Icelink Mood: A Bloodcurdling Watch Collection

Peering at this watch, or rather the watch peering at me sends uncomfortable chills up my spine. It certainly is an Icelink eery collection: Icelink Mood. The bezel is fashioned to accentuate its markings, framing a dial of sinister creativity. Icelink has incorporated an innovation from its 6Timezone Snow collection: IceFuel©. It inspiration is drawn from the City of Angels - Los AngelesHowever, aside from the dial, my enchantment is with the gems that flow smoothly across the dial in gentle rhythm with ones motions. The dial is filled with a dense liquid called IceFuel©. The actual composition of IceFuel© is kept a secret, which makes the watch all the more mystifying.

Icelink is a gem watch brand based in Geneva.

New Hamilton Khaki Pilot

Hamilton has just released its new Khaki Pilot Watch; bold, easy to read indexes with hours displayed via its minutes. The seconds hand is affixed with an arrow head precisely indicating each passing second.

Large 46mm case is crafted from stainless steel or highly resistant black PVD. The Hamilton Khaki Pilot is powered by Swiss-made automatic 2836-2 movement which can be viewed through a transparent case back crafted from scratch resistant Sapphire crystal. Hands are coated in Super-LumiNova® enabling readability in dim murky light. This watch is also available in 42mm quartz. Watch straps are available in dark brown, black or gold Venezuela oiled leather strap with double holes or a metal bracelet. 100 meter water resistance adds to the sporty functionality of the watch.
The look of this watch is all out aviation, with a similar look to the IWC pilot, but having its own distinctive look. The rugged look portrays a sense of adventure whether in the air, on the ground or at sea.

Ride the Waves With Tissot Sailing Touch

The incentive for accurate time keeping stemmed from man's sea voyages where finding a precise timekeeping instrument was a matter of life and death. Man's struggle to determine longitude spanning four centuries, fueled the inventions of precise timekeepers. Timepieces which lost time, lost men at sea, as they were unable to calculate their location and wandered among invisible lines of longitude weaving in and out of degrees. The 1600's and 1700's were perilous. Fleets of ships' sent out by hungry sovereigns on world exploration and to trade silks and spices were unable to determine their location. Some found land, some were too late spilling their scurvy riddled sailers onto an unmarked shore, others wandered aimlessly 20 degrees off coarse, some sunk in dark unforgiving waters. On October 22, 1707, four British Men 'O War sank just off the Cornish Coast. 2000 men were lost. In 1714, The British Parliament , aggravated by this obviously needless catastrophe, passed the Longitude Act: A huge sum of money would be awarded to anyone who could invent a way to determine the precise longitude of a ship's location to within less than one degree. (R.Van Halem)

... 300 years later ...

TISSOT UNVEILS THE SAILING TOUCH

The Tissot Sailing Touch provides crucial weather information for seamen where rogue waves and squalls make sailing treacherous. A Tissot Sailing Touch is thus an extremely beneficial instrument for Functions unique to the Tissot Sailing Touch include an integrated histogram displaying the weather conditions of the previous six hours, as well as a barometer function for measuring relative air pressure. Another useful function for sailors is a calculator indicating the tides at the ports of destination. Simply touch the dial and all this information is available at ones fingertips.

Preparing for a regatta, then the Tissot Sailing Touch gives one definite advantage over the competition. The Tissot Sailing Touch is equipped with a countdown function via beeps and digital display for the crucial ten minutes prior to the race commencement. A host of other functions such as a function for measuring speed over a specified distance; compass; two alarms; two time-zones, a perpetual calender (accounts for leap years), and back lighting.

Dials to Die For.

Okay I admit the title is a bit extreme, but some dials are seriously happening. I was at this place just hanging around, and a gleam of iridescent blue caught my eye, and no, I had all my wits about me. The general illumination of the place was a shade darker than I would have it, but not too dim. A huddle of deeply conversing individuals were gesticulating wildly about some stock or other. Trying not to appear too obvious, I hovered on the edge of the group hoping to catch another glimpse of that blue. For a brief terrible moment I feared my luck had run dry, but then a gentleman ,in tweeds no less, raised is glass in a toast of some sort exposing his timepiece. My heart galloping in my chest, I leaped forward and grabbed his wrist (on second thought I probably should have used a bit more discretion).
He turned, startled, "Can I help you," he said frowning.
"I must see your watch," I said,yet again without much thought or discretion.
He lifted the sleeve of his jacket exposing a ULYSSE NARDIN MAXI MARINE CHRONOMETER. I should have known from afar, as Ulysse Nardin makes the most captivating blue dials, the hue no other company has captured like Ulysse Nardin.

I ogled at it, possibly drooling as well. Faintly I could hear poignant coughs from the group. I had, after all, disrupted their hearty conversation; however, the gentleman in the tweeds seemed quite charmed with my obvious watch infatuation. At one point he began to undo the pin buckle, but thought against it.

"You like it, huh?", he said quite smugly.

I nodded.

"Well I like it too." and with that he rolled down his jacket sleeve and continued his conversation.

I stumbled to my friends who gawked at me open mouthed.
"Did you just do that?" the dearest of my friends said.
"Yeah, I think so." I said
"OMG! I could just die from embarrassment?" Elsie said (hence the blog title)
"We're going," they all said and we left. Me casting a hopeful glance in the direction of the conversing men hoping to get one final look at Ulysse Nardin's iridescent blue.

