Tuesday, June 22, 2010

10 Year Anniversary of de GRISIGONO's first Collection

At, Baselworld 2000 we were spoiled to the sighting of the first de GRISOGONO collection : InstrumentoUno. Now unmistakable by its sleek bold design. In commemoration of this, Fawaz Gruosi, founder and chairman of de GRISOGONO, has unveiled a trendy colorful take on its original collection. A vibrant aquamarine watch band fashioned from Galuchat, shark or stingray skin first used in luxury watch making by de GRISIGONO, compliments the matching hour numerals and the elegant band of paraiba tourmalines (aquamarine gems).
If you notice the watch band is bumpy - these bumps are calcified papillae called "placoid scales otherwise known as Denticles and are small outgrowths which cover the skin of many cartilaginous fish such as sharks and sting rays. In watch straps the placoid scales are polished down until the denticles are rounded and pearl like.
De Grisogono has taken the natural texture of the Galuchat and enhanced it with exceptional colors and polishing, creating a timepiece where the strap commands as much attention as the watch.
The iconic InstrumentoUno dial sports a a dual time zone display and a large date display in the 7:35 position. Beneath the sleek dial lies a premium automatic movement.
Once again, de GRISIGONO has swept watch lovers off their feet in another remarkable vision of perfection.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Richard Mille and Tennis Champion Rafael Nadel Launches the Tourbillon RM027 - One of the Lightest Watches Ever.

Back in May, Richard Mille celebrated the partnership with 24 year old Tennis Champion Rafael Nadel with the Launch of the Tourbillon Watch RM 027. Wimbledon begins tomorrow and Rafael Nadel will enter the court wearing the RM 027.
In regard to his partnership Rafael said,
"It is an honor for me that someone like Richard has chosen me as one of his ambassadors. Since the moment we met there was a special feeling. I know that has worked very hard to create this special watch. I am honored and I am sure it will be a special and successful partnership."

Weighing in at just 20g (without the lightweight strap) the RM 027 is specially designed so as not to add any extra weight to Rafael's wrist. Thus the RM027 has achieved a remarkable feat of becoming one of the lightest watches ever produced.


The watch is equipped with a tourbillon, in invented in 1795 by French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, a century after Newton defined gravity. Breguet reasoned that as a result of the constant position of the vertical position of the pocket watch, the balance spring is confounded by the effect of gravity effecting the accuracy of the watch. This error could be compensated with a tourbillion whereby the escapement, balance wheel, and balance spring is placed in a rotating carriage which turns once per minute on its own axis. It seems not only does the tourbillon defy the effects of gravity, but the watch as well, by weighing a mere 20 grams.
Richard Mille reduced the weight with absolutely no reduction of efficiency and accuracy. Richard Mille worked in close collaboration with Rafael Nadel while developing the RM 027. During his training sessions, Rafael wore the RM027 testing its weight and accuracy and will now wear it to his tennis matches.

This watch is a break through design on may levels: First, I have always advised not to wear a luxury watch during high impact sports like tennis ,where the wrist makes abrupt extreme movements, as the movement may not be able to withstand the shock and thereby become damaged; however the RM027 is super shock absorbent and the movement not be damaged during the match.

Secondly, the watch is extremely lightweight even with the tourbillon complication.

A remarkable design, and what better man to wear the watch than Rafael Nadel, who has won the French open, his fifth title in six years at Roland Garros and who is overtaking long time Tennis great, 29 year old Roger Federer. Nadal has beaten Federer 14 of the 21 times they have met, including six of the last seven matches. Although Federer has a long list of tennis victories, it seems Nadel has just begun to warm up, and 2010 Wimbledon is the perfect arena to achieve greatness.
The RM027 is Richard Mille's victory, and the perfect companion to a competitor striving for the Wimbledon title.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Listen Up FIFA! The First Watch Movement to Measure Football Time

