BREMONT – ALTITUDE MB Viper Titanium Edition

BREMONT – ALTITUDE MARTIN-BAKER MB Viper Matte Black Titanium Chronometer Limited Edition 2023

 A CONCEPT TEST WATCH

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LIGHTWEIGHT TRIP-TICK® CASE CONSTRUCTION

The MB Viper is designed to be as light as possible, utilising high-performance, aerospace materials such as aluminium and Grade 5 Titanium. 

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The Trip-Tick® case design houses the ENG300 movement which is protected by a patented anti-shock movement mount, and has specialised ‘pockets’ on the rear to remove excess weight. 

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To this end, the MB Viper features a patented rubberised Anti-Shock movement mount which protects the ENG352 calibre movement from significant shocks and jolts, whilst the 43.5mm matte DLC Grade 5 Titanium case employs a protective carbon coating and an anti-reflective, scratch resistant sapphire crystal.

 DESIGNED FOR OPTIMUM VISIBILITY

Inspired by the original Test Instrument, a distinctive bright orange bezel provides improved visibility, a necessity during the ENG300 Testing Programme should the watch have become dislodged from the manikin during ejection testing and have to be located in a field. 

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The chevroned hands provide excellent legibility and are typically observed in fighter jet cockpits, highlighting features of importance.

 A MOMENTOUS STEP FOR BRITISH WATCHMAKING

In 2021 Bremont released its own ENG300 movement series marking a significant milestone for both the brand and British watchmaking as a whole. A new manufacturing line for machining base components and T0 assembly has been realised at the Bremont Manufacturing & Technology Centre “The Wing” based in Henley-on-Thames, UK. 

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Bremont has made considerable investment into new machinery, staff and training and the firm’s in-house technical team has re-engineered 80% of the base calibre, including making a number of design improvements, in order to build a proprietary movement to the brand’s unique specification. The ENG300 signals the first time in 50 years that mechanical movements have been built at scale on British shores. 

POWERED BY A BREMONT MANUFACTURED MOVEMENT

The MB Viper is powered by a Bremont manufactured ENG352 calibre movement which features a 65 hour power reserve and comes with an extended warranty of 5 years upon registration. 

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A significant amount of expertise, logic and intellectual property has been transferred to Bremont, together with all relevant design rights especially in relation to parts machining and finishing, tool design and fixtures, and the movement assembly line. 

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Not only will movement parts, such as main-plates, automatic and balance bridges be manufactured and sub-assembled at Bremont’s Manufacturing & Technology Centre, but the movement will be fully assembled (down to jewel setting and regulation) at the new facility too. This represents an incredible leap forward for British watchmaking and this weighty progression marks the first time any UK movement manufacturing at scale has been done in 50 years, since Smiths in 1971.

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It is tested using Bremont’s H1 Timing Standard, which is directly comparable to the ISO3159:2009 Chronometer test. Bremont has spent many years working on movement design and engineering including most notably developing new IP in the UK with highly acclaimed movement designer Stephen McDonnell, a project which continues to be progressed for a high complication.  It has always been Bremont’s ambition to bring the art of industrial high-end watchmaking back to British shores. In the 1800s, close to half of the world’s clocks and pocket watches were made in this country, as was so much of the horological design and innovation that went into them, and many other timepieces built around the world.

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Renowned for beautifully made, yet robust and shock-proof timepieces, Bremont sought to make improvements wherever there was an opportunity to enhance the toughness of the base calibre. One notable improvement was choosing to utilise a full balance bridge, which supports the balance wheel assembly. 

To fine tune the movement’s accuracy, traditional adjustment screws are used on the free sprung balance wheel, a more difficult method of rate adjustment, but also more precise, and links back to early marine chronometry. Further design changes include revisions to the escapement, the automatic winding bridge jewels and a modified wheel bridge amongst others.

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The Test Instrument subjected the ENG300 Series movement to Live Ejection Testing, Zoom Temperature Climb Testing, Extreme Temperature Endurance, High Altitude Testing and Salt Fog Testing.

SUPER-LUMINOVA® 

To ensure optimal lighting in the poorest of conditions, green emmission Super-LumiNova® has been applied to the hour markers and infilled within the tips of the hour and minute hands.

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The vibrant orange anodised aluminium case middle is secured with 4 corner Torx® screws and on the dial, hours are marked with Super-LumiNova® along with the tips of the chevron-decorated hands whose pattern nods to the signature ejection pull handles seen on fighter ejection seats.

 COMPLIMENTARY STRAP

The MB Viper comes with a black canvas strap and a complimentary orange canvas strap, allowing the wearer to alternate their style. 

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The Bremont H1 Timing Standard not only nods to Bremont’s home in Henley-on-Thames but is also named in homage to Harrison’s first ‘H1’ marine timekeeper that famously sought to solve the problem of measuring longitude out at sea. Historically one of the most prominent observatories for watch testing was the Kew Observatory in England and reinvigorating a British chronometer test is something Bremont has long since been building up to. 

