Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Bremont - Codebreaker Limited Edition


Bremont - Codebreaker Limited Edition NEW


“The intelligence... from you (Bletchley Park)...
has been of priceless value. It has saved thousands
of British and American lives and, in no small way,
contributed to the speed with which the enemy was routed
and eventually forced to surrender... (It was a) very
decisive contribution to the Allied war effort.”

̶  General Dwight D. Eisenhower


 Bremont Watch Company is working with the Bletchley Park Trust to create the 'Codebreaker'; a historically and mechanically important Limited Edition watch.

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  

Bremont Watch Company and the Bletchley Park Trust are pleased to announce that they will be working together on the release of the new Bremont limited edition watch that will incorporate historical artefacts from Bletchley Park. It will be called the ‘Codebreaker.’ The watch is unlike any other watch ever created and in addition a percentage of the proceeds will be used towards the ongoing restoration of Bletchley Park.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...   

Bletchley Park played an extremely important role in British history. During WWII it was converted into a codebreaking factory and became the site of the United Kingdom’s main decryption establishment, the Government Code and Cipher School (GC&CS,) where ciphers and codes were decrypted, most famously the ciphers generated by the German Enigma and Lorenz machines.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...   


By inventing and using ingenious machines and novel manual techniques to crack German ciphers, the 9,000 scientists, mathematicians and other crucial supporting staff are said to have helped shorten the war by at least two years and saved millions of lives.

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  

Inspired by a classic 40’s officers watch, the ‘Codebreaker’ will be made with a beautiful and never seen before Flyback Chronograph GMT automatic movement and will incorporate some relevant historical artefacts from Bletchley Park; pine from the iconic Hut 6 (the centre of the operations to decrypt the German Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe Enigma ciphers) and paper from one of the few remaining punch cards (used to analyse the vast amount of coded data created from the daily Enigma communications).

  Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  
Part of the rotor of the watch will be made from the wheel of an original Enigma machine. 240 steel Codebreaker watches will be created and 50 rose gold watches.

   Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  

 Giles English; Co-founder Bremont

“Bletchley Park has such an amazing place in world history and has not only inspired us to create the beautiful ‘Codebreaker’ watch, but enabled Bremont to help raise funds and profile for the preservation of this important heritage site of which we are so proud.”

Iain Standen; CEO Bletchley Park Trust

Bremont accomplished a great deal with the HMS Victory watch, both in terms of product and the benefits to the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Knowing this and seeing Bremont’s vision, we were keen to work with them. The mission of the Bletchley Park Trust is to preserve this important part of history for future generations.”

  Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...   

   Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  

   Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  

Nick English; Co-Founder Bremont

“Mechanically we have made some considerable movement developments and incorporated materials that have never been built into a watch before. By moving the chronograph dials, building a Flyback Chronograph function and GMT second time-zone we have accomplished a wonderful mechanical timepiece. Both Giles and I were inspired by the ‘Bombe machine’ and the rotor balance is based on the Bombe’s drums. Each watch will have its limited edition number embedded into the case barrel with original punch cards. Hut 6 is part of the current restoration programme and fragments of its floorboards, on which codebreaking giants, such as Alan Turing and Gordon Welchman walked, have been incorporated into the watch crown.”

Bletchley Park

For decades, the World War Two Codebreaking centre at Bletchley Park was one of the UK’s most closely guarded secrets. Today, it’s a poignant place to visit and reflect on the achievements of those who worked there. Their outstanding feats of intellect, coupled with breakthrough engineering and dogged determination, were crucial to the Allied victory and in parallel, helped kick start the computing age.

Thousands of people worked at Bletchley Park during WWII to decipher messages transmitted by the German forces. The standard 3 rotor Enigma was capable of being set to approximately 158 trillion possible settings. The reading of encrypted messages on an industrial scale, the use of the intelligence gained and the subsequent related actions of the Allies are said to have shortened World War Two by two years, saving countless lives. The critical importance of Bletchley Park in world history cannot be denied.

