CEO Choices of 2012 – Brands Offer Delightful Mix
fiogf49gjkf0d By: Roberta Naas – Arabian Watches & Jewellery Magazine
The year 2012 ushered in some extremely exciting timepieces. In fact, creativity was unrestrained – yielding a wonderful array of watches for men and women that range from unusual new complications, features and functions, to new revelations in coveted categories such as pilot and dive watches, and a host of specialty pieces that offered an artistic view on time. Icons from the past came back stronger than ever in the form of retro-inspired watches, and women’s watches enjoyed new reality as brands cater to the discerning female sect.
Sound Year
In the complicated watch world, 2012 proved to be soaring with newness and creativity. Most often designed as heirloom pieces, complicated watches are a breed that stand up to the test of time. One such complication is the superb repeater or sonnerie – a category watchmakers took to heart this year. Easily the most beautiful of all timepieces in the world, a repeater or sonnerie watch is one that not only visibly shows the time, but also musically chimes the time – either at will or on its own. Chocked with hundreds upon hundreds of tiny mechanical pieces in its less-than-an-inch-in-diameter movement, the repeater watch actually houses hammers and gongs that work in unison to audibly tell time –with melodious notes, or even Westminster chimes.
Essentially, with minute repeaters, the wearer activates the “repeater” sound function via a slide or button on the side of the watch. This engages the hammers and gongs, which chime the time on a series of different tones. The timepieces work via a complex mechanical network of gears, trains, and memory. Typically these watches have between 500 and 600 pieces in their movements, and sometimes more.
There are a host of different types of repeaters and sonneries on the market – albeit in extremely limited numbers, as these watches are so difficult and time-consuming to make that they are created only by the top brands and then strictly in limited numbers. Additionally, some brands excel at creating repeaters with Jaquemarts or automatons on their dials. These are small moving pieces that act in concert with the sounds striking. Ulysse Nardin is an expert in this arena and did not disappoint this year. Also, Christophe Claret, independent watchmaker and modern day’s “chiming” authority, this year unveiled his Vegas-themed series which not only allows the wearer to play casino games, but also strikes a sound at a win.
Unusual Unveilings
Some brands also focused their 2012 efforts on demonstrating their technological prowess. In fact, this seems to be the year of uber complexity – not necessarily in terms of multiple functions and complications all under one roof (or case), but in terms of new devices, new readouts and new patents. Several top watch brands have developed watches with multiple patents, or with a record-breaking number of parts in their movements – often offering world-first achievements in the mix. Highlights in the watch world this year include the Harry Winston Opus 12 with an elaborate dance of moving hands to indicate the time and the new HYT watch with liquid module for time indication.
Also on the complex side, astronomical watches made a strong impact this year (albeit a small one as these are among the most complicated pieces to build), with some of the best offering sky charts for northern and southern hemispheres and a host of other readouts on a dial just one or two inches in diameter.
Similarly, tourbillons (mechanical watches that compensate for errors in timekeeping caused by the effects of gravity on the watch when in different positions on the wrist) remain coveted and in demand. Again, the current quest by watchmakers in creating these pieces is to offer ease of use, excelled precision and other advancements such as lighter weight, thinner movements, multiple axis and escapements in tourbillons, and improved water resistance (though few would venture into the pool or seas with these beauties on their wrists).
Tourbillons of distinction this year included the Jaeger-LeCoutlre Duometre a Spherotourbillon – a unique new watch with a Dual-Wing technology that was developed thanks to watchmakers who were thinking outside of the box. The watch offers two separate power sources (hence the Dual-Wing concept), one for timekeeping and one for regulating the complication, and the tourbillon escapement rotates on two different axis’s to compensate for gravity effects in any position – all ensuring extreme precision. The first tourbillon watch adjustable to the second, this watch also offers a flyback seconds function. Its 460-part grand complication caliber was several years in the making.
Also worth noting this year is the Greubel -Forsey Quadruple Tourbillon Secret watch, created in a limited edition of eight pieces in platinum. The movement of the Quadruple Tourbillon Secret is the mechanical hand-wound Calibre GF031, with 519 parts and 63 jewels. It features four tourbillon cages with 261 parts and a spherical differential.
Counting the Years
Additionally, calendar watches burst onto the scene in full glory this year. Not only were annual calendars offered more frequently, but so, too, were their more complex perpetual calendar siblings. Perpetual calendar watches typically hold anywhere from 300 to 600 pieces in their complex movements – and offer indications that are accurate for hundreds of years. While they command prices that range from $25,000 to hundreds of thousands depending on their added functions and adornments, these watches can have waiting lists of up to several years.
