Finest Watches Blog

Panerai Luminor Chrono Daylight 44mm Titanium PAM00327

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:52:30 -0600

Its that time of year again! The time of year we start hearing about what's set to be released at next years SIHH. Looks like Panerai will be introducing the Luminor Chrono Daylight 44mm in Titanium. The new PAM00327 will still be very recognizable as a Luminor but will introduce several new technical features. In addition to the hour and minute indication, the watch will now include a chronograph with date. The traditional steel case has been replaced with titanium, increasing the case hardness and durability while being extremely light. The new Luminor will have a grade 5 alloy which is hypo-allergenic and resistant to temperature and corrosion. Particularly notable is the gorgeous blue dial, in place of the traditional black dial on the Luminor Chrono Daylight.

The titanium case is 44 mm in diameter and has two push-pieces which control the chronograph and a brushed titanium bezel with edges in polished titanium, which has the engraved numbers of the tachymeter scale. The markers and numerals on the blue dial are luminous as well as the hour, minute, and small hands. The bracelet is brushed titanium with a polished finish at the points of contact between the links. The watch features an automatic movement, the Panerai OP XII calibre of 13¼ lignes, and has 27 jewels with decorated oscillating weight and bridges. It is water resistant to 100 meters.font>

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Survivor Limited Edition

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:57:48 -0600

Audemars Piguet has put together quite an impressive mini site dedicated their new limited edition watch to be released to the public early next year. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Survivor is an impressive looking addition to the Royal Oak collection and features a unique set of hollowed push-piece guards that add to the already massive case size. The design is instantly recognizable as that of a Royal Oak but taken to the extreme. The Survivor was created to have excellent readability, functionality and precision to account for the most extreme of circumstances. It is composed of ultra-light yet high-resistance materials that will adjust to the body temperature of its wearer.

The high-tech case has a diameter of 42 mm and a thickness 1.565 mm, it is made of blackened titanium and features an anti-magnetic system. The perforated bezel made partially of titanium and partially of ceramics. The medallion back is made from blackened titanium and is engraved with the inscription Royal Oak Offshore Survivor – Limited Edition. The case has a water resistance of meters. The matt black dial has an exclusive “Mega Tapisserie” guilloché motif with luminescent open-worked hour and minute hands and luminescent applied hour-markers. The strap is made from vulcanized rubber and has a checkered design , the over sized buckle is also made from blackened titanium.

The movement for the Survivor is the Calibre 3126/3840 is self-winding and has the diameter of 26 mm and a thickness of 7.16 mm. It has 365 parts and 59 jewels with a power reserve of up to 60-hour and a three-position winding crown. All the finishing on the parts has been decorated by hand. The watch displays hours, minutes, small seconds and date as well as a chronograph with central sweep seconds hand, 30-minute and 12-hour counters. There is also a Tachometric scale around the flange. The reference number for the Survivor is 26165IO.OO.A002CA.01 and it will be produced in a limited series of 1000.

Bulgari Assioma Reserve de Marche

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:53:46 -0600

Of all the luxury watch brands Bulgari is the one who's sophisticated style and unique class never fails to impress me. Their designs are simple, elegant, and precisely executed best of with only the best of materials. After all the over the top creations I've seen lately it was refreshing to say the least to come across the latest addition to Bulgari's Assioma watch collection, the Reserve de Marche, a watch that indeed has the distinctive Assioma style.

While the Reserve de Marche's design is simple at first glance, on a closer inspection of the watch you see the time spent on the smallest detail. The 18 carat gold case is adorned with a beautiful hobnail pattern on both sides of the case and the black dial has a sunburst guilloche pattern. The case shape is the brands Assioma style, a signature of the house of Bulgari. The strap is in alligator leather and has an 18 carat gold buckle. Beauty as they say is not only "skin deep" for the Reserve de Marche, it is equipped with a sophisticated ultra-thin manual winding movement that is only 2.8mm in height. The manually wound movement features a power reserve complication which indicates the state of mainspring tension.

Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art Tribute to Great Explorers

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:12:15 -0500

Vacheron Constantin has added two new timepieces to their collection, created to pay tribute to two of histories greatest explorers - Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus. The Metiers d'Art Tribute to Great Explorers are entirely hand-crafted and are to be produced in a limited series of sixty pieces of each design. The most impressive aspect of the Tribute to Great Explorers watches are the beautiful dials, created by employing the art of 'grand feu' enameling. The two dials represent Marco Polo's journey from 1271 to 1295 across Central Asia and Christopher Columbus's journey from 1492 to 1493 from Huelva to San Salvador and his discovery of America.

