Finest Watches Blog

The AMVOX3 Tourbillon GMT Ref. 193 C4 50

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:00:16 -0500

In the world of fine watches it is definitely the year of the all black design. Jaeger-LeCoultre is no exception introducing the AMVOX3 Tourbillon GMT, a nearly all black design crafted from ceramics. The AMVOX3 is the latest watch born from the partnership between Jaeger and Aston Martin, a famed English manufacturer of luxury performance cars. This partnership began in 2005 with the Amvox I produced in both stainless steel and titanium and continued in 2006 with the creation of the AMVOX 2 produced in Platinum, PVD and Titanium. Jaeger-LeCoultre has crafted the AMVOX 3 from high-tech ceramics which is the first time this material has been used by the company. Using ceramic is a natural step for Jaeger as it is becoming a more an more popular material among luxury watch makers because of its many benefits. It has superior scratch-resistance and is a very hard yet light weight material, a little heavier than titanium but much lighter than steel.

The AMVOX3 uses the mechanical automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 988 movement which is hand-crafted and decorated. It is comprised of 323 parts and has 35 jewels. The automatic tourbillon has a carriage made in grade 5 titanium, beveled, hand-drawn and polished, with a ruthenium treatment. It has an upper tourbillon bridge in 4N gilded metal aluminum, and an automobile design AM/PM indicator bridge in black eloxed aluminium. The black dial features a grid work motif inspired by automobile air inlets and has black luminescent numerals. The dial displays hours, minutes and a 2nd time zone as well as an AM/PM indicator linked to reference time, a tourbillon with seconds indication and a calendar with jumping hand. The watch is water resistant to 50 meters and is limited to 300 pieces.

The Panerai Pre-Vendome Watches

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:56:19 -0500

Panerai got its start in 1860 when Giovanni Panerai began producing precision instruments for use by the Italian Navy in Florence, Italy. But it wasn't until 1993 that Officine Panerai created a series of limited edition models aimed at the civilian market. It is these watches that are often referred to as the Pre-Vendome models. Pre-Vendome refers to the "re-birth period" between 1993 and 1997 before the Vendome company acquired Panerai. The watches produced during these years were numbered limited editions and have quickly become very collectible and hard to find. Prices for these rare watches have been skyrocketing as Panerai collectors try to get their hands on the rare pieces.

The rebirth brought the Luminor, Luminor Marina and the Mare Nostrum chronograph. The Luminor and the Luminor Marina had manual wind movements and 44mm cases made in steel or pvd steel. All the pre-Vendome models came on straps with large bottle opener buckles, with the Mare Nostrum buckles being slighlty smaller than the full-sized ones. Most of the Pre-Vendome watches came in an oak box which is quite different than the boxes used today. The exception being the Slytech watches which came in a very large box. The Slytech was named for the actor Sylvester "Sly" Stallone, a huge fan of the line. These limited edition watches have Stallone's signature engraved on the back and he has worn them in various movies. Inside the boxes were additional straps and papers, including a hand drawn blue-print for each watch.

The Panerai Pre-Vendome Reference numbers are 5218-201/A; 5218-202/A; 5218-203/A; 5218-205/A; 5218-207/A; 5218-209; 5218-210; 5218-301/A; 5218-302; 5218-304; and 5218-218..

The New Cartier Ballon Bleu Tourbillon

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:31:50 -0500

One of the most intriguing watches created by Cartier thus far is the new Ballon Bleu Tourbillon. The Ballon Bleu Tourbillon is Cartier's first that incorporates the brand's new 9452MC tourbillon movement, which bears the Geneva Seal hallmark. The 9452MC movement is mechanical with manual winding, it is comprised of 142 hand-finished parts and 19 jewels and has a power reserve is 50 hours.

The Cartier Ballon Bleu gets its name from the sapphire cabochon crown which is incorporated into its rounded case and this version is no exception. It is crafted from 18K pink gold, and it measures 46mm across which makes it larger than even the Grand Modele Ballon Bleu which is only 42mm in diameter. The watch also features sapphire crystal on the face as well as the transparent case-back of the watch. The dial has a three-dimensional guilloche silvered look with sun-ray open-worked grid. The watch has Roman numeral markers and sword-shaped, blued-steel hands. The tourbillon carriage is positioned in an untraditional way so that appears to float freely above the dial adding to the already impressive design..

A. Lange & Sohne The Cabaret Tourbillon

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:12:55 -0500

With the new A. Lange & Sohne Cabaret Tourbillon comes a groundbreaking development 200 years in the making. The tourbillon was originally invented for improved accuracy but it also created a new problem, it could not be stopped. So while it provided extreme accuracy it could not be set precisely to the second. Finally Lange has solved this problem with the invention of the world's first stop seconds mechanism for a tourbillon. The mechanism for this is activated when the crown is pulled.

