BASELWORLD REPORT MARCH 27

FEDERAL COUNCILLOR UELI MAURER OPENS THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT EXHIBITION FOR WATCHES AND JEWELLERY, BASELWORLD 2014, IN BASEL.

Basel, Switzerland, 27 March 2014: Baselworld 2014 is the event of the year for the watchmaking and jewellery industry. Today, at precisely 11am, the Baselworld show was opened by Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer, Member of the Cantonal Council of Basel-Stadt Christoph Brutschin and prominent representatives from the watchmaking and jewellery industry. Around 100,000 visitors and over 3,500 journalists from all over the world are expected to attend this year's event. This year, just like every other year, there are many highlights at Baselworld. With their luxurious and sometimes spectacular presentations, the 1,400 exhibitors will ensure that their pavilions showcase highlights every day, almost round the clock. Baselworld 2014, which is also open to the general public, runs from 27 March to 3 April 2014. Over the years, Baselworld has evolved into a superlative event. For the watchmaking and jewellery industry, Baselworld has become an indispensable platform for the latest products and innovations. The pavilions, which were specially designed for the event, are exceptionally elegant and convey to visitors the luxurious and perfectionist world of the watch and jewellery brands. For the media, too, Baselworld has become a key date in the calendar in recent decades. Baselworld is regularly attended by over 3,500 accredited journalists from almost every country in the world. Federal Councillor Maurer praises the Swiss watchmaking industry In a lively and entertaining address before around 400 guests from the worlds of politics and business, Federal Councillor Maurer praised Baselworld as a contemporary continuation of an ancient cultural tradition as well as a modern interpretation of the eternal human enjoyment of the arts and beauty. He was proud and delighted to open such a significant show in Switzerland, saying it was proof of the country's attractiveness. As an independent country, Switzerland is in a position to find its own customised solutions, and it is this independence and the associated free-state political order that has enabled our great prosperity. Another key prerequisite for the unabated attractiveness of Switzerland, said Mr Maurer, is its national defence which enables the long-term stable and safe conditions within which the population as well as the economy can flourish freely. Basel wouldn't be the same without Baselworld "Basel without Baselworld is something I simply can't imagine", said Basel-Stadt Cantonal Council Member, Christoph Brutschin. Baselworld, with its decades of history, has become an integral part of Basel. Business, culture and society in Basel and the surrounding area also benefit from this event, with its enormous international standing. "Baselworld has been and continues to be a positive and effective showcase for our city and the region", stressed Mr Brutschin. Lifestyle sector on the rise Baselworld is in turn expecting a trend towards lifestyle at its 2014 show. Over the last decade, watch and jewellery brands have become an important barometer for the lifestyle sector. Even fashion designers, industry designers and marketing experts from a highly diverse range of industries are increasingly finding inspiration at this superlative event. The pavilions and presentations are often designed and staged by world-famous architects. Celebrities from all over the world stroll through the exhibition's over 30 kilometres of extensive walkways. As for what makes Baselworld so appealing, Sylvie Ritter, its Managing Director, summed it up by saying: "We have an outstanding product with the world's most prominent brands under one roof." Industry appears optimistic The president of the exhibitors' committee, Jacques J. Duchêne, seems optimistic with regard to the future of the sector. "We are generally in a good position as an industry and have the forward-looking markets clearly in our sights", he says. Baselworld is traditionally an important meeting point for the industry. Buyers of watches and jewellery, the most prominent brands and a perfectly developed infrastructure are all to be found in Basel. "And what's more – nowhere else in the world will you find the most important watch brands, jewellery and precious stones under one roof", adds Mr Duchêne.

Jaeger-Lecoultre - Duomètre à Quantième Lunaire

The new version of the Duomère à Quantième Lunaire comes with a 40.5 mm case in 18-carat white gold, a perfectly well proportioned size. In keeping with the extremely high quality of its movement, it features an immaculate dial crafted in Grand Feu enamel. This spectacularly shiny, absolutely pure dial is extremely complex to create and results in a timepiece with a truly exceptional face.

