Van Cleef & Arpels Jules Verne Les Voyages Watches

Each year Van Cleef & Arpels releases a series of limited edition watches that revolve around a certain theme. One of the themes this year was Jules Verne and the concept of discovery and exploration. To this end Van Cleef & Arpels created a few limited edition models to memorialize some of the places that Jules Verne described in his writings. There are also a few other pieces that expand on the concept of the exploration theme.Pictured here are some of the pieces that directly address the stories of Jules Verne. This is not however a depiction of the entire collection. There are two types of watches here. Two that contain more standard Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 846 three-hand automatic mechanical movements, and two that contain a special retrograde hour and minute movement that is based on a small JLC movement and has an exclusive to Van Cleef & Arpels module in it. These latter pieces have a retrograde hour hand on the left of the dial, and a retrograde hour hand on the right.One of these pieces is the Five Weeks In A Balloon watch that I first wrote about here. This model has a small bird on the left as the hour hand and an anchor on the right as the minute hand. The watches are all in 18k white gold and 42mm wide (I believe for the round men's models). You can also see oval shaped women's pieces.The concept of the collection is "Les Voyages." In all there are maybe a dozen limited edition pieces - though a few seem to have differing names, the classification system confuses me a bit. Most come in something like sets of 22 pieces. There is one set that comes together as 4 pieces and retails for $425,000. This includes the four watches and a special presentation box that is a piece of art unto itself. Each year Van Cleef & Arpels makes boxes such as this. They very high quality and made from a combination of woods with inlays such as mother of pearl. The box has places for all four of the watches along with little windows to see them while the box is closed.Boxes such as this are at the top of the food chain for "it is really nice and I can't throw it away, but where the hell am I going to put it?" After spending over $400,000, the box is a nice welcome to the collection.The watches themselves are interesting and beautiful, but not necessarily what I expect when I think of "Jules Verne." Many people consider Verne to be the father of modern science fiction. For me, he is much more about that, versus just exploration. The watches seem to focus more on the places he describes in a decorative manner, rather than the subject matter of what he was talking about. These are very "un sci-fi" watches. They are however very pretty timepieces that happen to have a rocket ship or balloon on them. These could just as easily have nothing to do with Jules Verne and still be presented the same way.It feels as though Van Cleef & Aprels couldn't decide how much Jules they wanted in the Les Voyages watches. As they use many highly talented female artists on the creation of the dial, there is a distinct feminine twist to these watches. It is possible though that I am looking for more techie stuff as I am of the Star Wars and video game generation. Speaking of the dials, they are stunning in their design and construction. Using engraved gold, mother of pearl, paillonne enamel, and other materials such as precious stones - the dials are created each by hand in a lush three-dimensional style. Few if any one in the world can rival Van Cleef & Arpel's techniques and executions.Each of these watches costs over $100,000 (if I recall correctly), and is worth the high price as an item of art and exclusivity. Van Cleef & Arpels really does make some amazing stuff - what pieces you will be drawn to most is a matter of taste. Look for many of these in museums decades from now.

Orbita Avanti 3 Watch Winder Review

"Fancy." Was pretty much the word that came to mind after finally unwrapping the Avanti 3 from US-based watch winder maker Orbita. This isn't the first package from Orbita that I have had to wage sweet war with to open, so I know this is a trend. I have to say that if Orbita ever decided to get out of the watch winder business they would find immediate use in the "package stuff up so that no matter what, nothing will damage it" business. If the attention to detail they use when packaging their products up for delivery speaks anything about the attention to detail in their products - these products should seemingly last forever.About 30 minutes after climbing the unpackaging mountain you reach the summit and the Avanti 3 shows itself accompanied by something that is best described as that "new watch winder smell." I have reviewed a few Orbita watch winders (such as the Sparta 1 Mini, Tesla, and Futura), and am consistently impressed by most of their watch winders. The Avanti 3 is more than a watch winder. Here you are getting to furniture-like items (not to mention some actual furniture) that Orbita offers. The Avanti 3 is part of a family of Avanti watch winder cabinets that come in a range of sizes.The unit is made of beautiful exotic Macassar wood with carbon fiber on the front panels and on the inside. Orbita routinely chooses very attractive woods for its products, and the finishing is very impressive. The integration with the carbon fiber feels natural as opposed to contrived as you don't often find the two materials side-by-side like this. The basic design of the Avanti is highly scalable. While the Avanti 3 is the most basic unit, Orbita offers models up to the Avanti 48. The difference is the size, and the amount of watch winders in the unit.Design-wise the Avanti really holds it own in a room. Orbita's concept behind the look of it was to fit in most any room, but look good without having to blend into the background. It goes without saying that the dark wood and carbon fiber is masculine in style. One thing I find interesting about the design is that it feels appropriate as a housing for modest timepieces up to the most high-end ones available. The front of the Avanti opens up with two lockable glass doors. Orbita supplies two keys for the lock. The system works well, but the doors don't close with the tautness of a vault. They are secure though. While the front doors lock, its use as a security mechanism is of course limited by the Avanti itself. While the locked glass doors will deter a "casual thief," anyone can just pick up the Avanti 3 and haul it away. The cabinet weights 22 pounds, and it isn't even plugged in. Dimensionally the Avanti 3 is 13.5 inches tall, 15.25 inches wide, and 8.25 inches deep.Orbita prefers to use batteries for the system rather than a wall plug. I personally would have preferred both options, but Orbita makes a compelling case for the batteries. Like most Orbita battery powered units, the Avanit 3 runs off special lithium ion cells. Orbita even white labels them and sells them to you when you need replacement. According to Orbita the four batteries in the Avanti 3 are good for 5 years of power. While the batteries aren't drug store cheap, they aren't a big expense to get every five years. Problem is that they aren't drug store available either. While there is probably a store in your area that has compatible batteries, when they do run out you'll need to specially order them from Orbita or hunt around for them while your watches aren't being wound. I wonder if you can run the winder off of standard D cells? I will have to ask Orbita about that. The batteries are placed in the rear of the unit. While the back of the Avanti 3 isn't unattractive, it isn't meant to be displayed - so you'll need to put the Avanti 3 against a wall. I would just get two of them and place them back-to-back!The Avanti watch winder family isn't new, but Orbita recently upgraded them with their patented ROTORWIND watch winders. I have praised this system before and my love of it stands. In addition to only sipping power and being virtually silent, the ROTORWIND system is very efficient and safe on your watch. There is no programming necessary either as the motion swings in both directions. The system uses a slow stepping motor to spin the watch into an apex position, and then releases it. A weight on the back of the winder unit similar to that in an automatic movement falls due to gravity and oscillates back and forth. The Avanti 3 is programmed to "spin" once each 10 minutes. According to Orbita this provides enough power to keep a watch running, but wont wind it past the point it was when you placed it in the winder. This is good for ensuring optimal accuracy. The maintenance free and efficient ROTORWIND system make it one of the best types of watch winding mechanisms out there.Inside the cabinet are three watch winders (with a single on/off switch) and a few slide-out drawers. The Avanti 6 on the other hand does away with the draws to make room for 6 watch winders. The drawers can be used to hold other watches (that lay flat) or anything else that fits. There are three drawers - one above the winders and two below. The fit and finish on the inside is well-done and the carbon fiber looks striking here. According to Orbita, if you buy an Avanti 3 and later want it to have more winders, you can send it back to them and they will install another row of winders for you to make it an Avanti 6.Made in America, the Avanti 3 three is a well performing watch winder and attractive addition to a room where men can celebrate their hobbies. As watch collecting usually involves growing your collection, so does your need for winders. At a point you prefer units that wind multiple watches, and the better looking they are the more you want them. Price for the Avanti 3 is $2,995. That goes up to $4,995 for the Avanti 6, and way up to $54,000 for the Avanti 48.Thanks to Orbita for the review unit. Opinions are 100& independent.

