Get ready for the new Avenger.

The Avenger, updated and unstoppable. Breitling is meeting the demands of the skies with a redesign centered on sleek aviation detailing, wear-resistant materials, and the addition of the powerhouse Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 to its chronograph models.

Breitling’s ties to flying date back to the 1930s, when third-generation founder Willy Breitling formed the HUIT Aviation Department, dedicated to creating precision aircraft instruments and pilots’ chronographs. Its expertise in the then-emerging field of military aviation carried through into the birth of commercial air travel and beyond, resulting in such renowned timepieces as the Navitimer, the AVI Co-Pilot, the Aerospace, the Emergency, and the Avenger. No other watch brand has a more impressive and enduring link to aviation.

“The Avenger was created to stand up to the relentless conditions of a jet cockpit and to support pilots in demanding aerial maneuvers. Its redesign demanded nothing less,” says Breitling CEO Georges Kern. “This collection pairs all the performance with sophisticated modern aviation style.”

The new range comes in three formats. A 44 mm chronograph, a 44 mm automatic GMT, and a 42 mm automatic. All pieces come with a choice of military leather strap with folding pin buckle or three-row stainless-steel bracelet with micro-adjustable folding clasp. Each has a 300 m water resistance. And whether you can pull off a barrel roll or not, you’ll appreciate their easy-grip functionality and corrosion-resistant construction. Let’s explore the models.

AVENGER B01 CHRONOGRAPH 44 AND NIGHT MISSION

The force behind the new Avenger chronograph is the Breitling Manufacture Caliber 01 that provides approximately 70 hours of power and comes with a five-year-warranty, as well as being a COSC-certified chronometer. To reveal the movement’s precise mechanics, the chronos are equipped with an open sapphire-crystal caseback.

Core models feature a colored dial (blue, green, black, or sand-colored) and rotating 60-minute bezel in stainless steel. Baton indexes streamline the dial, giving prominence to the red-tipped chrono hand. Note the grip pattern on the crown and bezel, and the new square pushers, designed for the smoothest timekeeping operation.

For those looking for an even bolder look, the Avenger Night Mission chronograph—with a vibrant yellow or carbon black dial—has a case and bezel constructed entirely of scratch-resistant ceramic. Its caseback, crown, pushers, and buckle, meanwhile, are crafted in solid titanium, providing the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal. Dial numerals provide superior legibility, particularly on the black dial, made specially out of resilient carbon fiber.

If you picked up on the fact that carbon fiber, titanium, and steel are also the stuff of aircraft design, it’s no coincidence. The Avenger is made to be light and tough, just like the jets they fly in.

AVENGER AUTOMATIC GMT 44

Prized by pilots as well as frequent flyers, a red GMT hand provides at-a-glance reading of Zulu time along a 24-hour rotating bezel. The diameter is equal to that of the chrono, with a more compact profile. The steel-cased Avenger Automatic GMT comes in a choice of black or naval-blue dials, with a military leather strap or three-row stainless-steel bracelet. It’s powered by the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 32 that provides an approximate 42-hour reserve and is backed by a two-year warranty.

AVENGER AUTOMATIC 42

This well-balanced watch has all the robustness of its larger counterparts in a trimmer 42 mm diameter. Constructed in steel, the Avenger Automatic offers a choice of black, naval-blue, or camo-green dial, with the option of a matching military leather strap or three-row stainless-steel bracelet. Its engine is the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 17 automatic three-hand movement, delivering up to 38 hours of power with a two-year warranty.
Catch the Avenger in its just-released campaign on the wrists of Switzerland’s Patrouille Suisse aerobatics team. That’s where you’ll see the performance aviation watch in its element. A new design, ready for action-fueled adventure.

The post Supersonic Strength, Full-Throttle Functionality: The Newly Redesigned Avenger Collection Has Arrived appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

This close bond manifests itself through the Manufacture’s relationship with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, its retail partner based in the United Arab Emirates. The prestigious retailer, founded in 1950, represents over 60 luxury watch and jewellery brands, which it distributes via 51 points of sale. The company has an enviable track record within the region, underpinned with a reputation for delivering high levels of customer service.

It is this knowledge of the local market and the retailer’s desire to engage with the watch collecting community that led to it hosting the inaugural watchmaking showcase, Dubai Watch Week back in 2015. This event has since become a must-attend show for brands, collectors, and retailers alike, with visitors flying in from all around the globe to witness the latest creations the watch industry has to offer. In fact, when the last biennial event was held in 2021, it attracted over 16,000 visitors.

This year, Girard-Perregaux is proud to be participating once again at the Dubai Watch Week, with its own standalone booth for the very first time, offering visitors an immersive insight into the brand’s universe. With a special focus on the two pillar collections: the Laureato and Bridges, attendees will travel through time and discover over 230 years of uninterrupted invention, creativity, and savoir-faire.

Additionally, the Swiss Manufacture will unveil its latest and fifth co-brand timepiece, born from its partnership with Aston Martin. The new sporty model is destined to set pulses racing, as it celebrates performance, beauty, and mechanics. In fact, ever since Girard-Perregaux was announced as the Official Watch Partner of the British car manufacturer in 2021, the two brands were quick to join forces and create a series of exceptional timepieces, each one bearing the name of both marques. At the Dubai Watch Week, visitors will have the opportunity to purchase a newly revealed timepiece before its commercial worldwide availability in December.

The biennial exhibition holds a significant value as both an educational and experiential platform, paving way for brands, collectors, and enthusiasts to learn, discover new pieces, and connect with others who share similar interests.

Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux, comments “We are delighted to be returning to Dubai Watch Week. The team at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons has worked hard over the years and built something special… a fabulous event, playing host to numerous watch brands. It’s an event that brings together individuals from around the globe with a shared passion for watchmaking, however, the success of the exhibition comes as no surprise.”

“We’ve been a long-term partner of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons and are very familiar with its professionalism and the company’s extraordinary eye for detail. We recognise the importance of Dubai Watch Week on the world stage; hence we chose this year’s event to reveal our latest model created in collaboration with Aston Martin,” he added.

Dubai Watch Week 2023 will take place from the 16th of November until the 20th of November.

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The new Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked combines an 18-carat yellow gold case and bracelet with an openworked movement in a matching yellow-gold-toned hue. © Courtesy of Audemars Piguet

A REFINED, DAZZLING LOOK
The Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked model launched in 2022 on the occasion of the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary takes a fresh look this year with its elegant body of 18-carat yellow gold. Keeping with tradition, the 8.1mm-thick timepiece has retained the aesthetic codes of the original model from 1972. Its gold tapering bracelet and 39 mm case are finished with the Manufacture’s graceful alternation of satin brushing and polished chamfers for an infinite play on the light.
The inner bezel and the movement’s openworked bridges are adorned with a yellow-gold-toned hue matching with the case and bracelet. The dial is enriched with discreet polished white gold hour-markers and hands that recall the white gold hexagonal screws securing the bezel onto the case as well as the gear train seen through the movement’s openworked bridges. The movement’s jewels visible on the dial side add a touch of colour.
Lastly, the Audemars Piguet long-form signature has been printed in black on the sapphire crystal.
A CUTTING-EDGE OPENWORKED MOVEMENT
The selfwinding extra-thin Calibre 7124 brings together precision, performance and age-old openworking expertise. This openworked hour and minute movement measuring a mere 2.7 mm in thickness has been specifically conceived and produced by Audemars Piguet engineers and watchmakers, in parallel of Calibre 7121, to fit in the extra-thin 8.1 mm “Jumbo” case without altering its aesthetic and thickness. It beats at a frequency of 4 Hz and has 57 hours of autonomy when not on the wrist. Its large barrel ensures accuracy for a longer period of time. In addition, it is equipped with a slim openworked oscillating weight in yellow-gold plated 22-carat pink gold, mounted on ball bearings that utilises two reversers developed in-house to ensure bidirectional winding. Lastly, inertia blocks have been inserted within the balance wheel to avoid unnecessary friction and enhance performance.
The openworked architecture of Calibre 7124 is highlighted on the dial and caseback sides. Its fine design was achieved by using advanced technology in conjunction with artisans’ manual dexterity and acute attention to detail. The position and geometries of each component were carefully thought of from the get-go to reach a harmonious and well-balanced openworked aesthetic. The preliminary geometries of the mainplate and bridges were cut through computer numerical control (CNC) machining before they were meticulously touched up to reach the desired shape. The different components were then finished with Haute Horlogerie decorations such as traits tirés, snailing and polished chamfers. The movement’s 247 polished V-shaped angles reflect the rigorous savoir-faire of the Manufacture’s artisans.

