Panerai

Some so much and others so little... Panerai, unlike Lange, have got their press kit completely wrong. Two discs, one USB key and a whatever gift (that I gladly passed on to my neighbor). No pictures of their two new calibers and many pictures of stuff that looks all the same. I really wish that brands stop giving presents to the press. The only thing it encourages is to have the wrong people attend your happenings for the wrong reasons. I also feel that it is wrong to constantly get presents for doing ones job. It just sends the wrong message. I wonder if any of these brands aware that if the press go to visit them it is only because they want their publicity money? Save the gifts and give them to "real" customers or aficionados. They will surely welcome the gifts with more gratitude.

The most interesting Panerai product this year are the two in-house "Manifatura" movements and the return to the price range that seemed to be abandoned lately by Panerai. I guess the open complaints from diehard Paneristi have had an effect after all. Thank god they listened! Looking at the current economic situation this can't come at a better time. The first to get this new automatic 72 hour power-reserve movement will be a Luminor 1950. The pricing will be just above the 4,000€ mark. Which considering the piece is more than very reasonable. the new Luminor is also fitted with the new bracelet. A big improvement over the previous version.

The two new calibre presented where an automatic to be used as a base calibre in the future and a rattrapante chrono. The only problem I see with both these movements is that one is 8 millimeters think ant the other just nearly reaches one centimeter. This means that if you wish to use the rattrapante movement and you wish to make it water-resistant to 300 meters (30 ATMs) you will end up with a BURGER that would be around TWO centimeters thick. Now, how about their other entry level in-house movement. If it where to be used as a base and a module to be added on top you can easily add an extra 3 millimeters to the equation. Now, I don't get it. Wasn't the trent regarding size and especially the thickness going down..? If you are developing stuff from scratch why wont you make it versatile enough to fit in any future model? A key factor is to make it as thin as can be so that it may fit as many cases as possible. Can you picture a 45 millimeter Radiomir with a 20 mm case? Need I say that there are no pictures of the burgers... sorry, movements in their press kit?

Upssss... forgot Hulk's watch! At a whopping 60 millimeters we have the The "Egiziano"! Nothing to object to it. In fact I like that replicas are made of mythical watches. In this case it is really just an "item" for collector and not really a wearable watch. At 300 units I am not certain many non-collectors will ever get a chance to buy-for-use. Actually, I wonder how long it takes for the first pictures of this "behemoth" on Beckham's wrist are in the media... Even the fellow presenting it admitted that it was just impossible to wear casually on your wrist. I must admit I would have liked them to make it in steel, like the original one, and not in Titanium. Would have also been useful when going out. Somebody get on your case, just throw him your watch. Hit him in the head, hospital journey guaranteed.

Panerai...

A. Lange & Soehne

I must say that Lange made first place in the best/smartest/useful/intelligent press gift/kit this year. Unlike the useless garbage and tons of paper that you are given at the end of the product presentations (really convenient if you still have miles to walk and seven hours more to go). This time they gave a simple black paper notebook (the kind Colombo used) with all information in it. When I say all, I mean all. The miniature USB key included inside had not only the presented novelties but ALL, yes ALL the current watch catalogue as well. Including high-res pictures of the movements. Simply spectacular. The whole thing fits in your pocket. I only wish that the rest of brands would do the same.

I already reviewed their star of the show, the Richard Lange "Pour le Merite". There is little more to be said other that it is an extraordinary piece. The more I see it the more I find it sublime. Here are some of the pictures of their little "fusée-and-chain" wonder... By the way, the rose gold will, be priced at around 80,000€ which is pretty much what was expected.


Apart from these beauty there is the new 1815 that is now larger at 40mm. Much better if you ask me since its predecessor is by now almost a women sized piece. Like everything that comes from Lange the finishing is simply poetry. The prices star at 14,000€ for all three gold versions. (Incidentally, I was wondering if I should get this 1815 or the Ralph Lauren? Hmmm... tough call.)

You can also bet that the movement of the RL is very similar in finish and design to this Lange (cough, cough...). It is with utter regret to tell you that RL did not add pictures of their calibre in their press kit...

Now that they gave the 1815 a litle push in size waht about the Datograph? I am certain that sales would sore for a 43mm Dato despite the economic situation. Although I love the piece I still find the proportions between thickness and width completely off. It is way too chubby. If their religion does not permit them make a larger case for an already used movement than just take the movement and add a power reserve or double barrel as an excuse. The result would have me camp outside my jeweler like a nerd for an iPhone.

