Crafting a new era of the Tambour

“After twenty years of audacious watchmaking design based on the renowned Tambour shape, and with the same quest for modernity, elegance and functionality that the Maison has been built on for more than 160 years, Louis Vuitton elevates its watch offer with an unprecedented level of sophistication, on each and every element of the new watch”, says Jean Arnault, Watch Director.

Two steel versions distinguish the launch of the new Tambour, reinforcing the designation of this collection for daily wear. A tone-on-tone model with silver-grey dial or one with a contrasting deep blue dial are the options for the introduction of the Maison’s reborn emblematic collection, an enriched Tambour with two additional firsts for Louis Vuitton — an integrated bracelet and an exclusive new and beautifully crafted automatic movement designed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.

“With this launch, we seek to open a new chapter in the history of the Maison’s watchmaking by creating a watch with strong horological credentials while identifiably Louis Vuitton in style”, says Jean Arnault, Watch Director.

Form and Function

What makes a Tambour watch? A round case with curved sides, marked with the 12 letters LOUIS VUITTON, a certain volume, almost architectural in its approach to dimension and proportion. All these, and more, are maintained and amplified through the sophisticated detailing of the Tambour’s latest iteration. Design flows in every line of the new Tambour. This is design in its original sense, which goes beyond the aesthetic, into purpose and intention. To begin, a modern morphology, with a fully unisex 40mm diameter and an 8.3mm thick case that follows the line of any wearer’s arm. The integrated bracelet on the new Tambour, a first for Louis Vuitton, is a blend of robustness and fluidity, its slim, curved links providing a close and comfortable fit on the wrist to rival the softest leather strap.

Everything about the new Louis Vuitton Tambour comes down to the design, which is to say that everything has a meaning and a reason. The exterior of the watch, every surface that contacts the skin, is shaped to accommodate the body. The caseback is not flat, but ascends in an arc towards the case middle, fitting the natural curve of the forearm as it approaches the wrist. In echoing the topography of the human arm, the Tambour appears even slimmer than its 8.3mm. The bracelet links, convex on their upper surfaces and convex on the underside, form a rounded profile that maintains a continuous

The bracelet melds seamlessly into the case, a lug-free construction that makes the new Tambour the only truly round watch with an integrated bracelet. An invisible closure completes the sleek aesthetic of the bracelet, attained with a triple-blade folding buckle whose position can be identified only through subtle cues: the engraved LOUIS VUITTON on the end link, and

the absence of the polished central link that separates each brushed link from the next.

Craftsmanship may be visible to the eye, but it truly reveals itself when touched, and the tactility of the new Tambour arises from this principle. Brushed finishes prevail, except in a few instances, such as the polished bracelet chamfers and central links, or the polished crown — drum-shaped like the case, but fluted with distinct yet soft grooves that make winding and setting the watch a sensory indulgence.

A sandblasted bezel with polished rims features the twelve-letter name of the Maison, a Tambour hallmark, but this time the letters are raised and polished, each minutely sculpted letter in line with an hour marker. On the wrist, a sense of balance and cohesion. To the eyes, the new Louis Vuitton Tambour projects clarity and precision.

Light and Lightness

In contrast with the taut curves of the case and bracelet, and the tactile smooth exterior of the new Tambour, everything under the dial-side sapphire crystal (everything that is touched only by the eyes and not the skin) is crisp and sharply delineated. Light is the medium that brings out the play of textures of the Tambour’s display, and it does so with a sense of effortless almost weightless ease.

Despite being just over a millimetre thick, the dial of the new Tambour conveys surprising depth and three-dimensionality. A split-level chapter ring, divided by a polished step, consists of an outer ring for the minuterie and an inner ring for the hours, both with micro-sandblasted main surfaces.

The dial markers are designed to complement each other in terms of spatial balance, with the 5-minute markers being recessed, while the hours are indicated with appliques. This difference in the height level of the markers allows for quick reading, since the light interacts variably between them, a variation that our eyes subconsciously register even if we do not actively take notice. The indexes are in gold, diamond polished to amplify their interaction with light, but even in dim conditions, the new Tambour remains fully legible, thanks to the numerals and hands filled with Super-LumiNova.

The evolution of the gold Tambour hands from broad batons into tapered and facetted openworked hands brings an additional sense of space to the display. The slimmer hands allow more of the dial to be seen at any moment, resulting in an overall lightening of the watch, visually and conceptually. This lightness carries over into the tone of the watch itself. The new Tambour comes with a new statement of identity on its central brushed dial section, LOUIS VUITTON PARIS, a declaration of the Maison’s origins, founded in Paris in 1854. Tucked below the snailed small- seconds counter, FAB. EN SUISSE replaces the more familiar SWISS

MADE quality assurance, a small change that alludes to historic fine- watchmaking dials of the 1950s and 1960s. In its unabbreviated form, the phrase is “Fabriqué en Suisse” — an allusion to La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton and the elevated levels of craftsmanship present in this timepiece. Parisian flair and Swiss expertise, united in one creation.

Movement and Motion

The new Tambour is made possible by the advanced watchmaking expertise of Louis Vuitton, embodied by La Fabrique du Temps, the watchmaking atelier of the Maison in Geneva. Founded and led by master watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas, La Fabrique du Temps has brought award-winning horological complications to Louis Vuitton.

The new cal. LFT023 is more than the movement driving the evolved Tambour, it is also the first proprietary automatic three-hand movement designed by Louis Vuitton in conjunction with movement specialists Le Cercle des Horlogers to fully embody the Maison’s visual codes, from the barrel cover with openworking reminiscent of a Monogram Flower to the micro-rotor decorated with a stylised LV in a repeating motif. It is resolutely contemporary, with micro-sandblasted bridges, polished edges and chamfers replicating the aesthetic vocabulary of the rest of the watch. A circular-grained mainplate is a nod to traditional movement decoration, but the colourless transparent jewels in place of the conventional magenta movement rubies maintains the avant-garde visual approach of the cal. LFT023. The micro-rotor is in high-inertia 22k gold, paired with peripheral gearing that provides exceptionally efficient winding to the barrel with 50 hours of power reserve on a 4Hz (28,800vph) escapement

The Tambour in Gold: Versatility, Elevated..

In late spring of 2023, Louis Vuitton moved into a new era of contemporary watchmaking with the relaunch of the Maison’s core timepiece collection, the Tambour. Certain visual emblems of the Tambour, such a

s its drum-shaped case with curved sides, the bezel marked with the twelve Louis Vuitton letters, and the bold volume of its vertical profile, were retained as part of the collection’s essential codes. Other aspects were reworked and reinterpreted, and — most significantly —an integrated bracelet was introduced to recast the Tambour in the modern morphology of sporty elegant watchmaking. Adding to the two models in steel are three new Tambour references: one in steel and rose gold with a grey dial, one in rose gold with a brown dial, and one in yellow gold with a white dial. While the steel models demonstrate the exceptional purity of the new Tambour design, the gold models elucidate its refined character and elegance.

Elegance at a glance

The Tambour in steel and rose gold recaptures the effect of the all-steel version with its minimalist style that puts the primary focus on the details of the finishing and craftsmanship. With selected accents in rose gold, like centre links, crown, bezel, hour markers and hands, this two-tone model embraces the side of the Maison that articulates its tradition of classic luxury. An everyday indulgence is epitomised by the steel-and-rose-gold Tambour, demonstrating how a watch can be both timeless and modern at once, discreet yet openly expressive.

For those who prefer a fuller incursion into the realm of precious materials, the rose gold Tambour holds nothing back in its use of rich colours that emphasise the fluidity of the case design and the sculptural lines of its curved exterior. The warm overtones of rose gold harmoniously highlight the contrasting finishes while the dark brown dial is a nod to Louis Vuitton’s heritage and the original Tambour colour codes. The bracelet’s interplay of brushed and polished links, combined with its softly rounded and polished flanks, effortlessly impresses itself upon the eye.

Finally, the Tambour also carries its case and integrated bracelet in full yellow gold with quiet and unassuming ease. Its balance of matte and polished surfaces draws out the refinement of its beauty. This model, with its elegant hue, paired with a textured white dial, and yellow gold indexes and hands, expresses a subtle but assertive allure.

The Tambour enters its golden hour

The undeniable range and versatility of the Tambour arise from the ideal proportions and textures of its finely crafted form, but also from the high quality of the movement within, the chronometercertified cal. LFT023 designed by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton in collaboration with Le Cercle des Horlogers. The cal. LFT023 a timekeeping accuracy of between -4 and +6 seconds per day, with a 50-hour power reserve supplied by a high-inertia 22k rose gold micro-rotor.

The Maison’s commitment to timekeeping performance is at the forefront of the Tambour, setting a gold standard for Louis Vuitton watchmaking that is now rendered in the latest additions to the Tambour collection.

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The sandblasted grey dial, identical for both new models, endows each of them with a unique appearance thanks to the different light reflections on the red gold and titanium cases.

The new Openworked Sandblasted timepieces are a clear expression of Speake Marin’s indepth expertise in the watchmaking art combined with its English roots: the emblematic Piccadilly case, a strong element at the origin of the brand and our latest in-house calibre could not be missing in this collection.

THE CASE

With the Sandblasted Openworked watches, the iconic Piccadilly case, revamped by renowned designer Eric Giroud in 2017, is crafted in polished grade 5 titanium or 18k red gold. It is available in two sizes: 38 mm and 42 mm, with a thickness of 10.5 mm. The dial and the case back are protected by a sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective treatment.

THE DIAL

The sandblasting technique provides a grain finish that, while uniform in texture, appears rough and extremely elegant. The finishing of visible movement parts, the polished beveled profiles of bridges and apertures on the display highlight the decorative complexity executed by our skilled craftsmen. The matt black minute indications and the small seconds counter positioned at 1:30 are applied with an innovative 3D technique.
To ensure optimal legibility and aesthetic harmony, the seconds hand and the heart-shaped
central hour and minute hands are polished black on the titanium version while are goldcoated
on the red gold variant.

THE SMA01 MOVEME

At the heart of the Sandblasted Titanium and Sandblasted Red Gold is the self-winding inhouse calibre SMA01. This movement with fully integrated micro-rotor, which allows for a reduced case thickness, was entirely designed and assembled by the well-known workshop
“Le Cercle des Horlogers” in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Its 4hz frequency beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and the single barrel guarantees 52- our power reserve.

The new SMA01 calibre features exceptional watchmaking decorations visible through the sapphire crystal porthole. From the sandblasted bridges with polished chamfered profiles to the sunray and microbeaded finishes of the oscillating mass, embellished with the brand’s logo topping tool and secured by a bridge with vertical satin finish. Both components feature polished bevelled edges and are gold coated. The high level of attention paid to finishing and decoration also includes the Ø2 mm circular-graining motif on the back of the dial, the engraved values on the barrel, the polished screws, and more.

The engraving on the barrel, clearly visible on the dial side at 5 o’clock, expresses the 8 fundamental values of Speake Marin: RESPECT, INDEPENDENCE, LIBERTE, UNIQUE, AUTHENTICITE, GENEVE, CREATIVITE, MODERNITE.

All of these represent the Maison Speake Marin in the past, present and future of the brand. These words, meaningful and intense, are the very essence of our creations.

Finally, the jewels add a touch of color to the calibre.

THE STRAP

Both versions are set with a grey or black leather strap respectively closed by a 18K red gold pin buckle or a titanium folding buckle matching the case materials.

Collection available from October 20th, 2023.

The Sandblasted Titanium has a recommended retail price of CHF22,200 excl. taxes for the 38mm and CHF22,600 excl. taxes for the 42mm.

The Sandblasted Red Gold has a recommended retail price of CHF 34,000 excl. taxes for the 38mm and CHF 38,700 excl. taxes for the 42mm.

Speake Marin is an independent Swiss watchmaker based in Geneva.

Founded in 2002 by a British watchmaker and then passed on in 2012 to Christelle Rosnoblet, a woman entrepreneur of emotion and ambition. Expressions of a racy and modern style, the timepieces assert themselves as resolutely strong, precise and ambassadors of Fine Watchmaking.

Since 2015 Speake Marin has initiated a movement strategy that aims to develop and assemble movements in-house within « Le Cercle des Horlogers» located at La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland).

The positioning of the small second at 1:30 on Speake Marin watches follows the objective of diverting the watchmaking codes: Speake Marin remains the only watchmaker that po-sitions its small second at this point.

This is a real constraint in terms of movement construction, as the second must pass through the time setting module. In 2023, the brand will have eleven movements developed in-house.

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Time for Action

There are no overnight geniuses. For the best minds to be recognised, their internal thought processes must be made
external. Even the most groundbreaking ideas are destined to remain unfulfilled, unless they are brought to fruition by action, faith and perseverance. Albert Einstein did more than theorise — his published work shaped modern physics and underpins our current understanding of the world around us. Luc Pettavino did more than dream of a miracle cure for the disease that afflicted his son Paul — he created the world’s most successful watch charity auction and raised enough funds that researchers financed by Only Watch are now putting a potentially life-saving drug through clinical trials.

It is within La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, a few hundred kilometres from Einstein’s study place, that the Tambour Einstein Automata Only Watch 2023 came to life. The development of Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking expertise is manifested in this unique timepiece, and is a testament to the talents of watchmakers
and craftsmen. The highlight of this one-of-a-kind watch is a dial of remarkable craftsmanship, incorporating the techniques of micro-sculpture and grisaille enamel. These two historic artisanal skills are used to depict the likeness of Albert Einstein, an interpretation based on one of his most recognised photographic and mischievous portraits, sticking his tongue out in an unexpected moment of levity. To the left of his face, chalk-like scribblings evoke his era-defining academic research, one of them reading “E = LV²” — a playful allusion to Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence formula “E = MC²”. Near the bottom of the dial, a model of an atom with four valence orbitals acknowledges Einstein’s formidable contributions to quantum mechanics, and close observers will also note that the atom model incorporates the form of a pointed Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower. In the middle of Einstein’s forehead, an aperture displays the unsolved equation “T = ?” — reflecting the thoughts of anyone else who might
be looking at the watch and wondering what time it is. Einstein’s left eye has been replaced by a Louis Vuitton Monogram Flower in blue lacquer, one of the only two coloured elements on the dial. The second coloured element is, of course, Einstein’s pink tongue, half-extended as if unsure of our reaction to what he is about to reveal…

Echoing his out-of-the-box and revolutionary work, Einstein’s famous mop of hair crafted in steel – requiring intricate and meticulous engraving work – extends beyond the 46.8mm case, with one particular broad lock being a playfully disguised automata pushpiece. When this push-piece is actuated, four animations spring to life on the dial, and all our questions are answered, as the Tambour Einstein Automata is a watch that, thanks to its technically complex movement, provides time on demand. Manufactured by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the calibre 525 beats within this iconic Tambour case and brings the dial to life. The Tambour Einstein Automata watch shares the same movement that propelled the Carpe Diem Automata to win the Audacity Prize at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). Once the lock of hair is pushed, the forehead aperture display changes to show a number between 1 and 12, telling us the hour. The atom model rotates, with one of its valence orbitals (distinguished by a lacquered, pointed end) moving to the appropriate position on a 0–60 scale to provide us with the minutes. Einstein’s Monogram Flower eye narrows its petals, hinting at the razor-sharp precision mechanics under the dial. And finally, his tongue extends fully, in jubilant certainty of having delivered the correct solution.
Why would you go anywhere else to get the time when you could receive it from Albert Einstein himself?
One last secret remains hidden, to be discovered in time; information as potent as it is uplifting. When the 100-hour power reserve dips low, the indicator transitions from LV to OW. E no longer equals LV², instead, the letters are replaced with the initials of the Only Watch charity auction. It is a visual cue that prompts the wearer to replenish the watch with mechanical energy.

