Peering at the Harry Winston Opus XIII, I feel as if I am being drawn into an horological vortex. Staring into the depths of its geometric design, I feel a sense of hypnotic unreality washing over me.
"Wow!", I exude with an exhilaration in the face of excellence. "Wow!" Emotions give way to a curiosity of mechanical function. "How does this timepiece work? In what way is time displayed? What is the manner of the movement? With what materials is this masterpiece made? The questions whirl in my head like tumbleweed in a Texan dust storm.
Of the maker of this timepiece, Harry Winston commissioned a master: Ludovic Ballouard. You may be familiar with his brilliant "Upside Down' Complication - whereby all hours are upside down except for the current hour - read more about it here
Time display does seem a tad complicated, as hands and indices look like the makings of a complicated psychological test. However time display as complicated as it may seem, is powered by a movement of extreme complication and complexity. The time display utilizes 59 pivoting minute hands and 11 rotating triangular hour indices. A trapdoor where hours and minutes are as fleeting as time itself add to the hypnotic dimension of the Opus XIII.
An 18k white gold case of 44.25mm in diameter and 13.6 mm in diameter house the manual winding mechanical movement of 364 parts. 242 jewels ensure smooth transitions of motion. Each pivoting minute hand is secured by a steel shaft and two ruby bearings. The balance wheel swings at 21,600 vph - an excellent frequency for a mechanical movement. 35 hours of power reserve enables one to forgo a day of winding. As this watch is not an automatic, winding is required manually at the crown and their is no rotor inhibiting the view of the complex mechanics revealed by a sapphire crystal case back.
The dial is displayed beneath a faceted sapphire crystal dome creating a magical effect. Polished, rhodium plated minute and five-minute hands are differentiated by black and white transfer for the minutes and black and red for the five minutes. The 59 pivoting minute hands rotate at 40-degrees. Hours are represented by 11 polished, rhodium plated triangular shapes which rotate at 180-degrees to point to the correct hour. At the end of every hour, an outer hour ring moves forward simultaneously drawing in the "old" hour beneath the faceted dome at the dial center. Only 11 hour hands and 59 minute hands are required , as at noon and midnight the time display is only represented by an“HW” logo revealed at the center of the watch.
The 18k white gold bezel is emblazoned with Harry Winston at the 12 'o'clock and Opus XIII at the 6 'o'clock.
Fastened securely between 18k white gold lugs, a supple hand sown black alligator strap is secured by an 18k white gold folding buckle. The Opus XIII is water resistant to 30 meters.
If your heart desires an attractive and magically charming display of time, take heed, the Opus XIII is limited to 130 pieces world wide. The price remains under wraps, but I have a hunch it will be well into the five figure range.
G-Shock, the popular hip hop sensation watch, has turned 30. To commemorate this event G-shock has unveiled its highly resilient and shock absorbent DW-6900 model in metallic.
Often Commemorative timepieces celebrating the highly popular collections are unveiled in platinum like Audemars Piguet timepiece celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Royal Oak Collection.
So I think it is quite relevant for the G-shock, which is not a high end watch, to issue commemorative timepieces in Lustrous Metallic Silver - not platinum in worth, but celebratory non-the-less. The watch will be in limited edition of a mere 5000 pieces. This may sound like quite a large amount for an anniversary limited edition - but due to Casio G-Shock immense popularity, 5000 pieces is a drop in the ocean. Of course if you are in attendance at BaselWorld, you will come upon its 23 foot likeness entrenched in the rugged metallic wall of Casio's booth.
The Casio G-Shock has been spotted on quite a few celebs such as Eminem, Chris Martin from Coldplay, Justin Bieber and Lil Wayne.
Casio G-Shock's are everywhere. With proven resilience and shock absorbance, Casio G-Shock has provided the look of the modern hip-hop generation.
This collection has been subjected to all kinds of mutations like this iced out pink thing. Not my cup of tea - but then again with a certain outfit - it could work.
Let us toast to Casio G-Shock's prolific accomplishments over the past 30 thirty years.
Mark, CEO of ZULUTIMEZONE - your one stop shop for excellent watches - informed me of a highly popular brand of watches which were selling like hot cakes. So I decided to do a bit of research on my own - trying to determine the mark of popularity. I discovered Vintage Squale Diving Watches are so coveted, they barely skim the list before being snatched up. "Squale watch forums" boasting newly purchased Squale Watches are spreading around the net like wildfire.
After looking into Squale Watches I could see what all the fuss is about. Squale are Professional Diving Watches which have proved their reliability, accuracy and resilience beneath the ocean. There heyday began back in the sixties and seventies when world champion divers and spear fishers donned the watches at the 1967 Cuban Spearfishing Championships using the watches to keep track of time beneath the ocean.