THE “JUMBO” AND THE ART OF OPENWORKING
Evolving with each decade, the Royal Oak collection has included more than 50 openworked models to date, fitted with different movements and coming in a variety of sizes, materials and styles – the result of numerous decades of passion and expertise passed down across generations.
While openworking made its debut in the Royal Oak collection in 1981 with a pendant version (Model 5710BA), it truly became part of the collection in the 1990s – a decade that witnessed a wide choice of openworked Royal Oak models.
The first openworked “Jumbo” was launched in 1992. This one-of-a-kind model (14811), whose dial was decorated with a finely chased oak motif, was auctioned off to support the new Audemars Piguet Foundation. Several openworked “Jumbo” models equipped with the extra-thin Calibre 2120 were introduced in very small series until the year 2000. While some models were graced with gemset hands (e.g. 14789, 14793 and 14814), others featured highly stylised designs, such as Models 14884 and 12518 (a unique 125th anniversary creation) which included a naval anchor against a background of stormy waves surrounded by ropes.
Openworking returned in the “Jumbo” collection in 2010 with a stainless steel model (15305), this time equipped with selfwinding Calibre 3129 measuring 4.31 mm in thickness. Two years later, the Manufacture launched a new slate grey openworked “Jumbo” limited edition for the Royal Oak’s 40th anniversary, powered by the new Calibre 5122 which was framed in a 950 platinum case. An 18-carat pink gold version was released in 2014.
The Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked made its come back in 2022 for the collection’s 50th anniversary. For the occasion, the Manufacture launched two models offered in a choice of stainless steel and 18-carat pink gold, both equipped with the Manufacture’s brand-new selfwinding openworked movement, the Calibre 7124. The yellow gold version released this year follows in their footsteps with its refined golden aesthetic merging ancestral know-how and cutting-edge techniques.

“Seek beyond.”

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Since 2001, the Freak has been rewriting the rules of conventional high-end watchmaking. On debut, it disrupted the traditional world of Swiss Haute Horlogerie, disposing with aesthetic and technical norms. Here was a watch with no dial, no hands and no crown. And yet it was a mechanical watch, conceived by some of the finest minds watchmaking had ever known. Over the past two decades, the Freak has become a fearless 21st century watchmaking icon, the Millennium’s first collector’s watch and the author of a roadmap to destinations unknown that countless others have since followed. The watchmaking landscape will never be the same again – because of the Freak. The Freak’s story has continued to gather momentum. Further inventions. New materials. Always the unexpected. And then in
2019, Ulysse Nardin broke the conventions of the unconventional Freak by introducing the Freak X. The story? Still no dial. Still no hands. But this time, it did have a crown. An iconoclast to replace an iconoclast?

The Freak X was aimed at a new generation of Freak collectors. Its form was simplified – see the addition of a crown – but it
was still an outlandish expression of analogue watch design. The movement bridges still doubled as the hands, and the movement included advanced developments such as the lightweight silicon balance wheel with nickel flyweights.
The look was distinctly Freakish, but this was different again. This was the easy-going Freak.

HIDE AND FREAK

THE FREAK [X OPS] GOES INTO STEALTH MODE
At Watches and Wonders Shanghai, Ulysse Nardin has taken the Freak X undercover with the Freak [X OPS] – as in, “operations”. Its black DLC titanium case, bezel and crown, khaki green carbon fibre composite flanks and fabric strap convey an adventurous inspiration to the Freak [X OPS]. The innovative material used in the case flanks originally appeared in the Freak X Magma. There, it was a mix of carbon fibre and red, marbled epoxy resin. Here, the mix is with green epoxy resin. In green, it has an easy-going, casual luxury feel to it. Backed up by its fabric strap, it appeals to sporty and adventurous collectors. This is fine watchmaking for life’s mavericks, a design that twists
the principles of traditional horology into a high-concept wristwatch. The Ulysse Nardin backstory is eternally tied to exploration and expertise. In the beginning, the company made trailblazing marine chronometers and supplied some of the world’s leading navies with innovative, high-calibre navigation tools. That same pioneering spirit
lies behind the Freak [X OPS], a watch that captures a passion for finding new worlds and fresh expressions of established ideas. Beating away at the watch’s heart is the UN-230 self-winding movement, a marriage of the bulletproof UN-118 and the high-tech UN-250 that gave the Freak Vision.

TAKE COVER
NO DIAL
Typically, mechanical watches hide their workings under a dial. But the Freak [X OPS] has no dial. Its movement doubles as its minute hand, while the hour hand is a pointer set on a rotating disc that sits under the movement.
NO HANDS

The unconventional Freak [X OPS] has neither a big hand nor a little hand. Instead, its one-hour orbital carousel tourbillon becomes the minute hand, and the hour hand is replaced by a pointer on a rotating disc. A challenging design, but easy to read.
ONE OF A KIND
The Freak [X OPS] has case flanks made of Ulysse Nardin’s ultra-lightweight carbon fibre composite, a material inspired by the irregular patterns of Damascus steel and introduced in 2019. It’s produced by weaving carbon fibre with (in this case) a green epoxy resin, giving it its signature three-dimensional look. No two cases are the same.
HOURS OF DARKNESS
The Freak [X OPS] is powered by UN-230, a self-winding movement with a 72-hour power reserve. The movement’s flying carousel with its silicon balance wheel and escapement are suspended by a bridge that acts as the minute hand; a second bridge serves as the hour hand.
GREEN LIGHT
The hour and minute indicators and hour markers are coated in a matching khaki green Super-LumiNova® that
glows green in low-light conditions. THE FREAK [ X OPS ] IS HIGHLY TECHNICAL

THE ORIGINAL FREAK, A FREAK EVENT

THE FREAK’S ARRIVAL
20 YEARS AGO WAS TONIC FOR ULYSSE NARDIN [ AND SWISS WATCHMAKING ]
By the late 1990s, Swiss watchmaking’s revival was well under way. A number of Swiss entrepreneurs had seized on a fresh cultural zeitgeist that had a newfound respect for the industry’s heritage and quality, and begun the process of rebuilding a sector that in the 1970s and 1980s had been laid to waste by the onslaught of quartz technology from outside the country’s borders. One of the visionaries who saw the undimmed potential in mechanical watches was Rolf Schnyder. Mr Schnyder wanted to take Ulysse Nardin’s legacy and reputation for inventive contemporary wristwatches and revitalise it for new-generation watch lovers. But to do that, he would need a watch that would epitomise and extend the new energy in Swiss watchmaking – and the amped-up ambitions of Ulysse Nardin. What was called for was an upstart design that would shake up a dozy establishment and captivate a new generation of mechanical watch buyers.  Behind the scenes, Mr Schnyder was working with genius watchmaker Dr Ludwig Oechslin on a new kind of watch. It would have no dial, no hands and no crown. Only one name seemed to fit: Freak.
Its launch in 2001 was seismic. Not only were the design and engineering groundbreaking (the time was set by rotating the bezel and it was wound via a device set into the case back), the Freak was also the first Swiss watch with an escapement made of a new watchmaking wonder stuff: silicon. Silicon was light and elastic, frictionless, had high resistance properties, and could be produced to very fine tolerances. Today, the use of silicon in watchmaking is
commonplace, but at the turn of the Millennium, it was revolutionary. The Freak went first. And others followed. Over the past two decades, the Freak has appeared in many further guises and also been used as a testbed for experimental advanced technologies. But at heart it remains what it always was: a freak.

BACK IN TIME

2001
FREAK [2001]
The first Freak of 2001 was a landmark in Swiss high-end watchmaking. As well as having no dial, no hands and no crown, it was also the first mechanical watch in history with silicon escapement wheels. Today, silicon is commonplace in watchmaking – but the Freak was the original pioneer.

2007
FREAK
[DIAMONSIL]
Ulysse Nardin continued to treat the Freak as a testbed for hightech innovations. DIAMonSIL, a patented form of diamond-coated silicon, added further performance benefits. It’s still in use today.

2010
FREAK [DIAVOLO]
A generational shift for the Freak came with the Freak Diavolo. It introduced a second carousel tourbillon. This time it was a ‘flying’ carousel tourbillon, dislocating the movement from the case’s inner edge. The name came from the
power reserve’s red horns, visible through the case back.

2018
FREAK [VISION]
Another step change came with the Freak Vision, the first collection Freak with an automatic winding
system, named Grinder®. It also had an oversized balance wheel with stabilising micro-blades, and a constant power escapement. Three patented innovations were included in the Freak Vision.

IN ITS TWO DECADES OF LIFE, THE FREAK HAS CONSTANTLY RESET THE BOUNDARIES OF WATCH DESIGN AND ENGINEERING. BELOW ARE SOME

OF THE MILESTONE WATCHES THAT DEFINE ITS STORY

2019
FREAK [X]
The original Freak had broken age-old conventions, but across two decades, it had established new ones. Could these
be broken? They had to be. To make a more approachable Freak, Ulysse Nardin’s creators simplified the mechanism and added a winding and setting crown. And a next-generation Freak was born.

2022
FREAK [S]
The Freak is technical, but it’s also playful. The Freak S brought the point home with a carousel movement that looked like “a space vessel with twin reactors.” Behind the aesthetic were two oscillating balance wheels linked to a differential that averaged them out to deliver greater precision.

2023
FREAK [ONE]
The great reset. The Freak ONE was the Freak as it would have been designed and produced in the here and now. So the same principles of no dial, no hands and no crown remained, only wrapped in a black-DLC-coated titanium and rose gold case. It’s regulated by a silicon hairspring and an escapement treated with DIAMonSIL. Freak ONE has a
Grinder® winding system providing 90 hours of power reserve.

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Now Breitling introduces two new additions to the Navitimer collection, in new 36- and 32-mm sizes for people who love the look and feel of a smaller diameter watch. But these showstoppers have so much more to offer than just their trim new sizes. Pops of pastel, mother-of-pearl, and traceable precious materials combine with the Navitimer’s distinct beaded bezel to create timepieces with a jewelry-like appeal—giving the legendary navigational watch a versatile elegance that’s ready for wherever the journey takes you.

