Roger Dubuis Double Tourbillon

Roger Dubuis keeps making versions of their crazy looking skeletonized double tourbillon watches. This newest one is going to be even more expensive - being a quasi jewelry piece with large baguette-cut diamonds on the inner bezel ring. In a 45mm wide 18k white gold case with an open dial, this is one of the boldest looking luxury watches around today. The skeletonized movement shows off the two tourbillon carriages, gear train and skeletonized mainspring barrel of the movement. The glass is sapphire and glareproofed on both sides. And the movement is very difficult to put together, and I imagine rather delicate. So do not drop this watch!

Like I said, what makes this "Jewellery" version of the Excalibur Double Tourbillon watch different is the 48 diamonds on the bezel. The watch by itself is shiny enough, and the diamonds will push it to a new level of bling - high horology bling that is. This Roger Dubuis watch will be limited to just 28 pieces and is matched to an alligator strap (Luxist, 2010).

Audemars Piguet Celebrates its 135th anniversary with a new watch

Tokyo, October 5th 2010: Audemars Piguet Japan held the Audemars Piguet 135th anniversary and new product launch party in the “Choice!” restaurant on the third floor of the eity’s prestigious Ark Mori building. The event was attended by a total of 500 guests including VIP, celebrities and media.

Mr. Go Mugino, Chief Executive Officer of Audemars Piguet Japan, welcomed guests with a speech in which he stated that: “Audemars Piguet has consistently forged its history through an innovative and challenging spirit. Today’s announcement of a special new product will be a fresh chapter in the company’s ongoing story.”

After the speech, Mr. Mugino introduced the evening’s first “special guests”: the two brand founders Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet appeared in a hologram to greet attendees at the Audemars Piguet 135th anniversary event. Through the wonders of technology, they talked about the history of AP and the watch industry in general, and how things have changed since the time they first started. Various historical watches representing 135 years of history, specially flown in from the Audemars Piguet Museum in Le Brassus, were displayed in the same area.

After the surprise appearance of the company founders in the first zone, the party moved on to the next zone of the venue, representing the very latest from Audemars Piguet, where guests were entertained with Formula 1 simulators, nail arts, mixing by Japan’s hottest DJ “ DJ Hico”, and live music from the Piano Jack Instrumental Jazz Band.

The last and most special guest, representing the brand’s newly released watch model, was introduced by Mr. Wolfgang Sickenberg, Chief Sales Officer of Audemars Piguet. Formula 1 racing ace Jarno Trulli has been serving as Audemars Piguet ambassador since 2008, is to compete in the Japanese Grand Prix on October 8th, wearing a helmet sporting a picture of the “Royal Oak Offshore Jarno Trulli” Chronograph.

This new model, issued in a worldwide limited edition of 500, available as of October 6th from the Audemars Piguet Boutique located in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping precinct, will be initially be launched exclusively in Japan prior to its international release by the end of the year (Audemars Piguet, 2010).

Specifications:

Reference - 26202AU.OO.D002CA.01

Movement - Calibre: 3126/3840, selfwinding - Total diameter: 29.94 mm (13¼ lignes) -Casing diameter: 26 mm - Thickness: 7.16 mm - 59 jewels - 365 parts - Up to 60-hour power reserve - Cadence of the balance: 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz) - Variable-inertia balance with eight inertia blocks and fl at balance-spring - Geneva-type mobile balance-spring stud-holder - Three-position winding stem - Finishing: all parts meticulously decorated: mainplate circular-grained; bridges rhodium-plated, chamfered, snailed and adorned with Côtes de Genève motif. Diamond-polished jewel sinks, diamond-polished sinks and chamfered spokes on the wheels; chamfered screw rims and slots. 22kt gold oscillating weight with anthracite grey galvanic coating.

Case - Forged carbon case middle, Cermet bezel, crown and pushers in sand-blasted titanium, sapphire crystal back in sand-blasted titanium - Diameter: 42mm - Thickness: 15.65mm - Back engraved with the inscription Royal Oak Offshore Limited Edition - Jarno Trulli - Water resistance: 100 meters.

Dial - Anthracite grey with exclusive “Méga Tapis serie” motif, silvered counters, applied hour-markers and hands in white gold with red luminescent coating, silvered inner bezel ring.
Strap - Black rubber, sand-blasted titanium folding clasp.

At the moment I am busy with an editorial about the unique appeal of Apple in relation to high-end watch brands. Please keep visit frequently, it will be online soon!

