Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2024 - Issue 52 i REVOLUTION WATCH

The Rolex Awards for Enterprise have truly been a game changer in the world of philanthropy and innovation. The Awards not only provide funding and publicity for these visionary projects, but they also create a network of like-minded individuals who collaborate and support each other. With the launch of the Perpetual Planet Initiative in 2019, Rolex has reinforced its commitment to protecting the planet and ensuring a sustainable future for all. Therefore, the 2023 Laureates of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise have been no exception. Selected by a panel of 10 world-renowned experts and leaders, these five recipients of the 2023 Rolex Awards for Enterprise are innovators who have ambitious projects aimed at improving lives and protecting the planet for future generations. These projects range from providing clean water in…

For the third time since 2003, Breguet has partnered with the Frieze Art Fair to present a new artistic collaboration, this time with the independent curator and founder of the curatorial studio APSARA, Jenn Ellis. The first of several editions of the fair saw Ellis nominate Singaporean artist Dawn Ng, whose work resonates with the geographical considerations and topographical readings of deep time. Entitled An Atlas of Us, Ng’s exhibition inaugurated the season, showing pensive articulations of time through color, shape and form, along with all the emotive associations. Ng’s choice of canvas here is ice, literally frozen water, which is selected as it is the most ephemeral material in tropical Singapore where she calls home. Her pieces are represented by moving images, a lightbox, photography and paintings. Each piece…

Michael Shanlikian is a watch collector with a niche. Aren’t we all? But “Shani,” as he’s sometimes called, specializes in what many enthusiasts might view as the pinnacle of the craft: the independent watchmakers of high horology. He has a particular affinity for F.P. Journe, but his scope is broad and his insights on the discipline are deep. He told Revolution about his journey with watches, his perspective on collecting and about some of his most prized acquisitions. Michael Shanlikian, please introduce yourself to Revolution readers. My nickname is Shani, that’s my Instagram handle, but I go by Mike or Shani. By profession, I’m an accountant. I’m from Detroit, which is the Motor City, and I’ve been in the automotive industry for most of my career, over 24 years now.…

ROLEX DAY-DATE 40 IN WHITE GOLD, WITH MOTHER-OF-PEARL DIAL AND BAGUETTE DIAMOND INDEXES A lot of people have misunderstood the message underlying the 2024 Rolex novelties. But before we talk about that, let’s look at how Rolex has grown in the last 10 years. It is estimated that Rolex has increased its production in the past decade around 25 percent, which is significantly less than that of many other brands. Yet, at CHF 15.1 billion in retail value as of 2023, Rolex does more than double the business compared to every other brand in luxury watchmaking. Further that, for every single Rolex, there is more than one willing buyer. And Rolex has the greatest luxury brand recognition on earth, which means its brand equity is unassailable. So how has Rolex…

FRANCK MULLER LONG ISLAND EVOLUTION MASTER JUMPER MOVEMENT MVT FM 3100-L; manual winding; 30 hours power reserve FUNCTIONS Digital hours, minutes, and date CASE 48.1 mm x 35.3 mm x 12.5 mm; titanium and aluminum; water resistant to 30 m STRAP Alligator strap AVAILABILITY Limited edition of 100 pieces, only in Asia-Pacific As one of the pioneering independent watchmakers, Franck Muller has left an indelible mark on the watchmaking world over the past several decades, spanning from case design to movement ingenuity. The brand has since evolved into a full-scale watchmaking group known as Watchland, yet its enduring interest for creating intriguing and impressive timepieces remains unchanged. This passion is palpable in the watchmaker’s latest Long Island Evolution series, a trio of watches, exclusive to the Asia Pacific region, and…

One of the most enduring — and iconic — brand or ambassador relationships in modern watchmaking is the one between tennis champion Rafael Nadal and watchmaker Richard Mille. It’s been 14 years since the first Richard Mille model was made to honour the 22-time Grand Slam champ, and we’ve got to say, this latest example offers something different. The RM-Nadal formula has been quite consistent over the years — ultra-light, technical and typically with a healthy dash of orange. So this new RM 27-05 Flying Tourbillon Rafael Nadal switches up the formulae somewhat, in a suitably epic conclusion to the RM 27 saga. RICHARD MILLE RM 27-05 FLYING TOURBILLON RAFAEL NADAL While this watch lacks the bold colouring of previous versions, it still has the specs to make it stand…