Stronger together
The Maison has its watchmaking headquarters in Geneva, where the workshops of La Fabrique du Temps, the prestigious movement development department of Louis Vuitton, are also found. The expansion of Louis Vuitton into automaton watches was (and continues to be) driven by the co-founders of La Fabrique du Temps, Master
Watchmakers Enrico Barbasini and Michel Navas. The exceptional work of the Maison’s artisans can be seen in the
Tambour Einstein Automata Only Watch 2023. The task of replicating the face of the world’s most famous scientist fell to engraver Dick Steenman from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton workshop, whose talent in three-dimensional engraving exceeds the boundaries of this craft and crosses into micro-sculpture. A total of 80 hours of work went into turning the flat photographic image into a fully contoured and lifelike representation of Einstein in white gold. The level of detail in Einstein’s face is astonishing, as Steenman meticulously engraved the facial lines on the forehead, around the eyes and at the sides of the mouth. Individual strands can be discerned in Einstein’s hair and moustache — even his eyebrows are engraved hair by hair. The locks of hair that form part of the steel watch case and automata push-piece took Steenman an additional 40 hours of engraving, as the material is significantly harder than gold.

Enamelling Einstein’s face required the skilled touch of Nicolas Doublel from La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton workshop, using a rare technique called grisaille, a historical technique once thought lost and revived just over a decade ago. It involves a base layer of deep black enamel, upon which layers of translucent white enamel (Blanc
de Limoges) are slowly built up to create an image in black, white and all the shades of grey in between. Each application of enamel has to be followed by kiln firing, making this process one of the most complex and time-intensive enamel techniques ever known. The Tambour Einstein Automata Only Watch 2023 marks the first time that grisaille enamel has been used in a Louis Vuitton timepiece, and Doublel’s extraordinary work is immediately apparent in how Einstein’s face and expression have been brought to life. The level of refinement extends even to anatomical verisimilitude, as the texture of human skin is conveyed in minute grains of vitrified enamel. The tongue, enamelled in hues of pale to robust pink, is equally detailed, an incredible achievement considering the size of the white-gold canvas. All in all, 50 hours of enamelling went into Einstein’s face alone, with an additional 80 hours dedicated to the base dial in translucent black enamel with overlay of white enamel “chalk” scribbles.

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The two highly complicated Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie models come in a 42 mm black ceramic case with a black Grande Tapisserie dial and a black rubber strap for a sporty look. © Courtesy of Audemars Piguet

A SLEEK, BLACK AESTHETIC
Audemars Piguet introduces its very first Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie animations with cases crafted in black ceramic. These two timepieces also incorporate a full black ceramic caseback – a first at Audemars Piguet. With its multitude of apertures on the side – meant to amplify the minute repeater’s sound when the watch is worn – the caseback epitomises the painstaking manufacturing and finishing operations ceramic components go through to highlight the material’s nuances and the multifaceted shape of the Royal Oak case. The ceramic used contains Zirconium Oxide powder (ZrO2) combined with a binding agent. It achieves its final uniform colour once it has been sintered at a temperature of over 1,000 °C. Each component is then pre-polished and pre-satin-brushed before being meticulously finished by hand to achieve the Manufacture’s trademark alternation of satin brushing and polished chamfers. Lastly, the casebacks have been engraved with sonic waves in tribute to the incredible acoustic performance granted by the Supersonnerie mechanism.
The timepieces’ black monochromatic aesthetic continues onto the Grand Tapisserie dials with their minute train and small seconds counter at 6 o’clock decorated with a snailing finishing. The first version is complemented with white gold hour-markers filled with luminescent coating, while the second model features 13 baguette-cut diamond hour-markers for a shimmering contrast. Both models are adorned with white gold Royal Oak hands filled with luminescent coating for optimum legibility. The white gold details illuminating the dial echo the eight white gold hexagonal screws securing the octagonal bezel onto the case.
Each timepiece is completed with a black rubber strap enhanced with titanium studs and a new three-blade AP folding clasp also crafted in titanium.
WHEN CERAMIC MEETS ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE
Technical complexity and aesthetic details merge in these Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie models. The two timepieces are equipped with the Manufacture’s latest hand-wound minute repeater movement, the patented Calibre 2953, which blends advanced technology with refined traditional finishing. Despite ceramic’s limited sound conductivity, the two timepieces present a remarkable acoustic performance thanks to the Manufacture’s Supersonnerie technology unveiled in 2015.
Developed by Audemars Piguet and launched in the Royal Oak Concept collection, the Supersonnerie mechanism endows the Manufacture’s latest minute repeater models with the volume and resonance usually associated with pocket watches. This patented technology results from eight years of research in collaboration with EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Inspired by the sonic power of older minute repeater watches as well as by the harmony of musical instruments, a dedicated community of watchmakers, technicians, academics and musicians reviewed the case construction to produce a new chiming technology.
The exceptional acoustic performance, sound quality and harmonic tone are granted by the patented gongs, case construction and striking regulator developed at the time. One of the main developments regards the case construction: the gongs are not attached to the mainplate, but to a titanium membrane which acts as a soundboard and improves sound transmission. Paired with a solid caseback featuring small apertures on its side to let air through, the titanium membrane allows the notes of the minute repeater to resonate perfectly when the watch sits on the wrist, regardless of the material(s) used for the watch’s external parts.
Indeed, the acoustics of the Supersonnerie technology is such that Audemars Piguet has been able to house it in a variety of case materials across its collections, from titanium and 950 platinum to 18-carat white and pink gold – each watch offering its own powerful and unique tonality. This year, the Manufacture has pushed sound experimentation one step further by presenting its very first black ceramic Minute Repeater Supersonnerie models. Even the casebacks, which play a crucial role in creating a resonance chamber together with the Supersonnerie membrane, are honed from black ceramic. Since this titanium membrane on which the gongs are attached enhances the sound transmission of ceramic, the result is a powerful, crystalline chime.
A CONTEMPORARY TRIBUTE TO THE PAST
Since its establishment in 1875, Audemars Piguet has specialised in chiming mechanisms and crafted complex Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie and Minute Repeater mechanisms ever since. Records show that more than half of the 1625 watches produced between 1882 and 1892 included a chiming mechanism. This achievement can be attributed to the remarkable skills of the craftspeople working for the Manufacture across dozens of workshops in the Vallée de Joux.
While the production of chiming watches never stopped at Audemars Piguet, the creation of chiming wristwatches was rare through most of the 20th century. Between 1892 and 1957, the Manufacture created 35 minute repeater wristwatches. By the 1960s, chiming mechanisms were exclusively featured in pocket watches. Chiming wristwatches made their comeback at Audemars Piguet in the 1990s, following the revival of other classic complications in the aftermath of the quartz crisis. Minute repeating mechanisms debuted in the Royal Oak collection in 1997 with the launch of the first Royal Oak Grande Complication which paired minute repeater, perpetual calendar and split-seconds chronograph.
Introduced in 2015 on a Royal Oak Concept, the Supersonnerie technology made its way into the Royal Oak collection in 2019 with a Minute Repeater Supersonnerie model fully crafted in titanium. Subsequent versions executed in titanium, platinum or a combination of the two materials followed. Today, Audemars Piguet continues to push the limits of watchmaking with its interweaving of ancestral savoir-faire, state-of-the-art technology and uncompromising design as represented by the two new black ceramic Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie timepieces.

“Seek Beyond.”

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Through the paths offered, the visitor is plunged into a precise and dreamlike mechanism evoking the heart of a mechanical watch. Within this powerful, airy and luminous world, time is the very material from which the forms emerge. The new Hermès H08 thus celebrates the alliance of human craftmanship and the ingenuity of an artistic nature, capable of infinitely interpreting forms and textures.

To accompany the new Hermès H08 models presented at Watches and Wonders Geneva this year, the exhibition displays a wide range of Haute Horlogerie watches and exceptional pieces. These include : singular Hermès complications with the Arceau L’heure de la lune featuring new stone dials and the recent Arceau Le temps voyageur, both awarded at the GPHG; technically sophisticated models such as the Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune; jewellery watches with the Faubourg Polka Joaillerie and the Kelly Haute Joaillerie playing with the Hermès signature features, while also shaking up established watchmaking conventions; exceptional pieces adorned using exclusive artistic crafts such as leather mosaic with the Slim d’Hermès La Panthère de Robert, miniature painting with the Arceau Plumes en fêtes and the Arceau Tourbillon Lift Les sentinelles combining horological expertise with delicate miniature painting to showcase Hermès’ unique creation and style.

Arceau L’heure de la lune

Arceau Le temps voyageur The Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune mingles simplicity with informality and demanding details with the daring use of contrasting materials and stylistic crossovers. This model with its pure lines carved from ultra-light titanium is joining the Slim d’Hermès collection, created in 2015. The deep shades of the skeletonised dial, accentuated by its airy architecture and alternating matt and glossy finishes, express both the character and the refinement of this horological object. In keeping with the cosmic and dreamlike dimension of Hermès time, a likewise  openworked double Moon completes this light and easily legible ensemble. Travelling in another dimension, cosmic and dreamlike. Setting foot on the moon and losing one’s sense of time and  space. The Arceau L’heure de la lune watch offers a unique vision of Earth’s satellite with the simultaneous display of moon phases in both northern and southern hemispheres. Two mobile  counters gravitate on a Mars or Black Sahara meteorite dial, revealing mother-of-pearl moons in step with an exclusive module, coupled with a Manufacture Hermès movement.

Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune

Faubourg Polka Joaillerie The miniaturised Faubourg model presented in 2014 has inspired the quintessential design of the Faubourg Polka, a line exuding the inimitableelegance of a miniature. The case and bracelet have been entirely reworked in a resolutely contemporary and assertive style. The bracelet design features a new rhythm inspired by the design of the links, which are shaped like dots and lines and create the impression of punctuation. At the exact intersection between watchmaking and Haute Joaillerie, the Faubourg Polka Joaillerie watch calls upon the patiently acquired skills of the artisans who craft it. The Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune mingles simplicity with informality and demanding details with the daring use of contrasting materials and stylistic crossovers. This model with its pure lines carved from ultralight titanium is joining the Slim d’Hermès collection, created in 2015. The deep shades of the skeletonised dial, accentuated by its gairy architecture and alternating matt and glossy finishes, express both the character and the refinement of this horological object. In keeping with the cosmic and dreamlike dimension of Hermès time, a likewise openworked double Moon completes this light and easily legible ensemble.

Kelly Haute Joaillerie

Created in 1975, the Kelly watch, whose padlock shaped case is inspired by that of the eponymous handbag, is presented in a new version offering a variety of wearability alternatives. The art of gem setting transforms this singularly feminine watch into a radiantly precious jewellery watch through a combination of demanding techniques and boundless creativity. Attired in gold and diamonds, Kelly Haute Joaillerie challenges the established order, wrapping a dazzling cuff around the wrist, worn as an elegant pendant on a gemset chain, or tied around the neck with a clochette and its leather cord-strap.

Slim d’Hermès La Panthère de Robert

Created in 2015, the Slim d’Hermès watch is all about essentials: a simplicity composed of thoroughness and balance. The distinctive, understated lines of its round case with angular lugs frame an in-house technique called “leather mosaic”. The “La Panthère de Robert” motif is created with 3,500 differentlycoloured 0.5 mm leather squares that the artisan places on the dial, according to the original pattern to be reproduced.

Arceau Plumes en fêtes

Framed by a 38 mm gemset white gold case, the stirrup-shaped geometry of the Arceau watch, designed by Henri d’Origny in 1978, provides a canvas for the delicate expertise of the dial-makers. The outline of the scene is placed on a mother-of-pearl dial and its contours are individually adjusted by hand to ensure their perfect definition.

A subtlepalette of colours – chosen to bring the scene to life – is then applied to the heart of this motif. Every tiny detail is hand-drawn with a brush, paying vibrant tribute to Nature and its beauty.

Arceau Lift Les Sentinelles

The Arceau Lift flying tourbillon watch is inspired by the historical premises of Hermès at 24, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. The double H topping the tourbillon carriage and the barrel bridge of the Arceau Lift reproduces one of the emblematic motifs featured in the interior design of the boutique. Arceau Lift represents an authentic technical feat driven by Calibre H1923, thus named in reference to the date when the elevator was installed in the boutique. Vividly displaying the excellence of this exceptional mechanism, the components of Calibre H1923 are indeed finished with the special care demanded by watchmaking traditions. The dial presents a combination of two skills: miniature enamel painting and cloisonné enamelling. The artisan reproduces the outlines of the motif on the enamelled dial. Enamel powders mixed with natural oils are applied using a very fine brush. The enamel artist traces the main outlines of the design, serving as a base for applying the gold wires that will mark out the zones to be enamelled. The gold wires are delicately hand-applied to the dial. The artisan then fills these previously created compartments with enamel of various colours, thereby creating the picturesque Les Sentinelles motif.

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The fundamental concept of the LVRR-01 is encapsulated in the emblem on the sapphire dial. At a distance it appears to be the conventional logo, but up close the emblem reveals itself to be a union of the two brand names, with “LV” subtly incorporated into “AKRIVIA”. This represents the first time in history that Louis Vuitton has combined its logo with that of another brand. Louis cruises with Rexhep The LVRR-01 seamlessly unites two houses, Louis Vuitton and Atelier Akrivia, that are separated by time but likeminded in passion. Both Maisons were founded more than 150 years apart yet share core values, particularly in their approach to craftsmanship, and they have in common founders who are visionaries and artisans.

Born in 1821 in a town not far from the Swiss border, Louis Vuitton moved to Paris as a teenager, where he became an apprentice to one of the noted trunk makers of the day. He soon made a name for himself as an expert crafter of cases and trunks, gaining clients like the Empress of France. In 1854, he set up his eponymous atelier and became so successful that he eventually moved to larger premises in Asnières, where the Louis Vuitton trunkmaking atelier remains to this day. History, as the saying goes, never repeats, but rhymes. Rexhep Rexhepi left his native Kosovo for Geneva as a teenager and shortly after took up an apprenticeship at a High Watchmaking atelier aged just 14. In 2012, he set up his own brand, Atelier Akrivia, with the conviction of producing watches in the grand tradition of Haute Horlogerie. The shared passion for fine watchmaking set in motion events that would lead to the creation of the LVRR-01, which emerged around the conception of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives.

A union of historic complications

The LVRR-01 is a comprehensive meditation on the nature of time: a precision chronometer equipped with a tourbillon regulator that indicates the current time, but also an instrument that measures elapsed time, while marking for the first time in the watch industry, the passing of time with a sonnerie mechanism. These complications are showcased with an ingenious two-sided display that symbolises the collaborative development of the LVRR-01. The contemporary front dial in tinted sapphire crystal juxtaposed against a traditional face on the reverse in white grand feu enamel, together an allegory representing perfectly the identity of both Maisons. The complications are a testimony to the histories of Louis Vuitton and Rexhep Rexhepi. The very first Atelier Akrivia timepiece, the AK-01, incorporated both the chronograph and tourbillon, while the first complicated Louis Vuitton watch, the Tambour LV277, was a chronograph, and the Maison’s first Haute Horlogerie complication was the tourbillon.

Pushing the boundaries of High Watchmaking

Within the LVRR-01 is a wholly-new calibre developed entirely by Rexhep Rexhepi. In his characteristic aesthetics, the movement is eminently traditional, a quality exemplified by the hand-applied decoration and gracefully-shaped chronograph levers. The exceptional double-faced dial of the LVRR-01 called for an equally unusual approach to the movement. Compared with conventional movements, the LVRR-01 calibre is inverted, with the chronograph and chiming mechanisms visible on the front instead of being on the back. This allows the magnificent architecture and decoration to be admired on the wrist at all times. The tinted sapphire dial reveals the fine finishing of the components, every single one of which is decorated by hand with traditional techniques like anglage, and black polishing. Taking pride of place on the front at six o’clock is the tourbillon that completes one revolution every five minutes and designed by Rexhep Rexhepi in its characteristic respect for the horological history. In contrast to the one-minute rotation of a conventional tourbillon, the five-minute rotation is in the spirit of historical chronometers. Inside the tourbillon cage is a balance wheel with twin broad arms and eight inertial regulating weights, inspired by those found in marine chronometers.