Squales foundation began in the early 1950's. Charles and Hélène Von Büren established the watchmaking company, von Buren SA in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Charles Von Bürenhad loves diving and the sea. He realized there were no watches companies exclusively dedicated to professional diving. He produced the watches under the Squale Brand - The name means "Shark" His daughter ,Monique, was one of his most valued watch testers and she became an excellent diver and a marine biologist. Van Buren registers Squale as its company trademark and receives its first patent for the construction of a diving watch case. In the 1960's the Squale logo appeared on more and more of the watches he produced. In 1967 Squale Watches became synonymous with Von Buren. ( The "VON" logo is still emblazoned on the screw down crown of the current models of the Saquale watches).
Squale and Von Buren sponsored many sporting events. They were the main sponsoring partner for Maria Giuliana 'Jolly' Treleani (triple record holder and apnea world champion in 1965/1966/1967).
As a further testament to their reliability in adverse conditions they were purveyors in the 80s/90s for the paratroopers of the Folgore Italian Sub as well as the Italian Navy.
At the end of the 1960's, Squale introduced the first 1000 meter divers watch which did not require a Helium Valve. This new innovation was released just a few years after Rolex introduced the Helium Valve to the market.
Squale 1000 M Blue Professional Swiss Automatic Divers Watch
The helium valve enables divers who operate at great depths and spend prolonged hours under extreme pressure breathing a mix like trimix containing gases such as helium (tiny molecules) or hydrogen (smallest molecules found in nature) to release the helium molecules that have worked their way through the o-rings or other seals. The helium and hydrogen molecules cause no damage when the watch is at great depths under pressure but as soon as the diver resurfaces, a pressure difference occurs between the trapped gas(es) inside the watch case and the surrounding air. This can cause the crystal to pop off damaging the watch thus the helium valve is a crucial edition to diving watches enabling the diver to release the gas build up and restore equilibrium. However the Helium valve requires the construction of a extra hole in the case which may, if damaged, can significantly decrease water resistance.
Squale Watches invented a double flexible gasket for the crystal which eradicated the need for the Heluim Valve as the double flexible gasket evened out the pressure. This system ensured that there were no trapped Helium molecules trapped beneath the crystal and no danger of the glass popping off once the diver resurfaces. In addition the double gasket ensures excellent water resistance.
One can still purchase a Squale Diving Watch with this technique at ZULUTIMEZONE.COM in the current 101 Atm (2002 series) models. The incredibly successful double flexible gasket proves to be better than the Helium valve as there is no hole built into the case.
In addition the scratch resistant sapphire crystal at 3.5 mm is extra thick
Squale Professional Divers Watch was used by record setting 100 meter free diver, Jacques Mayol. He set many world records including a 105 meter free dive at 56 years old. He was an intriguing person who pushed the limits of human capabilities with intense physiological and mental training through utter relaxation and yoga. A French national born on April 1st, 1927 Shanghai China, Jacques Mayol, developed a passion for the ocean and a fascination with dolphins. He became quite attached to Clown, a female dolphin, he met while working as a commercial diver at an aquarium in Miami Florida. He imitated her and learned how best to maneuver beneath the water. He contributed immeasurably to the free-diving or apnea sport - diving on a single breath without the use of any sort of breathing equipment. His life is documented in a wonderful film, The Big Blue, directed by award winning French film director, writer and producer - Luc Besson. Squale watches are highly featured in this movie as they are known for their superior resilience in adverse environmental conditions.
Since timing is an issue of life and death in apnea sport, a reliable divers watch is a critical necessity. Squale Diving Watches boast many features specifically designed to stand up to the pressure and adverse conditions of a sub aquatic environment. Most Squale Professional Diving Models sport the features below. To verify if a particular model suits your needs, visit easy to read interface and exceptional watch feature detail enable you to precisely determine the which watch is for you.
The growth in the watch industry is unprecedented and no where is it as apparent as the largest World Watch and Jewelry Show. Running from April 25th to May 2nd, 2013 1,800 companies converge on Basel, Switzerland to showcase their wares. In response over 100,000 visitors including buyers and specialists from the retail and wholesale trade, 3,300 journalists and the interested will pour into the halls to survey the current in trends, latest in fashion and avant-garde creations.
This expansive show covers no less than 106,000 square meters of exhibition.