Watches & Wonders 2024 saw the release of numerous mega complications and record setters but what is arguably even more unusual than any of those is the downsizing of a movement that is equipped with one of the most complex and efficient escapements. The independent double wheel escapement, where each escape wheel requires its own complete gear train and power source, led many a great watchmaker to believe that such a movement could not be sufficiently miniaturized in a wristwatch. Against the odds, Bernhard Lederer has now introduced the Central Impulse Chronometer in a 39mm case, a significant reduction from its previous 44mm diameter, making it the smallest watch ever equipped with such an escapement. The independent double wheel escapement was invented by George Daniels to realise the merits of…

It was drizzling when our plane landed in Turin. A fuzzy sort of light rain that just lingers and turns the entire sky a dull gray. The time, as my Tudor Black Bay “Rose” tells me, is a quarter to five on 3rd May — I had been traveling for over 21 hours now. Here, weather conditions have been less than ideal lately, and exiting the doors of Turin-Caselle Airport, I stepped straight onto damp tarmac and into a brisk 10-degree chill. It’s been like this for the last 10 days, our driver says. Will it clear up? No idea. But the entire city, no, make it the whole of Italy, was keeping its fingers crossed for a spot of sunshine. And the catalyst for this rare display of unbridled…

For over six decades, Grand Seiko has set the standard for precision, quality, and timeless beauty in watchmaking. Meticulous attention to detail, integration of nature-inspired designs, and innovative communication strategies characterize Japanese watchmaking, making it a revered and influential force in the luxury watch industry. Since expanding its global presence in 2010, Grand Seiko has been on a quiet rise while making its exceptional timepieces available to enthusiasts worldwide. And when it did command attention, its dedication to creating timepieces transcended mere measurement, especially when it launched a mechanical beast in the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon or the Tentagraph, or even in the simple pair of hand-wound watches that are, dare we say, made without err. It’s staggering (in a good way, naturally) to witness how every aspect of a timepiece,…

In February this year, the Morgan Stanley × LuxeConsult reported that Vacheron Constantin had closed 2023 with an estimated record turnover of CHF 1.097 billion based on estimated sales volume of 35,000 units. The venerated haute horlogerie maison has always enjoyed steady success throughout most of its long history spanning more than two centuries long, but the last five years have seen unprecedented growth even as the company — indeed the entire Swiss watch industry — negotiated trying times wrought by the pandemic. But just as quickly as cities locked down, wallets opened up and, consequently, the years 2022 as well as 2023 in the first half ultimately went down as some of the best moments for the luxury watch business. From world number 11 in 2021, Vacheron Constantin jumped…

At Watches and Wonders 2024, Bremont did a thing: it completely rebranded. Forget any of the other exciting watches or surprising releases, this was easily the most passion-driven topic of the show. “Passion” is one word for it. The British watchmaker will never be uncontroversial, and opinions on it get heated, to say the least. This year marked Bremont joining Watches and Wonders for the first time, and still freshly appointed CEO Davide Cerrato introduced the first collections fully produced under his direction. It was the moment to make a splash, and Bremont did a cannonball. The approach was three-pronged: the brand introduced a new compass rose-style logo called the Wayfinder; it launched a new field watch-inspired collection in the Terra Nova; and it announced the Supermarine dive watch collection…

Most of the time, IWC is a pretty straight-up-and-down watchmaker, steadily making no-fuss timekeepers for the real world. They’re not known for frivolous flights of fancy — as they are from the German-speaking part of Switzerland, after all. Sometimes, though, they let the veneer slip and release something absolutely wild into the world. A few years ago, it was the Big Pilot Shock Absorber XPL. Today, it’s a completely luminous watch made from a new proprietary material called Ceralume. As the name suggests, Ceralume is a fully luminous ceramic material made using a patented process that involves mixing ceramic powders with Super-LumiNova pigments to create a fully luminous case that emits a blue-ish light for over 24 hours. The white ceramic is was challenging to create, specifically creating an even…

Iowe everything to the Swiss watch industry — my livelihood, my passion and the majority of my friends. As someone who’s been around in the luxury watch space for almost a quarter century, I’ve had a unique perspective on the individuals that have quietly played an instrumental role in shaping the industry as we know it today. Amongst them, I count the indomitable doyennes of communications and PR Marine Lemonnier-Brennan of 289 Consulting and Catherine Eberlé-Devaux of Bulgari, the technical genius Carole Forestier-Kasapi who is currently stationed as the movement director of TAG Heuer, and the movement making prodigy that is Valérien Jaquet, founder and owner of Concepto. But one of the individuals that I find myself most impressed with is my friend Pierre Jacques. Over the course of his…

