November 2014

Over the summer Audemars Piguet announced that is had commissioned Danish firm BIG to expand the headquarters (located in Le Brassus) by adding a spiral building to the rear of the original Audemars Piguet family home (and workshops), which currently houses the brand’s museum. Audemars Piguet opened the original museum in 1992 and expanded it in 2004. The collection includes more than 1,300 timepieces that are part of the brand’s heritage and span 250 years of history. The new museum, called Maison des Fondateurs, features a spiral-shaped design that sits partially underground, directly behind the current museum building. The buildings will be connected underground. It will also include galleries and event spaces. The museum will feature a brass-coated steel roof, which will undulate up and down to create vaulted ceilings. The rest of the structure will be built using a

Earlier this week, Vogard sold its world timer patents and all intellectual property to Richemont-owned IWC. As part of the deal Vogard will cease manufacturing and sales of Vogard watches. Vogard will reportedly continue to supply after sales service. Vogard’s patented mechanical worldtimer technology (which was originally developed by Thomas Prescher) allows the wearer to adjust the time zone via the bezel after releasing a lever on the side of the case, as opposed to using a crown or pushers. The lever activates the mechanism which consists of gearing that links the crown and bezel to adjust the hour hands via the bezel. It is then locked back into place once the correct time zone is selected. It will be interesting to see this unique world timer technology integrated into a brand with the marketing power of IWC. After seeing

The Seiko Prospex Air Dive “Monster” is a great value. It comes in a nice looking 42.5 mm steel case, with rotating bezel, Luminbrite hands and markers, and is water-resistant to 200 meters. It is powered by a reliable 24-jewel Japanese automatic movement and comes on a rubber Seiko accordion strap. $475 Yamazaki 12-Year Single Malt is one of the best tasting, smooth single-malt whiskys on the market. In fact, a Yamazaki Cherry Cask 2013 won the World Whisky Bible’s 2015 “Whisky of the Year” award. A first for a Japanese whisky. We even wrote about it earlier this year. It is also available in 18 and 21-year but the 12-year is the best value. $65 The Davek Solo is one of the best compact umbrellas on the market. It features a sturdy windproof frame, ultra-tightly woven 190-thread count

Audemars Piguet will introduce a new Royal Oak Concept watch that took is the result of an eight year sound research program and is the subject of three patents. The Royal Oak chiming watch was developed in collaborations with EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne). According to Audemars Piguet, “The result is scientifically defined sonic targets for watchmakers to measure and attain the ‘perfect’ minute repeater sound at a volume level never achieved before. By applying the principles of stringed instrument making, Audemars Piguet has made a breakthrough in the acoustic quality of chiming watch technology and significantly enhanced sound transmission. In parallel, the Manufacture has innovated to overcome the necessary restrictions of water-resistance, which naturally dampens volume, with creative solutions increasing sound intensity. Finally, to further improve sound perception, Audemars Piguet developed a new – almost silent – striking

Bulova has produced a new watch that features a 24-Karat gold case, sort of. “This is the first watch case made of 999.9 pure gold and uses a proprietary process developed by Bulova; several worldwide patents are pending,” according to Bulova. Although, it should be noted as shown by the exploded diagram below, part of the case uses materials which are not gold. The case, bezel and caseback are 24K gold, constructed in what Bulova refers to as a “unique capsule form” and anchored with grade-5 titanium components. This Swiss made 24K Gold Special Edition is the 1st Edition of Bulova’s timepieces designed as part of the select Joseph Bulova Collection. The case measures 42.5 mm by 12.8 mm and features a COSC certified 26-jewel automatic caliber inside. Uniquely, the case has been certified by the Bureau Central du Contrôle

At SIHH 2015, Cartier will release a skeletonized version of their original 1967 “Crash” watch, which is said to have been inspired by a Cartier executive’s timepiece that was smashed in a car accident. The look was also likely inspired by the Salvador Dali painting “The Persistence of Memory.” Naturally, the shape of the watch caused a number of production complications. First, the case was very difficult to machine because of the unique curvature, compounded by the fact that it is platinum. Second, mineral crystals were used front and back, presumably because Cartier found it impossible or cost prohibitive to manufacture sapphire crystals with both vertical and horizontal curves. Lastly, the movement was of course extremely challenging to develop and manufacture because it had to fit within the uncommon shape of the asymmetrical case. The caliber MC 9618 is based

Alpina recently held an exhibition at the Tourneau Time Machine in Midtown Manhattan highlighting the brand’s heritage, which dates back to 1883. On display were a variety of the brand’s important historic wristwatches, pocket watches and movements. Alpina CEO, Guido Benedini, exuberantly explained that he had recently acquired a few of the vintage pieces for the Alpina museum collection. He also hinted at very cool new timepiece, inspired by the history of the brand, that will be unveiled at Baselworld 2015 (that is all I can reveal right now). Registered as a trademark in 1901, by 1920 “Alpina” branded watches were sold in over 2,000 outlets worldwide. That is a significant number, even relative to today. And naturally, many of the modern watches they make today are inspired by the past. Learn more at Alpina.

At Baselworld 2014, the Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date and Senator Chronograph Panorama Date collections were re-launched with the new manufacture caliber 37 chronograph movement inside. The Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date comes in a stainless steel cushion-shaped case that is reminiscent of the 1970s, and measures 40 mm by 40 mm. It is available in a blue (shown), ruthenium or silver dial, with a matching Louisiana alligator leather strap, or an optional black rubber strap or steel bracelet. The Senator Chronograph Panorama Date comes in a round rose gold or platinum case that measures 42 mm by 14 mm. The platinum version has a cabochon set into the crown while the red gold version is signed with the “GG” logo. The platinum case has a hand-finished silver dial and the red gold case has a lacquered silver grained dial.

Ahead of SIHH 2015, Panerai has announced that they will debut their P.9100 chronograph movement, which is currently available in a gold or steel case, in a black ceramic Luminor 1950 case. The 44 diameter case is made of zirconium oxide (ceramic) and features a bead blasted matte black finish. The pushers are on the left side and the crown, protected by a large crown protector, is on the right side of the case. The dial, which features a domed sapphire crystal, is black with a sandwich construction. The hour markers, small subsidiary dial (at 9 o’clock) and the hour and minute hands have an ivory colored lume that is made to have a vintage look. The chronograph has a unique configuration in which the blue central hand counts elapsed seconds, and the rhodium plated central hand counts elapsed minutes.

Last week, to celebrate the launch of their all new chronograph, caliber 37, Glashutte Original hosted a party at the Sky Room of the New Bowery Museum in NYC. Then entire top floor of the Sky Room was setup as an exhibition featuring important vintage timepieces that make up Glashutte Original’s history, along with a watchmaking bench where a watchmaker from Glashütte was demonstrating a few of the assembly steps required for the new caliber 37 manufacture chronograph movement. Partially disassembled Glashutte Original caliber 37 movement The watchmaker explained to PROFESSIONAL WATCHES that the new movement has a 70-hour power reserve thanks to a redesigned single barrelmainspring that is longer, as well increased efficiency created from having a free-sprung balance. The caliber 37 is an integrated column-wheel chronograph with a flyback mechanism and a panoramic date feature as well as