Black watches from Baselworld Black is black

— ... sometimes even blacker than black. Watchmakers are increasingly turning to the dark side to create “total black” models. This is the first part of our mini-series on black watches replica.   

 
 
As we saw at Baselworld, black watches are in. And we’re not just talking about watches with a black dial and a black strap: no, watches are increasingly sporting ultra-black cases and even black movements, particularly in skeleton watches. So, following on from the automotive industry’s flirtation with black vehicles of every size and shape, watchmaking is going full black, and every style of watch is affected: sports watches, classic watches, haute horlogerie and the avant-garde, as well as women’s watches and jewellery watches.

The cases of these “total black” watches are generally made of stainless steel, titanium or ceramic. While ceramic is relatively easy to colour, this is not the case with steel. Two coating techniques are used to produce a jet-black finish: PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) and DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon). The majority of the timepieces presented here make use of these technologies.
Ultranero. The new Octo by Bulgari is defined by its colour. Produced in Finissimo Tourbillon, Solotempo and Velocissimo (chronograph) versions, it comes in a titanium (for the tourbillon) or DLC-treated steel case, and its dark looks are enhanced by a lacquered or polished dial and bezel, with matching alligator or rubber strap. The pink gold hands, indexes and crown – capped with a black ceramic insert – lift and lighten the total black look. Here, black provides a particularly elegant costume, particularly in the tourbillon version, driven by the BVL 268 calibre, the world’s thinnest tourbillon movement.

Octo Ultranero Finissimo Tourbillon, Solotempo and Velocissimo. © Bulgari

Raymond Weil also goes for the darkly sophisticated look in its new Freelander Squelette Black, whose black PVD-treated steel case, black crown, dial and leather strap are offset by the gilded indices and hands. The self-winding skeletonised mechanical movement, calibre RW4215, with its ruthenium finish, adds to the mystery of the piece.

Freelancer Squelette Black, Ref. 2715-BKC-20021. © Raymond Weil

Carl F. Bucherer puts a contemporary face on its famous GMT model, with a deep matt DLC-treated steel case and bracelet, driven by manufacture calibre CFB 1901.1, COSC-certified and capable of displaying three time zones simultaneously. The Patravi TravelTec Black provides optimum readability against its dark dial thanks to light-coloured hands, chronograph registers and indexes.

 

Patravi TravelTec Black. © Carl F. Bucherer

At Baselworld 2016 Chronoswiss unveiled two new models in its classic Sirius collection that are likely to appeal to the Lucerne-based watchmaker’s younger and more daring clients. The Sirius Flying Regulator and the Sirius Flying Regulator Jumping Hour, equipped with automatic manufacture calibres C.122 and C.283 respectively, feature a DLC-treated stainless steel case and galvanised black dial, giving the traditional regulator display and slim round case a very contemporary chic, amplified by a sporty red regulator hand and carmine stitching.

 

Sirius Flying Regulator and Flying Regulator Jumping-Hour. © Chronoswiss

The stunning Epic SF24 by Jacob & Co., with its vertical digital GMT movement, comes this year in a Racing version, available in several colours. The all black model has a DLC-treated grade 5 titanium case which is particularly good match for this powerful-looking timepiece. Dial, hands, indexes and, of course, strap – everything is black, except for the name of the time zone city, in the iconic split-flap display, and the charming jumping hour cam located between 1 and 2 o’clock.

 

Epic SF24 Racing black. © Jacob & Co

The new Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot by Zenith has a 45 mm black ceramic case. The dial-less design features black faceted luminescent hands and indices, which stand out against the splendid movement: the new manually-wound El Primero 4805 with a tourbillon at 6 o’clock and a fusée-and-chain at 10.30 and 1.30. These are the lightest elements of the watch, standing out visually against the anthracite mainplate and bridges. The dark theme continues with a perforated rubber strap with PVD-treated titanium folding clasp.

 

Academy Tourbillon Georges Favre-Jacot. © Zenith

TAG Heuer has also chosen ceramic for its new Carrera-Heuer-01 model, which is also available in titanium and steel. The caseband, lugs, bezel and pushers on the 45 mm case are made of ceramic, while the black cutout dial and its registers open onto the Heuer 01 manufacture chronograph movement, whose black upper bridge is skeletonised.

