Thursday, December 26, 2013

Antti Rönkkö – Steel LABYRINTH Limited Edition

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Antti Rönkkö – Steel  LABYRINTH Limited Edition

THE WATCHMAKER

Finnish watchmaker Antti Rönkkö wanted to design and manufacture his own timepiece because the mechanics of today did not fit his ideals for sophistication and perfection in watchmaking. He wanted total freedom for designing the complications based on the ideals of centuries old handcrafted watchmaking tradition.

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To truly understand a Finn, one has to first understand silence. The higher state of silence. Aware mental state, where thoughts and ideas form intuitively before creative expression. In communication, Finnish Silence is seen as unpleasant and uncomfortable because it is misunderstood. It's mixed with impoliteness, shyness, pride or arrogance – though it is ethnologically rooted from the appreciation of others and it means the aware creative fermentation of thought. For a Finn, silence means time for thought; creating something out of nothing.

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All insight; design, art and innovation are born in quiet. Realization happens when one has a break from thinking. Centuries of knowledge are woven into revelatory moments in watchmaking. 

When creating a Rönkkö timepiece, the ultimate goal is to measure time without loss. From the watchmakers own unique perspective, to make the most of time, one’s focus on the moment has to be absolute. Utilizing the art of silence magnifies each and every movement. Perfection is hidden in the detail.

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Caught in the moment of pure focus, time and sound cease to exist. Each unique timepiece is born out of Finnish Silence. Watchmaker Rönkkö is totally involved in every minute detail, whether technical or aesthetic. Like a true master, nothing is left to chance.



Each Rönkkö timepiece is a culmination of long horologic tradition combined with passion, endurance and inspired Finnish design. The untiring timekeeper of Rönkkö is based on solid technical foundations incorporating centuries old knowledge and the highly prized tradition of watchmaking by hand.



There is an old Finnish proverb: Hiljaa hyvä tulee – meaning that the secret for greatness is born from silence. A timepiece of Rönkkö is a perfect example of this philosophy of life.

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THE MYTH OF THE LABYRINTH

In Greek mythology the Labyrinth was an elaborate construction designed specifically to contain the Minotaur. The mystic beast, part man and part bull, dwelt at the very center of the Cretan Labyrinth. The story of how the Minotaur came to be captured and contained by Theseus is a story all of its own.

Just like the mythical Labyrinth, each of us has our own beast at the center of the Labyrinth that conjures the illusions with which we have surrounded ourselves. Only by braving the maze and stripping away the illusion we call reality, can we then penetrate the center of our own Labyrinth of life. Like Theseus, finally facing the Minotaur, the myth in symbolic context is about confronting the unconscious dark side of the human ego; with a realization that only when facing all our fears and insecurities, we can find our true Self.


Created from our fears and insecurities, our personal Minotaur is a fearsome beast. It is created from the very things that we fear the most; from the things about ourselves that we do not want to admit exist in the darkest places of our hearts. It is our shadow-self; the part of ourselves that we continually deny. Only when we can find the courage from within to face the things about ourselves that we fear the most, then we can stand eye-to-eye with the beast and accept it as part of who and what we are.

Only when we realize that the beast does not define us, but instead makes us complete, then we can move past the darkness of the heart and emerge into the pure light of awareness.

Labyrinths in sacred sites around the world are used to help to achieve a contemplative state of meditation. Going through the maze; one loses track of direction, time and the outside world, thus quieting the mind.

The Steel Labyrinth can also be used as a tool for contemplation. The practice of meditation is proved to be the best way to gain self-knowledge and insight. Solving the Steel Labyrinth can be thought of as a personal pilgrimage; one can follow the path, ascending toward a quiet mind and deeper inner knowledge.

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By now the spiritual significance of labyrinths has faded, and they serve primarily for entertainment purposes, though recently their spiritual aspect has seen a resurgence.

The journey to the center begins with a single step.

Are you ready to face Your beast?