Hublot Official Timekeeper Copa del Rey

I am studing sales, marketing & communication and I found this interesting article about the marketing choices of Hublot. They were the official timekeeper of the 29th Copa del Rey sail competition. 

Early August saw the Hublot brand navigating through the royal waters of Palma de Mallorca. The scene was set for a memorable 29th Copa del Rey (King's Cup) competition: 90 yachts from all categories took to the starting line throughout the week. The sporting calibre of the teams was unprecedented and the weather conditions brought a touch of unpredictability to the event, with constant, sudden changes in the wind. It was a true test for the sailors from all over the globe, for whom this represents the most prestigious and competitive event in the Mediterranean. With the participation of yachts such as the TP52s Matador, Cristabella and Bribon, as well as Mini-Maxis Alegre, Container and Ran, along with Prince Felipe of Spain's own IRC 52 CAM, the Copa del Rey attracts many spectators each year to the event held on the stunning Balearic island. Guests were invited to stylish evening events on the terraces of the Real Club Nautico, to mingle, take in the enchanting summer ambiance and enjoy the musical accompaniment.

The winners in each category - the owners of the Matador, Ran, Rats on Fire, Tanit IV and Lelagain yachts - were presented with a magnificent Hublot chronograph by King Juan Carlos of Spain during a prizegiving ceremony held in front of the breathtaking cathedral of Palma de Mallorca (watchquote, 2010).

New Rolex Watchwinders

Last Christmas Rolex released a new watchwinder. Not many people know about it, because there wasn't an official press release. The winder is made by Swiss Kubik. There are two versions of the watchwinder. One is in Rolex green leather and the other one is in Rolex green but in Jubilee style ROLEXROLEXROLEX, which is also used in Rolex latest advertising campaign.

The winders are not programmable and pre-set for optimum Rolex watch winding. However there are some discussions on forums about the optimum watch winding. Some people are saying the winder rotates in a single direction only. This is not what Rolex require for their watches. They require 650 turns per day in both Clockwise & Counter Clockwise directions. A Rolex trained watchmaker said that the fact of the winder rotating in a single direction only is a serious flaw in the winders design. The winding in one direction will cause undue wear on the watch’s winding mechanism. He was shocked to discover this. Maby there are different versions? I would say: A big company like Rolex has not made this winder in collaboration with SwissKubik without doing research, so I have my doubts about these discussions!

I like the winder with the jubilee style more, because you don't see this kind of design very often. I already liked the watchwinder brands Scatola del Tempo and Swiss Kubik. I would choose between these two brands when im planning to buy one. I would say: this watchwinder a must have for the Rolex collector!

Written by: Tobias. S

Inauguration of the A. Lange & Söhne Park in Glashütte

I was surfing on the internet and found this interesting press article about the inauguration of the A. Lange & Söhne park in Glashütte. Enjoy it!

The unveiling of a monument to Ferdinand A. Lange by 15 apprentices of the company’s own watchmaker school was the highlight of a ceremony at which Lange Uhren GmbH inaugurated the A. Lange & Söhne Park in Glashütte on 15 July. With this, the company pays tribute to the founder of Germany’s fine watchmaking industry, who opened the first watchmaker workshop in the region in 1845 with 15 apprentices.

Also among the more than one hundred guests was his great grandson Walter Lange, who has carried on the family tradition since reunification, as well as the Vice President of the Saxon State Parliament, Andrea Dombois. In her word of welcome she honoured the social involvement of the company which is expressed in so many ways, even beyond the creation of highly qualified jobs. A current example is the tourist guide system for Glashütte, recently initiated by Lange, which guides visitors to the sights of the city.

The more than 3,000 square metre park was designed by the landscape architects Michael Wolf and Dirk Radzanowski from Penig in Saxony, and built by the company Grünkonzept from Bannewitz near Dresden. The bronze bust of Ferdinand A. Lange is the work of the Swiss sculptor, Beat Künzler. A musical setting at the ceremony was provided by the American mezzo-soprano Emily Righter and the Italian baritone Andrè Schuen. Both are stipendiaries of the “Young Singers Project” of the Salzburg Festival, with which the company maintains a close partnership.

This coming Sunday, visitors who come to the city of Glashütte can be the first to discover a new park abound with roses, hedges, ornamentals, and grasses. On the occasion of the summer festival organised by the Sächsische Zeitung, A. Lange & Söhne is opening the doors to its manufactory and inviting the public to get acquainted with precision watchmaking in many different ways. The planned ascents in a tethered balloon are likely to be very popular: they offer a totally new outlook on Glashütte as a hub of horology (A. Lange & Söhne, 2010).