As a pre-SIHH treat, details have just been released of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Retrograde Annual Calendar watch.  There is a certain voluptuousness about the timepieces produced by Parmigiani – curvesome shapes, convex silhouettes, generous hands, tactile tear-drop lugs and that unique oval logo – none are more curvy than the satisfyingly rounded case of the Parmigiani Tonda collection.  With a host of dial indications, the Tonda Retrograde Annual Calendar is not just handsome – it’s clever too.

The Annual Calendar module contained within the piece will quite happily use its marvellous mechanical memory to recognise the variations of each month, with the quirky exception of February, needing only minimum intervention by the wearer.  This one uses a retrograde display on the outer edge of the dial to show the dates – only the odd numbers appear – chubby little Arabic numerals, clean and precise.  The days of the week are at 9 o’clock, the months of the year, in number format are at 3, each display is readable and uncluttered.  The brand’s signature moonphase is at 6 o’clock, an exquisite slightly retro twin display, one indication for the Northern Hemisphere, the other for the Southern Hemisphere.

Two editions are available, one with silver dial and one with a charcoal dial.  As with all Parmigiani models the meticulous details are excellent, the subtle textured dial centre is separated from the plain outer dial with a fine line which bulges slightly to accomodate the indications, slender hour markers which begin as shortened batons at the upper dial, ending as elongated, sharpened whisker-slim markers at the lower dial to balance the two halves – minutiae which make each Parmigiani watch special.  The piece measures 40mm across and is available in white gold or rose gold case, with a sapphire crystal case back for a look-see at the PF 331 Calibre inside.

In 2003 Parmigiani separated their movement manufacturing division from its main business, naming it Vaucher Manufacture.  Hermès acquired 25% of Vaucher in 2006, an aquisition which has enabled La Montre Hermès realise its horological ambitions and one which provides Parmigiani with a supply of luxurious Hermès leather straps.  The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda Retrograde Annual Calendar comes presented on a fine Hermès alligator leather strap with 18 carat gold buckle – this piece deserves no less.

More from Parmigiani …  A Watch Press favourite.

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Parmigiani Tonda 1950 – last year’s best dress watch

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Popularity: 3% [?]

Here is a look-see at the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle 14 day Tourbillon which will be officially unveiled at SIHH 2012.  For the styling of the piece Vacheron Constantin’s Master Watchmakers dig deep into the classical pieces of the brand’s history …..  and quite a history it is too, Vacheron Constantin have  been continually making watches for longer than anyone else.

A traditionally styled piece then, and one which has a number of fine features – an opaline silvered dial, facetted baton hour markers, a slender silhouette and a trim bezel.  The brand’s “Maltese Cross” logo, first introduced in 1880 forms the carriage of the tourbillon at 6 o’clock, a tourbillon so generously proportioned that the hour and minute hands are respectfully off-centred to allow it the dial presence it deserves.  At 12 o’clock is an exquisite horseshoe-shaped power reserve indicator.

Inside is the handwound Calibre 2260 which produces its more than ample 14 days of power from four barrels mounted in pairs.  When Vacheron Constantin construct a tourbillon movement they normally do so with three bridges, the Calibre 2260 has two which provides an eye-pleasingly large “canvas” for the finishing techniques used by the brand’s craftsmen and a technical challenge when it comes to the assembly and repair of the individual piece.

The Hallmark of Geneva recently celebrated its 125th anniversary with a revised set of regulations which include the quality of not just the calibre, but also exterior components too.  Watch collectors may wish to note, the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle 14 day Tourbillon has the honour of being the first piece tested to the new criteria, and therefore the first piece to receive the first “new” Poinçon de Genève.

The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle 14 day Tourbillon measures 42mm across, is constructed from 18 carat pink gold and comes presented on a brown handstitched alligator leather strap.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Audmars Piguet celebrate their continued patronage of Russia’s historic Bolshoi Theatre with the Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Extra-Thin Limited Edition “Bolshoi” wristwatch.  The release of this special edition coincides with the re-opening of the Theatre after 6 years of extensive restoration.

