New for 2012 comes the Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Roue Carrée Seconde Or Rose.

You may remember the first edition of this unusual timepiece, the Masterpiece Régulateur Roue Carrée, a combination of polished and brushed stainless steel with rather unusual dial indications.  We featured it and we loved it – we were not alone, the piece was a highly acclaimed at BaselWorld 2010 and it received a  Red Dot Design award.  Now it’s back with a reworked rich brown dial and an 18 karat pink gold case, a new-found elegance, yes – but it’s still eccentric.

On the dial, the jagged blends with the smooth, circles merge with squares, opposing shapes combine and co-operate.  The small seconds at 6 o’clock is indicated via an openworked square wheel, superluminova highlighted for readibility, which in turn is driven by the clover-leaf wheel at 9 o’clock, a truly eye-catching and mesmeric way to count the seconds. At 3 o’clock is a graduated power reserve indicator.

Inside is the patented ML 156 hand wound calibre, with a power reserve of 45 hours, and the dial is in fact the main plate of the movement.  Michel Vermont and his team at Le Locle’s Haute Ecole Arc brought the idea of “squaring the circle” from sketchpad to reality – the complicated process of ensuring consistency of power when working with irregular forms required not only horological skills, but also the minds of HE-Archs elite engineers.  Not suprisingly MLC have chosen M.Vermont to be responsible for future  movement development.

The Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Roue Carrée Seconde Or Rose will be a limited edtion release of 88 pieces.

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Popularity: 1% [?]

Last month we brought you details of a unique event, the Automates & Merveilles Exhibition due to begin later this year.  Jacquet Droz, a Watch Press favourite, are so intrinsically linked with the history of Automata that we were delighted to wax lyrical about these extraordinary Masterpieces of Luxury Miniaturisation, and also to remark on the links between these complex mechanical dolls and the art of the ” illusionists” and also a connection with Martin Scorsese’s recent movie “Hugo”.

If you missed our article you can read it here, but don’t just take our word for it – Jacquet Droz have launched a website dedicated to the exhibition and it is jam-packed with information, a historical timeline and images as well as details of the upcoming event, now live at Jacquet Droz.com.

Popularity: 1% [?]

This is the Carl F. Bucherer Patravi DayDate, a new model for 2012.

The Patravi portfolio is a collection of very fine timepieces – dapper and somewhat harmonious.  Harmonious? – Well the Patravi ChronoDate and Patravi TravelTec are distinguishable by their rounded cases and complimentary round subdials …… the superb Patravi EvoTec DayDate has a generous cushion-shaped case, its curvaceous shape reciprocated on the perfectly proportioned little small seconds and date window, also cushion-shaped.  The Patravi DayDate 2012 is a synthesis of forms, featuring both a rounded case and cushion-shaped indications.

So is this valiant departure a cleverly contrasting composition or dastardly dial discordance?  Perhaps you think than simply merging the two forms is hardly brave.  Maybe not – but it is adventurous.  This is an industry in which a little nip or tuck on the designer’s sketch pad can unleash a torrent of poor publicity, where something as simple as beefing-up a bezel or lengthening a lug can produce cyclonic criticism.  Thankfully it all works perfectly – this timepiece is as devilishly handsome as its predecessors, and the Patravi DayDate collection remains reassuringly “dud-free”.

Followers of the Carl F. Bucherer brand will already know that their first manufacure calibre, the CFB A1000 was launched at BaselWorld 2008 to great acclaim, uniquely it featured a bi-directional oscillating weight, which enabled a superb view of the movement normally found only with a manually wound calibre.  At the time, it was evident that this innovative calibre would have development possibilities for the future, and indeed, the new Patravi DayDate is powered by an evolution of the CFB A1000 – the A1001.

On the dial the hour and minute hands are chunky and reminiscent of weaponry.  The big date window and the day of the week aperture on the left leave ample dial space for the Carl F. Bucherer name, re-instated under the direction of Jörg Bucherer.  There are subtle details too – the fine chapter ring, the silvered markers taking the place of numerals – except for the perfect little “60″ on the small seconds dial, and the lining of the strap which picks up the red of the brand’s logo.