The references for these models are 47070/000J-9085 for the Christopher Columbus inspired watch and 47070/000J-9086 for the Marco Polo inspired watch. Both cases are 18 carat yellow gold and have a diameter of 40 mm and 12.21 mm thick. The dials are 22-carat gold two-part base with a polychrome “Grand feu” enameled decoration. They have a 1126 AT movement that is self-winding and has an additional mobile hour display with a power reserve of approximately 40 hours. The straps are hand-sewn square-scale brown alligator leather and have a folding clasp buckle in 18-carat yellow gold with the standard vacheron polished half Maltese cross. The water resistance to 30 meters.

JEAN DUNAND Pieces Uniques Releases the Shabaka

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:13:10 -0500

Buzz for this watch began in early 2007, now the Jean Dunand Shabaka is ready for release. To me, it looks both retro and futuristic - with its unusually dial layout and its perpetual calendar displayed on rollers, this is truly a unique watch. But the impressive nature of the Shabaka does not end with its unconventional design, the many complications of the Shabaka are considered a great feat of micro-engineering complexity.

JEAN DUNAND Pièces Uniques was founded in part by the leading inventor of complicated movements for the most prestigious brands, watchmaker Christophe Claret. He now designs and produces movements for more than 15 luxury brands. Among Claret’s most well known complications are his tourbillon, chiming and carillon watches with double-length cathedral gongs, and his water-resistant minute-repeaters. Now with JEAN DUNAND he is able to demonstrate the full extent of his talents. The Shabaka watch is the third project for JEAN DUNAND the first being the Tourbillon Orbital and the second a Grand Complication wristwatch with 12 fully integrated complications.

The Shabaka is produced as a limited edition watch, which is rumored to be about 30 pieces in each metal. The case is made in 18 carat white or red gold with the dimensions, 44 mm x 17.65 mm. The watch features calibre CLA88QPRM movement with a minute-repeater on cathedral gongs as well as an instantaneous perpetual calendar. The movement has 721 parts which includes 54 jewels, and has a power reserve of approximately 45 hours. The dial indications include minute and hour hands, day date and months on cylinders, leap-year cycle and moon-phase. The unusual date display is at 12 o'clock with the two digits are on separate cylinders, the day and month display are on cylinders at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. The Shabaka is water resistant to 30 meters.

Vacheron Constantin Les Masques Collection 2008

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:58:45 -0500

Vacheron Constantin has introduced the next in the series of "Les Masques" timepieces, part of Vacheron's Metiers d'Art watch collection. The first set, introduced in 2007, bore miniature reproductions inspired by primitive arts masks from China, Alaska, the Congo and Indonesia. The miniature masks were created by scanning the originals to get a three-dimensional image, then a prototype was given to an engraver who meticulously carved the masks to replicate the exact look of these ancient artifacts. This year Vacheron set out to outdo the beauty and attention to detail of last years models with four more exquiste reproductions, this time inspire by masks from Mexico, Japan, Gabon, and Papua New Guinea.

Beginning in 2007 Vacheron Constantin planned to release the Les Masques collection as sets of four watches, one set released each year in a limited edition of 25 for 3 years. This years release is the second in the series that has been meet with much excitement. The timepieces were inspired from artwork found in the Barbier-Mueller collection - a collection of over 7,000 pieces which includes artwork from tribal, classical and other primitive civilizations from around the globe. When all the watches have been released, the collection will consist of twelve watches each with a different mask with representatives from the continents of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania.

Each of the four watches to a set is produced from a different metal - yellow gold, white gold, pink gold and platinum. The miniature masks appear upon a transparent sapphire crystal, and each watch is engraved with a poem by French writer Michel Butor. For the 2008 models the engravers were pushed to outdo themselves and spent countless hours to ensure that the smallest detail on each mask was represented on the miniature reproductions. Particular attention was paid to the original material of the masks. When copying the clay based Mexico mask, extra time was spent to ensure that the rough aspect of the pottery's surface was reproduced.

