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.

Photo courtesy of Horomundi.com

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.

Photo by Paul Boutros @ TimeZone

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…

Last year, during SIHH2009, Ralph Lauren introduced a line of watches that definitely can be considered haute horlogerie. Some of the Ralph Lauren boutiques carried vintage watches (by Rolex, Patek Philippe etc) for quite some years now, but now they have their own impressive line-up.

This year, Ralph Lauren introduces the Slim Classique Collection. So if you think that Ralph Lauren is fashion only, think again.

The Slim Classique is a 42mm diameter timepiece and only 5.35mm thick. Last week, I blogged about the thinness factor over at Vacheron Constantin with their Ultra-Fine watches but it seems that more brands follow this trend this year at SIHH (Salon International de Haute Horlogerie) in Geneva.

This timepiece uses a movement by another king of thin, Piaget. A mechanical handwound movement (caliber RL430) with a thickness of only 2.1mm is ticking inside this RL Slim Classique. Although the caseback of this watch is solid (and therefore ideal for engraving purposes), the movement inside has a Côtes de Geneve and circular graining finish (click here for my article on movement decoration). The guilloché dial and Breguet style hands make this watch a classic and sophisticated looking timepiece and up to standards with the 42mm diameter. This will not look bad at all in the board room!

The watch itself is available in rosé gold, white gold and platinum (Pt950). The 192 diamonds (total amount of 1.11 carat) are optional for this wristwatch. Of course, you’ll wear this timepiece on a black alligator strap!

Below a close-up of the guilloché dial and Breguet style hands.

Prices are unknown at the time of writing this post. My guess is that they won’t come cheap and why should they? Although the brand name might remind most people about their Polo shirts, the used movement, used materials for case, crown and strap and the perfectly finished dial and hands are proof of the fact that they are really a true watch brand as well.

The SIHH 2010 will be held from the 18th of January till the 22nd of January 2010. During this show, Vacheron Constantin will be presenting their new Historique Ultra-Fine 1955 and 1968 time pieces. In today’s world of horology, it seems that watches can’t be bulky enough while a few decades ago, it showed true craftsmanship when a time piece was as flat as possible. Since a year or so, I noticed that there is quite a number of fellow watch collectors and aficionados that is akin to reduce diameter sizes and heights. Vacheron Constantin is the brand they’ll need to take to look at in 2010, with their Historique Ultra-Fine timepieces.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Vacheron Constantin introduced the world’s thinnest wristwatches and today, they revive the quest for ultra-thinness with the Historique Ultra-Fine 1955 and 1968 models. The 1955 model represents a round case ultra-thin watch with a caliber 1003 movement, only 1.64mm thick, making the watch having a total height of just 4.10mm. This results in the Ultra-Fine 1955 being the thinnest watch in the world. The mechanical manual winding movement is based on the original caliber 1003 from 1955, but rebuilt in 18ct gold and bearing the Hallmark of Geneva.

This Hallmark of Geneva can only be applied when the movement complies to 12 technical and style criteria which are outlined on the Vacheron Constantin website (click here to visit the Hallmark of Geneva section). Below is a picture of the rebuilt caliber 1003 movement in 18ct gold by Vacheron Constantin:

The Ultra-Fine 1968 model is a square case timepiece, using Vacheron Constantin’s caliber 1120 movement, as introduced in 1966 and produced since the end of 1967. Below you see a picture of both timepieces. Vacheron Constantin’s caliber 1120 movement has been based on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s caliber 920. Jaeger-LeCoultre however, never used this movement in one of their own watches. Vacheron Constantin, together with Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe used the Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 920 movement in their own watches with their own caliber numbers.

Vacheron Constantin (caliber 1120) and Audemars Piguet (caliber 2121) are the only manufacturers to still have these ultra-thin movements in production. Patek Philippe used it (under caliber number 28-255) during the first 10 years of the Nautilus timepiece before switching to a different movement, bearing caliber number 335SC.

All in all, the Vacheron Constantin caliber 1120 movement has somewhat of a cult-status amongst collectors, especially those who love ultra-thin watches or have a weak spot for Gérald Genta (designer of the Nautilus and Royal Oak) or Hysek (designer of Vacheron Constantin’s ‘222′ which later became the ‘Overseas’).

The Ultra-Fine 1955 timepiece is based on Vacheron Constantin’s reference 4961 (introduced in 1955) since that particular model already embodied a decidedly modern touch at the time of its launch. The 36mm 18 ct pink gold watch case of the Ultra-Fine 1955 is water resistant to 30 meters and has a transparant caseback using a sapphire cyrstal.

The Ultra-Fine 1968 timepiece is based on reference 7614, also in an 18ct pink gold watch case and measures 35.2 mm along its sides and is even thinner than its historical predecessor: 5.5 mm compared with 6.52 mm, making it one of the thinnest watches in its category (of watches with a self-winding movement).

By choosing to equip these Historique timepieces with the same legendary vintage calibres – the 1003 and 1120 rebuilt for the occasion and now bearing the independent and sovereign Hallmark of Geneva certification – Vacheron Constantin is shows their authority when it comes to exceptional classic watches.

Click here to visit Vacheron Constantin’s offical website and make sure to check out the official Vacheron Constantin forum, The Hour Lounge.

Pictures courtesy of Vacheron Constantin. Thanks to Jenna Guarneri.