Today, we are starting a new series of posts called the 'Time Machine'. On the 'Time Machine' you will be able to experience with us some of the most fascinating collections of vintage and rare watches from private collectors around the world. This time, is the turn for a private collector in Chicago that has chosen to remain anonymous. Our friendship with this collector started after spotting a beautiful Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX5 World Chronograph on his wrist inside an elevator. After a very brief conversation with him, he asked us to follow him to his office to show us the real good stuff. This collector owns close to 500 timepieces and this is just the first of many posts we will be publishing regarding his vintage timepieces, clocks and assorted watch paraphernalia. Now, keep in mind we will be featuring all sorts of watches within these collections regardless of their price, just because we love watches as much as you do and because some of these timepieces have an interesting place in the history of horology.
Posts tagged #2013
Experience: Doucal's Five Eyelet Wing Tip Shoes. A Shoemaker Founded the Year After the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was Born.
Nestled in the enchanting Marche Region of Italy is the town of Montegranaro —located a 110 miles East of Perugia— home to Italy's heart for handcrafted glamorous footwear and the place where Mario Giannini founded Doucal's in 1973, the year after the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was born.
The brand, known initially as Duca —meaning "Duke”— to identify a product which was developed for an elite clientèle. Mario's dream and his passion for English shoes took him to England where he took an internship in the British Shoe Manufacturer District and learned all the secrets of the various construction methods and the rules of English style. After several months of training, his desire was to create shoes that endured through time, but that were also comfortable to wear in comparison to the rigidity of English shoes. Following his passion and everything he learned in England, Mario decided to anglicize the name of his company from Duca into Doucal's.
Doucal's shoes are now conceived to look like English shoes while incorporating the comfort of an Italian shoe that is guaranteed by a liner in the insole with an activated carbon coating which guarantees the foot great comfort and freshness, combined with anti-bacterial action. This peculiarity has given Doucal's shoes an advantage that has been much appreciated by new emerging markets, more interested in comfort than rigidity. Always evolving, Giannini's second generation guards well the traditions of the “Made in Italy” elegant Italian craftsmanship while embracing the modern perspective of fashion and style.
If you are ready to wear an exclusive brand that comes with history, handmade craftsmanship, amazing details and design straight from Italy, Doucal's is the brand. These shoes are as well crafted and durable as Bally, Church's or Allen Edmonds. The first three words that come to mind when wearing a pair of Doucal's are elegance, comfort and Italy.
Sticker Price $350 USD. For more info on Doucal's click here.
Experience: Rob Montana The Strap Smith. Enhancing the Vintage Look of Watches.
Rob Montana the man behind The Strap Smith comes from a lineage of leather makers and son to a 4-H leather instructor. Rob is one of six children that grew up surrounded by the world of leather in a small town in northwest Montana and a man that enjoys the outdoors, racing motorcycles, sailing, traveling, backpacking, rock climbing and skiing and someone that became a full time strap maker in 2007 after quitting his day job.
Since he was a little kid he had been fascinated with watches but never thought he would be able to afford a really nice watch. Through his appreciation for high quality hand made items with great attention to detail he runs one of the most successful vintage strap businesses in the watch world and a name that is synonym for some of the best vintage aftermarket straps for Panerai, Bell & Ross, Rolex, IWC, U-BOAT, Breitling, Tudor and many others. Rob had even outfitted Jay Leno's watches with his straps.
Few leather straps come with so much passion as those from The Strap Smith handmade by Rob in Whitefish, Montana. Whitefish is a small town with a population of 6,357 and home to a ski resort on Big Mountain called Whitefish Mountain Resort right next to Glacier National Park. Rob Montana's name is not only very well known in the Paneristi community but also at the headquarters of Detroit based Shinola, whom he's been working with on everything leather related. Rob is an adventure seeker and watch collector that started his collection with a Fortis Chronograph and quickly grew into Panerai with a PAM 88. Today, the Panerai PAM 243 is his favorite and daily wearer.
Rob's vintage straps are made out of World War I vintage ammo pouches from Sweden. Even though, Rob offers a wide selection of custom straps through his website, nothing compares to the rugged and vintage nature of these straps with their particular musty smell that you can even notice when your watch is sitting next to your bed on your night stand.
All Rob Montana straps are hand cut, hand stitched and marked by Rob out of his workshop in Montana. What makes these straps even more unique —other than the interesting provenance of the leather— is that Rob is one of the few true full-time custom strap makers in the U.S.; therefore, every order is personal, from the first email a customer receives to the postage label that was placed with Rob's hands. All straps are custom made to order and you can choose everything from the the type of leather to be used for your strap to the length, the width, type of buckle, strap perforations and even the stitching. You could also just choose no buckle and use your own OEM buckle. In this case we wanted to add a little bit more character to the strap and decided to go with the PIG/SLC in negative relief.
If you are looking to enhance even more the vintage look of your your PAM 372 Luminor 1950 3 Days or any other Panerai from the historical collection, make sure you get one of these vintage straps fitted with a PIG buckle. As you can see, the color on the strap we fitted to the 372 is a perfect match to the luminova on the dial and with this change the watch became even more appealing and way more vintage looking.
On the wrist, the strap feels very solid, comfortable and the desired vintage look is just unparalleled. The strap is very thick but very supple at the same time and the contrast stitching is the cherry on top of the cake.
Sticker Price Starting at $200 USD. For more info on The Strap Smith click here.
Insider: Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss. A Truly Anti-Magnetic Watch with a Display Case Back.
Before we go into our in-depth review of the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss ref. 231.10.42.21.01.002, let's start by providing you with some historical context and explaining what is truly considered an anti-magnetic watch. An anti-magnetic watch is one that is able to run with minimal deviation when exposed to a certain level of magnetic field. The ISO —International Organization for Standardization— issued a standard for magnetic resistant watches, which many countries have adopted and which is referred as the ISO 764 Horology—Magnetic Resistant Watches. According to ISO 764, a watch must resist exposition to a direct current magnetic field of 4,800 Amperes by meter and keep its accuracy to ± 30 seconds/day as measured before the test in order to be acknowledged as a magnetic resistant watch. To give you some context of electromagnetic fields in gauss, a small neodymium-iron-boron NIB magnet creates a field of 2,000 gauss and an MRI machine anywhere between 600-70,000 gauss.
