Fashion Rolex Automatic Watches, Rolex Automatic Vintage Watches

Rolex Datejust Mother of Pearl Automatic White Leather Strap Ladies Watch 116185MDL

great great great!

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Diana Bellion, From USA Apo / Ae

Rolex Datejust Blue Diamond DIal Steel and Yellow Gold Ladies Watch 179163BLDO

After I broke my watch I decided to buy another. This is a very nice watch that caught my attention immediately. It was definitely worth the price.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Laurie Laramie, From United States Westlake Village

Rolex Datejust 36 mm Pink Wave Dial Diamond Set Bezel Black Leather Strap Ladies Watch 116189

This is the third of the Waveceptor watches I have bought. I like the look and the accuracy of this watch.

---- [Rating: 5 / 5 stars]

Review by Jeremy Hammond, From USA Bear

Telling the difference between a Carrera and a Daytona is easy, as is spotting an Aqua Terra from a Terra Luna. You don't even need the brand names to help you. But what about the new collections by Emile Chouriet and Ernest Borel, two Swiss brands with a presence in Hong Kong and China that is difficult to conceive unless you have been there and seen the giant billboards that dominate the skyline. The two new models presented today on WorldTempus both embody the ultra-classic style that appeals to the Chinese consumer, combined of course with an affordable Swiss Made calibre. They go to show that at a certain price point buyers are definitely making their choices based on looks rather than brand or collection names.

Inspired by a photo showing 18 Rolex Submariner "Comex" watches on the Internet, David Chokron offers some interesting insights into the notion of exclusivity in watchmaking. Can a one-thousand-piece limited edition (not to mention a 15,007-piece one) really be considered as exclusive?

Our build-up to the GPHG 2015 officially starts this week as Camille Gendre takes a look back over 14 years of Aiguille d'Or winners. Will she find a pattern that could give a hint about this year's winner? We will continue over the coming weeks with a look at the members of the 2015 jury and some interviews with previous winners.

By now most of us are preparing for the summer break and finally find the time to think about and analyze the state of the market for fine and rare collectors watches. First of all, I can hardly remember an auction season that has been so eagerly anticipated as the series of sales that took place in Geneva this past May. Not only were there really amazing and uber-rare watches on offer (and also many not so good ones…) but for the first time there were four auction houses wanting a piece of the cake. Besides Antiquorum, Christie's and Sotheby's (in alphabetical order), Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo made its debut in the arena.

Let me start with the good news first: in terms of participation, sell-through rates and results, it was one of the most successful and animated seasons ever, with over US $ 60 million of sales and a number of new all-time world-records established. Many insiders who carefully studied the catalogues expected such positive results but a large number of players also wondered if the market was hungry enough to absorb the large number of watches on offer. Also, some observers asked themselves if the absolute number of watches coming to the auction market every season wasn't too limited to properly fill four auction catalogues and hence diluted the quality of the sales.

Then, late April, some two weeks before the Geneva auctions, my dear friend, well-informed market observer and Hodinkee founder Ben Clymer asked openly in an article "Is now the best time to buy a 2499, or the worst?", opening Pandora's box and prompting one of the most animated discussions, on-line and off-line, about the state of the market. Unusually, the four auction houses each offered a Patek Philippe reference 2499/100 for sale, the last generation of the venerable manufacturer's all-time legendary model. Would this be good or bad for the market? Were their enough bidders out there to bid, and to bid bly, on all four of the watches? Opinions varied, with some saying that this is the beginning of the end, while others suggested that it is always good to buy a 2499, regardless of the circumstances.

With delight I can report that all four watches sold, and sold well above their estimates. Antiquorum sold their Tiffany-signed example for CHF 471,750 (estimated at CHF 300,000/500,000). Phillips achieved even more with the Beyer-retailed specimen fetching CHF 533,000 (against the same presale estimate). The next day Christie's achieved a highly appropriate CHF 650,000 (against an estimate of CHF 400,000/800,000) for their mint example and lastly Sotheby's sold their Gobbi-signed example for CHF 382,000 (against an estimate of CHF 200/400'000). Certainly, the four watches weren't identical in terms of condition and completeness but with an average price of over CHF 500,000, one should rather think of all time record levels than crisis! It shows that the appetite for fine and rare vintage watches is greater than ever before and the political turbulences around the world aren't stopping collectors from pursuing their passion. In fact, it is rather the contrary.

Consequently, we have seen at all auctions the same pattern. The greatest pieces were fiercely fought over by the world's leading collectors and dealers while the average (and below-average…) quality struggled to reach the low estimate or even failed to sell. This may appear as bad news - but actually it isn't. As mentioned in my past articles, collectors around the world are very well informed and do their homework before bidding. Since the offerings at the four auction houses weren't at the same level of quality, we have seen mixed results. In terms of performance, we could observe sold-rates going from anywhere around 70% to close to 100%! Also, the different propositions meant that the sale totals and average lot values couldn't be more different: Ranging from less than CHF 7 million (Antiquorum) in global sales with an average lot value of less than CF 20'000 to Phillips with sale totals at some CHF 30 million, averaging at over CHF 140'000 per watch!

The other good news is that we have seen beautiful results across the board, regardless of the maker, model, vintage or price level, showing it is no longer the classic "Federer-Nadal-Wimbledon-style final" between Patek Philippe and Rolex. Certainly, there were some results which stunned the market, be it the CHF 4.6 million paid for the spectacular stainless steel Patek Philippe single-button chronograph (Phillips) or the Audemars Piguet minute repeating wristwatch at Christie's fetching over CHF 600'000. The new world-record for any Rolex ever sold at auction, the ex Eric Clapton "Albino" Daytona selling for over CHF 1.3 million (Phillips) made headlines but the General MacArthur Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso at Antiquorum reaching CHF 87'500 was a memorable moment, too. The pattern is always the same: collectors are seeking quality, expressed by condition, rarity, originality, provenance and freshness to the market.

Also antique (pocket-) watches enjoyed a solid performance with many notable results, demonstrating that we are not only looking at a phenomenon linked to wristwatches.

Certainly, Rolex continues to be the hottest name in terms of audience, as demonstrated by the themed Glamorous Day-Date Auction staged by Phillips where an exceedingly rare example in platinum (Ref. 6612 from 1958) fetched CHF 473'000, setting a new absolute world-record for any Day-Date ever sold at auction. But when looking at the top-ten lists published by the auction houses, one can spot a number of other names, showing that the market is more varied and open-minded than ever before.

So, we have all the good reasons to look forward to our summer holidays and expect an even more interesting fall auction season, as I expect all players (sellers, buyers, dealers and auction houses) will do their analysis and adapt their strategies to this 2015 reality - already understood by some, by others maybe soon.
 

WordTempus: What sets Ball watches apart from the competition?

Daniel Alioth: Ball Watch has always been linked to the history of railways and the establishment of railroad standard time but nowadays we communicate around the kind of exploration that was first made possible by the railways connecting the world.
If you take a piece such as the one Olivier Muller tested on his trip, you can see that it is extremely robust, shock-resistant and has very masculine qualities. We are not afraid of saying that we have a collection that is 95 per cent masculine.
Unlike many brands who work exclusively on developing the movement, we work on both the interior and the exterior, aiming to improve precision by eliminating the impact of factors that can affect it, such as shocks and magnetism. We have a reputation for working a lot on cases. If we consider the two major new launches this year, the Slide Chronograph and the Magneto S, both have patented improvements to the case.

Tell us more about the new Magneto S…
With the Magneto we worked on the anti-magnetic properties of the case. We did not want to enter the titanic battle in which Omega and Rolex are already engaged and we felt that the customer is already a little lost when we start to talk about resistance to magnetic fields (or even sometimes about water resistance). We like to remain down to earth and honest.
The concept of an anti-magnetic watch is not something new. The Rolex Milgauss has been around for a decade, I think. What we wanted to do was introduce a more playful element to it. The idea behind the Magneto S was for the customer to understand the concept of anti-magnetism by playing with the watch.

What are the important markets for Ball Watch Co.?
Asia is by far our biggest market, with the USA in second place. But we have done things a little differently. A lot of brands started with their Swiss Made philosophy and initially targeted Europe, then expanded to Asia and the USA. We are an American brand but with a philosophy that remains very Swiss. So the idea was to redevelop the brand in the USA and take a bet on Asia long before other brands.
We have been present in Asia since the early 2000s so for us it is an established market. It may sound surprising, but our investment to develop the brand is now being made in Europe, Russia and the Middle East.

And what about the local market in Mexico?
As you may have seen the level of watchmaking knowledge here is very high. But there is also an important aspect related to notoriety. Customers have a high purchasing power and not only do they want something different, they often want something that meets their needs for a mechanical watch but is perhaps not as well known. I had a customer here who purchased a watch from me because it was less well-known than some of the bigger brands and he was worried that if he wore one of the more recognizable brands he would be exposing himself to robbers.

What can we expect from Ball Watch Co. over the next twelve months?
This year we worked on anti-shock and anti-magnetism. I think next year we will continue along these lines but perhaps adding other functions. We will also work on reducing the size of some of our robust watches and adding the Magneto function to a chronograph, for example.

The Phillips Watch Department, based in Geneva, will partner with the firm of Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo. Bacs & Russo, specialising in Fine Collectors Watches, has been established in response to the ever-increasing need for collectors around the world to easily access scholarship, guidance and quality across the board.

The department brings together many prominent figures from the watch industry, including Nathalie Monbaron in Geneva, who will be supported by Virginie Liatard. Paul Boutros has been appointed as strategy consultant and will be Phillips' main representative in New York office.

Phillips will roll out its international Watch auction calendar with two inaugural evening sales taking place in Geneva in May 2015. The first will be a high profile various owners evening sale dedicated to the finest collectors' pieces, spanning two centuries of watchmaking of unique quality, rarity and condition. The accompanying sale will be dedicated to one of the world's most famous wristwatches: the Rolex Day-Date. Phillips will partner with Pucci Papaleo, one of the most eminent scholars in the world of Rolex collector's watches. The inaugural watch auctions will take place in Geneva on Saturday, 9 May at 7PM and Sunday, 10 May at 7PM.

In the following seasons, the department plans to expand its sales calendar around the world, organising sales in flagship premises in London, New York and soon in Hong Kong.

Integral to the department will be a brokerage, based in Geneva, specialising in the highest level of private sales, assisting collectors around the globe outside of the auction season.

Under the guidance of Aurel Bacs, the Phillips Watch Department aims to lead the market thanks to its team of specialists' second-to-none outreach within the collecting community and its uncompromising approach to quality.

On behalf of Bacs & Russo, Aurel Bacs says: "We are immensely excited to be asked to partner with Phillips as their consultants and to work with a department built from scratch. It is a privilege and a dream come true to realize a concept that Livia and I believe should be the answer to today's ever increasing market, composed of savvy and passionate collectors. It is a pleasure to be united with many distinguished specialists from the industry that Phillips has brought together for this new department."

Edward Dolman, Chairman and CEO of Phillips says: "I am delighted to be working once again with Aurel Bacs who has established himself as the market leading expert in this field over the last decade".

Building up a brand that is essentially trading on the name of a single person is not an easy process, particularly when that person was renowned for his skeletonisation work, which by its very nature meant relatively low volumes.

Armin Strom the man stood as a reference in the skeletonisation of watches, earning himself a mention in the Guinness Book of Records in 1991 for the smallest hand-skeletonised ladies' watch (12.5mm diameter) and working on hand skeletonisation for some major Swiss brands.

As he approached retirement, however, Armin Strom sought investors to continue his legacy in the form of a brand. But such a brand could not grow on the basis of skeletonisation alone…

Brand building
The transition started in 2006 and the new brand emerged thanks to several fortuitous events. Firstly, it was lucky enough to acquire in 2008 premises that had been occupied by a micro-stamping facility of Rolex, which were thus perfect for installing watchmaking machinery. Secondly, the financial crisis at the time offered a blessing in disguise for the new investors, who managed to purchase "for a song" some CNC machines that had been pre-ordered but cancelled by other brands.

The premises were fitted out between January and August 2009 and, astonishingly, by the end of 2009 Armin Strom had already presented its first in-house mechanical calibre. Today, only five years later, Armin Strom is a veritable brand boasting 12 different in-house calibres and a clearly structured collection, with each line - from the Manual up to the Tourbillon Gravity (the "Gravity" appended to an Armin Strom model means that it is powered by the force of gravity and is thus self-winding) being offered in four "elemental" configurations: Air, Earth, Fire and Water.

The elements
Aside from ensuring an unparalleled consistency of design across the line, the use of the elements offers four highly distinct looks to each line. The "Air" models, suffused with white on the strap and outer "ring" (the watch has no dial, in continuation of Armin Strom's philosophy of skeletonisation), are the most feminine, while the black PVD case of the "Earth" models and black ring with black leather strap, offers the masculine opposite. In between are the more classic designs of the "Water" models, with their stainless-steel case and the luxury touch of the "Fire" models, with an 18-carat red-gold case.

The "lip" at 6 o'clock on the case is also a distinctive trait of Armin Strom and stems from the craftsman's desire to have a space on the watch for personalization. A subtler, yet equally important, distinguishing characteristic is the slightly off-centre axis for the hour and minute hands, which is the brand's way of highlighting the in-house provenance of its movements. Only a company in total control of its own production and unreliant on third parties can allow itself such a discreet luxury.

Just like the much bigger brands whose shadow Armin Strom lives under in the industrial watchmaking city of Biel, the company employs a powerful combination of partnerships and ambassadors in its marketing portfolio, the most significant of which is undoubtedly the brand's association with the Marussia Formula 1 team, which is already in its fourth season.

Despite the communication efforts akin to a big brand, Armin Strom's pretensions remain modest. Its annual production hovers around the 1,000 mark and its latest collections, such as the Racing collection that is hitting the stores around now, are only produced in limited quantities, in this case only 100 units per reference. It's a level of rarity that could be qualified as reassuring for this remarkable niche manufacture brand.

Having a passion for a job is wonderful but it can make us lose touch with… reality. Exactly: we in the watch media are spoiled by constantly reporting on extraordinary creations and stratospheric masterpieces that can be worth the same as a penthouse in a major European city or a luxury yacht; sometimes we get to test many of them, but we can seldom afford most of those dream watches. In my case, I'm frequently pulled back to Earth by friends wanting me to write about "regular watches for ordinary people" or asking me for advice regarding the purchase of a good mechanical timepiece with a price tag between 1,000 and 2,000 euros - and even though there are several brands capable of providing a nice product in that range, there aren't many affordable ones exuding icon status and capable of capturing your imagination. I would say the Eterna KonTiki Automatic Date is one of them.

I must confess to being emotionally attached to Eterna's KonTiki line since I acknowledged it existed, because in my youth I read Thor Heyerdahl's book on his 1947 saga across the Pacific on a primitive balsa raft (christened KonTiki, 'God of Sun') just to prove an anthropological point of view. During that journey, the Norwegian ethnographer and his five-man crew chose to wear Eterna watches on their wrists, specifically commissioned to endure the sternest tests. In 1958, Eterna adopted the KonTiki name for its most rugged line of timepieces as a homage to the 101-day oceanic odyssey; since then, there have been many Eterna models (and many cocktail bars around the world!) bearing the KonTiki label - including some more attractive than others, a few remarkable ones and a couple of forgettable versions. The Eterna KonTiki Automatic Date, first launched in 2008, is definitely one that stands out for both its price point (around 1,600 Euro on a steel bracelet) and its looks, which are reminiscent of the 1958 original.

