awesome – Swiss Watch Makers

Urban Jürgensen Ref. 1140L RG Brown

Nicolas Scatena — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 21:38:49 +0000

When it comes to attractive watches that are simple yet elegant, Urban Jürgensen produces the best timepieces in that category. Furthermore, the Reference 1140L RG Brown released at Baselworld and is a very limited edition.

The dial features a chocolate brown hue with contrasting blue hands that create a nice tone. The one thing that catches my eye most is the beauty of the Arabic numerals made of solid rose gold and appear as they are floating. The proportions of this watch are so perfect that makes it an epic watch.

This Urban Jürgensen is the latest addition to the Reference 1140 series that has featured dials in a variety of colors over the past few years.

Jumping inside the watch, is the hand decorated in-house P4 caliber with Swiss Lever Escapement, a twin barrel, and a 72-hour power reserve. The timepiece measures at 40 mm and is matched with a brown alligator leather strap and with a solid rose gold folding buckle and clasp. The price for this beauty is marked at 29,900 Swiss francs or around 30,000 USD.

Pope Francis’ Kerbedanz ‘Armenian Alphabet’ Watch

Nicolas Scatena — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 17:43:11 +0000

Usually the Bishop of Rome is offered many gifts by people and manufacturers all over the world. When it comes to gifts , the Pope and the Catholic Church cannot receive gifts. They have a way of thankfully declining. When offered a gift, it is usually auctioned for charity or it is sent to the Vatican museum.

Recently, Pope Francis has been gifted a Harley Davidson which was auctioned off for 280,00 Swiss Francs. The auction later helped build a homeless shelter home in Rome.

Argentina, where the Pope was born, is the country with the second-most Armenian population after the US. Armenian based Watch brand Kerbedanz, has gifted a timepiece which differs from any other piece.

On the dial of this timepiece the traditional time indexes have been replaced with the origianl Armenian alphabet, which consists of curves and entangled angles.

The dial consists of solid gold covered with micro sculptures and subtle guilloché design. The bracelet appears to be a beautiful dark navy leather which contrasts the gold of the dial very nice.

This timepiece is extremely unique and is dedicated to the traditional Armenian language.

It’s safe to say that this Kerbedanz is priceless!

Harry Winston Opus 11

Nicolas Scatena — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 20:48:07 +0000

Today I am writing about the Harry Winston Opus 11! It definitely has one of the most unique watch displays that I’ve seen so far.

The Opus 11 is limited edition with only 111 in the world.

The case, available in white gold, surrounds a sapphire-crystal dome.

The watch reminds me of a phoropter, the instrument used by an eye physician to check your vision.

The main circle (above) is where the hour is displayed with the peculiar, yet amazing arrangement.

The number in the middle of the hour circle gets reassembled every hour, then remains still for the next 60 minutes.

There are 24 placards, that move and rotate to display the number in the center.

The top right circle (above) displays the minutes on a jumping disk for the tens place and a running disk for the individual units. An indicator points at the current time.

The bottom right circle (above) shows the beat of a big titanium balance-wheel.

The Opus 11 includes:

24 conical pinions

155 jewels

566 components

The power reserve lasts for 48 hours until the crown on the top left corner has to be wound again.

The Opus 11 looks wonderful paired with a black leather strap.

Here is a video on YouTube of the Opus 11 that I stumbled upon:

The way the numbers rotate and assemble is completely ingenious!

Top 10 Most Beautiful Watches

Nicolas Scatena — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 17:55:26 +0000

Top 10 Most Beautiful Watches

#10 Harry Winston Opus 11

The Opus 11 includes 155 jewels and 566 components.
The center hour circle displays the hour with 24 placards that revolve and rotate on a complicated system of gears attached on an epicycloidal gear-train.

#9 Breguet Grande Complication Tourbillon 5317

This Men’s watch has 39 mm 18K Yellow Gold case with tourbillon. Self-winding movement engraved by hand. 5-day power-reserve indicator. Running seconds on the tourbillon shaft. Compensating balance spring with Breguet overcoil. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose engine. Sapphire caseback.

#8 Jaeger-LeCoultre è Duomètre à Sphérotourbillon

The Sphérotourbillon appears to be floating in the air as it majestically sits on the elegant gray dial of this Duomètre Sphérotourbillon watch in pink gold. This model will delight lovers of Fine Watchmaking who are seeking a model that combines originality and sophistication.