Omega Ladymatic Basilworld 2013 Hall 1.00
From well known watch brands like Breguet, Blancpain, Corum, Movado, Rolex, Tag Heuer and Omega showcasing in Hall 1.00 to less known, but nevertheless well regarded brands like Vulcain, Ritmo Mundo, Romain Jerome and Edox in hall 1.1 and more fashion brand oriented watches like Kenneth Cole, Juicy Couture, Guess, Anne Klein and Tommy Hilfiger watches as well as Invicta in Hall 1.2. Hall 2.0 are predominantly brands I have never heard of or heard of in passing - many of which are located in non-European countries. Here you will find Itay Noy (Israel); Momodesign (Italy); Obaku Denmark; Quantum (Turkey); Georgi Sabounjian (Lebanon); Longio (China); Danish Design (The Netherlands); ans a sprinkling of relatively unknown Swiss Companies as well as gem, packaging and promotional press stands. In hall 2.1 houses the jewelry enthusiasts and in Hall 2.2 is a mixture of
everything. For beautiful gems and antique jewelry do not miss Hall 3.0 and 3.1. Hall 4.0 is filled to the brim with a variety of jewelry and watch companies. Hall 4.1 will please you with a delightful collection of children's wristwatches - a growing trend and other delightful trinkets.
Arnold & Son Time Pyramid Baselworld Palace
Hall 4U is a watchmakers must with companies showcasing essential equipment required for watch and jewelry manufacturing. Those showcasing their products in the prior halls must make time to view the latest in testing technologies, production machinery, computer software and interesting alloys.
The Palace houses some of my most favorite brands pushing the envelope of mechanical mastery.
De Buthene so vibrant in my mind for its iridescent hues of blues; HYT - the only hydro mechanical horologist I know; Konstantin Chaykin - A Russian watchmaker of incredible skill; MB & F - need I say more; Speake Marin - watches finished with immeasurable grace as well as Urwerk sporting an originality of movement .
deLaCour unveils CITY CADET II "SUN AND LOVE", a vibrant watch fueled by love and sun. The dial is flamboyant no doubt, the sun's glittering rays pouring over a gleaming almost pulsating heart. I have a feeling this baby stole the show - among the ladies - at deLaCour's January 21st-25th launch of its new collections. The watch was in great company though, sharing the stage with Bichrono Rafaga, City Leap and an exclusive preview of the Tourbillon reflect.
Our lady in question has slimmed down a bit from its contemporaries in the CITY collections. This new look provides the dazzling timepiece with a more slender appearance while still maintaining a curvaceous figure. Dimensions of 42 x 41 x 12 mm provide a bold placement on wrist. However it is not merely dimensions that draw eyes to watch but a striking combination of rose gold emblazoned with diamonds extending from bezel to lugs surrounding a dial of the deepest black. The blackness of dial is a well chosen backdrop to the vibrant red gems outlining its heart and diamonds set as a shimmering sun. Sun and heart serve the function as a dual time zone powered by an in house automatic DC 251. A day and date are located at the 3 'o'clock position.
deLaCour is a relatively new watchmaking company unveiling its first Bichrono collection at Baselworld 2003. deLaCour is the success of three highly skilled individuals: CEO Alfred Terzibachia, Designer, Pierre Koukjian and Louai Kuzbari - Financier/CFO. In the last ten years, the company has unveiled a remarkable number of limited edition timepieces catering to stylistic preferences of individuals. They have adopted the slogan "since tomorrow" - a very clever phrase for a watch company with a bright future.
I asked Yvan Arpa, what prompted him to create a watch where gears and wheels are presented upon bezel and dial, and he said,"
"I wanted the gears to take over and make more than just making them work the movement, so I let them invade the dial the bezel."
I like the idea that this is a sort of watch movement invasion, as if the gears and cogs are tired of being cooped up within a case and invade the dial with unbridled enthusiasm.
Although the gears and cogs and wheels are not in motion, the artistic and calculated placement of every single component on bezel and dial creates an incredible suggestion of the mechanics of a timepiece and the passage of time.
The gears on the outside of the watch hints at a world's first in automatic movement beneath: A triple non- circular gear as the oscillating mass. This innovative feat in mechanical mastery can only be achieved by highly skilled watch makers like Yvan Arpa, the owner of Artya and newly appointed COO of Jacob & Co.
At every Geneva Time Exhibition, I always discover a brand that has ne'er crossed my path. This years treasure trove was that which belonged to an intriguing Swiss watchmaker Micheal Jordi. Once I discover the watchmaker or brand they become part of my horological horizon - always scanning for a new development. I find myself on a quiet evening thinking, I wonder whats up with that company or I have not heard much of this company lately, and then I peruse around the net and discover I have missed a milestone or two.
Well Michel Jordi has entered my radar so let us see what a Michel Jordi creation is all about! In an instant I notice a unique almost baroque feel to the watches, exuding vivid colors of extraordinary flamboyance, but then I notice a definite Eastern dimensions to the decor coupled with exquisite mechanical know how. This is not some wannabee watch company which feigns shallow uniqueness. This watch company is the real deal with definite undeniable horological prowess.