Compared to the first KonTiki, the KonTiki Automatic Date is naturally bigger - with a 42-millimeter case that sits rather well even on midsize wrists. It emulates many elements of style of the 1950s and can be compared to another timepiece that I consider to be the essential Rolex: the Explorer, whose origins are contemporary to the Eterna KonTiki and tied to another famous explorer. Legend says Sir Edmund Hillary and sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first men on top of Everest in 1953 and specifically prepared Rolexes were part of the expedition, inspiring the 1957 model christened Explorer that was last updated in 2010 with a 39mm version (ref. 214270). It also features a black dial that gives prominence to a luminous triangle (at 12 0'clock), whereas the typical Eterna KonTiki boasts four (at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock).

I bring the Rolex Explorer into comparison not only because of certain similarities in style and origin, but also because of the price. Not to mention the famous quotes associated with their famous owners: it is said that Sir Edmund Hillary, when questioned why he escalated the Everest, answered "because it is there", whereas Thor Heyerdahl once stated "Borders I have never seen one. But I have heard they exist in the minds of some people". And also because I happen to know the Explorer and the KonTiki Date quite well, having taken both to an iPhonographic photo session at the picturesque Cresmina Beach near Cascais, in the outskirts of Lisbon. Of course, the Explorer exudes Rolex's overall quality and the remarkable in-house automatic caliber 3132 - but, at round 5,500 Euro, it costs over three times more than the Eterna KonTiki Date. Granted, 1,600 euros can still be a big sum for a lot of people in a crisis-ridden Europe, but it sounds about right for a quality product from an historic Swiss brand - a start-up watch for those moving on to mechanical watches, a 'beater' for aficionados who have more expensive timepieces but wish to have a sturdier one to knock around.

I love the steel case of the KonTiki Date and how it combines with the metal bracelet. The size is perfect, whereas I would like the Explorer to be a tad bigger (a mere 1mm would do!). The finishing is quite fine, with polished touches contrasting with the dominant brushed surface. The dial center bears an engraved outline of Raroia (the Polynesian atoll where the KonTiki arrived after the epic 4,300 nautical-mile journey), surrounded by the emblematic luminous triangles under the four numbered hours and strips of luminous compound. Like in every KonTiki timepiece, the case back is identified by an engraved medallion of the iconic raft. The movement is an automatic Sellita SW200, inspired by an ETA caliber (and Eterna had historic ties to ETA in the past, having perfected the ball bearing system for the rotors in 1948).

Right now, the regular KonTiki collection includes the 42mm KonTiki Date available in several dial colors and also on rubber and leather straps besides the metal bracelet; the 40mm KonTiki Four-Hands, with an analogical flange calendar framing a centerpiece inscribed with ancient runic characters; the 44mm KonTiki Four-Hands XXL that also carries a pointer-type date display; the 42mm Chronograph, an exercise in style on how to use the emblematic triangular areas on the dial in spite of the counters; and the fabulous Heritage Super KonTiki 1973, a faithful reedition of a Seventies model adopted by the Israeli secret services.

But stay tuned! In a couple of days, Eterna will introduce new KonTiki versions at Baselworld, further affirming its ties with one of the most significant anthropological expeditions of modern times. The Grenchen-based brand will also confirm the launch of the Royal Kon-Tiki Two Time Zones, unveiled last year and equipped with the first of 88 possible variants of the new in-house Caliber 39. Thor Heyerdahl's legacy continues to inspire Eterna. And myself.

You are launching an RM 50-01 in partnership with the Lotus F1 Team and Romain Grosjean. What does this partnership involve?
We have a contract with the Lotus Formula 1 team and with its drivers. We are introducing a watch bearing its name and that of Romain Grosjean at this SIHH, equipped with a G-Force Meter and featuring the new material we are presenting, NTPT. This carbon-based technology stems from the production of sails for racing yachts.

It is still possible to enjoy clear visibility in the world of F1 alongside the all-pervasive presence of Rolex in this sport?
Yes, because our association is with the drivers, to develop products with them - just as we did for Felipe Massa. At that time, his team was partnering another brand, which didn't stop us working together. We are interested in the sportsmen themselves and we have indeed just launched a partnership with Alexis Pinturault, one of the most promising young French skiers, who just won the slalom ski race at Wengen last Sunday.

And what about the partnership with Natalie Portman?
The partnership agreement was signed in 2012, but it took two years to create the watch bearing her name, the RM 19-01. It represents one of her favourite symbols, the spider. We like it when our partners share their emotions with us and tell us what they like.

So 2014 is a year dedicated to women at Richard Mille ?
It's doubtless going to be a big year for women internationally, so we are taking the opportunity to launch several new watches in our ladies' collections. The latter account for 20% of our production, but we think that figure could in time reach 30 to 35%. With our new materials, such as white or chestnut brown ceramics, and our bracelet on the RM 07-01 model, we certainly have some features that are liable to appeal to women.

What's so special about this bracelet?
For the time being, it's intended for ladies, and it meets all Richard Mille criteria - meaning it is complex, extremely well finished and perfectly integrated with our cases and their distinctively curved shapes. Richard Mille has always been very sensitive to wearer comfort.

For the first time, visitors to your booth are forbidden to take pictures. Why is that?
We have always been open to this principle. A lot of people like to take snaps of absolutely everything. Even with a smartphone, you can get impressive results. But some of them are used to feed the fake-watch market and so we want to protect the brand and our clients.

Could you give us a few current business figures?
This year, we will produce about 3,400 watches, compared with less than 3,000 in 2013. Our turnover for 2013 was 123 million Swiss francs and we are aiming for 150 million in 2014. Our average price increases year on year and is now over the 110,000 € mark. We sell what we produce and our order book is full.

What's the geographical spread of your activity?
China represents less than 3% of our turnover, and we want to develop it - that is indeed our goal this year. The rest is pretty well balanced, just as Mr Richard Mille himself has always wished it to be: 40% in Asia, 30% in Europe and about the same in America. We are going to open another 8 to 10 boutiques, including in London, Jeddah, Beijing and Shanghai, after opening several last year in locations such as Las Vegas and Macao.

Recent scientific research conducted by German psychologists looked at the manner in which the brands condition, stimulate and influence our brains and therefore the manner in which we perceive reality. How do brands affect our brains and how also do incorrect information on the brands in question alter our perception right into the furthest recesses of our neuronal cavity. These are the questions that were asked by researchers Simone Kuhn and Jurgen Galllinat.
Learnedly entitled "Does Taste Matter? How Anticipation of Cola Brands Influences Gustatory Processing in the Brain", their very serious experiment involved having MRI scans conducted on some 15 people (all perfectly sane, with no particular neurological or medical history, explain the researchers who also emphasise that "they were all right-handed" - doubtless because in left-handed people, the brain lobes are the other way round). Two specific areas of the brain were targeted: the orbitofrontal cortices, the home of subjective thought that given to different products one sees, and the ventral striatum, the area connected to reward and pleasure. An area which, as we will see, can "light up" at the slightest mention of a known brand, suggesting all the promises of "pleasure" that it is supposed to bring us.
 

The MRI guinea pigs were given four samples of a cola drink through a tube for them to give their opinion of each sample on a scale from 1 to 8. However these samples were not anonymous - and prior to each ingestion (repeated several times in different quantities), the logo of the brand was quickly shown on a screen: Coke, Pepsi, River Cola (a cheap brand that is well-known in Germany) and an imaginary T-Cola. To reinforce the guinea-pigs' belief, they were allowed to see four large syringes, all different, duly labelled with the name of the various brands.
Unsurprisingly, Coke and Pepsi won the vote hands down, leaving the other brands streets behind. Certain participants, the study explains, even express their b preference for Coke and Pepsi and their dislike of other brands. The glitch? The four mixtures were perfectly identical, and all strictly composed of a mixture of Coke, Pepsi, River and T in equal parts.

The result of the MRI scan showed that the orbitofrontal cortex where worth is evaluated was less used in the case of well-known or recognised brands, because this worth is retained and accepted in our connections. If one transposes this into the realm of watchmaking, one could say that on the scale of watchmaking brands, the orbitofrontal cortex does not need to get involved when it hears the word "Rolex", but will work overtime at the sound of the brand "Von Graffenried & Cousins", for example.
On the other hand, the ventral striatum which is the centre of reward and pleasure becomes active at the very name of a known brand - while it remains completely "silent" when it comes to unknown brands. Brands therefore have the power to arouse those neurones responsible for pleasure, reward and satisfaction to the point of preventive titillation.
 

Continuing with the methodology used in the cola experience, could one apply the same research methods to watchmaking? This would not be about tasting an undetermined liquid, but rather for example being given a chance to discover the most recent model of a brand in an exclusive sneak preview.
We might thus manufacture a watch representing a hybrid of several different models, including for example an Omega case, with a Rolex bezel, an Ice-Watch dial, Von Grafenried & Cousins pushers and Rochat & Meylan hands...The movement, also a perfect hybrid, could be presented as a Patek Philippe or alternatively a movement made in Shenzen and the strap leather as being made by Hermes or imported from Albania.
The consumers undergoing the MRI would be told that they were going to be given an exclusive presentation of a brand new Rolex, Omega, Rochat-Meylan, Boomtime or Von Grafenried & Cousins model, a claim borne out by the logos on the watch.
What do you think the result would be? How, for example, would the ventral striatum react to the announcement of a totally new Von Grafenried & Cousins model? Probably a scientifically measurable flat encephalogram, whereas on the contrary, one might well imagine that the very mention of the upcoming discovery of a brand-new Rolex model would trigger a whole host of neurones - especially among bloggers, whose ventral striatum would quite likely start performing a belly dance!
Poor us!
We thought that only our sacrosanct "free will" determined our choices and our intimate desires, but this does not appear to be the case. Something like Pavlov's dog which started salivating and slobbering simply when it heard the bell ringing signalling its food - and even if the food never appeared again - we unconsciously vibrate and get excited at the mere thought of promised pleasures that for most of us will always be unattainable.
 

On 13 May 2013, Christie's Geneva will present its Spring auction of Important Watches. The sale is expected to achieve in excess of US$15 million.

Christie's is particularly proud to announce the highlight of the sale: a newly rediscovered, historically important and probably unique, white gold, perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases and leap-year, ref. 3448, manufactured by Patek Philippe in 1981, which carries a pre-sale estimate of SFr.800,000-1,400,000 (US$850,000-1,500,000/ €670,000-1,200,000).

The rich and varied catalogue will also include the most valuable and historically important selection of vintage Rolex wristwatches ever to be offered in a Christie's auction, highlighted by an extraordinarily rare, oversized stainless steel split seconds chronograph wristwatch, ref. 4113, manufactured in 1942 (estimate: SFr.700,000-1,200,000 / US$740,000-1,300,000/ €590,000-1,000,000). Christie's is international market leader in the field of vintage Rolex wristwatches.

Aurel Bacs, International Director of Christie's Watch Department: „The upcoming Geneva sale is a treat for scholars, historians and collectors, but most importantly for all those with a passion for the highest quality collector's watches. I can hardly remember an auction featuring over 100 Patek Philippe watches and, simultaneously, also offering over 100 of the world's finest and rarest Rolex timepieces. These two celebrated Geneva names are the most recognized in the field of wristwatch collecting and for the market this auction promises to be the main event in Europe this coming season. Our team of specialists has applied unforgivingly rigid standards when hand-selecting the finest watches from the world's most important private collections. We are also very proud to offer numerous significant watches, never before shown or offered publicly, directly from the original owner's families. With estimates ranging from SFr.1,000 to over SFr.1,000,000, the only common denominator of all the 360 watches is their uncompromised quality.

Patek Philippe : A Rediscovery
Christie's is proud to announce the exciting discovery of a historically important and probably unique, white gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases and leap-year, ref. 3448, manufactured by Patek Philippe in 1981 (estimate: SFr.800,000-1,400,000 / US$850,000-1,500,000/ €670,000-1,200,000). This extraordinary example is most likely the first ever wristwatch by Patek Philippe featuring a leap year indication, besides prototypes. Perpetual calendar wristwatches manufactured by the maker did not include such an indication until 1982, with the introduction of reference 3450. Therefore, the present watch, indicating 1, 2, 3 and a red dot (for the leap year) during the 4 year cycle, constitutes a spectacular discovery to the world of watch collectors and scholars alike. Presented in mint condition, it also benefits from an ultra-rare white gold case enhancing the beauty of the celebrated "padellone" design. Coming from the property of the family of its original owner and previously unknown to the public, this watch has never been offered on the market before. Amongst the highlights on offer is another Patek Philippe gem: an important and extremely rare platinum dress watch with perpetual calendar and moon phases, ref. 725/2, movement no. 930710, manufactured in 1947. (estimate: SFr.250,000-350,000 / US$270,000-370,000/ €210,000-290,000). Considered to be one of the world's most beautiful complicated pocket watches of post-war production, this example is offered in virtually mint, unworn and unpolished condition.

A Gentleman's Pursuit for Excellence part II
A superb private collection of complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches and pocket watches
Following the success of Part I of A Gentleman's Pursuit For Excellence, which was offered at Christie's Geneva in November 2012, we are delighted to announce the sale of the second part of this superb private collection of complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches and pocket watches. Equally sophisticated, Part II displays a great selection of some of the most beautiful and rare wristwatches ever manufactured by Patek Philippe. One of the most precious pieces from this section of the sale is a very rare gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases, ref. 2499/100, manufactured in 1981 by Patek Philippe (estimate: SFr.250,000-350,000 / US$ 270,000-370,000 / €210,000-290,000). Widely considered by collectors as the last, true vintage complicated wristwatch ever created by Patek Philippe, the production of reference 2499 started in the early 1950s.
Further highlighting Part II is a probably unique gold open face two-train trip minute repeating pocket watch by Patek Philippe, ref. 841, its movement manufactured in 1909 and encased in 1963 (estimate: SFr.100,000-150,000 / US$110,000-160,000/ €85,000-120,000). This watch features the rare and desirable tandem wound two-train movement, one for the going and one for the repeating work.
Traditionally, the repeating mechanism of a watch is activated by pushing a slide in the case band, thus winding and releasing it at the same time. The train of a trip repeater is wound in conjunction with the going train and released at will through a button in the crown. The advantages of this system are the clean lines of the case, the enhanced dust resistance and most importantly, permitting the owner the activation of the repeat train many times at will from only one winding.

