Tuesday, May 31, 2016

MB&F – LM1 Silberstein Limited Edition


MB&F –  LM1 Silberstein Limited Edition
 
Serious watchmaking. Seriously playful.

Engraved in French on the case band between the lugs of LM1 Silberstein is a paraphrased quote from Gustave Flaubert: "Le vrai bonheur est d'avoir sa passion pour métier" – which translates roughly as, "Making a profession of your passion is true happiness”.

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The phrase carries special meaning for both French watch designer Alain Silberstein, who left the safety of working in his trained profession as an interior designer to found his own watch brand, and MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser, who left the security of being a successful CEO of a well-known brand to found his own niche creative lab.

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In 2009
, MB&F had called on Silberstein to create its very first piece of ‘Performance Art’ – reinterpretations by external artists and designers of existing MB&F Machines. The result was the HM2.2 ‘Black Box’, followed by a long list of collaborations with other creators. For this new Performance Art series, Silberstein has taken MB&F's classic Legacy Machine N°1 and imbued it with his unique flair for the unconventional. His use of his signature three bright colours and shapes: red, blue and yellow; triangle, rectangle and circle for the hands and dial markers; and three-dimensionally translated as a cone, cube and sphere for the power reserve, catch the eye as they contrast against the more subdued movement plate below.

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However, it is the concave curve of the subdials that highlights the artist's philosophical approach most. While the convex sapphire crystal dome and balance bridge offer protection from outside forces, the concave subdials attract and welcome the "eternal time" of the universe into the movement, where it is transformed and displayed as two completely independent time zones. Naturally, the hands are similarly concave so that they seamlessly complement the curvature of the dials.

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"I resonated with LM1 because by highlighting the balance – the mechanism that splits time into miniscule increments – it highlights how man converts eternal time into something he can use"
,
Silberstein explains.

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Silberstein felt strongly that, as the balance is the "beating heart" of the timepiece, nothing should break the view of the dial side regulator or block "eternal time" from reaching the time indications. He also thought that as graceful as the dual arcing bridges of the original LM1 were, they took too much visual attention from the indications. Two years of development were required to create the transparent sapphire crystal balance bridge to the incredibly tight tolerances required to support the balance wheel. And all of that work for an elegantly shaped component that is essentially designed to be invisible.

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"It was a pleasure to work from such a creative timepiece as LM1 because the suspended balance and arched bridge made it feel like working on the set of a science fiction film".

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Even the two crowns are steeped in Silberstein magic: their distinctive six-pointed star shapes formed by overlapping two triangles make winding a tactile pleasure.

LM1 Silberstein in detail

Inspiration and realization:  
Alain Silberstein had one overriding aim in his vision of creating a ‘Performance Art’ edition of LM1: to welcome the "eternal time" of the universe into the movement, where it would be transformed into time on a more human scale. To realise this, he envisaged concave subdials to catch "eternal time", rather than the convex subdials of the original LM1. He also envisaged replacing the original dual arches of LM1's balance bridge with a single, transparent bridge, allowing full visual access to the time indications and dial-side escapement.

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The colours and shapes of the concave hands highlight Silberstein's meticulously practical approach to artistic design. When reading the time, the hour is generally the first bit of information required. So the hour hands are a brighter colour (red) on a larger surface area (triangle) than the thinner blue minute hands.

The three primary colours found on the subdials – red and blue hands, yellow index markers – are echoed in the three shapes – blue cone, red cube, and yellow sphere – of the three-dimensional power reserve indicator.

The three primary colours found on the subdials – red and blue hands, yellow index markers – are echoed in the three shapes – blue cone, red cube, and yellow sphere – of the three-dimensional power reserve indicator.

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The six-pointed crowns (comprising two overlapping triangles) also reinforce the collaborative aspect of this Performance Art piece: the shapes and colours of the crown are pure Silberstein, while the battle-axe logo represents MB&F.

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Silberstein uses contrast and materials to surreptitiously guide the eye to key elements on the dial: the hands are both brightly coloured and high gloss, while the underlying dials and movement plates feature more subdued colours with matte finishes.

