Tuesday, May 24, 2016

TUDOR – HERITAGE Black Bay BRONZE



TUDOR HERITAGE Black Bay BRONZE NEW

The Heritage Black Bay family welcomes the new Heritage Black Bay Bronze model, a 43 mm divers' watch inspired by the brand's history and fitted with a mechanical movement developed, manufactured and assembled by TUDOR.

The characteristic elements of the new Heritage Black Bay Bronze model's personality have been drawn from TUDOR’s history. It inherits the general lines, as well as the dial and domed crystal, from the very first TUDOR diving watches. It features the particularly prominent winding crown from the famous 7924 reference of 1958, known as Big Crown.

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It borrows the characteristic angular hands, known as snowflake, from the watches delivered in large quantities to the French National Navy in the 1970s. The drilled holes on the side of the lugs and their particularly pronounced chamfering can be added to the list of notable historic design elements adopted in this new model.

AN ALUMINIUM BRONZE ALLOY CASE

The characteristic element of the Heritage Black Bay Bronze is an imposing bronze case, 43 mm in diameter, which is an aesthetic reference to the use of bronze in historic ships and other diving equipment. The choice of this metal, a high performance aluminium bronze alloy, guarantees the development of a subtle and unique patina to match its user's habits. In addition to a highly functional appearance in line with the world to which it pays tribute, the Heritage Black Bay Bronze has entirely brushed finishes that guarantee a homogeneous development of the patina.

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A combination of chocolate­ brown dial and bezel – a first for TUDOR – with golden and beige accents, completes the model's look. The visual effect is that of a patinated object that could have battled the waves on its owner's wrist for many years, and seems to have been fashioned by him and his lifestyle.

THE TUDOR MT5601
MANUFACTURE MOVEMENT

The Tudor MT5601 Manufacture Movement was developed specifically to equip the Heritage Black Bay Bronze model. Slightly larger in diameter and displaying hours, minutes and seconds func­tions, it bears the reference MT5601, in which “MT” stands for “Mouvement TUDOR”.

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In 2015, TUDOR announced the first mechanical movement in its history to have been developed, manufactured and assembled in­house. A high­ performance calibre of excellent precision and proven robustness, it offers a 70­hour power reserve.

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Beating to a frequency of 28,800 beats/hour or 4Hz, the movement is regulated by a variable inertia oscil­lator with silicon balance spring, held in place by a traversing bridge – a guarantee of its robustness. Furthermore, the movement is certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).

AN HISTORIC STRAP

TUDOR has identified the historic uses of its watches and reinterpreted them in its latest models. For example, the French Navy had TUDOR watches delivered without bracelets and then fitted them with their own straps, handmade or otherwise. One of them, found on a period watch, is made of elastic recovered from a French rescue parachute.

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It is from this ultra­functional relic, recognisable by its central yellow thread that the beige and brown woven jacquard strap fitted to the Heritage Black Bay Bronze descends. In line with the characteristics of the Heritage line, it is accompanied also by an aged brown leather strap whose angled cut accentuates a rustic effect.

THE TUDOR DIVERS' WATCH

The history of the TUDOR divers' watch dates back to 1954 and the launch of reference 7922. The first in a long line of ergonomic, legible, accurate and robust divers' watches, it perfectly embodies the approach formulated by the American architect Louis Sullivan, according to whom the form of an object must follow its function. Furthermore, it laid down the aesthetic and technical foundations of an ideal divers' watch, those of an understated, functional and reliable tool.

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The sixty years that followed the launch of the original 7922 saw the constant improvement of the TUDOR divers' watch and each model gained unanimous acclaim from professionals in the field, including some of the greatest military navies in the world. It is this relationship with these navies which evokes ideas of travel and adventure that the Heritage Black Bay Bronze celebrates.

