Supply or Demand?

Don't know if it's because Rolex has finally caught up with the manufacturing of the green sapphire glass or if the economy has caught up with Rolex. More and more green Milgauss are being readily available at no premium and at a discount in some markets. This is the occasion to maybe get one of these. With the recently discontinued steel Yachtmaster the Milgauss is my Rolex favorite. While I can tell you why the Yachtmaster is I just can't explain on the green Milgauss. I just do.

The movement on the other hand is not even close to the Yachtmaster but it does have a certain "something". I just can't stand how o the Milgauss the minute hand jumps two minutes back or ahead when you pull or push the crown back in. A green Yachtmaster would have been cool but we might have to wait another 30 years for an anniversary model.


Rolex...

ATMOS "561 by Marc Newson"

Always been a fan of the Atmos. This one has "something" about it. It has a certain late 60's early 70's look that really makes it interesting.

Unfortunately the cost and difficulty of manufacturing the square glass bubble by none other than Baccarat has increased its initial price by 40%. A bit steep if you ask me. They might be a hard sale considering we are in a "delicate" economic situation and there are 888 units of these. In Europe we are talking close to the 15,000 € and in the US you would be talking around the 20's. However, even if expensive now I have a feeling that you might regret not having bought one several years down the line.

Jaeger leCoultre...

L.U.C.

I have been watching L.U.C by Chopard for some time now. I must admit that I was heavily biased by other products in the Chopard lineup. The "Happy Diamonds" and main media focus on beautiful models with extravagant jewelry has made me look the other way where Chopard and watches are concerned. Recently the latest developed models as well as technical achievements by L.U.C. have awakened my interest. The brand has caught my eye first with the Regulator Tech and then their Certified Chronometer Tourbillon. Finally faced with the collection I was very surprised not only at their finish but also at their proficiency in watchmaking.

In my opinion, from what I have seen so far, it is the best "commercial" finish in the industry. Yes, even above Patek... (Ouch, I am going to get slammed for that one). If you don't believe me and wish to be nasty, take your favorite loupe, grab your best Patek, go to a dealer that carries L.U.C. and compare. All this said, I recently fell in love with a Patek that I will comment in a later post. Remember that carrying Chopard does not necessarily mean that they have L.U.C. since it's considered a whole different ball game. I assure you that side by side you will be quite impressed. Notice, I say "commercial finish" and I do consider guys like Greubel Forsey, Kari Voutilainen or Philippe Dufour to be above all the previous. However, with such a limited production they can't be placed in the same bag. Making eleven per model allows you to do stuff that "large boys" only wish they could.

Their latest is the "Tourbillon Black Superlight" with a silicium escapement presented at the Singapore GP several weeks ago. I am still not certain of the benefits of silicium but what seems evident is that it has no negative short-term effects. Like the other Tourbillon by L.U.C. this one has two double barrels giving it a more than interesting torque curve over a period of 8-days plus an extra two days at a lower level of performance. At the moment having four barrels inside a watch is a patent by Chopard and can't be used by others unless permitted (I don't remember who was allowed...). All other 10 or 8-day manuals use three or sometimes even two barrels. This makes a constant supply of torque more difficult especially at frequencies above 21,600 A/h. In order to be certified a chronograph you must be above the 28,800 mark and few Tourbillons in the market will give you this. To this date ALL, with no exception, L.U.C Tourbillons have passed the "Chronograph Certificate" testing with flying colors on the first attempt. That is very impressive.


If I had to criticize the current L.U.C. collection I must say that the sport/diver models are very weak to say the least. Weak enough that they should consider either outsourcing the design or dropping the model all together. A "Mile Miglia" with a L.U.C. finish would make more sense. At the moment there is no intention of making L.U.C. movements for others, even branches within Chopard. Unfortunately there is a lot of stuff missing in their web pages. Many Tech models and most Twist models are not there. Time to update guys!


L.U.C...

Greubel Forsey...
Kari Voutilainen...
Philippe Dufour...

Inversely Proportional...

