse” as the main message. “Over withstand the Arctic explorations of brand
Girard-Perregaux watch brands, among others) the last couple of years since I joined, I’m ambassador and activist Sebastian Copeland.
at its headquarters in Paris for the kick-off of the obsessed with, and fascinated by, the name
brand’s 2020 adventures, meeting with and Ulysse,” says Pruniaux, CEO of Ulysse Nardin.
interviewing explorers, activists, photographers “Today, nobody names their son Ulysse, but it
and brand executives behind the scenes of this is a powerful name and has so much meaning
year’s “Xploration and Xcitement” initiatives. behind it. By saying ‘We are Ulysse,’ we are stat-
ing that we are not afraid to be strong, to be dif-
Re-energizing Ulysse Nardin ferent, to be daring. We are also saying that the
It was in late 2017 that the Kering Group plucked challenges and ambassadors we align ourselves
Apple executive Patrick Pruniaux to head the with are modern-day Ulysses — who believe
Ulysse Nardin brand. Watch pundits speculated in themselves.”
about bringing in outside talent, someone not Now, for 2020, Ulysse Nardin is focused
from the watch industry, and what that could strongly on the “Xploration” aspect of its plan
mean for the brand. The decision paid off, as, — kicking off a year of sponsorships and new
within months, Pruniaux was making sweeping brand ambassador relationships that are bound
changes that quickly put Ulysse Nardin squarely, to have some fans holding their breath. By
and strongly, back on the map. In 2018, Ulysse exploring our world via rare oceanographic
Nardin launched a startling “#FreakMeOut” experiences, trekking across the arctic with
marketing campaign (with sharks swimming unprecedented adventurers and aligning
around the streets of Manhattan and other eas- exceptional timepieces that can go the distance,
ily identifiable global cities), and in 2019, the Ulysse Nardin is tailoring a message bound to
company promised to “Xplore. XCite.” and more. strike many chords around the world.

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SPOTLIGHT − Ulysse Nardin

Oceans Away
Easily one of the most intriguing directions for
2020 is Ulysse Nardin’s partnership with Vendée
Globe — often referred to as the Everest of the
Seas. An around-the-world race held just once
every four years — Vendée Globe is more about
personal challenge than racing. It is more about
facing one’s fears than winning a top spot. With
spots for just 34 skippers — each of whom will
sail alone around the world, totally unassisted
and virtually without sleep for anywhere from
a few to five or more months — Vendée Globe
may be the single most challenging event
on Earth. For the next edition, beginning
Nov. 8, 2020, Ulysse Nardin will be the
Official Timekeeper.
“When you think about the key values at

Supporting the Vendée

Ulysse Nardin, innovation and exploration are
a big part of it,” says Pruniaux. “Innovation in
The more open the
Globe, Ulysse Nardin
unveils the Diver X
Nemo Point watch
different senses, too. In the technical aspect,
sure, but also innovation in the mindset. This is industry is to what’s
our core, thinking in terms of product, design,
($8,900) and the Diver
X Cape Horn watch
($9,900) — each with
materials and our communications. For us it is
about daringness, and when you meet the peo-
happening in the rest
a map of the Vendée
Globe races on the
ple who have done Vendée Globe, their stories
of the world, the
caseback.
better it will be for all
of us. Paying attention
to the causes these
explorers and adven-
turers have really
matters. We live in a
bubble in the watch
industry, but we don’t
live in a bubble.
We live in the real
world and need to
pay attention to it.
– Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Ulysse Nardin

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SPOTLIGHT − Ulysse Nardin

are mind blowing. Their level of authenticity is

incredible. For them it is not about the race, it
is about the personal quest. It also fits from a
company standpoint. Vendée Globe is both very
professional and very amateur. You have peo-
ple with boats that cost a fortune and have the
latest technologies, and then you have people
who sell their car and house to buy a $300,000
boat for the sail. We have watch lovers who are
at all levels, as well. That level of genuineness is
important to Ulysse.”
Vendée Globe Managing Director Laura Le
Goff says the race and the watch brand have a
host of like-minded values. “The skippers of
Vendée Globe, like Ulysse Nardin, search for
perfection. They want to know how far they can
push themselves in this race. The biggest chal-
lenge for these skippers is to fight against their
own fears. They are alone — for a long time —
during the race, without assistance, nonstop.
They need to survive sleepless days and nights,
to be very attentive constantly. So, it is a fight
against their innermost fears and their struggle
to achieve something no one else has.”
Whether they set sail to garner some sci-
entific knowledge, to fulfill a project mission or
for personal quests, not all will make it round
The new 39-mm Lady Diver
the world. During the past 30 years, 167 sailors
“Great White” features a
have started the race. Just 89 have managed to light gray dial with diamond
cross the finish line. Deaths, and, sometimes, markers. The caseback bears
rescues, are part of the norm. While the organ- an engraving of a female
izers do have GPS coordinates on all sailors, they apnea diver and a wind rose.
can only call in help if a skipper’s life is in dan- Just 300 will be made.
ger. That help can be a long time coming, too,
depending on where the skipper is during the
race. At two points, after they have cleared keyaround the sustainability story, as well. This year power reserve and is water resistant to 300
capes, they can be as far away from help as sev-alone the brand brings on arctic explorer meters. It is designed to go the distance with
eral days, since the nearest landmass is more Sebastian Copeland as a brand ambassador. Copeland and with today’s adventurers.
than 2,700 kilometers away. If they make it Copeland, who has set world records for treks “The more open the industry is to what’s
around the world, the total time on the water across the North and South Poles, is also an happening in the rest of the world, the better
author, photographer and environmental
varies. In the last race, in 2016, the first skipper it will be for all of us. Paying attention to the
to make it finished in 74 days. The last came inactivist. Speaking longer and more passionately causes these explorers and adventurers have
50 days later after 124 days on the water. about climate change than his life-threatening really matters. We live in a bubble in the watch
Supporting the Vendée Globe races, Ulysse adventures, Copeland has fallen through ice, industry, but we don’t live in a bubble. We live
Nardin unveils several new Diver X watches, been confronted by polar bears and suffered in the real world and need to pay attention to
including the Cape Horn and the Cape Nemo frostbite. He says that because of his many trav- it,” says Pruniaux.
watches. The timepieces underscore two of the els across the ice (captured in the book, As such, this year Ulysse Nardin signs on its
most difficult portions of the race, where dras-Arctica, The Vanishing North), he has become first “female Ulysse” brand ambassador: world
tic weather changes and walls of water consis- a true activist — rallying to showcase Earth’s championship free diver Alessia Zecchini. Hav-
global warming. Among his next ventures is a
tently confront the sailors. The watches are water ing set world diving records, the 28-year-old
resistant to 300 meters, house top-notch walk to the North Pole — something he thinks Zecchini has been diving since she was 13 years
in-house-made movements, and are designed will very likely be an extinct trek in years to come old and has been winning medals and taking
to weather the elements — even for sailors and due to the vast melting of the ice. world titles since she was 18 (see sidebar). She
divers not participating in the Vendée Globe. To back him up on his expeditions, Ulysse wears the new Lady Diver “Great White” watch
Nardin releases the Diver X Antarctica watch. that is water resistant to 300 meters and created in
People, Causes and Communications Powered by an in-house movement with high- a limited edition of 300 pieces. “We are honored
Another important aspect of Ulysse Nardin’s tech silicon and DiamonSil technology, the 44- to have Alessia Zecchini as the first female
2020 strategy revolves around the people it has mm titanium timepiece features a rubberized explorer to join our family of Ulysses,” says Pru-
aligned itself with as brand ambassadors, and unidirectional rotating bezel, offers 60 hours of niaux. “Her spirit of adventure and willingness

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Alessia Zecchini
Talks Free Diving
by Roberta Naas

Dubbed the “Deepest Woman In the World,” 28-

year-old Alessia Zecchini seems to have nerves of
steel. While she started free diving at the age of 13, a
change in rules meant she couldn’t officially compete
until she was 18 years old. Once she started, though,
the world-record-setting free diver hasn’t stopped
setting records, despite encountering disorienting
currents in some instances, diving with a broken arm
(and not letting anyone know), and even experiencing
the death of her coach in a rescue attempt on one of
her dives.
Now, the current world-record holder in constant
weight apnea diving (having reached 113 meters),
Zecchini not only holds 16 world championship gold
medals and set 25 world records in free diving, but
also becomes the first female brand ambassador for
Ulysse Nardin.
“I can’t say what makes me love diving like I do.
When I did it the first time, it was so beautiful for
me because when I hold my breath I can feel so much
more of my body. The feeling is incredible, it is hard
to explain. You can feel the air, you can feel the water,
you can feel the water passing your body in different
ways on your skin. You have much more contact
with yourself.”
According to Zecchini, regular training builds the
Alessia Zecchini is mental strength she needs to stay focused and stress
referred to as the free. “Learning to hold your breath, that discipline, is
“Deepest Woman In the hardest thing because it is not enjoyable at all.
to take the risks necessary to test her own limits Those first two or three minutes are very enjoyable
the World.” She is a
is emblematic of our vision at Ulysse Nardin.” world-record setter for because it is like you are breathing but you are not,
In addition to a healthy roster of brand constant weight apnea but then the pains start, the reflex that makes you
ambassadors — all representing special causes, free diving and holds want to breathe, and that is managed only by your
including sustainability, Pruniaux says com- dozens of championship mind. You have to have mind over matter so you can
munications is another key for 2020. He says he titles. go on to enjoy the dive.”
wants the brand to talk with today’s customers, Still, Zecchini says that in the ocean, even a tiny
not to them. “For me it is about continuing to mistake is a big mistake. “You have to be really
innovate and add that freedom of speech — that focused; you have to do everything perfectly. I try to
tone of voice that is slightly different and more enjoy the dive, to think about the dive and think posi-
contemporary — less stiff than the rest of the tively. Sometimes, the best part of diving is to find
industry. I learned at Apple that you can be the big animals like the sharks and swim with them.
informal and very professional, and luxury can When you scuba dive, the bubbles can disturb them,
be that way too. I think it is a mistake to believe but in free diving, it is amazing — they don’t hear me,
or feel me.”
that luxury lives in a different world; luxury has to
mingle. We are fortunate enough to be part of a Of course, Zecchini admits that continuing to dive
group that lets us express things with a quality brings new challenges at all turns. A monofin fan, she
of message and tone of voice that is different.” is always keen to perfect her sport. She is also proud
Naturally, Ulysse Nardin will also have a to be a Ulysse Nardin ambassador. “They contacted
me when I was in the world championship in Hon-
continued message around its beloved Freak X
duras, and I was so excited. What I do is all about the
watches for 2020, and its Xotic collection of very
timing and so the relationship is a perfect fit.”
special pieces. However, expect this year to be
one filled with strong messages, open commu-
nication and a lot of daring escapades. —
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TEST − Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115

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TEST − Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115

Modern
Insights
Oris is well known for its functionally
designed divers’ and pilots’ watches.
Now this Swiss label has created a modern
skeletonized version of its manufacture
movement. Does this fit the brand’s image?
—
by
Jens Koch
—

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TEST − Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115

— Oris decided long ago to make nothing but mechanical

watches. After a long departure from manufacture status,
the brand debuted a movement of its own to celebrate the
SPECS
—
company’s 110th birthday in 2014. As a special feature, Cal- Oris
ibre 110 boasts a marathon 10-day power reserve and now
Big Crown Propilot X
serves as the basis for Calibre 115, which ticks inside our
Calibre 115
test watch. The necessary energy is stored in a single barrel.
The power-reserve indicator also differs from others: the Manufacturer:
patented system works nonlinearly — the interval between Oris SA, Ribigasse 1, CH-4434
Hölstein, Switzerland
successive days on the marked scale increases with time, so
the accuracy of the display also increases. Reference number:
A new variation with several additional functions has 01 115 7759 7153-Set7 22 01TLC
been released each year. Now this manufacture movement Functions:
appears in a skeletonized version. Oris does not rely on the Hours, minutes, small seconds,
classic skeletonizing method, in which a craftsman takes a patented nonlinear power-reserve
finished movement, painstakingly pares away its nonstruc- display
tural elements, and then artfully decorates and engraves the Movement:
remaining ones. This approach would have been too tradi- Manually wound manufacture Calibre
tional for Oris. Instead, this Hölstein-based manufacturer 115, 21,600 vph, 38 jewels, stop-
opted for an industrialized variation, in which the shape and second function, Incabloc shock
structure of the dial and movement are already planned dur- absorption, fine adjustment via rack
ing the design and development process so the individual and screw, 10-day power reserve,
diameter = 34 mm; height = 6 mm
skeletonized components can be manufactured exactly as
they will be needed later. Oris’s design team and develop- Case:
ment department constantly coordinated their efforts Titanium, domed sapphire crystal
because in addition to the aesthetic aspect, all parts of the with anti-reflective coating on its
lower surface, screwed crown, fully
movement must be sufficiently strong and stable.
threaded back with a window of
sapphire crystal, water resistant to
X Files 100 m
The final result is a reinterpretation of a time-honored horo-
logical tradition. A distinctly modern appearance is achieved Bracelet and clasp:
Titanium bracelet, titanium
through the shapes of the components, which feature straight
deployant clasp with lift-to-open
struts at various angles, X-like structures and diverse shades hinged mechanism
Rate results:
Deviation in seconds per 24 hours
(After 12 hours / 5 days / 8 days)
Dial up ____________________________________ 3 /+4 /+11
Dial down __________________________+102 /0 /+6
Crown up __________________________________ -1 /-1 /-2
Crown down ______________________-1 /+6 /+13
Crown left __________________________+2 /+5 /+11
Crown right __________________________-3 / -2/ -3
ORIS Greatest deviation __________ 105 / 8 / 16
— Average deviation __________ +17 /+2 /+6
Average amplitude:
Technical innovations, helpful additional
Flat positions ______ 305°/291°/264°
functions, genuine manufacture Hanging __________________ 263°/244°/217°
movements and a good price/performance Dimensions:
ratio: all this is offered by Oris, a watch Diameter = 44 mm, height =
brand that has manufactured practical and 14 mm, weight 107 g
exclusively mechanical timepieces in Variations:
With cowhide strap ($7,200)
Hölstein, Switzerland, since 1904. The
Price:
brand divides its collection into four areas:
diving, motorsports, aviation and culture. $7,600
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TEST − Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115

Viewed from the rear,

the watch presents its
skeletonized back and its
buckle, which calls to
mind the seatbelt on
an airplane.

