Discount Rolex Automatic Replicas, Best Replica Rolex Automatic Prices

Rolex Daytona White Gold Blue (116509-0071)

This is a great gift for a boyfriend, husband, or annoying little brothers. It looks really good for its price. And it comes in a nice box to give too. It only has the basic features that I can tell anyway.but I think thats all a Rolex Daytona watch should have for casual wear purposes. So yeah.its a killer buy.

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

Review by Misty De La Garza, From Ukraina Kremecnhug

Rolex Datejust 31 Yellow Gold Fluted President Mother of Pearl Diamonds (178278-0010)

This bracelet Rolex watch was worth waiting for on wait-list when it sold out as the Today's Special. I got both styles but this is myfavorite because of the lighter color that will go with more of my outfits. Lots of detail and quality in this watch.

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

Review by Jaiye Adelakun, From Poland Wroclaw

Rolex Day Date II Rose Roman Dial President Bracelet 18k Rose Gold Men's Watch 218235RRP

It's cute and small but I wish the background was colored and lighted. It only lights up when you rotate it. Although the plastic is a hard protective covering, the clock will look ugly if it gets scratched really bad.

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

Review by Nathan Renwick, From United States Joshua Tree

Sam Hines will be heading the global team of Watch Specialists from Phillips' recently opened Asian Headquarters in the Landmark Building in Hong Kong.

With twenty years' experience in the auction world, Sam has held executive positions in New York and in Asia since 2008, spearheading many ground-breaking sales of Important Watches throughout the globe. In 2013 he was appointed International Co-Head of the Watches Department at another auction house, which, throughout his time, was world-leading in the category of important watches and wristwatches.

From Hong Kong Sam will lead the existing team of International Watch Specialists in Geneva, London and New York with Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo continuing to work exclusively with the department as Senior Consultants. Sam will work with the Watches Team on the contents of the auctions in the fall season including the 8 November sale in Geneva and the inaugural Hong Kong sale on 1 December.

Highlights from Sam Hines' career to date include the discovery and sale of two previously unknown pocket watches from the third generation of James Ward Packard, achieving $2.7m at auction in 2011, as well as curating the sale of Asia's most expensive horological object; a pair of Singing Bird Pistols which sold for $5.8m. Sam is also responsible for numerous auction records for some of the world's most important wristwatches and watches, pocket watches and automata, including the sale of the only known Patek Philippe Star Calibre 2000 for $3.5m, a Rolex cloisonne enamel wristwatch for $1m and two sets of the Patek Philippe reference 5004 for $3.75m.

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.
 

Renowned watch expert Paul Maudsley has joined Phillips as International Specialist, Director of the London Watches Department. He is credited with transforming the UK watch market and has handled over 20,000 watches in his 16-year career, which equates to one and a half watches every working hour of every working day over that period.

Maudsley has been collecting watches from the age of 13 and has thus developed a love and broad knowledge of horology. Organising watch auctions on three continents, Paul has been responsible for sourcing some of the finest quality timepieces in the world. He has a well-known passion for Rolex sports watches and has a great knowledge of the many different models and variations produced, setting numerous records for such pieces at auction.

Aurel Bacs, senior consultant says: "We warmly welcome Paul Maudsley to the team and look forward to working with him on the lead up to our sales this fall on 7 and 8 November in Geneva and our inaugural watch auction in Hong Kong taking place on 1 December. Our existing team of passionate specialists has already demonstrated their strength with the outstanding results from the May auctions in Geneva and will further benefit from Paul's knowledge and expertise."

Paul joins Phillips international team of Watch Specialists including Kate Lacey, Specialist based in London, Paul Boutros, International Strategy Advisor in New York and Jill Chen, Business Development Director, based in Phillips' Hong Kong office which opens in August.

