Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2016 i CROWN

Ong Weisheng Stylist Formerly an in-house stylist for a high-society magazine, Weisheng brings eight years of experience to his freelance work. Fond of constructing mini sets for his shoots, Weisheng believes in tailoring his style to suit the subject matter; an approach evident in his evocative watch and jewellery spreads. Brian Jones Writer A freelance writer and editor who was born in the outskirts of Washington, D.C. and is currently based in the outskirts of Seoul. Along with writing on all things horological, he’s been known to pen pieces on men’s fashion, sports and popular culture. When he’s not writing, he can be found traveling the continent, fumbling in his attempts to speak the local tongues. Charmian Leong Writer After seven years of full-time employment, four of them spent writing…

Another auction, another piece of the puzzle that is Abraham-Louis Breguet’s sprawling legacy continues to emerge. Last December, the Breguet Museum picked up two important vintage timepieces and several letters at three auctions that offer even more insights into the legendary watchmaker’s genius. There is the Breguet No.3104 pocket watch, a rare minute repeater and jumping hour complication, which boasts several ingenious mechanisms such as an inverted cylinder escapement and piston-activated gongs for the chiming feature. Sold in 1818 to a Spanish royal, the watch only recently resurfaced after 140 years. The other timepiece of note is the No.4720. First marketed in 1799, it is a ‘tact watch’ invented by Breguet to allow the user to tell the time by touch alone. This model features a regulator dial, with a…

“Aye!” says Alvin Wong I know, it feels a tad patronising for a guy to come out swinging in defense of women collectors, but it doesn’t take gender bias to see the obvious: the still-stubbornly patriarchal watch industry are OFFERING CRUMBS WHEN THEY COULD BE SERVING FEASTS for women watch lovers. MANY WATCH BRANDS CLAIM TO BE OFFENDED ON BEHALF OF WOMEN. They accuse other brands of dressing up masculine complications in precious stones and metals, and passing them off as women’s watches. Trouble is, 90 per cent of the lot are guilty of the same crime. Not convinced? Have a quick scan of what’s on offer. (A good resource would be our ‘Selections’ selection at the back of this magazine.) HOW MANY TRULY INVENTIVE, AUTHENTICALLY FEMININE HIGH-MECH INNOVATIONS DO…

It is easy to hate on Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak collection. An undisputed heavyweight of luxury sports watches, the Royal Oak has, in the decades since its introduction in 1972, become so ubiquitous, that its critics argue that it has now become too big and too popular. Whether or not Audemars Piguet agrees with its detractors, its new Royal Oaks roll-outs for 2016 exude a sense of freshness and renewal that will ensure the collection's continued popularity. Two creations stand out - the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked, and the Royal Oak Concept Supersonic. As its name suggests, the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked is driven by an automatic movement that features two balance wheels in its escapement, set atop each other and centered on a single pinion.…

Fresh from snaring the top award at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) 2015, billed as the Oscars of the watch trade, Greubel Forsey gets right back into the thick of things with more technically astute timepieces for serious, seasoned collectors. The Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision, which won the Aiguille d'Or Grand Prix (Golden Hand Prize) at the GPHG, is remarkable for several things, most notably for being one of Grebuel Forsey's most pared-down creations. Whether intended or not, the star model for 2016, the Signature One, exudes similar understated appeal, brimming with details upon close inspection. Features-wise, the Signature One is the most basic watch that Greubel Forsey has ever made. But we use the term 'basic' loosely here. While it is a 'simple' manually wound three-hand watch,…

Has Montblanc, one of the world's foremost purveyors of high-end writing instruments, finally done enough to establish itself as a bona fide creator of luxury timepieces? After all, the brand, which celebrates its 110th anniversary this year, boasts a reasonably consistent track record of well-made timepieces, despite making its foray into the watchmaking business only back in 1997. Judging from this year's releases, one can reasonably argue that Montblanc is no longer a Johnny-come-lately. Rather, the marque now appears confident in its own skin in the watchmaking arena, straddling both the entry-level and high-end horological segments with ease, just as it does with writing instruments and leather goods. Among brand CEO Jerome Lambert's strategies has been to grow Montblanc's customer base through "aggressively priced" products. We first got a sense…