The Carl F. Bucherer Patravi DayDate for 2012 is housed in a 42.6mm stainless steel case and is presented on a black calfskin leather strap.

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Popularity: 1% [?]

This is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Réserve de Marche, a new skinneyed addition to the Master Collection for 2012.

Things are tickety-boo for Jaeger-LeCoultre at the moment.  Just last week it was reported that 2011 has been their best year yet.   These are troubled economic times and getting it “right” has never been more important.  With a fine selection of celebratory Reversos just coming to an end, and a veritable growing series of increasingly technical timepieces added to their portfolio, Jaeger-LeCoultre seem to doing just that – getting it right.  If CEO Jérôme Lambert feels like one of the industry’s head honchos at the moment, he has every right to be – he is, and with on-going research and development and added investment in the production of in-house escapements this is a brand not only on the crest for now, but one which is putting in place building blocks for the future too.

The Master Ultra Thin Réserve de Marche may be a traditional and very classically styled piece, but at 39mm it is also very much on-trend for the current demand for smaller wrist sizes, and at just 9.85mm thick will barely peep from beneath your tailored cuff.

On the dial the faceted Dauphine hour and minute hands and knife-edged hour markers contrast with the silky smoothness of the other indications – the power reserve at 10 o’clock, the barely there cross-hairs small seconds at 6 and the superb pointer date (- surely the most eye-pleasing of all date indicators) on the right.  Each indication is recessed, each is perfectly proportioned.

Inside is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 938 with 43 hours of power reserve.  Two editions will be available, a stainless steel case with a silvered dial and a pink gold version with an eggshell white dial.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Réserve de Marche comes presented on a black alligator leather strap.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

In the market for a chronograph? One that can accurately split the seconds?  Despite the latest super-chronos unveiled at SIHH 2012, one calibre still stands apart – the El Primero, and the Zenith El Primero Chronomaster 1969 Chronograph is such a worthy addition to the series, you’d be horologically unbalanced not to consider it.

Zenith introduced the automatic chronograph El Primero calibre in 1969, and although the brand’s design department may have gone aesthetically asunder in the past, most in the industry would agree, Zenith are back where they belong and have produced some of the best classically styled wristwatches unveiled during 2011.  Transgressions, aside the brand have always respected, nurtured and refined the El Primero movement and if your wristwatch is powered by one, wear it proud – that’s a little piece of horological history right there on your wrist.

The Chronomaster 1969 Chronograph continues the heritage, respecting the colours and styling of the 1969 models.  On the dial, midnight blue and anthracite counters rest on a silvered dial, the red sweep seconds chronograph hand has the cool little Zenith star counterweight and faceted hour and minute hands and applied baton hour markers catch the light.  The 42mm stainless steel case has vintage rounded pushers for the functions and no excess weight on the front and no unwanted podge on the sides, this is a neat and tidy case and this is a technical and very well behaved gents sports watch.

Of course the eye is immediately drawn to the cutaway section of the dial.  This is not merely a look-see feature requiring the skills of a dial-maker, but one which requires re-working of the entire calibre by the brand’s Master Watchmakers, otherwise you would be see only the mundane and very dormant base plate.

Inside is the newly developed El Primero Calibre 4061 which beats at a frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour and has a power reserve of 50 hours.  This is the first El Primero Chronograph to feature a dial opening, so as you’d expect particular attention has been given to the detailing and finishing of its components.

The Zenith El Primero Chronomaster 1969 Chronograph comes presented on a rubber-lined black alligator strap with either pin buckle or optional triple folding clasp.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

Among the eclectic mix of timepieces on show at SIHH 2012, one model stood apart among the polished glass cases, for it was itself encased in a transparent and polished watchcase – the Richard Mille RM 056 Felipe Massa Sapphire – backlit, sidelit and extremely tricky to photograph it caused quite a commotion, not only for its technical ability but also for its unattainable price tag.