Our Venezuelan contributor Rafael Fernandez was astonished at the efficiency of the Swiss customs when he arrived at Zurich airport to cover Baselworld. He and his wife were politely screened at the airport and asked whether they were carrying any watches. Like any self-respecting watch journalist, Rafael had brought with him a small collection to last him through the show, which he offered for inspection. He was impressed when the customs official could instantly tell from the serial number of his Rolex that it had indeed been shipped originally to his home country of Venezuela.

Last week I discovered that this highly knowledgeable "customs inspector" was in fact one of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry Federation's team of roving experts, who were stationed at the cargo and passenger terminals at Basel and Zurich airports and prowling the halls of Baselworld during the show, looking for violations of the Swiss Made label, misleading customs declarations and breaches of trademark law. With the kind permission of the Federation Horlogere we have just reproduced the detailed report on this highly coordinated surveillance operation.

We also delve behind the scenes of another story this week, as Olivier Muller reveals the secret history of Carl F. Bucherer's Patravi TravelTec model, which ultimately led to the brand becoming a genuine manufacture. The leading figures of the industry continue to share their thoughts with WorldTempus. After today's profile of Longines CEO Walter von Känel, Bulgari's Guido Terreni and Romain Gauthier take the floor later on this week.

Exuding a free-spirited, independent, impetuous, innovative, welcoming, soft, comfortable and elegant aura for the past 25 years, the SIHH certainly qualifi es for a number of adjectives typically associated with the fair sex. The SIHH will be celebrating its quarter- century in January 2015, and like countless other women, it has left an indelible imprint on the measurement of time.

Women have constantly and variously served as the poet's secret muse, the artist's precious inspiration, the politician's wise advisor or the musician's perceptive shadow. They have occupied a prime role in History, whether in the spotlight or in the background, consistently exercising authentic infl uence, whether deliberately or not. Nor should one forget that women have been, still are and always will be the great civilizing power in the world! Horology is no exception to the rule and its history has been regularly punctuated by women. The latter notably inspired wristwatches and were the fi rst to wear them : from Elizabeth I of England to the dainty jewelry models of the Directory and Empire periods, right the way through to Mercedes Gleitze who swam across the channel with a Rolex Oyster watch on her wrist.

Today, if "woman is the future of man" as the French poet Aragon famously proclaimed in 1952, women's watches are undoubtedly the future of the watch itself. 25 years ago, in taking on the seemingly crazy challenge of creating the fi rst show dedicated to Fine Watchmaking in Geneva, the cradle of the industry, the SIHH endowed Haute Horlogerie with its authentically global dimension. Ever since, year after year, it has been setting the tone for watch trends, catalyzing ceaselessly renewed and perpetuated innovations, expertise and skills. It is endowed with a unique ability to unite, to share, to love and to spread the love. Because the SIHH is feminine to the core !
Fabienne Lupo
Chairwoman and Managing Director of the SIHH

Former Arsenal striker and England international Ian Wright was the guest of honour on the Jeanrichard stand at SalonQP for the launch of the brand's new limited-edition Arsenal Terrascope chronograph in carbon fibre.

He may not have been the most obvious choice to line-up alongside the brand's CEO Bruno Grande, since he is not a member of the Arsenal squad and thus has no direct ties with the brand. In fact, his relationship with Jeanrichard came about more by chance.

"We were contacted by Ian Wright because he wanted to see the watches," explained Bruno Grande. "We don't have a direct association with him (we couldn't afford it), so he's a genuine friend of the brand and we have plenty more celebrities gravitating around the brand thanks to Arsenal." 

After patiently posing for photographs with visitors to SalonQP, Ian Wright corroborated this story for WorldTempus. "A business colleague of mine told me about Bruno and what he was doing. I hear about this kind of thing all the time but when I finally sat down with him and listened to him speaking about the watches I could tell that he was as passionate about the watches as I am about football. The way he talked about the watches and the history dating back to 1681 was fascinating. And it came at a time when I was getting back into watches so I was in the market and I wasn't sure what to get. I like the fact that it's classy and understated, and because I wear it on my right hand, everybody notices it."

