Vacheron Constantin - Les Métiers d’Art “Les Masques”

The Les Masques watches from Vacheron Constantine are not traditional by any means, and perhaps even a far cry from what many have come to associate with the Vacheron brand. But this observation is not an insult to these new additions to the Métiers d’Art collection, in fact far from it. I find these watches to be visually refreshing and I marvel at the attention to detail taken while reproducing the masks. They are a unique accomplishment, melding of the best of design and function. And while some people will balk at the non-traditional use of masks on watches such as these, I find myself drawn to them. The only problem I foresee would be choosing which one to wear first, were I lucky enough to own them.

The Masque watches, released in 2007, are only the first four of the twelve to be created. When complete, the collection will consist of 3 sets, with one set released each of the three years. There will be four watches in each set, 25 pieces of each. Each of these twelve watches will have a different ancient mask on the dial. The four masks chosen for the first set are a Chinese death mask, a Congolese face mask, an Indonesian theatre mask and an Alaskan frontal mask. They are exact miniature reproductions of actual primitive art masks from the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva. The miniatures were created by scanning the real masks to get a three-dimensional image. Then producing a prototype in gold that was given to an engraver who meticulously carved the masks to replicate the exact look of these ancient artifacts.

After the masks themselves are produced they are then incorporated into the watches. The way the masks are placed and the specially-treated glass makes them seem to be floating in space. Each mask is set on a sapphire dial that has been tinted in a complementary color. Each dial is engraved with an individual poem written by a famous a French writer named Michel Butor. The poems themselves are only visible at certain angles accomplished by engraving the underside of each crystal with the words of the poem before filling the engraving with gold. The placement of the hours, minutes, days and date in four separate dials is somewhat non-traditional in itself. The 40 mm cases are produced in white gold for the Alaskan mask, pink gold for the Indonesian mask, yellow gold for the Chinese mask, and platinum for the Congolese mask.

While the design of the Les Métiers d’Art “Les Masques” watches are unique, the movement used is the same cal. 2460 found in the Les Métiers d’Art “4 Saisons” unveiled for Vacheron Constantin's 250th anniversary which took place in 2005. They have a transparent caseback and are water resistant to 30 meters.

A Brief History of The Breguet Type XX

The name Breguet is indeed one of the most recognizable name in watchmaking. It has accomplished much in its long history as a brand, such as the invention of the tourbillon. The Breguet Type XX was first introduced in 1954, as a pilots watch produced for the French Airforce. Previously pilots had been carrying a pocket watch version of the chronograph, and now it had been produced in wristwatch form.

The Breguet name has made its mark in aviation in other ways than the design and production of watches for its pilots. The fifth generation descendant of the original Breguet watchmaker, Abbraham Louis Breguet, was Louis Breguet who used his technical genius to manfacture airplanes. He was one of the original founders of Air France. The Breguet XIX made history in 1922 when it made the first non-stop flight from Paris to New York in 37 hours.

The Breguet Type XX was originally equipped with a 30 minute recorder, a flyback function and a straight-line lever escapement. Today it has evolved to include a 30 minute and a 12 hour totalizer, and a graduated rotating bezel. Breguet has also expanded production to include a titanium version as well as the original stainless steel. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Type XX the Type XXI was introduced. The Type XX had a slightly smaller 39mm case while the Type XXI is 42mm. The Type XXI also includes a flyback minute totalizer and a 24 hour time display and a stunning 18k pink gold version is available.

A Brief History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Since the company's start in 1875 Audemars Piguet has stood among the best, with its early development of the 8-ligne minute repeater and its 1960's record breaking thin movement. But it is the Royal Oak that has become AP's most renowned watch. It was designed in 1972 by Gerald Genta, who's well-known skill has been used to create masterpieces for many other high end brands such as Patek Philippe, Omega, and IWC. The Royal Oak was a surprise success, carving out its niche as a luxury sports watch.

The Royal Oak got its name from three of Britain's Royal Navy's warships that sailed between 1802 and 1939. Its relationship to ships can be seen in the porthole shaped bezel, and its sporty design. In 1993 Audemars Piguet introduced the sturdier Royal Oak, the Offshore designed for the more extreme sports. The Offshore has raised the lines success to new levels. In 2003 the brand saw some of its greatest success when it sponsored the swiss racing yacht the Alinghi in the America's Cup race. Soon after AP released the Royal Oak City of Sails Chronograph to mark the success of Team Alinghi. Since then AP has also become involved in formula one racing and in 2004 honored juan pablo montoya with a limited edition piece followed in 2006 with a watch honoring Rueben Barrichello.

With the brands new success they have branched out in the world. Recently, several other limited edtion pieces have been created to honor the opening of boutique stores around the world, such as the Royal Oak Offshore Rue St-Honoré Limited Edition series of 100 . The Paris edition is a beautiful watch on a White Hornback crocodile strap with red, white and blue seams and stainless-steel AP folding clasp. The Royal Oak Offshore Ginza Limited Edition of 200 was created to celebrate the opening of the AP Boutique in the Ginza district of Tokyo, Japan.

Guide to Buying a Pre-owned Timepiece

If you are considering purchasing a pre-owned timepiece, it is important to follow a few simple steps to insure you are buying the best product possible. Knowing what to look for in a pre-owned piece could keep you from wasting your hard earned money on a malfunctioning or unusable wristwatch or even worse a replica!

Here are a few things to consider when shopping for a used watch:

Does the watch come with the original box and paper?
Having the original box and papers with the watch can add to the watches value and in turn will add to how much you will be paying for the watch. It is always best to look for timepieces with original box and papers. It will be easier for you to sell it  should you choose later on, and it also lessens the risk that you will end up with a replica.

Does the seller provide a warranty for the watch?
While a pre-owned watch in most cases will not have a current manufacturer’s warranty, any good watch dealer should provide some kind of warranty on the pre-owned timepieces the sell. Pay close attention to the lengths and terms of the warranty, it is best  to get a full-coverage warranty.

Is the watch guaranteed authentic?
The number of replicas being passed off as the real thing is enormous, especially online! Make sure that you have done your research on the watch dealer you plan to buy from. Do they guarantee the products they sell to be genuine? It is a good idea to check out the Better  Business Bureau website and read up on the company before you purchase.

Has the watch been serviced recently?
Some pre-owned pieces are still relatively new, so this point may not be as important. But for older watches, find out if the watch has been serviced recently and what, if anything was done to the watch.

What is the condition of the watch?
A watches condition is rated using the following terminology:

• New old stock - An older watch that has never been worn. 
• Mint - Worn but shows very little wear.
• Near mint - Worn but shows some minor wear.
• Excellent - Shows slight normal wear.
• Very good - Shows normal wear. 
• Good/Average - Shows heavier than average wear.
• Fair/Below Average - Some damage or other serious problems.