In addition to the UR-110 ST with a guilloche steel plate, Urwerk also unveiled the UR-110 TTH, which stands for “tantalum hull”.

At 4.1 mm thick, the tantalum front plate is nearly double the 2.4 mm height of the regular UR-110 front plate which is in steel, like that of the UR-110 in blue or the champagne-coloured ZrN. Tantalum is a hard and dense, bluish-grey metal that is also used to tip certain artillery shells. I have some experience with tantalum watches; the metal colour is unique and beautiful, and the heft of the metal is satisfying. Omega and Audemars Piguet pioneered the use of tantalum in watch cases in the nineties, though tantalum is still uncommon. The metal is apparently exceptionally difficult to machine, hence it infrequent use and extreme cost. Urwerk, however, is the first independent I can think of to use tantalum. Incidentally, the chemical symbol for tantalum is Ta, so this should be the “UR-110 TaH” rather than “TTH”.

– SJX

2012 is the 30th year Louis Vuitton is sponsoring the LV Cup sailing contest, the winner of which will go on to contest the America’s Cup in San Franciso. For this event Louis Vuitton has unveiled a new sailing chronograph, the Louis Vuitton Tambour LV Cup Automatic Countdown.

Though not a serious, technical timepiece by any means, this watch is attractively designed and executed, like most of the LV watch range. This has a 44 mm steel case with a metallic blue, sunray brushed dial. Inside is an ETA calibre with a Dubois-Depraz module giving it a five minute yachting countdown function with flyback.

Although Louis Vuitton is hardly a high horology brand, that is changing. In fact, Louis Vuitton is more ambitious than fellow fashion house Chanel, in terms of technical, rather than mass market watchmaking. Next year Louis Vuitton watches will move to Meyrin in Geneva alongside La Fabrique du Temps, which LVMH acquired in 2011. Fabrique du Temps is the movement specialist responsible for the Laurent Ferrier Galet Micro-Rotor and Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve-winning Galet Classic Tourbillon, amongst other things.

– SJX