Colour has been somewhat cheapened in recent years because many brands have overused the colour palette by creating multiple variants of the same watch in multiple colours, sometimes with multiple shades of the same colour. But colour is actually powerful. Take for instance this Cartier Ballon Bleu chronograph in steel.

The original Ballon Bleu chronograph launched some years back is in the classic Cartier style, a silvered, guilloche dial with blued steel sword hands. Recently Cartier presented a new version of the watch, identical in all respects to the earlier variant, except it has a slate grey dial with white numerals and white gold hands.

Every other detail – proportions, layout, guilloche, shapes and even the strap – remains exactly the same. But the colours have changed. The version with slate grey dial looks monochromatic, contemporary and slightly sporty, while the original looks formal and more expensive.

Think of a Ferrari – the traditional bright red Ferrari looks and feels very different from a slate grey Ferrari, even if everything else about the car, model, specs etc, remains the same. And if you change the texture of the colour – a matte grey Ferrari – it changes the whole even more.



Marketers, like Paco Underhill, have long understood that colour, amongst other factors, can subtly influence our perception of objects and places. That is the power of colour and it holds true for watches as well.

And I also take a closer look at the Ballon Bleu chronograph on the Cartier forum.

– SJX

Together with the National Museum of Singapore (NMS), Vacheron Constantin will be organising the “first major public exhibition” of its historical pieces, from 24 June to 14 August 2011. Titled “Treasures of Vacheron Constantin – A legacy of watchmaking since 1755”, the exhibition will see 180 items will be on display, including timepieces, historical documents and watchmaking tools. In addition, artisans from the Vacheron Constantin manufacture in Geneva – Engraver, gem-setter, guillocheur, enameller and watchmaker – will be present to demonstrate their crafts.

For those who have yet to visit the NMS, or have only memories of the old NMS, this is an excellent opportunity to do so. Even though the permanent collection of the NMS is nothing spectacular, museum is now an airy, cheerful space with a nice restaurant or two inside. In contrast, the museum of old, in which I spent quite a bit of time, was a dim and oppressive place.

– SJX



The chronometer from the HMS Beagle

Last year the venerable BBC ran the radio programme “A History of the World in 100 Objects”, created in collaboration with the equally venerable British Museum. It is a terrific 100 part series that chronicles the history of the world by examining 100 different objects – one item per 15 minute episode – from the British Museum’s collection. Each episode details how an object, even one that is immensely ordinary, shaped history and countries. The series is fascinating and vast in its scope, but presented in an accessible manner.   Episode 91 was dedicated to a marine chronometer, specifically a clock (there were 22 of them onboard) from the HMS Beagle – the ship made famous by Charles Darwin – made by Thomas Earnshaw, circa 1800.

As explained in the wonderful 15 minute broadcast, the marine chronometer, originally invented by John Harrison for the British Admiralty, is possibly the most important mechanical timekeeper of the modern age, inextricably tied linked to the heroism of the high seas and the relentless progress of technology. It changed the way we live and think. In fact, as the narrator, British Museum director Neil MacGregor, grandly but correctly puts it, the marine chronometer ultimately “[changed] our idea of ourselves and our understanding of humanity’s proper place in history.” 

You can listen to the programme or read the transcript.

– SJX



Nick Hayek of Swatch Group Photo from The New York Times

The New York Times just ran an article on The Swatch Group that is upbeat and appropriately reverential, detailing how strongly the watch industry is growing and how Nick Hayek aims to “reach 10 billion francs of sales just by internal growth”. But there is also plenty of nonsense inside.

Jean-Frederic Dufour of Zenith is quoted as saying “100 years ago… each brand really differentiated itself from others by the quality of its movements”, in the context of Swatch stopping delivering of ebauches to the rest of the industry. That opposite is true – the industry is more “in-house” today than it was 100 years ago. A century ago the industry operated on the etablisseur model where specialists like LeCoultre and Valjoux made almost all the parts and ebauches so even top brands like Patek used Valjoux ebauches. 

