Posts Tagged ‘Tourbillon’
Basel World 2010 – Up Close and Personal With Ateliers deMonaco
Some people might consider starting any new business, especially a watch company, in the middle of a financial crisis just a little bit nuts. The upfront costs associated with watchmaking are formidable, cases, movements, hands all cost money; straps, boxes, literature and wages, the costs mount up. Worst still your suppliers want money upfront, your retailers don’t want to pay for the watches until they’ve sold them, who’d want to be a watchmaker?
Well despite all those barriers actually quite a few people, and one of them is Pim Koeslag, Master Horloger and co-founder of Ateliers deMonaco. As the name suggests they are unusually based in the tiny Principality nestled away on the Southern French coast. Given the weather in the Swiss Jura mountains between November and March and the corresponding climate in Monaco the attraction seems clear.
Monaco might be well known for it’s climate but it isn’t known for being a cheap place to live, even if you can get permission from the government to actually live there in the first place and given that finding skilled workers is hard enough in Switzerland persuading people to come to Monaco can’t be easy, but you can’t fault them for having a market to sell to right on their doorstep.
So far so good, but what about the watches? There are currently two models available, and a third on the way. Firstly an in-house designed one minute tourbillion housed in either a square or round case, and secondly their tourbillon minute repeater. We’ll get to the potential third offering later.
The standard minute tourbillon is quite an impressive looking watch, with the round case being at little bit more successful than the square case. This isn’t the fault of the case per se, rather that it looks perhaps a little too much like some models Roger Dubuis, not a favourite of mine, than is perhaps good for it. Both models have a severe cut away to the bottom third of the dial which exposes the tourbillon and the rotor weight, which we’ll touch on more later.
On a more subtle note the dials, commonly in a very stylish grey-green colour, are engraved with a deep sunray pattern. This not only gives them a very attractive finish, but each beam also indicates one minute on the dial, a nice touch.
The cases are large as you might expect but not as heavy as they might appear. This is due to the composite nature of the case, being made up of 33 individual pieces with an inner case made of titanium and an outer case in gold. This not only limits the overall weight of the watch but allows each part to be decorated differently and this gives the case a very interesting mixture of brushed and polished gold curves and faces.
One innovation that doesn’t stand out, purposefully, is the tourbillon bridge. Rather than try to deal with the intricacies of a metal supporting bridge Ateliiers deMonaco have instead designed a bridge made out of sapphire. While not the most obvious of materials for the job, it is stiff and light and its transparent nature seems to make the tourbillon float in mid-air, a surprisingly effective move.
New for the Baselworld show the movement has been expanded to include a Repeater into the case. A notoriously difficult complication to get right, it is vital to get the tone of the gong loud and sonorous, a weak and feeble sound and you won’t sell a single one. So a brave thing to try and limited to only eight pieces.
Now about that rotor. I’ve seen some very impressive automatic rotors over the last few years. Speake-Marin has a mystery rotor that seems entirely symmetrical; The basket weave pattern on Maitres du Temps is beautiful in it’s execution, but the rotor fitted to Ateliers deMonaco is in a different league. Engraved with the Monaco coat of arms, the figure is cut deep and crisp and even sounds like Christmas!! The cut-away face of the watches allows you to see the rotor swinging freely from the front of the watch.
At beginning I alluded to a third model. Only finished just before the show and not yet released it is what I think will be their most successfully finished watch, a Perpetual Calendar. Now with the complications needed for a perpetual calendar pretty fixed there is only limited scope for how the information can be displayed. The balance between the need to show all the data and ensuring that the dial remains readable is crucial, but I think they have got it just about right. If you have ever wanted to own this particular complication then this might be your chance. Unfortunately there is still work to do, so no pictures yet, hopefully very soon.
Independent watchmaking is a competitive, cut-throat business, but having good watches and support helps the process along. Ateliers deMonaco looks to be off to a flying start, here’s wishing them the best of luck.
3 Great Comments. Leave one too. | Filed under BaselWorld 2010, New This Week
Weird Watch Wednesday: Chopard L.U.C Engine One Tourbillon
In a highly competitive market, such as the luxury watch industry, participants need to evolve constantly, trying new things and finding new ways to get the upper hand on their competitors. Sometimes these new concepts are beautifully executed and work out well and sometimes they just fail dismally. Fortunately for high-end luxury watchmaker Chopard their latest creation, to be presented at Basel World later this month, sits firmly in the first category.
A Podium Finish
Exquisitely different from anything the brand has attempted before, this new piece only serves to reaffirm Chopard’s impressive capabilities as a watchmaker. True to the brand’s motor racing themed heritage, the shape and design of new Engine One Tourbillon is reticent of an engine block. In fact, almost everything about this new piece has been inspired by motor racing in some way or another.
The manually wound L.U.C 1TRM tourbillon calibre is COSC-certified and has been made completely in-house by Chopard and specially shaped to fit within the unique case. It is equipped with a 60-hour power reserve and is mounted within the case on shock-absorbing blocks much like a race car engine. Three lever-arms inserted into the middle of the case hold it in place and ensure absolute stability.
As the name suggests the piece features a tourbillon complication, which is exposed on the stunningly simplistic dial, sitting just below the power reserve indicator. The tourbillon cage completes one revolution every 60 seconds and the bridge has been beautifully skeletonized, maximizing the visual appeal of this highly desirable novelty.