As with many things it's everybody's and nobody's fault. Partly due to the arrival of a whole new crowd of buyers with quite a different profile to the high-end watch market so far. Several issues should be addressed because of their faulty "schooling" regarding what they get for their money. Nothing wrong with newcomers, they are in a way responsible for the incredible boom the sector has experienced these last ten years. As customary the problem can be traced back to retailers or authorized distributors (not all though) that are more concerned in making money than giving a service and the manufacturers that do not enforce the issue of being adequately represented in these distributors. I don't blame since the main reason for starting a business is making money in the first place. The second have not demeaned to control the "method of selling" until recently. Some sales staff out there might have noticed by now that selling at any cost may come back and bite you in the butt. Anyway, back to our subject... amongst the new wave of buyers with a lot of burning cash in their pocket but with an inverse knowledge regarding "Haute Horlogerie" there is a recurring misconception. It generally is in their firm believe that the more expensive the watch the less prone to flaws, quality defects, faulty service, etc... WRONG!

In the laws of watchmaking this is quite the opposite. The more complex a watch, the more you can't use industrial machinery and need fine handwork. The less you can use automation, the longer it takes to make a watch. The more you use the human factor, the more things can go wrong. The more human factor involved, the higher the cost. In other words, the more exclusive, unique and expensive... the more imperfect, delicate and problematic. For most of us, no mater price or purchasing power, this is part of the charm in watches. I can assure anybody that the accuracy, homogeneity and reliability of a Seiko beats a Richard Mille hands down. However, if you could, which would you go for? I believe that it it is safe to say that everybody would make the "irrational" choice of getting the more expensive and way less reliable RM or FP Journe, before a Seiko or Timex. Why? Simple, it's a battle of egos and it never is about reliability. There is nothing wrong with that if you are aware of it.

I do understand however the concerns that buyers have to that respect. It is hard to grasp that you just spend over 100K on a watch that is less accurate than a 50 bucks Swatch. Plus there is the nuisance of sending your watch for service after two weeks. Furthermore, they tell you it will take over 4 months to fix. Plus, the worst part is the well popular stuck-up "take it or leave it..." attitude. The problem is created not from the moment after the watch is being sold but rather at the moment of the sale. It should be explained to the client that part of what makes this watch so special is a complete handmade process that renders the watch unique and that due to its complexity it is likely to go to service, etc... Unfortunately this is not so. The customer is likely to see dollar signs rolling in the eyes of the sales person instead of getting any sort of warning. No wonder that the customer gets hysterical spasms of anger and rage when returning the watch only after several months. Mind you, things were worse before. I remember not long ago when you had the feeling that they were doing you a favor when taking the watch for service. In many cases it was attempted to make the customer pay for repairs even if still under guarantee. To them you were nothing but an unworthy fool who just had no idea how to treat a watch. Believe me, the more prestigious the brand the more you got treated this way. There has been improvement in recent years to that respect. Thanks only to complaining customers though.

Don't kid yourselves, there is no such thing as the "best" or "perfect" watch. Just enjoy what you have and don't waste your time getting angry on little things. Believe me, only then will you enjoy this passion to the fullest.

OffShore "SURVIVOR"

As expected... several sites all over have been posting teasers to crank-up hits. Sorry, I don't play this game.

After receiving a whole bundle of pictures from (I kid you not!) nine different sources this morning, the cat's out of the bag.

I hope you guys welcome the FULL UNOBSTRUCTED view of the Survivor. Enjoy...


Audemars Piguet...

A mater of Survival

On November 6th... the beast will be unleashed!!! Not my cup of tea but interesting however. If I had to describe it I would say it is a Barrichello II on heavy steroids. Even the term "Hummer" version of the Offshore would fit.

Unfortunately what was going to be regular production model will be Limited to 1000 pieces. Too bad, it would have been great to have a really "freakish" AP on the catalogue. By now almost everybody has seen pictures or has a very accurate description of the piece. Who knows, if there are too many "hyping" the presentation to increase their hits I might be bad and post it way ahead of everybody... Then again, last time I posted ahead many used the pictures for their own credit I might not do so. I really don't want to add watermarks and spoil the pictures like many others do. Well, let's see what happens.

P.s. By the way, there are two even larger bombs on the way for next year.

MB & F "Horological Machine No.3"

News from the "House of Büsser"... The HM3 surely wont leave you indifferent. Quite a pice. Most of us love the idea, finish, design... yet there is that wearability issue. Don't discard the HM3 just yet due to that. The HM3 might be subject like other watches that are erroneously perceived to be difficult or uncomfortable to wear. Similar to the URWERK or even the HM2 things change quite a bit once on your wrist. If you get a chance to see one in the flesh do not hesitate to take a closer look.

The movement is a real beauty to contemplate and the whole idea is quite different from what is out there right now.


