Saturday, January 31, 2015

ALPINA – StarTimer PILOT BIG DATE


ALPINAStarTimer PILOT BIG DATE Watches NEW

THE NEW ALPINA STARTIMER PILOT BIG DATE PROFESSIONAL PILOT WATCHES

Swiss luxury sports watch manufacturer Alpina, is delighted to present you the new Startimer Pilot Big Date models.

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Alpina has used its experience as official supplier of military and pilot watches to develop two new versions of its iconic Startimer Pilot line, a line that is widely appreciated by professional and private pilots alike.

The Startimer Pilot Chronograph Big Date

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The new Startimer Pilot Chronograph Big Date features the perfectly readable aviation dial design for which the Alpina Startimer range is known. For this new version, with contrasting silvered chronograph counters, the inspiration has been drawn from Alpina pilot dials of the1970's.

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The unmistakable red Alpina triangle signature is found in its traditional position at the base of the central chronograph hand and a military green technical leather strap, perfectly fitting the military spirit of the watch, completes the "ensemble". The watch is also available on metal bracelet.

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The 44mm diameter stainless steel case features a scratchproof sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating and is water-resistant up to 10 ATM /100M /330feet.

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The Startimer Pilot Chronograph Big Date encases the AL-372 high precision Swiss quartz chronograph movement, which drives every model in the range.
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Technical Specifications

Model: Startimer Pilot Chronograph Big Date 

Reference: AL-372BS4S6  Military Green Genuine Leather strap
Reference:  AL-372BS4S6B Metal bracelet

Movement:
Swiss High Precision Quartz,
13 jewels, 48H months Battery life
Functions:           
Hours, minutes, seconds, big date,
1/10th of seconds chronograph
Case:
Stainless steel, 44 mm diameter
Scratch – Resistant Sapphire Crystal
10 ATM / 100M / 330 FT Water-resistant
Engraved case-back
Screw-in crown
Dial:
Black dial with silver counters
Date window at 6’ o clock
White luminous Superluminova coated hour and minute hands
Strap:   
Military Green Genuine Leather strap or metal bracelet
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The Startimer Pilot Big Date

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The two new watches of the range display a new dial design with a deep navy blue sunray finish, a contrasting silvered seconds counter and white dial indexes.

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Like the Chronograph version, the Startimer Pilot Big Date features a 44mm, two parts stainless steel case, a scratchproof sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating, a screw-in pilot crown and a small seconds display at 6 o'clock with a big date.

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The Alpina Startimer Pilot Big Date encases the AL-280 high precision Swiss quartz movement. The watch is water resistant to 10 ATM /100M /330feet.

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Alpina professional pilot watches, with their high performance features, are made for tough pilots; those landing on high altitude strips in the Swiss Alps or on short landing fields in the Canadian outback, and are, of course, perfect for all men (and women) who love flying and unlimited spaces and possibilities.

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For more information on the new Alpina Startimer Pilot Big Date models please visit our website or contact Mrs.Yasmina Pedrini, Alpina Watches Communications Director, at pedrini@frederique-constant.com

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Technical Specifications

Model: Startimer Pilot Small Seconds  

Reference: AL-280N4S6 Blue Leather  
Reference: AL-280N4S6B Metal bracelet

Movement:
Swiss High Precision Quartz,
6 jewels, 48 months Battery life,
Functions:           
Hours, Minutes,
Big date, Small seconds
Case:
Stainless steel, 44 mm diameter
Scratch – Resistant Sapphire Crystal
10 ATM/100m/330ft Water-resistant
Engraved case-back
Screw-in crown
Dial:   
Navy blue dial with silvered seconds counters
Date window at 6’ o clock
White luminous Superluminova coated hour and minute hands
Strap:   
Blue Leather strap or metal bracelet
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Friday, January 30, 2015

SPEAKE-MARIN – Jumping Hours

















SPEAKE-MARINCabinet des Mystères JUMPING HOURS 42mm Bi-Color NEW

Jumping Hours:
An homage to the ephemeral nature of time

Past, present and future: Symbolic concepts of time continually passing. Time is valuable but also fleeting, and although we can define it, we cannot control it. Jumping Hours, part of Speake-Marin’s Cabinet des Mystères collection, highlights the transient nature of this most intangible commodity. Four separate jump hour indications, each controlled by its own gilded star wheel, are a constant reminder of the ceaseless passing of time.