Historic Russian buildings have featured in horology before – in 2010 Ulysse Nardin’s Spasskaya Tower replicated the clock found in Russia’s Red Square.  The Arts have featured in horology before – last year Vacheron Constantin’s Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Chagall & l’Opéra de Paris paid tribute to Opera and its famous composers.  With their Jules Audemars Bolshoi wristwatch, Audemars Piguet have combined the two worlds, the piece is an elegant fusion of both Culture and Architecture.

This is a small series edition, 99 pieces will be produced reflecting the age difference in years of the foundation of the Bolshoi Theatre and Audemars Piguet, 50 with 18 carat pink gold case and 49 with 18 carat white gold case.  The open-worked oscillator, viewable through the sapphire case back features a miniature engraving of the facade of the Bolshoi Theatre.

The “extra-thin” may refer to the movement, the Calibre 2120, which is just 2.45mm thick, but everything about this watch is slender – the rounded Jules Audemars case has a super-skinny silhouette with a trim polished bezel and on the anthracite dial the applied markers are eye-lash slim.  As with all classic dress watches, the hands taper elegantly and the crown tucks in neatly.

The Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Extra-Thin Limited Edition “Bolshoi” comes presented on a hand-stitched anthracite crocodile strap.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

English Watchmaking has a new brand, Schofield Watches, and their first piece, the Schofield Signalman GMT PR has just been presented to the industry.

To launch a new series, never mind a new watch brand during such challenging economic times requires equal measures of optimism, courage and self-belief.  It also helps if your first model is a well designed piece which promises reliability.  Not only do the valiant individuals at Schofield Watches tick all the boxes, their Signalman GMT PR watch is perfectly priced and more than pleasing on the eye.

When it comes to watches with an English heritage, it matters not if they are English-made or simply designed by an Englishman, there is a certain “something” which sets them apart – low-key features, restrained design, quality build and a few quirky touches.

The Signalman GMT PR takes its name and design inspiration from that most robust and heroic of structures – the lighthouse.  The references are subtle, the ever-so-slightly tapering case, the magnified lens-styled meeting of sappire crystal and bezel, on the dial a light beam motif which serves to indicate the power reserve and a caseback engraving.  All are thematic and original features.

The Signalman GMT PR case measures 44mm across.  Two small series editions are on offer – steel or black DLC coated steel.  The former is presented with a quite stunning mirror polished bezel, the DLC version downplays the reserved, slightly utilitarian form of the piece even further.

On the dial are applied numerals with a strike-through zero, a GMT dial at 6 o’clock and a sneaky little date window at 3.  An extra-thick domed sapphire crystal is set beneath the bezel, an addition which along with the two level dial adds depth to the piece.

Enclosed within an anti-magnetic cage is a Soprod 9335 movement, a calibre with proven reliability, which provides 42 hours of power reserve.  Water resistance is to 500m.

The high spec presentation continues – each model is presented in a wooden marine chronometer-styled box with a brass tool for adjusting the GMT dial.  Now, there are other ways than this of adjusting this highly useful function, but nothing quite seals that owner/watch relationship better than the ceremonial satisfaction of locating and using a bespoke tool to do the job.

The Schofield Signalman GMT PR watch comes presented on an unusual black shark-skin strap lined with green calf-skin and will be a limited release of 300 pieces in steel and 100 pieces in DLC coated steel.

More details at the Schofield Watch Company website.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Girard-Perregaux have created a new edition of their world timer series, the Girard-Perregaux ww.tc Cabinet de Curiosités Thomas Erber.

I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Girard-Perregaux make the best world timer wristwatch – 24 time zones instantly readable + date + a fly back chronograph – it is readable, usable, foolproof and it looks great.  You cannot fault GP for the amount of limited edition ww.tc watches they continue to release, with 24 time zones to choose from they can choose to single out and highlight any one of them to create a special “made for” piece.  And this one, which for the first time is housed in a white ceramic case is very special indeed.