The first recorded experiments in anti-magnetic watchmaking date back to 1846 when the watchmakers from Vacheron Constantin were among the first to experiment with anti-magnetic features assembling the first anti-magnetic watch only several decades later in 1915. Their watch was able to withstand magnetic fields because some of its parts were made of non-magnetic metals with a palladium balance wheel, balance spring and lever shaft. Later, in 1929, Tissot assembled the first ever non-magnetic wristwatch.
Since their appearance, anti-magnetic watches have been favored by people who deal with high magnetic fields. They are widespread among electronic engineers and in other professions where strong magnetic fields are present. Today, even divers' watches according to ISO 6425 must be anti-magnetic. There are two ways of creating an anti-magnetic watch, the first is by using different non-ferrous alloys —like the Glucydur balance and Nivarox hairsprings— in the movement components and the second one is to house the movement in a casing made of soft iron like on the Rolex Milgauss or the IWC Ingenieur.
This year, Omega created the first anti-magnetic watch in their line-up by launching the Aqua Terra >15,000 Gauss ref. 231.10.42.21.01.002, a very special stainless steel watch fitted with the Omega Co-Axial caliber 8508, one of the most dramatic technological innovations resistant to magnetic fields greater than 1.5 tesla —15,000 gauss—, exceeding the levels of magnetic resistance achieved by any other watch ever made. As a reference, the new Aqua Terra 15,000 Gauss can withstand 15 times more magnetism than the Rolex Milgauss —1000 gauss.
The Seamaster Aqua Terra > 15,000 Gauss is fitted with a 41.50 mm stainless steel case with brushed and polished areas and with a matching bracelet or on a brown leather strap —ref. 231.12.42.21.01.001. The watch is fitted with a very distinctive sunburst black lacquered dial with the traditional vertical lines of the dials on the Aqua Terra watches, applied markers with luminescent material, a yellow minute track, a date aperture at 3 o'clock, a yellow transferred legend that reads '> 15’000 GAUSS' and a very nice seconds hand in the traditional black and yellow colors of the magnetic field warning symbols.
The bracelet is nicely done with a double folding clasp and polished center links. The bracelet is extremely light but quite comfortable on the wrist.
The beating heart inside this watch is the automatic Omega in-house calibre 8508 fully made of non-ferrous components to guarantee its anti-magnetic properties. The movement provides a power reserve of 60 hours when fully wound. The technology developed by a team of ETA, Asulab, Nivarox FAR and Omega engineers led to the first prototype of the movement. Unlike other efforts to combat the effects of magnetism, this Omega movement does not rely on a protective case inside the watch case but on the use of selected non-ferromagnetic materials in the movement itself. Several patents are pending for the new movement which, even after exposure to a magnetic field greater than 15,000 gauss, still performs at a chronometric level as defined by COSC. The greatest advantage besides its anti-magnetic properties, is that the movement can be fully appreciated via the display case back, unlike the Rolex Milgauss or the IWC Ingenieur. The watch is also waterproof rated to a depth of 150 meters/500 feet.
On the wrist the watch wears nothing but comfortable. The case is quite thin making it quite easy to be tucked under the cuff of a shirt. This is a watch that is definitely one than can be a great conversation piece and a reliable timepiece with a movement that is a real workhorse.
We would like to provide special thanks to our friends at the Tourbillon Boutique in Chicago for letting us come in and review this timepiece now that the press loaners are quite scarce these days.
Sticker Price $6,600 USD. For more info on Omega click here.
Insider: Richard Mille RM011 Le Mans Classic. Enough Blue and Yellow Accents to Make it Stand Out.
How often do you run into a Richard Mille watch in the wild? The most probable answer is, never. Now, the chances of running into a RM011 Le Mans Classic Limited Edition in the wild, are even more slim. The new Richard Mille RM011 Le Mans Classic Limited Edition is truly an amazing timepiece now fitted with a 24-hour chronograph instead of the traditional 12-hour chronograph on other Felipe Massa RM011s. As it is the norm with Richard Mille watches, the dial is skeletonized featuring white Arabic numerals, a 60-minute chrono-register at 9, a 24-hour chrono-register at 6, running seconds at 3 o'clock and month aperture between 4 and 5 o'clock as this watch is an annual calendar as well. The iconic big date display on Richard Mille watches at 12 o'clock provides a very unique touch to the skeleton dial and the blue and yellow accents on the registers provide a perfectly balanced dial with enough contrast to make the watch stand out. The 24-hour chrono register features a special yellow marker at the 16th hour to immortalize the time at which — traditionally until 2008— the race used to start on Saturdays at 16:00 hours. Only 150 pieces are available of this limited edition watch.
The Richard Mille Le Mans Classic Limited Edition is a very advanced time measuring device. Fitted with a tripartite titanium case measuring 50x40mm and a thickness of 16.15mm, the RM011 Le Mans Classic Limited Edition provides an amazing wrist presence with lightness and comfort that is just unbeatable. Richard Mille created this special chronograph to commemorate their involvement with the 2012 Le Mans Classic event as sponsor and official timekeeper. With its white carbon fiber flange around the edge of the dial, the white and green checkered Le Mans Classic logo located at 12 o'clock, the blue rubberized crown ring and the light blue and yellow accents, this watch is just exceptional.
This watch is fitted with the Richard Mille calibre RM011-S—an automatic movement with a rotor with variable geometry and power reserve of 55 hours— that is fully visible via the double-coated anti-reflective sapphire crystal on the case back. The details on the case are just exceptional and a real treat for the eyes. With a case assembled with 16 spline screws—in grade 5 titanium— and abrasion resistant washers—in copper-nickel-zinc alloy—, this piece is literally every watchlifestyler's dream.
As you can see, every single detail on this watch has been meticulously taken care of and you definitely can't go wrong buying one. On the wrist, the watch wears extremely comfortably and with a wrist presence that is unparalleled. After reviewing several Richard Mille Felipe Massa watches, we think this is the nicest of all Felipe Massa RM011s ever made.
Sticker Price $125,000 USD. For more info on Richard Mille click here.
News: Pre-Baselworld 2014 Jaquet Droz Unveils Three New Ateliers d'Art Watches. Commemorating the Chinese Year of the Horse.
