The Man Who Started the Wristwatch Trend

Albert Santos-Dumont had the vision to fly, and was one of the early pioneers of flying. He was a celebrity of his time, flying amidst the wondrous upturned faces of the public. They wanted to be like him to dress like him, he was their icon, their superstar, and anything he wore was replicated by thousands... and so the wristwatch became popular.

Santos-Dumont was born on July 20th, 1873, in the Brazilian town of Palmira, the sixth of eight children. His father was French, an engineer and he owned a coffee plantation in the state of Sao Paulo. His father was known as the " Coffee King of Brazil" as he made a large fortune utilizing latest labor saving inventions of that time.

Santos-Dumont ,as a young child, looked up into the brilliant expansive view of the Brazilian sky and dreamed of flying. His father sustained an injury by falling from a horse and moved the family to Europe. Santos-Dumont who had always been fascinated with machinery bought himself an automobile and later studied physics. chemistry, mechanics and electricity.
Still his dream of flying persisted and he hired an experienced balloon pilot to take him on as a passenger, then he piloted the balloons himself, and then flew dirigible balloons (many people are more familiar with the German Zeppelin like that which docked atop the Empire State Building).
Santos-Dumont built and flew 11 dirigibles from 1898 and 1905. He would cruise along Paris boulevards at rooftop level, landing outside outdoor cafes for lunch.

He won the Deutsch de la Meurthe Prize by flying his "lighter than air"aircraft from Parc Saint Cloud to the Eiffel Tower in less than thirty minutes, but it was the "heavier than air aircraft" that gained most of his attention. He flew an airplane he built, the 14-bis, on October 23, 1906, in front of a crowd of rapt spectators, 200 feet at a height of 10 feet above the ground. He was awarded the Archedeacon Prize in July 1906 as he was first aviator to fly more than 25 meters.

In 1904 while Santos-Dumont was celebrating his win of the Deutsch Price at the Maxim's Restaurant in Paris, he complained to his old friend ,Louis Cartier, about the difficulty of checking his pocket watch while trying to handle the controls of his aircraft. Santos-Dumont asked Louis Cartier to come up with a different way of checking the time whilst keeping both hands on the control. Louis Cartier and his master watchmaker ,Edmond Jaeger, brainstormed, and soon came up with the first prototype for a man's wristwatch. It was a watch on a leather strap with a buckle to be tied around the wrist. This was not the first time a wristwatch was invented, Patek Phillipe had created a wristwatch in 1868 for the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary, but Patek Phillipe creation was more of a style statement than the need for practicality.

After Santos-Dumont was presented with his wristwatch, he never flew without it, and it was with the Cartier wristwatch that Santos-Dumont, on November 12, 1906, used to confirm that he had broken his own personal record for flying 730 ft in twenty one seconds.

Santos-Dumont was nicknamed "le petit Santos" and the stylish of that time copied Santos-Dumont wardrobe from his high collared shirts to his singed Panama hat to his Cartier man's wristwatch. Santos-Dumont was indeed a trend setter, men are still very much wrist watch wearers; although they have done away with their high collared shirts and singed Panama hats.



To honor Santos Dumont, Cartier has an entire Collection of wristwatches called Santos de Cartier. This collection includes Santos 100, Santos Dumont, and Santos Demoiselle for ladies. The striking square case provides a sense of complete equilibrium as well as practicality.

Top Ten Valentine's Day Watches

Top Ten Valentines Day Luxury Watches.  See if you agree.

 1) A Chopard Happy Heart Valentine's Special Edition 2012 Watch

Limited Edition: 500 pieces.

36 mm Stainless steel case and bezel surrounds a smoky mother-of-pearl dial beneath three gem encrusted  hearts - one diamond and two pink sapphires which float between two thin sheets of sapphire crystal providing the illusion of floating hearts. Quartz movement; water resistance to 100 feet (wouldn't suggest getting this baby wet on account of the silk purple satin strap) and all around a darling timepiece bound to sweep her off her feet.  Cost: Under $10,000 - but not much - due to its limited nature and collectors potential.

 2) Blancpain Saint-Valentin 2012 Flyback Chronograph - Limited Edition - 14 pieces.  Price: TBD

Announce your love with all your heart, your soul and your savings.  Give your loved one the most gorgeous Valentines Day Watch.  A watch ,like your cherished sweetheart, which is as beautiful on the inside as the outside. For the record - Blancpain has never ever made a quartz watch. Upon opening  the wooden box with joyous disbelief shining in her eyes, she will notice the bright red heart counterbalance - as women are emotional beings.  Then her eyes will stray to  the diamond encrusted bezel and diamond indices - 2.95 carats in all ... then the intriguing mother-of-pearl dial baring three mother-of-pearl hearts - a testament to unparalleled marquetry.

