After this year’s successful Hamilton Pan Europ limited edition (I like mine a lot), Hamilton is debuting yet another vintage inspired watch at Baselworld 2012 in March. The Hamilton Khaki Navy Pioneer limited edition is modelled on the marine chronometers Hamilton made for the US Navy in the forties. It can be worn on a leather strap, or housed in the accompanying Para rubber tree wood box as a table clock. The case is 46.5 mm in diameter and inside is a Unitas 6498 manual wind movement. Water resistance is 100 m. This is limited to 1892 pieces. The retail price will be approximately CHF2800.

Like the Pan Europ, this looks like a well designed and reasonably priced winner. – SJX

My report on the SIHH 2012 novelties, comprising 11,072 words and 526 photos, has just been posted. As far as I know, there isn’t anyone else doing such a comprehensive report. Do take a look. – SJX

Here’s a peek at some of my photos of the Panerai novelties launched at SIHH 2012.  – SJX

Dial of the Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT in ceramic, PAM396

Power reserve indicator detail of the Luminor 1950 3 Days Power Reserve, PAM 423

The open worked bridges of the Radiomir 8 Days GMT Oro Rosso (PAM 395)

Radiomir 1940, PAM 399, with a Minerva calibre inside

Radiomir California 3 Days, PAM 448

Close-up of the Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days, PAM 422

Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days, PAM 422

SIHH 2012 saw some beautiful Reversos being launched, all the in highly successful 1931 case that was first seen last year. I especially love the 1931 in white gold with small seconds (last watch pictured). – SJX

As I work on processing the photos I took at SIHH 2012 (totalling 3450), here are a selection of ones already completed. My full report will be out soon. – SJX

AP  Royal Oak skeleton tourbillon

Ludovic Ballouard Half Time

Cartier Metier d’Art tiger

Cartier Rotonde dual time

Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Seconde

Franck Muller Gigatourbillon

De Bethune Dream Watch IV iPhone case

De Bethune Mayan calendar

GP Minute Repeater

GP Laureato spinel bridge tourbillon

Here are a few photos of watches from various brands that caught my eye. I still have several more brands to go.  – SJX 

AP Royal Oak tourbillon skeleton in platinum

De Bethune with Mayan theme engraving

Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 seconds Contemporain with blued titanium dial

IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar in ceramic

Ralph Lauren Sporting with bracelet and burl wood dial

Vacheron Constantin Metier d’Art fish

Richard Mille RM052 skull tourbillon

Montblanc Timewalker Twinfly Greytech

Here’s an overview of the novelties from Panerai with stock photos from the press kit. This covers most of them.  – SJX

LUMINOR 1950 3 DAYS POWER RESERVE – 47MM – PAM 423

LUMINOR MARINA 1950 3 DAYS – 47MM – PAM 422

TUTTONERO LUMINOR 1950 3 DAYS GMT AUTOMATIC CERAMICA – 44MM – PAM 438

LUMINOR 1950 3 DAYS GMT AUTOMATIC CERAMICA – 44MM – PAM 441

LUMINOR 1950 TOURBILLON GMT CERAMICA – 48MM – PAM396

RADIOMIR 1940 – 47MM – PAM 399

RADIOMIR 1940 ORO ROSSO – 47MM – PAM 398

RADIOMIR S.L.C. 3 DAYS – 47MM – PAM425

RADIOMIR CALIFORNIA 3 DAYS – 47MM – PAM 448

RADIOMIR 8 DAYS GMT ORO ROSSO (Special Edition) – 45MM – PAM 395



Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar

Cartier presents a varied and impressive line-up for its Fine Watchmaking collection at SIHH 2012. At the very top is the accomplished Rotonde de Cartier Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon that was already previewed before SIHH. But one of the stars of the 2012 line-up in my opinion is the Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar. A highly legible calendar thanks to its clever design, the annual calendar is practical and well priced. More on the rest of the 2012 collection, including the Grand Complication Skeleton Pocket Watch, in my comprehensive report on the Cartier forum I moderate. – SJX

Unlike the just unveiled Harry Winston Histoire de Tourbillon 3, the new Chanel Première Flying Tourbillon “beats away discreetly and almost secretly” according to the press release. That’s because the tourbillon cage topped by a camelia flower that hides most of it. The rest of the watch is less discreet however, the case is white gold with 7.2 carats of diamonds and a glossy black ceramic dial.  

Chanel Première Flying Tourbillon



Though the movement is by Renaud & Papi, a simple flying tourbillon like this would be tough to sell to a collector, most of whom are male and have been inundated with tourbillons in the last five years. But this tourbillon is targeted squarely at ladies, which changes things.

The press release is much less discreet than the watch in that respect. I quote, “Chanel offers women the opportunity to enter into the world of high mechanical complications” and “this feminine incursion into the universe of watchmaking complexity”.  Because of the underdeveloped segment of ladies high complications, and that fact that it is a Chanel, I am sure it’ll sell pretty well. – SJX 

Beating discreetly and almost secretly

JLC Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph

In another of its numerous SIHH 2012 previews, Jaeger-LeCoultre has revealed the Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph containing the automatic 751G calibre. Visually it is very similar to last year’s Memovox Deep Sea Alarm, which sold nicely.

The 40.5 mm Deep Sea chronograph is not a remake of a vintage watch like the Deep Sea Alarm was, but rather a vintage looking watch. Neither is it a limited edition.

While it is attractive, I find the Deep Sea Chronograph uninspired. It is too soon after and too similar to the Deep Sea Alarm. You can have too much of a good thing.

JLC is good at many things, exceptional at some, but this just strikes me as an attempt to keep up the momentum after the Deep Sea Alarm.

– SJX 



The 2011 JLC Deep Sea Alarm

JLC Deep Sea Alarm US edition