Patek Philippe The art of manual finishes: the case

— The quality of Patek Philippe’s finishes is built on a respect for tradition and a culture of excellence. Handcrafting is a major factor in this. We take a closer look at the watch case.  

 The case is the body of the cheap replica watch, a sealed container that largely determines its overall appearance. It encloses the watch’s internal organs, frames its display and holds the bracelet, whose curves it anticipates. This multifaceted interface demands a specific savoir-faire, whose full potential can only be revealed by the intervention of human hands. According to the purist approach that Patek Philippe has chosen to take, the case deserves as much attention as the movement. After meticulous shaping by high-precision machines, the case of a Patek Philippe watch is still just a rough idea of what it will become. The next step is to make it beautiful, and this happens in two stages. The first is the smoothing, polishing and buffing. The second brings in texture, with motifs, engravings and jewels. In every case, the journey from raw material to finished surface is guided by human hands.

 

Alternating satin-brushed and mirror-polished finishes on the case of the Nautilus Ref. 5976. © Patek Philippe

After the raw metal has been stamped out, a long series of machining processes add the details, perforations, internal volumes and detailing to its curves. Once this shaping stage is complete, the unfinished case is passed on for finishing. A lengthy process of deburring smooths out all the edges and removes all traces of the tools that have been used. Then, if necessary, the lugs are soldered on. The Patek Philippe hallmark imposes quality criteria here too, including the requirement that all these operations are carried out by hand.

 

One of the many stages of manual polishing on the case of a Nautilus. © Patek Philippe

The gold, platinum or steel, sometimes even titanium, are now cleaned up, but they are still lacking that tactile surface quality. This is the point at which the cases are polished. Using a variety of brushes of different grades, loaded with the appropriate buffing compounds, operators polish by hand every facet of the case, even its most inaccessible corners: down between the lugs, around the crown and, of course, the largest and most visible surfaces, the bezel and caseband. A gold case, for example, requires on average one and a half hours of polishing, while a platinum case can take up to four hours. At the end of the process a final diamond polishing stage sharpens those edges where a cleaner profile is required, like the bezel.

 

Manual finishing of a white gold case with a wooden buff. © Patek Philippe

Patek Philippe continues to offer hunter pocket watches as part of its current collection. These pieces require particular attention to their hinges, and the covers often feature a guilloché design. An old-fashioned hand-operated lathe is guided by a system of cams to execute the motif. However, the type of guillochage most frequently performed by Patek (if it’s correct to use the term “frequently” in this context) is on the bezels of some Calatrava models. The clou de Paris hobnail pattern is a Patek Philippe classic. The matrix of tiny pyramids with their rounded tops and clean edges requires expert work by specialists.

 

Clou de Paris guilloché motif on a Calatrava case. © Patek Philippe Replica Watches

Five years ago, Patek Philippe began covering some of its cases, particularly those of its grand complication watches, with intricately executed engravings, undertaken by craftsmen. This rare practice is applied to the caseband, bezel, lugs and sometimes even the pushers. Only an expert hand can oversee a task so precise and time-consuming, which requires weeks of work. What is more, engraving allows no room for error. If the burin slips and the line is marred, the entire object is compromised. Whether intaglio (fine engraving done with a burin), bas-relief (where the design stands out against the background) or champlevé (where the surface is hollowed out in preparation for enamelling), Patek Philippe’s savoir-faire stretches back in an unbroken line. The company has never stopped using these handcrafts, or offering them to the public in its watches, including through its line of Dome table clocks.

 

Manual engraving on the bezel of a Ref. 5160. © Patek Philippe

Gem-setting at Patek Philippe, whether on men’s or women’s watches, also complies with the Patek Philippe hallmark specifications. Diamonds must be rated “Internally Flawless” for clarity and “Top Wesselton” for colour, with perfect proportions and finish, ensuring that the diamonds have optimal lustre. Stones must be traditionally set (never glued) and they must be level, correctly aligned and all at the same height. Diamond is naturally very hard, which makes it relatively easy to work with. But Patek Philippe also sets more fragile stones, including rubies, sapphires and emeralds. All these resources and expertise are available internally, in a dedicated workshop inside the Patek Philippe manufacture. And, of course, all of the procedures involved in gem-setting are carried out manually.