THE HERITAGE LINE

A key characteristic of the TUDOR Heritage line is the unique creative process that began in 2010 with the presentation of the TUDOR Heritage Chrono model, a free interpretation of the brand's first chronograph dating from 1970. Since then, some of the most im­ portant references in the history of TUDOR have been reworked within the Heritage line. Far from simply being an identical re­release of a classic, the models in this line bring together the past, present and future, with the aesthetic codes that contribut­ ed to the reputation of historic models preserved and instilled into contemporary timepieces. The new Heritage Black Bay Bronze adopts this approach, offering a new reading of the history of the TUDOR divers' watch.

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Technical Specifications

Collection: Heritage 
Model: Black Bay BRONZE

Reference: 79250BM

Mouvement
Mechanical automatic TUDOR calibre, 
CALIBRE: MT5601, Manufacture TUDOR (COSC)
Self­winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system
PRECISION: Swiss Chronometer Officially
Certified by the COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute)
FUNCTIONS:
Centre hour, minute and seconds hands
Stop­seconds function for precise time setting
OSCILLATOR: Variable inertia balance, micro­adjustment by screw
Non­magnetic silicon balance spring
Frequency: 28,800 beats/hour (4 Hz)
TOTAL DIAMETER: 33,8 mm
THICKNESS: 6,5 mm
JEWELS: 25 jewels
POWER RESERVE: Approximately 70 hours
CASE:
Bronze case, bronze-­coloured PVD­-treated steel case back,
43 mm, satin finish
BEZEL: Bronze unidirectional rotatable 
bezel with disc in matt brown anodised aluminium
WINDING CROWN: Bronze screw-­down winding crown adorned
with an engraved TUDOR rose
DIAL: Brown, domed
CRYSTAL: Domed sapphire crystal
WATERPROOFNESS: Waterproof to 200 m (660 ft)
BRACELET:
Aged leather strap with bronze buckle
Additional fabric strap with bronze buckle included in the box

SWISS PRICE (VAT incl.): CHF 3'800.—



Year: 2016
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Monday, May 23, 2016

GREUBEL FORSEY – ART PIECE 2 EDITION 1



















GREUBEL FORSEYART PIECE 2 White Gold EDITION 1 NEW

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ART PIECE 2 EDITION 1

Unveiled during Baselworld 2016, this new Greubel Forsey creation, Art Piece 2 is a powerful tribute to the Double Tourbillon 30°, the first invention from Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, and forms a subtle combination of artistic research and technological innovation.


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A VIEW OF THE INFINITELY SMALL

Following on from this first creation Art Piece 1, the Art Piece 2 is dedicated to Greubel Forsey’s own universe, and particularly to the watchmaker’s history. Housed in the case, an optical instrument allows the viewer to see a nano-engraved sketch of the Double Tourbillon 30º mechanism, Greubel Forsey’s first invention. This forms a subtle mise en abyme effect of the object within itself, given that this emblematic mechanism itself operates at the heart of this new timepiece.

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This original artwork was engraved by a secret process on a sapphire tablet. The first impression, is above all a showcase for the artistry that characterises this timepiece, in which the indication of time becomes of secondary importance and resembles a sort of conjuring trick. It is in fact necessary to activate a pusher that controls a bistable shutter mechanism in order to obtain an indication of the hours and minutes.

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We rediscover here the spirit that was already at work in the Invention Pieces, through which Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey developed for the first time the idea that a timepiece, rather than being just a simple watch, could become the distillation of an idea, and above all a means of artistic expression.

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The Double Tourbillon 30º, with bi-stable display signed by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, will be produced in a strictly limited edition of just a few pieces per year.

ART AND SCIENCE

The Art of Invention: this expression testifi es to a forward-looking philosophy that has been the driving orce for Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey for many years now, both in the fi eld of scientifi c research as applied to fi ne watchmaking, and in that of aesthetic innovation. The Art of Invention imbues all Greubel Forsey creations, but is seen at its most eff ective in the astonishing series of Art Pieces they initiated in 2009.

