Celebrity Life

Also a dealer, the Englishman has sold some of the most important Cartier creations to aristocrats and celebrities.

The post Vintage Cartier Tank collector and expert Harry Fane is promiscuous when it comes to the iconic timepiece appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Also a dealer, the Englishman has sold some of the most important Cartier creations to aristocrats and celebrities.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

To best show off the miniature machine on your wrist, look to a skeleton watch. These timepieces do not have dials, so the mechanics are on full display. Watchmakers remove as much metal as possible from a movement, allowing you to admire the inner workings of your timepiece. The most talented do more than just... View Article

The post Four Luxury Women’s Skeleton Watches For 2019 appeared first on Elite Traveler.

Every year, the Montblanc High Artistry collections celebrate the Maison’s boundless creativity and technical expertise, with limited editions that are linked to their heritage as well as historical figures and inspirations.

Founded as a writing instrument company in Germany in 1906, Montblanc continues to push boundaries and evolve the expression of fine craftsmanship across each of its product categories which, to date, comprise of timepieces, leather goods, accessories, fragrances and eyewear. These products are crafted to the highest standards through the skills of its artisans in each of its manufactures whether Hamburg, Germany for its writing instruments, the Swiss Jura in Le Locle and Villeret for its timepieces or Florence, Italy for its leather goods.

With the High Artistry collection, Montblanc artisans combined the traditional expertise of the métiers d’arts nurtured for over 110 years with high precision technology and tools, to transform fine materials into elaborate masterpieces that defy imagination.

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During his visit to Jakarta, Montblanc Daniel Kohler, the Head of Client Relations and High Artistry, presented a selection from the recent High Artistry collection.
“The High Artistry of Montblanc are products that are rare and valueable, that are in limited edition and have a special positioning in the Montblanc family. They reflect the best we can deliver in terms of quality and craftsmanship,” said Kohler. The new timepiece lineup include Montblanc’s icons such as Star Legacy, Heritage and 1858 collections.

The Montblanc Star Legacy product line takes its inspiration from Minerva’s heritage and the company’s pocket watches that were made during the late 19th century and early 20th century. In the spirit of formal elegance, the Montblanc Star Legacy timepieces showcase classic design codes such as round, pebble-shaped cases; horns with steps on the side; onion-shaped crowns with the recognisable Montblanc emblem, and eye-catching dials featuring the iconic exploding star guilloché pattern. From the exclusive models, two limited editions are presented; the patented Suspended Exo Tourbillon and a new fine watchmaking interpretation of the iconic Nicolas Rieussec monopusher chronograph.

Inspired by historical Minerva classic wristwatches from the 1940s and 1950s, the new Heritage product line combines the elegance of watchmaking past with today’s bold design codes and technology. Vintage aesthetics include domed dials with two finishings and dots as indexes combined with 1940-50’s inspired colours such as salmon, smoked-caramel and silvery-white. The line intergrate a comprehensive range of movements inspired by high-end Minerva calibres from the past to a new perpetual calendar calibre, and a new mid-range monopusher chronograph.

Inspired by the legendary professional Minerva watches from the 1920s and 30s that were meant for military use and mountain exploration, the 1858 collection pays tribute to the 160 years of the Minerva Manufacture and its extraordinary heritage. These watches were highly accurate, legible and robust for use in extreme conditions and are the inspiration behind this new collection which is being enriched with new vintage exploration-inspired timepieces, featuring distinctive aesthetics, innovative complications, a mix of materials and a choice of different case sizes.

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Elevating writing instruments to an art form, the High Artistry pens comes in varying limited edition numbers. Highlighted during the presentation in Jakarta, were three exquiste collections.

The Fountain Pen Patron of Art Homage to Hadrian Limited Edition 4810 is inspired by one of history’s most powerful and respected rulers, Hadrian. As one of the ‘five good emperors’ he reigned during an epoch viewed by chroniclers as the happiest of the ancient period. Starting in 117 A.D., Hadrian ruled for 21 years over an empire spanning three continents. The fountain pen comes in 146 size (Le Grand) and the cap and barrel are made of basalt stone, complemented with gold coated and ruthenium coated fittings.

Weaving a web of fascinating beauty is the Montblanc High Artistry Heritage Metamorphosis Limited Edition, with the spider as a motif. Montblanc introduced its first spider-inspired writing instrument in the 1920s in celebration of creativity, poetry and the art of transforming raw materials into artistic masterpieces. Nearly a century later, the new Montblanc Metamorphosis Limited Edition pen showcased the most advanced stone cutting techniques combined with imaginative stone-setting art, intricate engraving and gold nib crafting techniques: gold, diamonds and precious stones have been masterfully turned into works of art. In its own metamorphosis, this limited edition can be transformed from writing instrument into jewellery piece. The removable ornamental spider on the fountain pen can be worn as a bangle, tiepin or brooch thanks to the jewellery pieces included in the set.

Montblanc collaborates with James Purdey & Sons, synonymous with the unrivalled craftsmanship of shotguns and rifles, to create limited edition writing instrument. Drawing on the expertise, artistry and heritage of a great British luxury pioneer, the writing instruments are crafted from some of the finest materials with great attention to detail. These new Montblanc limited-editions feature the world-renowned artisanal metal engraving and wood carving that make Purdey sporting equipment elaborate works of art celebrated for their ornamental prowess.

