Glashütte Original - Pavonina: diversity and exclusivity

Since the Pavonina was introduced in 2015, the Saxon watchmaker has demonstrated its creative aesthetic, offering a wide selection of different models. With red gold, steel and two-tone cases, matching or contrasting lugs, optional diamond-setting, coloured dials, mother-of-pearl, guilloché motifs in the centre or around the periphery of the dial, and a choice of different strap colours and materials, including a metal bracelet with distinctive hollow oval links – all these possibilities permit a range of The newest options announced at Baselworld 2017 follow the same trend. 

The cushion-shaped case with its 1920s styling remains unchanged, and comes in a single size: 31 x 31 mm with a depth of 7.5 mm. In stainless steel or red gold, or a combination of the two, its diamond-set crown is available in either the same metal as the case, or in red gold on the steel case, and is water-resistant to 50m. The innovative flexible lugs, for which Glashütte has registered a patent, ensure even greater comfort in wear, and provide a modern foil to the classic cushion shape. Like the crown, the lugs can also be in red gold on the steel case, with an optional band of 42 tiny brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.14 ct), for an additional touch of luxury. The lugs accept a wide variety of straps and bracelets, which helps to widen the appeal of the Pavonina watches, particularly as they are so easy to switch over.

This year the focus is on bright colours – alligator leather in vivid red, orange, pink, turquoise and dark blue, contrasting with the paler hues of taupe and rosé (alligator) or gilt beige (calfskin) – so you can change the look of your watch to suit your mood. Glashütte has promised an interactive tool on its website, which clients will soon be able to use to select the case, dial and strap of their Pavonina, and add a personalised engraved message to create a totally exclusive watch. 

 

The other new feature can be found on the dial. This is the first time we have seen a Pavonina with Roman numerals. Glashütte, which makes its dials in-house, has created a new typeface of slim and delicate characters, in keeping with the feminine style of the watch. Placed at each quarter-hour, with eight slim baton indices in between, they don’t overpower the white iridescent mother-of-pearl dial. The traditional guilloché motif of the collection is limited to the inner portion of the dial, where its sunray design emphasises the tapering steel or red gold hands.

 

In terms of functions, Glashütte has always focused on simplicity for the Pavonina collection. There are just two options – simple two-handed models, or two hands plus a date in a window at 6 o’clock – driven by an in-house quartz movement. The 2017 models are all simple two-handed watches. The Calibre 03-02 has improved protection against magnetic fields, and is beautifully decorated, with Glashütte striping on the mainplate, an engraved logo picked out in gold against a silver background, and chamfered edges. The battery provides an autonomy of 48 hours.

Andreas Caminada, new chef in the Hublot brigade

Andreas Caminada likes simple and natural things. An international reference, he is the youngest chef in Europe to have won a third Michelin star, which he did 7 years ago, and his 19 Gault&Millau points and stars have launched him to the firmament of gastronomy. He skilfully combines audacity, innovation and tradition. Eating at his table is like sitting down at the family table, so convivial is the atmosphere he cultivates.

To announce this new partnership, Hublot Replica Watches went to Andreas Caminada’s castle in Fürstenau — a small village in the Grisons canton that lives and breathes the ‘Swissitude’ held dear by the watchmaker. A place that helps us understand who Andreas Caminada is. His castle in Fürstenau speaks volumes on the philosophy that preoccupies him. A building that retains all the assets of its history and finds new life through the features of its refined and highly contemporary interior. A little like his dishes — paced like the dial of a watch — where each ingredient has a specific function, each engaging with another to offer an explosion of unique tastes — mixing authenticity and innovation.

Working instinctively, Grison-born Andreas Caminada plays with textures and the senses without ever modifying the perception of the initial taste of the ingredients he uses. He preserves the original spirit of cuisine while applying limitless creativity to his dishes. His territory of creation reinvents the classics.

HYT A duet of one-off pieces

Alongside the Skull Axl Rose and Skull Pocket, the biggest draws of HYT’s booth at the SIHH, there were also a couple of unique pieces that caused something of a stir. While the Iceberg version of the H3 looks relatively familiar, HYT’s H4 Dragon ventures further off-script.

