Thursday, January 31, 2013

GREUBEL FORSEY – Double Tourbillon 30° Technique Black Titane




















GREUBEL FORSEYDouble Tourbillon 30° Technique Black Titane ADLC NEW

The Double Tourbillon Technique Black in titanium marks several ‘firsts’ in the creation of our timepieces, both visually and in the materials used.

The novelty of this piece lies not only in the material used for the case– titanium, a light and yet resistant metal which had not been used before at Greubel Forsey – but also in the subtle and elegant treatment of the assembly. The case, engraved plates and folding clasp made from titanium have been coated with a black ADLC (amorphous diamond-like carbon) treatment, which adds a characteristic layer to the timepiece.

 The Double Tourbillon Technique Black breaks completely new ground for Greubel Forsey: 

It is the first black model in the Collection and the first Greubel Forsey timepiece to feature a titanium case and a rubber strap. These features endow this three‐dimensional chef d’oeuvre with more casual aesthetics than the classic gold and platinum models. Highly polished steel bridges stand out in high‐contrast juxtaposition against the subdued black chrome of the movement plates and bridges.

The Double Tourbillon Technique Black features a unique, open‐work movement architecture in an entirely original and innovative interpretation of Greubel Forsey’s first fundamental invention, the Double Tourbillon 30°.

The Double Tourbillon Technique Black is a case study in high‐precision mechanical watchmaking. The sapphire crystal is a portal through which to observe the mesmerising synchronised rotations of the intricate, sublimely finished, micro‐mechanics beneath. Gazing down through the multiple levels of the three‐dimensional movement, the viewer is naturally drawn from one component to the next. The open construction does not simply enable, but encourages and rewards careful observation of each separate element and their dynamic interactions.

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At the heart of the Double Tourbillon Technique Black is the Double Tourbillon 30° mechanism at 6 o’clock, with the unobstructed configuration of the open movement allowing full appreciation of the ballet of the two tourbillons, one rotating inside the other.

Hours and minutes are displayed by luminous, open‐worked signature Greubel Forsey hands against a transparent sapphire crystal ring, providing full visual access and luminosity to the depths of the mechanisms below. Transparency is also manifest at 6 o’clock with a red‐tipped, four‐pointed, sapphire crystal indicator rotating in four minutes above the double tourbillon, and indicates 0‐60 seconds along a quadrant.

A subtle meeting point with the gold and platinum versions, this Double Tourbillon Black adds and harmoniously blends these elements with a black or anthracite finish.

The movement remains similar to that of its predecessors, namely a Double Tourbillon 30° at 6 o’clock, four coaxial mainspring barrels at 11 o’clock, a 120- hour power reserve at 3 o’clock and a small seconds at 9 o’clock.

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The chapter ring is made from sapphire crystal, with indexes and 12 o’clock numeral galvanically grown. The hour and minute hands are made from white gold Super-LumiNova filled, while the hand showing the rotation of the outer tourbillon cage in 4 minutes is made from sapphire and the other indicators are made from red anodised aluminium.

The three dimensionality of the Double Tourbillon Technique Black is apparent throughout. A visual journey across the top half of the movement takes us from the small seconds near 9 o’clock, past the four coaxial mainspring barrels and the tall jewel‐capped tripod supporting the hour and minute hands, to the power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock. Both the small seconds and power reserve indicators are balanced and strikingly enhanced by their red triangular indicators.

The raison d’être of the Double Tourbillon 30° Technique is its unique three‐dimensional, openwork movement architecture. Whereas a skeletonised movement takes an existing calibre and cuts away ‘superfluous’ material in only two dimensions, the movement of the Double Tourbillon 30° Technique was designed and developed from the ground up to allow unprecedented three dimensional visual access to as much of the mesmerising micro‐mechanics and mechanisms as possible. Sublimely finished components on all levels can be enjoyed from a multitude of angles thanks to the Double Tourbillon 30° Technique’s panoptic construction.

The four fast‐rotating co‐axial mainspring barrels provide a very generous 120 hours of autonomy. The rotation of the barrels can be enjoyed both when winding and when unwinding. Coupled to these barrels is the visible spherical differential that drives the power reserve indicator. Watch makers of Greubel Forsey are renowned for their uncompromisingly superlative finishing and decoration. The Double Tourbillon Technique Black is a kinetic showcase of this art with each and every component, visible or not, designed to highlight its form and hand finish. Plates and bridges have sharp internal angles to highlight the meticulous handcraft. Flat black‐polished steel bridges and mirror‐polished complex curves reflect light in a scintillating display, bringing unparalleled vivacity to the movement.