 

 

Day, date month... Gear wheels, adjustments, energy... Because running such an elaborate complication as a calendar within a classic watch naturally has a detrimental effect on the precision of the time indications, the watchmakers at Jaeger-LeCoultre knew they had found in the Dual-Wing concept an instrument capable of creating a perfect alchemy: a calendar watch that was as accurate as a chronometer.

Arranged on the elegant and easily readable dial, the hours, minutes, seconds and moon-phase displays appear to make the Duomètre à Quantième Lunaire a classic watch model. But inside the case and partially hidden from view beats Calibre 381, a prodigious movement boasting unprecedented precision based on the Dual-Wing concept and which propels the watch firmly into the spheres of Haute Horlogerie.

 

 

The truly extraordinary appearance of the watch lies in the actual concept behind the Dual- Wing movement, which is distinguished by the presence of two independent energy sources, each with a 50-hour power reserve: the first, regulated by the escapement and the balance, is entirely dedicated to the precise measurement of the passing of time; whereas the second source of energy is devoted to the display of the functions: hours, minutes, seconds, calendar and moon phase. Their synchronisation is ensured by the jumping seconds hand mechanism.

This Duomètre à Quantième Lunaire brilliantly illustrates the extreme research undertaken in the laboratory-workshops of Jaeger-LeCoultre: this watch reaches the heights of precision with a jumping seconds hand moving in sixth of a second increments while displaying the date and the moon phase on a separate subdial.

 

 

Through in-depth study and a willingness to challenge the fundamental principles of horological theory, the Jaeger-LeCoultre specialists have succeeded in creating a calendar watch in accordance with the Dual-Wing concept – a principle featuring exceptional characteristics that enable a degree of rating precision that was previously the exclusive preserve of timepieces free of any complications.
Only the expertise accumulated over more than 180 years could thus enable Jaeger-LeCoultre to begin writing a new chapter in the history of Fine Watchmaking...

 

 

 

Movement
• Mechanical manually-wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 381, crafted, assembled and decorated by hand
• 21,600 vibrations per hour
• 50-hour power reserve
• 367 parts
• 40 jewels
• 7.25 mm thick
• 33.70 mm in diameter
• Two independent barrels
Functions
• Hours, minutes, seconds, and jumping stop seconds with zero/reset system, date, moon phase, power reserve
• Regulator power reserve
Dial
• Grand Feu enamel
Hands
• Hours and minutes: “leaf” type
• seconds : baton type with leaf-shaped counterweight
Crowns
• One crown to wind the watch and adjust the hours and minutes • One push-piece to adjust the date
• One corrector to adjust the moon phase
Case
• ø 40.5 mm, thickness : 13.40 mm
• 18-carat white gold
• Polished and satin-brushed finish
• sapphire crystal, cambered on the dial side, hardness no. 9, glareproofed on front and back • water resistance : 5 bar
Strap
• in blue alligator leather with 18-carat white gold pin buckle
Reference
• Q60435E1, 18-carat white gold

 

 

PANERAI LUMINOR 1950 RATTRAPANTE 8 DAYS

Panerai is launching a more robust model.New models will be showcased  next year at SIHH 2013, including this rather distinctive looking new Luminor 1950 Rattrapante 8 Days Titanio.
This is definitely a new but strong Panerai proposal for the brand lovers witch will be able to add this piece to their collection.

In A Split-Second

Presented in a brushed titanium case with polished titanium bezel, the 8 Days Titanio is certainly no shrinking violet at 47mm  to join the oversize tendency. As with most Panerais the design is quite simplistic, yet still attractive in a stripped-back, bare-essentials kind of way. The sandwich-style dial features hours, minutes and seconds as well as chronograph indicators and linear power reserve indicator.



As the name suggests the 8 Days Titanio is a rattrapante, or split-second chronograph, featuring a vertical clutch and twin column wheels, hence the additional seconds hand on the dial.

Possibly recognizing that you will have probably spent the last few hours lying in the sun before feeling the urge to time something, like a boat race for example, Panerai has clearly labeled the chronograph pushers to remove any possibility of confusion. The first split-seconds timing hand is activated by the button at 8 o’clock (embossed “C” for ‘chronograph’), and the second is activated by the button at 10 o’clock (embossed “R” for ‘rattrapante’).