The defining and unique aspect of the movement is the Chronographe à Sonnerie, a pair of complications never before integrated in this way within a wristwatch. While the combination of elapsed time measurement with a striking mechanism has historical precedent in pocket watches, it is a true statement in contemporary watchmaking. The chronograph functions of start, stop, and reset  are controlled by the pusher at two o’clock. However, the chronograph boasts the addition of an acoustic reminder of elapsed time, with a single chime struck as each minute passes. Clear and  musical in tone, the chime is sounded by a black-polished steel hammer striking a tempered steel gong, developed at Atelier Akrivia that emits a single harmonious note to signify the passage of 60 seconds. Integrating the two complications, the chronograph and the sonnerie in addition to the tourbillon, required ingenuity in both engineering and execution, as this systems should work in synergy and each need enough energy to function. Rexhep Rexhepi devised a concise solution of twin barrels, one power source for the timekeeping portion of the movement and the chronograph and another for the chime, but with a twist. While the standard approach would have been to segregate the barrels and allow them to run independently, Rexhep Rexhepi has devised a  construction in which the second barrel is linked to the gear train in a particular way.

Once the chronograph is activated and the central mobile is released by the hammer, the rotation from the second barrel is no longer blocked. Energy is thus supplied to the base gear when the chronograph and striking mechanism are running, ensuring that the complications have sufficient energy to function properly without disturbing the movement. Visible through the sapphire dial is the mechanical ballet responsible for the chimes. The sonnerie and second barrel are linked to a secondary escapement featuring jewelled pallets. This escapement releases the energy of the second barrel cyclically, ensuring the sonnerie strikes precisely and regularly. A case-making legend

The seamless blending of Louis Vuitton and Atelier

Akrivia continues in the platinum case, which is a perfect match of Louis Vuitton’s signature Tambour imbued with the stylistic touches of Rexhep Rexhepi, particularly in the thin, classical form of the case. The LVRR-01 translates the drum-shaped form of the Tambour into a reinterpreted, streamlined form distinguished by a tall, sloping bezel and elegantly sculpted lugs that draw on mid-century gentlemen’s wristwatches.

The crown and chronograph pusher each have a seven-sided form inspired by the Louis Vuitton watches, but they are hand-crafted in the Atelier Akrivia style. Chamfered on their edges like the parts of the movement, the crown and pusher are decorated with hand hammering, exactly the same technique applied by Rexhep Rexhepi. The case is made by Atelier Akrivia in a process overseen by Jean-Pierre Hagmann, the Master casemaker in its case-making workshop. Armed with decades of experience, Jean-Pierre Hagmann’s expert eye ensures the case is perfect
in form and detail – the discreet “JHP” hallmark on the lower-right lug is his personal seal of quality. And the final understated detail alluding to the shared venture is “Louis cruises with Rexhep” hand-engraved on the case back, a calligraphic dedication of this unique encounter.

The many faces of time
The individual and distinctive aesthetic codes of Rexhep

Rexhepi and Louis Vuitton are unmistakeable on the two dials yet coherently integrated into a perfect whole. Cleanly styled yet lavishly decorated, the front dial is eminently modern, mirroring the contemporary aspect of Louis Vuitton. The disc of tinted sapphire crystal features a gilt-metallised minute track that brings to mind the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain (RRCC I & II). The dial has six gold cubes filled with translucent fired enamel, a technique akin to stained glass known as plique-à-jour. The cubic motif is a nod to the Spin Time jumping-hours display, one of Louis Vuitton’s patented complications. At the same time, the gold elements on the dial discreetly acknowledge the yellow thread stitching that is a subtle but crucial attribute of Louis Vuitton leather goods. In contrast, the reverse face is resolutely classical in glossy white grand feu enamel, a tribute to traditional measuring instruments – it was designed by Rexhep

Rexhepi and crafted by Nicolas Doublel, the in-house enameller at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. Bringing to 19th century chronograph pocket watches, the enamel dial features twin scales for the hours and minutes respectively, both printed in enamel. But the keen-eyed will notice the design of the enamel dial carries the spirit of the first-ever wristwatch made by Louis Vuitton in 1988.

Both brand names bisect the enamel dial horizontally, reflecting the collaborative nature of the watch in style and in substance. While the white-gold disc for the dial base is produced by Atelier Akrivia, the enamelling is completed by the in-house enamel atelier led by Nicolas Doublel.

A singular trunk for a unique watch

The LVRR-01 is delivered in a unique Louis Vuitton traditional trunk. Made specifically for each example of the LVRR-01, every trunk is painted by hand with a motif inspired by the chronograph scales on the enamel dial, along with the “AKRILVIA” logo and individual serial number of the respective watch. As a finishing touch and a tribute to the artisans responsible for the LVRR-01, the trunk reproduces the signatures of Rexhep Rexhepi, Jean-Pierre Hagmann, and Nicolas Doublel. The LVRR-01 is accompanied by a Louis Vuitton strap of natural cowhide leather, a calfskin that acquires a delicate patina with use, and a unique platinum pin buckle made by the workshop of Jean-Pierre Hagmann that bears the “JHP” hallmark.

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A bold colour with a strong message. The Chronomaster Sport Pink limited edition is the latest in a long series of ZENITH special and unique watches created to raise awareness on breast cancer. A worthy cause that falls within the ZENITH HORIZ-ON initiative’s main pillar of women’s empowerment, ZENITH supports Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization and its mission to raise global awareness about the impact of breast cancer. Alongside numerous activities to be hosted in major cities across the world this October, ZENITH is furthering its commitment during Breast Cancer Awareness Month by using its most popular model, the Chronomaster Sport, to support the cause. The Chronomaster Sport Pink limited edition of 500 watches marks the latest action by ZENITH in support of the foundation, with a portion of the sales donated to reach more women and offer access to education, support and hope.

On ZENITH’s continued support for the Susan G. Komen foundation, CEO Julien Tornare shared “The Chronomaster Sport is definitely our most emblematic modern El Primero chronograph today, and I’m so happy to see it serve as a vessel to promote the fight against breast cancer and raise awareness. Susan G. Komen is doing an incredible job making a difference for women across the world, and ZENITH is proud and humbled to support their efforts.”

“ZENITH remains a strong advocate and partner to the breast cancer community. ZENITH and Komen demonstrate the power of working together to make a difference to our courageous community,” said Sarah Rosales, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Susan G. Komen. “With ZENITH’s partnership, we are working everyday to create a world without breast cancer. We are truly thankful for their support.”

The Chronomaster Sport Pink limited edition reimagines ZENITH’s award-winning 1/10th of a second chronograph with a striking pink dial. Its radiant sunburst metallic dial reflecting a range of intense pink hues, while its oversized chronograph counters and even the date wheel have been coloured to match.

In a first for the steel version of the Chronomaster Sport, the engraved 1/10th of a second bezel is crafted in steel instead of ceramic. With its polished surface and black filled engraved markers, it takes on a slightly retro vibe, recalling the El Primero “Rainbow” models of the 1990s. Paired with the three-link steel bracelet, the pink dial truly stands out.

Visible through the sapphire display back is the latest version of the El Primero calibre. With its high frequency of 5 Hz (36’000 VpH), the movement offers a true 1/10th of second indication. The contemporary and efficient construction allows for a power reserve of 60 hours.

The Chronomaster Sport Pink is limited to 500 pieces and available from ZENITH physical and online boutiques as well as authorized retailers around the world. 20% of the proceeds from the sale of the Chronomaster Sport Pink will directly be donated to Susan G. Komen, supporting its efforts to make a positive impact on their community by allowing patients everywhere to live better, longer lives.

ZENITH: TIME TO REACH YOUR STAR.
ZENITH exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, ZENITH became the first vertically integrated Swiss watch manufacture, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. Zenith is also highlighting visionary and trailblazing women by celebrating their accomplishments and creating the DREAMHERS platform where women share their experiences and inspire others to fulfil their dreams.

With innovation as its guiding star, ZENITH exclusively features in-house developed and manufactured movements in all its watches. Since the creation of the El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic chronograph calibre, ZENITH has gone on to master high-frequency precision and offers time measurements in fractions of a second, including 1/10th of a second in the Chronomaster collection and 1/100th of a second in the DEFY collection. Because innovation is synonymous with responsibility, the ZENITH HORIZ-ON initiative affirms the brand’s commitments to inclusion & diversity, sustainability and employee wellbeing. ZENITH has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and reach new heights. The time to reach your star is now.6.

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This is complemented by a larger, more prominent date display for enhanced readability.
Reflecting Panerai’s commitment to maintaining continuity with its rich history, the timepiece also features small seconds at 9 o’clock and distinct indexes reminiscent of previous models from the 2000s along with peculiar elements that define the Luminor line: the cushionshaped case and crown-protecting bridge. The new reference is available either with a black or white dial, elegantly matched with an alligator strap, tone-on-tone stitching and brushed steel buckle contrasting with the polished steel bezel for a minimal yet dynamic look. For those seeking versatility and personalization, each wristwatch is equipped with the intuitive PAM Click Release System, allowing for easy strap changes, and also comes with a second rubber band. The PAM01365 displays a matte black dial, paired with white Super-Luminova®, and an additional black rubber strap; while the PAM01367 is declined in a matte white dial, combined with grey Super-Luminova®, and a blue rubber strap. Inscribed with the name BiTempo, meaning “dual time” in Italian, the dial underscores the Maison’s roots and ode to Italian design tradition, a core pillar in Panerai’s enduring heritage of high-tech materials, reliable performance and innovative creations.

Officine Panerai is not the owner of the Super-Luminova® trademark.

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TIME TO RESET
An invitation to reset our relationship with time, the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante and Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante deliver instantaneous and intuitive measurements that capture the rhythm of modern-day life. The beauty of these complications lies in their extreme user-friendliness.
The ingenious mechanics behind these deceptively simple-looking watches alter the way countdowns and dual time complications are viewed and activated. In a departure from conventional graduated rotating bezels, an additional gold hand concealed under the minute hand executes the task – a minute countdown on the Minute Rattrapante, and a GMT indication on the GMT Rattrapante – without marring the understated elegance of the Tonda PF codes.
“Rattrapante” describes the motion performed by the extra hand when it jumps back to its concealed position, similar to a split-seconds chronograph hand.
Parmigiani Fleurier’s Rattrapantes fuse pragmatic, intuitive complications with the luxurious, understated aesthetic that defines the Tonda PF collection.

“At Parmigiani Fleurier, we push the boundaries in innovation. The individual should control time, his time. It’s not time that should control the individual.”
— Guido Terreni, CEO Parmigiani Fleurier

TONDA PF MINUTE RATTRAPANTE: A 2023 WORLD PREMIERE
Innovation in terms of complications, paired with simplicity of use: true to the spirit of the brand, Parmigiani Fleurier presented the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante in March 2023, a world first that followed on from the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante which made waves when it was introduced the previous year.

The birth of the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante was guided by the idea of reinterpreting one of the most common watchmaking functions, while helping it evolve to become an absolute innovation. The basic premise: to perform the function usually operated by the graduated bezel on a diver’s watch via the movement itself. The result: user friendliness, excellent legibility and apparent simplicity right the way through to activating the function.

While the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante enables a distinction between local and home time in one-hour increments, the new development of the function in the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante serves to display the minutes in five and one-minute increments respectively.

The dial features an hour hand and two superimposed minute hands: the rhodium-plated gold minute hand indicates real time and conceals the other 18ct rose gold hand minute hand, which calculates minutes in five or one-minute increments on demand. Pressing a pusher at 8 o’clock makes the rose gold hand jump in 5-minute intervals; the pusher at 10 o’clock moves it by 1-minute intervals. The period of time to be measured will have elapsed when the rhodium-plated hand reaches the position of the 18ct rose gold hand, which is then returned to its superimposed position by pressing the crown-integrated pusher.

The Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante is graced with pure and essential proportions featuring sophisticated aesthetic codes and finishes. A complication that is intuitive, efficient, and extremely simple to use, in harmony with the philosophy that guides the brand.

TONDA PF GMT RATTRAPANTE: A 2022 WORLD PREMIERE
One of the most remarkable launches of 2022, the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante refreshed the dual time complication with a resolutely innovative mechanism that is true to the purity and minimalism of the Tonda PF collection. The Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante is the perfect instrument for globetrotters juggling time zones. There is nothing superfluous about this sleek, elegant model that seamlessly indicates both local and home time.

The iconic timepiece was reimagined in 2023 with the introduction of a full 18ct rose gold version, graced with a Milano Blue dial featuring a refined barleycorn guilloché pattern.

The Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante appears unassuming at first glance, with the hours and minutes sweeping gracefully around the elegant hand-guilloché dial. Yet beneath this traditional face lies a complication powering two superimposed hour hands; one in rhodium-plated gold for local time and the other in 18ct rose gold for home time.

The pusher at 8 o’clock advances the rhodium-plated hand for local time in one-hour increments; home time is displayed by the gold hand. When the dual time function is no longer required, the gold pusher integrated in the crown allows the local hour hand to “catch up” (rattraper) like the split-seconds hand of a chronograph and hide beneath the gold home time hand.

This original innovation, unique in watchmaking history, relies on a sophisticated and innovative mechanism. Intuitive and simple to use, the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante allows for purists to enjoy the luxury of an uncluttered time display, whilst reveling in the incredible quality and care lavished on each and every detail.

***

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With its streamlined design, elegant proportions and refined details, the Master Ultra Thin Moon embodies all the elements of the quintessential dress watch. For 2023, Jaeger-LeCoultre presents a new variation of the model in pink gold with a gradient midnight blue dial. The rich contrast between the sunray finish and intense gradient blue of the dial and the warmth of the pink gold case adds dramatic impact to the timeless elegance of the design, while accentuating its subtle beauty and refinement. Perfectly matching the pink gold case, the dial indications enhance the aesthetic harmony of the design and emphasise the beauty of the dial’s gradient colour. The hours are marked by long, tapered triangles, which, like the ‘JL’ logo, are applied; their shape is echoed by the Dauphine hands; and the minutes are indicated by applied golden dots. The moon phase display adds further detail and refinement, its subtly textured finishes contrasting with the shiny blue of the sunray dial and the mirror-polished moon disc. Displaying the date on a ring around the moon-phase aperture maintains aesthetic harmony and creates a visual anchor for the main complication.

At 39mm in diameter, the case is well-balanced and perfectly proportioned; combining a mix of polished and brushed surfaces, it maintains a strong visual presence on the wrist even with its slim profile. An exact match for the blue of the dial, the alligator strap allows easy changes whenever the wearer wishes. Developed and produced entirely in-house, the new-generation Calibre 925 is a high-performing automatic movement that provides 70 hours  of power reserve. An 18-carat pink gold oscillating weight and refined decoration and finishing can be enjoyed thanks to the transparent case-back.

Perpetuating the Manufacture’s long heritage of pairing sophisticated and high-performing in-house calibres with the aesthetic beauty of timeless case and dial designs, the combination of gradient-blue sunray dial and pink gold case elevates the discreet and classically elegant Master Ultra Thin Moon to a new level of contemporary sophistication.

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The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection continues to grow with the arrival of a brand-new 38 mm case size. This new diameter debuts with two 18-carat pink gold selfwinding models enriched with ivory or purple hues. © Courtesy of Audemars Piguet.