MB&F HM3 Frog Zr Watch

Behold the HM3 Frog Zr, aka "Black Frog," the newest highly limited watch from MB&F - there will only be 18 pieces.??Unless I am mistaken, this is the first watch offered by the boutique brand done in zirconium (hence the Zr part of the name). Zirconium is a rare metal similar to titanium, but known to be more robust. According to MB&F, most zirconium is used in nuclear reactors and high-tech aerospace applications. There are a few high-end watches that utilize the exotic metal, and now MB&F has an interesting piece imbued with Zr.The Black Frog is based on the HM3 Frog that came out last year. I discussed the piece more in this article. It is a variation on the MB&F HM3 that features two large domes under sapphire crystal that rotate to tell the hours and minutes. Being extremely popular, MB&F has been continually asked by fans to expand on the HM3 Frog theme. This newest one is probably the coolest Frog so far in my opinion (though I did really like the Chocolate Frog a lot).In nature black frogs exist, but what about black and purple ones? I discovered that they indeed do. In 2007 a new species of Atelopus frog in Suriname was discovered by scientists to be black with??florescent purple stripes. I wonder if MB&F was aware of this little guy when designing the Frog Zr watch - in any event it is a great mascot for the timepiece and a beautiful creature.The Black Frog's zirconium case is coated black. The weight of zirconium is similar to that of titanium and the look of the case is fantastic with the purple coated 22k gold rotor for the automatic movement. MB&F shared with me an interesting story about the purple color. MB&F was with a supplier and interested in new colors that were available. They were told of a purple color, but advised against using it because it was "unstable." Immediately??intrigued, MB&F asked what they meant. Basically the metallic purple color didn't maintain the same purple tone in all angles. Even though the supplier thought no one would want the color, MB&F realized it would be perfect for the battle ax style rotor - and it is. The purple rotor is really the star of the design - appearing to change colors all the time.Attached to the black alligator strap the Frog Zr is a good looking timepiece and exudes a smooth sort of confident coolness. Limited to 18 pieces, the MB&F HM3 Frog Zr will be available soon - for a retail price of $92,000.HM3 Frog Zr — Technical SpecificationsHM3 Frog Zr is a limited edition of 18 pieces Movement: Three-dimensional horological engine designed by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht/Agenhor;Powered by a Girard-Perregaux baseBalance oscillating at 28,800 bph.Purple 22K rose gold battle-axe shaped ‘mystery’ automatic winding rotorHour and minutes information transmitted via ceramic ball bearings to rotating domes.Number of jewels: 36 (all functional)Number of components: 304Functions:Hour on one dome (aluminium dome rotating in 12 hours)Minutes on second dome (aluminium dome rotating in 60 minutes)Date around the movementCase:Zirconium; limited edition of 18 piecesScrewed-down crownDimensions (exclusive of crown and lugs): 47mm x 50mm x 16mmNumber of case components: 53Sapphire crystals:Domes and both display backs with anti-reflective treatment on both faces.Dials:Rotating aluminium domes — 0.58g, stationary handsStrap & Buckle:Black hand-stitched alligator strap with 18K white gold & titanium custom designed deployment buckle

Clerc Hydroscaph GMT Watch Review

According two Gerald Clerc, the founder of Clerc watches, there are two types of watch brands: those that sell watches due to large marketing and lifestyle campaigns, and those that sell watches due to originality and quality. Clerc is one of those latter brands. I have admired their work from afar since I learned about them a few years ago, and was happy to do this hands-on review of their Hydroscaph GMT. Clerc watches are mostly futuristic dive style watches with a functional twist, and I discovered that they are also pretty ergonomic and functional.This Hydroscaph GMT watch came out in 2009 and is available with a few dial styles. This one has a two dial zones. One on the bottom that is brushed metal, and another on the top in glossy black with an interesting almost Clos du Paris style 3D pattern. The dial really does have a lot going on, but there are versions with more solid dials in case you find this type harder to reader. The dial pieces are crisply made and contribute to a special three dimensional feel that always suits high-end watches nicely - especially when going for an ultra modern look. The unique hands are large and visible, and I like the way that the hour markers and Arabic numerals have been applied.?? Of course, as a dive style watch there is tons of SuperLumiNova for easy darkness reading.Inside the watch is an exclusive for Clerc automatic movement they call the caliber C606. The movement is decorated with blued screws and Cote de Geneve stripes. It is an automatic and has a power reserve of 47.5 hours. The movement has the time, date, subsidiary GMT dial as well as a power reserve indicator. There are very few watches out there with subsidiary GMT dials.As far as small GMT dials go, this one is pretty easy to read. The movement uses a dedicated screw-down pusher between 10 and 11 o'clock to adjust the GMT hand. The indicators are small but slim with a precise feeling needle-style hand which makes the best of the space. Opposite at the bottom of the dial is the more unique looking power reserve indicator. This uses a disc-style hand that has been partially cut-away as the indicator. It is decorative of course, but helps keep the "interesting factor" high.The case is easily the best part of the Hydroscaph collection. It isn't new, but it is aging gracefully and is a great design. While it plays a lot of tricks on your eyes, the 44.6mm wide case is more or less round with steeply curved movable lugs. The lug structure moves a bit to wrap around your wrist and I must give Clerc high marks for the comfort of the this rather large timepiece. The steel case is made out of a number or parts. Most of it is polished and there are some black parts as well. It uses hex screws and just offer a lot to look at from each angle.Looking like a futuristic dive tool, the case design isn't for everyone, but I like it. I found myself wearing the watch a lot due its comfortable position on my wrist as well as boldly assertive and modern instrumental look. The case is water resistant to 1000 meters and includes and automatic helium release valve (located on the back of the watch). The rear of the watch also has a small sapphire exhibition window right on the escapement area of the movement.As a diving watch, this Clerc of course has a rotating diver's bezel. To  operate it on the Hydroscaph you need to flip out a little key and turn  it as though the watch were a windup toy. This moves the bezel in one direction in secure little clicks. There is a large lume pip at the 60 minute mark on the bezel. While the bezel isn't as easy to operate as those you can grip, the system does offer a more secure means of turning the bezel in those instances where you really need to rely on it.Detailing all over the watch is impressive. There are no sparsely decorated areas and I really enjoy how Clerc keeps things interesting with this Hydroscaph GMT as well as the other models. The strap on this Hydroscaph GMT is natural Swiss-made rubber with a high-quality deployment clasp. I like the soft feel of good rubber and the vertical texturing on it. The strap is also not super thick (but not too thin), making it pleasantly flexible. You'll notice how the strap is thicker toward the lugs.Loving the Clerc Hydroscaph collection is a matter of taste but the quality and functionality is there. These isn't a watch that for the price you feel as though you paid too much. It is also nice to see Clerc holding its own in terms of originality and a slick modern appeal. This is truly an independent brand with an independent sense of thought. Price for the Clerc Hydroscaph GMT starts at $7,750.