“The Montblanc High Artistry collections are well-received by our clients as well as new fans, not only in Asia but globally,” Kohler said during the presentation in Jakarta, “In the end it is how open you are to the stories behind the collections and what speaks to you personally that makes one becomes a collector of these exceptional masterpieces,”

The post Montblanc High Artistry Collections appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

After trudging the stands at this year's Salon Internationale d’Haute Horlogerie (better known to you as SIHH) and Baselworld, and following much deliberation thereafter, our team of experts has finally come up with a list of new watches that Prestige readers should be aware of in 2019. Our watch nerds sorted tirelessly through mountains of ticking timepieces that ranged from classic to contemporary, dressy to sporting and simple to ornamental, as well, of course, for men and women. We sincerely hope you’ll find among their final shortlist the very watch you were looking for – a timepiece, in other words, that suits you so perfectly it might well have been made with you alone in mind.

The post Our Watch Nerds’ Top Picks of 2019 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

In 2018, Hublot announced a partnership with street artist Shepard Fairey. You may know his work from the OBEY brand, which has been popular ever since it came into existence in the early 2000s. The result of the collab was the Meca-10 Shepard Fairey watch. When it was released, Hublot only produced 100 examples of […]

The post Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 Shepard Fairey Watches Re-Released appeared first on duPont REGISTRY Daily.

The current spate of auctions of important watches continues into June and beyond with Bonhams Hong Kong’s sale, The Centennial Collection: 100 Years of Timepieces. Billed as “Asia’s largest collection of multi-brand timepieces ever offered at auction”, the sale -- which begins with the Hong Kong Watches 2.0 auction on June 12 and continues with further sales throughout the year -- includes more than 1,000 fresh-to-market pieces that date from the 1920s until the present day, at estimates ranging from an extremely attractive HK$3,000 into the millions.

The June 12 auction comprises more than 600 items, ranging from watches and clocks to pens and point-of-sale paraphernalia, all of which will be on public display from May 31 until June 12 in the Bonhams Hong Kong Gallery at Suite 2001, One Pacific Place. And from this incredible assemblage, which includes names such as A. Lange & Söhne, Heuer, IWC, Longines, Omega, Patek Philippe and Rolex, we’ve selected the following five watches that especially caught our eye -- and which we hope will pique your interest, too.

Lot 888: White-Gold, Diamond-, Sapphire- and Ruby-set GMT Master II, by Rolex, 2008

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Yes, we know that bejewelled Rolexes in precious metals are terribly infra-dig among the cognoscenti these days, but somehow we can’t help coveting this wholly OTT GMT Master II. So what if you can’t get hold of a steel one for love nor money? Show them you don’t give a hoot by flaunting this baby on your wrist. Estimate: HK$550–$850,000.

Lot 925: Platinum, Semi-skeletonised, Three-dimensional Double Tourbillon 30-Degree Wristwatch, by Gruebel-Forsey, Circa 2015

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In a substantial 48mm platinum case, with a three-dimensional skeleton dial that permits visual access to its fourcoaxial main barrels and double tourbillon carriage, this fabulously complex and exquisitely made timepiece could hardly serve as a better expression of the contemporary watchmaker’s art. Estimate: HK$1.8–$3 million.

Lot 987: White-gold, Minute-repeating Tourbillon Wristwatch, by Patek Philippe, 2014

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Quite how Patek managed to squeeze a minute-repeater and a tourbillon into a 37mm case beggars belief. What’s no surprise, however, is that in spite of its white-gold officer-style case and black-enamel dial (which in some lighting appears almost blue), this rare three-hand watch is exquisitely pure and elegant in appearance, and reveals its tourbillon -- at six o’clock -- through a glazed case back. A case-side slide operates the dual-hammer minute repeater, which can delicately chime the hours, quarters and minutes. Estimate: HK$2.3 - $2.8 million.

Lot 1084: Oversized Stainless-steel Military Wristwatch, by A. Lange & Söhne, Circa 1941

[caption id="attachment_146177" align="alignnone" width="2389"] A. Lange & Söhne[/caption]

The word “oversized” is hardly sufficient to describe this rare and enormous -- as in 55mm diameter -- watch that was issued to German Luftwaffe pilots in World War II. Designed to be worn over a flying jacket, it was also fitted with an extra-long strap and features an oversize crown that could be adjusted while wearing gloves. Its movement also surrounded by an iron core, rendering it antimagnetic. Aside from the considerable patination on the hands and dial and, of course, its considerable heft, the design of this arresting timepiece could almost be contemporary. Estimate: HK$60,000–$120,000.

Lot 1176: Limited-edition Yellow-gold Speedmaster Chronograph Commemorating the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, by OMEGA, Circa 1969

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Given the impending 50th anniversary in July of US astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s Moonwalk, during which he wore his official-issue Omega Speedmaster, what could be a more appropriate purchase than this yellow-gold, limited-edition commemorative Speedy, which was issued in the same year? We’re huge fans of Omega’s chrono in any case, but this one takes our breath away. Estimate: HK$130,000–$260,000.

The post 5 Watches We Desperately Desire From Bonhams’ ‘Centennial Collection’ Auction appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Carbon composite straps from Richard Mille, bronze cases from Panerai and more.

The post Watch news: updates in the world of horology appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Carbon composite straps from Richard Mille, bronze cases from Panerai and more.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

Since 1958, Rolex has partnered prestigious yacht clubs around the world. Here are a few to know.

The post How Rolex nurtures some of the biggest races in sailing appeared first on The Peak Magazine.