"I like playing with materials and finishes. The more matte there is, the more the high polish pops".
 
Engine:
 
LM1's ingenious three-dimensional movement was specifically developed for MB&F from Maximilian Büsser’s sketches by Jean-François Mojon and his team at Chronode together with independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen. The balance wheel and spring at the very heart of any mechanical watch movement are responsible for regulating timekeeping accuracy. Büsser has long been fascinated by the large slowly oscillating balance wheels of antique pocket watches –18,000 bph compared with the 28,800 bph common today – so it was no surprise this was the starting point from which to let his fertile imagination roam free. What was surprising, though, is just how radically he re-interpreted tradition by relocating the balance wheel from its more usual position hidden at the back of the movement to not just the top of the movement, but floating above the dials!

While the location of Legacy Machine N°1’s regulating organ may be considered avant-garde, ‘tradition’ is upheld by the large 14mm diameter balance wheel with regulating screws specifically developed for MB&F, balance spring with Breguet overcoil, and mobile stud holder.

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Another very special feature of the LM1 movement is the ability to set the two time zones completely independently. The vast majority of dual time zone movements only allow the hours to be independently adjusted, a rare few offer setting to the half hour. Legacy Machine N°1 allows both hours and minutes of each dial to be set to whatever time the user wishes.

The world’s first vertical power reserve indicator on LM1 is driven by an ultra-flat differential with ceramic bearings allowing for a slimmer complication and a more robust and longer-wearing mechanism.

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Dial and indications:
 
The rate keeping of the twin dials is controlled by the same regulator (balance and escapement) so that once set, the two times stay perfectly synchronised with each other. Both the hours AND minutes on both dials can be set to any time desired via their respective crowns.

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Complementing the three-dimensionality of the balance floating in space, the dual concave dials with their brightly coloured hands float above the top of the movement. To ensure aesthetic purity of the dials, a sophisticated fixation system underneath negates the necessity of visually obtrusive screws.

Fine finishing and historical legitimacy:

Acclaimed master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen assumed responsibility for ensuring the historical accuracy of the style and finishing of the Legacy Machine N°1 movement. No easy task with such an unconventional suspended-balance design from which to begin.

It is in the style and finish of the bridges and plates visible through the sapphire crystal window on the back of the movement where Kari Voutilainen has excelled in providing exquisite historical fidelity; both in the shape of the elegantly curved bridges, and the traditionally wide space between the bridges and between the perimeter of the bridges and the case.

On the back of the movement, oversized ruby jewels set in highly-polished countersunk gold chatons provide striking visual counterpoints to the frosted, sensually curved bridges. While providing historical links with the large jewels seen in high-grade antique pocket watch movements, the ruby bearings have a practical application in reducing wear and increasing longevity by accommodating large diameter pinions and holding more lubricating oil.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Model: LM1 Silberstein

LM1 Silberstein is a limited edition of 3 x 12 pieces in red gold, titanium, or black PVD-treated titanium.

Engine:
Three-dimensional horological movement developed exclusively for MB&F by Jean-François Mojon/Chronode and Kari Voutilainen
Manual winding with single mainspring barrel
Power reserve: 45 hours
Balance bridge: transparent sapphire crystal
Balance wheel: bespoke 14mm balance wheel with four traditional regulating screws floating above the movement and dials
Balance spring: traditional Breguet overcoil terminating in mobile stud holder
Power reserve: 72 hours
Balance frequency: 18,000bph / 2.5Hz
Number of components: 279
Number of jewels: 23
Chatons: gold chatons with polished countersinks
Fine finishing: superlative hand finishing throughout respecting 19th-century style; internal bevel angles highlighting hand craft; polished bevels; hand-made engravings; frosted finish 
Functions/indications:
Hours and minutes; completely independent dual time zones displayed on two dials; unique vertical power reserve indicator
Crown at 8 o'clock for setting time of left dial; crown at 4 o'clock for setting time of right dial and winding 
Case:
Material:
Available in 18k red gold, grade 5 titanium or grade 5 titanium treated with black PVD
Dimensions: 42.5mm wide x 17mm high
Number of components: 41
Water resistance: 30m / 3atm / 90’
Sapphire crystals:
High domed sapphire crystal on top and sapphire crystal on back with anti-reflective coating on both sides; balance wheel bridge in sapphire crystal.
Strap & Buckle:
Black hand-stitched calfskin strap with black topstitched seams with red gold case, or red topstitched seams with both titanium cases.