Patek Philippe "Advanced Research" Ref. 5550P

Silicon for the win! The material that has had watch brands debating and experimenting is here to stay and Patek Philippe is making sure of that. News from the big guys in Switzerland says that they intend for all Patek Philippe watches in the future to have Silinvar (their type of silicon) parts. A new limited edition watch called the ref. 5550P uses the brand's newest Silinvar component called the GyromaxSi balance wheel. This balance wheel has a new shape that looks less like a wheel and more like an hour glass with inlaid gold added for weight. The ref. 5550P encapsulates the brand's total efforts in Silinvar research to date and has three areas of the movement done in Silinvar. Now, get ready to remember some vocabulary.The three areas of the watch done in Silinvar are the GryomaxSi balance wheel, the Pulsomax escapement (two parts which includes the escapement wheel and anchor in Silinvar), and the Spiromax balance spring. Patek Philippe first began using silicon parts a few years ago with the Spiromax balance spring. Today, their "Advanced Research" department continues to experiment with and develop more parts using Silinvar.The trio of new components involved in the energy transfer of the watch are together called "Oscillomax." The term is engraved on the balance cock of the Patek Philippe caliber 240 Q Si movement inside of the ref. 5550P watch. So, from now on, when a Patek Philippe watch has the Oscillomax label applied to it you will know that it has a GryomaxSi balance, a Pulsomax escapement, and a Spiromax hair spring. Got all that?Why all this effort and desire to use Silinvar? You must know that Patek Philippe really isn't the type of brand to do this "just to be different." No, the reason has to do with improving the accuracy, reliability, lifespan, and efficiency of Patek Phillipe watches. Silinvar parts are smoother and thus have less air resistance (a big issue in the balance wheel) and are also relatively frictionless. This means that watch movements will not only last longer but more accurate, too. They will also make better use of their power reserve and last longer - in other words, they will be more efficient. Case in point: The caliber 240 Q Si is based on the existing ultra-thin perpetual calendar caliber 240 Q automatic movement. The Si version has a power reserve of 70 hours - much more than the original's 48 hours. This is done simply by adding the silicon parts.While I don't have the numbers that indicate increases in rate results of reliability, Patek Philippe would not be pumping millions into this if there was not significant improvements or at least the promise of significant improvements. Reports seem to indicate that the brand is very happy with the results of their watches that contain Silinvar components. Like I said, the brand is interested in putting Oscillomax into all new watches soon and, at the very least, they are going to place Spiromax hair springs into as many of their calibers as possible.The ref. 5550P Advanced Research ultra-thin perpetual calendar watch is probably already sold out. However, it will be made as a limited edition of 300 pieces in a platinum case that is 37.2mm wide and just under 9mm thick. It is identical to the ref. 5140 watch save for the movement. How cool is it to have a Patek Philippe with "Advanced Research" on the dial? These are most certainly going to be serious collectors items in years to come! The caseback has a sapphire display window and looks to have a magnified section over the GryomaxSi balance for you to see it better. While this is is the most visible Silinvar component, you can see parts of the Pulsomax escapement as well.Patek Philippe's dedication to such research and "advancing" traditional watch making is truly a very good thing. They could just as easily sit around and do the same thing they have done for years, citing the importance and adhering to tradition. The use of silicon parts has been controversial because brands often worry about the ability to make parts long into the future, not to mention the effect it would have on how things are currently done. At present, the promises of using this material have been quickly outweighing earlier fears. With help from the major brands, we can be sure that enough knowledge and skill will be developed in using silicon for parts that, in decades to come, parts and techniques will still be available to service these watches. The future fear is simple: What if a newer material comes out that is even better than silicon? That time has yet to come and, for the foreseeable future, the most accurate and reliable mechanical movements of the future will have a lot of silicon in them. You can thank Patek Philippe for doing their part to make that happen en masse.

Swisstek Jet-Setter Limited Edition Watch Giveaway

From a Dubai native comes Swisstek - an avant garde collection of watches for men and women. In the Middle East timepieces like this are quite popular - with geometric angles and bright colors. This ref. SK18012G watch is 44mm wide in steel (there is a gold version). Inside the watch is a Swiss quartz movement (ISA 8137) with the time, alarm, day, date, GMT hand, and and power reserve indicator for the battery. Swisstek has further limited this watch to just 100 pieces. Price retails at $575. Follow the instructions and comment below for a chance to win one for yourself.To Enter You Must: 1. Comment on this post below before the giveaway is over with your valid e-mail address where required. In the body of your comment mention a perfect combo of three complications you'd like to see on a watch dial. 2. Be a pal. If possible, Facebook friend/fan all or any of the following:Friend me on Facebook Like on FacebookLike Swisstek Watches on FacebookWant articles automatically sent to you via e-mail? Sign up here:3. Wait until the giveaway is over on June 30st, 2011 for the winner to be chosen at random.A couple of basic rules. You can only enter once. You must comment with a valid e-mail address where you can be reached. Your comment must be confirmed and approved. You must complete the objectives to be considered. You are responsible for providing your contact shipping information if you are chosen. Shipping restrictions to non US entrants may apply based on sponsor's policies. Giveaway watch selection based on sponsor's inventory and watch availability. All comments made after the end of the giveaway period will not be considered. For the full terms and conditions, please click here.Good luck, and thanks to Swisstek the sponsor of this Jet-Setter watch giveaway here!

Gergé Giovanna GM1 & GM3 Watches

Newcomer watch brand Gergé is less than two years old and has released their first "relationship" watch with high-end automobile wheel maker Giovanna. The wheel brand is best known for their Ferrari wheels that the Ferrari factory automatically included in their own car warranties if you choose to use aftermarket wheels.Gergé is spelled with the accented é so the enunciation it is actually "Ger-gey." The watches are subtle in their execution but have some interesting design elements. For instance, the dials are C?′tes de Genève polished, but often with a special coating to give them a more polished look. Despite the high level of gloss on the dial they are very legible on most models. They did a good job keeping the readability factor high - a fact that I personally value a lot.The cases are skeletonized on the sides - not the first time I have seen this but it keeps the case from being too ordinary looking. The cases are 45mm wide and wear quite comfortably. For these special limited edition Giovanna models, the case is done in titanium (with a blackish PVD coating) and ceramic (the bezel).?? I love the crown and pushers as they are quite sturdy feeling.As you can see, these watches come with two dials - the silvered version with C?′tes de Genève, and a lightly textured black dial. Each of these watches seems to be available with each dial style. My favorite is the GM3 with the silvered dial. The GM3 contains an exclusive automatic monopusher chronograph movement developed for Gergè by Concepto. It is called the Calibre 2012 and is COSC Chronometer certified.The other model, the GM1, contains a modified Swiss Valjoux 7750 automatic with the chronograph function removed. This leaves the subsidiary seconds dial and a day/date indicator. Only these limited edition Giovanna models have the black ceramic bezels. I really like the Giovanna logo on the dial, and the black and red color scheme work out very nicely. Straps are black alligator with white stitching.The Gergé Giovanna models will be limited to 88 pieces for the GM3 versions and 288 pieces for the GM1 pieces . Prices are $3,890 for the Giovanna GM1 and $8,800 for the Giovanna GM3 watches.