There will be two versions, the Sidewinder and the Starcruiser. Both are essentially the same movement yet both are directed towards you for different situations. The Starcruiser is when you hold the steering wheel of your car so you do not need to let go of it. The Sidewinder is set up for the classic "reflex" arm movement to read the time.


Personally I would not know which of the two suits me best, I guess the Sidewinder would be my choice. What do you think?

MB & F...

Ellicott "MACH ONE"

At last!!! A set of proper pictures of the Ellicott have just surfaced. I had renders for some time yet I chose not to post them since they where nothing to shout about. These are OK but I am still missing a mugshot. For the mean time...

As I mentioned after the fair Ellicott was one of the few brands to surprise me. There has bee some extensive work since then for the first pieces to be released in October this year. I have no confirmation but there was talk of a green sapphire glass for the rear part of the watch. This would certainly make the whole thing look very interesting. The composite fiber case in itself weighs little over 8 grams yet the Tantalum of the bezel and other parts brings the weight in a perfect balance. Not too light and not too heavy. Fits medium to large wrists like a charm due to the curved shape of the case.



As far as I can see this is the only serious alternative to the Offshore's reign. Some "Early Adopters" and fans that a little too tired of seeing too many senseless Limited Editions. Let's face it, the Offshore is not as exclusive as it once was. If once again you want to set a trend than it's time to look somewhere else...


Ellicott...

OBSESSIONS

There are two, in the head of "newcomers", that come to mind when reading several forums out there. The "in-house obsession" and the "screw-down crown mania". I keep getting many questions regarding this either by friends new to watches that read too much forums without getting much clarification.

The first, has become a true pathology that is only recently being addressed by only a hand full of forum moderators. I understand that a watch in the 30's range with a Valjoux 7750 is a bit of a stretch. However there are some modifications out there on the 7750 that well justify that price tag. I guess that a good comparison would be a regular production Mustang and a modified version signed by Chip Foose. Big difference.

Don't kid your selves. The reason why 99% of all entry and mid level chronos use the 7750 is because it's a good movement to begin with. Like in the electronics industry, economies of scale are a determining factor here. The 7750 is relatively cheap not because it is a crapy movement but because it has set itself as a standard in the price range. Yes, can't disagree that it is one of the ugliest chrono movements of all time. True, but there is quite a difference between the finishes that different brands apply to this engine. The time spend calibrating, adjusting, polishing and decorating the movement can make a big difference. The finish can more the triple the cost from brand to brand. Should you compare the finishing of a 7750 in a Sothis (the best I have seen so far...) with that of a Fortis you would not believe that both are one and the same movement. The difference is abysmal.

Unless mass produced, an in-house integrated chrono will set you back around 30k. Lange "Datograph" would be my choice. The Jaeger "Amvox2" for around 15 or the Rolex "Daytona" would be one in this category. The second is only in the 8K range (list that is...). Both are mass produced compared to the others.

First of all, most stuff out there has already been invented over centuries ago. The evolution today consists in applying better materials and improve on the base concepts with the help of precision tools and computers. Most movements out there are either outsourced or based on much older movements. All, even the big brands like Patek and AP have non-inhouse movements and modules. In Patek's case the presence of the Lemania in their perpetuals and their manual chrono are pretty obvious. Ironically they are some of their most demanded models, with the chrono being completely sold out. On AP's side there is the ever popular OffShore. Until recently it had a leCoultre 889 base with a Dubois-Depraz chrono module. Nothing wrong with that. The problem was all the voices that wrongly complained about it not being in-house... Bull Shit if you ask me. Why? Simple, the change from the ultra thin with the slightly thicker in-house 3120 has caused the OffShore to loose the soft iron case. This resulted in the OffShore loosing part of its antimagnetic properties. Bet you "OffShore must be in-house" ball busters did not know that. Guess what? The f...ing minute hand still jumps when the chrono is being activated! The true upgrade would have been an integrated movement. What really sucks inside the Offshore is the Dubois-Depraz chrono module and not the base movement. Just take a look at how the minute hand jumps when you activate the chrono (almost half a minute in some cases). The chrono on the Royal Oak does not, it's an integrated chrono... ups, forgot it's not in-house either! Most of the new OffShores like the Volcano, Navy and Safaris with the new 3120 are more susceptible to magnetism. Pretty stupid if we live in a world where this is an ever increasing problem. If you like one of these I would go for an older one and tune it to look like a Volcano or Safari instead. Man, I can't believe I am saying this! Not long ago I would have asked to be burned at the stake for a statement like this!!!

