The Dimier Récital 15 is not a new release and made its debut in 2014 in tandem with the Dimier Récital 12. Both watches were designed to showcase Bovet’s in-house Virtuoso II manual-winding base calibre. The Récital 15 enhances the attributes of the base calibre with the incorporation of jumping hours, retrograde minutes and a […]
Since the SIHH 2017, Parmigiani has relaunched the Toric collection, bringing it back not only in hyper-complex editions but also in more simple versions, like the Toric Qualité Fleurier and the Toric Chronomètre – two watches with time-and-date displays, which were re-editions of Michel Parmigiani’s first watch. However, PF doesn’t forget its high-end collection and as part of the pre-SIHH 2019 novelties, the brand introduces a new version of the superb and original Toric Capitole, now in Rose Gold / Brown Dial – with a combination of chiming complication and wandering hours.
There is no stopping the steady flow of models emerging from Frederique Constant, all steeled for battle in the mid-price arena. The latest Classic Automatic 24H, equipped with a 24-hour function, joins the well-populated Classics collection and will retail for under EUR 1,000. My first take on the newcomer was that this was a practical GMT watch, designed for men on the move. But where was the additional hand to read the second time zone? FC’s new watch is a bit of a mind teaser and presents a different way of reading the hours based on a 24-hour format. Instead of the standard hour hand advancing in 12 increments of one hour twice a day, the hand is slowed down to half its regular speed to read the 24-hour disc on the dial. Once you have got your mind around the fact that the hour hand makes one rotation a day and not two, things start to make sense.
Since 2012, HYT has measured time in a non-conformist way, uniting esthetics, technology and somehow philosophy. Time is fluid and its flow is displayed by liquids moved by a mechanical movement (To learn more about the company and its innovative, patented technology, you can watch our recent video here.) Presented in 2018, the H0 and H20 models express the flow of time with smooth curves, fluid shapes and virtually no straight lines. It showcases the brands raison d’êtrein a striking way. The fluidic time indication is presented in full glory, under an impressive cloche-like sapphire crystal. This allows a 360° visibility of the time and of the mechanical movement’s architecture.
As part of the brand’s ‘Special Projects’ line, the UR-111C is Urwerk at its best, a mature watch that soars with mechanical ingenuity and a design ethos straight out of Blade Runner. Although it does not bear the hallmark satellite hour hands we have come to associate with the brand, the UR-111C is packed with imaginative displays (jumping hours, linear retrograde minutes, optical fibre-augmented seconds) and a look and feel that is 100% Urwerk.
MeisterSinger is following up on last year’s No. 01 City Edition, which represented 45 different cities in an equal number of limited edition watches. The company is known for having single hand dials that actually make up their entire portfolio, which is unique among watch brands. They’re now bringing 58 City Edition pieces for 2018 to represent 58 different cities or countries around the world, from New York to Munich to The Hague.
German watch manufacturer Glashütte Original has always done things its own way. Its watches are characterised by classic designs that invariably incorporate a quirky modern twist or two, appealing to connoisseurs and iconoclasts alike. Just look at the PanoGraph if you’re not sure what I mean. For whatever reason, however, Glashütte Original doesn’t always attract the same level of media attention as some of its peers, which means there are quite often hidden gems to discover. One such model is the PanoMaticCounter XL, which we’re taking a closer look at today.
It’s not easy designing a watch that really differentiates itself from the crowd. Obviously, there’s more to a watch than an outward appearance and I’m generalizing, but I’ve always liked brands that have a distinct style that’s easily recognized. You know a Panerai, Rolex or Roger Dubuis when you see it, for example. You’ll also spot a Chronoswiss in the crowd with their knurled cases and oversized onion crowns, and a style they arguably do best – the regulator. I recently wrote a hands-on article about the Flying Grand Regulator Skeleton Limited Edition, which was an almost futuristic take on the regulator setup. Their Regulator Classic Date is a more subdued and traditional piece, yet maintains the Chronoswiss DNA throughout. Let’s take a closer look at the silver edition of a future classic.
In Chinese astrology, each year is related to a Chinese zodiac animal according to the 12-year cycle. February 5th, 2019 marks the beginning of the year of the pig and in preparation, Vacheron Constantin is unveiling its latest addition to its Métiers d’Art The Legend Of The Chinese Zodiac series – Year Of The Pig. Available in either a Platinum or 18K 5N pink gold case, each version will be offered in a limited series of just 12 pieces. Read on for more details.
German brand MeisterSinger has carved a niche in the market with its single-handed watches. The Perigraph, MeisterSinger’s automatic watch with an open date ring is revisited in this handsome, 43mm bronze case. A winning combination of industrial German design with the warm vintage appeal of bronze, this new take on the Perigraph is a limited edition of just 100 pieces and is available at retailers now. And here are our thoughts about it.