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TEST − Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115

SCORES
—
Oris
Big Crown Propilot X
Calibre 115
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points):
The titanium bracelet is well made
and the safety folding clasp that
opens on one side is successful
from both a visual and a construc-
tive standpoint. 8
Operation (5):
The time can be set easily thanks
to the large crown and the stop-
seconds function, but full manual
winding requires 500 turns of
the crown. 5
Case (10):
The case is elaborately styled and
well crafted. 8
Design (15):
The styling of the movement, dial,
case, bracelet and clasp are all
coordinated to achieve a high-
tech, modern appearance. 13
Legibility (5):
The hands are luminous and
sufficiently large, but the indexes
are small. 3
Wearing comfort (10):
The watch is lightweight; the case
and bracelet fit comfortably on
the wrist. 9
Movement (20):
The manufacture movement is
impressive thanks to its long power
reserve and nonlinear power-
reserve display; the skeletonization
is handsome. 15
Rate results (10):
The balance knocks in one of the
positions at the beginning of the
long power-reserve interval, but
the watch runs well during the
seven subsequent days. 5
Overall value (15):
The price is higher than usual
for Oris, but it is nonetheless
appropriate considering how much
you get for your money. 12
Total:

78 POINTS

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TEST − Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115

The ProPilot X Calibre

115 glows in the dark
like an instrument in
an airplane’s cockpit.

The technical
design of the
case and strap
is a good match
of gray. The parts are not elaborately decorated but create a for the modern
skeletonized
natural aesthetic with their matte sand-blasted surfaces. The manufacture
view is dominated by the enormous expanse of the open- movement.
work barrel, which exposes the long mainspring to a con-
noisseur’s gaze. The concentric windings of the slackened
mainspring lie toward the periphery of the barrel. When the
watch is manually wound via its crown, an aficionado can
observe these windings gradually tightening toward the bar-
rel’s central arbor.
The gray color of the titanium used for the case and
bracelet matches the gray components of the movement.
The interplay of angles and facets continues here too. The
surfaces are satin finished, as are the hands. The pilots’ watch
theme is also reflected in the technical styling: the bezel and
the conical crown have turbine-like grooves, while the newly
designed deployant clasp can be opened like the buckle of
an airplane’s seatbelt. Although “Big Crown ProPilot” is part
of this timepiece’s name and refers to Oris’s existing pilots’
watch collection, the model’s designers opted to redesign
the strap lugs, the crown protector and other details.
The design is consistent and every bit as appealing as
the competent workmanship, but there still remains some Another compromise can be seen when we look at the
room for improvement in the details. For example, the satin accuracy of the timekeeping. An extremely long power
finish on the bracelet could be more prominent. And close reserve may be considered a horological complication. But
scrutiny through a watchmaker’s loupe reveals tiny marks with only one barrel, it is difficult to maintain a reasonably
left by the machining process. constant level of force throughout the entire duration of the
10-day power reserve. Oris’s model nonetheless posted quite
Warm, Lightweight Titanium acceptable rate results, gaining noticeably only during the
Of course, wearing comfort is more important. And this is first 24 hours, in the dial down position. It ran with admirable
where the ProPilot X scores points with its low weight and precision on the wrist, where it gained or lost no more than
pleasantly warm titanium bracelet. On the other hand, Oris 1 second per day.
had to make some compromises in terms of legibility: the Not many brands try their hand at modern design. Among
hands are large and coated with luminous material, but the those few brands that do try, it is even harder to find a result
narrow calibrated dial ring has very slim luminous indexes that is nearly as successful as the ProPilot X Calibre 115. With
that aren’t always visible at first glance or in every lighting this skeletonized visible movement, Oris presents its own
situation. The rationale is understandable: large numerals manufacture caliber as a hero, emphasizing the mechanical
like those that are ordinarily used on the dials of Oris pilots’ aspect of traditional watchmaking. The brand accordingly
watches would have obscured the view of the movement and succeeds in embarking on a bright new future, yet does so
wouldn’t have been a good match for the high-tech design. without abandoning its tradition or its core values. —

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HISTORY − Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos

Running
On AirJaeger-LeCoultre’s Atmos clocks, whose ingenious,
near-perpetual mechanical movements are driven by
air temperature changes, have been pushing the
boundaries of horology and design since the 1930s.

— Before wristwatches came pocketwatches, and before Watch co-designer Marc Newson and have boasted collabo-
pocketwatches came clocks. All the venerable watchmaking rations with world-acclaimed luxury purveyors such as
maisons owe some debt to the clockmakers who paved the Hermès, Baccarat, and Alfred Dunhill.
way for their portable, micromechanical wrist timekeepers, The principle behind the Atmos is simple in concept but
and some of them have even produced clocks of their own at complex in execution, especially considering the technical
some point in their history. Even today, you can find some of limitations of the era from which it arose. The clock literally
the biggest names in luxury wristwatches displayed on wall runs on air, thanks to a gaseous mixture inside a hermeti-
clocks in watch boutiques and airports — almost all of those cally sealed capsule, activating a membrane connected to the
clocks powered by electronic rather than mechanical means. clock’s drive spring, which expands when the temperature
However, there is one historical Swiss watch manufacture — rises and contracts when it falls. The up-and-down swelling
still actively engaged in mechanical clockmaking in the 21st by of the membrane, like the bellows of an accordion, constantly
century — applying to this ancient art the same care and Mark Bernardo winds the movement, and does so at a high level of effi-
meticulous craftsmanship that it devotes to its wristwatches. — ciency: a temperature variation of a single degree (Celsius) in
Moreover, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atmos clocks — a mainstay either direction is enough to provide the clock with a running
of the Le Sentier-based company since the 1930s — are nei- autonomy of about two days. This is due to the extremely slow
ther electronic nor traditionally mechanical, but something balance, which oscillates only twice per minute — compare
else entirely. this to the 480 beats per minute executed by a balance in a
While building wrist-borne timepieces remains Jaeger- standard wristwatch caliber. The movement’s ingeniously
LeCoultre’s primary vocation, the company continues to designed gear trains require no oil, which also helps the Atmos
release, year after year and often in limited numbers, new to run accurately, efficiently and more or less perpetually
variations on the Atmos, an invention that traces its origins (Jaeger-LeCoultre, and many who have written about the
all the way back to 1928. Recent models have teamed Jaeger- Atmos, describe the mechanism as “near-perpetual” or “vir-
LeCoultre’s seasoned design team with artists such as Apple tually perpetual”). The Atmos was even environmentally

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Vintage advertisements
for the Atmos, which
traces its history to 1928

It was Jacques-David clock. Inside it, gas and liquid expanded and contracted with
the minuscule temperature and pressure changes that occur

LeCoultre who redeveloped commonly in a room, thus supplying power to constantly wind
the mainspring. Reutter had the first working models of his
clock manufactured by his employer, the French firm Com-
the Atmos into what we pagnie Générale Radio (CGR).
It was this version of the Atmos (the so-called Atmos 1),

know it as today. so the story goes, that caught the eye of Jacques-David
LeCoultre of Switzerland’s LeCoultre watch company
(Edmund Jaeger and his Paris-based watch firm had yet to
merge with LeCoultre and was in fact still a competitor at the
Stéphane Belmont time), who discovered it in a shop window and purchased it.
This eventually led to LeCoultre purchasing the patent for the
device from Reutter and ultimately utilizing the storied watch-
Facing page top: Marc friendly long before that was fashionable: Jaeger-LeCoultre is making talent at the company’s disposal to both perfect the
Newson, a co-designer fond of pointing out that it would take 60 million Atmos clocks Atmos from a technical standpoint and to use its marketing
of the Apple Watch, at to equal the energy consumption of a single 15-watt electric savvy to make sure that word of this amazing timekeeping
work on the Atmos 568
lightbulb. The patent on the technology has long since innovation spread worldwide. Reutter, who was a trained
expired, but Jaeger-LeCoultre is, to this day, the only watch- engineer but not a watchmaker, had been struggling on
making or clockmaking firm that utilizes it. both fronts.
The so-called Atmos 2, in which LeCoultre replaced the
Developing this type of “perpetual motion” clock — one that mercury in the capsule with a more stable, saturated gas called
would run and stay wound without any direct mechanical or ethyl chloride, was released in 1936. These early models were
electronic influences — was a lifelong obsession of Jean-Léon plagued with technical issues, so full production did not begin
Reutter, a Swiss engineer, who in the 1920s brought his vision until 1939. In the interim, specifically in 1937, Jaeger and
of such a device to life with a prototype whose movement LeCoultre merged their companies into the firm we know
reacted to the slightest variations in temperature and air pres- today, thus ensuring the Atmos clock would be known hence-
sure to constantly wind itself. Reutter called his invention the forth as a Jaeger-LeCoultre product. “It was LeCoultre who
“Atmos,” because it was driven by atmospheric changes, equip- redeveloped the Atmos into what we know it as today,” says
Facing page bottom: ping the first model with a glass capsule filled with a mixture Stéphane Belmont, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Director of Heritage &
The mechanism is of mercury, a substance he knew to be sensitive to such vari- Rare Pieces. “He designed a device that was much more com-
encased in a single block ations due to its use in thermometers, and ammonia. This pact for integrating into a clock, one that worked with only
of Baccarat crystal. glass tube was fitted into the metal bellows that powered the the temperature differences rather than atmospheric pres-

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HISTORY − Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos

The Atmos Marqueterie

du Millénaire features
reproductions of Art
Nouveau works by
Alphonse Mucha.

sure. He figured out how to perfectly seal the clock so it was

totally airtight, which was necessary for the movement to func-
The “Atmos 1”
tion properly. Finally, LeCoultre had to fully redesign the
from 1930
movement itself and industrialize its production.”
It is a testament to the Atmos’s inventiveness, its design,
and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s commitment to it that the clock has
been in more or less continuous production since the first
ones marketed to the public in the 1930s — somewhat sur-
prisingly, considering the toll that the advent of quartz oscil-
lators and electronics took on both the watch and clock
industries. The mechanical watch, as we all know, came roar-
ing back after the 1970s-’80s Quartz Crisis, but mechanical The Atmos Moderne by
clocks never really recovered, remaining a very small, niche Luigi Colani
business. Part of the reason for the Atmos’s longevity could
be the prestige it gained throughout much of the 20th cen-
tury as an official gift of the Swiss government to American
presidents and other heads of state, a distinction it held from
the 1950s through the 1980s.
“The Atmos became known as the President’s Clock,”
says Belmont. “When you see pictures of presidents in the
Oval Office during that era, you can usually see an Atmos
somewhere in the background. Whenever a President, a Pope,
or a famous actor made an official visit to Switzerland, they
would receive one because it was the symbol of Swiss clock-
making and savoir faire.”
The roster of VIPs who have received an Atmos reads like
a Who’s Who of 20th century history: Jordan’s King Hussein,
England’s Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill, France’s
Charles de Gaulle, American presidents John F. Kennedy and
Ronald Reagan, American actor Charlie Chaplin, and Pope
John Paul II, to name a few. The Vatican, in Belmont’s esti-
mation, most likely claims the largest collection of Atmos
clocks in the world.

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HISTORY − Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos

Jaeger-LeCoultre has
collaborated with talented
designers on the Atmos
since the 1970s.