 Double Tourbillon 30°

The Double Tourbillon 30° was Greubel Forsey's first Fundamental Invention presented in 2004 and features an innovative Double Tourbillon 30° mechanism with one 60‐second tourbillon inclined at 30° rotating inside another tourbillon cage rotating in four minutes. In this world‐premier construction, the double tourbillons average out gravity‐induced errors on the balance and spring oscillator, which improves timekeeping. This construction allows for superior chronometric performance, a minimum volume/maximum balance diameter ratio as well as enabling the beautifully finished mechanism to be fully appreciated.

Black Titanium Case, Lugs, Crown and Clasp
The central hour and minute hands are skeletonised and filled with white Super‐LumiNova that stands out against the black‐chrome finished movement beneath. The triangular hands of the small seconds and power reserve indicator are hand‐finished in red anodised aluminium. The dial of the small seconds is one piece in gold (as is the power reserve dial) with a straight‐grained centre and lapped perimeter with engraved lacquer‐filled markers. A cut away sapphire disk around the perimeter of the display features metallised hour markers.

Three‐dimensional detachable lugs in titanium allow a fine finish of all surfaces of the case. The bespoke Greubel Forsey folding clasp in black titanium features a double folding mechanism with dual release pushers for additional security.

Fine Finishing and Aesthetics
As with all Greubel Forsey timepieces, the level of hand finishing and decoration throughout the Double Tourbillon 30° Technique is second to none. And the impeccable finishing goes much deeper than immaculate surface treatments as the components have been created with forms and shapes that highlight their beauty to maximum effect, offering myriad sublime details to be discovered and esteemed. Frosted plates, scintillating flat black‐mirror‐polished steel on flat and curved surfaces as well as the stunning bevels – many with sharp internal angles that machines cannot finish as well as a highly experienced hand – bring unparalleled vivacity. Large jewels set in polished gold chatons, and mirror‐polished and heat blued screws provide evidence of the extremely high quality that pervades every aspect of this timepiece.

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Technical Specifications

Double Tourbillon 30°, Hours and minutes display, Outer Tourbillon 4-minute rotation indicator, Inner Tourbillon 60 Second rotation indicator, power-reserve indicator.

Patented Movement

Movement dimensions:
Diameter: 38.40 mm
Thickness: 12.15 mm
Number of parts
Complete movement: 385 parts
2 Tourbillon cages: 128 parts
Weight of the two cages: 1.17 g
Number of jewels
• 43
• Olive-domed jewels in gold chatons
Power reserve: 120 hours
Barrels:
• Four coaxial series-coupled fast-rotating barrels (1 turn in 3.2 hours), equipped with a slipping spring to avoid excess tension
• Gold nickel-palladium finished cover with relief engraving
Balance wheel: Variable-inertia with white gold mean-time screws (10.70 mm diameter)
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations/hour
Balance spring:
• Phillips terminal curve
• Geneva-style stud
Main Plates: Frosted nickel silver, polished bevelling, black chromed finish
Bridges: Frosted nickel silver, polished bevelling, nickel-palladium finish, gold nameplate
bearing the watch number, black chrome treatment
Gearing:
• Involute circle profile
• Conical gearing with corrected profile
Inner Tourbillon: Inclined at a 30° angle, 1 rotation per minute
Outer Tourbillon:
1 rotation in 4 minutes
• Hand-bevelled and openworked cage pillars
• Solid gold counterweight
Displays:
• Hours and minutes
• Small seconds
• 4-minute Outer Tourbillon rotation indicator
120-hour power reserve on a sector
Exterior
Case material and finishes:
Black Titanium ADLC (amorphous diamond-like carbon) Noir 
• With convex sapphire crystal
• Transparent back with convex sapphire crystal
• Raised polished engraving of the name of the Invention on a hand-punched background
• Black security screws
• Nameplates with text screwed to the sides
• Three-dimensional lugs secured with screws
• Hand-engraved individual number
Case dimensions
• Diameter : 47.50 mm
• Thickness : 16.84 mm
Water resistance of the case 3 ATM - 30 M - 100 FT
Crown black titanium with engraved GF logo
Dial
• Sapphire hour markers
• Small seconds and power-reserve indicators in gold
Hands
• Hours and minutes in gold
• Small seconds, Power reserve (red triangles)
• Sapphire 4-minute indicator
Strap
Hand-sewn black alligator leather with folding clasp, engraved with the Greubel Forsey logo.