You may have heard of Michel Jordi in the past. Even owned or still own one of his "Swiss Ethno watches", hot sellers back in the day. Many of his watches had signature decorations of edelweiss flowers and Swiss cows often represented on Swiss Army products. You can still find them on ebay for around £100. His work bared a true Swiss feel. Born in 1948, Michel Jordi is the son of a watchmaker. In 1988 he launched opened his own company and launched the "Swiss Ethno Watch" all quartz watches - which sold over half a million pieces between 1988 and 2003. In 2003, he saw his company virtually collapse beneath his feet and he had no option but to declare bankruptcy.
"Heritage Twins" 2006 - Patented System
Rather than falling into complete despair, Michel Jordi immediately set about reinventing his company -turning it in a new direction of Haute Horology. In 2004, he unveiled a plan of creation a "Twins Watch" : an intriguing concept, which involves a two part watch case connected by a rotating lock. The twins was initially available in two "Heritage models", Limited Edition of 99 pieces per model - 99 in pink gold and 99 in grey gold. The watches were listed at 53,000 € - ways above his previous mass market "Swiss Ethno Watches".
It would take years before Michel Jordi saw the fruit of his labor. He launched his new and improved brand to the Swiss Market in October 2011 and then internationally after Basel World 2012. Even this soon back in the game, Michel Jordi has quite a selection of watches ranging from Men's Complication Watches launched at GTE 2012 called "Icons of the World" There are 8 models to this collection:
India's Taj Mahal
1) Russia's Kremlin (Image at top of Blog) 2) India's Taj Mahal 3) Great Wall of China 4) Mount Fuji in Japan 5) Mount Sugraloaf in Brazil 6) Swiss Interlaken with the mountains of the Eiger and the Jungfrau
7) Geneva depicting the fountain Jet d'Eau
8) New York's Statue of Liberty.
Each model is only available in a Limited Edition of three making this collection highly valued in its rarity.
Every component of the watch has been fashioned to depict the Icons of the World creating a masterpiece of design and function.
The Russia's Kremlin timepiece ,for example, houses a movement created by Michel Jordi in collaboration with Jean-Francois Mojon: Owner of Chronode S.A from Le Locle - who is renowned for winning "Best Watchmaker of 2010" and inventor of Harry Winston's Opus X. The hand wound movement is equipped with one of my favorite complications - the minute repeater. To accommodate for the additional power required by the minute repeater, the movement has a double barrel, reserving one barrel specifically for the gong-striking mechanism without effecting time keeping efficiency and enabling a 72 hour power reserve. The movement is visible via a transparent case back.
Michel Jordi also commissioned Christophe Moines for the timepiece design. The actual Roman Numeral time display featuring hour, minute and seconds hand is off center and accommodating a depiction of the Kremlin towers and the unique St. Basil's Cathedral on the skyline. This dial design is used for all the timepieces in this collection displaying various images relating to that particular Icon. A small blue disc is visible at the 2 'o'clock position which presents a written indication of the time of day for the repeater. The 3 o’clock position accommodates the control lever of the repeater A lovely day/night indicator serves as the backdrop of the Icons of the Worlds Images. The skeletonized hands are tipped with a type of phosphor compound enabling luminescence. The aperture at the 4 'o'clock position houses the alarm and minute counters.The On/Off repeater switch is found at the 6'o'clock position where an innovative gong is visible at the 6 'o'clock position and chimes at a low frequency of 2Hz sounding like chapel bells ringing sounding across the Swiss mountains. The sound is produced by a hammer affixed and a monobloc bell fashioned from a single rectangular piece resulting in better sound amplification.
The crown situated between the 2 and 3 'o'clock resembles a deconstructed Swiss flag. To house an extraordinary movement requires an extraordinary case fashioned from resilient material. The 46mm case of the Russian Kremlin timepiece is crafted from titanium with hints of red gold. A cambered sapphire crystal protects the timepiece from scratches and 100 meter water resistance protects the timepiece from harmful moisture entering the case. This year's GTE 2013, the new face of his brand has made a marked impression. One of the latest timepieces is the Club 100 Chronograph which is displayed in the video below. The "Icons of the World" were on display again this year. A gorgeous selection of Lady Icon Automatic displaying whimsical depictions of wooded mountainous landscape were also on display - timepieces which deserves a detailed blog. A Mega Icon White Passion sporting a dazzling diamond bezel is one of the finest timepieces I have seen in a while. I think we will be seeing quite a bit of Michel Jordi in the horological future.
One of the stars at SIHH 2013 is the pair of Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Vitesse timepieces. One model sports a bright orange dial made from Texalium - a woven fiberglass based material coated in a thin layer of aluminum. A 36mm x 50mm x 22mm titanium case installed with 6 sapphire crystals ensures optimal visibility of the remarkable Parmigiani’s 333 component manual wind PF372 movement within. A power reserve of 10 days makes its namesake proud with maximum torque optimization. The straps of course are Hermès - the result of a strong bond between Parmigiani Fleurier and the French manufacturer most notable for their fine leather goods. These watches will run you into the six figures, but hey if you driving the car than you must be wearing the watch. These watches were released alongside a restored 1935 Bugatti T57S ELECTRON TORPEDO. Not automobile car restoration, but timepieces and automatons is an integral part of Parmigiani's history.