Of course, a clock that carries the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand The Atmos Transparente
must be more than just a clock, but a work of art on par with debuted in 2019.
the company’s most coveted wrist timepieces. Jaeger-LeCoul-
tre’s collaborations with talented designers to produce spe-
cial editions of the Atmos are a tradition that goes back at least
as far as the 1970s. German industrial designer Luigi Colani,
who made his name designing cars for Fiat, Alfa Romeo, BMW
and others, contributed the 1973 “Atmos Moderne” model,
housing the Jaeger-LeCoultre 528/1 movement, with a squared
dial and blackened hands inside a sleek steel cube, an
industrial look that broke from the clear cases and conven-
tional round dials of previous models.
In more recent years, some of the clocks have gotten more
technically as well as artistically ambitious. To celebrate the
new millennium in 2000, Jaeger-LeCoultre released the Atmos
Marqueterie du Millénaire, whose Caliber 555 offered a 1,000-
year calendar with month and moon-phase displays. It was
housed in an Art Nouveau-infused wooden cabinet with mar-
quetry re-creations of famous works by painter and illustra-
tor Alphonse Mucha and executed by marquetry masters
Philippe Monti and Jérôme Boutteçon.
For 2015’s Atmos Marqueterie Céleste, Jaeger-LeCoul-
tre combined the 17th-century craft of straw marquetry with
precious minerals for an astronomical objet d’art of time-
keeping. A moon-phase with an iridescent mother-of-pearl
moon on a lapis lazuli sky is the central attraction, inside a
crystal cabinet flanked by blue-tinted “meteors” that are
actually wooden panels covered by layers of lustrous blue
straw — dried, dyed, slit and flattened before being painstak-
ingly applied to the panels in a manner that ensures ideal light The bellows of the
effects on the stellar blue field. The air-powered Caliber 582 winding mechanism is
inside the clock drives a regulator-style display for hours and visible from the side.

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HISTORY − Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos

minutes, a 24-hour and month indication, and a perpetual

moon-phase that is said to be accurate for 3,861 years; the
cabinet comes from the Parisian atelier Maonia, a specialist
in straw marquetry.
A much larger and more famous Parisian firm, luxury
leather goods giant Hermès, has partnered with Jaeger-LeCoul-
The Atmos Transparente
tre on watches and other products over the years, most
recently on an Atmos clock in a spherical crystal case. For the
from 2019 offers a
Atmos Hermès Clock, containing the 560a caliber, the two
maisons turned to the glassmakers at Alsace-based Les Cristal-
leries de Saint-Louis, founded in 1586, to create its eye-catch-
minimalist, Art Deco
ing cabinet using the so-called doublé or double overlay tech-
nique. The process, for which only a handful of master glass-
aesthetic.
makers possess the knowledge and expertise, involves layers
of glass being coated on top of one another, including a top
colored layer, then cutting away the top layers without touch-
ing the lowest ones. In the Hermès clock, this technique cre-
ates the clear, bead-like “bubbles” in the crystal globe, through
which the clock’s inner mechanism can be glimpsed. Bel-
mont, who likens these recessed circles to the dimples on a An Atmos prototype
golf ball, hails the craftsmanship in this 176-piece limited edi- from 1928
tion that debuted in 2013. “It’s a technique that’s very
sophisticated and very difficult to achieve,” he says, “because
all those circles need to be placed perfectly around the clock,
which means that the circles in the white layer need to be per-
fectly lined up with the other layers. It is very challenging, but
the finished product is truly a piece of art.”

A modern artist who has become closely associated with the

Atmos clock is Marc Newson, a former silversmith from Aus-
tralia who is now renowned for his architectural and product
designs. Newson, whose clients have ranged from Apple to
B&B Italia to Ford, for whom he designed an award-winning
concept car, teamed up with Jaeger-LeCoultre in 2008, and
the collaboration has produced three of the most notable
Atmos clocks of the past decade, each of them also utilizing
the glassware savoir faire of France’s Baccarat Crystal. The
most breathtaking execution, and somewhat surprisingly the
only one not produced in a limited edition, is the Atmos 568
by Marc Newson, which was released in 2016 and boasts an
“almost invisible” crystal cabinet made by Baccarat.
“Marc Newson has always been fascinated by the Atmos
clock, but he originally came to us to work on the Reverso,”
Belmont reveals, referring to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most iconic
wristwatch model, which also debuted in the 1930s. “He ini-
tially wanted to design a Reverso watch, but we thought the
Atmos was a better fit for his style. Eventually he embraced the
idea of reinventing the classical Atmos, creating an object that
was about more than just ticking away the time. And the main
thing he wanted was that the transparent cabinet would be
made from s single piece of crystal — an extremely difficult
task. We searched throughout the world for a producer who
could do it and the only one up to the challenge was Baccarat.
It took a lot of time and effort for that product to be finalized.”
The final result is a timekeeping mechanism that appears
to float freely in the air, behind a clear dial highlighted by blue
transfer Arabic numerals, blue hands, a month indicator on
a circular scale, and a color-coordinated display of the com-
plete moon-phase cycle with a white moon on a blue sky.

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HISTORY − Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos

The Atmos Marqueterie

Céleste

Jaeger-LeCoultre revisited the “crystal clear” aesthetic

last year with the introduction of the Atmos Transparente,
albeit in a more minimalist and Art Deco-esque take than the
more avant-garde Newson version offers. The glass dial hosts
simple, deep black hour markers and hands, and is treated
with a nonreflective coating, allowing all the most stunning
elements of the 217-piece Caliber 563 to shine: the large
annular balance wheel, the vertical gear train, and, of course,
the gas-filled bellows, the mechanized “lungs” that breathe
life into it all.

As the Atmos clock nears the centenary of its invention, what

new heights will Jaeger-LeCoultre scale with this versatile and
still very unique timekeeper? Belmont hints that the coming
years may bring an exploration of new complications as well
as cutting-edge designs. “The challenge as always with the
Atmos is developing additional functions,” he says. “We
developed the first moon-phase at the end of the 1990s and
have slowly added others. It’s always a great challenge
because the clock runs on very little energy, and there’s not
much left over to power additional complications.”
Even with these limitations, Jaeger-LeCoultre has cre-
ated over the years Atmos clocks with moon-phases, sky charts,
regulator dials, equation-of-time displays, even an Atmos
Mystérieuse “mystery clock” with a remontoir d’égalité, or
constant-force mechanism. What could be the next step?
“Maybe a repeater or a perpetual calendar,” Belmont muses,
“something displaying the positions of the constellations, or
something with a bit of animation to it. The Atmos is beauti- The Atmos Hermès clock
ful but mostly quiet. It would be great to bring even more life
to it.”
Thus it appears that, for a clock that lives on air, not even
the sky is the limit for what’s possible. —

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TEST − Tissot Gentleman Automatic

—
by
A TRUE —
Photos by

GENTLEMAN
Nik Schölzel
Alexander Krupp
and Tissot
—
—

“Gentleman” is an apt name for Tissot’s latest mechanical

timepiece, which combines elegance, good looks, inner
virtues and always correct (rate) behavior.

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TEST − Tissot Gentleman Automatic

— When a gentleman enters a room,

people notice his elegant appear-
ance. If they strike up a conversation
tion is standard at Tissot: thanks
to modern manufacturing methods
and narrow tolerances, it doesn’t
SPECS
—
SCORES
—
with him, they’re soon impressed detract from the watch’s robust- Tissot Tissot
by his agreeable character and ness. Nonetheless, a fully threaded, Gentleman Automatic Gentleman Automatic
good manners. screw-in back would have been
A similar situation occurs with even better. Manufacturer: Strap and clasp
Tissot SA, Chemin des Tourelles (max. 10 points): 7
our test watch, Tissot’s Gentleman A gentleman makes sure that
17, 2400 Le Locle, Switzerland
Automatic. Its bicolor design other people feel comfortable in his Operation (5): 4
instantly catches the eye – not with presence and needn’t go to any extra Reference number:
Case (10): 7
ostentation, but in a pleasant and trouble for him. This is also true of T9274074629100
Design (15): 13
elegant way. The massive rose-gold the Gentleman Automatic when it Functions:
bezel goes well with the overall comes to user-friendly operation. Hours, minutes, seconds, date Legibility (5): 3
design and teams up with rose-gold- The Powermatic caliber is equipped Movement: Wearing comfort (10): 10
plated hands and indexes to perfectly with a rapid-reset function for its Caliber CO7.811 based on ETA Movement (20): 13
counterpoint the dark brown sun- date display and a stop-seconds 2824, automatic, silicon hair-
ray dial and the finely grained brown function for to-the-second time set- spring, 80-hour power reserve Rate results (10): 8
leather strap. Inner virtues become ting. After you’ve slipped your fin- Case: Overall value (15): 14
apparent after you get to know this gernail under the crown and pulled Stainless steel with 18k rose-gold Total:
watch a bit better. Caliber CO7.811 the button out, its readily grasped bezel, water resistant to 50 m
belongs to the Powermatic series and
amasses an impressively long power
reserve of 80 hours. Furthermore,
contours assure that both of these
functions are very easy to operate.
Strap and clasp:
Leather with butterfly clasp with
79 POINTS

push buttons
the movement is equipped with a A Question of Character
silicon hairspring that’s unaffected A true gentleman doesn’t show his Rate results:
Deviation in seconds per 24 hours
by magnetic fields and isn’t perma- cards, which can contribute to his
nently deformed after suffering an elegant aura. Our test watch isn’t Average daily deviation __________________ +1
impact. Thanks to these qualities, a always easy to read either, which Greatest difference among
hairspring made from this high-tech here is a small weakness. This is due, several positions ____________________________ 7
material tends to contribute to on the one hand, to the low contrast Dimensions:
greater regularity in rate values. between the rose-gold-plated hands Diameter = 40 mm,
Our test watch confirmed this and the brown dial and, on the height = 10.6 mm
hypothesis. Just as a gentleman other, to the lack of anti-reflective Variations:
always shows perfect behavior, so coating on the crystal above the dial, With black sunray dial and
does the Gentleman Automatic. It which glaringly reflects incident black leather strap
ran a mere 1 second too fast on our light. But with this watch, you tend (Ref. T9274074605100,
timing machine. Its daily deviation to overlook this shortcoming. After $1,300); with cream opalin dial
on the wrist remained in a narrow all, you can forgive a gentleman a
and brown leather strap (Ref.
T9274074626100, $1,300); TISSOT
range between +0.5 and –1 second.
The maximum difference among
minor imperfection — especially if
it’s his only one. —
with silver dial and stainless-steel
bracelet (Ref. T9274074103100,
—
the several positions was somewhat The Swiss brand from
$1,350)
larger (7 seconds), but by no means Le Locle is part of the
Caliber C07.811 offers a Price:
too large.
silicon hairspring and an world’s largest watch
80-hour power reserve. $1,300 group, the Swatch
Good Manners
Not only does this watch run well. It
Group. Like its sister
also fits very comfortably around the companies, Hamilton,
wrist thanks to its slim case, supple Certina, Mido,
leather strap and secured deployant Longines and Rado,
buckle, which is not too thick. Tissot delivers solid
The clasp is standard, but that
didn’t bother us. After all, even a
quality at reasonable
gentleman doesn’t always wear prices. Tissot was
bespoke clothing. founded in 1853 and,
The Gentleman Automatic also today, is often
shows good taste with its pressure-
a choice for
fit mineral glass back, which con-
tributes to this timepiece’s very newcomers to
attractive price. This snap-fit solu- mechanical watches.

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CLOSE-UP − Porsche Design 1919 Globetimer UTC

The time-zone control inside

the 1919 Globetimer UTC has
been adapted from the
principle of Porsche's own
dual-clutch transmission.

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CLOSE-UP − Porsche Design 1919 Globetimer UTC

JUST ONE
CLICK AWAY
In today’s era of worldwide contacts and around-the-globe
travel, a watch with a time-zone function has the pulse of
the times. The Porsche Design 1919 Globetimer UTC forges
its own path, with a specially designed movement that lets
you switch time zones at the push of a button.

—
— Photos by
by Olaf Köster,
Martina Richter Porsche and
— Porsche Design
—
WT_0220_Porsche_Globetimer_06.qxp 04.02.20 15:05 Page 88

CLOSE-UP − Porsche Design 1919 Globetimer UTC

and from their unique connection to motor-

sport, the time-zone control using two pushers
was adapted from the paddle shifters on sports
car steering wheels. And in addition, the Porsche
engineers designed a smooth-shifting control,
similar to those found in modern transmissions.