Think a big butch boy can’t wear a white ceramic watch?  Think again.  The Cabinet de Curiosités ww.tc is as manly as ever thanks to its robust 43mm case and chunky rubber pushers and strap, and underneath all that white ceramic is a titanium shell with black DLC coating on the case back.  The white dial is not in the slightest bit girly, the addition of a sultry smoked sapphire crystal tones it down and with flashes of red on the hands on the counters the whole design works to perfection.

The piece is so-named because it was created for Thomas Erber’s Cabinet de Curiosités, a showcase for specially designed editions from a wealth of brands from around the world.  This is an invitation to the design departments and individuals to present ultra limited editions of their wares to be admired and desired by the general public.  The event begins today, November 21st at Brown’s in London and runs until November 23rd, and in tribute to this “London” is highlighted on the watch’s dial in red.  The creation of such “concept” pieces gives designers an opportunity to excercise their creativity, push the boundaries and produce something unique, elements of which may very well filter down into mainstream portfolios in the future.

The Girard-Perregaux ww.tc Cabinet de Curiosités Thomas Erber will be a limited edition of just 5 pieces.

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Popularity: 3% [?]

The Grand Théâtre de Genève was the setting on Saturday night for the lavish Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) ceremonies – the watchmaking world’s more refined and infinitely less vulgar answer to the Oscars.

The great and the good (and industry personality extraordinaire, Laurent Picciotto) descended on the sumptuous setting in their finery in anticipation of learning the identity of the 2011 winner of the gala evening’s most cherished award – L’Aiguille d’Or – presented to the creators of the Best Watch of the Year as determined by the international jury panel, comprising of watch industry professionals.

On hand to open the black envelope and reveal the winner of the prestigious Golden Hand were recipients of the 2010 award, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey and with minimal fuss came the announcement that the presence of Monsieurs David Zanetta and Denis Flageollet would be required onstage to take the acclaim of the 1,500-strong audience for their wonderful and deserving De Bethune DB28.

The most impressionable aspects of the DB28 at first glance are the beautiful platinum and blued steel 3D spherical moon at the six o’clock position opposed by the crown atop the 12, the novel ‘floating lugs’ system upon which the highly polished round titanium case is suspended by mid-mounted sprung pivots ensuring a comfortable snug fit, but also displaying the versatile thinking of it’s creators, and of course the minimalist open dial featuring only the silvered minutes circle and five-minute markers revealing, in all it’s splendour, the Côtes De Bethune decoration of the DB2115 hand-wound movement.

It is an immaculate execution of the métiers art and we heartily congratulate all at De Bethune for the recognition of their fantastic achievement in Geneva.

Popularity: 4% [?]

In complete contrast to our drab Winter weariness, Graham London have just released images of their new Graham Swordfish Booster Iris.  Graham watches are unusual.  Graham watches have wrist presence. It is not often that a wristwatch is so brightly coloured that it gives you a poke in the eye, but the Swordfish Booster Iris does just that.

How rude of me not to mention Graham watches in my previous article in regard to English Watchmaking and its current revival.  After all, George Graham was a true horological innovator.  The re-awakening of the Graham name in watchmaking under the watchful eye of Eric Loth has been a successful one and with an ethos of developing new ideas and a habit of thinking way outside the box, is a company worthy of its historical title.

This is a kaleidoscopic wristwatch.  Is it loud?  Yes.  A sensory overload?  Nope.  It is not easy on the eye, at each glance you will seek and find new combinations of colours.  Of course there is a “science bit” as to how the PVD coated case came to look like this but I digress towards wondering how will it look in daylight?  How animated will it look under bright lights? candle light?  What reactions will it get from on-lookers?  This watch is definately less Dave Gilmour, more Syd Barrett – it’s a perfect mix of trippy and techy.

All the Swordfish features are there, encased in a boldly styled 48mm steel case – the fabulous and fugley loupes which serve as 30 min and 12 hour counters, the outsize numerals and the big grippy pushers.  Inside is the G1710 Automatic Bi-Compax Chronograph movement with 48 hours of power reserve.

