Jules Audemars "30th Anniversary"

This is yet another tribute to the past. This is actually the first Perpetual Calendar to boast an automatic movement. A beautiful piece, functional thin, reliable... this one is still introduction today. This happens if you do your job right the first time around. The 2120 calibre with the 2802 module are one of our best even today.

Only 90 pieces of this 1978 model will be made in Platinum. Even if I love this piece I can't help but think that it is time for AP to start doing something new with their Perpetuals. Some "window" action would be greatly appreciated. Patek are certainly doing so, plus their Annual Calendars are doing exceptionally well. Don't you think it's about time to drop developing calendars with hands and start modernizing the general method of displaying your date? This piece would be a great opportunity for a before and after transition. At this rate the "Jules Audemars" line is not offering an interesting alternative to Patek's watches. The only interesting Jules is the "Equation of Time". Unfortunately it is expensive, plus it is glued to the city where you live in. If you travel the data becomes erroneous.

I see much waisted potential in the Jules line. Right now there are so many gaps...

Audemars Piguet...

Vacheron Constantin "Quai de l'Ile"

Finally they woke up! It was about time. At the current rate they would have lost all they customer 20 years from know. About 90% of their clientele is well above their 60's meaning that in about 20 to 30 years many will have passed away. There is nothing in the Vacheron catalogue that is at all interesting, and somethings are downright scary. Their regular production line is simply not appealing to a younger crowd. This is the most interesting piece of the pie since there has been never so much interest for high-end watches from such a young audience. AP with the Offshore and Royal Oak has almost a religious following in younger crowds. Patek seem to appeal more to a "type" of aficionado rather than an age group. Vacheron's classic line is no contest against Patek's and their sporty Overseas is in my view the worst attempt in horological history to bank on the success of the Royal Oak. So, Vacheron was going nowhere, and it was getting there fast! The best way to recognize that is just by looking around yourself. Few watch nuts I know own or think of owning a Vacheron. If they do, they are generally situated in spot 12 in their list of priorities. If they do own a Vacheron it certainly does not take center stage on their wrist often.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, they slam their fist on the table and surprise everybody with this! Brilliant move. As I mentioned in a previous post I see Vacheron purists frowning at this development. Personally, I see it as a breath of fresh air. Everything about it looks new. Unlike previous years, this definitely is not like it was looked up from somewhere else. The use of titanium and the ability to mix metals at your own desire is new and unknown at Vacheron. Plus the option of being able to factory engrave your name on the back bezel is an option that will give a lot to talk about. They certainly needed something like this to make a younger and more demanding crowd look their way. If we practically order our cars "a la carte" why not our watch? There is only no thing that could blemish its success. The "Quai de l'Ile" is a bit expensive for the difficult times ahead. A fully customized model could go well over 30,000 Euros. Exact pricing is not available yet.

There are some ready made versions that will be available at retailers yet the idea is that you customize and choose you own "Quai de l'Ile". There is also the option of a factory engraving of your choice on the back. There will be a link on Vacheron's site for you to configure the watch, or at least this is their plan. Some dealers will get a "column" with a display on top so that you can configure your watch on site. Than, two to three months later it should be waiting for you at the dealer. Well, that is at least what they claim. Prepare this not to be so true since the watchmaking industry is not renowned for holding their deadlines with the same precision as their watches.

The "Quai de l'Ile" is a real power-play from Vacheron. I hope that this is only the begging and that Vacheron don't fall complacent and continue to surprise us with stuff like that. It would be nice to see them back with the other two guys (AP and Patek) right up there.

Vacheron Constantin...

My BEST of the 2008 Shows...

- OPUS: Even if Harry Winston is not what we would define as a "Pure Bred" in the watch industry, I still tip my to their Opus Collection. If there is anybody out there fortunate enough to own the entire lineup to day, I tip my head to you too sir. Their 8th baby is quite a piece of work. Unfortunately there will be only 50. That will create some problems since many people will want to get their hands on this Opus as well. More to come soon...