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This timepiece will be individually hand assembled upon order, currently arranging client deliveries within 6-8 weeks.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Collection: ALTITUDE 

Model: MARTIN-BAKER MB Viper Titanium Edition

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Movement
Self winding 
Caliber: Bremont 11 1/2’’’ ENG352
Jewels: 22
Silicon escape wheel
Free sprung hair spring with inertia weight timed balance & KIF Shock protection
Rhodium plated bridges with gold plated automatic bridge
Oscillations: 25,200 bph (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65-hour 

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Rhodium plated solid tungsten rotor, custom decorated with fine graining and engraving
Functions
Central Hour/Minute/Seconds
Case
Matte black DLC treated Grade 5 Titanium 
Bremont Trip-Tick® case construction with orange anodised aluminium top bezel.
Bremont patented anti-shock movement mount.
Screw down crown.
Width: 43.5mm (48mm inclusive of crown guard)
Length: 51.9mm
Depth: 10.8mm
Width: 22mm
Case back: Matte black DLC treated Grade 5 Titanium with integrated flat exhibition crystal, 4 stainless steel screws.
Crystal: Flat anti-reflective, scratch resistant sapphire crystal.
Water Resistance: 10 ATM, 100 metres.
Weight: 58g (watch head only)
Rating & Certification:  H1 timing standard.
Dial
White metal dial with seconds track.
Hours marked with Super-LumiNova® (Green emission).
Red Seconds hand.
Chevron patterned Hour and Minute hands with pointer tips infilled with Super-LumiNova® (Green emission).
Strap
Black canvas strap with complimentary orange canvas strap.
DLC treated Titanium pin buckle.

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 Availability: Special presentation BOX

 MADE IN ENGLAND 🇬🇧   5 YEARS OF WARRANTY

🔰 Limited Edition of 300 pieces 

🔴 Price: € 5.975,00 / $ 5,955.00 ex tax💰

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Press release - 2023
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VACHERON CONSTANTIN – PATRIMONY Retrograde Day-Date Platinum

 

VACHERON CONSTANTIN – PATRIMONY Retrograde Day-Date Platinum 42.5mm Salmon Dial 2023

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• A minimalist design inspired by special retrograde displays from the 1920s and 1930s.
• Understatement, harmony and elegance highlighted by the association between the platinum of the case and the salmon pink shade of the dial, a signature from the Maison.
• Calibre 2460 R31R7/3, a manufacture self-winding movement in the purest tradition of Haute Horlogerie.

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At Vacheron Constantin, technique is consistently dedicated to serving elegance. Since its founding in 1755, the Manufacture has cultivated the refinement of its watches as an art form, corresponding to one of the Bauhaus principles holding that "less is more". This is reflected in the platinum Patrimony retrograde day-date with salmon-coloured dial. 

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With its rare combination of retrograde complications evoking the iconoclastic displays of the 1920s and 1930s, this timepiece excels in its field.

In the purest Vacheron Constantin style

Imagining a timeless style is a quest that Vacheron Constantin has been pursuing since its foundation, as is once again demonstrated by this new Patrimony retrograde day-date watch in 950 platinum with a salmon-coloured dial. 

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Heir to the grand stylistic and technical tradition of the Maison, this limited annual production timepiece reveals meticulous attention to detail in which the expression of minimalism is combined with technical excellence. 

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The 42.5 mm-diameter 950 platinum case frames a salmon-coloured dial with a sunburst pattern reflecting the codes of the collection. The purity of the design matches the model’s mechanical and aesthetic sophistication.

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Every detail is designed to reflect the aesthetic characteristics of Vacheron Constantin. Beneath the 12 o'clock hour-marker sits a facetted Maltese cross in relief, the emblem of the Maison. 

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Crafted in 18K 5N pink gold, it features facets that are sandblasted on one side and polished on the other, offering a new expression of the Vacheron Constantin symbol specific to this signature platinum case and salmon-coloured dial. 

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The two retrograde (day and date) indications are made with blued steel hands in keeping with tradition, while the hours and minutes are displayed by 18K white gold hands. In classic 1950s style, the latter are subtly curved to match the shape of the domed dial with its intense reflections. 

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The circular-grained peripheral minutes track is also inspired by this era in a revisited version. From the very first glance, this timepiece embodies the refined style cultivated by Vacheron Constantin.

Salmon-coloured dial, a Vacheron Constantin signature

The development of coloured dials – from the 1930s onwards – enabled a new style of elegance to be displayed on the wrist. 

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Featured in Vacheron Constantin watches since the 1940s, salmon-coloured dials make an ideal match with cases in white metal: particularly steel, notably with the legendary chronograph Reference 4178; as well as platinum, with which it forms a rare combination sought after by collectors and devotees of rare models. The combination of platinum case and salmon-coloured dial was picked up in the 1990s, again in conjunction with complications, such as the classic chronograph Reference 47101 and the 1992 self-winding perpetual calendar chronograph Reference 49005.

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This alliance between platinum and salmon is thus part of the Maison’s heritage and since 2022 has been the sign of a new aesthetic that can be found across its various collections in limited annual production.

