Baselworld will start in less than one month and we got a sneak peak on 6 new watches that will be presented during the watch show this year. We can see this year brands are revealing strong skills in technic and sharp elegance.
Girard Perregaux – 1966 Skeleton
Girard Perregaux started its tremendous know-how in watch-making back in 1791 and since then the Chaux-de-fond company has created amazing watches like the 1966. The new 1966 Skeleton invites us on an enchanted journey into the mechanics of time. The large 13¼”’ (30 mm) movement has been skeletonised with the stylistic imperative of creating a perfect visual balance. The contrast between the rhodium-plated gear train and the anthracite treatment chosen for the plate and bridges is an exhortation to travel deeper into this fascinating labyrinth. Inert matter springs to life, organs breathe, and suddenly we are confronted with the details of this meticulous staging – chamfering, drawing, polishing and satin-brushing – all hand-executed by artisan-watchmakers. Time becomes a pretext to reveal the mechanical watch as a piece of art, in which the 173 parts are akin to the brushstrokes of an old master.
Movement
Mechanical automatic, GP01800-0006 calibre, 173 components, 25 jewels, 28,800 vib/h, 54-hour power reserve.
Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds.
Case
18K pink gold, 38 mm. Anti-reflective sapphire crystal front and back. Water-resistant to 30 metres (3 bar/100 ft).<<<
Dial
Outer ring with suspended hour-markers. Skeletonised visible plate and bridges with anthracite-grey ruthenium treatment. Small seconds at 10 o’clock.
Bracelet/strap
Hand-stitched black alligator with 18K pink gold buckle.
Breitling Avenger Bandit
Breitling is well know to develop great chronometers useful for aviators. The company was founded in 1884 and the watches are made in Switzerland using Swiss components. Breitling makes two movements: the calibre B01 and calibre B04, a B01 with an added GMT module. ETA and Valjoux are the primary suppliers of ébauches used in certain Breitling watches. The ébauches are completed in the Breitling Chronometrie Workshops before undergoing COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) certification. Lightness, safety and precision are crucial attributes in the world of naval aviation. The Avenger Bandit is a COSC-certified chronograph that lives in step with the take-offs and landings on the decks of aircraft carriers. These “ocean fortresses” govern the demanding features that Breitling has incorporated into the Avenger Bandit. Its 45 mm case is lightened by the use of satin-brushed titanium, a favourite metal in the aeronautical industry. The graduated rotating bezel is topped by engraved stencil-type numerals and distinguished by its four rider tabs, a classic signature feature on Breitling watches serving to memorize times. The non-slip grip of the screw-lock crown and chronograph pushers guarantees optimal handling. The strap is made of rubber topped by a supple, sturdy and light high-tech textile fibre exterior. These technical attributes make the Avenger Bandit an authentic instrument for professionals embodying a world of daunting feats and the most extreme missions.
Movement
Mechanical automatic, Breitling Calibre 13, chronometer-certified by the COSC, 25 jewels, 28,800 vib/h.
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph, 30-minute and 12-hour counters.
Case
Titanium, 45 mm. Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. Screw-lock crown. Unidirectional ratcheted rotating bezel. Water-resistant to 300 metres (30 bar/1,000 ft).
Dial
Titanium grey.
Bracelet/strap
Military rubber.
Bulgari – Octo Ultranero Finissimo Tourbillon
Bvlgari is an amazing italian Jeweler since 1884. While black is often said to be slimming, this model is definitely not about optical illusions. More than ever inspired by the creative strength of Italian design and Swiss technical expertise, the legendary Octo combines the world’s thinnest mechanical tourbillon movement with an opulent contemporary black exterior. The unique, structured case of the Octo Ultranero Finissimo Tourbillon dares to flaunt an unexpected tone-on-tone combination of materials. The matt appearance of the black DLC-treated makes a powerful contrast with the brilliance of the lacquered dial. This total-black look provides a majestic setting for the horological feat represented by the flying tourbillon measuring a mere 1.95 mm thick. Highlighted by pink gold elements, it appears to literally burst out of the dial, a precious touch echoing that of the crown, also made of pink gold.
Movement
Mechanical hand-wound, BVL 268 Finissimo tourbillon calibre, 21,600 vib/h, Côtes de Genève motif, 52-hour power reserve.
Functions
Hours, minutes.
Case
Black DLC-treated titanium, 40 mm. 18K pink gold crown with black ceramic cabochon. Sapphire crystal and back. Water-resistant to 30 metres (3 bar/100 ft).
Dial
Black lacquered. Flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
Bracelet/strap
Black alligator, buckle in black DLC-treated titanium.