Just when we though that Piaget was going to regale us with yet another record-breaking, ultrathin-something, the 142-year-old marque tosses the script out the window and unveils a mechanical-and-quartz hybrid timepiece that left us wondering if it has gone off the rails. Well of course it hasn't. The folks at Piaget explain that the said watch - the Emperador Coussin XL 700P - represents the start of a "bold new adventure" into high-end watchmaking, one that the brand is careful to stress, took root almost 40 years ago with the introduction of its first ultra-thin in-house quartz movement. To put the confounding creation in context, it was also back in the late 1970s, that the advent of cheaper and more affordable quartz movements that almost wiped out entire the Swiss…

How does a 261-year-old watch brand do 'casual luxe'? If Vacheron Constantin's Overseas collection is anything to go by, the answer would be: with plenty of sophistication. The re-introduction of this dynamic, sports-inspired collection is a refreshing turn of pace, too. With celebratory moods still lingering from its 260th anniversary blow-out last year, dominated by the launch of the world's most complicated timepiece in the Reference 57260, as well as highly ornate creations, the Overseas collection is a timely reminder that Vacheron Constantin, too, can dress down with aplomb. A spokesperson described the collection as one that exudes "distinctive casual elegance", and she is not far off the mark. The Overseas has its roots {in spirit, at least) in the 222 watch from 1977; the latter's bold, facetted case shape…

As with all great legacies, this one inspires its own Confucian maxim. "Study the past if you want to define the future," the great sage once advised. Cliched but true. To understand the seemingly infallible legacy, and consequently insatiable appetite, for Rolex's sports models - the Daytonas, the Submariners, the Explorers, Yachmasters and GMT-Masters - one needs to understand the very beginnings of the brand itself. When Hans Wilsdorf established Rolex in 1905, he did so with a single goal: to produce the most reliable wristwatches to ever grace this planet. To achieve this, he identified three horological objectives that must be met - optimum timing precision; resistance to the elements such as water and dust; and robustness with emphasis on shock resistance, and minimising wear and tear. Since the…

For all the care and carats that go into luxury timepieces, you would think most luxury brands have had their wares paraded on royal wrists at some point in history. Well, probably. But even the blue-blooded have their favourites, and few brands have been so closely associated with the royals as Breguet. Since it will take more than a few pages to extensively cover all their noteworthy patrons {but most memorable ones include Queen Marie-Antoinette, Louis XVI and the Bonapartes), today we will focus on Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, and the iconic ladies' collection she inspired. Murat is generally best known for being the Queen of Naples in the early 1800s, as well as the younger sister of Napoleon Bonaparte. But in these parts, she's more clearly remembered for…

"You cannot teach creativity. One can learn how to make stuff, but one cannot learn to have ideas," opines Caroline Scheufele. "It is an impulse that has to come from within. There's no school for inspirational thought; either you have a creative mind or you don't." A self-professed artistic spirit, Scheufele knew from a very early age that Chopard, a watch and jewellery empire owned by her family, would be the perfect place to exercise her creativity. At 16, while still in school, she designed the Happy Diamonds Clown pendant, which quickly became an icon for Chopard. She was hooked right away. "The Happy Diamond Clown, which was made into a pendant, was supposed to be a personal gift from my father. But our clients really loved it when they…

"OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO PROVE WHAT YOU CAN ASA WOMAN AND TO WORK HARDER." Gender categorization aside, Nayla Hayek is one of the most powerful people in the watch business. The eldest child of the late Beirut-born entrepreneur Nicolas Hayek, who built and founded the Swatch Group into one of the largest conglomerates in Swiss watchmaking, Nayla joined the board of directors in 1995 and was made chairwoman of a US$8billion business after the passing of her father. In 2013, Hayek took on the additional role of CEO for Harry Winston, after it was acquired by the Swatch Group the same year. It is a portfolio that will thrust her further into the limelight as she seeks to elevate the brand profile beyond its already legendary stature. Raising its…

