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Will collectors buy into this new movement in watchmaking?

The post Eco-friendly watches take the stage appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Will collectors buy into this new movement in watchmaking?

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When working with complex mechanical instruments, the only things that really count are knowledge and experience.

The post A Watchmaker’s Knowledge and its Links to Horological Innovations appeared first on LUXUO.

Sustainability is the new global trend which luxury brands in different industries are embracing. We take a look at how watchmakers, in keeping with the times, are coming up with innovations, fuelled by the demand for sustainable products.

The post How Sustainability is Driving Innovation in the Watch Industry appeared first on LUXUO.

Mechanical watchmaking is one rooted in the past, but this has not stopped maisons and watch manufactures from constantly innovating and improving on their instruments of time-keeping, creating ground-breaking and ultra-complicated timepieces that continue to shock and enchant the modern world. From complications never before seen, to new material breakthroughs and completely unheard of ways of watchmaking, here is our selection of the most innovative timepieces that have just been released at the Watches & Wonders 2021 digital fair.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185

Jaeger-LeCoultre really pulled out all the stops to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its most iconic (most deservedly used here) watch - the Reverso. The new Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque is the most complicated Reverso yet, boasting 11 different complications and 12 patents. It's an absolute showcase of all the different expertises the Swiss manufacture has to offer, from sound, celestial complications, to precision and craftsmanship.

The Quadriptyque is the world's first wristwatch with four functioning display faces, making use of the swivelling case design of the Reverso to display 11 complications on the double-faced case and cradle of the watch. The watch takes astronomical readings to the next level. Three displays of lunar information are displayed on the interior face of the cradle — the synodic cycle, the draconic cycle and the anomalistic cycle — which makes the Quadriptyque the first watch ever to be able to predict the next global incidences of astronomical events like super moons and eclipses.

The Calibre 185, which took Jaeger-LeCoultre six years of research, is a new movement made entirely in-house. Here's what you'll be able to read from the four faces:

Face 1 - Hour, minute, flying tourbillon (indicating the second), instantaneous perpetual calendar, grade date, day, month, leap year, night & day indicator

Face 2 - Jumping digital hour, minute, minute repeater

Face 3 - Nothern hemisphere moon phase, draconic lunar cycle, anomalistic lunar cycle, month, year

Face 4 - Southern Hemisphere moon phase

Complicated as the watch is, the manufacture has ensured that the watch will be user-friendly for the wearer. The Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 comes with a unique presentation box that has a built-in mechanism that allows the wearer to easily set all the calendar and astronomical displays of the watch after a period of being unworn.

Ulysse Nardin UFO

To celebrate its 175th anniversary this year, Ulysse Nardin has reimagined what a marine chronometer would look like in the future, giving us the UFO table/ desk clock that's more than just a time-keeping device. It's a modern tribute to Ulysse Nardin, encapsulating all of the brand's horological history in one single object, an homage to the marine chronometers of the 19th and 20th centuries, to the Freak of 2001 and the Blast of 2020.

"Reissuing a watch from the past by reusing vintage codes was not part of our creative intentions for this anniversary object. On the contrary, we wanted to reverse the trend and make a leap forward of 175 years, rather than a leap backward. We always look ahead. We wondered what a marine chronometer designed in 2196 would be like," explains CEO Patrick Pruniaux in a statement.

Marine chronometers of the past were housed in wooden boxes and set on gimbals, with the purpose of counteracting the effect of the ship's constant swaying on the stability of the clock while at sea. The modern Ulysse Nardin UFO emulates this, but reverses the process. The clock, which is protected by a glass-blown ovoid bell, sways on its own mechanical waves. Built on an imbalance, the UFO swings up to 60 degrees from its axis when nudged gently, calculated precisely so that it swings neither too fast or too slow and won't affect the operation of the balance. The structure of the UFO gives us a mesmerising view of the six barrels working in plain view, giving the clock a power reserve of an entire year.

The UFO is made up of 675 components and powered by the UN-902 calibre, which features a triple time zone function, deadbeat seconds, hours and minutes. Only 75 pieces are made.

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL

In an unexpected move but one that clearly resonates with the brand's identity as an engineer, IWC has presented us with the Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber XPL, the brainchild of the brand's new engineering division, IWC Experimental.

It's the first watch to feature the brand's patented new shock absorber system called the SPRIN-g PROTECT, which goes beyond protecting the movement from your everyday impacts that range between 25 Gs to 5,00 Gs, i.e. hitting your watch against a table corner or whacked by a hammer.

At the heart of the system is a cantilever spring that allows the movement to be suspended within the case, protecting it against the g-forces generated by impacts on the watch. The system took eight years to develop, and was done so with fighter pilots in mind, who are constantly subject to high g-forces in cramped spaces, and the watches that they wear are constantly at risk of hitting against hard surfaces in the cockpit. Tests done by IWC at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge has shown that the shock absorber system is capable of protecting the movement from accelerations in excess of 30,000 g in impact tests.