Parmigiani Fleurier Buggati Type 370 - circa 2004
To reach horological heights attained by Parmigiani Fleurier, one must surmise that Micheal Parmigiani must have sped along at the speed of a Bugatti Veyron. As to why I have chosen this particular super car aside for the fact that it is the fastest car in the world - visit supercars.org for verification. (At 267 mph, (429 km/h), this baby yearns for endless open roads) Parmigiani has, in time, irrevocably linked itself to the Bugatti Supercars.
Bugatti Fauborg - Circa 2008
It all began in 2004, when Parmigiani was so inspired by this well oiled speeding machine, the company created the Bugatti Type 370 and the Bugatti Supersport in white gold. The watches were specially designed to resemble a transversal engine. The result was instant success and a mere two years later, Parmigiani released the Bugatti Vitesse in titanium and the Bugatti Supersport in rose gold. Two years later the gloomy watch recession of 2008 hit. Watch companies were staring at their plummeting watch sale reports; cutting back on production and producing cheaper models in steel, but that did not deter Parmigiania - a hopeless optimist. In these dark days the company was a twinkle on the horizon. Parmigiani unveiled the ultimate in watch luxury - the $233,900 Parmigiani Bugatti Faubourg watch a worthy companion to the $2.2 million Bugatti Veyron Faubourg Par Hermes car. Luxury upon luxury.
This type of optimism was not new to Micheal Parmigiani who in 1976 chose Fleurier in the Val-de-Travers region as the location of his first workshop.
The Quartz Scare
In 1976 this region was experiencing agonizing hardships. It was the years of the Quartz Scare. Cheap Japanese quartz watches were flooding the market and the mechanical watch companies closed door after door. Companies like Blancpain became dormant while others closed forever. Exports of Swiss Mechanical Watches plummeted from 40 million in 1973 to a mere 3 million a decade later. During this period over 90,000 employees in the industry were laid off. It was a desperate time for Swiss Watch Manufacturing. Yet it was during this time of incredible uncertainty in the future of Swiss Mechanical Watchmaking, the doors of Micheal Parmigiani's workshop, against the advice of many, flung open and business begun.
Micheal Parmigiani's would not accept the fact that the mechanical watchmaking era was about to come to an end. He could not fathom how great watchmaking inventions, which had a part in changing the world we live in (see longitude blog and Great Kipton Train Wreck Blog), would merely fizzle from a crystal. His vision surpassed many, and out of a stubborn belief in traditional watchmaking, he opened his small but successful watch restoration company and a small workshop, Mesure et Art du Temps, creating original horological mechanical timepieces for collectors.
The Sandoz Family
Tonda 1950 (Micheal Parmigiani Birthdate)
In 1980, Micheal Parmigiani met the Sandoz Family of Pharmaceutical Company Novartis, fame. The Sandoz Family were also prolific collectors of automated mechanical wonders featuring as well a large amount of watches.
Micheal and the Sandoz Family met via curator, Effrene Jobin, of the Watchmaking Museum in Le Locle who had restored many of the Sandoz families collectables. Mr Jobin was getting old, and the task, for him, had become exceedingly difficult. This type of work was right up Micheal Parmigiani alley and he worked in close collaboration with the Sandoz family restoring automatons and watches. Pierre Landolt current Chairman of the Sandoz Family Foundation, established in 1964 by sculpture and painter,Edouard-Marcel Sandoz, and Director of Novartis AG, realized that a small workshop for a man so talented in watchmaking just would not do. Micheal Parmigiani was destined for higher goals.
Parmigiani Fleurier Opens for Business
In 1996 Parmigiani Fleurier opened - breathing new life into the Val-de-Travers. With an intense knowledge of historical horological craftsmanship and mechanical understanding, component by component, Micheal Parmigiani perfected each aspect of watchmaking. Parmigiani was and still is an independent company with no red-tape restricting perfection, thus Parmigiani can concentrate purely on the mechanics of watchmaking. He creates completely unique complex masterpieces such as the first ever Parmigiani 30 Year Hegirian Calender (the Islamic Lunar Calender) see below. Parmigiani Fleurier has created 350 jobs in the region with apprentice opportunities available in virtually all areas of the watchmaking process. For a brand to have a genuine in-house movement, all components must be manufactured by the company. It is not enough to create a lovely looking watch and then order a movement from say Swatch's ETA or Ronda (both movement are outstanding in quality). Every component must be built by the company.