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GREUBEL FORSEY SA
For further information: 
Communication Department 
press@greubelforsey.com – +41 79 194 2884
Eplatures-Grise -16 P.O. Box 670 
2301 La Chaux-de-Fonds - Switzerland
+41 32 9254545
+41 32 9254502
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www.facebook.com - Greubel Forsey
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www.GreubelForsey.com

Breguet - Type XXII Flyback Chronograph Rose Gold





























Breguet - Type XXII Flyback Chronograph Rose Gold NEW

New Version in Rose Gold Type XXII 3880   3880BR/Z2/9XV

The First Series-Made Mechanical Chronograph with a 10 Hz Frequency (72,000 vph) 




 BREGUET UNVEILS ITS 'PRE-BASEL' ORIGINAL TIMEPIECE
 As a prelude to the 2013 edition of BaselWorld, Breguet is thrilled to unveil a world preview of an original version of the emblematic Type XXII.


The case, in 18kt rose gold, measures 44mm. It has a sapphire crystal and it is water resistant to 100 meters.


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The dial, in brown, features luminous hands and hour-markers and a chapter ring with Arabic numerals. Red chronograph's seconds hand on a 30-second basis at the center, Half-minute totalizer at the centerm 24 hour indicator at 3 o'clock, Second time zone indicator at 6 o'clock with luminous Arabic numerals, Small seconds on a 30-second basis at 9 o'clock. Date in an aperture at 6 o'clock.

The minutes graduation in the form of dashes one red and the other white situated on the flange, combined with the numbered seconds graduation also appearing in red and white, serves to establish whether the chronograph counter is in its first (red sectors) or second (white sectors) 30-second revolution. 


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Movement is the Swiss automatic Breguet in-house caliber 589F with 27 jewels, 72,000 vph, and a power reserve of 40 hours. 
It features a high frequency silicon escapement, a Breguet balance-wheel with regulating screws, and a silicon balance-spring. It is adjusted to 5 positions.



timezone.comJorge Merino
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www.watchonista.com
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 www.facebook.com - Breguet
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www.breguet.com

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph 47 mm

















Audemars Piguet - Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph NEW


As a company still in the hands of the founding families, Audemars Piguet cultivates its original traditions by producing, with the help of brilliant, devoted and manually gifted watchmakers, an array of works that are admired by the most discerning collectors and connoisseurs.

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This year, in order to express the very best in watchmaking, the Manufacture in Le Brassus has decided to develop a model equipped with complications and clothed in a case inspired by that of a 1920s cushion-shaped pocket-watch belonging to its private museum.
The result is the Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph, produced in two 10-piece limited editions: one in pink and white gold, and the other in titanium and white gold.
The first version, featuring a pink gold case middle topped by a white gold bezel, associated with an anthracite dial, pink gold hands and hour-markers, lends the model an original and timeless charm.
The other version with its titanium case middle and white gold bezel offers the wearer the best possible auditory experience when the minute repeater is in operation. Few people are aware that the quality of the sound emitted by a watch largely depends on the metal from which the case is made, as well as its volume. The larger the case and the lighter and harder the materials, the more it enables the acoustic waves to expand. The 47 mm titanium case thereby maximises the sound volume, thus enhancing connoisseurs’ listening pleasure.
In addition to its original design, this extraordinary instrument also houses an exceptional movement combining highly sought-after horological complications including a tourbillon regulator and a minute repeater mechanism. Assembled within a single mechanism and complemented by a chronograph function, they form a rare and outstanding whole.

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The appealingly curved case of the Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph accommodates a mechanical hand-wound 13¼-ligne (29.90 mm) calibre that is 7.65 mm thick and comprises 504 parts – of which some of the individual elements and mechanical subsets are visible through the transparent case-back. Moreover, the 83 parts composing the one-minute rotating tourbillon with its balance oscillating at a rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour may be admired through the dial opening, thus enabling the owner of this fantastic instrument to revel in the sight of this 0.4 gram regulator of which the constant revolutions are designed to enhance the precision of the watch.
This exceptional timepiece is also superbly crafted by hand according to the highest Fine Watchmaking standards in order to reveal meticulously worked parts fully respectful of tradition.