And then there is Mr Hayek proclaiming the importance of being truly Swiss made. Of course all entry-end Swiss made watches are 100% Swiss made. The Federation of Swiss Watch Industry details the laws governing the “Swiss made” mark and you can see how fool proof they are.

– SJX

Marc Newson

Several years ago industrial design Marc Newson, of Lockheed Lounge fame, created a brand of watches named Ikepod with Olivier Ike. It didn’t do to well and went under but was later revived under the patronge of art collector Adam Lindemann. The new Ikedpod continued to create watches, including one in collaboration with Jeff Koons, but the coolest timekeeper is the Ikepod hourglass. It is arguably the most in keeping with Newson’s philosophy of industrial design as he lays out in a chat I had with him.

Standing 12 inches high and weighing several pounds, the hourglass is a sensuous and elegant object, despite its size and weight. It is one piece of glass, moulded by hand near Basel in Switzerland; illustrated in this video recently released by Ikepod. And inside sit 21 million carbon nanoballs; the subtle tinkling of the nanoballs as they pour downwards is soothing.

The version pictured here is a limited edition of 30 pieces with gold-plated nanoballs for Singapore retailer The Hour Glass, while the regular edition uses nickel-plated nanoballs.

Ikepod recently released a fascinating video on the making of the hourglass; it can also be seen at the bottom of this post.

– SJX

I was at the bank recently and had my camera with me. Even though these two watches are very different, they are arguably iconic in their respective genres. They sit amongst some others in the vault, I rarely wear them but will never sell them. The first is a Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 from 1964 or so, the second a 1985 Rolex Submariner ref. 5513.  The Breitling still possesses its original dial in excellent condition and it has the less common AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) logo dial. I’ve had this about 10 years and recently had it restored by Breitling guru Mark Heist. Inside sits a Venus 178 column wheel movement. This is a classic chronograph from an era of classic chronographs.  

The other is a Rolex ref. 5513 with glossy dial. Rolex purists prefer the earlier matte dials, but this specimen is in incredible condition, never polished and complete with original warranty dated Christmas 1985. And it has important personal value to me.

When watched James Bond with Roger Moore wearing a 5513 I told myself I had to have one of these. Now I this, as well as the modern successor 14060M. The next one will have to be a matte dial 5513 or 5512, or if I am very optimistic the 5514 or 5517.

There are collectors who will insist, with good reason, that watches are for wearing. But I rarely wear these or my other vintage watches, especially because these two in particular are in fairly good condition.

– SJX

In 2004 Jaeger-LeCoultre launched the complication that arguably has defined JLC has a haute horlogerie house, the Gyrotourbillon, so named for its spherical tourbillon. At the time of its launch it was a revelation; remember that the watch industry in 2004 was much less diverse than in 2011. Along with the Franck Muller Tourbillon Revolution, the Gyro was a pioneering multi-axis tourbillon.

JLC Gyrotourbillon 1 in rose gold

Originally unveiled in platinum, the JLC Gyrotourbillon 1 is now in its final run of 30 pieces cased in rose gold. According to Jerome Lambert, CEO of JLC, the final production of the Gyrotourbillon 1 will be under 140 units including the original in platinum, the units part of the Hybris Mechanica set and the final run of 30 in rose gold. The Gyrotourbillon 1 contains the cal. 177 which features a bi-axial tourbillon, a retrograde perpetual calendar and an equation of time. A pair of mainsprings inside a barrel with a sapphire top – allowing a good view of the large mainspring – gives the watch an eight day power reserve. What is particularly notable is its performance on the secondary market. High complications from most brands tend to retain value badly. Often there is a direct correlation between the original list price and the proportional drop in secondary market value.

Cal. 177 of the Gyrotourbillon 1

The Gyrotourbillon has bucked that trend, hammering on several occasions for approximately the original price or even higher. Antiquorum sold one last year for CHF342,000 and another in 2008 for a handsome CHF415,000. The same can be said of the Gyrotourbillon 2 at auction, though not of other JLC high complications. Perhaps a reason for this is the lack of alternatives. For a high-end multi-axis tourbillon, or exotic tourbillon, Greubel-Forsey is the only competitor, and it costs a lot more than the Gyrotourbillon.

