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Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio – PAM00526

February 18, 2013 by Robert-Jan 1 Comment

Panerai News From The SIHH 2013

Panerai was giving quite a performance during the SIHH 2013! One of the watches from the new collection that struck me most, was the Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio, or just PAM00526.

Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio PAM00526

Normally, I am more in favour of their Historic collection, where the focus is more on the hand-wound Luminor models. The classics, so to speak. However, this new Regatta Chrono Flyback PAM00526 in titanium is from Panerai’s Comtemporary collection. This collection is influenced by historical designs as well, but with automatic winding movements.

This PAM00526 is something that really got to me, due to the Regatta complication (more later), due to its large – but elegant – 47mm case and because of that typical Luminor 1950 appearance that I really love since the very first Luminor 1950 model, the PAM00127, a.k.a. ‘Fiddy’.

Panerai P.9100/R Caliber

I am not sure whether the average Panerai buyer is a movement-techie, but since a few years already, Panerai started to design and produced their own P. calibre movements. Before, they only used the Unitas hand-wound movement and ETA/Valjoux 7750 based movements for their watches.

Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio PAM00526

The Panerai P.9100 movement has been used as a base caliber for this P.9100/R movement. This automatic column-wheel flyback chronograph movement was the perfect way to start designing the Regatta countdown timer. The P.9100/R movement is a bit thicker than the normal P.9100 and has a few more parts (328 as opposed to the 302 of the normal P.9100).

How Does The Regatta Countdown Work?

It is very cool to tell your friends that your new Panerai has a Regatta timer, but I can imagine that only few of the buyers of this Panerai PAM00526 will actually use it for timing during a sailing contest.

Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio PAM00526

As you can see, there are a start/stop and reset button on the left side of the watch. The start/stop button at 10 o’clock and the reset button at 8 o’clock. On the right side, below the beautiful crown guard mechanism, there is another pusher. This orange button at 4 o’clock operates the regatta function.

The button at 4 o’clock starts the central orange chronograph minute hand one minute at a time in reverse direction, until it is at the correct position in relation to the length of the countdown.

By pushing the stop/start button at 10 o’clock, the chronograph hands begin to record time, indicating first the minutes and seconds remaining until the start, and then, when the countdown has finished, the time elapsed since the start of the race.

The button at 8 o’clock is, as explained above, the reset button. It zeroes all chronograph recorders. However, as this movement is also featuring a flyback complication, it is also possible to restart the chronograph recording without having to push the stop button first followed by the reset button.

Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio PAM00526

As you can see above, the buttons are engraved with the function indicator. S for start/stop, R for reset and F for flyback.

PAM00526 – Hot or Not?

Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio PAM00526

I think the Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio is definitely hot. Although purists might long for models from the historic collection of Panerai, I believe (and my opinion is being confirmed by watch consumer’s behavioural data of Chronolytics) that Panerai is very much in demand anyway. With the limited production numbers of Panerai, I bet this one will be sold out very quickly. Despite the price tag of 13.900 Euro ( ~ $18.500USD) on this Panerai PAM00526.

I doubt that serious sailors will wear this expensive Regatta timepiece, as I’ve once heard from a professional sailor that it is very dangerous to wear watches or jewellery during a competition (or normal sailing). It’s very easy to loose a hand or a finger when it gets caught in a rope on board of a sailing ship. Anyway, I am no pro, so I also believe that these regatta watches are here for a reason (or a certain demand from the market).

The sublime finish of the sandwich dial, the use of colours and the impressive in-house developed regatta count down timer and flyback chronograph are making this watch worth the 13.900 Euro in my book.

PAM00526 Specifications

Movement: Panerai P.9100/R, 9.55mm thick, 37 jewels, 28.800 bph, power reserve of 3 days, two barrels, 328 parts.
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Flyback Chronograph, Regatta Countdown, Knots Scale, Seconds Reset
Case: 47mm brushed titanium, engraved buttons, polished titanium bezel, sapphire caseback
Dial: Black dial with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers
Water resistant: To 100 metres (10 bar)
Strap: Rubber strap with brushed titanium buckle

Article written by Robert-Jan Broer for www.fratellowatches.com.