There may be a tinge of bias when Dr. Renato A. Vanotti describes Vulcain as a “horological treasure trove”. After all, the stately gent is the proud owner of the 158-year-old brand, which his company Excellence Holdings acquired in 2009. But there is also some truth in Vanotti’s proclamation. For watch lovers who bother dig deeper, Vulcain springs a few neat surprises that offer great alternatives to its famed Cricket Alarm watches. For those who don’t know, the Cricket Alarm movement, which debuted in the late 1940s, is synonymous Vulcain. There is truly no other like it, the alarm function that mimics the shrill cry of the namesake insect that is purportedly loud enough to be heard underwater. The other collection that Vulcain is known for is the 1950s Presidents,…

BREITLING B55 With the slew of smartwatches we've been inundated with lately, Breitling jumps into the fray with a smartwatch that's quite unlike one. It doesn't assault you with a barrage of message alerts or tell you if you've been exercising enough. Instead, the B55 focuses on being a pilot's tool by exploiting its connectivity (via Bluetooth) to a smartphone. Using its proprietary app, the watch's functions - chronograph, countdown timer, second time zone, alarms, etc. - can be easily adjusted and uploaded onto the phone to be shared for future reference. Equipped with a rechargeable SuperOuartz movement, it comes in with carbon-coated titanium case. BREMONT Boeing Model 1 Ti-GMT Bremont strengthens its association with Boeing with the Model 1 Ti-GMT. Truly a collaborative effort, the brand worked with the…

Nothing embarrasses me more than being called a “watch expert”. No, really. The late Nicolas Hayek, founder of the Swatch Group; the late Gerald Genta, designer of iconic timepieces like the Royal Oak; living watchmaking legends like Philippe Dufour, Stephen Forsey, Eric Klein, Tino Bobe and Carole Forestier. These are watch experts; people who have devoted their entire lives to building the industry and perfecting the craft. Me? I am a magazine editor who has written about watches long and often enough to form an opinion. I might venture a prediction, or persuade you with a recommendation. But an expert? Well, he’s someone out there, a person that this magazine speaks to, so that we can all know where horology’s brightest minds are at. And the best thing about these…

Loving watches is one thing. But working in the industry? I wasn’t so sure at first. It can be hard to reconcile the passion and economic considerations of working in the watch industry. Eventually, it made sense for me. I worked in various industries including finance and pharmaceuticals. I analysed the trends and saw that the luxury segment continues to have huge potential. Plus, I really do love watches and especially appreciate Chronoswiss, so I decided to come into it. There is never a right time to come into business. If the industry is doing too well, then it would’ve been too expensive. If it were the opposite, everyone is too cautious. What is important is to look at the long term prospects, instead of trying to make short term…

It was almost a decade ago that the term 'new normal' was used to describe increasingly atypical financial conditions in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. Clearly, it remains a paradigm that still takes getting used to for the luxury watch trade. This time last year, the Swiss watch industry was greeted by the ominous news that Swiss National Bank (SNB) was removing the currency exchange cap it had placed against the struggling euro. The announcement caused the Swiss franc to spike sharply, wiping off potential earnings for the export-reliant Swiss watch trade at the drop of a hat. This year, just days before the start of SIHH, the Richemont Group, whose stable of brands make up the majority of the fair's exhibitors, reported further dips in earnings…

One can always count on Baume & Mercier to offer some sense of perspective in the top-dollar world luxury watchmaking. Unabashedly flagged as 'accessible luxury', its watches do not offer earth-shattering technical revelations or bejewelled extravaganzas. Instead, the watch lover is treated to sensibly priced and well-designed timepieces that offer more gravitas that their modest price tags suggests. This year, Baume & Mericer again delivers more value-for-money creations for price-conscious consumers, as it expands on the theme of 'Celebrating Moments' with three distinct collections that are mood and style appropriate. Those looking for an elegant dress watch can suss out the Clifton Chronograph Complete Calendar, available from 4,300 Swiss francs. This watch occupies the technical end of the collection's spectrum, featuring the two complications as its name describes. Here, a…