The most important selection of Rolex vintage wristwatches ever offered in a Christie's auction
An extraordinarily rare, oversized stainless steel split seconds chronograph wristwatch, ref. 4113, manufactured in 1942 (estimate: SFr.700,000-1,200,000; US$ 740,000-1,300,000/ € 590,000-1,000,000), is the highlight of the richest selection of Rolex vintage watches ever offered in a Christie's auction, including some 115 Rolex timepieces overall. Being the firm's one and only ever produced split seconds chronograph wristwatch model, reference 4113 is considered the rarest and most exclusive Rolex ever created. Impressing with its unique case shape and size, it has a substantial diameter of 44 mm which surpasses all other Rolex chronographs by at least half a centimeter in size. Furthermore, its case design is unique in the family of Rolex chronographs with a bezel as thin as technically possible, allowing a dial size nearly as big as the entire case, resulting in an impressive level of legibility. The history of reference 4113 has always been the subject of speculation and legends, although all of these speculations have led to the world of car racing. The vast majority of reference 4113, which have returned to the market during the last thirty years was linked to Sicily, home of the famous "Giro Automobilistico di Sicilia", with its 11,000 bands, at the time the longest closed circuit race in Europe.
The roll call of impressive vintage Rolex wristwatches continues with an extremely fine and probably unique gold chronograph Daytona wristwatch, Paul Newman model, ref. 6241, manufactured in 1968 and retailed by Hermes (estimate: SFr.200,000-300,000 / US$ 220,000-420,000/ €170,000-330,000). The rarity of this lot is marked by the stamp of the Hermes brand on the back of the watch, to date the only Rolex Daytona known to exist retailed by Hermes Paris: a pairing of the world's most mythical names. This fact is confirmed by the Hermes archives and the watch is prominently published in key literature.
Further highlights include one of the historically most important watches ever made by Rolex, the Zerographe reference 3346. Considered a crossover between a Rolex bubble back watch and Rolex chronograph, Zerographe reference 3462 marks a turning point in Rolex history. Probably never made beyond a small number of prototypes, this reference is the foundation of Rolex's future developments. Notably, it launched the success story of Oyster chronographs, culminating with the Daytona, but also sports watches with revolving bezels, later to become the world-famous Turnograph and Submariner families. Zerographe reference 3346 was the first Oyster chronograph model produced by Rolex and furthermore the first to be powered by an in-house movement. What made the movement so special was the addition of a return-to-zero or fly-back mechanism. The present Zerographe is preserved in award-winning condition and fascinates by virtue of its sharp outlines, the very crisp milling on the bezel rim and back, the perfectly sharp writing on the back and the well-preserved markings on the bezel. (estimate: SFr.250,000-350,000 /US$ 270,000-370,000/ €210,000-290,000).

 
The Palladio collection part I
Complementing the sale, Christie's is pleased to offer Part I of a Private Collection of stainless steel Rolex Chronographs, composed of 10 timepieces dating from the late 1920s to the 1960s. The top lot of the collection is a rare stainless steel triple calendar chronograph wristwatch with luminous numerals and hands, ref. 4767, manufactured circa 1948 by Rolex (estimate: SFr.120,000-180,000 / US$130,000/190,000 / €100,000-150,000). The present watch is an outstanding example of this reference, the first Oyster-series triple calendar chronograph model ever presented by Geneva's "crowned" watch manufacturer. Known to have been made in an exceedingly limited series, original and unspoilt examples of this landmark model are extremely rare. In fact, the present reference 4767 is distinguished by its beautiful original dial, and enhanced by the rarity of the luminous numerals and hands.

Contemporary timepieces
Christie's will also offer a very b selection of limited contemporary collector's watches from the most important manufacturers. This section of the sale is highlighted by an extremely rare stainless steel wristwatch with oversized date and power reserve Lange 1, which is one of only three examples of this model known in stainless steel by A. Lange & Söhne (estimate: SFr.50,000-100,000 / US$53,000-110,000/ €42,000-83,000). Introduced in 1994, Lange 1 is the first Lange watch of the new era and represents a culmination of what connoisseurs of fine watches associate with the legendary "A. Lange & Söhne" heritage. The present stainless steel version is especially appreciated by watch purists as the simplicity of the case material enhances the beauty of the movement. The stainless steel version of this model was never available to the public.

Sold for the benefit of Children Action
Christie's is honored to have been chosen to auction a superb selection of ten contemporary Patek Philippe wristwatches. An anonymous gentleman collector has consigned these watches from his personal collection and will donate the proceeds to benefit Children Action, a Swiss Foundation aiming to bring help to children in need, regardless of their nationality, race, or religion. All the timepieces from this collection will be offered without reserve, with the global estimate ranging from SFr.450,000 to SFr.700,000. The highlight from this section of the sale is a fine, white gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases, leap year and day and night indication, ref. 5270, manufactured by Patek Philippe circa 2011 (estimate: SFr.100,000-150,000 / US$110,000-160,000/ €85,000-120,000). Considered as the "top of the line" of Patek Philippe production, reference 5270 can only be obtained after considerable delay due to a long waiting list. As a "perpetual calendar chronograph", this is the legitimate successor of Patek Philippe's famous family including reference 1518, 2449, 3970 and 5970.

WORLDTEMPUS - 6 march 2013

Patrick Heiniger marked the history of the company throughout the 16 years he presided over its destiny, from 1992 to 2008.
M.Heiniger was appointed Managing Director of Rolex in 1992, six years after he joined as Commercial Director. He was also named Chief Executive Officer in 1997. As the company's third Managing Director since it was founded, he followed his father, Andre J. Heiniger, who in 1963 had succeeded Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex.

Born in Argentina in 1950, Patrick Heiniger was a lawyer by training, specializing in international and intellectual property law. He made it his mission to reinforce the protection of the brand throughout the world.
Under his impetus, in the mid-1990s Rolex made a fundamental strategic choice and opted for the vertical integration of its means of production. This strategy was intended to guarantee control over manufacturing of the essential components of the brand's watches and thus to ensure its autonomy.
As a true independent watchmaker of the 21st century, enjoying unprecedented freedom in the design and manufacture of its watches, Rolex could take its ambition for excellence and innovation to new heights.
In 2002, Patrick Heiniger created the Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative, dedicated to helping promising young artists realize their full potential under the watchful eye of a renowned mentor in their discipline.
That same year, he was awarded the insignia of Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour and, in 2005, he was appointed Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters.
Patrick Heiniger retired from the helm of Rolex in December 2008.
Worldtempus would like to express its deepest sympathy to Patrick Heiniger's family and Rolex teams.

Christie's Geneva auction sale of Important Watches including A Gentleman's Pursuit for Excellence, Part I fetched a total result of SFr.27,042,825/$28,557,223/€22,445,545, selling 96% by lot and 97% by value.
The exceptionally rare platinum perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases, ref. 2499/100, manufactured by Patek Philippe in 1987 and offered from the collection of Eric Clapton, sold for SFr. 3,443,000 / $3,635,808 / €2,857,690, setting a world record price for this reference at auction.

The top price of the sale was paid for the „J.B. Champion Platinum Observatory Chronometer, a unique platinum chronometer wristwatch, ref. 2458, which was specially manufactured by Patek Philippe for J.B. Champion, the legendary American watch collector, in 1952. This historically important timepiece realized SFr.3,779,000 / $3,990,624 / €3,136,570, setting a world auction record for a watch without complications.

World record prices were also set for numerous references and models in the following categories: Patek Philippe, Rolex, Omega, antique and 20th century enamels, decorative watches and contemporary watches.
Aurel Bacs, International Head of Christie's Watch Department, commented: "Christie's auction of Important Watches in Geneva performed extremely well, demonstrating great consistency at all levels in terms of watches, prices and clients. In a broad, healthy and ever growing market, where buyers demand expertise and scholarship, we offered once again the finest selection of watches and wristwatches. A packed saleroom, today's seven-hour marathon auction welcomed some 500 registrants from five continents, generating stellar sell-through rates as well as breaking numerous records. Collectors, public and private museums, the trade and also an investment watch fund, battled out the bidding for the best watches seen at auction this season, reconfirming Christie's market leadership in every horological category. This is our recipe: sourcing top quality properties, pricing them accurately, presenting them to the right audience, in the right place, at the right time".

TOP LOT: J.B. CHAMPION PLATINUM OBSERVATORY CHRONOMETER
The most valuable lot of the sale, an historically important and unique platinum chromometer wristwatch with Guillaume balance, Bulletin d'Observatoire, additional diamond-set dial and platinum bracelet, ref. 2458, made especially for J.B Champion by Patek Philippe in 1952, sold for SFr.3,779,000 / $3,990,624 / €3,136,570 (lot 88).
ERIC CLAPTON'S PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 2499/100 IN PLATINUM
Offered from the Collection of Eric Clapton, an exceptionally rare platinum perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with moon phases, ref. 2499/100, manufactured by Patek Philippe in 1987, sold for SFr. 3,443,000 / $3,635,808 / €2,857,690 (lot 151). Only once previously sold at auction in 1989, it then changed hands for $250,999.
A COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE POCKET WATCHES MADE FOR CHINESE MARKET
100% sold by lot and by value, the sensational collection of antique watches, comprising the different styles made for the export to China, fetched a total result of SFr.2,303,500 / US$2,432,496 / €1,911,905, exceeding its pre-sale estimate by five times. The top lot of the collection was an exceptional gold and enamel openface centre seconds duplex watch with enamel by Jean-François-Victor Dupont, made for the Chinese market by William Ilbery, London, circa 1815 (lot 194), which sold for SFr.651,000 / US$687,456 / €540,330.
The majority of the pieces offered for sale were acquired by the present owner and her late husband during their repeated journeys to the Orient between the late 1950s and the 1970s.
A GENTLEMAN'S PURSUIT FOR EXCELLENCE, PART I
Part I of A Gentleman's Pursuit For Excellence, a superb private collection of complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches and pocket watches, totalled SFr.1,332,000 / US$1,406,592 / €1,105,560. The top lot of the collection was a white gold automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, ref. 3448, manufactured by Patek Philippe in 1974 (lot 316), which sold for SFr.387,000 / US$408,672 / €321,210.
Part II will be offered at Christie's Geneva on 13 May 2013.

Antiquorum's fall auction of "Important Modern & Vintage Timpieces" held at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong on Friday, October 19th achieved outstanding results totaling HKD23,834,875. A total of 75.8% of the auction was sold by lot, with 124% sold by value.
 
The highlights of the sale included the Harry Winston "OPUS V" 18K pink gold wristwatch, the Louis Vuitton "Tambour Diving II" 18K black gold diver's wristwatch with square button chronograph specially made for Only Watch Auction 2011, and a series of fine Patek Philippe timepieces.

One of the most exciting highlight's of the sale was definitely the Harry Winston "OPUS V" 18K pink gold wristwatch (Lot 323). This very fine and rare wristwatch aroused a lot of interest among collectors and was sold for an impressive HKD1,160,000 (including buyer's premium) after heated competition between room, phone and Internet bidders.
 

Another highlight was the Louis Vuitton "Tambour Diving II" 18K black gold diver's wristwatch with square button chronograph (Lot 118), specially made for Only Watch. The unique and highly collectible wristwatch drew consideration attention among collectors and attained a noteworthy price of HKD400, 000 (including buyer's premium).
 
The outstanding performance of Patek Philippe once again highlights the brand's popularity among collectors worldwide. The Patek Philippe Ref. 5101P 10 Days Tourbillon Platinum (Lot 322) sold for HKD1, 556,000 (including buyer's premium), the highest price attained in the sale.

Patek Philippe Ref. 5131G-001 World Time wristwatch (Lot 206), a very fine wristwatch combining precise watchmaking expertise and traditional enamel craftsmanship achieved HKD1,040,000, while Patek Philippe Ref. 5050G Roman Dial 18K white gold wristwatch with perpetual calendar (Lot 321), brought HKD608,000. Also noteworthy was the Patek Philippe Ref. 5350R 18K pink gold wristwatch (315), which attained HKD475, 000 after fierce bidding.
 
Patek Philippe Ref. 1146 "Piece Unique - Pendulette Dome -Fêtes des Vendanges" Dome clock (Lot 127), which had drawn considerable attention prior to the sale, attracted many collectors vying for it and was sold to an Asian collector for a remarkable HKD980,000. (including buyer's premium)

 
The auction attracted collectors from across the globe with bidders from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.
 
"Today's fierce competition among global bidders for the Patek Philippe Ref. 1146, Harry Winston "OPUS V" and other amazing lots for auction confirms the ever-increasing market demand for collectable timepieces," said Jill Chen, General Manager, Antiquorum Hong Kong.
 
Antiquorum looks forward to our next auction on November 11th in Geneva, featuring a magnificent royal presentation musical fan with concealed watch and an impressive collection of Patek Philippe and Rolex timpieces.

Revue FH - 5 July 2012

The 2012 Rolex Awards for Enterprise aroused keen interest. Indeed around 3,500 names were put forward - more than double that of recent editions - originating from 154 different countries (126 at the last edition). The average age of participants was down from 46 to 41. The percentage of women meanwhile rose from 23 to 28%, a record high.
Members of the interdisciplinary jury, which included renowned scientists, explorers, environmental campaigners, doctors, educationalists and entrepreneurs, made their selection as follows:
Sergei Bereznuk (51), Russia

The Russian Far East is home to 95 per cent of the remaining population of the Amur, the biggest of the world's tigers (also known as the Siberian tiger), which weighs on average 200 kg. Today, an estimated 350 to 500 of this subspecies (Panthera tigris altaica) roam the frontier region bordering China and the Sea of Japan. Although sustained conservation efforts over recent years have moved the Amur tigers from «critically endangered» to «endangered» on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, they still remain at risk - mainly due to poaching.
For the past 17 years, Sergei Bereznuk, a staunch Russian conservationist and ecologist, has been working valiantly to save the Amur tiger. Based on his experience since 1995 with a tiger anti-poaching brigade in the Primorsky Krai, the Russian Far East province commonly known as Primorye, Bereznuk is convinced that saving the Amur tiger depends on both the efficiency of anti-poaching measures and the education of the local people, two elements at the core of his Rolex Awardwinning project. Moreover, he considers the Amur tiger as a powerful driver for the general conservation of its ecosystem, the taiga forest.