Jerome Lambert, CEO of JLC

Mr Lambert was just in Singapore yesterday to present the 2011 collection as well as some of the brand’s grande complications, including the Gyrotourbillon 1. Photos of the other complications to come later, in the mean time enjoy the Gyrotourbillon 1. The Gyrotourbillon 1 in rose gold retails for US$381,000.

– SJX

Thanks to Peter Chong for helping with the lighting for the portait of Mr Lambert

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon 1 

The following five photos illustrate the motion of the spherical tourbillon

  

Amazon offers a coffee table book on Jaeger-LeCoultre written by Richemont eminence grise Franco Cologni:



Yesterday I received the sad news that Rolf Schnyder of Ulysse-Nardin passed away in Switzerland. He was a true original and one of the pioneers of the modern watchmaking industry. His funeral will be held in his adopted home of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Though I last saw Mr Schnyer late last year, I was fortunate to have had a long interview with him in 2008. Some of his responses in his interview are telling of how long he had been in the industry, how much he knew and who he knew, and most of all how he got his start in the industry in Asia.

“I remember at one point Thomke was furious because he made a development of a new small quartz movement. Then he found out in Basel that FHF, which belonged to the same group, funded it and they already didn’t have enough money at that time to produce. That’s why I started making the complicated quartz movement for ETA in Kuala Lumpur. They had no money to invest. They said if you can invest we can send you machines but they had no money to invest,” said Mr Schnyder, referring to his start as a movement maker, “So we made the movements, we made all the Flatlines at that time in KL. Now they make it in Bangkok. But then in Basel he found out that one of same group secretly made the same thing as him, they used up spare cash and then he really hammered them. He got it through that they always [had to] be coordinated and avoid duplication.”

Ulysse-Nardin – which was he personified – punched way above its weight in watchmaking, and so did Rolf Schnyder.  His last statement in the interview is a particularly poignant now.

“I feel as an independent I think we have done, without exaggeration, incredible work in pioneering, opening doors, inspiring other artistic people in the industry. The Freak has changed the landscape of watchmaking, of aesthetics in watches. Nobody has dared to make a movement like that. But aesthetically others got inspiration. And the Astrolabium was the beginning of the renaissance of mechanical watches, because that’s a product that had not been done before, not in a pocket watch. We have contributed a lot to the industry and we don’t think just for ourselves, we are very open, to share.”

He will be missed.

– SJX

Striking as they are, it is the details that count in Vianney Halter watches. Take for instance the Vianney Halter Trio. It is, in my inexpert view, a fairly ugly watch considered as a whole. It is ungainly and sits like a bar of chocolate on the wrist, which was Vianney’s intention, to be fair. But examine the vast and dazzling details and you cannot help but appreciate, respect and perhaps even like the watch. All of Vianney’s watches have similar details which are not obvious on first impression, but make a big difference to the aesthetic.

Take for instance the mirror-polished flange inside the bezels which surround the subdials. They convey a sense of depth and quality. These exemplify one of Vianney’s strengths which is a brilliant execution and use of polished surfaces.

The bevels around the rims of the bezels, the polished steps on the multi-level dials, and the long, polished flanks of the case that reflect the crown.

A mirror-like finish is not the only one that Vianney executes brilliantly. Look at the brushed surface on the front of the case. It is not perfect, neither is it extremely finely grained, but it is beautifully done. This brushed finish is also used on the dial flange for the numerals of the oversized date.

Another of Vianney’s trademarks is the sandblasted finish on the dial, which incidentally is also used for the discs of the date but with a larger grain.

The hands of Vianney Halter watches are simple in shape but substanial in both form and colour.

Attention to detail extends to the numerals and text on the dials. They are first hand engraved, before being filled with black enamel which is then baked in. This means the figures will never fade, unlike printed dials.

As for the movement, it features Vianney’s invisible rotor which is essentially a sapphire disc weighted on one side.

The movement finishing is very good and of a high standard but has a slight, almost quaint, hand-made feel just like the case and dial but more apparent since comparisons can easily be made with movements in other watches. Vianney’s dials and cases are quite unparalleled.