I took the photo of the Hegirian Calender in New York at the Sandoz Collection Exhibition 2011
For a small company just starting out, an entirely in-house movement did not happen overnight, but rather component by component. Over the course of 4 years commencing in 2000, the Sandoz family acquired and founded production companies gathered under the umbrella of "Manufactures Horlogères de la Fondation" beginning with the December 2000 acquisition of "atokalpa" - a bar turning enterprise producing virtually all movements and the January 2001 acquisition of Elwin - a company specializing in bar turning and machine equipment. In addition an entirely new company, "Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier" - to service the extremely high quality movements. A final addition to this group of production companies, Quadrance et Habillage, in December of 2005.
The Many Faces of Parmigiani Fleurier
Kalparisma- Circa 2010
I came face to face with Parmigiani one cold eve in November of 2011 dashing through the crowded streets of Manhattan after writing my last exam of the semester. I desperately needed a place to rest my thoughts. which were still racing from one formula to another. I needed to slow my pace down just a bit. For the last month my mind was focused on exams and I did not know the Parmigiani and the Sandoz Collection was in New York. A moments decision as to the Avenue I was to traverse led me, by chance, to the door of 781 Fifth Avenue at A La Vieille Russie. I must have fell through the entrance amid a flurry of "no longer required and soon to be shredded" study papers. In an instant I was transformed into a world of soft light and mechanical marvels. Immediately, The Hegirian Calender caught my eye displayed in a prominent position in the center of the room. My mind still reeling with numbers tried to grasp the complexity of the Islamic Lunar Calender, but the feat seemed harder than any exam I had taken. I paid my dues and headed upstairs to a world of antique automatons, of which I had never seen before.
Parmigiani 114
Why am I writing about the Exhibition over a year later? I suppose it is because of Parmigiani's history and the connection I feel to its intense fusion with the mechanical marvels of days gone by. In this place surrounded by antique timepieces, delicate decorated birds, bejeweled critters, paintings where scenes change, a gentleman walking on his canes and the rarity of a Faberge egg, every aspect of the automaton in its mechanics and aesthetics were real and present. They were not illusions or heuristics of our competent mind. They were not fabricated beauty and images which fleet across our visual cortex only to remain for a second and then vaporize into thin air. These objects were there - a testament to fine craftsmanship of artisans long gone.
***
As Micheal Parmigiani is a restorer of antique mechanical wonders, he has taken some inspiration from the antiquities he restores. The parmigiani 114 with telescopic hands is one such model, the inspiration drawn from from an 1800 Vardon and Stedmann watch.
Parmigiani Timepieces include the Kalpa Collection for the Ladies, of which I blogged about a couple years back , Tonda 1950 Collection (see image above), Bugatti Collection, the intriguing Pershing Collection which often in tribute to sports like this Captain's Watch for 2010 FIFA South Africa and the awe inspiring Toric Collection which is worthy unto a blog of its own.
Parmigiani Fleurier Watches occupy a unique exemplary niche in the world of haute horology producing testaments of excellence with each Parmigiani Fleurier timepiece.
One of the stars at SIHH 2013 is the pair of Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Vitesse timepieces. One model sports a bright orange dial made from Texalium - a woven fiberglass based material coated in a thin layer of aluminum. A 36mm x 50mm x 22mm titanium case installed with 6 sapphire crystals ensures optimal visibility of the remarkable Parmigiani’s 333 component manual wind PF372 movement within. A power reserve of 10 days makes its namesake proud with maximum torque optimization. The straps of course are Hermès - the result of a strong bond between Parmigiani Fleurier and the French manufacturer most notable for their fine leather goods. These watches will run you into the six figures, but hey if you driving the car than you must be wearing the watch. These watches were released alongside a restored 1935 Bugatti T57S ELECTRON TORPEDO. Not automobile car restoration, but timepieces and automatons is an integral part of Parmigiani's history.
Parmigiani Fleurier Buggati Type 370 - circa 2004
To reach horological heights attained by Parmigiani Fleurier, one must surmise that Micheal Parmigiani must have sped along at the speed of a Bugatti Veyron. As to why I have chosen this particular super car aside for the fact that it is the fastest car in the world - visit supercars.org for verification. (At 267 mph, (429 km/h), this baby yearns for endless open roads) Parmigiani has, in time, irrevocably linked itself to the Bugatti Supercars.
