New releases – Hegid Expedition

Made from two assembled steel parts, the asymmetrical 42 mm case features a massive crown protector reminiscent of the grilles of four-wheel-drive vehicles. The grained-textured dial refers to the tarmac of racetracks and the gravel of roadways, and emphasizes legibility with contrasting chronometric indicators. The French-made Specimen FE-01 Caliber is housed in a highly shock-resistant steel and titanium capsule locked in its sturdy case, and is visible through a sapphire crystal on the back of the watch.

 

 

New releases - Minase Windows

 

Until now, the dials of the collection were made of steel and treated with PVD. They are now available in electroformed copper material, lacquered in white, blue, green and ice blue colors. Each one of the 7 sides of the steel case is adorned with a sapphire window enabling a 360° view upon the movement. The latter is a Caliber ETA 2892 customized for the Japanese brand with a bespoke rotor attached with ceramic bearings. Price : EUR 4'900 (5’650 with steel bracelet).

 

 

Watches & Cars - Rolex Day-Date / Jaguar E-Type

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è in fondo alla pagina)

This 1:18 diecast model reproduces the Jaguar E-Type, an icon of the motoring world since its launch in 1961. The British sports car boasted a unique combination of beauty, high performance and competitive pricing.

Enzo Ferrari, someone who knew a bit about automobiles, called it “the most beautiful car ever made”. The New York MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) included it in its permanent design collection, one of only six automobiles to receive the distinction.

Which watch would the lucky owner of this beauty have worn in the early 1960s? The Rolex Day-Date seems an appropriate pairing, as its popularity among well-to-do jet-setters was unmatched by any other timepiece at the time.

Perhaps our fictional Jag driver was not a show-off kind of guy, so he had the President gold bracelet replaced with a less flashy lizard strap. On the other hand, he was keen on originality. When he ordered his Day-Date from his Rolex agent, he asked for a distinctive dial with linen finish rather than the standard smooth surface. Its whiteness-enhancing effect proved especially impressive as he wore his brand new timepiece while sitting at the wheel of his convertible in sunny days.

While the foregoing is a debatable figment of my fantasy, no doubts can be raised about the nationality of the timepiece’s owner. The name of the day proves that he was Italian – possibly an Italian lover of British sports cars?

This Day-Date is a Ref. 1803 dating back to 1963. Its movement is the chronometer-grade Caliber 1556, which brought about a few changes on its predecessor (1555): the updated rotor design, higher frequency and instantaneous date change.  

ITALIANO
Questo modellino metallico in scala 1:18 riproduce la Jaguar E-Type, icona dell’automobilismo fin dal lancio nel 1961. La vettura sportiva britannica vantava una combinazione unica di estetica, prestazioni e prezzo competitivo. Enzo Ferrari, uno che aveva qualche conoscenza in materia, la definì “l’auto più bella di tutti i tempi”. Il Museo d’Arte Moderna (MoMA) di New York l’ha inserita nella collezione permanente dedicata al design, un onore riservato ad appena sei automobili.
Quale orologio avrebbe indossato il fortunato proprietario di questo capolavoro nei primi Anni 60? Il Rolex Day-Date sembra un abbinamento adeguato, visto che la sua popolarità tra i facoltosi membri del jet-set non aveva rivali in alcun altro segnatempo. Forse il possessore della Jaguar in questione non amava l’ostentazione e per questo fece sostituire il bracciale d’oro President con un cinturino di lucertola meno vistoso. D’altra parte, ci teneva all’originalità. Quando ordinò un Day-Date presso il suo agente Rolex, chiese un quadrante con finitura a “tessuto” al posto della classica superficie liscia. L’accentuazione del colore bianco candido ottenuto mediante questa lavorazione risultò particolarmente gradevole nelle giornate di sole, quando il nostro protagonista immaginario indossava l’orologio nuovo mentre si trovava al volante della sua cabriolet.
Quanto ho raccontato finora è solo un frutto della mia fantasia, ma non si possono nutrire dubbi sulla nazionalità del proprietario dell’orologio. Il nome del giorno prova che era italiano: forse un cittadino del Bel Paese che amava le vetture sportive britanniche?
Questo Day-Date è una Ref. 1803 del 1963. Il movimento di qualità cronometrica è il Calibro 1556, che introdusse alcune modifiche rispetto al predecessore (1555): il design aggiornato della massa oscillante, la frequenza più elevata e il cambio istantaneo della data.

New releases – SpaceOne Worldtimer

 

The watch takes a different approach from traditional timepieces by replacing hands with a system of rotating discs. This architecture is built around four elements: a minutes disc at 3 o’clock, a central second disc, a 12-hour disc at 6 o’clock, and two coaxial discs at 9 o’clock displaying 24-hour time and corresponding cities. The Grade 5 titanium case hosts the automatic Soprod P024 movement, operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz) with a 38-hour power reserve. Price: € 2,700 before taxes. 

 

 

New releases – Beda’a Eclipse II

The latest creation of the Eclipse line features a 37mm stainless steel case hosting a self-winding Sellita movement and a module developed with Dubois Depraz. A vertical axis connects three elements: the off-center jump hours and minutes at twelve, an independent small second display, and a crown positioned at six o’clock. The aventurine surface mirrors a star-strewn night sky, while the polished and satin-finished symmetrical motifs capture sunlight in motion. Price: CHF 4,000 excl. taxes. 

 

 

Vintage boxes - Pulsar (early 1970s)

 

ENGLISH (il testo italiano è in fondo alla pagina) 

As the first solid state wristwatch, the Pulsar Time Computer was a comparatively expensive product whose accompanying items were equal to its prestige.

The artificial leather and plastic box came in a cardboard case that also contained the user manual, an extra timeset bar in addition to the one stored in the bracelet clasp, and the certificate of guarantee.

   

Do you like vintage boxes? Do you wish to know more about the Time Computer? Then The Museum Collection is a must-read for you. The book about 100 milestones of 20^th Century watchmaking features 4 pages about the first LED watch in the main section and a wide selection of presentation boxes in the Appendixes. Watch the video clip about the publication and download a 20-page preview.

The vintage boxes presented in this Blog are not featured in The Museum Collection.

ITALIANO

In quanto primo orologio senza parti meccaniche in movimento, il Time Computer di Pulsar era un prodotto relativamente costoso, presentato in modo tale da sottolinearne il prestigio. Il cofanetto di finta pelle e plastica si trovava all’interno di una scatola di cartone che conteneva anche le istruzioni per l’uso, una barretta di ricambio per la messa all’ora (in aggiunta a quella alloggiata nel fermaglio del cinturino) e il certificato di garanzia.
Ti piacciono le scatole d'epoca? Vuoi saperne di più sul Time Computer? Allora The Museum Collection è la lettura che fa per te. Nel libro (in inglese) sulle 100 icone dell’orologeria del Novecento trovi 4 pagine sul primo orologio LED nella sezione principale e un’ampia selezione di scatole vintage nelle Appendici. Guarda il video sull'opera e scarica l'anteprima di 20 pagine del Volume 1.
Le scatole vintage presentate in questo Blog non appaiono in The Museum Collection.

 

New releases – Mauron Musy MU06 Mayura

When metal comes into contact with the carbon-based coating, it reacts, revealing a palette of iridescent reflections. This phenomenon is stable over time and makes each of the 13 pieces of this limited series a unique watch. The 41mm titanium case features the NO-Ring® Technology, a mechanical gasket-free water resistance system. The MM02 Caliber is the brand’s first in-house micro-rotor movement.