BaselWorld 2009 is open today.

The wait is finally over. Basel world 2009 is open today in Switzerland. Basel world is the largest the largest annual fare for the watch industry. 2087 exhibitors are displaying their latest and innovative collections. Months of intense planning and painstaking preparation has finally come to an end, and the day of unveiling is at hand.


Omega is unveiling its new Omega Planet Ocean Jewelry with brand ambassador Nicole Kidman.


Corum is unveiling a new titanium addition to its Golden Bridge Collection limited edition of 188 pieces.


Rado unveils a True Chronograph Platinum Matt watch. The ceramic case is the hue of platinum with a matt look, a result of a sophisticated coating technique. The ceramic absorbs the light and gets deep grey-brown shades.


Eterna Contessa watches is another awesome collection. A collection exuding elegance and beauty.

These are just a few of the new timepieces on display at Baselworld today. The show runs for the next 7 days with companies from 45 different countries. Over 100,000 are expected to visit the show as well as almost 3000 journalists from 70 different countries. Wholesalers, retailers and watch enthusiasts are drawn to the show to network and make valuable business connections. Spanning 160,000 square miles of exhibition area, this watch and jewelry exhibition is a massive event. This is a chance to meet the CEO's of companies in person, to discuss the latest trends in watch manufacturing and fashion. In the struggling economic backdrop, Basel world is crucial to boost the global economy and elevate hopes for the the horological industry.

Its a bird! Its a plane! No its Concord C1 QuantumGravity Tourbillon Watch.

Phew, my imagination is reaching beyond the limits of the outer galactic disk from planetary nebulae. Some Sci Fi mind is definitely at work behind the curtains of Concord. The uncanny resemblance to a space ship is remarkable, and the wait to see this "out-of-this-world" timepiece is just a couple of days away. The Concord C1 QuantumGravity Tourbillon will be unveiled

in BaselWorld from March 26th- April 2, 2009. The exact docking location will be in Hall 1.0/D03. Please excuse any Sci Fi references that filter through, I cannot seem to help myself.

The remarkable sand blasted skeletonized Gravity dial drew inspiration from space exploration. The titanium case is
48.5 mm in diameter and a almost canyon like 22mm in depth. Potentially this watch could turn to be quite bulky to wear, but this is avoided by the highly flexible rubber strap and the super lightweight metals, titanium and aluminum.


The first thing one notices about this manually wound Concord C104 movement is the "green stuff" in a cylinder. It almost looks like a wacky scientist experiment that could explode at a moments notice. In actual fact this liquid is the three day power reserve, a far cry from the traditional dial. Nothing boring or traditional about this baby. The cylinder operates on a pressure system whereby the green-stuff (actually photo-luminescent green liquid) rises and falls in proportion to the amount of power left in the main spring.

As depicted in the image adjacent to this text, a "Quantum Tourbillon" is visible, suspended via cables and attached to a bridge. The bi-axial motion is visible through the dial so that one may perceive the horizontal and vertical movement of the Tourbillon. A Tourbillon was initially invented in 1795 by French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet,to reduce the effect gravity has on a pocket watch. I have a feeling the Tourbillon in this watch is to increase its out of this world experience.
In order to enjoy all the superb complication, the Concord C1 Quantum Gravity Tourbillon has no less than 5 separate Sapphire Crystals, so that nothing misses the eye.

Other unique features are scattered throughout the watch like the seconds hand which is placed vertically on the side of the watch. The crown is hidden probably at the 2 'o'clock position, but it is on to BaselWorld where the hidden crown shall be revieled. Now the great aspect about this watch is the decision by the watchmakers to make the dial, traditional and simple. If the dial would have been complicated mechanisms like the Urwerks (which I truly love), it would have been too much.
Built from 511 parts and countless of hours in research, development and crafting, this watch is a fascinating plethora of unique components as well as exuding a distinct Sci Fi feel which will attract many watch enthusiasts who relish in high tech luxury mechanical timepieces .

Another luxury watch company goes mobile!