A. Lange & Soehne...

SIHH 2009

I was going to wait until the end but it makes sense after a request to have a short summary of the general feel of the situation of this years SIHH.

Here is the final Press Release by the SIHH:

Summed up it says that they went in fearing the worst yet things not being as bad as anticipated. Compared to other years I would put attendance closer to a 40% less and not a 20% as mentioned in the release. There are other reasons apart from the "... tough economic climate in the American and Japanese markets..." (believe me, Europe is not that hot either). Essentially the Richemont Group has significantly lowered the number of invited press (I should say bribed, but I won't...), the invites to collectors and guests have been more strict. There has also been a cutdown on dealers that did not meet payments in due time that where obviously not invited. Many of the freelance press (especially from the far east) have not attended due to cost and distance. Bare in mind that the travel time for many of them is around 20 hours to get to Geneva. A good bunch will have chosen to go Basel 2009 instead. Which makes more sense for freelance reporting due to the variety of products and newcomers that Basel offers.

In general there where few new things this year as products are concerned (mind you, they only had 9 months between fairs this year!). There is a feeling of consolidating for now and "wait and see what happens..." further down the line. I know from almost all country managers that things have gone better than expected, which initially looked very grim. More than one feared for their jobs. Buyers have been cautious and realistic when placing orders as well. Let's hope that there are few order cancelations unlike last year.

As far as horology is concerned the star of the show was AP's "ChronAP". The question on ALL the competitor's lips was "... Have you seen AP's chronometer?". Much the same reaction as Jaeger's "Gyrotourbillon" last year. As far as brands are concerned Jaeger leCoutre would be probably the most coherent strategy. They focused on filling holes and adding much awaited pieces to the collection. Their stuff makes sense This year they decided to focus on the more human stuff leaving limited ultra-expensive pieces for a later date. Smart move.

The general outlook for the luxury and super-luxury segments is that things will get better on the financial crisis stabilizes and gradually pics up. This is expected to slowly happen around summer this year (unless several financial institutions go bust in quick succession). For the mid to low range things look a bit more difficult since they are more dependent on the economic crisis which will take considerably longer to heal.

The Swiss watchmaking industry was remarkably quick to the draw when firing people in order to prevent further problems down the line. There is a general feeling that things have changed and what was easy to sell only one year ago is not worth manufacturing at the moment. Tourbillons at any price are gone (about time) and silly experiments have lost their appeal. Due to this crisis the tables have turned and for the first time in many decades the ones holding the better hand are the customers. Up until now it was as if as a customer you granted the "privilege" to purchase their products. Now this has changed, the customers won't buy unless they like. The equation is simple really; You make something I like, you get money. You make something I don't like, you no get money. You no get money, you close business. Simple.

Ralph Lauren

It becomes very apparent to me that some people in the business think that we as consumers are just a bunch of brain dead morons. Now, that is understandable since there are things out there that get sold no mater what. This year, Ralph Lauren has raised the bar to a whole new level. This is probably the first time that I remember feeling offended at a presentation. To think that I actually had to get up in the morning to see this!

I was pleasantly surprised at first when seeing the pictures from the outside of their stand. No wonder, I expected something in the line of D & G or Tommy Hilfiger. At a first glance the pieces looked very good, with a distinct Cartier and Piaget DNA, but tasteful none the less. No wonder, since RL has more than just good taste. I attempted several times to get the press kit and skip the presentation but with little success. One needed to sit through about 30 minutes of the presentation to get the kit. Little was I to know the almost unbearable torture they where going to subject me to.

Finally the presentation starts and it becomes apparent quite soon that somebody has clearly not done their homework. With a total disregard for potential customers and a blatantly superficial assessment of what watchmaking really means. I was speechless, but mainly sleepy. Was there any research done at all on any of these? I was still a little asleep for the Women's model (sorry it was early in the morning). After a bunch of pictures of pretty people... finally it was the turn of the one piece that caught my eye, the elegant ultra-slim Gentleman's gold watch. Interesting but flawed since the hour and minute hands are so similar that somebody with bad eyesight might have problems distinguishing them. Now, the absolute stunner... the price. This is when my head popped right out of my butt. 13,100 € (I guess it would be around the 18,000 in the US)! This for a men's watch that carries nothing but a shitty Ladies (small) Piaget movement!!! WTF! Who in their right f..ing mind would get this instead of a Calatrava by Patek or a classic piece by Breguet?!?