Amid the zzzzizzing (Yes I know its not a word!) from the vuvuzelas, crowds pack Soccer City and other stadiums beneath the glorious electric blue of the South African sky to witness soccer history - FIFA World Cup 2010.
Although it is Hublot, who is the official timekeeper of the FIFA World Cup 2010, it is Ebel who has crafted the only watch specifically designed for the sport. Ebel has created the first proprietary movement to track football match time. The in-house caliber 245 chronograph movement measures match half times and code named "245" standing for 2 times 45 minutes - even capable of tracking over time. A large 45 minute counter situated at the 12 'o'clock position measures elapsed time while the small disc at the 6 'o'clock position displays hours in periods of 45 minutes. The revolutionary football movement will be housed in Ebel's 1911 Tekton case A signature football shaped oscillating weight is personalized with the football clubs insignia will be viewable via a scratch resistant sapphire crystal case-back as well as the number of the watch in its limited division. The skeleton construction ; alternating satin brushed and polished finishing plus chamfering present a timepiece that is both sporty and elegant. A combination most often hard to achieve. Ebel is passionate about football and is devoted to achieve the honor of becoming the official timing partner of a leading football team in each major market in Europe.

Ebel
will be quite selective, only including successful, admired and prestigious football clubs. The creme de le creme of soccer. As in timekeeping, Ebel is looking for teams unparalleled excellence. To date Ebel has already chosen six clubs and in their honor has crafted watches representing their name. All Watches sport a Automatic COSC certified Ebel Calibre 245 movement housed in a 48.50mm case. The Dial is protected by a scratch resistant sapphire crystal with anti reflective treatment on both sides, thus if the sun is high over the stadium one can still view the dial without the sun reflecting off the crystal.

1) Rangers Football Club or "Light Blues" a Scottish premier Club- won more major trophies than any other football club in the world.
Home Turf: Ibrox Stadium, Glascow Scotland.
Distinctive Rangers Watch Features: Dial is Silver Skeleton baring 12 applied indexes. The band is deep blue alligator with white stitching matching the blue and white colors of the club. Limited Edition of 150 pieces.

2) Real Madrid Club de Fútbol or better knows as just Real Madrid is the most successful team in Spanish Football and was voted by FIFA as being the most successful club of the 20th century having won a record 31 La Liga titles, 17 Spanish "Copa del Ray" Cups, eight Spanish Supercups, one Eva Duarte Cup, a record nine European Cups, two UEFA Cups, one UEFA Supercup, three Intercontinental Cups. It is little wonder why Ebel has added Real Madrid to its repertoire of outstanding football clubs.

Distinctive Real Madrid Watch Features include a brushed titanium case with singly piece crystal/bezel construction. Dial is black skeleton with 12 applied indexes. Black alligator band with gray stitching. Limited edition of 500 pieces. Yellow, white, blue accents on the dial matches the colors of the clubs crest.
3) Arsenals Football Club or if you prefer "The Gunners" based in Holloway, North London plays in premier league and is recognized as one of the most successful clubs in English Football winning 13 first division Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups and achieving the feat of holding the record for the longest uninterrupted period in the English top flight and are the only side to have completed a Premier League season unbeaten.
Arsenals Distinctive Watch Features: Case Material is Stainless Steel with a band of deep blue with white stitching. The silver skeleton dial has 12 applied indexes. This watch too has anti reflective treatment on both sides of its sapphire crystal. The colors on the watch reflect the gold, red and blue of "The Gunners" crest. Limited edition of 350 pieces.

4) Olympique Lyonnais sometimes refereed to as just OL is a Fench Football club based in Lyon. and is one of the most popular football clubs in France. Not surprisingly it is also one of the most successful, the 21st century being. In 2002, the club won their first ever Ligue 1 championship, which began a national record-breaking streak of seven successive titles. Lyon has also won a record 7 Trophee des Champions, four Coupe de France totles and 3 Ligue 2 Championships as well as many other successes doing better in the 21st Century than ever before. The watch Ebel has chosen to represent this Football Club sports a Titanium and black coated steel case; black alligator band with blue lining and blue stitching, sapphire crystal with the anti reflective treatment. The blue, red and white accentuations represent the colors of the French Flag, the colors on the logo, and the teams colors. Limited to 250 pieces.