Essentially, the perpetual calendar tracks and displays, automatically, the day, month, and date – self adjusting for short months and leap years. With the exception of a few perpetual calendar watches that will run for centuries, today’s perpetual calendar watches typically are built to track time until the year 2100 before needing an adjustment. At that point in time (2100), the leap year that should occur will be skipped so that real time (according to the Gregorian calendar) coincides correctly with solar time. Thus, on March 1, 2100, the average perpetual calendar needs a watchmaker to make a fine correction to the movement.
Certain difficulties arise in the making of perpetual calendar watches with regard to setting the functions and readouts of the watch – depending on the layout of the movement parts. As such, most brands’ perpetual calendar watches are often slightly different in their ultimate composition than other brands’ perpetual calendars. Many of today’s finest watch brands have patents on their mechanical systems for setting the dates and times, for unusual readouts, for extended time indication, or for added functions such as chronographs, astronomical indicators, or multiple time zone indicators. This year’s perpetual calendars of noteworthy mention include Ulysse Nardin’s El Toro GMT Perpetual (with user friendly instant forward and back adjustment of time zones), A. Lange & Sohne’s Datograph Perpetual watch (accurate to a deviation rate of just one day in 122.6 years, and housing also a column-wheel chronograph and jumping minute counter), and IWC’s Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun (with a stunning rendition of two moon phases -- one for each hemisphere).
Ring Ring
Alarm watches, which were first popular in the 1950’s and 60’s, also enjoy a bit of the limelight this year, as several brands are releasing louder alarms than in the past, as well as alarms that ring longer than before – some for as long as 80 seconds. Indeed, mechanical alarm watches are highly functional timepieces that house extra parts that make it possible to sound an audible tone at a pre-set time. Alarms of interest this year include the 50’s President Alarm Automatic Anniversary watch from Vulcain – that rings for 20 seconds and has graced the wrists of many important American presidents for decades (including LBJohnson, Richard Nixon, and others).
Glashutte Original equips its Senator Diary watch with an appointment module that enables the wearer to pre-set the alarm (which rings for up to 80 seconds) to any time within 30 days. Zenith’s Pilot Doublematic alarm, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s famed Memovox alarm and Breguet’s new Marine Alarm also catch the eye of the discerning alarm watch lover.
Higher Time
Sport watches are an area that usually bodes well in the CEO choice category—as so many brands focus their attentions on the chronographs and chronometers that accompany adventurers into the sky. This year, though, pilot watches saw an amazing emphasis – especially the revisitation to World War II pilot’s watches. IWC, Zenith, Bell &Ross, Breitling, Omega and others put much effort in to this category this year. Top picks include the IWC TOP GUN Miramar collection of watches, a tribute to the place the story of these elite pilots began – the TOP GUN USMC training base. The 48mm watches are built with IWC in-house-made calibers and offer extra functions. Incorporated in to the designs is the use of camouflage colors including a ceramic case and straps of beige or green to underscore the military look. Additionally for this new Miramar series, the brand utilizes high-tech materials such as zirconium oxide and titanium. A Zenith’s Pilot watch made history recently on the wrist of Felix Baumgartner who broke records with his space jump over New Mexico.
Other noteworthy spot watch areas include dive watches and watches revolving around the automotive field – where many brands are joining forces with race car drivers, races, car brands and more. The watches that reflect these categories are those that utilize high-tech materials, cutting edge design and ergonomic performance.
Vintage Fine
Many brands unveiled superb vintage-inspired watches throughout 2012 that stole hearts thanks to their recollection of the past mixed with visionary design spirit. In fact, the vintage- or retro-inspired watch realm has become an all-important genre in wristwatches today. This nod to the past comes in a host of forms, ranging from clean, crisp dials that recall the past, to case shapes indicative of the 1920’s through the 1970s. Another important influence from the past is a reduced case diameter, with larger sizes such as 48 and 46 mm now being released in 44 and 42mm sizes that offer a more classic appeal. In fact, in almost every new unveiling this year there is some element that demonstrates a clear nod to the past. In addition to slightly smaller diameter watches emerging with this trend, so too are ultra-thin watches.