The 2008 Japan Mask was inspired from a ritual Buddha mask from the second half of 19th century. The original mask was made of lacquered wood with gilded and blue pigments. This mask is set on a yellow gold watch case with a blue dial. The Mexico Mask was inspired from a fragment of a mask-shaped censer from the Mayan civilisation of 550-950 AD. The fragment is ceramic and the piece is actually believed to be part of a decorated chimney. The case for the watch is made from pink gold. The Gabon Mask is a Pibibuze mask made by the Kwélé people. It is made from polychrome semi-hard wood and has an aged patina. The actual time of this masks creation is unknown though it was aquired before 1930. The case for this watch is made from white gold. The final mask is the Papua New Guinea Mask created from wood, pigments, and Conus sp. shells. This beautiful red mask is set on a grey dial, the case of the watch is platinum.

Chopard L.U.C Tech Strike One Limited Edition Watch

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:59:22 -0500

Chopard has introduced an impressive new addition to its collection, the L.U.C Tech Strike One Limited Edition. This Limited Edition L.U.C Strike One is part of the new L.U.C Tech line created as a more contemporary exploration of Chopard’s L.U.C collection. The watch features the "en passant" hour strike complication which was first introduced in the original Chopard L.U.C Strike One watch. This limited production contains the same complication that inspired the Strike One's name, seen through the tiny window at the top of the dial where the striking mechanism and the hammer are visible. But this design goes a step further opening up the dial to show more of the intricate movement.

The case is made from titanium with a transparent case-back and has a diameter of 40.50 mm and a thickness of 10.88 mm, the crown and striking push-piece are also made from titanium. The sapphire crystal is scratch-resistant and glare proofed. The watch has a mechanical, self-winding L.U.C 96 SHT Chronometer COSC certified movement that has 33 jewels, two stacked barrels - L.U.C "Twin"® technology, and 22ct gold oscillating weight. The dial displays central hour and minute hands, small seconds at 6 o'clock, and a date display at 3 o’clock. The watch sits on a hand-sewn black alligator leather strap with a steel buckle. The limited numbered edition of 100 has a power reserve 65 hours and is water-resistant to 30 meters.

Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel Chronograph

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:12:08 -0500

Breitling has jumped on the black case bandwagon, and I think that they have created a very nice looking timepiece. The newest addition to the Super Avenger collection is the Breitling Super Avenger Blacksteel Chronograph. A limited edition piece with a production number of 3000. The new black surface is accomplished by treating the large 48mm stainless steel case with a highly durable carbon nitride. The dial and sub-dials on the Blacksteel are also black and have the nice contrasting white hands and hour markers as well as red accents on the hands and for the tachymeter markers. The Blacksteel bezel is unidirectional rotating and has has a luminous dot for insured visibility. The dial is protected by a domed sapphire crystal, has a large screw-down crown and a screw-locked case-back which insures the 300 meters of water resistance. The strap is the traditional Brietling rubber strap which has a tang buckle with the same black carbon nitride treatment. The Super Avenger Blacksteel Chronograph features the Breitling Caliber 13 movement, which has a date display, subsidiary seconds and chronograph complication. The power reserve for the watch is 42 hours.

The Hublot Project F Bang Big Bang Chronograph

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:02:10 -0500

Like Audemars Piguet and the recent introduction of their Royal Oak Offshore Singapore Grand Prix Chronograph, Hublot has created a watch with a split-seconds chronograph that pays tribute to Singapore's Formula One racing event. The watch, the Hublot Project F Bang Big Bang Chronograph, will also benefit the Make A Wish Foundation who's aim is to help children suffering from life-threatening illnesses to realize their dreams. The charity donation is a joint effort between Hublot and the exclusive distributor of Hublot watches in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia - The Hour Glass. The Hour Glass has pledged 5% of the retail price for every F-Bang Hublot sold in its Singapore and Malaysia locations.

The Hublot Project F Bang was created with the intention of launching during the inaugural Sinagapore F1 Race. The watch is a world first, featuring a Split Second-Hand Chronograph with a left hand crown and pushers. It has a 44.5 mm all black ceramic case with red kevlar accents on the sides of the case, and the pushers and crown are black with red kevlar. The bezel is made from black ceramic and the dial is an all black design with the exception of the red 12 at the top of the dial and the split second hand which is red and white. The case is on a rubber strap and has a black PVD-coated steel deployant buckle. The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters, and will be available in a limited edition of 100 pieces.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:22:25 -0500

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon, reference 26265FO.OO.D002CR.01, is a truly amazing watch. It has a forged carbon case as well as a forged carbon movement, which makes the watch unusually light weight. The two combined is a first for Audemars Piguet. It has the exclusive hand-wound Audemars Piguet Calibre 2895 movement which is composed of 384 parts and includes a chronograph. The time and ingenuity that went into making the watch does not come cheap, msrp for the Carbon Concept Tourbillon is $251,100 USD.