Filed Under: BaselWorld and SIHH Novelties, Panerai Tagged With: Chronograph, Panerai, Regatta, SIHH

Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph (Ref 26564)

February 11, 2013 by Robert-Jan 1 Comment

The Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph (reference 26564) is one of those watches that will never be in my financial reach, but nevertheless very enjoyable to see and to try on my wrists. It is one of those advantages if you are going to SIHH or BaselWorld, you are able to see and try watches that have 5 digit (sometimes even more) price tags.

The Tradition timepiece clearly shows that Audemars Piguet is more than the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore watches. Although being the best sellers of their collection, the Tradition and Millenary collections are definitely worth investigating as well for those who are looking for classic and / or high-end timepieces.

Normally, I think the Tradition collection consists of watches executed in precious metals. This Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph is quite different from the other Tradition models I have seen. The case is huge for instance. Although 47mm is not that exceptional anymore, it is for a classic timepiece like this. Also, the case of the version I discuss here is crafted in titanium. There will be a version of this watch in pink gold as well. Limited to 10 pieces each. Both versions have white gold elements as well, as on this titanium version, the crown, pushers and case back.

There is a reason for the size of the Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph, which is the minute repeater complication. The large case maximises the sound volume of the minute repeater, as the Audemars Piguet representative demonstrated to me in Geneva.

The back side of the Audemars Piguet Tradition reference 26564 looks like this:

The sapphire crystal on the back side gives us a view on the AP caliber 2874 movement. Proof that Audemars Piguet is not only about Royal Oak Offshore sports watches and chronograph module movements, but certainly plays a role in the highest regions of premier league watchmaking. Audemars Piguet timepieces like this proof that they shouldn’t be regarded less than the likes of Vacheron Constantin or Patek Philippe.

The hand-wound AP caliber 2874 movement consists of 504 parts, the tourbillon cage alone has 83 parts. The finish is impeccable and all done by hand. For instance, the hammers of the minute repeater mechanism have a mirror polish and beveled angles. According to the AP press release, the watchmakers in Le Brassus joke that even “a glance is enough to scratch it”. I wonder whether the same joke goes around for the bezel of the stainless steel Royal Oak models though.

Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph (Ref 26564)

Anyway, this 13 1/4 ligne or 29.90mm movement has 38 jewels, a power reserve of 48 hours and measures 7.65mm in height. The column-wheel chronograph has, as you can see on the first photograph, a large seconds hand and a 30 minute counter positioned on the right of the center pinion. The two white gold pushers are there to start, stop and reset the chronograph mechanism. The slider on the left operates the minute repeater, that will strike the current time using two gongs.

Even though I am very interested in the technical aspects of watchmaking and love a good complication or two, what intrigues me most however, is the shape and finish of the Tradition case. Audemars Piguet states that it grabs back to the 1920s cushion-shaped pocket watches they had in their Audemars Piguet museum in Le Brassus. However, there have been – and still are – Tradition wrist watches in the AP collection before this new Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph was introduced.

The perfectly crafted silvered opaline dial and pink gold applied hour markers in combination with the brushed bezel of the case are just stunning to me. The other Tradition wristwatches that Audemars Piguet produces are the Tradition Extra Thin, Tradition Perpetual Calendar and the Tradition Perpetual Calendar Minute Repeater. These models have the same superb finish on dial and bezel and just look awesome to me.

Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph (Ref 26564)

Somehow, the Tradition collection never got much public attention and I hope this will change because of this latest addition, the Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph.

The price for this Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph (26564IC.OO.D002CR.01) is set to approximately $470,000.- USD.

More information can be found here: www.audemarspiguet.com/en/watch-collection/tradition-collections/classic-minute-repeater-tourbillon-chronograph-2

Article written by Robert-Jan Broer for www.fratellowatches.com.