As director of the Phoenix Fund, a small, environmental NGO that he has headed for 12 years, Bereznuk and his team of six people are carrying out an impressive range of activities to preserve the Amur tiger over a territory of 166,000 km2. These include support of anti-poaching units, awareness-raising among local people, reversing habitat reduction due to fires and logging and resolution of humananimal conflicts, along with providing compensation for damage and monitoring invasive industrial projects in the region.
Barbara Block (54), United States

Large marine predators such as sharks and tunas are essential to maintaining the delicate balance of our ocean ecosystems, but overfishing, habitat destruction and pollution have caused reductions of populations worldwide. Measures advocated by scientists to reverse this decline include the creation of large marine protected areas in the open ocean that preserve feeding and breeding grounds. A major challenge has been to identify the best locations for these sanctuaries, since these species are highly migratory and difficult to follow.
Barbara Block, a professor of marine biology, has developed innovative electronic tagging techniques that enable following fish beneath the sea. In the late 1990s, she helped develop the first pop-up satellite archival tag, a device that detaches itself from the fish on a pre-programmed date and floats to the surface of the sea where it transmits archived data via satellite.
Block's aim is to build the technology that will enable monitoring of these ocean hotspots and to engage the public on the plight of marine predators that roam along the west coast of North America - a crucial prelude to their conservation.
Her team conducts «conservation oceanography» incorporating the latest advances in sensor technology, ocean observing systems and computational methods to provide resource managers and policy-makers with data on the sustainability of both exploited and protected marine predators.
Erika Cuellard (40), Bolivia

The largest of Bolivia's national parks, the Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco, boasts the unlikely combination of South America's hottest, driest weather and 70 species of large mammals, including jaguars, pumas and giant armadillos, living in the largest protected tropical dry forest in the world. This harsh and inhospitable environment has been the workplace of Erika Cuellar for more than a decade. The scientist has spearheaded participatory conservation with the indigenous Guaraní people who live on the boundaries of the park. She has worked towards improving grassland management and local capacity building by training local people to take ownership of the conservation of their habitat.
Encouraged by her successes in the national park, Cuellar's sights are now set on the wider Gran Chaco region, which spans parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. The Gran Chaco counts a variety of indigenous tribes, nomadic hunters, gatherers, fishing communities, farmers and cattle ranchers as its human inhabitants. The forests and scrublands are also home to 3,400 plant species, 500 bird and 150 mammal species, many of which are unique to the region.
But for more than a century, the Gran Chaco's natural wealth has been systematically eroded. A notable casualty of these man-made factors has been the guanaco, the wild ancestor of domesticated llamas. In 2007, to help protect this species and its habitat, Cuellar devised a course to train members of three ethnic groups native to the Gran Chaco (Guaraní, Ayoreode and Chiquitano) as parabiologists. As native inhabitants, parabiologists are also an influential means of conveying the value of conservation to indigenous communities. Cuellar now wants to extend her approach in Argentina and Paraguay and formalize the model to make conservation a viable long-term local employment option.
Mark Kendall (40), Australia

Mark Kendall is developing an inexpensive and highly efficient way to reduce the annual death toll of millions of people worldwide from infectious diseases. Many of these fatalities can be prevented by vaccines, but the traditional syringe-and needle method - invented in 1853 - is holding vaccines back. First, this method injects vaccine into muscle, which has few immune cells, missing our immune «sweet spot». It is expensive and presents numerous difficulties - with vaccines requiring refrigeration in many countries where electricity supplies are uncertain.
With the «Nanopatch» that Professor Kendall is developing at a cutting-edge bio-engineering research institute at the University of Queensland, in Australia, a host of problems linked to the traditional needle and syringe will be swept away. The syringe-free method developed by Kendall uses an applicator which propels the Nanopatch and its microprojections - painlessly - onto a superficial layer of the skin where target immune cells are most numerous. The process does not draw blood, so the risk of infection is greatly reduced.
The Nanopatch is coated with dry vaccine, so no refrigeration is required. This, together with lower vaccine doses, drastically reduces all costs, including transport. In the long term, Nanopatches could probably be administered by community workers or teachers, thus avoiding the need for medical staff to be present.
Aggrey Otieno (34), Kenya

Korogocho, Nairobi's fourth-largest slum, is home to an estimated 200,000 people in an area of only 1.5 km2, which is troubled by widespread insecurity, substandard sanitation and deep poverty. An estimated 300 women experience postpartum haemorrhage and 200 newborn babies die there every year due to the lack of obstetric medical facilities and a means of getting to hospital, as well as the fact that the local birth attendants need assistance during emergencies. In Korogocho, the maternal mortality ratio is roughly 700 women out of 100,000, compared with 13 out of 100,000 in the United States.
After studying in the United States, Aggrey Otieno returned to the slum, his birthplace, to improve the health of his community by empowering its people. With his knowledge of the area, Otieno, who has gained a well-deserved reputation as a valiant champion of the poor and vulnerable residents of Korogocho, is well placed to drive forward his project to build a telemedicine centre with a 24- hour, on-call doctor and van, thereby helping to prevent many deaths.
Under the auspices of the non-profit organization Pambazuko Mashinani - of which he is founder and executive director - Otieno will use his Rolex Award funds to train birth attendants to recognize when complications are occurring so that they can alert staff at the centre by text message when an emergency arises. These qualified workers and doctors will give instant medical advice and, if needed, dispatch a van to transport the woman to hospital.

Juan Martín Del Potro had an easier time bringing home the gold at this tournament than perhaps others. It was obvious he felt right at home on the red clay of the Lisbon suburb's courts: disposing of France's Richard Gasquet (number 18 in the ATP rankings) in the finals and Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka (number 21) in the semifinals, the gentle giant put his Rolex Milgauss on his wrist directly after shaking his opponents' hands at every match.

Furthermore, Salomão Kolinski of the retail chain Boutique dos Relógios was on hand to present the winners with timepieces from Omega for the third year running. As Del Potro's Rolex ambassadorship prevented him from wearing other timepieces, he gifted his Seasmaster to the best Portuguese player, João Sousa, who lost to Spain's Albert Ramos in the quarterfinals in a valiant battle.
 

The ladies' champion, Estonia's Kaia Kanepi - currently number 26 in the world - received a ladies' Constellation.

Thomas Perazzi joins Sotheby's from his position as specialist at an auction house specialising in horology. Mr. Perazzi began his career in the industry in 2006, further developing his b interest in Omega and Rolex watches as well as vintage wristwatches made between 1940 and 1970. Mr. Perazzi will strengthen Sotheby's existing team in Europe with his solid expertise and b relations to Italy, a key centre in the watch auction market in Europe.
Commenting on Thomas Perazzi's appointment, Marc Michel-Amadry, Managing Director, Sotheby's Switzerland said: "I am delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Perrazi as Deputy Director of Sotheby's European Watch Department. Thomas brings to Sotheby's outstanding expertise as well as a thorough understanding of the auction business and the Italian market. His appointment will enhance the company's ability to ensure the best service to watch collectors".
Geoffroy Ader, Head of Watches, Sotheby's Europe, added: "Through his deep knowledge of the vintage and modern wristwatches, Thomas Perazzi will reinforce our existing team in Europe" .
Another b addition to Sotheby's global watch team, Charles Tearle, appointed Director, Head of Watches, Asia, will be based in Hong Kong, working closely with Tim Bourne, Worldwide Head of Watches, as well as an international team of specialists, in driving Sotheby's business in auctions and private sales of watches in Asia.
Together, Mr. Tearle and Mr. Perazzi will further strengthen Sotheby's watch business worldwide by working closely with the international team of watch specialists, reporting to Tim Bourne, Worldwide Head of Watches.

Representing a fine selection of the most prestigious watch and jewelry brands, the boutique located at Bahnhofstrasse 64 has been expertly managed for the last two years by Alberto Soria.

Taking leave of Les Ambassadeurs to realize personal projects, Soria vacated the post, which has aroused quite a bit of interest in the industry. Les Ambassadeurs decided to place its confidence in Forster to carry the torch.

Forster's career path, which began by learning the trade of watchmaker, is rich in experience. Having worked with famous brands such as Rolex and Audemars Piguet, trips and jobs abroad - notably in Singapore, China, Australia and the Caribbean - combine with his proximity to a successful clientele, with which he shares a sensibility to and passion for beautiful objects.
After more than one month spent in the company and benefitting from Soria's support during this transitional period, Forster now takes charge of his brands. Today, he is eager for just one thing: to continue to transmit his limitless passion.

The archetype of the diver's watch, the Oyster Perpetual SUBMARINER presented at Baselworld 2012 sports a new look to complement its iconic personality. with its subtly redesigned case and its new bezel and bracelet both benefitting from recent Rolex innovations, this latest generation SUBMARINER is firmly in line with the tradition of the historic model launched in 1953. It sets new standards in terms of robustness, legibility and reliability, strengthening its status as a watch of action with timeless allure.

Ceramic bezel and long-lasting luminescent display 

The unidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel of this new SUBMARINER is equipped with a black CERACHROM insert made of virtually scratchproof, non-fading, corrosion-resistant ceramic. The graduations are coated via a PVd process with a thin layer of platinum. The sleek black dial harbours large CHROMALIGHT hour markers and hands filled with luminescent material that emits a long-lasting blue glow. This exclusive display offers exceptional legibility in the dark. 

The OYSTER case, symbol of waterproofness 

The SUBMARINER's 40 mm OYSTER case, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 300 metres (1,000 feet), is a paragon of robustness. The middle case is crafted from a solid block of particularly corrosion-resistant 904L steel. The fluted case back is hermetically screwed down with a special tool exclusive to Rolex watchmakers. The winding crown, fitted with the patented TRIPLOCK triple waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case in a manner akin to a submarine's hatch. It is protected by a crown guard that is an integral part of the middle case. The crystal is made of virtually scratchproof synthetic sapphire. The waterproof OYSTER case ensures optimal protection for the SUBMARINER's high-precision movement.

Calibre 3130, a superlative chronometer 

The new SUBMARINER is equipped with calibre 3130, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Like all PERPETUAL movements, the 3130 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. Its architecture, like that of all OYSTER watch movements, makes it singularly precise and reliable. The oscillator, the true heart of the watch, has a blue PARACHROM hairspring patented and manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive alloy. Insensitive to magnetic fields, the PARACHROM hairspring offers great stability when exposed to temperature variations and remains up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks. 

The OYSTERLOCK clasp, functional and secure 

This SUBMARINER is fitted with a solid-link OYSTER bracelet in 904L steel. It features a new-generation OYSTERLOCK safety clasp and GLIdELOCK extension system. The ingenious patented system, located beneath the clasp cover, allows fine adjustments of the bracelet length in 2 mm increments for a total of approximately 20 mm - without using any tools. This allows the watch to be worn over a diving suit up to 3 mm thick and provides additional comfort in any circumstance.

The Oyster Perpetual SKY-DWELLER presented at Baselworld 2012 is the latest addition to the Oyster collection, a compelling timepiece of revolutionary design that blends to perfection technological sophistication and ease of use.

With 14 patents - five of which are new - the SKY-DWELLER provides, in an unprecedented and highly original way, the information global travellers need to easily keep track of time: a dual time zone, with local time read via centre hands and a reference time display in 24-hour format read via a rotating off-centre disc visible on the dial; a particularly innovative annual calendar named SAROS - in tribute to the astronomical phenomenon which inspired it - that requires only one date adjustment a year, when the month changes from February to March; and a month display by means of 12 discreet apertures around the circumference of the dial.

A majestic expression of the art of watchmaking and the product of Rolex's exceptional technical expertise, the SKY-DWELLER is as intuitive to read as it is simple to use. Local time, reference time and the date are rapidly set using a highly innovative interface between the case and movement. The rotatable RING COMMAND bezel is the focal point of the interface, allowing the wearer to select the individual functions to be set simply by turning the bezel. Each function can then be adjusted swiftly and easily in both directions by means of the winding crown, which has only one setting position.

The SKY-DWELLER is equipped with a new calibre, the 9001, an officially certified Swiss chronometer entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. The SKY-DWELLER epitomizes the values of precision, robustness and reliability for which Rolex watches are renowned. It bears witness to the creative force of a brand dedicated to its passion for innovation at the service of the wearer.

The SKY-DWELLER is designed for those who place the emphasis on useful functions, effortless manipulation, prestige and elegance above all. Available in 18 ct white, yellow or EVEROSE gold cast by Rolex in its own foundry, this advanced wristwatch features the fluted bezel that symbolizes the codes of the brand. With its stately 42 mm OYSTER case, it is the embodiment of perfect symbiosis between form and function, aesthetics and technology.

With the SKY-DWELLER, Rolex once again demonstrates its wealth of ingenuity by designing and manufacturing a watch that perpetuates the OYSTER's legendary excellence.

Dual time zone and 24-hour display 

The combined display of local time via centre watch hands and reference time via an off-centre disc makes the SKY-DWELLER easy to read and endows it with unique aesthetics.

The Oyster Perpetual SKY-DWELLER features a dual time zone that is as intuitive to read as it is simple to use. The display's highly original design endows the watch with an aesthetic identity all of its own.

Reference time via an off-centre disc

Global travellers can read the reference time - the time at home or at their usual place of work - via a rotating off-centre disc visible on the dial. A fixed inverted red triangle points to the wearer's chosen reference time. The disc's 24-hour display allows travellers to clearly distinguish daytime hours from night-time hours in the reference time zone (for example, 10 p.m. versus 10 a.m.). At any moment and in any location, they know if it is an appropriate time to contact someone on the other side of the world.

Centre hands for local time

Local time at the destination is indicated by the conventional centre hour, minute and seconds hands. It can be set very quickly and easily thanks to a mechanism that allows the hour hand to be adjusted independently in one-hour increments both forwards and backwards, so that changing the local hour does not affect the minute or seconds hands or the reference time.

Date change linked to local time

The date change is linked to local time and occurs within a few milliseconds at midnight. Thus, the date displayed in the aperture is always the current date in the wearer's local time zone. Thanks to its innovative display and simple operation, the SKY-DWELLER allows the traveller to adjust the watch to different time zones during a journey, while benefitting from a constant, clear display of reference time.

Saros Annual Calendar

A particularly ingenious patented mechanism inspired by an astronomical phenomenon differentiates between 30-day and 31-day months, thanks to just four additional gear wheels.

The Oyster Perpetual SKY-DWELLER is equipped with a revolutionary annual calendar offering unparalleled robustness and reliability for such a complex watchmaking function. This annual calendar's qualities are attributable to an ingenious mechanism named SAROS, patented by Rolex. Its original design was directly inspired by the astronomical phenomenon of the same name.

Only one adjustment per year

This annual calendar automatically differentiâtes between 30-day and 31-day months. It displays the correct date throughout the year and requires only one adjustment a year - on 1st March, February having only 28 or 29 days.

A system with intelligence

The ingenuity of the SAROS system developed by Rolex lies in its simple and systematic handling of the irregular occurrence of 30 and 31-day months. This intelligent mechanism is based on only two gear ratios and four gear wheels added to the traditional Rolex instantaneous date calendar. Such simplicity ensures peerless robustness and reliability for the annual calendar function.

Planetary and satellite wheels

The Greek term Saros has been used since antiquity to designate an approximately 18-year cycle of alignment patterns between the Sun, the Earth and the Moon that is behind lunar and solar eclipses. This astronomical phenomenon inspired the design of the SKY-DWELLER's annual calendar mechanism. The SAROS system is designed around a fixed planetary gear Wheel (equivalent to the Sun) at the centre of the movement. A satellite wheel (whose centre represents the Earth) engages with the planetary wheel and rotates, orbiting the planetary wheel in one month, driven by the date disc. The satellite wheel is fitted with four fingers (the Moon) for the four 30-day months (April, June, September and November).

Double instantaneous date change

The gear ratio between the satellite wheel and the planetary wheel is calculated in such a way that at the end of each 30-day month - and only in these months - one of the satellite's fingers receives an additional impulse from the date change mechanism. This makes the calendar disc jump two days (from the 30th to the 1st) within a few milliseconds to display the correct date.

Discreet month apertures

The months of the year are indicated in 12 discreet apertures around the circumference of the dial, outside the hour markers: January at 1 o'clock, February at 2 o'clock, and so on. The current month is identified in a contrasting colour.

RING COMMAND BEZEL

The Ring Command Bezel can be turned to any one of three positions to choose the function to be set: date, local time or reference time.

The Oyster Perpetual SKY-DWELLER is equipped with a rotatable RING COMMAND bezel that allows the wearer to easily select the watch's different functions via an innovative, patented interface between the movement and case.

Unrestricted setting

The RING COMMAND bezel can be turned to any one of three positions to select the function to be set: date, local time or reference time. The selected function can then be rapidly adjusted in either direction, forwards or backwards, using the winding crown, which has only one setting position. Unlike traditional mechanisms, this interface developed by Rolex allows unrestricted setting.