What sent me in a new dimension of pissed that I have rarely bee in before (at least at a press conference) was the Sport version. Which, by the way, is uglier than raising a hand to your own father... This one carried the very appreciated F.A. Jones calibre by IWC. The crown they designed for this lovely manual movement was polished to a whole new level of slippery. Very smart and thoughtful for the poor idiot that needs to wind it every other day. Unbelievable. The others have Jaeger movements. I would not be surprised if Jerome Lambert's balls shrunk the size of raisins when he saw where his movements where going! Mine surely would have.

Their idea is to have these three lines available at their Flagship stores world wide and exclusive high-end dealers. Yeah, keep dreaming. Dealers are not stupid. In fact one told me when walking by; "... I have the underwear and the shirt. Why would I want the watch?"

In any case, I doubt this will be around for more than three years. Considering the current economic situation and the price at which this rather poor effort has been placed I doubt it will make many future SIHHs. Expect to see a great upsurge in sales at first when placed in their stores world-wide. The real sell-out figures from the stores would be interesting to see.

Ralph Lauren...

P.s. If you think I am being harsh. Believe me, I had to go over this text several times and censor myself.

Limited OVERKILL II

I can't shake the feeling that the OffShore is going where I don't want it to go. Limited Editions have been going insane and the way the OffShore is marketed simply does not relate to me. Every year I hear the same ol' story that the indiscriminate LEs will be stopped and every year at the fair the thing gets worse and worse. Even thought the color combinations seem endless I just can't get excited by an OffShore anymore unless it is a piece like the EOD, Survivor, Barrichello II, Alinghi Team, Singapore F1, etc... Regular color-moded OffShores are stating to get tiresome at best. Many of these LEs are for dealers that get complacent when it comes to doing their job and selling the regular collection. This is not the way to go. Right now there are more Limited Editions than regular collections models under production for 2009. Insane. To top this there about 8 LEs expected for this year that have a very similar color combo (Red and black). A real pisser. It's clear now to many that this could sooner or later kill the Goose of the Golden egg. Strange enough, commercially successful brands like Rolex or Patek Philippe that have a close to NO Limited Edition policy, still sell. I get the feeling that the regular pieces are being devalued and easily tagged as regular or less important. A very counterproductive side effect over the long run. I am pretty certain that the same level of sales can be achieved even if Limited Editions are stopped. Listening to customer would be a good start.

Fortunately for many (myself included) there is still the RoyalOak. Its reputation is still untarnished and has not varied much over the years. It almost seems to belong to a different line altogether. The Jumbo, the Dual Time and the Chrono are more and more attractive to me. Oddly enough I have been seeing a transition back to the RoyalOak in the last few months.

There is also something to be said regarding the direction which the Offshore is taking as well as the marketing decisions taken lately. I find the recent choice of "ambassadors" questionable at best. The latest is this "Masato" edition. Don't know the guy and will not discuss his proficiency at what he does yet lately AP have gone from Garry Kasparov to what is in essence a glorified thug. The "Masato" is just another tuned OffShore that brings nothing in terms of horology except a fashion statement. This is very much in tune with the Millenary marketing placement. It seems that they have achieved with the OffShore what they intended to do with the Millenary. What a great excuse to kill the Millenary... Just do the "bling" to the max and keep milking away. This would be a fantastic opportunity to bring the "John Schaeffer" back into a regular production model line.

Now, to the Howard Stern mater. Fortunately for whoever decided to place AP at that show, little is known about and of Howard Stern in Europe. I personally was a listener back when I lived in the US and I have no problem in saying that I respect the guy. He was refreshing although vulgar most of the times. Quite a rare bird in an otherwise restricted and over-controlled media. However, the product placement at the "Howard Stern Show" is the least adequate place for AP. Seriously, would you place your product next to the "star-guest" of the show that was invited for her remarkable ability to stick a 12 inch sausage down her throat and still whistle dixie-doodle while being topless? I think not. I would not be surprised if things where to "hAPpen" once Switzerland get a sample and idea of what the show is like. I have a feeling they will not be hAPpy...

Audemars Piguet...

OffShore

Like last year's RoyalOak Chrono facelift, the Offshore has just been granted two new faces. Love them, both. Surprising is the black Luminova used. A first at AP. Black luminova is not the greatest performance-vise but it is so beautiful when you drive into the darkens of a tunnel. It just glows in a very special way, almost eerie. So far collection pieces have been almost monochromatic so these new faces are refreshing and welcomed.