The reaction-producing Graham Swordfish Booster Iris comes presented on a green croco leather strap with black ceramic pin buckle.

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Popularity: 6% [?]

This is the Speake-Marin Spirit Pioneer, the latest piece from the highly acclaimed Independent Watchmaker, Peter Speake-Marin.  The piece is unusual in that it will have a retail price of under £7000.  So what?  You may very well say.  Well consider this, watches made by Peter are handmade pieces and are in such demand that collectors around the world are normally quite happy to put down a more than hefty sum of money before enduring a long wait for their watch to be created – this is to be expected when a watchmaker is held in such high esteem.

To create a Speake-Marin watch at this price point, Peter has done exactly what thrifty individuals around the world have always done when hard times bite – check the store cupboard and use what you have, dig deep, diversify.  Those born a generation or two ago would be familiar with the slogan “Keep Calm and Carry On”, Peter gives a new adage in response to the current global difficulties and has engraved it onto the caseback of his new watch – “Fight, Love and Persevere”.  A strong message then, but can a man more used to producing exquisite, elaborate and expensive pieces produce something special on a budget?  Well it is not exactly akin to producing a glass coach from a pumpkin, but he has proved himself to be more than resourceful.

If you are familiar with the watchmaker then you will recognise the Piccadilly case-shape – a robust design from which oversize lugs protrude and extend proudly, for the Spirit Pioneer it is constructed from stainless steel and measured 39mm across.  There are a few details synonymous with Speake-Marin watches – the “topping tool” motif, the shapely, playful hands and the out-size sculpted crown – all of which appear on this piece.  The dial is matt black and lacquered, with hand-applied lume which contrasts and ensures high readability after dark.  The watchmaker’s unusual rotor can be seen on the caseback.  The styling takes inspiration from a military watch which Peter restored some years ago and the result is a ulitarian design albeit a very classy one.

Inside is the FW2012 Calibre with 42 hours of power reserve which was used on some of the original Piccadilly models.  Based on an ETA 2422 the movement has been modified and extensively re-designed.  Of course, Peter can make his own calibres and has done in the past, for this piece he has chosen to use up his stock.  The exclusive production of just 68 pieces does not commemorate a special date or anniversary, quite simply that is all he had left at his disposal.

Speake-Marin watches might say Switzerland on the dial, and of course, they are made in Switzerland, but the man behind the brand is an Englishman, part of the growing renaissance of British Watchmaking.   That Britain has contributed richly to the history of horology is in no doubt, but the current revival has, in historical terms been relatively fast.  It was only in the seventies that Peter Roberts a Fellow of the British Horological Institute became the first UK student to study at WOSTEP, he became a teacher at London’s Hackney School of Watchmaking and among his many students over the years were Stephen Forsey and Peter Speake-Marin who would also go on to study at WOSTEP.  Other watchmakers raising the profile of British Watchmaking include  Roger Smith and the boys at Bremont and the iconic name of “Dent” has experienced an re-awakening.

Independent Watchmakers are a small band of individuals who are often inspired by the traditional techniques that they have witnessed first hand whilst working in repair and restoration (- surely the best experience a young watchmaker can gain..) and who are unafraid to use this knowledge to produce unique contemporary timepieces, without the constraints of a design department nor the security of a pay cheque.  The Speake-Marin Spirit Pioneer is a fine example of such a timepiece and in creating it, Peter Speake-Marin has shown himself to be a watchmaker not entirely comfortable with the notion that exclusivity should equal expensive.

More information at Peter’s Official Website

Popularity: 5% [?]

In the lead-up the SIHH 2012, Audemars Piguet have just released images of the Openworked Extra-Thin Royal Oak Limited Edition 40th Anniversary watch.

