Wednesday, December 2, 2015

ALPINA – StarTimer PILOT Chronograph BIG DATE “201st Squadron” Edition

ALPINAStarTimer PILOT Chronograph BIG DATE “201st Squadron” Limited Edition NEW

Celebration of the 70th Anniversary
of the Return of the 201st Squadron

On Wednesday 18th November 2015 at 2 pm at Mexico’s Air Base No.1 in Santa Lucía, Pachuca, we celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the Return of the Pilots of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force’s 201st Squadron, known and recognised worldwide as “The Aztec Eagles” thanks to their participation in the Second World War.

In 1945, the 290 volunteer soldiers who travelled to the Pacific War Combat Zone were between 20 and 22 years old. They are now aged 90 to 94 years old and describe themselves as happy to have served their country.

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The Second World War Veterans came together to receive a well-deserved tribute from the Mexican Air Force and also to commemorate their companions who died in the performance of their duty. 

In recognition of their services, the surviving members of the unit were presented with a 201st Squadron Limited Edition watch made by the Swiss brand, Alpina, during a ceremony presided over by Captain Manuel Reyna Garza of the 1st FAAMA Group.

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The watch was designed to commemorate this key date in the history of Mexico, and a plaque was created depicting an eagle holding in its claws the distinctive tricolour triangle that is the symbol of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force. The watch’s back features a P-47, the aircraft used during the fighting.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Mexican Association of Second World War Veterans from the 201st Squadron of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force, by General Ernesto Púres Monroy of the Mexican Air Force, and by Alpina executives and members of the specialist press.

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At the end of the commemoration, a toast was made in the presence of the Veterans and their families, all of whom were deeply moved by their memories of their deceased companions.

On 18 November 1945, half a million men, women and children in Mexico City alone turned out to welcome the combatant’s home along a route from Buenavista Station to the city’s Zócalo square. These great heroes are today remembered at the Mexican Air Force Museum.

The Alpina Startimer Pilot Chronograph Big Date “201st Squadron” Limited Edition

Alpina, the manufacturer of Swiss luxury sports watches, is delighted to present the new Startimer Pilot Chronograph Big Date “201st Squadron” Limited Edition watch.

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Alpina has drawn on its experience as the official supplier of military and pilots’ watches to present a Limited Edition of 201 models featuring a timepiece that pays tribute to the 201st Squadron that took part in the Second World War.

The watch was designed for professional pilots who fly powerful jet aircraft and need to decide in fractions of a second the limits that their aircraft and the human body can withstand.

The new Startimer Pilot 201st Squadron Limited Edition watch features three chronograph counters with perfectly legible dials that are essential instruments for aviation – a defining characteristic of the Alpina Startimer range, which makes it so popular with pilots all over the world.

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The dial features an eagle holding in its claws the distinctive tricolour triangle that is the symbol of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force, located inside the counter at 9 o’clock. The case-back is engraved with an image of the P-47 aircraft that was used during the expedition.

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The 44 mm-diameter stainless steel case, which features a scratch-proof and reflection-proof sapphire crystal, large date, small seconds at 6 o’clock and is water-resistant to 10 ATM/100 m/330 feet, houses the AL-372 Swiss high-precision chronograph movement.

The unmistakable Alpina triangle, in red, is situated in its usual position, and matches the top-stitching of the "Kevlar" strap, which perfectly encapsulates the military spirit of the watch.

It is presented in a Limited Edition gift-box with a commemorative certificate, specially designed for this model, together with a historical booklet provided by the Mexican Air Force and an engraved stainless steel plaque.

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The watch is available exclusively on the Mexican market for a recommended retail price of 26'950 MXN.
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Technical Specifications

Model: StarTimer PILOT Chronograph BIG DATE “201st Squadron” Limited Edition

Reference: AL-372B4FBS6  

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 with Black PVD coating,
Diameter: 44 mm
Scratch – Resistant Sapphire Crystal
10 ATM / 100M / 330 FT Water-resistant
Engraved case-back
Screw-in crown
Dial:
Black matt dial
Date window at 6’ o clock
White luminous Superluminova coated hour and minute hands
Strap:   
22/18 mm
Strap: "Kevlar" Cordura® high resistance technical fabric

Limited Edition: of 201 pieces  

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SPEAKE-MARIN – Dong Son Tourbillon

















SPEAKE-MARIN Cabinet des Mystères Dong Son Tourbillon Gold Limited Edition NEW

The Dong Son Tourbillon features an 18K red gold dial intricately etched with a motif inspired by ancient Dong Son bronze drums. Polished bevels lead the eye towards the animated 60-second tourbillon.

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The Dong Son Tourbillon features a red gold dial with centre intricately etched to leave a fascinating relief motif inspired by the prehistoric bronze drums of the ancient Dong Son people of Vietnam. The meticulously detailed dial is complemented by the drum-like Speake-Marin Piccadilly case in 18k red gold.

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In addition to the signature Piccadilly case, the Dong Son Tourbillon possesses other quintessential Speake-Marin qualities including sculpted heat-blued hands, finely finished movement and fluted crown, here set with a scintillating diamond.

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Dong Son drums are bronze drums crafted by the Dong Son culture in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam between 600 BC and the 300 AD. The Dong Son people were highly-skilled bronze casters and their drums – of which the sides and top surface were usually decorated with geometric patterns and scenes depicting daily life – are considered to represent an artistic level that very few cultures of the time could match.