Another key factor is the use of Bulk Metallic Glass, which has an amorphous microstructure, which is significantly more elastic than conventional metals. The case of the watch is also made of ceratanium, IWC's ultra-lightweight high performance material, which allows the watch to come in at less than 100 grams. The unique crown system is another new innovation, allowing the movement to move independently of the case. At 44mm, the watch is extremely cool-looking and wholly original and definitely a refreshing and exciting offering from the Schaffhausen manufacture. The XPL is limited to only 10 pieces per year.

For an in-depth look on the IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41, also released this Watches & Wonders 2021, click here.

Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire

In recent years, Hublot has really established itself as the ultimate maker of sapphire watches. The journey started in 2016 with the release of the Big Bang Unico Sapphire and in the years since, the brand has developed and matured its expertise in machining sapphire watches in complex shapes and a variety of bold colours. This year's release is almost a culmination of its efforts — the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire comes with an integrated case and bracelet both of which are made from sapphire.

To achieve the look of pure glass, Hublot opted for the new Automatic Tourbillon calibre with sapphire bridges the HUB6035 automatic manufacture calibre, to maximise the watch's transparency. The challenge lay in the case and bracelet, as all visible screws had to be removed. The case had to be completely reconstructed, the general geometry overhauled to integrate the case with the sapphire bracelet. Everything from the bridges and the main plates in the movement had to be reworked to give the illustration of all the parts being suspended in space.

There are no less than 37 components in the case, five of which are made solely from sapphire. The bracelet comprises of 165 components, 22 of which are made from sapphire. The result is a work of art, like wearing a fragment of light on the wrist, something that's still a rarity in today's haute horology scene.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar

You can't talk about innovation and not mention Bulgari, who since 2014, has stacked up world records one after the other in its Octo Finissimo line, all in the quest for ultra-thinness. There's been the thinnest ever automatic movement at 2.23mm, the thinnest tourbillon movement at 1.95mm, the thinnest minute repeater at 3.12mm, the thinnest chronograph at 6.90mm and last year's thinnest tourbillon chronograph skeleton watch at just 7.40mm. This year the brand's taken on the perpetual calendar with the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar, and at a slender 5.80mm, sets the world record for the slimmest perpetual calendar watch.

The caliber BVL 305 is only 2.75mm thick, a remarkable feat indeed considering that a perpetual calendar is a pretty complex function in itself, being able to correctly adjust itself automatically at the end of 30-day months, and even at the end of February and even in a leap year. To maximise the thinness, the design engineers at the manufacture at Le Sentier utilised a micro-rotor instead of a full-sized rotor, effectively compressing the watch parts into the same level to achieve this ultra-thinness, although the entire movement still consists of a whopping 408 components.

The Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar features a retrograde date display, day, month and retrograde-display leap years, capable of telling the correct time and date until February 2100. Perpetual calendar watches are traditionally tricky complications to deal with, but Bulgari takes this into account with three correctors to easily adjust the different indicators: the date at 2pm, the month at 4pm and the day at a third pusher between 8 and 9 o'clock.

One last thing, the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar is being launched in two versions, one in a titanium case, and another in platinum — another first for the brand, who's never made an Octo Finissimo case in platinum before this.

The post Watches & Wonders 2021: The Five Most Innovative Timepieces appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Ulysse Nardin teamed up with master gem setters from Art Setting in Geneva to create a lavishly opulent version of their Iconic Tourbillon Free Wheel. Enter the Sparkling Free Wheel.

The post Ulysse Nardin Reveals The Sparkling Free Wheel appeared first on LUXUO.

Ulysse Nardin continues to push the boundaries of timepiece design and performance through its vast collection of luxury examples. The Swiss watchmaker is taking things a step further with the new Sparkling Free Wheel, a pavé stone-covered masterpiece limited to only eight pieces. The 44mm case is designed to highlight the inner workings of the […]

The post Ulysse Nardin Unveils An Exclusive Diamond-Covered Sparkling Free Wheel appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

Tom Chng is a well-known name within the watch community, who founded the Singapore Watch Club in 2015 to share his passion for timepieces through his Instagram account, @singaporewatchclub, and meet like-minded individuals in the city and beyond at regular get-togethers. His personal collection is vast, and his watch knowledge even more so.

In 2017, Chng met Hosanna Swee (@hforhozzie), a photographer and currently Leica ambassador in Singapore. As the story goes, he saw her watch before he saw her face, but the pair clicked. Maybe, then, it’s not so unexpected that Chng would propose to Swee with a Ulysse Nardin Classico unique piece – and this is how he did it.

Does Hosanna share the same passion for watches? Who influenced who?

If you asked her, she’d probably say me. Because that’s what it seems like on the surface. I think I’m quite a bit more into watches than she is but, then again, when I think about it I can say she influenced my taste more. Because, honestly, she’s got a much better eye for design and luxury than me. So throughout the years, she’s unknowingly polished my taste and eye for design in watches. After meeting her, I found myself liking more classical designs. I seek out more timeless creations rather than something that could be trendy or popular at a certain point.

How did you guys meet?