Van Cleef & Arpels “Art On The Dial” Allows

The ultimate luxury, for anyone, is getting something made custom for you. This can come in many forms but custom art is the best, in my opinion. Custom watches have been around for as long as there has been a watch industry. The idea is that a client goes to "their brand" and says "make this for me." Then the brand decides if one, they can do it, and two, making it doesn't degrade the brand.Today, the idea of custom work from a major brand doesn't often cross the minds many. I think Westerners aren't as used to it as Easterners. In fact, in the watch world, most customization is done for Asian people. Yes, it is a cultural thing, but I think people there are more used to the concept that they can ask. Would you, for instance, assume that you can go into a Vacheron Constantin boutique and ask for a totally custom watch? Well, you can.From an artistic standpoint, one of my favorite watch and jewelry houses is Van Cleef & Arpels. I sat down with them and they shared with me details about a new program they have recently launched to help in getting that custom watch as easy a process as possible. Not that Van Cleef & Arpels hasn't offered this before, it is simply that the new program aims to make it clear to everyone that the service is offered, as well as create a more streamlined system for getting it done.The program is called "Art On The Dial" and it consists of a multi-step process that has you working with a Van Cleef & Arpels's designer to create a custom, absolutely unique, hand-made watch dial. Want something even more customized? Of course, they will do it, but the program is designed to work around a simple framework to make it less confusing for clients. The service isn't cheap - nor is it particularly fast - but it is reasonable and you'll get something cool in the end.To get started, you just need to contact a Van Cleef & Arpels boutique near you - there are actually a lot of them around -to make an appointment to meet with their designer to get the process started. Once or twice a year you might get the chance to sit down with an enameler or micro-painter. These are the people who will actually do the work though, in most instances, you'll be meeting with an artist that interfaces with the enameler or the micro-painter.The first step is choosing a case; there are currently four options and each comes only in 18k white gold. One is the 38mm wide women's case (Lady) , and the other three are in the 42mm wide men's case (Midnight). From the men's cases you have the choice between a plain white gold case or two options with diamonds. Once the case has been chosen, next you pick out a movement. All the movements for these are going to be made by Piaget. You can have a manually would movement, an automatic movement (with optional power reserve display), or a manually wound tourbillon movement. To keep the dials clean, they show just the hours and minutes. The hands are those slick-looking Van Cleef & Arpels ones featuring a polished finish on one side and a satin finish on the other (this is for legibility against the painted dials).After you have chosen the case and movement, the real work begins: You must to decide what you want on the dial. Either you have a really specific idea, or Van Cleef & Arpels will quiz you about important events, symbols, and places in your life. You will also need to choose whether you want your dial to be done in enamel or as a miniature painting. There are other dial techniques, of course, but they are going to cost more and require more time - just look at the more artsy Van Cleef & Arpels pieces to realize what their people are capable of.An issue you might run into here is dealing with the "Van Cleef & Arpels DNA." They will stick to their theme of fantasy/uplifting imagery. They didn't like my Darth Vader playing with butterflies idea. Basically, if your idea might infringe upon someone's IP rights, is sexual, political, religious, or just doesn't jive with the French - they won't do it (and then you start shopping your idea at other brands). One thing they are working hard on is taking their DNA and making it more masculine. The majority of the custom dials they make that I looked at are highly feminine. They expressed to me the desire to be a bit more masculine moving forward. So, press forward with those testosterone-rich ideas sprinkled in pink and mother of pearl with fairies and flowers.If you go through the process with Van Cleef, the designer you'll most likely be working with will exchange some ideas and images with you until you can finally agree on something. You can't rush the artistic process but their people are known to be very good. After you have decided everything, the wait is 6-8 months to get your watch. Yea - that is a long time but they usually have a backlog and there is a lot of work that goes into each piece. How much does it cost? If you stick within the options I shared with you, the price ranges from $70,000 - $300,000. $70,000 will get you an enamel or micro-painted 42mm white 18k gold case specially made for you. Van Cleef & Arpels will never use the exact same design twice. The more expensive options include the addition of diamonds. If diamonds are your thing, then great, but you only (in relative terms) need to spend $70,000 to get what you came for.Once you've bought all the pretty things in life that are available to everyone, you start looking for custom items or ones made just for you. This is a real luxury and, for those who enjoy Van Cleef & Arpel's famously ornate and refined style, the process of getting a watch with your own art on the dial has never been easier.

Blancpain L-evolution Tourbillon Large Date Watch

The name of this watch doesn't actually include its most thrilling feature. For 2011, this is the Blancpain L-evolution Tourbillon Large Date watch. It is true that it has a flying tourbillon and a big date indicator but turn it over and you see the power reserve indicator on the rotor. Complications on rotors seem to be really "in" this year. In 2011 alone, on automatic rotors, we have seen seconds indicators (Cartier), tourbillons (Jacob & Co.), and now a power reserve indicator on this Blancpain. Coincidence? Probably not.As part of the larger L-evolution range this watch is actually quite cool and cohesive in design and execution. I have always looked quizzically at the two large lume coated Roman numerals on the dial - I don't know that I understand that design component but some people seem to love it. Other than that, the collection is really cool. You have a nice skeletonized dial - but one that at least still has a dial, and you have an interesting looking case design. This range is very different from most other things that Blancpain offers. I like how they really try to diversify their offerings, with classic watches, sporty watches, complex watches, and sporty complex watches.The case is offered in either 18k rose or white gold and is 43.5mm wide. Going along with the sporty theme the watch case is satin finished - which is interesting actually. The dial has a mixture of finishes including perlage, sunburst, and Geneva stripes. There is a lot going on in the dial but I appreciate the easy to see hands and presence of lots of lume. This is a good example of decorate skeletonization where a movement is design from the ground up to be partially "open."Inside the watch is the in-house made Blancpain caliber 4225G automatic movement. It has a pretty massive power reserve of 168 hours (7 days) and is made up of over 400 parts. The trick rotor is fascinating to see in action. The system keeps the power reserve indicator always pointing up making it fun to play with as you can see in the video. Blancpain needed to really get innovating with the gear system as well as the clutch which separates the rotor from the movement when the mainspring barrels are full. I love watches with long power reserves that are also automatics and have power reserve indicators.Overall, a really nice item from Blancpain that feels like a satisfying composition of complications and design. It certainly isn't for everyone - not even close, but I really am happy that Blancpain keeps putting R&D into the L-evolution range. The L-evolution Tourbillon Large Date watch will be priced in the $140,000 range.