In 2014, Jaquet Droz will be launching three new Ateliers d’Art models that pay tribute to the sign of the Horse. The horse has been a key part of Man's history since the beginning of time. In 2014, China will mark the arrival of a new year with this sign, the seventh in the Chinese zodiac, which is celebrated by Jaquet Droz every year. It is a way of remembering the connection between the brand's founder —the first watchmaker to walk through the gates of the Forbidden City— and the Middle Kingdom. The brand thus continues its annual tradition by honoring this trusty companion and symbol of loyalty, creativity and daring in its Ateliers d'Art series. Three exclusive models have been created using the exclusive know-how of Jaquet Droz's master craftsmen, specialized in highly complex techniques: engraving, painting and Grand Feu enamel. Two Arab thoroughbreds – considered the most beautiful horses in the world – have been delicately painted on the ivory enamel dial of the Petite Heure Minute 39 mm.
Captured in full gallop, they seem to want to catch up with the sculptural mustang that appears on the dial of the Petite Heure Minute 43 mm. Extremely wild and difficult to tame, this horse from the American Northwest —depicted in red gold and engraved in bas-relief— seems to jump out from the black enamel. The champlevé technique, used here for the first time by Jaquet Droz, highlights the movement of the mane and the tail, both filled in with black Grand Feu enamel.
On each of these models, a horse's head is also represented on the back of the white gold oscillating weight.
The dial of the Petite Heure Minute 41 mm has been chosen as the showcase to depict a horse rearing up on its hind legs against a backdrop of the Great Wall of China, engraved and patinated by hand on a mother-of-pearl dial. Bold, powerful and elegant, this fearless horse in 18-carat red gold appears to protect the Great Wall, which is also hand engraved on the 22-carat red gold oscillating weight next to the Jaquet Droz signature of two stars.
Loyal to its spirit of exclusivity, Jaquet Droz is offering each of these new models in a limited edition of 88 pieces with a red gold case and available on a brown or black alligator leather strap. An opportunity to celebrate all the promises of the new year with constant refinement.
For more info on Jaquet Droz click here.
Insider: Patek Philippe World Time ref. 5130. The Best and Most Elegant World Timer Ever Created.
The Patek Philippe World Time watch ref. 5130 is without a doubt the best and most elegant worldtimer ever created. Fitted with a beautiful case measuring 39.5 mm in diameter available in yellow gold, rose gold, white gold or platinum, and a silvery white guilloché sunburst dial with gold applied hour markers and 24 time zone ring with day/night indicator, this watch is not only very easy to use but also extremely beautiful and elegant. The understated look and classiness of Patek Philippe is present in every detail of this timepiece that is a joy to wear.
The beating heart inside this Patek is the automatic calibre 240 HU composed of 239 parts, a 22K gold off-centered mini rotor, eight bridges, gyromax balance and which provides a power reserve of 48 hours while beating at a frequency of 21,600 vph. The calibre is fully visible via the display case back and the Côtes de Genève finish on the bridges along with the perlage are a real treat for the eyes. Only when wearing a Patek Philippe one understands why you merely take care of it for the next generation.
This exceptional timepiece is very easy to use and all it takes is for the wearer to push the button at 10 o'clock to tell the time across 24 different timezones. The hour and minute hands display the local time in the middle of the dial. Surrounding it are two rings, one with the names of 24 cities that stand for the 24 time zones, the other with a 24-hour ring featuring a darker part with a moon symbol for the nocturnal hours and a brighter one with a sun symbol for the daytime hours. Local time is the time in the zone represented by the city at the very top of the dial in the 12 o’clock position. The time in any other zone is displayed by the 24-hour ring opposite the name of the respective city. When traveling, the easiest way to tell time in the destination city is the push the button at 10 o'clock until the the city you are traveling to appears at the 12 o'clock position.
Fitted with an elegant matte alligator strap that is hand-stitched and equipped with a folding clasp, this watch is extremely comfortable and one that wears true to its size. Next time you are traveling around the world in 80 days and you look at this timepiece on your wrist, you'll understand even further why this heirloom will be passed down to your descendants.
Sticker Price $47,000 USD. For more info on Patek Philippe click here.
News: Pre SIHH 2014 Piaget Presents the Altiplano 38mm 900P. The World's Thinnest Mechanical Watch Merging Calibre and Case.
Neither entirely a movement nor exactly a case – or rather both at once: introducing the Altiplano 38mm 900P, the world’s thinnest mechanical watch. Merging the hand-wound calibre with the case elements, it is designed as a single entity in order to achieve record-breaking slenderness at just 3.65 mm thin. Representing a crowning achievement in over half a century of virtuoso skills displayed in the realm of ultra-thin watchmaking where Piaget reigns supreme, it conveys the excellence of the two integrated Manufactures run by the Maison. Places where the skills of the watchmakers, case constructors and designers converge in giving life to this masterpiece of reliability and precision.
2014 is a vintage year for Piaget! The Maison is celebrating its 140th anniversary and marks the occasion by launching a model that is set to defy the conventions of ultra-thin Fine Watchmaking for many years to come: the Altiplano 38 mm 900P. While clearly geared towards cutting-edge innovation, it is also a nod to history, since it gets the 900P part of its name from Calibre 9P, which was the first ultra-thin hand-wound movement made by Piaget in 1957. That particular mechanism measured just 2 mm thin and sealed Piaget’s destiny in the field of ultra-thin horology. By 1960, Piaget was ready to set a first record with its Calibre 12P, the world’s thinnest automatic movement at just 2.3 mm. The following years witnessed a spate of new slimness records in the fields of hand-wound and automatic models, with or without horological complications – like Calibre 600P, the world’s thinnest hand-wound shaped tourbillon movement; and 1208P, an automatic movement that was also the thinnest in its category, to mention just a couple of these feats. Constantly reaffirming its unconditional love of slim mechanisms, the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Piaget has produced no less than 23 ultra-thin calibres out of the 35 movements developed and produced in-house, of which 12 have set new records for thinness over the past few years and are now part of the collection.
While the Altiplano 38 mm 900P merges the case and movement to establish itself as the thinnest mechanical watch ever, it also stems from another fusion without which such a feat would have been impossible: that of the two Manufactures Piaget – one based in La Côte aux Fées, where the movements are traditionally made; and the other in Plan-les-Ouates, where the cases are crafted. These skills are now inextricably intermingled, since within the Altiplano 38mm 900P, the mechanism and the external components form a single indivisible entity. For a full three years, watchmakers, case constructors and designers worked together at each stage of development, production, adjustment and finishing in order to give life to this slender marvel. Each technical choice had an aesthetic impact, and vice versa. While each of the 145 parts composing the Altiplano 38 mm 900P has been trimmed to a size sometimes barely thicker than a hair’s breadth –including some wheels measuring a mere 0.12 mm thin compared with 0.20 mm on a classic movement– special care has been devoted to clearances. In other words, the process involved cleverly arranging the components to within the nearest hundredth of a millimetre so as to create optimal play between the fixed and mobile organs, while being careful to ensure that the later move freely and thus guarantee the smooth running of the mechanism.