The second obsession it that Screw-Down-Crown mania. Screw down crowns where a very effective solution up to 10 years ago for Automatic Divers. Today with double gasket crowns they have become obsolete. Furthermore, there are triple gasket crowns now that will ensure waterproofness to depths well in the divers range and beyond. Screw down crowns will give you a false sense of security. If not properly screwed it is actually less waterproof than a double gasket seal. The double gasket crown on the other hand will always be ready (unless you leave it completely pulled...). On top of that, they are extremely annoying on manual 2-day power reserve movements. How long do you think a screw-down crown will be effective if you have to screw and unscrew for winding you watch for an average of every day for a period of two years? After 600 times do you still want a screw-down or would you rather have a double or triple gasket crown?

Chip Foose

New Resource: "Hodinkee"

Vintage is becoming ever more popular. More and more serious watch aficionados are being diverted away from the "bling" to the historical pieces. Rolex was way ahead in this game but due to their unfortunate policy of not guaranteeing repairs on watches older than 25 years... well, how stupid can you be? If you are in this game but have little or no time to surf for interesting pieces than Hodinkee is your answer. The idea to surf the web and post the most interesting deals is surely a first. This is a great service. Obsessive deal surfers would not agree because this attracts unwanted attention on much coveted pieces. Too bad for them I guess.

This new "resource" is, so I am told, non-profit and from what I have been observing there is no self promoting involved. As with all free interesting services, at first there is great excitement. I hope that this will establish itself as a solid resource since they are the only ones that do this service for now (at least that I know of...). Personally I am a bit pessimistic. I see a lot of work and little pay, at least for now. Let's hope that these guys keep the same enthusiasm as the first day. Guys, hang in there, it would be too bad to loose this idea...


Hodinkee...

MCT "Sequential One"

New kid on the block; Denis Giguet. Formerly at Harry Winston has decided (like many others...) to fly on his own. His first creation presents a different way to tell time. This is essentially the same principle as some road signs that can change the information displayed by rotating prisms.

There are no color pictures yet and the working prototype should be fully functional soon. The preliminary prototype looked very good yet I won't make any comments until the final product is ready. Most of the times I have done so I have been wrong. Prototypes are never a good way, as an end customer, to make an assessment.

More to follow...

MCT...

MB & F "Horological Machine Nº2"

Finally, a close encounter with MB & F's Number 2. At a first glance you get a "Steampunk meets Star Trek" feeling. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised to be pleasantly surprised. The HM2 was much smaller and thiner than I had anticipated. Quite comfortable, which is not what you would expect when taking its shape into consideration. Contrary to what most of us would think, this is a watch that works better with a casual jacket or suit. Because it's thin and wide, it slips under your sleeve without major tailoring. Mind you, I have 2 cm more on my left sleeve than on my right (most watch addicts will know what I am talking about). The reason why I mention that it's a great shirt/jacket watch is because of the correct placement of its time components. The time component is placed on the right side. Making the action of looking up the time a much more discreet mater. Like an F.P. Journe and completely UNLIKE a Lange since they placed the time face on the "other side" where it should NOT be (unless you are a lefty). The date and moon, which are secondary, are placed on the left side. You are less likely to check these too much in public or in meetings anyway... Plus the "not so" wide strap does not make the HM2 as vulgar as other watches with extra wide straps. Strangely it looks much more civilized on you wrist than off it. Even now I still get the feeling that the HM2 does not match my style yet when on my wrist I must confess that I had the urge to reach for my checkbook.

Then, there is the "Star Trek" mater. I understand that amongst purists this might be a difficult obstacle to overcome. Guilty, I like the show. I will watch it occasionally on TV but certainly NOT to the point of dressing up as one of their characters, not mentioning learning an absolutely useless language (Klingon...). I would seriously consider therapy should this be my case! I guess I like the classic Star Trek show for its 60's look and probably because I grew up with it. This could be the reason why I am biased and have a certain attraction to the look and graphics of the piece.

I admire that there are some people out there that take the time to think different. Especially in the industry where everybody looks at their neighbor for ideas. If you see much of the same ol' stuff all the time you start to get bored with it. Not that we should discard the classics completely, just that sometimes a breath of fresh air is welcome. Twin-faced watches are only now starting to emerge and give more solution without clogging dials. There is also a great amount of potential with such a disposition. Several insane ideas come to mind...