LUM-TEC M26 Tungsten Watch Review

Some people call it "LUM-TEC's best watch yet." This is the LUM-TEC M26 limited edition watch. Out of the M collection it sports an automatic movement with a power reserve indicator and a solid tungsten carbide case. With a mirror finish and heavy weight - this is one hell of a watch.This is also likely one of the most high-end LUM-TEC watches to date. With a retail price of almost $2,000, this watch represents something that is an evolution on the original LUM-TEC watches that were priced in the $300 range. The original M series case is more or less unchanged. It is a sort of modern interpretation of the Panerai-esque cushion case with round dial. A design that has proved extremely popular over the last 110-15 years. The secret is in the large stature of the cushion case that maintains the legibility of a round dial. Rarely does a cushion shaped dial actually look good for a men's watch.The case is 44mm wide with wide set lugs so that the strap/bracelet is 24mm wide. Set for larger wrists, the watch is still comfortable and offers a very bold look. This watch is noticeably heavier than a standard steel watch. This is especially the case with the tungsten bracelet in place. LUM-TEC offers the M26 also with two straps in addition to the tungsten bracelet. These are a black shell cordovan leather strap and a custom black rubber strap. While it looks pretty killer on the bracelet, you might opt for one of the straps given the weight of the watch. I don't actually mind the weight, but it makes a different if the bracelet isn't sized tightly enough.Tungsten is an interesting material. I am not an expert on it, but what I can say is that it has a few good properties. Tungsten has a darker finish than steel. Think mirror-polished gun metal (maybe a bit lighter). The mirror finish of tungsten is one of its more interesting qualities. Because of its dark color, it is often used for men's as opposed to women's jewelry a lot of the time. More importantly, Tungsten is very hard and scratch-resistant. Perhaps not quite as scratch-resistant as ceramic, but up there.LUM-TEC designed the M26 with a rather legible dial. The sunray polished metallic blue dial is interesting and seems to change colors in the light. I am quite fond of the modern, legible style of the dial. I like the numerals and LUM-TEC's MDV in-house lume is always a high point. It is applied to the hands and all the Arabic numerals. My only issue with the dial is that the hands are begging (begging) to be longer. The dial feels very technical and modern - something that LUM-TEC is rather adept at achieving.For the movement LUM-TEC chose to use an interesting caliber. It is the Soprod 9040 automatic. The movement has the time and a power reserve indicator. I love power reserve indicators and feel that LUM-TEC integrated it rather nicely. The preservation of dial symmetry is important to me. I think the date would have been nice, but not a large issue. The movement is nicely decorate with perlage and can be seen though the crystal display back.The watch uses an AR coated sapphire crystal and I like the nice clarity when reading the dial. The case is water resistant to 100 meters and feels solid. You'll get a kick out of the really large crown with the LUM-TEC logo done in relief. LUM-TEC makes a healthy assortment of watches and each is part of a limited edition. For me this is one nice collectible (and wearable) American brand. The M26 was made as a limited edition of just 50 pieces and retails for $1,895. You can get one on LUM-TEC's website here.Thanks to LUM-TEC for the review unit. Opinions are 100% independent.

Christopher Ward C60 Trident GMT Watch Review

For me, one of the most hotly anticipated Christopher Ward watches of this year was the C60 Trident and its brother the C60 Trident GMT. Priced well, this family of watches offered a rich classic style, Swiss automatic movement, and intriguing range of styles. I finally got my hands on one so here is the resulting review.A diver's watch in style, the C60 Trident offers the durability of 300 meters of water resistance with a sapphire crystal and nicely made steel case. The case is 42mm wide and feels properly sized in the medium-large class. Additional heft is ensured by the widely spaced lugs. The water resistance rating provides that the AR coated sapphire crystal is 4mm thick and the case itself is 13mm thick. Nevertheless, the C60 Trident feels like a svelte watch on the wrist due to its wide base. Comfort on the wrist is certainly a hallmark of this watch.For inspiration Christopher Ward called on two other timepieces (mainly). These are the fellow Brit brand Bremont, and Rolex (started as a Brit). The C60 Trident line resembles the Bremont Supermarine (which I reviewed here) on the dial (among other areas), while Rolex's GMT Master collection of watches helped guide the GMT elements of the piece. You can see a little bit of Omega for example in the wave textured dial. Is it bad that Christopher Ward is mixing and matching ideas and concepts from other brands? It really depends on how you look at it.For me what is important is the final product. The C60 Trident watches are hardly 1:1 copies of anything. They are merely inspired by some of these other fantastic timepieces. Each of them should be flattered at the attention. At the same time, the Christopher Ward C60 Trident is much less expensive than many of the pieces it borrows influence from. Those seeking an absolutely unique design might take issue, but everyone else should be more than satisfied.The watch comes with either a metal bracelet or alligator printed leather strap. It looks good on either, though dive watch fans will probably opt for the bracelet. Design of the bracelet feel inspired by the Bremont Supermarine, among other watches. It isn't the world's most exciting bracelet in terms of visual design but looks attractive enough. I would have preferred it to be a bit more simple with an entirely polished center link... I think. The bracelet comes with a push-button butterfly clasp. It helps give the bracelet a clean look from the bottom, but I feel that as a more serious dive watch, Christopher Ward should have supplied the C60 Trident GMT with a more traditional fold-over deployment clasp (which would have also potentially allowed for more precise sizing).The case itself is attractively finished with brushed steel on the sides and polished areas on the tops of the lugs. The bezel is bold, and offers a handsome sense of color contrast to all the steel. For this GMT watch you have a 24 hour scale on the uni-directional bezel, but the lume pip remains at the top. I do however prefer that GMT bezels are bi-directional when they rotate. That little feature simply may have been an unnecessary cost as Christopher Ward needs only to replace the bezel on the GMT version versus the standard C60 Trident that has a diver's bezel (which is always uni-directional).Most of the magic is in the dial with those great Supermarine inspired hands and hour markers. Christopher Ward offers its own interpretation on the hands design, and they result in something that is both highly legible and elegant to look at. The icing on the cake is the Christopher Ward trident logo counterweight on the seconds hand. Hands are the right size and for the GMT version there is a GMT hand in red. While the GMT hand is the right length, it is a bit skinny.For those who really want an easy to read second timezone, this GMT hand may be too small. For those who like having a dual time watch but don't want to be inundated with a fourth hand on the dial, this GMT design is a good option. I further like the placement of the date window (and the little frame around it). On the dial is a fair amount of SuperLumiNova (in blue) for excellent darkness viewing.Inside the C60 Trident GMT is a Swiss ETA 2893 automatic GMT movement. For those new to the game, this movement offers an independently adjustable 24 hour hand that allows you either to track your local time in a 24 hour format, or allows you to track a second timezone. Using the rotating bezel, you can technically track a third time zone as well. This is one of the most affordable watches that I know of that contains this movement. By the way, this C60 Trident GMT reference number is C60-GMT-SKWS. When visiting Christopher Ward's website you'll find eleven versions of the watch so far. This includes both GMT and non-GMT models, as well as those with straps or bracelets. You can even get one with a red and blue "Pan Am Pepsi" dial.Prices for this value rich collection start at just $430 (for the non GMT versions). Prices go up and are varied, but this specific C60 Trident GMT model retails for a very fair $740. A good prices for what you get in terms of quality, movement, and design. You can learn more about the C60 Trident watch collection or get one here. Thanks to Christopher Ward for the review unit. Opinions are 100% independent.