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As we age, the hours, minutes and seconds that make up the days appear to grow shorter and shorter, and time seems to speed up. As a child, time is endless but as an adult, it slips quickly through the cracks.

Peter Speake-Marin found inspiration in the past to show this relentless march of time. Based on the jump hour star system invented over 150 years ago, the British watchmaker deconstructed this vintage complication four times to display the inescapable passing of time, where hours literally “jump,” advancing from one to the next in the apparent blink of an eye.

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The Speake-Marin Jumping Hours contains four small, Foundation-style, blued–steel hour hands. Each of these exquisitely crafted hands is placed in a separate quadrant of a beautifully finished silver dial – at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock respectively. The individual hands are set atop their own brilliant, gilded star wheel, which “jumps” every 15 minutes when a tiny pin – located at each wheel’s centre – sequentially pushes one star wheel after the other as the blued-steel central minute and second hands perpetually march forward.

In a neat touch, synchronised with this changing of the hours is the appearance of a tiny red dot on the centre plate at each quarter hour mark. Every 15 minutes, a small circular hole near the base of the minute hand lines up with the red dot, indicating that the hour has “jumped”.

"On the Speake-Marin Jumping Hours, you have this continual animation as the minute hand goes around so that there is always something moving," says Peter Speake-Marin. “The idea is to show the speed at which time passes.”

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The Jumping Hours "dial" is actually the top of the movement mainplate. The movement, crafted from traditional German silver, features circular-grained bridges and plates with hand polished bevels. The distinct curvature of the bridges gives the illusion that the dial is moving in step with the hour hands as time strides forward.

So as not to distract from the action of each passing hour, there are no numerals on the dial. Instead, subtly drilled minute markers are neatly arranged around the perimeter of the mainplate. The silver dial contrasts beautifully with the 18k red gold bezel. A matching red gold fluted crown and caseback adds an extra touch of classic Speake-Marin style. Serif style text in capital letters is hand-engraved inside the minute markers – an elegant touch and reminiscent of another era.

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Visible through the display back is Jumping Hours’ Eros automatic-winding movement with long five-day power reserve and Speake-Marin’s signature ‘topping tool’ mystery winding rotor. Hand engraved around the caseback are “Unique Piece” and “Mechanical Art No. 2”. Jumping Hours’ evolution of time is all housed in the iconic, 42mm red gold and stainless steel Piccadilly case. The entire piece was constructed, machined, hand-finished, assembled and regulated by a single watchmaker.

The Speake-Marin Jumping Hours is a unique piece.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

SPEAKE-MARIN Cabinet des Mystères JUMPING HOURS 42mm Bi-Color


Features and indications
Central minutes and seconds
4 sequential jump hour mechanisms
Automatic-winding movement with 5-day power reserve 
Dial and hands
Speake-Marin signature Foundation-style hands in heat blued steel,
indicating hours, minutes and seconds
Movement and finishing
Automatic-winding Eros movement
Dimensions: 30.40mm x 4.35mm
Power reserve: 120 hours
Jewels: 35
Twin barrels
Frequency: 28,800vph / 4Hz
Speake-Marin signature ‘topping tool’ mystery winding rotor
Hand-finished bridges and rotor
Case
Iconic Piccadilly case in red gold and stainless steel
Three-piece case construction
Two-position crown: Manual winding and stop-second time setting
Dimensions: 42mm x 13 mm
Front and display–back: sapphire crystals treated with anti-reflective coating
Case-back circumference engraving: “Speake-Marin – The Piccadilly”     
Water resistance: 3atm/30m/100ft
Strap
Hand-made, natural alligator leather strap
Pin buckle in stainless steel
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Should you need further information, do not hesitate to contact our communication
manager by e-mail: veronique@speake-marin.com ou by phone: +41 21 695 26 56
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GRAHAM – GEO.GRAHAM Tourbillon














GRAHAM GEO.GRAHAM Tourbillon Limited Edition NEW

Precious, innovative, refined and expressing the same British watch making heritage; tha Geo.Graham collection.