Bugatti Fauborg - Circa 2008
It all began in 2004, when Parmigiani was so inspired by this well oiled speeding machine, the company created the Bugatti Type 370 and the Bugatti Supersport in white gold. The watches were specially designed to resemble a transversal engine. The result was instant success and a mere two years later, Parmigiani released the Bugatti Vitesse in titanium and the Bugatti Supersport in rose gold. Two years later the gloomy watch recession of 2008 hit. Watch companies were staring at their plummeting watch sale reports; cutting back on production and producing cheaper models in steel, but that did not deter Parmigiania - a hopeless optimist. In these dark days the company was a twinkle on the horizon. Parmigiani unveiled the ultimate in watch luxury - the $233,900 Parmigiani Bugatti Faubourg watch a worthy companion to the $2.2 million Bugatti Veyron Faubourg Par Hermes car. Luxury upon luxury.
This type of optimism was not new to Micheal Parmigiani who in 1976 chose Fleurier in the Val-de-Travers region as the location of his first workshop.
The Quartz Scare
In 1976 this region was experiencing agonizing hardships. It was the years of the Quartz Scare. Cheap Japanese quartz watches were flooding the market and the mechanical watch companies closed door after door. Companies like Blancpain became dormant while others closed forever. Exports of Swiss Mechanical Watches plummeted from 40 million in 1973 to a mere 3 million a decade later. During this period over 90,000 employees in the industry were laid off. It was a desperate time for Swiss Watch Manufacturing. Yet it was during this time of incredible uncertainty in the future of Swiss Mechanical Watchmaking, the doors of Micheal Parmigiani's workshop, against the advice of many, flung open and business begun.
Micheal Parmigiani's would not accept the fact that the mechanical watchmaking era was about to come to an end. He could not fathom how great watchmaking inventions, which had a part in changing the world we live in (see longitude blog and Great Kipton Train Wreck Blog), would merely fizzle from a crystal. His vision surpassed many, and out of a stubborn belief in traditional watchmaking, he opened his small but successful watch restoration company and a small workshop, Mesure et Art du Temps, creating original horological mechanical timepieces for collectors.
The Sandoz Family
Tonda 1950 (Micheal Parmigiani Birthdate)
In 1980, Micheal Parmigiani met the Sandoz Family of Pharmaceutical Company Novartis, fame. The Sandoz Family were also prolific collectors of automated mechanical wonders featuring as well a large amount of watches.
Micheal and the Sandoz Family met via curator, Effrene Jobin, of the Watchmaking Museum in Le Locle who had restored many of the Sandoz families collectables. Mr Jobin was getting old, and the task, for him, had become exceedingly difficult. This type of work was right up Micheal Parmigiani alley and he worked in close collaboration with the Sandoz family restoring automatons and watches. Pierre Landolt current Chairman of the Sandoz Family Foundation, established in 1964 by sculpture and painter,Edouard-Marcel Sandoz, and Director of Novartis AG, realized that a small workshop for a man so talented in watchmaking just would not do. Micheal Parmigiani was destined for higher goals.
Parmigiani Fleurier Opens for Business
In 1996 Parmigiani Fleurier opened - breathing new life into the Val-de-Travers. With an intense knowledge of historical horological craftsmanship and mechanical understanding, component by component, Micheal Parmigiani perfected each aspect of watchmaking. Parmigiani was and still is an independent company with no red-tape restricting perfection, thus Parmigiani can concentrate purely on the mechanics of watchmaking. He creates completely unique complex masterpieces such as the first ever Parmigiani 30 Year Hegirian Calender (the Islamic Lunar Calender) see below. Parmigiani Fleurier has created 350 jobs in the region with apprentice opportunities available in virtually all areas of the watchmaking process. For a brand to have a genuine in-house movement, all components must be manufactured by the company. It is not enough to create a lovely looking watch and then order a movement from say Swatch's ETA or Ronda (both movement are outstanding in quality). Every component must be built by the company.
I took the photo of the Hegirian Calender in New York at the Sandoz Collection Exhibition 2011
For a small company just starting out, an entirely in-house movement did not happen overnight, but rather component by component. Over the course of 4 years commencing in 2000, the Sandoz family acquired and founded production companies gathered under the umbrella of "Manufactures Horlogères de la Fondation" beginning with the December 2000 acquisition of "atokalpa" - a bar turning enterprise producing virtually all movements and the January 2001 acquisition of Elwin - a company specializing in bar turning and machine equipment. In addition an entirely new company, "Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier" - to service the extremely high quality movements. A final addition to this group of production companies, Quadrance et Habillage, in December of 2005.
The Many Faces of Parmigiani Fleurier
Kalparisma- Circa 2010
I came face to face with Parmigiani one cold eve in November of 2011 dashing through the crowded streets of Manhattan after writing my last exam of the semester. I desperately needed a place to rest my thoughts. which were still racing from one formula to another. I needed to slow my pace down just a bit. For the last month my mind was focused on exams and I did not know the Parmigiani and the Sandoz Collection was in New York. A moments decision as to the Avenue I was to traverse led me, by chance, to the door of 781 Fifth Avenue at A La Vieille Russie. I must have fell through the entrance amid a flurry of "no longer required and soon to be shredded" study papers. In an instant I was transformed into a world of soft light and mechanical marvels. Immediately, The Hegirian Calender caught my eye displayed in a prominent position in the center of the room. My mind still reeling with numbers tried to grasp the complexity of the Islamic Lunar Calender, but the feat seemed harder than any exam I had taken. I paid my dues and headed upstairs to a world of antique automatons, of which I had never seen before.