A simple and intuitive interface

This simple and intuitive interface is based on a complex mechanical module which consists of no fewer than 60 components and demands state-of-the-art watchmaking and micromechanical expertise. The heart of the mechanism is a double cam and levers that engage various gear trains inside the movement according to the function selected. One of these cams is activated by pulling out the winding crown, the other is driven by rotating the bezel to activate setting wheels located in the middle case of the watch.

An expression of Rolex values

With its innovative interface between the watch case and the movement, the RING COMMAND bezel is the product of Rolex's total mastery of the design and manufacture of all the essential components of the watch. Rolex once again demonstrates core values that have always placed an emphasis on functionality and wearer comfort.

Classic elegance of the fluted bezel

With its iconic Rolex fluting, the SKY-DWELLER is firmly established in the lineage of the models in the OYSTER collection, such as the Datejust or the Day-Date , which have become symbols of prestige and timeless elegance.

Calibre 9001

A certified chronometer, this new high-performance movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex consists of 380 components and is backed by seven patents.

The Oyster Perpetual SKY-DWELLER's calibre 9001 is a completely new self-winding mechanical movement, a pure distillation of Rolex technology. Entirely developed and manufactured in-house, with a total of 380 components and backed by seven patents - four of which are new - it is one of the most complex calibres ever developed by the brand.

A selector wheel on the outside edge of the movement ensures the interaction of the movement and the bezel of the watch to set the functions.

Chronometric precision

Calibre 9001 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. The oscillator has a blue PARACHROM hairspring patented and manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive paramagnetic alloy.

Singular reliability

The architecture behind the 9001, like that of all PERPETUAL movements at Rolex, makes it singularly reliable. The oscillator is fitted between high-performance PARAFLEX shock absorbers, developed and patented by Rolex, that offer 50 per cent greater resistance to shocks. It is held firmly in place by a height-adjustable traversing bridge. The SAROS annual calendar and the RING COMMAND setting system are also designed to be exceptionally robust.

Self-winding by Perpetual rotor

Calibre 9001 is fitted with a self-winding mechanism featuring Rolex's PERPETUAL rotor which ensures continuous winding of the mainspring by harnessing movements of the wrist to provide a constant source of energy.

This new 18 ct yellow gold version is beautifully enhanced by a dazzling bezel set with 48 brilliant-cut diamonds. Its new champagne colour dial is adorned with eight diamonds and, at 6 and 9 o'clock, 18 ct yellow gold Arabic numerals are each set with 16 rubies. The deliciously whimsical personality of this DATEJUST LADY 31 with all its allure of fine jewellery is paired with the technical qualities proper to every OYSTER.

Distinguished and highly elegant, the Oyster Perpetual LADY-DATEJUST unveils a new facet of its enticing femininity. The 18 ct yellow gold case of this gem for all occasions is exalted by a new champagne colour dial on which a large VI set with 11 rubies delicately and discreetly underlines the precious character of the model. The fluted bezel, a Rolex signature aesthetic feature, reasserts the watch's place in the lineage of the DATEJUST, an emblematic Rolex model which became renowned for its style and horological performance from the moment of its launch in 1945.
Rolex yellow gold
The 18 ct yellow gold of the case and bracelet of these two models is alloyed by Rolex in its own foundry before being shaped in the brand's workshops. Its unique lustre is the result of the extreme care with which it is shaped, machined and finally polished.

The OYSTER case, symbol of waterproofness
The OYSTER case of these two models (31 and 26 mm respectively), guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet), is a paragon of proportion and elegance. The characteristically shaped middle case is crafted from a solid block of 18 ct gold. The fluted case back is hermetically screwed down with a special tool exclusive to Rolex watchmakers. The winding crown, fitted with the patented TWINLOCK double waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. The crystal, with a CYCLOPS lens at 3 o'clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof synthetic sapphire. The waterproof OYSTER case allies refinement with efficiency in protecting the high-precision movement.
Calibre 2235, a superlative chronometer
The DATEJUST LADY 31 and the LADY-DATEJUST are equipped with calibre 2235, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Like all PERPETUAL movements, the 2235 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. Its architecture, like that of all Oyster watch movements, makes it singularly precise and reliable.

Comfort, elegance and prestige of the OYSTER and PRESIDENT bracelets
The DATEJUST LADY 31 is fitted with an 18 ct yellow gold OYSTER bracelet with a concealed folding CROWNCLASP. Developed and patented by Rolex, this elegant solid-link bracelet offers remarkable comfort and ease of use. The LADY-DATEJUST model is fitted with an 18 ct yellow gold PRESIDENT bracelet with a concealed folding CROWNCLASP. This prestigious and elegant bracelet with solid semi-circular links is uniquely comfortable to wear and contributes fully to the aesthetics of the watch.

When it appeared in 1956, the DAY-DATE was the first wristwatch with a calendar indicating the day of the week spelt out in full in a window on the dial. The DAY-DATE adorned with a new gem-set dial perpetuates Rolex's legendary excellence and displays all the brand's watchmaking know-how and technology.

Chocolate, diamonds and rubies
In an 18 ct EVEROSE gold case of incomparable lustre, this DAY-DATE is fitted with a chocolate colour dial on which the hours are marked by precious stones: eight diamonds and, at 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock, baguette-cut rubies.

Rolex pink gold
The 18 ct EVEROSE gold of the OYSTER case and bracelet is alloyed by Rolex in its own foundry before being shaped in the brand's workshops. The incomparably warm tone of this exclusive pink gold alloy developed by Rolex is heightened by the addition of a touch of platinum. Its unique lustre is the result of the extreme care with which it is shaped, machined and finally polished.

The OYSTER case, symbol of waterproofness
The DAY-DATE's 36 mm OYSTER case, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet), is a paragon of proportion and elegance. The characteristically shaped middle case is crafted from a solid block of 18 ct gold. The fluted case back is hermetically screwed down with a special tool exclusive to Rolex watchmakers. The winding crown, fitted with the patented TWINLOCK double waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. The fluted bezel is a Rolex signature aesthetic feature. The crystal, with a CYCLOPS lens at 3 o'clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof synthetic sapphire. The waterproof OYSTER case allies refinement with efficiency in protecting the DAY-DATE's high-precision movement.
Calibre 3155, a superlative chronometer
This DAY-DATE is equipped with calibre 3155, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Like all PERPETUAL movements, the 3155 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. Its architecture, like that of all OYSTER watch movements, makes it singularly precise and reliable. The oscillator, the true heart of the watch, has a blue PARACHROM hairspring patented and manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive alloy. Insensitive to magnetic fields, the PARACHROM hairspring offers great stability when exposed to temperature variations and remains up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks.

Comfort and elegance of the OYSTER bracelet
This DAY-DATE model is fitted with an 18 ct EVEROSE gold OYSTER bracelet with a concealed folding CROWNCLASP. Developed and patented by Rolex, this elegant solid-link bracelet offers remarkable comfort and ease of use.

This historical 18K yellow gold automatic centre seconds wristwatch with date and bracelet (ref. 6305/1) was sought after by at least three bidders in the room. After five minutes of competitive bidding, the hammer finally came down with a final price of CHF 170,500/ $171,760, almost tripling the pre-sale estimate of CHF 60,000-80,000/ $66,500-89,000 (lot 132). Presented to the German Chancellor in 1955, this great piece of history has been kept in its original condition by the Chancellor's descendants and appeared tonight for the first time on the market. Engraved on the back with Konrad Adenauer's name, it was accompanied by its original leather folder and a letter dated 16 September 1955 from Rolex's founder Hans Wilsdorf to the German Chancellor.

Overall, Sotheby's autumn sale of Important Watches brought CHF 7,178,475 ($7,231,524). b prices were achieved for highly complicated timepieces and vintage wristwatches. Tracing the development of watchmaking from 1574 to the present day, the sale also confirmed b interest from international collectors for antique pocket watches.

Top ten

Revue FH - 27 October 2011

Nestled in the heart of the Joux Valley, the firm Dubois Depraz designs, develops and constructs additional movements for watch complications for some of the greatest names in watchmaking, including Patek Philippe, Breitling, Rolex, Omega, Richard Mille, etc. Be it chronographs with multiple indications (with or without perpetual calendar), special mechanisms indicating days, months, leap years, moon phases, sunset and sunrise, the equation of time, tides, timezones, jumping-dials, governors, mechanisms for regattas, watches for polo, as well as minute, quarter and five-minute repeaters, extra-flat mechanisms, etc, the world of complications no longer holds any secrets for Dubois Depraz. Around fifty brands currently employ the services of the firm, which is ready to rise to any challenge thrown down to it.

110 years of history have led Dubois Depraz on the path to their present success. On 1st January 1901, Marcel Depraz set up his first watchmaking workshop in Le Lieu, at number 12, Grand-Rue, over the family baker's shop. Ten years later, with a view to increasing his firm's capacity, he teamed up with his brotherin- law Marius Guignard. Together, they set up a second company: Depraz & Guignard. Marcel's children, Gabrielle and Roger, also joined the family business. In 1937, Marcel Depraz decided to strengthen his two companies and employed his son-in-law Reynold Dubois. Results were not long in coming, with the rapid launch of the 13 3/4 chronograph calibre. This master stroke saw the production of more than 4.5 million movements up to the 1970s. In 1947, the two firms merged under the name Depraz & Cie. In 1956, Gerald Dubois, a young watchmaking engineer and father of the two present-day directors, set up a research and development design office.
Eleven years later the world's first modular chronograph was born, the 11-12 Chronomatic calibre. This invention was awarded the diploma and silver medal at the Brussels Inventors Show in 1969. Meanwhile, Depraz & Cie changed its company name to Dubois Depraz SA.

In the 1970s, despite the economic difficulties, the firm presented another world first, a mechanical chronograph with an analogue display featuring an electronic tuning-fork movement. In parallel, it diversified and embarked on the production of mechanical and quartz chronographs fitted as standard on aircraft and cars. Despite these launches, the crisis proved too b for the partnership between the two directors and in 1979 Gerald Dubois purchased the buildings and continued the adventure alone. In 1983, after several years of research, Dubois Depraz launched the calibre 2000 chronograph which could be adapted to all mechanical or quartz movements. This innovative concept caused a sensation in the watchmaking world and even today remains one of the firm's flagship products (around two million have been manufactured to date).
In 1987, Jean-Philippe Dubois, the current CEO, joined the company. He was followed five years later by his brother Pascal, who was appointed as director. Finally, in 2006, they acquired one of their suppliers, DPRM (Decolletage pignons et roues manufacture), located in Arch (canton of Bern).

In the course of these eleven decades, Dubois Depraz accumulated a huge wealth of expertise that was passed on from generation to generation. Even today the firm holds the secret of certain manufacturing phases no longer used by anyone else in the watchmaking world. An example is «tribofinishing», the process which consists in deburring and polishing pieces in a single operation. This involves turning pieces from one to seven days in sealed cylinders of different sizes, according to the desired end result. The media inside the rollers consist of different materials (copper, ceramic or plastic), special soap and polishing powder. Although the processes of deburring and polishing are widespread in the watch industry, Dubois Depraz's secret lies in the dosing of components and the length of the operation.

Manufacturing secrets alone would be worth nothing without skill, hard work, and the precision and quality of products delivered by Dubois Depraz. Today, 220 people in the Joux Valley and 50 in Arch work industriously under the roof of this independent family business.

WORLDTEMPUS - 24 October 2011

It was hard to imagine the watch industry before George Daniels, and it will be hard to imagine this place now that he has left it: Daniels was nothing if not an iridescent figure, often setting the tone of good horological taste behind the scenes.
This might be hard for newcomers to imagine today since Daniels only created a total of 37 watches - pocket watches, no less - in addition to a series of 50 wristwatches completed together with protege Roger Smith called Millennium as well as the beginning of the collaborative venture with him introduced last year. As avid followers of horological history will know, the Omega base caliber powering the 50 Millennium timepieces held special meaning. Daniels was, of course, the inventor of the co-axial escapement that is now utilized in every single Omega wristwatch.
 

A true expert
Though Daniels began his professional life after serving his country in World War II with the proverbial 50 quid in his pocket - just enough to buy his first set of tools, as the story goes - his drive, ambition and enormous talent made him a very wealthy man. Some of his fortune was acquired by buying and selling precious vintage pieces and selling 35 of his own unique pocket watches, but most of it came from selling what was to become his most famous invention to the Swatch Group.
No two of Daniels' creations were ever completely alike. The next watch was always undertaken because Daniels had another idea to try out, another escapement to experiment with or desired other functions. He invented the co-axial escapement in 1975, but did not patent his perfected design until 1980. After a long search that involved talks with both Patek Philippe and Rolex over the course of a decade and a half, Daniels eventually sold the design to Omega, who needed almost another decade to bring it to serial fruition. Though the patent has now run out, no other watch brands use the co-axial aside from Omega and Smith, who has adapted it for use in his own masterfully crafted timepieces, which also contain other traditional elements of English watchmaking.
 

Personal memories
When I entered the watch industry, I had no idea who Daniels was. I soon read his opus "Watchmaking" (which was recently republished by Watchprint) in order to learn the basics. However, it was only after becoming friends with various independent watchmakers - predominately members of the AHCI - that I began to understand his place in our industry. One year at Basel, one of them even stood in line at the Omega booth in order to get his own copy of "Watchmaking" signed by the master - and couldn't stop beaming at the chance to meet his idol. Tellingly, François-Paul Journe also worshipped Daniels, even going so far as to present him with one of his own watches last year. For my own part, I found myself fairly well in awe in the presence of Dr. Daniels (he was presented with an honorary title later in life). His technical and industry insights and knowledge were eternally enlightening.
 

George Daniels passed away at his estate on the Isle of Man following complications arising from hip replacement surgery at the age of 85. A funeral is expected to be held on the Isle of Man in about two weeks' time. Fans of Daniels will be pleased to know that a biography written by Michael Clerizo with the current working title "George Daniels: A Master Watchmaker and His Work" is due to be published next fall.
George Daniels, A Master Watchmaker & His Art
FRENCH VERSION (216 Pages • 240 ill. • Format : 29.5 x 29.5 cm. Price : CHF 160.00 • € 140.00).
ENGLISH VERSION (216 Pages • 240 ill. • Format : 29.5 x 29.5 cm. Price : CHF 105.00 • € 93.00).
 

GMT Italia - Summer 2011

Amongst the teams competing in the great watchmaking championships, two "dream teams" draw particular attention to themselves. One of them, led by Jean-Claude Biver, is stabled with the LMVH group. The other, under the watchful eye of Georges Kern, is to be found at the heart of the Richemont group.
Both run a brand, while

At LMVH, annual sales in the watchmaking and jewellery sector added up to close on a billion euro on December 31 last year, showing an almost insolent 29% increase. At Richemont, it took only six months to pass the 900 million euro mark with the watchmaking division alone. Here also, growth was nothing short of incredible: +38% for the semester April to September 2010! Both these captains of industry face huge pressure, stiff competition - including internally - and similar challenges: conquering new markets, managing the supply chain and distribution network, ensuring growth and coherence with the brand values. Even though the demands - and successes - are similar, their style is completely different. There is Jean-Claude Biver's spontaneous, creative marketing. This man shows off his brand, Hublot, in the most unexpected places, maximising opportunities at major events. He is able to evaluate an event and make a decision in just a few minutes, moving onto turf already occupied by his competitors. We saw him flirt with Alinghi before taking over its sponsorship from Audemars Piguet. We saw him on the illuminated referee boards at the last World Cup, as well as lighting up the Vendôme column standing at the heart of the most prestigious location in Paris - and incidentally right in the middle of the logo of Van Cleef & Arpels, a watchmaking colleague and competitor. His brand is to be found on skis, bicycles and even... cheese wheels!