Funding A New Watch Brand With

So you wanna build a watch? It is a common dream of enterprising  watch lovers to simply posit "I just want to start my own watch brand."  It actually isn't as hard as you might think. There is a universe of  services, companies, and resources to help you when starting from  scratch. In fact, contributing writer Paul Hubbard wrote a post on this very topic here. There you'll find information on actually making the watch, but more importantly is funding your project.Whether  you are interested in starting a new brand or just building a one or  two models, you'll need money upfront for the design and prototyping.  Then you'll need more money for the industrialization and actual  production. In between are costs for marketing, customer service, and a  series of other little money-eaters.The potential pay-off is  real. If you build a nice looking watch you can made a handsome profit  given a reasonable margin on your production and design costs. Though  funding a large scale production of watches without an existing  marketing is a very risky move. So how do you proceed?One typical  practice when money is tight is to build a prototype or just a computer  mock-up design, and then solicit people for pre-order money. These  people pay a fraction of the retail amount (usually at a discount  because they are pro-ordering), and then the rest when the watches are  actually delivered. Such small production runs are usually limited,  which is a good thing as people place additional value on limited  edition watches. So on the one hand you get the peace-of-mind knowing  "model X" will only have 200 pieces, and the consumer feels that they  are getting something exclusive as "model X" will only be available as  200 pieces.After you have collected enough pre-order money you  fund production of the watches. The safety here is that aside from  initial design and possible prototyping, you aren't going to be out  production money unless something awful happens and you need to pay back  all the pre-order customers. Again, I am simplifying the process here  to give you an overall picture of how a small watch production goes.The  big question goes back to "where do I find these pre-order customers?"  The traditional answer has been on the dedicated watch forums where such  customers tend to hang out. Sometimes these watches will be discussed  on blogs such as mine, but for the most part these watch projects live  within smaller communities. So how do you take the same business plan  but get more people interested? A great resource  is a great tool for people with an idea looking for money. It  is a type of "crowd-funding" service that allows people to pitch their  products or ideas and have people become project "backers." Backers  dedicate a certain sum of money that is only taken out of their bank  accounts when an overall monetary goal as been reached.Let me  give you an example. Say I want to build the model X watch as a limited  edition of 100 pieces to start. I know that I need $40,000 to produce  the first 100 pieces and I want the retail price to be $1,000. I go to  and post the project with a full description of the  watch including video of me talking about how cool model X will be. I  create a goal amount of "$50,000" and tell people that if they pledge  $500, they will get the watch that will later retail for $1,000 when the  second production starts. I tell them that the first run watches are  special limited editions with unique casebacks, colors, etc... Project  times vary but are usually about 45 days. This is a protection to  backers to ensure that projects don't just sit around forever until they  are fully funded.If I get 100 backers at $500 each, then the  project will produce $50,000. $40,000 of which will go to producing the  first 100 watches, and $10,000 of which is profit. That is how you fund  an initial watch production. The good news is that after initial  production has started and you've made 100 pieces. The machining for the  watches is still intact. This means you can produce the next 100 (or  however many) pieces at a cheaper cost. You also know that because the  first 100 pieces sold,?? perhaps you can sell more. not  only can provide you with the necessary eyes to fund the project, but was  also the monetary conduit (but they take a modest cut of course).So  how does all this translate into real world experiences? To find out I  talked to a few people that are actually in (or just finished) the process of funding watch  projects. I spoke to Zach Raven whose project is here, and Thomas Young whose project is here. There are more added to Kickstarter all the time.What they have in common is that they are new to the watch game or not serious industry insiders and are offering backers a range of things that they can pledge on. For each of them was a great place to fund their project for a few reasons - but the process is not without some limited drawbacks.The best part of Kickstarter seems to be the instant access to a large audience of people - who are actually interested in dedicating money to back projects. Not only that, but using is a bit like free advertising given all the eyes. At the same time, you'll have a dedicated project page on Kickstarter that you can market yourself.It is worth noting that Kickstarter must individually approve projects. You need to look at their terms and conditions and understand that your project will not be automatically approved. is interested in helping people start their dream projects, and wants to make sure there is equal value for the project starter and the backers. Kickstarter does not want you to use their service merely to sell existing products.Kickstarter offers you a large one-page style area to offer text, images, and videos about your project. You are limited to their format, but of course have the option of having a separate external website. Kickstarter offers you the ability offer various items for backers to pledge for. Though it does make it a bit tough for people to back something multiple times (they want more than one) or for you to offer a few things at the same price (pledge amount).How do you get your money? Kickstarter handles the transactions and money goes through Amazon Payments that you'll need to hook up to your bank account. It seems rather straight forward, though I don't know how it works with international accounts. Backers only have money taken from them if your goal amount is met, and it happens when the project timeline ends. The biggest drawback people experience is the amount Kickstarter and Amazon Payments take. I hear that in total it is about 8-9%?? (Kickstarter takes about 5% and Amazon Payments takes about 3.5%) of the total amount you raise (though you'll need to consult with Kickstarter for precise details on fees and payment). Though most agree the amount is fair and reasonable.According to most of the project starters I spoke with, the limitations of Kickstarter pale in comparison to the benefits. This applies not only to the service but also the site's audience. I have to say that the potential money a project can raise to get started is really impressive. A famous example is a project for an iPod Nano watch strap that had backers pledge almost one millions dollars.The general rule of thumb is that the more serious you want backers on Kickstarter to take you, the more serious need to appear. This can mean having actual prototypes of watches available to video and photograph. If you have mere renderings and no prototype, then don't expect too much from potential backers. Timing is also important. While their money is safe unless other backers pledge for the project, people don't want you to take another year to get your watch produced. Of course, the lower the price of each watch, the less this is an issue. is also still relatively new. This means that there is a limited learning curve to using the service, and customer service for Kickstarter is reportedly very difficult to contact. Also, there are usually thousands of projects listed on at any given time. This means that while the potential for getting a lot of eyes on your project is there, you'll need to focus on your own marketing at least to some degree.Again, and this is an important point - Kickstarter reportedly does not see themselves as an e-commerce site to help people sell large amounts of product. Kickstarter doesn't want people using their service to sell existing products or as a way of selling pre-made products en mass. Be prepared to have to pitch your project to their people for approval.Overall it looks like using Kickstarter is an excellent option for people interested in making and selling a single watch or starting a brand - especially if selling directly to the consumer is in your business plan. People starting a larger brand will likely use other funding sources, but overall if you are looking to make a watch (or really anything) check out what can offer you.Funding A New Watch Brand With

