Archive for the ‘SIHH 2010’ Category:
SIHH 2010: A Day In Review
New Release: IWC Portugese Yacht Club Chronograph
Back at SIHH 2010 again today and looking forward to the many exciting discoveries that still await. It promises to be a rewarding day and so without any further delay, let’s get into it! First up is the classically understated International Watch Company.
IWC
This year’s theme – there’s a different one every year – is Sea Navigation. The presentation room is decorated as a seascape, with an evening sky as the stars come out. Regrettably the seats are uncomfortable textured plastic and the room is too small for the number of Press that has turned up. This seems to be a recurring theme this week.
The presentation is focused on the “Portuguese” range and the new models that complement those already released. I think the most successful model is the Yacht Club Chronograph. The contrast between the black face and the red sweep seconds is excellent and even better “in the flesh”. It’s best to steer clear of the rose gold version though, as in my opinion the mixture of colors doesn’t really work – go for the white gold version.
My favorite though is the Portuguese Minute Repeater. Originally released in 2009,it has had a bit of a facelift: at 44mm it is slightly bigger, and the small seconds has moved to the 6 o’clock position, but it retains what I think is the nicest chime of any repeater made today. With the silver dial, this time I would go with the rose gold version over the platinum.
Pure Elegance: IWC Portuguese Minute Repeater
Both watches are limited to 500 pieces in each metal. After a couple of lean years for IWC models these additions are a welcome return to form.
Piaget
Piaget made headlines late last year when the company rented the most expensive real estate in the UK, taking part of the existing Bulgari store at 169 New Bond Street.
It seemed like it was about time to check them out.
Of course Piaget is rightly famous for its jewelry, but the big focus of the presentation was its Altiplano Automatic ultra-thin watches.
Absolute Refinement: The Piaget Altiplano Automatic
The dial is aggressively plain, with baton markers for the numbers – two batons at the quarters and single batons for the rest – with small seconds at the 5 o’clock position. But it is the movement that is astounding: the new Piaget Calibre 1208P is only 2.35mm thick, with the automatic micro-rotor on board the movement in 22K gold.
The case is scarcely much thicker at 5.25mm, but it does have a sizeable 43mm diameter, so although it’s based on a 1960s design it has a very modern appearance.
This looks destined to become a classic.
Van-Cleef and Arpels
A presentation from VC&A is not everybody’s idea of fun, but personally it is one of my favorite appointments of the week. Being male and middle-aged I doubt that I am their target audience, unless I am looking to buy a present for my wife!
The Charms range is a little bit smaller this year, but that’s pretty much the only difference. The enamel dials with butterfly motifs and a special series showing California landscapes are fantastic pieces of work, but they weren’t the stars of the show.
The really fantastic model is “Le Pont des Amoureux”; it evokes a late-night meeting between two lovers on a bridge in Paris. The lovers are seen in silhouette, crafted in white enamel against a dark blue ground. They start at opposite ends of the bridge, the lady on the left with her umbrella indicating the hours and the gentleman on the right the minutes.
Using a Jaeger La Coultre retrograde movement the lovers gradually move towards each other until they meet at midnight.
Poetic Complications: Van Cleef & Arpels Pon des Amoureux
This is an exquisite piece of workmanship and absolutely beautiful – one of these for my wife’s birthday would certainly make her very happy.
The Final Word
While the remnants of the economic crisis remain, the outlook at this year’s SIHH was a much more positive, prices remain competitive and ranges more moderate than ultra-high end. SIHH remains a well run, well attended and interesting exhibition, roll on next year, but first, Basel!
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Weird Watch Wednesday: The Greubel Forsey Effect (Live From SIHH 2010)
Tourbillon 24 Secondes in platinum with gold dial – Image courtesy of Greubel Forsey
Perhaps the hottest ticket in town this year at SIHH 2010 is an interview with Stephen Forsey. The co-founder of Greubel Forsey is a busy man and its not hard to see why when you look at the mind blowing pieces his company has created. But early on Tuesday morning I was able to spend a short time with him to talk about the latest products and look back over the last few hectic years.
While it has been my pleasure to interview only a relatively small number of independent watchmakers, they appear to have a number of common traits and Stephen does certainly seem to fit the mould. Without exception they are driven individuals, which is not surprising when you think about the amount of work and dedication it takes to make and launch your own watch.
This drive is allied to a passion for doing what they do, which understandably to some may appear almost like an obsession, however, manufacturers such as this one cannot be dismissed merely as a business. It involves so much more than just that.
Built On A Solid Foundation
Stephen has an engineering background and following a stint at the Hackney School of Horology in the late 1980s, he started out with the modest ambition of creating a few clocks that people might buy to order and make him a little bit of money. But this was the 1980s: the industry was in crises and quartz movements heralded the prospect of the demise of the mechanical watch-making business, so like many graduate watchmakers he hunkered down in someone else’s company. For Stephen this was Asprey’s in London.