- Ellicott "MACH ONE". I was not very impressed by Basel until I came across this. I had seen the prototypes before and was not taken. Now I was presented with an almost finished product and honestly, I was blown away this time. The carbon fibber composite case is way beyond my expectations. Proper pictures and more details soon...

- USB "Pen Drives": Simply awesome. No need to send 80 pounds of paper and carry heavy bags full of press releases. Leading this change was the organization of the Basel fair. Most brands were summarized into one single USB key. Some even have the capability to auto update the content and download news from the net. You just keep the brand's pen drive, plug it in at a later date and you are updated and set to go. Brilliant!

- Vacheron "Quai de l'Ile": At last. Finally Vacheron jump off their high horse and do something to create some attention. To be honest, it was about time. I guess that many diehard Vacheron followers will not be happy (actually I can hear them bitch and moan right now...) with this product, but I have a feeling this is not really meant for them. You can configure the watch via your favorite Vacheron dealer or directly on the internet. This is definitely an attempt to capture a younger crowd. A great way to do so, if you ask me. A much better attempt than Patek's last try with the colorful Aquanauts. More to come soon...

- Chopard "Strike One": This entry level "hour striker" is quite an interesting piece. The novelty is that it's titanium and not the classic gold or platinum. Smart since titanium carries the sound much better than precious metals. Titanium should be offered in all repeaters, strikers and sonneries as a default option. Plus the price makes this piece accessible to many that would have loved to have one like this but could not afford it. This one strikes only once every hour, making it more bearable and much more affordable than if it where to chime the exact number of hours at every hour. Believe me after the novelty is over you will very likely turn that function off. One strike will let you know another hour has passed yet eleven strikes for eleven o'clock in the middle of a meeting would be extremely annoying. Plus the unwanted attention.

- RM007 "Titanium": Probably the piece in the new RM collection that will receive the least media coverage yet to me is the most interesting, commercial wise of course. As far as I can recall nobody has done women's watches with a real masculine look. Most of the stuff out there is either pink or full of diamonds. Anybody stop and ask them first? This RM007 looks like the RM that many women would finally like to have. A smaller, masculine RM that might get women to finally do the jump. The previous more feminine model was not too hot with women that liked the aggressive and masculine look of Richard's creation. Many felt left out by getting diamonds slapped on the watch. The RM005 was turning to be an alternative yet it has been discontinued since 2006.

- First voices to openly critique the Tourbillon: For some time now I have been very sick of the Tourbillon overkill. It is this year I have started to hear complaints in the industry regarding that matter. Especially from guys like Journe (the man has balls the size of watermelons if you ask me) are starting to be fed up of the Tourbillon insanity... thank you! By insane I mean pieces that are priced between 100 and 200 thousand, generally made by somebody else and not really contributing anything to horology. The latest excess is a dude that could not help himself and stuck four... yes, four Tourbillons in the same watch case. Only toped by one that made a watch with two that don't even tell time. Idiots. Tourbillons with a purpose and bring a technical achievement like Jaeger's Gyrotourbillon, Nardin's Freak or any of Richard's stuff have a meaning. Many others literally "mail order" their Tourbillons, put them inside their cases and hit them with a juicy price tag. Fellas, in the mean time, if you don't come up with a proper Tourbillon for 10 thousand please don't waste our time. Right now evolved escapements at speeds of 6 hertz or above are much more interesting when it comes to achieving precision timekeeping.

- Girard-Perregaux's new "Constant Escapement": This actually looks like a real breakthrough. Should this really be so then it could be the first viable non-magnetic escapement. Compared with the previous stuff in Silicium escapements this is a completely new approach. Take a look at the note if you have some engineering background, all others take a look at the pictures... In spite it being a bit wide and could pose some problems, this escapement could actually turnout to be the real thing.

- UR-202 "Turbine Automatic": This thing, apart from looking cool, is actually an interesting feature. The twin-turbines regulate the violence at witch the rotor is being flung from side to side. By regulating the airflow via a lever on the back of the watch you can have the turbines brake the rotor to prevent over-winding as well as damage or wear. More details soon...