GRAHAM continues to explore its origins. Back to George Graham, the peer watch maker, the father of the chronograph, the genius craftsman who left his mark on an entire generation of scientists and intellectuals and an inspiration for today’s timepie.


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Following in the footsteps of late 17th century watch making, GRAHAM has introduced a tribute classical Geo.Graham Tourbillon which distinguishes itself by its extreme thinness and micro-rotor movement
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GEO.GRAHAM TOURBILLON
George  Graham’s  legacy

Limited edition of 100 pieces

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George Graham created and lived an interesting and unusual life. He made great contributions to watch making and science especially when entering the Royal Society in 1721. With Isaac Newton and Edmond Halley as prestigious acolytes, the ground was fertile for creation. Numerous scientific concepts and constructions changed our vision of the world.

The 18th century pioneering team inspired us to create a complication in homage and tribute to their achievement and fellowship.

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GRAHAM was determined to preserve the long-standing tradition of high precision English timepieces from the Age of Enlightment even though the tourbillon hadn’t . yetGeorge Grahambeen and his friends could have been the inventors.

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Original pocket watch by George Graham, circa mid-1720s


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We have developed a special tourbillon piece. Not just any tourbillon. A 60-second tourbillon and we have made it ultra-thin (9.85 mm).

High-technology and expert craftsmen, such as local partner Le Cercle des Horlogers in La Chaux-de-Fonds, has contributed to achieving the classical Geo.Graham Tourbillon.

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The double-bridge construction of the 60-second tourbillon, at combined6o’clock,withthemicro-rotor movement provide the perfect functional balance with an increased power output and barrel resetting as well as enabling to reduce thickness.

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Made in pink gold (18K), the Geo.Graham Tourbillon features remarkable elements such as the balance wheel and off-centred oscillating weight which together create a dynamic effect and perfect unity of technology and design.

The attractive and mechanically completed movement is like it is frozen. It is held by two sapphire glass boxes on the front and back of the piece, giving the impression it is floating in the air. The domed crystal offers a full size dimension (36 mm opening) and a see-through view on the beauty of the mechanism. The off-centred oscillating weight functions flawlessly as a special slot on the case back glass box has been created on the sapphire crystal case back for it.

The extreme thinness of the watch (9.85 mm) accentuates the harmony, lightness and high end finishing of the Haute Complication tourbillon movement.

Our passion for refined details led us to decorate the white enamel lacquered dial with the railway track which represents the minute scale and features arrows and stars. The oscillating weight is engraved with ornamental arabesques also inspired by traditional George Graham decoration.

The Geo.Graham Tourbillon is the smart representation of traditional luxury watch making.

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 Technical Specifications

Model: GEO.GRAHAM Tourbillon
Ref. 2GGCP.W01A
Limited edition: 100

Functions
60-second see-through Tourbillon (3Hz), automatic micro-rotor movement
Hours, Minutes, Second 
Movement
Calibre G1796,  Swiss made manufactured high precision automatic movement exclusively
made for GRAHAM with Haute Horlogerie finishing, circular "Côtes de Genève"
decoration, circular graining, chamfered and polished bridges and bottom plate,
specific engravings on the back including limited edition serial number,
21'600 A/h (3Hz), Incabloc shock absorber
Golden micro-rotor oscillating weight to ensure thinness,
ornamental arabesque engraved inspired by George Graham decoration
60-second see-through Tourbillon
Tourbillon cage: 67 components, construction at 6 o'clock. See-through tourbillon.
Double bridge construction with blue screws. Balance wheel with regulating screws
29 jewels
Power reserve: 72 hours
Case
40 mm pink gold (18K) case
Ultra-thin case: 9.85 mm
Pink gold (18K) crown with "Geo." engraving representing George Graham's signature on his works
Sapphire crystal glass box (2.98 mm thick) on both faces with anti-reflective coating.
Full size dimension: 36 mm opening
Sapphire crystal glass box (3.35 mm thick) on the case back with special slot for the oscillating weight 
Water resistance: 160 feet / 50 m / 5 bar
Dial
Domed dial coated with white enamel lacquer
Black Roman and Arabic numerals inspired by George Graham timepieces
Minute scale which resembles a railway track (4 quarter-hours with railway track symbols) inspired by George Graham's timepieces
Blue central hands 
Strap
Hand-sewn brown alligator
Pink gold (18K) pin buckle