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Co-created with Willard Wigan, Art Piece 1 included a micro-sculpture by the British artist that could be viewed through a miniaturised “microscope”, these revolutionary optics, the design of which required several years of research and development.

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Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey subsequently created a timepiece as a tribute to the off -beat universe of the Franco-American artist Robert Filliou, particularly noteworthy for its engraved maxim «Bien fait, mal fait, pas fait» (Well done, badly done, not done).

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Year: 2016
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Press release
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For further information: 
Communication Department 
press@greubelforsey.com – +41 79 194 2884
Eplatures-Grise -16 P.O. Box 670 2301
La Chaux-de-Fonds- Switzerland
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Saturday, May 21, 2016

CHRISTOPHE CLARET – X-TREM-1 Gold and Damascened Stee Limited Edition















CHRISTOPHE CLARETX-TREM-1 Gold and Damascened Stee Limited Edition NEW

The X-TREM-1
Ultimate watchmaking by Christophe Claret

Four years after unveiling the X-TREM-1 timepiece, the watchmaker from Le Locle reveals two new versions in damascened steel, issued in 8-piece limited edition. X-TREM-1, the first of a generation of exceptional timepieces, represents a major technical and aesthetic accomplishment: a flying tourbillon inclined at a 30° angle, mounted on a three-dimensional curvex titanium mainplate, equipped with a retrograde hours and minutes display system that is radically different from existing watchmaking conventions. Two tiny hollowed steel spheres, isolated within sapphire tubes on the left and right sides of the caseband, magically move with no mechanical connection thanks to magnetic fields

Technics

The Extreme Complications Watches line certainly deserves its name. It expresses Christophe Claret’s
determination to continue pushing the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking, integrating certain
fields of research never previously applied in this domain. X-TREM-1 is a fine example of this
approach that involves using a system driven by magnetic fields display the hours and minutes.

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The challenge was bold and some might say a little crazy: How could someone possibly think about
introducing a magnetic field – the arch enemy of horological mechanisms – into the heart of a
watch? The Christophe Claret team has done just that by creating a system where two small steel
spheres – hollowed to make them lighter and encased within two sapphire tubes placed to the right
and left of the caseband – are controlled by precision magnetic fields generated by two miniature
magnets moved by cables. The cables are incredibly flexible, made from hundreds of Dyneema
nanofibers all contained within an ultra-high-strength polyethylene gel, capable of withstanding
tensile forces of up to a kilo. The entire thread is thinner than a human hair (4 hundredths of a mm in
diameter). The resistance of the thread has been tested in the Manufacture Claret on an accelerated-
wear simulator corresponding to six years of operation.

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The spheres have no mechanical connection with the movement, with each one floating inside the
two tubes and creating outstanding horological magic. This technology was developed with the
School of Business and Engineering Vaud (HEIG-VD) in Yverdon-les-Bains, and a team headed by
Professor Besson.

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The entire construction and finishing of this timepiece meets the extreme demands systematically
imposed by Christophe Claret. Ultra-light titanium was used for the three-dimensional curvex
mainplate and the bridges. The flying tourbillon is fitted with double ceramic bearings to enhance its
shock-resistance. It is inclined at a 30-degree angle in order to make it even more clearly visible to
the wearer. The hand-wound watch draws its energy from two barrels enabling the use of a
sophisticated display without disturbing the rate of the tourbillon, and thus the accuracy of the
watch. The first barrel is reserved for the tourbillon, the second for the hours and minutes.


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The pleasing aesthetic alliance between gold and damascened steel

Driven as ever by a determination to present avant-garde timepieces, white or 5N red gold and
damascened steel were the metals chosen to make the case of this new version of the X-TREM-1.