Gabriel Lau, better known as @labeg on Instagram, has been producing what he calls “WatchArt,” which is as the name implies — creating watches as art. His artistic journey as the artist LABEG took off on social media when he first put pen to paper five years ago. Since then, he’s been recreating his favorite timepieces as we know it — an MB&F Legacy Machine, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, an Omega Speedmaster, even a Rexhep Rexhepi RRCC II — in a sandwich assembly of cardboard pieces that dutifully replicates every single detail, from skeletonized dials to “screw-down” chronograph pushers, including down to the bracelet design. But because of their intentionally distorted proportions, Lau himself has described them as “ugly because it’s funny.” He adds, “I purposely draw them in…

Nestled snugly in Via Bagutta, one of Milan’s most esteemed neighborhoods, the new AP House finds a home in the fashion capital’s heart, seven years after the debut of the AP House concept. The genesis of the AP House concept, however, traces back to Milan, where Audemars Piguet first teased its visionary retail approach in 2017. Today, the maison has elevated the retail concept by unveiling a fresh venue in the city center, providing watch enthusiasts with an immersive journey into the Audemars Piguet universe and delivering tailor-made experiences. The Milano edition joins the league of prestigious AP House locations worldwide, in cities such as Amsterdam, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles, the latter having recently opened last September. Situated in the iconic Via Bagutta, a stone’s throw away from the…

The richness of a watch fair is often measured by the scope of brands and the variety of their offerings. With a record 55 watch brands at this year’s Watches and Wonders, from Patek Philippe, Cartier and Rolex to Raymond Weil, Norqain and Bremont, there was no shortage of variety. However, it’s often the watches with the most horological content that leave a lasting impression. This year, we have witnessed a notably high concentration of such watches, perhaps the highest in recent memory. Amidst a testing year for the industry, a large number of brands have reacted by reminding the world of the true extent of their ambitions and expertise. This has translated into watches of higher value and greater horological substance across the board. There was indeed a resurgence…

Oris is on an Aquis kick in 2024. Everyone’s favourite Holstein-based brand has already given us some strong new takes on the popular diver, with a thoughtful evolution of the line in various sizes. The latest pair is perfectly pitched for long summer nights, adding some tropical fun to the technical chops of the 41.5mm Aquis. The two new models stand out not just because of the bright green and red dials but for the vibrant white ceramic bezels. Together that makes for a watermelon-themed pair that’s just begging for a Harry Styles collab. First, the green. Zesty as a lime (but not as bright as Kermit), this steel watch stands out with a vivid sunray dial that feels even lighter thanks to the white ceramic bezel insert with colour-matched…

Travel watches, also known as multi-time-zone watches, stand out among watchmaking complications, particularly from a philosophical perspective. Complications such as perpetual calendars enrich timekeepinghorizontallybyaccounting for greater lengths of time while chronographs and minute repeaters enhance it vertically by enabling the recording of elapsed time and audibly announcing time respectively. Travel watches, however, transcend these dimensions. They have an ability to take us outside of ourselves and foster a sense of global consciousnes. By displaying two or more time zones simultaneously, these watches enable wearers to see the current time both where they are and where they are not. Perhaps because of this, there are many approaches to the multi-time-zone complication, both in display arrangement and mechanics. Some approaches are more common, while others are unusual, surprising and even intriguing. There…

Be honest. Who hasn’t ever looked at David Beckham and thought, “Man, wouldn’t it be amazing to be him, even just for a day?” To have had an amazing 20 years in professional football, and then moving on to an even more fabulous post-football career, building his own brand, all the while staying in touch with the sport because obviously that is his great passion in life — all of these, and to say nothing yet of his incredibly beautiful family. Plus, many athletes go somewhat downhill or drop off the radar after retirement, staying far from the limelight, but not David Beckham. Look at the guy, he gets better looking with every passing year. And he’s everywhere. One minute he’s playing tennis with Andre Agassi and the next he’s…

When François Bennahmias metaphorically and literally dropped the mic at the launch of his collaboration with Travis Scott, aka Cactus Jack, it marked the end of an era with resounding finality. And the decade during which he presided over Audemars Piguet will ensure that his name is indelibly inked into the pantheon of watchmaking’s greatest leaders. Here is a man that took AP’s revenue from 600 million to a staggering 2.3 billion Swiss francs in a decade. More importantly, Bennahmias elevated AP’s brand equity to the realm of the luxury demigods. He ensured that for each and every Royal Oak made, there was a multitude of prospective owners, creating a massive supply versus demand disparity. And while you might hate on his collaborations with everyone, from Jay-Z to Marvel Comics,…