Bletchley Park is also the birthplace of the computer.
The world’s first programmable electronic computer, Colossus, was conceived and installed at Bletchley Park during WWII to speed the reading of encrypted German messages sent by Hitler and the high command. Bletchley Park is unique. It combines a key role in modern history with being the birthplace of the digital age.



About Bremont
Bremont is an award-winning British company producing beautifully engineered chronometers at our Headquarters in Henley-on-Thames, England. Time began for Bremont when we embarked on a journey to make beautifully crafted pilot’s watches of exceptional quality. Flying historic aircraft has been in our blood from an early age, as has our love for watches, history, and all things mechanical. The timepieces had to be tested beyond any normal call of duty (and not just in the workshop), and of course be immensely precise and durable. Bletchley Park has such an amazing place in world history and has not only inspired us to create the beautiful ‘Codebreaker’ watch, but enabled Bremont to help raise funds and profi le for the preservation of this important heritage site of which we are so proud.

Above: Enigma machine rotors

Bletchley Park is also the birthplace of the computer. The world’s first programmable electronic computer, Colossus was conceived and installed at Bletchley Park during WWII to speed the reading of encrypted German messages sent by Hitler and the high command. Bletchley Park is unique. It combines a key role in modern history with being the birthplace of the digital age.
 
Bombe Machine

The Bombe machine was developed to speed up the breaking of Enigma, so that messages were still operationally relevant. The Bombe helped to deduce the day's Enigma settings, of both the rotors and the plug board, by eliminating the many incorrect possibilities.

The Codebreakers created a menu for the wiring at the back of the Bombe based on a hypothesis, known as a 'crib', of part of the original message. Cribs were often derived from regular appearances in decyphered messages of stock  phrases, such as 'message number' or 'nothing to report'.

The machine was developed by Alan Turing and the case back of the Bremont Codebreaker has been designed to replicate the drum of the Bombe machine.



Above: Row of drums from the Bombe machine


Breaking Enigma
The Enigma used rotors to scramble messages into unintelligible cyphertext. The German military adapted an early commercial version, marketed to the banking industry, and believed it to be impenetrable. Each one of the machine's billions of possible combinations generated completely different cyphertext. Finding those settings, which were reset at midnight every day, was the challenge faced by the Codebreakers.


 Right: Original Enigma machine
Below: Enigma machine rotor







 


Before WWII, work was being undertaken in a number of countries to break Enigma. In July 1939, aware that Poland would soon be invaded, Polish mathematicians who had worked on Enigma shared their work with the British and the French.
By this time the Germans were changing the Enigma settings daily and the fi rst British wartime breaks into the daily-changing Enigma code took place at Bletchley Park in January 1940. The rotor of the Bremont Codebreaker will contain original material from the enigma machine rotor (below).

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ... 

Punch Cards

When GCHQ left Bletchley for Eastcote in 1946 the British Tabulating Machine Company (BTM) cards were boxed up and were later moved to Cheltenham when GCHQ moved again in 1952. The cards were discovered when GCHQ was preparing to release records to The National Archives, GCHQ allowed them to go to the Bletchley Park Trust along with other records. With over 2 million created every week there is only half a box remaining, 5 cards are being incorporated into the barrel of the Codebreaker watch to display the watches serial number.

Uses of the punch cards:

The BTM system was essentially an early form of computer processing. The system managed the BP Punch-Card Intelligence Index and was thus key to the success of the Codebreaking work, specifi cally recording Enigma decryption information.

One of the challenges facing BP staff was to break the daily Enigma codes before the rotors were re-set (these were done so every 24 hours). The BTM machines allowed the analysis of decryption information: Punch Cards based on the coded messages would either block or allow electrical currents to pass through them enabling the operators to limit the number of possible Enigma wheel-settings and therefore the number of possible solutions to each days Enigma code.

Above: Original punch cards being incorporated into Codebreaker to display its serial number.

Hut 6
Hut 6 was built in January 1940 for the decryption of Enigma messages from the German Army and Air Force, with help from the punch cards and then the Bombe machines. The cards were used to help deduce the Enigma keys and wheel orders. Once the day's Enigma settings had been partially established with help from the Bombe, the information was sent back to Hut 6 where it was used to complete the discovery of the Enigma settings. Decrypted messages were then passed to Hut 3 for translation and analysis. Original pieces of Hut 6 pine will be incorporated into the crown of the Bremont Codebreaker.