You don’t have to be a watch afficionado or a collector of fine timepieces.  Even if you are a complete novice, who doesn’t know a ligne from a lug, there are a few essential and influential watches you should know about – one of these is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

It was created by the late Gerald Genta, a designer of consummate importance to the industry – also from his sketchpad came Patek’s Nautilus, Omega’s Constellation and Seamaster models and the IWC Ingenieur.  The Royal Oak took its name and design inspiration from the British Royal Navy’s Royal Oak war ships and its porthole-shaped bezel with eight hexagonal screws became an instantly recognisable characteristic of the piece.

It caused rumblings in the industry because it was a high-end sports watch constructed from stainless steel, the cheaper material allowed for a chunkier case and distinctive integrated graduated bracelet.  At 39mm is was considered to be an outsize model.  First presented in 1972, the Royal Oak continues to be an enduring and evolving model in Audemars Piguet’s portfolio.  The 40th anniversary model is presented with a complex skeletonised movement taking centre stage in complete contrast to the clean, textured and understated dial of the original.

Just like the 1972 piece, the 2012 model measures 39mm across, the “extra-thin” refers to the movement which is just 3.05mm thick, quite an achievement considering the intricate hand finishing techniques involved in reducing a calibre to its bare bones – in the skeletonisation process only the essential components remain, these components are then finished to the utmost of high standards, tricky and meticulous work which is rewarded with an end-product which is as exquisite as it is labyrinthine.

The slender movement inside is the self-winding in-house Calibre 5122 with 40 hours of power reserve – notable is the 22 carat gold oscillating weight, of monobloc construction which bears the dates 1972-2012.  The case is constructed from platinum and is water resistant to 50m.

With all that painstaking hand finishing and hollowing of the calibre, you would expect this to be a limited edition and it is, just 40 pieces will be made.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Chopard have added the L.U.C XPS Poinçon de Genève 125th Anniversary Edition to their portfolio to celebrate the birthday of the Geneva Seal.

Poinçon de Genève, Hallmark of Geneva, Geneva Seal, Seal of Geneva – whatever you wish to call it, if your watch has one then it has been subject to an extremely detailed and rigorous quality control check.  Not just any old watch movement is awarded the Seal of Geneva, for starters it must be assembled and adjusted in the Canton of Geneva, then it is assessed to prove its accuracy, reliability and finishing standards.  The Seal was devised in 1886 to protect the reputation of Genevan watches from the effects of poorly made counterfeit models – yes the dastardly scoundrels were even operating back in the day……  Each watch movement deemed suitable has the Seal of Geneva stamped onto it.  In 1996 Chopard presented a brand new in-house movement, the L.U.C. 1.96. named in honour of  their founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard featuring exquisite handfinished beveled bridges with a small but significant addition – the stamp of the Seal of Geneva.

The Chopard L.U.C. XP range is a fine collection of beautifully made understated timepieces.  At the heart of this one is the L.U.C. 1.96 self-winding calibre with 65 hours of power reserve, a COSC certified movement created and tested to the standards required by the institute whose anniversary it seeks to commemorate.

The piece measures 39.5mm across and has a watch case constructed from 18 carat rose gold with sapphire crystal front and back.  The brushed dial features gold toned hour markers and an exquisite barely-there crosshair subdial for seconds at 6 o’clock.  White script and a perfectly proportioned date aperture at 3 o’clock complete the dial which has a colour so rich it almost appears edible.

Chopard  L.U.C XPS Poinçon de Genève 125th Anniversary Edition watch is presented on a brown alligator strap and will be a limited edition of 125 pieces.

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Bremont and Ronnie Wood have been working together and the result is a richly decorated limited edition Bremont B1 Marine clock.

It’s not often the Watch Press have the opportunity to comment on clocks, but this is one that we cannot ignore.  Ronnie Wood, gutsey, bluesy guitar player with the Rolling Stones, wing-man to “Keef”,  is also an accomplished artist and Bremont’s Nick and Giles English are the refreshingly enthusiastic revivers of British Watchmaking so you would have to say that this is quite a combination, of both talents and personalities.