The forged carbon case is 44 mm by 15.85 mm thick and has a case-back ring in black PVD-coated titanium. It also has a ceramic bezel and is water resistant to 100 meters. The hand-wound with tourbillon Calibre 2895 movement is 33.80 mm by 12.01 mm thick, it has 34 jewels and a power reserve of 237 hours. The display of the watch is integrated onto the movement and the face has a graduated dial ring with luminescent hour-markers and white minute markers. The strap is hand-sewn alligator leather that has a Audemars Piguet folding clasp made of titanium.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Singapore Grand Prix Chronograph

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:26:25 -0500

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Singapore Grand Prix Chronograph was created to commemorate the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix. It will be the first F1 race held in that country as well as the only nighttime F1 event ever. The forged carbon used for the case was inspired by Formula 1 cars. This limited edition watch will have only 250 numbered pieces.

The Singapore Grand Prix Chronograph watch uses several unique materials. The central section of the case is wrought from forged carbon which has been used previously by Audemars Piguet before in watches such as the Team Alinghi Forged Carbon and Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon watch. The material is not only functional, but is lightweight and extremely hard. The carbon's look is altered by machining the surface creating a unique appearance that catches light producing a beautiful effect. The black carbon case middle is accented by stricking red chronograph push-pieces and a red rubber-molded crown. The look is pulled together with the perforated black leather strap with red stitching and a stainless steel folding clasp in the shape of the Audemars Piguet initials. The caseback is engraved with the Grand Prix logo as well as the words - Royal Oak Offshore Limited Edition Singapore GP 2008.

The watch features a self-winding Audemars Piguet Calibre 3126/3840 movement comprised of 365 components and has a power reserve up to 60 hours. The barrel spring improves rating precision by supplying constant force for a longer period of time. All parts are hand-decorated, mainplate rhodium-plated - beveled and circular grained and bridges adorned with "côtes de Genève" motif. The reference number for the Grand Prix is 26190OS.OO.D003CU.01.

Audemars Piguet Millenary Watch with Deadbeat Seconds

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:19:09 -0500

The Audemars Piguet Millenary Watch with Deadbeat Seconds is an exquisite timepiece inside and out. Featuring a mechanism inspired by a late 18th century creation by Robin, the brand-new system combines the high efficiency of a direct-impulse escapement with the reliability of a Swiss lever escapement. The movement requires no lubrication, something that had not yet been achieved without relying on the use of new materials like silicon. This breakthrough was first presented in the world-first Cabinet N° 5 watch in the Tradition d’ Excellence collection in 2006. Now the magic is unveiled in the beautiful new Millenary Watch.

The high efficiency of the watch is thanks to the distinctive geometry of the Audemars Piguet escapement, because it does not require any lubrication it can avoid the regular maintenance that clogging from the accumulation of grease can cause. Direct impulse on the balance and the detached single-beat escapement decreases disturbances and promotes extremely high efficiency. The movement also has excellent shock-resistance which protects the watch from tripping or overbanking. The escapement platform has been turned around so the escapement is visible from the dial side of the watch, and the plate has been hollowed to reveal the mechanism. The Calibre 2905 movement features two balance-springs placed one on top of the other at a 180° angle. The deadbeat seconds are an independent display which jumps once a second without disturbing the running of the watch. This is most often found in the famous Audemars Piguet pocket chronographs but has been miniaturized to wristwatch size. The Calibre 2905 hand-wound movement is an oval-shaped movement comprised of 233 parts.

The elegant pink gold oval Millenary case has a brushed middle and a polished bezel with an entirely open dial and off center displays. All components are entirely hand-finished which includes bevelling and rhodium-plating. The sapphire crystal case-back shows the twin barrels rotating and the three-point screw and circle layout which is repeated in the centre of the barrel. The case is on a hand-sewn alligator leather strap and fitted with a pink gold folding clasp.