Powered by a manually-wound Panerai caliber p.2006, the movement also offers an impressive 8-day power reserve thanks to the inclusion of an additional 2 barrels, making 3 in total.
Official pricing and availability will be confirmed early next year.

This will definitely put Panerai in a test, as the traditional style remains, their is freshness on the dial on this one, lets hope that it have what it takes to overcome the competition and innovation in this segment.

THE PORSCHE DESIGN INDICATOR

PORSCHE DESIGN INDICATOR UNDER THE MAGNIFYING GLASS

Thanks to the arrival in Paris of Monsieur Ernst F. SEYR (president and Director General of Eterna SA) for the introduction of the brand new Porsche Design INDICATOR, we were among the first to test this revolutionary piece. The prototype of this entirely new chronograph was presented (without mechanism) at the last Basel salon. Now the Cote des Montres can try it out for you. First in line, on line, our exclusive Test Bench brings you this avant-première.

We tested the wristwatch in the very Italian design style setting of the new MURANO Hotel in Paris. Its movement is the most complicated ever designed for a production series, a world-first with no less than 800 pieces.

A SHORT HISTORY

Professor F.A. Porsche

In 1973, Professor F.A. Porsche took his passion for mechanics to the extreme by developing a wristwatch inspired by the dashboard of the mythical 911. He created the first black chronograph ever sold, and surprised the watch making world by bringing unprecedented legibility to market. Thirty years after it first entered production, like his fetish racing car, the chronograph still looks up to the minute.

A worthy heir to the brand, the INDICATOR is mostly made of titanium, a reminder that Porsche Design was the first to sell watches entirely made of the light, extremely strong metal.

CONTACT

Above all else, the brand new INDICATOR’s character is assertive and exclusive; it’s a monster of technology and unique design.
From case to dial, bracelet included, its appearance has nothing in common with any other known watch. Every design detail was inspired directly by the brand’s legendary savoir-faire in automobiles, and it owes much to the new Porsche Carrera GT.

INDICATOR, OR THE OUTER SIGN OF UNPRECEDENTED DESIGN

The INDICATOR is world first in mechanical watches. Not a watch created with just its external appearance in mind, but the fruit of functional internal design. Their perfect mastery of the technique gave the in-house designers total freedom to explore every imaginable option of form, colour and material.

First turns of the wheel
At the end of 2000, Ernst F. SEYR, president and managing director of Eterna SA (owned by Porsche since 1995) suggested the idea of a super chronograph by Porsche Design/Eterna. As an amateur pilot fascinated by mechanics, the new head of the group knew how hard it can be to use a classic chronograph in real-life, and how stress, poor light or vibration can make them almost impossible to read.
The next step from there was to envisage the development of a real instrument that could be used as a chronometer at a glance without having to decipher minute auxiliary dials.
That’s where the INDICATOR came in. At the end of 2000, Porsche Design gave engineers the go-ahead for development, and entrusted a feasibility study of the INDICATOR project to the Master watchmaker Paul Gerber. A year later, a dozen engineers, technicians and watchmakers from Eterna undertook the development of the revolutionary chronograph’s first prototypes and limited series production. After three years of relentless effort, the first INDICATOR saw the light of day.

Perfectly legible in any circumstances
The finely studied detail of the dial and hands on the INDICATOR is designed for perfect legibility whatever the circumstances.
The semi-skeletal hands, coated in superluminova, obscure the main indicators as little as possible to give a precise reading, even in poor viewing conditions. The figures and hours are also coated in superluminova.

Design directly inspired by the Porsche Carrera GT The slightly domed 42mm sapphire crystal, in built motion work, clear and simple dial structure, easy-to-handle elongated push buttons with transverse grooves in Porsche drive mechanism, and 9mm screwed down winding crown… all of the elements of the new Porsche design are reminiscent of the Carrera GT. On the back of the case, a sapphire crystal base secured by six magnificent screws lets you admire the winding crown’s splendid rotor in the form of a Carrera GT wheel rim. The titanium rotor wheel offers an excellent resistance/volume ratio, and the solid red gold exterior rotor supplies the requisite energy to the INDICATOR’S four spring drums.