Nonetheless, the true secret of this extreme slenderness lies in the structure of the case itself, of which the back also serves as the mainplate. Thereby merging calibre and case, the latter was machined directly from the case back in order to house the mechanical parts. This highly complex architecture meant reversing movement construction so as to fit the bridges on the dial side —an approach that also has an aesthetic effect by keeping them visible. To save another precious few millimetres, the entire mechanism and the hand-fitting system are contained within the thickness of the balance-wheel itself, thus entailing an off-centered display of the hours and minutes entirely in tune with the iconic design features of the Altiplano line. These characteristics are further enhanced by the entirely visible wheeltrain that invites the owner of the watch to plunge into the very heart of this supremely slender and technically sophisticated mechanism. Working within this extremely confined space, Piaget has devised a suspended barrel hanging from a single bridge on the dial side, contrary to classic barrels that are also fixed to the mainplate side. This highly unusual device is no way detrimental to the performance of the mechanism, since the Altiplano 38 mm 900P has a generous power reserve of around 48 hours.
When a watch is subjected to strong pressure, such as when immersed in water, its glass or crystal is slightly deformed. While this physical phenomenon goes relatively unnoticed on a classic timepiece, the same is certainly not true of an ultra-thin watch. Given the extremely confined space available, the glass would be liable to press on the hands when deformed, thus causing the movement to stop. To avoid this challenge to any ultra-thin model, Piaget has come up with a revolutionary device —patent pending— representing a major breakthrough in ensuring the reliability of this type of watch. Instead of fitting the hands above the bridges, Piaget has placed them underneath, thereby freeing up space between the cannon-pinion and the crystal. When the latter is deformed by the effects of pressure, it presses not on the hands – placed below the bridge level – but instead on the wheel-train bridge, thus avoiding any consequences on the rate of the movement. While for Piaget, the extreme slimming down of the parts in an ultra-thin watch must in no way compromise its reliability, the same goes for the level of finishing. The Altiplano 38 mm 900P is no
exception to the rule. Even though some of its 145 parts remain hidden from sight, all of them have been meticulously finished in keeping with the noblest horological traditions, through countless hours of patient work rendered even trickier by the extraordinary slenderness of the components. The mainplate carved out of the watch case-back has been satin-brushed and sandblasted, while the wheels are alternately sunburst or circular satin-brushed. Hollowed so as to reveal the subtle mechanical
intricacies at the heart of the Altiplano 38 mm 900P, the bevelled and satin-brushed sunburst bridges are black-coated to create elegant contrasts with the white gold case. The index-assembly bearing the Piaget “P” strikes a resounding signature note within this subtly orchestrated Fine Watchmaking symphony.
Sticker Price TBC. For more info on Piaget click here.
Technical Specifications
Piaget Altiplano 900P
Case Diameter: 38 mm. Thinnest ever mechanical in 18K white gold.
Calibre and case merge to form a seamless whole with a black-coated movement
Strap: Black alligator leather strap with 18K white gold pin buckle
Power reserve: approx. 48 hours
Frequency: 21,600 vph /3 Hz
Thickness: 3.65 mm (case + movement)
Number of jewels: 20
Number of components: 145 (case + movement)
News: Pre SIHH 2014 Jaeger-LeCoultre Unveils the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 Chocolate Dial. Absolute Elegance in a Pink Gold Case.
Over the years, the Reverso has appeared in a number of different guises and been enriched with various unusual sizes and new horological complications – all the while remaining loyal to the spirit of the watch with two faces. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of this timepiece that has become a cult object, Jaeger-LeCoultre chose to return to the very origins of a legend by presenting the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute to 1931, directly inspired by the aesthetic codes of the historical model. This creation, distinguished by an ultra-thin case, contemporary dimensions and remarkably faithfulness to the original, was enthusiastically received by devotees of the Reverso and by watch connoisseurs who expressed the wish that this vintage edition should not remain a one-off model. In response to their desires, the Manufacture already introduced the Grande Reverso Rouge with a deep red dial in 2012, followed the next year by the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface Blue. For 2014, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveils the third member of this splendid trilogy: the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 with a chocolate-toned dial.
The new model, entirely in keeping with its historical ascendance, vividly evokes the finest hours of Art Deco. Its shapes, its color and its materials are the ultimate expression of a movement that heralded the inception of industrial design while favoring hand craftsmanship executed to perfection. Entranced by this delightful color palette, the eye naturally lingers on the pleasing contrasts between the glowing chocolate shade of the watch face and the pink gold of the case, including the traditional gadroons framing the dial. This irresistible association is further underscored by the judicious reinterpretation of the aesthetic principles governing the original. Apart from the 12 o’clock numeral, the hours are shown by baton-shaped hour-markers, while the hour and minute hands feature a dagger-type profile. The small seconds at 6 o’clock perform a once a minute rotation on the dedicated rectangular subdial. This picture of pure, restrained refinement would not be complete without a mention of the “REVERSO” inscription exactly reproducing that appearing on the historical model. Everything might seem to have been said, and yet it is only now that the distinctive emotional ties uniting an owner and his Reverso can begin to be woven.
The usual chestnut brown alligator leather strap with pink gold pin buckle is just one of the options proposed by the Grande Maison in the Vallée de Joux for securing the Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 to the wrist. Polo players, who have been wild about the Reverso for over 80 years, are no less demanding when it comes to choosing the pair of boots they will wear to compete in various prestigious tournaments. They show no hesitation in confidently striding through the doors of Casa Fagliano, established since 1892 in the worldwide polo capital, Buenos Aires. For well over a century, the Fagliano family has been dedicated to a single craft of which it masters all the mysteries and intricacies: fine leather work. The descendants of the company founder continue to share the many duties involved in an authentic family-style division of labor. Their creations are keenly sought-after by the best polo players who simply could not imagine playing a match without their favorite boots. For the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, Casa Fagliano has agreed to produce hand-crafted straps in successive stages following the strict principles of time-honored tradition in working with cordovan leather, which is renowned for its exceptional resistance. Delivered along with each watch, the strap made in the Casa Fagliano workshops is distinguished by its elegant suppleness and hand-made mode of production that makes it truly one of a kind. The Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre is proud of this partnership that further strengthens the ties between polo and the Reverso. Over eight decades since its birth, aesthetes will be more delighted than ever to welcome the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931, which combines passion and prodigious expertise with the legendary quality characterizing all timepieces bearing the Jaeger-LeCoultre signature.