The reason the former Arsenal forward was "in the market" was a particularly harrowing aggravated burglary at his home over the summer, during which his wife was held at knifepoint while his children were upstairs. Wright himself was in Brazil commentating on the World Cup for UK television and had to fly home to comfort his family. Apart from the emotional stress of the event, one of the physical losses he suffered was the theft of his entire watch collection, which included connoisseur models from the likes of Patek Philippe and Rolex. The unfortunate event has also led to a change in this collector's philosophy about watches.

"It's almost like starting again," he said. "I'm most probably going to end up with a few Jeanrichard watches and I will probably buy the one they just launched. But what I will do now is buy watches to wear rather than collect. I still have a 1969 Paul Newman Rolex (the thieves didn't get that one because it was being repaired at Rolex) and I'm going to start wearing it."

The new limited-edition model is the first chronograph in the Jeanrichard Terrascope line and comes with a new case in single-ply carbon, which has a uni-directional finish similar to brushing, even though the case undergoes no separate finishing after it is machined. It comes with the signature Jeanrichard "rubbergator" strap (rubber that is stamped to resemble alligator leather) with red stitching and, of course, the cannon of the Gunners as the small seconds counter. This strictly limited edition, of which only 50 will be produced, comes complete with a certificate of authenticity signed by three players from the current Arsenal squad, as well as - unusually - a 30cm diameter Jeanrichard wall clock.

But why does Ian Wright prefer Jeanrichard in particular, when as a football pundit travelling around the world to cover the major soccer events he gets to experience the marketing activities of various watch brands, as well as compare tastes with his peers?
"Footballers went through a phase of wearing massive watches," he explains, "which I call the silly phase. But what you see now is that they are going more for the elegant pieces, which is what I have always thought was synonymous with watches."

The boutique was open for three months ending on September 1, in time to take advantage of the summer tourist season. In a crisp decor bathing in the signature black and white colors of Coco Chanel, the boutique showcased some of the house's iconic models, immortalized by the talents of the photographer Patrick Demarchelier who shot Chanel's most recent publicity campaign titled "L'Instant Chanel."

The boutique offered museum visitors, on their way to see Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, a chance to admire Chanel's new J12-365, the new Premiere with its triple row bracelet, and the J12 Blue Light, a version of the J12 in white "hi-tech" ceramic and luminescent blue numerals.

"The idea of the pop-up store was a reference to 1987 when we first opened a boutique dedicated to watches on Avenue Montaigne that launched a new era in watchmaking for Chanel," said Nicolas Beau, international director of Chanel Horlogerie. "Our goal has always been to make beautiful watches where mechanics are at the service of aesthetics," Mr. Beau said.

For a brand that places a high value on creativity and aesthetics, the enclosure of Musee du Louvre, one of France's most revered cultural venues, offers the means to combine the experience of a luxury boutique with that of an art museum. For Chanel, it is a means to intimate the association between luxury and cultural heritage, inscribing its luxury products in the long-term tradition of culture.

"The appeal of Chanel's products is their lasting appeal," Mr. Beau explained.  "The Chanel no. 5 perfume has been around since 1921. It is not a trend-based product. The same is true of the little black dress and the quilted Chanel bag."

The relationship to art allows luxury products to acquire the characteristics of art by association, including uniqueness, legitimacy and permanence. "Chanel makes products that last and remain desirable," Mr. Beau said. "Few luxury brands have a portfolio of products with an endless lifetime. That is what lives in the Chanel name and was invented by Gabriel Chanel."

Over the years, Chanel has experimented with the idea of connecting art to its luxury products. In 2008, for instance, it commissioned the Mobile Art Pavilion, a 700-square meter futuristic structure designed by the Pritzker-award winning architect, Zaha Hadid, filled with works commissioned from 20 international contemporary artists asked to interpret the brand's iconic quilted 2.55 handbag, the black, stitched-leather purse designed by Coco Chanel in 1955.