5) FC Bayern Munich or better known in Germany as: Fußball-Club Bayern München). It is a highly successful German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is the most successful club in German football, having won 22 German titles and no less than 15 cups.
Distinctive FC Bayern Munich watch features include an attractive sporty techno fiber band; black steel case, black skeleton dial with 12 applied indexes and anti reflective treatment on both sides of the sapphire crystal. The complete black of the watch represents the Clubs "away colors"

6) Ajax - Amsterdamsche Football Club - is the professional football club from Holland, Netherlands. Ajax is a remarkable success story- a two time winner of the FIFA Club World Cup; 4 time European Cup Winner; Ajax is historically one of the most successful clubs of the world; according to the IFFHS, Ajax were the seventh most successful European club of the 20th century. The club is one of the five teams that has earned the right to keep the European Cup and to don a multiple-winner badge.
Distinctive Ajax watch features a black techno fiber band with white stitching, silver skeleton dial accentuated with red and black representing both the "home" and "away" colors of the team as well as the colors of the club logo which depicts of the Greek hero Ajax drawn with a mere eleven lines to symbolize the eleven players of a football team.
The watch is only available in a limited edition of 150 pieces.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Hublot King Power Commemorates Mexico's 200th Anniversary

All decked out in the Mexican National Colors, Hublot KING POWER commemorates the 200th anniversary of Mexico's independence. Engraved on the case back is the famous "Bell of Dolores". The bell priest Miguel Hidalgo y Castillo rang, on September 16, 1810 in his small town of Doloes Guanajuato. to encourage his people of Mexico to liberate themselves from 300 years of Spanish ruling.
4 days later, the Mexican People heeded his call and hence the Battle of Guanajuato. It took another 10 years of revolting for Mexico to finally become independent on September 27, 1821.
Hublot is paying tribute to those early days where passion for liberty rose above all.
The vibrant rich forest green hands and number indicators as well as the deep red red counter bridges and red minute tracks exudes this passion. Surrounding the dial is a micro-blasted black ceramic bezel with molded black rubber. Punctuating the bezel is 6 relief black PVD H-shaped titanium screws - a signature of Hublot. Highly resilient black composite resin make up the bezel lugs and lateral inserts. SuperLumonova coats the hands and counters enabling the wearer to discern the time in the dark.
A Hublot Calibre HUB4201 automatic movement comprising of 252 pieces and 27 jewels creates optimal precision. The "King Power" is water resistant to 100m and has a 42 hour power reserve.
Black Ceramic "King Power" has a limited edition of 150 watches and King Gold is limited edition 50 pieces.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Raymond Weil Freelancer Black 8 Watch

Raymond Weil's newest edition to its freelancer mechanical collection is a watch baring grace and sensuality. The figure 8 punctuated with 12 diamonds emblazon the black guilloché dial with a sense of infinity. A slender ring of diamonds frame the watch enhancing the symbol within. Crafted from polished and brushed steel, this 38 mm case harbors an automatic mechanical movement of exceptional quality and extreme precision. The top half of the figure 8 is open displaying a fitted balance and its brilliant ruby. Bold hands indicate the time.

Raymond Weil is renowned for its technical expertise and perfection. In addition Raymond Weil watches as exquisite and technically advanced as they are, are still within the budget of an affordable watch. A large selection of Raymond Weil watches are under $1000 making them a great gift. Raymond Weil was one of the first companies to mix gold and steel, a fusion still popular today. If you are looking for a luxury watch, Raymond Weil watches are an excellent affordable way to go.