Georges Kern on the other hand, practises business school marketing with unfailing rigour. In his realm, creativity is not paramount, but is channelled and used as part of a long-term strategy. Be it IWC, Baume & Mercier or Roger Dubois, the markets are fragmented, with products distributed on a value pyramid and innovations selected depending on gaps that need to be filled, building the worlds of reference frameworks that accompany each brand down to the last detail. Baume & Mercier is spending this year under the Capeland banner, with its American East Coast flavour, while IWC took up residence in Portofino. Roger Dubois is ticking to casino time and even its USB sticks are shaped like gambling chips. Exuberance vs rigour, instinct vs strategy, the completely opposing style of these two men is apparent on all levels. Take their annual reports on the figures and performance of their brands.

The Richemont Group to which IWC belongs tends not to say too much and prefers to opt for secrecy, much in the same manner as private banks, as if opacity were a measure of power and success. In this respect, the operational style of the group chaired by Johann Rupert is very similar to that of Rolex. Jean-Claude Biver, on the other hand, sends waves of text messages to announce the results of his most recent exhibition, or the signing of a new partnership. At the end of the day, the information that he is supposedly sharing is necessarily only partial, but it is shared with such enthusiasm that it leaves a pleasantly transparent aftertaste.

After the great success of the first edition "Collecting Rolex GMT-MASTER wristwatches", now sold out, Mondani Editor has decided to publish a second version which also presents the models produced in recent years, in order to give the information which has become essential today for buying and selling GMT-Master watches and to improve the contents of the preceding edition.
 

Some of the questions a collector asks himself nowadays are:
- Are the aluminium bezel inserts of the ref. 6542 coeval?
- Is there a way to know if the bezel has been replaced?
- The ref. 1675 in stainless steel has been created with the possibility to fit two bezels: red/blue and black?
Thanks to the in depth study, this edition helps to dispel these doubts.
 

Only in this book will it be possible to find the first models of the 50's down to the most recent watches. Special attention has been paid to the variations of the bezels, dials and cases - factors which today help determine the value of the watch. "Collecting Rolex GMT-MASTER" is a specific volume about Rolex GMT - MASTER which includes timepieces from the first models of the 1950's to the ones of the last period, including prototypes, military models, bracelets and all case and dial variants.

This edition also offers a widening of those references which have always been desired by enthusiasts and collectors, such as for example the refs. 6542, 1675, 16750 and many others.
 

For each reference, a detailed sheet is reported, indicating the years of beginning and end of production, the calibre and all the characteristics of the watch (crystal, bezel, bracelet, case back, winding crown, case number with production year, dial, movement, ...).
"Collecting Rolex GMT-MASTER Wristwatches" also offers a widening of those references which have always been objects of desire of enthusiasts and collectors, such as the refs. 6542, 1675, 16750 and many others.

WORLDTEMPUS - 30 June 2011

Wimbledon may seem anachronistic - grass courts are virtually extinct outside Britain - with its somewhat outdated traditions, but in reality the most prestigious tennis event in the world has always been a trailblazer. Its secret is actually to continuously change while staying the same, displaying long-term perspective to realize that its traditionalist aura is its biggest strength.
Rolex boasts precisely the same approach. Seemingly immune to fashion and trends, the Geneva-based brand maintains a consistent collection that features subtle changes every year, with even the updates carefully made to respect the "evolution in continuity" that seems to be the company's mantra.
Wimbledon and Rolex have been together since 1978 and form one of the oldest associations in the history of sports sponsoring - a partnership made in heaven, since even the dominant corporate color of both institutions is the green that governs the landscape and grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis Club where the tournament is held. Clearly bound by mutual respect for tradition and long-term vision, the long-standing relationship between Wimbledon and Rolex is set to last.
High-caliber tennis pedigree
In the past decade, Rolex has become one of tennis's biggest investors, assuming the timekeeping role in many of the biggest events and boasting a growing stable of ambassadors.
Beside its historical tie with Wimbledon, the Geneva-based company also sponsors another Grand Slam tournament in the Australian Open, the biggest team competitions in the world (Davis Cup and Federation Cup), the year-end championships on both tours (ATP World Tour Finals and WTA Championships), and several Masters 1000 events - including the Monte-Carlo Masters. The list of testimonial ambassadors among the active players is topped by living legend Roger Federer, who won the first of his record-holding sixteen Grand Slams precisely at Wimbledon. He embodies Swiss precision on court. Other Rolex testimonials include the charismatic Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the gentle giant from Argentina Juan Martin del Potro, world number one Caroline Wozniacki, former world number one Ana Ivanovic, recent French Open champion Li Na and her Chinese countrywoman Zheng Jie.
The question lies directly at the tip of the tongue: why is Rolex investing in tennis so heavily?

Firstly, thanks to its longstanding association with Wimbledon, Rolex can boast a tennis "pedigree" of the highest caliber. Secondly, one of the brand's sponsoring directors knows everything about the sport: Arnaud Boetsch, a former number 12 in the world rankings, and the man who gave France the winning point in the first-ever Davis Cup final decided in the fifth set of the fifth rubber (against host Sweden, in Malmö, 1996). Boetsch had been living in Geneva for some time and, after retiring, started organizing events, including a Legends tournament in the Calvinist city, to which a special guest was invited.
"The president of Rolex was invited to one of the tournaments I organized and then Rolex proposed for me to join its team in 2003 because there was only one person with sponsoring and it was not enough," Boetsch recalls. "Now there are two of us in charge of sponsoring. I take care of all the tennis, sailing and cultural activities; my job is to make sure the Rolex brand keeps on shining and getting the best visibility - not in terms of quantity, but quality-wise. And we like to be associated to the best and most prestigious events."
Wimbledon is the most famous tennis tournament in the world and has a lot in common with Rolex. "There are two words that can define Rolex: tradition and innovation. Wimbledon is the same," says Boetsch, who made it to the All England Club's fourth round in 1992 before losing to Pete Sampras. "Wimbledon has been changing its infrastructure without changing its spirit; building new facilities, a retractable roof on the venerable Centre Court, showcasing a new electronic scoreboard, adopting the Hawk-Eye. Wimbledon changes, but keeps a b tie to its roots." These are roots that go way back to 1877; this year the tournament celebrates its 125th anniversary and, although many changes have been made to the grounds over the years, especially since 1994, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club has retained its unique image and character, achieving a perfect balance reminiscent of the Oyster Perpetual's concept.
Ambassadors
Rolex has been making the most out of its association with Wimbledon. "We developed a hospitality program from 2005 on, inviting clients from all over the world and offering them Centre Court seating - something really exclusive, providing them an exceptional experience," Boetsch explains.
Several Rolex ambassadors from other sports and areas of life also make the pilgrimage to the tennis Mecca; the prestigious guest list this year included ski champion Lindsay Vonn, horse virtuoso Rodrigo Pessoa, golf legend Gary Player in addition to golfers Adam Scott, Paul Casey and Martin Kaymer, and soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.
The tennis testimonials have been visiting the Rolex suite on Centre Court during the tournament and two of them played a spectacular match just yesterday: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Roger Federer in a three-hour, 15-minute quarterfinal epic that saw the power of the Frenchman's serve overcoming the Swiss's finesse: 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

The revered Centre Court is the quintessential tennis venue and has been kept free of advertisements with a few exceptions in the form of a few small logos. The Rolex sign on the scoreboard is the most famous one. Rolex is not only visible in this classic arena: for more than thirty years, Rolex has played an important role in Wimbledon's history and its clocks have also kept the official time on the outside walls of the hallowed Centre Court and throughout the grounds. For instance, the effervescent media centre possesses a collection of Rolex clocks showing the time in San Francisco, New York, Rio de Janeiro, London, Johannesburg, Tokyo and Melbourne: just a few of the major cities where tennis's greatest tournament is broadcast live.
Among the four Grand Slam tournaments; Wimbledon is certainly primus inter pares. Beside historical reasons, there are natural ones: the grass and the rain, the members and the queues, royalty and celebrities, strawberries and cream, triumph and defeat - and also timeless tennis and Rolex timekeeping.

WORLDTEMPUS - 27 May 2011

During the Australian Open in January, Robin Söderling was asked what people would be most surprised to know about him. The Swede, currently number five in tennis's world rankings, answered, "Probably that I love watches."
For insiders, this wasn't a big revelation. The two-time French Open finalist is a true aficionado and always wears interesting timepieces on his wrist. He's not the only one, but he is a man who likes "different" watches. "If you walk around the tennis tour, everybody seems to have a nice watch - but I don't really like the obvious ones. In the beginning, maybe yes, but then to have a good brand or a nice model that not many others have is a pretty nice feeling. These are the types of watches you find when reading a lot of watch magazines," he says before jokingly adding, "Well, half of what I read about watches I don't even understand, but I still think it's cool and I try to learn!"
The more Söderling learns about watches, the more careful he is about choosing his next timepiece: "I never go out just to buy a watch, I never decide on the spot - I always like to look at different watches and to think about it. I buy them as a reward. I always think that the next time I win a tournament I'm going to buy that particular watch I've been thinking about."

Time to Kill
His reward doesn't have to be related to a tournament win, actually. A year ago, after beating Tomas Berdych in the semifinals at Roland Garros, he got the Hublot Big Bang he'd been eyeing. When will he get his next timepiece? Maybe soon. Söderling is back in Paris trying to at least emulate his killer performances of the past two years, where he ended two outstanding Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer records: in 2009, in the fourth round, he beat Nadal and still is the only player to have ever beaten the Spaniard at the French Open. In 2010, he overcame Federer in the quarterfinals, ending the Swiss champion's incredible run of 23 consecutive semifinals at Grand Slam tournaments.
Federer is a well-known Rolex ambassador, whereas Nadal has caused quite a sensation sporting ultra-expensive Richard Mille timepieces, from the $550,000 RM027 tourbillon he wore last year as his good-luck charm to his new RM035. And Roland Garros is sponsored by Longines. Söderling is still thinking about a possible sponsorship and looking at different brands, but he won't rush; he never has when it comes to watches.
"Good watches are expensive. When I was young and started to win more matches, I really felt I could buy a good watch and I wanted to have a Rolex - and actually the first really nice watch I bought was a pre-owned steel Daytona chronograph that I saw in a shop in London in 2006. I still like it a lot, but these days it's my girlfriend Jenni who has been wearing it; it became a bit small for me, but I reckon small and thin watches are back."

He didn't have to buy the second good timepiece of his collection. "I got a gold Bulgari Diagono Professional Diving as a gift from the tournament in Bastad - they were happy I played there for so many years, and I was really happy with the present." During this very interview, Söderling is wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Volcano, also known as "The Jarno Trulli."
"I bought it during the U.S. Open in 2009," he says. That year, in New York, he had been undecided between the Royal Oak Offshore and a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Extreme W-Alarm. Then he opted for the Volcano.
Deep Purple, Hard Rock
There's a watch in his collection that Soderling particularly appreciates and whose b looks match his powerful "hard-rock" style of tennis: a Graham Chronofighter Oversize Diver "Deep Purple." "I had been looking at Graham, because Thomas Johansson has a friend who owns a watch store in London and they sell Graham - he showed them to me a few years ago." The "Deep Purple" is a stunning limited edition of 500 pieces of the Chronofighter Oversize Diver in black-and-purple. It perfectly embodies the Swedish star's taste for niche brands and exquisite, sporty timepieces. "When my girlfriend Jenni and I went on vacation last December, we went diving a lot and I really wanted to test it, so I brought the Graham along."
At the Estoril Open in Portugal, Söderling took the time to visit a small watch exhibition by tournament sponsors Boutique dos Relógios in the VIP area. There he appreciated some fine timepieces from several top brands - from Richard Mille to IWC. "For a man, a watch truly is the best thing," he says. "I don't really like earrings or necklaces or bracelets, so a watch is the best accessory and a way of expression for a man."

And what better way to express himself than wearing a fabulous Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept at the photo shoot for the cover of King magazine? "They brought it from a watch store in Stockholm called Nymans Ur; it's a really nice store where they sell some incredible watches...unfortunately they didn't let me keep it after the shooting was over."
Maybe he'll get it if he finally wins Roland Garros. It won't be easy; he is on collision course with Nadal, who he is expected to face in a blockbuster quarterfinal. In six appearances at the French Open, the Spaniard has won the title five times - and Söderling was the only one to defeat him on Paris's slow red clay courts. If and when they face each other, time will surely stand still for all tennis (and watch!) aficionados.

This bold incarnation of a feminine classic, in its 34 mm 18 ct EVEROSE gold case, enriches a collection already offered in yellow and white gold.

Seductive charm of EVEROSE gold
The 18 ct Everose gold of the case, bracelet and bezel sets the tone from the outset: an exclusive Rolex alloy, captivating in its inherent lustre and nobility. A mixture of serenity and vitality, sobriety and audacity, it exerts an irresistible power of seduction and gives the watch its b personality. Around the bezel sparkle 12 brilliant-cut diamonds, elegantly showcased in 18 ct white gold settings. The effect is luminous, exquisite, enchanting.

Dream dials
Dazzlingly delicate, the Goldust Dream dial is a subtle, refined marriage of white or black mother-of-pearl and gold dust. The mother-of-pearl is embellished with a new nature-inspired motif and an exquisite design in pink gold dust applied in a fine layer via a patented PVD process which preserves the mother-of-pearl's natural structure while giving it a highly original metallic sheen. The slightest ray of light illuminates this magical dial with iridescent reflections that make the fine strata of the mother-of-pearl shimmer in a subtle play of light. Each of these dials, with a large gem-set numeral at 6 o'clock, is a unique, refined work of art, striking in its delicate splendour.

Distinction and precision
The new Oyster Perpetual Datejust Special Edition stands out thanks to its gracious, curved lines, its feminine form and its new, elegant invisible clasp. It is also an Oyster with peerless precision and reliability, a waterproof chronometer equipped with a Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanical movement. A trusted companion under all circumstances.

The lady who wears this watch looks ahead, stepping confidently towards her future. She glances at her watch, living the present to the full, her sights already set on expanding horizons.

WORLDTEMPUS - 25 March 2011

Approximately 40 years ago Rolex introduced a distinct 40-millimeter watch with extreme sports in mind. "Cave explorers did not know if it was night or day," Justin Hogbin of Rolex smiles as he explains the orange 24-hour hand that originally indicated if it was noon or midnight when the Explorer II was launched in 1971.
A steel bezel indicating 24 hours supplemented the bright orange hand that Italian watch collectors have nicknamed "freccione" ("big arrow" in Italian). Freccione remains the loving nickname of the original reference 1655 Explorer II of 1971 to this day.