For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here.
Technical Specifications
Grande Reverso Ultra Thin 1931 Chocolate Dial ref. Q2782560.
Movement: Mechanical manually-wound movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 822/2, crafted, assembled and decorated by hand. 21,600 vph, 19 jewels, thickness of 2.95 mm, 45-hour power reserve.
Dial: Chocolate dial with powdered numerals and hour-markers.
Hands: Baton-type, faceted, gold plated
Case: 18-carat pink gold with a height of 46.8 mm, a width of 27.4 mm and a thickness of 7.3 mm with a polished finish.
Water-resistant: 3 bars/30 meters.
Straps and buckle: Matte brown alligator leather 20/18 and 2nd strap in cordovan leather, crafted by “Casa Fagliano” of Buenos Aires fitted with a pin buckle in 18 carat pink gold.
Insider: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hometime Aston Martin. A Very Nice and Understated Dual Time Complication.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hometime Aston Martin ref. 162847N is perhaps one of the most elegant and understated dual time complications out there. With its Aston Martin-inspired design, this watch features a slim satin-brushed finished stainless steel case measuring 40 mm in diameter that wears relatively smaller on the wrist. The watch is very nice and quite useful for those traveling frequently between timezones.
The Master Hometime Aston Martin features a black sunray-brushed dial that appears more glossy than sunray due to its domed sapphire crystal and the reflections created by light. The dial is perfectly balanced featuring a nice symmetry between the 24-hour indicator at 12 and the running seconds at 6 o’clock that is divided in quarters and which features an overlapping date aperture. The two time zones are easy to read as the reference time is being indicated by a skeletonized hand with a red tip that provides unparalleled contrast. As it is common with Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces, this watch features classic and elegant dauphine hands with a small touch of luminescent material. The registers on the dial are recessed and nicely texturized with a guilloché finish as you will be able to appreciate in the pictures.
The beating heart inside this beauty is the automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 975H composed of 230 parts, 29 jewels and which provides a power reserve of 48 hours when fully wound. The calibre is very nicely decorated and fully visible via the display case back. One advantage of this watch over other dual time zone watches, is that the 24-hour hand is not the one that moves independently but the home time, allowing for easy adjustment when traveling between time zones. If you keep your hour hand and the 24-hour hand synchronized, every time you travel it will be easy to adjust your time to the new time zone and always keeping track of the hometime with the 24-hour red tip hand. If you are not traveling you could always synchronize the 24-hour hand to the second time zone you want to keep as a reference without the need of a bezel.
This watch is fitted with a nice grayish blueish matte alligator strap with double folding clasp. Opposed to other JLC watches we have reviewed, the length on this strap is perfect. The strap has a very unique and nice color but is somewhat stiff. We are confident that after a week-long break-in period, the strap will perfectly mold to your wrist.
As mentioned earlier, this watch wears slightly smaller on the wrist but quite comfortable. The biggest down side to this watch, is that the dial along with the untreated sapphire crystal create unwanted reflections that make reading time somewhat hard. Regardless, we feel that this watch is very nicely done and an extremely great value for your money.
Sticker Price $9,000 USD. For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here.
Experience: Spain's Winebota. The Perfect and Most Stylish Way to Carry Wine.
If you have been to Spain or grew up in a Latin American country, you already know what we are talking about and we are bringing back to life some very fond memories while drinking wine or partying around. A winebota is a leather pouch commonly used in Spain to carry wine and other beverages. The winebota was created centuries ago as an alternative to breakable containers and as a more convenient way to carry wine around. These leather pouches are either lined with latex or with a tree resin —named pez in Spanish and only suitable for wine— to prevent liquid from seeping through. The latex lined winebotas are always the best option as you can carry all sorts of beverages and they are maintenance free. Another great think about them is that you can fit a whole liter of wine in them —a bottle of wine is 750ml.
Now, if you decide to get one of these winebotas to take with you on your next skiing trip to the Swiss Alps or on a hunting trip to the heart of the Appalachian mountains, make sure you drink from it the right way. Once you remove the top cap shaped like a bell from the double endpiece, you need to lift the winebota and stretch your arms as far as possible to then squeeze the wine out and create a long stream shot just like Spaniards do when running with the bulls in Pamplona. These winebotas come in a variety of cool designs, colors and types of leather. The one pictured here is from their Iconography line featuring a wild boar.
Sticker Price $80 USD. For more info on Winebotas click here.
Experience: Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Along with a Perfect Matching Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Scuba Blue Boutique Edition.
Our close friend and watchlifestyler Riley was taking his Aston Martin V8 Vantage for a ride when he realized that the blue flange on his Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Scuba Blue Boutique Edition ref. 15701ST.OO.D002CA.02 was an exact match to the color of his fancy automobile. Therefore, he decided to snap a few shots for us. Just like the Royal Oak Offshore continues to go through constant engineering and advancement, the Aston Martin Vantage has gone through 10 years of upgrades and engineering to be the high-performance iconic sports car it is today.
Combining an instantly recognizable design with exceptional technology, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage embodies all that is great about Aston Martin, just like the Scuba on the hood. Powered by a lightweight and compact 4.7 liter engine, the V8 Vantage outputs 420 hp and gets you from 0-60mph in just 4.9 seconds. Not bad for such a large automobile.
Opposed to what most people think, the interior of the V8 Vantage is very cozy and comfortable, not necessary what you expect from supercars or sportscars like this. The finest materials are used to create a driver and passenger environment of exquisite finesse, all created by expert craftsman. With hundreds of unique color and finish combinations available and a range of personalized options the V8 Vantage can be purchased exactly how you want it.
History, exclusivity, refinement and sportiness are the words that come to mind when getting into one of these cars for a ride. Interestingly enough, these are the same four words that come to mind when strapping an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Scuba Blue Boutique Edition to the wrist. For those of you wondering, the Scuba is quite rare as only 300 pieces of the blue edition were ever made. While the Aston Martin V8 Vantage is definitely not as rare, it is an automobile that you don't see as often on the streets.