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Press release
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GRAHAM SA 
Boulevard des Eplatures 38
2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds | Switzerland
Tel: +41 32 910 98 88 | Fax: +41 32 910 98 89
Email: george@graham1695.com 
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Thursday, January 29, 2015

DuBois et fils – Luxury Watchmaker Auctions Selected Vintage Watches











DuBois et fils Aérienne 2 Mécanique Grande Date NEW

230 Years DuBois et fils: Luxury Watchmaker Auctions Selected Vintage Watches

Le Locle, Switzerland, 29 January 2015
230 years have now passed since Philipp DuBois and his sons founded Philippe DuBois & Fils SA in Le Locle, the oldest Swiss watch factory. 230 years, during which the company continually garnered attention through its visionary approach and exquisite products.

Some watch designs from years past are still, even today, genuine eye-catchers.

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It is therefore no wonder that vintage watches are very popular with numerous watch aficionados. ‘For the occasion of our 230 year anniversary, every month this year we will auction off a beautiful DuBois et fils vintage watch on our website’, says Thomas Steinemann, CEO of the Swiss heritage brand. The highest proceed amount out of these 12 vintage watches will entirely go into the company’s own social aid project DBF Social at the end of 2015.



















The auction series will start with the watch model Aérienne N°2 with pocket watch movement. The silver dial of this timepiece impresses with its different finely chased and colour-coded zones. The classic indexes and Arabic numerals below 12 o'clock were individually appliqued by hand.

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With the large date and the small seconds counter at 6 o'clock, the Aérienne N°2 discreetly reminds us of the successful watch models of the current DBF001 and DBF003 collection.

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The auction of Aérienne N°2 ends on February 9, 2015, at 10 pm.

Printable photographic materials can be obtained by calling 0611-973150 or by sending an email to:  team@euromarcom.de.

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CHRISTOPHE CLARET – Aventicum


CHRISTOPHE CLARETAventicum Emperor "Marcus Aurelius" Limited Edition NEW

AVENTICUM
Paying homage to Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius

Christophe Claret’s passion for history has inspired him to create Aventicum, a tribute to the capital of ancient Roman Helvetia and to highlight the extraordinary work of the Avenches Roman Museum. In the center of its dial, Aventicum reveals a miniature gold bust of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. The micro-engraved effigy is particularly three-dimensional thanks to an ingenious optical effect.

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Christophe Claret has always been intrigued by the history of Aventicum, which was the capital of Roman Helvetia for more than 300 years and the ruins of which now lie near the Swiss town of Avenches. Even today at the Aventicum excavation sites, archaeologists continue to unearth precious artefacts dating from this rich era of antiquity. In 2013, Christophe Claret decided to create a three-dimensional film in partnership with Philippe Nicolet and his production company, NVP3D, to document the incredible relics now belonging to the Avenches Roman Museum and the town of Avenches. The advantage of using 3D for a film of this nature becomes evident on the big screen. Displaying the ancient artefacts in three dimensions allows for incomparable detail of even the tiniest objects, giving audiences and researchers alike the opportunity to rediscover the rich history of Aventicum

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Among the excavated objects was a priceless finding: a solid gold bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, which was found in 1939 when an old pipe was being cleaned. This precious discovery is one of only three known Roman busts of this style in the world. Other similar statues were most likely melted down and recycled into other objects over the centuries. Due to the museum’s limited exhibition space, many of the ancient Roman capital’s excavated objects cannot be properly displayed for the public. Christophe Claret hopes that his Aventicum-inspired timepiece will help raise awareness about the phenomenal efforts of the Avenches Roman Museum to preserve these vestiges of this ancient civilization. He also wishes to generate support from the Swiss government to construct a new building to conserve and showcase this incredible heritage.

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The ancient capital city’s history, coupled with the 3D film, has served as inspiration for the Aventicum timepiece. A micro-engraved gold replica of the Marcus Aurelius bust can be found in the centre of the dial. Incorporating a technique never before used in the history of watchmaking, the faithful, small-scale representation of the Emperor – measuring less than three millimetres – is displayed in magnified form thanks to a clever invention called the mirascope. 