In amazed silence, she turns the watch over and gasps at the mechanical mastery resting on the palm of her upturned hand.  She may not know it just yet, but what she is gazing at, is the Saint-Valentin 2012 Flyback Chronograph calibre F185 with 37 jewels, and  an oscillating weight dressed in bands pink mother of pearl bands. Not knowing about automatic watches, she slowly comes to realize that this watch requires no batteries, but all its energy is gleaned from the gentle swinging motion of her arm.  A long while later, she will inquire about the sub dials... and you will explain to her how the chronograph and fly back function is controlled by  two push pieces, capped with cabochon-cut rubies at the 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock respectively; the date is at the 12 'o'clock position, the seconds subdial at the 6 'o'clock.  The long hand topped by a slim red feather, is the chronograph central sweep seconds hand and totalizers at the 3 and night 'o'clock counts off elapsed minutes and hours. As you fasten the soft white alligator leather strap to her wrist, and watch the diamonds twinkle in the candlelight you know this is your Valentine.

 3)Piaget Limelight Love Letter Secret Watch

Price:  $189,750.00

 If diamonds are a girls best friend then this timepiece is sure to win hearts. A 18k white gold strap is smothered beneath no less thank 1286 diamonds (appx 20.3 ct) The all encompassing bezel shaped like a letter holds 314 diamonds accentuated with the color of love - one deep red Cabochon ruby. Opening the letter, the time will be revealed on a mother of pearl dial set with an additional 12 diamonds. The movement is Quartz ( no comment). This watch is a grand example of haute joaillerie where timepieces and jewelry merge in seamless unison.

4) House of Graff: Lady Graff.

Limited Edition: 20 pieces

Price: Unknown but high six figures.

(2012)

LadyGraff sweeps into the ballroom in sparkling puffs of 109 (42.10 carats) delicately layered diamonds.  House of Graff has entered the room and all eyes are on the height of haute joaillerie timepieces.  The diamonds are securely set in full glory their brilliant clarity visible from the underside of the bracelet as well. Beneath a dial paved in 61 diamonds a Swiss quartz movement marks  the time. 

The London based House of Graff is one of the most prestigious diamond and gem suppliers in all the world and has first choice to the finest diamonds . 

5.) Van Cleef &Arpels Poetic Wish Watch Pair - Unveiled SIHH 2012

The dials of Van Cleef & Arpels are vivid depictions of romance. The latest pair are set in paris, one by day and one by night. By day a young women stands upon the Eifel tower searching for her love.  Her love is waiting for her - wishing upon a star for her return as he stands upon the Notre-Dame Cathedral, gazing at the Eiffel Tower where she stands.  The 39mm Women's Poetic Wish Timepiece is smaller in frame than the Men's 43mm case.  Designed by Jean-Marc Wiedderecht, both watches are equipped with a five minute repeater and automatons.  When a crown at the 2 'o'clock is activated, the hours begin to chime setting the young lady across the girders of the Eifel tower towards her love waiting at the Notre Dame. A mother-of-pearl cloud moves towards her and the place at which they they meet indicates the hour on the horizontal scale. As the minutes chime, a kite flies up the River Seine indicating the five minutes. When all is done and the chiming ceases the automatons return to their original positions. The chiming and movement is but a moment in time to make a wish. Her lover is standing upon the terrace of the Notre Dame and when his hour of wishing arrives, he paces towards the cloud meeting at the hour.  His minutes are marked by a shooting star heading towards the Eiffel tower to the place of his heart. Van Cleef & Arpels in the Master of Romantic Depictions. The enameling on the watch is superb, and the movement including the gongs and hammers visible via a sound amplifying raised sapphire crystal case back. The 458 component hand wound movement is capable of a 60 hour power reserve.

6) Roger Dubuis Valentines Day Watch (circa 2011) -

Limited Edition: 28 Cost: 6 figures ????

watch is the epitome of technical elegance incorporating the Valentine motif into the actual components of the in-house movement. Two synthetic heart shaped pink Sapphire crystals accentuate the shapes while a tourbillon of uncanny craftsmanship flutter beneath a skeletonized rose.  I love the fact that Roger Dubuis has focused on mechanical technicalities for a woman's watch.  The majority of woman's watches nowadays are powered by quartz movement, which I feel a bit of a let down.  Diamonds smother the 18k white gold 36mm square case. Beneath the bezel a flange indicates the hours a ruby at a time... and the red satin strap adds an evocative innuendo to the rest of the watch.