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STEEL LABYRINTH  MOVEMENT AR 1

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Uncompromising spirit shows up in the number of years of timely design process. It took five years for Rönkkö to realize the design and movement AR1 of the Steel Labyrinth, giving him time to meet all his ideals and requirements; both mechanical and aesthetic.

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Only the quest for true perfection gives him the emotional satisfaction from his work.

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The passion for watchmaking and respect for tradition stands out through Rönkkö’s unique timepieces; design, materials and mechanisms without compromise. The construction of the 'Steel Labyrinth' is designed to stand the test of time and when looked after, will last a lifetime. The German silver used for the bridges is an ideal material because of its endurance and resilience. Due to these factors, the manufacturing and hand finishing is time-consuming and labor-intensive. And for these reasons, the number of unique timepieces remain limited.

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The design is inspired by ancient greek-roman myths, art and architecture; the still lines and steady curves are not there by chance. Fine-tuned mechanics are based on the path of least resistance. The energy has to flow freely through the fine mechanics created by Rönkkö. He has proven that a combination of traditional methods and his own insight work best together.

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Technical Specifications
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MOVEMENT AR 1:
• Manual wind
• Hours, minutes, small second at 7 o'clock
• 36h power reserve
• 18000 vibrations per hour (2.5Hz)
• 17 jewels
• Breguet balance spiral
• Movement diameter 35mm and height 3.5mm
• Plates are made of non-plated German silver, except pallet lever bridge and escape wheel bridge made from stainless steel
• Finishing of the movement: bottom side circular graining (perlage), top side straight line grinding, edges are hand bevelled and polished with many interior and exterior angles
• Movement is connected directly to the casing without movement-ring by two screwpins
CASE:
• Dragon foot design - diameter 41mm and height 11.5mm
• Hand finished, Stavax ESR hardened stainless steel case with satin finished surfaces and polished edges, completely nickel free
• Dial side curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating inside, back side flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating inside
• Stainless steel crown with AR logo
• Water-resistant to 3 ATM
DIAL:
• Complex labyrinth textured dial with black DLC coating
• Stainless steel index ring with 4 screws
HANDS:
• Hands made from stainless steel
BUCKLE:
• Hand finished, Stavax ESR hardened stainless steel buckle with satin finished surfaces and polished edges, completely nickel free
STRAP:
• Various types of leather
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In his quest for shapes and angles impossible to achieve with the modern machinery, Rönkkö takes a painstaking and time-consuming route in order to manufacture and finish his timepieces by hand. He follows the same path as the old masters before him and is proud to carry their knowledge with him.

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www.facebook.com - Ronkko Watches
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www.RonkkoWatches.fi

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

HUBLOT - Oceanographic 4000 Cheval Blanc Randheli Special Edition


















HUBLOT - KING POWER Oceanographic 4000 Cheval Blanc Randheli Special Edition NEW

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Exceptional for the exceptional !

Cheval Blanc Randheli, the new second Cheval Blanc Maison, is an intimate and contemporary haven for the most demanding clientele, on the unspoiled Noonu Atoll in the Maldives.

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Celebrating true craftsmanship, exclusive privacy, creativity and genuine, and caring service, Hublot pays tribute to the beauty of the site, the refined and elegant Maison conceived in synergy with the island’s natural surroundings and lagoon, by unveiling a special diver's watch, only available at Cheval Blanc Randheli.

Made of titanium, with luminescent indexes in Cheval Blanc Randheli yellow, this watch withstands the pressure exerted at the extreme depth of 4,000 m.
It is a symbolic watch. The 4000 metres watch. A watch developed for pushing the limits of what is rational and possible. It has taken 18 months of research, development and testing to present the Oceanographic 4000, a watch which can be worn on dives to depths of 4,000 metres, under extreme pressure - an exceptional technical achievement.

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Designed to meet the most demanding requirements,of both professional divers and watch enthusiasts.

Almost all the features of the Oceanographic 4000 are exceptional, in terms of design, development and manufacturing. To be described as a "montre de plongée" (diver's watch), resistant to the pressure exerted at the record depth of 4,000 metres, the watch had to meet the exacting specifications of the international standards of Swiss Watchmaking (NIHS).