- Royal Oak Chrono facelift: The Royal Oak chrono is back! At last AP has decided to do something about the RoyalOak Chrono. Forgotten for some time and neglected in favor of the OffShore the faces where just begging to be a bit more than just boring. The facelift was a success although some leather straps combos would also been welcomed, maybe even having both in the box, the steel bracelet and the leather strap, would have been an interesting option.

- Rolex "Movement Day-date II": People where begging for this for years. The Day-Date is in our standards a women sized watch. Dealers have had immense difficulties selling these to man lately. Especially imposed models in full gold and diamonds had a tendency to be heavily discounted due to that. With this larger Day-Date Rolex is back on track and this could become a very attractive watch. What they have done on the outside is a matter to be discussed on my OTHER list.

- The New Creed: Guys like URWERK, MB & F, Hautlence, F.P. Journe, Richard Mille, Vianney Halter, Voutilainen, Greubel Forsey, etc... look like they are here to stay more than ever. Unthinkable only 20 years ago. There are three hard years ahead when it comes to sales, yet it seems that they will be not only capable of weathering the storm but even emerge ahead...

- Swiss Public Transportation: Again, it is a real blessing to be able to completely do without renting a vehicle. No mater in what city you are and if you have to go to Geneva or Basel... a train, a bus, a tramway, or a plane will leave you practically at the entrance of the fair. Always spot-on, on time and very clean.

My WORST of the 2008 Shows...

- Rolex "Day-Date II": There is not a single model with the new large movement that is actually buyable. They look like something that you see after a long night with two family sized pizzas heavy on the anchovies chased down with several bottles of poorly distilled liquor. We are talking scary shit here man! I though it would be a great occasion to go "practical" with a DD2 but I guess it won't be this year.

- Bathrooms: They are still too few and too far away! I am considering peeing behind the stands next year. See if they fix this problem then!

- The fish are still there... The Breitling stand looks like a brothel out of a Tarantino movie. The circular stars at the sides with girls in short miniskirts leading the way to the rooms up on the top, plus the bar at the bottom... can't buy class like that.


- A lot of BS... At the end of this year's trip I must say I was a little saturated with the mountains of nonsense spoon fed by salesmen in the industry. Claims like: "we are the prettiest..., we are the tallest..., we the smartest..." are really getting to be annoying at best. First, statements like these are rarely true in the industry since most people are inspired by (copy) others and most things have been done decades before. If you do your homework you always find somebody somewhere that was way ahead of you. Honestly, it looks like many of these guys have been hired away from the automotive sales branch. Plus, there is no advantage to be taken by putting the competition down, even if some statements were to be true. Somebody should go and teach them to be competitive due to their owns merits (which incidentally most of them have) and not demerit the others.

- Hotels: As always taking advantage of the situation and over-charging for the rooms and turning five star hotels into mediocre accommodations.

- Swatch Group: I don't understand their plan. Commercially I find all their brands weak. I simply don't see many being too keen on buying a Glashutte Original, Jaquet Droz, Blancpain, Tissot, Rado, etc... Frankly, commercially their brands compared to Richmond's look like a sinking ship to me. I would love warn Breguet and Omega to get the hell out of there if they could. I don't think things will go too hot for them these years to come, since what will be hurting most will be the midrange and non-consolidated brands. Who knows, they might turnout with an excess of movements and could actually reconsider stopping the supply to smaller guys. Wouldn't that be a pisser!

- No WiFi: Nowhere inside the halls, or stands was WiFi to be seen. At this point it would not hurt the organizations to make an effort and have free, yes free, wireless connections for all. Would be a nice touch.

- Suits & Smells: It could be interesting to reconsider everybody's dress code. I understand that traveling for over a week and changing hotels at least once is a hassle. Yet having only ONE trolley with you is downright disgusting. Why? Because even if you change your underwear every day (which judging by the size of trolleys I doubt) the same suit will start to develop a "musky" aroma after day 4. After day 7 the thing will have people lean away from you in an elevator. At day 10 it needs to be tied down to a chair since now it has developed a life of its own and could actually be on the plane back home without you in it. By the way, being well dressed is wearing a suit in conjunction with a tie, yes a tie. All other combos are casual at best. You might as well do without the suit altogether. If you are going to be away from home for that long there is no shame in traveling with a large suitcase and not a small trolley. Really, its OK.