Subtle Yet Distinctive
The distinctive case is crafted from titanium and measures 35.4mm in width by 44.4mm in length. Showcasing a striking combination of polished and brushed surfaces, the sides of the piece reveal contrasting brushed flanks and strongly curved lugs, creating a case that is both aesthetically pleasing as well as comfortably fitting. Adding to that comfort is a hand-sewn black alligator strap with a titanium buckle, a welcome change from the rubber straps many luxury brands have been favoring on their high-end sports pieces.
A quick look at the dial and you could be forgiven for thinking you had just opened the bonnet of an expensive sports car. The satin central section and vertically striated outer sections work together to create the impression of engine rocker covers and provide a very unique look without cluttering or over-complicating the dial. The power reserve indicator sits on a slightly elevated area at 12 o’clock, looking every bit the gas-gauge it has been designed to emulate.
As a an added touch the hour markers and indices are located directly on the shaped sapphire crystal, as opposed to the dial which is the more common practice, and this in turn creates an appealing three-dimensional effect while at the same improving the overall legibility of the exceptionally refined dial.
As the brand is celebrating its 150th birthday this year, the L.U.C Engine One Tourbillon will be offered in a limited production of just 150 pieces and the price is expected to be in excess of $100,000.
The Final Word
There are many things to love about this new piece from Chopard. Its original design, the fact the movement is made completely in-house, the adherence to the brand’s racing heritage, the list goes on. But what truly impresses us, however, is the fact that the brand has been willing to try something bold and different and has really pulled it off.
This watch doesn’t need to use cheap tricks and bright colors to stand out, it is its simplicity that makes it truly distinctive.
The Alpina Extreme Tourbillon Regulator Manufacture
When considering the relationship between luxury and value, points of view tend to disagree. This is because these two concepts are somewhat contradictory. In light of Tom Mulraney’s article about the real value of tourbillon watches, I find it suiting to take a closer look at a watch that claims to offer both luxury and value. It will also be very interesting to hear the insightful opinion of The Watch Lounge readers in regards to this watch, which is the Alpina Extreme Tourbillon Regulator Manufacture.
Alpina is very dedicated to providing the best possible value for the high quality and appeal of luxury products. Because of this, I believe that this underestimated, modern company still has a lot of growth ahead of it. Tourbillon timepieces, while very visible in the watch media, are still quite rare in terms of units produced. Most models presented by companies other then the established giants, are often limited to tiny lots.
In the case of the Extreme Tourbillon, for instance, only 18 of each variation will be produced. The precision required to manufacture the numerous components of the tourbillon cage is the source of both the rarity and prestige associated with this complication. A closer look at Alpina’s AL-980 calibre Tourbillon movement will put these components in evidence.
The AL-980 calibre is comprised of 188 parts. Its purpose is to offer accuracy, impressive Swiss manufacturing, and – of course – the complex tourbillon mechanism at a price lower then the competition’s. This proprietary mechanism is an extensively modified version of Alpina’s original manufacture calibre, the AL 950. It retains the AL-950′s automatic winding mechanics and the regulator hour configuration.
One of the main aspects of the new AL-980, is that is equipped with a silicium escapement wheel and lever. The advantages of this material are now well known by many watch enthusiasts. Its light weight creates less friction than traditional substances and allows for a more precise measurement of time. The viscosity of the escapement also allows it to run properly without lubrication, virtually eliminating the need for regular servicing. The tourbillon cage itself is made of 80 parts showing how intricate even a basic version of this complication can be.
The tourbillon is an impressive complication. It is easy to see why watches that are equipped with it, often exhibit it through the dial. This is so on the Extreme Tourbillon Regulator, who’s dial is “skeletonized” to showcase the mesmerizing combination of rotation and oscillation. The dial’s low contrast further highlights the individually numbered “tourb.” The markings on the multilevel dial are black and the applied steel hour markers and hands are darkened with the PVD process. The 48mm case is sporty and modern. It offers a relatively low profile and curved lugs, which are joined to a soft rubber strap for a comfortable fit. The black bezel is made of ceramic while the black case is made of titanium and coated with diamond like carbon (DLC). All Extreme Tourbillon regulators offer a peek at the ingenious movement via see-through, exhibition backs.
The Alpina Extreme Tourbillon Regulator represents a new category of tourbillon watches. These timepieces offer all the quality and precision expected of Swiss manufacturing with a price that reflects their actual value without the Tourbillon Club surcharge. The Extreme Tourbillon offers the simplest and most robust form of the “whirlwind” mechanism and packages it in a modern, sporty case.
Only 18 copies of each of the two versions will be manufactured reflecting the naturally limiting precision and time required to build them. With a price tag that hovers around the $50,000 mark, the AL-980BC5AE9 and AL-980BCT5AE9 Extreme Tourbillon Regulators represent the rare balance between luxury and value.
Have Alpina got it right? Tell us what you think below!
Marco is a specialist of Alpina watches at Matt Baily.
|
|
search the watch lounge
enter your email to get updates in your inbox
Latest Comments
- Brenda Lehman: Today is the first I’ve heard about Rafa’s watch being stolen. Give...
- Deonte: where or how can i buy????????????
- Olivier Muller: Dear Phee, I just had Daniel on the phone this morning. He is away now and will...