The Cabaret was first introduced by Lange in 1997, and may be best known for its unique rectangular shaped case and oversized date. The Cabaret Tourbillon's case is 29.5 x 39.2 x 10.25mm and is made in platinum or pink gold and has sapphire crystal caseback. The dial is solid silver with rhodiumed gold or pink gold hands and has hours, minutes, small seconds, large date and a power-reserve indicator(up to 120 hours) as well as the one-minute tourbillon with patented stop seconds. The movement is a calibre L042.1 which consists of 373 parts, 84 of which are the tourbillon. The watch is on a crocodile strap with Lange deployant buckle in solid platinum or pink gold.

A Brief History of the Ferrari Panerai

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:47:23 -0500

From 1994 and 2004 it was Girard-Perregaux that was partnered with Ferrari in a co-branding agreement. When the contract expired Panerai struck a deal with Ferrari to produce its own line of co-branded watches. Both being Italian companies, the relationship seems destined. The new Ferrari watches were introduced at the Ferrari test track in Maranello Italy, and became available inthe United States in August of 2006. Today there are 23 models divided into two collections, Granturismo and Scuderia as well as Special Editions. The Ferrari collection have design aspects that reflect the design of the cars, such as the prancing horse and the Ferrari logo.

The Grantourismo line is the more elegant of the two designs styles. The FER00001 has the Panerai OP III calibre movement which has an oscillating weight engraved with the Prancing Horse. The case is made from polished steel with brushed edges, it has a winding crown with the Ferrari logo. The black dial black has a square-grid decoration and features the Ferrari logo and Prancing Horse at 12 o’clock. The black alligator strap has white stitching, while the inside of the strap is in red alligator with red sewing.

The Scuderia line is the more sporty of the two. The FER00002 also has the Panerai OP III calibre movement with a power reserve of 42 hours. The case is in polished steel with brushed edges, and has a winding crown with the Ferrari logo. The case-back is also in steel, and has an engraving of the Prancing Horse. It is on a black calf strap with the inside in yellow alligator with yellow sewing. The buckle has been personalised and is adjustable. Each watch has a steel screwdriver and a second interchangeable strap in rubber with the inscription Ferrari.

Since a long term contract has been signed between Ferrari and Panerai there will surely be many years of exceptional watches produced in the Panerai Ferrari line.

A Brief History of the IWC Pilot's Watch

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:23:58 -0500

In the early 1900's aviation was revolutionizing the world, bringing us to new and exciting levels of discovery in the world and technology. The new form of travel brought many new challenges for watchmakers to tackle. With the higher altitudes came a slew of new advances to compensate for the new extreme conditions. Shatterproof glass, a rotating bezel, luminescent features and antimagnetic movement were all developed to offset the effects of this new environment. While IWC was not the only brand to make watches specifically designed for pilots, they have contributed some of the best and most innovative pilots watches to date.

In 1948 IWC introduced what has proven itself to be their most famous watch, the Mark 11, which was produced for almost 40 years. Most notably the watch's 89-calibre movement was the first to have an additional soft iron inner case which shields it from magnetic fields. Today the Pilot's Watch Mark XVI is continuing the tradition of greatness, with protection against magnetic fields and a glass secured against drops in air pressure, the Mark XVI is indeed a reliable companion for the everyday to the most extreme of conditions.

With its introduction in 2002 the IWC Big Pilot has become the new must have pilots watch. It features one of the largest automatic movements in the world, calibre 51111. As its name indicates this is an oversized watch at just over 46mm wide with a height of 15.8mm. It is produced in stainless steel and white gold, recently a rose gold version was released as a limited edition of just 50 pieces.

Two New Twenty-4 Watches From Patek Philippe

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Mon, 26 May 2008 22:21:32 -0500

The ladies Twenty~4 watch from Patek Philippe was first introduced in 1999, it was created to be a contemporary version of the Gondolo ladies model and was insiped by Art Deco design. The collection also includes a line of Twenty~4® rings and earrings that compliment the various designs. They are available in stainless steel, rose gold, yellow gold and white gold. Each Twenty~4 has an onyx or a diamond solitaire on the crown. The two newest addition to Patek's Twenty~4 collecion are the 4910/52G and the 4910/48G, each only produced in 18k white gold.

The first new Twenty~4 is model 4910/48G has a medium case size that is 25 x 30mm and has been set with diamonds in a beautiful Art Deco inspired pattern. It has a total of 500 diamonds with 499 set on the case, dial and bracelet and a single diamond set on the crown. The silvery sunburst dial displays hours and minutes and has diamond-set Roman numeral markers at twelve and six o'clock. The ultra thin Caliber E 15 quartz movement has 6 jewels and 57 individual parts and is marked with the geneva seal hallmark.

The second new addition to the Twenty~4 collection is model 4910/52G also has a medium case size that is 25 x 30mm. The case, dial and bracelet have a custom pave diamond setting which unlike most pave settings uses several sizes of diamonds to create a unique effect. There are a total of 2458 diamonds included in the overall design with 12.65 carats on the case, dial and bracelet and a single 0.05 carat diamond on the crown. The ultra thin Caliber E 15 movement has a diameter of 16.30 mm and is 1.80 mm thick. The battery life is about three years.