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Monday, May 30, 2016

SPEAKE-MARIN – London Chronograph Special Edition
















SPEAKE-MARIN London Chronograph Special Edition NEW

This spring, Speake-Marin unveils a special edition dedicated to the early years of the British
watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin, “The London Chronograph”. This special edition will only
be available in the Fine Watch Room at Harrods, in
London during summer where it will be
officially launched.


The London Chronograph is a tribute for Peter Speake-Marin to his first steps as watchmaker
when he restored antique watches in the Piccadilly arcade in London.
After qualifying as a horologist at London's Hackney College, Peter went to Switzerland to
deepen his knowledge of watch making at the Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and
Education Program (WOSTEP) in Neuchâtel. Following his first three commercial
watchmaking positions which were short lived, due to his hunger to grow as a watchmaker, he
met Georges Somlo in 1990 and stayed in the arcade restoring all manor of early pocket and
wrist watches during 6 years.

The London Chronograph is a special edition in many ways, by its number of pieces being
made, but also by its heart. It is powered by a Valjoux 92 made during the 1950’s and 60's. As
with many mechanical calibres the quartz revolution in the late 60's cut short the life of such
calibres.

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The movements used for the London Chronograph were purchased by a collector of vintage
movements and stocked in a safe for many years, waiting to be part of this special edition,
dedicated to the roots of Speake-Marin.

Today these calibres are rare, it was chosen by Peter for this project, because it is the same
type of movement that he restored during his time in London during the 1990’s.
The Valjoux 92 was a popular chronograph movement from the 1950's. Succeeding the
popular Valjoux 23 family (including the Valjoux 72), the Valjoux 92 was similarly sized at
13 ligne (29.5 mm) but used very different technology. It was an oscillating pinion design,
distinct at a glance for having two rather than three chronograph engagement wheels visible at
the back. Although both Valjoux movements are column wheel designs, the Valjoux 92 has
seven pillars versus the nine of all other Valjoux movements. Historical Valjoux chronograph
movement were used by companies ranging from Patek Philippe to Rolex and Tag Heuer,
they were one of the largest and most successful of movement manufacturers.

The London Chronograph is housed in a 42mm titanium case with a three dimensional white
dial. On the dial, the Arabic numbers alternate with Roman numerals to bring a vintage touch,
first seen on the Gothic Velsheda limited edition. The red 12 has classical connotations and
associations with early pocket and wrist watches made in England where on some classical
designs the entire dial numbers were in black with the exception of the 12.

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The centre seconds chronograph is married in colour to the 30 minute recorder hand located at
3 o’clock on the dial. The two subsidiary dials for the 30 minute recorder and the seconds dial
are both seen to float on the dial and below them is found the Speake-Marin topping tool logo
wheel fitted to the hour wheel turning with the hour hand.

The Central Speake-Marin signature “Foundation” style hands in heat blued steel bring the
final touch to this very special edition.

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This special edition will only be available in the Fine Watch Room at Harrods, in London
during summer as part as the Made with Love and Precision campaign. Made with Love and
Precision is a celebration of the horological offering which has established Harrods as the
ultimate destination for Fine Watches. Throughout July and August 2016, the luxury
department store will hero twenty three of the world’s most important fine watch houses
through a stunning exhibition of timepieces launching exclusively at Harrods, a dedicated
Brompton Road window takeover and innovative retail theatre. This celebration will continue
throughout the store, where extraordinary craftsmanship will be brought to the fore with
highlights including exciting product exclusives and engaging retail activity.’