I am very glad these did not end up as a LE such as a "Tour Auto" or some obscure third-world dealer somewhere in the limitless boundaries of time and space...

Audemars Piguet...

OffShore "Lady Carbon"

Finally something for the Ladies. Until now the focus on super sporty pieces was manly focused on the Gents. The movement brings nothing new yet it is a first when it comes to the materials and look. Forged carbon and ceramic make this the option for those women that felt a bit neglected by the OffShore. Could this be the next hottest thing after Patek's Twenty-4? Could be... Mind you, I would have done without the diamonds.

Any Ladies out there? What do you think? Is this for you?

Audemars Piguet...

John Schaeffer "Tradition"

The "John Schaeffer" is back and I dearly hope it is here to stay. Even if there already was one presented last year, these new three new versions seem to make it a collection again. Unfortunately this is not certain since they are under the "Tradition" banner and they could only be a short term reappearance. Personally it's time to retire the Edward Piguet line or at least put it back on the drawing board (preferably on a treadmill to loose some thickness). Nobody wants a thick dress watch. Apparently this is a message that has been difficult to transmit.

All three are equipped with the finest and more "mystical" movements AP can offer. The finishes are well over what is usually expected or seen at AP. My favorite is the John Schaeffer equipped with the 2120 calibre which is the base for the RoyalOak perpetual and the non-date version of the Jumbo's engine. A rare movement by itself. The last time I saw this it was on a skeletonized version of the Jumbo.

I love the vintage look and Art-Deco hour markers. they are clean, well executed and transmit the "magic" like few watches. This is actually the first time I would choose an AP over a Patek in the vintage segment. Unfortunately I find them to be all too large. The same rules do not apply to cushion cases for some reason. Whille 43 mm is optimal on a round case for me, it is just too big on a cushion. I would have made all the 3 mm smaller. Especially the hour minutes model. On the other two there is the excuse that they are historically pocketwatch movements and are considerably larger than regular movements. so the extra headroom is justified in this case.


Apart from being happy to see these again I am perplexed at the price. 51,000$ or 41,000€ seems to be a bit steep, to put it in a mild way. At this price you should require a bit more than hours and minutes. Maybe a jumping hours regulator, an annual calendar or even a manual 8-day power reserve. At that prize range, even in platinum, I would expect at least that.

Audemars Piguet...

Jules Audemars "Chronometer"

The star of the show at AP, and you could even say at the SIHH, was undoubtedly the internally baptized "ChronAP". Definitely the small talk on the competitors lips. If I may add, in a tense manner in some cases...


For all others this is called "Jules Audemars Watch with Audemars Piguet Escapement"... because this is a bit long and not commercially wise I will stick to calling it "ChronAP" from here on. Quite frankly, it's not very sexy either.

I usually avoid commenting on watches of this price and limited availability since most of the time the only exclusive factor is price, but in this case there is more to it.
This is a pure racing machine. Conceived for the sole purpose of competing in the new time/accuracy venues up ahead. Yes, the competition is back for probably this year and many are preparing for it with anticipation. APRP prepared this in order to take the trophy back home. At 43,200 v/r, what is equivalent to 6 HZ, it could very well do the trick. You should not regard this as an everyday watch but more at the equivalent of a "Stradale" Ferrari or Porsche "GT3". They are an ultra performance version of what already is a great product.

On the negative side, at least for me, I would have liked this to be a regulator and not a small hours and minutes at 12 o'clock. Added is the general comment that it is very similar, too similar, to the Breguet "La Tradition" pieces. This could be true yet the Breguet in turn could be also a copy of watch designs used for several centuries. Unfortunately the Breguet "La Tradition" is a successful product and is latest in many collector's and aficionado's retinas. I guess that the strength of looking "inwards" as a company has had a negative effect in this case. In any case, the finish and details on this piece are miles apart. So is the 260,000$ price tag...

Well, 25 will be made of these a year. I only hope that the new escapement slowly finds its way into all other movements by AP. That would be an extraordinary achievement.

Audemars Piguet...

New format...

This year I will be giving my report brand by brand. Again, these are only personal opinions that are subject to any debate and criticism.

Enjoy...

