Girard-Perregaux Pays Tribute to JOHN "Longitude" HARRISON

Girard-Perregaux ww.tc John Harrison pays tribute to the monumental strides made by
JOHN "Longitude" HARRISON and his lifelong quest to find longitude.

A champlevé enamel dial displays John Harrison's son William's Atlantic Ocean route from Portsmouth, England, to Port Royal, Jamaica and back. This is the precise route traveled by John Harrison’s son William to test the reliability of the H-4 watch.
The incredible detail on the dial was achieved by first engraving the outline of the map on a plate of white gold and then filling it by hand with enamel in blue and varying shades of green. The dial is then baked in a 800°C furnace, cooled and subsequently polished. The route is silvered powder - silver being the choice of metal used in the making of pocket watches of that time. The dial is surrounded by a white ring displaying names of world cities in black and Portsmouth and Port Royal in blue. Skeletonized hands display the time. The GP caliber 033G0 automatic 41mm watch is crafted in 18k white gold. On the rotor, dates of the H4 sea voyage are engraved. The entire movement is visible via a sapphire crystal case back andaffixed to the watch with six screws.
Water resistant to 50 mm and having a power reserve of 46 hours, the 50 pieces limited edition Girard- Perregaux World Timer John Harrison timepiece is a wonderful tribute to a watchmaking genius who struggled to get the recognition he deserved for his great contributions made to timekeeping.

In 2008, I blogged about John Harrison in great detail, based on Dava Sobel's novel, and I am pleased to be able to refer back to the blog ...

Finding a precise timekeeping instrument was a matter of life and death.
Mans 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 sailors 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: £20,000 or in today's reckoning - £2.87 million 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.
Click here to read my post The Longitude Act of 1714. The desperate struggle for precision. An in depth review of Dava Sobel's novel - LONGITUDE

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona

No introduction necessary for Rolex. It is a watch brand synonymous with success particularly in the business and sporting arena.
A Rolex glinting below a starched cuff sleeve, hints at great achievements and a certain knowing that this man is the real deal. A Rolex is an image maker - no doubt about that - not to mention the infallible resale value. I once asked a business associate of mine the reason why he keeps buying Rolex's'. His answer was colored by the recent news of the terrible tornadoes and other natural disasters,
"Simple enough, " he said, "If anything happens, I will just strap the Rolex's all the way up each arm" I got his point. Quips aside, Rolex watches are definite security items, and I suppose one can say "One can never be too thin, too rich or own too many Rolexes."

Rolex heeds to the call of enthusiastic Rolex collectors by constantly unveiling newer more brilliant mouth watering models which sends the "I must have one" tingles up and down ones spine and ending in the tips of ones fingers. The most recent "I must have model" is the newest edition to Rolexes 1963 Cosmograph Daytona collection. The Cosmograph Daytona is closely linked to the exhilarating automobile racing sports and named after one of the most renowned speedway's in the world - the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. In fact Rolex sponsors the Rolex 24 at Daytona, which is a 24 hour race of endurance held every year around the last weekend of January.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona evokes a passion for racing and a passion for precision in its measuring. The Chronograph movement can measure periods of time within an 1/8th of a second and a highly readable tachometer is forged into the bezel. The bezel itself is a culmination of intense research and development by Rolex creating a unique monobloc black Cerachrom comprised of an advanced ceramic compound which is highly resistant too scratches, corrosion and fading. The bezel numerals and symbols on the bezel are not simply engraved, but actually a complicated chemical process accomplished by depositing a fine layer of pink gold utilizing a magnetron sputtering PVD process.

Beneath a dial sporting perfectly placed sub dials, lies a precise chronograph, which has successfully undergone all the rigorous testing achieving the award of Chronometer by the COSC. The calibre 4130 movement, introduced in 2000, contains a Rolex designed column wheel and vertical clutch. The calibre 4130 has become increasingly reliable and precise over the last decade by reducing complexity and enabling a smoother function, The calibre 4130 harbors a Parachrom hairspring, which is crafted from a cutting edge alloy able to entirely resist magnetic fields and is ten times more shock absorbent than the regular hairspring materials. The hairspring is equipped with a Breguet overcoil.

