Back in January, during SIHH 2010, Audemars Piguet introduced a new skeletonized timepiece within their Royal Oak collection. And after almost a year of anticipation, AP has just released the first official press images for their beautiful new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Squelette timepiece. Skeleton watches, unlike a tourbillon or minute repeater, are not considered as complications. However, the creation of such pieces is extremely complicated. Many hours go into hand skeletonizing and engraving each timepiece. Whether it is Audemars Piguet or another brand, like Benzinger for example, skeleton timepieces are unique works of art. Unfortunately, the skill of engraving and skeletonizing timepieces, at this level, does not come cheap. Expect to pay thirty grand, minimum, for any fully skeletonized timepiece that is done by hand.

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During my recent Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture visit I had a chance to view and photograph the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor World Chronograph, which was originally unveiled at SIHH 2010, in January. It is available in a 46.3 mm diameter stainless steel and titanium or 18k pink gold and titanium case (pictured). This new sports watch features a number of innovations that help the watch withstand tough conditions. The new Extreme World Chronograph is driven by an in-house 752 calibre automatic movement, and it is protected by an unprecedented air cushion shock absorber system. It features a vertical clutch, a large variable inertia balance and a laser-welded balance spring, which help with reliability, precision and endurance. The dial even features a rugged new material called Texalium™.

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Parmigiani Fleurier introduced the Restoration collection at SIHH 2010. Below is the official press release and lots of interesting images.

"It is a rare pleasure to restore a timepiece. Setting it free from the ravages of time and man equates to bringing it back as a temporal truth essential to our memory."

-Michel Parmigiani

These days, the watchmaking industry only very rarely has recourse to the art of restoring old pieces. Mastery of its secrets is now becoming a prime asset for those involved in the industry. At Parmigiani Fleurier, restoration has never ceased to be the soul of the brand.

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IWC introduced numerous Portuguese watches at SIHH 2010 last week. This is IWC's oldest and most popular watch collection. The new collection is far ranging with a Grand Complication, two Tourbillons, two Perpetual Calendars, two chronographs, an Automatic, a Hand-wound, and a Minute Repeater. The Perpetual Calendar with Midnight Blue dial and 18-carat white gold case is pictured above. More watch photos and the full press release below.

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Vacheron Constantin, one of the oldest and most famous high-end watchmakers in the world, released five new models within their Patrimony Traditionnelle collection at SIHH 2010 last week. Case sizes range from 38 mm all the way up to 44 mm. All Patrimony timepieces are available in either 950 platinum or 18-carat white gold, no red or pink gold (which was immensely popular with many brands last year). As far as complications, they range from a chronograph all the way up to a minute repeater.

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Last week at SIHH 2010, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced two new Memovox automatic alarm watches. The Master Memovox and Master Memovox International. In 1956, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the first automatic alarm movement, powered by Calibre 815. The latest generation of JLC's automatic alarm movement , Calibre 956, is based on this famous movement. The latest generation movement, however, is more accurate, reliable and robust. It now has a large free-sprung balance and a winding rotor on ceramic ball bearings that need no lubrication or maintenance. Its gear wheels have a new kind of tooth profile that ensures smoother transmission. Calibre 956 has a frequency of 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 45 hours. Finally, it is equipped with a rapid date-change mechanism.

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Last week at SIHH 2010, Audemars Piguet unveiled two new Royal Oak Equation of Time watches. Below are two more images and the full press release. Also check back early next week for photos of Audemars Piguet's new Skeleton Royal Oaks. I just spoke with the AP Press Director, Juliane Gauthier, and she said that they were not scheduled to have the Royal Oak Skeletons ready for the show. Fortunately, the watchmakers at Audemars Piguet actually ended up finishing them early, just in time for SIHH 2010.

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This week, at SIHH 2010, IWC unveiled a new tonneau shaped chronograph, the Da Vinci Chronograph Ceramic. IWC says, "that in 1986 they introduced the world's first case made from the extremely hard, scratch-resistant and impact-resistant ceramic, zirconium oxide. This milestone in case engineering also bore the name Da Vinci." Most of the 44 x 52.8 x 15.1 mm case is made of ceramic, however, the bezel and caseback are made of grade 5 titanium. The titanium bezel has been blackened and polished. The dial is black with a with a réhaut volant. The sapphire crystal is convex and has an anti-reflective coating on both sides. The movement is visible through the see-through caseback. Inside, is a self-winding IWC in-house movement, Calibre 89360. It beats at 28,800 vph, has 40 jewels and features a 68 hour power reserve. Water-resistance is 30 meters.

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