Hands-On – The New Manufacture Royale 1770 Micromegas Revolution Limited Editions
The 1770 Micromegas Revolution is a spectacular launch from the “Indie” watchmaking brand based in Vallorbe that we have not got a chance to review yet. Clearly, once you can manage to a closer look at this watch, you understand that this would have been a pity not to cover it. As the brand is introducing three exclusive limited editions, we take a look at this architectural double tourbillon – and with on of them rotating super, super-fast.
Just over a week ago we broadcast the first ever episode of Apples to Apples, where Felix and I pick two similar watches, flip a Swiss franc to decide which one we’re going in to battle for, and then argue for a couple of minutes. This is part A of the process. Part B is where you come in – because we invite all viewers to vote with their hearts, their thumbs or their comments as to which they prefer of the two watches. For the first episode, we pitted the Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer against the Frederique Constant Manufacture Worldtimer. Click below for a refresher of the video battle, then scroll down for the results of our Facebook poll, as voted for by you guys. TOTAL VOTES: 751 BAUME & MERCIER: 604 FREDERIQUE CONSTANT: 147 Thank you for your votes, and see you soon for the next episode of Apples to Apples!
This year sees Montblanc introduce bronze into its watch collections for the very first time – and we have to say they’ve done it in an unusual and (as is typical for the brand) very smart way. With the exception of the high-end Villeret piece, Montblanc has avoided releasing full bronze-cased watches, instead employing the distinctive alloy in a much more tactical manner. In the case of the latest version of the 1858 Automatic, bronze is used on the bezel and crown, leaving the rest of the 44mm body in steel. Besides offering a very different take on two-tone, this approach is quite clever. The high-touch areas of crown and bezel will patina up quite nicely, but overall the watch won’t be as overwhelming as a full bronze case (which, we suspect, will mean it appeals to more people). The bronze elements aren’t the only vintage accents at play here – the black dial features the historic Montblanc logo, and numerals and hands painted in ‘bronze’ luminescent material. The final touch is the truly excellent strap, a supple cognac coloured calfskin number with double stitching in a style that has been very much in fashion among vintage collectors in recent years. Most models in…