The aesthetics of the watch is highly pleasing to say the least. The warm rich chocolate brown of the dial accentuates the Gold Arabic Numerals and 18ct pink gold hands. An American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) black leather strap fastened by an 18ct Everose gold Oysterlock folding clasp equipped with a sturdy safety catch ensures your Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona won't go astray. Large enough to be noticed, and small enough to maintain noticeable discretion, the 40mm 18ct Everose gold case is sporty yet elegant. A Screw down case back with Rolex fluting and screw-down, Triplock triple waterproofness system ensures 100 meters water resistancy.
The Calibre 4130 automatic movement is wound by a Bidirectional perpetual rotor on ball bearings.
Dependable phosphorescent material fills the hour markers and hands enabling read outs in dark conditions.
Functions include chronograph capable of measuring up to an 1/8th of a second, 30 minute and 12 hour totalizers, Tachymeter, small seconds at 6 'o'clock and stop seconds for precise time settings allow for maximum time tracking benefits wrapped up in a package of great worth and high regard.

Artistic Dials

Dials emerge among complications, chronographs and sports watches, vibrant in color and baring works of art worthy of display in many a museums. These dials fuse mechanical craftsmanship with
artistic masterpieces creating horological wonders.

The Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Tourbillon Lac is an extraordinary example of the mastery of mother-of-pearl inlay resulting in a dreamy landscape. The rocky outcrops surrounded by swirling colors are perfectly crafted pieces of mother-of-pearl originating from all the oceans of the world. At the 12 'o clock position, a tourbillon ensures gravity does not hinder the watch's impeccable timekeeping.





Cartier's Le Cirque Animalier Collection captures three dimensional bejeweled animals and contains them within the finest enclosures constructed from hand picked gems. Scratch resistant sapphire crystal ensures the utmost viewing pleasure and
incomparable clarity.








Alain Silberstein adds vibrant primary colors to his dials creating child-like images like pages from an infants hard board book. The Tourbillon D’Art Marine Blue Sea with its congenial date pointing star fish, maritime themed hand indicators and flustered looking fishy is wonderfully unique. Not to be swayed by the preschool presentation, a meticulously crafted tourbillon hides beneath the reeds.







Dimier, a sub brand of Bovet, presents recital 2. In this attractive timepiece flames lick the dial in dramatic curves cut out from the dial to display the Calibre DT7 movement beneath.

Magnificent dials nurture passion for timepieces, and nurture the passion for the movement that lies beneath.

An H for Hermès

Stately and elegant, the Hermès H our timepiece accentuates the lugs and bezel by boldly merging them into the shape of an H. Since 1996, the H design ,brainchild of Philippe Mouquet, proudly sports the letter representing the Hermès brand itself, and its distinguished presence in the world of Horology. The new H our collection still bares the signature bezel, but the new collection will frame a slightly different dial. The change is subtle yet distinct. The numeral on the left and right of the dial, are placed on their sides, facing inwards towards the dagger shaped hour and minute hands. The numerals above and below the dial are upright. Diamonds replace numbers, in some models, save for the bold 12 'o'clock numeral.

The watch is presented with a simple tool, which enables a change of strap to match the wearers mood. Two straps accompany the watch, an alligator and calfskin strap , and a Jacquard woven silk strap in a attractive herringbone motif. The silk strap comes in an array of exquisite color combinations, such as navy blue and black, taupe and ebony, bright red and Hermès red or ecru and dark beige.

For the very first time, the dial is available for men in a larger 32.2 mm x 32.2 mm size. This automatic mechanical timepiece is distinguished from the quartz version by a seconds hand and a date aperture at the 6 'o'clock position.