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The patient finishing work, to which specialised artisans devote hundreds of hours, is clearly visible through the transparent case-back. Finishes such as bevelling, recesses, sinks and sandblasting call for countless hours of fine craftsmanship and incredible dexterity, in a process amounting to around one-third of the price of the movement. Among the techniques used to make this movement visually appealing, bevelling is undoubtedly the most highly appreciated manual technique, as well as that which requires the greatest accuracy. This exercise, which calls for years of experience, consists in using a file to cut down the edges of components and in polishing them with a slightly curved burnisher, so as to highlight the rim by enabling the light to play across the bevels. These finishes serve historically functional purpose, by protecting the movement against dust and humidity, and thus any risk of oxidation. Nonetheless, these finishes and decorations will only effectively magnify the beauty of the mechanism if the technique involved in this art is fully mastered. It is indeed a form of art fully mastered by Audemars Piguet and continually applied to our products. Functionality meets aesthetics in these infinitely delicate operations. This aesthetic treatment of the mechanism powerfully reveals this meticulous workmanship, executed to perfection at Audemars Piguet. In the case of this model, each part has been treated with infinite care.

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Some components, such as the hammers of the minute repeater striking mechanism which are visible through the case-back, combine two finishes entailing highly complex execution: a mirror polish that is so fine that artisans even joke among themselves that “a glance is enough to scratch it”; along with a bevelling featuring interior and external angles embodying the ultimate expression of the artist’s mastery. These specific angles, which can be easily pinpointed in the mechanism, may be viewed as the secret signature of the artisan, and provide undeniable proof of the authenticity of a work performed by hand because no machine could possibly produce this type of finish.
These two intense and exceptional models, with their cases featuring a particularly distinctive design, share the same Manufacture Audemars Piguet hand-wound Calibre 2874, partially visible through the case-back and ensuring a 48-hour power reserve. This watch interpreted in pink and white gold version fitted with an alligator strap is secured to the wrist by a pink gold folding clasp, while the titanium and white gold version of this Tradition watch comes with a white gold folding clasp.

-------------------------------

Technical specifications

Calibre :
proprietary Calibre 2874, hand-wound
Total diameter : 29.90 mm (13¼ lines)
Movement thickness : 7.65 mm
Number of jewels : 38
Number of parts : 504
Minimum guaranteed power reserve : 48 hrs
Cadence of the balance : 21,600 vph
Case : titanium case (47 mm), glareproofed sapphire crystal and case-back, 18K white gold crown, bezel, pushpieces and case-back.
Dial : silvered opaline dial, pink gold applied Arabic numerals and hands.
Functions : tourbillon, chronograph, minute repeater striking on 2 gongs, hours, minutes, small seconds.
Specific characteristics
Triple complication movement
Column-wheel chronograph mechanism
30-minute counter
Hand-finished bridges and mainplate
Hand-finished cut-out parts (polished bevels, straight-grained on top and matt surface underneath)
Strap :
hand-sewn black “large square scales” crocodile leather with 18K white gold AP folding clasp.

Reference 26564IC.OO.D002CR.01
10-piece limited edition

Press release

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journal.hautehorlogerie.org
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www.AudemarsPiguet.com

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

TAG Heuer - CARRERA CALIBRE 1887 Jack Heuer Edition




















TAG Heuer - CARRERA CALIBRE 1887 Jack Heuer Edition NEW

Design based on the CARRERA Mikrogirder 10'000 winnner of the prestigious "Aiguille d'or " at Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

TAG Heuer Honorary Chairman Jack Heuer is here celebrated in a spectacular edition inspired by the two-part construction Heuer stop watches that he once used on pro racing circuits around the world.































The technical details, however, are all leading-edge, with elements borrowed from Formula One and aeronautics: black titanium carbide steel bezel, hand-brushed and polished to a high sheen; polished, fine brushed and sandblasted steel and titanium cage; tachymetre and pulsometre on the dial.

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The innovative asymmetrical case design is based on the Carrera Mikrogirder - slightly rising at an angle at the top, where the crown and chronograph pushers are located. Jack Heuer’s coat of arms and signature decorate the smoked sapphire caseback, through which can be seen the audacious 39-jewel Calibre 1887 movement. In every way, a stunning tribute to the singular vision of a pioneer in technology and design.

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 TAG Heuer Honorary Chairman Jack Heuer, grandson of the brand’s founder and company CEO during its golden era of innovation in the 1960s and 1970s, is here celebrated in a spectacular edition inspired by the two-part construction Heuer stop watches that he once used on pro racing circuits around the world. The technical details, however, are all leading-edge, with elements borrowed from Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team and aeronautics: black titanium carbide steel bezel, hand-brushed and polished to a high sheen; polished, fine brushed and sandblasted steel and titanium cage; tachymetre and pulsometre on the dial.

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The innovative asymmetrical case design is based on the Carrera Mikrogirder - slightly rising at an angle at the top, where the crown and chronograph pushers are located. Jack Heuer’s coat of arms and signature decorate the smoked sapphire caseback, through which can be seen the audacious 39-jewel Calibre 1887 movement. In every way, a stunning tribute to the singular vision of a pioneer in technology  and design.

