Monthly Archives: March 2024

CARL F. BUCHERER PRESENTS SOME OF ITS MOST VIBRANT WATCHES TO DATE

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Three limited-edition Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral timepieces represent a bold, free-spirited side of CFB. Just 18 examples of each watch have been created, combining high complications with extraordinary craftsmanship across three electrifying colorways. A CFB manufacture movement – one of its most technically accomplished, featuring two peripherally mounted complications – is set in an 18 K rose gold case and paired with an innovative laser-cut dial and matching gemstone-covered bezel, connecting watchmaking prowess with the jeweler’s art.

Available in distinctive blue, green, and purple finishes, these expressions of the Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral represent the culmination of CFB’s recent exploration of color and embrace of contemporary style.

Pure Freedom of Expression

At a glance, these high-saturation aesthetics lend the pieces a unique energy, aimed at watch aficionados who want to express themselves, confidently and unapologetically, without compromising on technical mastery. As such, these striking watches represent 21st-century pioneering values and the pure freedom of expression epitomized by today’s urban lives. This look, feel, and spirit also fuels CFB’s own ongoing evolution, Exploring Time.

Inspired by the dynamic symbolism of blue skies in the city, the restorative feel of its green spaces, and its sense of unbridled optimism channeled by the color purple, the three hues of the newest versions of the Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral are lent additional sophistication through the craftsmanship of the dial. Here, a laser-patterning technique has decorated the curved surface with repeat formations of miniature pyramids, creating a new and unique “three-dimensional guilloche” effect.

These patterns were galvanically refined before being coated in a semi-transparent colored lacquer which concentrates pigment in the “valleys” between each pyramid. The combination of these innovative processes results in an elaborate dégradé effect that makes the dial almost shimmer as it catches the light. In addition, the dial’s 11 indices mark out the hours with 0.6‑carat vvs baguette-cut diamonds, creating extra sparkle.

Joyful Spirit

Beyond the dial, attention is drawn to the eye-catching bezel. It contains 40 baguette-cut gemstones – either 5.1-carat sapphires, 4.7‑carat tsavorites or 3.5‑carat amethysts, depending on the model – each naturally occurring and colored. Hand-selected, these match the color of the dial – in itself a stunning feat of achievement and a stand-out design feature that adds to the watch’s exuberant feel.

A finely tailored hand-stitched strap, also color-matched to the dial and bezel, has been created from recycled PET, emphasizing CFB’s environmental awareness and the importance of integrating sustainable materials throughout its portfolio. Each timepiece is constructed within an 18 K rose gold case – a color chosen for its contemporary elegance – complemented by rose-gold-plated hands.

Intricacy and Accuracy

Beneath the surface of each watch is one of CFB’s most intricate movements: the CFB T3000 manufacture caliber, entirely designed, developed, and assembled in house. Launched in 2018, it is the first movement ever to combine a peripheral automatic winding system with a peripherally mounted floating tourbillon.

The winding system is driven by a bidirectional oscillating weight which provides enough mechanical energy to create a power reserve of 65 hours. The floating tourbillon – a CFB signature mechanism – is so-called as its peripheral mounting, neither mounted on the main plate nor connected with an overlying bridge, makes the complication appear to float in space.

Samir Merdanovic, CFB’s Chief Technology Officer, says: “The T3000 movement is one of CFB’s crowning glories. The peripheral mounting of two such intricate complications is astonishing from a mechanical perspective – and allows for an unobscured view of the movement through the case back – while the floating appearance of our tourbillon lends the piece an unbelievable, almost magical quality.”

The movement boasts outstanding accuracy. Comprising 189 individual parts, it includes a balance wheel regulated by eccentric screws, or masselottes, that oscillates at a frequency of 3 hertz, or 21,600 beats per hour, while the escapement is made from silicon, reducing friction, allowing the system to operate without lubrication, and increasing the power reserve. A further distinctive feature is the stop-seconds function, which allows for the rotation of the tourbillon cage to be stopped. This means the watch can be synchronized with a standard time and thus set to the second.