The Harrison Ford Hamilton Watches

Why oh why can't there be some cool cult watch made popular by being on Harrison Ford's wrist in one of his movies? Seriously, not even Indiana Jones wore a timepiece. That is totally a character that would wear a watch! Something like a Hamilton military watch or similar... whoa! I am getting ahead of myself here.No, Han Solo never wore a wrist instrument either. Ford likely wore watches in other roles while he was running from the FBI, or running after someone as the FBI, but it just isn't the same. So what about his personal life? I don't know the guy but I have heard a few things about him as a watch wearer. First of all, for a long time (perhaps even now) Harrison Ford has been a Rolex man. That makes sense especially since he gained fame in the late 1970s into the 1980s.I also know that Harrison is a hell of a pilot. Not just one of those actors who owns a fleet of planes and thinks they are cool when they fly around a bit with an instructor. No, he takes it seriously and is a legit pilot. I also believe that he tends to fly with another pilot just in case things go wrong - not like he can't afford the co-pilot. My understanding is that actors like Ford prefer flying as a hobby because if offers them some welcome seclusion and peace. No one is kissing their ass, and no one is bothering them. In a sense, it is a way for them to get away a bit. Anyhow, as a pilot, he likely owns a few nice pilot watches as well (which could be anything from more Rolex, to Tutima, Breitling, IWC, Hamilton, etc...).Other than that, I just don't know about his wrist preferences or what he likes to wear. What we do know, however, is that Harrison Ford has a long standing relationship with the Swatch Group and Hamilton. The watch makers and famous actor have teamed up on at least three occasions to bring you nature love-themed Khaki watches. Let me explain - it isn't socially cool for wealthy actors like Ford to do corporate sponsorships. So what they often do is instead volunteer, for charity. Hamilton doesn't pay Ford for this. Ford sits as the face of a new Hamilton watch collection, donating his time to the charitable cause to make money, but also being able to enjoy working with the brand. Hamilton indicated to me that Ford was actually involved with the design of the watch - I'd really like to hear more about that. As an added benefit to Ford, there are likely tax write-off incentives to this type of work.In this case there are two charities in action, Conservation International and Team Earth. Actually, Team Earth is part of Conservation International (vague name right?). The charity does something environmental. Not really sure what... but perhaps it involves conserving the environment. At least that is where the money goes. My issue with organizations such as this is exactly this problem of vagueness. It is damn hard to understand exactly what they do. There are a lot of feel good messages, pretty colorful pictures with the saturation levels properly upped, and stories about how some village in a place with a jungle now has Pellegrino water.Mr. Ford has reportedly been on the board of Conservation International for a long time so I want to believe that good work is being done. Though for me, I want a bit more detail on where and how that percentage of watch profit that goes to the charity helps resolve the problem of how endangered frogs and shirtless children can get along better.Conservation International works with some major corporations. They don't exactly do the environmental work themselves, but seem to rather locally fund projects - which is pretty standard for that type of business. A major role for them in working with large companies is to act as a "green wash." To in essence, add an eco-positive PR spin to their marketing to help those companies look like they are involved in caring about the environment. Wow... this started moving away from watches faster than trees are being butchered in the rain forest. Back to the timepieces! (And by the way I am a pretty hardcore environmentalist - owls over towns!) Hamilton, you aren't allowed to get irked by this as I do like the watches!So Hamilton, Harrison, and Conservation International have a few watches under their belt that each look ready for Amazon jungle duty. Based on pieces from Hamilton's classic Khaki collection, the watches are quite sharp in a retro-functional way.?? The newest one is the Hamilton Khaki Conservation Auto Chrono - and it is a handsome little devil. Set in a 42mm wide steel case, the vintage pilot style watch has a very mature look and easy to read dial. It looks like the perfect watch to wear while driving around in your barely street legal Defender on the way to the farmer market.Inside the watch is a new movement called the caliber H31. The movement is made by ETA exclusively for Hamilton and it has 60 hours of power reserve. Nothing wild here aside from some standard tie-in branding on the back of the watch. Honestly, I would much rather prefer to have Harrison Ford's smiling face on the back of the watch - that would be pretty nice actually (but lord the licensing costs from Ford's people!). Price for this urban off-road good looker is $1,895.Each of the Harrison Ford Hamilton watches is under $2,000 - which more or less corresponds with the overall Khaki range. Most of these pieces are fantastic looking and worth your attention. Just don't pay much attention to all the eco-stuff in my opinion. My presumption is that while a significant portion of the sales actually will go to Conservation International, it is just too unclear for me how that money gets used for actual??environmental??protection/conversation. Get it for the Harrison Ford connection instead.

219 Kukulkan Watch

Three Swiss guys were drunk one night after partying and they came up with this watch model and brand idea. I am not making that up, that is what the press release clearly says. Their combined intoxicated intelligence seemed to agree that it was their personal mission in life to realize the first ever high-end watch borne out of pre-Columbian Latin American culture.The trio drew influence from things they had seen in Mexico and chose to focus on ancient Mayan culture. Of the most provocative elements of ancient Mayan culture is their calendar and view of how the world began (and will end). All that was just too cool for the bored young men so they decided to make the watch in honor of Kukulkan - the feathered snake (guy) of Mayan lore.A pyramid in now Mexico is built to honor Kukulkan. There are engraved statues of his image there. An image that is replicated on the Kulkulkan watch on the dial and the back in high relief. The "219" name of the brand refers to some Mayan calendar numerals on when Kukulkan is due to return (or something like that). To me the neon green design of the watch mixed with black and looking all technical reminds me of Japanese Gundam characters. Though I do think the dial design is sorta cool, especially how "219" is integrated into the snake's mouth. For hour indicators the watch presumably uses the Mayan numeral system.The watch itself is done in 18k white gold and totally covered with beautiful baguette cut emeralds. The case is 47mm wide and 14mm thick. Those emeralds are promised to come from Brazil or Colombia (as opposed to the gem synthesizer). The emeralds are placed all around the bezel and lugs. Those and the case account for the bulk of the piece's physical value.Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA A07.171 Valgranges movement (which is newer and made for larger watch cases). The neon green watch hands looks like psychedelic versions of those on Patek Philippe Nautilius or Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches (well aside from the pointed tip).Limited to just 12 pieces this watch also comes with the very reasonable price of just $365,000. I don't mind that actually as I think it will be a valuable addition on my journey of enlightenment. It is going on my list of take-along items for when me, a bag of psychotropic drugs, and this watch travel to central American and figure out the meaning of life.TECHNICAL SPECS FROM 219-Limited edition of 12 timepieces in white gold, alligator strap-Movement ETA A07.171 Valgranges-Mayan figures on the index of hours: 219 exclusive world premiere-South American emerald-quality watchmaking (Brazilian or Colombian)-Crimping rod adjusted (180 hours)-Caseback: hand engraving, bas relief, the 20 calendar days and the God of Death (200 hours)-Crown engraved by hand and micro-set with diamonds of 0.50 mm diameter-Dial representing the jaws of the feathered serpent, included in a Mayan pyramid, above the sun-Flowers shamanistic carved by hand, bas relief, on the hidden part of the horns (40 hours)-Water resistance of 50 Meters.

Ferragamo F-80 GMT Watch

Ferragamo watches? Another fashion brand with timepiece you'd be wise to be skeptical of at first. When a company that has never made timepieces suddenly starts to do so, then you should be wary. Delving deeper the plot thickens as all Ferragamo watches are licensed to be developed and manufactured by Timex. At this point I would not think that results have much up-market credibility. Though in this case that isn't exactly true. Ferragamo timepieces for men (especially this F-80) collection are nicely made, have good designs and materials, and contains Swiss mechanical movements. As designer watches go, these sort of fly under the radar and deserve a bit more attention.I believe that the F-80 collection debuted in about 2008. It contains a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic based chronograph model, and a similar model that has a GMT module over a 7750 (there is also a quartz ETA chronograph version as well). This is that GMT model, and you can see the standard 7750 with the addition of a little blue GMT hand. It is actually a Soprod movement they call the "753-24h." The dials are actually rather well designed and legible. The face is textured with horizontal black sections while the hands and hour markers are rather easy to see. Note that the GMT dial is done in black and white. This is for when you want to sync the GMT hand to the standard time for it to function as a day/night indicator. Cool right?Meeting with Timex they shared with me that the design of the F-80 was some who has designed a few other well-known watches, but for the life of me I forget who he is. Maybe one of you can remind me, but when you learn who it is you are like "ohhh, I see that." I learned this fact over two years ago so please forgive me.The case is 44mm wide in titanium and ceramic. Ceramic is used for the bezel, chronograph pushers, and the center links of the metal bracelet. There is also a rubber strap option, and the high-end cautchouc (spelled a few ways) rubber is used. The case is water resistant to 100 meters and uses an AR coated sapphire crystal. Overall, most things us watch snobs are looking for are present here. I don't really care if this watch has a Salvatore Ferragamo logo on it or not. It is well designed, uses good parts, and has a nice sporty character with a hint of color (my fav). It might not be a watch I want to wear on a daily basis, but I would gladly enjoy a Ferragamo F-80 in my collection.Price? Well technically the watch costs $7,075 - but look online and you'll see that most F-80 watches are available for a lot less. They are actually a good deal as you can get most (often the non GMT 7750 versions) under $2,000.See Ferragamo watches on eBay here.See Ferragamo watches on Amazon here. 

