Monday, August 19, 2013

Ateliers deMonaco - La Sirene Limited Edition















Ateliers deMonaco - La Sirene Limited Edition


 When Mrs Charlene Wittstock visited Ateliers deMonaco during our launch a couple of years ago, she jokingly asked when we were planning to launch a female collection. We promised her to start the development the next day, and…..we actually did.


IDEA
La Sirene, a piece that celebrates our first entry in the women’s high end watch jewelry and which is named and inspired by Mrs Charlene Wittstock in honor of her marriage to HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.

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INSPIRATION

For the design of the dial we have used The King Protea (Protea cynaroides), the national flower of South Africa - home country of Charlene. It is a distinctive symmetrical form with the flower head in the genus. Importantly, the flower has adapted to survive tough conditions, including wild fires, and as such symbolizes resilience.

For the gemstones in the flower setting, we have chosen a light blue Topaz. This gemstone, together with its cousin aquamarine, is loved by women around the world for its fine blue shades which can complement almost any skin or eye color. Its light blue arouses feelings of sympathy, trust, harmony and friendship. Good feelings. Feelings which are based on mutuality and which prove their worth in lasting relationships. The blue is a divine, eternal color, because it is the color of the sky. Blue is also the color of water with its life-giving force, and importantly the Olympic swimming career of Charlene brought her in contact with her future husband! The stone was introduced in high end jewelry in the 1920-30s in magnificent set of necklace, earrings, bracelet and brooch using light and dark topazes to create dramatic contrast and light reflection. The topaz is reputed to ward off melancholy, bring wisdom and prevent its wearer from straying from the path of virtue.  All in all, what better combination to use to celebrate the beginning of a marriage!

THE WATCH

We developed a 39 mm 18K gold case vs. the 43mm and 44mm cases in the Grand Tourbillon XP and the Minute Repeater. For the movement, we created an accurate automatic movement with the use of contemporary materials like Silicium, and with the finishing you have come to expect from us, including the iconic deMonaco hand engraved rotor at the reverse side.

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THE NAME

Ask anybody in the streets of Monaco and they will refer to Charlene is “La Sirène”, out of respect of her swimming achievement and some will add her deep azure-blue eyes.

LIMITED PRODUCTION

We will only produce in limited quantities, as it depends on our ability to find the appropriate gem stones.

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Technical details
Movement
Automatic Centre Seconds
Automatic bi-directional winding
Curved chamfered decoration on bridges
Hand engraved bi-colored solid gold 18K rotor
Silicium escape wheel
Frequency 28800 beats/hour (4 Hrz)
Functions
Hour, Minutes, centre seconds
Case
Diameter 39 MM
Height 11 MM
Bezel set with 46 baguette cut Topaz stones (4.25 Carat)
31 parts overall
Ultra light Titanium core
Curved shaped 18K gold side panels
Brushed, polished and assembled by hand
See through case back
Front and back sapphire crystal
Multi-layered anti-reflection coating on sapphire crystal
Hand engraved case back, secured with 4 gold screws
18K white gold crown set with Topaz (0.13 Carat)
Water resistant up to 3 ATM
Dial
48 Lozenge cut Topaz stones (1.61) set in flower pattern
White mother of pearl in centre
Hands: 18K white gold hands
Strap
Ateliers deMonaco personalized hand stitched alligator strap
18K gold folding buckle, adjustable
Folding clasp lock finished with curved chamfered edges engraved Ateliers deMonaco
Edition
Limited to 8 pieces

Price: Depending on the gem stones, from 80.000

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Press release PDF
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Elisabeth van Pappelendam
PR & Operations Manager
Betty@ateliers-demonaco.com
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Saturday, August 17, 2013

Ulysse-Nardin - Freak Phantom Limited Edition
















Ulysse-Nardin - Freak Phantom Limited Edition NEW

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Ulysse Nardin, the Leader in Timepiece Innovation, Shows its Spirit with the Freak Phantom.
 
The iconic Freak marked a milestone in haute horology in 2001, revealing groundbreaking advancements in technology, design and materials, particularly the use of silicium. The limited-edition Freak Phantom continues the evolution of this notorious family of watches.

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Ulysse Nardin is acclaimed for its thousands of “firsts” in watchmaking, and the launch of the 2001 Freak turned the industry upside down and positioned Ulysse Nardin in a realm all its own. The implementation of silicium was one of the Freak’s hallmarks.
Due to the unconventional design of the Freak’s tourbillon carrousel – one that possessed no traditional dial, crown or hands – and being the first timepiece to successfully present escapement wheels constructed of silicium, the Freak forever changed the course of haute horology. The Freak Phantom pays tribute to the revolutionary Freak by expanding its use of silicium and taking its tourbillon to new heights.

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Covert-like in appearance, the Freak Phantom is a timepiece of true invention. A limited edition of 99, it uses silicium in its patented hairspring (Si 1.1.1.) and throughout the majority of its escapement. The entire movement of the Freak Phantom, including the oscillator, is produced in house and offers a lengthy power reserve of more than eight days.
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Its performance is enhanced through its application of cutting-edge technology in the two ball-bearing systems; the balance-wheel concept and design; and the flying tourbillon that indicates the minutes with a tourbillon carrousel that does one complete rotation around the center in 60 minutes.
The cage of the Freak Phantom is equipped with an arrow indicating the seconds on a transparent half-circle, rotating in one minute on itself, with the zero position holding steady on the axis of the minute indicator. The two specially conceived ball bearing systems enable the “flying” function of the minute movement and of the seconds-indicator tourbillon without the need for a supporting bridge.
 

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Simple and user-friendly, the Freak Phantom can be wound by turning the lower bezel, and the time can be adjusted by turning the upper bezel; while the direct gear link crafted between the three “hands” averts dephasing, or the throwing of hours, minutes and seconds out of step when adjusting or readjusting time.
Complementing its exacting function is its confident style. Boldly masculine, its movement, presented in a shade of black, conveys an identity of silent strength, while its 18-karat rose-gold case reveals optimal elegance. It is a juxtaposition of ingenuity and beauty, carrying on the unexpected character of the Freak collection.

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Technical details

Reference 2086-115
Limited Edition    of 99 pieces































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timezone.com -- Jorge Merino
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