- Visiting Patek and Rolex: They still have that "my shit don't smell..." attitude which makes visiting them not a joy. At the Rolex stand they top that feeling having bouncers at the entrance. Just like in a Nightclub. I don't like these visits being Press and I can't imagine a regular Rolex/Patek enthusiast that paid for his ticket to the show. If they don't wish to be disturbed by their end buyers they should move to the Geneva fair. Since Geneva is not accessible to the general public they could do without the bouncers. Guys, If you choose to stay in Basel, then attending the general pubic with info and brochures is the LEAST you could do. Somewhere in there somebody forgot that their real customers are the ones wearing the watches and not only the Jewelers that buy the watches from them.

See you in one week...

Fellow watch lovers, I will be leaving for Basel/Geneva tomorrow. Don't expect any comments until Friday the 11th. On my return I will try to resume the best and worst of the fairs. Let's hope there is more of the first.

See you soon...

P.s. I will be doing a series of interviews with several interesting figures; Richard Mille, Felix Baumgartner, F.P.Journe, Martin Frei, Jorg Hysek, Maximilian Busser, Papi, Voutilainen, Mr. LUC, Guillaume Tetu, Magalie, Jean Dunand, etc... Stay tuned since there might be an interesting article as a result.

AMVOX3

To be honest, I am not taken by the latest AMVOX.

Yes, there are some improvement in this AMVOX over the Master Tourbillon. The new date is displayed in a much more logical way by jumping from 31 to 1 instead of this silly gap or 15 to 16. The bridge over the Tourbillon is also a bit more modern and in tune with the theme. As for the rest, there are more things that bother me. I get the impression that they could have done without the extra GMT function. The extra hand just adds thickness. Frankly, a GMT indicator is not something you look for and appreciate in a Tourbillon. Furthermore, at a price tag of 60 thousand Euros I would expect it to have at least an annual calendar module and not that useless GMT and AM/PM indicator. Than the Tourbillon... is it just me or, does this Tourbillon NOT look like a Tourbillon? At a first glance there is none of that impression. Also the mix of black and rose gold reminds me too much of a... Chanel J12?

In any case, at a price tag of about 60 thousand Euros, about 94 thousand Dollars, and 300 units you can expect these to be on display for some time. Despite claiming that all have been sold (yes, to dealers) they will take some time before the end up being bought by end customers. The "Green" AMVOX R-Alarm which was in many markets a fiasco, has taken almost two years to disappear from displays. Despite Jaeger claiming that they sold all pieces, which is true, but what should be taken into consideration is if the watches have been sold to the end customer in order to assess the success of the piece. I am afraid that the money is too hight as well as the amount of units produced. The same is true of all previous Jaegers except the black AMVOX2. That one did not make the store windows.

Jaeger leCoultre...

Sea-Dweller "Deep Sea"

And this is what Rolex has graciously granted us with at Basel 2008. A Sea-Dweller on steroids. Well, at least it's not as ugly as some of the previous contraptions. I am missing some color though. A "Sea-Dweller" or "Deep Sea" in red would certainly give it a little more life. Right now this Sub looks like the Grim Reaper to me.

Don't think it will be such a hot sale as last years Milgauss (especially the one with the green glass) since the previous Sea-Dweller was the least popular Sub of all time. Don't know why, it still is my favorite. I guess that the extra thickness, lack of distinction from the original and a higher price tag did not help. I any case such a tuneup was long overdue since with the competition surpassing the old Sea-Dweller's performance in many ways, Rolex can't just sit there and wait.

I must admit that I am intrigued by the new "ski-boot" fastener ratchet system. Baptized "GLIDELOCK" by Rolex this allows for corrections of the bracelet size by 1.8 mm increment without removing the watch. Very helpful for people whose wrists have a tendency to swell due to the heat, especially in summer. It is ironical that for years Rolex had some of the crummiest buckles in the business, and now it looks like they are really doing their homework in that respect. It's great that somebody is making an effort in addressing a subject that has not been tackled properly by the industry ever since watches first made it to our wrists. Many aesthetickal variants have been made but none really effective, comfortable and user friendly. The point being that nobody is ever 100% satisfied with their clasps, buckles, velcros, butterflies, etc... At least right now there is not a single clasp that is all that plus versatile enough to fit any size or shape of wrist. Rolex, another browny point to you.