The Movement Runs Smoothly

This is no marketing gimmick — it’s clearly a
technical transition from the world of motor-
— At first glance the Porsche Design 1919 Globe- This symbiotic relationship is often seen sport to that of time measurement, shown by
timer UTC looks like a chronograph, with two but has never been as clearly defined and direct the complex changes made to the movement of
pushers on the right side of the case. But here as it is today. The first Porsche Design watch the 1919 Globetimer UTC. The starting point is the
the pushers don’t activate a stopwatch but came onto the market in 1972 — the year Pro- now-widespread Sellita automatic Caliber SW200,
instead control a time-zone function. This is fessor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche founded which operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and offers
unique in the watch world. The Porsche princi- the Porsche Design lifestyle brand with the a (now rather meager) power reserve of 38 hours.
ple has been integral ever since the founding of vision of extending the Porsche legend beyond In the version for the Porsche Design 1919 Globe-
Porsche Design Timepieces AG in Solothurn, the limits of the automobile. For the father of timer UTC, this movement is chronometer-cer-
Switzerland, in 2014. Watch research, design the 911, it was clear that based on the dashboard tified, the highest quality standard, and with its
and production are all under the company’s of the car, this watch had to be a chronograph Glucydur balance and Nivarox 1 hairspring, it
own control while consistently maintaining a with a black dial. And so the 1919 Globetimer achieves rate results that deviate by no more
direct link to the sports car manufacturer and UTC evokes the words of the renowned indus- than -4 seconds or +6 seconds per day. Both in
the engineers at Porsche Motorsport. trial designer: “You have to use the known to our multi-week wearing test and when fully
consistently find the best new solutions.” wound on the timing machine, the movement
Porsche Design’s engineers can convert a (known as 04.110 at Porsche Design) gained no
chronograph with a black dial into a timepiece more than 1 second per day. Once the power
Caliber 04.110 is based on a Sellita
SW200, with the addition of an with a world-time function while also transfer- begins to deplete, the rate begins to be affected
exclusive Dubois Dépraz module and ring the technologies from the world of motor- somewhat but still remains within the accept-
distinctive Porsche Design finish. sport directly to that timepiece. able chronometer range at about -2 seconds.
The former chronograph pushers on the
right side of the case of the 1919 Globetimer UTC Sophisticated Technology
now operate the world-time function, so the An exclusive module was created for the time-
hour hand showing the primary time can be zone control in conjunction with movement spe-
changed with one quick click. If you travel into cialist Dubois Dépraz: two springs are held under
a different time zone, the hour hand can be tension beneath the right side of the case. Press-
adjusted forward by pressing the start-stop ing a pusher causes its spring to jump and with
chronograph pusher at 2 o’clock (now engraved a rapid “click” that you can both feel and hear,
with a plus sign) or backward using the reset the hand advances to the next time zone. This
pusher at 4 o’clock (marked with a minus sign), reflects the Porsche dual-clutch transmission in
depending on whether you are traveling east which the next gear is already selected. The effect
or west. The state-of-the-art trick here is that is specifically designed to recall the paddle
the date will advance in either direction while shifters on a sports car’s steering wheel and show
the central hand, indicating home time on the that the next gear — or in this case, the next time
24-hour track around the edge of the dial, zone — has been engaged.
remains unchanged.
The exclusive time-zone control Black-and-White Contrast for Clarity
required a new design and various Time-zone Control Based on Motorsport Design To ensure that the pushers typically used for
unique components. Manufacturers such as Omega or Breitling con- Porsche Design chronographs could also be used
trol the time adjustment via the crown, which for time-zone control, it was necessary to
you have to pull out and turn in one direction design an intermediate gear and modify the
or the other, possibly hitting the wrong position winding stem — in part so that all the operating
or accidentally misadjusting the time. Porsche elements along the right side of the Porsche
engineers realized that this method wasn’t in Design titanium case would align perfectly.
line with Porsche design principles. But on the The pointer date indication (which is also
other hand, maybe Porsche engineers were the a newly designed modification to the Sellita base
only ones who were able to control the time movement) advances forward and backward via
adjustment using what were formerly two chrono- a cam wheel to point to a steel date ring on the
graph pushers. From a historic standpoint, the inner part of the dial. There are 12 applied hour
first Porsche Design watch was a chronograph, markers along the edge that glow bright green

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CLOSE-UP − Porsche Design 1919 Globetimer UTC

PORSCHE DESIGN 1919 GLOBETIMER UTC

—
Inside the 1919 case, the timepiece reflects two worlds — Porsche Motorsport with a time-zone control that recalls the paddle
shifters on a steering wheel and the Porsche Design watch brand with expertise going back to 1972.

The solid caseback shows the world's

24 time zones with London as point zero.

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CLOSE-UP − Porsche Design 1919 Globetimer UTC

In addition to our test

watch, the 1919 Globe-
timer UTC is available in
three other versions,
including one in gold.

time (UTC + 1), is a discreet reference to the

location of the Porsche Design Studio.

The Perfect Click Sound

If you want to use the 24-hour hand for a sec-
ond time zone, it’s necessary to pull the crown
out fully to adjust the hands. Then use the pusher
to set the primary hour hand to home time. Not
terribly complicated, but be careful — the
seductive click sound may tempt you to play
with it and end up with the wrong setting. In the
hand-adjustment position there is a convenient,
modern hack mechanism to facilitate setting the
time precisely. Pulling out the crown to the mid-
dle position and turning it clockwise allows for
quick date setting, but this can also be accom-
plished with a pusher when adjustment of only
a day or two is needed. The pushers are load
tested 10,000 times, so you can use them for

in the dark, along with the hands for the primary PORSCHE more than just the occasional time-zone change.
During our test we were tempted more than once
time indication and the tip of the 24-hour hand.
Various widths and a triangle at 12 o’clock offer
DESIGN to try out the pushers. They are a great feature
of the watch. And if you allow the pusher to
additional orientation — in line with the philo- —
The company was founded
return to its starting position very slowly, you
sophy of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who can sense the tension of the springs beneath the
in 1972 by Professor
said, “If you analyze the function of an object, case. Once all the necessary settings have been
Ferdinand Alexander
its form often becomes obvious.” So it’s not sur- Porsche, whose vision was completed, the crown can be screwed securely
prising that the black-and-white contrasts on to extend the Porsche back in place.
the dial of the 1919 Worldtimer UTC and the legend beyond the limits of
perfect hand lengths above the matte black back- the automobile. Watches Designed for Larger Wrists
ground (as in the Chronograph I from 1972) set were part of the portfolio The glass-bead-blasted midsection blends
the watch’s tone. from the very beginning. In smoothly with the openwork lugs, whose design
The dark dial is purposely designed to offer 2014, Porsche Design reflects the Porsche lightweight construction
plenty of space for clear displays that are visi- Timepieces AG was founded principle and have been a part of Porsche
ble both day and night. And to ensure clarity for with its headquarters in Design since the 2007 Worldtimer. A black
Solothurn, Switzerland.
the wearer, a tiny window at 9 o’clock indicates leather strap attaches to the highly curved lugs.
the time of day: white for day, black for night. Cleverly integrated reinforcements at the con-
As we’ve come to expect from Porsche nection points mean that the 1919 Globetimer
Design, the displays are surrounded by a 42-mm Even though there is no view of the move- UTC fits larger-sized wrists especially well but
titanium case that gives the impression of a shiny ment, a finely engraved caseback with city names is less suited to smaller wrist sizes. The sturdy
container sitting inside a brush-finished buckle. provides information on the world’s 24 time titanium clasp easily opens on two sides with
The complexity of the main portion of the case zones, based on the Coordinated Universal Time push buttons and the loose end of the strap is
is presented without a bezel. A hard-coated sap- (UTC) that gives the watch its name. Wherever held in place with a wide prong. Now there’s
phire crystal with seven-layer anti-glare treat- travel may take you, you’ll always know how nothing standing in the way of a trip around the
ment covers the dial, and a solid threaded case- many “clicks” you need to set the new time zone. world where a single click transports a traveler
back seals the case and ensures a pressure London designates point zero. The town of Zell into another time zone, in terrific Porsche
resistance of 10 bar. am See, Austria, representing central European Design style. —

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SPECS
—
Porsche Design
Case with engraved 1919 Globetimer UTC
back, modified winding
stem, movement ring, Titanium & Black
sapphire crystal, dial Manufacturer:
and hands. Porsche Design Timepieces AG,
Biberiststrasse 18, 4500
Solothurn, Switzerland
Reference number:
4046901979133
Functions:
Hours, minutes, central sweep sec-
onds, pointer date, time-zone func-
tion via hour hand and additional
24-hour hand, day-night display
Movement:
Porsche Design 04.110 based on
Sellita SW200, automatic, COSC
certified, Dubois Dépraz module,
28,800 vph, 26 jewels, Nivarox 1
hairspring, Glucydur balance,
eccentric fine regulator, 38-hour
power reserve, Incabloc shock
absorption, diameter = 28.5 mm,
height = 6.94 mm
Case:
Glass-bead-blasted and polished
titanium case, sapphire crystal
(top) with hard coating, 7-layer
anti-glare coating on both sides,
water resistant to 100 m
Strap and clasp:
Genuine Porsche car leather,
titanium folding clasp with push-
button release
Rate results:
Deviation in seconds per 24 hours
(Fully wound / after 24 hours)
On the wrist ____________________________________ +1.0
Dial up ____________________________________ -0.1 / –1.2
Dial down __________________________ +0.6 / –0.7
Crown up ____________________________ +1.0 / –2.9
Crown down______________________ –0.9 / –0.3
Crown left__________________________ +4.4 / –4.5
Greatest deviation ________________ 5.3 / 4.2
Average deviation ____________ +1.0 / –1.9
Average amplitude:
Flat positions ________________ 309° / 258°
Hanging positions ______ 287° / 238°
Dimensions:
Diameter = 42.05 mm, height =
14.99 mm, weight = 102.0 g
Variations:
Titanium & Brown
(Ref. 4046901980184, $6,350);
All Titanium & Blue
(Ref. 4046901979287, $6,900);
Gold & Blue
(Ref. 4046901992194, $31,500)
Price:

$6,350
WT_0220_Interview_Francesca Cartier _03.qxp 04.02.20 15:16 Page 92

Photo: Jonathan James Wilson

Francesca Cartier Brickell

WT_0220_Interview_Francesca Cartier _03.qxp 04.02.20 15:22 Page 93

INTERVIEW − Francesca Cartier

Keeping up
With the How a descendant of Louis-
François Cartier traversed the
world and scoured old letters

Cartiers
to stitch together a definitive
family history of the iconic
jewellery brand

—
by
Neha S. Bajpai
—

— A chance discovery of a dusty, old trunk in her grand-

father’s cellar 10 years ago set Francesca Cartier Brickell on
a journey across continents, researching her family’s glori-
ous history and tracking down people connected to her
ancestors. The trunk, with its old letters and family corre-
spondence spanning four generations, unravelled a fasci-
nating world for Cartier Brickell, the great-great-great-
granddaughter of Louis-François Cartier, who in 1847
founded the family’s eponymous jewellery house in Paris.
Over the years, several books have been written on Car-
tier’s illustrious clients and precious jewels, but none of them
offer riveting details on the making of the jewellery empire
and the family members who made it a success despite all
odds. Interspersed with quotes from old letters, conversa-
tions with her grandfather Jean-Jacques and recollections
from business associates across the globe, Cartier Brickell’s
book The Cartiers: The Untold story of the Family Behind the
Jewellery Empire brings forth the real story behind the most
iconic jewellery house of the 20th century.
An independent family research project, the 656-page
book beautifully intertwines the family aspect with the world’s
most significant events — the French revolution, the Great
Depression, the two world wars and more. At the core of the
book are the three Cartier brothers — Louis, Pierre and

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INTERVIEW − Francesca Cartier

Jacques — who steered the company through choppy

waters with their complementary skills. While Louis was a
visionary artist who introduced men to wristwatches with
his famous creation, the Santos, Pierre was an astute busi-
nessman and Jacques, an expert in gemstones.
Peppered with dramatic details about high-society
romances and betrayals, The Cartiers brings all the charac-
ters alive in the most captivating narrative. Right from Evalyn
Walsh MacLean, a mining heiress, who bought the 45-carat
Hope Diamond from Cartier, to the American socialite Eva
Stotesbury, who ordered an emerald tiara, which was so
heavy she was advised to support it with helium balloons,
the book gives a thrilling insight into the lives of the rich,
famous and eccentric clientele of the famed jewellery house.
In the book, Cartier Brickell mentions her grandfather’s
initial reluctance about recording these memoirs. He was
upset that his generation couldn’t continue with the com-
pany as a family business. But ultimately, she managed to
Photo courtesy: Cartier family archives

persuade him — the “last surviving Cartier of his genera-

tion”— to infuse new life into a bygone era with his memo-
Jean-Jacques Cartier ries. And, eventually, this delightful book was born.
(Francesca Cartier We caught up with Cartier Brickell, who was flying
Brickell’s grandfather) between London and France shortly after Christmas. Here
in the 1950s is what she had to say about the incredible research that
went into the book.
Cartier Brickell selecting
photographs for use in
the book
Photo: Jonathan James Wilson
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INTERVIEW − Francesca Cartier

Photo: Jonathan James Wilson

Photo courtesy: Cartier family archives

The three Cartier A selection of photo-

brothers with their graphs taken on Jacques
father (from left to Cartier’s regular gem-
right: Pierre, Louis, buying trips to India
Alfred and Jacques)