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Technical Specifications

REF : CAR2C11.FC6327

Movement

              Calibre 1887 Manufacture movement – Automatic Chronograph - Date

 Dial

  • Silver internal part & dark grey external part dial with sunray effet and 3 counters:
    • - chronograph hour at 3 o’clock
    • - running second at 6 o’clock
    • - chronograph minute at 9 o’clock
  • Dark grey chronograph counters with “azurage” and polished edge at 3 and 9 o’clock
  • Hand-applied faceted indexes
  • Polished hour and minute hands with luminescent markers
  • Red central chronograph hands
  • Hand applied TAG Heuer logo
  • Pulsometre and tachymeter scale on the dark grey flange
  • CARRERA CAL. 1887” lettering on the dial
  • Date window at 6 o’clock

Case

  • Case diameter: 45mm
  • Specific stop watch inspired case constructed in 2 parts
    • - Fine-brushed black titanium carbide coated titanium case – polished and fine-brushed black titanium carbide coated steel bezel
    • - polished, fine-brushed and sandblasted steel cage
  • Double-antireflective curved scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
  • Polished push-buttons at 11 and 1 o’clock
  • Polished steel crown overmolded with rubber at 12 o’clock
  • Scratch resistant sapphire caseback
  • Water-resistance: 100 meters

Bracelet

High-tech soft-touch alligator leather
Steel folding clasp with safety push buttons
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www.tagheuer.com
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baselworld.TAGheuer.com

Monday, January 28, 2013

Zenith - Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane















Zenith - Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Limited Edition NEW

THE PINNACLE OF WATCHMAKING

For almost 150 years, Zenith has been proving that one can indeed combine authenticity with audacity in order to spark emotions. In this respect, the brand has contributed in the most exceptional possible way to demonstrating that a timepiece may be both a symbol of excellence and an object of desire. The brand with the star emblem was born from a subtly different approach to Fine Watchmaking, to precision and to reliability. Its name evokes the highest point in the sky, and it is precisely this level of expertise that the artisans of the Manufacture have been pursuing since 1865.
..



























Retracing the long and fascinating history of Zenith implies both confirming the durability of an enterprising company, as well as finding at each stage the heritage of its founder, Georges Favre-Jacot. In 1865, the latter gathered all the horological forms of expertise under a single roof, in Le Locle (Switzerland), at an address that has never changed since. These historical and geographical roots endow the brand’s products with authentic integrity and legitimacy. Guided by the founder’s pioneering spirit, the artisans create timekeeping instruments epitomising exceptional benchmarks.

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Right from the company’s origins, the men and women of Zenith have been loyal to their vocation as creative, hard-working artisans dedicated to developing and crafting prodigious new horological feats entirely in-house. On a daily basis they passionately cultivate their many talents, determined to swim against the tide of established conventions, and to thus ensure the enduring vibrancy of one of the rare true watch Manufactures. More than a mere functional necessity, watchmaking professions
are nurtured by a philosophy: passion and respect for fine workmanship, as well as a desire to embellish a model by the care lavished on even the smallest details.

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The combination of all the various crafts and the mastery of the various creative and production stages enables the brand to set itself apart, to break free of overly restrictive codes and to create peerless timepieces. Zenith makes complex timepieces meeting the highest Fine Watchmaking criteria. From the spectacular Christophe Colomb Hurricane to the iconic Tourbillon, all the major horological complications are part of the brand catalogue. Their complexity calls for spectacular virtuosity on the part of engineers, technicians, watchmakers, artists and artisans – to which an exceptionally broad product range bears eloquent witness.

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Over 300 patents represent breakthrough milestones in the measurement of time at Zenith, from onboard instruments to wristwatches through pocket-watches. Over 600 movement variations enrich the archives and testify to the brand’s impressive accumulated expertise. Zenith has in particular distinguished itself in the field of chronometry or precision timing, earning 2,333 Prizes in the process. Custodian of an impressive portion of modern watchmaking history, this exceptional chronograph houses an avant-garde mechanism: not only is it the first integrated automatic movement, but this calibre beats at the exceptional frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour, enabling it to be accurate to the nearest 1/10th of a second. The evolved versions of this legendary chronograph movement are now part of a complete collection bearing its name.