Starting with its seal, tested by Hublot in a Roxer tank, submerged and pressurised to the equivalent of 5,000 metres. To ensure the watertightness of the watch and to resist this extreme pressure, the synthetic sapphire crystal is 6.5 thick. This is thicker than normal, but is reasonable for this level of resistance. The case back is screw-down, a sine qua non for reaching such depths. It is made of grade 2 titanium, an extremely strong stainless material.

As its case is made of titanium, the Oceanographic 4000 is still light on the wrist - although its diameter of 48 mm and its volume are substantial. From the brightness standpoint, the time and elapsed time measured by the flange must be legible from a distance of 25 cm in the dark. To meet this requirement, the dial, the flange and the hands of the Oceanographic 4000 have been optimised to have a larger surface area treated with SuperLuminova™, a luminescent material emitting a yellow colour.

The reading method has been made as safe as possible, using an internal rotating flange which is unidirectional and rack-driven, with a dive time indicator. The dive time indicator being placed as close as possible to the dial minimises the risk of inadvertently altering the dive time. It also makes the dive time easier to read.


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In accordance with the standard, the Oceanographic 4000 has a minute scale on which the five-minute periods are clearly highlighted.

The watch is fitted with two screw-down crowns (a protective measure that helps ensure water resistance by compression of an O-ring seal).The flange crown which sets the dive time is placed at the 2 o'clock position for easy access and more comfortable use. It is unidirectional, again for safety reasons, with a bayonet fitting and protected by an oversized crown guard, for extra safety and easy operation when handling diving equipment. The second crown, for winding and setting the time and date, is positioned at 4 o'clock to avoid obstruction.

Finally, the Oceanographic 4000 has a helium valve, a feature essential to any diving watch capable of descending to great depths. An essential feature when the watch is used in diving chambers, the helium valve allows gases that have infiltrated the watch during the descent to safely escape during the ascent. The valve fitted to the Oceanographic 4000 is made of stainless steel, positioned at 10 o'clock, visible from the left-hand side lug.

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The watch comes with a white rubber strap with a buckle straps. This type of fastening is more secure than a folding clasp for this type of use, and is also easier to handle and close when using gloves. Note that the design of this buckle is original (because the use of a tongue is rare in the normal Hublot collections) and that its method of attachment to the case is even more so with two small push buttons built into each end of the case to allow the strap to be changed instantly without the use of a screwdriver or any other accessory.

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www.hublot.com - PDF
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www.chevalblanc.com 
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www.Hublot.com

Sunday, December 22, 2013

BRUVIK – Svalbard Automatic Signature Dial







BRUVIKSvalbard Automatic Signature Dial NEW

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 A small piece of Norwegian nature – a modern adventure.

Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. Located north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
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The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the largest island, followed by Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya.

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The BRUVIK Svalbard is inspired by this unique arctic Norwegian archipelago , with its magnificent nature that is shaped by its environment.
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The BRUVIK Svalbard old brushed signature dial, shows the arctic mountains of Svalbard, with its black stone that is worn and torn by ice and snow every day, every year for a long, long time.

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This give a powerful expression, and suits the model and dial well. The back cover of the watch has an etched map of the Svalbard archipelago and engraved key facts.

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Technical details:

Case 45mm
Water resistant 300m
Driven by a high quality swiss automatic movement
Domed sapphire with triple AR (antireflective coating) in front
Unidirectional turning bezel with super luminova high glowing first 15 minutes
Screw in crown with an etched ”B”
Date at 3 O `clock
Applied hour markers and hands with high glowing superluminova
Case back with etched map of Svalbard and engraved key facts
The model is delivered with a leatherstrap and a rubberstrap
2 Years World Wide Warranty


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 FjordWatches.com
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www.facebook.com - Bruvik Time
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www.BruvikTime.com