The piece has a case constructed entirely from sapphire, which although tough and scratch-resistant in its finished form is a precarious material to work with.  Each case is measured in the time given to its construction – 1000 hours, with 430 hours taken to make the case components and 350 hours on the polishing process of each tripartite case, not including the bits which must inevitably have ended up in the reject pile and the years of research and development which were invested in bringing this vitreous piece of horological anatomy to life.

Inside is the RM 056, a manual winding tourbillon with hours, minutes, chronograph split seconds and both power reserve and torque indications, a movement which, based on the RMCC1 had to shed 20% of its weight in order to be suitable to power this extraordinary piece even though skeletonisation would reduces it to its bare bones.  No strangers to weight-reduction, the designers at Richard Mille had to create over 400 new parts in the creation of this calibre.

It’s even water-resistant to 50m thanks to the inclusion of 2 rubber nitril seals and just in case you’d dare to let more than a droplet of water near it the screws used to assemble the case are made from grade 5 titanium with steel washers.

The Richard Mille  Tourbillon Split Seconds Competition Chronograph RM 056 Felipe Massa Sapphire is a limited edtion of just 5 pieces, which incidently were all sold by day two of SIHH  2012.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

Chronoswiss, the Munich-based watch company founded by Gerd-R Lang has been sold.  A 100% takeover has been agreed and the new owner is reported to be a Swiss investor.  Recognisable by their out-size “onion” crown, Chronoswiss timepieces are also known for their outstanding attention to detail and innovative mechanical movements.

Having spent his formative years at the watchmakers bench as an apprentice, Gerd-R Lang worked his way across the industry. On serving his apprenticeship, he found employment with the Heuer watch company where he served from 1964 working on the famous Heuer sports chronographs and stopwatches.

Following the death of its’ Patron, the Heuer brand had struggled for some years, and it was this period of instability (ultimately culminating in the takeover by Technologies d’Avant-Garde later in 1984) which triggered G-R Langs’ departure, taking with him in lieu of severance a stock of Heuer chronograph movements.

In 1980, having returned to further study his profession in Würzburg, Gerd-R Lang emerged with his new title of ‘Master Watchmaker’ and immediately commenced setting in place the corner stones for what would, in a few short years, become Chronoswiss.

Gerd-R Lang’s passion for mechanical watchmaking during a time when the industry had turned “quartz” produced a series of remarkable timepieces including the Chronoswiss Régulateur and Chronoswiss Sauterelle models.

Having moved into a new purpose-built facility in Karlsfeld, Munich in 2006 the long term future for Chronoswiss appeared to be extremely positive.  At this time it is not clear if financial difficulties are responsible for the re-sale of the brand or if the Lang family simply wish to turn away from watchmaking, whatever the reason for this news, we at The Watch Press wish them every success in the future.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Just released are details of the Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Lune Rétrograde 2012.   The aptly named Masterpiece series is the “Flagship” of the brand’s portfolio and this superb Lune Rétrograde is a showcase piece within a showcase collection.

When it comes to dial design Maurice Lacroix are virtuosos.  Few brands can integrate multiple displays while maintaining dial elegance, Maurice Lacroix can.  Few brands can enliven a dial with multiple retrograde displays while maintaining an uncluttered dial, Maurice Lacroix can.  At Baselworld 2012 the Masterpiece Régulateur Roue Carrée caused quite a fuss with its unusual dial which displayed the hours through the use of a remarkable openworked square wheel – the piece went on to win a Red Dot Design Award, much publicity followed, yet this is a watch brand largely ignored by other watch knowledge websites. Why?  I know not.  These are superbly built timepieces powered by increasingly innovative in-house calibres.

This piece features not only the arcs, recesses and retrogrades you would expect to find on  a beautiful Masterpiece dial, but also that most compelling of features – the moonphase complication.  Located at 6 o’clock it is awarded a deservedly ample portion of the lower dial and it cleverly combines with a day of the week indication and revolves on an inky background reminiscent of the night sky.

At 10 o’clock is the retrograde date display with a power reserve display at 2 o’clock, enhanced by a graduating series of applied markers.  The central hours and minutes hands are eye-lash slim, elongated and embellished with a diamond finish.