Rolex...

YAWN...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...


Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Patek "World Time"

Ready your pockets.... steady... GO!
I though that the initial craze and mayhem created by the Nautilus 3712 could hardly be repeated. This 5131 could prove me wrong since it could very well be in much more demand than the Nautty. This quasi-tribute to one of the most expensive Pateks ever auctioned will be, I am certain, a real headache to get your hands on. An incredibly smart yet commercial move by Patek that will get both positive and negative reactions. There is no doubt in my mind that this one will fetch a small fortune in the second hand market. Plus, they might have a move up their sleeve. just like the 3712 that was retired prematurely. Some say that this move was premeditated in order to drive prices up. Who nows, I certainly would not mind the same thing happening again provided I had one too. Would you?

Personally I am not too taken by the engravings of "Patek Philippe" and "Geneve" on the bezel of the case. Although the general look of the World Time is very well executed since it is meant to give you that 30's look. To me it looks right on the money. Even if I still like the current 5130 platinum model better. If I where in the market for one I would probably go for that one instead.

Patek Philippe...

Tribute to Polaris

At last, the Polaris is here.

Three years late but here it is none the less. After much debate amongst fans, watch purists, collectors and other enthusiasts Jaeger has decided to re-issue the Polaris in its original form. All that despite the AMVOX1 which is still in production and was initially meant to be just that. Actually, come to think of it, the AMVOX might have been responsible for triggering that demand. I have a feeling that Jaeger have gone the "Solomon" way by only modifying the movement and not the case, including the Hexalite crystal. This latter point to the delight of collectors and purists will not be understood by main stream enthusiast. I am afraid this Solomonic solution will leave only a few people happy (I must include myself in that group). Others would have liked something more in "accord" with the times, including sapphire Crystal glass, locking buttons, etc...

I don't think it will be worth more than list soon, and hike in price like most Limited APs. Yet I have a feeling that many, like me, that have been looking for a Polaris for years will not pas up the chance to own a new one. What is interesting is that both, a mint original and this re-edition will go for almost the same amount of money. Interesting...

As for myself, I am already on the list.

Jaeger leCoultre...

New look?

More news than the watch itself is the sort of modern aggressive look of the case on this Patek. I usually do not like to comment on such expensive and limited production pieces, unless they have something special about it, but this is actually worth a look. The 5207 in it self is just another run-o-the mill "mega super complication" that we are used from Patek. Nothing short of extraordinary, but like always out of the reach of most mortals. believe me, I have not asked but you do not what to know the price.

I must admit I like the case an would hate to see it go lost and not be used in more common or popular models down the line. Nice Job...

Patek Philippe...

Richard Mille "RM020"

Here is Richard Mille's vision of a pocket watch.

RM surely makes one of the few bearable Tourbillons out there. It's almost ironic that Richard would place the Tourbillon back to where it was initially conceived for, the pocket watch. It should have never left it in the first place. Not very commercial in our days but a gutsy move none the less. This movement actually looks good enough to eventually land on a wrist. Who knows, they might decide to make it in a classic wristwatch case somewhere down the line. Long power reserves on manual winding watches are a blessing. believe me, winding them only once a week is a real joy! The chain, that is connected to the crown and winds the mechanism, reminds of the tail of a Scorpion. Nice touch.

I don't see myself getting my three-piece suits out of storage to enjoy this baby but I like the boldness none the less.

Richard Mille...

Been there, done that...

Here we go. The "fu..ing" same ol' Tourbillon theme all over again. Pardon my French, but I just am sick of having manufacturers come up with Tourbillons when fresh ideas are at an all time low.