SIHH 2009

This years SIHH surely presents itself interesting. Not because of the novelties but more on the behavior of buyers and sellers. Rumors that there will be substantially less customers this year are well founded. On one side there are many from far away markets that had to choose between Basel 2009 or the SIHH. On the other the Richemont Group have downscaled the fully-treated to plane and hotel customers/press to a bare essential. Another is that many ADs in trouble think that by not showing up they will not be presented with an order sheet. Wrong... Richemont will make sure that all will go through the order sheet. Proof that there will be less attending the venue than before is that the very busy and overbooked Kempinsky Hotel has still rooms readily available.

Personally I am glad since I will be able to examine and see everything in detail instead of running like possessed. I will be able to give a more in depth critique brand-by-brand this year. I was able to see several to be presented novelties and in some cases I am appalled! I will not say anything until I get to see some of them in the flesh but some brands will have a very difficult 2009 to say the least.

My wish for this year is that the industry reacts fast and kill all "TOURBIBULLSHIT" projects and get down to business. They were fast to the trigger when laying off workers... Let's hope they react just as quickly with useless-overrated-complications and spend some R&D on not fully resolved problems such as shockproof movements, magnetism or an even better performance than a Tourbillon at down to earth prices and over their whole collection. Man, I am ranting again! Sorry... Anyway, I will be there for the whole week and eager to return and comment.

Report coming your way soon...

Refining refinement...

It is not rare that o good product undergo several updates and minor tweaks. I hide not that I already had a weak spot for the HM2, but adding ceramic to the equation brings nothing but advantages. For those that love black watches ceramic is the way to go. PVD and DLC treatments have taken giant strides as durability are concerned but are no way near the resistance of ceramics. As the production gets perfected and more complex forms can be achieved ceramics will find its way in more and more watches from here on. In the case of the HM2 I could even say that this version is but a logical step. Maybe I would have done something more aggressive with a a greener or yellower tone on the markers. Since I have not seen this piece in the flesh yet I could be wrong. So I will not venture and say more until I hold it in my hands.

The look of MB &F's creations are singular and recognizable from afar. A rare treat our days, since most of the stuff out there looks the same. Most classic watch lovers are still a bit "scared" of this new concept yet they will come around. The best way to get an idea is to see one in the flesh. The contrast of the black and the white and red gold is definitely a winer.

I can't wait to see this piece next monday!

MB & F...

CONCEPT "Thematic"

I must say that I find myself very lucky to be able to have seen and Photographed one of these in the flesh. This particular "Thematic" is the number 12 out of 16. The engraving on the back is based on the HMS Royal Oak vessel from the British Navy. Yes, the very same one that the RoyalOak was inspired upon. Even if the whole Concept Thematic is a series of 16 all are branded "Piece Unique" since they have been had decorated with different motives each time. The case is just like the predecessor, Alacrite 602. The bezel is in Titanium and curved with a concave glass. Thank god the original Kevlar strap is back!

The variation over the original Concept is the nano-fiber baseplate on these. The same as on the Richard Mille High-End models. If the Concept One was stunning, this one will blow your socks off! Surprising is the price, despite being a Piece Unique, it's the same as a "Carbon Concept Watch".

I sincerely hope that this case of the Concept One will continue be and not be replaced by the flat bezel on the "Carbon Concept Watch". What I really wish for 2009 is to NEVER see that cheap, tacky, unforgiving,tasteless, gaudy and ungraceful crocodile bracelet on the Carbon Concept, ever.

Audemars Piguet...

DON RAMON DE LA CRUZ 6

Last week AP opened its Madrid Boutique, the "Don Ramon de la Cruz". Larger than most other AP Boutiques and with a philosophy that will set precedents. Part of the new approach to the new Don Ramon Boutique is to invite AP fans as well watch lovers to come in and have a drink to enjoy the atmosphere amongst people that share the same passion. The first drink will make you not be able to buy a watch on that day. The unwritten rule on the first day is to introduce the boutique to a guest and not sell a watch to a customer. If you like something you have to come back the next day. Apart from being able to see the watchmakers at work there is a dinning area downstairs where VIPs and good customers will get dinners hosted by AP. The dinners will be prepared by Star Chefs for a maximum of eight people at a time. The first dinner (test) was prepared by Sergi Arola (two Michelin stars). Spectacular...

The displays will change once a week and will be themed with several and very watch unrelated materials. As you might see from the pictures the first week they had a "vegetable" theme and this week it was automotive. There are few watches on display for two reasons; the first, is to give more emphasis on the watch and the second is when you ask for something you will be able to see the whole collection. The selection is quite impressive, I do not know of many places where you will be able to see the Grande Complicacion in its RoyalOak and Jules Audemars version. I have no idea what the theme will be next week. It is very likely that you will not see the same displays twice ever.