Ulysse Nardin Freak -From Tourbillon to DIAMonSIL to Blue Phantom

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:36:47 -0500

The first Ulysse Nardin Freak was released in 2001, it included a 7 day-tourbillon-carrousel which went on to win the Chronos Innovation Prize for that year. This unusual watch had no hands or crown, and the constantly revolving movement gave the indications for time. The hour indicator is located on the mainspring barrel and the lithe escapement bridge acts as the minute indicator. The name FREAK started out as a secret code name for the project, in the end the name stuck as the watch was such a departure from conventional watch-making. The innovation also included the all new Dual Direct escapement developed by Ludwig Oechslin. The development of the FREAK pioneered the use of silicium and showcased the unique abilities of silicium for the production of their escapement wheels.

In 2007 Ulysse Nardin took the Freak a step further with the launch the Freak DIAMonSIL which included a new patented Dual Ulysse Escapement made out of diamond and silicium. This time Ulysse Nardin used diamonds in the development of the new Freak with the goal of increasing the maximum life span and protecting the mechanism against external stress. Advancements in technology have allowed for alloying the silicium with diamond. Making the freak the first timepiece with a synthetic nanocrystal diamond escapement grown on a silicium raw part. The Freak DIAMonSIL has a retail price of $128,000 and is produced in the limited number of only 28 pieces.

2008 brought another member to the Freak family, the Freak DIAMonSIL. Crafted in 18k White Gold with the bridges and metal parts treated with a stainless blue titanium based alloy. The watch has the Caliber UN-202 Dual Ulysse Escapement movement in silicium with a power reserve of 7 days. This version of the Freak has the recognizable Carrousel Tourbillon which displays hours and minutes.

Patek Philippe Pulsomax Ref. 5450

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:50:52 -0500

This year Patek Philippe has unveiled the Pulsomax Ref. 5450, a new annual calendar watch. This limited edition of 300 platinum watch includes the newest technological development from Patek, the Pulsomax® escapement. It features a trilogy of Silinvar® components which provide a greater degree of accuracy and precision. Because Silinvar® is made from the chemical compound silicon dioxide, also known as silica, it is anti-magnetic and therefore is immune to magnetic influence which has caused disturbances in precision time keeping with steel components. In addition it has 1/3 the mass of steel and it is highly resistant to corrosion. With the combination of Silinvar® against Silinvar® the movement does require lubrication because of the low amount of friction created. All of these advancements means the time between required servicing of the watch is greatly increased. Over the past few years Patek Philippe has been changing the world of mechanical watches, and showing their superiority over other manufacturers with their bold new ideas and technology. The Pulsomax® is bringing watchmaking to a whole new level in the 21st century.

What is a Grand Complication Wristwatch?

nospam@example.com (Finest Watches) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:31:23 -0500

There has yet to be an official definition of what classifies a timepiece as a Grand Complication, there is however an understanding among watchmakers and watch connoisseur alike that a watch must meet certain guidelines to acquire this grand title. One could be safe to assume that a Grand Complication timepiece will always contains at least three complications, and one of those will undoubtedly be a Perpetual Calendar, a Tourbillon, or the Minute Repeater.

The first of these complications, the perpetual calendar, is a mechanism that automatically takes into account the varying number of days in each month as well as leap years - many also contain a moonphase function. Most often, the perpetual calendar is based on the Gregorian calendar which does not need to be corrected for more then a century. The second complication in the "Grand" category is the tourbillon, which was invented to reduce the debilitating effects of gravity on watches, which ultimately lead to inaccurate timekeeping. With a tourbillon, the negative effects of gravity ultimate cancel themselves out. Lastly, the minute repeater is a device that the current time is announced by means of a combination of sounds that represent the hour, quarter hour, and minute. It is arguably the most difficult to construct, and no two sound exactly alike.

A supreme test of a designer's expertise and watchmakers skill is the creation of a Complicated watch. IWC was the first to create a Grand Complication in a pocket watch, it was introduced in 1890 with more than 1300 mechanical parts. 100 years later, they made history again when the created the IWC Grand Complication Wristwatch - a watch still in production today with a limited release of just 50 pieces a year. Patek Philippe has built some of the world's finest examples of complicated timepieces. One recent example, Patek Philippe Reference # 5004 is a split seconds chronograph that is the most complicated model in Patek Philippe's line of stopwatches.