Last weekend was one with a busy watch schedule. My wife is so happy with me
Friday evening, I attended a Rolex get-together, arranged by authorized Rolex dealer Schaap ~ Citroen. On Saturday I attended the SAHH (Salon Amsterdam de la Haute Horlogerie) to look at all the novelties from Audemars Piguet, Baume et Mercier, Cartier, IWC, Jeager-LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget, Richard Mille and Roger Dubuis. The SAHH event was hosted by Gassan Diamonds in Amsterdam. And on Sunday, we had our Horloges & Espresso meeting with a bunch of watch nuts in The Hague, organized every first Sunday of the month.
To start with the first, the Schaap ~ Citroen @Home programme, organized a get-together for a few Rolex enthusiasts from The Netherlands. Together with Ronny Wooter (former auctioneer at Sotheby’s) and a team of Schaap ~ Citroen, we received a nice presentation on their stores, vision on selling and of course, Rolex watches. Some great insights on sales, customers and Rolex were shared with us during the evening. A few of these insights on Rolex watches are:
Rolex does not use laser engraved sapphire green crystals for the Milgauss;
The laser engraved ‘S’ will disappear from the replacement sapphire crystals that are being used when a watch is being serviced;
The laser engraved Rolex logo is ALWAYS on 6 o’clock, it is done after the crystal has been put on the timepiece.
Besides the presentation of current Rolex models, there was enough time to discuss vintage timepieces as well. Valuation, service and availability aspects were discussed through-out all the evening. Below you’ll find a few shots that Remco and sBmRnR made during the evening, just to give you an impression of this wonderful event:
I would like to thank Schaap ~ Citroen and forum members Harald and MarkD for initiating and hosting this great event!
On Saturday the 6th of March, the SAHH was presented in Amsterdam, hosted by Gassan. The two watches that impressed me most were the Cartier Calibre (4900 Euro) with in-house movement and the AP Royal Oak Equation of Time (40-50K Euro). The Cartier has a useable size, perfect finish on dial and case and a movement developed by Cartier. The dial of this watch has all the nice details you are used from Cartier. The only downside is the shape of the lugs in my opinion. The pointy and bended lugs will stick in your wrist, especially when you have large wrists/arms.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Equation of Time simply rocks the bomb. The size of the watch was slightly bigger than my Jumbo (15202) or the ref.15300, but still within proportions and less present than the Offshore models. The subtle leap-year indicator, sun-rise, sun-set and equation of time indicators in addition to its moon phase disc are in no-way misplaced or creating a dial that could be considered too busy. I tried on the gold version, but there will be a stainless steel version as well.
A brand that surprised me in a more negative way was Richard Mille. I was very interested in Richard Mille’s timepieces but I simply can’t give them a place. Technically very interesting, innovative techniques and materials, but design wise not very interesting in my opinion. The tourbillon was nice to look at, but I must say that I have seen enough tourbillons last year.
The weekend ended with our monthly Horloges & Espresso meeting in The Hague, the 15th edition if I am not mistaken Just to be in time to visit the IWC Show at Ace & Dik in Amsterdam the next day. A report will follow soon!
As you probably noticed already, the SIHH 2010 expo results in a lot of new and impressive timepieces by numerous manufacturers. Unfortunately, I could not make it to the SIHH and GTE myself this year, but at least I am able to track all new releases via WatchUseek, Perpetuelle, TimeZone and WorldTempus.
Audemars Piguet is also exhibitor at the SIHH in Geneva and was actually the first brand that I kept an eye on, since I’ve seem to be bitten by the AP bug. The ‘regular’ Royal Oak timepieces suits me best and not the Offshore models. These are too bulky for me and I am not too sure about all the exotic materials AP uses for these watches. This year, I am lucky, because Audemars Piguet introduced a variety of interesting Royal Oak watches, including a non-limited skeletonized version of the 15300 model and an all new Royal Oak Equation of Time in stainless steel. Also available in gold of course, to match your yacht when you hang out in Saint Tropez.
The 42mm diameter case houses an incredible complicated movement, caliber 2120/2808, consisting out of 423 parts. Base caliber 2120 is only a mere 2.45mm thick, including the rotor and all the complications added to this movement (hence the 2808 addition in the movement number) add another 2.90mm to be able to show the Hours, Minutes, Date, Day, Leap Year, Equation of Time, Astronomical Moonphase Display and the Sunrise and Sunset times for a given location.
Although the equation of time probably doesn’t come to mind when thinking of a neat complication for your timepiece, at least not in my mind, it is a very impressive functionality to measure the difference between our conventional time and true solar time. For instance, if you’d measure time using a sundial, it will become apparent that it doesn’t indicate the same time as your watch, the differences can add up to 16.25 minutes. This variation is due to the earth’s elliptical path around the sun as well as its tilted rotation axis. For convenience, modern societies have calculated an average of all the days of the year and defined the mean solar day as comprising 24 hours, corresponding to so-called legal time.