Whoever came up with IWC Schuffausen's 'Engineered For Men' tagline must have been researching the brand's back catalogue of pilot's watches. Easily the most testosterone charged collection in IWC's lineup, the Pilot's series scores with unfussy masculinity and military influenced charms. Good news then, for sports watch fans then, that it has returned to the spotlight this year, after its last sortie in 2012. Broadly categorised into four lines - the vintage-style 'Classic', military aircraft influenced 'Spitfire' and 'Top Gun', and the elegantly evocative 'Antoine de Saint Exupery' - the new Pilot's watches cast a wide net. Why, there is even a Pilot's Watch Automatic 36, a three-hand creation housed in a 36mm case for women. If we had to choose, the Spitfire and Top Gun models rank at the…

Since the re-launch of Panerai almost two decades ago, the 156-year-old brand's watches have neither veered from their World War II-inspired military watch design, nor deviated from their two key collections: the Luminor and the Radiomir. Although Panerai CEO Angelo Bonati admits himself that such a strategy is an anomaly by today's standards, he is quick to point out that the approach has reaped commercial rewards. And so we are treated to more Luminors and Radiomirs this year. Yet as before, there are enough new developments to keep things interesting. The big news on the technical front is the introduction of two new inhouse movements, bringing Panerai's impressive track record to 22 proprietary movements in just 11 years. They are the P.4001 and P.4002, both automatic movements with GMT functionality…

The brand that once famously dubbed its high-octane timepieces 'Racing Machines for the Wrists' has evolved to embrace different worlds beyond the realm of fast cars and celebrity petrol heads. That is not to suggest that Richard Mille is leaving its past behind. Quite the opposite, the company is taking all that it has gleaned from appropriating Formula One technology into wristwatches - ultra-light materials, space-age construction, extreme antishock resistance - and channeling them, well, somewhere else. Like its collaboration with Airbus' private jet division. The partnership seems like a snug fit. French company Airbus's private jetliners serve an esteemed and select clientele - a class of ultra-wealthy bankers, rock stars and politicians that would perhaps be interested in Richard Mille's top-dollar timepieces. And the resultant timepiece, the RM 50-02…

French jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels has mastered the art of narrative through ornamentation, and in doing so imbue its glided, blinged-out creations with enchantment that is as easy on the eye as it is on the mind. In fact, this magazine has often witnessed the company converting the most hardened of technical watch buffs into fans of its fantasy-tinged horology, despite a lack of highly engineered, high-mech complications (tourbillons, chronographs, minute repeaters and the like) offered by more traditional watchmaking houses. That is not to say that Van Cleef & Arpels makes fluffy bejewelled mechanical tickers. Rather, the company harnesses technical know-how and presents it in ways that are inspired and easy to understand. Take the Poetic Complications collection. Introduced in 2006, the watches are technically advanced but…

The 'Le Garde Temps - Naissance d'une Montre' project might just be the most important horological undertaking of the 21st century. But the question is: will people care? Translated to mean 'The Timekeeper - Creating A Timepiece', the project started in 2007 when three of the biggest names in independent watchmaking - Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey (of Greubel Forsey fame) and Philippe Dufour - felt compelled to safeguard traditional handcrafted techniques that were getting extinct as contemporary horology becomes increasingly reliant on technology and industrialised processes. It's a noble calling - and an expensive one. The project is self-financed. And for it to happen, they had to identify an experienced watchmaker, convince him to leave his job and finance his livelihood for the entire stint, which has taken four years…