 

A spiral of 32 diamonds called the Diamond Ribbon embellishes the caseband of a Ref. 4968R. © Patek Philippe

Bell & Ross BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire

— Through a transparent case, this timepiece reveals the fascinating secrets of its flying tourbillon and chronograph mechanism.

In 2015, Bell & Ross launched the BR-X1 line with a Haute Horlogerie version: the BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon.
This watch combined the extremely virile esthetic codes of the brand with technical refinement. Yet the thrill of a further development was still to come. True to its relentless quest for excellence and performance, Bell & Ross boldly set forth to achieve the ultimate expression of this already iconic design: a skeleton movement enhanced as a rare treasure.

BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire. © Bell & Ross

Through a transparent exterior, the BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire is built around a flying tourbillon master grand complication and Bell & Ross has added an ultra elegant mono-pusher chronograph. The chronograph complication is visible and provides a privileged window into its many intricacies: the column wheel under the dial at 12 o’clock, the semi instantaneous jumping hand (rather than a traditional sweeping hand), and the power reserve indicator of 100 hours (at least 4 days) at 9 o’clock. Masculine through and through, the main plate and pillars have been machined from a single block of metal.

The skeletonizing of the calibre BR-CAL.285 allows the exceptional mechanics of this “horological turbine” to be observed when starting, stopping and resetting. True aficionados will appreciate the extreme sophistication of the BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire with its 30-minute counter at 10 o’clock and 60-second counter at 2 o’clock for the chronograph functions. These are engaged by the mono-pusher rocker –positioned at 2 o’clock– which controls the Start, Stop and Reset functions.

 

The calibre BR-CAL.285 and its functions, visible through the apphire case: hours and minutes, 30-min chronograph timer at 11 o’clock, 60-sec timer at 1 o’clock, power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock, flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock. © Bell & Ross

To those of us in awe of Nature’s riches, sapphire is an iconic precious gemstone. To the world of Science, it’s a mineral known as Corundum, the second hardest material on earth after diamond, and almost impossible to scratch. Herein, lies the beauty of this once-in-a-lifetime creation by the master horologers at Bell & Ross.
Cutting a watchcase from a solid block of sapphire is an extremely difficult process. It takes long hours of machining, then polishing, to produce one. The BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire case, measuring 45 mm in diameter,  is cut from six blocks of sapphire: middle piece, back, top, crystal and the two bumpers and is assembled with screws. 

Radiography of the timepiece. © Bell & Ross

The BR-X1 Chronograph Tourbillon Sapphire is a limited edition of 5 pieces, fitted with a bi-material strap made of translucent rubber with metallic Kevlar weaving.

Jacob & Co. Replica Watches Video. Twin Turbo

— Zoom on the Twin Turbo watch from Jacob & Co.

Combining two triple-axis tourbillons with a minute repeater, the Twin Turbo replica watch is resolutely ahead its time. Its design is inspired by the automobile world. Two years of R&D were necessary to Jacob & Co. to develop this sleek and sporty timepiece.

Piaget SIHH 2017 preview – Altiplano Collection 60th Anniversary

— Piaget Replica Watches is kicking off the 60th anniversary of the iconic Altiplano collection with two brand new versions.  

True to the company’s pioneering spirit, in 1957 Piaget launched the 9P manual calibre, which was just 2 mm deep. Three years later, in 1960, the company unveiled the 12P, the slimmest automatic movement in the world, measuring just 2.3mm deep. Widely recognised for its technological expertise, the watchmaker based in La Côte-aux-Fées began to specialise in the design and manufacture of ultra-thin movements, which became one of the company’s signatures. Thanks to their reduced bulk, these two mechanical calibres and their successors opened up new horizons for Piaget’s designers, giving their creativity free rein. For example, in the 1960s Piaget became the first watchmaker to use mineral crystals. The Altiplano line has evolved over the decades to incorporate ever more advanced technical features, including calendar and chronograph functions, without losing any of its slender elegance. The Manufacture has also produced several high jewellery models which retain the essential features of the record-breaking Altiplano collection, named for the high plateau of South America. The undisputed master of ultra-thin Swiss replica watches, Piaget set a new record for thinness with the Altiplano 900P, unveiled at the 2014 SIHH, which measures just 3.65 mm deep in total.