These last shots will make you feel like you are on the wheel wearing the Scuba and taking those tight corners as fast as you can. If you can still find an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Scuba Blue Boutique Edition get it, just make sure you add an Aston Martin like this to match the blue flange on your timepiece —at the end of the day we watchlifestylers like to do crazy things like that when it comes to getting matching stuff to go with our watches and not the other way around.
For more info on Aston Martin click here and on Audemars Piguet here.
Rare Bird: Pre-Vendome Panerai Luminor Marina ref. 5218-203/A Serial Number 0002. A Full Set Up for Auction and a Paneristi Dream Come True. (Update with Hammer Price)
Today, we stopped by Chicago's leading auction house Leslie Hindman Auctioneers and found several amazing timepieces going for sale during their Fine Timepieces Auction Sale 280 taking place this next Monday December 9th at 5:30pm CST. Among the rarities and special timepieces to be auctioned, we came across Lot 51, an amazing mint Pre-Vendome Panerai Luminor Marina ref. 5218-203/A in a full set accompanied by its outer blue box, wooden box, Panerai booklet with certificate dated November 9th, 1994, service documentation affixed to the booklet, additional brand new and unused Panerai Pre-Vendome strap, Panerai screwdriver and even a set of four new screws for those that tend to mar their screws when changing straps.
This amazing watch is fitted with a titanium nitrate treated stainless steel case measuring 44 mm in diameter, a matte black dial with small seconds at 9 o'clock and fitted with the manual wound Unitas calibre UT6497. Only 200 pieces were ever made of this timepiece and we consider this watch to be even more special because of its extremely low serial number 0002. This is what we call "a true Panerai collector's dream come true". Our educated guess, is that this watch will be selling on Monday around the low of the estimate which is set at $35,000-55,000 USD. Update: The watch fetched a hammer price of $30,000 USD yesterday evening.
We will know let the rest of our pictures, do the talking. Please do not use this images or our content as your buying guide or condition report for this watch, as only Leslie Hindman Auctioneers can provide you with such information.
For more info on Leslie Hindman Auctioneers click here.
Insider: Micah Dirksen Vintager Mauser Straps. A True Outfitter to the Paneristi Community.
Few leather straps come with so much history, love and passion for watches as the Vintager Straps handmade by Micah Dirksen. Micah is a very well known name in the Paneristi community. Who knows how many Panerais out there are fitted with his straps, but one thing we know, is that when you order one of his straps you fully understand why his reputation is so impeccable.
Micah started collecting Swatch watches when he was a teenager and at that time he was also very fascinated by Rolex; however, money wasn't there to buy one. When finances allowed, he purchased his first Rolex to coincide with the birth year of his son and after many years collecting Rolexes, he found out that Panerai and Rolex had an intertwined history and became quite interested in them. Ironically, he was a "bracelet only" kind of guy, today, he outfits most Paneristi with his straps.
Micah's vintage Mauser straps are made out of vintage —from the 1900s thru the 1950s but mainly from the 1940s— Mauser ammo pouches from Switzerland and the former Czech Republic. The rugged and vintage nature of these straps is present all the way from their look to the musky smell of their leather. All straps are hand cut, hand stitched and marked by Micah out of his workshop in Napa Valley. To make a Mauser vintage strap, he uses one whole Mauser ammo pouch. As he says: "one pouch, one strap".
Many straps out there are made by guys that make these as a hobby and others just put their names on them after having someone make them on their behalf. What makes these straps even more unique —other than the interesting provenance of the leather— is that Micah is a full-time custom strap maker; therefore, every order is personal, from the first email a customer receives to the postage label that was placed with Micah's hands. All straps are custom made to order and you can choose everything from the the Mauser pouch to be used for your strap to the length, the width, type of buckle, strap perforations and even the stitching. You could also just choose no buckle and use your own OEM buckle just like we did.
If you are looking to add a true vintage look to your PAM 388 Radiomir Black Seal 3-Day Automatic or to any other Panerai with strong historical influence, make sure you get one of these Vintager Straps from Micah. As you can see, the watch obtained more character and the fit of the strap is just perfect. On the wrist, the strap feels solid, comfortable and the desired vintage look is unparalleled. For those of you that want to darken your strap since day one, Micah will send you a small can of Dr. J's paste to get the patina and greasy look going.
Now, since we know that many of you are already wondering why Micah chose an octopus as his logo, here's the answer: because he felt that the octopus clearly represents what the original Panerai watches were all about, a rugged durable diver's watch.
Sticker Price Starting at $210 USD. For more info on Micah Vintager Straps click here.
News: Pre SIHH 2014 A. Lange & Söhne Unveils the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase. More Than 300 Laser-Cut Stars on its Moon Phase Disc.
Pre SIHH 2014, A. Lange & Söhne unveils the new Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase that gives the exactly calculated to 122.6 years moon phase display a shiny appearance on the dial. A patented method of coating the moon's disk gives this astronomical complication a highly detailed appearance. The moon is a fascinating celestial body. It determines not only the tides, but also affects the rhythm of life of many creatures and plants. A moon phase display is therefore highly appreciated by many watch lovers.
Since its relaunch, the Saxon manufacture has presented twelve models with such a complication. However, never before the moon phase display has been so prominent as it is in the new Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase. The popular astronomical display received a large stage on the dial. You can now clearly see how the moon phase display follows the actual phases of the moon in a remarkably realistic manner because it is linked to the continuum of the hour. Thus, it is — just like the moon itself— always on the move and in such small steps that you cannot detect this movement with the naked eye.
In addition, the moon phase indicator represents the time from new moon to new moon with an accuracy of 99.9978 percent. 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 3 seconds , the average synod lunar months. For simplicity, the cycle is therefore rounded in most classical moon phase displays to 29.5 days. This leads per cycle to a deviation of 44 minutes and 3 seconds, which adds up after two and a half years to one day. The much more accurately calculated seven-gear on the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase reduces the deviation per lunar cycle to less than a minute. Once set up properly, you would have to correct the display by one day after 122.6 years. With a corrector pushpiece between 7 and 8 o'clock on the case band, the display can be adjusted. The solid gold moon disc testifies the perfection claim of the Lange product developers. The result of extensive research and development work is a patented coating process that through an unparalleled color brilliance and sharpness of all the details meets the highest aesthetic standards. Due to interference effects —the superposition of reflections— all non-blue color components of the incoming daylight are absorbed. So is in the eye of the beholder an intensely blue color impression. The more than 300 stars of different size are cut so sharply drawn with a laser that they act like a miniaturized representation of the Milky Way .