Exploring Time in our Dynamic Cities

The Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral perfectly encapsulates the essence of CFB’s Manero family of watches: a collection that exemplifies functionality, innovation, and contemporary design, created for highly discerning individuals Exploring Time in the world’s most dynamic urban centers. As such, it makes for a profoundly modern expression of CFB, a Swiss watchmaker with more than 135 years of heritage.

 

Facts and Figures: Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral

Reference number: 00.10928.03.54.11

Movement:           Automatic, CFB T3000 manufacture caliber, diameter 36.5 mm, height 4.6 mm, 33 jewels, power reserve 65 hours

Functions:              Floating tourbillon, stop second, hour, minute, small seconds

Case:                      18 K rose gold, bezel set with 40 blue sapphires (baguette cut, 5.1 carat), domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, case back with sapphire crystal and anti-reflective coating, water-resistant to 3 bar (30 m), diameter 43.10 mm, height 11.57 mm

Dial:                       Blue with 3D guilloche pattern applied by laser, 11 diamonds (TW vvs, baguette cut, 0.6 carat)

Hands:                   Rose‑gold‑plated wedge hands

Strap:                     Blue textile strap with quick-release system, hand-stitched, 18 K rose gold pin lock folding clasp

Limitation:             18 pieces

 

Reference:             00.10928.03.94.11

Movement:           Automatic, CFB T3000 manufacture caliber, diameter 36.5 mm, height 4.6 mm, 33 jewels, power reserve 65 hours

Functions:              Floating tourbillon, stop second, hour, minute, small seconds

Case:                      18 K rose gold, bezel set with 40 tsavorites (baguette cut, 4.7 carat), domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, case back with sapphire crystal and anti-reflective coating, water-resistant to 3 bar (30 m), diameter 43.10 mm, height 11.57 mm

Dial:                       Green with 3D guilloche pattern applied by laser, 11 diamonds (TW vvs, baguette cut, 0.6 carat)

Hands:                   Rose‑gold‑plated wedge hands

Strap:                     Green textile strap with quick-release system, hand-stitched, 18 K rose gold pin lock folding clasp

Limitation:             18 pieces

 

Reference:             00.10928.03.94.12

Movement:           Automatic, CFB T3000 manufacture caliber, diameter 36.5 mm, height 4.6 mm, 33 jewels, power reserve 65 hours

Functions:              Floating tourbillon, stop second, hour, minute, small seconds

Case:                      18 K rose gold, bezel set with 40 amethysts (baguette cut, 3.5 carat), domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, case back with sapphire crystal and anti-reflective coating, water-resistant to 3 bar (30 m), diameter 43.10 mm, height 11.57 mm

Dial:                       Purple with 3D guilloche pattern applied by laser, 11 diamonds (TW vvs, baguette cut, 0.6 carat)

Hands:                   Rose‑gold‑plated wedge hands

Strap:                     Purple textile strap with quick-release system, hand-stitched, 18 K rose gold pin lock folding clasp

Limitation:             18 pieces

 

 

About Carl F. Bucherer

Carl F. Bucherer has been synonymous with excellence, innovation, and passion since 1888. The Swiss company has become an internationally renowned global brand with a presence throughout the world, characterized by its founder’s pioneering spirit and the cosmopolitan esprit of its home city of Lucerne.

The contemporary timepieces produced by Carl F. Bucherer combine unique design with the utmost precision and outstanding functionality. Committed to technical innovation, Carl F. Bucherer is the market leader in peripheral technology and has patented not only a peripheral winding system but also a floating tourbillon in a peripherally supported cage and a peripherally guided minute repeater regulator.

 

Carl F. Bucherer – Exploring Time

Website: carl-f-bucherer.com/en

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/carl-f.-bucherer

Instagram: instagram.com/carlfbucherer

Youtube: youtube.com/@CarlFBucherer

 

Jaquet Droz TOURBILLON SKELET CERAMIC – SKULL PINK POINTILLISM: DEATH NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD…

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Rarely has a Tourbillon Skull gone to such lengths. Chic yet punk, perfectly controlled yet completely untamed… A skilful combination of extremes, executed by the master Artisans at Jaquet Droz. A unique piece crafted by hand in a bold pink set in an intense black ceramic case, it offers a vision of time suspended between life and death; a carpe diem encapsulated in a watch as audacious as it is elusive.