Above: Bletchley Park staff working in Hut 6

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ... 


---------------------------------------------
TEChNICAL FEATURES

MADE IN ENGLAND
Stainless Steel and Rose Gold.

Movement
BE-83AR Flyback chronograph. Diameter 13 1/4", height 7.90mm,
39 Jewels, three-legged Glucydur balance with Nivarox 1 mainspring 28,800 bph.
Incabloc shock protection and 46 hour power reserve.
Perlage and blued screwed decoration with hand crafted stainless steel and Bombe rotor.
Functions
Sweep hours, minutes, sweep Flyback chronograph seconds,
30-minute chronograph counter and 60 second hand counter,
GMT second time zone, date.
Case
 hardened stainless steel or 18 carat rose gold
Bremont Trip Tick case construction with treated inner
barrel with punch card limited edition number (material from Bletchley park).
Case diameter 43mm, lug width 22mm and case thickness 15mm.
Crown
Crown engraved with pinewood from hut 6, Bletchley Park.
Case Back
hardened stainless steel or 18 carat rose gold
case back with integrated hand etched sapphire crystal.
Automatic rotor inspired by the Bombe machine incorporating
parts of an original German Enigma rotor.
Dial
Etched metal dial and treated brass hands,
London on the dial.
Crystal
Domed anti-refl ective,
scratch resistant sapphire crystal.
Water resistance
Water resistant to 10ATM,
100 metres.
Strap
Classic style leather strap.


-----------------------------
www.facebook.com - Bremont Watches
----------------------------------------------------
www.bremont.com

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Ball Watch - Trainmaster First Flight Limited Edition


















Ball Watch - Trainmaster First Flight Limited Edition NEW

 

BALL 2013 Novelty: Trainmaster First Flight


Trainmaster First Flight
A fitting watchmaking tribute to the 110th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight


2013 marks the 110th anniversary of the first flight of American aviation pioneers, the Wright brothers. On 17th December 1903, Wilbur (1867 - 1912) and Orville Wright (1871 - 1948) successfully made in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (USA), the first ever motorized flight in their aircraft Flyer. After many years of aeronautical research, they developed the first motorized airborne vehicle. Their achievement helped mankind make one of its oldest dreams – the conquest of the skies – a reality.


Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...      BIG FOTO































Aviation has always relied upon the most reliable, accurate and resistant instruments. Watchmaking is no exception. It was therefore only natural that BALL Watch Company chose to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Flyer's first flight by creating the Trainmaster First Flight.

This exceptional timepiece is designed both as a fitting tribute to the Wright brothers’ extraordinary story and a stunning piece of watchmaking craftsmanship. BALL Watch Company is thus writing the latest chapter in the history of the Trainmaster collection. Bringing together BALL’s most beautiful classic timepieces, this collection harks back to the very first watches to bear the “BALL’s standard” signature. 


 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ... 






































The accuracy and reliability of those early watches ensured that the railroads ran smoothly throughout that great era of rail. The Trainmaster First Flight’s stainless steel case is 41 mm in diameter and features a black dial with an elegant design of fine vertical lines. The satin finish of the case contrasts subtly with the polished bezel. The transparent sapphire crystal case back proudly reveals the movement mechanism, and features a silk-screen printed design of Flyer's first flight. It is also engraved with the individual number of each timepiece in this limited edition of just 600 pieces.





























The ability to read information easily is a key feature of any aircraft navigation instrument. Here the watch's easy readability is ensured by distinctive metallic hour markers and a large date display positioned at 12 o'clock. The hour and minute hands have also been designed to evoke the distinctive elliptical propeller blades found in early airplanes.


Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  


























The most important technical feature of the Trainmaster First Flight is its automatic BALL 651 caliber, based on an ETA 2892 movement. By modifying in-house this movement, BALL Watch Company added a large date display and elegant sub-dial for a second time zone positioned above 6 o'clock. The latter feature may prove particularly useful for pilots, who frequently cross time zones during their flights. To ensure that wearers can read the timepiece even in total darkness, the twelve markers on the dial and the main hands are fitted with micro tubes containing luminescent 3H gas. This state-of-the-art Swiss technology requires no external light or energy sources and is up to 100 times more effective than conventional luminescent paints. The yellow micro tubes on the hands and 12 o'clock marker are subtly distinguished from the green tubes on the other markers.


 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...      BIG FOTO



























In keeping with the tradition of aviation watches, the Trainmaster First Flight comes with either a crocodile leather strap or, for a sportier look, a stainless steel bracelet.

In a final nod to aviation history, this watch is presented in a custom leather pouch, evoking the iconic briefcases used by pilots in the early days of aviation. A genuine navigation plotter customized with the BALL logo is included within the pouch. BALL Watch Company created the beautiful Trainmaster First Flight as a limited edition of only 600 pieces to pay tribute to the genius of the Wright brothers.




------------------------------------------------------------
Technical Specifications

 
Movement

Automatic caliber BALL 651 (
based on an ETA 2892)
Functions
15 micro gas tubes on hour, minute, second hands and dial for night reading capability
Second time zone indication
Shock resistant to 5,000Gs
Water resistant to 50m/160ft
Hours, minutes, sweep seconds and date
Case
Stainless steel
Ø 41mm, height 12.75mm
Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Sapphire crystal case back
Screwed-in crown
Band
Stainless steel bracelet with folding buckle or crocodile leather strap with standard or folding buckle
Dial
Black


Model Number GM1056D-L2J-BK
Limited Edition
600 pieces


--------------------
www.topperjewelers.com
--------------------------------
www.facebook.com - BALL Watch Company 
 -----------------------------------------------------------
www.BallWatch.com

PANERAI - Luminor Marina 8 Days - 44mm

PANERAI - Luminor Marina 8 Days - 44mm NEW


The power reserve of eight days is part of the history of Officine Panerai. Between the end of the 1940s and the early 1950s Panerai used a 16-ligne Angelus calibre which would run for eight days without being wound: a very long power reserve to meet the requirements of the commandos of the Italian Navy, who during their operations had to be able to rely on an instrument of complete and enduring reliability.


This tradition lives again today with the P.5000 calibre, the new hand-wound movement with an eight-day power reserve which makes its debut in the new Luminor Marina 8 Days and Luminor Marina 8 Days Oro Rosso.
 
 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...   BIG FOTO

The two new timepieces respect the classic aesthetics of the Luminor Marina, notable for the minimalist design of the case and dial. The case is 44mm in diameter and it is immediately recognisable by the bridge device with locking lever to protect the winding crown. It is available in AISI 316L stainless steel or in 5Npt red gold, a distinctive alloy with a high percentage of copper that gives it a particularly deep colour, and a certain amount of platinum that helps to prevent oxidation. Constructed of two superimposed discs ensuring the clearest legibility, the dial has large baton hour markers and figures, with the small seconds dial at 9 o’clock. It is black in the steel model and brown in the red gold one.

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  BIG FOTO

The P.5000 hand-wound mechanical calibre, visible through the sapphire crystal window set in the back, has been completely developed and made in the Officine Panerai manufacture at Neuchâtel. With a diameter of 15¾ lignes and a thickness of 4.5 mm, it is very robustly constructed. A large plate with brushed finish and diamond-polished chamfering almost completely conceals the mechanism, while revealing the variable inertia balance which oscillates at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour. The long running time is achieved by two spring barrels connected in series which store the power reserve of eight days.

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  BIG FOTO

The Luminor Marina 8 Days (PAM00510) and the Luminor Marina 8 Days Oro Rosso (PAM00511) are part of the Historic Collection. They are completed by a strap of black leather in the case of the steel version, and brown alligator in the red gold version, with a buckle made of the same material as the case.