Three versions will be available, black gold, navy blue or silver dial, all based on a solid silver plate and with rhodium diamond-cut applied markers for the black gold and navy blue editions and pink gold for the silver dial.

Following on from last year’s first Masterpiece automatic calibre, this one will also be powered by a new self-winding calibre, the ML192 with a power reserve of 52 hours.

The Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Lune Rétrograde comes presented on a matching hand-stitched crocodile leather strap.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

On display at Baselworld 2012 will be the Konstanin Chaykin Mystery watch, the latest timepiece from the Saint Petersberg-based Master Watchmaker.  If you are lucky enough to view it, you may leave the booth a little perplexed…and with a few questions – What drives the hands…..?  Where is the calibre…?  How did he do it…..?

Konstantin Chaykin has a knack for creating timpieces which amaze, confound and confuse.  His Lunokhod watch is one of the most striking pieces you are ever likely to see.  It was first produced in grainy, manly wootz and its latest edition is encased in gold – but this is a watch which even the most precious of metals cannot tame, it is as arresting as ever.

The Mystery watch could not be more different than the Lunokhod, it is elegant, classical and understated – with this piece the appeal lies not with what you can see, but with what you cannot.  In fact, most of the dial contains absoutely nothing, it is transparent.  Like the Mystery Clocks which have amazed on-lookers for generations, this piece features “floating” hands, and a calibre which has been compacted and concealed, this is micro-deception at its finest.

With this piece, the mechanisms are hidden beneath the rim of the watchcase.  The large atypical transparent section dominates the dial, on it the hands rotate on clear discs, driven by a covert system of miniature gears to great illusory effect.  On the right are applied graduating Roman Numerals.   Within the confines of the rim, the Watch Maker has even managed to integrate the additional components required for the moonphase indicator, a Chaykin speciality, which is  located at 3 o’clock.

Two versions of the Konstantin Chaykin Mystery watch will be available, red gold and white gold  and the piece will be presented on a hand-stitched black alligator strap.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

Roger Smith has been awarded the British Horological Institute’s Barrett Silver Medal, their highest honour, for his “Dedication to and successfully continuing the finest traditions of English Watchmaking”.

In his acceptance speech, Roger recalled his days spent as a student at Manchester’s School of Horology, where he quickly realised that he “had been gripped by this fascinating and multi faceted occupation of horology”.  In 1989 Roger received another BHI accolade, the Bronze Award for “The Most Outstanding Student of the Year”.

Roger Smith creates handmade, unique timepieces which are known by collectors throughout the world for their outstanding and meticulous attention to detail.  Famously inspired and mentored by the late George Daniels, Roger was himself chosen by Mr. Daniels to collaborate with him on the Co-Axial Anniversary Wristwatch series.  British Watchmaking is experiencing something of a renaissance at this time and Roger Smith is one individual who has been credited with raising the profile of what was once considered to be a “lost” skill.  It is perhaps quite appropriate then that those present to hear Mr. Smith speak on receipt of this award were new BHI members and recently successful exam candidates who Mr. Smith referred to as the “future face of British Horology”.

More information on the British Horological Institute here.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Due to be officially unveiled at Baselworld  2012 is the  Blancpain Villeret with Flinque Lacquered Dial.  With this piece, not only do you get the superb textured guilloché finishing with its waves and undulations, but also a neritic depth achieved by building up layer upon layer of applied blue lacquer.

The Villeret Collection is not to be fiddled with. Recognisable by it’s big flat face and barely-there bezel it is a dial which begs to be decorated, and this one with its translucent blue lacquer applied over several layers adds both freshness and beauty.

Everything about this watch is slender.  On that unambiguous dial are skinnied but shapely Roman numerals resting right at the dial-edge and elongated eye-lash slim hands.  A perfect litttle retrograde seconds display is at 6 o’clock, providing a nucleus for the on-dial guilloché work.  An erratic but elegant serpentine hand doesn’t just point to the date, it cups each day of the month seductively as it circles the dial – superb.  The svelte watchcase measures 40mm across and is constructed from white gold.