Ulysse Nardin has partnered with SCI Innovations to create a smart phone. We only have a glimpse of this creation as the full extent of its glory will be unveiled at Basel World 2009. What we have uncovered is that the phone, dubbed "The Chairman" is not only smart, but green. "The Chairman" utilizes environmentally- friendly kinetic technology inspired by the winding mechanism of an automatic mechanical watch. I am not sure how this will work as the phone is not strapped to ones wrist, but the mechanics I am sure are fascinating. The phone will be able to operate on any of the global communications networks. The aesthetics of the phone is as intriguing as the inner workings, the partial view in the above image only wets our appetite for more. The phone has an exhibition window in which the guilloche engraved energy-driven kinetic rotor is revealed.

The Ulysse Nardin Smart Phone is a limited edition of 1846 smart phones, the date where ...

In 1846, a young boy of 23 years old settled in Le Locle to create his own chronometers. His name - Ulysse Nardin, and he was a technical genius. He had a wealth of experience too as he had worked under the intense guidance of Federic-William Dubois, a renowned specialist in the manufacturing of marine chronometers and astronomic watches. Although, Ulysse Nardin worked on his marine chronometers 1000 miles above sea level, his heart was at sea...

Tag Heuer has also delved into the phone market with its Meridiist phone and the official launch of its website dedicated to the Meridiist. The seven phone models are introduced to the public, displaying all the phones features and components.

Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewerly Company

This Ralph Lauren watch with the gold stirrup shaped bezel is causing quite a stir among watch enthusiasts. They are eagerly anticipating the arrival of this watch in May 2009. The watches were first unveiled at SIHH in January 2009. This watch is part of a new watch collection carrying the iconic brand name of Ralph Lauren.
This watch is the offspring of a brand new company "Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewerly Company", formed in September 2008, and based in Geneva Switzerland. This company is the partnership between two leading companies, Polo Ralph Lauren and Richemont Group. This new company will design, develop, manufacture and distribute luxury watches and fine jewelry. For both companies this venture is a first. This is Richemont's first such venture with a luxury fashion designer and its Polo Ralph Lauren first venture into the luxury watch and jewelry business.
Ralph Lauren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation said, “I have waited a long time to create and introduce timepieces that I feel exemplify the ultimate in luxury and quality. Richemont shares that understanding and has the global reputation and experience to fulfill these shared goals. I have the highest confidence that this unique partnership will be tremendously successful and an important part of our global luxury accessories strategy.”
Johann Rupert, Executive Chairman of Richemont, said, “I have long admired Ralph Lauren. His impeccable taste, style and attention to detail are unique. These factors, combined with Richemont’s expertise in jewelry and watches has led to a fascinating business venture. Jointly, we aim to create a new luxury business, which I am confident will develop into a world leader. This is an exciting partnership and I am very happy to work with Ralph Lauren on this project. I am very enthusiastic about the timepieces we will be unveiling at SIHH 2009.”
Many people people are speculative about forming a new luxury company in times of economic uncertainty, but the overwhelming enthusiasm to the new watch collection displays positive signs for the future of the "Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Company". It is pleasing to see growth and creativity.
Richemont owns a portfolio of leading international brands. Each brand is managed independently of one another, thus maintaining the unique quality and creativity. Richemont has five distinct areas of operation:
1)High end Jewelry Companies (which also sell watches): Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.
2)High end watchmakers: Jaeger LeCoultre, Piaget, IWC, Baume & Mercier, Vacheron Constantin, Panerai, A Lange & Sohne & Roger Dubois.
3)High end writing instruments: Montblanc and Montegrappa
4)High end leather and accessories: Alfred Dunhill and Lancel
5)Other businesses: Chloe and 19.5% interest in British American Tobacco.

Bell & Ross Craft Fighter Pilots Watch

On March 18th, 2009, Bell and Ross became the official supplier to the French Air Force. The French Air Force requested that Bell and Ross create a watch specifically designed to meet the timepiece requirements of fighter pilots - the BR 03 Type Aviation.

The dial of a Bell & Ross timepiece looks like the dials on the aircraft cockpit instrument panel, and within the watch, the movement tracks time with precision like that of a fighter pilot navigating the sky with startling speed. This watch is based on four fundamental principles: legibility, functionality, precision and reliability, which is the driving force behind the success of Bell & Ross.
With the Instrument BR Heritage, Bell & Ross draws inspiration from 1940's military aircraft instruments. Although, the BR Heritage is inspired by history, the craftsmanship of this watch has incorporated some of the most modern techniques in watch crafting. The sandy strap is stamped with the Bell & Ross logo. The sandy colored dipped hands and tawny indicators creates an image of war.

