The latest watch releasing is the Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Phoenix with five key complications: tourbillon, minute repeater, perpetual calendar, equation of time, and a star chart with astronomical indications. Each complications have their own functions that add up to a whopping 15 complications!

1. Minute repeater
2. Tourbillon
3-6. Perpetual calendar (date, day of the week, month, leap year)
7. Power reserve
8. Equation of time
9. Sunrise time
10. Sunset time
11. Sky chart
12. Age and phases of the moon
13. Sidereal hours and minutes
14. Seasons, zodiac signs
15. Striking mechanism torque

In the front of the dial, the perpetual calendar, equation of time, as well as sunrise and sunset indicators, along with a tourbillon can be found at six o’clock. The watch’s back includes the star chart, sidereal time, indicator for the season and sign of the zodiac, as well as a torque indicator for the repeater mechanism.

All this is powered by the hand-wound cal. 2755-B1, based on a movement originally unveiled in 2005 for the brand’s 275th anniversary. It has a power reserve of 58 hours and is compromised of 839 parts.

The case is made of 18k pink gold measuring at 47mm in diameter. The largeness of the case gives enough space for the hand-engraving. The most beautiful part about the case is that almost every surface of the case is covered with a phoenix motif, rendered in a style that takes loose inspiration from East Asian art.

The price of the Grand Complication Phoenix (ref. 9700C/003R-B187) is “upon request”, however, going by the SFr2m retail price of a similar watch from 2014, expect this to cost significantly more.

The Superocean dates back to 1957, designed to be the ideal diver watch for recreational and professional people. Over the years there have been multiple varaitions and changes of designs to the Superocean model. Now we have a Superocean chronograph that not only helps drivers but also by helping clean out oceans from waste.

Watches that do itself good for the environment should really catch the attention of many. The watch itself is 44mm, in a black DLC-coated stainless steel case with the Outerknown logo engraved on the caseback. The COSC-certified chronometer features an ultra-hard scratch and shock-resistant unidirectional ceramic bezel with a luminescent central dot at the 12 o’clock position. It is also powered by the Breitling Caliber 13 mechanical chronograph movement.  The blue dial features great blue tones to underline the effort to help clean out oceans.

“By introducing the ECONYL yarn strap, we are taking another important step in our commitment to sustainability. We are looking forward to introducing other great watches equipped with these straps in the future,” said Breitling CEO Georges Kern at an event in London last week.

Recently the actor has been going through many ups and downs. He was once the highest paid actor on TV but has been going through his own problems such as his alcohol and drug addiction. Since then he has cleaned himself up. In an interview with Jansen YouTube Channel in 2017, he was seen wearing a Patek Philippe Ref. 5712 with a blue dial. This Patek is no ordinary watch and is highly prized timepiece with a price of $52,500.

In 2013 he was the lead actor in a Lance Armstrong movie that never came to be. The movie deal was reported by The Potato online site as being produced by JJ Abrams. A photograph from The Potato features Charlie Sheen wearing a Patek Ref. 5970/1p. This same exact watch was lost by him in a hotel room and it is not yet clear if he has gotten it returned.

Charlie has been known to have many more Pateks in his collection. It is known by close connections that Charlie Sheen has one of the largest and most impressive vintage Patek collections of any ‘celebrity’ collector and rarely buys any other brand.

He is spotted here in his 2012-2014 TV series: Anger Management episode “Charlie’s Dad Visits” with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox.

The Breitling Premier gets its name from the 1943 elegant original, this new version being leeker, cleaner aesthetic than the average Breitling. And it’s also worth pointing out that the most recent iteration of the Premier from the late 1990s that had cursive Arabic numerals has been sensibly forgotten.

The new Premier line is made up of 4 models, plus a new Breitling for Bentley Chronograph. The key features of this new collection include the range is characterised by moderately sized cases – the largest being a 42mm chronograph. Domed sapphire crystals with antireflective coating are also common to all models which is a key feature.

The dials of the Premier line are two-part, with a separate, sloped flange for either the minute track or tachymetre. Hands and hour markers are baton-shaped. And while the movements across the line differ from model to model, all are COSC-certified chronometers.

The Premier is a line-up with different finishes and styles, available with a variety of metallic finish dials in sedate colours: black, grey, dark blue, and silver. Different and various straps are also available, including Breitling’s new signature slanted-link Pilot bracelet.

The collection starts with the Premier Automatic 40, a 40mm, time-0nly automatic powered by the Breitling Calibre 37, which is actually a variant of the ETA 2892.

With the same size as Automatic 40, the Premier Automatic Day & Date 40, has the calendar in windows. Inside is the Breitling Calibre 45, which is derived from the ETA 2824.

The entry-level chronograph is the Premier Chronograph 42. It has a 42mm case that contains the ETA Valjoux 7750, which has tone-on-tone chronograph sub-dials.

The more intricate and top of the line model is the Premier B01 Chronograph 42, which is equipped with the in-house Breitling B01 movement.

Other than the “tri-compax” layout of the chronograph, another feature that indicates it’s an in-house movement are the contrast colour sub-dials.

The more upscale version is the Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley British Racing Green. It’s perhaps the most sedate Bentley wristwatch Breitling has ever made in the 16-year span of the brand’s collaboration.

Price and availability 

The new Premier collection reaches retailers and boutiques October 2018. Prices are as follows for the base models fitted with a calfskin strap:

Premier B01 Chronograph 42 – US$8200

Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley – US$8500

Premier Chronograph 42 – US$6050

Premier Automatic Day & Date 40 – US$4000

Breitling Premier Automatic 40 – US$4000

Crocodile straps are an additional US$200, while a folding clasp is extra US$250. And a matching steel bracelet is US$750.