An oddity is that the team headed by Ignacio Piera all speak English. Quite a rarity amongst my fellow Spaniards only several years ago. Furthermore, Ignacio (the director) has watchmaking skills and actually knows what he talks about. A rare bird in the trade...

The most peculiar (and my favorite) aspect of the Don Ramon Boutique is a small library that will accept, now hear this, books and catalogues from other brands! Now, to my knowledge there is NO boutique from any brand that will allow this. I guess they are the first to have the guts to do this. I would really love to see a book on Jaeger, Rolex or SINN inside an Omega store. Actually, I double-dare Patek to do this at their boutiques... I think that to be very difficult to say the least. Probably this might be the "anecdote" that best resumes the character of the boutique.



Audemars Piguet...

Richard Lange "Pour le Merite"

Wow. What a piece. Thankfully, after last year's Cabaret, Lange & Soehne have decided to redeem themselves. Even if it is limited and most are already allocated, whit this Richard lange they have done quite an impressive work of art. Striping the watch to the bare essential (Hours, minutes and seconds) and concentrate on what is really the achievement. The "fusée-and-chain transmission". The predecessor like the "Turbograph" did not play too much emphasis on the FCT complication once you had the watch in hand. Yes, you got a lot of schematics and pictures but little interaction with the complication since you could not see the chain. Now you can very well see the chain from behind. Observing it while winding is really something... The downside to this little work of art will undoubtedly be the price. Expect it to be close to the 100k mark in Euros and well over that in dollars.

Physically the Richard Lange "Pour le Merite" feels well proportioned. Personally I would have added one millimeter to the case and maybe the traditional German 12 in red, but you can't have it all. When holding this Richard Lange you do get a sense of quality and care that is very present when you hold, a Dufour, Voutilainen or Greubel Forsey. It is almost mystical to hold them. Even if the movement is not as spectacular as the Double-Split (still unparalleled in the industry) this Lange has more magic. An unequivocal sign that this one will hurt your valet big time! Either run far, far away or entrust your wife with the key to your cash safe (not sure if that is too smart either...).

At this point I must thank Lange for not doing yet another senseless Tourbillon. I sincerely hope that one of the casualties of the crisis is the Tourbillon in general. Honestly, 90% of the Tourbillon out there are garbage. If you don't believe me, see the prices you get for them in the second hand market. There are exceptions (RM and the Concepts by AP) but the general rule is that you will loose quiet a bundle if one day you decide to part with it. The dumbest complication to transit from the pocket watch to our wrists has been milked to the max in order to justify prices in the 200 Thousand range. The down side to this behavior is that the industry has complicated their own future. With that greedy strategy they have led people to understand that expensive watches MUST and only CAN be a Tourbillon. The result is that many other more elaborate, interesting and useful complications are a hard sale. Now, when you quote a price somewhere above 100 thousand you get the automatic; "Is it a TOURBILLON?" If the answer is no, then you are looked at as if you where retarded. Can't blame the industry for doing their marketing, yet doing it right is another mater. Every monkey out there knows that such thing as a Tourbillon exists. They know that it's expensive yet they have no clue as to what it does, why it does what it does, why it is so hard to make and why it has come to be in the first place.

A. Lange & Söhne...

Silent Arrival

In case there are any doubts... yes, this is the first picture of the RBIII on the net. As far as I Know there are no official pictures of this piece yet. So for now this "improvised" shot will have to do to quench your thirst for information.

Nothing has been filtered to the press and few people really knew this was coming. Many rumors but no pictures and even less certainty about price and delivery times. The Barrichello IIIs are hitting stores as we speak.The list in the EU is 48,000 €, I guess that in the US you will be close to the 60's mark.

Once I have better and oficial pictures I will post them as soon as I can.

Audemars Piguet...

Motorola "AURA"

Since we are close to Christmas this review might be a little off topic regarding watches but in season regarding the holidays. Just received the "Aura" as a present last week (I guess it pays being well connected...).

