Germany’s most famous camera maker just opened its latest outpost in Singapore inside the Marina Bay Sands casino complex, unveiling an 18-piece M-P digital rangefinder for the occasion.
Unusual being entirely in silver chrome, thanks to a synthetic textured wrap in the same colour, the M-P Marina Bay Sands Edition is functionally identical to the standard M-P. An engraving of Singapore’s lion head emblem on the lens hood as well a the Marina Bay Sands towers silhouette on the body are two overt references to the city state that’s now home to four Leica stores, which also carry the shutter-dial Leica wristwatch made by Valbray.
The Singapore edition is packaged with a matching silver chrome Summilux-M 35mm lens, and priced at S$19,000 (equivalent to US$14,200).
The M-P Marina Bay Sands Edition is only available at the eponymous store, which also offers photography workshops and camera test-drive sessions (which require registration online). More information is available from Leica Singapore.
Most people outside India are probably unfamiliar with HMT watches; even knowledgeable collectors in India generally overlooked the brand though they were aware of its existence. HMT watches were simple, durable everyday-use – watches for the common man.
But this iconic Indian brand went from being one of the world’s largest watch manufacturers – having produced over 115 million watches during its existence –and defining the huge Indian domestic market, to becoming irrelevant and finally, insolvent.
International beginnings
In 1961, HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools), in collaboration with the Citizen Watch Company of Japan, set up India’s first wristwatch manufacturing enterprise in Bangalore, historically a manufacturing powerhouse and now known as India’s Silicon Valley.
HMT was owned by the Indian government and manufactured heavy machinery but lacked the micro-engineering knowhow required for watch manufacturing. The collaboration with Citizen was crucial for this new line of business.
Watchmaking turned out to be so successful that the company had to expand its production facilities, setting up plants in other parts of the country for a total of five factories to meet the rising demand of a nation. It was helped by the prevailing economic policy of India during this period that favored local production of goods and discouraged or blocked imports, almost closing off the country to foreign watch brands due to prohibitive import taxes.
Initial production runs were limited to simple hand-wound mechanical watches, followed by automatic watches, and then a line of quartz watches. The movements were mostly made in India under license from Citizen and were very similar to their Japanese equivalents.
India’s founding Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at the launch of the first hand-wound HMT watch. Photo HMT
The erstwhile national champion
Demand for the watches in the 1960s to the 1980s was huge, leading to waiting lists, which stretched for months. At the height of its popularity the brand was synonymous with watches in India; its advertising slogan, “Timekeepers to the Nation”, rang true. In 1991, HMT produced nearly seven million watches, more than all of its domestic rivals combined.
Considered the quintessential gift for all major milestones in life like graduations and weddings, HMT watches were surprisingly affordable and reliable. But its dominance of the Indian watch market eventually ended as HMT slowly but surely it lost ground to local and international brands, particularly with the advent of quartz watches and the emergence of a rival.
While it had the entire Indian market to itself before, HMT eventually gained a rival when Indian business conglomerate Tata Group, established its own watch brand in 1984, getting its start by poaching management from HMT. Named Titan, the brand’s focus was modern, fashionable quartz watches that were more in keeping with consumer tastes.
HMT had been producing quartz watches in India since the 1970s but they were not popular at the time due to their relatively higher prices. Consequently HMT decided to continue its focus on producing more mechanical watches, not realizing that quartz technology was ahead of its time and would eventually dominate the market. Only when Titan began to win over market share with its quartz watches did HMT realise its mistake. Ironically Titan’s decision to focus on quartz technology was due to the advice from a group of former HMT employees it had hired to help run its fledging business.
HMT’s factory in Tumkur, located in Karnataka
In the early 1990s, HMT finally realized its mistake and began devoting about a sixth of its yearly production to quartz watches. But it was already too late, HMT could not catch up and steadily lost market share to Titan.
At the same time, the Indian economy slowly opened up to international brands as import restrictions moderated. And because of savvy marketing, Indian consumers desired foreign watch brands, often shopping outside India.