Filed Under: Audemars Piguet, BaselWorld and SIHH Novelties Tagged With: Audemars Piguet, Chronograph, Minute Repeater, SIHH, Tourbillon, Tradition

A. Lange & Sohne Grand Lange 1 Lumen

February 6, 2013 by Robert-Jan Leave a Comment

This year’s presentation of the new A. Lange & Söhne timepieces in Geneva was very interesting. Seven new timepieces have been introduced, including an A. Lange & Söhne Grande Complication. However, one of the watches that surprised me most is this Grand Lange 1 “Lumen” or reference 117.035.

My initial thought was: “this is not a Lange”. Yes, it has the typical Lange 1 case and dial lay-out, but the use of luminous material (hence the name “Lumen”) for the Roman numerals, hour markers, hands and the power reserve indicator (“Auf & Ab”) set me on the wrong path at first.

Normally, I associate these heavily lumed timepieces to sports watches. Effective use of luminous material on a diving watch or a chronograph would make more sense than to use noticeable amounts of it on a more formal timepiece. So, to be honest, my first impression was that the Grand Lange 1 Lumen was a bit of a stranger in the collection of fine A. Lange & Söhne watches.

After I got home from the tight-scheduled SIHH 2013 I went through all the pictures I took and the press material I received from the brands. A second, or perhaps, third look at the A. Lange & Söhne Grand 1 Lange Lumen changed my initial ideas about this watch. Drastically, I might add. I won’t go as far as to say this is a sporty Grand Lange 1, but it does draw attention to those who are definitely interested in this high-end brand from Glashütte, but found them a bit too classical for their taste.

The ref. 117.035 Grand Lange 1 Lumen is an interesting watch that combines functionality & modern looks with high-end watchmaking from Glashütte. I think that this Grand Lange 1 Lumen will attract a new type of consumer to the most impressive haute horlogerie brand from Germany.

The dark coloured semi-transparent dial revealing bits and pieces of the movement on the dial side (like the date discs) looks very interesting, but also serves a purpose. The UV light will charge all luminous parts that are covered by the semi-transparent dial. Once the date numeral will appear in the date aperture, it will immediately start to glow.

For the A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1 Lumen, the relative new movement caliber L095.2 has been used. This manual wind caliber has been designed in such manner, that the overall height of the movement has been reduced without having to make any compromises with regards to the complications of the Lange 1 timepiece.

Furthermore, the new A. Lange & Söhne L095.2 movement ensures that there is no overlap with regards to the hour, minute, second, date and power reserve indicators. Personally, I find this to be a big pro. How many times do you see that sub dials are being overlapped by each other, a date aperture cutting a square out of a sub dial or an unreadable power reserve because of a minute hand that is located just above it. More common: a minute hand that overlaps the date aperture. Some brands try to fix this using a date aperture that shows 3 dates at the same time, but that’s quite a pragmatic solution that doesn’t belong to watches in this category.

Having a view on the top side of the L095.2 movement is interesting already, but the sapphire case back of the Grand Lange 1 Lumen reveals the most interesting mechanical parts of course. The 3/4 main plate (a Glashütte tradition), the 7 gold chatons for the rubies, blued screws and the beautiful hand-engraved balance cock are a feast for the eyes of the wearer.

The L.095.2 movement consists of 400 parts and has a power reserve of 72 hours. As you could see on the first picture (click for a larger version), the watch features a decentral hour and minute indicator, a sub dial at 5 o’clock for the seconds, a power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock and a big date indicator at 1 o’clock. The date is being advanced by a pusher at 10 o’clock.

Only 200 pieces are being made of the A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1 Lumen, all in platinum. The case has a diameter of 40.9mm and a height of 9.8mm. List price of the Grand Lange 1 Lumen reference 117.035 is 59.000 Euro.

More information: www.alange-soehne.com

Article written by Robert-Jan Broer for www.fratellowatches.com.

Filed Under: BaselWorld and SIHH Novelties, Lange & Sohne Tagged With: a lange sohne, Geneva, Glashuette, Lange 1, Lumen, SIHH

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