There will only ever be one piece, as it was born from the imagination of a single collector. Jaquet Droz brought this vision to life. The Tourbillon Skull Pink Pointillism is a meeting of minds. On the one side, a lover of fine watchmaking who has pushed the boundaries of tradition to create their own. On the other, a master watchmaker with expertise in this tradition dating back over 250 years, today offering a vision of Disruptive Legacy that straddles the centuries and the arts to produce unique pieces of great beauty.

At the heart of the piece lies the Jaquet Droz Tourbillon Skull movement, an original creation that is a skeletonised, atomised version of the famous figure-of-eight design. At the top is the tourbillon, mirroring the off-centred hours and minutes at 6 o’clock. Over the suspended skeleton architecture, a hand-sculpted and hand-painted 18-karat gold skull offers an unnerving interpretation of tempus fugit. The piece conveys the passage of time with the skull, the classic element of still life, combining it with the brightest and happiest of colours, a bold, striking pink.

What truly makes it stand out is a technique dear to the Jaquet Droz Artisans: pointillism. Almost all of the skull is covered with dots of paint – more than 3000 in total – individually applied by hand with brushes, some of which have only a single bristle. The shades of pink enhance the geometry of the calibre, a modern, structured design which highlights both the material and the movement, and the spaces between. With perfect harmony, this composition is set inside a ceramic case of an uncompromising and intense black, which reinforces the contrast with the pink of the skull and the textured rubber strap that accompanies it.

Studio 8 at Jaquet Droz was instrumental in allowing the collector and artisans to share a vision. This hub of cutting-edge technology in La Chaux-de-Fonds allows remote customers to be virtually present at each stage of the creation of their timepiece. From the brief to the 3D model, and for the validation of all the technical and aesthetic choices, Studio 8, with its integrated 4K cameras allowing digital immersion into the heart of the watch, allows the wildest of dreams to become reality. The Skull Pink Pointillism is no exception.  The spirit gave rise to the method, the material dictated how it was used. Within the equally masculine and feminine 42-mm case beats the Jaquet Droz flying tourbillon self-winding movement with a power reserve of eight days. The screws and finishes are all custom-made, including the unique engraving on the oscillating weight. Once again, Jaquet Droz has been able to capture the imagination and personal preferences of a collector to manufacture an exceptional and unique custom piece which truly reflects them.

“Create your own. As unique as you are”

HUBLOT ANNOUNCES RENOWNED ARCHITECT MA YANSONG NEW FRIEND OF THE BRAND

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MA Yansong’s architecture and Hublot’s watchmaking share a common vision of transforming their art into an interactive, 3D experience, fusing the natural and the human-made, creating advanced designs with an affinity for Nature.

MA YANSONG: AT ONE WITH NATURE

MA Yansong, the visionary Founder and Principal Partner of MAD Architects (2004), redefines architecture with a focus on emotional and spiritual needs, blending humanity and Nature. Born in Beijing in 1975, MA set up his own practice two years after achieving his Masters from Yale. He has spent 20 years gaining international acclaim for his imaginative and human centric designs. His renowned projects – including the Harbin Opera House and Absolute Towers – showcase a unique symbiosis of the natural and human-made. MA, the first Chinese architect to win an overseas landmark project, sees architecture as a medium to reconnect people with Nature, fostering respect and harmony. MA has garnered admiration through his masterfully crafted, spatiotemporal, sculptural forms disappearing into the city and landscape; forms that are driven by intuition, expression and emotion.

