The Ulysse Nardin Monaco YS Maxi Marine Diver

The latest creation from Ulysse Nardin brings to mind waves crashing against the immense looming hull of a pirate's ship. Tattered sails whip around in screaming winds as sea farers grip the mast. Ulysse Nardin is a Company with deep ties to the ocean.

This particular model was crafted with Prince Albert of Monaco ,an avid environmentalist, in mind. Prince Albert latest mission is to protect the Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna from overfishing by getting it added to the Endangered Species List.

The watch is essentially a redressed Ulysse Nardin Maxi Marine Diver Watch 

However the Monaco YS is fiercely black crafted from DLC or Diamond Like Carbon. A coating of DLC can dramatically increase the lifetime of the underlying steel. A dusty rose gold ring surrounds the sub dial below the hands, reminiscent of a life ring thrust out to sea into the flailing arms of the man overboard. Within the ring "Monaco" is branded in a fiery red.

The hands are dipped in gray colored lume which glow in dark adverse conditions. The watch is powered by a UN Caliber 26 automatic Chronometer.

Only 100 pieces of the Ulysse Nardin Monaco YS Marine Diver will be available for purchase.

A 31 Day Power Reserve.

Is there a luxury watch with a 31 day power reserve? Seeing is believing my friend. Yes there is most certainly a watch with a 31 Day Power Reserve. The A. Lange & Songe Lange 31 watch. To even contemplate such a feat seems only the stuff dreams are made of, but A. Lange & Songe has pushed the limits of watchmaking craftsmanship.
A. Lange & Songe is well known for its precision, and precision was the top priority when crafting this watch. The 744 hours power reserve, as apposed to the usual 45 hours or IWC's 168 hours, is split between two mainspring barrels, thus the power moving through the slowly unwinding springs needs to be perfectly consistent. Too slow would mean minutes loss and too fast would mean minutes gained, disastrous for any watch manufacturer.
The exceptional L034.1 movement achieves a constant force by utilizing a constant force escapement which regulates the torque from the mainspring as it powers the watch. To achieve this perfection, A. Lange & Sohne, spent years testing the finished movement to ensure its reliability over a long period of time.
The Lange 31 watch is delivered with a winding key, which must only be wound once a month. The impressive 31 day power reserve meter is displayed in grand opulence on the watch face. The Lange 31 is available in the rose gold face as depicted above, and in platinum which was released earlier.
This piece has truly impressed the horological community, as this watch embodies perfection. Perfection not from pot luck, but from a unrelenting dedication where less than perfect is out of the question. The years of energy, persistent engagement and ecxeptional expertise utilized to a craft a masterpiece such as this comes with a price. A price above $300,000.

Tag Heuer Monaco V4 Revs the Engines on New Winding Technology

The wait is almost over. The Tag Heuer Monaco V4 debuts in November marking the 150-year anniversary of TAG Heuer, and will and will be produced in a symbolic limited edition of just 150 pieces. But not all will be available at once, seventy-five pieces of the Monaco V4 will be delivered in November 2009, and the remaining seventy-five will be released the in June 2010. Tag Heuer's Monaco V4 was first introduced as a concept watch with no mention of when or if it would become available, but at last, it has made a debut. The Tag Heuer Monaco V4 is priced at $80,000 a piece, the first of which will be auctioned off for charity.

This platinum beauty has an ingenious concept in timekeeping, in fact it is completely reinventing the mechanical movement principle. Getting inspiration from car engines, Tag Heuer replaces the rotating oscillating weight for automatic winding with a platinum ingot, weighing just 4.25 grams which acts as a cylinder of sorts, in a linear movement. This linear movement then transforms power, not to a set of wheels, but to a drive-belt transmission. 13 belts in all with a gauge measure of 0.5 x 0.45mm. Traditional Mechanical Watches utilize rubies to reduce friction, the Tag Heuer V4 uses 2.2 mm diameter bearings with 0.25mm balls rotating inside. In other words the traditional pinions and gear systems have been replaced with belts, and the rubies with ball races. The idea is one of a kind as it combines a unique transmission chain made of belts with a linear ingot to rewind the barrels. The truly amazing thing about this watch is its four barrels and bridges of sapphire that act as energy generators.
The presentation of this watch is the result of months and months of research and craftsmanship. The result is a seriously cool watch with a cool design which will definitely make waves in the horological community.

Colorful New Watch Brands for Happy Sports by Chopard

Chopard Happy Sports has unveiled 11 new watch band colors. Chopard Happy Sports is a hugely popular timepiece first introduced in 1993. The Happy Sport Collection is a spin off from Chopard's Happy Collection, unveiled in 1976 which contains riveting designs and colors. Founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in Sonvilier in the Swiss Jura, Chopard gained the respect of an outstanding watch company. In the 19th century, a precise timekeeper was held in high regard. Chopard became quickly known for its precision so much so that it became the supplier for the Swiss railway.