Saturday, December 21, 2013

LOUIS MOINET – Dragon Tourbillon Limited Edition























LOUIS MOINETDRAGON Tourbillon Limited Edition NEW


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The Chinese dragon has undergone several metamorphoses over the last three millennia. After a thousand years, the dragon's egg hatched and produced a marine reptile resembling a giant lizard, the mosasaurus. Now extinct, it cruised the ocean depths during the Mesozoïc era, measuring up to 18 metres. Authentic fossilised mosasaurus teeth, like those first discovered in Maastricht in 1764, now decorate the body of the dragon engraved on the dial of this Louis Moinet Tourbillon, offered in a limited series of 12 pieces.

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Hand-wound tourbillon movement. Pink gold case. Hours, minutes. Hand-engraved dial with fossilised mosasaurus teeth fragments and black jade elements. Hand-stitched Louisiana alligator strap.

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Technical details:

Movement
Hand-wound mechanical, exclusive tourbillon, 
Winding mechanism with octopus spring visible through the back, 
Lateral lever escapement, 21,600 vib/h, 
Côtes du Jura motif, blued steel screws, 
72-hour power-reserve
Functions
Hours, minutes, tourbillon
Case
18K pink gold, original Louis Moinet® design, 
59 elements, 47 mm
Anti-reflective sapphire crystal Numbered, 
Engraved sapphire back
Water-resistant to 30 metres
Dial
Hand-engraved dragon Body of dragon decorated with fossilised mosasaurus teeth fragments Black Jade elements Tourbillon cage (1 r.p.m.) at 6 o'clock
Bracelet/strap
Hand-stitched Louisiana alligator with 18k pink gold folding clasp

Limited series of 12 pieces.

Retail prices: 
CHF 260,000 USD 260,000 € 229,00


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www.facebook.com - Louis Moinet
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www.LouisMoinet.com

Friday, December 20, 2013

HUBLOT - Classic Fusion Tourbillon Night-Out Limited Edition

















HUBLOT - Classic Fusion Tourbillon Night-Out Limited Edition NEW

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Swiss luxury watchmaker HUBLOT unveils Classic Fusion Tourbillon Night-Out their new exquisitely refined evening watch dressed in elegant black colour and perfectly suited as a red carpet companion at prestigious events.

45 mm in diameter, made from black polished ceramic, with a black lacquered dial set with 10 baguette diamonds for an exceptional lustre, two polished, rhodium-plated hands and an opening at 6 o'clock revealing the magic of a flying tourbillon, this watch also features a sapphire case-back through which the HUB6010 movement (155 components, 5-day power reserve) can be seen.

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The movement is entirely developed and produced in-house by the engineers and watchmakers of the Hublot manufacture. The watch sits on a strap of shiny black calfskin sewn onto rubber, for comfort and flexibility, making it the perfect accessory for the gentleman in evening wear.

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The tuxedo was originally an inner jacket, worn by British gentlemen, which allowed them to smoke cigars outside so as not to inconvenience the ladies. Popularised by the Prince of Wales, the tuxedo has become the essential elegant evening wear for gentlemen, so much so that "Black Tie" events now stipulate it. Combined with a bow tie, cufflinks, a cummerbund and patent shoes, the effect is completed by the sober, elegant Classic Fusion Tourbillon Nigh-Out, for a flawlessly contemporary look.

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Technical details

Reference: 505.CS.1270.VR
Limited edition of 30 pieces

Case
"Classic Fusion" – Diameter 45 mm – Black polished ceramic
Bezel: Polished black ceramic, 6 H-shaped titanium screws, countersunk, polished and locked
Crystal: Sapphire with interior/exterior anti-reflective coating
Bezel Lug: Black composite resin
Crown: Black polished ceramic with black rubber insert
Case-back: Open with sapphire crystal, interior anti-reflective coating, black polished ceramic
Water resistance: 30 ATM, i.e. approx 30 metres
Dial
Black lacquered
Indices set with 10 baguette diamonds, with total weight 0.36 carats
Polished, rhodium-plated hands
Movement
MHUB6011 Hand-wound Tourbillon movement produced by the Manufacture
Entirely developed and produced in the Hublot Manufacture workshops
Components: 155 (19 jewels)
Frequency: 3Hz (21,600 vib/h)
Power reserve: Approximately 120 hours 
Strap
Shiny black calfskin sewn onto black rubber
Clasp: Black PVD steel deployant buckle