Carrera Heuer-01, ceramic. © Cheap Replica TAG Heuer

Total black is not a new idea for Hublot: this year, it celebrates the tenth anniversary of its “All Black” concept, and it does so with a rather contradictory piece. The case of the Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black, as its name suggests, is made of black smoked sapphire. Every other element of the watch is black: the dial is black translucent composite resin, and the screws, crown, pushers and clasp are manufactured from PVD-treated titanium, as are the components of the HUB 1242 UNICO movement. As a final touch of sophistication, even the luminous coating on the hands and indexes is black! The result is a transparent all-black watch.

Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black. © Hublot Replica Watches

In addition to the models presented above, the photo gallery continues our exploration of black with timepieces by Hamilton, Czapek, Romain Gauthier, Seiko, Ulysse Nardin, Armin Strom, Girard-Perregaux and HYT. Click on the big image at the top of the page.

Bulgari at Baselworld Serpenti Incantati Skeleton Tourbillon

— The new Replica Watches Serpenti Incantati Skeleton Tourbillon entirely renews the theme through a modern design.

  

Bulgari is a true snake-charmer. Witness the new collections reinterpreting this unmistakable signature of the Rome-based Maison. A symbol of perpetual renewal, the animal figure slides its way into countless fresh fields of expression this year, reborn in the form of captivating contemporary interpretations.

Serpenti Incantati gives a new lease on life to this animal symbol. After coiling around the wrist, the snake is now reinvented by wrapping itself for the very first time around the case of a round watch: the reptile literally twines itself around the Replica Watches dial, admirably framing an entirely skeleton-worked Manufacture tourbillon calibre. Each part of the snake’s head and body has been entirely rethought and redesigned through extremely contemporary, soft and stylised lines.
The 41mm-diameter case is available in 18kt pink or white gold. The pink gold version is set with 209 brilliant-cut diamonds and 2 rubellites while the white gold model
shines wit h228 brilliant-cut diamonds and 1 sapphire.

 

Serpenti Incantati Skeleton Tourbillon, white gold. © Bulgari Replica Watches

This precious watch is completed with a leather bracelet, equipped with a 18kt pink or white gold folding clasp set with 28 brilliant-cut diamonds.
It will be produced in a 50-piece limited edition for the pink gold version and 30-piece limited edition for the white gold version.

 

Serpenti Incantati Skeleton Tourbillon, pink gold Rolex Replica.

The BVL Calibre 208 is a mechanical hand-wound Manufacture skeleton-worked tourbillon movement in 18kt pink or white gold serving as a dial. It offers a 64h power reserve and powers the hours and minutes. The mainplate and bridges are crafted in pink or white gold, the flanks are straight-grained, the rims and sinks are all chamfered and systematically polished. The steel parts are complemented by the kind of surface finishes cherished by Haute Horlogerie: circular graining and snailing set the finishing touches to this precious craftsmanship contributing to a spectacular result.

 

The caseback revealing the BVL Calibre 208. © Bulgari

Bulgari Supporting the Elton John AIDS Foundation

— Bulgari celebrated the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s (EJAF) 24th annual Academy Awards® Viewing Party on Sunday, February 28, 2016, in Los Angeles. 

Sir Elton John and David Furnish hosted the gala event where Bulgari auctioned off an 18 karat white gold, full pavé diamond Serpenti necklace, raising $140,000 for the foundation. Two of Bulgari ‘s signature timepieces were also ballot prizes awarded to two very lucky guests who guessed the most correct Oscar Awards winners. Then, Hilary Swank surprised the audience and offered her Serpenti ring in white gold and diamonds as part of the auction, raising an additional $40,000. This event kicked off a partnership between Bulgari and the EJAF in which the luxury jewelry brand will support the foundation’s philanthropic efforts and activations over the next three years.

The Foundation’s Academy Awards® Viewing Party is the most highly visible and successful fundraising event in Hollywood on Oscar Night®. Over the past 23 years, this annual event has raised more than $50 million, thanks to the generosity of EJAF’s supporters. These funds help the Foundation to make a real difference in the lives of people at risk for or living with HIV/AIDS, including urgently needed medical care in the Caribbean, innovative treatment and prevention programs in the Southern United States, and national initiatives addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States and Canada.

 

Host Elton John, wearing Bulgari, performs onstage during Bulgari at the 24th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's Oscar Viewing Party. © Getty Images for Bulgari

Amongst the guests and supporters were an array of celebrities, including those wearing various Bulgari pieces, such as Hilary Swank, Bellamy Young, Andie McDowell, Sheryl Crow, Lana Del Rey, Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene, Jon Kortajarena, Natasha Poly, YouTube star Joey Graceffa, Ian Somerhalder, HSH Princess Lilly zu Sayn Wittgenstein Berleburg, and more.

 

Hilary Swank. © fake watches sale for Bulgari