New Patek Philippe Joaillerie Nautilus 5713/1G & 5722G

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:51:34 -0500

Patek Philippe has introduced a new Nautilus for its Joaillerie collection. The new white gold model has a 40mm case and is set with 48 round brilliant-cut diamonds. Unlike other white gold nautilus models which have tradionally been on straps, the 5713/1G model has an 18k white gold bracelet. The black-blue shaded dial has gold applied hour markers with luminescent coating and displays hours, minutes, seconds and date. Patek Philippe used their Caliber 324 S C movement, it is comprised of 213 hand-finished components and measures 27mm by 3.30mm. It also features a Gyromax balance wheel, Geneva Seal hallmark, 29 jewels, 45 hour power reserve, and it produces 28,800 vph. The water resistance of this model is rated at 120 meters.

Another new edition to the Joaillerie Nautilus collection is the 5722G, a beautiful complicated Nautlius watch set with 32 baguette diamonds. This complicated timepiece features moonphase, pointer-style date and power reserve indicators. The 40mm case is white gold and has a sapphire crystal caseback. Patek used their caliber 240 PS IRM C LU movement which is stamped with the coveted Geneva Seal. The strap is made from shiny navy blue alligator with square scales that is hand-stitched.

Though Patek Philippe's archives do not indicate which is true, it is thought that the name Nauitlus was inspired by either the vessel in the Disney movie Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea (1954) or the US Navy's first nuclear powered submarine. Designd by well known Gerald Genta, it was first introduced by Patek Philippe in 1976 and was one of the world first sport watches. The Nautilus is easily distinguisable from other Patek models by its trademark rounded octagonal bezel.

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

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:27:34 -0500

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 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

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sat, 03 May 2008 16:17:34 -0500

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

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:18:57 -0500

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

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:04:58 -0500

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.

Anything less than excellent condition, unless it is a very rare or collectible piece, is not an ideal purchase choice. If you are interested in purchasing a watch despite some obvious flaws, there is much a good watchmaker can do to help restore a watch to its original condition. A scratched case can often be restored to near mint condition by having it professionally polished.

New 2008 Hublot Big Bang

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:11:56 -0500

Hublot has expanded its collection yet again this year by branching out its Big Bang collection to include some very colorful additions. Keeping the same design elements that make the Big Bang so recognizable, Hublot has added a bit of flash to its original design. The Big Bang Purple Carat, Blue Carat and Orange Carat are making their debuts in both 18k red gold and black ceramic versions.

The popularity of Hublot’s Big Bang has skyrocketed since it was first released in 2005. Each year the brand has expanded its production to include new materials such as tantalum and magnesium to augment their original design. The “Carat” furthers the evolution of the Big Bang by introducing a flashy new version, achieved by adding baguette shaped gemstones to the bezel and making their signature rubber strap in these new bright colors. Slightly smaller than the original Big Bang case diameter of 44.5mm, the “Carat” has 41mm case and a polished bezel set with topaz, amethysts or sapphires.

The 18k red gold or black ceramic case is 41mm and has a sunken polished bezel set with 48 gemstones (topaz, amethysts or sapphires) approximately 2.23 carats. It has a sapphire crystal with an interior anti-reflection treatment. The dial is white or black with satin finished gold-plated markers. Faceted, diamond polished hands with a white luminescent feature. It has a mechanical chronograph movement with automatic winding, Hublot HUB 41. It has a 42 hour power reserve and is water resistant to 100 meters.

Bell & Ross Phantom Tourbillon Release

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:54:43 -0500

Basel 2008 is the first chance the public had to view some exciting new releases from Bell & Ross. The new Phantom Tourbillon is a stunning watch that is the all black version of the BR 01 Tourbillon that was released by Bell & Ross in early 2007. The Phantom features an all black case and dial, with the most noticable feature being the silver tourbillon that sits above the 6 o'clock position.

The Phantom is a very limited production, with only 18 watches to be produced, far fewer than the 60 pieces made of the original BR 01 Tourbillon. The large 46mm case is made from a virtually scratch-proof DLC treated titanium. The dial is made from carbon fiber and the hands and indexes have been treated with a photo luminescent coating for easy readablility. In addition to the tournillon, the Phantom's complications include a regulator, a precision indicator and a power reserve indicator. It has a mechanical manual winding movement and is water proof to 100 meters.

Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea at Basel 2008

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:46:32 -0500

Rolex is releasing several watches at this year’s Baselworld, but perhaps the most impressive of all is the Sea-Dweller Deepsea. Like its name indicates, this watch is breaking boundaries in water resistance. With the development of a new Ringlock system, a new case architecture developed by Rolex, comes a watch capable of withstanding water pressure up to an astounding 3,900 meters.

The ability to withstand such extreme depth is made possible in part by a high performance ring made of nitrogen alloyed stainless steel. In addition the sapphire crystal on the Deepsea is substantially thicker than that of Rolex’s other Oyster models. The movement is a caliber 3135 and it has a 48 hour power reserve. An adjustable steel bracelet is equipped with a double extension system which is ideal for wearing over dive suits. Its new Glidelock clasp is adjustable up to 18mm by increments of 1.8mm.