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The mirascope is comprised of two identical parabolic mirrors arranged one on top of the other, creating an elliptical shape. The convex mirror on top has a hole in the middle. When an object is placed in the centre of the concave bottom mirror, the reflection from the top mirror creates a hologram of the object, which appears nearly two times larger than it actually is. In implementing this optical effect in Aventicum, the bust of Marcus Aurelius looks as if it is thrusting out of the middle of the watch. The illusion is so realistic that it is hard to resist attempting to touch the gold sculpture through the sapphire glass, but it would be in vain…

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Aventicum, like all Christophe Claret signature timepieces, epitomizes the highest standards of haute horlogerie embodied by the brand. Developing the technically demanding mirascope to function perfectly took extreme dedication and focus. Months of research and several prototypes were integral to obtaining the desired optical effect. The next critical step was designing and fabricating the hour and minute hands, which had to be reconfigured, as the mirascope was now the centrepiece of the watch. The hands became pointers revolving on an invisible ring around the perimeter of the dial, each equipped with a counterweight to optimize stability. The challenge of creating the hands for Aventicum was to find a material light enough to compensate for the relatively larger – though mainly concealed – size the display mechanism. The solution was to use carbon microfiber, which has an excellent rigidity/weight coefficient.

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Turning over Aventicum, the patented, transparent sapphire-winding rotor of the automatic movement can be admired through the display back. The rotor is embellished with five numbered Roman Gaul racing chariots in full swing of a thrilling competition. Yes, the playful spirit found on many of Claret’s timepieces is apparent yet again, this time in the form of a fun, interactive race: by positioning Aventicum horizontally and performing one or two waving movements, the chariots are jumpstarted in the wake of the rotor’s action, which then stops. The player whose chariot finishes above the “A” of Aurèle (Aurelius), engraved on the periphery, is the winner.  

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Aventicum embraces its Roman heritage, as this great civilization’s artistic influence suffuses the timepiece by way of a number of carefully thought out adornments – like the Roman numerals forming the hours or the labyrinthine motif found on both the dial and back of the watch, encircling the sapphire-winding rotor. As Marcus Aurelius was not only an emperor but also a philosopher, Christophe Claret elected to engrave, in Latin, one of his famous maxims on the back of the watch: “Perfice Omnia facta vitae quasi haec postrema essent”, or “Perform every act in life as though it were your last.” Christophe Claret has licensed the patent from Vianney Halter regarding the relationship between the outer sapphire rotor and its inner bearing.

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Aventicum is available in two limited editions: 68 pieces in 5N red gold and anthracite PVD-treated, grade 5 titanium; and 38 pieces in palladium-rich white gold and anthracite PVD-treated, grade 5 titanium.

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Technical Specifications

Reference: MTR.FLY11.120-128  Palladium-rich White Gold
Limited edition of 38 pieces
Reference: MTR.FLY11.120-128   5N Red Gold
Limited edition of 68 pieces 

Movement:
CALIBRE FLY15:
 - Diameter: 26.20 mm                                             
 - Height: 3.37 mm (excluding hands)
Number of parts: 186
Number of jewels: 28
Barrels:  Twin barrels
Power reserve: 72 hours
Escapement:           
Frequency: 4 Hz (28’800 vph)
Swiss lever
Features: 
‘Mystery’ winding rotor in transparent sapphire adorned with 5 high-definition metalized chariots
Functions:
Hour and minute display around chapter ring
Case:
Dimensions: 44 x 52.11 x 18.49 mm
Water Resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
Material
- Palladium-rich white gold and anthracite PVD-treated grade 5 titanium
Hands in carbon fiber
- 5N red gold and anthracite PVD-treated grade 5 titanium
Hands in carbon fiber
Crown
- White gold and anthracite PVD-treated grade 5 titanium with cabochon in black PVD titanium
- 5N red gold and anthracite PVD-treated grade 5 titanium with cabochon in black PVD titanium
Strap
Black alligator leather with black stitching
Features
Mirascope with a micro-engraved bust of Marcus Aurelius
 
Limited edition of 38 pieces   Price in Swiss Francs (ex VAT):  53’000
Limited edition of 68 pieces   Price in Swiss France (ex VAT): 49’000

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