Movado Bold. Good For Movado. Good For You

Movado Bold is Movado's watch collection of today.
Looking at these watches, it comes as no surprise why these watches are gaining popularity.

The watches are bright and fun and really really affordable. They are calling for the younger generation... and the younger generation are a coming.
Movado took its "dot at the top" (I always love using Nathan George Hewitt's original name for this dial) Museum Dial and jazzed it up a bit. I like classical Movado Museum Watches, but I always felt they were a bit overbearing and slightly formal for the jeans and T shirt kind of guy. I mean, picture a Movado Museum Watch on a college student wearing a baseball cap, T shirt and flip flops, it just doesn't look right. I mean a Movado Museum Watch is a suit and tie kind of watch worn by people who are doctors or lawyers or professors or real estate agents.

The new vibrant Movado Bold Collection is modern, fun and just plain cool. This is a real "now generation watch".

The watches are crafted from a plastic polymer - pretty tough and resilient- or aluminum. The dots at the top are bold and colorful, but still highly recognizable as a Movado Watch.
The dials have different textures, but no numbers. As Nathan George Hewitt had said when he first patented the dial in the 1950's - he did not want numbers cluttering the dial.
The Movado Bold's are available in 36mm for around $295 and the larger 42mm watches are available for $325 - $350. Movado Bold is also available in Chronograph. There are so many different colors and patterns to choose with black or white leather straps. (I would love to see these in rubber straps), the chance of a favorite is a definite possibility. These watches make great graduation gifts.

Movado kept its basic Museum Watch design as it has been a Movado signature dial for years and years, and redecorated it. This bold move added to the recovery of Movado Group Inc's lagging sales from the past couple years. In a report just released by PR Newswire it stated,

" Net sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 increased 16.7% to $78.9 million compared to $67.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2010"

Efraim Grinberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are very pleased with our top-line growth of 25% for the quarter, excluding sales of excess discontinued product last year. Our performance reflects improvement in the U.S. retail marketplace, as consumer demand began to increase and retailers return to normalized buying patterns in order to replenish their inventory levels. Additionally, we are pleased with the strong performance of our licensed brands as they continue to be very well received in the market. We are making progress in more strongly positioning our brands and enhancing our connection with consumers with the goal of maximizing our competitive advantage and gaining market share. We remain confident in the power of our iconic brands and in our ability to increase both our top- and bottom-line performance overtime"

Movado Group is the parent company of: Movado, Ebel, Concord, esq by Movado, Hugo Boss Watches, Coach Watches, Juicy Couture Timepieces, Lacoste Watches, Tommy Hilfiger Watches

Omega Sights Set on Co-Axial Movement for All its New Watches

Omega's Co-axial movement is about to become the movement of choice for ALL new Omega watches. Omega has finally shaken the co-axial skepticism from the watch world that accompanied the introduction of this movement 12 years ago.
"The co-axial movement was launched 12 years ago and people were laughing at us then, " recollects Omega's president Stephen Urquhart.

Omega has researched and refined its original co-axial movement, and has unveiled an improved co-axial 9300/9301 calibre. Omega is confident with the co-axial 9300/9301 calibre movement, and plans to install a co-axial movement in every new Omega timepiece with an ultra precise and low maintenance co-axial movement.

One of the first co-axial recipients is the Speedmaster Chronograph: The Omega Co-axial Chronograph, which will house either a caliber 9300 or caliber 9301.
So what is the difference between the two?
As you can see (right image), the 9301 calibre is the higher end movement based on the types of metal used such as an 18k gold rotor, balance bridge and attractive blackened screws, balance wheel and barrels. The 9300 caliber is as efficient and low maintenance, but is be crafted predominantly from steel. Although the longevity of the calibre 9300 or 9301 has not yet been proven, the co-axial success as been proven by the calibre 8500.

So what makes a co-axial movement more efficient and less prone to wear and tear then other mechanical movement? Why is this movement gaining the reputation as one of the most influential watch technological advancements of our day?