One important watchmaking trend that has emerged from this look back in history is the return of the ultra-thin watch, which have their roots in the 1950’s, when they were first unveiled to demonstrate a brand’s technical ability to reproduce mechanical movements in extra-flat renditions. Today’s ultra-thin timepieces require great patience, dexterity and technical knowledge when it comes to bringing hundreds of tiny parts together into a super flat caliber that, in some instances, is slimmer than a tenth of an inch. Top choices in the retro-inspired category this year include Piaget and Audemars Piguet, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Royal Oak collection – bringing stunning new pieces fully inspired by the past.
Dial as Art
This year may have easily been the strongest yet for the watch industry to marry with the artistic realm of the business. Indeed, 2012 ushered in the year of the straw dial, the mosaic and marquetry dial, the feather dial and some of the most lush and lavish enamel and lacquer dials ever made. Yes this was the year of watch dial as art canvass – and most brands who delved in- came up shining. Harry Winston and Dior worked wonders with feathers (as marquetry dials, and as adornments on rotors – respectively). Hermes and Cartier wove wonders with straw, and some of the most stunning renditions of nature emerged in the form of enamel masterpieces from brands such as Ulysse Nardin, Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, Chopard, Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Delaneau.
Women’s Wonders
This was also a year rich with new unveilings for women, with some brands showing one-of-a-kind masterpieces and others releasing entire new collections for women. Jaeger-LeCoultre, for instance, developed its Rendez-Vous series of day/night watches and complicated watches with artistic dials. Breguet spared no expense in the creation of its unique Queen of Naples watch, which celebrates the first wristwatch. It was in 1810 that Breguet was commissioned by Caroline Murat, younger sister of Napoleon and Queen of Naples, to create the wrist watch that was completed and delivered in 1812. This watch was requested on a wrist chain of hair and gold threads. The watch, though eventually lost and never retrieved, is cataloged in the brand’s archives –and took several years to build. Ten years ago, in celebration of that first watch, Breguet released the Reine de Naples watch collection, with superb oval dial and mechanical movements. This year, in celebration of the 200th anniversary of that first watch, and marking the brand’s 10th anniversary of the release of Queen of Naples collection, Breguet unveiled a one-of-a-kind anniversary Reine de Naples watch and jewelry suite. The unique new Queen of Naples watch is a repeater watch -- as was the original watch – but this one boasts a superb caliber utilizing several silicon parts. It is crafted in 18-karat white gold and meticulously set with nearly 600 diamonds and blue sapphires in graduated colors for spectacular design appeal. The work of art houses a self-winding mechanical movement, hand-engraved and individually numbered with striking mechanism with two chimes. The 54-jewel movement offers 65 hours of power reserve without the chimes, or approximately 50 hours with the chimes engaged. It is equipped with a Breguet silicon balance spring.
In addition to the many beautiful limited edition pieces unveiled this year for women, one category worth noting of importance for women is the realm of moonphase watches, where brands such as Ulysse Nardin, Corum, Harry Winston and others focused attention. Ever a symbol of romance and eternity, the moon – and the stars – have mystified and enraptured all -- bringing endless pleasure to our lives. The Ulysse Nardin Classico Luna for women was years in the development stages and is the concept of scientist Ludwig Oechslin, long-time watch inventor for Ulysse Nardin. Famous in the mechanical watch world for creating extremely complex movements, Oechslin utilized a form of technology for the Luna that he first invented for the much more complicated Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck watch. The alluring Luna features a moonphase subdial that, unlike other watches with a stationary subdial moonphase aperture, is situated on an inner center sunburst-motif dial, and rotates around that center dial (meant to portray earth) once every 12 hours, on its journey to fulfill a complete moonphase cycle in 29.5 days. The always moving, extremely accurate moonphase indicator needs an adjustment just once every 3,800 years.
Corum also brings forth its Admiral’s Cup Legend 38 Mystery Moon timepiece with an endlessly rotating genuine mother-of-pearl dial. Made expressly for women, the watch is a dance of poetry and mystery, wherein the moonphase display, and a sunburst date indication opposite it, play a fascinating game of chase without ever catching up with each other. The exclusive Corum-patented complication is a technological advancement that was several years in the development stages.
With an eye toward displaying the moonphase in simply beautiful new designs, Harry Winston has unveiled the automatic Midnight Moon Phase watch that features a meticulously engraved tree on the dial, with a crescent-shaped aperture stretching behind it from 9:00 to 12:00 and from which the moon and stars peek out.
The list goes on and on – as 2012 was by far one of the most exciting and innovative years for watchmaking. Brands will have to show a lot to impress us in 2013.
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