Such brands offered timepieces at various price points, giving Indian consumers the choice they had been denied for so long. Suddenly HMT’s haloed timepieces were not desirable anymore they looked outdated and old fashioned compared to the competition. The sense of prestige and pride that went with wearing an HMT watch was lost.
HMT itself was too slow to react to the changes in the Indian economy or the preferences of its customers. The government of India finally shut down HMT’s watch business in May 2016, the company had been enduring almost continual annual losses since the early 2000s, amounting to around US$1.9 million in 2004 and rising to around US$3.6 million in 2013. By then Indian watchmaking’s former champion had consistently lost market share since the 1990s.
HMT Chirag. Photo Farzad Mistry
The news of the shutdown of HMT’s watch business had been circulating in the media months before the final closure. Rumors and hopes of a resurrection of the venerable brand were finally put to rest on May 1, 2016 when the last of its employees were eased into voluntary retirement. The Indian government announced HMT’s former factories will most likely be refitted to manufacture other more essential or profitable products.
Life after death
The fact that HMT watches were no more suddenly created demand for its timepieces among collectors, especially in India. Inventory on the company’s webstore started selling out, while online retailers and brick and mortar stores saw a surge in demand for these pieces. A few models even began to appreciate due to their popularity and relative scarcity. Even at these higher prices most of the pieces were still selling for under or around US$50 to US$100.
Another reason for the increased demand for new old stock HMT watches was the fact that finding well preserved HMT watches in the secondary market can be challenging since most were used to the point that they were worn out. That was compounded by the fact that owners who treasured their watches and used them well were often unlikely to sell them since they had sentimental value, being heirlooms or gifts from loved ones, or pieces bought to mark special occasions.
The thought of owning a watch from a brand with such an unusual story has obviously become quite appealing to the Indian consumer. The fact that they are still quite affordable and reasonably well made only adds to their appeal. The extent to which these pieces will appreciate in value in the future is uncertain but at the current prices it isn’t much of a gamble.
So which are the most sought after pieces in the HMT lineup? The mechanical hand-wound and automatic pieces are considered popular with collectors; the quartz models were mostly pedestrian looking and not desirable. Amongst the bestsellers was the hand-wound Pilot, which was popular with members of the Indian Armed Forces, as well as the Janata that was one of the first models produced, renowned for its reliability and longevity. The automatic day-date models like the Rajat and the Kanchan were also very popular and are generally difficult to find online or even at authorized dealers.
HMT Pilot. Photo Farzad Mistry
A quick internet search should bring up a multitude of online retailers (including HMT’s own online store) who still stock a few of these watches but they are selling out. Most retailers are only willing to ship the watches to customers in India but a few larger retailers would ship internationally as well. You are unlikely to find brick and mortar retail stores outside India carrying the brand.
So are you likely to see an HMT watch create any kind of auction record? Maybe not, except perhaps one owned by a well-known historical figure, but it may be an interesting entry into the world of watch collecting. They offer a great price to quality ratio for new collectors and even for seasoned ones who want something from an unusual and interesting brand that will always be a crucial part of India’s history.
Sources: HMT, The Hindu, Times of India, Business Standard
Title photo credit HMT Watches
Farzad Mistry is a human resources professional and watch enthusiast in Mumbai, India.
Popular for its old school styling and affordable price, the Prospex Marinemaster SBDX017 is the most affordable of Seiko‘s high-end dive watches. Now the Marinemaster 300m just got a lot more, well, different with the new Europe-only limited edition SLA015.
It has the same specs as the ordinary Marinemaster 300m, namely a 44mm steel case with the automatic 8L35 inside. But the dial is a bright, light blue (cyan perhaps?) with a radial engine-turned decoration, matched with gold-plated hour markers and hands.
The SLA015 is limited to 200 pieces and packaged with a rubber strap and strap tool. The price is €2300 including taxes and it will be available only at Seiko retailers in Germany.
Watchmakers will soon have a new exotic case metal to boast about when Ti3Au makes it to market. Developed by scientists at Rice University and Texas A&M University as a byproduct of research into magnets, Ti3Au is a combination of titanium and gold with a crystalline structure. The nature of the metal gives it several useful properties, including being four times as hard as pure titanium. Ti3Au has a maximum hardness of 800 HV when the proportion of gold in the metal is 25 per cent, compared to about 200 HV for stainless steel. Lange’s honey gold alloy, for instance, has a Vickers hardness of 300 HV.