H3 Iceberg
Almost two years after the H3 Titanium and Platinum was launched at Baselworld 2015 in a limited edition of 25, the H3 collection welcomes a second new creation, even more exclusive this time, as it is one of a kind. The rectangular case of this sculptural 62 x 41 mm watch is made of anthracite PVD titanium, with satin-polished white ceramic pieces at 3 and 9 o’clock. White is the dominant colour of the H3 Iceberg – the rotating four-sided prism that displays the hours is made of immaculate snowy ceramic, and the white alligator strap completes the look – where the original 2015 model played with the darker elements of a new fluid-mechanical technique that broke with HYT’s first two collections.

But this one-off piece is also an Iceberg and, like the H1 and H2 models bearing the same name, it is illuminated with a blue fluid. The fluid crosses the upper part of this futuristic Replica Watches in a horizontal glass tube less than one millimetre in diameter, between two miniature bellows which act together to move the fluid, and the rotating prism that displays the H3’s trademark linear hours. Minutes are also read off in linear fashion by a red articulated pointer, without the aid of hands, from a section marked with white figures from 00 to 60. The exclusive HYT movement from the H3 collection, which offers a generous power reserve of 170 hours, did not have to be redesigned to fit in with the “Iceberg” aesthetic of this one-off piece; the bridges are made of titanium with an anthracite PVD microblasted finish, titanium-coloured satin-brushed accents and rhodium-plated bellows.

H4 Dragon
Last year HYT inaugurated the HYT Bespoke department, dedicated to creating made-to-measure custom pieces. It should therefore come as no surprise to learn that the H4 Dragon was created by HYT at a client’s request. This is the first time that HYT has included a decorative motif on the dial (with the possible exception of the Skull models). Another new feature is the central dial in stunning midnight blue aventurine, which conceals the usually visible skeletonised H4 movement. Precious stones also make their debut. Finally, this exclusive H4 dispenses completely with minutes, displaying just the hours, using a dark blue liquid, and seconds.

The two subdials typical of the collection, one on the left for the seconds and one on the right for the power reserve, glow intensely with the lustre of 16 baguette-cut gems, 8 sapphires and 8 emeralds weighing a total of 0.27 and 0.22 carats respectively. The jewelled discs are clutched in the claws of an imposingly futuristic dragon, hand-carved from white gold. Its body, which looks like it is riveted together out of articulated metal plates, writhes around the two bellows that govern the fluid display – the only visible elements of the mechanism – which indicates the hour via the distinctive Roman numerals around the black dial.

Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT Replica Watches

The ingenuity of the module developed by the Hublot manufacture resides in its simplicity. A patented invention which provides a simple solution to a complex, practical indication. The Big Bang Unico GMT is a watch with an original aesthetic and optimum legibility, combined with the ability to update the second time zone very quickly, with the time corrected at the push of a button.

The two push-buttons adorning the Big Bang Unico GMT case are not the same as those seen on a chronograph. Their aesthetic has been redesigned to ensure they can be distinguished, and their rectangular shape brings to mind the historic push-buttons of the first Big Bang models. Each press of the push-button at 2 o'clock moves the time forward by one hour; the one at 4 o'clock moves it back. A safety device prevents simultaneous activation of the two push-buttons. GMT time (local time) is set independently of the other hands by pressing a push-button; the gears for the minutes and seconds are not driven. This means it is not necessary to synchronise all of the hands with every change in time zone.

The two time zones occupy the same display space on the dial, ensuring they provide optimum legibility. Local time is indicated via the main hand. A fourth hand, which is arrow-shaped, indicates the time at home using a 12-hour display, and is correlated to a day/night disc so that the user can tell at a glance whether it is 5am or 5pm. The graduations for the 12 hours are alternated: engraved on the dial and indexed on the bezel. This practical element also lends the piece its distinctive identity.

In a 45 mm case, the Big Bang Unico GMT is available in a titanium or carbon fibre version, on a structured, ribbed black and blue natural rubber strap. Both versions are equipped with the "One Click" interchangeable strap system. The Unico movement has been redesigned to transform it into a calibre with an integrated GMT function. The HUB1251 movement is driven by 358 components, and beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, boasting a 72-hour power reserve.

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.