WT: When you discovered the illustrious history of the objects or simply shapes and designs he had found along
Cartier family business through those letters, what amazed his journeys. When I followed in his footsteps, I saw those
you the most? Which of those stories will stay with you? sources of inspiration myself, firsthand.
FCB: It’s a funny experience reading someone else’s words For example, visiting the same temple he had visited in
— you almost hear them, you feel their anxieties, their fears, Sri Lanka, I saw a repeated scroll shape carved into the tem-
their dreams, their loves. You laugh at their jokes. For me, ple wall — it struck me that it was incredibly similar to the
the most striking part of going through that trunk was that design that appeared on the antique tiara that the Duchess
those black and white ancestors I’d seen in photo frames of Cambridge wore for her 2011 wedding to Prince William
around my grandfather’s house suddenly sprung to life. They (the tiara had initially been bought by George VI in 1936 from
became real people — people I could relate to. My grand- my great-grandfather). Moments like that, where past and
father had always talked about the close bond between his present collided, were very exciting.
father and two uncles, but it was striking to see it for
myself — the letters between the three brothers were full not WT: The women in the Cartier family played a crucial role
only of a shared ambition “to build the leading jewellery firm in the brand’s social outreach and business expansion. What
in the world” (a dream they often repeated in their corre- are your thoughts on this observation?
spondence) but also of a deep love and respect for each other. FCB: Yes, that was one thing that surprised me researching
The more I read, the more I understood that it was this — the family story — namely how the Cartier women (mostly
along with their complementary talents — that was the neglected from written history) played such a critical role in
secret to their success. the growth of the business. Strategic marriages helped keep
the firm afloat in the difficult early days, and later helped it
WT: What more did you discover during your research tours to expand. As an example, when Louis Cartier married into
to different countries, besides what your grandfather shared the Worth fashion dynasty in 1898, Cartier was a small local
with you? Parisian jeweller. But the link with the world-famous Worths
FCB: Oh, there was so much! It’s one thing reading letters opened doors to an international client base. When the Amer-
written from far-flung lands but it’s another thing entirely ican banker J.P. Morgan heard that the granddaughter of his
seeing those countries yourself. My great-grandfather’s late friend Charles Frederick Worth was to marry Louis, he
travel diaries were filled with sketches of buildings or called for the groom-to-be, promised him his future custom,

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1929 Lapel
Watch
Photo courtesy: LA Collection Privée

Photo: Jonathan James Wilson

Cartier Indian-inspired tutti frutti designs, with a Cartier Art Deco Tutti Frutti brooch (a rock crystal vase holding
flowers with diamond stalks, carved emerald leaves and ruby and sapphire buds)

and bought $50,000 [worth] of jewels on the spot. Now that pin and a brooch on one’s jacket for an outing into town, The Crash watch,
was an enormous leg-up for the then little-known Cartiers and a diamond corsage ornament and tiara for dinner. Jew- first launched by
trying desperately to break into the international big league. els were big business. Later, however, there were huge Cartier London, was
Later, when Pierre Cartier married the wealthy American changes in society and jewels became less prevalent. Post conceived by Jean-
Jacques Cartier and
heiress Elma Rumsey, it opened society doors for him in World War II, in an age of austerity, my grandfather (Jean-
Rupert Emmerson
America, which helped give Cartier’s New York store a cru- Jacques Cartier) turned his creative focus to making bespoke as a reaction to
cial boost in those early years. watches at Cartier London. There was less disposable wealth changing times
around and taxes on luxury items were very high, so it made
WT: You have talked about the jewellery side of the business, more sense for him to offer practical items — such as watches
how were the watches doing for Cartier in the early — rather than expensive jewellery.

Photo courtesy: Mathew Bain Inc

20th century?
FCB: In my book, I do talk about some of those early wrist- WT: The story behind the making of the Crash is intrigu-
watches: from the women’s diamond ‘montres bracelets,’ ing. According to you, which is the most iconic watch
which became something of a status symbol among Amer- design created by the maison?
ican high society ladies at the turn of the 20th century, to the FCB: Oh, I’m not sure I can pick one iconic watch made
invention of the first wristwatches for men, the Santos and under the Cartiers as there were so many! From the
the Tank. But yes, you’re right, watches probably got less original Tank to the Tank Cintrée, the Tank Chinoise,
attention in the book relative to the jewellery in the early the Cloche, the Tank à Guichets, the Oblique, the
years of the 20th century because in those years — I’m talk- Pebble, or as you mention, the Crash. My grand-
ing 1900-1939 really — the family’s focus was more on jew- father told me the stories behind so many differ-
els. After all, there was an enormous amount of wealth around ent watch designs when he was managing Car-
(whether that be from the Romanovs in pre-revolutionary tier London before it was sold. So, for me, it is
Russia, the American entrepreneurs and industrialists or the those ones that have become very special. Some-
Indian maharajas) and jewels were not only an essential part times they were even one-off pieces, and often
of one’s wardrobe, but an important way to mark one’s place no more than a dozen or so were made. For
in society. It wasn’t unusual for a woman to change her out- example, there were variations on the Tank (he
fit three or four times a day, and the jewels would be changed loved thin watches and one of his JJC Tanks was said
to match the dress — pearls for breakfast perhaps, add a hat at one time to be the thinnest in the world); there was

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INTERVIEW − Francesca Cartier

I wear a Tank most days,

but I am lucky enough to also
have a very early belle epoque-
style diamond watch, which
is beautiful and, despite
being made over a century
ago, incredibly still manages
to keep time!
Francesca Cartier Brickell

A diamond and
platinum Belle
Epoque wristwatch
with extendable
Photo: Jonathan James Wilson

strap.

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Photo courtesy: Bettmann/Getty

Elizabeth Taylor
wearing the “Taylor-
Burton Diamond” as
a necklace while
presenting an Oscar at
the 42nd annual
Academy Awards
ceremony in April 1970.

a watch with a larger dial and very clear numbers for my

grandmother when she was losing her eyesight and there
was, of course, the Crash (which was designed by my grand-
father and his senior watch designer Rupert Emmerson as
a response to the rebellious spirit of the Swinging Sixties).
Each watch was handmade, usually to order, and involved
multiple skilled craftsmen and experts. The team at the Wright
& Davies workshop in East London made the watch cases

Photo courtesy: Topical Press Agency (Getty)

and buckle deployants and the made-to-measure leather Evalyn Walsh McLean
straps and then it was on to the watch expert above the Car- wearing the notoriously
tier 175 New Bond Street showroom to fit the (often custom- cursed Hope Diamond
made) Jaeger movement. When I understood that, and I that she bought from
came to see the work and skill behind each individual piece, Cartier in 1912.
all of those watches became imbued with a far deeper mean-
The Duke and Duchess
ing than just telling the time! of Windsor in Madrid,
June 1940. The Duchess
WT: What are the most precious Cartier jewels and watches is wearing her new
you own? Cartier flamingo brooch.
FCB: I have a few special watches. I wear a Tank most days,
but I am lucky enough to also have a very early belle epoque-
style diamond watch, which is beautiful and, despite being
made over a century ago, incredibly still manages to keep
time! Other than that, one of the most personally special
pieces I wear all the time is my engagement ring. My grand-
father, long-since retired and in his late 80s when I got
engaged, sketched the design for the ring literally on the back
on an envelope.
Photo courtesy: Hulton Royals

WT: Is there anything you would have liked to explore

further for the book?
FCB: So many things, the research could have been endless.
The whole subject of Cartier and India was one I could have
gone on and on with — those 1920s and ’30s travel diaries
of my great-grandfather were incredible. The wealth of those
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INTERVIEW − Francesca Cartier

Jackie Kennedy wearing

the Tank watch. Since
its introduction more
than a century ago, the
Tank watch has
remained a perennial
classic, consistently
favored by some of the
most stylish people of
their time.

My grandfather told me the stories

behind so many different watch designs
when he was managing Cartier London
before it was sold. So, for me, it is those
Photo courtesy: Timothy A.

watches that have become very special.

Francesca Cartier Brickell

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maharajas and the brilliance of the gemstones Jacques found

out there — like a dream world. But I had to confine all that
to relatively small sections in the book as I had four gener-
ations and over 100 years of history to cover. Also, I would
have liked to write more about my grandfather’s time and
the Cartier London watches of that period. As I mentioned,
he shared many wonderful stories with me and while I was
able to include some, there was so much more I could have
written. But 530-odd pages felt like more than enough for
this book!

WT: Do you see yourself writing another book sometime

soon?
FCB: Maybe one day. For now though, I promised my chil-
dren I would be around more for them this coming year, and
not with my nose in a book or glued to the laptop as I have

Photo: Francesca Cartier Brickell

been for a long time while writing this!

WT: What is your most memorable anecdote from your trav-

els through India for the Cartier story?
FCB: I loved meeting the descendants of the clients my great-
grandfather had met a century earlier. In one case, I was able
to share Jacques’s sketches of Indian royal jewels and the
current maharani was able to match that simple sketch to Cartier Brickell at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai during one of her research
the exact same jewel — one of those exciting moments where visits. Her great-grandfather Jacques stayed there on his 1911 trip.
pieces of the puzzle of the past suddenly fit together per-
fectly. Elsewhere on my Indian travels, I shared family sto-
ries with a wonderfully wise maharaja, who added a whole The whole subject
new dimension to my understanding of the past and helped
me see more clearly than ever how important India had been of Cartier and India was
for Cartier in the early 20th century.

WT: What was the most challenging part about writing this
one I could have gone
book? Had it not been for that bottle of champagne and the
accidental discovery of the trunk, would you have ever con-
on and on with — those
sidered writing this book?
FCB: I had always been interested in my grandfather’s sto-
1920s and ’30s travel
ries, but they were mostly an unstructured collection of mem-
ories discussed over the lunch table. But finding that trunk
diaries of my great-grand-
was the catalyst I needed to dive into the story head first.
Inside were stories of the family but also of the unsung father were incredible.
heroes in the Cartier legacy — the craftsmen, the designers,
the gem experts, the salesmen — people whose tales Francesca Cartier Brickell
deserved to be preserved. Of course, writing the book was-
n’t without its challenges. I’m not sure I had any idea how
much work it would be because the more I delved into the
past, the more I realized it wasn’t only about the people, it
was also about society and the social context in which they
Photo: Wartski

found themselves. So I went from researching characters in

my family to studying 19th and 20th century world history:
everything from Parisian uprisings, the Russian revolution,
India of the Raj, two world wars, pearl fishing in the Mid-
dle East, the Great Depression and the Swinging Sixties.
I tried to find original source material to be as true to
the period as possible because I wanted the reader
to feel as if they were there, whether in the fash-
ionable Maxim’s restaurant in turn-of-the-century
Paris, at a pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg ball, in
the World War I trenches or in jazz-age America. — Cartier tiara
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INTERVIEW − Francesca Cartier

A Lost Trunk
On arrival at his new home in France, when the furniture was
arranged into the rooms, clothes unpacked into wardrobes, and
paintings hung on the walls, this trunk would end up in a corner
of the wine cellar, covered with more boxes. Later, once he was
settled in his new home, Jean-Jacques would look for it, and,
being unable to find it, would assume sadly that it had been one
of the many items lost during the move from England. There, in a
dusty corner of the wine cellar, the trunk would wait for more
than three decades. Until one day, exactly ninety years after the
birth of Jean-Jacques in Saint-Jean de-Luz, his granddaughter
would be searching for a bottle of champagne with which to Excerpts from
THE CARTIERS:
celebrate his birthday. Spying a battered box in the shadows of
The Untold Story
the cellar, she would be overcome with curiosity. And a whole
of the Family
new journey would begin. Behind the
Jewellery Empire
by Francesca
The Patiala Necklace Cartier Brickell
For all its splendour and importance, the Patiala commission
didn’t actually end up being financially that attractive for Cartier,
primarily because the Maharaja supplied most of his own gem-
stones. But it did do wonders for Cartier’s image in the West,
where Indian rulers were the personification of untouchable
magnificence. When Cartier displayed the Maharaja’s gems in an
exhibition on 13 Rue de la Paix, visitors flocked from all over the
world to see them. J.P. Morgan, The New York Times reported,
The Crash Watch
“was heard to say that he had never seen anything like it.” “We Creating the first Crash watch was far from straightforward.
are transported into the world of the One Thousand and One After Jaeger-LeCoultre had been consulted over the most
Nights,” the French magazine, L’Illustration exclaimed. “This is a appropriate movement to use, the design was passed to the
dream world, the incarnation of a fugitive Oriental dream!...The highly skilled craftsmen in the Wright & Davies workshop. Here
beauty and significance of this collection surpass the imagina- a template was created and the watch case was made from sheets
tion.” If there had been any doubt as to Cartier’s prominence in of gold. A standard may take thirty-five hours to make, but this
the jewellery world, this made it crystal clear. one, with its irregular curves, was a major departure from the
rectangular, square and oval models and would take far longer.
Once the case was completed, it was sent to Eric Denton,
Cartier London’s watchmaker, who would combine it with
the movement, dial, and winder. It was here that the real
complications started.
Maharaja Yadavindra As Denton soon discovered, it was almost impossible to ensure
Singh of Patiala, the that the numbers on the squashed dial remained at the right pla-
son of Bhupinder Singh, ces to tell the time correctly. “That first Crash watch caused a lot
in the Patiala necklace of headaches. You see it’s all very well coming up with a good-
looking design, but it had to tell the time too! And because the
Photo: From the author, with thanks to His Highness, the Maharaja of Patiala

dial was irregular, the numbers weren’t at the standard places,”

Jean Jacques recalled. The watch had to be deconstructed and
the dial extracted and repainted by Emmerson (no easy feat,
given that the numbers were painstakingly painted on by hand in
a surrealist style). Once the watch was then put together with
the new dial, it still didn’t tell the time correctly, and the whole
deconstruction, dial repainting, and reconstructing had to be
undertaken again. And then again. In the end it took multiple
attempts and far longer than anticipated.