7) The Frédérique Constant Love Heart Beat Watch. (circa 2009) Price: Around $2,000.00

Even though these two beauties were unveiled 3 years ago (a lifetime in watch models), I think about them every time Valentine's Day draws near.  I think these watches affirm love in shimmering elegance without appearing too gaudy and sickly sweet.  The Frédérique Constant Heart Beat Collection is iconic for an aperture in the dial revealing the escapement of the in-house FC 310 calibre  movement.  The aperture in this case is the diamond encrusted "O".  The dial is blanketed with guilloche engraving with heart shapes framed by a magnificent bezel set with 64 diamonds. The watch is available in steel or rose gold plated case. A satin strap completes the look.  The great thing about this watch is that it is really affordable.  You can pick one up on Ebay for less than $2,000.00.

8) The Swatch Love Collection 2012 is perfect for your first love. Limited Edition : 777 

Price: $60 for one $110 for both

The red Swatch is "My Heart" - inscribed with the passionate scrawl of "Only You".  The depiction almost screams "puppy love" - a white figure emerging from the heart of a rose.  I can so picture the watch being presented with a blush and uncertain glances - the terror of being rejected and the irrevocable need to proclaim love.

The "Lovely Mine"  Swatch is so irresistibly cute - I can almost pinch its 33mm round plastic case.  "I Love You"  is printed boldly below a dial featuring a our white figure now dressed in a rabbit costume - a little naughty perhaps.  In any event these watches are so cute and true Swatch Collectors Items.  Manufactured specially for Valentine 2012, in a limited quantity of 777, which raises my eyebrows as to why that particular, if not telling number was used.  These cute watch are sold as a pair or alone. 

 9) Jaeger-Lecoultre Valentine's Day Reverso. (2012) 

Since 1931, the Reverso popularity has never wavered.  Set in the ultra Reverso Case, the Valentine's Day Model is an attractive elegant combination of pink gold and steel with a whimsical depiction of a heart engraved on the reverse side of the case.  In a unique move, Jaeger Lecoultre teamed up with Valextra,  high end Italian Luxury Bag Manufacturers, to create a strap of exceptional quality and trendy style.  The product of their partnership is a high quality attractive double tour strap available in three colors, creating an admirable fashion statement.  

 

10) DeLaneau's Delicate Collection.  Heart Shape Watch. 

Limited Edition: 20 pieces - including the round, diamond, flower or heart shaped models in this unique piece collection.

DeLaneau knows how to please the ladies with the distinctly  feminine timepiece. The DeLaneau case is a true classical depiction of a heart.  The 18k heart shaped wrist watch is outlined in pink sapphires crowned surrounding a diamond paved dial.   18K white gold bracelet is decorated with 19 heart-cut pink sapphires and 40 navette-cut diamonds. Beneath the heart beats a Frederic Piguet caliber 6.10 manual wound mechanical movement. The lack of a seconds hand creates a quiet presence in which time seems to stop in the face of beauty.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Urwerk UR-110 in Red Gold

Urwerk UR-110's less than traditional dial is donning a fine suit of Red Gold - actually a screw on bezel. After all what is a collection without a choice of red gold.

  Previously Urwek UR-110 models have been firmly set in titanium known for its resilience, light weight and strength.  I think the red gold accentuates the brigh indices quite nicely creating a softer look. Three Urwerk signature satellite hour " "torpedoes" baring four numbers revolve and  orbit around an axis to indicate the time on a retrograde minute scale. The model housed in a technical titanium case won “Best Design Watch” from the 2011 Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie.

Co-founders of Urwek, Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei feel that a collection is not complete without a model in gold.  Gold is  the traditional watch case material. All Urweks previous collections are accompanied by a gold model.  As for the new timekeeping gadget, the rather mysterious - Zeit Device - will that come in gold too?
Urwek has not omitted titanium entirely, on the contrary the 51mm x 47mm x 16mm case of the UR-110 is crafted in grade 5 titanium  and the bezel is in red gold.  The watch is powered by an in house UR9.01 automatic movement with a 39 hour power reserve. In addition to the highly complex dial mechanism,  a small seconds sub dial, a day/night indicator and a highly unusual oil change service interval indicator is visible.