The campaign for the Navitimer 36 and 32 stars Academy Award-winning actor Charlize Theron who shares the personal journey that took her from remote South Africa to the international A-list. Theron’s NAVITIMER – FOR THE JOURNEY campaign is part of an intimate series told by Breitling’s brand ambassadors in their own words.
“You can spot someone from across a room and know they are wearing a Navitimer. It’s just that recognizable,” says Breitling CEO Georges Kern. “Charlize Theron so wonderfully represents this line because she too is an icon known the world over for her strength, beauty, talent, and powerful journey.”

All the Look in a Jewelry-like Format: The Navitimer Automatic 36

The 36-mm Navitimer features the beaded bezel and iconic circular slide rule (used by pilots as an analog calculator) that give the Navitimer its unmistakable appearance. But here it comes in a trio of chic metallic dial colors (mint green, silver, and anthracite) with baton indexes, or with a white mother-of-pearl dial set with round-cut “better diamonds”.
Part of Breitling’s mission to do better, these diamonds are lab-grown and traceable to accredited producers who have achieved the SCS-007 Sustainability Rated Diamonds Standard. Similarly, the full-gold version is crafted in “better gold”, traceable to artisanal and small-scale mines that meet the Swiss Better Gold Association’s criteria for social and environmental impact.
All watches in the line that feature better gold, better diamonds, or both, carry the Origins label, a marker of their precious materials’ product integrity.
The Navitimer 36 is powered by the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 17, providing three-hand time and automatic winding.

Flawless Style, Exceptional Accuracy: The Navitimer 32

This dazzling new interpretation of the classic aviation watch forgoes the slide rule in favor of a simplified dial design suited to its slim diameter. Where this small watch packs a big punch is in its mother-of-pearl dials in powdery pink and light-blue—a first for Breitling—along with classic white. As with the larger 36, the 32 features better diamonds across the line and better gold on the full-gold version. They all carry the Origins label.
The power behind this watch comes from the Breitling Caliber 77, a supremely precise SuperQuartz™ movement that, as with all of Breitling’s quartz calibers, has the added distinction of being COSC-certified. It also features a 50-meter (5-bar) water resistance, impressive for a watch this size.
Charlize Theron’s Journey
After 70 years, the Navitimer has transcended being a tool used by pilots to navigate their course. It now stands as a symbol for all those making their personal journeys through life.
Breitling celebrates this significance in the NAVITIMER – FOR THE JOURNEY campaign. It stars the Navitimer Squad, made up of basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, principal dancer Misty Copeland, aviation pioneer Bertrand Piccard—and now, Academy Award winning actor Charlize Theron, the face of the new Navitimer 36 and 32.
Each member of the Navitimer Squad has been on an incredible journey to get to the top of their fields. Using powerful visuals and the Squad Members’ own narration, the campaign gets to the heart of these moving journeys.
“My journey has always been about being up for any challenge,” says Theron. “I travelled from South Africa to Los Angeles when I was quite young and both that physical journey and the journey of being open-minded and ready for new experiences has served me well personally and professionally.”
Breitling
Founded in 1884, Breitling is a leading Swiss watchmaker. The innovative company invented the modern chronograph and pioneered the navigational tool watch. Today, it is still breaking new ground as a casual, inclusive, and sustainable luxury brand with more than 200 industrial-loft-inspired retail locations around the world. Breitling’s collections center around air, land, and sea pursuits, all captured in the brand’s unmistakable modern-retro style. The exceptional quality of every watch movement is confirmed by its status as a COSC-certified chronometer, and the brand remains one of only a handful of independent watchmakers to produce its own manufacture calibers. Today, Breitling is on a mission to do better, by creating beautiful products and experiences with better materials, better manufacturing, better packaging, and end-to-end traceability. Combining classic watchmaking with the latest and most sustainable innovations, Breitling is both a company with history and one that is ahead of its time.

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H. Moser & Cie. orchestrates a captivating visual symphony where light and shadow meet. The flamboyant warmth of the 40 mm-diameter case and hands in red gold contrasts with the endless abyss of a dial in Vantablack®, an ultra-black coating recognised as the darkest substance in the world. Composed of carbon nanostructures, this innovative material was developed for astrophysics and is used in telescopes, as well as by the army to increase the stealth level of certain equipment. When a photon hits Vantablack®, this material absorbs 99.965% of the light. As our eyes need reflected light to perceive what we are looking at, Vantablack® is perceived as the absence of matter, a black hole.

With the Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Vantablack®, H. Moser & Cie. is writing an ode to minimalism. Positioned at 6 o’clock, the one-minute flying tourbillon seems literally to float in the centre of a black hole, with no reflection, and without indices or logo by way of distraction. A marvel of ingenuity, the self-winding HMC 804 calibre which drives this model is equipped with a double hairspring designed and produced inhouse. Thanks to this pair of matched hairsprings, the movement of the point of gravity on each spring when it expands is corrected and the effect of friction reduced, significantly improving accuracy and isochronism in continual pursuit of perfection.

For the Endeavour Centre Seconds Vantablack® model, H. Moser & Cie. has applied the expertise it has acquired through its work with Vantablack® to achieve a technical feat by adding red gold indices to the dial, veritable strokes of light piercing the darkness. At the heart of this creation is the self-winding Manufacture calibre HMC 200. It is equipped with a regulating organ manufactured by Precision Engineering AG, the sister company of H. Moser & Cie. It houses a large, engraved gold oscillating weight and guarantees a minimum power reserve of 3 days.

With these two models, H. Moser & Cie. perfectly combines elegance and tradition with cutting-edge nanotechnology. And it reminds us that, behind a brand, there are first and foremost talented watchmakers and dial-makers, ably demonstrating that a true luxury product is immediately identifiable, even without a visible logo. In doing so, it is bringing luxury craftsmanship and the beauty of savoir-faire – often overshadowed by the marketing behind them – back into the limelight, and proving once again the unexpected power and effectiveness of simplicity.

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Ressence’s oil-filled TYPE 3 welcomes a striking Eucalyptus Green design within its core range.
Forward-thinking, highly legible, and now refreshingly colourful, the TYPE 3 EE appeals at first glance.

The TYPE 3 EE adds a statement colour to a statement watch. With its cool undertones, this soft green hue gives the award-winning TYPE 3 an unconventional feel, evocative of lush forests and outdoor living.

“It wouldn’t be Ressence’s year of colour without introducing a new shade to the TYPE 3 core range” says Benoît Mintiens, Founder of Ressence. “This new Eucalyptus Green TYPE 3 is truly reminiscent of a precious mineral. Holding and wearing a Ressence has never been more akin to experiencing the serene feel of a polished stone’s smooth surface.”

Beyond the new colour, the TYPE 3 EE introduces new details. The hour disc has been graphically simplified with indexes every two hours. Weekend days and oil temperature indications present new pastel tones.

The new Eucalyptus Green watch perfectly complements both the existing TYPE 3 Black and White watches and will be available worldwide from early October 2023, via Ressence’s official retailer network.

First ever oil-filled mechanical watch

When launched in 2013, the TYPE 3 took the watch industry by surprise as the first ever oil-filled mechanical watch. It was awarded the “Horological Revelation” Prize by the prestigious GPHG the same year. Drawing on the inherent qualities of Ressence’s crown-free case design, the edge-to-edge sapphire crystal found on both front and back of the forward-thinking TYPE 3 resembles a perfectly smooth and natural-looking pebble, making it as satisfying in the hand as on the wrist.

Augmented readability

The TYPE 3 engages with physics like no other watch has before. It cancels out the distortion caused by the refraction of light, ensuring exceptional readability from any angle. The explanation lies in its upper chamber, which is flooded with 3.75 ml of oil, creating a magnified projection effect that gives the illusion of information displayed directly on the glass. As a result of this revolutionary technology, the Ressence TYPE 3 provides a crystal-clear display that remains easy to read, regardless of the lighting conditions, even in the dark. This is made possible not only by the oil-filled chamber but also by filling all engraved indications with 100% grade A Super-LumiNova®.

Bellow system

While the oil provides a clear and magnified display, it is also sensitive to temperature variations. To compensate for the oil’s expansion or contraction under varying thermal conditions, Ressence has developed an innovative and state-of-the-art Bellow System. It is a self-equilibrating pressure-balance system that maintains an even pressure and prevents any negative impact on performance. The Bellow System is graphically represented by a temperature gauge on the dial, adding a unique and visually striking element to both the TYPE 3 and the TYPE 5.

Mechanical efficiency

Another benefit of the oil-filled chamber is that all parts of the ROCS are constantly lubricated, resulting in very low friction. The relative weight of the ball bearings is also reduced and in turn reduces the effort the movement has to provide.

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I have been following closely the evolution of the brand over the past few years and their quest to become a legitimate watch brand playing with the big boys league. Of course, it is not simple to cast away the powerful name Louis Vuitton has in the fashion industry and set a new identity in the watch world; however, with the right vision of Jean Arnault , the Marketing and Development Director, Louis Vuitton Watches, with the strong presence of Michel Navas and Enrico Barabasini by his side; they are on the right track.