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Reference: 11001

MOVEMENT 
Valjoux 92, mechanical hand wound movement
INDICATIONS 
Central hours and minutes
30 minute counter at 3 o’clock
Constant seconds hand at 9 o'clock
Central chronograph seconds hand ,
FREQUENCY  18000 beats per hour
JEWELLING  17 jewels
POWER RESERVE  ~ 40 hours
CASE 
Iconic Piccadilly case in titanium with brushed 'DLC' sides.
Front and back sapphire crystal treated with anti-reflective coating
DIAMETER  42 mm
WATER RESISTANCE 3 bar (30 meters)
DIAL 
White three dimensional dial
Black minute and second indications
Roman and Arabic numerals
Red “12” Roman numeral
HANDS 
Central Speake-Marin signature “Foundation” style hands in heat blued steel
STRAP  Black Rubber
BUCKLE  Folding buckle in titanium

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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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Saturday, May 28, 2016

ARNOLD & SON – Métiers d’Art HM Koi Unique Piece
















ARNOLD & SONMétiers d’Art HM Koi Unique Piece NEW


Arnold & Son unites exquisite, hand-painted
dials with the fine art of Haute Horlogerie


The Métiers d’Art HM Koi Unique Piece from Arnold & Son will appeal to watch connoisseurs who appreciate the finest-quality watchmaking combined with beautiful arts and crafts. The hand-painted miniature represents two koi swimming in harmony. This motif is inspired by the koi depicted in traditional ink-wash paintings. The subtle, soft colours set off to perfection by the shimmer of the dial in white mother-of-pearl. The exclusive nature of this wonderful reference is underscored by its limitation to just one piece.

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HM Koi Unique Piece
Manufacture Arnold & Son A&S1001 calibre,
hand-wound, hand-painted miniature on white mother-of-pearl dial,
18-karat rose gold case, diameter 40 mm

© Arnold & Son

Through perseverance and endurance, the koi were able to become mythical beings. The koi fish is part of many ancient legends. Legend has it that King Shoko of Ro presented Chinese philosopher Confucius a magoy, a black carp, as a gift at the birth of his first son in 533 B.C. So impressed was Confucius by the koi’s strength and ability to swim up the falls of the yellow river that he named his son after the fish.

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Two thousand years later and the koi fish still symbolizes positive attributes in life like perseverance, endurance and courage.

The Métiers d’Art HM Koi Unique Piece from Arnold & Son was created to celebrate this fascinating fish. Adorning the mother-of-pearl dial is a hand-painted miniature of two koi, depicted in traditional Chinese ink-wash paintings. Nuances of colours, from red-orange to blue-grey, are achieved by the tiny brushstrokes and texturing gradually to build-up the entire image with an astonishing richness of details. Each koi is executed with exquisite delicacy of touch and features fine details that evoke its shimmering skin.

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The art of painting miniatures by hand calls for infinite patience and consummate skill. As Philippe Boven of Arnold & Son explains: “The art of hand-painting miniatures takes many years of concentrated practice to perfect, and these exquisite koi presented our specialists with an ideal opportunity to showcase their skills.” The sumptuousness of the koi is a counterpoint to the simplicity of the white mother-of-pearl dial, which shimmers entrancingly with the play of light and perfectly mirrors the water in which the koi live.

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This unique piece boasts the ultra-thin A&S1001 manufacture movement with over 90 hours of power reserve; the movement is housed in an 18-karat rose gold case, with a black alligator strap.

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Manufacture Arnold & Son mechanical movement calibre A&S1001 hand-wound,
diameter 30 mm, thickness 2.70 mm

© Arnold & Son

The watch is powered by the A&S1001 movement, which is just 2.7 millimetres thick and manufactured entirely in-house. Its twin barrels, which generate a 90-hour power reserve, guarantee a more constant force and in turn a more constant rate and greater accuracy. All the plates and bridges in the movement are hand-chamfered and decorated – a further indication of the traditional craftsmanship and Haute Horlogerie upheld by Arnold & Son throughout the company’s long history. 

The Métiers d’Art HM Koi is limited to just one example. If desired, the watch is available with a diamond-set bezel.