THE PERFECT FIT
The new 38 mm Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding has been designed with smaller wrists in mind. This size, which complements the collection’s current 41 and 42 mm offering, debuts with two models crafted in 18-carat pink gold. Although displaying a smaller diameter, the two timepieces have retained the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet aesthetic codes.
Its case is composed of an octagonal case middle positioned within an extra-thin bezel and a round caseback. The upper part of the stylised lugs is welded to the bezel, while the lower part leans delicately against the caseback in perfect alignment. The contemporary case has been finished with the same meticulous care as the Manufacture’s calibres, the refined alternation of satin-brushing and polished chamfers emphasising its multifaceted architecture.
Following the collection’s design evolution introduced earlier this year, the crown features shallower, yet more pronounced indentations, furthering the case’s geometrical complexity.

PLAYING WITH COLOURS AND LIGHT
The two 18-carat pink gold models offer elegant contrasts. The first watch is enriched with a vibrant purple dial and a matching strap, while the second timepiece presents a more discreet, yet shiny ivory aesthetic.
Both timepieces are endowed with the collection’s latest dial design evolution. The embossed dial, which reproduces a striking gradient structure, was developed by Audemars Piguet in collaboration with Swiss guilloché craftsman Yann von Kaenel. This new dial is decorated with hundreds of tiny holes that move outwards from its centre in a wave-like pattern, giving off unique colour effects. The purple and ivory hues of the two dials have been achieved by PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) to preserve and enhance the depth of the embossed pattern and maximise the play of light. The new faceted and polished hour-markers and hands accentuate contrasts. In addition, the hands are filled with luminescent coating for optimum legibility in the dark.
Each timepiece is paired with a “large square scale” alligator strap matching the dial tone and is fitted with the collection’s new 18-carat pink gold pin buckle engraved with ”Audemars Piguet”. Two rubber-coated straps lined with calfskin leather and embellished with a textile pattern, in ivory or purple hues, will be available in boutiques.
THE LATEST GENERATION SELFWINDING CALIBRE
The two highly contemporary timepieces are powered by the Manufacture’s latest selfwinding hour, minute, seconds and date movement, Calibre 5900, which first appeared in 2022 on certain 37 mm Royal Oak references. This movement combines a slim 4 mm thickness, a high 4Hz frequency and a 60-hour power reserve. The mechanism is visible through the sapphire caseback revealing its 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight along with the refined decorations adorning the components, such as the polished angles, vertical satin brushing, Côtes de Genève, circular graining and chamfering.

“Seek beyond.”

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The Hublot Design Prize is an international competition launched by Hublot in 2015, awarded in recognition of
original design. The prize is open to designers aged under 40 in recognition of their work achievements, without
restricting itself to a specific area of design. To ensure the cultural diversity of the competition, and celebrate
the wealth of creativity worldwide, each jury member is invited to select 5 candidates. The jury’s first meeting
in the year is to agree on the finalists who will come to present their philosophy at the event. This acts as a
springboard for young designers’ careers, while providing an international profile boost for the winner’s existing
work.

This year’s edition of the Hublot Design Prize award ceremony took place on 2 October in the new extension
of the Kunsthaus Zurich, in the presence of the six finalists, the jury and an invited audience. The Hublot Design Prize 2023 is awarded to Aqui Thami, in recognition of the social impact of her work and her  inspirational approach to it.

A deep activist engagement is present in each of Aqui’s activities, ranging from graphic and social design to
art and performance. The jury highlighted her fluid multidisciplinary practice, reflected in the performances, drawings, posters, zines (self-produced magazines) and artworks she creates. Passionately committed to working for the benefit of women and girls in her local community in Mumbai. Aqui an indigenous woman and her actions may lead her to risky and dangerous situations. Nonetheless, she maintains a positive approach and aware of the importance of education, she founded the Sister Library. This is the first feminist library in South Asia, fully managed by the local community.

The Pierre Keller Prize goes to Gabriel Fontana for his work using sport as a tool for redefining roles and social norms, whose purpose is to create a positive impact, particularly on preconceived interpretations of identity and inclusion. The designer also plays with uniforms by developing non-stigmatising clothing for sports and community activities.

This year was amazing, given the variety and quality of the projects a new generation of hybrid designers is emerging, less focused on objects and more conscious of social and environmental issues.

HANS ULRICH OBRIST

PRESIDENT OF THE HUBLOT DESIGN PRIZE JURY

Hublot is once again demonstrating its commitment to creativity and innovation, by celebrating the emerging
talents of design. This new generation shows great commitment to the social context, which is embodies by our 6 finalists, all from very different disciplines and horizons. The 2023 edition is marked by their philosophy of addressing the challenges of society, the environment, equality and inclusion. Hublot is proud to participate in this movement with the Hublot Design Prize, which represents an endorsement and a helping hand for the winners, who in addition to the generous grant, enjoy a great media profile boost. Without any specific age conditions, the prize recognises candidates for the consistency of their career, motivation and the quality of their work as a whole.

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Montblanc reimagines its signature Extreme 3.0 line in silver colored fabric through a limited capsule collection. Presented in a new shiny metallic texture, the capsule’s large bags notably feature a bigger version of the Extreme 3.0 motif for the first time, creating a selection of versatile statement pieces.

The silver color capsule reinterprets existing shapes from the wider Extreme 3.0 collection, including:
• Backpack with M LOCK 4810 buckle
• Envelope Bag with M LOCK 4810 buckle
• Sling Bag
• Montblanc #MY4810 cabin trolley
• Small accessories including a Compact wallet 6cc and Card holders (available in 8cc, 6cc, 3cc)

A signature of the collection, the Extreme 3.0 motif draws inspiration from images created by Grete Gross, Montblanc’s Head of Advertising who deeply influenced Montblanc’s visual language in the 1920’s. The rational and geometrical visuals were directly influenced by the Bauhaus style of the time. For the initial Extreme 3.0 collections, the motif was enlarged on two different scales – a bigger treatment for bags, and a smaller one for small accessories and the Montblanc Summit 3 Smartwatch strap. Now, the new larger size joins the repertoire for a striking wearing option.

As a stylistic detail, the original M LOCK 4810 buckle has been redesigned in a silver color with black detailing for this capsule. Inspired by closures used in the climbing world, the M LOCK 4810 buckle features a special mechanism that guarantees secure closure, but is equally easy to open when needed.

The Extreme 3.0 collection showcases of a selection of different shapes, sizes and functions designed to fit the lifestyles of those for whom every day is not about routine but about adventure, whether at work or at play. The collection’s compact shapes also follow the latest trend of incorporating small accessories to larger bags: a selection of the small accessories feature rings that can be attached to the bags via hooks, allowing each wearer to create new contrasts of volumes and colors with many customization possibilities.

The Montblanc Extreme 3.0 silver color capsule collection is available from September 2023 from Montblanc boutiques worldwide and online. For more information, visit www.montblanc.com

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About Montblanc
Synonymous with excellence in craftsmanship and design, Montblanc has been pushing the boundaries of innovation ever since the Maison first revolutionized the culture of writing in 1906. Ingenuity and imagination continue to be driving forces for the Maison today as it advances its expression of fine craftsmanship across product categories: writing instruments, watches, leather goods, new technologies and accessories. Reflecting upon its ongoing mission to create fine lifetime companions born from bold ideas and expertly crafted through the skills of the Maison’s artisans, the iconic Montblanc emblem has become the ultimate seal of performance, quality and an expression of sophisticated style. As part of its on-going commitment to elevating and support those who strive to leave their mark, Montblanc continues to assert its encouragement of education programs around the world and initiatives that inspire people to express their full potential.

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The new partnership between Vacheron Constantin and TheMetropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), a leading art museum founded in 1870, is based on an unwavering commitment to safeguarding and passing on knowledge and expertise. Through this alliance, the Maison demonstrates its profound attachment to the world of art and culture that has consistently nurtured its imagination and its creativity – as will be vividly showcased in future educational initiatives developed within the framework of this partnership.

Perpetually learning
“None of us knows what we all know together.” Even in the time of Euripides, the sharing of knowledge and the heritage it represents for future generations was of paramount importance. The same goes for Vacheron Constantin, whose founding act was an apprenticeship contract signed by Jean-Marc Vacheron on 17 September 1755. This official document, bearing the oldest mention of the Vacheron watchmaking dynasty, committed the founder of the Maison to teaching his art to a young apprentice over a five-year period. This passing on of knowledge has always been core to the activity of the Manufacture, whose 40 or so skills are largely dependent on the artistry and techniques developed by previous generations – continually rethought, adapted and enhanced over the decades.
Today as in the past, Vacheron Constantin is committed to integrating apprentices into its production process and taking good care of its artisans and watchmakers, who are made keenly aware of the intelligence guiding their forebears’ skills, ensuring they never forget  what makes a Vacheron Constantin watch unique. Whether listed in the Maison’s catalogue or bearing the Les Cabinotiers emblem that signs exceptional oneoff timepieces, each model is the fruit of more than two and a half centuries of knowledge and tradition, driven by creativity and innovation, in a constant effort to enrich the existing body of knowledge. For Louis Ferla, CEO of Vacheron Constantin, “the quest for excellence is a constant challenge in which we never stop learning.”

Mentoring programs
As the Maison’s CEO Louis Ferla explains: “Establishing a partnership with the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art enables us to highlight our shared vocation for transmitting knowledge and preserving the arts. Vacheron Constantin’s commitment to art and culture has always been an inexhaustible source of inspiration, permeating our freedom to create and express beauty in all our watches. The Maison’s ties with the United States and New York date back more than two centuries, with many of our finest creations having been made for American collectors and clients, such as the iconic American 1921. This partnership with The Met confirms our cultural and artistic attachment to this country, as well as our concern to preserve its expertise.” With this in mind, Vacheron Constantin has developed its “One of Not Many Mentorship Program” in collaboration with talents whose personality and work express the continual quest for excellence, the openness to the world as well as the spirit of innovation and creativity characteristic of Vacheron Constantin. This approach is exemplified by the collaboration with Abbey Road Studios enabling young musicians to benefit from the advice of experts in music production and the support of internationally renowned musician and artistic director Woodkid. Another illustration lies in cooperation with CHAN Chun Wai, principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, who teaches his art to promising young talents.
The Met is also deeply committed to mentorship and educational programs that make art accessible to everyone, regardless of background, disability, age, or experience. The Met’s Education Department currently presents over 29,000 educational events and programs throughout the year. These programs include workshops, art-making experiences, specialized tours, fellowships supporting leading scholarship and research, high school and college internships that promote career accessibility and diversity, access programs for visitors with disabilities, K-12 educator programs that train teachers to integrate art into core curricula across disciplines, and school tours and programs that spark deep learning and lifelong relationships with and through art.

Centuries-old links
Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO, said: “We are delighted to partner with Vacheron Constantin and are grateful for their support of The Met’s mission, which aligns with the esteemed watchmaker’s own longstanding efforts to celebrate creativity and preserve artistic traditions. We look forward to collaborating
on a number of unique projects that build on our mutual commitment to education and the arts.” Vacheron Constantin is particularly delighted to share these values with such an institution on American soil. Historically, it was in 1811 that Vacheron Constantin made its first contact with a merchant active in transatlantic trade, and who
settled in New York in 1832, before gradually extending the representation of Vacheron Constantin watches to most of the country’s states. In addition to supplying watches specially developed for the US Army Corps of Engineers in
1918, Vacheron Constantin also produced one of the most prestigious watches in watchmaking history for its American client James Ward Packard. These few examples suffice to illustrate the Maison’s deep attachment to the United States that has now taken on a new artistic and cultural dimension through the partnership with TheMet, heralding a fruitful exchange of knowledge through joint creative projects. The partnership will support a variety of The Met’s mission-driven activities and will include a number of collaborations, including an artist-in-residency program and other educational initiatives; special events; and Vacheron Constantin exceptional and dedicated timepieces inspired by artworks from The Met collection.

Summary
Vacheron Constantin announces a new partnership with New York’s prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art. This alliance is based on common values of safeguarding and passing on knowledge dedicated to creativity and innovation. Like Vacheron Constantin, The Met is also involved in a number of educational programs, reflecting both partners’ desire to encourage and support individuals in their projects by surrounding them with experienced mentors. This emphasis on artistic and cultural heritage is intended to encourage the sharing of knowledge in the pursuit of excellence. With this in mind, The Met and Vacheron Constantin will be developing a series of joint projects designed to showcase their respective rich heritages and their ability to keep cultural legacies alive for future generations.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens—businessmen and financiers as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day—who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. Today, The Met displays tens of thousands of objects covering 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected
connections across time and across cultures.

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THE STORY OF THE LM SPLIT ESCAPEMENT

Like all good stories, it is worth starting at the very beginning. The idea behind the LM Split Escapement started life in 2015 with the LM Perpetual. Designed and conceived by Northern Irish master watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, there were two criteria for the perpetual calendar: make it fool-proof; and display MB&F’s signature flying balance wheel in the centre of the dial. McDonnell was soon to realise that there was a problem: there was nowhere to put the escapement. The concept had worked with previous Legacy Machines, where the balance wheel was on the front of the watch along with the escapement, but with the perpetual calendar display of the more complex LM Perpetual, there was simply no room for both.

A man of solutions, McDonnell had the ingenious idea of creating the world’s longest balance staff that would traverse the entire movement, leaving the large balance wheel on its own, on the front of the watch, and moving the remaining parts of the escapement – anchor and escape wheel – to the opposite side of the movement, almost 12 mm below; hence the name ‘Split Escapement’.

When the LM Perpetual was unveiled, there were so many innovations to talk about that the split escapement went largely unnoticed. So, in 2017, MB&F decided to create the LM Split Escapement (LM SE) to highlight McDonnell’s genius idea. The manual-winding, 298-component movement is driven by double barrels providing 72 hours of power reserve, and features a user-friendly, fool proof rapid date-changing system that prevents the user from inadvertently damaging the movement when adjusting the date.

EVO-LUTION

The first editions of the LM Split Escapement were presented in MB&F’s classic Legacy Machine case – but the collection now also features the EVO case, conceived for a more active lifestyle.

This new case design first came to life in 2020 in the form of the LM Perpetual EVO; it features 80 metres of water resistance, a screw-down crown, an integrated rubber strap and a bezel-free design. But the EVO concept goes deeper: inside the case, the movement is suspended thanks to a world-premiere, monobloc shock-absorbing “FlexRing” system, dampening the kind of vertical and horizontal shocks that come with real-life adventures.

After the LM Perpetual EVO, the EVO case worked its way further into the Legacy Machine collection: most recently and with a bang, in the form of MB&F’s first-ever chronograph, the LM Sequential EVO. But previously and more discreetly, with a 10-piece limited edition LM Split Escapement EVO, presented quietly on the occasion of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee.

In addition to the EVO case, that Golden Jubilee edition featured a change that radically modified the design of the LM Split Escapement: the entire mechanism was rotated clockwise by 30 degrees, with the crown at 4:30 instead of 2 o’clock – completely changing the symmetry of the watch, giving it a totally new character.

In 2022, MB&F added two new LM SE EVO editions to the series. The first came in grade 5 titanium with an icy blue base plate and slate grey dial and counters, while the second was a limited edition reserved exclusively for the MB&F LAB in Beverly Hills, operated by retail partner Westime; the 25-piece edition came in Westime’s corporate colours of blue and black with a striking black base plate and metallic blue dial and counters.

Another feature of these editions was the special darkened treatment on the movement side, creating heightened contrast between the wheels, the rhodium-plated barrels and the rose gold details – symbolically echoing the contrast between the active, contemporary nature of the EVO collection and the traditional finishing of the movement. MB&F is one of only a handful of artisanal brands that continue to finish components painstakingly by hand, making the view of the movement as mesmerizing as the dial.