The Bremont B1 Marine Clock is a terrific creation.  Taking inspiration from John Harrison’s Ship Chronometers, Bremont have brought the device bang up to date while preserving the characteristics which made the originals so brilliant.  The piece displays hours, minutes and seconds for local time, the date, home time, GMT, power reserve and voyage time measured in days and hours.  Inside, the movement which uses an English lever escapement and twin fusee construction, will run for 40 days when fully wound.  The water-tight case measures 30cm across and is designed to be either wall mounted or placed on a stand.

The B1 Marine Clock is a handmade piece, built in limited numbers and is a project, which I’m guessing, is one which the Bremont boys undertook more for pleasure than for profit……. an incredible canvas then on which Mr.Wood could unleash his artistic talents – both the dial and the internal case of each wall clock will be hand-painted by the artist, adding originality to an already unique timepiece.

The limited edition piece shown is the first in the series of B1 “Art”  clocks with more to follow in a collaboration which showcases the talents of both Bremont and Ronnie Wood beautifully.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

When you have been in the business of making watches for 220 years, naturally you are a brand with a lot to celebrate.  The Girard-Perregaux 1966 Small Seconds for SIHH 2012 celebrates a trio of accomplishments and has a dial which in comparison to last year’s piece is positively cluttered.  Yet as always it remains pure and unfussy – a perfect example of a dress watch.

The 1966 Collection celebrates a time when the brand received recognition for its research and development of high frequency movements, a pursuit of precision which continues to this day, Girard-Perregaux are no stranger to accolades and awards and in 1889 they won the Gold Medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris for the “La Esmeralda” pocket watch, the following year, 1900 they were invited to become a jury member instead of a competitor, rather like the system in place for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Aiguille d’Or prize winner.  Both dates are engraved on the solid caseback of the  2012 1966 Small Seconds watch, along with the year of its founding, a celebratory engraving worth sacrificing a sapphire caseback for.

On the hand-grained dial, an abundance of elegant features – the blued steel hands, railway track edging, caligraphical Arabic numerals, the little red “60″ on the seconds subdial.  The small seconds subdial at 9 o’clock and the date aperture at 3 are perfectly arranged, the GP logo and founding date add symmetry to eachother.  Inside is the GP 03300 automatic movement with 46 hours of power reserve.

The Girard-Perregaux 1966 Small Seconds pre SIHH 2012 watch measures a very vintage 38mm across, is constructed from pink gold and will be a limited edition release of 100 pieces.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

This is the Sarpaneva Korona K3 Routa, the latest addition to the Korona series of watches from the Finnish watchmaker, Stepan Sarpaneva.

Stepan’s watches are unique, boldly styled pieces, true “products of Finland” in more ways than one – not only are they designed and handmade at his workshop in Helsinki, but each timepiece takes inspiration from the spirit and nature of the surrounding landscape that the watchmaker knows so well.  These are strong themes – folklore, powerful mystical stories handed down through generations, the lethargy that comes from the darkness, the energy brought on by light.  Sarpaneva watches are named to relate to nature too, the woods, the sky and the moon.  “Routa” is Finnish for frozen ground and so the latest special editon features a frosty sparkling of diamonds set against a stark background of stainless steel, a striking and beautiful combination.

The characteristic Korona sculpted case shape measures 42mm across and for the Routa edition Sarpaneva enlisted the skills of Master Engraver Gilles Meier who achieved the almost impossible, 283 diamonds bead-set into steel, a notoriously difficult task – they appear on the case, the lugs, the crown, even on the buckle of the strap.  The dial features the “Little Bear Constellation” which lights up the Northern Skies and Stepan’s devilish little moon face which is crafted from oxidised sterling silver.  The rhodium hands are half matt and half polished to ensure readability against the severity of the steel dial. Inside is a Soprod A10 movement with 42 hours of power reserve, modified and decorated by the watchmaker.

The Sarpaneva Korona K3 Routa will be a limited editon of just 5 pieces.

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After an announcement at Mugello today, it is official – Hublot are to be partners with Ferrari.  Both are strong global brands, both bring a wealth of potential to this new business relationship. At the helm of both companies are two exceptional CEO’s, who each have so much to offer that you would have to wonder – who wooed who?