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www.facebook.com - Hublot
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www.Hublot.com

Thursday, December 19, 2013

LONGINES - HERITAGE 1973 Chronograph NEW














LONGINES HERITAGE 1973 Chronograph NEW


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The Longines Heritage 1973 – Returning to the 1970s

Combining history, tradition and precision, the Longines Heritage 1973 is based on a model produced by the brand in 1973. This new creation is fitted with the exclusive Longines column-wheel chronograph movement. The shape of the case and the subtle play of contrasts on the dial provide this model with a distinctive and harmonious image. The elegance of the 70s has been updated to suit modern tastes.

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The Longines Heritage 1973 is immediately eye-catching. The cushion-shaped case elegantly surrounds the dial, which is thoroughly vintage and true to the original model. The latter, a chronograph produced in 1973 by the brand known by its winged hourglass logo, was fitted with a Longines mechanical chronograph movement, the 30CH. Following in the same noble footsteps, the Longines Heritage 1973 houses the L688 calibre, a column-wheel chronograph movement developed and produced by ETA exclusively for Longines.

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Black or silvered, the dial of the Longines Heritage 1973 boasts a fascinating play of contrasts. Two counters have been included at 3 and 9 o'clock: black on the silvered dial and silvered on the black dial. The applied hour symbols are decorated with a fine black line and a dot of Super-LumiNova®. These are interposed and balanced out by a minute-circle, also of fine black lines. A blue tachometric scale surrounds the dial, adding a subtle touch of colour to the whole.

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With a diameter of 40 mm, the cushion-shaped steel dial of the Longines Heritage 1973 has retained the lines and mood of the original model. The back is fitted with a transparent sapphire glass cover through which the wearer can admire the movement of the calibre as well as the blue column-wheel. The harmonious form of this model is completed by the rounded push-pieces, and the whole is mounted on a black alligator strap.

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier in Switzerland since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. Longines has generations of experience as official timekeeper of world championships and as partner of international sports federation. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of the Swatch Group Ltd, the World’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With the winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in over 130 countries.

More information:

Longines - Heritage 1973  Reference  L2.791.4.72.0

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Technical Specifications

Case

  • Shape: Square
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Glass: Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, with several layers of anti-reflective coating on the underside
  • Case back: Transparent case back with sapphire crystal
  • Dimension: Ø 40.00 mm
  • Water resistance: Water-resistant to 3 bar

Movement and Functions

  • Caliber: L688, Self winding mechanical column wheel chronograph movement beating at 28'800 vibrations per hours and providing 54 hours of power reserve
  • Function: Hours, minutes, small second at 9 o'clock and date. Chronograph mechanism: central 60 seconds hand, 30 minutes counter at 3 o'clock, 12 hours counter at 6 o'clock.

Dial and Hands

  • Color: Silver
  • Hours markers: Applied indexes, with Super-LumiNova ®
  • Specificities: Tachymeter scale
  • Hands: Silvered polished hands, with Super-LumiNova ®

Bracelet

  • Material: Alligator strap
  • Color: Black
  • Buckle: With buckle
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Longines - Heritage 1973  Reference  L2.791.4.52.0

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Technical Specifications

Case

  • Shape: Square
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Glass: Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, with several layers of anti-reflective coating on the underside
  • Case back: Transparent case back with sapphire crystal
  • Dimension: Ø 40.00 mm
  • Water resistance: Water-resistant to 3 bar

Movement and Functions

  • Caliber: L688, Self winding mechanical column wheel chronograph movement beating at 28'800 vibrations per hours and providing 54 hours of power reserve
  • Function: Hours, minutes, small second at 9 o'clock and date. Chronograph mechanism: central 60 seconds hand, 30 minutes counter at 3 o'clock, 12 hours counter at 6 o'clock.