Bell & Ross' timepieces are becoming increasingly popular as the dial is simple yet at the same time stylish and appealing.

Harry Winston unveils the Histoire de Tourbillon 1

There are a myriad of complications, but none as captivating as the tourbillon. The tourbillon is an extremely challenging complication to master. This Spring of 2009, Harry Winston will release a unique collection , the Histoire de Tourbillon, comprising of five distinct designs. Each design will be limited to just twenty timepieces, making this entire collection rare and highly desirable collectibles.

The Tourbillon was invented in 1795 by French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, who hypothesized that gravity had an adverse effect on the workings of a pocket watch. Abraham Louis Breguet placed the escapement and balance wheel in a cage in order to counteract the effects of gravity.
Harry Winston has utilized innovative materials as well as increasingly sophisticated mechanisms in the Histoire de Tourbillon 1 Collection.
The 48mm case is crafted from white gold and Zalium. Zalium is an ultra-light alloy made from zirconium and allium lily. The material has a low density, high thermal resistance, high durability and is extremely resilient. Zalium originated from the aerospace industry; however the term Zalium is a trademark first used by Harry Winston in its Project Z series of watches.
Each timepiece features two 25º inclined single-axis Tourbillons with rabid 36 second rotations.
Harry Winston accepts the hypothesis that the Tourbillon does counter the effects of gravity and thus uses increasingly sophisticated techniques to increase the efficiency of the Tourbillon. The high rotation speed of the Tourbillon reduces the exposure of the regulator to natural gravity. The speed of the rotations of the Tourbillon is achieved by the incredibly light weight components. 88 components in the system only weigh .46 grams.
The angles of the Tourbillons as well as their rapid rotations and synchronicity, achieve an hypnotic allusion that the Tourbillons are moving towards the Sapphire Crystal.Hours and minutes are displayed on the front rotating disc and on the back of the timepiece with seconds for more precise timekeeping. This Harry Winston timepiece is a testament to its ongoing commitment to watchmaking excellence. The timepiece is a mechanical self-winding movement.

Crown vs Fingernail. Let the battle begin.

There has been a rise in Mechanical Watches for women, like the timepieces which belong to the striking Zenith's El Primero Collection.
Most of the Women's Mechanical Watches are Automatic and thus the watch is powered by the swinging motion of the wearers arm; however, when the watch is not worn the watch is not wound and thus stops. When this occurs the crown needs to be turned in order to adjust the date and time. This is usually no problem unless you have long manicured finger nails. In many instances the nail gets caught between the crown and watch case and breaks. This can occur before a social event where the dazzling watch rests above the wearers hand ending in long shimmering nails. The wearer who is probably doing a million things at once like adjusting the delicate strap on her shoe, and reapplying her lipstick whilst looking for her cellphone, keys and purse will try winding her automatic watch and break a finger nail. This is a potentially devastating occurrence being that perfect nails are a must around the dinner table. To hide the finger with a broken nail whilst one is drinking a long stemmed glass of champagne could prove quite tricky and not to mention most embarrassing, and could potentially ruin an entire evening.
The solution is quite simple ,but rather clever. Ladies watches are most often smaller than the men's timepieces and thus run out of power after just two days of being unworn.
The solution: A watch winder. A watch winder will ensure that when the watch is not worn, the watch winder will move the watch so that the watch will remain powered and time will continue interrupted. However many watch winders are bulky and heavy manufactured for men's automatic timepieces. With the growing demand for women's mechanical timepieces, Orbita Corporation has introduced a watch winder for women. The watch winder is attractive and compact, equipped with two mounting cushions; a standard-size and a more petite version to accommodate smaller watch straps. The mounting and removal of the watches in both these versions are a breeze.

The Sparta Mini series is available with faux lizard covering in a selection of creme, red, blue, pink and white. The watch winder can be plugged into any socket and it keeps the watch in motion by gently moving the watch in a series of arcs, automatically every ten minutes, mimicking the swinging motion of the wearers arm. The winder is of fine quality with no possibility of over winding or damaging the watch mechanism.