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Since the creation of Zenith, Georges Favre-Jacot was always careful to steadily expand the facilities of the Manufacture, to buy new machinery and to develop new production techniques in order to constantly improve the quality and the reliability of the timepieces being manufactured. He thus developed the concepts of interchangeable parts and automated production, in parallel with the meticulous hand craftsmanship devoted to developing and finishing each watch. Today, Zenith pursues a course of perpetual renewal in order to forcefully combine ancient tradition with cutting-edge technologies. By the start of the 20th century, this pioneering spirit instilled by the founder had placed the brand among the three largest watch manufacturers with an international reach. The history of Zenith is a fundamental landmark in modern watchmaking and its artisans are its contemporary guardians.

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In an era of virtual reality and the internet, complex mechanisms continue to inspire dreams. As an authentic brand, Zenith contributes to the fantastic ongoing saga of Haute Horlogerie by creating watches equipped with a number of unusual complications and consistently combining noble horological traditions with a spirit of innovation, in harmony with the precepts upheld by Georges Favre-Jacot. An authentic reference in its field, the Manufacture displays an eclectic approach in order to be present in all segments of the watch market: from jewellery watches to sports models or classic watches, and of course complicated watches. It has established itself as one of the most inventive and daring brands of the 21st century – and will doubtless remain so for many generations to come. At Zenith, the past is merely a prologue, as almost 150 years of history eloquently testify.

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THE EXPERTISE OF ADVENTURE

This is the realm of world-changing visions. Audacity and a taste for exploration are the watchwords. It’s about taking a different view. Beyond any existing boundaries. Beyond the present. The spirit of true visionaries because there are still so many possibilities waiting to be explored.
This is a domain reaching new heights of cutting-edge techniques. Time counts here, considered perhaps more than anywhere else on earth as the ultimate precious commodity. It is expressed through the purity of peerless horological innovation.
This is a field brimming with intelligence nurtured by the spirit of discovery, tirelessly aspiring to progress and literally boundless. Independent and unafraid of change, it is built on enthusiasm and goes well beyond knowledge and skills to forge its ambitious, exclusive and consistently forward-looking path.

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The legendary watch brand Zenith has released a new limited edition watch Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane (Réf. 18.2210.8805/01.C713), which will be officially presented at the international annual exhibition of jewelry and watches BaselWorld 2013.

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This model has no equivalent in the field of Fine Watchmaking. With its gyroscopic module that enables the regulating organ to remain constantly horizontal – however the watch itself is positioned – and thus to protect the mechanism from the effect of earthly gravity, the line of Christophe Colomb models is truly unique.

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This principle ensures enhanced regularity of the escapement, without the position of the watch interfering with the rate of the movement – an approach that thereby improves precision. By also incorporating a fusée and chain escapement that regulates the torque transmitted to the gear trains, the Christophe Colomb Hurricane model offers an impressive combination of advanced features.

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Technical Specifications

Ref. - 18.2210.8805/01.C713
25-piece limited edition

Movement    :    El Primero 8805, manual
Unique Gyroscopic system that ensures perfect horizontal positioning of the regulating organ
Calibre    :    161⁄2 ``` (diameter: 37 mm)
Thickness    :    5.85 mm
Components    :    354
Gyroscopic module    :    942 parts components
Jewels    :    53
Frequency    :    36,000 vph – (5 hz)
Power-reserve    :    Min. 50 hours
Functions    :    Hours and minutes excentred at 12 o’clock
                          Self-regulating gravity control module at 6 o’clock
                          Ssmall seconds display at 9 o’clock
                          Power-reserve indicator at 3 o’clock
                          Fusée-chain transmission under the hours/minutes dial
Case    :    18-carat rose gold
Diameter    :    45 mm
Thickness    :    14.35 mm
                         21.40 mm (with domed sapphire crystal)
Crystal & case-back    :    Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflection treatment on both sides and excrescent domes that cover the christophe colomb module
Water-resistance    :    3 Atm
Dial    :    Gold with hand-crafted guilloché motif hour-markers: black lacquered
Hands    :    Blued steel
Strap    :    Alligator Brown alligator leather with protective rubber lining
Buckle    :    18-carat gold triple folding clasp rose gold


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www.thewatchquote.com
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www.facebook.com - Zenith Watches
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www.Zenith-Watches.com

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Jaeger-LeCoultre - Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee















Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee Platinum Limited Edition NEW

Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee
A new pinnacle of the watchmaking art

In 2013, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates its 180th Anniversary and presents the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbilon 3, the tenth work in the Hybris Mechanica series dedicated to the Grande Complication models from the Manufacture.

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The Jaeger-LeCoultre gyrotourbillon is an authentic 21st century horological sensation that now appears for the first time with a flying tourbillon, a blued gold balance and a spherical-shaped balance-spring. The Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 also achieves another feat by combining the prodigious precision of the spherical tourbillon with the first instantaneous digital-display chronograph presented within a Grande Complication watch.