The new alloy also has a low coefficient of friction – tests show it wears down 70 per cent less than titanium – meaning it lasts longer (image above shows results of wear tests on the metal). Ti3Au also adheres well with ceramic and is biocompatible, meaning it can be put inside the human body with no ill effects. In fact, Ti3Au is the hardest known biocompatible alloy.
The obvious utility for Ti3Au is medical implants, but with such alluring properties (Ti3Au can probably fill two whole pages of a press release), the metal will probably reach the outside of the wrist one day.
The Reverso Tribute Calendar has all the hallmarks of the remodelled Reverso, namely dauphine hands, lance-shaped hour markers and a grained dial surface. While many recent Reverso watches were essentially vintage remakes (the Reverso 1931 Seconde Centrale or Chocolate for instance), the Reverso Tribute instead is a distinctly modern watch but one in historical dress, which might be a harder look to swallow for traditionalists.
Laid out in the traditional manner with two windows and a pointer date, the triple calendar looks at home on the dial, though the indicators are small relative to the size of the face. The moon phase disc is worth pointing out as it’s fancier than average. The moon is an inlay of solid gold, hand-hammered to resemble craters on the lunar surface, while the rest of the moon phase disc is liberally sprinkled with stars.
In dark grey with a hobnail surface, the reverse face is more muted, though it retains the same hands and hour markers as the front. It indicates home time, with the sun and moon disc to distinguish between night and day.
The movement inside is the hand-wound calibre 853, which is essentially the long standing calibre 854 with an triple calendar module on top and a modification for the time zone setting (more below). The calibre 854 was introduced over 20 years ago in the original Reverso Duo of 1994, and is itself based on the Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 822. The 822 is even older, dating back to 1992. While that shows the latest Reverso is actually powered by a movement that’s nearly a quarter century old, it does also promise tried and tested reliability.
As is typical for calendar watches, recessed pushers in the side of the case are used to set the calendar, but the second time zone has a twist. Instead of a button as on the other Reverso Duoface watches, the Reverso Tribute Calendar features a slide hidden on the lower edge of the case. Pushing the slide advances the local time hand in one hour intervals. While the slide gives the case cleaner lines by eliminating a button, it is less convenient to use than a pusher.
Another new feature of the case is the curved back, something common to all the recently unveiled Reverso Tribute watches. The flat back curves downwards at the ends, and when combined with the shorter lugs found on the new Reversos, improves the fit on the wrist.
That being said, the Reverso Tribute Calendar is still a large watch at 29.9mm wide and 49.7mm long, making it one of the largest Reverso watches in the collection. The size might not be suited for smaller wrists.
Pricing and availability
Reaching stores in the last quarter of 2016, the Reverso Tribute Calendar (ref. 3912420) is available only in rose gold for now. It’s priced at US$25,200, or S$35,500. Expect a steel version eventually.
A Detailed Look at the G-Shock MR-G 20th Anniversary “Hammer Tone”
The most expensive G-Shock in the line-up, the MR-G 20th Anniversary "Hammer Tone" also relies on traditional Japanese metalworking for its case decoration, blending old and new.
The G-Shock is one of the best selling watches in history. Invented in 1983, the G-Shock sold 50 million units by 2009. And of all the G-Shocks ever made – that’s over 2000 different models to date – the G-Shock MR-G 20th Anniversary Hammer Tone is arguably the peak.
Made to mark 20 years of MR-G – the top of the line G-Shock range distinguished by titanium cases and bracelets – the Hammer Tone gets its name from the hammered finish on the bezel and bracelet. While the movement and functions are identical to the MRG-G1000 models, the case finishing is what sets the Hammer Tone apart. The construction and finish of the case are remarkably fine and precise, good enough, in fact, to impress someone familiar with high-end mechanical watches.