Inside is the ultra-slim Calibre 7663Q self-winding movement with three days of power reserve and a guilloché rotor viewable through the sapphire crystal caseback.  Notable is the fast date adjustment via an under-lug corrector at 5 o’clock.

The Blancpain Villeret with Flinqué Lacquered Dial comes presented on a matching alligator leather strap.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

Something special from Glashütte’s first watchmaking company is the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar watch, unveiled at SIHH 2012.

Tourbillons are tricky little things.  Their creation requires the skills of a Master Watchmaker.  Their number of components can be counted in the hundreds.  Their construction can be measured in hours spent at the bench.  A tourbillon is a highly prized addition to any fine wristwatch and will animate any watch dial – normally appearing in its own aperture, many tourbillons even go for dial domination, the main feature  – and one which you will be proud to show off.  Not so this watch, so determined to protect the instantly recognisable Glashütte dial arrangement, A. Lange & Söhne have relegated the tourbillon of this piece to the back – in order to admire it you will need to remove it from your wrist and turn it over.

A. Lange & Söhne produce some of the best high-end handcrafted timepieces available  with meticulous attention to detail and manufacture calibres housed in cases made from precious metals,  these are wristwatches for connoisseurs.  How very “Lange” of them to unveil a new piece with not only a tourbillon which is discreet, but also a perpetual calendar, cleverly integrated and using a rotating peripheral month ring which is so subtle it is almost imperceptible.

For this piece, the brand’s tenth Masterpiece, Lange have re-worked the indications but each retain their individual portion of the dial as before.  On the right are the hours and minutes, opposite is a day of the week retrograde display, below this is a combined moonphase indicator and small seconds subdial and the outsize double date aperture, synonymous with the brand is at 10 o’clock.  The rotating month ring is a world first, on its underside is an ingenious mechanism featuring recesses for each month’s variations.  No adjustment will be required until March 1st 2100 which as a “quirk” of the Gregorian calendar will be a secular year. Furthermore, all the displays change instantaneously.

Displaced it may be, but the one-minute tourbillon, viewable through the sapphire caseback has not been neglected.  Housed in a filigreed cage, it features a patented stop-seconds mechanism ensuring precise time re-setting to one-second accuracy.  The Manufacture L082. self-winding calibre has a substantial 21 carat gold engraved rotor which makes optimum use of each wrist motion to quickly restore power reserve to the maximum 50 hours.  As you would expect from an in-house Lange movement, decoration is to the highest standard.

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar is presented in a 41.9mm “Grande” case, constructed from 18 carat pink gold, also available is a 100 piece platinum case limited edition.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

Recently unveiled are images and details of the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art – Les Univers Infinis series, inspired by the work of Dutch artist M.C. Escher, who was in turn inspired by Moorish art.  He favoured repeated graphic patterns indicative of order, symmetry and geometry.  Vacheron Constantin take inspiration from the repeated tiling technique of “tessellation” to produce some of the most striking and expressive timepieces presented at SIHH 2012.

Artists need patronage.  Many of the great Masterpieces would not exist today if their impoverished creators had not received some sort of support and subsidy from well-heeled proponents.  Picasso, for example famously burned sketches, which would now change hands for considerable sums of money, simply to stay warm.  In the world of horology Vacheron Constantin are established advocates of traditional applied arts, skills which would could easily disappear in an industry becoming increasingly high-tech – it is firmly entrenched in their philosophy and each year this dedication gives rise to new Métiers d’Art timepieces to add to an already rarefied collection.

To produce each piece involves the combined skills of a team of craftsmen, such is the variety of techniques involved – hand-guilloché, cloisonné enamelling, champlevé enamelling and gem-setting – teamwork which often involves each exquisite dial moving back and forth from bench to bench as each artisan completes his individual painstaking part of the process.