Dial and Hands

  • Color: Black lacquered polished
  • Hours markers: Applied indexes, with Super-LumiNova ®
  • Specificities: Tachymeter scale
  • Hands: Silvered polished hands, with Super-LumiNova ®

Bracelet

  • Material: Alligator strap
  • Color: Black
  • Buckle: With buckle
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www.Longines.com

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Cartier - Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon




















Cartier - Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon NEW


The Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch is the fruit of a technical and creative ambition that for Cartier consists of bringing together two complications in a daring display. Removed from its strictly horological role, in which it serves as a guarantee of precision and prestige, a tourbillon has been incorporated into a moon phase complication, with each one dependent on the other.

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 The watch owes its name to the stylised portrayal of the globe and the moon represented by a tourbillon. Together, they form a creative and animated world with skeletonised Roman numerals surrounding this dynamic feat of watchmaking.

An innovative blend of complications

The moon-phase mechanism of the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch is founded on a creative and complex design that combines a tourbillon, moon phase on demand and a second time zone.

The tourbillon, or how to escape the earth's gravity

The Tourbillon mechanism is a complex complication that falls within the expertise of a limited number of watchmakers. Its main function is to fight against the effects of gravity when the watch is in a vertical position.
 
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The Tourbillon mechanism is a complex complication that falls within the expertise of a limited number of watchmakers. Its main function is to fight against the effects of gravity when the watch is in a vertical position.

Moon phase on demand: a double innovation

Because it appears in its original form and exists only when its user wishes it to, the moon phase on the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch reveals a technical creativity that is doubly innovative.

By pressing the push-button situated at four o'clock on the side of the case, a panels descends and partially obscures the Tourbillon carriage. The crescent thus formed reproduces exactly the moon's shape in the sky.

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Second time zone: a bespoke development

The second time zone of the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch is indicated by a 24-hour disc that was entirely redeveloped by for the calibre 9440 MC due to the sophistication of its disc display.

Exceptional finishes in an ode to craftsmanship and creativity

The result of painstaking work, polished lapis lazuli is used for the dial and the moon panel on the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch. The hours and the second time zone are surrounded by a meticulously polished grid in 18-carat white gold. A three- dimensional dial is one of the signature features of the Cartier Fine Watchmaking collection, alongside Roman numerals that are openworked and chamfered by the hand of a master decorator in a manner akin to a skeleton movement.

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The exceptional finishes of the 9440 MC are all the more remarkable because the semi-skeletonised bridges on the back of the movement are structured in a star shape, echoing this precious timepiece's lunar and terrestrial character on the case back.

With the the Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon watch, the Maison Cartier has created a timepiece that displays an exceptional level of creativity and craftsmanship.


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 journal.hautehorlogerie.org
















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www.facebook.com - Cartier
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www.Cartier.us

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

CHOPARD - L.U.C XP Urushi Rose Gold “Year of the Horse” Edition


CHOPARD - L.U.C XP URUSHIYear of the HorseSpecial Edition NEW

A compendium of traditional skills

Chopard honors traditional forms of craftsmanship by associating the charms of Urushi, an ancestral decorative technique, with the understated lines of its L.U.C XP: an extremely refined ultra-thin timepiece equipped with a mechanical self-winding movement, L.U.C Calibre 96.17-L.

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The quintessence of the ancestral Japanese art of Urushi, combined with the ultimate degree of Swiss horological refinement: such in a nutshell is the nature of the new L.U.C XP 2014 “Year of the Horse” special edition. Its entirely hand-painted dial honours Asia by celebrating the year of the horse in the Chinese calendar using Japanese-inspired traditional artistic techniques. It depicts a noble prancing horse, adorned with lotus flowers – a plant symbolising personal fulfilment due to its ability to rise unsullied from the muddy waters where it is rooted, in order to blossom in the light. The horse, the seventh sign of the Chinese calendar composed of 12 animals, loves to travel towards new horizons. It is a free-spirited creature endowed with a nomadic spirit. Ancestral wisdom credits it with a strong attachment to defending family values and the cause of the weak. Tradition thus holds that people born in the year of the horse are generally characterised by their devotion, their energy and their creativity.