As a watch, or more accurately, a high-end gadget, the Hammer Tone is typical of the G-Shock genre, being very big and complicated looking. Very large but relatively light, the Hammer Tone is 49.8mm in diameter and 16.9mm thick, but it feels smaller and is notably light for its size, at just past 150 grammes including the bracelet.
The movement does everything, and then some. It’ll sync with GPS satellites, and failing that, will set itself according to radio time signals that are broadcast in Germany, China, Japan the United Kingdom, and United States, ensuring the Hammer Tone keeps time to the fraction of a second all the time.
And it boasts a long lists of functions: world time function, chronograph, countdown timer, alarm, perpetual calendar, battery indicator and backlight. Running for 18 months on a full charge, the Hammer Tone is solar-powered; the dial is actually a solar panel.
Like many other Japanese electronics that tend to be over-designed – the opposite of Apple’s minimalist interface – the Hammer Tone is daunting to operate. That kind of complexity is expected. A G-Shock with a single button would be like an iPhone with a keypad – abnormal.
The dial is busy, really busy. The main hands indicate local time, with the 10 o’clock sub-dial showing 24-hour time for local time. Home time is shown on a 24-hour sub-dial at eight o’clock. The sub-dial at three o’clock is a time display Swiss army knife, able to to show several things depending on the setting of the watch: day of the week, latitude, daylight savings or standard time, amongst others.
The functional complexity of the dial is equalled by its construction. Multi-layer with applied rings for the sub-dials, the dial also features three-dimensional, step-shaped hour markers that are precisely machined. The only aspect of the dial that is lacking is the lettering on the solar panel, which shows bleeding around the edges when examined up close.
As an object, however, the MR-G 20th Anniversary is finely made. The basics of the case making are identical to that of the ordinary MR-G watches: the raw case is first stamped out of a titanium bar and then cold forged – pressed into shape by tremendous pressure that also increases the density of the titanium.
The forged case is then polished, first by machine and then by hand, giving the surface exemplary neatness and consistency of the sort typically found on pricey mechanical watches. All the edges of the case are remarkably sharp, while the flat surfaces are exceptionally flat, without any distortion.
And then the alloy is hardened and coated with diamond-like carbon (DLC), making it scratch-resistant. In fact, the surface is more scratch-resistant than conventional DLC-coated cases, because the hardening of the titanium raises its surface hardness to bring it closer to that of DLC. That prevents delamination, which is the coating peeling off when the metal surface below is deformed (suffering a dent for instance), because the hard coating cannot conform to the deformation below.
But that is just the finishing process for the ordinary MR-G. The Hammer Tone then undergoes additional hand-finishing, drawing on centuries-old metalworking that contrasts with the cutting edge technology inside the case.
A method traditionally used on copper ware in Japan (but also found in other cultures; high-end cymbals are often hammered), tsuiki is a hammering technique that hardens the metal surface by compressing it, as well as creating a decorative texture. Casio recruited Bihou Asano, the third generation in a family of tsuiki craftsmen, for the Hammer Tone. Based in the ancient capital of Kyoto, Asano has created copper ware objects for the Kyoto State Guest House and Osaka City Central Public Hall, as well as performed restoration of artefacts deemed to be Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government.
Tsuiki is used to decorate the bezel and bracelet links, which being titanium, are significantly harder to finish than the soft metals traditionally used, typically copper. Consequently Asano had to develop new techniques and tools for the task. He finishes every Hammer Tone component by hand, leaving each watch slightly different from the next. Only three watches can be made per day, limited by the number of components Asano can hammer.
Traditional metalworking extends to the colour of the bezel and bracelet, with the hammered components being a tone lighter than the rest of the case. They are plated with oboro-gin, which translates as “vague silver”, an alloy of mostly of copper mixed with silver that’s often used for parts of a Japanese sword, for instance the tsuba, or sword guard.
Also derived from traditional Japanese metalworking is the akagane plating on the pushers, crown and bezel screws. Translating as “red metal”, akagane is an alloy that mixes copper with a tiny amount of gold, 3 to 5 per cent in the Hammer Tone, and traditionally used for samurai armour.