 

Piaget Manufacture 9P ultra-thin hand-wound movement, launched in 1957. © Piaget Fake Watches

Altiplano Collection 60th Anniversary

Drawing inspiration from the aesthetic codes of its first ultra-thin models, in 2017 Piaget celebrates the 60th anniversary of its iconic collection with the launch of two brand-new models ahead of the SIHH 2017. Both feature a sunburst dial in the historic Piaget blue, an intense shade somewhere between cobalt and midnight blue, representing vintage elegance with a contemporary twist. The understated blue cross, picked up from historical Piaget models, contrasts with the applied white gold hour markers and the slim baton hands typical of the collection.

The dial of the Altiplano Self-Winding 43 mm bears the historic inscription “Piaget Automatique”, with a subtly updated letter A. This timepiece, in a limited edition of just 460, is equipped with the calibre 1200P, representing the fourth generation of Piaget’s ultra-thin self-winding movements (just 2.35 mm deep). This calibre, the culmination of a three-year development process, was launched in 2010 to mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary 12P. The sapphire crystal back of this 18K white gold watch gives a view of the gold rotor engraved with the Piaget coat of arms, as well as the exquisitely finished bevelled bridges decorated with circular Geneva stripes, the circular-grained mainplate and blued screws.

The second watch being unveiled by Piaget is the Altiplano 38 mm. It is driven by the 430P calibre (2.1 mm deep), the second generation of manual movements entirely designed, developed, manufactured and decorated by the Manufacture Piaget. Purity and timeless elegance converge in this ultra-thin 18K white gold timepiece, also produced in a limited run of 460. 

Piaget Altiplano 60th Anniversary Collection 38 mm & 43 mm versions. © Piaget

But that’s by no means the end of the Altiplano 60th Anniversary collection. To see the rest, you’ll have to wait a little longer, however. More surprises are planned for 16 January 2017, the opening day of the SIHH, and you can expect further launches throughout the year.

TAG Heuer Alex Monopoly joins TAG Heuer family

— Street-art artist Alex Monopoly becomes TAG Heuer’s art provocateur.    

 

To coincide with Miami Contemporary Art week, Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer and President of the LVMH Watch Division, has announced the appointment of ultra-hot American artist Alec Monopoly as Art Provocateur for watch brand.
Sporting a hat, with his face always hidden behind a bandana to preserve his anonymity; but what is he famous for? Well, Alec Monopoly owes his fame to the character who shares his name. Mr. Monopoly, the diminutive and debonair banker that the artist depicts in different scenarios.
"When I started out, I did my graffiti in New York. The city was a huge source of inspiration". In 2008, he quit the Big Apple for California. This was the year that the financial markets crashed. The subprime crisis, Wall Street, Bernard Madoff... The finance world experienced its darkest days. And this found its echo in Alec's work. His career took off. "This was my way of making a statement about what was happening." His work started to gain an online following amongst street art aficionados. People started to call him Alec Monopoly.

 

Alec Monopoly. © TAG Heuer

Since then, he has depicted the little banker in every conceivable situation... His rich, colourful works using this character – known throughout the world – are filled with humour. In the meantime, Alec Monopoly has turned his focus towards recontextualising other icons of popular culture. Scrooge McDuck, Richie Rich...
With success, his relationship with painting has changed. "I was crazy when I was young. I graffitied trains, buildings..." Has time tamed Mr. Monopoly? Not really. "I am still a graffiti addict. I still have this need to quickly graffiti something any time I get the chance. Street painting remains my true passion."
A few months ago, Jean-Claude Biver suggested that Alec became not only the "Art Provocateur" for the watch brand he is CEO of, to imbue it with his creativity – but also to start to express himself in a different way, in the street, by tagging the TAG Heuer boutique located in the very heart of Miami's Design District, as part of the artistic ambiance of the famous Contemporary Art Week.

 

The TAG Heuer boutique located in the very heart of Miami's Design District. © Replica TAG Heuer

Jean-Claude Biver commented: "To be the first, to be unique and different, has been my philosophy for the last 40 years. With Alec as Art Provocateur within my team at TAG Heuer, I would like not only to continue to reconnect the brand with the younger generation, the millenials, but also to pave the way for new areas of expression, in all domains from the products to marketing and communication to distribution….His unconventional creativity and enthusiasm are contagious!"