Monday, July 4, 2022

Frederique Constant – Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Edition

 

Frederique ConstantVintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic 42 Edition 2022

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Frederique Constant celebrates the 70-year anniversary
of the Austin-Healey company

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In 2022, Frederique Constant is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its long-standing automotive partner, Austin-Healey, and is renewing its intangible loyalty with two exclusive limited editions

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For the occasion, its new mechanical chronograph, the Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic, has adopted the “British racing green” colour of the legendary vintage car with the NOJ393 number plate. 

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With a bicompax dial and two racing red hands, this timepiece is produced in two versions: the first, limited to 10 watches with the 70 number visible at midday, and the second, with a run of just 700 watches, with the “12” in its normal place.

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Three letters, three numbers: NOJ393. This is the number plate of the famous Austin-Healey 100S, bought in 1969 by a fan of the legendary car. It was the outcome of the collaboration between the Austin Motor Company and that of the driver, Donald Healey, also a creator and designer. 

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A responsive and distinguished racing car, the only one of its kind, of which one of the last original cars was this famous NOJ393 purchased at that time for £155. It fetched 1 million euros when it was sold in December 2011.

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This out-of-the-ordinary enthusiasm demonstrates the power of attraction the vintage Austin-Healey has on collectors of beautiful machines. Its perfectly controlled lines, simultaneously rounded and tight, have made it a model of styling. Its legendary “British racing green” livery has become a classic.

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2022
marks the 70th anniversary of the creation of this legend, of which Frederique Constant has been the key partner since 2007. The occasion to offer vintage car fans a collector’s piece to wear on the wrist: the Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic.

Two limited series, one shared DNA

The new Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic is offered in two versions sharing a 42 mm steel case as well as a common look. Except for one small detail, which makes all the difference: only 10 timepieces will be produced of the first, and instead of the “12” index at midday, Frederique Constant has placed the “70” which celebrates the creation of the Austin-Healey company. 


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The second, limited to 700 timepieces, prefers the watchmaking tradition in which the number12 is in its normal place and the “70th Anniversary” wording is at 6 o’clock. 

In racing mode

The engine: the mechanical FC-397 calibre automatic winding. On the rev counter: 28,800 beats per hour. Its tank: 48-hour power reserve. Bodywork: British racing green. Dashboard: bicompax, in the purest watchmaking tradition.

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On the left, the seconds counter for the timing part; on the right, the chronograph’s minutes counter. The index and timer are in pure white for perfect legibility on the matt-finish dial, indispensable for a watch dedicated to motor racing. 

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The racing spirit of the piece is emphasised by the two hands of the chronograph which stand out in abright red hue: the central hand for the seconds and the 30 minutes countdown hand at the three o’clock position.

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The hours and minutes hands, as well as the indexes are silver-tone and luminescent. Along the 12 o’clock – 6 o’clock axis the two brandlogos mirror each other, a symbol of their long and faithful union: “Frederique Constant – Geneva” at midday, “Healey” at six o’clock, in its legendary original font.

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As for the chassis, the timepiece is featuresan open case back onto the movement, etched with a “Limited Edition XX/10” or “Limited Edition XX/700” number. The watch is worn on an asphalt black strap finished with two lines of topstitching, like two white lines marking the edges of the track.

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To perfect this parallel with motor racing, the new Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic comes in its dedicated gift boxalongside a miniature replica of the famous NOJ393.

Lasting loyalty

The union of Frederique Constant and the Austin-Healey companyis no real coincidence. 

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Both are driven by the same passions and values which brought them together in 2004 and continue today: the love of beautiful machines, precision, the celebration of timeless design, the combination of leather and metal, comfort and above all, a certain art of living. Frederique Constant’s Vintage Rally collection, dedicated to this partnership is all of that ...and more.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Collection   Vintage Rally

Model  Vintage Rally Healey Chronograph Automatic

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 Reference    FC-397HADGR5B6 - Arabic number 70 at 12 o’clock Limited to 10 pieces  
 
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 Reference    FC-397HDGR5B6 - Arabic number 12 at 12 o’clock Limited to 700 pieces 
 