Establishing a presence, ephemeral or not, in close proximity to the Louvre, a prime international cultural destination, also enables luxury brands to benefit from the rising trend in cultural tourism.

Last year, the Louvre welcomed 9.3 million visitors making it not just the most visited attraction in Paris, but also the most visited museum in the world, ahead of the British Museum in London (with 6.7 million visitors) and the Metropolitan Museum in New York (with 6.3 million visitors), according to figures published last April by the Art Newspaper.  

According to Paolo de Cesare, Le Printemps's president, a luxury goods department in the commercial area of the museum enables tourists to satisfy their two principal reasons for being there, luxury shopping and culture.  

The Louvre expects attendance numbers to rise by 30 percent over the next decade, forecasting some 12 million visitors by 2025. Le Printemps du Louvre estimates its revenues to top €20 million this year alone.

 A number of high-end watch brands including Chopard, Rolex, Montblanc, Hermes and Parmigiani are already present in the Carrousel du Louvre. With the 2014 edition of the Salon des Belles Montres set to take place in the same venue next November, the list is likely to grow.

Richard Mille calls his watches "a racing machine on the wrist". A tagline undoubtedly inspired not only by his personal interest in fast cars (Mille often races his own 1970 Lola), but also by his interest in exotic materials generally used in contexts such as the F1 industry. Your correspondent would now like to offer an extension to that tagline: "A racing machine on the wrist that makes otherwise reasonable people stop and gawk, want to make friends with you or upgrade your hotel room".

Borrowed feathers
I left the SIHH 2014 with an impressive titanium RM11-01 Roberto Mancini on my wrist, along with a pair of "mechanical" cufflinks, also in titanium. They were obviously not mine to keep, as I do not have Euro 114,500 in my timepiece account, nor the Euro 12,500 needed for the cufflinks (in fact I don't have a cufflinks account at all). Instead I wore the RM11-01 as borrowed feathers - but what borrowed feathers they turned out to be!

Once I got back home I started Instagram'ing this impressive watch and my Facebook account also featured many daily shots of the watch "in action". The response from social media circles was overwhelming. Strangers PM'd me asking if they could pop by my office just to see the watch, and I have a b suspicion that people showed up to my lectures just to get up-close-and-personal with the Richard Mille on my wrist.

The RM11-01 is a thing to behold. The distinct curvex and industrial looking case has been a trademark design of Richard Mille since the first model, RM001, was introduced in 2001. This particular model on my wrist, the Felipe Massa RM11, has been a success ever since it was originally launched in 2007 and can rightfully be considered the most popular of the contemporary range.

Do not however expect any extra attention if wearing the RM11-01 when horseback riding in outer Mongolia, or spelunking in Bulgaria. Richard Mille is not a carpet bomber; his distribution is very focused on key urban markets.

This of course is quite understandable as Richard Mille only produces 3,000 watches a year, and with an entry level of euro 43,000 (for the titanium RM07) to 1.4 million (for the elusive RM05601 with a sapphire case), it is a watch brand for the 1%. Unless of course you live in Dubai, where a Richard Mille is the horological equivalent of the soup of the day on the wrist of the Arab businessmen in their crisp, white disdasha. In these parts of the world a steel Rolex DateJust gets as much attention as last year's second runner-up of Dubai Has Talent. The glitterati of the Emirates get a diamond-crusted Rolex as their first timepiece, and have probably collected a complete set of Patek Philippe Nautilus models by the time their voice breaks.

The Nicholson of horology
A Richard Mille watch is for the guys (and gals) who have been around and who have tried and collected most high-end watch brands already. Their collections are already full of tourbillons, minute repeaters, probably including quite a few made by independent watchmakers, such as Christophe Claret, F. P. Journe and Kari Voutilainen.