I had the pleasure to be visit the manufacture of La Fabrique du Temps with the guidance of Michel Navas and touring around the different workshops working on building the beautiful creations we have been witnessing lately.

Bare in mind, this manufacture is now the house for 3 brands with 2 icons coming back in 2023: Daniel Roth and Genta Design.

While discussing the revival of these 2 iconic brands, I was informed that a small dream team will be carved out from the current watchmakers to focus solely on the development of those 2 brands under the leadership of Michel and Enrico!!! I told you!! lot of exciting moments under one roof!

Now back to the Tour; we started our first stop with the designers who are the brains behind the exquisite movements and complications we get to experience every year and we took a close look first at the GPHG award winning Tambour Carpe Diem; and the many challenges the design team had faced to make it possible to achieve such an automata function.

This year, Louis Vuitton released the Tambour Fiery Heart Automata with a smaller size and a much more challenging design to keep all Automata functions operational in a smaller case.

What I really admired in the process of creating such projects is the level of integration and communication between several teams in-house to bring the project to Life. In order to be able to have these pieces produced, the designers need to be aligned with the case makers and the dial designers all at once, to react to any production limitations to achieve the final vision of the brand.

Our next stop was at the case designers – this is a task also completed all in house where there are about 7 steps that the team follows in order to get the right tambour shape, engravings and final specifications produced. We even had the chance to see a block of Sapphire that ways at least 45Kg used to cut the cases that make the Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Sapphire (Green or Yellow or White)

Moving from the case manufacturing into the dial making workshop – this is one of the most important areas at the manufacture!! Louis Vuitton team pays a lot of attention into creating their own dials, experimenting with materials, finishing , colors and all kinds of ideas that sets the manufacture apart from any other Swiss rival.

Most of you might know that making dials usually is outsourced by the majority of watch manufactures; it is not an expertise that is kept in house – but for LV, this is a major steps in the watch making that they would like to keep inhouse under the Fabrique du Temps roof – except of course of Anita Porchet is working on a special piece for them 🙂

The following workshop was one of my favourites – painting and enameling and engraving… basically the artsy people!!!

Luckily they were working on one of my favourite pieces: the WorldTime with hand painting all over the dial; so I got the chance to showcase my painting skills which turned out to be not so bad after all. However, watching each one of the 3 artists working with such small tools and precision makes you appreciate the amount of hours actually spent on each dial to be able to get to the right colouring and finishing required.

I understand when a lot of people are skeptical about the high prices of enamel dials and hand painted pieces; but the only way to really appreciate the difficulty in creating those pieces is to watch them work on them in front of you.

Our final stop in the manufacture was with the watchmaking department and the assembly of the movements, testing and full watch final assembly. The watches assembled were tourbillons, minute repeaters, travel time pieces.. lot of complications and thus lot of expertise in-house. Many of the watchmakers in the department have great experience to be able to assemble a minute Repeater Tourbillon for instance.

What really caught my attention and this is something many of us are probably not aware of , but the level of integration and self sufficiency the manufacture has is admirable. When someone tells you Louis Vuitton is making watches, the first thing you would think is: Yes they have just put their name on an outsourced watch and their involvement was perhaps only on the design phase and the brand DNA… the reality is the complete opposite!!

While I am touring the manufacture and each of the separate departments and workshops; the same thought kept pinging on my mind – this is a very serious manufacture with a long term vision and plan that is here to stay! It’s not just a small subsidiary of a mega Luxury House that is a small fun project the owners are undertaking to feed some passion for Horology.

Finally, you cannot visit the Fabrique du Temps, without having a look at some rare goodies from both Genta and Daniel Roth.

With that I will leave you with some amazing pieces fetched from the archives and blew my mind away.

More coverage of the manufacture is also found on my Instagram account highlights for in tour video footage:

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17912048714725787/

For more information on La Fabrique du Temps,. don’ hesistate to access their site:

https://eu.louisvuitton.com/eng-e1/magazine/articles/la-fabrique-du-temps#

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I had the chance to spend the whole week in Geneva meeting with each brand individually whilst they present their novelties for the year; I must say at first I was very overwhelmed with the amount of watches released and needed to take sometime to step back , absorb all that content and come back to you with my top 10.

It wasn’t an easy task to select them, however, after reviewing the majority of the releases and based on several selection criteria , i have landed on the below 10… to be clear, I based my choices on degree of creativity, innovation in complications, aesthetics and the WOW factor (meaning, when I first saw the piece, did my heartbeat accelerate and I couldn’t wait to hold the watch in my hand?)

1- Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante

I fell in love with this release for the simple fact that it is the first time anyone has ever done a Minute Rattrapante.  The Tonda PF is becoming some sort of an Icon in the past few years and that kind of complications makes it even more desirable than ever. I love the slick design, the smoothness of the pushers and how the movement operates – it is a clear winner for this year.

2-Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph

Talking about WOW factor; this release is a real tribute to the excellence of Reverso ; the skeletonised case back is mesmerising and the shades of blue on the steel edition is perfect. At CHF24,000, this is an absolute must in the collection.

3- MontBlanc Minerva Monopusher Chronograph

Montblanc comes back with an excellent showcase of its watchmaking capabilities with a fully skeletonised movement and one of the most powerful calibre from Minerva manufacture; the chonograph monopusher MB M16.26.  This is a showstopper and frankly what most collectors are seeking in such exhibitions.

4- Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

This year Piaget introduced 3 versions of its Polo Perpetual Calendar and one of them comes in a mesmerising Obsidian dial – first time I see such a stone on a dial and it looks perfect – it has added so much character to the watch and elevated it – I personally admire when brands experiment with new stones on dials , it sets them apart and for Piaget, it really did.

5- Grand Seiko Elegance HANA-IKADA SBGY026

Grand Seiko introduced this year a beautiful rose gold case watch with a ligh pink dial showcasing the cherry blossom trees. I always admire the inspirations that GS team draws from its nature and culture to replicate it into very well crafted dials that always tell a story- this piece is limited to 10o only.

6- Rolex Yacht Master 42 RLX Titanium 226627

This release is not major innovation by itself, however coming from Rolex and using its own Titanium case and bracelet is a huge deal for the crown. We know the final product is a well crafted daily beater to its tiniest details; something Rolex is well known and admired for.

7- Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar 5261R

Although Patek claims this watch is for ladies; I cannot foresee the fact that its size and fit on the wrist is pretty much Unisex in that situation; the dial colors , design and combination with the Rose Gold case and bracelet are a perfect fit. Although the dial might seem busy, i found its architecture well executed and a great watch to look at overall.

8- Cartier Santos-Dumont Micro-Rotor

This is what Cartier stands for me – great slick design, out of the box thinking and a playfulness in material and colors – the three versions of this model are all equally beautiful and the micro-rotor design with the airplane on it is a wonderful touch of design and playfulness the watch needed.

9- Vacheron Constantin Traditionelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date OpenFace

This year; Vacheron is focusing on its Retrograde complications and we couldn’t be more pleased with this new addition. It embodies the true craftsmanship of Vacheron , a great movement and an elegant case design – as a collector; this watch is absolutely ticking all the boxes.

10- F.P Journe FCC

This special watch was first released as a piece unique for the Only Watch Auction and 2 years later , Journe decided to offer it to the public with a different look and feel but same exquisite movement. One of the most intriguing elements of watchmaking is the time display and not many brands experiment in diversifying how we read time ; well this watch is exactly what we are looking for when we think of innovative ways of telling time.

Of course, there are a lot more watches that we admire and love from this year’s releases and there will be many more to come – but for now, these are definitely the top 10 on our wishlist.

The post AWG top 10 Novelties from Watches and Wonders 2023 appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

The Mirage 2represents the pinnacle of the company’s capabilities, and is a limited edition run of 25 or 50 pieces per variant.

The first Mirage Tourbillon was a runaway success, with all pieces sellingout in less than 10 minutes.The Mirage series exudes rarity and class, paying respects to the origins of Zelos, incorporating the spirit of engineering with exotic materials.

It is an accessible Swiss 8 day Skeleton, boasting many features far above its price tier.

Mirage2 Key Features:

Movement: The Mirage2features a customised Manufacture La Joux-Perret skeletonised 8 day twin barrel movement.The twin barrels responsible for the exceptional 8 days power reserve are visible through the sapphire dial and sapphire caseback. These barrels feature a ‘turbine’skeletonization, much like a jet engine.

Sub dials feature a power reserve indication and sub second hand at 6 o’clock. The movement is fully decorated, complete with black PVD main plates and a curved-grain pattern.

Crystals: A standard that you should expect with all Zelos watches,The Mirage features a front sapphire crystal for maximum visibility. The display caseback is also made of sapphire crystal, and both frontand rear crystals have anti-reflective coatings applied to the underside.

The Mirage8 days boasts an incredibly breathtaking “invisible” sapphire crystal dial. This creates a floating effect on the hands, indices,and subdials, which seem to be levitating in the middle of the watch without supports of any kind.

Indices are filled with the highest grade Swiss Superluminova BGW9 for an incredible glow that Zelos has become known for.

Only sapphire crystal dials that have passed Zelos’ rigorous quality checks are used, ensuring the end product is nothing short of perfection.The sapphire dial and the accompanying floating effect it produces is an optical phenomenon, reminiscent of the original Latin meaning of the wordMirage: To Look at, to wonder at.