I’ve always thought comparing any awards do to the Oscars to be somewhat of a backhanded compliment. That’s not a knock against the prestige. Winning an Academy Award is universally regarded as the greatest achievement in all of filmdom, and the ceremony is a beacon for more industry royalty than you can shake a Kardashian at. But therein lay the rub. Though the Oscars celebrates the year’s most memorable performances, the actual ceremony honouring them is the most interminable, terminally overrun programme on television – averaging just short of four hours. And that’s not even counting the redcarpet pre-shows, to ogle, or deride, all the pretty dresses. Having said that, the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) is the Oscars of the watch industry. Neither Hollywood’s nor horology’s biggest night…

A flag bearer of independent avant-garde horology, MB&F celebrated its 10th anniversary just last year, but founder Max Busser is not ready to pop the confetti just yet. Reflecting on the journey thus far, Busser shares that his company had flirted with closure several times. "You wouldn't believe how close we got," he says. And it wasn't for the lack of winsome products. MB&F's timepieces are prone to polarise but adventurous collectors are drawn to the watches, characterised by offkilter movement construction and loud-and-wild aesthetics that reference anything from frogs to space craft. Oftentimes though, the brand finds itself in the precarious situations due to factors beyond its control. Like the time it just started in 2006. Not long after MB&F was established and the hype for its first creation,…

This is not a revolution; the balance of power remains glaringly lopsided in the watch trade. But don't get us wrong, we are not calling for change either. That's a far loftier pursuit that is beyond the means of a mere watch rag. All we hope, is simply to remind watch lovers that some of the most innovative and sought-after timepieces in contemporary watchmaking are in fact, conceived by women. The luxury watch business may be comfortably patriarchal, but women creators and collectors have been an indelible part of the trade. Even more so today, as watch companies increasingly turn their attention to women. The launch of new ladies' collections in recent years, along with decidedly feminine technical complications, are the surest signs that the watch industry is at last,…

"I CAN REINVENT SOMETHING ENTIRELY NEW OR SIMPLY HAVE FUN WITH IT" Watch aficionados will be familiar with Cartier's deputy development director Carole Forestier. The driving force behind the brand's horological renaissance, she is behind groundbreaking technical highlights such as the iconic Santos skeleton watch, and this year's stunning Rotonde de Cartier Astromysterieux. (see SIHH Report page 46). But she's coy when one calls her as the architect of Cartier's ascent in high-end watchmaking. "I'm just doing my job," she says. That's only half true, of course. Forestier is among the industry's most respected technical minds. Born in Paris to a family of watchmakers, she cut her teeth as a watch movement builder, working at Renaud & Papi, a renowned bespoke movement design company, before joining Cartier in 1999. It…

How often does one peruse a women’s watch and think that it is too complicated (or simple), too dainty (or large), or even more perplexingly, too feminine? As modern watchmakers get increasingly preoccupied with extreme horology – the fastest-this to the biggest-that even when making timepiece for women – it is perhaps good to be reminded of the virtue of balance. And we are not suggesting sacrificing one merit for another to attain equilibrium. As Vacheron Constantin demonstrates with the new Heures Créatives collection, it is possible to amalgamate flamboyance, finesse and mechanical engineering in a beautiful, artfully executed timepiece without letting its owner feel that she is missing out on anything. Comprising three lines – the Heure Romantique, Heure Discréte and Heure Audacieuse, inspired by the Art Nouveau and…

BULGARI Roma Finissimo Tourbillon Arguably the piece de resistance in the collection commemorating Bulgari Roma's 40th anniversary last year, this exquisite model underscores the Italian marque's mastery of haute horlogerie by pulling off two of the most sought-after watchmaking feats-ultra thinness and tourbillon-with aplomb. For the record, at 1.95mm thick, its manually wound movement with flying tourbillon is the slimmest of its kind. This in turn enables the watch to have a 5.40mm thick pink gold case that slips easily under one's shirt cuff. FRANCK MULLER Giga Tourbillon Setted Bridge Launched in 2011, the Giga Tourbillon remains the largest tourbillon in a wristwatch. Now, the beauty of the watch is highlighted by this 18K white gold model completely covered in diamonds. Eagle-eyed watch lovers will be able to spot the difference between…

