SIHH 2015 - Highlights from day 1
Hear what you see
We hit a horological high very early in the day with the presentation of the new A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, which is designed around the principle that you hear what you see. Since the digital time display jumps instantaneously, but the striking mechanism can take up to 20 seconds to strike out the time, A. Lange & Söhne decided to delay the jumping of the discs in the event that the pusher to operate the minute-repeater function (which consumes less energy than a conventional slider) is actuated shortly before the discs are due to change. So you always hear the time that is displayed on the dial. Other distinguishing features of this new piece are the non-circular shape of the gongs, the fact that the hammers strike the decimal time (to correspond with the decimal display on the dial) rather than the traditional quarter-hour repetition, that they do so in an inward rather than outward direction and that a new mechanism deactivates the striking-work if there are less than 12 hours of power reserve remaining - one of six different patents registered with this new model.
Read more about the new A. Lange & Söhne models on Wednesday here on WorldTempus.
British bling
Backes & Strauss are going all-out to capitalize on their British heritage. Famous London names are used for timepieces that showcase the very best in precious stones, as evidenced by the new Piccadilly Royal Blue model, which is set with 245 diamonds in 10 different cuts for a total of 37.6 carats. Versions using coloured stones will follow soon thanks the cooperation between Backes & Strauss and Gemfields. My patriotic heart started beating a little faster, however, at the sight of the special gem-set version of the Berkley watch, with its Union Flag stone setting.
New base movements, new manufacture movements and new Portuguese models from Schaffhausen
IWC has a busy couple of years ahead as it prepares to open an entirely new manufacturing facility in Merishausen, on the outskirts of Schaffhausen. Three new movements will be produced at the factory: two base calibres (the 42000 and 69000) and a new 52000 manufacture calibre, all presented at today for the first time. But the focus for 2015 is on the 75th anniversary of the Portuguese collection, which has been entirely revamped with everything from a hand-wound eight-day model right up to a with a minute repeater and perpetual calendar.
Read more about the new base movements from IWC tomorrow on WorldTempus.
Panerai presents CarbotechTM
The Florentine brand focuses on the Submersible derivatives in its collection this year with versions in titanium and a new material called CarbotechTM. This is a fusion of single-ply carbon fibre and layers of the high-end polymer PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), which binds the composite material, making it even ber and more durable. The value of a prized mechanical movement is seen in the new limited edition Mare Nostrum model, featuring the brand's OP XXV calibre, which is based on the Minerva 1322 base (see title image above). At a price of 37,700 euros with a titanium case, the added value from the movement is considerable, particularly compared with Radiomir 1940 and Luminor 1950 models presented with a new equation of time movement. These complicated models can be yours, in steel, for less than half the price.
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