A SOPHISTICATED BLACK AND GREEN EDITION FOR TAIPEI

The relationship between Maximilian Büsser and Swiss Prestige is very special. Indeed, a strong bond links the two, practically since the beginnings of MB&F. Several years later, in 2015, Swiss Prestige opened the MB&F M.A.D.Gallery in Taiwan – the second in the world and the first in Asia.

It was an impressive challenge for Lori Shen (CEO of Swiss Prestige) and her team as the company had been operating for many years as a distributor, but had no background in running an actual retail store. If people doubted the reasons why someone would take such a risk, Lori Shen had the perfect answer; “The reasons are simple. First, I love what Max does. Second, if you want to stand out, you need to be different. It hasn’t been an easy path but I am extremely proud of this decision.”

Travelling back to 2023, MB&F’s Taipei M.A.D.Gallery gets its own limited edition of 20 pieces with a stunning LM Split Escapement EVO. This new addition bears a titanium case, a beautiful black base plate, as well as a multi-reflective green dial and open counters.

It comes with a choice of two rubber straps; a contrasting fresh white strap, or a lovely dark grey which compliments the piece’s base plate perfectly.

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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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As early as the mid ‘50s, TUDOR diving watches were being tested and evaluated by a number of outfits inside the US Navy, and by 1958 they were officially adopted by the Navy and purchased for the purpose of issuing them to divers operating in various units. This Pelagos FXD model is the spiritual successor of those watches. The nomenclature hints at the background of the watch, with FXD referring to the incredibly robust FiXeD strap bars of the case. The model represents a modern, high-performance and robust take on the famed “Milsub” (short for Military Submariner) of yesteryear. Visually, it’s most in line with a late ‘60s-era TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner reference 7016; it incorporates elements from the US military specifications for diving watches, such as fixed spring bars, as well as details inspired by other generations of issued TUDORs, like pointed crown-guards typically found on early TUDOR Submariners.

KEY POINTS
1. 42mm satin-brushed titanium case with fixed strap bars, machined from a single block of titanium
2. Unidirectional rotatable bezel in titanium with ceramic insert and 60-minute graduation filled with grade X1 Swiss Super-LumiNova® luminous material
3. Matt black dial with applied hour markers filled with grade X1 Swiss Super-LumiNova® luminous material
4. Manufacture Calibre MT5602, certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) with a hairspring in silicon and a 70-hour power reserve
5. “Snowflake” hands, one of the hallmarks of the TUDOR divers’ watches introduced in 1969, with grade X1 Swiss Super-LumiNova® luminous material filling
6. One-piece fabric strap with self-gripping fastening system in forest green with red central thread and additional one-piece rubber strap with embossed fabric motif

TUDOR AND THE US NAVY
The US Navy issued TUDOR diving watches for decades starting in the latter years of the ‘50s. The watches were famously used by SEAL teams from their commissioning in 1962 all the way the late ‘80s. These robust instruments have also served sailors in all types of underwater roles, including UDTs, Seabees and Navy dive school instructors. The issued TUDOR Submariners have played a role in teaching the basics of scuba diving at the Underwater Swimmers School, all the way to aiding in underwater submarine maintenance at submarine bases in the US and abroad. Issued TUDOR watches also played a role in pioneering innovative underwater technologies under the surface of oceans across the globe.

Throughout the decades, TUDOR has supported the US Navy as a supplier of issued watches. In the 1965 “First Edition” of the Underwater Demolition Team Handbook, a TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner ref. 7928 is pictured next to the “Diving Watch” paragraph. The handbook was an essential piece of literature for new operators as they studied UDT operational procedures. Later, in 1973, the US Navy Diving manual lists the TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner references 7016 and 7021 as “Navy-approved” diving watches. In 1974, the National Stock Number system was introduced to track the supply system of the US Department of Defense. From 1978, under code 6645-01-068-1088, a supply officer could purchase and issue a TUDOR Oyster Prince Submariner reference 9411, or later 76100, to an approved sailor or operator in need of a reliable Navy-approved dive watch. This specific supply catalog entry was only retired in 2004.

Watches issued to members of the military are typically engraved with specific inventory codes, but the US Navy-issued TUDOR watches didn’t follow this pattern. There was never a force-wide, consolidated marking system. Instead, the issued watches were either sterile, or marked at the unit level, with many different coding typologies, most of which were used for inventory purposes. Since many of these watches issued by the US Navy remain unmarked, it makes it quite difficult for watch scholars of today to determine the military provenance of a given TUDOR, even though official records indicate that very large quantities, in a number of references, were delivered over a span of multiple decades.

A UNIQUE SET OF SPECIFICATIONS
Initially developed in conjunction with active duty combat swimmers, the Pelagos FXD case is based on a set of specifications that are as precise as they are demanding. For this reason, it includes some functional features that are unique in the TUDOR collection, such as its fixed strap bars, which are directly machined into the main body of the 42mm titanium case for increased robustness and reliability. Shaped as an extension of the lugs, they are key to the model’s characteristic silhouette. Another feature of this model is the ergonomic 60-notch rotating bezel. Unidirectional with a luminescent material-filled 60-minute-graduated ceramic insert, it corresponds to ISO standard 6425:2018 for divers’ watches.

In aesthetic terms, this Pelagos FXD model is inspired by the TUDOR divers’ watches historically used by US Navy personnel in the late 60’s through early 80’s. It is black in colour and has the characteristic square hour markers and angular hands, known as “Snowflake”, introduced by the brand in 1969 to increase the intensity of the luminescence of its watches in poor light conditions. It also features a unidirectional rotating bezel with a sand-blasted ceramic insert with luminescent material. Its 42mm titanium case is waterproof to 200 meters and is entirely satin-brushed to produce a matt effect to limit light reflections.

A FABRIC STRAP IN PURE NAVY STYLE
Historically, the US Navy oftentimes had their divers fit their TUDOR watches with fabric straps, typically one-piece ones in black or green made out of nylon. The two straps of the Pelagos FXD nod to this military custom of wearing watches on straps rather than bracelets, with a twist. A one-piece green fabric strap with red central thread and self-gripping fastening system comes as the flagship configuration, while an additional black embossed fabric-motif one-piece rubber strap brings a fresh subtle take to a classic look.

The one-piece fabric strap is one of the hallmarks of TUDOR, which in 2010 became one of the first watchmaking brands to offer it with its watches. Woven in France on 19th century Jacquard looms by the Julien Faure company in the St-Etienne region, its manufacturing quality, robustness and comfort on the wrist are unique. For the Pelagos FXD model, a highly technical strap construction was developed by TUDOR and Julien Faure. Made up of a 22mm forest green nylon woven ribbon with a red central thread, a titanium “D” buckle and a self-gripping fastening system, it adapts to different wrist sizes and is very comfortable to wear.

THE MANUFACTURE CALIBRE MT5602
The Manufacture Calibre MT5602 that drives the Pelagos FXD model displays the hours, minutes and seconds functions. It has the finish typical of TUDOR Manufacture Calibres: its rotor in tungsten monobloc is openwork and satin-brushed with sand-blasted details, while its bridges and mainplate have alternate sand-blasted, polished surfaces and laser decorations.

Its build has been designed to ensure robustness, longevity, reliability and precision, as has its variable inertia balance, which is maintained by a sturdy traversing bridge with a two-point fixation. Together with its non-magnetic silicon hairspring, the Manufacture Calibre MT5602 is certified as a chronometer by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), with its performance going beyond the standards set by this independent institute. In fact, where COSC allows an average variation in the daily running of a watch of between -4 and +6 seconds in relation to absolute time in a single movement, TUDOR insists on between -2 and +4 seconds’ variation in its running when it is completely assembled.

Another notable feature is that the power reserve of the Manufacture Calibre MT5602 is “weekend-proof”; that is to say about 70 hours, which enables the wearer to take the watch off on a Friday evening and put it back on again on Monday morning without having to wind it.

THE TUDOR DIVERS’ WATCH
The history of the TUDOR divers’ watch dates back to 1954 with the launch of reference 7922. Waterproof to 100 meters (330 ft), it is the firstborn in a long line of “divers”. Affordable, robust, reliable and precise, it is representative of the tool-watch philosophy of the brand. The seven decades following its introduction have witnessed the constant improvement of this TUDOR divers’ watch and those that have gained unanimous acclaim from professionals in the field, including some of the greatest military navies in the world. With the introduction in 2021 of the first generation of Pelagos FXD, TUDOR continues to write its underwater story alongside some of the most elite navy units in the world.

THE TUDOR MANUFACTURE
Every TUDOR watch is assembled and fully tested to TUDOR’s superior standards at the new TUDOR Manufacture located in Le Locle, Switzerland. This new state-of-the-art facility, bringing together the know-how of watchmakers with the best in production management and automated testing systems, was completed in 2021 after three years of construction. All decked out in TUDOR red, the Manufacture spans over four levels totalling more than 5,500 square meters and is physically and visually connected to the neighbouring Kenissi Manufacture, the TUDOR movement production facility founded in 2016. With Kenissi and a network of TUDOR-owned affiliates, the brand has been able to integrate the development and production of high-performance mechanical calibres. As a consequence, TUDOR now fully masters the manufacturing of strategic components and can guarantee their quality.

THE TUDOR GUARANTEE
Since the brand’s creation by Hans Wilsdorf in 1926 and in line with his vision of the ideal timepiece, TUDOR has been ceaselessly creating watches that are as robust, durable, reliable and precise as possible. On the strength of this experience, and confident in the superior quality of its watches, TUDOR offers a five-year guarantee for all its products. This guarantee does not require the watch to be registered or submitted for periodic checks and is transferable. TUDOR also recommends that its watches should be serviced approximately every ten years depending on the model and the extent of its use on a day-to-day basis.

TUDOR IS BORNTODARE
In 2017, TUDOR launched a new campaign with the Born To Dare signature. It reflects both the history of the brand and what it stands for today. It tells the adventures of individuals who have achieved the extraordinary on land, on ice, in the air or underwater, with a TUDOR watch on their wrists. It also refers to the vision of Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of TUDOR, who manufactured TUDOR watches to withstand the most extreme conditions, watches made for the most daring lifestyles. It is testimony to TUDOR’s singular approach to watchmaking, which has made it what it is today. At the cutting edge of the watchmaking industry, its innovations are now essential benchmarks. The TUDOR Born To Dare spirit is supported throughout the world by first class ambassadors, whose achievements result directly from a daring approach to life.

The Pelagos FXD will soon be available at the TUDOR boutique in Dubai Mall and Mall of The Emirates.

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Guests were able to take advantage of introductory workshops, special exhibitions and presentations of different professional vocations that delivered a well-rounded and immersive experience, helping spark increased interest in watchmaking.

The weekend program in the Auditorium was a real success, with conferences such as Iconic Watches and Trends & Novelties 2023 filling the stands. Professionals, along with the general public, were also able to follow the
Salon in real time via the Watches and Wonders Shanghai WeChat platform.

“We are glad to see a keen interest from the younger generations. Our mission is also to reach out to this audience to inspire new passions and
watchmaking vocations”, says Matthieu Humair, CEO of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation.
Watches and Wonders Shanghai 2023 reaffirmed that it has become an essential platform for exchange, education and engagement in today’s fine watchmaking global community.

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In September 2023, Jaeger-LeCoultre will present The Dream Shaper exhibition at the Dubai Mall boutique showcasing a fascinating collection that celebrates the profound influence that women have had on the aesthetic of time and the ways in which it is worn.

Tracing the eternally captivating story of feminine style through more than 150 years of historic women’s watches, and showcasing Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most recent feminine timepieces, the exhibition is an invitation to discover how women’s evolving tastes and social roles have shaped the dream of timekeeping’s limitless possibilities. It reveals the myriad ways in which these possibilities have been interpreted by our Manufacture’s designers, watchmakers and artistic craftsmen.

Over the centuries, social evolution has brought not only an endless parade of changing fashions but also major shifts in the way femininity itself is defined. Through this process of continual change, watches developed specifically for women have married technical sophistication, creative design and aesthetic beauty in countless different ways – reflecting fashions, setting trends and embodying women’s evolving needs and desires. Contrary to commonly held assumptions, it was women who wore the first wristwatches, before men adopted the style in the 1920s.

Thanks to the pioneering spirit of its founder, LeCoultre & Cie had begun creating watches for both men and women at an early stage. For women, the Manufacture immediately understood the immense aesthetic and technical potential of timepieces that could also be worn as jewels and accessories. When Edmond Jaeger and Jacques-David LeCoultre started their collaboration early in the 20th century, marrying Jaeger’s French flair to LeCoultre’s Swiss expertise, they quickly realised that the wider adoption of the wristwatch would revolutionise the entire industry in both stylistic and technical terms – literally changing the shape of watchmaking.

Immersing visitors in the creative and cultural universe of Jaeger-LeCoultre, The Dream Shaper exhibition explores the theme of femininity at La Grande Maison in four chapters: Decoration, Shapes, Miniaturisation and Complications.

Decorating Dreams
In the 18th and 19th centuries, watches were rare and powerful status symbols and, therefore, made from precious materials and embellished with engravings, enamel, miniature paintings and gemstones. By the early 20th century, wristwatches were recognised as the most useful piece of jewellery a woman could own. Two exquisite pieces dating from around 1900 are among those that showcase La Grande Maison’s exceptional heritage of artistic craftsmanship: a very early wristwatch created by LeCoultre & Cie, in yellow gold set with rubies and diamonds, and a pendant watch in a blue-enamelled gold case set with an intricate pattern of diamonds. The revival of fine mechanical watchmaking since the 1990s has brought with it a renaissance of the artistic crafts and, today, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s feminine watches unite ‘beauty and brains’ – marrying outer ornamentation with inner technical magic.

Shaping Dreams
As women increasingly wore wristwatches, a new realm of creative possibility opened up – with time expressed in the form of rectangles, squares, ovals and trapezoids, as well as traditional round shapes. Given that its approach to product integrity implied that the form of a movement must closely follow the contours of its case, La Grande Maison became a specialist in so-called ‘shaped’ calibres. In 1925, coinciding with the birth of Art Deco, the rectangular Duoplan calibre was born. Built on two levels (hence its name), fusing technicality and style, it allowed designers greater aesthetic flexibility than ever before – as clearly illustrated by the models exhibited, including an early Duoplan piece from the 1920s. Six years after Duoplan, the Reverso was born. Offered in distinctly feminine variations alongside the classic dimensions, its instantly recognisable rectangular case was to become a design icon of the 20th century and remains timelessly modern to this day, with the double-sided Duetto and the classical Monoface.

Miniaturising Dreams
Since the early 1500s, when clocks were first reduced to a portable size, watchmakers have devoted great effort to inventing ever-smaller mechanisms – wrestling with the challenge of maintaining timekeeping accuracy while reducing size. While the Duoplan movement solved this problem, La Grande Maison continued its pursuit of extreme miniaturisation, introducing Calibre 101 in 1929. Conceived for jewellery watches, it weighed barely one gram and measured just 14mm long, 4.8mm wide and 3.4mm thick. Its record as the world’s smallest mechanical movement still stands today. Alongside current examples of Calibre 101 that showcase Jaeger-LeCoultre’s exceptional expertise in miniature watchmaking, exhibits include a Calibre 101 Feuille from 1959 – a secret watch with a leaf-shaped cover that can be lifted to reveal the time – and a Calibre 101 Reine from 1982, inspired by the movement in the watch worn by Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her coronation in 1953.