Jean-Claude Biver, boss of Hublot has turned the fortunes of his watch company around and is a master of marketing who has developed strategic business partnerships where previously there were none.  Recently Hublot have become Official FIFA Timekeeper and the Official Watchmaker of Formula 1 – a cause of much frustration amongst other watch brands who had let both of these get away.   Luca di Montezemolo, CEO of Ferrari was one of Enzo’s assistants in the seventies, since then he has successfully hot-footed his way from project to project under the corporate umbrella of FIAT.  He managed the committee of  the Italia 90 World Cup Finals, he headed up the team behind Italy’s Team Azzurra challenge for the Americas Cup and just like M. Biver revived his business.

Ferrari are one of the world’s most iconic products,  a product which  was waiting to be “perfectly-placed” in the horological world.  Previous  flirtations with Girard-Perregaux, Panerai and Cabestan fizzled out and hearts were broken.    If Ferrari were a girl, you would have to say she’d “been around a time or two…”  Hublot are experts in product placement,  when they come calling with red roses and chocolates few businesses, even the big ones could resist.  Ferrari will bring an adoring global “tifosi” and major showcase events worldwide, Hublot bring astute marketing knowledge and industry-savvy prowess.  Both brands can tap into eachother’s high tech  materials and know-how. Whether you are a starry-eyed romantic, a cynic or somewhere betwixt and between, take note this one will have a happy ending.

Popularity: 5% [?]

This is the Greubel Forsey GMT, the latest timepiece from Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, masters of watchmaking, masters of innovation.  The pair are best known in the industry for their development of the tourbillon, they cannot resist experimenting with its complexities, tweaking it and putting their own “spin” on the fiddley little contraption.  Last year Greubel Forsey scooped the Golden Hand award at the 2010 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, horological equivalent of the “Oscars” for their superb Double Tourbillon 30° Edition Historique – featuring a tourbillon caged within a cage, inclined at an angle of  30°.  The latest release also features a tourbillon – there would be industry rumblings if it didn’t, but it is the GMT function which makes this piece special.

Remember the globe that your teacher used to have on her desk when you were a child?  Greubel and Forsey bring it to their GMT watch in miniature 3D form to educate, captivate and to indicate the time in locations around the world.  The globe constructed from titanium rotates just like the real thing – once per 24 hours, anticlockwise.  Around it is a 24 hour ring which serves to reference time with global position – for night-time 6pm to 6am the ring is black, for daytime 6am to 6pm the ring is white.

A cleverly positioned window on the watchcase side works on two levels – it allows in light to emphasise the daytime half of the world and it also enables the wearer to have a continued view of the world.

What this timepiece does is make a complete visual representation of time around the world possible – who is having a sunrise, who is experiencing a sunset, who is awake, who is asleep – instantly.  At the 10 o’clock position is a dial for a chosen second time zone with a quick set function on the case side.  Also on the 18 carat gold dial are hours and minutes at 1 o’clock, small seconds at 2 and a power reserve indication at 3 o’clock.

The watchcase measures 43.5mm across and is made from white gold, Greubel Forsey do not mind adding the odd bulge on their cases to accommodate their dial indications – they are quite a feature,  this one protrudes for both the global sphere and for the tourbillon and still manages to look elegant.

There’s more?  On the caseback, another superb feature, a disc scripted like an optical illusion, which displays the names of 24 cities around the world.  Simply match up a location with its designated local time on either the outer or inner 24 hour ring to set the globe on the dial to the correct position, the inner ring is for cities with summertime.  If this sounds confusing, my words are at fault – this is a complex function made simple and user friendly.

Inside and out immaculate hand finishing techniques are showcased.  The calibre features two co-axial barrels which give a generous 72 hours of power reserve despite the constant energy required to power the ever-spinning globe and the other indications.

The Greubel Forsey GMT watch comes presented on a hand-sewn black alligator strap.

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Popularity: 4% [?]