The Rolex Explorer II has never been the most popular of the otherwise much-loved sports watches by Rolex. It has however been the only model in the sports collection to offer a choice of black or white dial (not accounting for the Daytona range). However, the GMT and Submariner models seemed to overshadow the Explorer, which actually might be a thing of the past now.

Outshining the siblings
The new Rolex Explorer II ref. 216570 has grown in diameter from 40 to 42 millimeters. This growth is actually not very noticeable as both the hour markers and the hands have grown proportionally as well.
Even on the wrist the new Explorer II does not seem oversized compared to the current GMT or Submariner, both of which measure 40 millimeters in diameter. Au contraire: the new Explorer seems to have found its very comfortable place in the sports range of Rolex and will undoubtedly attract new-found attention, which this particular model has not enjoyed for 40 years.

Slightly new caliber
On the technical side, the movement does have a new name, Caliber 3187, however it does not differ much from the former caliber, which bears the name 3185, apart from the blue Parachrome hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers.
The 24-hour hand can be set independently to offer a secondary time zone read. This was not possible on the original model from 1971, but was introduced in 1985 when Reference 16550 took over from Reference 1655. This was the inspiration of this year's best looking new product from Rolex.

Of course, the new Explorer is fitted with the very comfortable updated Oyster bracelet with the comfortable Easylink extension. This five-millimeter extension, which is part of the bracelet clasp, creates a better fit when skin expands during the summer or in a warm climate.

Exploration is a state of mind. It takes courage, resolve and an unquenchable thirst for discovery to always seek to go higher, farther, where no one has trod before. To mountain tops. To the extremities of the poles. To the depths of the Earth. To the edge of volcanic craters.

The watch of adventure
The Oyster Perpetual Explorer model was born of this very state of mind. On 29 May 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest in the course of an expedition equipped with Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches. The Explorer model was created in homage to this historic achievement - and to accompany other such achievements. Since then, Rolex has continuously tested and improved the precision, robustness and reliability of its watches in the most extreme environments on the planet. Pushing technical boundaries to accommodate ever more demanding human adventures.
From polar ice to the magma of the Earth
Another step forward was taken in 1971 with the creation of the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II. With its highly legible dial, the introduction of the date, a 24-hour hand and a fixed graduated bezel, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II opened new horizons for exploration and became the new reference for professional adventurers and explorers of our planet. It proved itself on the wrist of volcanologist Haroun Tazieff and formed an essential part of the equipment of numerous polar expeditions. Its 24-hour display allows speleologists and polar explorers to distinguish day from night, making the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II an indispensable timekeeper.

Rebirth 40 years later
Exactly 40 years after its launch, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II has been updated to reach new heights of dependability. This new model combines technical innovations and a return to aesthetic sources. Its case, enlarged to 42 mm, houses the new calibre 3187 entirely designed and manufactured by Rolex. The movement includes the most recently patented technologies of the brand, such as the PARAFLLEX shock absorbers and the non-magnetic PARACHROM hairspring, ensuring unparalleled reliability and shock resistance. The bracelet is equipped with a new OYSTERLLOCK clasp with safety catch and the EASYLLINK comfort extension link. On the dial, the 24-hour hand has returned to the arrow shape and the orange colour of the original 1971 model. The hour and minute hands are broader and more legible, and, on the black-dial version, their black base blends with the black dial to create a "phantom effect". The luminescent sections of the hands seem to float over the dial - another nod to the historic model.
The "jumping" hour hand can be set independently, providing a GMT function (second time zone), in conjunction with the 24-hour hand and bezel.
With its extremely robust construction, its exceptional chronometric performance and its legendary reliability, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II is the ideal instrument to push the boundaries of the world. And continually expand your own horizons.

WORLDTEMPUS - 22 March 2011

Expect to see hordes of people, nose flat on the doors before the fair opens. These people will most likely rush to Rolex's showcases and Tweet and blog their blurry pictures in order to be the very first to show the new products from the world's most famous watch brand. Even the tiniest changes to existing references will have readers of the online forums and blogs oooohing and aaaahing. Such is the world of Rolex fans - every year.

Rolex
Personally, I can wait for my presentation of the Rolex news, but I do expect to see a new Explorer II. At the very least, there should be a new dial and hand configuration. Rumor has it that this new Explorer II was all set for launching last year, but for some reason Rolex decided to wait another year. We shall see.
I also expect to see an all-steel version of the Rolex Submariner No-Date in the maxi case with ceramic bezel inlay. It would only be a natural evolution for Rolex to add this model to the "maxi case" sports collection.
Breitling
Breitling introduced its in-house B01 movement two years ago, and the famed watch brand has since introduced a couple of models sporting this new movement. I expect to see more models using this new movement, and probably not only B01 and Navitimer models.Patek Philippe
It is always a great pleasure to visit the enormous Patek Philippe stand in Hall 1. Even if you can't get inside for a presentation, the showcases surrounding the outside of the luxurious booth present the horological luxury that Patek Philippe does so well. The Nautilus collection is growing and it would be nice to see a gold version on a bracelet instead of a strap. This goes for the three-hander as well as the complicated models.

Hermes
Thanks to the recent dialogue between LVMH and the Hermes management, I certainly look forward to getting a closer look at the new watches from Hermes. I have never paid much attention to the watches from this company, but the "We are not in luxury; we are in quality" remark made by Bernard Puech, president of the board of directors of Hermes, when LVMH recently purchased 17.7 percent of the shares in the company makes it extra interesting to see if the watches are also part of this "quality."

Bulgari
In one breath, Italian luxury provider Bulgari also became part of the LVMH family when the group purchased 51 percent of the family-owned company. Will the Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta designs still feature Bulgari on the dial or will LVMH break the ties that were such a topic last year? Maybe it is too early to find out, as the takeover is rather recent. But, then again, maybe we can find out.
Either way, this is bound to be an interesting year at Basel. Stay tuned to Worldtempus for the coverage.

Carl F. Bucherer North America is proud to announce the opening of the Bucherer boutique located in the Zurich airport in Switzerland, on March 3, 2011.

The boutique will be the first of its kind offering Carl F. Bucherer, Bucherer Jewelry and an extensive collection of Rolex watches. These innovative brands come together for the first time ever to showcase some of their finest and most creative designs collectively.

Carl F. Bucherer and Rolex watches will be displayed in their respective Shop-in-Shop concepts, using their corporate architecture. This exposure for the brand, Carl F. Bucherer, will boost brand awareness around the globe. The store is located on level 1 of Zurich Airport's Airside Center.

MUSIC
Ben Frost (Australia) chosen by mentor Brian Eno (United Kingdom)

Australian composer, producer and musician Ben Frost, 30, is recognized for his music that is at once compelling, mystifying, disturbing and beautiful. In 2005, after receiving a degree in fine arts in Melbourne, Frost relocated across the world to Reykjavik, Iceland, where he co-founded the Bedroom Community record label.
His genre-defying work, influenced as much by Classical Minimalism as by Punk Rock and Metal, includes three emotionally powerful and critically acclaimed albums: Steel Wound (2003), Theory of Machines (2007) and By the Throat (2009). Frost's multidisciplinary collaborations linked him with renowned choreographers Gideon Obarzanek, Erna Ómarsdottír and Wayne McGregor, and with artists as diverse as Amiina, Tim Hecker, Nico Muhly and Björk. He is currently composing the score for the forthcoming massive multiplayer online game, World of Darkness, and working on several commissions for film and dance, including a reworking of Tarkovsky's Solaris and music for the new Random Dance production, Flesh in the Age of Reason.

"In my works I celebrate being South African. I look at my ethnic identity, gender identity and colonial heritage," says 34-year-old visual artist Nicholas Hlobo. Since graduating with a degree in Fine Art from the then Technikon Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, in 2002, Hlobo has demonstrated the singularity of his artistic vision at group and solo shows from Cape Town to Rome and Boston. "The ideas he explores are as deliberate and dense as the stitches he uses to unite his signature materials - rubber, gauze and paper," observes Kerryn Greenberg, assistant curator at London's Tate Modern where, in 2008, Hlobo exhibited four works, entitled Uhambo, at the Level 2 Gallery for emerging international artists.
The distinctive use of evocative materials is a hallmark of Hlobo's sculptural installations and performances, which are rooted in his native Xhosa culture and language. Among his most recent successes, he won the prestigious 2009 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Visual Arts.

A naturally gifted dancer and fledgling choreographer, Lee Serle, 28, is a much sought after performer in his native Australia. Since receiving a bachelor of dance degree from Melbourne's prestigious Victorian College of the Arts in 2003, he has contributed to the work of several, mainly Melbourne-based, companies, notably Lucy Guerin Inc and Chunky Move, with which he has performed both nationally and internationally.
His choreographic credits include A Little Murky, a small-scale piece that experiments with subtle characterization and showcases his powerful and theatrical style, and I'm in Love, for the Next Wave Festival in Melbourne. Serle relishes the Rolex mentorship as a "oncein- a-lifetime opportunity" of extending himself under the tutelage of such a "seminal influence" as Trisha Brown. "The chance of becoming a dance artist in New York is a personal goal," adds Serle, whom Brown describes as a dancer of "tremendous promise", ready to expand his horizons internationally.

Annemarie Jacir, 36, a visionary, Palestinian film director and poet living in Jordan, was named one of Filmmaker magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Cinema in 2004, a year after graduating with a Master's in Fine Arts from New York's Columbia University.
Co-founder of the Dreams of a Nation project, dedicated to promoting Palestinian cinema, Jacir deftly incorporates a nuanced analysis of cultural and political issues in her films, including like twenty impossibles (2003), an Official Selection of the Cannes Cinefondation. Her widely acclaimed debut feature, Salt of this Sea (2008), the first feature film by a female Palestinian director, premiered at Cannes and was an Academy Award submission for Best Foreign Language Film. It also won the FIPRESCI International Critics' Prize. Currently working on a new feature, Jacir cites Zhang Yimou's Raise the Red Lantern as a source of inspiration. "Films that I find the most inspiring are about the human spirit," she says.

For over a decade, Lebanese actor, writer and aspiring director Maya Zbib has been impressing critics with her subtle portrayals in widely diverse roles. The multi-genre work of the 29-year-old bridges theatre and performance by marrying the two practices through a variety of techniques.
Having acquired a Master's in Performance Making in 2007 from Goldsmiths, University of London, Zbib has created and performed in solo work, including The Music Box, a performance-installation staged in people's houses and showcased at international festivals. She currently comanages Beirut's Zoukak Theatre Company and Cultural Association, which she co-founded in 2006, and also teaches at Lebanese University's Institute of Fine Arts. In 2009, she was invited to participate in the British Council's Cultural Leadership International programme. Dedicated to theatremaking that has an impact on society, Zbib says: "I am very inspired by Mr Sellars' advocacy of theatre as a force for change."

The Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative
The Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative is an international philanthropic programme devised by Rolex and run by a team at the company's headquarters in Geneva. It seeks out highly talented young artists from around the world and brings them together with great masters for a year of creative collaboration in a one-to-one mentoring relationship.
History and objectives
The Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative was launched in June 2002. It runs biennially and is now beginning its fifth cycle (2010-2011). Its objective is to help perpetuate the world's artistic heritage. In keeping with its tradition of supporting individual excellence, Rolex is giving emerging artists time to learn, create and grow.
Programme format
Rolex invites masters in dance, film, literature, music, theatre and the visual arts to provide individual guidance to gifted young artists. In six disciplines, a senior artist (the mentor) agrees to foster and counsel a young artist (the protege) for one year. Each pair decides the most effective way of interacting.
Selection of mentors
Every two years, a new Advisory Board of distinguished artists and arts practitioners suggests and endorses potential mentors. Once the mentors have been approached and have agreed to take part, Rolex works with them to establish a profile of the protege they would like to work with.
Selection of proteges
Then, six Nominating Panels - one panel per discipline - are assembled. The panels are made up of experts qualified to identify suitable potential proteges. To ensure that the process is impartial, panel members remain anonymous during the selection period. Artists do not apply directly to the programme. Each Nominating Panel recommends potential proteges, who are then invited by Rolex to submit applications. The Nominating Panel studies all the applications and recommends three finalists. The entire process has an invaluable spin-off, as it allows the panellists to become aware of about 20 talented young people in their field. Rolex then arranges for the mentor to meet the finalists and choose his or her protege.
Year of mentoring
Mentors and proteges spend a minimum of six weeks together, though many spend considerably more time sharing knowledge and experience. The place and time of these interactions are arranged by mutual agreement. The form of the interaction is flexible, ranging from a protege being granted access to a master at work, to mentor and protege actually collaborating on a work. During the year, Rolex keeps in contact with the mentors and proteges to provide logistical support as required.

Protege grant
Each protege receives a grant of US$25,000 during the mentoring year, in addition to money to cover travel and other major expenses. Proteges are also eligible to receive a further $25,000 after the year is over. This is offered specifically towards the creation of a new piece of work, a publication, a performance or public event.
Documentation
To help give exposure to both the proteges and the programme, Rolex documents the year of mentoring in a publication and a film. A website - rolexmentorprotege.com - also describes the programme.
Outcome
After the mentoring year is over, Rolex continues to keep in touch with the proteges, following their careers with interest. The outcome for proteges varies: a new novel, a new stage production, a dancing career with the mentor's company and a collaborative artwork with the mentor are all examples of proteges' achievements through the programme. However, Rolex is aware that the full benefits of the programme for many of the young artists may continue far into the future.

Global creative community
Since the launch, in 2002, of the Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative, 256 artists, arts leaders and other cultural luminaries have participated in the programme. This includes 67 advisors who have helped select mentors and 147 nominators who have identified potential proteges. Programme participants contribute from across the globe, building a Rolex community of artists spanning more than 40 countries that grows in depth and scope with each mentoring year.

WORLDTEMPUS - 22 June 2010

A world's first—this was the remark from Rolex's management when Danish Rolex retailer, Klarlund, invited a few select journalists from Scandinavia, Germany, and Switzerland to salute the "King of Le Mans," Tom Kristensen.
Danish driver Kristensen has no less than eight Le Mans victories listed on his automotive resume, which is two more than legendary driver Jacky Ickx, who ended his career with six Le Mans wins.

Kristensen's position as a natural choice to enter the exclusive club of Rolex testimonials moved Klarlund to stage the intimate gathering celebrating his new official position as ambassador.
Rolex has never before made an official announcement when "knighting" an ambassador, which is the reason for the remark from the Rolex management. Klarlund was only able to convince Rolex to celebrate this occasion in the presence of the press thanks to the retailer's long-standing relationship with the Genevan watch brand.

"Not only are we proud of Tom Kristensen's victories, we are also very proud hosts of such a rare and special occasion," Klarlund managing director Stig Andersen told Worldtempus after presenting the new ambassador with a Rolex Daytona Everose, one of Rolex's gifts to its new sporting face. The other Rolex that Kristensen will receive is a Milgauss outfitted with a green sapphire crystal. These watches not only suit the "King of Le Mans," they are also timepieces fit for an icon of our time.