The Omega Co-axial movements incorporate George Daniels’ Co-Axial escapement, and was designed from scratch. Leaping from the reliance of decades-old movement bases, escapements and winding mechanisms. The innovative twin barrels are covered by a diamond-like carbon coating, which increases longevity. Omega has created milestones in metallurgy in order to reduce friction, increase longevity, improve accuracy and heighten resilience. Other innovations include: Automatic winding system reversers equipped with ceramic bearings; a unique gearing system which enhances efficiency along the entire gear train; tri-level co-axial system (right inset) and a Si14 silicon balance. All these unique innovative ingredients serve to create a watch with excellent performance.

Another Co-axial recipient is the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean, and this new diving watch has given the movement quite a pad. This new model is a whopping 45.50 mm in diameter and colorful too. The bright orange bezel stands out like an ocean buoy, accentuated by orange ringed pushers. Handy two register subdials and a chronograph subdial (3 'o'clock), and accentuated bold hands and hour markers are placed to ensure maximum visibility when most needed.

The 45.5mm Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Titanium Liquid Metal sports a stunning a blue dial and equipped with a Calibre 8500, which is housed in a titanium case. This has got to be one of the most handsome watches I have seen in a long time. The blue liquidmetal bezel surrounds a perfectly simple dial with hour markers coated in white super-LumiNova which emits a blue light. The minute hand glows green, as well as the diving dot on the bezel. I love the use of two different luminescent colors, which enhances read out clarity in murky conditions. The blue rubber strap compliments the dial and bezel color. This model is also available with a titanium bracelet. I have a feeling this watch will very fast become a coveted collectors item.
Drum Roll Please .............. Presenting the Omega De Ville Hour Vision Skeleton Platinum Limited Edition... and what a vision it is. Where shall I begin?
Only 88 timepieces will be available for $48,000. The Hour Vision Skeleton is powered by a co-axial calibre 8404 with silicon balance springs. Omega has a achieved an alluring modern look by keeping the skeletonization simple with clean lines. Hour markers divide rings which encircle the dial without detracting from the continuity. The Omega symbol seems to be suspended above movement, taking rightful credit for the alluring silicon spring balance, 18k carat gold skeletonized rotor, and the redness of the rubies add dashes of color to the metals of the movement. The 41mm Hour Vision case is crafted from platinum, and allows for one to view the movement from the sides as well as the back and front.

All of Omega's mechanical watches will now be synonymous with a co-axial movement. Although the newer co-axial versions ,Caliber 9300 and 9301, have not had the time to test for longevity, the Omega co-axial movements have proven themselves again and again.

Chanel J12 Chromatic Ceramic Titanium Built Tough

Just by looking at the Chanel J12 Chromatic Ceramic Titanium watch, one can see this watch is crafted from some seriously sturdy stuff. The luster has a curious shimmer, the like of which I have never seen before. The name suggests some type of Ceramic Titanium blend - a suggestion of metallurgy advancements. Chanel spent hours of research and development, and finally came up with a material that was actually a titanium and diamond powder combined with a ceramic compound mixture achieving an intriguing metallic .
The watch is predominantly ceramic, an extremely hard and resilient material with high scratch resistance.
Rado is the company that first began experimenting with the hardiness of ceramic, for example one of the techniques they use is adding a layer of treated crushed diamond to the layer of ceramic thereby making the watch as hard as diamond. Ceramics, being tough an inexpensive, is now all the rage, and more watch companies such as Fossil and Michael Kors are utilizing this material more than ever. In addition many people who have metal allergies opt to use hypoallergenic ceramic instead.
Click here to read more about Rado and its vision.

The J12 Chromatic Ceramic Titanium encompasses 7 models catering to men and women including a smaller 33 mm model featuring a Quartz movement ; a 38 mm and 41 mm sporting automatic movements with round or baguette-cut diamonds.