The 1990s saw the return of interest in the mechanical watch, and the layoffs of the 1980s had left the Swiss watch industry with a problem – a lack of talented watchmakers. These companies scored the globe looking for talent to fill their ateliers; when Stephen landed at Renaud et Papi there were 15 different nationalities working there, and watch making was no longer a preserve of the Swiss.
In retrospect the remarkable thing about the members of this group at Renaud et Papi was what they did next. At the end of the 1990s the group began to disperse; with a common purpose, Stephen Forsey and Robert Greubel decided their future lay in creating the watches they wanted to make together. They believed that contrary to the thoughts of some other makers, not everything had been done and that innovation should be their focus.
Tourbillon 24 Secondes in platinum with black dial – Image © Ian Skellern 2010
Talking Shop
Gruebel Forsey is attending SIHH for the first time thanks in part to a 20 per cent investment by Richemont, which has also enabled Greubel Forsey to expand its workforce to nearly 100 spread over Greubel Forsey and its sister company CompliTime.
Stephen was kind enough to spend some time showing me his latest watches and, as I said yesterday, the quality is stunning and photos don’t do them justice, no matter how good they are.
Our discussions turned to how this quality is achieved and by way of an example Stephen explained how all of the screws used in his watches are made in-house. This means that the screws are made by a dedicated artisan, who is able to ensure that they are completely clean, all swarf is removed and there are no chemical residues to spoil the blueing process.
If the company is willing to go to these lengths for the screws, just imagine what it will do for the rest of the watch.
The Final Word
With the company continuing to grow and some excellent people coming on board, it looks like Stephen will be able to step back a bit from the endless rounds of PR and focus on the development of new technologies.
In my humble I think we have a lot more to look forward to from Greubel Forsey over the coming years. Now isn’t that an exciting thought!
Tourbillon 24 Secondes in platinum with black dial – Image © Ian Skellern 2010
Spec Sheet:
And just to really get your motors running, here are the specifications of the amazing Tourbillon 24 Secondes shown above:
Platinum case with lateral window, available in either a black or gold dial
Tourbillon 24 Secondes
Mechanical hand-wound movement, Calibre GF 01
Tourbillon 24 Secondes, 24-second Tourbillon rotation indicator, seconds indicator and power-reserve indicator.
Patented Movement
• Complete movement: 280 parts
• Tourbillon cage: 88 parts
• Weight of the cage: 0.39 g
Number of jewels 36
Olive-domed jewels in gold chatons
Power reserve 72 hours
Barrels Rapid rotating twin barrels (1 Turn in 3.2 hours) one of which equipped with a slipping spring so as to avoid excess tension
Balance wheel Free sprung balance with white gold mean-time screws (10 mm diameter)
Frequency 21’600 vibrations/hour
Balance spring
• Phillips terminal curve
• Geneva-style stud
Main Plates Spotted and snailed palladium-finished nickel silver
Bridges
• Hand bevelled, frosted and spotted palladium-finished nickel silver “Greubel Forsey” gold nameplate,
relief-engraved gold plate with the number of the timepiece
• Steel black mirror-polished and beveled Tourbillon bridge
• Black PVD-coated titanium platform under the Tourbillon and mirror-polished backdrop Gearing
• Involute circle profile
• Tangential inclined gear with profiled teeth, on fixed wheel and escape wheel pinion Tourbillon cage
• Inclined at a 25° angle, 24-second rotation
• Cage pillars in Avional
• Titanium cage bridges
• Gold counterweight
Displays
• Hours and minutes
• Small second sector
• 72-hour power reserve on a sector
• 24-second Tourbillon rotation indicator at 8 o’clock
Case
• Platinum with asymmetrical convex sapphire crystal
• Transparent back with asymmetrical convex sapphire crystal
• Lateral window with shaped sapphire crystal
• Raised engraving of the name of the Invention on a hand-punched background
• Gold security screws
• Polished bezel and centre band with hand-finished straight graining
• Hand-engraved individual number
Case dimensions
• Diameter: 43.5 mm
• Thickness: 16.11 mm
Water resistance of the case 3 atm – 30 m – 100 ft
Crown Platinum with engraved and black lacquered GF logo
Dial
• Gold dials
• Gold appliques
• Gold display sectors
• Applied gold logo
Hands
• Hours and minutes with Superluminova, small seconds and power-reserve in gold
• 24-second double-tipped hand, black anodised aluminium
Strap Hand-sewn black, brown and dark blue, alligator leather with gold folding clasp, hand-embossed with the Greubel Forsey initials
SIHH 2010: Highlights From The First Day
Baume et Mercier XL chronograph 24h moon phase – Image courtesy of Baume et Mercier
With more brands on show than ever, this year’s SIHH was always going to be a huge event. Plus, with the addition of Greubel Forsey and Richard Mille as first time exhibitors there was always going to be some juggling of space and it looks like I’m going to get some extra exercise this year.