#7 Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Unique Travel

The first watch to combine user-friendly access to the world’s time zones with flexible setting of the time in the destination zone to the nearest minute. This timepiece capitalizes on the “Dual Wing” concept, thus avoiding any loss of precision.

#6 Jacob & Co. Rose Gold Astronomia Diamond Baguette

The gravitational triple axis Tourbillon timepiece features a three-dimensional sidereel display that boasts an Oval Sky Indicator of the Celestial Panorama, “Jacob Cut” Red Moon Orange Sapphire with 288 facets and diamond encrusted 18K rose gold. This timepiece costs a whopping $1,015,000 USD!

#5 Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendaire

The Rotonde de Cartier Astrocalendar watch revolutionizes the perpetual calendar in terms of function and appearance. Its innovative design has produced a three-dimensional concentric display of the day, date and month. A flying tourbillon, rotating once every minute, occupies center-stage.

#4 Ulysse Nardin Moonstruck

The watch has 18k rose gold round case, fixed smooth blue ceramic bezel, mother of pearl blue and rose gold accents. It has Swiss automatic movement with hours, minutes, dual time zone and moonphase functions, sapphire crystal, navy blue alligator strap with rose gold deployment buckle, exhibition case back.

#3 Patek Philippe Ref 6102 Grand Complications

Patek Philippe knows what they are doing! This distinguished Grand Complication lives up to its name, coming in at number 2.

This timepiece is a start gazer to say it can be looked at just like the beautiful night sky. Patek Philippe uses their 240 mechanical movement on this timepiece. Illustrating the hours and minutes of solar time a beautiful sky chart with the phases as well as the orbit of the moon. It gives you the time of the meridian passage of Sirius and moon. And a hand for your date. Composed of 315 components 45 jewels

with a diameter of 44 mm. It has power reserve of 38-48 hours and produces 21,600 vph.

#2 A. Lange & Söhne Perpetual Calendar Terraluna

The Terraluna comes in a case choice of rose gold or white gold, both with a solid silver dial.

It displays minutes, hours, seconds, and a leap year indicator positioned accordingly.

The movement (above) is pure beauty at its finest.

#1 Van Cleef & Arpels’ Midnight Planetarium Watch:

It is now possible to wear the night sky on your wrist.

The dial displays Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn with a rose cold casing.

The month, days, and a red marker for your special day, are all displayed along the bezel.

This piece of arm candy is perfection what with its gems for the corresponding planets.

It is true to the actual planet’s revolution around the sun.

This extraordinary time piece includes the gems:

Serpentine for Mercury

Chloromelanite for Venus

Turquoise for Earth

Red Jasper for Mars

Blue Agate for Jupiter

Sugilite for Saturn

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History in the Making

Nicolas Scatena — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 17:54:27 +0000

Today I’ll be going over the history of Vacheron Constantin.

Vacheron Constantin is one of the oldest watch manufacturers being founded in 1755 by Jean-Marc Vacheron.

Today Vecheron Constanting is part of the Richmont Group.

Vacheron Constantin has a small employee scale compared to that of Rolex, it only employs about 400 people world wide.

Vacheron Constantin made their first complication in 1770, 9 years after the first engine turned dial was invented by this marvelous company.

The name Vacheron Constantin came to be in around 1819 when then owner Jaques-Barthèlemy realized he needed help running the growing company. François Constantin became his assosiate and tats how Vacheron & Constantin came to have its name.

The watchmaking company has a motto and it states “Do better if possible and that is always possible”.

In 2003 Vacheron Constantin introduced a new sports line called Overseas, and a collection called Egérie, the first to include watches for women.

In 2004 Vacheron Constantin opened its new headquarters and manufacture in Plab-les-Ouates, Geneva.

The Richmont Group named Juan Carlos Torres as the CEO of the company in October 2005. Vacheron Constantin is considered to be company that was able to create one of the most complicated wristwatches in the world entitled Tour de I’lle. It was created in 2005 to mark the anniversary of 250 years of Vacheron Constantin. The watch includes 834 parts and 16 horological complications. It was only available through the Vacheron Constantin shop in Geneva, Switzerland and sold for more than $1 million.

In 2007 Vacheron Constantin introduced the Metiers d’Art ‘Les Masques’ collection of timepieces featuring miniature reproductions of primitive art masks. The company selected twelve masks from a private museum collection and reproduced the masks on a small scale. The miniaturized masks are featured in the dial center of every watch from the ‘Les Masques’ collection.

See More of the Metiers d’Art ‘Les Masques More of Metier d’Art collection

Vacheron Consantin sells about 20,000 timepieces a year today.