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  BIG FOTO


------------------------------------------------------------
Technical Specifications

Panerai - Luminor Marina 8 Days - 44mm PAM00510

Movement:
Hand-wound mechanical,  Panerai P.5000 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 15¾ lignes, 4.5 mm thick, 21 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 21,600 alternations/hour. KIF Parechoc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 8 days, two barrels. 127 components.
Functions:
Hours, minutes, small seconds.
Case:
Diameter 44 mm, AISI 316L polished steel.
Bezel: Polished steel.
Back: See-through sapphire crystal.
Device protecting the crown: (protected as a trademark) Brushed steel.
Dial:
Black with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Seconds at 9 o’clock.
Crystal:
Sapphire, made of corundum, 2.5 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.
Water-resistance:
30 bar (~ 300 metres).
Strap: 
PANERAI personalised leather strap and trapezoidal polished steel buckle. Supplied with a second interchangeable strap and a steel screwdriver.

Reference: PAM00510.

------------------------------------------------------------
Technical Specifications

Panerai - Luminor Marina 8 Days Oro Rosso - 44mm PAM00511

Movement: 
Hand-wound mechanical, Panerai P.5000 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai, 15¾ lignes, 4.5 mm thick, 21 jewels, Glucydur® balance, 21,600 alternations/hour. KIF Parechoc® anti-shock device. Power reserve 8 days, two barrels. 127 components.
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds.
Case: Diameter 44 mm, 18 ct. polished red gold.
Bezel: 18 ct. polished red gold.
Back: See-through sapphire crystal.
Device protecting the crown: (protected as a trademark) 18 ct. polished red gold.
Dial: Brown with luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers. Seconds at 9 o’clock.
Crystal: Sapphire, made of corundum, 2.5 mm thick. Anti-reflective coating.
Water-resistance:
30 bar (~ 300 metres).
Strap: 
PANERAI personalised alligator strap and 18 ct. polished red gold buckle.
Supplied with a second interchangeable strap and a steel screwdriver.

Reference: PAM00511.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Panerai P.5000 calibre

A power reserve of eight days and hand-wound: the P.5000 calibre combines these two characteristics which are part of the history of Panerai watches since the first models created for the commandos of the Italian Navy.

With a diameter of 15¾ lignes (35.7 mm) and a thickness of 4.5 mm, the P.5000 calibre has 21 jewels, it is made up of 127 component parts and its balance wheel oscillates at a frequency of 3 Hz, equivalent to 21,600 vibrations/hour. Its original, very strong structure recalls that of old movements in which the mechanism was contained between two plates concealing most of the wheels and allowing only a few details to be seen, such as the balance cock and the intermediate wheel.

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  BIG FOTO

The P.5000 calibre has a variable inertia balance, its period of oscillation being adjusted by turning the little timing screws on the outside of the balance wheel. Using this system the balance spring is free, without the curb pins which would otherwise be used to modify its active length. The bridge supporting the balance is fixed by two screws beneath which are threaded rings which turn in both directions, the purpose of which is to adjust the endshake of the balance staff pivots. This technical solution helps the escapement to continue running perfectly in the event of shocks.

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...  BIG FOTO

The long power reserve of 192 hours, that is 8 days, is achieved by coupling the two spring barrels with toothed rims in series. The twin assembly enables longer, thinner springs to be used, resulting in a longer duration and greater uniformity in delivering energy to the movement.

 Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...

Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds
Technical specifications
Hand-wound
Power reserve 8 days
127 components
21 jewels
15¾ lignes
4.5mm thick
Two barrels
Oscillation frequency 3 Hz
KIF Parechoc® anti-shock device
*Officine Panerai is not the owner of the KIF Parechoc® and Glucydur® trademarks

-----------------
journal.hautehorlogerie.org
-----------------------------------
www.facebook.com - Panerai
----------------------------------------------
www.Panerai.com

Thursday, July 18, 2013

MAURICE LACROIX - Masterpiece Squelette Collection


MAURICE LACROIX - Masterpiece Squelette & Masterpiece Le Chronographe Squelette Limited Edition NEW


Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO
Masterpiece Collection
Inspiration of contemporary mechanical watchmaking

Spearheading the Maurice Lacroix Manufacture, the Masterpiece collection strikes a clever balance between technology, tradition and modernist esthetics. It represents the brand’s expertise and, in particular, its mastery of retrograde complications, moon phases and chronographs, while creating a new image for the measurement of time.