For all those that like MB & F but think; "twin-faces are too modern for me..." I have a slight suspicion that the Nº3 might be single-faced. However, don't take my word for it.

MB & F...

New Comer: FAVRE-LEUBA

I have only recently come across this "new-old" brand. I have been aware of them for some time now, unfortunately I have not been to visit them at Basel this year. There is a trend of re-floated brands that once disappeared or its history has been interrupted for a period of time. Most of the brands today have an interruption somewhere in their timeline. Practically all have some change of shares or ownership in their history. Some of the best known examples of buying a name and re-float it with success is A. Lange & Soehne. There is nothing wrong with that. What I don't think is very ethical in my book is speaking of the newly introduced brand since its begging as if there was no interruption in business at all. As far as I know only Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe have sailed through the times without interruptions or changes of the main ownership structure. To be honest, I am not sure they will last for much longer. The big Groups are exerting more pressure than ever to get a hold of these two manufacturers. This will be so unless they start buying other brands and grow themselves. A key rule in business is; "Buy or be bought." As simple as that.

Favre-Leuba was once a name in the industry. They ceased activities due to poor management in the 60's and the "Quartz Plague" in the 70's finished the job. I am not sure but Breitling has a similar story. There are still some old Favres to be found since before their demise they where quite popular. With the new "Bathy" the new Favre-Leuba has rescued their once popular membrane to mechanically measure depth. This system should in theory make the Bathy V2 much more affordable than the Jaeger Deep-Sea.

I like the Bathy V2. It looks hot yet without a price it is difficult to compare with similar products out there. I would love to compare this to Jaeger's Deep Sea or even to IWC's discontinued diver. Unfortunately there is little technical details regarding this piece other than the rescued membrane. No details on the movements, no pictures, etc...

I like the Power Reserve. However, today you should be offering at least 5 days power reserve with a double barrel. Make this a manual with an 8-Day power reserve and I am game! A standard reserve Automatic makes the power reserve redundant.

I love the Mercury Chronograph. Still no real reference of the price making it impossible to compare with others in the price range. Not to hot on the 45 minute counter (a bit too football/soccer for my taste...). The general design is quite interesting, reminds me a bit of the Panerai-Ferrari venture but with a little more class. A manual chrono with a power reserve would have put me in the market for a Mercury as well. This is another addition to the wave of unconventional chronos. I would have love to see this one just taken a little bit further. The power reserve on their other model would have looked awesome on this machine.

I am intrigued at the general look of the new Favre-Leuba. I was not able to hold and touch the product so my assessment is purely on looks alone. Plus, prices are not really clear. Ranging between 10,000 and 30,000 Swiss Francs. A bit high if you ask me for a revamped brand. I guess the regular entry level models in steel will be around the 10,000 dollar or 6,000 Euro mark and the chronos in steel close to double that. The chronos are interesting yet at that price I want a manual with a power reserve. There is also little info on the movement itself which makes me believe it could be a modified ETA/Valjoux... the usual suspects. There are several hard years ahead for non-consolidated brands. It will be much more difficult to sell the stuff that was being sold not too long ago. Aside from that I like their work, especially since it's much better than most for a start. I would not be surprised to see more interesting things from them in the few years to come.

Favre-Leuba...

OPUS 8 Video...

Here is a little render/video of how the Opus 8 works. This will give you an idea although in the flesh the whole thing is much more dramatic.



Video...
Harry Winston...

Royal Oak "CCW2"

... and here is where the stuff gets interesting. There you go, the Concept 2 or now re-baptized "Carbon Concept Watch 2", hence CCW2. It's obvious that Renaud & Papi is behind the movement inside this little beauty. With an aggressive look worthy of a "Mad Max" sequel you can't help but be stunned at this Concept in the flesh. This is a 30 minute Chrono coupled with a Tourbillon (could have done without that...) and a heavy load of R&P. Instead of boring you with my ranting, which in this case could be extensive, I will simply post pictures in the highest detail and have you download the Press release instead.

To be honest I like the case of the CW1 better. Unfortunately the ceramic bezel forces the top of the CCW2 completely flat making it look not as harmonious as the CW1. Even if the ceramic bezel poses only advantages it has caused the new Concept be flat and consequently loose some of its magic. The new flat head of the new Concept has not making me do double flips backwards. The one thing that absolutely kills me is the crocodile strap. I can't begin describing the horror of it. It practically kills the whole watch! I felt compelled to cover it when inspecting the piece, in order to avoid unnecessary distractions. It was like looking at Giselle Bundchen with a mole the size of "a shoe" on her face! Guys, start looking at other materials. It's about time for you to do your homework regarding kevlar straps. This is a 200k watch that deserves some attention on the strap as well!