Let me start at the end of my review... Is it worth 2,000$ or 1,500€? Well, yes and no. On one side it is quite a piece of hardware but it will not make me drop my iPhone for it. The reason being that the iPhone as a tool and everyday companion is simply unrivaled. In a few words the iPhone is "Mobile Phone 2.0" while all the rest, including the Aura, are still 1.0 mobile phoning. While some have dramatically increased the level of hardware (Vertu, Mobiado, Meridiist, Gresso...) the software is the same ol' unhelpful crap that we have been blessed with for the last decade. Remove color, fancy sounds and you just have the same software they "all" made a decade ago. The problem is not so much related to a larger screens and more resolution but much more related to common sense. For now only Apple have managed to get close to what we as users really need.

Now back to the Aura. The first impression is that it's a very sexy piece of kit. Not as sturdy as a Vertu but with a screen that will, dare I say it?.. blow you nuts off. Literally. This thing has a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch)! In layman's terms, this resolution is what you get out of a printer. Right now, the resolution that you are using on your monitor (while wasting precious time reading my blog) is approximately 72 dpi. In some cases you will get a whooping 120 dpi. I have never seen this kind of resolution on a commercial screen before. Only commercial and military planes have better quality screens on their flight instruments. This makes anything on this phone look like butter. Seriously, contrast and light is so good that it looks like a fake. Like a prototype where the screen is printed on a transparency and lit with an LCD bulb. Eery feeling...

Now, after a week here are my impressions;

I like:
- The screen. So good it's scary.
- The size makes it a much more pleasant alternative to other "high-end" competitors.
- It is a very atractive phone. The graphics have been somewhat improved compared to previous products of the brand.
- You can update the Firmware yourself. Believe me, you will need to do that in the future...
- Reception is quite strong. Motorola do that quite well.
- The clocks as screensavers. Simply magnificent. Just close it and spend 30 seconds looking at it...
- It is not 3G. Completely useless feature in a "glam-phone". Puts a lot of unnecessary strain on battery life. EDGE and GPRS are more than sufficient for wap, sms, and mms.
- The screen. Again, it's so good it's scary.

I don't like:
- Menus are slow. Obviously. The screen has quite a large resolution at 16 million colors. It would take a very large amount of processing power to drive it properly.
- Icons are jumpy. Again, if you don't have enough CPU power just stop making moving icons! It's better to have them fixed instead of jumping around.
- Bluetooth is less than stable when syncing.
- Sound quality is a bit too crisp.
- Interferences can be heard through the speaker when speaking. A big NO NO at this stage of development. This "might" be resolved with an upcoming firmware update.
- Menus are still too clumsy. You need to touch too many buttons to go where you ultimately want to be.
- The center navigation button should have been a wheel. It is a bit too close to other buttons.
- The mini-USB connector. Complete bullshit! (I hate micro and mini USB ports!) Unless they become a standard everywhere they are but a nuisance.
- The battery life is barely 24 hours under moderate use... about 2 hours talk time. It will hold if you charge it every night though. If it had a regular USB port and not a mini-USB you could emergency charge almost anywhere. But no, they HAD to put that fu...ing mini-USB connector...
- The supplied headset is not worth unwrapping.
- I suspect a black PVD version soon. Yes, they guys over at Motorola are soooo predictable sometimes...
- The battery indicator has only three segments. At least five would be adequate.
- The motorola icons are still on the "crapish" side. They urgently need a good designer to redo them.

I miss:
- More options to personalize themes further.
- The front light, around the logo, can't be modified to light in certain conditions etc...
- It would have been awesome to add a chime, repeater, sonerie, etc... function. Synthesize a the sound of a hammer and repeat away!
- A weather forecast.
- A charging stand. this would make you drop it there when you go to bed and take it back fully charged in the morning.

Like I said, the Aura will not make me drop my iPhone as a day-phone, yet it will make me get a second card and use this when I go out at night. The iPhone is a bit large, clumsy and less than sexy. Leaving it at home while going out for the evening and preventing you from checking your email, weather or the latest news will be very welcomed by your date and friends.

My Aura...

P.s. Does Motorola have one of the slowest loading sites on the net or is it just me?

Linde Werdelin "Black DLC"

Definitely on the right track. Linde Werdelin have been traveling a difficult road to say the least. When you start a project with two goals in mind it is very likely you will get halfway through both and go bust rather soon. Going luxury watch and high-end sports electronics would undoubtedly create some conflicts amongst possible Luxury watch customers that don't care about electronics and electronics fans that don't see the need to spend big money on anything else that the gadget. Despite both product being much more than acceptable one of the two sides was the excuse not to get the other. Both are actually great products, especially the "Land Instrument" or computer. Wireless, weighing only 41 grams (!) and giving you weather forecasts, heart rate, avalanche alerts, temperature, altimeter, frostbite alarms, compass... and the list goes on. The watch itself is not a Patek but it does what it is supposed to do as a sports watch. It is rugged and has a reliable and easily serviceable movement. Personally, I would not choose anything other than an ETA in a sports watch, it just makes no sense. Regardless if you have a virtually indestructible watch case the movement inside is just as susceptible to bad treatment as if inside a gold dress watch. While you can fight corrosion, pressure and wear the movement is still subject to inertia and impacts.