The Chopard Happy Collection is immediately recognizable by exquisitely cut gems free floating between two sheets of Sapphire crystal above the watch face.

The Chopard Happy Collection fuses Sporty watches with Diamonds and other gems creating an elegant everyday timepiece

Symbols of freedom: Breitling and Bentley

Breitling Bentley Mark VI Mens Automatic Watch Chronograph Stainless Steel Case Platinum Bezel


The B for Breitling and the B for Bentley, both have similar winged logos, and both strive for luxurious perfection. The wings are for the freedom whether by cruising down an open road or flying through the air. Breitling became the official supplier to the Royal Air Force, where Breitlings impeccable craftsmanship and exceptional endurance was tested in extreme atmospheric conditions. Bentley and Breitling have the hallmark of prestige and have earned the name of luxury and style.

Breitling has matched Bentley's elegance and class, and has attached Bentley's name to its timepieces to indicate superior quality and design.

The Breitling Bentley Mark IV is a watch with mysterious suave and subtle energy fit for the wrist of a well-dresses spy like say James Bond. In truth the car Bentley Mark IV, the car, was shown in "From Russia With Love", for the first and only time before its replacement by “The Bond Mobile.” The Mark IV is one of the few vehicles to be shown in James Bond movie not equipped with incredible contraptions. It did have a car phone though, something quite unique back in The only real novelty was a car phone, something unbelievable in 1963! A Bentley does not need the frills of gadgetry, it is what it is in all its iconic splendour fit for royalty.

The Breitling timepiece is an automatic chronometer. It is a mechanical watch powered by the gentle swinging motion of ones arm. In addition, the Breitling Bentley Mark IV is a certified chronometer which means the watch has been tested , by the COSC, according to stringent criteria based on ISO 3159 which defines a wrist chronometer with spring-balance oscillator. Only movements that meet the precision criteria are provided with an official chronometer certificate Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres. Don't confuse Chronograph with Chronometer these are two completely different aspects pertaining to a timepiece.

Breitling is an exceptional brand with superior standards and that is why all Breitling watches since 2000 are Certified Chronometers something not many brands can attest to.

Movado's Artist Series

Image: Kenny Scharf - Time flies and Universal time
Movado has always had a commitment to artists and the arts. In 1987, Movado began the Movado Artist Series which commissions artists to create watches such as Andy Warhol's 'Times/5', a bracelet containing five watch cases each depicting a NYC scene and Yaacov Agam's kinetic op-art watch. The latest collection of six colorful watches is created by Kenny Scharf, an artist known for his electric bright colors filled with zany lovable characters and groovy shapes. Scharf, was in Hollywood, California in 1958 and holds a B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Kenny Scharf's creations have been exhibited in museums around the world. Kenny is known to merge pop-culture and fine art. Kenny's art is a mixture of wide humor, exciting depictions and an insight into a world where the boundaries on imagination is infinite.

Image - Blurple Time and Movado Time

Movado has truly made a wise choice when commissioning Kenny. My favorite is the watch with the friendly purple cyclops dot at the 12 'o'clock position.

Image: Starring the Star and Ontime

A play on the Movado museum dial which is one of the most recognizable watch dials in today's horological market. The simplicity of the single gold dot suspended in a sea of black at the 12 'o'clock position is its success. Kenny has utilised the iconic image of Movado's dot and incorporated in his imaginative and fun watch dial. Movado will release six Kenny Scharf limited edition watches of 125 pieces. The first 25 of each piece will be released as a complete set of the six watches. The remaining 100 can be purchased separately. Each watch is powered by a Swiss quartz movement. The dial is protected by a scratch resistant Sapphire crystal and a specially engraved case back. The standard black leather strap will be accompanied by an additional strap to match the motif of the particular watch. The watches will run at about $695 a piece or $3,495 for the full set of six.

A Spectacular Timepiece by Dior

This latest men's masterpiece from Dior is pure eye candy. The crimson mineral glass baths the underlying manually wound tourbillon movement in red light. Diamonds dotted with rubies smother the bezel in a lavish display. Diamonds and rubies parade along the stunning bracelet. The hands are simple so as not to mask the beauty that lays beneath. The 42mm case is crafted from white gold. The skeletonization of the dial displays the fine gears and exceptional craftsmanship.
So how much does a beauty like this cost? Well you will have to dig deep into your pockets. At 1.3 million Swiss Francs this watch is quite costly, but if acquired you do get the bragging rights that this exceptional timepiece has been nominated in the awards for the 2009 Geneva Grand Prix d'Horlogerie.