It would be sooo much smarter to promote the excellence of the stuff you already have instead of feeling that you "have" to present something just because it's April. I guess that the media is partly responsible for this. They come in April, invited, and expect to see and report on new stuff from everybody. In many cases forcing to reveal/present watches that start to get delivered to the dealers over a year later. It could be a good time to sit and reevaluate the purpose of the Basel/Geneva fairs. Expect more bullshit on the way.

P.s. Apart from boring (nothing new in my book) it also looks like crap. What in the name of god makes them think anybody would spent 200 k on this instead of an AP or Patek (idiots aside )? Sorry Lange, but if this is what you had to come up with this year... than I rather you come up empty.

First big leak of the season!

I guess it was predictable that the first leaks regarding future Basel/Geneva releases started to hit the net. Like it has happened before, Richard Mille is first to open hostilities. The RM018 also known as the "Homage to Boucheron" has just today brought to my attention by one of the Kronosclub's readers, together with this lovely picture. Since I was not given it in advance with the promise of not posting it until the official presentation date. I try to avoid that so that I have the freedom to post them when they are leaked. In the end this is what this site/blog is all about. Here you go...

My source also pointed me to the forum in question and I hate when people take credit for something that I did not post first, I have no choice but to name the source.

Time Tech Talk...

"Smorrebrod smorrebrod, rum pom pom pom..."

Magnetic fields are not a god friend of watches. If not careful these could make you go to your local service center more often than you wish and have your precious watch demagnetized. This is not the worst thing that could happen yet it could drastically alter the precision of your watch. Definitely a pain to go and have that done all the time. Because most people are so "mesmerized" by looking at the back of their movement, manufacturers make sapphire backs more than ever. (Really don't understand why. Most are equipped with the same'ol movements, and they look like shit anyway!) Sapphire backs add to the momentary delight of most gullible newbies out here... but does not help when protecting your watch against magnetism. Nothing wrong with ugly movements, the Lemania 5100 is amongst the most unpleasant ever designed, yet it's one of my all time favorite movements. ETAs, Valjoux, Unitas, etc... are indeed good, proven and reliable movements, yes. Nevertheless, they still look like crap. Needless to say that most of these are so poorly decorated that they are a torture to look at. If I had the choice between looking at these or extra protection against magnetism I would choose the latter. Hell, given the choice I would simply ask not to see them at all! Incidentally, here is a browny point to Rolex, they never budged. God knows I give them little love but credit is due where credit is due.

People with jobs near highly magnetic sources such as Doctors in Hospitals or Lawyers and Pilots that continuously cross metal detectors should consider watches such as AP's OffShore, the Ingenieur by IWC, The Pilot series by SINN, the Milgauss by Rolex etc... Except for a few exceptions all of these have movements encased inside a special antimagnetic case. This is located between the movement and the actual watch case making it impossible for you to see the back of the movement, obviously. If you have a boring life and enjoy good health, by that I mean; no travel, no court visits and no trips to hospitals close to magnetic scanners, then you should be alright, unless you have a music system that consist of a set of monstruous Wilson Watt/Puppy powered by two gigantic monophonic KRELL amplifiers (each with the power requirement of a third world county). Yes, the kind that causes your belt buckle to lounge towards your speakers every time you turn up the volume. Yep, at the same time your local Power Plant Manager is perplexed at the sudden drain of a "gazilion" watts, for no explainable reason. Then it is likely that you are dead anyway since the speakers probably removed all the iron in your body by now.

But wait! There is one source that is often overlooked. Do you cook? Are you one of the new wave of self made master Chefs? By any chance, do you happen to own one of these super modern INDUCTION kitchens? Yes? Then you are in trouble. The main principle behind induction is magnetism. If you have a compass at home you could try and bring it close to your induction plate and see if North is still where it's supposed to be. Needless to say that I cook without my watch on my wrist, recommend you do the same.

"Et tu, Brute?..."

Words can't simply express the disappointment at this news. Never in a million years could I have even dreamed of something like this happening. What a sellout. If it where April I would without a doubt consider this nothing but a cruel hoax. It is not. At this point I pray for this to me a "one shot deal", and a very extremely Limited Edition on top of it.

