Finest Watches Blog

Bell & Ross BR Instrument Grand Minuteur

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:33:14 -0500

Bell & Ross has had great success in its 16 years as a company, but its biggest success has been with their Instrument watches launched in 2005. This year Bell & Ross introduced the BR Instrument Grand Minuteur, a 10-hour monopusher chronograph with flyback. The Grand Minuteur features one of a kind functions, an hour counter connected to a large counter, a timer that measures short times and an additional flyback function that launches a new measurement almost immediately. The dial was created with pilots in mind, with the large flyback chronograph display for easy readability. The extra-large case is 44mm x 50mm but is kept relatively light by using an angled rib structure and a Diamond Like Carbon finishing coat.

A tourbillon version of the Minuteur was also released this year. The BR Instrument Minuteur Tourbillon has a very similar design to the Grand Minuteur, but the chronograph and the time display have been switched and the power reserve and small seconds hand have been moved so the tourbillon would fit on the dial. The case is the same extra large diameter but is made from satin-polished pink gold. Both watches are water resistant to 100 meters and are available on either an alligator or a rubber straps.

Ulysse Nardin Sonata Silicium Limited Edition

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:38:29 -0500

Horology moves leaps and bounds forward as new materials continue to help the industry evolve. With one of its newest creations, the Sonata Silicium, Ulysse Nardin makes use of silicium in both the appearance and movement of the watch. This limited edition watch is produced to 500 pieces in each 18 carat white and rose gold. Silicium, as it is not magnetic, is the ideal material for use in watch making. It is an extremely hard material at 1100 Vickers, which is 400 Vickers harder than steel. In addition it has a high resistance to corrosion. It is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon and does not occur free in nature.

The Sonata Silicium's dial is cut out of a silicium wafer and the color untreated. There are three subdials, two white and one grey and the hands on the watch are blue and bright yellow. The case is 42mm and made from 18k white or rose gold and has a sapphire crystal case-back. The Automatic Ulysse Nardin Caliber UN-67 movement runs with a 28’800 A/h oscillator and an anchor escapement etched out of silicium. Both the anchor and escapement wheel are manufactured of silicium. The technical movement is similar to the the Sonata Cathedral Dual Time and includes the novel alarm setting with a countdown indicator.

The New Panerai Tourbillon Watches

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:26:21 -0500

It was just last year that Panerai introduced the P.2005 Tourbillon GMT movement in its PAM00276 model. Though many thought the addition of a tourbillon model was a somewhat strange step for the sport-watch focused company, they have now proven themselves capable of achieving this substantial technical challenge. Now, with the success of its release Panerai gives us three new tourbillon models - the PAM00306 a Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT in titanium or steel, the PAM00315 Radiomir Titanium Tourbillon GMT, and the PAM00316 which is the Platinum version of the PAM00315. Panerai's tourbillon movement has some very distinctive features, the first being its unusual perpendicular position inside the case. The second, the rate at which the cage moves is twice that of most tourbillon movements completing two revolutions per minute. The tourbillon itself is only visible through the sapphire crystal on the back of the case. The only evidence of the tourbillon on the dial is a small blue dot within the seconds subdial which rotates every 30 seconds.

The PAM00306 has 47mm brushed steel or brushed titanium case with a polished bezel and a 2mm thick see-through sapphire crystal case-back. Its hand-wound mechanical movement, Panerai Calibre P.2005, has a 6 day power reserve. It features hours, minutes, seconds, second time zone, power reserve indicator on the back, 24 hour indicator, and of course Tourbillon. It comes on an alligator strap with a brushed large-size buckle and is Water resistant to 100 meters.

The PAM00315 and the PAM00316 have a 48mm brushed titanium or platinum case with removable wire loop strap attachments. The bezel is polished titanium or platinum and has a see-through sapphire crystal case-back. The hand wound movement, Panerai Calibre P.2005, features three spring barrels and 31 jewels. The functions of the watch are hours, minutes, seconds, second time zone, power reserve indicator on the back, 24 hour indicator, and Tourbillon. It comes on an alligator strap with a large-size brushed titanium buckle or white gold buckle. It is Water resistant to 100 metres.

Palladium - The Future of Fine Watches

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:09:59 -0500

First discovered in 1803 it has taken many years and several breakthroughs to reach the point that Palladium is today. Until very recently palladium alloys were too soft to meet the standards to be used for watch cases. But all that changed when the 950 palladium alloy was developed by Johnson Matthey, a world leader in advanced materials technology. The new palladium 950 alloy is a lightweight and durable option for watchmakers. It is lighter weight than gold with a greater wear resistance, though they are similar in malleability. It is harder metal than platinum and is less likely to scratch. And while it is thirty times more rare than gold its value is less than half per troy ounce. It is so rare in fact that it is one of the ten rarest elements in the earths crust.

Palladium has been made into jewelry since 1939 and has been used in watch springs for sometime now. The development of the Palladium 950 alloy and its subsequent use by watchmakers is perfect timing for the great increase in popularity of the white metals. It is now being used by such brands as Cartier, Chopard and Ulysse Nardin and has been used in several of their limited edition releases. As the public becomes increasingly aware of Palladium, other big brands are sure to follow the lead of companies like Cartier and begin incorporating this metal into their collections.

The New Cartier King Size Chronograph Pasha Seatimer

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:48:10 -0500

The New King Sized Chronograph Pasha Seatimer is an interesting addition to Cartier's Seatimer Collection. The dial design is unique to anything else they currently have in their collection. Instead of the standard circle chronograph dial design, the counters are set in a three oval pattern one of which is a slightly smaller oval counter at 6 o'clock. Where the non-chronograph Seatimer in my opinion is a very good looking sporty watch, the new chronograph version seems almost like two separate watches mixed together. The dial seems a bit out of place to me, but perhaps it will grow on me in time as many new designs have before.

The new Seatimer has a mechanical movement with automatic winding Cartier calibre 8630, which is the thinnest automatic movement in the world. The dial comes in black or white and displays hours, minutes, seconds and chronograph functions as well as date in a small window between 4 and 5 o'clock. The watch is protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. It has a unidirectional rotating bezel in steel or 18k rose/yellow gold with engraved Arabic numerals. The larger king-size case is 42.5 mm, which is 2mm larger than the standard Seatimer case. It is water-resistant to 100 meters.

The bracelet for the Stainless steel version of the Chronograph Pasha Seatimer is made from steel encased in black rubber, or an all steel bracelet both of which have a steel security clasp. The gold versions have an 18k gold bracelet with black central links and a 18k gold triple safety deployant buckle.

The New Vacheron Constatine Quai De I'ile Line

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:56:39 -0500

Vacheron Constantine's new line, Quai De I'ile, was named after the brand's Geneva address where they have run their business since the 19th century. The watches feature semi-transparent dials and the latest security printing technologies. These new watches are using two new unique movements from Vacheron, the calibre 2460QH and the 2475SC/1 both of which are stamped with the Geneva Hallmark.

The new Quai De I'ile line will have two models, the Date Self-Winding and the Day-Date with Power Reserve Self-Winding. Both of the new models will be available in three different versions, Palladium, Pink Gold and Titanium. Each watch in the Quai De I'ile Day-Date with Power Reserve Self-Winding can be personalized to one of almost 400 possible combinations. Each watch will come with two straps, one in black or brown saddle-finish gator leather and the other in dark-brown or black vulcanised rubber.

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.