Now, what was missing? I would guess that only with the arrival of this DLC version it has become really apparent. Dare I say it? Yes, glamour. More accurately... a reason for you to buy the watch that sets it apart from the rest. The DLC treatment does just that. A bulls eye! It hits the mark to the point of making even the hardest critics put this on their most wanted list. Pictures do not do this DLC Linde Werdelin any justice. There will be only 22 of these in black and 22 in green. I understand the decision to make only 22 in green yet there is room for 222 in black, they would have been gone quite fast. The grayish finish of the DLC gives the watch an aggressive quality without being over designed that is rarely seen on other similar products.

So, what's next? Quite frankly I think that the black DLC version should be included in their general catalogue. Furthermore, it would be time to revise the faces and maybe look into matt version and stop at least the shiny ones. Playing around with different Luminovas like black, orange, green or yellow could also be interesting. The deployant buckle also needs revision. It is actually the only thing in all their concept that does not feel quite right. I don't know if it is the "butterfly" folding or that it is a bit too large. It just feels clumsy and not in sync with the rest of the watch. The case, hands, straps and general design are more than well conceived. Despite the case being similar in shape to a RoyalOak it has a character of its own. The watch is at 42 millimeters just the right size for most plus the fixed strap and inner shape of the watch envelops your wrist to perfection.

Together with the Land and Sea Instruments this black DLC Linde Werdelin is a very cool piece of kit. If it where to be added to the regular collection I suggest a very urgent visit to a photo-studio, the current pictures do not reflect the watches' character in any way.

Linde Werdelin...

Welcome Back!

It was about time to rescue the "Jules Audemars" from the pits. Being absorbed by their star product, the RoyalOak together with an enormous (but futile) effort to place the Millenary in the market, there has been little attention set on their Jules Audemars line. This has been so to the extent of having a gap of over 50k between their simple hour-date and the second option, the "Equation of Time". Surprising to say the least, since the Jules Audemars is one of better classic watch cases together with Patek and Jaeger. Very well balanced and quite comfortable due to the lack of sharp edges. A real treat to the wrist yet completely forgotten when it comes to options.

Now, the once discontinued Jules Chrono is back for January. Since its disappearance two years ago it has grown 3 millimeters wider. Enough for most mid to large sized wrists out there to consider this a very interesting option. Personally I would have gone 44 mm instead of 42 mm. Or maybe making it 2 mm thinner would have helped in the proportions. (Many of us would not mind a re-edition of the "Double-X"). From the pictures I get the impression that the watch is a bit on the "chubby" side. I remember the 39 mm version thiner, not certain though. Since the new and larger version carries the same movement there is no reason why it should be thicker. I have not read any information in the press release that suggests there is a new soft-iron antimagnetic case. I suspect increase in thickness could be due to the designers wish to maintain proportions with regard to the predecessor.

As for the looks there is no doubt that it is a very attractive piece. Both of them this time. This is a first since most of the times it is one or the other. Personally, I tend to the white-gold piece yet I would not mind the rose-gold for once. The white has a more "vintage" feel to it with the cream dial and art-deco numerals. A very attractive watch. Unfortunately, there will be only 300 of these a year. Even if it does not have the "LE tag" it will be more rare that the last Limited Edition, the Survivor. This means that not every dealer in the world will be getting even one of these next year.

The question remains... Now, what's next? What about the same but with a manual movement? In-house, power reserve, thiner case, large date, rattrapante... just thinking aloud here. It would be interesting to have something in the 30k to 40k range to compete against Jaeger's Duometre, Lange's Datograph and Patek's 5070. Especially the 5070, since this is the last year that Patek is getting Lemanias delivered for their manual chrono. In a last attempt to maximize bucks, Patek have made the last 5070s in Platinum. Ironic that a powerhouse that pretends to be recognized for integrity and class would make such a tasteless and greedy move. It would be time now for AP to take up that challenge, God knows that if anybody can, it would be them.

Audemars Piguet...