As the masterpiece of the “Tribute to Antoine LeCoultre” Jubilee trilogy, this new timepiece combines the extreme technical sophistication of the Manufacture and the finishes characteristic of time-honoured watchmaking art with an aesthetic directly inspired by the pocket watches produced by the Manufacture during the 19th century.

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The gyrotourbillon scales new peaks of perfection
The enhanced compensation for positional errors due to the influence of gravity is rendered especially fascinating by this meticulously synchronised double rotation. The spherical tourbillon immediately catches the eye at first glimpse of the face of this Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee model. Nonetheless, even for certain devotees of horological innovation who have already attempted to probe the secrets of the first two spherical tourbillons developed by the Manufacture, this mechanism appears in an entirely new light: for the very first time, the absence of an upper bridge invites the gaze to wander freely through this entrancing miniature universe.

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It is composed of two carriages, respectively rotating in one minute and 24 seconds – meaning 2.5 times a minute – and does not owe its existence exclusively to the inventiveness of the engineers and watchmakers of the Manufacture, but also to the use of cutting-edge equipment such as the five-axis machining centre. Finally, it takes nothing less than ultra-light materials such as aluminium to achieve an authentic micromechanical feat by creating an ensemble composed of around one hundred parts and yet weighing less than one gram.
 
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The Jaeger-LeCoultre engineers and watchmakers have combined technical inventiveness with a degree of refinement demonstrating a mastery of all aspects of the watchmaking art: the aluminium carriage of the gyrotourbillon has undergone a surface treatment that enhances its ability to reflect the light. The lightness and sturdiness of aluminium generally result in diminished radiance that considerably reduces the reflection of light rays. In this case, the material boasts reflective properties that enable light to stream into the very heart of the spherical tourbillon.

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Within this construction, a distinctive new element also naturally draws attention. In association with a 14-carat blued gold balance, the movements of the balance-spring create a surprising three-dimensional effect. After the cylindrical balance-spring of the Gyrotourbillon 2, the watchmakers of the Manufacture have developed a spherical balance-spring fitted with two terminal curves guaranteeing the best possible ‘chronometric’ or precision-timing performances.

In the Valley of Complications, the quest for precision is destined to continue unabated, and the dexterity of the Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers reaches new heights with this new creation.


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The new movement – Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 176
The latest of the 1,242 calibres built by the Grande Maison in the Vallée de Joux is named Calibre 176. Developed, crafted and assembled in the Grande Complication workshops of the Manufacture, it combines the gyrotoubillon with a chronograph function.

Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed an instantaneous digital-display chronograph boasting extraordinary precision that destine it to become a new watchmaking legend, since it is the first chronograph to be associated with a flying spherical tourbillon. Once again, the essence of this model – the perfection of the function – is clothed in pure beauty beautifully expressed on its round dial. The latter is swept over by a single seconds hand that begins running as soon as the chronograph is activated, and of which the tip, when it stops, points to the subdivisions on a classic 0 to 60 scale bearing 10-second numerals for enhanced clarity. Nonetheless, rather than counting its rotations on a subdial, the Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers have opted for an instantaneous digital display, composed of two generously sized apertures appearing side by side at 3 o’clock on the dial of the chronograph.

It is also worth noting that the chronograph function of the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee is of the single push-piece type, an historical feature reflecting that characteristic of late 19th century models.
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The epitome of horological tradition
The tenth creation in the Hybris Mechanica series is distinguished by the presence of three independent dials. Each bears a traditional Fine Watchmaking finish intended to reveal its singular nature. The hours and minutes dial is characterised by its traditional opaline silvered decoration. It is swept over by new Dauphine-type hands entirely in harmony with the other features of this timepiece. Meanwhile, the chronograph display has a sunray rhodium-plated finish endowed with a classic aesthetic entirely dedicated to ensuring immediate readability; while the dial displaying the day/night indication features a hand-punched background and the night section has been coated with a translucent blue lacquer. The mainplate has been patiently manually hammered, according to an ancient technique rediscovered and meticulously applied in the workshops of the Manufacture. These skills requiring peerless dexterity and constancy are inspired by a pocket-watch made in 1898 by Jacques-David LeCoultre in order to celebrate his admission into the select circle of exceptional watchmakers who have gone down in history as the masters of their art. This remarkably complex work already combined a number of functions including a perpetual calendar, a moon-phase display and a minute repeater equipped with a silent governor. The latter innovative device, which earned one of the 400 patents awarded to the Manufacture since its founding, is still used to this day.