With the combination of decentralized dial design, large date and technically advanced caliber, the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase bears all the marks of the most famous family of watches from A. Lange & Söhne. The calibre with an impressive power reserve of 72 hours is only 4.7 mm thick thanks to the use of only one barrel. The case, available in yellow gold, rose gold or platinum has a diameter of 41.0 mm. With a balance spring developed and manufactured in-house, a three-quarter plate made of untreated German silver and intricately hand decorated parts, the Lange calibre L095.3 features all the classic elements of the timepieces from this manufacture.
For more info on A. Lange & Söhne click here.
Insider: Jaquet Droz Urban London Grande Seconde SW Titanium and Red Gold. Just Because We Love Two-Tone Watches.
We really consider ourselves some of the few that still love two-tone watches just as if we were living in the late 70s or the early 80s. The Jaquet Droz Urban London Grande Seconde SW in Titanium and Red Gold ref. J029037440 is a very modern interpretation of the now less common two-tone watches. Fitted with a raw carbon dial, a satin-brushed finished titanium middle case with teethed bezel —measuring 45 mm in diameter— and satin-brushed finished 18K red gold claws and horns, this watch is not only ultra cool but also very sporty looking. This is the type of timepiece that you typically wouldn't expect when hearing the Jaquet Droz name. The Urban London collection pays homage to Pierre Jaquet-Droz's second watchmaking workshop opened in London in 1774. By opening a workshop outside of Switzerland, not only Pierre Jaquet-Droz provided a striking demonstration of his audacity but also of his vision.
This watch is fitted with a raw carbon dial with figure eight configuration featuring off-centered hours/minutes with white Roman numerals —the 7, 6 and 5 are Arabic numerals— on the top part and big seconds indicator on the bottom. The dial is fitted with 18K red gold applied ring plates with rhodium treatment. The 18K skeletonized hour/minute red gold hands feature superluminova on the tips and the seconds hand is almost fully coated with the luminescent material. The dial is really nice and the applied rings provide the perfect amount of contrast.
The screw-down crown is rubberized and features the two traditional Jaquet Droz stars. The crown is very solid and easy to use. The black rubber on the crown accentuates the red gold claws and horns and the titanium case making this timepiece extremely sporty and somewhat rugged —two words that hardly come to mind when talking about this manufacture.
The beating heart powering this sporty timepiece is the automatic Jaquet Droz calibre 2663A-S with ruthenium treatment, double barrel, 18K white gold oscillating weight and 30 jewels. This beautifully decorated calibre beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph providing a power reserve of almost three full days —68 hours. The calibre can be fully appreciated via the sapphire crystal display case back.
To round out the sporty look of this Jaquet Droz and in order to take advantage of its water resistance —50 meters— by taking it on a swim without feeling guilty for getting a nice alligator strap wet, the watch is fitted with a very nice black rubber strap with deployant buckle with apparent pin buckle look. The buckle features titanium and red gold and is fitted with a flip-lock mechanism to ease the adjustment of the strap length. The sharp angles on the buckle are very nicely finished and the perfect finishing touch to this sporty watch.
On the wrist, the watch wears true to its size and very comfortably. The weight of the watch can be felt on the wrist unlike most Jaquet Droz watches. The watch is somewhat thick and hard to fit under the cuff of a shirt but with great wrist presence. If you are ready to think about Jaquet Droz in a different way, perhaps is time for you to give this sporty JD a try. The only downside to this watch is the lack of a date function. This watch is also available in full red gold, stainless steel with black ceramic, stainless steel with black rubber, full stainless steel, titanium with black rubber and also in a chronograph version.
For those of you that don't fancy the two-tone look, here's a wrist shot of the full stainless steel one and a group shot of three of the available models.
Sticker Price $19,800 USD. For more info on Jaquet Droz click here.
Experience: H. Upmann Edición Limitada 2009. A Perfect Habano for the Winter Just Like This Girard-Perregaux on the Wrist.
Some people say that cigars are a summer treat and not meant for the cold months, we think that cigars can be enjoyed year round, especially when it comes to perfectly rolled Habanos rich in history and paired with a good whiskey or a nicely aged port.
Just like the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 XXL Large Date Moon-phases, the H. Upmann cigars are full of history. H. Upmann cigars take their name from the German banker named Herman Upmann who loved Cuban cigars so much that decided to move to Havana in 1844 to work as a banker and also became a cigar maker. His bank closed in the early 1920s but his cigars live on as a fine example of an elegant light to medium-flavoured Habano.
This exceptional cigar brand is only made with leaves from the renowned region of 'Vuelta Abajo'. The H. Upmann Edición Limitada 2009 is a limited edition 'vitola' slightly shorter than the H. Upmann Connoisseur No. 1. While the Connoisseur measures 5" long with a 48 ring gauge, the Edición Limitada 2009 is shorter measuring 4.25" in length with the same 48 ring gauge. This delicious cigar presents notes of leather, caramel and some pepper. Exceptionally rich but medium flavored. The flavor profile stays even for the whole cigar. Around thirty minutes of burning time in a perfectly rolled cigar with perfect draw and extremely even burn.
If you consider yourself a real cigar aficionado and watchlifestyler, this is a cigar that you need to try at least once in your lifetime.
Macros: Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Regatta. Enough Yellow to Make it Stand Out.
The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Regatta ref. 212.30.44.50.01.002 comes with enough yellow accents to make it stand out in a nice way. Fitted with a stainless steel case measuring 44m in diameter, this Seamaster features a co-axial chronograph with regatta countdown indicator. The matte black dial features a yellow five-minute countdown tracker on the 30-minute chrono-register at 3, a 12-hour chrono-register with date aperture at 6 and a small running seconds register at 9 o'clock. The matte black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel looks more graphite grey than black and the watch case band is equipped with a helium-escape valve and an integrated date corrector at 10 o'clock. The beating heart inside this robust watch is the automatic Omega Co-Axial calibre 3330 with column-wheel chronograph and free sprung-balance equipped with Si14 silicon balance spring. This calibre provides a power reserve of approximately 52 hours when fully wound. If you want a watch that is precise and solid at timekeeping and you happen to participate in Regattas, then this is the perfect watch for you.