The Dove watch features hand-guilloché work in its final phase of craftsmanship – a technique not often attempted due to its degree of difficulty – and one bird in this ethereal scene has been diamond-set with 38 brilliant-cut stones.  The Fish watch features cloisonné enamelling, achieved by first marking each outline using fine gold wire before the enamelling process.  The Shell watch features champlevé engraving – each field is hollowed out individually before the enamelling work is added.

Each piece is housed in a 40mm 18kt gold case.  Inside is the Vacheron Constantin manufacture Calibre 2460SC with 40 hours of power reserve.

Each Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis will be a limited edition of 20 pieces for each model.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

This is the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon with Three Bridges – beautiful isn’t it?  It is a superb combination of titanium, platinum and lucent sapphire – reassuringly exclusive, only ten will be made.

The first piece in the collection, the  “Tourbillon Sous Trois Ponts d’Or”, designed by Constant Girard-Perregaux was awarded a gold medal at the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition – a deserving accolade.  This was a dramatic timepiece which literally turned the movement inside-out so the wearer, or on-looker could view the barrel, the gear train and the tourbillon at a glance, face-on.  Each of the mechanisms were beautifully aligned on the same axis on, now instantly recognisable arrow-headed bridges.  It’s been a feather in Girard-Perregaux’s horological cap ever since and few watch buffs would fail to spot one across a room.

The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon blends the old with the new.  A subtle satin-brushed and polished octagonal bezel made from platinum adds character to the rounded case.  Chunky lume-coated hands rest atop the middle bridge for the mainplate, which is guilloche decorated.  At 12 o’clock is the barrel bridge and the tourbillon bridge is at 6 o’clock.

Such a sporty representation will not be to everyone’s taste, many aficionados will, no doubt be displeased, but even the most ardent fans cannot ignore the fact that the three “blue spinel” bridges ensure a clarity unattainable with the more conservative gold editions. Inside is the Girard-Perregaux 9600-0004 automatic movement with 48 hours of power reserve.

The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon with Three Bridges comes presented on a titanium link bracelet.

Like a classically styled Girard-Perregaux? Here’s some related articles….

The excellent Girard-Perregaux 1966 Blue Dial Chronograph

New for 2012 -  the Girard-Perregaux 1966 Small Seconds

Popularity: 2% [?]

Just unveiled at SIHH 2012 is the Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain.

Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey are perhaps best known for their development of the tourbillon.  Not content with its “traditional” arrangement, they stubbornly tinker with it, and in doing so have created some of the most innovative and exquisite tourbillon watches you are ever likely to see.

The Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain timepiece is technically accomplished, technically superb and er…. very blue.  Now, there is more than one kind of “blue” used in the creation of beautiful watches – there is the Maurice Lacroix kind of blue, sensible and conservative even when sun-brushed; there is “vintage” blue as used by Girard Perregaux for their 1966 Blue Dial Chronograph … intensely vivid? that would be De Bethune “blue”.  Greubel Forsey’s blue is an all-consuming kind of blue – and not content with simply creating a blue dial, they have oxidised the plates and bridges so it’s eye-piercing inside and out.

There is an extraordinary depth to this watch – it is truly three-dimensional.  The lively tourbillon is “elevated” on its sapphire bridge at an incline of 25 degrees, the hands with their distinctive ample, chunky arrow-tips rise proudly from the lower reaches of the dial.  The only numeral, the number 12 is chunky, block-styled and pokes out, clearing a space between layers of sapphire.

As a counterbalance to all that synthetic stuff, the small seconds dial and the power reserve indicator are made from gold.  The titanium plate and bridges of the movement have been oxidised, resulting in that stunning shade of royal blue, before undergoing hand finishing by some of the most picky craftsmen in the business.  The tourbillon alone has 88 parts, is housed in a titanium cage and completes each revolution in a mesmerising 24 seconds.

Such a nobel watch deserves a worthy case and Greuble Forsey choose platinium – this piece measures 43.5mm across and features domed sapphire front and back.

Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain will be a limited edition of 33 pieces.

More tourbillons and other terrific, technical stuff from Greubel Forsey -

The Greuble Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Edition Historique

The Greubel Forsey GMT – Educates, Captivates, Indicates …

Popularity: 2% [?]