Copyright 2019 © by Francesca Cartier Brickell;

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

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HISTORY − Steel Watches

Steel
Watches
A 20th-Century
Phenomenon
—
by
Allen Farmelo
—

— Of all the materials used to make watches, steel is unique

in its ability to repeatedly transcend its lowly status. Watches
made from gold, platinum, ceramic, carbon composites
and titanium fetch higher prices new, yet new steel watches
from high-end brands remain impossible to get, while vin-
tage steel watches continue to top auction house records.
It’s downright counterintuitive. Understanding why vin-
tage steel watches have become so valuable is a bit easier
than grasping why new ones command prices well above
list on the secondary market, but, as we will see, the two
phenomena are intertwined.
Stainless steel didn’t become a commercially viable
material until early in the 20th century. Europeans led the
way, eventually developing corrosion-proof steel alloys. How-
ever, few watch manufacturers had the tools to effectively
machine this incredibly hard material, and finishing steel
was still a nascent artform. Even into the early 1960s, less
expensive watches were typically made from brass and then
plated in chrome. Steel watches remained the thing of mil-
itary contracts and highly specific tool watches, like divers,
pilots’ chronographs and GMTs, as well as waterproof
expedition-ready timepieces. Furthermore, most of the steel
watches made before the 1970s were not fashionable. The
mid-20th century was a time for 32-34-mm men’s watches
with art deco and Bauhaus aesthetics. Steel tool watches at
that time were considered too big, inelegant, and thus
inappropriate outside the rigorous scenarios for which they
were created. Steel watches were tools, nothing more.
Many watch houses made thousands of steel military
watches during World War II, but these mil-spec units were
often repossessed and scrapped when a soldier was

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HISTORY − Steel Watches

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HISTORY − Steel Watches

decommissioned. Steel military watches of the 20th cen- Steel Today

tury remain a strong segment for a niche of collectors, but Paul Newman’s Daytona was not an exceptionally rare watch,
rarely do they make headlines with high prices; their appeal is but because the man himself was such an idol of mid-cen-
largely historical, not horological. The vintage steel watches tury masculinity — and because a similar masculine
that do get the big collectors raising the bids are non-mili- expression is in vogue today — the watch rode the zeitgeist
tary issue models, largely because they are very rare. A steel all the way to its $17.2-million selling price. In just a few years
Patek Phillipe 1518 from 1944 sold in 2016 for $10.7 million, since that auction, steel Rolexes are in such high demand
becoming the world’s most expensive wristwatch by a long that it’s nearly impossible to find one in a boutique, and wait
shot. That record was supplanted two years later when Paul lists are years long for even the most basic steel GMT-Mas-
Newman’s stainless-steel Rolex Daytona sold for $17.2 mil- ters, Submariners and Daytonas. Try getting a steel Patek
lion. The so-called precious metals could hardly keep up Nautilus at retail and you’ll wait years. The high demand for
with steel. luxury steel sport watches has inspired quite a few brands
That steel Patek 1518 is the epitome of ultra-rare steel to step in and provide alternatives. Once again, steel is caus-
watches produced before the 1950s, while Newman’s Day- ing a significant shift in horological norms.
tona represents an entirely different category that tells us a Perusing the latest steel offerings from some of the most
lot about today’s obsession with steel sport watches. In the highly regarded watch houses today makes it quite clear that
decade following WWII, the once strong echoes of Victor- steel is still on the ascent, and it’s arguable that the latest
ian manners, fashions and aesthetics were fading fast in steel watches have elevated this brightly shining alloy to the
Europe and America in favor of a more casual mid-century status of a precious metal. While Audemars Piguet, Patek
elegance. Barbecues were supplanting dinner parties, and Philippe and Rolex continue to riff on their decades-old steel
suits were slowly giving way to polo shirts and khaki pants. classics, the innovations in steel watches lay elsewhere. Note
By the 1960s, jeans and work jackets were common among that Audemars Piguet is offering ceramic Royal Oaks and
men embracing a more rugged masculinity, best represented its new Code 11.59 watches. Patek’s latest steel watch is
by rising stars like Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, Steve its 5212 Weekly Calendar, an uncharacteristically casual
McQueen and Robert Redford. Omega Seamasters going to watch that ships on leather and whose unique complication
the moon in the 1960s made the steel tool watch an ultimate overshadows the significance of the steel case. Rolex con-
expression of manhood. tinues to make too few of its steel professional models to
Meanwhile, tools to machine and polish stainless steel meet demand.
emerged across industries, and watch manufacturers were Indeed, the real news in steel developments lies with
quick to adopt them. Rolex began to produce steel Datejusts the brands who are more recently offering all-steel luxury
in larger numbers starting in the late 1960s (which is why models, and it should be mentioned that the inclusion of an
they’re still relatively affordable), but another more signifi- integrated steel bracelet is a prerequisite for this category.
cant category of steel watch emerged in the 1970s, perfectly Case in point: Bell & Ross’s newly released BR-05 (covered
in line with the disco era’s sensibilities: the luxury sports in detail in the recent WatchTime Special Design Issue) is a
watch. Audemars Piguet’s all-steel Royal Oak of 1972 is ground-up design with an integrated steel bracelet. For Bell
undeniably the watch that created the luxury sports watch & Ross to have entered this category indicates as well as any
category, and this Gérald Genta-designed masterstroke shook recent offering the rising demand for elegant steel watches
the watch world awake. IWC released Genta’s steel Inge- with an integrated steel bracelet.
nieur in 1975, Patek released Genta’s steel Nautilus in 1976, Another recent release that rumbled the horological
and Chopard released the steel St. Moritz in 1980. In Japan, foundation is A. Lange & Söhne’s all-steel Odysseus, the first
Seiko was taking steel to new heights through distortion-free steel watch from the German brand. Featuring signature
polishing on angular cases that adhered to Taro Tanaka’s Lange touches like the large date and weekday display and
“Grammar of Design,” a set of mandates that radically mod- a prominent logo below 12 o’clock, the Odysseus remains
ernized Seiko’s aesthetic. faithful to the brand’s core aesthetics while advancing its
The steel luxury sports watches of the 1970s paved the catalog in a wholly new direction. For Lange to offer steel
way for men to wear less-luxurious steel tool watches in for- watches elevates the entire category.
mal situations. This transition took hold in the 1980s as Chopard had the same inclination in releasing the Alpine
preppy folks started sporting Rolex GMTs, Submariners and Eagle, an all-steel model with an in-house movement that
Daytonas, TAG Heuer dive watches, and even steel Hamil- comes in 10 different references at either 36 mm or 41 mm.
ton field watches at the tennis, yacht, hunting or golf club, Chopard offered the aforementioned St. Moritz (named after
but it wasn’t until the 1990s that unabashedly utilitarian steel the Swiss ski resort), back in the 1980s, and while cues from
sport watches began to regularly show up in boardrooms that long-discontinued model are present, the Alpine Eagle
and fine dining establishments in large numbers — and in is stylistically up to the minute. It also has one of the most
large sizes. Sly Stallone’s adopting 47-mm Panerai steel elegant integrated steel bracelets on the market today.
watches was a milestone in this trend, and across the board Interestingly, Chopard is using a hardened alloy it calls
watches began to grow larger and larger. Both the luxury Lucent Steel A223, which approaches white gold in its
steel sports watch and the steel tool watch became estab- clarity and brightness.
lished staples of men’s wrist wear during the 1990s, and Vacheron Constantin famously used steel for compli-
they’ve only grown more popular since. cated watches going back to the 1940s, most notably on

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HISTORY − Steel Watches

The real news in steel

developments lies
with the brands who
are more recently
offering all-steel
luxury models.
The Lange Odysseus
is the high-end
German brand’s
The Bell & Ross BR-05 first steel offering.
is an entirely new
all-steel look for the
French brand.

The Chopard Alpine

Eagle announces the
Swiss brand’s return to
the luxury steel sports
watch market.

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the Reference 4240 triple calendar. It revived the look and Grand Seiko remains one of the top producers of ele-
function of this watch into a modern offering in 2018 with gant steel watches, and since it splintered off from Seiko to
the Historiques Triple Calendar 1942, which handily won become an independent company in 2016 (and subsequently
the 2018 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) formed its own division in the U.S.), Americans have had an
“Revival” prize. Rendered in all polished steel and coming increasingly diverse selection of steel offerings from the high-
in at a generous 40 mm for a fancy-lugged watch, the 1942 end Japanese brand. Employing innovative in-house move-
Historiques has been quite a hit with watch collectors and ments like the Spring Drive, Hi-Beat and 9F Quartz inside
shows no signs of slowing down. That success saw Vacheron gleaming cases rendered in low-distortion Zaratsu polished
quickly release the all-steel Cornes de Vache in the steel, the price of a steel Grand Seiko is typically well below
Historiques lineup as well. $10,000. Grand Seiko’s steel models have caught the eyes of
Even more shocking to the watch world, however, serious collectors who recognize exceptional watchmaking
was Vacheron’s entry into the relatively affordable luxury when they see it, and the steady stream of limited editions
sport watch market in 2016 with the launch of the Overseas tend to sell out in a flash.
series watches. With a slew of references ranging from Haute horology has traditionally traded in precious met-
37 mm up to 43.5 mm and employing a bevvy of materials, als, but today’s bespoke watch houses are using steel in sur-
it is the 41-mm steel models on the bracelet that represent prising contexts. Consider Romain Gauthier’s Prestige HMS,
Vacheron’s bid for the sub-$20,000 category and that a handmade watch with a meteorite dial in steel that sells for
challenge the traditional aesthetics of the brand with CHF 68,000; the ultra-elegant Hermès Arceau l’Heure de la
sleek cases, sporty bracelets and utilitarian-looking bezels. Lune with its revolving subdials housed in a steel case at
Anyone doubting whether steel has entered the realm $25,500; F.P. Journe’s Astronomic Souveraine with 18 com-
of haute horology only need consider the Overseas Tour- plications all housed in a stainless-steel case at CHF 899,000;
billion, a 42.5-mm all-steel affair that’s challenging com- or the new Moser Streamliner Flyback Chronograph Auto-
mon notions of luxury by offering a highly complicated matic in steel for $39,900. Each of these watches demonstrates
movement in a watch one could wear everyday, including the ascent of steel into a category where platinum and gold
casual weekends. once reigned supreme and at the exclusion of stainless steel.

The Hermès Arceau

l’Heure de la Lune
represents a wholly new
approach to the moon-
phase complication.

The F.P. Journe

Astronomic Souveraine
houses 18 complications
inside a steel case.

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HISTORY − Steel Watches

The Vacheron Constantin

Overseas Tourbillon
brings high-end horology
to its most affordable line
of steel watches.

The Vacheron Constantin

Cornes de Vache in steel
celebrates many aspects
of the storied brand’s
aesthetics from the
1940s.

The triple calendar

Historiques 1942 from
Vacheron Constantin

Steel’s Bright Future

With vintage steel watches only growing in value and new
high-end steel watches only growing in popularity, it may
be fair to assume that the scarcity of the former has inspired

Steel seems to finally the popularity of the latter. On the other hand, we are also
seeing a new breed of high-end steel watches emerge as

have matured into a

trends in men’s fashions shift once again, this time toward
a more refined, tailored appearance that is working its way
well beyond cosmopolitan centers into the emergent global

precious horological style. Along with steel’s rise, we’ve also seen a recent resur-
gence of two-tone watches, and we’ve seen gold shedding

material.
its once-haughty associations among hip younger watch fans
who are embracing luxury watches. In some ways, the most
cutting-edge materials like carbon, ceramic and titanium
are taking a second seat to the traditional metals, platinum,
gold and steel. Steel seems to finally have matured into a
precious horological material. It has achieved historical sig-
nificance, broken auction-block records, become the most
in-demand and hard-to-get, across brands. For all that, steel
is starting to glimmer like a precious metal. —

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PROFILE − Chopard Manufacture

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PROFILE − Chopard Manufacture

All
In
One
The Chopard Manufacture
builds a multitude of different
movements — from simple
calibers for two-handed
watches to chronographs,
innovative minute repeaters
and grand complications
such as the L.U.C All-in-One.
—
by
Jens Koch
—

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PROFILE − Chopard Manufacture

