Unveiled at SIHH, Parmigiani Fleurier’s integrated manufacture chronograph movement, represents the first in-house chronograph in the company’s 20-year history. Made from 18K rose gold, the immaculately finishing, complicated, split-seconds chronograph, which powers the new Chronor, really shows what the Fleurier-based watch brand is made of.
Greubel Forsey watchmaker, Didier J.G. Cretin, and his team spent 6 years developing this timepiece, which has an in-house manufactured balance wheel and gold dial, and is available in a 66 piece limited edition, half of which are in steel. While is the Signature 1 does not have a tourbillon, it does adhere to the ultra-high finishing and quality standards that the brand is renowned for, all at a price that is considered entry-level in this echelon of watchmaking.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton Double Balance Wheel
Audemars Piguet has taken the standard 41 mm case of their iconic Royal Oak case and fitted it with a technically impressive “stacked” double balance wheel movement, which is a world’s first. The skeletonized dial also looks great, and is available in either steel or gold, with a particularly attractive entry price for the steel version.
At SIHH, Cartier introduced the all-new automobile-inspired Drive watch collection that perfectly blends the sportiness of a driver’s watch with the classic elegance of a Cartier. And the collection is powered by Cartier’s reliable 1904 family of manufacture movements, in a number of models and variations. The pink gold and grey dial (shown) is particulary striking.
The Richard Lange Jumping Seconds features a regulator dial with a “jumping seconds” complication that can be very precisely set thanks to separate time its zero-reset function. And it is highly accurate, thanks in part to the constant force escapement that ensures consistent amplitude across the entire power range. With the amazing new Datograph Perpetual being introduced alongside this at SIHH, it was a hard decision, but the technical sophistication and utter simplicity of this watch made it the winner of the two for us.