The INDICATOR is fitted on a solid black rubber strap that has the Carrera GT’s Michelin tyre tread on its inner surface. Grooves on the strap’s outer surface help reduce perspiration and improve comfort and ease of wear. The strap is fastened with double tongue buckle, and finished with two elegant titanium loops.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

The caliber that drives the INDICATOR was developed from an ETA base. As well as a new main plate and house-manufactured bridges, it incorporates over 400 new components in the cage. A real mechanical masterpiece, it comprises almost 800 pieces in all.

This plate of this impressive movement is 36mm in diameter, which is the right vital dimension for good legibility of the digital display. Four spring drums provide it with energy. The first drives the basic movement. There are three others (whose force is controlled by three centrifugal brakes) for the display mechanisms’ chrono-digital functions. The indicator disks are commuted in two tenths of a second and returned to zero by an “engine drive.”
In other words, they are rest to zero the classic way, by a simple action on the lower push button.

THREE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS:

[1] Chronograph indicator
Essential function of the INDICATOR, situated at 3 o’clock. Iindicated mechanically in digital mode by rotating disks (hours from zero to nine, in units and the ten minutes). Seconds count indicated in analog display from the centre.) After nine hours 59 minutes, like the flag-out warning for flight navigators, the “out of service “signal appears in the hour window.

[2] Power reserve indicator
The design of the common power reserve display for all functions is protected by a special patent. The INDICATOR’S power reserve shows how much residual power remains in the four spring drums relative to the state of activation of the four winding springs. The colour-coded display enables immediate reading of the watch’s power reserve.

[3] Functions control indicator
Porsche Design envisaged an innovative functional control with the basic caliber. The movement function is controlled second by second with a new “mechanical flash display. Three dial windows show a disk with red and white segments whose alternating colours indicate the movement is working as it should. With this new style of display, you can see immediately whether the instrument is ready to fulfill all functions.

The INDICATOR comes in two versions, natural grey titanium or titanium with black finish. The exterior measurements and complex mechanics of this monster of technology are frankly impressive: 49 mm diameter, 18mm thick, water resistant to 50 meters. Produced in very limited edition (a total of 50 worldwide) the INDICATOR is already an exceptional piece that only very few, very rich enthusiasts will ever have the chance of getting hold of. Even they will have to sign up to join the waiting list at one of the rare retailers Porsche Design has selected to represent their new watchmaking jewel.

Retail price: 78,000 € 

This article was shared by www.Thewatchquote.com

NEW HAUTLENCE HL 2.0

When it comes to ‘wow’ watches, the HL2.0 from Hautlence is definitely up there, which is why this is the second time we’re featuring the HL2.0 on Wow Watch Wednesday – this time with an updated video! Visually the timepiece is breathtaking, defying convention with its unusual design and the bold use of sapphire that lays bare the inner workings of this complex machine. And yet complex seems to be an understatement, not nearly doing justice to the groundbreaking movement that takes center stage every time the hour changes.  Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it, check out the amazing video from Hautlence after the jump and you can judge for yourself.

The HL2.0




Like all Hautlence pieces, the HL2.0 at first glance appears more focused on unusual design and complex mechanics, as opposed to legibility and wearability but nothing could be further from the truth.  Like another brand we greatly admire – URWERK – Hautlence does not compromise when it comes to its timepieces fulfilling their most basic function; i.e. telling the time. Yes, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, and yes it is completely mesmerizing but tear your eyes away from the suspended escapement for just a few seconds and you will notice an incredibly legible time-display right next door.
Let’s face it though; the real star of the show here is the incredible automatic, double-barrel calibre, made completely in-house by Hautlence. In a ground-breaking development (meaning a genuine first in watchmaking, and not simply a rehash of an old concept) the complete escapement system, including the plate, bridges, and wheels move to a new position each time the hour jumps, making four complete 60° rotations every single day.
According to the brand this has been done to counter balance the effects of gravity on precision, much like a tourbillon supposedly does. Whether this makes any real difference to accuracy I will leave up to you to decide, what I can tell you though (having been fortunate enough to see one in person when the movement was still in the final stages of development) is that it looks amazing. There is a saying that goes something along the lines of “don’t wish your life away” but trust me, you will literally be hanging out for each new hour to pass.