The timepieces of this flagship collection meet the highest standards of mechanical watchmaking set out by renowned Manufactures. The cases, dials and movements attest to the quality of their design and execution down to the minutest detail, which in turn reflects the brand’s rigorous approach to research and development.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

The esthetics of the Masterpiece Collection have evolved towards a contemporary design inspired by the art of living. Featuring modern finishes and silhouettes, this collection promotes a new experience of watchmaking that is firmly attuned to today’s world. Combining expertise and daring style, these watches revisit tradition with simple elegance, avoiding pretense and excessive extravagance. Created for modern-day dandies for whom performance and etiquette are everyday necessities, these watches embody the identity of a young brand whose innovative edge has given rise to a solid reputation.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

This year the Masterpiece Squelette line is revisiting its iconic timepieces. Driven by movements which are entirely created and developed in-house, the Masterpiece Squelette and Masterpiece Le Chronographe Squelette watch designs strike a clever balance between traditional watchmaking skills, esthetics and high-tech craftsmanship to produce a finished object of uncompromising quality. These are truly striking watches.
 
Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

Their powerful design and functional precision firmly entrench them in the context of an urban and hedonistic 21st century that appreciates an elegant approach to timekeeping, thus satisfying the expectations of a sophisticated clientele that is ever more demanding.

Masterpiece Squelette

Unique, extraordinary and steadfast. The emphasis on the contemporary spirit of the new Masterpiece Squelette serves to highlight traditional watchmaking expertise and the application here of one of its most delicate techniques. The skeletonization of a movement is a painstaking operation that requires a very highest level of precision and dexterity from the craftsmen.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO


Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

The new Maurice Lacroix timepieces pay a vibrant tribute to the heritage of traditional watchmaking while creating a new identity for the skeleton watch and giving it a modern flair. The collection, which had already established its credentials in 2007 thanks to the avant-garde watch designs, is inspired by the latest technological innovations.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

The anatomy of the ML134 skeleton movement is proudly showcased through the sapphire crystal case back. Its components are manufactured and skeletonized with special care and attention, and each component is individually polished. The bridges and disks and the wheels and pinions of the mechanism are thus on full view, perfectly finished down to the smallest detail.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO


























With its almost sporty appeal, the Masterpiece Squelette opts for minimalist finish, revealing its bold esthetic.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

The bridges are treated with tantalum or gold colored PVD, coated with a satin finish that highlights their structured harmony and balance.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

 ----------------------------------------
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Model: MASTERPIECE SQUELETTE

CASE
Stainless steel, Ø 43 mm, satin and polished finish
Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
Screwed case back with wide sapphire crystal
Water-resistant to 50 m (5 atm)
HANDS
Stamped hours and minutes hands with luminescent coating (blue emission)
Rhodium or black colored
STRAP/BRACELET
Genuine crocodile-skin strap, available in black (lined with black calfskin, black over-stitching) or brown (lined with brown calfskin, brown over-stitching)
BUCKLE
Folding steel clasp with push buttons
Satin and polished finish
MOVEMENT:
Mechanical, manually-wound caliber ML134
Functions:
    – Hours, Minutes, Seconds indicated by central hands
    – Small seconds through hand at 9 o’clock
Vibration: 18,000 vibrations per hour, 2.5 Hz
Power reserve: 45 hours
Jewels: 17
Adjustments: 5 positions when fully wound and 2 after 24 hours
Decoration: Grand colimaçon and sandblast on main bridge, in black or pink gold execution

-------------------------------------------------
MASTERPIECE Le Chronographe Squelette

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

An unusual design housed within a generously-proportioned case diameter of 45 mm. A skeleton watch that reveals the anatomy of time with its Manufacture movement, the ML106 caliber. The most recent version of the Masterpiece Le Chronographe Squelette commands respect. Its precise mechanics and updated appearance are the cornerstones of an undeniably contemporary collection.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO


Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

Protected by a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on both sides, the manually wound movement is proudly on display. Within this awe-inspiring labyrinth, the workings of the skeletal structure convey a sophisticated, extremely sporty image that is resolutely masculine.
 
Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

Hypnotized by the movement’s intricacy, the light bounces off the sharp, luminous hours and minutes hands before plunging into the depths of the skeleton. The multi-level effect is accentuated by the snailed architecture of the bottom plate, and the contrast between the black screws and the gemstones.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

The skeletonized openwork allows for the gears, the escapement, the balance and the column wheel, a feature of all the finest chronographs, to be admired. The counters, including a 60-minute counter, have hands shaped like skeletal disks which resemble the gears of the movement, while the time indicators are applied to the sapphire crystal dial.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO


Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

The structure of the Chronographe Squelette transforms inorganic matter into a living and exciting mechanism that displays each of its Manufacture-crafted components with pride. Four variations reveal their individual characters, whether classic or sporty, but always unique in their kind. The design of this metallic piece of watchmaking art is an appropriate icon for a brand that has dared to create an elegant yet edgy collection. Compromise does not form part of Maurice Lacroix's vocabulary.

The inspiration of contemporary mechanical watchmaking

An avant-garde design housed within a diameter of 45 mm. A skeleton that shapes time. A Manufacture –made mechanism, the ML 106-7 caliber. This new instrument for the measurement of short time intervals deserves the utmost respect. Its precise mechanics, for which a patent has been filed, and openwork design, which displays and thus authenticates the movement, are the cornerstones of an undeniably contemporary collection. Offering a new take on the skeleton watch, which had already been fully redesigned in 2007 with the Masterpiece Squelette, this model looks like being a worthy successor.

Click on the mouse wheel to see the large size ...              BIG FOTO

Protected by a sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on both sides, the manually wound movement is proudly on display. Within this maze, the workings of the skeletal structure enjoy a refined, streamlined effect and have been reduced to the bare essentials. Hypnotized by the movement’s intricacy, the light brushes past the dusky seconds hand, before bouncing off the sharp, luminous spurs of the hours and minutes hands. Having pierced through the slate-gray metallic sapphire dial, with its applied time indicators, it comes to rest on the chronograph counters, intrigued by the presence of a 60-minute counter.

 It then follows the movement of the counter’s hands which, shaped like skeletal discs, resemble the gears of the movement. It then ricochets off the snailed architecture and black screws of the bottom plate, before being drawn into the depths of this compelling time machine. Once inside, it tames the escapement, grazes across the golden gears, acquaints itself with the column wheel and caresses the rubies. Then, in a flash, it slips through the sapphire-crystal case-back, powered by the oscillations of a well-concealed, black balance that blends into its surroundings until almost invisible. The structure of the Le Chronographe Squelette transforms inorganic matter into a living and exciting mechanism that displays each of its Manufacture-crafted components with pride. The design of this metallic sculpture is an appropriate icon for a brand that has dared to create an elegant yet edgy collection most definitely anchored in the 21st century.
------------------------------

MOVEMENT
 Chronograph equipped with a Maurice Lacroix Manufacture movement and its own lever assortment, gear-train and spring balance. Developed, manufactured and assembled in-house.

PRECISION ENHANCED BY INNOVATION / PATENT
60-minute counter: a rare function that is highly adapted to accurate time-keeping a more precise chronograph function (accurate to 1/5 second) is maintained in direct relation with the seconds hand for optimal precision. Maurice Lacroix patent on the lever (located under the hammer). In the event of impact, this technical innovation optimizes security during the interlocking or releasing phases, thus guaranteeing utmost precision. Chronograph-wheel enables a special toothed shape (300 teeth) to be used, which cannot be crafted using traditional fabrication techniques. It is another guarantee of utmost precision.