— Chopard is famous for jewelry, watches and

accessories such as fragrances, writing instru-
ments and sunglasses. Women particularly like
Chopard’s Happy Diamonds — watches and
jewelry with diamonds that “dance” freely
between two panes of transparent sapphire.
But not everyone is aware that Chopard has
been a full-fledged watch manufacture since
1996. Chopard’s outstanding watchmakers have
mastered nearly every horological task from
simple movements to grand complications.
In 1963, the Scheufele family from
Pforzheim, Germany, took over the Geneva-
based manufacturer, which had been founded
in 1860, and expanded it into an international-
ly successful brand with its own boutiques.
The L.U.C Time Traveler Caroline Scheufele is currently responsible for
One with world-time women’s watches and jewelry, while her brother
display and Caliber and co-president, Karl-Friedrich, takes care of
L.U.C 01.05-L (stainless men’s watches and the manufacturing of move-
steel, $13,700) ments in Fleurier, Switzerland.
Two buildings, each dedicated to its own
specific function, stand in Fleurier in the Can-
ton of Neuchâtel. The Chopard Manufacture
produces the fine L.U.C calibers, which bear the
initials of the company’s founder Louis-Ulysse
Chopard and are manually decorated accord-
ing to the traditional rules of haute horlogerie.
Across from that building stands the Fleurier
Ebauches factory, where Chopard manufactures
its own movements for the brand’s somewhat
less costly collections, such as the Classic
Racing, the new Alpine Eagle and the Happy
Sport ladies’ watches. Here manufacturing
The L.U.C XP is powered
relies more on machines than on handcrafts-
by Caliber L.U.C
96.53-L with microrotor manship, and less manual work is required for
(stainless steel, $8,810). the embellishments.
Watchmakers at Chopard’s headquarters
also devote their skills to in-house calibers: L.U.C
movements that bear the Geneva Seal are
assembled, regulated and encased in Geneva,
thus complying with the strict requirements of
this prestigious quality seal. These rigorous stip-
ulations include polished edges, satin-finished
sides, polished and beveled heads on the screws,
and polished chamfers around the rims of the
holes that accommodate the jewels in the plates
and bridges. Furthermore, the movement must
not show any traces left from the machining
process. Although not every Chopard movement
bears the Geneva Seal, these strict specifications
nonetheless show the high level of quality that
L.U.C movements uphold.
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PROFILE − Chopard Manufacture

Chopard’s first movement of its own, which

was developed and built in 1996, was Caliber
L.U.C 96. It is equipped with a microrotor, its
balance oscillates at the modern frequency of
28,800 vibrations per hour, and its two barrels
provide 65 hours of power reserve. This long-
lasting running autonomy is achieved by the
brand’s “Twin Technology,” which super-
imposes one barrel directly atop its counterpart.
With an overall height of just 3.3 mm, this
movement is also suitable for very slim and
elegant watches like the L.U.C XP and the L.U.C
XPS. The letters “XP” in these names stand for
extra flat; the final “S” indicates the presence of
a seconds hand.
Caliber L.U.C 96 remains an important pil-
lar in Chopard’s portfolio of manufacture cal-
ibers. It is built with or without small seconds,
with date display or moon-phase display, and
with outsize date display. Chopard also uses this
movement as the basis for grand complications,
such as a perpetual calendar with outsize date Chopard’s least costly
or a tourbillon. manufacture watch:
the Mille Miglia GTS
Quattro Drive Automatic with the
The Chopard manufacture took Twin Technol- non-L.U.C version
ogy another step further: the L.U.C Quattro with of Caliber 01.01-C
(stainless steel, $5,790)
Caliber 98 is equipped with two double-decker
barrels — a total of four mainsprings. This quar- A watchmaker at the
tet enables the hand-wound watch with power- manufactory in Fleurier
reserve display and hand-type date display to assembles Caliber L.U.C
amass a nine-day power reserve. 01.05-L
The L.U.C Triple Certification Tourbillon
The L.U.C Chrono One
with Caliber L.U.C 02.13-L is also based on the
Flyback with Caliber
Quattro movement and runs for nine consecu- L.U.C 03.03-L
tive days. As its name states, it has earned three (stainless steel,
certifications: in addition to the COSC $26,900)
chronometer certificate and the Geneva Seal,
it also bears the Qualité Fleurier seal. Created
by Chopard, Parmigiani, Bovet and Vaucher
Manufacture Fleurier, the Qualité Fleurier
seal specifies aesthetic criteria, insists that
the development and all steps in produc-
tion must take place in Switzerland, and
tests the durability of the entire watch. These
tests focus principally on the winding shaft,
shock resistance, water resistance and the
protection against magnetic fields. Finally,
the examiners monitor the accuracy of the
encased movement. Its deviation from perfect
timekeeping must not exceed 5 seconds
per day during a long-term simulation of
natural movements.
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PROFILE − Chopard Manufacture

Chopard’s first Caliber L.U.C 01.01-L is also on duty inside

the L.U.C 1937 in stainless steel. Its retail price
of $8,790 makes it the least costly L.U.C model.
watches in the Happy Sport collection. This
development meant that the 30-mm-diameter
case of these feminine models could be
movement of The most affordable access into Chopard’s world
of manufactory watches is provided by the non-
equipped with a manufacture movement.
Chopard also offers very special manufac-

its own was L.U.C version of Caliber 01.01-C, which ticks

inside the Mille Miglia GTS Automatic ($5,790).
This movement also powers the new Alpine
ture watches for hard-to-please connoisseurs.
These elite models begin with the aforemen-
tioned tourbillon, which amasses a nine-day
developed and Eagle with integrated steel strap.
Sportiness is again the key feature in a sec-
power reserve, continue with the L.U.C Perpet-
ual T, which adds a perpetual calendar, and cul-

built in 1996. ond movement (Caliber 03), which is available

either in a hand-decorated L.U.C version or in
a machine-embellished version. The 03 is a
minate in the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono with Cal-
iber L.U.C 03.10-L, which adds a perpetual cal-
endar to the flyback chronograph.
chronograph caliber with flyback function, col- In 2018, Chopard premiered the most com-
umn wheel, vertical clutch, central rotor and 60- plicated watch in the company’s history: the
hour power reserve. It animates the Superfast L.U.C All-in-One. The front side of the watch
Chrono as Caliber 03.05- M, while its elaborately shows the time of day and also features a tour-
decorated version (L.U.C 03.03-L) powers the billon and a perpetual calendar with an outsize
new L.U.C Chrono One Flyback, which is avail- date display. On the back there is day/night dis-
A tonneau-shaped movement from able either in a stainless-steel case or in a case play, a sunrise and sunset indication, a display
Chopard attracted lots of attention in 2001. made of titanium with a scratch-resistant coat- of the equation of time (the difference between
The L.U.C 97.01-L with microrotor, 65-hour ing called Titalyt. actual solar time and official civil time) and an
power reserve and Geneva Seal still ticks In 2018, Fleurier Ebauches developed orbital astronomical moon-phase. This move-
today inside the white-gold L.U.C Heritage petite Caliber 09.01-C especially for the ladies’ ment also amasses a long-lasting power reserve
Grand Cru men’s watch, which is decorated with
baguette diamonds.

Robust Base
Caliber L.U.C 01, which debuted in 2010, is more
of a workhorse and far exceeds all other Chopard
Manufacture movements in terms of the num-
bers of watches produced. L.U.C 01 features a
The Superfast Chrono
central seconds hand, a central rotor, a 60-hour with Caliber 03.05-M,
power reserve and an optional date window. which is derived from an
Chopard developed it as a robust basic move- L.U.C caliber (stainless
ment and also offers it in a slightly simpler non- steel, $12,200)
L.U.C version from the Fleurier Ebauches fac-
tory. (Chopard currently pursues this two-track
model policy with only two of its movements.)
The caliber ticks with a world-time display
under the designation L.U.C 01.05-L in the L.U.C
Time Traveler One. In addition to powering one
hand each for the hours, minutes and seconds,
it also propels a date hand and a 24-hour ring.
The latter corresponds to a city ring marked with
reference points for the 24 standard full-hour
time zones on Earth. Turning the upper crown
repositions the hands and also causes the hour
ring to move along with them; turning the lower
crown switches the city ring to any desired
location, while the hour ring jumps along in
single-hour increments.

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CALIBER of seven days’ duration, which is also consid-

ered a complication. The caliber consists of 516
ALPHABET individual components.

—
The letters at the end of
Crystal-clear Sound
A special position is occupied by the L.U.C Full
Chopard’s caliber designations
stand for the various Strike, an innovative minute repeater that
decorations. Chopard introduced in 2016. It is powered by
Caliber L.U.C 08.01-L, which contains 533 com-
L ponents, thus exceeding the number of parts in
Caliber with L.U.C signature,
the L.U.C All-in-One. Several details were newly
elaborate embellishments for
developed to optimize the sound of the chimes.
L.U.C models
For example, the gongs are made of sapphire
C crystal and form a unit with the crystal above
Fleurier Ebauches-signed the dial. This assures that the chimes resound
movements for classic racing very brightly and that their sound waves can
models and ladies’ watches
propagate undisturbed from the inside of the
M watch to the outside.
Caliber for Superfast models Chopard also made sure that this watch
with motorsport decorations, produces no unwanted noises during and after
partly skeletonized the chimes. The strike governor is inaudible and
and blackened
The L.U.C All-in-One no click can be heard when the mechanism
is the most complicated switches into sleep mode. The necessary energy
Chopard watch (rose is provided via a single crown: turning it in one
gold, 10 pieces, price on direction winds the timekeeping movement,
request) turning it the other way winds the minute
repeater. With its two barrels, Caliber 08.01-L
builds up a 60-hour power reserve; the chiming
mechanism can strike 12 times in a row with-
out requiring fresh manual winding. The little
button that triggers the audible repetition is
integrated into the top of the crown. Chopard
has installed various protective mechanisms to
prevent the user from damaging the movement
The innovative minute due to careless handling: for example, the crown
repeater L.U.C Full is automatically decoupled from the movement
Strike with Caliber while the chimes are striking so the user cannot
08.01-L (rose gold, 20 damage the mechanisms by resetting the time
pieces, price on request)
display during this period.
From a simple two-handed watch, through
a chronograph, tourbillon and perpetual cal-
endar, to an innovative minute repeater,
Chopard has mastered the entire spectrum of
manufacture watchmaking. In addition, the
brand offers watches with richly decorated L.U.C
calibers, some of which boast the most presti-
gious quality seals, as well as sportier models
with more affordably priced Fleurier Ebauches
movements, for the affluent collector and the
newcomer alike. —

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SPOTLIGHT − Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer

A Very
British
Story
The Double Impulse
Chronometer, the first
wristwatch completely
made in England in more
than half a century, has
thrust the old firm
Charles Frodsham & Co.
into the spotlight.

—
By
Nitin Nair
—

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SPOTLIGHT − Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer

The Double Impulse

Chronometer is based
on an escapement
developed by legendary
British watchmaker
George Daniels.

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SPOTLIGHT − Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer

— Charles Frodsham & Co. makes the most interesting

chronometer wristwatch you have never heard of. The above
statement is anachronistic, especially at a time when social
media has given every brand a pulpit to preach to the choir.
But then Frodsham, which can claim to be the oldest contin-
uously trading firm of marine chronometers in the world
today, has never really believed in putting itself out there.
“We are not a brand, we don’t do social media. We have
no PR and marketing. We let other people do the talking on our
behalf,” says Richard Stenning, who along with his partner
Philip Whyte run the firm today after having bought it in the
mid-1990s. While you can appreciate the discrete manner in
which they go about their business, as soon as their first wrist-
We did look into
watch — the Double Impulse Chronometer — broke cover last
year, literally anyone who had more than a passing interest in
manufacturing our own
balance springs, but it is a
fine watchmaking and horological history was talking about it.
“We didn’t quite realize the impact that it was going to
have. And it did have an impact, most definitely and in a very
nice way. Of course, we had clients who had always been
Frodsham collectors — they collected pocketwatches, clocks,
huge learning curve.
regulators and marine chronometers. So the firm has always
had a following. And they were mostly British, especially in
the early days when we launched, but that was only because
the clientele were Frodsham collectors. Frodsham has
always been a low-key producer, throughout its 185-year
period of existence. So we were never mass marketing in any
way at all. For instance, you would have to know a lot about
English pocketwatches to know anything about what we did.
So to a lot of people this was a surprise,” recalls Stenning
when we caught up with him during Dubai Watch Week in
November 2019, more than a year after we had a chance to of a peripheral figure in the history of British horology, yet
examine the watch in London. there’s no denying his impact. He was born in an era when
mass production of timepieces was the norm but he chose
The Old Firm not to mass produce. The 19th century was a burgeoning time
At this point, should you feel like you’ve lived under a rock for for a lot of watchmakers. Frodsham made regulator clocks for
the last 18 months, please take comfort in the fact that you are a majority of the world’s observatories, especially in the South-
among the vast majority that have never heard of the Frod- ern Hemisphere. The observatory in Neuchâtel, Switzerland,
sham Double Impulse Chronometer even though it is the first was set up using a Frodsham marine chronometer as its stan-
mechanical wristwatch completely made in England since dard. “We were one of the first manufacturers of car clocks.
Smith’s wound up operations more than 50 years ago. Charles In the early 1910s we made clocks for Rolls Royce automo-
Frodsham was a British horologist who set up his firm in 1834 biles. So if you look in the dashboard of Edwardian cars, you
and 10 years later he acquired the business founded by emi- will find a Frodsham clock in them. It’s not a piece of history
nent watchmaker John Arnold. By the end of the 19th cen- that gets told,” Stenning says.
tury, Frodhsam was one of two big firms still trading in Lon-
don, the other being Dent. Charles Frodsham & Co. had The Making of Their First Wristwatch
established itself as a company of repute and made chronome- The Double Impulse Chronometer has been 15 years in the
ters for the Royal Navy and clocks for observatories around making. It is notable for its Daniels Double Impulse Chronome-
the world. ter Escapement, which is completely symmetrical, highly
The firm survived the two world wars (although its prem- detached and oil free. This escapement was developed by leg-
ises at South Molton Street were bombed in 1941 during the endary British watchmaker George Daniels and had hitherto
Blitz) and was eventually purchased by Whyte and Stenning, only been used in pocketwatches.
both of whom have a background in antiquities. The com- When Frodsham set out to create a wristwatch, it was
pany has over the years made dashboard clocks for automo- clear that it had to be steeped in the heritage of the firm, so a
biles in the early 20th century, carriage clocks, and was also chronometer with a spring detent escapement was the start-
the Royal Clockmaker with a workshop in Buckingham Palace. ing point. The idea of using a Double Wheel Escapement was
The firm now operates out of St. James’s in London with a born out of chronometry rather than the notion that the first
workshop in East Sussex. Frodsham wristwatch had to be something different — it just
While a lot more is known about British figures like John happens to be different. Right now, it’s the only wristwatch in
Arnold, John Harrison and Thomas Mudge; Frodsham is more the world with this type of escapement.