The spirit of the new Patrimony retrograde day-date thus draws its aesthetic and technical inspiration from tradition while revisiting it.

In-House calibre 2460 R31R7/3, the essence of Haute-Horlogerie

The Patrimony retrograde day-date is driven by in-house self-winding calibre 2460 R31R7/3 operating at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour. 

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It is fitted with a 22K gold openworked oscillating weight with a design inspired by the Maltese cross emblem and has an approximately 40-hour power reserve. In the grand tradition of in-house calibres, the bridges are finished with hand-polished angles. 

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Straight-graining, which consists of perfectly smoothing the component flanks, is also performed by hand, while the screws are meticulously polished. 

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The mainplate is circular-grained on both sides, while the bridges are adorned on the back with the Côtes de Genève motif.

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Sum-up

With its original combination of retrograde complications evoking the iconoclastic displays of the 1920s and 1930s, the new Patrimony retrograde day-date in 950 platinum with a salmon-toned dial perpetuates a refined style. 

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Elegance and technicality are highlighted by a dial colour exclusively associated with timepieces featuring a 950 platinum case in limited annual production and only available in Vacheron Constantin boutiques.

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Interview with Christian Selmoni

When did the first retrograde indications at Vacheron Constantin appear?

Even though the Manufacture has in-depth knowledge of its archives, it is possible that certain timepieces have not yet been discovered. That being said, the first wristwatch to feature a retrograde date was the Don Pancho, nicknamed by collectors after the person for whom it was commissioned. 

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In 1935, the Maison received an order from Brooking, its official retailer in Madrid, for a wristwatch with functions that were previously reserved for pocket watches featuring complications: a minute repeater and calendar indications, with a retrograde hand. It took four years until 1940 to meet this order and deliver Reference 3620, now known as the Don Pancho: a tonneau-shaped wristwatch in yellow gold, distinguished by its crown at 12 o'clock and its minute repeater with deliberately low tones, activated via a right-hand slide piece.

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Don Pancho wore it for seven years and it then vanished for 60 years before reappearing in 2019 at Phillips, Bacs & Russo where it attracted the second highest bid ever for a wristwatch from the Maison.  Another remarkable model unveiled in 1994 which highlights the craze for unusual dials is the Mercator watch. A tribute to the 16th century geographer Gérard Mercator, this creation features a double retrograde display of trailing hours and minutes on an enamelled or engraved dial. The positioning of the hand axis at 12 o'clock provides an ideal surface for expression on this model from the Métiers d'Art collection.

Why is the Don Pancho so important in the history of Vacheron Constantin?

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Aurel Bacs who auctioned it in 2019 explained it in very clear terms: "The historical importance of this timepiece cannot be stressed enough. Made at a time when wristwatches with multiple complications simply did not exist, it is a technical feat and a masterpiece of human genius. The combination of a minute repeater and a calendar with retrograde date had never previously been seen in a wristwatch, and it would be nearly 60 years before we saw something similar." 

Vacheron Constantin wristwatches with retrograde date made a comeback in the early 2000s with Reference 47245, presented to mark the 245^th anniversary of the Manufacture and which featured a retrograde date but a day display via an auxiliary dial at 6 o'clock and a trailing hand. 

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The system of displaying the date by retrograde hands offers advantages in terms of legibility but is technically very complex to implement. It was not until 2006 that the first double retrograde day-date wristwatch was produced, Reference 86020.

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Technical Specifications

Collection: PATRIMONY

Model: PATRIMONY Retrograde Day-Date Platinum

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REFERENCE 4000U/000P-H003


CALIBER 2460 R31R7/3
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, self-winding
25.6 mm (11¼’’’) diameter, 5.4 mm thick
Approximately 40 hours of power reserve
4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour)
276 components
27 jewels

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Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
INDICATIONS Hours, minutes
Retrograde day of the week and date
CASE
950 Platinum
42.5 mm diameter, 9.7 mm thick
Transparent sapphire crystal caseback
Water-resistance tested at a pressure of 3 bar (approx. 30 meters)
DIAL
Salmon
Dial finish:  Sunray
Salmon-coloured with sunburst finishing
Convex external zone with external minute-circle composed of fine diamond-polished 18K white gold pearls
18K white gold applied hour-markers and hour & minutes hands
Blued steel date and day hands
STRAP
Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather with calf inner shell, tone-to-tone stitching, square scales
BUCKLE
950 platinum folding clasp
Polished half Maltese cross-shaped

✅Available exclusively from Vacheron Constantin boutiques.

🔴Price   EUR 70,000.00 Tax Excluded💰

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#OneOfNotMany
#Patrimony
#RetrogradeDayDate

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Press Release - 2023
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Vacheron Constantin
Press Department
10, Chemin du Tourbillon
P.O. Box 95
CH-1228
Plan-les-Ouates/Geneva
Tel. +41 22 930 20 05
Fax +41 22 930 20 06
press@vacheron-constantin.com
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