Production is limited to just 28 pieces each in white gold and rose gold, and you can expect to pay at least US$200,000, making it an inaccessible dream for most. Of course if you are playing in that ballpark already then this is definitely a piece worthy of your consideration, not least because it brings a highly unusual artistic beauty to watchmaking. Plus you’ll never get tired of looking at it!


Please be sure to visit their official website for more information: www.hautlence.com.

RICHARD MILLE RM 022 CARBON LIMITED EDITION

Richard Mille is at again, this time announcing the release of a highly limited, super cool, new RM 022 Carbon timepiece. And when we say highly limited, we mean highly limited! Just five of these futuristic marvels will be available for sale from July 2012 at selected retailers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Russia, so if you want one you better act quickly.


The RM 022 Carbon
Released earlier this year the RM 022 tourbillon “Aerodyne” Dual Time Zone features an orthorhombic honeycombed titanium aluminide and carbon nanofiber baseplate (talk about a mouthful!) According to the brand orthorhombic titanium aluminides are new group of alloys, developed from the main class of titanium aluminides and are characterized by a high level of stiffness, low thermal expansion coefficient and exceptional torsion resistance. In other words they are extremely strong and rigid.
For the RM 022 Carbon edition the titanium case has been replaced with a specially designed case created by the injection moulding of carbon nanotubes under high pressure into a black polymer. This process produces a robust composite that is extremely strong (200 times stronger than steel) whilst still remaining remarkably light, and is capable of absorbing far stronger impacts than traditional carbon fiber due to its excellent surface-volume ratio. This has allowed the brand to increase the size of the original case somewhat, from 40mm x 48mm to 40mm x 50mm.



Powering this new beast is the Caliber RM022, a manual winding tourbillon movement with hours, minutes and dual time zone on a transparent sapphire crystal disc, which comes into view when suspended above the light colored field located at 3 o’clock. It also hosts a power reserve indicator (70 hours) between 11 and 12 o’clock, a torque indicator that shows the main spring’s internal tension and a function selector to show the watch’s state in each of the positions for winding, neutral and handsetting. In spite of all of that this is still, in my opinion anyway, one of the more legible of the Richard Mille timepieces.
Pricing estimate: expect to pay well into six figures, probably around the $250k – $300k mark, assuming you can get your hands on 1 of the 5 pieces to be made.


For more information please be sure to visit the official Richard Mille website: www.richardmille.com

MARCUS ANNIVERSARY "UNIQUE MASTERPIECES" EXHIBITION

Tomorrow marks the opening of a very special exhibition in London hosted by a very special retailer. I am of course talking about the Marcus Anniversary “Unique Masterpieces” Exhibition that is scheduled to run from the 4^th of July until the 2nd October 2012, and is a must see for any luxury watch enthusiast who finds themselves even remotely close to the UK in the coming months.

The exhibition has been timed to coincide with the Olympic Games and celebrates three major events in the life of the store’s owner, Marcus Margulies: his late father’s arrival in England 80 years ago, the opening of the Marcus store 10 years ago, and his 70th birthday.

For those not familiar with the Bond Street icon, Marcus has built an exceptional reputation in London, and indeed across Europe, as a premiere retailer and is well known for its exceptional customer service and awe-inspiring line-up of high-end brands.

The exhibition will feature specifically commissioned “Unique Masterpieces” and a collection of “Haute Joaillerie” by a number of well-known Swiss watch manufacturers including Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Breguet, Hublot, MB&F, Urwerk, Greubel Forsey, Richard Mille, Franck Muller and Piaget. In addition a very rare collection of seventy vintage Audemars Piguet timepieces dating from 1899 to 1970 will also be on display, a worthy event in itself.

For their part MB&F have created the gorgeous HM4 Piece Unique in black titanium you see pictured throughout this article, which I must say I am very much looking forward to seeing in the flesh

Stay tuned, as we will be publishing all the images of the “Unique Masterpieces” in the coming days as they become available. 

Anyone else getting a cool “The Dark Knight Rises” vibe from this pic?

For more information on Marcus please visit their official website: www.marcuswatches.co.uk