Complicating Dreams
Women’s fascination with horological complications dates back hundreds of years and, since the earliest days of the Manufacture, La Grande Maison has been distinguished by its expertise in developing mechanisms with many functions beyond simply telling the time. Beginning with its earliest complication in a women’s pendant watch in 1910 – a minute repeater – the Manufacture has fused functionality and aesthetics to create distinctively feminine expressions of the classical complications such as calendars and moon-phases – as well as entirely new complications specifically for women. Examples, showcased in the exhibition, include a 1948 “mystery” watch, with the time indicated by diamond-set chatons that appear to float around the dial, and the Carnet de Rendez-Vous from 1991. The inspiration for Jaeger-LeCoultre’s 21st-century Rendez-Vous collection, it was itself inspired by the 5PM that Jaeger-LeCoultre designed in the 1950s. Today, with their enthusiasm for complicated calibres stronger than ever, women continue to inspire La Grande Maison’s eternal quest for innovation.

Over the centuries, women have been influencing time by inspiring revolutions and evolutions that have transformed watchmaking forever. Through this exhibition we celebrate these dream-shapers, showcasing some of the most exceptional creations from our Manufacture, conceived and created explicitly for women.

The Dream Shaper exhibition will take place at Dubai Mall boutique from the 2nd till the 24th of September 2023. Guests can book their slot on: Jaeger-LeCoultre – Atelier – THE DREAM SHAPER EXHIBITION

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THE SERPENTI FACTORY

The Serpenti Factory embraces many territories that are part of the icon’s identity, from heritage to craftsmanship, from multisensory technologies to the new campaign celebrating the 75th anniversary of the icon connecting past, present, and future.
A selection of the most iconic Serpenti creations from the Bulgari Heritage collection will be on display, explaining how these pieces have combined the Maison’s heritage, creative designs, and unparalleled craftsmanship throughout the 75-year evolution of the sign. With exceptional mastery of colors and shapes, Bulgari has applied extraordinary craftsmanship to gorgeous jewelry and materials, developing a mesmerizing new take on the ancient symbol.
For the occasion three local artists have been called upon to give their interpretations of the Serpenti emblem, illustrating the eclectic nature of the icon. Within the Factory, it will be possible to see their personal expression and narrative creations imagined by Dr. Azra Khamissa, Dr. Afra Atiq, and Azza Al Qubaisi.

Dr. Azra Khamissa, a henna artist and designer, draws inspiration from the resilience of Bedouins for her collaboration with Bulgari on the 75th-anniversary celebrations of the Serpenti. She sees a parallel between their adaptability and the serpent’s survival in harsh conditions.
She uses natural henna as her chosen medium, connecting with generations and cultures, often featuring nature as a backdrop to appreciate Allah’s creation. She hopes that her art speaks to people in unique ways, evoking emotions and connections.
The artwork reflects the rich local culture, heritage, and aesthetics of the SWANA region, where henna traditions are deeply cherished, invoking memories of family and special occasions. Viewers should pay attention to the details in the backgrounds and the stunning UAE landscapes, hoping to inspire exploration and reflection on the perfection of God’s creation.

Dr. Afra Atiq is an Emirati spoken word poet born in the United Arab Emirates to an Emirati father and a Japanese-American mother. She co-founded the Untitled Chapters, a collective of female Emirati writers. In 2015, she was named the “Best Performer” by Rooftop Rhythms and won the Abu Dhabi Music and Art Foundation Creativity award for her poem “An Open Letter to Cancer” in 2017.
This poem draws inspiration from Bulgari’s Serpenti Viper necklace, Serpenti Tubogas watch, and Serpenti bracelet, which often feature winding and curved elements.
“As a poet, I aimed to capture these elements that start and end with the same sentiment. The poem pays homage to continuity, taking snake imagery and metaphors in a fresh direction, particularly focusing on the shedding of snakeskin. It centers on personal growth, akin to snakes outgrowing their old skin. The poem translates this concept into a celebration of personal growth and the journey of self-discovery. It’s about finding your way back to yourself regardless of circumstances, much like Serpenti designs.
The poem seeks to inspire and empower, drawing on Serpenti’s themes of timelessness and graceful power. It incorporates elements of local culture through Arabic language use. Additionally, it builds metaphors around craftsmanship, reflecting Bulgari’s renowned artistry.”

Azza Al Qubaisi is a Jewellery designer and sculpture artist popularly known in the UAE. With a distinctive focus on local materials, sustainable practices, and traditional techniques, she contributes to the art world and celebrates the rich heritage of the UAE. Al Qubaisi’s work is a testament to her commitment to preserving the essence of her culture and heritage.
Her work is strongly connected to her homeland as she draws inspiration from the natural landscape of the UAE, incorporating elements like the shapes, patterns, and textures of the desert into her pieces. Crafted from various materials such as gold, silver, palm fronds, mild steel, and stainless steel, this medium diversity highlights her versatile artistic skills and willingness to experiment and innovate. Her art encapsulates the aesthetic aspects of her culture and the technical skills passed down through generations. By incorporating these techniques into her contemporary creations, she ensures they continue thriving in the modern world.
For the Bulgari Serpenti 75th-anniversary collaboration, she draws inspiration from Nature, capturing movement and environment rather than the serpent itself. This approach allows to reinforce the interpretation and storytelling.
” By translating serpents’ grace and dunes’ allure into art, I weave the past and present. My art mirrors the essence of nature, depicting movement, transformation, and continuity, reflecting cultural evolution.
Regarding my medium, I’ve chosen mild steel for its earthy, rusty effect, symbolizing time’s passage, growth, and change, aligning with the serpent’s shedding symbolism. Stainless steel’s reflective properties mimic snake scales and dunes’ light play, symbolizing elegance, purity, and sophistication.”

SERPENTI BY REFIK ANADOL

From Milan’s central Piazza Duomo to London’s famed Saatchi Gallery, and Madrid Thyssen Museum Serpenti by Refik Anadol has touched down in DIFC, one of Dubai’s most iconic art destinations.
Born from an innovative combination of art and technology, the installation is a multimedia artwork generated by artificial intelligence resulting from algorithms trained with 200 million images of nature. Interpreting the concept of metamorphosis as the change from one form to another, the award-winning media artist and director Anadol transforms nature into data and data into abstract, poetic images.
The immersive experience combines the installation with a curated selection of Serpenti creations from the Bulgari Heritage collection and the Maison’s historical archives.

THE TALE CONTINUES, INTRODUCING NEW SERPENTI HIGH JEWLERY CREATIONS
Marking a new chapter in the evolution of Serpenti, 5 exclusive High Jewelry creations pay tribute to the icon’s 75th anniversary. The ingenious fusion of Bulgari’s Italian art of living and distinctive aesthetic results in timeless creations with sweeping charisma that remain unchanged despite their infinite evolution.

As if emerged from the petals of a mystical rose, the Crimson Rose Serpenti Necklace, paired with a matching ring and bracelet, exudes an aura of passion and transformation. In these High Jewelry pieces, Bulgari’s timeless serpent motif gracefully evolves embodying the fiery passion that burns within every heart, beautifully showcased by the striking central spinel.

Set in the serpent’s crown of the necklace, a 16.62-carat pink spinel from Tajikistan takes center stage, while the delicate rose gold “scales” of its mesmerizing coiled body shimmer with mother-of-pearl and pink tourmalines (for a total of 9.6 ct). The dance of color and light is accentuated by the skillful use of 39.49-carat pavé diamonds. Adding a touch of contrast, two emerald eyes unify the composition’s harmony.

The Crismon Rose Serpenti Bangle in rose gold is adorned with 8.86 carats of pavé-set diamonds, mother-of-pearl elements, and 28 fancy tourmalines, creating the texture of exquisite “scales.” Here a captivating oval spinel of 9.50 carats creates a hypnotizing focal point. Two fancy emeralds further enhance the color contrast as the serpent’s eyes. With its wrap-around design, the bracelet rests delicately on the wrist, exuding elegance with every movement.

Finally, the matching ring elegantly coils around the finger with magnetic emerald eyes. At its center lies an enchanting round spinel of 3.71 carats, gracefully accompanied by tourmalines, mother-of-pearl elements, and pavé diamonds.

TREE OF LIFE SERPENTI

In a mesmerizing display of artisanship, the Tree of Life Serpenti necklace, adorned with a medley of emeralds and diamonds, evokes the shimmering greens of the mystical animal winding through the trees.
The serpent’s fascination is immortalized in an openwork design set in rose gold, adorned with 27 pear-shaped emeralds, totaling 15.57 carats. Accompanied by 24 pear diamonds (8.16 ct), 45 fancy step-cut diamonds (3.99 ct), and pavé-set diamonds (10.03 ct), this exquisite High Jewelry piece creates an interplay of color and light reminiscent of sunshine streaming through the rainforest.

POLARIS SERPENTI

Crafted in white gold, the Polaris Serpenti High Jewelry Serpenti necklace is crowned with a brilliant-cut diamond of 3.55 carats while its blue sapphire eyes glisten with wisdom, creating a captivating contrast. Here the Maison’s masterful artistry is revealed in the articulated “scales,” embellished with 163 step-cut diamonds totalling 9.81 carats, and 22.62 carats of pavé-set diamonds. Embodying the timeless mystique of the serpent, this lithe and sinuous, coiled design graces the neck in a mesmerizing celestial dance.

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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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The beginning of the adventure

Not many creations can boast about being born as a scheme to say thank you. The driving force behind M.A.D.Editions was a certain frustration that not everyone could afford a high-figure MB&F timepiece, including MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser’s own friends and family; it started as a side project to thank those supporters of MB&F who have played a major role in the success of the brand.

Already during the inception of MB&F, nearly two decades ago, Maximilian had an idea for a parallel watch brand at a more affordable price point. The project was a bit mad; at the time, his attention was naturally focused on MB&F and he was not able to drum up enough funding to get it off the ground. The concept never left him, however, bubbling away in the back of his mind… until 2014, when the idea resurfaced. After several months of work, Max decided once again to put the prototype of what would later become the M.A.D.1 on the back burner – until it came back again in 2020, at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, when the MB&F team spent countless hours in Zoom meetings, brainstorming on new projects.

Between 2020 and mid-2021, the MB&F team fine-tuned and finalised the design – and invested into the manufacturing of a few hundred pieces. The timepiece would be as creative as everything else MB&F had developed, only at a much more affordable price. It could clearly not carry the MB&F name; to keep the price accessible, the engineering, complexity and finishing would obviously not be in the same league as MB&F’s Horological and Legacy Machines. The team chose M.A.D.Editions, linking the watch to the mechanical art universe of the brand’s M.A.D.Galleries.

The M.A.D.1 BLUE: the “Friends and Tribe edition”

The M.A.D.1 was never “launched”. In June 2021, without any forewarning, it was simply presented on a short email, accompanied by a few photos, to MB&F’s suppliers and collectors. It was not announced on the brand’s website or social media channels. But that simple email generated a media storm unlike anything MB&F had ever seen.

Coming from MB&F, whose timepieces range from about $60,000 to $500,000, the price of CHF 1,900 + tax (approximately $2,000) seemed impossible to believe. At the time, since the project was created purely as a thank you to all those who had helped create MB&F, it was not intended to be a business and its price did not reflect the real value of the timepiece.

This first edition of M.A.D.1 watches – recognisable thanks to its blue accents – was proposed to two well-defined groups of people: first, MB&F’s network of suppliers – the “Friends” as the brand calls them – who had been helping create their timepieces since 2005. From dial makers to hand makers, those who craft the brand’s cases, escapements, movement components and sapphire crystals; but also to the photographers, writers, designers, and other creatives who have been part of the journey.

The second group were the registered members of “The Tribe”, the MB&F owners’ club – the collectors, the patrons who had supported the brand from the very beginning by acquiring its Horological and Legacy Machines. Incidentally, the team would decide later that Tribe members retain a permanent access to future M.A.D.Editions, recognising that MB&F would simply not exist without them.

This thank you to MB&F suppliers and collectors could have stopped there – but in today’s world of social media and chat groups, it was just a matter of days before the word got out. Once in possession of their M.A.D.1, the Friends and Tribe members started to share their new timepiece with the world, opening the floodgates of desire for watch lovers the world over. After a few weeks of frenzy, the MB&F team realised that it would be impossible to limit the project to existing suppliers and collectors – it had to consider opening M.A.D.Editions to a wider public.

Why the frenzy?

The M.A.D.1 was conceived with the same amount of creativity as an MB&F Machine, but with an additional constraint, which one could argue is even more challenging: the affordable price point. Developing a movement from scratch would clearly have been too expensive, so modifying a tried and proven base calibre was required. Among a few potential candidates, the Miyota 821A movement was chosen for its unidirectional winding system – essential for easy and high-speed rotation of the winding rotor, a key element of the M.A.D.1 design.

The case structure and time display were particularly innovative with the movement encased upside-down, allowing the watchmakers to place the specially-developed triple-blade, titanium and tungsten rotor on the dial side of the watch – a feature typical of several MB&F timepieces. The revolving hours and minutes were positioned on aluminium cylinders visible on the case band, another nod to the much-loved lateral displays seen on many MB&F Machines.

Housed in a 42mm stainless steel case, combined with large sections in mineral glass and sapphire crystal, the M.A.D.1 was enhanced with blue touches and generous Super-LumiNova, also around the rotor, for hours of spinning amusement in the dark.

A production conundrum

MB&F’s compact and highly skilled team of engineers and watchmakers create about 400 watches per year. Even though the M.A.D.1 was not as complex as what they usually work on, they still needed to modify the base movement, mount the hour and minute cylinders, the oversized rotor, encase the watch and do the final testing.

Assembling hundreds or thousands of M.A.D.1 timepieces was just unthinkable, dangerous even to the brand’s core business. After much internal debate, it was decided to respond to the mind-blowing demand for more M.A.D.1 watches, but to proceed step by step and in the fairest way possible.

M.A.D.1 RED: the first edition accessible to the public

The M.A.D.1 RED was unveiled in March 2022 to the public, featuring a vibrant cherry red design. It also had its own special features, including a slimmer bezel and a more traditional round winding crown, instead of the key-like crown on the previous version. After a deeper analysis of the actual costs involved in developing, manufacturing and servicing M.A.D.Editions, the price was adjusted to CHF 2,900 + tax (approximately $3,100).

The team manufactured a first batch of 1,500 M.A.D.1 REDs. To keep things as equitable as possible, those who had previously taken the trouble to send an email to the brand, clearly expressing their interest in purchasing a possible future version, were given priority. For the rest, a raffle was opened on the brand’s e-shop where those interested could register for a free raffle ticket, to win the right to purchase one of the remaining pieces available. The MB&F team hoped that the raffle would attract maybe a few thousand aficionados… After thorough cleaning of the list, to filter out multiple entries and bot registrations, there were 19,000! The lucky winners were chosen at random via a draw – under the supervision of a bailiff – and the M.A.D.1 REDs were delivered between March and December 2022.

The year 2022 ended with an amazing reward as the M.A.D.1 RED won the Challenge Prize at the famous GPHG/Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, rewarding the year’s best watch under CHF 3,500.

Recognising the gap between supply and demand, MB&F decided to manufacture a second batch of M.A.D.1 REDs, which were made available again via a raffle in February 2023. This time, the raffle attracted over 22,000 fans – and the lucky winners snapped up the 1,500 pieces available.

The raffle system

Choosing the fairest way possible to allocate the M.A.D.1s has been the subject of endless hours of internal debate at MB&F. The team felt that the usual systems – including drops, queuing endlessly in line at retail outlets, or never-ending waiting lists – were extremely frustrating for customers. It was decided that raffles were the fairest way: they give everyone a fair chance and ample time to register, since the raffle registrations stay open for about two weeks.

Admittedly, no system is perfect; raffles do not totally eliminate those unsavoury characters looking to flip watches for financial gain, but they remain the most impartial method for those truly interested in acquiring a M.A.D.1. They also allow sufficient time to clean the registration lists, filtering out the inevitable multiple entries and bots; the team typically spends about a week after the registrations are closed to clean the list as best as possible, before the random draws take place. The draws are carried out under the supervision of a bailiff.