AP explains as follows: “The mean solar culmination point depends on your exact location, on the longitude of a given location on the globe. The equation of time read-off system developed by Audemars Piguet takes account of this specific place. Unlike most other equation of time mechanisms, it is not set to a given time zone selected by the manufacturer, typically corresponding to 15 degrees longitude. The “world standard time” system divides the world into 24 time zones and takes the Greenwich meridian as the zero point. While the official time is thus the same across the width of each time zone, true solar time varies by four minutes per degree (15 degrees=1 hour). Therefore, although the clocks on the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich and on the Rue du Rhône in Geneva indicate the same time, true noon – the point in the day when a sundial shows no shadow, or put another way, the sun is exactly directly overhead, can be observed a few minutes earlier in Zurich than in Geneva.
Not only does the Audemars Piguet mechanism take into account this local variation, it also enables one to read off the solar culmination time at any time of the day. To do so, this exceptional mechanism is personalised and adjusted according to the degree of longitude chosen by its owner. The name of the chosen city and the solar zenith in this place are engraved on the ring (such as 12.36 for Geneva). The ring also bears a graduated scale running from -15 to + 15 minutes. The zero point of the graduation is located exactly at the mean solar culmination time in the chosen place. The equation of time hand continuously displays the difference between the two values. When the hour hand corresponds to the time indicated on the graduated ring and the equation of time and minute hands are superimposed, the owner of the watch knows that the sun is exactly at its zenith. It’s exactly as if he had a sundial on his wrist, and there is no need for any mental arithmetic!”
The perpetual calendar and sunrise and sunset complications probably need no introduction, however, the combination of all these features make this one hell of a complicated timepiece. All this, without losing the original 1972 octagon shaped bezel and case design. Audemars Piguet did an excellent job, demonstrating their master watchmaker skills and using their proven Royal Oak concept. Although some people complain that Audemars Piguet is almost equal to Royal Oak (and admitted, they have plenty of other interesting collections currently), this one stands out and is hard to dispute with. No Offshore-ish design, no rubber or high-tech materials such as carbon or ceramics, just back to basics with their stainless steel case that represents the original Royal Oak model and a superb complicated mechanical masterpiece. I love this timepiece.
The 26603ST (stainless steel) and 26603OR (gold) are only available on a leather strap, for now. The AP folding clasp has the famous AP monogram and comes in either stainless steel or gold. Prices will be probably published later on, when they are bound to appear in the AP boutiques and at authorized AP dealers.
Good work Audemars Piguet! Besides the Equation of Time and the before mentioned skeletonized Royal Oak Date ref.15305, there are a number of Offshores in the new programme. A Royal Oak Offshore Grand Prix Collection, Offshore Diver, Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph and an Offshore Chronograph in 37mm, intended for men. Uhuh, we all know where the 37mm Chronograph is going to end…
For IWC, 2009 is the year of the Aquatimer relaunch. IWC’s first Aquatimer saw daylight in 1967 and I doubt that one of these first models ever saw some water, because they didn’t look very water resistant. However, looks might be deceiving because IWC claimed it to be water resistant to 200 meters. Anyway, between 1967 and now, IWC has had several sports watches (GST, Ocean, Aquatimer) suitable for use below the surface.
The new line of Aquatimers have been presented at SIHH 2009 and a number of jewelers organized introduction events for their customers (click here for the Ace Jewelers presentation earlier this year). One of my personal favorites this year, is the IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands, or perhaps it is easier to remember IWC’s reference number 376705. A diver’s watch in the service of evolution, as IWC calls it. With this time piece, IWC supports the work of the Galapagos-based Charles Darwin Foundation with a contribution generated by the sales of the IWC ref.376705. The Galapagos islands – belonging to Ecuador – have a unique fauna and flora which is being threatened by harmful activities (like fishing, importing animals, growing tourism etc.). IWC wants to support the Darwin foundation, who makes visitors aware with ecologically sound behaviour and watches out over the waters of the Galapagos Islands to make sure animals do not fall victim to poachers and predators. This kind of support perfectly fits into IWC’s philosophy about durability and responsibility towards the environment. Although I am not a dedicated fan of IWC’s watches, I do cheer IWC’s management for embracing these kind of activities and ‘taking responsibility’.
As for the watch itself, it is no different from the other new Aquatimer watches by IWC, except for the used materials and the engraving on the caseback. The 376705 has a rubber coated stainless steel case and a black rubber strap. The caseback is engraved with the Galápagos tortoise and the text “Tribute to the Charles Darwin Foundation”. The photo below, clearly demonstrates the stainless steel caseback with the engraved tortoise.
The Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands has a diameter of 44mm, which is more or less considered normal these days, for diving / sports watches. The height of the watch is 15mm. Like any other serious diving watch, the ref. 376705 has a screw-in crown and rotating bezel. Ofcourse, this watch is perfectly suited for professional diving since it is water resistant to 120 meters / 12 bar. IWC also made this watch very well readable in the dark, by applying luminescent elements on the hands, dial and bezel.