The most intresting aspect of this piece is that it is NOT a limited edition. Yes, you heard right, the CCW2 will be produced about 30 times per year for as long as AP deems necessary. That is, I consider, one of their smartest moves to date. Now they only need something like a "Barrichello II" or "Team Alinghi" as a regular production model in their catalogue. Reduce all limited editions to a max of 50 pieces (so that you can really call them limited). Stop the production once you are sick of it. No more critiques regarding LEs and no more dealers selling their souls for more units... the world would be a better place.

Press Release...
Audemars Piguet...

Freak "Blue Phantom"

Finally, a Freak I like 99%!!!

They dropped the yellow gold and have gone either blue of steel color. The Freak has always been one of my favorites yet like many Ulysse Nardin watches it seems a bit over-designed. I get the feeling that when the design teacher said; "less is more..." their head designer was NOT paying any attention. The look like they are a great finished product and suddenly somebody jumps up and says; "Hey, let's add something more..."

Well, in spite of that this is the best looking Freak to date. Even better than the "InoVision". Yes, the one with the minute hand that look like a dildo and the hour hand like a thong. Is it just me or does this Freak need a different strap? Maybe blue kevlar or rubber. The blue alligator is a bit too, hmmm I don't know...










Ulysse Nardin...

URWERK 202 "Twin-Turbine"

This is one really cool piece of work. Regardless of the use and sense of the Twin-Turbines you just can't get sick of seeing them firing away. The UR-201 is no more and the UR-202 has gone full twin-turbine automatic. Quite a new direction for URWERK since this is their first Automatic movement.

The purpose behind this is that both turbines are coupled to the rotor and by you activating the lever permit more or less airflow trough the turbines. The more you leave the flow open the more the rotor is allowed to spin freely. If you decide to close the airflow to the turbines than the rotor is braked and will encounter more resistance. The entire winding system is enclosed inside the waterproof case. The idea behind this is that you can regulate the behavior of the rotor yourself. If you have a sedentary life stile than you set the rotor to "standard" and if you do have a more active lifestyle than "sport" is your setting. This is a more evolved version of Richard Mille's rotor on the RM005, RM010 and RM011 but instead of having this set only at the factory you can do this yourself at your own discretion.

It is unfortunate (but understandable) that the policy of URWERK is not to surpass the 300 units per year in order not to jeopardize quality. I would love to see the UR-102 again for about 8,000 Euros. A slightly more modern version of the 102, even with this turbine mechanism. This would make a lot of people happy that now can't afford one of their current models. Unfortunately they already have much more demand than they CAN and are WILLING to produce. URWERK would not think it ethical and have a third party make the 102. Right now their policy wont budge...

URWERK...

OPUS 8

This is one of the very cool pieces in Basel 2008. The Opus 8 is the latest addition to the Opus lineup.

I am certain that many of us can identify with the 70'ish Pulsar look. That is actually what it is meant to be. I remember being obsessed in my youth with these LEDs. Plus, seeing James Bond with one did not help. Finding one of these today in good condition is a difficult task. There are Some Jaeger and even Omegas out there that I would love to put my hands on. Alas, you only see them from time to time and they are just impossible to procure.

The Opus 8 is quite an exercise to say the least. Being able to make a mechanical version of what in our youths we only dreamt of having is certainly a challenge. The mechanism works by raising a template up onto the indicator pad by means of a lever. Once activated the template pushes the corresponding micro pillars upwards, as you can see in the picture. The lever is very easily mistaken by a repeater complication but instead of chiming this will make the hour apear only to recess back in its flat mode after a few seconds. Just like the Pulsar back then. The minutes are displayed in five minute increments on the right side. To be honest I would not mind a version with this design and with a real LED interior just for fun. I shouldn't be expensive of course.

Even if (as a watch addict) I am not to hot on jewelers making watches I must admit that the "Opus" are something that I can only dream to have. Unfortunately, like for most of us, this is only to bee seen from a distance...

Harry Winston...

P.s. Keep your eyes on the father of this little marvel, Frederic Garinaud. This might not be the last time you hear his name. Expect more stuff to come from him in the near future.

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...