 FUNCTIONS
Hours and minutes indicated by central hands, small seconds at 9 o’clock, Chronograph seconds indicated by a central hand, 60-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock. Vibration18,000 vph, 2.5 Hz, Power reserve 42 hours, 22 Jewels, adjustment: 5 positions when fully wound and after 24 hours. Swan neck ensures smooth adjustment, diameter: 16’’½ (36.6 mm)

DECORATION
Hand-decorated bridges plated with black gold and featuring a large snail-like pattern ML wheel design matches the design of the hands and discs.
STRAP
Black hand-stitched porous crocodile-skin strap with large scales, black calfskin lining and matching stitching.
 CASE
Combination of polished sunray, circular- and vertical-brushed surfaces, steel case, 45 mm diameter, screwed steel bezel, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, Integrated shaped push-pieces, screw-down crown in ¼ turn, screwed case-back featuring large sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, water-resistant to 100 m / 10 atm
DIAL
Sapphire-crystal dial with metal-coated treatment, dial with anti-reflective coating on both sides for a clearer view of the skeleton movement, slate-gray metal-coated treatment to reinforce the effect of the double counters and chronograph-seconds track function, white SLN (SuperLumiNova) spots on counters and second tracks.

------------------------------------
TECHNICAL INFORMATION

MASTERPIECE LE CHRONOGRAPHE SQUELETTE

CASE
■Stainless steel, Ø 45 mm, satin and polished finish
■Screw-down crown in ¼ turn
■Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
■Screwed case back with wide sapphire crystal
■Water-resistant to 100 m (10 atm)
HANDS
■Stamped hours and minutes hands with luminescent coating (blue emission)
■Central chronograph second with luminescent coating (blue emission)
■Small seconds and 60-minute counter disc-hands with luminescent coating (blue emission)
■Rhodium movement execution:
    – All hands black gold plated
■Ruthenium movement execution:
    – Black gold plated hours, minutes and small seconds hands
    – Red colored chronograph central seconds and 60-minute hands
■Blue nickel movement execution:
   – All hands rhodium plated
■Pink gold movement execution:
  – All hands pink gold plated except chronograph central seconds in black gold
DIAL
■Sapphire-crystal dial with metal-coated treatment
■Anti-reflective coating on both sides for a clearer view of the skeleton movement
■Luminescent spots on counters and second tracks (blue emission)
STRAP/BRACELET
■Rhodium movement execution:
    – Genuine black alligator-skin strap, lined with black calfskin
    – Black over-stitching
■Ruthenium movement execution:
    – Genuine black alligator-skin strap, lined with black calfskin
    – Contrasting red over-stitching
■Blue nickel movement execution:
    – Genuine black alligator-skin strap, lined with black calfskin
    – Contrasting blue over-stitching
■Pink gold movement execution:
    – Genuine black alligator-skin strap, lined with black calfskin
    – Brown over-stitching
BUCKLE
■Rhodium, blue nickel and pink gold movement executions:
    – Folding steel clasp with push buttons
    – Satin and polished finish
■Ruthenium movement execution:
    – Standard buckle with full black PVD coating.
    – Satin and polished finish
MOVEMENT
Mechanical, manually-wound caliber ML106
■Functions:
    – Hours, Minutes, Seconds indicated by central hands
    – Small seconds at 9 o’clock
    – Chronograph seconds indicated by a central hand
    – 60-minute chronograph counter at 3 o’clock
■Vibration: 18,000 vibrations per hour, 2.5 Hz
■Power reserve: 42 hours
■Jewels: 22
■Adjustments: 5 positions when fully wound and 2 after 24 hours
■Decorations: Hand-decorated bridges plated with rhodium, ruthenium (black), blue nickel or pink gold. Large snail-like pattern.

Limited Edition of 4 x 99 pieces.


---------------------------
 Press Releases PDF - Masterpiece Le Chronographe Squelette Limited Edition
 ------------------------------
--------------------------------------
Maurice Lacroix S. A.
Thurgauerstrasse 40
CH-8050 Zürich
Phone +41 (0)44 209 11 11
Fax +41 (0)44 209 12 52
info@mauricelacroix.com
-------------------------------------------------------------
www.facebook.com - MauriceLacroix
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
www.MauriceLacroix.com