“As Hublot welcomes MA Yansong as a Friend of the Brand, his fusion of storytelling, cultural exploration and architectural innovation aligns seamlessly with our commitment to a future which celebrates designs that are bold and imaginative, continuous and fluid, complex and three-dimensional. His mission to explore and contribute to the ideal future of living, along with his advanced designs conceived with an affinity for Nature, echo the contribution we would like to bring through watchmaking. He is a source of inspiration in his unique and different way of building bridges between Nature & Humanity, creating buildings as constructed Nature.” RICARDO GUADALUPE HUBLOT CEO

“Hublot & I share the conviction that architecture and watchmaking are not just about buildings or watches, but instead both involve massive relearning to become non-conformists. My first, unique and different approach to architecture is a methodical exploration of humanity, Nature and creativity. In the way Hublot explores the wealth of natural materials, we share this belief in a symbiosis between the natural and human-made. We believe in design more responsive to human emotion, placing equal emphasis on technology and Nature.” MA YANSONG ARCHITECT

FIRST. UNIQUE. DIFFERENT IN HIS OWN WAY

In terms of what makes MA’s vision and work first, unique and different in his own way, there is also a strong connection to how MA and Hublot envision their contribution to the future of both architecture and watchmaking.

Innovative fusion of tradition and modern design

MA Yansong distinguishes himself through a unique sense of aesthetic appeal inspired by traditional Chinese elements and modern design principles.

Breaking barriers through innovation and distinctiveness

As an architect, MA Yansong is celebrated for pushing boundaries, embracing innovation and shaping a distinctive narrative in the world of contemporary architecture.

Organic forms challenging conventional norms

His architecture is characterized by organic, flowing forms featuring neutral skins, in perpetual continuation of the site and natural landscape, challenging conventional norms.

Rethinking design to be at one with Nature

MA’s creations often evoke a sense of harmony with nature, integrating buildings into their surroundings and environment, fostering a sense of unity. MA Yansong creates buildings of freedom that rethink our fellowship with Nature.

MA YANSONG

Architect, Artist

Ma Yansong is recognized as an important voice in the new generation of architects. He is the first Chinese architect to win an overseas landmark-building project and to design an oversea cultural landmark.

As the founding partner of MAD Architects, Ma leads design of every projects in all scale and form, including the art and cultural development of MAD, with the vision to create a new balance among society, the city, and the environment through architecture. Since designing the “Floating Island” in 2002, Ma has been exploring the ideal future of living through international practices, with representative works as Absolute Towers, Harbin Opera House, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, FENIX Museum of Migration, etc. Parallel to his design practice, he also explores the cultural values of cities and architecture through domestic and international solo exhibitions, publications, and art works.

In 2008, Ma Yansong was selected as one of the “20 Most Influential Young Architects” by ICON magazine. Fast Company named him one of the “10 Most Creative People in Architecture in 2009” and one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business in 2014.” In 2010 he received the “RIBA International Fellowship”. In 2014 he was awarded “Young Global Leaders (YGL)” by the World Economic Forum.

Ma holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Yale University, and a Bachelor’s degree from the Beijing Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture. He has been an adjunct professor at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Tsinghua University, and the University of Southern California.

HUBLOT

Hublot is a Swiss watch manufacturer founded in 1980 and based in Nyon. For its first ever timepiece, this fundamentally disruptive company combined gold with a rubber strap in a case with a design inspired by a ship’s porthole (hublot in French). Thus, the Art of Fusion was born, blending tradition, innovation, craftsmanship, worlds and talents. It became the brand’s aesthetic and technical signature.

This identity was strengthened in 2005 with the Big Bang, which attested to an unrivalled know-how in terms of complications, manufacture movements and state-of-the-art materials. Carbon, titanium, ceramic and sapphire have been developed on this model to technical extremes.

This ground-breaking, high-quality approach to watchmaking is summed up in its philosophy ‘Be First, Unique and Different.’ It gradually led to other collections with innovative designs: Classic Fusion, Shaped Collection (Spirit of Big Bang, Square Bang) and Manufacture Pieces. These draw on high levels of craftsmanship, both in terms of the materials so dear to Hublot (such as Magic Gold, brightly-colored ceramics and sapphires) and its Manufacture movements (Unico chronograph, Meca-10 and high complications such as the Tourbillon, the Cathedral Minute Repeater and the specific Manufacture Pieces movements).

Hublot’s world extends to powerful partnerships including football. ‘Hublot Loves Football’ has become the slogan at the world’s biggest sporting events (such as the FIFA World CupTM, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA EUROTM) and through its ambassadors. This love of football continues in art, design, music, sport, fine dining and sailing. Lastly, Hublot’s implication in joint environmental projects with SORAI and Polar Pod reflects its concern for the issues of the day. Over 135 boutiques around the world share Hublot’s fervor and values, alongside the Hublot.com e-commerce site.