Movement
Caliber
FC-397, automatic
48
-hour power reserve,
25 jewels, 28'800 alt/h
Functions    Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Mechanical Chronograph
Case
Polished stainless steel 3-part case
Diameter of 42 mm
Height of 14,45 mm
Scratch-resistant convex sapphire crystal
See-through case back
Water-resistant up to 5 ATM/50m/164ft
Dial    
Dark green dial with mat finishing
White graduation printed on inner ring and outer ring
Applied silver color indexes filled with white luminous treatment 
  • Arabic number 70 at 12 o’clock (on the occasion of Austin Healey 100 70th anniversary)
  • Arabic number 12 at 12 o’clock
Silver color hour and minutehands filled with white luminous treatment
Redchronograph’s seconds hand
Chronograph’s minutes counter at 3 o’clock with red hand
60 seconds counter at 9 o’clock with silver color hand
Strap
Black calf leather strap with off-white stitching

Limited edition 
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PRICES RRP 2’595

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Press release - 2022
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For further Press & Public Relations inquiries please contact Mrs. Maria Thalia Terezakis,
Frédérique Constant International PR: mterezakis@frederique-constant.com
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Friday, July 1, 2022

IWC – BIG ILOT’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition IW503607

IWC SchaffhausenBIG PILOT’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Blue Edition “Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team” (Ref. IW503607)

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LAST PIECE OF IWC’S LIMITED TOTO WOLFF EDITION TO BE AUCTIONED FOR CHARITABLE INITIATIVE IGNITE

Schaffhausen, 30 June 2022. Ahead of the British Grand Prix™ at Silverstone, IWC Schaffhausen is pleased to announce the auction of the last Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Toto Wolff x Mercedes- AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team.” Limited to only 100 pieces, this exclusive Big Pilot’s Watch recognises the extraordinary career and achievements thus far of Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of the Mercedes- AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, while also highlighting his longstanding collaboration and relationship with IWC. 

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Over the years, Toto Wolff has been seen wearing several IWC watches and prototypes during memorable moments, on and off the racetrack. The watch numbered 50 out of 100 – the last available – will be auctioned by international auction house Bonhams, with the proceeds going to Ignite, a joint charitable initiative operated by the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1™ Team and Sir Lewis Hamilton to support greater diversity and inclusion in motorsport. At the same time, IWC Schaffhausen announces the establishment of an annual 50,000 Euro donation for Ignite.
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    “Toto Wolff is the outstanding team principal of his  generation and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1™ Team has seen unprecedented success under his  leadership. Winning a race or a single championship  campaign are great achievements in their own right.  However, Toto’s ability to create a dynamic team driven  by a high-performance culture, has led to unmatched  consistency and eight consecutive constructors’ titles over  the last nine years of his tenure. We are proud to honour  this outstanding personality with a unique Big Pilot’s Watch, and once again join forces with our longstanding  motorsport partner in support of a good cause,”

Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen

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In 2013, the Austrian entrepreneur and former racing driver Toto Wolff became a shareholder and executive director of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1™ Team. During his time as the Team Principal & CEO, the team has won eight consecutive constructors’ titles between 2014 and 2021 – more than any other team in elite world sport. 

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With the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team”, Wolff was finally honoured with an IWC watch that carries his name.

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The Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition “Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team” (Ref. IW503607) features a Ceratanium® case and crown, a glass dial, and black hands. The printing and luminescence are in the team’s signature PETRONAS green colour. Limited to only 100 pieces, this watch is fitted with a black rubber strap with textile inlay. Ceratanium® is a ground-breaking new material developed by IWC

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It is as light and robust as titanium and almost as hard and scratch-resistant as ceramic. Ceratanium® is based on a special titanium alloy forged explicitly for IWC. The case components are machined from bars and then treated in a furnace process at high temperatures. During this heat treatment, they develop not only ceramic properties on their surface but also their striking matte black finish.  

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After almost a decade of partnership, it is an honour and a privilege to have been asked to design a watch with IWC Schaffhausen. For me, it had to be a Big Pilot’s Perpetual Calendar. The watch uses Ceratanium, a material that stands for robustness and strength, two features that are very important to me. The dial is in bold PETRONAS Green, the colour of our team, and, of course, I had to add a subtle red collar around the crown and pay tribute to our friend and colleague Niki Lauda. The final design is exactly how I had imagined it to be and I am delighted to donate this special timepiece to the auction and hope to raise as much as possible for the Ignite partnership,” states Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team.