And then there’s the inescapable question of the cost. As a G-Shock, or more generally, an electronic watch, the Hammer Tone is stupendously expensive. But the quality of the case and bracelet is lofty enough that the Hammer tone compares well with luxury watches that cost more. Seen as a luxury watch with electronic insides, the Hammer Tone is more easily digestible. The value proposition of the watch a peculiar equation but will only appeal to a narrow audience. But with only 300 made that’s an easily solved equation.
Pricing and availability
The G-Shock MR-G 20th anniversary (ref. MRG-G1000HT) is limited to 300 pieces, priced at US$6200 or S$8888.
Update July 27, 2016: Production number per day added.
Best known for its military-inspired watches, Panerai has been evolving towards a more polished civilian style, exemplified by the recently launched, extra-thin Luminor Due. The latest debuts from Panerai continue in that direction, with four watches featuring metallic blue dials.
While all four models are different, all share a metallic blue dial with a sun ray-brushed finish, matched with gold hands and ecru Super-Luminova. The dials have a sandwich construction, with a lower dial plate covered in luminous paint covered by an upper dial plate with cut-outs for the hour markers. All watches in the blue dial series are delivered in a cherry wood box lacquered dark blue.
The first and smallest of the series is Luminor 1950 3 Days GMT Automatic (PAM00688), which is 42mm, stainless steel and equipped with the P.9001 automatic movement that has a second time zone and date. It’s limited to 300 pieces with a priced of US$8600 or €8400.
The Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT Automatic (PAM00689) also steel, but larger at 44mm and more complicated. The P.2003 movement inside is automatic with a 10-day power reserve. It features a date, second time zone, 24-hour indicator as well as linear power reserve. This is limited to 300 pieces with a price tag of US$13,400 or €13,000.
Perhaps the most interesting of the lot for how it blends a vintage-esque look with the blue dial is the Radiomir 1940 3 Days (PAM00690). We just took a hands-on look at this, but briefly, the PAM690 is a steel, 47mm Radiomir 1940 with the P.3000 calibre inside (the first generation, not the latest one with separate wheel train bridges found in the “tropical” dial Special Editions PAM662 and PAM663). Limited to 500 pieces, this will cost US$9200 or €8900.
And the last of the quartet is the most expensive: the Radiomir 1940 10 Days Automatic Oro Rosso (PAM00659). The red gold case is 45mm, while inside is the P.2003/10 movement. It’s mechanically identical to the movement inside the PAM00689 above, except it has been skeletonised. This is priced at US$35,900 or €35,000, and is limited to 200 pieces.
No word yet if the blue dial will be repeated on other watches, but given precedent, it’s highly likely this won’t be the last of the colour.
All four Special Editions are sold only at Panerai boutiques, and will be available starting end July 2016.
Distinctly more modern and glossy than the usual Panerai, the Radiomir 1940 PAM690 is not a Panerai for traditionalists. But it is in keeping with the brand’s evolution from remakes of military watches towards timepieces sporting a civilian-friendly look, with the extra-thin Luminor Due being a case in point. Given Panerai’s track record, if the metallic blue shade is a hit, expect many more in the same colour next year.
The dial is rich blue with a sun ray-brushed finish, and typically for a Panerai, features a sandwich construction. That means the upper blue dial plate sits on a lower dial plate painted with Super-Luminova, leaving the luminous paint to glow through cut-outs for the hour markers. And the Super-Luminova is ecru, a beige colour that approximates the look of aged radium found on vintage Panerai (the Radiomir moniker comes from the word “radium”).
The case is stainless steel and 47mm in diameter, fitted with a domed sapphire crystal. The display back reveals the P.3000 movement that is Panerai’s interpretation of the pocket watch movements found in vintage Panerai watches. It’s the same calibre found in most hand-wound, 47mm Panerai watches, including last year’s Luminor 1950 Titanio DLC.
The P.3000 is a big, 16 1/2 ligne (about 37mm) movement with a largish balance wheel that’s hand-wound with a three day power reserve. Notably, it’s the first generation P.3000 with a single bridge for the gear train, and not the second generation with separate bridges that made its debut on the “tropical” dial PAM662 and PAM663.