CHANEL Mademoiselle Prive Embroidered Comet Calling out to fashionistas, the Mademoiselle Prive Embroidered Comet entrances with its transcendent blend of couture, jewellery, and horology. Encircled by an 18K white gold case set with 570 brilliant-cut diamonds (totalling three carats), an ink-black silk dial has been hand-embroidered by the renowned Maison Lesage with a comet motif comprising silk threads, diamonds, and glass beads. With a picture as sublime as this, its time-telling function duly takes a backseat as off-centred hour and minute hands count each passing moment, and the watch's crown has been done away with so that the masterpiece can truly shine without any distraction. CHOPARD lmperiale 36mm Joaillerie The new lmperiale Joaillerie emanates absolute majesty and femininity in equal measure. Inspired by the Roman imperial era, it holds court…

“Luxury brands to truly grasp the meaning of emotion and value.”ANGELO BONATI, CEO, PANERAI “The watch industry can do with being more open and less cliquish.”Oliver Ebstein, CEO, Chronoswiss “LESS BULLSH**T AND MORE TRUTH FROM CEOS AT INTERVIEWS.”Vincent Perriard, CEO, HYT “A change of perception when it comes to training watchmakers. Bigger brands have the resources to nurture the next generation – and not just for themselves.”STEPHEN FORSEY, COFOUNDER, GREUBEL FORSEY “Less marketing, more originality.”PASCAL RAFFY, CEO, BOVET “The prevailing of true creativity. People must be sick of seeing the same watches marketed as something new each year.” MAX BUSSER, FOUNDER, MB&F “I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A NEW NUCLEUS OF WATCHMAKERS TO SPREAD THE CRAFT OF HAND-CRAFTED HOROLOGY.”Philippe Dufour, Master Watchmaker “For young watch CEOs to be loyal. There…

My background is in engineering. If you gave me endless supply of funds, I can build a space shuttle for you. It is easy for one to create expensive, technically advanced watches this way. For us, the challenge is to make avantgarde watches that are commercially viable for the mainstream market. My current position is not really a job. I was in charge of TAG Heuer’s Haute Horlogerie department before taking over as general manager. Now, being an engineer in the HH department: that’s a job. A general manager? That’s not a real job. It’s just a function in the company. I am all for technology. But you know what? I would much rather get a Swiss made watch than an iPhone for my graduation gift. We are nothing, nobodies,…

Master watchmaker Philippe Dufour, known for his standard-setting handcrafted timepieces and disdain for bloated, bottom line-focused watch companies, once opined that it took A. Lange & Sohne, a German brand, to "show the Swiss what real watchmaking is about". By 'real watchmaking', we take Dufour to mean the ability to create soulful, gimmick-free timepieces with superlative mechanical content and artisanship. It is a tall order, and one that A. Lange & Sohne duly obliges year after year. Its highlight of 2016, the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon, best demonstrates the brand's low-key, high-impact approach. The Datograph debuted in 1996 and made a splash by featuring the world's first in-house, fully integrated flyback chronograph movement. Over the years, the collection has grown to include more complications and features, including building up its power…

It has become customary for Cartier to flood our senses with an avalanche of top-dollar options at each SIHH. This year, over 100 new references are on offer. What makes the selection even more astounding is its sheer breath and depth, spanning brand new men's and women's collections, to visually dazzling complications and stunning artisanal creations. Two collections that you will hear a lot about in coming months are the Hypnose and Drive de Cartier. Distinguished by a steeped elliptical profile, the new, all-quartz Hyponse range for ladies channels Art Deco-style symmetry and 1920s-inspired glamour, marched out in a variety of white and pink cases featuring different gem-set options. Elsewhere, the cushion-shaped Drive de Cartier collection for men exudes a similarly sophisticated demeanor and a discernable dash of machismo, available…