Case Material

Four case options are available:

Titanium: This case material is exquisitely finished with alternating brushed and sandblasted surfaces, providing depth and complexity. It is sleek and inconspicuous, creating an impeccable monochrome outfit for the wrist.This variant features a full titanium5-link braceleti ncluded in the package. Both the case and bracelet have been hardened to 1200 vickers for scratch resistance, over 5 times harderthan regular titanium.

Zirconium-Ti Damascus:  Zelos was the first watch company to feature a timepiece made fromTitanium  Damascus. Once again, Zelos is the first to produce a full watch case from Zirc/Ti Damascus. Damascus refers to the forging of two separate materials to create a beautiful pattern. Zirconium and Titanium layers are welded, repeatedly folded and forged to obtain a wave-like woodgrain pattern.To obtain its unique colors, each case Is hand-torched by the founder of Zelos. It is extremely lightweight, is non-magnetic, and corrosion resistant. Zirc/Ti forging is a gorgeous fusion of old-world metal working with modern day technology.

There are two colour variants available for The Mirage.The blue Zirc/Ti comprises of stunning blue(Ti) and black(Zirconium), appearing almost iridescent under certain lighting conditions, complementing the rich, deep blacks.This is achieved through a higher temperature.

The yellowZirc/Ti has alternate streaks of dark grey Zirconium and pale bronze Titanium.It exudes a certain flamboyant warmth from a lower heating temperature.

Tantalum: Tantalum is a rare and dense metal commonly used in capacitors or medical applications.It is extremely corrosion resistant and hypoallergenic, with an understated blueish grey hue. Tantalum is rarely used in timepieces and usually priced at a huge premium over steel due to the cost of raw material and the difficulty in machining.

Sapphire: The full Sapphire case of the Mirage is a sight to behold, offering a full view of the skeletonised 8 day movement. Extremely hard and practically scratch proof,it requires diamond tipped cutters and hours of polishing to produce this incredible case.The Mirage Sapphire is a fraction of the price of many other full sapphire timepieces and creates a statement on your wrist.

Pricing:

USD $3,900(Titanium model with bracelet and rubber strap)

USD $4,900 (Zirc/Ti Damascus/Tantalum models)

USD $8,900 (Sapphire model)

Availability and Launch:The Mirage will be available for purchase at www.zeloswatches.com It will be launched on the website on the 10th of June, 11pm Singapore time.

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In 2018, IWC created the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor” in collaboration with instructors based on Naval  Air Station Leemore   in California. Featuring a case made of black ceramic and the iconic TOPGUN patch on the dial, the rugged chronograph is available exclusively for graduates of the Navy Fighter Weapons School.

The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “SFTI”, limited to 1500 pieces, takes inspiration from the acclaimed “Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor“ watch. It follows the tradition of IWC’s TOP GUN watches. It is made with extraordinarily robust materials to withstand the extreme strain that pilots experience in the cockpit of supersonic jets like the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

The large 44-millimeter case is made of black zirconium oxide ceramic. With a Vickers rating second only to that of a diamond, ceramic ranks among the hardest substances on earth. It is extremely scratch-resistant and its stealthy black color is totally anti-reflective. The case back and chronograph pushers are made of Ceratanium®, a recent innovation from IWC’s materials engineers. This new material is as light and durable as titanium but at the same time as similarly hard and scratch-resistant as ceramic. Thanks to the combination of ceramic and Ceratanium®, the chronograph boasts an entirely matte black design. The tactical look is completed by a black dial and black hands coated with luminescence. The small second hand and the tail of the chronograph second hand, which takes the form of a jet, add a touch of red to the instrument-style dial.

Ticking away inside the sturdy case is the IWC- manufactured 69380 calibre. The robust chronograph movement in classic column-wheel design ensures precise timekeeping and the measurement of stopwatch times of up to 12 hours. Another function is a date and weekday display. The sporty timepiece is fitted with a green textile strap.

https://www.iwc.com/en/watch-collections/pilot-watches.html

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At the Watches &Wonders exhibition in Shanghai, IWC Schaffhausen presented the iconic Portugieser Chronograph on a stainless steel bracelet for the first time. Thanks to this new bracelet option, the elegant and sporty chronograph becomes even more versatile and apt for a whole new range of adventures.

The high-quality stainless steel bracelet with a butterfly folding clasp is also available as an accessory for all new models of the Portugieser Chronograph. With the Portugieser Chronograph, IWC established a sportier design expression in the Portugieser family more than 20 years ago.

Thanks to the clear and open dial with the two recessed totalisers at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock, as well as the inner flange printed with a quarter seconds scale, the timelessly modern chronograph has turned into one of the most popular models from Schaffhausen.

Now, the Portugieser Chronograph becomes even more versatile; for the first time, IWC has launched a version of this iconic timepiece with a stainless steel bracelet. The bracelet is beautifully detailed and elaborately finished with polished and satin-finished surfaces. Thanks to the butterfly folding clasp, it sits ergonomically on the wrist and provides excellent wearing comfort.

“Stainless steel is robust and practical for everyday use, but also corrosion-resistant and unaffected by moisture, sweat and seawater splashes. With this new bracelet option, the Portugieser Chronograph becomes the timepiece of choice for even more activities and adventures, and an extremely versatile companion on the wrist,” explains Christoph Grainger Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen.

The new reference with a stainless steel bracelet (Ref. IW371617) features a stainless steel case, a silver plated dial, as well as blue hands and appliques. Ticking away inside is the IWC-manufactured 69355 calibre. The robust and precise chronograph movement in classic column-wheel design is visible through the sapphire glass back. An efficient, bi-directional pawl winding system builds up a power reserve of 46 hours. The new stainless steel bracelet is available as an accessory for all new models of the Portugieser Chronograph (Ref. IW3716).

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The Austral Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean or the Southern Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters encircling Antarctica. This oceanic zone is where cold, northward flowing waters from the Antarctic mix with warmer sub-Antarctic waters. Geologically the youngest of the oceans, it was formed when Antarctica and South America moved apart, opening the Drake Passage, roughly 30 million years ago. The maximum depth of the Antarctic Ocean was surveyed only in recent times, in early February 2019, when the Five Deeps Expedition found a depth of 7,434 meters.

The deep and ever-moving waters of the Austral Ocean have been the inspiration for the new Czapek Antarctique, named “Abyss”.
The timepiece, a limited series of 10 pieces, features an hand-varnished dial manufactured by Metalem. This technique consists of varnishing, hand painting with a brush, lacquering and then polishing the dial. Being crafted by hand, each of the 10 dials will be somehow unique.

The new model features the same movement as the Terre Adélie and Orion Nebula editions, launched in May and now sold out: the SXH5, the first to be entirely conceived in-house by Czapek (see the section “Everything you always wanted to know about the SXH5 Caliber* (*but were afraid to ask)” for detailed information on the SXH5 caliber.

“Watchmaking is a journey that sometimes holds a few surprises, like this incredible dial that came out of a trial on a new varnishing technique with Metalem. It blew us away and the name “Abyss” has imposed itself very naturally. It represents our never-ending quest for creative beauty inspired by Nature and our spirit of collaboration”.

Presented for the first time in Geneva on the occasion of the Geneva Watch Days, the Abyss will be available in all Czapek & Cie official retailers and on Czapek.com.
Deliveries of the 10 pieces are expected to start in November 2020

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The Tradition collection actually takes its inspiration from one of the most significant pieces of Breguet’s history: the subscription watch. Purposefully simple and stripped-back, its fully visible movement unveils a perfectly symmetrical design. In the new Tradition 7597 model, it also features a retrograde date display, a complication that the watchmaker was one of the first to develop, and which it has bestowed on some of its most famous creations.

Adjusted in a fluted white gold 40 mm case, the 505Q self-winding caliber is equipped with a reverse in-line lever escapement with silicon horns, as well as a Breguet balance spring also in silicon. The gold rotor visible through the transparent caseback is reminiscent of that of the Perpetuelles, or first self-winding watches, further testimony to the ingenuity of the master watchmaker.

A perfectionist, concerned with both technology as well as aesthetics, Abraham-Louis Breguet designed a movement the modernity of which is still astonishing to this day. Crossing the centuries, his design is at the very root of the Tradition range: positioned in the center, the large barrel is topped by a symmetrically arranged gear train. As such, the center wheel at 8 o’clock triggers the oscillating mechanism of the same size at 4 o’clock.

This is equipped with the famous pare-chute invented by the master watchmaker, the ancestor of all today’s anti-shock mechanisms, and signature element of the Tradition collection. Another specific feature is the hour and minute dial that, eccentrically positioned at 12 o’clock and made of gold, is inspired by that of certain Breguet tact watches.

As such, the new Tradition 7597 features an hours chapter with Roman numerals, bordered by a delicate engine-turned Clous de Paris pattern, which serves as a backdrop for blued Breguet hands.

New for 2020

In the interests of balance, a retrograde date section is positioned between the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock and a skillfully curved hand indicates the date moving in the vertical plane, fitting in with the ultra-architectural movement. A patented mechanism provides for a fine adjustment of the date hand. The latter is multi-tiered, allowing it to fly over the movement components. At 10 o’clock, a screw-in corrector allows users to set the date safely.