M.A.D.1 GREEN

After the original M.A.D.1 Blue (“Friends and Tribe Edition”) and the M.A.D.1 RED, the M.A.D.1 GREEN joins M.A.D.Editions’ colourful series in September 2023. With this new choice of vivid mint green, fans and collectors who haven’t been able to acquire their own M.A.D.1 yet, will get another chance – with a little bit of luck – to be picked and join wearers of the blue and red models.

The new batch of 1,500 pieces with the green colourway will be available via the usual M.A.D.Editions’ raffle system where watch lovers can sign up for a ticket on the M.A.D.Gallery e-shop. The raffle will be open for registrations from September 12th, for two weeks, and after filtering and cleaning of the list, the tickets will go into a draw (as always, supervised by a bailiff) with the lucky winners being chosen at random. Results will be announced in early October and deliveries scheduled between October 2023 and April 2024.

The M.A.D.Editions journey has been – for the want of a better word – totally mad, and it is far from over. Look forward to further developments in 2024 and beyond!

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The BR 03, an icon in Bell & Ross’ history
The BR 03 collection embodies Bell & Ross’ identity and style and has been one of its landmarks as of 2006. Since its inception in 1994, the brand has proudly been the ultimate reference in the field of aviation watches, by meeting the demands of professional users in extreme conditions. Its design principles are inspired in aircraft cockpits and aeronautical instrumentation, which ensures first class performance. Legibility, functionality, precision and reliability are guaranteed in every Bell & Ross watch

The brand is a benchmark in the world of professional aviation watches. It is also respected because it epitomizes the spirit of refinement and good taste. Today, it surprises us by revisiting its worldwide identifiable case. Its legendary “circle within a square, held by four screws” that is reminiscent of the silhouette of cockpit clocks, was a brilliant bid. The story goes like this: the BR 01 made its appearance in 2005 with an imposing 46 mm case. In 2006, the 42 mm model was launched with great success. In 2023 the BR 03 amazes us, once again, with a 41 mm case and other remarkable features.

Same spirit, striking new proportions
In the universe of watchmaking design, every millimeter counts. Enlarging or reducing a case is a serious matter. Designers often prefer to start over, rather than altering an iconic model. Bruno Belamich, Bell & Ross’ co-founder and Creative Director, who knows about impeccability, says: “With the new BR 03, we modified the proportions of the collection by respecting its canons. Our goal was to preserve the identity that has made the BR 03 so successful, while adapting it to the new times and maintaining its allure.”
The lightly smaller dimensions of the case –42 mm to 41– are delicate and powerful at the same time. They are immediately perceived by the eye and change the look and feeling of the watch. This is enhanced by the lugs, which have now changed from 4.5 mm to 4. These transformations reflect an exciting and newfound rhythm.

Design and movement taken to a higher level
The evolution of the BR 03 includes a narrower rubber strap and a new automatic movement: the BR-CAL.302, which introduces an extended power reserve of 54 hours. This implies the watch can be left unused and will display the exact time two days later.

A wide-ranging and accomplished collection
The vibrant and breathtaking BR 03 collection is novel and classic at the same time. The brand’s iconic models are now powered by the latest automatic BR-CAL.302 caliber and are also water-resistant to 100 meters.
It presents three models in Bell & Ross’ black case: Black Matte, Phantom and Heritage, with a resolutely retro look. Three versions in polished steel –Black Steel, Blue Steel and Golden Heritage– with black, blue and brown dials, respectively. The latter surprises us with a new tone that evokes a trendy vintage spirit with the Heritage concept at its heart.

A COPPER DIAL
The attractive copper dial of the BR 03 Copper is achieved through a galvanization process and is enhanced by engraved black numerals and indexes that give it further depth. It has blue metallic hands that provide an original and charming retro look with a modern twist.

A MILITARY GREEN DIAL

Finally, the BR 03 Military Ceramic combines a matte black ceramic case with a khaki dial. This powerful watch is boldly positioned as a militaryinspired timepiece that has also influenced Bell & Ross since its beginnings.

The excellence of the past has inspired the present with the refined evolution of an icon. Bell & Ross’ saga started in an aircraft cockpit and was driven by the ambition of designing watches directly inspired by aeronautical instrumentation. The brand never ceases to amaze us. Loyal to its codes, but with a slightly reduced size, the BR 03 has gone forward with a new automatic movement: the BR-CAL.302 caliber with a 54-hour power reserve. The BR 03 collection has revisited three watches with black ceramic cases, and three in polished steel. The collection has now been enriched with a Copper dial model, and one in khaki-colored ceramic. Stylish, functional and easy to read, these watches confirm Bell & Ross’ know-how in the field of professional watchmaking.

BR 03 Black Matte BR 03 Heritage BR 03 Military Ceramic BR 03 Phantom BR03A-BL-CE/SRB BR03A-HER-CE/SCA BR03A-MIL-CE/SRB BR03A-PH-CE/SRB

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The new Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin model introduces bulk metallic glass into the collection for the first time. It can be found on the bezel, caseback and bracelet studs. Combined with a titanium case, this material creates a fascinating play of light that is enhanced by a smoked burgundy dial. © Courtesy of Audemars Piguet
“Following the launch of the Only Watch unique piece presented in 2021, this new Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin model marks the debut of precious bulk metallic glass into the collection. This first in the watchmaking sector bears witness to the ongoing research into innovative materials conducted by the Manufacture since its creation.”
Lucas Raggi
Development Director Audemars Piguet
A LIGHT AND STRONG ALLOY
For the first time, the Manufacture is combining titanium with bulk metallic glass (BMG), a material notably used in microelectronics and golf. Discovered in the 1960s, this alloy shares certain characteristics with glass, such as amorphism and hardness, when it is cooled very quickly. While several hundred types of metallic glass exist, Audemars Piguet has chosen to co-develop its own palladium-based metallic glass, giving it high resistance to wear and corrosion as well as enhanced brilliance. This is the first time that a palladium-based metallic glass has appeared in a collection in the watchmaking sector.
A dedicated production process has been developed that starts with the material being melted and poured into molds (for the bezel and caseback) to give them the desired pre-shape. The material is then rapidly cooled to retain its intrinsic qualities, including hardness and elasticity. Once it is taken out of the molds, the pieces are machined into their final shape. Due to the rapid cooling process required to obtain the material, the size and thickness of the components cannot be too large and only small quantities can be produced at a time.
Used for the bezel, caseback frame and bracelet studs, the bulk metallic glass has been mirror-polished to reveal its high resistance to scratches. This finish, combined with the brilliance of the material, provides a powerful contrast with the titanium case and bracelet links that alternate between the polished and satin-finished decorations that are emblematic of the Manufacture’s timepieces. The caseback also bears the “Pd500” hallmark, as BMG contains over 50% of palladium.
A DIAL WITH A DEEP COLOUR
The smoked burgundy dial of this new Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin model is decorated with a sunburst motif. The vivid burgundy colour also contrasts with the metallic tones of the high-tech case and bracelet materials, giving the watch a mysterious appearance. The dial features luminescent 18-carat pink gold hour-markers and hands, with the polished and applied AP monogram at 6 o’clock. The date appears in pink tones against a dark burgundy background, adding the final touch to the aesthetic balance of the timepiece.

CALIBRE 7121: TOWARDS A NEW ERA
This new Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin model is equipped with the Calibre 7121, introduced in 2022 to replace the Calibre 2121, which has powered the “Jumbo” models since 1972. The unique Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Only Watch was the last timepiece to be fitted with the Calibre 2121, and the introduction of the Calibre 7121 in 2022 marked the start of a new generation of timepieces in this reference. With a thickness of 3.2 mm, Calibre 7121 has been developed and produced by Audemars Piguet’s engineers and watchmakers to fit into the iconic 8.1 mm case without altering the aesthetics or thickness of the watch. Furthermore, the crown is now equipped with a rapid date corrector.
Having taken five years to develop, Calibre 7121 produces more energy than its predecessor thanks to its new construction and larger barrel. This gain enables the mechanism to achieve greater precision over a longer period of time. The central oscillating weight is mounted on ball bearings and is equipped with two reversers that ensure bidirectional winding. The balance wheel is fitted with weights that are embedded into the thickness to avoid any aerodynamic friction which would slow down the movement. Calibre 7121 is also equipped with a patented date mechanism that is both extremely thin and energy efficient.
True to the tradition of Haute Horlogerie, Calibre 7121 features prestigious decorations, such as Côtes de Genève, circular satin-finishing, snailing, circular graining and angle polishing, which can all be admired through the sapphire caseback. This also reveals the 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight dedicated to the collection, which subtly matches the colour of the hour-markers and the AP logo on the dial.

*****
This new Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin model combines the iconic aesthetics of the collection with a cutting-edge material, testifying to the Manufacture’s ongoing quest for innovation and its desire to push the boundaries of Haute Horlogerie even further.

“Seek Beyond.”

The post AP UNVEILS A NEW ROYAL OAK “JUMBO” 2 EXTRA-THIN MODEL appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

Sporty elegance constantly evolving

Sporty and elegant, this watch perfectly embodies Maison’s Gerald Charles values, while reaching a new level of technical mastery, offering all the essential features of a timepiece of the Maison, combining design and singular architecture, precision, and craftsmanship. This new model is designed by the Maison’s Creative Director Octavio Garcia and manufactured in collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier in Swiss, always taking inspiration from Mr. Genta’s original drawings.

The Maison’s first automatic skeleton watch with the screw-down crown on the left

Beneath its deceptive outward simplicity, the uniqueness and innovation of its movement and its left-hand screw-down crown have been technically conceived in a different way.

In keeping with the values of “Artistic Creativity and Technical Mastery”, the GCA 5482 calibre has been rotated by 180° to allow the crown to be placed on the left of the Maestro Case. As a result, the balance wheel is now located at 1 o’clock, capturing all the power, while the train wheel follows the movement downwards consequently. Completely redesigned by Octavio Garcia, based on his previous original design of the Maestro 8.0 Squelette, this new skeletonised movement fits perfectly within the asymmetrical shape of the Maestro case.

It is all about levels, reliefs, and lights which create a contrast of shadows and reflections. Crafted in Grade 5 Titanium, the watch reveals an architectural fusion of space, time, and light at first glance.

With the Maestro 8.0 GC Sport Squelette, the ambition of a contemporary sporty and elegant watch, adapted to an active lifestyle with also the practice of sports activities, has gradually become a reality – and today, Octavio Garcia sees his many years of experience brought together in a magnificent watch that combines everything he wants to represent.

When you hear him talk about this watch, you realise that he has found a perfect balance between the case, the components, the skeletonised movement, the use of materials, and the finishes, all of which are in perfect harmony, with a sense of simplicity and great elegance. Everything about this watch allows you to discover the spirit of Maison Gerald Charles and its vision of contemporary watchmaking.

Thinness as a matter of fact

While being a highly performing and extremely technical timepiece, the Maestro GC Sport Squelette reveals an elegance that expresses purity in its most absolute form. With its open-worked movement of just 2.6 mm thickness, and a total of only 8.35 mm, it is one of the slimmest watches of the Maestro Collection.

The Maestro 8.0 Squelette is not just the thinnest timepiece in the Core Collection, it is also extremely comfortable and light, with a total weight of only 59.5 grams.

Tested and developed with some of ATP professional tennis players

To strengthen the relationship with tennis and after the success of the three GC Sport models, Gerald Charles decided to introduce a new skeletonised version of this watch, tested and developed with some of ATP professional tennis players. The GC8.0-TX-TN-01is indeed perfect to be worn during sport activities due to its left-side crown, which prevents rubbing during playing, and its lightness, which is ensured by its open-worked movement and the material of the case in Grade 5 Titanium. With a watch head weight of only 40 grams, this timepiece is perfect to be worn on every occasion, on both on and off the court.

5G shock resistance

If Gerald Charles succeeds in creating a technical, thin, light and ergonomic watch – since it sits flat on the wrist, as the case-back, the lugs and the strap are on the same straight line – it also features a 5G shock-resistance.

“The creation of this technical watch has been a complex journey for our R&D team in our Swiss manufacture. We asked our partners, designers and engineers to exceed and achieve something never done before. It was a challenge to come up with a lefty open-worked automatic caliber for the GC Sport collection. It is always extremely important to keep surprising our collectors by improving our technical and creative limits. The new GC Sport reference perfectly embodies the company’s vision: to manufacture watches which continue the legacy of our founder, Mr. Gérald Charles Genta, while adding our contemporary vision of watchmaking. We craft hand-made and high-technical timepieces, while preserving the most sophisticated elegance,” commented Federico Ziviani, General Manager of Gerald Charles.

A new sandblasting finish and bluie subtle details

With this model, Gerald Charles introduces a new sandblasting finish for the Grade 5 Titanium case. It results in a special shade of grey, which is darker than the sandblasted bridges in Rhodium plating colour with a shiny hand polished anglage.

To enhance the chromatic contrast, the decentred micro-rotor is in 22K Rose Gold 4N, decorated with the Gerald Charles ”honeycomb” motif, and the train wheel is yellow gold coloured.

Also, a very unique detail is the “bleuissage” treatment for the screws: once over-heated by hand, they acquire the shade called “bleuie”, which comes from the resulting protective finish.

On the dial side, this process makes the watch extremely readable thanks to the colours used and the screws positioned close to the hours.

In order to perfect the aesthetics of the whole, the “bleuie” matches with the baton shaped hands, the minute track and the strap, all in blue.

Mr. Gérald Charles Genta’s design heritage

The Maestro 8.0 GC Sport Squelette in Grade 5 Titanium, Ref. GC8.0-TX-TN-01, features the iconic Gerald Charles Maestro case and Royal Blue vulcanized rubber strap, both Mr. Gérald Charles Genta’s original drawings.

For the Maestro case, Mr. Genta took inspiration from a 17th century Roman monument designed by Francesco Borromini, whose shape is the result of a square and an octagon with the “smile” at 6 o’clock; with an overall fit of 40mm and a thickness of just 8.35mm. While the vulcanised rubber strap features a double-face decoration with Clou de Paris motif on one side and the GC logo tapisserie on the other one.

The timepiece, like all Gerald Charles watches, is 10 ATM water-resistant, or about 100 meters, thanks to a bespoke gasket that seals the sapphire crystal – and the movement offers a power reserve of about 50 hours, although the thickness of the movement is just 2.6 mm. These features show the uncompromising approach to craftsmanship and values of Swiss Haute Horlogerie.

So many classical references that in the design and manufacture process enhance the contemporary and original look of the timepiece. Embodying Gerald Charles values, the timepiece continues the heritage of the Maison: an audacious aesthetic, immediately recognisable with exceptional mechanics.

The post Maestro 8.0 GC Sport Squelette in Grade 5 Titanium appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

• A committed American artist, explorer and witness to changing landscapes, whose spirit of
discovery and openness to the world personifies the Overseas collection.
• A one-of-a-kind artwork, Fellsfjara, Iceland no.3, created for Vacheron Constantin following the
campaign shoot.
Through her majestic and grandiose pastel works based on some of the world’s most remote
places, American artist Zaria Forman testifies to the impact of changing landscapes. A committed and
uncompromising explorer, she has become the new face of Vacheron Constantin’s “One of Not
Many” campaign and embodies the Overseas collection alongside Cory Richards.
Since 2018, the “One of not Many” campaign has brought together personalities whose way of being in
the world reflects the values dear to Vacheron Constantin. Values that have made Vacheron Constantin
a recognised and respected brand within the exclusive circle of Haute Horlogerie connoisseurs. Alongside
musician Benjamin Clementine, designer Ora Ito, photographer and explorer Cory Richards and Haute
Couture designer Yiqing Yin, artist Zaria Forman now joins the Maison’s circle of talents.
“The quest for excellence and a taste for adventure, passion and innovation, elegance and tradition, art
and culture in all their forms have characterised the spirit of our Maison since its founding in 1755. This
visionary, sensitive and demanding outlook is reflected in Zaria Forman’s artistic approach and territory
of expression. She is a socially committed artist keenly aware that art conveys emotions and eager to
share Beauty with the public”, said Louis Ferla, CEO Vacheron Constantin.