Tag Heuer – Carrera Heuer-02T Black Phantom
Tag Heuer is a Swiss manufacturing company that designs, manufactures and markets watches and fashion accessories as well as eyewear and mobile phones manufactured under license by other companies and carrying the Tag Heuer brand name.Less than a year after the launch of the Carrera Heuer 01 in-house chronograph, the new generation of Carrera incorporates a chrono plus a flying tourbillon. The Carrera Heuer 02-T is entirely designed, developed and produced at the Manufacture TAG Heuer. For the Black Phantom model, the new Carrera case, made from 12 separate modular parts, is fashioned from black titanium. It houses the very latest TAG Heuer calibre, the Heuer-02T. This chronograph movement is directly inspired by the CH-80 and is COSC-certified. Here, it combines with a tourbillon regulator that stands out for its black and grey design, its lightness thanks to the use of titanium and carbon, and its flying construction. This new timepiece naturally shares the skeletonised, sleek, contemporary design of the new generation of Carrera watches, with its skeleton bridges, openworked hour circle and geometric bridges. The Carrera Heuer-02T Black Phantom is a 250-piece edition and positioned, amazingly, at under CHF 20,000.
Movement
Mechanical automatic, COSC-certified HEUER-02T calibre, flying tourbillon with titanium and carbon cage, 28,800 vib/h, skeletonised bridges, power reserve in excess of 65 hours.
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds on the tourbillon, date, chronograph, tachymeter.
Case
Grade 5 black titanium, 45 mm. Sapphire crystal front and back. Water-resistant to 100 metres (10 bar/330 ft).
Dial
Black skeleton. Black hands, hour-markers and counters, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock.
Bracelet/strap
Mat black alligator on black rubber, titanium folding clasp.
Other versions
Grade 5 titanium case and black titanium bezel with skeleton dial, silver hands and counters.
Hublot- Big Bang Unico Sapphire
Hublot is a Swiss luxury watchmaker founded in 1980 by Italian Carlo Crocco. The company currently operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of France’s LVMH. In 1980, it also marked the birth of ‘Fusion’ concept after a few months from its inception date.[After several series of totally black and opaque watches, Hublot goes in the completely opposite direction by focusing on absolute transparency. Bezel, case, caseback and crystals: the case of the Big Bang Unico Sapphire is entirely made from the watch industry’s hardest material: sapphire. It is indeed so hard that only diamond can scratch it. One can thus easily imagine the difficulty involved in machining it to make a case and the hundreds of production hours required – especially with the complex shapes of the Big Bang. The Manufacture Hublot UNICO calibre appearing beneath the transparent dial and visible from all angles has never been so full revealed, notably including its column-wheel at 6 o’clock. This 500-piece limited series heralds a new era for sapphire cases. Hublot is reserving this special edition for fans of chronographs, of the Big Bang concept, of transparency… and of watchmaking itself.
Movement
Mechanical automatic, anthracite ruthenium HUB 1242 Unico calibre, 36 jewels, 28,800 vib/h, column-wheel chronograph with flyback function and double coupling clutch, 72-hour power reserve.
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph with 30-minute counter.
Case
Polished sapphire crystal with satin-brushed titanium elements, 45 mm. Water-resistant to 50 metres (5 bar/165 ft).
Dial
Polished transparent composite resin skeleton dial.
Bracelet/strap
Transparent structured strap with titanium folding clasp.
Longines – Dolce Vita
Longines is a luxury watch company based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland. Founded by Auguste Agassiz in 1832, it is owned by the Swatch Group. Its winged hourglass logo is the oldest registered trademark for a watchmaker. Longines is known for its “Aviators” range of watches. A company director was a friend of Charles Lindbergh; after his transatlantic flight, Lindbergh designed a pilot watch to help with air navigation. Built to his specifications, it is still produced today. Over and above the elegance of its lines, the Longines DolceVita owes its worldwide success to its numerous variations enabling every woman to find inspiration. In 2016, Longines is adding new variations to this iconic collection, a worthy heir to a tradition where elegance plays a leading role. The common denominator among these new models is their two-tone interpretation. The steel versions feature a steel and pink gold bracelet with a solid pink gold crown, endowing them with a pleasing aesthetic equilibrium. The winged hourglass, the famous logo of the brand established in the Swiss Jura since 1832, is also clothed in pink gold. With its beautifully balanced proportions available in four different sizes, either diamond-set or non-set, and its three different dials, this watch is inspired by the Italian sweet lifestyle that inspired its name, encapsulating a blend of glamour and graceful charm. This love-at-first-sight object radiates the same aura of elegance in any circumstances.
Movement
Quartz.
Functions
Hours, minutes or hours, minutes and seconds.
Case
Stainless steel and 18K pink gold crown. Four sizes available, from 17.40 x 27.00 mm to 25.80 x 42.00 mm. Non-set or set with 36 to 46 TW VVS diamonds (0.28 cts to 0.998 cts). Sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 3 bar (30 m/100 ft).
Dial
Silver-toned flinqué dial adorned with painted Roman numerals, black lacquered or white mother-of-pearl adorned with diamond hour-markers. Small seconds at 6 o’clock.
Bracelet/strap
Pink gold-capped stainless steel with folding clasp.
These are only a few new models that you will be able to see during Baselworld 2016. More information to come.
Arsène.
Info sourced at Baselworld official press release, Forbes, Wikipedia, Federation of Swiss watch-making. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.