A keen student of history, Christophe Claret felt it would be an interesting exercise to craft the case
of the X-TREM-1 – the most innovative and contemporary model in his collection – from damascened
steel produced using ancestral methods. This material was first made in the Caucasus around 2500
BC, soon after the discovery of iron, and subsequently spread throughout Europe as well as to Asia.
Entirely forgotten during the Middle Ages, it was rediscovered by the Crusaders. Weapons equipped
with extremely sharp damascened blades were long considered the finest in the world. After a
further period of neglect, this type of steel reappeared under Napoleon and was used to make gun
barrels around the mid-19 th century. It has been consistently used in Asia, and Japanese samurai
warriors made their katana swords from this material combining the suppleness of the blade with an
extremely hard cutting edge. Its resistance in combat gave them a significant tactical advantage over
their enemies.


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Damascened steel is traditionally produced by layer-assembling two types of stainless steel. Several
successive forging and folding steps result in a piece of metal that may comprise several hundreds of
layers. This extremely technical high-end alloy boasts excellent properties: a homogenous structure,
pure material, as well as extreme resistance to corrosion and shocks. For this new X-TREME-1 model,
the grades of steel used are 316L and 304L. The difficulty lay in introducing gold or ceramic into
damascened steel for the time indication, and the second challenge involved actually machining the
case from the extremely resistant damascened steel.

The many details that make a difference and contribute to giving this model its strength include the
subtle color match between the case, the spheres, the hours and minutes numerals, the tourbillon
age and the Christophe Claret logo.

Each of the two versions is produced in an 8-piece limited edition.

Christophe Claret considers the creation of each object as a collective challenge that takes shape by
dint of passion and perseverance, along with a significant measure of emotions and dreams. He is
never happy just to redo something that has already been done. The brand is resolutely dedicated to
technological innovation and never hesitates to venture off the beaten track in its quest to offer
unprecedented ways of reading the time.

An interesting historical side note

In The Talisman, a romanticized account of the Crusades in Palestine, Sir Walter Scott tells the story of
an encounter between Richard the Lionheart and Sultan Saladin. The two adversaries boasted of the
respective qualities of their swords. To show the resistance of his heavy sword that he wielded with
two hands, Richard sliced through a steel bar. In response, Saladin drew his Damascus steel scimitar
across a silk cushion and “the cushion fell apart without even half sinking under the touch of the
Sultan’s blade. It seemed almost to separate itself.” The stunned Europeans were thinking it might be
a trick, when Saladin gave a further demonstration by splicing in two a supple silk veil that he held in
the air. Walter Scott describes the Saracen’s weapon as ideally sharp and maneuverable, “a curved
and narrow blade, which glittered not like the swords of the Franks, but was, on the contrary, of a
dull blue color, marked with ten millions of meandering lines. “