We met on a dating app. And it’s quite a funny story, because in her pictures she cropped away her face. So all the pictures had no face, but I still was interested in her because she was wearing a very nice AP Royal Oak at the time. Today everyone’s quite crazy over the Royal Oak, but back in 2017 it was still an unusual choice for a girl. So that’s pretty much how we met.

Tell us about the proposal. Was it a long time in the planning?

I was quite adamant that I didn’t want to propose during the pandemic, because of all the social restrictions – our friends and family weren’t going to be able to be there. And she’s quite close to her family, so I always envisioned that they’d be there at the proposal. But at the end of last year, it all just felt right. Everything just fell into place. And then I thought, I guess I’ll do it now, in the middle of the pandemic.

It was our anniversary last month so I thought it would be a great time to do it. It was very impromptu and it was confirmed only a week before it happened. We went to a rooftop bar for drinks before dinner and then I presented her with the watch and told her how much I appreciated her. It was pretty simple, it was just the two of us; very intimate.

The watch wasn’t just any watch but a bespoke piece. Can you tell us about how it was made?

It was a year in the making. I provided Ulysse Nardin with the design, but of course the brand had some contributions to the design process as well. Hosanna fancies classical and minimalist designs; typography choice was also paramount, especially for a watch like this – the font choice can make or break the piece. The watch looks simple, but the little details are crucial and are often overlooked. Size of the markers, choice of hands, logo application, etc. Hosanna is extremely discreet and understated, so to adorn the dial with her name might be a tad too loud for her. The execution is key here; the idea was to create something truly personal but obvious only to the wearer and no one else.

You managed to spell out her name with the hour markers on the dial. That was very clever.

That’s what we love about it. The words were designed to be almost unnoticeable, even from 30 centimetres away. Even a lot of our friends are like, “Nice watch.” And then two days later they tell us they just noticed that her name is on the dial.

Is there a particular reason why you chose to work with Ulysse Nardin?

This watch is something that’s very meaningful to us. And longevity is the key here. I really wanted it to look as good 100 years from now as it does today. So in order to achieve that, you need an enamel dial. Ulysse Nardin’s dial-making subsidiary, Donzé Cadrans, is the most renowned and prolific enamel dial manufacture in the world, so it couldn’t have been an easier choice. It was a no-brainer. I also worked with Ulysse Nardin for our first Singapore Watch Club special edition back in 2017, so it was nice to work with them again this time around.

When I met Hosanna in 2017, that was the same year we released the first Singapore Watch Club edition with Ulysse Nardin. She wanted one, but at that point when the project was announced, we were already sold out for months. So she couldn’t get one. This is the perfect opportunity – not only does she get one, but she gets one that’s even more special with a special story.

Could you describe all the surprise elements on the watch?

The dial is in black enamel and there’s an applied logo at 12 o’clock. Compared to the production model, the Classico, which is the canvas for this piece, we’ve removed the date function and the small seconds, so it’s just hours and minutes on the dial. We also changed the hands from the regular leaf shape to the spade and whip hands you’d normally find on antique marine chronometers, which we also used in the SWC 2017 piece. The hour markers spell out Hosanna’s name, and at the back there’s a small engraving that says, “Marry me?”

Are you going to get yourself a matching watch?

We love to match watches! Very often we try to find his and hers for our watch collection. For this one, I already have one to match, because I’ve got the prototype from the 2017 SWC edition.

Have you both given each other watches previously?

This is the first. I’ve jokingly asked her before if she was going to buy me a watch. And she’s like, “Yeah, I will when I’m your wife.” She did say that now we’re engaged she thinks she needs to buy me a watch.

Have you set a date for your wedding yet? Or will you wait until the pandemic is over?

We’re waiting until it’s over. But we’re aiming for a timeline of maybe a year and a half from now. But really, we need to see how things pan out. It’s very tricky with all the restrictions here in Singapore. You’d have to divide your wedding into different zones of about 50 people. And people can’t mingle outside of those zones. It’ll be a nightmare.

One last question, now that Hosanna owns an engagement watch, will she still be receiving an engagement ring?

Haha, unfortunately not! However, she’s hinted at a more ornate wedding band, to make up for the lack of an engagement ring!

The post Watch Collector Tom Chng and His Bespoke Proposal appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Express your love in a... timeless way.

The post A Lady’s Gift Guide for a Timeless Valentine’s Day appeared first on LUXUO.

The Skeleton X Collection by Ulysse Nardin incorporates the beauty behind the mechanism that drives the watch. Ulysse Nardin is proud to announce the Skeleton X Sparkling, a 42mm traditional model design featuring diamonds set within the bezel and dial. The case options available are 18K Rose Gold and Titanium, both of which are paired […]

The post Ulysse Nardin Unveils A Diamond Set Skeleton X Sparkling Collection appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

The Skeleton X Collection by Ulysse Nardin incorporates the beauty behind the mechanism that drives the watch. Ulysse Nardin is proud to announce the Skeleton X Sparkling, a 42mm traditional model design featuring diamonds set within the bezel and dial. The case options available are 18K Rose Gold and Titanium, both of which are paired […]

The post Ulysse Nardin Unveils A Diamond Set Skeleton X Sparkling Collection appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.