The subscription watch, a masterpiece of simplicity Abraham-Louis Breguet was one of the most talented watchmakers of all time, the architect of technology innovations adopted throughout the profession, such as the gong spring for repeating watches (1783) or the tourbillon (1801). But while he has created some of the most complicated timepieces there are, he is also known for creating the simplest piece.

After having spent two years in Switzerland at the height of the French Revolution, Abraham-Louis Breguet resumed the management of his Parisian workshop on Quai de l’Horloge, on the Ile de la Cité, in the spring of 1795. His first step was to attract some new clientele. Therefore, he invented a watch that was both of the utmost simplicity and extremely reliable. He offered a subscription service for this.

This would go on to be a spectacular commercial success. Today his creations can be admired at the Breguet Museum in Paris and various other European museums; subscription watch number 947, sold in 1802, is on display in the Louvre Museum. Breguet used the caliber of the subscription watches to create the first tact watches, sometimes adding a little dial to them; this was the inspiration for the Tradition collection launched in 2005, which marked a return to this very typical architecture.

“The chronometer had been manufactured in Breguet’s workshops,to a level of perfection that goes without saying.” Jules Verne, Captain Antifer, 1894.

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Designed both as a lightweight watch for athletes and a casual, everyday sports chronograph, it is the perfect lightweight and lighthearted luxury sports watch combining high precision, innovative technology, and vibrant, colorful design. The launch will be accompanied by the Breitling Endurance Pro Strava Challenge, which offers the opportunity to compete for some incredible prizes

The Breitling Endurance Pro combines an ultra-lightweight 44 millimeter Breitlight® case and a thermocompensated SuperQuartz™ movement ten times more accurate than conventional quartz, and it offers optimal comfort, matchless precision, and functionality that will appeal both to committed athletes and to more casual sports enthusiasts. Designed for men and women whose active lives blend a professional mindset with a sporty lifestyle, the Endurance Pro is equal to the challenges of a rigorous workout but fashionable enough for everyday wear.

As Breitling CEO Georges Kern explains, “When Jan Frodeno first became a member of our Triathlon Squad, he asked me what Breitling he should wear. We started brainstorming about the perfect sporty lifestyle watch and that conversation led to the development of the Endurance Pro. With this watch, we adapted our SuperQuartz™ technology to the needs of people like Jan who play as hard as they work. And the Breitlight® case is so light that it won’t interfere with anyone’s training routine or sporting activity.”

Breitling and Sport A SuperQuar tz™ movement powers ever y piece in Breitling’s Professional range, the tool watches that have long been favorites with explorers and pilots. The Endurance Pro takes the range into the world of sports, in which Breitling also has a significant legacy. In cycling, the brand has partnered with major competitions, including the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, and cycling legends Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. The same is true in motorsports, where Breitling has sponsored famous rallies.

The brand has long offered watches with sports-friendly functions and the Endurance Pro carries on that proud legacy. Today, Breitling stands for aspirational yet accessible sports, such as running, cycling, and swimming – the disciplines that come together in triathlon and IRONMAN® competitions. High performance, yes, but activities that everyone can also enjoy at their own pace

The Breitling Endurance Pro Strava Challenge Strava is the world’s leading app for runners and cyclists. Its features allow athletes to track and analyze every aspect of their activities, regardless of their choice of sport. The Breitling Endurance Pro Strava Challenge was created to engage and motivate participants from all over the world.

Those who take part in the Strava Challenge, which goes live on 26 August 2020, will be competing for some great prizes, including a Breitling Colnago C64 bike, Breitling Endurance Pro watches, and Breitling jersey kits. To be eligible for the prizes, competitors will have to complete 500 minutes – about the time it takes a world-class triathlete to complete a full IRONMAN® event – in the activities of their choice, be it swimming, running, cycling, hiking, or another sport. Unlike the IRONMAN® stars, participants in the Breitling Endurance Pro Strava Challenge will have two weeks to rack up their 500 minutes. The winners will be selected at random from the pool of competitors who complete the Strava Challenge. Additional information is available at www.breitling.com/endurancepro.

The Inspiration for the Endurance Pro: The Breitling Sprint The Endurance Pro is inspired by the Breitling Sprint, a memorable watch from the 1970s that combined a pulsometer with an impressively light weight. It was ideal for athletes who wanted to be able to monitor their heart rates. It was made from resin so it was particularly comfortable on the wrist. Of course, it was also produced in some dazzling 1970s colors, and the Endurance Pro is clearly a modern evolution of that design

A New Sporting Legend: The Endurance Pro There are five colorful variations of the new Breitling Endurance Pro. Each one features a black dial and a black bidirectional rotating bezel with engraved cardinal compass points (N, S, E, and W). The five variations are distinguished by their own bold colors: they are designed with an inner bezel, which is marked with a useful pulsometer scale, in a choice of white, blue, yellow, orange, or red, making it easy for the user to keep track of their heart rate during sports sessions.

The watches are presented on a Diver Pro rubber strap in the same color as the inner bezel ring. The strap is secured with a Breitlight® double-pin buckle. For Endurance Pro fans who want to add even more color to this already dazzling watch, vibrant Outerknown ECONYL® yarn NATO straps that pair perfectly with this eye-catching chronograph can be purchased separately. The watch also has a tactile molded crown in the same color as the strap and the inner bezel ring for excellent grip and maneuverability. At the heart of the Endurance Pro is the COSC-certified Breitling Caliber 82, whose SuperQuartz™ technology delivers exceptional precision.

The hour and minute hands are coated with SuperLumiNova®, making them legible even in limited lighting conditions. The chronograph second hand has a red pointer so it is easy to keep track of the elapsed time. Along with a small-second subdial, there are 1/10th second and 30-minute chronograph counters that have also been designed for easy reading.

The Breitling Endurance Pro is water-resistant to 10 bar/100 meters/330 feet and comes with a twoyear warranty

Breitlight:

Pushing the Boundaries in Lightweight Performance Materials Breitling introduced Breitlight® in 2016. The robust, ultra-light material’s characteristics speak for themselves: 3.3 times lighter than titanium and 5.8 times lighter than stainless steel, the material is nonmagnetic, thermally stable, and hypoallergenic. Breitlight® is highly resistant to scratches, traction, and corrosion. It also feels warmer to the touch than metal and has a slightly textured effect, accentuating the originality of the design. Exclusive to Breitling, it is 100% Swiss made

The Breitling Endurance

Pro: Live, Play, Repeat! With its dazzling colors, impressively light weight, and world-beating precision and functionality, along with a price tag that will attract new enthusiasts to the brand, the Breitling Endurance Pro occupies a unique position among sports watches. It is equal to the needs of com- mitted athletes but also ideal for anyone wanting to combine an active lifestyle with a laid-back attitude

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A staple classic, the 3-hand watch requires expertise of the very highest level, as it is the details that elevate a piece. Balanced, precise proportions are the key to harmony, and the Streamliner Centre Seconds perfectly illustrates this philosophy. Featuring a 40.0-mm steel cushion case, which is water-resistant to 12 ATM, it offers extraordinary ergonomics thanks to the design which includes a fully integrated steel bracelet with no lugs on the case. The case middle has hollowed and satin-finished forms on the sides, and alternating brushed and polished surfaces, in a nod to the traditional unusual shapes typical of Moser cases. It is topped by a subtly domed sapphire crystal, echoed by the see-through case back. Extending these curves, the integrated steel bracelet is elegantly arced to follow the line of the wrist. Highly complex in construction, this bracelet has extremely fluid lines, based on organic forms. All the links are articulated and feature a gentle wave combining a vertical brushed finish with polished surfaces. A true technical feat, this bracelet is a masterpiece of subtlety and sophistication, with flexibility to match.

Every part of the Streamliner Centre Seconds is in harmony; to further elevate the steel of the case and bracelet, H. Moser & Cie. has created a brand-new fumé dial: almost electric, the vibrant Matrix Green colourway offers a complex palette of shades from olive green to red gold. This brand-new colour dial adds the finishing touch to the timeless elegance of this model. Displaying the hours and minutes, the 3D hands are formed of two sections and feature inserts made from Globolight®, an innovative ceramic-based material which contains Super-LumiNova®. The minute hand is curved.

Beating at the heart of the Streamliner Centre Seconds model is a 100% Swiss mechanical movement: the HMC 200 self-winding calibre. Entirely designed, developed and produced in-house, this movement is equipped with a regulating organ manufactured by H. Moser & Cie.’s sister company, Precision Engineering AG. Decorated with the famous Moser double stripes, the HMC 200 calibre houses a solid gold oscillating weight and offers a minimum power reserve of 3 days.

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On the occasion of the Geneva Watch Days, De Bethune presents the iconic DB28 Steel Wheels now for the first time equipped with a tourbillon. The movement’s delta bridge and two barrel covers are made of sapphire crystal. Faithful to the DNA of the ‘Maison’ nestled in Sainte Croix in the Swiss Jura mountains, the DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon ably perpetuates the heritage of its predecessors: perfect balance, contemporary and bold aesthetics at the service of exceptional mechanics. A limited edition of only 10 pieces.

