Baselworld 2017 – RJ Romain Jérôme Deep Blue Octopus
RJ Romain Jérôme unveils the Deep Blue Octopus, a marine timepiece inspired by the mysterious cephalopod. We take a look at this new offbeat creation from the Geneva-based manufacturer.
HANDS-ON: And now for something completely different – the Hublot Big Bang Rainbow Sapphire
The Hublot booth at Baselworld is a busy place, a multi-level monolith that’s more akin to a mini city than a trade show stand. We spent a few hours there, taking photos, shooting video and generally getting acquainted with the new collection. We had the door of our little room open, and we could hear the constant, polite hubbub that, in a lot of ways, defines Basel. One French phrase made its way repeatedly to our ears – ‘La Rainbow’. Curiosity got the better of us and we asked to see this rainbow everyone was talking about. A few minutes later a covered tray appeared in the room, and La Rainbow was unveiled. The Big Bang Unico Sapphire Rainbow, to give this piece its proper name, is one heck of a watch. Like the rest of Hublot’s sapphire-cased watches it’s housed in a 45mm Big Bang case, crafted from ice-like sapphire, with a composite resin dial which allows a clear view of the HUB1242 flyback chrono movement. So far so sapphire. The bezel though is something else entirely. The base is 18K white gold, and it’s set with 48 baguette cut stones – sapphires, rubies, topazes and tsavorites – in all the colours…
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Introducing: The Sinn EZM 12 ‘Einsatzzeitmesser’ (Live Pics & Pricing)
There very well might be no watch company more devoted to the creation of purpose-built tool watches than Frankfurt-based Sinn. And there are definitely no Sinn watches more purpose-built than those in the Einsatzzeitmesser series. Einsatzzeitmesser means “mission timer” in German, and Sinn has now devoted a dozen watches to timing various specific missions (fire rescue, SWAT teams, military divers, etc.), the latest being this year’s new EZM 12, which was designed to suit the very unique needs of air rescue professionals. I got to check it out at Baselworld last week, and boy was I impressed.
Introducing: The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time Ref. 5650G Advanced Research
One of the most interesting technical presentations this year came from Patek Philippe, whose Advanced Research Program announced two new innovations. This is the sort of thing that, unfairly or not, tends to take a back seat to more quickly graspable hot news. However, it’s something worth paying attention to. The two innovations announced aren’t necessarily super sexy at first glance, but they offer, on the one hand, a new system for activating a complication that uses no conventional pivots; and as well, a new method of forming a balance spring that allows Patek to offer shockingly good stability rate stability: just -1/+2 per day, in general production watches. That’s news.
Baselworld 2017 – Porsche Design 1919 Datetimer Eternity All Titanium, now in Blue
This year, at Baselworld 2017, Porsche Design adds a significant new timepiece to the collection in the form of the Porsche Design Monobloc Actuator 24h Chronotimer. Apart from this major novelty, the brand also expands existing collections. While the Monobloc Actuator is inspired by the classic 1970’s titanium chronographs with the pushers integrated in the case, the new addition to the 1919 collection is a more subtle one. Nothing innovative, but still worth mentioning: the Porsche Design 1919 Datetimer Eternity All Titanium Blue.
In The Shop: A 1960s Omega Genève ‘Admiralty’ Reference 135.015, A 1940s Gallet MultiChron 30M ‘Clamshell’ Chronograph, And A 1974 Piaget Dress Watch In White Gold
There is truly something for everyone this week – we’re firing on all cylinders over here. For sporty chronographs we have a Breitling Top Time reference 2002 with a gorgeous reverse panda dial and a wonderfully hefty Heuer Autavia reference 11630. On the other end of the spectrum, in the realm of dress watches, we’ve found a stunning white gold Piaget. A beautiful ladies’ Rolex Oyster Perpetual reference 6917 in impeccable condition and a fun military-inspired Omega Admiralty round out our return from Baselworld this week.
Value Proposition – Vario Retro Eclipse Watch
Kickstarter has brought us many watches in every possible design, but having an authentic retro style watch available for watch collectors, is something we look at with interest, here at Monochrome. Vario has developed the VH31 Eclipse, and 6T33 Eclipse watches, and the attention to retro detailing is rather pleasing. From the fibers of the strap to the simplicity of the dial, Vario is bringing the 1970’s back with a vengeance. The first NATO Eclipse Watch has been reinvented for watch lovers everywhere, and although the NATO strap is still available for an additional fee, the new design packs a punch if you are a fan of retro style and design.
VIDEO: The 3 Longines watches that had people talking at Baselworld 2017
It’s Longines’ 185th anniversary this year, as you might have seen so it’s no surprise that the key heritage pieces were very strong at Baselworld. As we’d hoped, the new Lindbergh Hour Angle model – which I developed strong feelings for after a visit to the Longines headquarters in Saint Imier earlier this year – did drop early, ahead of the 90th Anniversary of the pioneering aviator’s famous New York to Paris crossing. If the watch was somewhat expected, the style was not; it has has a surprisingly contemporary feel. Hello there black PVD bezel, for example. And the Longines Heritage 1945, well that gave us a serious case of de ja vu back to 2015, when the supremely talented artist Sunflowerman painted an almost identical model for the Longines Watercolour Watch Project. The king move, though, was Longines launching their first range to be fully COSC-certified, the Record collection. It’s an extremely accessible range in terms of price that may answer prayers for those wanting a time and date chronometer without the usual cost, but it may also serve to raise questions about why rival brands charge such a premium for a certification when Longines has managed to have prices from…
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Breaking News: Tudor Ref. 7923 Submariner Sells For $99,999 On Ebay, Making It The Most Expensive Vintage Tudor Ever Sold Publicly (And It Could Have Fetched Even More)
We’ve just seen a serious auction record set for a vintage Tudor watch – but it didn’t happen under a crystal chandelier in some five-star hotel ballroom. No, this extremely rare Tudor ref. 7923 Submariner just sold for $99,999 on Ebay. And the craziest part? It could have easily sold for more.
HANDS-ON: The Bell & Ross BR-X1 RS17, inspired by an F1 steering wheel
Two of the most visible trends at Basel 2017 have been bright colours and unusual materials. For their second collection in collaboration with the Renault Sport Formula One team, Bell & Ross’ BR-X1 combines both in one big, bold package. The chassis for this popping Bell & Ross is the large BR X1 case, in lightweight, hi-tech Carbone Forgé. The engine is the same, skeletonised automatic, modular chronograph we’ve seen in previous BR X1 models. But the real winner is the colourful livery. Renault Sport’s yellow is vey much in evidence, in case details and chronograph rockers as well as the thin outer bezel. But it’s inside the dial where things start to get really colourful. The 60-minute scale is demarcated into bold five-minute blocks, with chronograph hands in yellow, running seconds in green and a date window picked out in red. The combination of size, weight and colour makes this a very fun watch to wear. Of course Bell & Ross did not just pick these colours out of the ether, the inspiration comes from the highly technical steering wheel of an F1 car, where colour is used as the fastest way for drivers to identify functions in an environment where…
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