KALPARISMA by Parmigiani Fleurier

The Kalparisma is a new luxury watch collection from Parmigiani Fleurier. Drawing on inspiration from its historical Kalpa form , the Kalparisma Collection is elegantly full of fun. The timepiece depicted above is by far my favorite - kind of resembles bubbling champagne. I can almost hear the slight sizzle as bubbles float to the surface and gently explode. Of course, the "bubbles" are 132 brilliant-cut diamonds.
A few things about this watch totally work for me; the elegant tonneau-shape case, slender lugs, 18k rose gold and the diamond speckles. Now don't assume the movement is quartz, it is actually an automatic movement with a 55 hour power reserve. The Parmigiani Fleurier's Calibre pF331 is specially redesigned to accommodate the Kalparisma's smaller size. Another remarkable feature in this particular model is the lovely 5 point star directly above the 6 o'clock marking the rhythm of the seconds .
I absolutely love when automatic movements are used in powering elegant ladies timepieces as most often you find a quartz movement. The watch face has tremendous appeal; indexes are rose gold applique, hands are delta shaped with luminous coating above a misty mother-of-pearl dial. Anti-reflective sapphire crystals on front and back protect the watch with exceptional scratch resistant quality.

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Omega Time

Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010 have begun: the scrape of steel on ice, the cold sharp air surrounding Olympians striving to be the best, to outrun the competition and go home with the gold. Being precisely fast, utilizing technique, stamina, muscle and something beyond that- an awe inspiring focus and energy stemming as much from the mind as the body, making champions. Often times, split seconds differentiate a gold from a silver; a moment undetected by the naked eye or the common watch, but precisely recorded by the Olympic Timekeeping abilities of Omega.
Omega is the Official Timekeepers at the Olympic Games and has been since Los Angeles 1932 Olympic Games and the 1936 Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, when a single Omega technician came to the games hauling 27 stopwatches. In the intervening years , from then till now, Omega's expertise in Olympic timekeeping has increased dramatically. At this years Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic games, Omega has 220 timekeeping professionals and engineers as well as 290 volunteers from the area. 250 tons of timekeeping equipment, on venue results and TV services culminating in the largest timekeeping effort in the history of winter sports.In commemoration of the Vancouver Olympics, Omega unveiled a Seamaster Professional 300m Vancouver 2010 Olympics Watch- limited edition of 2010 pieces. The bezel is red, the color of Canada's Maple leaf - the center of its flag. Aside from the looks, the timepiece is a certified chronometer , Caliber Omega 2500, equipped with Omega's renowned co-axial escapement technology. The watch sports a Helium escape valve and screw in crown which equips it for deep sea diving. The interior of the domed sapphire crystal is treated with anti-reflective, and coupled with the lume coated hand and hour markers ensure optimal readability even in environments of low visibility.

So, if by chance, you furrow your brow and wonder if in fact the American Bobsleigh Team was driving a more furious race than the Canadian Team, rest assured Omega has your back ,with its timekeeping excellence, and may the best man win.

A Timepiece That Puts You to Sleep.

Imagine a timepiece that enables you to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and wake up refreshed in the morning. Well you need not stretch your imagination too far as a collection of such timepieces do exist with proven results. The Philip Stein timepieces are incorporated with Natural Frequency Technology which is said to emit a frequency of 7-9 hertz, the chief resonance frequency of mother earth. A frequency -in the words of Philip Stein - "that is harmonious and grounding to life".
So how does it work? There are two types of delivery systems Philip Stein utilizes to deliver the natural frequency. The first is via a dual chip system using electro-magnetic frequencies originally marketed in conjunction with Teslar technology developed in 1986. The other delivery system ,introduced more recently, is the Natural Frequency technology delivered via a metal disk in the watch which has been infused with key frequencies in the propriety process. In both systems natural frequencies enter the body's biofield telling the body to relax thereby reducing stress and promoting a general sense of well being.
The latest study done by Dr. Micheal Breus, a board certified sleep specialist, in October 2009 focusing on sleep proved subjects who participated in the study reported falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer, dreaming more pleasant dreams and feeling more refreshed upon waking than if they had not worn the timepieces.

I must say I am a bit skeptical, but after reviewing the clinical study and listening to rave reviews about the watches, I think it is worth a try since it is 6am and I am blearily rubbing my eyes.

Basel 2010 Sneak Peak: Harry Winston

Project Z6 is the newest addition to Harry Winston's remarkable array of timepieces. The intriguing aspect of this watch ,as well as its Project's Z's predecessors, is the case material Zalium. Never heard of it? Well it is a zirconium-based alloy used exclusively by Harry Winston. Its name originates of `Z`irconium and `al`l`ium` lily. Zalium is much harder than titanium. It is also used in jet engines and surgical tools. The reason it is used so sparingly in the watch industry is that it is exceedingly difficult to work with and must be machined from an ingot. Harry Winston has developed a procedure to work with Zalium with remarkable success.
The latest success is Project Z6, a fine watch with the signature Harry Winston moldings on the bezel. The Project Z6 is equipped with a 24 hour alarm, a complication developed exclusively for Harry Winston. One needs only to set the alarm via the crown; the striking mechanism is activated by a trigger at the 4'o'clock. An aperture on the dial allows for optimal view of the hammer which is attached to the 44mm Zalium watch case. The resulting sound has a powerful resonance which is achieved by a solid rectangular gong. The hand wound mechanical movement has a 72 hour power reserve owing to two barrels, one for the movement and the other for the striking mechanism. The movement contains no less than 340 components, 45 jewels and hand chamfered bridges. The two overlapping off center sub dials are punctuated by vibrant blue and red markings; one displaying the time and one indicating the alarm mechanism. A double day/night indicator adds too, but does not clutter, the elegant dial which is protected by a sapphire crystal.