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Technical Specifications

CALIBRE FLY11:   
Dimensions:        26.6 x 46.4 x 11.94 mm
Number of parts:         419
Number of jewels:         64
Power reserve:         50+ hours
Barrels:  Dual barrels: one for the movement gear train, one for the time indications
The tourbillon movement and the time indication gear trains each have their own independent energy supply to optimize power distribution and duration.
Tourbillon:    
Escapement: Swiss lever type
Oscillation frequency of the balance: 3 Hz (21,600 vph)
Tourbillon rotates once every 60 seconds
Flying tourbillon inclined at 30° supported by a double ceramic bearing, with cone-shaped pinion transmission
Functions:        
-  Mystery hours and minutes displayed with indications provided
by hollowed steel spheres moving 23 mm inside two cylindrical
sapphire tubes. The metal spheres are driven by magnetic
carriages following a thread.
-  Seconds displayed on the tourbillon cage
-  Movement state-of-wind indication
-  Fast time adjustment is via an integrated pusher on the caseband
at 12 o’clock 
Mainplate:
Curvex with sides inclined at 30° angle
Mainplate and bridges in bead-blasted titanium
Open-worked ratchet and wheel
Distinctive features:
Use of precisely-shaped magnetic fields in a mechanical movement
No mechanical connection between the indications and the movement
Winding and time-setting via lift-out rotating “bows” on caseback
EXTERIOR:
Case:
Rectangular with curvex profile
Dimensions: 40.80 x 56.80 x 15 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM  / 30 m / 100 ft
Material:
Ref: MTR.FLY11.130-138 Price in Swiss francs (ex VAT): 272,000.-
  • White gold and damascened steel with time indication in black ceramic
  • Spheres:   Black chrome-treated stainless steel
Ref: MTR.FLY11.140-148 Price in Swiss francs (ex VAT): 268,000.-
  • 5N red gold and damascened steel with time indication in 5N red gold or black ceramic
  • Spheres:   4N pink gold stainless steel
Polished rose gold/bead-blasted black PVD-coated grade 5 titanium
Hour and minute displays:
    Hours and minutes are indicated by two 4mm-diameter hollowed spheres weighing 0.100 grams that move past sapphire scales marked with thin Super-LumiNova graduations beneath the sapphire
Strap:   
Anthracite hand-sewn alligator leather or rubber-touch leather fitted with an innovative two-screw fastening system that facilitates strap change and avoids damaging the case
Buckle:      Black chrome-treated stainless steel
Number of watches: 
Each version is issued in a limited edition of eight pieces

Limited Edition of 8 timepieces

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Friday, May 20, 2016

GRAHAM – CHRONOFIGHTER Superlight Carbon Skeleton














GRAHAMCHRONOFIGHTER SuperLight Carbon Skeleton NEW

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EVOLUTIONISING HAND BAGGAGE WEIGHT LIMITS

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Weighing in half aheavy as the hippest of smartphones, the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon Skeleton is a horological high-flyer. Adding less than 100g to the wearer’s personal baggage allowance, this watch means business – and leisure too.

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Graham has taken its Superlight carbon technology to new levels. The result is a timepiece that has a skeleton dial under its wing, as well as a case, buckle, bezel and iconic start and stop trger in this innovative material.

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In functionality and durability terms, this chronograph is no lightweight. It’s powered by a Swiss G1790 automatic chronograph movement, integrating 48 hours of power reserve and protected by an Incabloc® shock absorber.

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Comfort on board was also a design priority, with the only remaining danger zone being a periodic tendency for the wearer to forget the watch is there.

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Airport security isn’t the only place the Graham Chronofighter Superlight Carbon.

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Technical Specifications

Ref. 2CCBK.B25A 

Functions 
Chronograph (seconds, 30 minutes counter).
Hours, minutes, seconds
Calibre 
G1790,  automatic skeleton chronograph with view on the balance wheel and escapement,
28'800 A/h (4Hz),
 Incabloc shock absorber Black, ruthenium and rhodium movement with hand-drawn strokes decoration
Openwork balance bridges and plates
Oscillating weight with hand-drawn strokes decoration and snailed external segment
29 jewels
Power reserve : 46 hours
Case 
47 mm superlight black carbon composite case.
Total weight of the watch is lighter than 100g
Black carbon fast-action start/stop trigger (3K carbon frame) and
black rubber reset pusher with "Clous de Paris" high grip pattern
Black carbon (3K) bezel
Domed sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating on both faces
Smoked sapphire crystal case back with red "superlight carbon" inscription
Water resistance
330 feet / 100 m /10 bar
Dial 
Black skeleton dial with white Super-LumiNova graduation
Black hours and minutes hands coated with white Super-LumiNova
Red chrono, minutes and seconds counters' hands 
Strap 
Integrated black rubber strap with "Clous de Paris"
Additional black fabric strap
Black carbon (3K) pin buckle
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Press release - 2016
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GRAHAM SA 
Boulevard des Eplatures 38
2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds | Switzerland
Tel: +41 32 910 98 88 | Fax: +41 32 910 98 89
Email: george@graham1695.com 
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