Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision Automatic (Live from SIHH 2018)

Last year, at the SIHH 2017, Ulysse Nardin introduced an impressive piece, a concept watch featuring no less than 10 major innovations, as a showcase to demonstrate the brand’s savoir-faire: the InnoVision 2. Every part of this watch boasted an innovation, whether the escapement, the display, the winding system or even the hands. And while last year’s piece wasn’t meant to be commercialized, it is now time for Ulysse Nardin to deploy some of these features into serially produced pieces… Meet the Ulysse Nardin Freak Vision.

7 years ago

Laurent Ferrier Galet Annual Calendar Montre Ecole (SIHH 2018)

Laurent Ferrier presents its fifth in-house calibre, and as something unprecedented for the brand features an annual calendar complication. A natural heir to the brand’s signature design ethos of smooth, rounded surfaces, vintage-inspired themes, and minimalist dials, the Galet Annual Calendar Montre École brings user-friendliness, legibility and steady mechanical performance to one of the most useful complications in a watch.

7 years ago

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition “150 Years” (SIHH 2018)

After introducing several editions of the Portugieser (including this superb automatic chronograph or a constant force tourbillon) as well as an unexpected yet desirable “Tribute to Pallweber” watch, IWC continues to deploy its 150-year concept of limited editions inside all its collections – and today we move into Pilot’s watches. Meet the IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Big Date Edition “150 Years” ref. 5105, the first Flieger watch of the brand with a big date display.

7 years ago

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph Now In Pink Gold (SIHH 2018)

A. Lange & Sohne has introduced another iteration of its classic 1815 Chronograph this year at SIHH, now cased in warm 18ct pink gold but still with the same iconic pulsation dial. Considered by many to be the ultimate expression of a purist chronograph, these latest versions will be sure to strike a chord with collectors, who now find themselves literally spoilt for choice. Will it be the distinctive and powerful black dial or the equally elegant yet slightly more understated argenté dial? Perhaps one of each? We can dream.

7 years ago

SIHH 2018 – Davide Cerrato of Montblanc, On The New Collection

Yesterday, we kicked off our series of videos from SIHH 2018 with François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet, talking us through the new collection. This morning, we are sitting down with the inimitable Davide Cerrato, Managing Director of Montblanc Watches, to learn about what has inspired the Montblanc collection this year. Not surprisingly, the 160th anniversary of Minerva is a big focus as is the theme of mountain exploration, which, as you will see in the video, has led to some truly cool, vintage-inspired pieces.

7 years ago

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak RD#2, The World’s Thinnest Self-Winding Perpetual Calendar (SIHH 2018)

As all industries, the watchmaking world is subject to trends. One that we’re not unhappy to see resurfacing is ultra-thin watches. Piaget opened the show in December with the thinnest automatic watch, followed at the SIHH 2018 by the thinnest mechanical ever created (2mm thick, no less). It is now time for Audemars Piguet to come on board and demonstrate, if ever necessary, that they know a bit about watchmaking. Here is the Royal Oak RD#2, which at a staggering 6.30mm thick is the thinnest self-winding perpetual calendar on the market today.

7 years ago

Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph – The Minerva Style Made Accessible (SIHH 2018)

Looking at recent collections by Montblanc, one series of watches clearly created a strong interest amongst the collecting community. You name it; the Minerva-inspired Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymetre and its superb (to say the least) hand-wound Monopusher movement. One not-so-superfluous problem though with these watches… Their prices. Well, if you like the Military- and vintage-inspired Minerva chronographs and if you have a normal budget, MB has the solution at the SIHH 2018: the Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph.

7 years ago

MB&F MoonMachine 2 in collaboration with Sarpaneva (SIHH 2018)

One of the basic ideas behind MB&F has always been to have “friends” involved in the creation of new pieces. We can easily remember watches made together with Alain Silberstein (on the HM1 or the LM1), Black Badger or the involvement of Kari Voutilainen in the decoration of the LM movements. Another collab that stuck in collectors’ mind was the MoonMachine. Using the HM3 as a base, Stepan Sarpaneva added its famous moon-face complication. Here we go again, as both parties join forces for the second time to create the MB&F MoonMachine 2, this time based on the HM8

7 years ago