Azimuth Gauge Mecha - 1BF

The Azimuth Guage Mecha - 1BF evokes a nostalgia for those solid electronic toys of the eighties, which were big, bulky and colorful.  Those toys could handle a bash or two and did not break from the slightest manhandling.  The Azimuth we have here is crafted from the increasingly popular  super tough 316L stainless steel and like those old toys is solid as they come.  The Azimuth Signature case houses a highly reliable Self-Winding ETA 2836-2.  ETA movements are known as the "workhorses" of the watch industry and have a long standing record of time keeping efficiency.  The ETA 2836-2 has been reconstructed to display the hours on the disc; retrograde minutes beneath the BMF inscription and a  24 hours indicator.  The strap is rubber and the watch has a 5ATM water resistance.

I love the fact that Azimuth is not afraid to experiment with color.

Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain in Brilliant Blue

Greubel Forsey impeccable track record just keeps getting longer and longer with introductions of incredibly crafted timepieces.  The new Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain is heralded with royal blue placing this timepiece on a pedestal.  As with all Greubel Forsey timepieces, and the result of its success, is the companies attention to the scientific aspect of research. Greubel Forsey takes nothing for granted in the process of watchmaking - from idea to final product - but rather every step it is approached with careful scientific scrutiny.
I think the watch has a rather whimsical -almost childlike quality to it strongly reminding me of an Alain Silberstein timepiece - Click here for more info on Alain Silberstein.  The case is crafted from platinum, a metal which is gaining in popularity since it has become cheaper than gold but still holds the same prominence, and the movement is titanium - highly resilient, corrosion resistant and strong.

As a result of a sapphire crystal bridge, the tourbillon 24 seconds,  seems to be floating beneath a dreamy blue sky like some strange and wonderful air craft on a voyage.  The blue is a result of a complicated oxidation process.  The speed at which the tourbillon rotates is a matter of high intrigue. Most tourbillons - click here for more info - rotate at one revolution per minute, but the Greubel Forsey 24 Secondes tourbillon rotates in 24 seconds set at an incline of 25° thereby further reducing the effect of gravity on the oscillator.

Ludovic Ballouard A Twist on Time

Although Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down Watch was unveiled sometime in 2011, I felt I had to blog about its brilliant manipulation of the hour markers.  Ludovic Ballouard  uses a traditional analog dial with a twist.  All hour indices are upside down except for the current hour marker indicated with a single dot.  The minute hand and the small seconds hand at the 6 'o'clock maintains the staus quo.

The whiteness of the titanium dial; the deep blued steel of Arabic numerals  and hands;  a bezel of blinding platinum and solid platinum case exudes a flawless simple elegance.  However turning the watch over and viewing the case back, one is thrust into a complex world of gears and components shedding light on the actual complexity underlying the perception of simplicity. The manual winding movement is a modified Perseux 7001 caliber comprised of 228 pieces including the 12 Maltese crosses and the snail.

  The movement has a slight jumping hour feel to it, since the relevant hour jumps upright whilst the prior hour turns on its head; however in most jumping hour timepieces, only the relevant hour is displayed  via an aperture whilst in this patented Calibre B01 “Upside Down” complication all the hours are visible.  Since the watch is not automatic (self-winding) there is no rotor to mask the function of the brilliant mechanism on the back of the watch.  One must wind the hand engraved crown.

Other specifications include a power reserve of 40 hours; water resistance of 3ATM; hand stitched alligator strap with 950 platinum buckle and matching hand stitched travel pouch.

Romain Jerome Latest Edition to Titanic Tourbillon and DNA Collection

 Romain Jerome Chrono Tourbillon Limited Edition is immediately recognized by its steel oxidised bezel.  This bezel has become a signature standard for the DNA line.  The bezel is oxidized individually in water to achieve a unique bezel footprint  meaning no two Romain Jerome Bezels will have the same oxidisation pattern. The chronograph skeleton dial  frames three sub dials incorporating the tourbillon and chronograph readouts.  Three models of this watch will be available crafted in a steel case, a black PVD steel case or an 18k red gold case. But don't get the "gimmes I must have this watch" just yet  Only 9 of each model will be available and the price will run you from about 199,000 - 219,000 Swiss Francs. 

Although I love this watch I was kind of  hoping that Romain Jerome would release a Titanic 100 year commemoration timepiece, since it was exactly 100 years on April 15th, since the tragic disaster occurred. After all Romain Jerome has fashioned its watches with steel from the Titanic and has taken great lengths to fuse this history into the actual components of the watch. We'll just have to wait and see.