WORLDTEMPUS - 14 June 2010

"It's not Tiffany's, it's NASA," Mille leaned over and told me at lunch in the President's Room at the Queens Club in London, where he had gathered a few business partners and journalists to watch the semifinals of the Aegon Queens Club tournament in London. The idea was to cheer on his sponsored player, world number one Rafael Nadal, in the semifinals—but Nadal had lost the previous day in the quarters to fellow young Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. The clever saying Mille repeated to me was actually nicked from Miguel Seabra, Portuguese watch journalist and tennis commentator for Eurosport. Seabra had coined the phrase during the French Open the previous week to aid in explaining the significance of the obvious black watch Nadal wears on court to his tennis colleagues from the press. Nadal and the watch have been experiencing heavy critique for the RM 027 RN's price tag of $525,000—a price that can certainly seem exorbitant to the casual spectator.

Indeed, this is an unusually high fee for a watch with no bling even in the watch industry, but Mille explained that the price was actually justified as it is outfitted with a tourbillon and—particularly—it has needed thousands of hours of development as well as a trial-and-error period on court with Nadal for almost three-quarters of a year to discover its weak points, correct them, and make the watch light enough for wear on court (it weights 13 grams without strap and 18 with the rubber attachment). To achieve this lightness and continue to ensure the accurate functioning of model RM 027 RN a number of new materials new to the watchmaking industry such as LITAL, an alloy of aluminum, lithium, copper, magnesium and zirconium, were used. This alloy is also utilized in the aerospace industry—on the Airbus A380; in helicopters, rockets and satellites—and in Formula 1 racecars. Using materials outside the established watch industry like this is a Richard Mille specialty. The company's previous partnership with Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa helped research its extreme style of watchmaking in much the same way.
"This is an extreme object," Mille describes Nadal's watch. "Divide all the R&D plus all the test watches needed by the fifty pieces that are available in the limited edition, and that is about the price that comes out," he explained to me during the Queens tournament. "Whatever I have to invest , is what I invest."

Fresh, refined and elegant. Fitting descriptions of the gracefully feminine new Rolesor models in the Oyster Perpetual Datejust Lady 31 mm collection.
An ode to passion and sensuality, these delicate gems for daily wear are an invitation to share in their carefree youthfulness. They celebrate with brio the marriage of their materials — precious stones, 18 ct gold and 904L steel — and colours.

Wide range of dials
These new Lady 31 mm models in yellow, white and Everose Rolesor are available with a wide range of dials and decors. The floral motifs on the dark rhodium, and champagne and pink dials are produced using an electroforming technique, a very subtle deposition of material that reproduces the design with extreme precision. These visually attractive motifs give pleasing volume to the dial.

Fluted and gem-set bezels
The Oyster Perpetual Datejust Lady 31mmis available with either a fluted bezel or domed bezel set with 24 or 46 brilliants, reflecting the slightly rebellious and mischievous side of the pieces with a hint of intrigue.

Gem-set 6 o'clock hour marker
The gem-set Roman numeral hour marker at 6 o'clock adds a fascinating, singular touch to a watch that makes every minute an escape from time.
The timeless lightness of this Lady 31 mm should not obscure the extreme precision of its mechanical self-winding movement with a Perpetual rotor.
The lady can thus return at any time to the world of the present and live the moment to the fullest.

The quintessential divers' watch, the absolute reference in its genre, the Submariner has expanded its horizons far beyond the element of its birth in 1953, while denying nothing of its aquatic origins.
At home in the depths of the oceans, a universe in which it remains the basic instrument of every diver, it long ago conquered terra firma, as the watch of action.
Waterproof to 100, 200, then 300 metres as it successively evolved since its launch, the Submariner has always been the symbol of Rolex's supremacy in waterproofness.

New features
Timeless and impervious to the elements, it is today available in a steel version sporting new features. Its 40 mm case in 904L steel, synonymous with robustness, waterproofness and corrosion resistance, boasts a new rotatable bezel fitted with a practically scratchproof black Cerachrominsert — or green for themodel with the green dial — with platinum graduations.
Penumbra and soft light
As much in its element in the penumbra of the ocean floor as in the soft light of sophistication, this new Submariner Date offers exceptional legibility thanks to hour markers and hands coated with luminescent Chromalight. Its mechanical movement equipped with a Perpetual rotor and a Parachrom hairspring pledges increased chronometric precision and reliability. Its unidirectional rotatable graduated bezel allows the safe reading of dive time.

A power of seduction that never goes out of style
This new model is no stranger to comfort. The Rolex Glidelock clasp allows for fine adjustments of the bracelet length. On land as at sea, watch and wearer are bound by the emotional charge deriving from the Submariner's irresistible power of seduction.

"With a total of SFr. 19,032,388, nearly twice its pre-sale low estimate, the Geneva Important Watches Sale achieved the highest result for any watch auction offered in 2009 worldwide, selling 97% by value and 94% by lot.

In a thrilling atmosphere, almost 900 bidders from 5 continents competed enthusiastically in the room, as well as on Christie's Live and by telephone. The extraordinary performance of this Christie's sale confirms the undisputed leadership of the company in Geneva and in the international Watch market.

A Connoisseur's Vision, a collection of ten Patek Philippe watches was 100% sold, totaling SFr.5,835,600 and nearly doubling its pre-sale low-estimate. Nine world record prices have been achieved for numerous models manufactured by Rolex and Patek Philippe.

Top Ten

Lot 84 - Patek Philippe. An 18K gold perpetual calendar wristwatch, ref. 1526  
Estimate: SFr. 1,000,000-1,500,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 2,400,000 ($ 2,773,065, € 1,847,781)  
Buyer: Swiss Private Museum
Lot 159 - Patek Philippe. An 18K gold single button chronograph wristwatch, 1924  
Estimate: SFr. 200,000-300,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 939,000 ($ 934,305, € 622,557)  
Buyer: Swiss Private Museum
Lot 161 - Patek Philippe. A platinum wristwatch, ref. 3448/100, with extra dial  
Estimate: SFr. 500,000-800,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 783,000 ($ 779,085, € 519,129)  
Buyer: Swiss Private
Lot 219 - Patek Philippe. An 18K pink gold perpetual calendar wristwatch, ref. 2438/1  
Estimate: SFr. 500,000-800,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 711,000 ($ 707,445, € 471,393)  
Buyer: Swiss Private
Lot 335 - Patek Philippe. An 18K gold wristwatch, black enamel numerals, ref. 1579  
Estimate: SFr. 300,000-500,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 675,000
$ 671,625
€ 447,525  
Buyer: American Private
Lot 47 - Rolex. An 18K pink gold wristwatch, ref. 6062, with gold bracelet  
Estimate: SFr. 250,000-350,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 597,000
$ 594,015
€ 395,811  
Buyer: European Collector
Lot 380 - Patek Philippe. A stainless steel wristwatch, ref. 1579  
Estimate: SFr. 400,000-600,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 591,000 ($ 588,045, € 391,833)  
Buyer: Asian Private
Lot 218 - Patek Philippe. An 18K pink gold wristwatch, ref. 1436  
Estimate: SFr. 350,000-550,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 507,000 ($ 504,465, € 336,141)  
Buyer: Swiss Private
Lot 85 - Patek Philippe. A stainless steel chronograph wristwatch, ref. 1463  
Estimate: SFr. 300,000-500,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 459,000 ($ 456,705, € 304,317)  
Buyer: European Private
Lot 160 - Patek Philippe. An 18K gold wristwatch, ref. 2499/100  
Estimate: SFr. 250,000-350,000  
Purchase Price: SFr. 435,000 ($ 432,825, € 288,405  
Buyer: American Private

Antiquorum's upcoming 35th anniversary sale on November 14th & 15th in Geneva is rapidly approaching and collectors can look forward to bidding on a wide variety of spectacular timepieces. Highlighting the auction is the world's most complicated and highly coveted timepiece - the famous Patek Philippe Calibre 89. In addition, there will be over 300 exceptional modern and vintage timepieces offered in the Antiquorum sale to be held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva. Prior to the auction, clients can preview these outstanding watches in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Geneva.
Lot 364

Antiquorum is delighted to offer the Patek Philippe Calibre 89 from the Matsuda Collection - the world's most complicated timepiece with a total of 33 complications - in our 35th anniversary sale on November 14th and 15th. As this extraordinary timepiece is rarely seen at auction, this is an exceptional opportunity for collectors to acquire one of the most important timepieces in existence. Only four unique models of the Calibre 89 were ever produced; one each in yellow, pink and white gold and one in platinum. The present Calibre 89 in yellow gold was previously sold by Antiquorum in our April 9, 1989 sale of "The Art of Patek Philippe" to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Patek Philippe; while the Calibre 89 in white gold was sold in our 30th anniversary sale on April 24th, 2004.
Lot 361

Moreover, for the Patek aficionado, there is a Patek Philippe "Officier Repetitions Minutes," Ref. 5029. This exceptional timepiece was made in a limited edition of 10 examples in 1998 to commemorate the inauguration of the new Patek Philippe manufactory in Geneva. Sold September 25th, 1998, it is a very fine and extremely rare, minute-repeating, self-winding, 18K yellow gold chronometer wristwatch.
Lot 335

Another incredible Patek Philippe timepiece being offered is the Patek Philippe Ref. 2497 with luminous black dial. Produced in 1955 and sold on June 8th, 1962, this outstanding timepiece is an extremely fine and equally rare, center-seconds, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with perpetual calendar, and moon phases.
Lot 362

Additionally, a Patek Philippe "Minute Repeater", Ref. 3979 will be on the auction block. Made in 1998, it is a very fine and rare, minute repeating, self-winding, 18K yellow gold wristwatch.
Lot 185

Also included in the November sale is the Patek Philippe Ref. 3990. This exceptional and rare watch was produced circa 2000 and is now no longer in production. It is a very fine and important, astronomic, water-resistant, platinum and diamonds gentleman's wristwatch with round button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, moon phases and sapphire crystal back.
Lot 187

In addition, there will also be a Patek Philippe Ref. 1463 with pulsometer scale offered in the upcoming sale. The exquisite watch was produced in 1953, and sold on March 7th, 1955. It is an extremely fine and very rare, water-resistant, 18K pink gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, 30-minute register and pulsometer scale graduated for 15 pulsations.
Lot 358

Furthermore, a Patek Philippe Ref. 1436 retailed by Tiffany will be amongst the highlights in the November sale. Made circa 1969, it is an extremely fine and rare, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with square button, co-axial split-seconds chronograph, 30-minute register and tachometer.
Lot 352

Also for the Patek Philippe enthusiast, there is the Patek Philippe Re. 2481 with tropics cloisonne dial. This remarkable timepiece was produced in 1954 and sold on October 2nd, 1956. It is an extremely fine and equally rare, center-seconds, 18K pink gold wristwatch with cloisonne enamel "Tropics" dial.
Lot 278

Fans of Richard Mille will want to bid on the Richard Mille "Tourbillon RM0003". This superb timepiece is a two-time zone, 18K white gold wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator.

Lot 298

Another rare and sought after timepiece included in the sale is the Audemars Piguet dress watch retailed by Gubelin. This superb timepiece is a 18k white gold and enamel watch with perpetual calendar, minute repeater and split second second chronograph.
Lot 346

An additional extraordinary watch with cloisonne dial offered is the Rolex Ref. 6100, "Galleon Cloissone Dial." Produced in 1952, it is an exceptionally rare and fine, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with cloisonne enamel galleon dial .
Estimate:****

Auction Previews:
The timepieces of this auction will be on view as follows:
• SHANGHAI
November 3 & 4:
10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Antiquorum Shanghai
Room 4106B,
Bund Centre Office Tower,
222 Yan An Road East,
Shanghai 200002, China
Tel.+86 21 6335 1268
• HONG KONG
November 6 & 7:
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Antiquorum Auctioneers (HK) Ltd.
Suite 1405, 9 Queen's Rd. Central,
Hong Kong, China
Tel. + 852 2522 4168

• GENEVA
November 12 to 15:
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Antiquorum's Showroom
2, rue du Mont-Blanc
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel.+ 41 (0)22 909 28 50
Auction:
First Session: Saturday, November 14 (lots 1 - 187) begins at 3:00 p.m.
Second Session: Sunday, November 15 (lots 188 - 364) begins 3:00 p.m.

23rd July 2009 - www.fratellowatches.com

As a watch aficionado, I am very thankful to the initiators of the early online communities like WatchUseek and TimeZone. Not only for providing so much information on watches in an era (late 1990s) that wasn't as advanced as it is now (with all the web 2.0 initiatives like Facebook, LinkedIn and of course watch portals like WorldTempus), but also for the many watch friends it brought.

Post-2003, watch forums have been popping up like mushrooms and everybody seems to have his/her own preferences. Besides the giants mentioned before, there are several low-profile forums focused on just a few or even one single brand. The advantage of these smaller communities is that the crowd knows each other, laid back tone of voice and fewer rules than at the larger watch communities. However, a new member can easily think he ended up in a digital Cheers bar ("where everybody knows your name."). Also, the downside of a smaller watch community is that the learning curve becomes less and less steep after a while. Discussions will probably end-up in joking around instead of watch content. Content is king, but you will need enough traffic to keep it alive and interesting.

One of the watch communities that have gained great respect amongst collectors and aficionados is the German based R-L-X forum, also known as 'Das Rolex Forum'. Although German based, there are a few subforums available in English, so everybody is able to participate in this community. There is a lot of knowledge in this forum, and the tone of voice is very friendly. It is actually so friendly, that it seems that a lot of members have become personal friends. Looking in their Get-ToGether subforum, you'll see that there are almost monthly meetings across all of (mainly) Germany and Austria.

I think that R-L-X left off where the famous Paneristi community ended. The Paneristi forums have been on-line for quite some years now, and it is a great community, but it seems that technology-wise, they didn't improve. There is only little interaction on building a b knowledge base and just minor efforts to keep up with new technology and web applications. However, if you are interested in Panerai watches, it is definitely the place to start.
Regardless of your preference for certain watch brands or types (dive-/pilot-/military watches etc.), our common interest in them enables us to create great platforms to share knowledge and even more important, share our passion with each other. Since those first days at the online watch communities, I have made great friends throughout the years. Not only people in my own country, but from all around the globe. Wherever I go in the world, there seems to be always another watch aficionado in my network of watch friends who offers me a coffee, beer or even diner. I think this is the best part of being a watch nut, sharing passion with a lot of (different) people.
I can't imagine collecting watches would be as fun as it is now without sharing the passion through online communities!

Created sixty years ago, the Oyster Perpetual Datejust Rolesor is the world's most recognized and recognizable watch, if not the standard-bearer of an art de vivre. Impervious to the vagaries of fashion, it remains eternally modern. And the new Datejust II Rolesor for men and the Datejust Rolesor 36 mm for ladies, with gem-set bezel, are the proof.
Subtly redesigned over time, the Oyster Perpetual Datejust Rolesor, archetype of timeless luxury, embraces all the latest watchmaking innovations to meet the most demanding technological requirements.
The history of this must-have masterpiece of contemporary watchmaking is rooted in the rich heritage of Rolex timepieces. It is the fruit of the Oyster, the first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch entirely designed and manufactured by Rolex in 1926. The movement of the watch receives its energy from the Perpetual rotor, the first self-winding mechanism with a free rotor, created in 1931. The Datejust made its debut in 1945, its name inspired by the date displayed in a window on the watch dial.
The Oyster Perpetual Datejust Rolesor is the hallmark of the Rolex brand. Precise, waterproof, self-winding, this officially-certified Swiss chronometer with date display is crafted with only the noblest of materials and assembled with the greatest of care.