Now This Is A Complication

Nicolas Scatena — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 21:40:05 +0000

Frank Muller Aeternitas Mega 4

With 36 complications the Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 is one of the most complex timepieces ever. This stunning timepiece has 25 complications visible. This timepiece has a monstrous 1,483 components with 99 Jewels. Arguably the most complicated wrist watch ever made this timepiece fetches a price of 2.7 million USD

Calibre FM 3480 QPSE

Frank Muller

“Mechanic Tourbillon, Carillon Westminster on 4 hammers and 4 gongs, Chronograph with fly-back mechanism and only one push-piece, Perpetual Calendar Secular, Equation of time, Two additional time zones, Automatic self-winding mechanism for the movement and the Westminster carillon.”

This movement measures 34.4 mm x 41.4 mm x 13.65 mm

Which might seem large but taking count of sheer amount of components and complications is actually small.

This amazing Movement also has a power reserve of 3 days/strike 24 hours.

18,000 VPH

You can see this timepiece in 3 different models below!

Heres a bit more on what Frank Muller has to say about this outstanding timepiece

AETERNITAS MEGA 4

“The Aeternitas Mega – the most complicated wrist-watch – is the pinnacle of success in the art of watch-making in terms of complexity and complications. A grandiose work of art culminating in the design of the most complex wrist-watch ever made in the world thanks to the multifaceted skills of our watch-makers and constructors. Each of the 1,483 components was designed to give the watch an elegant design in the pure traditions of the old “cadraturiers” of the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland. This watch inspires countless emotions and make it simply unique in the eyes of lovers in the art of fine mechanics and luxury watch making.

From the very beginning, the Mega was incorporated into the Aeternitas project and is, indeed, the culmination of this project. The Aeternitas Mega 4 is the only “Grand Sonnerie” time-keeper in which the Tourbillon is visible on the dial side, which limits the space available for the “Grand Sonnerie” mechanism and thus makes the design even more complicated.

The glass sapphire case back enables the harmoniously chiselled and decorated pieces that overlap to be admired in a stunning combination as a dazzling ballet. This masterpiece was entirely designed and manufactured by the Franck Muller group and once again demonstrates their vast array of skills and ability in the Art of Haute Horlogerie.”

As you can see they have a lot to say about their timepiece and who wouldn’t this timepiece is truly a milestone in Frank Mullers great history.

This magnificent timepiece is made in 3 different styles

All with a Case Dimensions of 42.00 mm x 61.00 mm x 19.15mm
A Hand Sewn Alligator Strap
3 ATM Water Resistance which is about 30 meters.
Display: Hours, Minutes, 24 hours, Chronograph, Fly-back, Minutes counter,
hour counter retrograde, two time zones, Movement power reserve
Display of the chime: Grande or petite chime
Chime or silence
Chime power reserve
Perpetual calendar display: Date retrograde, Day, Month, Year, Leap year (cycle of 4 years), no
leap year (cycle of 100 years), leap year (cycle of 400 years), Equation
of time

Cintrée Curvex 8888 18 carat white gold

Dial: Sun-stamped lacquered white dial with black Arabic numerals

Cintrée Curvex 8888 18 carat white gold

Full set baguettes red rubies

Dial: Sun-stamped lacquered white dial with black Arabic numerals

Cintrée Curvex 8888 18 carat white gold with black PVD treatment

Dial: Sun-stamped lacquered black dial with red Arabic numerals

Your Century, Your Millenia

Nicolas Scatena — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 15:50:18 +0000

The Urwerk UR-1001 Zeit Device

This is the first pocket watch that I’ve written about.

I find this watch to be spectacular. It looks to me like a modern World War device.

It holds seconds, minutes, and hours like a standard watch; the Ur-1001 Zeit Device displays the day/night, the date, month, years.

There is a power reserve indicator, the power lasts for 39 hours in which it will have to be wound with the three-position winding crown.

On the back it displays the century and millennium! The UR-1001 also has an oil indicator on the back that lets you know when it needs servicing!

Components & Specifications

Now let’s head into the components and specifications. It is 23mm thick and, when holding it in the face up upright position, it is 106mm tall and 62mm wide.

The glass in the case is sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating so nothing gets in the way of that marvelous display. The case itself is AlTiN treated steel with titanium elements.

It is water resistant to 3 ATM. It has a total of 51 jewels.

The UR-1001 includes a hand-made, heat-blackened steel linked chain with a bespoke Urwerk clasp with carbineer closure. Which I believe is replaceable but what is better than the original, right?