Parmigiani 114
Why am I writing about the Exhibition over a year later? I suppose it is because of Parmigiani's history and the connection I feel to its intense fusion with the mechanical marvels of days gone by. In this place surrounded by antique timepieces, delicate decorated birds, bejeweled critters, paintings where scenes change, a gentleman walking on his canes and the rarity of a Faberge egg, every aspect of the automaton in its mechanics and aesthetics were real and present. They were not illusions or heuristics of our competent mind. They were not fabricated beauty and images which fleet across our visual cortex only to remain for a second and then vaporize into thin air. These objects were there - a testament to fine craftsmanship of artisans long gone.
***
As Micheal Parmigiani is a restorer of antique mechanical wonders, he has taken some inspiration from the antiquities he restores. The parmigiani 114 with telescopic hands is one such model, the inspiration drawn from from an 1800 Vardon and Stedmann watch. See Video below I took at the Exhibition.
Parmigiani Timepieces include the Kalpa Collection for the Ladies, of which I blogged about a couple years back , Tonda 1950 Collection (see image above), Bugatti Collection, the intriguing Pershing Collection which often in tribute to sports like this Captain's Watch for 2010 FIFA South Africa and the awe inspiring Toric Collection which is worthy unto a blog of its own.
Parmigiani Fleurier Watches occupy a unique exemplary niche in the world of haute horology producing testaments of excellence with each Parmigiani Fleurier timepiece.
30,000 Square meters of exhibition space holds a mere 16 brands. 12,500 privileged guests - strictly by invitation only- are awarded the opportunity to view the brand's latest models. 1,200 reporters
If you receive such an invitation, you will enjoy an eyeful of unique watches - each brand unveiling unique additions to their collections, whether they leave us breathless with cutting edge technology or wonder struck with techniques uncovered from the cradle of civilization.
Etruscan Granulation Technique
Cartier d'Art Rotonde de Cartier timepiece will be be unveiled at the SIHH 2013 baring the face of a its signature Panther on the face of the dial. The granulation technique is borrowed from exceptional creative and innovative people of pre-Roman Italy , emerging in Eturia, somewhere between 900 and 500 BCE. The quality of their gold objects were unsurpassed by others of that era. Artifacts from that time period relay skill of immense proportions, especially in their expertise of gold granulation climaxing in 7th and 6th century BC. The Etruscans granulation process was arduous and intricate. The Etruscans began the process by producing tiny gold pellets. They then used a copper solution combined with vegetable or fish glue diluted with water, which they used to apply the pellets to selected patterns. Judging from the longevity of these artifacts, the process was quite successful. These artifacts and the granulation process is one of the unique remnants of the Etruscans culture before it was swallowed up by the powerful Roman Empire. Cartier utilizes much the same process used by the ancient civilization of the Etruscans. They begin with tiny gold balls from threads of gold; cut and heated over a flame. One by one the gold balls are placed and fused to a gold plate creating the ancient granulated effect. Due to the painstaking intricate work involved in creating the timepiece, Cartier has set a limit of 20 pieces for this model.
The blue speaks of oceans and skies and an endless paradise where perfection reigns in harmonious tranquility. The striking color surrounds and hovers above a mechanical masterpiece created in calculating keenness by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey’s. Greubel Forsey is a highly exclusive watch brand featuring limited editions evoking collectors dream. I have always felt Ulysse Nardin ruled the blue, but Greubel Forsey is becoming quite the competition. Of course wining awards and competitions is quite the norm for a relatively young company like Greubel Forsey. The Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain encased in a red gold (5N) case is limited to 33 pieces. This model of magnificence stands alone in its exemplar quality and yet is a direct descendent of the Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain in platinum, of which I blogged about in February of 2012, and in the Contemporain line.
.jpg)
An 18k white gold case of 44.25mm in diameter and 13.6 mm in diameter house the manual winding mechanical movement of 364 parts. 242 jewels ensure smooth transitions of motion. Each pivoting minute hand is secured by a steel shaft and two ruby bearings. The balance wheel swings at 21,600 vph - an excellent frequency for a mechanical movement. 35 hours of power reserve enables one to forgo a day of winding. As this watch is not an automatic, winding is required manually at the crown and their is no rotor inhibiting the view of the complex mechanics revealed by a sapphire crystal case back. 
.jpg){kind=link}