Girard-Perregaux Laureato 38 mm Copper Diamond Bezel

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Building on the success of its 2022 release, the Laureato 38mm Copper, Girard-Perregaux is pleased to unveil an additional version of the watch featuring a diamond-set bezel. The mid-sized model is endowed with a copper-hued dial adorned with Clous de Paris. This three-dimensional horological vista exhibits an array of shades depending on the available light source. Gracing the bezel, a circlet of diamonds serves to frame the dial and further contributes to the model’s dynamic appearance. Remaining true to the legendary Laureato design, first seen in 1975, the case and integrated bracelet splendidly juxtapose different shapes to glorious affect.

Laureato, a masterful union of shapes since 1975

In 1975, Girard-Perregaux released a groundbreaking watch equipped with what was considered at the time a cutting-edge movement, the aptly named ‘Quartz Chronometer’. Completely developed in-house from the beginning, as was its design, the model immediately proved popular, especially in style-conscious Italy, one of the Maison’s most important markets at the time. Watch collectors in this country began referring to the model as the ‘the graduate (Laureato in Italian) of the school of Girard-Perregaux’. This affectionate name served as an acknowledgement of the model’s prize-winning success and extraordinary precision. Ultimately, the name was adopted by the Maison and has since become familiar to legions of watch aficionados.

From the outset, the design of the Laureato united a number of different shapes to form a distinctive, yet cohesive, look. Each Laureato comprises an octagonal bezel that sits atop a circular plinth which in turn is positioned above an angular tonneau-shaped case. But despite having geometric, clean-cut lines, the Laureato’s case also has a gentle character, reminiscent of a rock shaped by nature and devoid of harshness. Throughout the composition there is an exquisite interplay between polished and satin finished surfaces. Both finishes are clearly defined and discrete from one another, thereby optimising the effect. Lastly, the exterior is completed with an integrated bracelet that ergonomically hugs the wearer’s wrist, bestowing a comfortable fit. It is this assemblage of contrasting forms that has led to the Laureato’s unique profile, making it instantly recognisable when viewed from afar.

A dial exhibiting a myriad of shades

Housed in a 38mm steel case, this new mid-size timepiece is endowed with a copper-coloured dial, enriched with a Clous de Paris motif. This classical pattern, composed of multiple pyramidal structures, imbues the dial with a three-dimensional appearance. While the dial appears copper from some angles, it can sometimes appear ochre or resemble burnt oak as well as a myriad of shades in between. It is this dynamic character that confers tonal contrast and imparts lasting joy.

Baton-type hour and minute hands collaborate with matching indexes. Both the hands and indexes are lined with luminescent material and evince a white glow in dim light. The golden central sweep seconds hand sits in concert with the copper-hued dial and matches the GP logo located at 12 o’clock. An aperture, positioned adjacent the crown, presents the date in white text, set atop a copper-toned disc, matching the dominant dial hue as horological etiquette dictates.

A dial encircled with a diamond-set bezel

The octagonal bezel is set with 8 large stones at each corner with smaller stones positioned in between. Comprising 56 diamonds in total (∼ 0.90 ct), the facets of the diamonds toy with light. At first, they appear colourless; however, as the watch is rotated, the precious stones come alive, revealing every shade of the electromagnetic spectrum. The sparkling appearance of the diamonds is complemented by the polished central links of the integrated bracelet, heightening the model’s overall lustre.

An inner beauty

Housed in a slender case, just 10.02mm in height, the Laureato 38mm Copper Diamond Bezel is equipped with a self-winding movement, the Calibre GP03300. Visible via a see-through case-back, the movement is enriched with a plethora of refined details, perpetuating the Maison’s reputation for fine watches. The main plate is adorned with circular graining, while some components feature bevelling, mirror-polishing, satin finish, snailing, sunray finish and various engravings. The bridges are decorated with straight Côtes de Genève and the pink gold oscillating weight is embellished with circular Côtes de Genève. Lastly, the movement has a power reserve of at least 46 hours.