The dial centre bears the Jaeger-LeCoultre logo and signature, as well as the mention of the date 1833, a reminder of the historic year when Antoine LeCoultre opened his watchmaking workshop in the Vallée de Joux.

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The Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee comes in a new extra-white platinum case measuring 43.5 millimetres in diameter and 15.5 millimetres thick. The superbly elegant bezel and lugs are adorned with a polished finish creating a delicate contrast with the satin-brushed case sides.
The breathtaking beauty of the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee stems from this unique alliance between historical inspiration and cutting-edge technical innovation. It is fitted with a white gold folding clasp comprising a device enabling millimetre-accurate length adjustment according to the temperature and the humidity rate in order to guarantee a perfectly comfortable fit in all circumstances. Nonetheless, a mere description of this distinctive feature does not do justice to the work accomplished by the Jaeger-LeCoultre engineers, whose inventiveness is not confined to the technical watchmaking aspects of their timepieces. In actual fact, the additional mechanism incorporated within the folding clasp to enable perfect adjustment forms a complex construction made up of around one hundred parts. All of which serves to confirm that comfort, an essential feature of any timepiece destined to encircle the wrist, is also a matter of precision.
This model in the “Tribute to Antoine LeCoultre” Jubilee collection will be produced in a limited edition of 75.
 
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The roots of inventiveness
Like all watches in the Hybris Mechanica series, the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee was conceived, developed and crafted on the very spot where Antoine LeCoultre opened a watchmaking workshop exactly 180 years ago. Nonetheless, however historically remote it may now seem, the work of this brilliant pioneer maintains direct ties with the contemporary creations form the Manufacture, notably by means of an invention that led to an authentic revolution in watchmaking production. In 1844, the ambitious watchmaker invented a device that he named the Millionometer. It was the first instrument enabling measurements accurate to within one thousandth of a millimetre. This extraordinary breakthrough in the field of precision empowered the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux to extend its production range by introducing the first series-made complicated movements. Their parts could be easily replaced, while strict controls already guaranteed their quality. Thanks to Antoine LeCoultre, pocket-watches were enriched with new and with functions that were ever more accurate, useful and fascinating. Today, the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee pays tribute to this first golden age with its unique face reminiscent of the exceptional 19th century horological creations.

As part of the Hybris Mechanica collection, exclusively composed of Grande Complication models, this new timepiece joins other major horological achievements ranging from the Grande Sonnerie to the Reverso à triptyque – the former embodying innovation in the field of striking mechanisms and the latter representing the first wristwatch to feature three dials showing civil and sidereal time as well as a perpetual calendar. Like the nine other members of this prestigious lineage, the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon is composed of an innovative combination of prestigious horological complications.

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Contemporary technology meets the genius of the great 19th century inventors in the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3. Their visionary spirit is more vibrantly alive than ever in the Vallée de Joux – a reality vividly confirmed by a careful observation of the spherical tourbillon. Its regular “breathing” bears an uncanny resemblance to that a living creature, steadily beating at the heart of a spherical tourbillon which appears to be floating weightless in space.

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Model: Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3 Jubilee

Reference: 503 64 20, limited edition of 75

Movement:
Mechanical manually-wound movement,
Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 176, crafted, assembled and decorated by hand
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Two barrels
48-hour power reserve
592 parts
92 jewels
11.15 mm thick
Flying spherical tourbillon:
Rotation speeds
  • Outer carriage in extra-bright aluminium: 1 rotation/minute
  • Inner carriage in extra-bright aluminium: 2.5 rotations/minute
Blued spherical balance-spring
Blued 14-carat gold balance
Number of parts: 11
Weight: 0.43 grams
3 ii ndependent dials: 
Hour-minute dial: opaline silver-toned
Chronograph dial: sunray rhodiumed
Day/night dial:
-  Hand-punched
-  Night section coated with a translucent blue lacquer
Hands: 
Hours and Minutes: blued Dauphine-type
Chronograph second hand: blued baton-type
Functions:
Hour, minute
Flying gyrotourbillon
Instantaneous digital-display chronograph activated by a single push-piece at 2 o’clock
  • Digital display of the minutes (from 00 to 59)
  • Pointer-type indication of the chronograph seconds
Day/Night & 24-hour indication
Case:
Extra-white platinum
43.5 mm in diameter
15.5 mm thick
Polished lugs and satin-brushed case middle
Water resistance: 5 atm
Strap:
Jaeger-LeCoultre blue high-end alligator leather strap,
white gold adjustable folding clasp

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Press release
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