When the first DB28 was launched in 2010, De Bethune’s idea was to present a timepiece with an identity of its own and a resolutely futuristic vision of the art of watchmaking. The design naturally follows through in the spirit of the Manufacture’s creations. The distinctive shape of the case and the crown at 12 o’clock, inspired by pocket watches, are characteristic features of the contemporary aestheticism specific to De Bethune. It is on this timepiece that the patent for De Bethune’s unique, innovative floating lugs, designed to significantly improve comfort, acquired its full meaning. Since then, the DB28 – named Best Watch of the Year and awarded the Aiguille d’Or prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in 2011 – has never ceased to express past, present and future watchmaking culture through different variants. Following through on a series of contemporary iterations, from Skybridge to the Kind-of-Blue, by way of the more recent DB28XP, DB28XP Starry Sky and DB28XP Tourbillon, De Bethune has time and again found a new way to reveal new facets of this design, already instantly recognizable by its sleek and taut lines.

The DB28 Steel Wheels came to be in 2018, under the sign of transparency and light, with the idea of opening the dial to reveal the contemporary architecture of its movement. Recognizable by its deltashaped bridge – a De Bethune hallmark – and its moon at 6 o’clock, the DB28 Steel Wheels fascinates with a multitude of different forms – hemispherical, concave, spherical – for an architecturally dynamic result. It is all about levels of perception, layers and reliefs, light playing with shadows and reflections. Cut from titanium, light on the wrist, this watch reveals a contemporary, architectural fusion of space, time and light.

August 2020: Creation of the DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon We must go back to the wellspring of inspiration that nourishes the creativity of Denis Flageollet, Founder and Master Watchmaker of De Bethune: the passion to celebrate the Great Watchmaking of the Age of Enlightenment, and subtly reinterpret it in contemporary masterpieces infused with ancestral knowledge and at the same time the latest technical and scientific advances. Most often used in the production of watch cases, sapphire crystal takes on a new role for De Bethune. Here, it finds a new vocation in the form of the signature delta-shaped bridge and the cover for each of the two barrels. Blue for the bridge, clear for the barrel covers, these elements are integrated into the movement, letting light in to play and offer new reflections – and allow the eyes to literally plunge into the mechanism. The transparency of these sapphire crystal components not only magnifies the movement, but also offers a different kind of lighting, new brilliance and shimmering, that highlights the taut lines, the architecture and the different levels of the caliber for an intriguing sense of depth

Each sapphire crystal component is encircled in polished titanium. A contemporary reinterpretation of stained glass Always in the spirit of taking things further, as far as possible, Denis Flageollet designed the sapphire glass components, cutting them by laser with utmost precision so they fit in perfectly with the forms, rises, angles, the teeth – the bridge as well as the barrel covers – all perfectly adjusted like lace of sapphire crystal. To this is added a ring of polished titanium to circle each barrel cover. The sight of the delta bridge and two barrel covers in sapphire crystal is something never seen before, along with the cut of the glass, underscored on its periphery by the polished metallic grey line, accentuating a resolutely contemporary aesthetic. The thicknesses of the sapphire crystal vary according to the components. The sapphire of the bridge is 1 mm thick to ensure functional rigidity, whilst the sapphire of the barrel covers is 0.3 mm thick. These glass components in no way compromise robustness or, of course, reliability when worn – solid, perfect resistant to small everyday shocks is assured.

Handcrafted hands by De Bethune De Bethune has always crafted its watch hands in-house, by hand, in the workshop in l’Auberson. The DB28 Steel Wheels Sapphire Tourbillon thus comes with a particularly finely worked hour hand. It consists of 4 distinct elements: the barrel made of steel for technical reasons, a titanium insert, an inner component of matt titanium, and a polished titanium outer component. Each component is worked differently. The result is unique. At the back, an understated movement. The power reserve indication can be read with a hand-blued steel hand, also made, as is the custom, by hand in De Bethune’s workshop.

The tourbillon according to De Bethune: Why so small, so light, so fast? In the vast array of complications and functions, of horological disciplines in which De Bethune has become a virtuoso, the tourbillon often played a leading role. The DB28 Steel Wheels took a step further towards sophistication and supreme refinement with its moon, and today this gives way to a tourbillon featuring an extraordinarily lightweight cage (0.18 grams, the lightest ever created). Rotating on itself every thirty seconds, it comprises a total of 63 components (the lightest of which weighs less than 0.0001 grams!). Nowadays, a wristwatch is subjected to more action than may be safely and sufficiently compensated for. Changes in position are often abrupt and sometimes chaotic.

Indeed, the kinetic forces inflicted on a mechanical watchmaking movement under normal wear conditions might seem quite staggering. Just as Breguet had invented the tourbillon to meet the constraints of marine watches, De Bethune designed a tourbillon for the new dynamics of wristwatches. The laws of physics are unequivocal:

To compensate for the sheer force of wrist movements, the tourbillon cage must be as light as possible and operate at maximum frequency and speed of rotation, all with weight and inertia at absolute minimums. Only then can it fulfil its function in a watch made for today.

The tourbillon is a titanium and silicon creation that beats at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour. It features an extraordinarily lightweight cage (0.18 g, the lightest ever) that rotates on itself every thirty seconds and comprises 63 components (the lightest of which weighs less than 0.0001 g).

Like a flying insect, a microscale exoskeleton keeps it all together. It is thus, so small, so light, so fast, that De Bethune’s tourbillon simply fulfils its function more ably for today’s watches. The futuristic shape of the tourbillon bridge holds the tourbillon perfectly in position, symmetrically, from both sides.

Highly refined finishes, the quintessence of fine craftsmanship The Métiers d’Art – artisan crafts – as understood and lived by De Bethune are a vibrant tribute to what is uniquely human.

Among the various hand-made decorations specific to De Bethune’s movements, the mirror-polishing of the titanium pieces offers an astonishing play with light. The surfaces of the components are finished to perfectly reflect ambient light.

The metal surface is patiently polished until it becomes a true mirror. It can take many days of polishing individual components to achieve this result. Ever so gradually the moment approaches when matter settles and atoms fall into place. That moment, that ‘knowing’ that one is just about to go too far with the boxwood grindstone and diamond paste.

That split-second between a deep, flawless mirror finish and something less than perfect. All this is the result of the interaction between the mind, the eye and the hand. Beyond know-how, it’s a question of artisanship. It takes a burning desire, an unencumbered impetus to push the boundaries of excellence in all areas in this manner.

And unparalleled comfort thanks to its floating lugs, kept to an intermediate size on this watch.

The DB28 Steel Wheelss Sapphire Tourbillon features a polished grade 5 titanium case, mounted on the new floating lugs unveiled this year. Entirely redesigned, harmonized and adapted to the spirit of the watch, they are tipped by the famous ‘bullets,’ more prominent here, reminiscent of the spirit of the first De Bethune collections.

The finishing touch: an alligator strap with a titanium buckle, which also contributes to the practicality and everyday wearability of this very special timepiece

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This new timepiece reinterprets the architecture and design of this Marine Clock. Fitted along its middle with a large panoramic window, the round 18-carat gold case frames a grand feu enamel dial with a complex two-tiered construction.

Beneath this traditional, uncluttered display lies an exceptional mechanism: the new Chronomètre FB 2RE combines the emblematic fusee-and-chain transmission with a one-second remontoir d’égalité mechanism. A model charting a course towards a new world of mechanical precision entirely in keeping with the lifework of Ferdinand Berthoud.

The early 18^th century was marked by the conquest of the oceans. England and France were engaged in an all-out battle to develop a means of calculating longitude during sea voyages: literally a garde-temps or timekeeper. Many renowned watchmakers experimented with new techniques in order to develop a reliable and accurate measuring instrument, whose operation had to withstand the pitching and rolling of ships as well as changes in temperature.

In 1770, following the success of the sea trials in 1768-1769 of Marine Clocks No. 6 and No. 8, Ferdinand Berthoud was awarded the envied title of “Clockmaker and Mechanic by appointment to the French King and Navy” under Louis XV and received a royal commission for 20 Marine Clocks which were to be used during the numerous cartographic and hydrographic surveys that were undertaken in the late 18^th century.

To celebrate the 250^th anniversary of this major scientific breakthrough that has left an indelible imprint on history, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud presents a new emblematic collection: the Chronomètre FB 2RE. This model pays tribute to the genius of Ferdinand Berthoud, as revealed in the extraordinary Marine Clock No. 6. Inspired by its architecture and design, it introduces a new movement, a symbol of excellence and chronometric precision: Calibre FB-RE.FC with remontoir d’égalité, often referred to in English watchmaking parlance as a remontoire.

Once again, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud is creating an exceptional contemporary timepiece deeply rooted in Ferdinand Berthoud’s legacy.  This new top-of-the-range wrist chronometer benefits from the latest technological advances, while paying tribute to the master watchmaker, a trailblazer in his own era.

FROM THE MARINE CLOCK No. 6 TO THE CHRONOMÈTRE FB 2RE

A new modular case

As described by Ferdinand Berthoud in his Traité des horloges marines (Treatise on Marine Clocks) published in Paris in 1773, the mechanisms of Marine Clocks are protected by a cylindrical copper drum, itself held in a horizontal position by a gimbal suspension system that he invented.