The iconic Reverso collection celebrates its 85th anniversary this year by showing that there is plenty of life left in its tank. Given that the collection gets a surge of air time approximately every five years - along with a rash commemorative models, naturally - it is impressive that the watchmakers at Jaeger-LeCoultre always manage to find new ways to up the ante at each anniversary celebration. The Reverso watch is best known for its reversible case, created for polo players back in 1931 who wanted a watch that can be protected from the rigours of the sport. Originally created to shield the dial from scratches, the Reverso's famous case has evolved to accommodate decorative flourishes from engravings and diamonds, as well as a separate watch face to display an…

Just as every awards ceremony produces a dark horse, the sleeper hit at this year's SIHH has to be Parmigiani, which debuted the new Sefine escapement. Though it must be said that the mechanism is a very much in progress, when complete, the invention has what it takes to turn the page on modern mechanical watchmaking. The Sefine escapement is essentially a regulating component that has the capability to extend the power reserve of a mechanical movement to up to 45 days. To put it in context, Hublot's Masterpiece MP-05 La Ferrari currently holds the world record for the watch with the longest power reserve at 50 days. But Hublot's watch is a massive ticker, loaded with 11 winding barrels that require a tiny drill to wind up. The Sefine,…

Like a determined Casanova, Roger Dubuis is pulling out all the stops and mustering every trick in its book to court women watch collectors this year. And ladies ought to be flattered by the attention. It not often that a watch brand turns up its charms to '11' for a demographic that is usually deemed (unfairly, if we may add) to be secondary to men. The best thing about Roger Dubuis' efforts is that the brand doesn't pretend to have all the answers to what women really want in their timepieces. Instead, it asks the question, "Who is the Roger Dubuis woman?" before attempting to provide some clues. Apparently, the kind of women who like Roger Dubuis watches are a cross between Madonna and Anna Wintour: strong, fashionable, highly opinionated…

• “The basis idea is to create a simple and pure tourbillon watch, with the architecture beautifully displayed,” says Philippe Dufour. • Every single component of the watch is hand-made and assembled, using traditional tools, and without the aid of computers and CNC machines. • A hand-wound model, the watch takes aesthetic reference from 19th century timekeepers. • Housed in a 45mm white gold case, the watch features blued stued steel hands and a movement that beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour, a nod to vinatge timekeepers. • Actual production of the watch took about three-and-a-half years. • The watch is priced at 450,000 Swisss francs.…

HYT – SKULL DIAMOND As all upstarts go, three-year-old HYT is characteristically brash and adventurous. Its calling card – time display via mechanically driven liquid-filled tubes – has enthralled collectors with a thing for avantgarde tickers. This Skull Diamond ups the ante with the said motif, carpeted with diamonds and housed in a 51mm rose gold case. PATEK PHILIPPE – NAUTILUS Born in the 1970s, a decade defined by unadulterated excess, this rose gold Nautilus might be a Wall Street broker’s go-to. But for the the truly showy, nothing says casual-regal better than pairing this classic ticker with a sporty getup – a nod to the original’s dive tool-inspired design. Adidas Original Superstar 80s Primeknit HAUTLENCE – HLRQ01 Just as the original purveyors of hip-hop wasn’t all about the bling…

"Don't get water inside your watch." How many times have we been cautioned about this basic rule of watch maintenance? Now, imagine Vincent Perriard trying to convince investors that putting liquid in a mechanical watch isn't merely a groundbreaking concept, but one with huge commercial potential. "Of course, it sounded like a mad idea-something near impossible," he says. But it is possible, and HYT, the brand Perriard launched in 2012 with three other partners, championing the aforementioned concept, has hit the ground running. Despite its short history, HYT has snared numerous awards, including Best Innovative Watch for its debut model the H1at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie d'Geneve 2012. To date it has sold 700 pieces, averaging about 50,000 Swiss francs a watch. For the benefit of those late to the…