Cyrus Klepcys Watch

Newer brand, new watch. Cyrus debuted late last year but I never got a chance to really check them out as their timepieces reminded me of wrist-mounted doomsday devices. Their flagship watch is Klepcys (still trying to properly pronounce that one) and it is a formidable piece of unique horology. The master behind the mechanism is Jean-Francois Mojon. One of today's better watch makers who is known for (among other things), the Harry Winston Opus X.In addition to the standard Klepcys watch, Cyrus will be donating a special one to the Only Watch 2011 auction. Images of both are seen here, whereas the piece unique model for the action is in white gold with a red "11." The high-end piece is another attempt on "doing it differently." While I respect the mechanism and concept for some reason the design leaves me a inert. I feel as though I need more time with the watch to appreciate it fully. It does however move me much more than the brand's other watch called the Kuros. We will see what happens when the Cyrus releases their third watch sometime soon.Functionally speaking the Klepcys has an automatic movement that has a few neat retrograde hands. You get the time, date, and moon phase. The time and date use sorta of hybrid retrograde hands. A retrograde hand is used to display one digit, while a flipping indicator (similar to Urwerk's stuff) is used to show another one for the date. There is a traditional seconds disc, and then a minutes disc that "follows" the hour hand (but also moves). If you are totally confused then just look at the video.For the moon phase you get a golden life-like moon orb with a cover the shrouds parts of the orb to display the phase of the moon. It is all pretty straight forward once you get the hang of it. The movement has over 450 parts and is a fine example of what Mr. Mojon is capable of.The watch case is in 18k gold (rose, white, etc...) and 48mm wide. It isn't super exciting by my standard but OK. On the back of the watch is a replica engraving of a coin that Cyrus owns that is 2,500 years old. Not sure what this means, but it does somehow subliminally remind you that the watch is expensive. Worth its weight in gold? Probably more.Below you'll notice that Cyrus uses the term "sprockets" in the technical description. Whether or not sprockets are a real thing (probably they are), this made me smile. When I make watches I make very liberal used of widgets and sprockets. Overall a neat watch with a fascinating movement - not sure of the price but it would probably make Cyrus the Great of (Greece maybe?) blush.Tech specs from Cyrus:Movement : CYR598 automatic, 4Hz, 28,800vph Main material : 18k goldDiameter : 48mm (including crowns)Date : Large date, retrograde three-dimensional tens, pivoting Precise guidance of the height of the tens hand with a ruby bearing Patent applied for.Phases of the moon : Three-dimensional moon Progressive rising of the patch to indicate the various moon phases In case of a fully covered moon: appearance of the CYRUS logo.Other : Inertial balance for greater adjustment stability — Sprockets with optimised teeth (reduced play) — Maximum use of stainless steel for better corrosion resistance CYRUS-specific hardware.Back case : 18K red gold — Identical copy of the original, over 2,500-year-old coin. The original coin is the property of CYRUS, and can be viewed

Sinn 358 Watch

Almost under the radar comes this new Sinn 358 watch. Did I intend to make that initial statement because this is a pilot watch? No but it works. I love timepieces like this that are all tool and do not look like they are made to be worn by tools. German Sinn watches continue to make me happy for mostly dismissing the pressures of the high-end watch world to upmarket all decent watches out there. Not that Sinn watches are cheap, but rather that they mostly feel fairly priced.The 358 collection is a good sign because it shows Sinn increasing the sizes of a few of their core collection watches. In essence, the 358 is a larger version of the outgoing 356. At 42mm wide, the 358 offers a more modern and Western-appealing version of the 356's 38.5mm wide case. The case is done in bead-blasted steel and comes with an acrylic domed crystal. Why acrylic? Sinn claims it is better for shock-resistance, but they also thankfully offer a sapphire crystal as an option (standard on some models). Actually to be perfectly accurate each of the three 358 models have different "standard" parts. Though it seems as though most of those parts and features can be optioned around. Basically you can get the model 358 of your choice through Sinn easily enough via a special order.Another option is an air dehumidifying system that Sinn uses in many of its watches to remove potential moisture that can build up in the dial and cause condensation or fogginess. This can be a problem during quick rises or descents in a plane or just when rapidly changing climates (think of walking outside into hot humid air from an air-conditioned building). You can learn more about this technology here, and Sinn watches with it will have a little "Ar" logo on the dial. By the way, Sinn Ar watches only come with sapphire crystals.Water resistant to 100 meters, the 358 is also highly antimagentic (with the solid caseback), and low pressure resistant. These are serious tool watches for serious use. The basic 358 model is called the 358 Pilot, which then goes up to the 358 Sa Pilot (Sa stands for "sapphire"), topping out with my favorite model, the 358 DIAPAL. I went into some detail a few years ago on what DIAPAL is here. You can read about it direct from Sinn here. DIAPAL is basically a oil-free (no lubrication) escapement that Sinn developed some years ago. Others have followed suit. This increases the lifespan of the watch and ensure more trouble-free usage. Sinn gives each of their DIAPAL watches metallic charcoal gray dials so you can them apart easily. I love the idea of these system in watches as such as this. The 358 Diapal is the top-of-the-line model in this collection and when combined with a metal bracelet is sure to be a hell of a watch. Don't forget it also has a GMT hand that is easy to miss.Speaking of bracelet, these watches are available with a range of straps and a single metal bracelet option at this time. The dial is classic, legible, and stately. It is probably the epitome of German watch incarnate. Little details come out with close inspection such as how the chronograph subdials are all different and optimized for easy reading. People today will feel it is a bit retro, but that is totally in. I have a feeling they will find it fashionable as well, something which is good, but also nothing Sinn seems to be concerned with.Inside the watches are Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph movements that are decorated and finely regulated by Sinn. The 358 DIAPAL however has a 7750 with a GMT module (and day of the week is removed). This gives the movement an independently adjustable GMT hand, but sadly there is no 24 hour scale to go with the hand.Last, there is a limited edition of 500 pieces Sinn 358 Anniversary model meant to celebrate 50 years of Sinn. This model has a bi-compax dial and an even more retro look. As a nice daily wear any of these models would do just find. It is also a watch that no one can complain about you wearing. Prices are in the 2,000 - 3,000 Euros range.