The story continues

The new Laureato 38mm Copper Diamond Bezel masterfully plays with light, tonal shades and different shapes and represents the latest chapter in the story of the Laureato; a legend that was born in 1975.

The Laureato 38mm Copper Diamond Bezel will go on sale in March and will be available worldwide in all authorised Girard-Perregaux retailers.

LAUREATO 38 MM COPPER DIAMOND BEZEL

Reference 81005-11S3320-1CM

Case

Material: steel set with 56 diamonds ~0.90 ct

Dimensions: 38.00 mm

Height: 10.02 mm

Glass: anti-reflective sapphire crystal

Case-back: sapphire crystal

Dial: copper-coloured with a ‘Clous de Paris’ pattern, ‘baton’ type rhodium-plated indexes with luminescent material (white emission), gold-plated GP logo

Hands: ‘baton’ type hours and minutes hands with luminescent material (white emission), gold-plated central second hand

Water resistance: 100 meters (10 ATM)

Movement

Reference: GP03300-2034

Self-winding mechanical movement with pink gold oscillating weight

Diameter: 25,95 mm (111/2’’’)

Height: 3.36 mm

Frequency: 28,800 Vib/h – (4 Hz)

Number of components: 218

Number of jewels: 27

Power reserve: min. 46 hours

Functions: Hours, minutes, central second, date

Bracelet

Material: steel, polished and satin finished

 

About Girard-Perregaux

Since 1791, Girard-Perregaux has been embracing the rhythm of ever-elusive time. Cradled in the Jura mountains in the heart of La Chaux-de-Fonds, it is a pioneer in the world of Haute Horlogerie: an independent Manufacture which has retained this status for over two centuries, successfully keeping all production in-house and passing down exceptional horological skills throughout the generations. The preservation of this savoir-faire, along with a sincere passion for beauty and for the art itself, has remained the key to Girard-Perregaux’s ability to continuously innovate.

Always seeking the perfect balance of beauty and functionality, fans of fine watchmaking will instantly recognise the house signatures, such as the iconic octagonal bezel of the Laureato and the legendary Tourbillon with ‘Three Gold Bridges’. From seeking to create industry references in timepieces to making the invisible visible through the art of precision engineering, Girard-Perregaux never ceases to change the course of time via pieces that are the first of their kind. This place at the vanguard of horological innovation is solidified by over one hundred recorded patents for original designs, like the movement of three arrow-shaped bridges, registered in 1884, as well as prizes like the ’Aiguille d’Or’ in 2013 and distinctions like the Gold Medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1889.

Rooted in its heritage, Girard-Perregaux is driven by the instinct to always look ahead, embracing new technologies, utilising state-of-the-art materials, and finding inventive ways to bring joy by reimagining iconic shapes. To this end, Girard-Perregaux has remained a human-sized Manufacture, and in 2022 became part of an independent collective of Haute Horlogerie Manufactures alongside sister Maison Ulysse Nardin.

 

JAQUET DROZ POCKET WATCH AUTOMATON – PARROT REPEATER

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THE ESSENCE OF OUR HERITAGE DISTILLED IN A MOVEMENT

It took a whole year and no fewer than ten Jaquet Droz artisans to bring this unique piece – the Pocket Watch Automaton – Parrot Repeater – to life. This extraordinary task required close coordination between the various Ateliers in La Chaux-de-Fonds, fostering a sense of devotion and pride, not to mention a great deal of emotion. For Jaquet Droz, the piece represents the peak of its expertise. Once finished, it immediately joined the collection of a private customer.

With its skeleton tourbillon in a sapphire case, this pocket watch, a unique piece, epitomises the master crafts and the Artisans at Jaquet Droz who embody the brand’s philosophy of Disruptive Legacy each and every day. It straddles the centuries, either uniting or breaking with tradition and modernity through creations designed to echo the passions of their collectors. The new Pocket Watch Automaton – Parrot Repeater takes these talents and condenses them into a dazzling creation, a contemporary homage to the naturalistic heritage of Jaquet Droz.

