In August 2013 Omega will stage the Co-Axial Exhibition in Singapore, which will detail its innovations and showcase timepieces Omega acquired from the George Daniels estate.

Omega De Ville Co-Axial no. 000/999 given to George Daniels in 1999

The Co-Axial Exhibition will present Omega’s best known development (which it acquired from the late George Daniels), the Co-Axial escapement which is progressively being introduced in every mechanical Omega model. Omega’s innovations in other areas of watchmaking, like the Liquidmetal ceramic dials and Ceragold bezels of gold covered in ceramic, will also be explained amongst the exhibits. In addition, Omega watches belonging to Daniels will be on show, including the De Ville Co-Axial limited edition numbered 000/999 Omega gifted to Daniels in 1999. This is the same watch which sold at Sotheby’s auction of Daniels’ own watch collection for £49,250, or about US$73,000, in November 2012.

One of the earliest watches to feature a Co-Axial escapement, a 1974 Speedmaster modified by George Daniels

The exhibition will run for nine days from August 23 to September 1 at the atrium of Paragon Shopping Centre. Entry is free and it will be open daily from 10:30 am to 8 pm. – SJX

The origins of the company’s name lie with this Calibre Omega from 1894

Vacheron Constantin has created a unique Chronomètre Royal 1907 with a blue enamel dial, which will be auctioned in August 2013, with proceeds going to Kidz Horizon Appeal.

For several years now a unique watch created specially for the event is auctioned at the annual Kidz Horizon Charity Ball, with all proceeds going to the charity which helps chronically or terminally ill children. This year Vacheron Constantin has created a unique Chronomètre Royal 1907 with a deep blue, grand feu enamel dial and a platinum case. Long the brand’s flagship chronometer wristwatch, the Chronomètre Royal 1907 is ordinarily available with a white, grand feu enamel dial. Like the dial itself, the minute track, numerals and text on the dial are also fired enamel. Those elements take about 10 hours to produce in black on the regular white dial. 

Creating the white minute track and numerals on the blue dial of this unique piece took more than five times as long, due to the difficulty of creating a pure white colour against the dark dial. Besides the dial colour, the Kidz Horizon Chronomètre Royal 1907 is also distinguished by a secret signature near the eight o’clock marker.

On the back the watch is numbered “No 1/1”, and the display back shows off the cal. 2460 SCC automatic movement. And the presentation box is similarly customised for this unique piece, with a plaque engraved “Kidz Horizon 2013”. Though created by Vacheron Constantin, the watch was contributed by the family of the late Duncan Wang, an American watch enthusiast who made Singapore his home. Last year, a unique cermet and titanium Royal Oak was sold at the dinner, raising US$136,000 for Kidz Horizon, while the year before it was a special, grey dial Lange Zeitwerk. The unique Vacheron Constantin Chronomètre Royal 1907 Kidz Horizon has a retail price of S$88,000, or about US$68,000, though precedent would suggest that it will sell for far more than its retail price.  The Kidz Horizon Charity Ball will take place on 17 August 2013. Kidz Horizon can be contacted for information on placing a bid. – SJX

Founded only last year by Daniel Niederer, formerly an executive with SA Desco and DKSH, SevenFriday is a small Zurich based maker of funky and affordable timepieces which have sold very well in a brief period of time. The brand’s first limited edition timepiece is the P3/2 Riviera with a wood case ring, which Niederer has nicknamed “Woody”.

So far SevenFriday – the founder wishes every day was a Friday – has only launched a single model, a distinctive, cushion-shaped timepiece, available in different guises as the P1, P2 and P3 respectively. The last model is the base for the new P3/2.

The P3/2 has a steel case measuring 47 mm by 47.6 mm, framed by a ring made of Canadian walnut made by an Italian craftsman based in South Tyrol. For protection against the elements, the wood ring has been treated with oil (probably Linseed oil or something similar). For longevity I assume the wood will need periodic treatment with oil.

Like the other SevenFriday models, the P3/2 has an multi-layer dial with an exposed balance wheel. It is an attractive and clever design which gives the impression of being an complex time display but are actually just conventional hour, minute and seconds hands, along with a 24 hour indicator which is linked to the hour hand and not adjustable. The movement is an automatic from Miyota, a subsidiary of Citizen which makes low cost movements.

24 hour indicator in red and seconds disc in blue

Only 350 of the P3/2 will be made. Delivery will be at end July, with a price of SFr1288 before tax. They can be ordered from SevenFriday direct or any of its retailers. – SJX