The case of the Chronomètre FB 2RE picks up the shape of these Marine Clocks and this modular construction. The movement is installed in a cylindrical container made of 18-carat gold and water-resistant to 30 metres. Short, tapering all-of-piece lugs are solidly secured to the case by stylised bolts and ensure the Chronomètre FB 2RE smoothly moulds the contours of the wrist.

A large panoramic window appears at 10 o’clock along the case middle in a screw-down frame and reveals the movement’s pillar-type architecture, as well as the barrel and its chain.

The round case, 44 mm in diameter and 14 mm thick, is enhanced by a curved bezel fitted with a strongly domed “chevée” glareproofed sapphire crystal. The caseback is also fitted with a sapphire crystal enabling one to admire the incomparable beauty of the movement.

The large diameter of the knurled crown makes it easy to grip, thus facilitating movement winding. Integrated into the case middle by an applied screw-in crown guard, it features a dynamometric system that disengages as soon as the barrel is fully armed.

The gold used in the manufacture of FB 2RE chronometers comes from the ethical sourcing system set up by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele – President and founder of Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud – at Chopard, of which he is also Co-President.

The Chronomètre Ferdinand Berthoud FB 2RE with remontoir d’égalité is available in two 10-piece limited and numbered editions: one in 18-carat rose gold with a black enamel dial and the other in 18-carat white gold with a white enamel dial.

A traditional enamel dial

In order to facilitate reading off the hours and minutes during sea voyages, Ferdinand Berthoud had designed a two-tiered dial with two types of graduations for his Marine Clock No. 6: in the centre, the hours indications in Roman numerals stand out from the minutes circle in Arabic numerals appearing on the circumference.

The dial construction of the Chronomètre FB 2RE follows this same principle, while adding an additional degree of complexity by opting to craft it in grand feu enamel. This dial is thus composed of two elements: one is domed, located on the periphery and designed to bear the graduated scale; while the second, positioned centrally and slightly lower, is a flat medallion. Both are made of grand feu enamel, which requires numerous firings in a special kiln at a temperature of 800°C. Their base is made of non-magnetic steel, a choice that requires perfect compliance with the required temperatures and extremely precise firing times in order to avoid any distortion, while also preventing the excess thickness resulting from the traditional counter-enamel.

The inscriptions on the dial are also crafted in painted enamel, which requires an additional firing in the kiln. Roman numerals for the hours, Arabic numerals for the minutes and a rail-track minute circle appear alongside the markings and the original inscription “Chronomètre Val-de-Travers Suisse”. The dial of reference FB 2RE.1 is crafted in white enamel with black inscriptions, while the dial of reference FB 2RE.2 features deep black enamel punctuated by white markings.

Signature hands

For the hours and minutes, the Chronomètre FB 2RE is equipped with dagger-type hands in 18-carat gold featuring a hollowed-out design reminiscent of the hands of the Chronomètre FB 1, while the shorter hours hand remains flush with the central dial medallion. The minutes hand is highlighted by a bulge half-way along and extends to the base of the minute circle. The extremely thin titanium seconds hand weighs just 0.01 grams. This lightness helps to lighten the burden on the remontoire.

Finally, the arrow-shaped CVD-blued 18-carat power-reserve hand on the back of the movement is visible through the wide sapphire crystal case-back.

Bridges and pillars

The FB-RE.FC calibre is built according to an architecture unique in contemporary watchmaking and specific to Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud. Its organs are symmetrically positioned, legible and clear, as if the order reigning in its operation were expressed through the elegance of its visual balance. This mechanical movement with manual winding comprises 26 bridges held by 10 steel pillars, surrounding the mechanical parts. This construction is characteristic of 18^th century Ferdinand Berthoud marine chronometers.

This century that proved so important for innovation notably inspired Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud to adopt the extremely distinctive design of its bridges. They are composed of a flat, screw-in section extended into a raised, cantilevered neck, giving them a staircase shape typical of the horological constructions of that era.

A NEW APPROACH TO PRECISION TIMEKEEPING

Fusee-and-chain transmission

The FB-RE.FC calibre is one of the rare examples to feature fusee-and-chain transmission, serving to ensure constant force for the escapement. It acts like an infinitely variable automatic reduction gearbox.

The torque delivered by the barrel of a watch movement naturally varies according to the degree of winding. In this type of transmission, when the movement is fully wound, the chain is completely wrapped around the small end of the spindle-shaped fusee and the mainspring is at maximum power. This force dwindles in the course of time, as the chain coils around the drum, moving from the small to the large end of the fusee.

The variation in the diameter of the fusee compensates for the reduction of the mainspring torque. The gear train thus receives a constant supply of energy, a pre-filtering of the energy arriving at the remontoire. The distinctive nature of the FB-RE.FC calibre lies in the fact that its fusee is reversed, and especially that its barrel and fusee are both suspended – meaning they are held on one side only, to the mainplate. This spectacular construction is patented and serves to save a few precious millimetres.

Remontoir d’égalité

Exceptionally, the FB-RE.FC calibre, in addition to the constant-force mechanism, is equipped with a one-second remontoire visible on the back of the movement. It is one of the most complex torque regulation systems in the history of time measurement.

Far from duplicating the role of the fusee, this device complements its action by acting on another point. The fusee equalises the torque reaching the gear train, yet irregularities are created when the teeth mesh. These torque variations, of a much smaller magnitude than those generated by the uncoiling of the mainspring, are nevertheless important in light of the precision demanded by Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud.

Deadbeat seconds

The Chronomètre FB 2RE remontoire is of a distinctive type in that it is fitted concentrically with the escape-wheel and thus directly connected to the escapement. This device is designed to store a small amount of energy in a secondary hairspring, playing a driving rather than a regulating role. It delivers its force to the balance via the escapement at such short intervals that the variation of the force in the hairspring is not taken into account. In this case, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud has opted for a one-second release.

The force from the barrel is transmitted to the remontoire spring by means of a triangular ruby cam. When the escape-wheel has moved 2.5 teeth forward, the ruby cam releases the stop lever, that of the remontoire, and allows the driving force to enter the remontoire system. It is then charged for the next second.

The escape-wheel pinion is connected to the stop wheel and marks off the seconds. The entire assembly is connected to the central seconds hand and enables the Chronomètre FB 2RE to display true seconds, or deadbeat seconds, like marine chronometers or regulator-type longcase clocks. To enhance the accuracy of the display, the connection between the escapement pinion and the deadbeat seconds hand is achieved by means of a special deadbeat seconds mechanism.

Lighter system

The remontoire is traditionally very energy-intensive, particularly because of the friction it generates. Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud has reduced this friction by installing the remontoire where the torque is lowest. The escape wheel is the one that receives the least force from the entire gearing and is therefore the best candidate for the position. In addition, the use of the ruby cam and an extremely light seconds hand (0.01 grams), thanks to the use of titanium and an extremely tapered shape, reduces the weight driven by the remontoire.

All these decisions together enable the FB-RE.FC calibre to offer a power reserve of 50 hours. This is indicated on the back of the movement by means of a blued arrow-shaped hand placed on a sector engraved on the mainplate. The barrel stores energy for several more hours, but the stopwork system blocks it outside the guaranteed precision timekeeping (chronometry) range.

THE QUINTESSENCE OF HOROLOGY

Optimising precision

Historically, high-precision timepieces have been based on work to optimise the regulating organ, and Ferdinand Berthoud also made interesting modifications to his chronometers throughout his career. Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud has followed in his footsteps by inventing a new two-spoke variable-inertia balance with an aerodynamic shape and four inertia blocks. Its large diameter guarantees its inertia and stability, with a low frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour, thereby safeguarding the power reserve. It also enables slow oscillation, pleasing to the eye and similar to that of historical timepieces.

The remontoire is a delicate system, which increases the difficulty of adjustment. That of the Chronomètre FB 2RE thus requires much greater care and time than any other model. It is by returning to the roots of pure chronometry that the Maison has devised an exceptional chronometer, the execution of which is as delicate as its design. In order to guarantee optimal precision, the Chronomètre FB 2RE is equipped with a stop-seconds device, which brings the balance to a halt when the crown is pulled out. The wearer can then synchronise the watch to the nearest second with the time displayed by a reference timepiece, in the same way that observation watches were synchronised with marine chronometers on an exploration vessel.

Excellent finishing

Because the excellence of the movement equals the sum of the care devoted to its beauty, the finishing of the FB-RE.FC calibre is exceptional. The nickel silver bridges reveal a frosting type finish, involving extremely fine manual graining using a brush, performed before the final drilling and milling stages. This ancient technique endows the components with peerless brilliance. However, since nickel silver is an extremely fragile alloy, any error or scratch during the frosting process is irretrievable and implies discarding the part in question.

The arrow-shaped steel balance bridge is mirror polished, as is the upper part of the stepped escape-wheel bridge. The barrel and the fusee are satin-brushed, as are all 790 components of the chain. Finally, all the movement parts are hand-chamfered and bevelled with traditional tools by the artisans of Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud. The quality control of these finishes is carried out under a much higher degree of magnification than is customary in watchmaking, using a 6.7x magnifying glass. At such a level, no detail, however tiny, can go unnoticed. Therein lies the excellence cherished by Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud. This respect for watchmaking tradition, expressed with unmistakable modernity in the Chronomètre FB 2RE, will always remain at the very core of all future developments from the Maison.

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