GPHG "Innovation" Prize given to Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar
It’s been a very busy week of watches in Geneva, with Only Watch 2019 setting new records, and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awarding prizes to some of the best watches of the year (which included some upsets). Amidst the clamour and drama of the GPHG, where the pitting of brands head to head can increase the blood pressure of some ardent watch enthusiasts, the focus can sometimes miss the truly impressive feats of technical engineering that are on display. One of these feats is the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar, a watch that not only offers a complex calendar function, but also does it with a power reserve of 65 days. Here’s how more than two months of power reserve is possible. Most mechanical watches are regulated by a single balance spring that oscillates at a set rate (either measured in hertz, which can be converted to vibrations per hour), and the steady in and out breathing of this spring is what keeps the watch running on good time. A slower number of oscillations from the balance spring can make the watch less accurate, but can extend the power reserve, while a faster rate of…
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Editor’s note: If you’re in the market for a steel sports watch with a chronograph complication, you really are spoilt for choice. Rolex’s Daytona, Omega’s Speedmaster, Tudor’s Black Bay Chronograph … the list goes on. However, if you’re looking for a timepiece that meets all of the aforementioned criteria, while still possessing a real and genuine point of difference, then the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Chronograph is a great option. JLC, known colloquially as the “watchmaker’s watchmaker”, have made movements for just abut every watchmaker in the game at some time or another. And this technical innovation and knowhow is really showcased in the Polaris chronograph. Late last year, we were fortunate enough to go hands-on with the grade-A chrono, and these were our initial thoughts. It’s hard to overstate the significance of the Polaris collection for Jaeger-LeCoultre. In a world dominated by the round steel sports watch, JLC’s line-up has leaned heavily towards the dressy and rectangular. The Polaris, a fully evolved collection, changed that landscape overnight, and did it in style. One of the strongest offerings is the chronograph. It’s a watch that does a lot of things right, many of which should be immediately apparent. First of all, there’s the size —…
Most of the hype around the results of Only Watch 2019 has been wholly and solely squared at the monumental, record-breaking price achieved by the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A, and it’s pretty easy to understand why … it sold for $31 million CHF (roughly $52 million AUD)! However, away from the white noise of the staggering price of the stainless steel Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A, there were actually a fair few bargains (relative term) to be had at this year’s Only Watch. In fact, some pièce unique examples actually sold for less than the regular variants of the watches they were based off, which is pretty absurd when you think about it. Anyway, here are the five biggest bargains from Only Watch 2019: Lot 2 – H. Moser & Cie Endeavour Perpetual Moon Concept Only Watch – $48,000 CHF ($70,300 AUD) I think this one took quite a few people by surprise. Here is a one-of-a-kind timepiece that features a truly unique dial that’s been created by one of the best dial makers in the horological game … and it sold for a mere 15 grand more than its regular steel counterpart. Someone out there did very well…
Patek Philippe’s entry into Only Watch 2019, the one-of-a-kind stainless steel Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A, has just smashed, in fact obliterated, the record for the most expensive watch ever sold at auction. But it wasn’t just the Patek that stretched into the seven-figure stratosphere at the charitable auction last night, as two other pièce unique watches garnered tremendous amounts of attention and, more importantly, bids. Keep in mind, if like us at times, you feel despair at the runaway nature of high-end auctions, that this is for the good of the world. They are going to be able to research the heck out of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy after 2019. Here are the three watches we have to thank for that: Lot 28 – Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A – $31 million CHF (roughly $52 million AUD) Let’s just let that number sink in for a moment … $52 million Aussie dollars, for a steel wristwatch. Ever heard of the saying, “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry”? It’s far and away the most expensive timepiece in the world, easily eclipsing the previous record holder, another Patek Philippe, the Henry Graves Jr. Supercomplication pocket watch, which sold…