Sticker Price $6,000 USD. For more info on Omega click here.
Insider: Richard Mille RM030 Americas Limited Edition. Another Superb Creation by This Manufacture in a 30-Piece Limited Edition with Declutchable Rotor.
On August 2, 2013, we published the news about the launch of the Richard Mille RM030 Americas Limited Edition. Today, we bring you a hands-on review with live pictures of this amazing watch fitted with a declutchable rotor.
Following the success of the RM011, RM016, and RM028 limited editions created exclusively for sale in the Americas, Richard Mille created the RM030 Americas Limited Edition. The RM030 Americas Limited Edition is very different from all the other models due to its bright orange flange and its case measuring 50 mm x 42.70 mm x 13.95 mm made of carbon nanotubes —like those used on the RM27-01 or the RM052-01.
The watch features a beautiful sapphire dial with white Arabic numerals, a power reserve indicator at 9, a vertical date aperture at 7, and an On/Off Rewinding indicator at 12 o'clock right above the central pinion. As you can appreciate in these pictures —taken under natural light—, the orange accents are brighter than what the stock images depict and way more appealing.
The beating heart inside the RM030 Americas Limited Edition is the new calibre RMAR1, which features a rotor that declutches automatically and that provides a power reserve of 55 hours while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph. When the power reserve reaches 50 hours, the rotor is declutched automatically thanks to a specially developed gear system. As a result, the rotor is disengaged from winding the barrel. Conversely, when the power reserve decreases to 40 hours, the rotor is automatically clutched and the watch starts the winding phase until the indicator reaches 50 hours. It is possible to check these phases thanks to the rewinding indicator located at 12 o’clock that points to the 'On' position when the rotor is operating in winding phase and 'Off' when it is disengaged.
The calibre fully visible via the display case back, features an orange insert on its rotor that along with the flange and crown also in orange, creates an exceptional palette of colors and the ideal contrasting touches.
The RM030 Americas is a limited edition of 30 pieces, available exclusively at Richard Mille boutiques and authorized Richard Mille retailers throughout North and South America. The watch is fitted with a very comfortable perforated rubber strap with double folding deployant clasp.
We don't want to sound like a broken record, but just like all the other Richard Mille watches we have reviewed, the RM030 Americas Limited Edition also feels great on the wrist. This is another exceptional creation from this manufacture that one needs to experience in person in order to fully understand the amount of work that goes into designing and crafting these watches. Well worth every single penny of its price.
Sticker Price $135,000 USD. For more info on Richard Mille click here.
Insider: Girard-Perregaux Sea Hawk 'Mission of Mermaids' Special Edition. A Rugged and Robust Timepiece for True Divers.
This special edition Girard-Perregaux Sea Hawk 'Mission of Mermaids' —MOM— ref. 49960-19-1305SFK6A was presented last September during a special event with the Rockefeller's at Cipriani in New York City. Designed in collaboration with Susan Rockefeller and named 'Mission of Mermaids' after Mrs. Rockefeller's most recent documentary —presented at Baselworld 2013—, the Sea Hawk ‘MOM’ is not a limited edition watch but a special edition one.
This rugged and robust diver's timepiece features green accents and a beautifully engraved case back. The 'Mission of Mermaids' just like the other stainless steel Sea Hawk watches, is fitted with a very robust case measuring 44mm in diameter and featuring an off-centered crown at 4 o'clock and date aperture between 1 and 2 o'clock.
The 'MOM' features a beautiful semi-gloss black honeycomb texturized dial with a recessed small seconds register with a small white mermaid at 10, applied power reserve indicator at 6 and sunken date aperture between 1 and 2 o'clock. The dial features raised round applied markers with luminous material, lime green minute track flange and slightly darker green hands for the minutes, seconds and power reserve. All hands with the exception of the seconds hand are treated with luminous material that is very bright in the dark. While most stock images depict this watch as having dark green accents, it is important to clarify that our pictures ware taken under natural light and accurately depict the real hue of green on the watch. While the dial offers unparalleled readability, we feel that the date is somewhat hard to to see.
This rugged and robust diver's watch is fitted with an uni-directional rotating bezel in stainless with rubber inlay and luminous dot at 12 o'clock. The bezel is easy to grip and rotate with or without gloves. The bezel setup sits on top of a black rubber octagonal base where it meets the case. This watch looks and feels exactly like a 'real' diver's watch should. It is so rugged, that once you put it on your wrist, you just feel eager to take it on a dive at the Great Barrier Reef. Gentleman, this is one amazing diving watch designed for its real purpose, with a depth rating of 1000m/3300ft and a helium-release valve at 9 o'clock on the case band.
The Sea Hawk Mission of Mermaids just like the other Sea Hawk watches, is fitted with a very comfortable rubber strap with deployant buckle. The strap is marked with Girard-Perregaux on the sides and the inside features an over-sized honeycomb texture. The strap length is very easy to adjust as necessary.
The 'Mission of Mermaids' is fitted with a solid case back carefully engraved with a green lacquered mermaid and the MOM motto: "Protect What is Precious". The MOM 15-minute documentary is a poetic ode to the sea, as well as a plea for its protection. In 2013, Susan and David Rockefeller established the 'Protect What is Precious' initiative to make the world a more loving, peaceful and healthy place by protecting family, art and nature. The 'Mission of Mermaids' will inspire people to reflect on the importance of preserving our environment and part of the proceeds from the sales of this watch will go to the Rockefeller's initiative. Protected by the case back the beating heart inside this watch is the automatic calibre GP03300-0074 with 27 jewels and which provides a power reserve of 46 hours while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph.
To round out the look of this watch, Girard-Perregaux fitted the Sea Hawk line with an extremely thick domed sapphire crystal —unfortunately not treated with anti-reflective coating— and a very robust easy to use rubberized crown at 4 o'clock that is well protected by very thick angled crown guards.
On the wrist, this watch wears true to its size and quite comfortably considering its top heavy weight of approximately 188 grams —almost 20 grams heavier than the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver on rubber strap. The wrist presence is unparalleled and anyone wearing this watch will immediately be recognized as a diver even if he's not. At the bottom of this post you will find the trailer for the 'Mission of Mermaids' documentary.
Sticker Price $13,800 USD. For more info on Girard-Perregaux click here and for the 'Mission of Mermaids' initiative here.