The Radiomir 1940 PAM690 is fitted to an Assolutamente strap in tan, made of a cowhide treated to quickly develop a patina, meaning it will darken rapidly with use. And like all the other watches in the blue dial series, the PAM690 is presented in a cherry wood box lacquered a dark blue.
Pricing and availability
The Radiomir 1940 PAM690 is a “Special Edition”, which is Panerai lingo for a limited edition – 500 will be made. It’s available only at Panerai boutiques, the Radiomir 1940 3 Days Acciaio PAM00690 is priced at US$8900 or S$13,100.
At just 56 grammes – that’s just under 2 oz – including the strap, the Rado HyperChrome Ultra Light lives up to its name. A lot more watch than its trifling weight suggests, the HyperChrome Ultra Light is made of novel materials typically found in more expensive watches, including a movement with aluminium bridges.
Best known for its glossy ceramic watches, Rado is one of the two watchmakers in Switzerland that makes its own ceramic cases (the other is Chanel, via its subsidiary G&F Chatelain). The HyperChrome Ultra Light is made of ceramic, but of an exotic sort, with the case is a combination of silicon nitride and titanium.
The exotic case
Silicon nitride is a type of ceramic produced by heating silicon in a nitrogen atmosphere, creating an extremely hard and light material. It’s half the weight of steel, but several times as hard, making it essentially scratch-resistant.
Used for the case middle and back (the bezel and middle are a single, sintered piece), silicon nitride is dark grey with a hint of blue. Titanium inserts, distinguished by their lighter grey tone, are inlaid on the sides of the case. The crown is also titanium.
Though the case is a largish 43mm in diameter, the watch feels significantly smaller and needles to say, exceptionally light on the wrist (save for the strap, more on that later).
Aluminium movement
Even more intriguing is the aluminium movement. It’s an ETA A31.L01, an automatic that’s an upgraded version of the ETA 2892, with the primary improvement being the extended 65 hour power reserve. While the movement is mechanically identical to the A31.L01 found inside other watches, including the recent Longines RailRoad, it is unique – all its bridges are made of black anodised aluminium.
The use of aluminium helps keep the watch light, since aluminium is significantly less dense than brass, the traditional material for bridges. Though not new in watch movements, aluminium is rare and typically found in movements inside extremely pricey watches from the likes of F.P. Journe and Richard Mille.
The least striking bit of the watch is, unfortunately, the dial. It features a concentric motif that sweeps downwards on one side, making it reminiscent of a brushstroke.
But the hands are plain and baton-shaped, making them uninteresting. And the date window afflicts the dial, sitting too close to the centre of the dial, and also looking very out of place.
Another ill-advised detail is the dark grey NATO-style canvas strap. Since a NATO strap is made up of two layers of canvas, one of which loops under the watch, it makes the watch thicker and clunky. A thin rubber strap would be ideal.
The HyperChrome Ultra Light is pricey relative to the average Rado, but a lot of watch for the money – despite being just ten sheets of paper – given the novel materials.
Pricing and availability
Limited to 500 pieces, the HyperChrome Ultra Light (ref. 766.0069.3.111) is priced at US$2850 or S$4420. It will be available in the last quarter of 2016 at Rado retailers and boutiques.
The work on of troubled Dutch Post-Impressionist returns to Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso wristwatch with the second Vincent van Gogh limited edition. Equipped with a rolling shutter that slides open to reveal the miniature painting on the dial, the Reverso à Eclipse is the perfect canvas for van Gogh’s work.
While the first van Gogh Reverso depicted one of the famous Sunflowers paintings, the new model features a self-portrait. Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait as a Painter, completed in 1888, is reproduced in hand-painted miniature enamel, a technique often used to decorate the Reverso. Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the few brands with an in-house team of miniature enamellers.
The case of the watch is platinum, with a slim roller located at one o’clock to open and close the shutters. Inside is the hand-wound calibre 849, a round movement most frequently found inside the Master Ultra-Thin.
Only four will be produced and sold only at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Amsterdam boutique. The price is €101,000 excluding taxes.