And one more for the lume freaks, I know you are out there
The chronograph movement is IWC caliber 79320, and as you probably already noticed about the chronograph/dial lay-out, it is indeed based on ETA’s (Valjoux) 7750 movement. This chronograph movement with an impressive track record has been heavily modified by IWC to live up to their high standards of watchmaking. Although there is technically speaking nothing wrong with this movement, I actually hoped that IWC would have used their in-house chronograph movement (used in the current line of Da Vinci models).
Below you’ll see the Galapagos Islands special edition IWC review by Alon Ben-Joseph, vice president of Ace Jewelers in Amsterdam. More watch related videos from them can be found at www.acejewelers.tv.
The IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Galapagos Islands has a list price of 5700 Euro. Visit the e-boutique of my friends over at Ace Jewelers to get more information on this particular watch or other IWC watches. They are authorized IWC dealer and the first that have been approved by IWC to carry watches (and prices) via their e-boutique.
Special thanks to Dimer van Santen of Ace Jewelers for providing me with some custom photographs of the Aquatimer.
At the 2009 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (“SIHH”), an event similar to Baselworld but with a much smaller group of brands (and primarily those of the Richemont Group), A. Lange & Söhne introduced a new version for its Lange 1 Time Zone collection.
This new variation on the Lange 1 Time Zone features a slate grey dial with a new world time ring that now includes Santiago de Chile, in place of Caracas, Venezuela. Among other reasons, this change of cities was made because Venezuela (in an odd attempt by Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez to achieve “a more fair distribution of the sunrise“) changed its time zone from Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4) to (UTC-4:30) – which as a result makes the city of Caracas not well compatible with the watch function (also duly noted on Luxist blog).
The Lange 1 Time Zone measures 41.9 mm in diameter, is powered by a manually-wound Lange L031.1 caliber in-house movement with a 72 hour power reserve. The slate color of the dial really is a bit darker than usual, but it seems to highlight nicely the 18K pink gold hands and provides for a nice contrast.
Anyway, here is a nice video from A. Lange which gives a bit of history on the origin of the World time zone system as well as a closer look at the Lange 1 Time Zone – enjoy!
Kyle is Founder & President of Perpetuelle.com, a new online community for luxury watch owners, collectors & enthusiasts.
Yesterday, I was happy to find an e-mail from Maximilian Büsser in my inbox. He is pre-releasing some ‘SIHH’ news on the internet already. Just recently, I posted news on his Horological Machine No.3. However, he now introduces the Ceramic model of the HM2. There are two versions of the new HM2: a ceramic with red gold (HM2-CR) and ceramic with titanium (HM2-CTi).
The HM2-CR is a limited edition of 33 pieces (and only 11 produced in 2009) and the HM2-CTi is a limited edition of 66 pieces (and only 22 produced this year).
Ceramic is quite ‘da bomb’ in the horological world lately, and MB&Friends are also embracing this material for their watches. As MB&F writes in their official press release:
“Ceramic: there is nothing quite like it. In fact, nothing that even comes close! From exquisite 5,000 year old pottery to 300 km/hour brake disks on Formula One racing cars; from the aqueducts of the Roman Empire to 1,600°C heat shields on the space shuttle, ceramic’s extreme versatility is complimented an incredible ability to shrug of time and adversity.”
To be able to create the Ceramic parts of this watch, diamond cutting tools are nescessary equipment for MB&F.
Enough talk, here are some pictures of the new MB&F creations:
Although I am way too young to wear gold , I do love the HM2-CR – that’s the ceramic with red gold – with its nice color contrast. The retrograde date and bi-hemisphere moon phase is on the left dial and the (jump) hour and minutes (also retrograde) are on the right dial. No wonder the case is almost 6 centimeters in width! The jump hour/retrograde mechanism developed by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht.
The SIHH is worth visiting for this Horological Machine only! I am eagerly waiting for the first pictures of this watch in the flesh.
Movement used in the HM2-CTi and HM2-CR is a:
Jean-Marc Wiederrecht/Agenhor designed functionality regulated and powered by a Girard-Perregaux oscillator and gear train
Balance oscillating at 28,800 bph
22k rose gold Double Hakken automatic winding rotor
Number of components: 349 including 44 jewels
Case dimensions:
Dimensions (exclusive of crown and lugs): 59mm x 38mm x 13mm
Water resistant to 30 meters (3 ATM)
Number of parts: 102 (case only)
What do you think of these haute horlogerie timepieces? Exceptional watchmaking or too haut for you? Please leave a comment!
A brand that surprised me in a more negative way was Richard Mille. I was very interested in Richard Mille’s timepieces but I simply can’t give them a place. Technically very interesting, innovative techniques and materials, but design wise not very interesting in my opinion. The tourbillon was nice to look at, but I must say that I have seen enough tourbillons last year.
Photo courtesy of 
Photo by Paul Boutros @ 
And one more for the lume freaks, I know you are out there 
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