Within its 56 mm red gold case, the movement features a Minute Repeater coupled with an automaton boasting eight animations, activated in concert by a single bolt mechanism at 9 o’clock. The scene comes to life as the waterfall in the background flows, the two parent parrots move, their egg hatches and their chicks shuffle. The scene, created entirely by hand by the Artisans at Jaquet Droz, called for the very highest levels of craftsmanship: micro-painting, engraving, Grand Feu enamel. The case has been entirely hand-set and hand-painted, both on the dial side and the back, and features a secret mechanism (for which two patents were filed) in an opening hidden within the bow. The part has 1240 hand-set jewels, including 486 emeralds, 727 sapphires and 16 rubies

Parrot Repeater Automaton Pocket Watch.
The most expensive watch in Jaquet Droz’ history at over CHF1.6 million.

 

Alongside the talent of the watchmakers in developing and assembling this Automaton Minute Repeater, ten artisans spent an entire year bringing the aesthetic choices made by the future owner of the piece to life: three gem-setters, three engravers, two enamellers, an expert in miniature painting and an escapement fitter responsible for adjusting the secret case opening mechanism. Expert eyes will note the curved and ribbed Grand Feu enamel on the leaf covering it, at 12 o’clock; the angled enamelled surface of this cover is considerably harder to create than a flat surface. The scene is framed by a luxurious jungle expressed in rubies, sapphires and emeralds set in golden vines. The case back features a parrot painted on an enamel background, set in a tropical forest accentuated with paillons in gold leaf.

 

“Create your own. As unique as you are”. JAQUET DROZ

 

Millesime Collection by RAYMOND WEIL: A Vintage-Inspired Timepiece Perfectly in Tune with Modern Living

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In the world of horology, where time is not just measured but celebrated, Raymond Weil has long been synonymous with elegance, craftsmanship, and innovation. With the launch of its inaugural Millesime Collection, this esteemed brand pays homage to the rich heritage and traditions of watchmaking while seamlessly blending vintage aesthetics with contemporary functionality.

A Symphony of Design and Detail

The Millesime Collection is a testament to Raymond Weil’s commitment to excellence. Each timepiece in this collection exudes sophistication and charm, drawing inspiration from classic designs while incorporating modern elements for today’s discerning wearer.

The dial is the focal point of these exquisite timepieces, housed beneath a vintage-inspired sapphire crystal glass-box. Its silver, salmon, anthracite, or blue hues offer a canvas of elegance, accentuated by rose gold or black hands lined with Super-LumiNova® for enhanced readability.

Upon closer inspection, one discovers the intricate details that define the Millesime Collection. Contrasting finishes adorn the dial with smooth hour tracks, snailed minute tracks, and delicately brushed central areas. The sector dial arrangement presents hours, minutes, and seconds on discrete tracks, ensuring both functionality and aesthetic appeal.

 

Craftsmanship and Innovation

Raymond Weil’s dedication to craftsmanship is evident in every aspect of the Millesime timepieces. The bezel boasts a vertical satin-brush finish that beautifully contrasts with the highly polished bevel nearby, creating a visual symphony of textures and tones.

Turning the watch over reveals a sapphire caseback, offering a glimpse into the intricate self-winding movement within. The signature “W-shaped” oscillating weight, synonymous with Raymond Weil’s horological expertise, dances gracefully, further enhancing the watch’s allure.

 

Personalization and Versatility

One of the defining features of the Millesime Collection is its versatility. With a selection of dial colours, including silver, salmon, anthracite, and blue, wearers can select a timepiece that perfectly complements their style.

Each model is paired with a colour-coordinating genuine calf leather strap adorned with a unique W-stitched detail. This attention to detail ensures that every aspect of the watch reflects the brand’s commitment to quality and refinement.

 

 

A Grand Vintage Interpretation

As the name suggests, the Millesime Collection is a grand vintage interpretation of the Raymond Weil brand. It seamlessly combines the timeless elegance of vintage design with the precision and reliability of modern engineering, resulting in a collection that is as relevant today as it is timeless.

In conclusion, the Millesime Collection from Raymond Weil is more than just a series of timepieces; it is a celebration of craftsmanship, heritage, and innovation. Whether worn as a statement piece or an everyday accessory, these watches truly reflect the wearer’s discerning taste and appreciation for the finer things in life.