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 The beautiful hand-finished tourbillon rotating at 6 o’clock is framed superbly by its steel guard. The eye-catching, highly polished tourbillon bridge is made from Durnico steel, chosen for its superior strength.

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The tourbillon has played an important role in the story of Speake-Marin. The first timepiece to bear the Speake-Marin name was the Foundation Watch, a hand-made pocket watch. The watchmaker’s topping tool wheel motif in the Speake-Marin logo, which first appeared in the tourbillon cage of the Foundation Watch, can also be seen in the tourbillon cage of the Dong Son Tourbillon.

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Peter Speake-Marin says: “The tourbillon is one of the things that I love most about watchmaking because of the animation it gives to the dial. It shows time moving in a way that a minute-repeater or grande sonnerie can’t offer. For me, it is something profound.”

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The Dong Son Tourbillon’s visually-arresting blued steel hands are also designed in the same style as the hands of the Foundation Watch, the Rosetta Stone of Speake-Marin. The polished, sculpted hands – including a heart-shaped hour hand – are set off superbly by the white etched dial centre.

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Around the circular-grained periphery of the 18 k red gold dial, Roman numerals are first engraved, then lacquered, then circular-grained. The polished gold bezel frames the dial, just as the polished guard in the dial around the escapement frames the tourbillon.

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Turning the Dong Son Tourbillon over, the movement featuring hand-finishing can be fully appreciated through the display back. On top of the offset mainspring barrel is the noble platinum micro-rotor, its strong and sober aesthetic counter-balanced by the intricate complexity of the tourbillon.

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The lower tourbillon cage is supported by a striking paddle-shaped bridge offering clear visual access to the surrounding gears below. The rhodium-finished German silver bridges and movement plates are circular-grained with polished screw heads and countersinks. Technical details are engraved and gilded on the bridges either side of the platinum rotor.

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The Dong Son bronze drum culture 
Dong Son drums are bronze drums crafted by the Dong Son culture in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam between about 600 BC and the third century AD. Weighing up to 100 kilograms, some drums would have required the smelting of between one and seven tons of copper ore. Since the late 17th century, more than 200 such drums have been discovered from eastern Indonesia to Vietnam and parts of southern China.
It is thought that the Dong Son drums were used as musical instruments in festivals, in prayers for rain and for good harvest, in rituals such as weddings and funerals, and for rallying men for war. The sides and top surface of the drums were usually decorated with geometric patterns and realistically inscribed scenes depicting daily life – for example war, animals and boats.

The unique dial of the Dong Son Tourbillon 
These traditional patterns and iconography provide the inspiration for the highly-intricate dial motif of the Speake-Marin Dong Son. In fact, the Dong Son Tourbillon dial motif takes its cues from some of the most revered Dong Son drum creations, including the Hoàng Ha drum, Co Loa drum and the most important of all due to its well-preserved nature and intricate decoration, the famous Ngoc Lu drum.





























The top surfaces of these drums are adorned with a central starburst and concentric circles within which are repetitive images of armed warriors and flying egrets as well as geometric hatching.

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The dial centre motif of the Dong Son Tourbillon follows a similar pattern to these historical masterpieces, with an outer ring of graceful egrets complemented by an inner ring featuring plumed warriors holding their weapons between the 12 points of the eye-catching starburst. These 12 points also form a neat horological reference for the central hands indicating hours, minutes and seconds.

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Intricate etching 
It is not just the iconography of the Dong Son drum motif that gives the Dong Son dial its vitality, but also the spectacular precision of the etching in the 1.0mm thick 18 k gold dial.
“The precision of the etching to create the Dong Son dial motif was only made possible thanks to an extremely innovative chemical etching process,” says Peter Speake-Marin. “Such an astonishing level of detail couldn’t have been achieved by human hand.”
The precision-etched areas of the red gold dial are 0.3 mm deep, matte finishing emphasises the ‘all blue’ dial treatment and provides a stunning contrast with the circular-grained, red gold motif.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Speake-Marin Cabinet des mysteres Dong Son Tourbillon 18K Red Gold Case


Features and indications
• Central hours and minutes
• Hand-finished 60-second tourbillon   
• White-lacquered, multi-level dial
• Automatic-winding movement with 950 platinum micro-rotor
• Power reserve 72+ hours
• 42mm Piccadilly case
• Display back
Dial and hands
18 k Red gold & Blue-lacquered the "Dong Son" drum motif, multi-level dial featuring tapered are first engraved
Central Speake-Marin signature Foundation hour and minute hands in heat-blued steel
Movement and finishing
Calibre SM3
Rhodium-finished German silver bridges
• Glucydur balance
• Automatic-winding movement
950 Platinum micro-rotor
• Diameter of rotor: 16.40mm
• Single barrel
• Frequency: 21,600vph / 3Hz
• Power reserve: over 72 hours
• Dimensions: 30.40mm x 5.40mm
• Jewels: 25
4N gold-plated bridge engravings:
Twenty Five (25)
Jewels; 60 Second Tourbillon;
Platinum Rotor Mass;
Swiss Made; Speake-Marin Switzerland;
Frequency: 3Hz;
Power reserve: 72 hour
Case and strap
38mm
Iconic Piccadilly case in polished 18K red gold
• Case comprising 27 components
• Dimensions:  11.30mm x 5.40mm
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 strap
Buckle: Pin buckle in 18K red gold

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Should you need additional information, feel free to contact our Communications
Department by email: veronique@speake-marin.com or by phone at :+41 21 695 26 56.
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