The first thing that strikes you when you look at the map of the show is the size of the Cartier stand. It is absolutely huge – looks like there are some major presentations going on and some very nice private display rooms. Tomorrow’s task is to try and get in!!
Baume & Mercier
The Press are given a timetable of brand presentations to follow and first off was Baume & Mercier.
With the departure of then CEO Michel Nieto in September 2009, this could have been just a brand in transition. Luckily a large watch brand is like a super tanker: it takes a long time to turn, with the lead times for development so long that changes can occur very slowly.
The first surprise is that the company has launched a Facebook group and a Twitter account. It is keen to emphasize the history of the brand, using the great-grand-daughter of the founder to promote its entry to cyberspace and encouraging owners to tell the stories of their watches.
Baume et Mercier on Facebook – Image courtesy of Baume et Mercier
An excellent idea as long as your watch doesn’t break – that could lead to some interesting comments being posted.
It’s a busy presentation with lots of people, standing room only, and PR agents crammed against the back wall. With three new styles to present – William Baume, Classima Executives and Magnum, this is one of B&M’s busiest years.
William Baume is its premier range and is dedicated to the founder of the company. The watches are classically styled but another look reveals a surprise: this is a jump-hour watch.
The hours are displayed by Arabic numeral at the 12 o’clock position. Surrounding the hour display is a subsidiary minutes dial, and there is a small seconds dial at the 6 o’clock position. The range is limited to 40 pieces, yet priced at a not outrageous 17,500CHF – where do I sign?
The main quantity of sales will come from the Classima Executives range. The key here is an aggressive price plus a number of differing styles to cater for as wide a spectrum of tastes as possible. The most successfully executed are those with the grain d’orge guilloche dials.
Baume et Mercier XL Baume et Mercier XL GMT chronograph – Image courtesy of Baume et Mercier
The date-only model is 2,400CHF, a calendar model is 3,650CHF and for the “full fat†experience the Moon Phase is 4,200CHF.
In these economically challenging times it is more important than ever to have a complete range of offerings.
If you are a little strapped for cash but would like something with sapphire glass, a good design, aligator strap and a reasonable price then the Ultra Thin could be just the thing. Of course with something this thin we have to say goodbye to a mechanical movement, but this is good quality quartz movement with a minimalist design. You only get hours and minutes with this watch as there’s no room for a complication in the case, but it’s fantastic value at 1,350CHF.
Lunch
One thing that does seem to have been sacrificed is the space in the Press Room. Lunch looked like it was going to be a bit of a squeeze but luckily there was a second area which was much nicer.
Greubel Forsey’s Double Tourbilon Technique – Image courtesy Greubel Forsey
Greubel Forsey
If I thought that B&M was busy, that’s nothing compared with Greubel Forsey. The company is the new kid on the block here at SIHH, so its presentation room is much smaller than many of the others, but this doesn’t mean that there are fewer people. Even in these preliminary stages it looks as if GF is going to be the hit of the show!
Squeezing together a bunch of media hacks is usually a recipe for disaster and rarely an ideal ingredient for a good presentation, but things get off to a good start with the appearance of the chiselled Stephen Forsey himself, speaking very credible French. It sounds as if those years at Renaud & Papi have paid off; these small points often make all the difference. As if to highlight the ethos of the company, rather than a flashy high level marketing plan we are given a much more interesting insight into the R&D process and the development cycle for upcoming products, illustrated by a few slides of its new, and exquisitely designed, manufacturing facility in La Choux de Fonds – a welcome change.
I am sure many readers are familiar with the very high-end offerings of Greubel Forsey, but the reality of the quality and finishing of the products is staggering. I spent several minutes just watching the Tourbillon going round and round – I’ve seen it before but somehow it still looks very special.
Greubel Forsey has released two varients of existing models for the show: the Tourbillon 24 Seconds in
platinum and the Double Tourbillon Technique (shown above). The photos are the best way to describe the beauty of these watches so here you go.
Tourbillon 24 Seconds – Image courtesy Greubel Forsey
The interesting reality of Greubel Forsey being here is that in sales terms the company doesn’t really need to go through all of this – it already sells every watch it makes. However the value of maintaining your profile can’t be underestimated, especially if you want to ensure that your company continues to be perceived as at the forefront of watch technology. Maybe this is what independent horologers need to do to sell more watches.
Montblanc
I should say right out that I am not a huge fan of Montblanc watches; their pens, yes, but the watches, I just don’t think they’re me. So I didn’t have great expectations, but to serve me right there was a surprise: the long rumoured MontblancVilleret Metamorphosis.This is a remarkable device, truly two watches in one.
When you press a button on the left side of the watch the face breaks into two, and disappears into the interior to display a second face underneath. Switching between a chronograph and a more businesslike face the display is nothing less than miraculous, and a lot of fun to watch.
Best not to ask the price!
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