Putting an AP inside this... "thing" is like putting the engine of a Ferrari inside a Chevy Camaro. Disgusting. I am not certain that Chanel will benefit from this upgrade in the quest to legitimize their product to a more knowledgeable crowd. What I am certain is that Audemars Piguet will have lost much of its credibility with many of their diehard followers. Outrageous is the fact that it is a constant to hear people at AP "whine" about the lack of movements; "we can't make enough of them... can't meet the demand... we are backed-up for years..." Yeah, right. This latest move surely gives that impression.


At this point I will stop writing, I better...

IWC "Ingenieur Ceramic"

At last! An Ingenieur that turns heads. The future looked good with the new INGENIEUR series, yet the misfortune of making it an AMG Limited Edition was a bit too much "tuning" for my taste. A shame, since in the new series the AMGs where the best looking of the bunch. Putting something like that diminishes a product and makes it worthy of a display at a car dealer. A place you don't want to go buy a watch. Let's hope they stopped that nonsense by now.

It is only recently that I have seen in the flesh. I have been confronted with pictures many times, but I guess this Ingenieur is like some watches that just don't shine in pictures. This one in real life jumps at you and hits you in the eye! I looks great on medium to large sized wrists and is comfortable beyond your highest expectations. A really awesome addition to the collection.

What is especially comfortable is the Ceramic bezel that takes away the worry of scratching it. That in it self is reason enough for purchase. For those that love the Barrichello II because of its scratch proof bezel but can't afford it... this Ingenieur might just be the one for you. Granted, both have nothing to do with each other but it is a interesting non-chrono alternative. The face is incredibly detailed and well finished, right now I have only seen L.U.C. from Chopard with faces that have such depth. In spite of its size the whole shape of the case wraps around your wrist like a glove. It's so comfortable it just disappears. Plus, there is the "stop function" that sets the seconds hand at 12 o'clock for precise tine setting. That is one little option that most watch lovers like to see.

My only "but" is the sapphire back. Purists would probably like more antimagnetic properties than the view of the movement. I guess that it was put there for commercial reasons. In spite of this it is still waterproof to 120 meters which is a very acceptable ratting. The price is around the 7,000 Euros. Not cheap, but honest.

Nice work guys!

IWC...

Big Bang "Ayrton Senna"

I am not a Hublot fan, plus I find Limited Editions "banking" on famous dead people not so becoming... but it is signed by Senna. I have a soft-spot for Senna.

This BB also looks the part if you ask me and there is no doubt that it might be one of the few Hublots to fetch a better price than list. The key is the price of course. Since there will be 500 of these I would expect them to be in the very low 20's, or even below that. Bare in mind that a gold Big-Bang is in the 18 hundreds... If this should be the case than they will be in high demand. Should they tag this in the 30's or above than you might see them around for a while.

From the picture it looks like a two pusher Rattrapante. Interesting... although I think I have seen this before. I am pretty certain Hublot will claim a 100% in-house movement built and engineered from scratch in this beauty. Who knows, it might be so, why not? What is certain is that very few things are engineered from scratch these days. Even the big boys cheat once in a while. In any case I would love to read Velociphile's take on this. If anybody can debunk them that would be him. he has done so in the past and in numerous occasions.

If you are a Hublot fan and don't frown at the price (for a Hublot), you should consider making a stop at your closest Authorized Dealer. If the price for this baby is indeed close to the 20's than there will be not a single one left for you by the time they are presented at basel this April.

Hublot...

Rolex "Milgauss"

Have just been confronted with the "Milgauss", and I like it. I was not very keen on the seconds hand designed by "the Flash" and the greenish sapphire glass. Surprisingly the result is quite interesting. The whole design just works. It is not understated but it does not scream like a Daytona.

Like the entire "new" Rolex lineup, the Milgauss has a more than just good enough finishing compared with Rolexes from only five years ago. The bracelets and clasps feel much more robust and are more in tune with a watch considered to be a luxury leader. This was certainly not the case several years ago.

Looking around I must say that the price is competitive enough to make this a backordered product like a Yacht-Master or Submariner. Although I don't think it will be a coveted item like a Daytona, that is for now at least.


Rolex...