As Zaria Forman points out:“I knew nothing about High Watchmaking and discovered this incredible world
through Vacheron Constantin’s lens. I was amazed by the craftspeople who ply their trade within the
Manufacture, by their passion and vocation, and, above all, their handcrafted work, which reminds me of
my own: modelling with my fingertips; enjoying a tactile and sensual relationship with matter in a process
of creation and transmission; making a personal imprint on time and giving it a voice. The landscapes I love
and depict in my work illustrate the passage of time, and its impact on the world and on humankind.”

An artist open to the world
Born in 1982 in the state of Massachussets, Zaria Forman is based in New York, yet her art is rooted in the
most remote regions of the globe. With her camera slung over her shoulder, she has been travelling
the planet for over 15 years documenting changing landscapes by collecting images and memories
that she then reproduces in pastel on large-format paper, exhibited in museums and galleries around
the world. During her expeditions, Zaria Forman takes thousands of photos and videos of these
landscapes in transition. Back in her New York studio, she then combines these images with the
memory of her experience on the ground to create strikingly beautiful large-scale compositions. The intricate details of a snow dusted glacier, the blue-tinged reflections of ice in water, and foam-crested
waves are all elements that the artist renders by smudging soft pastel pigments on paper, without tools,
using only her fingertips or the palm of her hand. A meditative approach giving life to sensitive works that
are realistic in every sense of the word.
Zaria Forman’s work is shown in museums and galleries around the world. Among her major exhibitions,
the artist took part in Banksy’s Dismaland, a gloomy funfair about the decadent excesses of our society.
She was an artist-in-residence aboard the National Geographic Explorer in Antarctica and was responsible
for the very first permanent exhibitions of polar art on Lindblad Expedition’s National Geographic
Endurance and National Geographic Resolution ships.

A socially committed artist, Zaria Forman is also an uncompromising explorer. Starting in 2016, she
has flown several times with NASA’s Operation IceBridge, airborne scientific missions over Antarctica,
Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, which have helped to map changes in earth’s ice over the last decade.
Zaria Forman has drawn unique material from these various flights over both poles to create majestic
works depicting the beauty and fragility of our planet.

Interview with Zaria Forman
How would you define your work?
My aim as an artist is to offer viewers an opportunity to experience isolated places that they might not
otherwise have the chance to visit. I work on a large scale, in order to envelop the viewer, and transport
them to that place and time. We take action and make decisions based on our emotions, more than
anything else. Art has a special ability to tap into our emotions. I show the beauty of what we stand to
lose in my drawings in order to inspire people. When you fall in love with something, you want to protect
it.
Vacheron Constantin is particularly committed to transmitting values and know-how. Does this
philosophy echo your own sensibility and artistic approach?
Definitely. Stirring emotions, bearing witness to the natural world, attention to detail and beauty: these
are the things about Vacheron Constantin that I admire. We share the same passion for the world around
us and the same interest in the passage of time, and all that entails. Time is the key element in both
Vacheron Constantin’s work and my own. The immense time it takes for a glacier to grow, the moment in
time that I experience sunlight glistening on the side of an iceberg, the split second I capture it in a photo,
the many weeks or months I spend exploring that moment in all its details to complete a drawing, the
time it takes for the ice to melt. I want viewers to consider the future by looking through the prism of
history that lives inside glacial remains. I want to play a part in helping to preserve beauty, as
Vacheron Constantin does with its artisans, their expertise, the heritage and culture of watchmaking.
We are both in a process of creation and preservation.
The Overseas collection that you represent in the “One of Not Many” campaign evokes exploration and
openness to the world. What did you try to express during the shoot?
I am pretty much in a state of constant awe when traversing landscapes. I wanted to express that, in all
its authenticity. The fragility of ice contrasts the reliability of an Overseas watch. Both tell time, and
their intricacies, excellence and beauty run parallel.

Interview with Zaria Forman
On the occasion of this shoot, you drew material for a new series of unique works of art – Fellsfjara, Iceland
– one of which is destined for Vacheron Constantin. What was your approach?
My goal as an artist is to give viewers an experience of remote places they might not have the chance
to visit. I believe that feeling awe for a place leads to a desire to protect it. But after experiencing
that emotional surge, how, as artists, can we inspire commitment? I draw calving glaciers in frigid bays
and the eroding beaches of fragile coastlines. I am one of many artists whose work is fuelled by
fascination with polar regions. I’ve become increasingly fascinated by the details of melting ice and how
they may help us understand how glaciers form, shift, melt, and affect us all. The ice at Fellsfjara,
Iceland, that I visited in September 2021, tells the story of the past and our future.
I was captivated by a phenomena I saw there, through the ice. Chunks of recently calved,
compressed glacier ice were washed up onto a black sand beach. White capped waves splashed
against the shoreline, and when viewed through the ice, the white ocean foam transformed into a light
dance, distorted by the ice. The light moved through frozen layers, and around air bubbles perhaps
ancient ones, that were locked inside when the ice was firt formed. I’ve made sound recordings of
these bubbles popping open as glacial ice melts and releases them, and the familiar, satisfying crackle
no doubt played a part in mesmerizing me in Fellsfjara, Iceland. This new body of work, including the
drawing for Vacheron Constantin, will explore this phenomena in great detail, magnifying textures and
surfaces in the ice that I have never before attempted in my work. It is an up close and personal view of
melting glacier ice.

Sum-up
American artist Zaria Forman has joined Vacheron Constantin’s “One of Not Many” talent circle
alongside Benjamin Clementine, Ora Ito, Cory Richards and Yiqing Yin. She is becoming the new face
of the Overseas collection, for which the advertising campaign was produced in Iceland. During the
shoot, Zaria Forman once again collected her own images and memories, constituting the raw material
for a series of drawings, video work, and sculpture, entitled Fellsfjara, Iceland, of which work no. 3 was
created for Vacheron Constantin.

The post VACHERON CONSTANTIN ANNOUNCES ZARIA FORMAN AS THE NEW FACE OF THE OVERSEAS COLLECTION appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

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.

The post Wherever the Journey Takes You: Meet the New Navitimer 36 and 32 appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

The Octo Finissimo saga continues to unfold around new materials Following titanium, platinum, rose and yellow gold, ceramic, and tantalum, the Octo Finissimo is newly expressed in carbon and gold. Octo Finissimo marked by
eight world records since 2014 – continues with two Automatic models (the record set in 2017) and the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar (the record set in 2021), now clad in the anthracite hues of high tech carbon, contrasted with the luminous brilliance of gold.

Bulgari’s Piccolissimo BVL 100 round miniature mechanical movement, the smallest on the market, marks the mystique of mechanical time in High Jewelry,  true to the spirit of secret jewellery watches. Here, two new models come to the fore: the Serpenti Misteriosi in white gold set with over 33 carats of diamonds , and the Serpenti Misteriosi in rose gold with black lacquer and navette – cut diamonds.

The two coins in the Monete Catene Dual Time wristwatch evoke the reign of the legendary couple formed by Emperor Septimus Severus and his empress Julia Domna, revered as a goddess. The Monete Catene watch features a single denarius, a silver coin with the effigy of formidable Emperor Caracalla. Monete Catene, made of gold and  diamonds, demonstrates sophistication and aesthetic mastery, showcasing exceptional antique treasures of Ancient Rome and Greece.

The post GENEVA WATCH DAYS 2023 NOVELTIES DUAL NATURE appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

Years before his win at the 2022 GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève), where he was awarded that year’s “Horological Revelation” Prize, Sylvain Pinaud crossed paths with William Massena at a collectors event in Geneva. Pinaud’s avant-garde monopusher chronograph, cased in titanium, instantly caught Massena’s imagination.

Reflecting on their first meeting, Massena recalls:

“When I held Sylvain’s chronograph, it was pure magic. Hearing Sylvain recount the timepiece’s origin story—and how he had crafted it to compete in the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF) competition—only sealed the deal.

If you live outside of France, you may not be familiar with the MOF, but inside France, it is famous. About every four years, a competition is held to honor the best of the nation’s craftspeople, or ouvriers, in French. Entrants compete in various categories ranging from the culinary arts to metal and stoneworking. When Sylvain won his MOF with his Chronograph Monopoussoir, it almost instantly elevated him to his place among today’s most talented and exciting independent watchmakers. His win at the GPHG in 2022 only cemented this position.”

After seeing the watch in the metal, William asked Sylvain if he could place an order for himself but with a revised case design. What started as a personal commission turned into a professional project when many of Massena’s friends in the collector community expressed interest in acquiring a similar watch from Pinaud. The spark of collaboration ignited, and the Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB was born. From a personal muse to a shared project, Pinaud’s ingenuity and Massena’s vision coalesced into horological artistry.

Technical marvel meets aesthetic elegance in this timepiece, crafted almost entirely by hand in the atelier of Sylvain Pinaud in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland. The watch is powered by a hand-wound movement with a fully integrated, column-wheel chronograph with a horizontal clutch, which can be started; paused; and reset using a single pusher located discreetly at the crown. The movement’s integrated chronograph complication, hand-finished by the watchmaker himself, is left exposed on the dial side and is a delight to observe.

The dial, created by Comblémine SA—the dial manufacture owned by the renowned watchmaker Kari Voutilainen—is a fusion of modern design with vintage aesthetics inspired by maritime chronometers.

Sapphire windows on the sides of the titanium case, as well as a sapphire caseback, invite glances of the dial and of the movement from almost every angle—a glimpse into the careful labor and artistry which characterize a Sylvain Pinaud timepiece.

The watch is fitted with a strap by Jean Rousseau Paris in aged calfskin with a crocodile lining.

The Chronograph Monopoussoir Sylvain Pinaud x Massena LAB is limited to ten pieces, with production limited to three pieces each year. Price: CHF 130,000.

The post CHRONOGRAPH MONOPOUSSOIR SYLVAIN PINAUD X MASSENA LAB appeared first on Arab Watch Guide.

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.

This 42.5 mm timepiece in ethical 18-carat rose gold is equipped with the new chronometer-certified L.U.C 08.02-L movement. The extremely accomplished level of finishing, both on the movement and the case, has earned it the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.

Its dial, in ruthenium grey-coloured hand-guilloché rose gold, opens to reveal the two complications that make this 20-piece limited edition so sophisticated. Endorsed by virtuoso brothers Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, its acoustic richness achieves an exceptional level of quality, while perfect homogeneity makes it an unparalleled timepiece combining a stunning conceptual challenge with supremely accomplished execution

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its creation, the L.U.C collection is welcoming a new flagship. The L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon model takes its place among the most sophisticated and most innovative Grand Complication watches ever created to date. It follows in the footsteps of Chopard’s L.U.C Full Strike minute repeater timepieces, of which the first ethical rose gold edition was awarded the “Aiguille d’Or” best-in-show award at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. These timepieces feature a unique Chopard-patented system in which the gongs and sapphire crystal form a single entity, which resonates in its entirety to produce the chim

At 42.5 mm in diameter and 12.58 mm thick, the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is distinguished by well-balanced proportions contributing to the characteristic elegance of the L.U.C collection. With its interplay of grey and gold colours between the case and strap, dial and hands, as well as between the movement’s steel and nickel silver components, this watch flaunts its aesthetic perfection at every level

For the first time in the history of the Full Strike, the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon model has an almost entirely solid dial. Instead of broadly revealing the watch’s internal mechanisms, it reserves its openings for the two horological complications that make this piece so special. The first cut-out between 9 and 11 o’clock, highlights the two mirror-polished steel hammers whose striking generates the chime. The other, at 6 o’clock, reveals the tourbillon of the L.U.C 08.02-L calibre. Thanks to a cross-through sapphire crystal tourbillon bridge, nothing obscures the view of the spiral-shaped carriage bridge. The final touch, made possible by the use of sapphire with its multiple properties, lies in the four rounded notches. This L.U.C signature tourbillon bridge is derived from a design by the founder of the Maison, Louis-Ulysse Chopard.

Chopard Manufacture watchmakers have placed the tourbillon of the L.U.C 08.02-L calibre at 6 o’clock, beneath the seconds hand. Its high-quality steel carriage picks up the distinctive spiral design – a signature of L.U.C tourbillons. This regulator further enhances the precision of the movement, a subject to which Chopard’s Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, takes a resolutely uncompromising approach. It combats the adverse effects of gravity on the balance-spring and escapement by placing them in a variety of spatial positions. The tourbillon placed on the Chopard Manufacture minute repeater mechanism thereby contributes to the extreme precision of L.U.C Calibre 08.02-L as well as to the obtention of chronometer certification from the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.

The L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is not a mere modification of the L.U.C Full Strike. Moving from a calibre comprising 533 components to one with 568 is not an addition, but a revolution. The decision to include a tourbillon regulator required a complete development process that involved rethinking interactions and layouts. With such a delicate complication subject to as many parameters as the minute repeater, the Chopard Manufacture workshops had to ensure that this tourbillon would not in any way modify the acoustic qualities of the chime. This equilibrium is preserved by the sapphire gongs that are all-of-a-piece with the watch glass, which acts as a resonator. Moreover, the fact that the minute repeater has its own barrel naturally eliminates any energy-related interference, while the presence of the tourbillon does not alter the striking reserve

L.U.C Calibre 08.02-L inherits the unprecedented advances featured in the L.U.C 08.01-L: the first minute repeater movement introduced by Chopard Manufacture in 2016. In addition to its resonant structure, whose role is taken on by the sapphire crystal, several innovative technical systems have been added. It also benefits from the innovations introduced in L.U.C Calibre 02.01-L in 2003. A total of seven are the subject of patents. In a minute repeater mechanism, the energy used by the strikework is provided each time the arming lever is activated. Here, the energy comes from a separate, dedicated barrel wound directly by the crown.

It enables the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon to chime a maximum of 12 times the most complex and energy-intensive time: namely 12 hours and 59 minutes. This exceptional power reserve is due to several factors. Benefiting from a patented clutch-lever device, it ensures that the strikework gear train is blocked to avoid losing power reserve during the information capture that controls the minute repeater.

Keen to preserve the user-friendliness of the minute repeater and to make its operation as secure as possible, Chopard Manufacture has introduced a number of innovative systems. Thus, if the barrel no longer has sufficient force to power the minute repeater, a safety mechanism blocks its release. In addition, Chopard has filed a patent for a new strikework-activation device. As soon as it is activated, the pusher is disengaged, thereby making it impossible to disturb the running of the minute repeater or to damage it

The Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is actually part of a Trinity Trio made of three watches including the Full Strike Sapphire and the Full Strike One …all relying on the Sapphire technology to produce the best resonating sound for the strikes.

The L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire timepiece is the first minute repeater watch whose case is made entirely of corundum crystal, better known as sapphire. By merging container and content, musical expression and transparency, Chopard has created a veritable horological musical instrument. Thanks to the homogeneity of the material – which is present throughout the sound propagation chain – this five-piece limited series gets the very best from sapphire.

Above and beyond its aesthetic prowess, the choice of lab-created sapphire is justified by its technical properties: derived from synthetic corundum, this material is one of the most resistant to scratches and has an estimated hardness of nine on the Mohs scale, almost as hard as diamond. Moreover, although producing a sapphire case entails considerable machining difficulties, it has the advantage of remaining unalterable over time.

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