Watch aficionados are not the most open-minded people that you’ll meet. Resolute in their tastes, and eager to dispense an opinion or three about what makes a good watch, these connoisseurs will, more often than not, be riled by suggestions that a quartz creation is worthy of their time. That was certainly the case back in 2013, when Glashütte Original debuted the all-quartz, women’s-only Pavonina collection. Having built its reputation as a purveyor of fine mechanical watchmaking, with impressive high-complications to drive home the point, the introduction of the Pavonina collection caught collectors by surprise. In deviating from the script (written largely in the minds of the aforementioned aficionados, no less), Glashütte Original was thought to have given in to market pressures and taken the route of least resistance to…

"MY APPROACH TO DESIGNING PATEK WATCHES IS THE STERN APPROACH." Ok, let's address the elephant in the room: yes, Sandrine Stern is the wife of Patek Philippe's fourth generation president, Thierry Stern. And yes, she met him on the job. (She joined the company in 1995 as a part-time staff). But to infer that Sandrine's position in the venerated 173-year-old company is based purely on family ties would be awfully wrong. And Sandrine has the track record to prove. Having worked in the company's commercial, marketing and product management divisions, she joined the watch creation department in 1998. She currently heads a team of 10, overseeing the design of both men's and women's collections. Her most lauded work is probably Patek Philippe's epochal Ladies' First collection, the company's first complication…

"YOU CAN NEVER MASTER ENAMELLING, WHICH IS WHAT I LOVE." Porchet is among the last of her kind: a master enamellist who hails from a long line of artisans with knowledge and technique that is being passed down from generations. A protege of the famous Suzanne Rohr, who once boasted a waiting list of two years for her work, Porchet is now a highly sought-after artisan herself, with the likes of likes of Piaget, Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe waiting in line to enlist her services. A recent noteworthy creation is a pocket watch called 'Dawn on the Lake', to mark the 175th anniversary of Patek Philippe. The dial on the front comprises five separate miniature enamel paintings depicting the said motif, while a sixth covers the back of the…

ARNOLD & SON Instrument DSTB Just because an occasion calls for a black-tie getup, it doesn't mean that one cannot jazz things up with a touch of quirk. The Instrument DSTB (Dial Side True Beat) wouldn't look out of place at a formal event, but it throws a curve ball in the form of a rarely seen complication that accounts for the acronym in its name. Here, the true beat (or dead seconds) mechanism is proudly displayed on the dial of the watch along with an anchor-shaped lever that pays homage to the brand's heritage in developing marine chronometers. Available in a 43.5mm stainless steel case, it is limited to 250 pieces. CHOPARD L.U.C Regulator The new L.U.C Regulator may be a remake of a 2006 timepiece from Chopard's Haute…

A. Lange & Sohne #02-05A ION ORCHARD TEL: 6509 1712 Audemars Piguet • #B2-207, THE SHOPPES AT MARINA BAY SANDS TEL: 6688 7595 • #01-05/06, FORUM SHOPPING MALL (TEMPORARY) TEL: 6836 4918 Ball Watch FOR ENQUIRES, PLEASE CALL 6235 1811 Baume & Mericer FOR ENQUIRES, PLEASE CALL 6510 2767 Bell & Ross • #01-15 MANDARIN GALLERY TEL: 6884 6471 Blancpain #B2-237 THE SHOPPES AT MARINA BAY SANDS TEL: 6634 8771 Breguet #B1-119/120 THE SHOPPES AT MARINA BAY SANDS TEL: 6638 6006 Breitling FOR ENQUIRES, PLEASE CALL 6732 6347 Bulgari • #B2-200 THE SHOPPES AT MARINA BAY SANDS TEL: 6634 8313 • LEVEL 1, TAKASHIMAYA DEPARTMENT STORE TEL: 6735 6689 Cartier • #B1-39A, #B2-38 THE SHOPPES AT MARINA BAY SANDS TEL: 6688 7388 • #01-20, #02-10 ION ORCHARD TEL: 6235 0295…