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SPOTLIGHT − Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer

Derek Pratt’s
reconstruction of John
Harrison’s H4, which
was completed by
Frodsham

The oversized balance

wheel is secured by a
three-arm steel bridge.

The wheels of the going

train are all made from
gold, a nod to British
pocketwatches.
The bridges have a
frosted finish typical of
English movements.
The Up Down snail

The balance wheel is

made from a temper-
ature-resistant copper
alloy with tungsten
adjustable weights.

The lightweight titanium

detent used in the
escapement.

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SPOTLIGHT − Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer

Blued steel numerals

and a matchstick head
for scale

The watch is available in

steel, yellow gold, rose
or white gold.

The blued steel numerals

are applied on the
ceramic white dial.

Frodsham’s signature
alongside Derek Pratt’s The movement is
on the Harrison H4 inscribed with the
chronometer firm’s signature.

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SPOTLIGHT − Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer

Given that they have made some concessions to mod-

ernity in the creation of the wristwatch, was there a tempta-
tion to use a silicon hairspring as well? Would using silicon
have been taking it a step too far since a lot of traditionalists
are still unsure about this material? “We did look into manu-
facturing our own balance springs, but it is a huge learning
curve. And we just decided not to; on top of 15 years of regu-
lar research and development, that might have been a step
too far. But that doesn’t mean we are not investigating ideas.
We have a deep-rooted We are happy to take on modern material science. Histori-
cally we have always used interesting pieces using the best

history and it’s important possible material for the job. And that’s the important bit —
you use what is apt for the job; form and function come into
play a lot in decisions like this. It has to function properly and
that we express that history also look aesthetically pleasing. But it has to be in that order.”
Understandably, the release of their first wristwatch has

in every new product that brought them a lot of attention from collectors outside Eng-
land. According to Stenning, most of them were the collec-
tors of independent watch brands. “Some of them we knew
we bring to the market. of but didn’t actually know. They went straight to it, they got
it immediately. The only way you can buy this watch is to come
to our gallery in London, have a chat with Philip and myself.
And you get introduced to the watch. Having said that, the
early adopters of the watch wear it with pride and they have
inadvertently become our ambassadors. And that’s a won-
derful thing. Suddenly the watch has taken on a new eleva-
tion,” he says.

Not Just About the Wristwatches

“The difficulty with the spring detent escapement is that The watches are priced at £68,500 in steel, £73,000 in 18K rose
it only impulses in one direction, which means the balance is or white gold, and £74,500 in hardened 22k yellow gold. Frod-
free, and when it is on the wrist it can be very out of sorts. You sham will only make about 10-12 pieces a year and has its
can correct things, but by correcting it you are taking away order books full up till 2023. Stenning says they have already
from the purity of the escapement; it would compromise the delivered 15 watches to their clients. The difficulty they face
timekeeping and precision. It was our good friend Derek Pratt is they can’t guarantee a delivery date or a price in the future.
who suggested we use the Double Impulse Chronometer. We “At the moment we are delivering watches for 2020 and
knew George Daniels very well and he said, ‘Yes, go for it,’” 2021 at the quoted prices. After that, people join the waiting
recalls Stenning. list on the understanding that we cannot guarantee when the
Daniels had written in the 1970s about the difficulties of delivery date will be. Of course we will let them know about
fitting a Double Wheel Escapement in a wristwatch. Back then, the delivery and price as soon as we know for 2022 and 2023.”
there wasn’t the machinery to make components to very tight Stenning says they could ramp up production a little bit
tolerances, particularly in the escapement area where you are but they don’t want to increase it by a lot. The bulk of their
dealing in one or two microns. Also, materials like titanium business now comes from restoring and selling historic Frod-
that are now commonplace were never used in watchmaking sham watches. “We do other things, we are slightly different
back in the 1970s. The Double Impulse Chronometer may be from other watch manufacturers. They make watches. We
rooted in the English tradition, but it is a thoroughly modern have a horological emporium; we are interested in the his-
wristwatch. It has a ceramic dial, a titanium detent, and the tory of horology, and we help people set up libraries and that
balance wheel is made from a temperature-resistant copper sort of thing. We make one-off commissions, clocks, Harri-
alloy with tungsten adjustable weights. son timekeepers, we made a clock for the Queen. We like to
“Our methods are still very traditional. We use a lot of do other projects, not just make watches,” says Stenning.
modern materials like ceramic and titanium in the watch, but So does the wristwatch part of their business become a
there are a lot of things in the watch that also have historical distraction then? “Yes, there is a tiny bit of pressure. But what
knocks. For example, the English pocketwatches often had we are clear about is that we don’t want to be just known as
gold wheels, so we have gold wheels in the going train. The a wristwatch maker. Both Philip and I come from an anti-
numbering system is a continuation of the pocketwatch quities background; we both love pocketwatches. That sense
series. We do this simply because Charles Frodsham carried of history is very important to us. Frodsham is one of the
on the numbering system from John Arnold. So, in effect, we legitimate old firms of the world. We have a deep-rooted his-
are carrying on the numbering system started by John Arnold tory and it’s important that we express that history in every
in 1767,” explains Stenning. new product that we bring to the market.” —

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FACETIME

Patterson Stratton
wears his Corum
AC-One 45 in
titanium while dining
with his daughter
Rayne in Oakville,
Ontario, Canada.

Realy Tuggle of North

Carolina wears his
Rolex Submariner with
Cerachrom ceramic
bezel at lunch at the
Piz Gloria revolving
restaurant in the
Bernese Alps while
on vacation in
Switzerland.
At WatchTime New York 2019, Paul Yee of Toronto wears his
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Geographic world timer while Ann Phan,
also of Toronto, wears her Mido Commander Automatic Day-Date.

Rick Jacobs managed Dr. Todd Fleming relaxes on Lake Minnetonka, MN, with his
to catch and release a Rolex Milgauss.
few brown trout while
wearing his Omega
Seamaster Planet
Ocean 600M.

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FACETIME

FACETIME
GALLERIES
To submit a photo, please send
your image to
[email protected] with a
short description identifying
each person in the photo and
the watch each one is wearing.
Please give the first and last
name of the wearer and the
brand and model of the watch. If
the photo was taken at an event,
please specify when and where it
was held. Only clear images in
which the faces of both watch
and wearer are visible will be
considered for publication.
Images must be in JPEG for-
mat, no smaller than 1 MB. Only
the best-quality and most inter-
esting photos will be considered.

On the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour in Ticonderoga, NY, Paul Chesek, left, wears his JeanRichard 208 Seconds
and his cousin James Chesek, right, his Rolex GMT-Master II BLNR on the bridge of the Enterprise with actor
William Shatner.

At WatchTime New York 2019, Dr. Neil Rosenkranz, left, wears his Chronoswiss Flying
Julian Karchmer sports his Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronometer 1846 Grand Regulator Skeleton; his son Craig Rosenkranz, right, his Chronoswiss Flying
while walking with Countess in Crowders Mountain State Park in Grand Regulator Open Gear; and Chronoswiss owner and CEO Oliver Ebstein, a
North Carolina. Chronswiss Flying Grand Regulator Skeleton.

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THE LAST WORD

year of my professional education I got to work years that we have a waiting list, and the list is
on watches and clocks, which I thought suited now like a year.
me much better. So I made a choice to become But the biggest challenge for us is we
a watchmaker. always have to push boundaries. The [1941]
After watchmaking school I went first to Remontoire was a huge success for us, 188
WOSTEP [Watchmakers of Switzerland Train- pieces, which is enormous for us. They all have
ing and Educational Program] and did two been sold, not delivered, but all reserved. By
courses. There I really got infected with the virus the end of this year, everything should be
of high-end watchmaking. I’d never seen delivered. But it put a huge pressure on myself
beveled bridges before, or polished levers, and my brother to develop a similar kind of
things made by hand. I thought, ‘Wow, this is product that is as good, that’s also as com-
really beautiful. I want to learn more and more mercially successful as this one, because the
and more.’ And then I got this fantastic job at story for all independents is that we cannot
Renaud & Papi. I think I was 21 when I started deliver a new product every year or two. It’s
there. Straight away into the assembly of minute more like one product every two years or three
repeaters, perpetual calendars, tourbillons. years. And then when one of those products
fails, then we have a huge problem. We don’t
How did you launch your own brand? have a backup. But now we have in our collec-
Bart and Tim Grönefeld
In 1998, Tim and I quit Renaud & Papi and went tion the [1941] Principia, which is automatic,
back home. Not because we didn't like the job, easy to understand, and a watch we want to

Mechanical watch-
not because we didn’t like the profession, just keep in our collection for many, many years.
because we wanted to be back in the Nether- And it sells pretty well, but, still, most people,
lands with our family and friends. And we most of our customers, they are expecting a lit-

making is all realized what we could do was two things: take

over the store of our parents or start our own
tle bit more with intricate complications.

about conserving
watchmaking workshop. We didn’t have the What’s the biggest advantage of working
funds. Nothing to really start our own brand, together as brothers?
so we started working for after-sales for IWC, We have to make pretty big decisions. Some-

the craft. Breitling for the Netherlands, and could build

our business. We grew from two people at the
times huge. Lately quite large amounts of
money are involved, on the directions we want
beginning and about 10 years later we were to go. And I take a lot of comfort in that because
with 14 people doing after-sales. But we were I can ask someone that I really trust, and we
always missing the high-end. And after 10 years can decide things together.
doing work for others, we felt again, okay, it’s
— WatchTime’s Roger Ruegger spoke with Bart time to create. And we created it in a crazy time Who is the typical buyer of a Grönefeld?
Grönefeld about his career, his brother Tim, just before the financial crisis. Usually, and of course there are exceptions,
family traditions, independent watchmaking It was really tough. The first year, we sold usually, they are all serious collectors. We
and some of the advantages of operating as “the one watch. The second year, none. The third don’t have many people just throwing
horological brothers” in the industry. year, none. The fourth year, about 10. Fortu- around money. They are serious collectors
nately, we still had that after-sales service that and hold onto their watches a long time.
You represent the third generation of watch- was bringing us money, and we could still sur- They’re not flipping them. Average age is
makers in your family. Was it always clear that vive. But then the work for other companies between 30 and 60. Yeah, not their first watch.
you would continue the family tradition? collapsed. We went down like 75 percent less Usually we are their 10th or maybe 30th watch,
As a very young kid I wanted to become a fighter work, and then we thought, okay, to keep our or more.
pilot (laughs). We were already walking around staff employed, at maximum, as many people
the watch workshops in our house at a very as possible, we can give it another shot and cre- You both have kids. Will they continue the
young age, and seeing our grandfather and ated our second timepiece. It was the One Grönefeld watchmaking tradition?
father taking care of watches had an impact. Hertz, and we realized very much the second I have two daughters. Tim has two sons, and
We liked the technical aspect of that very much, watch would be an all-or-nothing piece. We they are still pretty young. They are quite cre-
and our father was always helping us with had to give everything we know, everything, no ative and technical minded. And they love what
bicycles and motorcycles. In short, we were compromise to quality or whatever. we are doing. Sometimes they are drawing our
already very much into levers and gears, and watches. They haven't really been at the bench,
we really loved watchmaking. What are the challenges for an independent but I think that day will come pretty soon, and
Since our parents owned a jewelry store, watchmaker? then we will see. We tried to create a company
we wanted to take over the business at some The biggest challenge we have right now is a for as many professions as possible. So maybe
point; that meant doing at least one of the pro- luxury problem, because we cannot make my daughters, they don’t have to become
fessions related to that, which is goldsmith, sil- enough watches to keep our retailers happy. I watchmakers, but if they know something about
versmith or engraver, or watchmaker. I actu- mean they’re very happy but they wish they marketing, they know something about design,
ally started as a goldsmith, but during the first could have some more. It's only been three they can have a job.

122
WATCHTIME APRIL 2020
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