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Technical Characteristics

Ref. 1LCAP.M01A.C110A/111A  HM Koi Red Gold Case 40mm - Unique Piece

Movement                                
Calibre: A&S1001
Manufacture Arnold & Son mechanical movement, hand-wound, 
21 jewels, diameter 30 mm, thickness 2.7 mm, 
Power reserve 90 h, two barrels,
21'600 vibrations/h
 
Functions:
Hours, minutes.
Movement decoration:
Nickel-silver movement, rhodium treated with Haute Horlogerie finishing: 
hand-chamfered bridges with polished edges, 
fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève rayonnantes, 
blued screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads 
Dial:  
Hand-painted miniature on white mother-of-pearl
Case:   
18-karat Red Gold
diameter 40 mm, available with or without diamond-set bezel, 
cambered sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides, 
see-through sapphire case back
Strap:
Hand-stitched brown or black alligator leather, 
18-karat Rose gold buckle with Arnold & Son logo
Water resistance: 30 Meters

Limited edition: Unique piece

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Friday, May 27, 2016

URWERK – UR-106 Black Pink LOTUS Edition

URWERK Diamonds Division UR-106 Black Pink LOTUS Black Diamonds Limited Edition NEW


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Fuchsia shock
New York – May 2016

A pink lotus with a dark side bursts into flower as the latest model in URWERK’s 106 series. Within the UR-106 black pink watch turns a shadowy carousel, encased in gleaming black under an arch of jet-black diamonds. Vivid, shocking pink flares like a firework in the night, focusing the mind on the essential — the hourly milestones of time, as they rotate into position to accomplish their 60-minute patrol.

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Like virtually all of URWERK’s models, the UR-106 Pink Lotus is based on the wandering hours principle. 

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Three satellite arms, each bearing four numerals, carry successive hours across a scale of minutes in a dynamic display of the inexorable progress of time.

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A labyrinthine moon sweeps across the night to complete the picture. “We paid particular attention to the details of this UR-106 version,” declare its creators, Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei. “The carousel and satellites have been worked on by hand to create a special satin finish, while our workshops have carefully painted each hour numeral and cut-out minutes scale.

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The moon shines in a sky of lapis-lazuli blue selected from hundreds of different shades, while the outline of the lotus on the back is exactly as Martin drew it. We wanted a sleek, handsome watch for our UR-106 series, and for us this is a mission success.”

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Very beautiful two models released in 2015  ▶  Model: UR-106 Lotus White & Black

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Technical Specifications

Model: UR-106 Black Pink LOTUS: steel case and titanium crown, PVD coated in black,
set with black diamonds, titanium caseback PVD coated in black (limited edition: 11 pieces)

Case:
Steel case and titanium crown set with diamonds, titanium caseback
Black: steel case and titanium crown, PVD coated in black, set with black diamonds, titanium caseback PVD coated in black Dimensions: Width 35mm x length 49.4mm x thickness 14.45mm
Crystal Sapphire:  Crystal with anti-reflective coating
Movement:
Caliber UR-6.01 - automatic winding
Jewels: 52
Escapement: Swiss lever
Frequency: 28,800v / h – 4 Hz
Finishes:
Circular graining, sanding, brushing
Chamfered screw heads.
Power reserve: 48 hours
Indications:
Wandering hours, minutes and moonphases
Controls:
Three-position winding crown
Materials:
Steel case and titanium crown,
black PVD coated and set with black diamonds,
titanium caseback (limited series of 11 watches).
Dimensions: 35mm wide; 49.4mm long; 14.45mm high
Glasses:  Sapphire crystal
Water resistance: Pressure tested to 3 ATM (30 meters)
Dial: 
Sanded and brushed baseplate
Carousel and hours satellites sanded and brushed by hand
Openworked minutes track
Labyrinth-style moon in silver on a lapis-lazuli disc
Hand-painted hours and minutes in SuperLuminova 
Surface finishes:
Perlage, bead-blasting, satin-finishing

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Press Release
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Media contact:
Ms Yacine Sar
Tel + 41 22 900 20 27
Mobile: +41 79 834 46 65

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