The price ranges just under $1,000 and the Summit 2 is definitely a luxury smartwatch. In it’s market the only competitors are the Apple Watch series 4 or even the TAG Heuer Connected Watch. Recently I have gone over and reviewed the Summit 2 in a previous blog. Down below we have an unoboxing video of the Montblanc Summit 2 by ‘Droid Life’ which shows the first looks of the impressive Summit 2.

n 2016 Corum unveiled the round Golden Bridge, departing from the traditional rectangular or tonneau case for the first time. Now Corum debuts a new Golden Bridge in a titanium case coated in black diamond-like carbon (DLC).

The movement, cal. CO 113 is equipped with a variable inertia balance and a barrel with a slipping spring to prevent overwinding, which means the winding mechanism disengages once the mainspring is fully wound. It has also a cool 40-hour power reserve.

The bridge and base plate are made of 18k solid gold, and hand-engraved with a floral motif. The movement can be readily available in either white or pink gold, with the hands, flange and crown in a matching colour of gold.

The Golden Bridge Titane DLC measures the same 43mm in diameter and 8.3mm thick as the 18k gold model, but is markedly more lightweight thanks to the case alloy. The case is rated to up to 30mm in depth.

To finish up this fabulous timepiece, it is available in a sporty-ish style, fitted to a black rubber strap with black-coated titanium folding clasp.

Price and Availability

The Corum Golden Bridge Titane DLC in white gold is priced at SFr23,500 or S$39,700, while the rose gold version is a limited edition of 68 pieces, priced at SFr23,800 or S$40,210.

In the video below, NOMOS Glashütte shows how the master watchmaker creates the in-house movement. All of their movements are built in-house and by ourselves in Glashütte. This also applies to their watches—Tangente, Orion, Zürich and all the other models. This short film can give you a first impression of what they do.

Also known as Day of the Dead, it is an annual event at the end of October celebrated in Mexico meant to remember the dearly departed, explaining the liberal use of skulls on the L.U.C Perpetual T, named after the Mexican patron saint of death, which boasts a perpetual calendar, (invisible) tourbillon regulator and nine-day power reserve. It makes for surely the most extravagant, and oddly appealing, L.U.C complicated wristwatch in a long, long time.

The dial is a solid 18k gold disc with a radial guilloche edge and a hand-engraved skull that’s been painted with black lacquer. Each of the sub-dials for the perpetual calendar form the eyes, while the skull has mother of pearl inlaid for its teeth, and the black-coated tourbillon bridge forms a moustache of sorts. But because of the dial design, the tourbillon is entirely hidden, a discretion almost unheard of in modern watchmaking.

The case is a large 43mm, and in 18k rose gold, with the front, sides and crown fully engraved by hand. The L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of la Santa Muerte (ref. 161941-5005) is a unique creation, priced at SFr244,500. However, similar timepieces are available as custom orders.

The Summit 2 was built with travelers, explorers, businessmen, and performance seekers in mind. You can reply to notifications right from the watch with a number of preset replies or alternatively use the inbuilt keyboard, handwriting, or voice dictation.

The two most important features of the Summit 2 are the pre-installed Timeshifter and Workout Coach apps. The Timeshifter app is approved by NASA and helps frequent fliers negate the effects of jetlag by offering personalised, easy-to-follow plans to reset the body’s circadian rhythm. For example, it will tell you when the perfect time to nap, eat, or rest would be. The Workout Coach is nice for the fitness gurus. It works as a great running companion that tracks your pace, time, and distance.

Most importantly, the biggest upgrade to the new Summit 2 is the battery life. Some hand issues with the Summit 1 which would run out of battery too quick. With the new Summit 2, a full battery life can last 4 to 7 days. To charge the Summit 2, Montblanc includes a magnetic charger that can juice up the battery from 0-100% in less than an hour. To add to the improved battery life, Montblanc also added a battery-saving time-only mode that disables all other smartwatch features, allowing up to a week’s battery life.

The 1.2-inch full circle AMOLED display offers several Montblanc dials, from the classic 1858 to the vintage Summit to the ultra-feminine Bohème Classic. The coolest feature is that you can create your own dial using the watch face configurator. There over a thousand different dials to choose from and design. The case is available in black DLC steel, stainless steel, two-tone steel, and grade 2 titanium. There are 11 straps to choose from to create over 70,000 individual looks.

The Summit 2 is a good companion for people on the go. The 42mm unisex case feels comfortable on the wrist and has the heft of a mechanical watch, and its clean design makes styling a breeze. It is a nice luxurious smartwatch that can time by replying to messages directly from the Summit 2 and other sick features.

The Summit 2 will be available from 15^th October and retails from SG$1,495.00.

Movement

Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, Google Wear OS

Case

42mm in steel, black DLC steel, two-tone, or titanium; water resistant to 50m

Strap

Interchangeable straps of rubber, leather, or steel

The new H2O evolved from that initial design that offers new perspectives on the horological object.  This H²0 Brown comes on a stainless-steel case with an earthy brown PVD coating. At first glance, it looks soft when it comes to touch it feels as it has been polished by sea waters and feels nice and soft. Everything is round and fluid in this timepiece. On the backside we could see the roundness where the double barrel hovers over the two rhodium-plated bellows.

This timepiece represents both science and art. It is pure innovation mixed with the symbolism of art. The fluidic system  and the mechanical caliber is a very advance technology made specifically for HYT by APRP. The watch brings out an ‘earthy’ feeling with the rich brown colored case, the platina, and the bridges. The red color evokes the blood of earth, lava. Adding the red fluid slowly replaces the transparent one, embodying the future. HYT makes this reference more enhanced by adding the red-tinted sapphire crystal case back.  At the back, the past, mechanical, red; at the front, the future, fluidic, transparent, who wouldn’t want this timepiece?