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IWC’s legendary perpetual calendar was developed by former head-watchmaker Kurt Klaus during the 1980s. The mechanical program automatically recognises the different lengths of the months and the leap years, requiring no manual adjustment until 2100. The moon phase display shows the moon as seen from the northern and southern hemispheres and will only deviate by one day after 577.5 years. 
 
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The calendar module is driven via a single nightly switching impulse by the IWC-manufactured 52615 calibre. This automatic movement features IWC’s iconic Pellaton winding system, which has been reinforced with ceramic components and accumulates a power reserve of 7 days in two barrels. The movement can be admired through the tinted sapphire glass back.

NUMBER 50 OF 100 TO BE AUCTIONED BY BONHAMS 

The watch carrying the number 50 will be auctioned online by the international auction house Bonhams. The proceeds will go to Ignite. This charitable initiative launched in 2021 by The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1™ Team and Sir Lewis Hamilton will focus its work on supporting greater diversity and inclusion in motorsport. 

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The watch comes with a 10-minute video call with Toto Wolff and a tour of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1™ Team HQ and Operations Centre, offering exclusive, behind-the-scenes insight into what goes into designing, manufacturing and running the world’s most advanced racing cars. Interested buyers can register and place their bids here: www.bonhams.com/auction/28074.

IWC ANNOUNCES A YEARLY DONATION 

In addition, IWC Schaffhausen and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1™ Team are also announcing the establishment of a yearly donation of 50,000 Euros, which will be funded by IWC.

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Like the auction proceeds, the funds will also go to Ignite. Learn more: Ignite Partnership Announces Inaugural Grants to Boost UK motorsport (mercedesamgf1.com)

MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS FORMULA ONE™ TEAM 

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team is the works team of Mercedes-Benz, competing at the pinnacle of motorsport – the FIA Formula One™ World Championship. Formula One™ is like nothing else in the sporting sphere. It’s a demanding technical and human challenge, combining cutting-edge technologies and innovation, high-performance management and elite teamwork. 

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At Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, a group of passionate and determined people work to design, develop, manufacture and race the cars driven by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton and young star George Russell. The team has set a new benchmark for F1™ success during the sport’s current Hybrid era, winning consecutive Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and the Constructors’ Championship in 2021. During those title-winning seasons, the team has scored 111 wins, 232 podium finishes, 118 pole positions, 81 fastest laps and 53 one-two finishes from 160 race starts. 

BONHAMS 

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and collectables, motor cars and a luxury division, including jewellery, watches, wine and whisky. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 53 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com.

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Technical Specifications

Model  BIG PILOT’s Watch  Perpetual Calendar Edition “Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team”

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Ref. IW503607

FEATURES
Mechanical chronograph movement
– Perpetual calendar
– Pellaton automatic winding 
– Rotor with 18-carat gold medallion
– Power reserve display
– Double moon phase display
– Perpetual calendar displaying the date, day, month and year to four figures and perpetual lunar phase for both northern and southern hemispheres
Will only deviate from the moon’s actual orbit by a single day after 577.5 years.
– Small hacking seconds
– Screw-in crown

– Limited to 100 watches

MOVEMENT
IWC-manufactured calibre  52615
Côtes de Genève, perlage
Frequency:    28,800 A/h | 4 Hz
386 Components
Jewels:    54
Power reserve:    7 days (168 h)
Winding:    Automatic
DIAL
Skeleton, glass dial, black hands with luminescence
Dial is in bold PETRONAS Green, the colour of our team Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team.
Functions
  • Perpetual calendar
  • Hour hand
  • Minute hand
  • Small hacking seconds
  • Date display
  • Day display
  • Month display
  • Year display
  • Moon phase display
  • Power reserve display
WATCH
Materials:  Ceratanium® matte black finish
Diameter:    46.2 mm
Height:    15.4 mm
Crown:  Ceratanium®
Glass:    See-through sapphire glass back
Water-resistant: 6 bar
STRAP:
Black rubber strap with textile inlay, Ceratanium® pin buckle
Strap width 22 mm

Limited Edition - Only 100 Pieces
 
 
WARRANTY  6-year extension to the standard 2-year International Limited Warranty
 
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Press releases - 2022
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 IWC Schaffhausen
Uwe Liebminger
Department Manager Public Relations
Mobile  +41 (0)79 957 72 52
E-mail  uwe.liebminger@iwc.com
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