Urushi – a time-honoured Japanese pictorial art

Urushi is a long-established lacquering art. The varnish is derived from the sap of the Urushi tree, also called the “lacquer tree” or “Japanese varnish tree”, mainly found in Japan and China. Somewhat like rubber from the hevea brasiliensis tree, the resin can only be harvested once a year, and in very small quantities. Three to five years after it is collected, the resin is treated to transform it into an extremely resistant, honey-textured lacquer. It is applied in very thin successive layers, traditionally on everyday objects such as bowls or boxes.

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Maki-e, a technique derived from the art of Urushi, consists of sprinkling the lacquered coating with metal powder – in this case gold – in order to accentuate its outlines.

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The gold dust is applied using bamboo tubes and small natural-hair brushes in order to trace extremely fine lines. This art requires a degree of skill and meticulous care such as only a few experienced Urushi specialists still master.
L.U.C, exceptional watchmaking expertise

Such exquisite works of art could not have been better showcased than by the refinement of the L.U.C XP. A supremely elegant ultra-thin timepiece measuring 39.5 mm in diameter and 6.8 mm thick, it is the symbol of Chopard’s horological mastery. Developing and producing a mechanical self-winding movement equipped with two barrels ensuring a 65-hour power reserve that can fit into such a slender case is an impressive achievement indeed.

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The watchmakers of Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier have accomplished this feat thanks to the clever construction of the off-centred micro-rotor. Entirely hand decorated by the House artisans in accordance with the principles of traditional fine watchmaking, L.U.C Calibre 96.17-L may be admired through the exhibition back of the 18-carat rose gold case.

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Fitted with a black alligator leather strap, the L.U.C XP Urushi 2014 “Year of the Horse” special edition is delivered in a dedicated presentation box, also decorated using Urushi techniques. Black on the outside and Maki-e gold on the inside, it is shaped like an octagon – the oriental symbol of gaiety – complete with a silk fastening cord.
Watchmaking at Chopard

Chopard is a family-owned brand with a strongly independent corporate philosophy. The various stages in the making of L.U.C watches are all conducted in-house at the group’s Meyrin and Fleurier production sites. Movement development; finished product design; gold casting; case stamping and machining; traditional hand-crafted decoration; surface treatments; polishing; assembly; adjustment and quality control: each L.U.C watch undergoes this full range of watch production stages, all entirely mastered by Chopard.


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 Technical details
 
Ref. 161902-5052

Specifications
INDICATION(S): hours and minutes
MOVEMENT: L.U.C 96.17-L
TYPE OF WINDING: self-winding mechanical movement
MOVEMENT DIMENSIONS: Ø 27.40 mm
MOVEMENT THICKNESS: 3.30 mm
POWER RESERVE: 65 hours, L.U.C Twin Technology (two stacked barrels)
FREQUENCY: 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour)
OSCILLATING WEIGHT: 22-carat gold
BALANCE WHEEL: with three spokes
BALANCE SPRING: flat
DECORATIONS ON MOVEMENT: bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève, circular-grained mainplate
JEWELS: 29
NUMBER OF MOVEMENT PARTS: 172
MATERIAL: 18-carat rose gold
CASE DIMENSION(S): Ø 39.50 mm
CASE THICKNESS: 6.98 mm
DIAL: Urushi dial with Horse motif
FRONT GLASS: glareproofed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
CASE-BACK: see-through sapphire crystal
CROWN MATERIAL: 18-carat rose gold
WATER-RESISTANCE: 30 metres
STRAP: black alligator leather strap (matt) with hand sewn matching tones
BUCKLE MATERIAL: 18-carat rose gold
BUCKLE TYPE: pin buckle

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