Richard Mille may belong to the same crowd of young and indie watch brands, but he stands out. I see him as the Jack Nicholson of contemporary horology due to his laid-back personality and irresistible joie de vivre. His watches more powerfully represent sex, rock n' roll, fast cars and an exuberant lifestyle than anybody else.

Funnily enough the functions of Richard Mille watches are actually met with less interest than those of the competitors in the same price range, even though several of them offer fascinating functions such as a declutchable rotor, torque indicator and G-Force sensor, as well as a E6-B flight computer.

Nobody actually asked me about the functions of the RM11-01. A few asked about the choice of colors and nodded knowingly when I told them the model was named after a famous (former) Manchester City manager who is now managing Turkish Super Lig club Galatasaray. I got the distinct impression the watch could have been right only twice a day, and nobody would have noticed: it's the name on the dial and the lifestyle buzz that gets the pulse up.

But let´s sober up for a moment, ignore the sex appeal, and look at what this watch actually does.

The specs of the RM11-01
The automatic caliber RMAC1 inside the titanium case of the RM11-1 Roberto Mancini offers the standard functions of this model, such as flyback chronograph and annual calendar. Additionally, and in order to meet Mancini's demands, this model also offers a dial design that makes it possible to display football match time based on a two times 45-minute match while taking account of the 15-minute stoppage time.

During each half, a single press on the push-piece at "4" activates the flyback function, zero-setting the chronograph seconds hand which is thus ready to start timing the second half of the match. If extra time is awarded, the watch displays an additional 15 minutes and up to 5 minutes of stoppage time.

Functions and football reference aside, the RM11-01 procured me a somewhat unexpected pleasure while wearing it. I had strangers compliment my watch, floor managers expecting me to throw down a black Amex card to buy half the stock and hotel staff giving me extra attention when I was checking in (not when checking out as I turned out to not splash money everywhere I went). In conclusion, owning a watch from Richard Mille collection is what it feels like to park a slick luxury car outside a crowded cafe and step into it with a leggy blonde holding your hand: all eyes on you. And that thing on your arm.

WORLDTEMPUS - 2 August 2012

Every vintage watch is different. Accordingly, a collector determining the value of each vintage wristwatch comes down to putting values into an equation. And, ultimately, each watch has its own value equation. Knowing how to quantify and calculate the variables in the equation is equal parts experience, education, astuteness, and power of observation. While there is no substitute for experience, there are resources that can speed up the learning curve: an expansive collector's library, bookmarking the best websites, and - frankly - buying and selling as many wristwatches as you can responsibly afford.
As I explained to my wife many years ago (I don't think she believed me, but it's true), "Every time I buy and own a watch, I learn about the watch and learn from the transaction." Don't underestimate the learning also garnered when a watch is sold. You quickly learn which brands and models are the best to collect (which also equates to investing in), and which watches are better left to looking at pictures of.
 
The first order of magnitude, in establishing the value of a vintage watch is authenticity. While a counterfeit watch has value in the sense that it may (or may not) keep time and may look nice, we are talking pennies on the dollar (and sometimes much less) in terms of comparing the value of a counterfeit watch to its authentic counterpart. Our starting presumption and the first step in the evaluation of any wristwatch must be: is this watch authentic?

For the beginning collector, this is easier said than done. If you are going to be buying most of your watches from an established watch dealer, you can piggy-back on his or her experience and trust that you are purchasing authentic watches. Any dealer worth doing business with will guarantee the authenticity of any and all watches and will put that pledge in writing and offer a lifetime money-back guarantee should a watch turn out to be less than 100 percent authentic. Buying from established dealers allows you to safely spend your money and learn from each watch that you buy. Obviously, the dealer works on a profit, and buying from him or her may mean you are paying more than if you venture out into the wild by yourself. However, in my opinion, the extra layers of protection are worth the premium.
This is where spending big on a watch library before you start spending big on watches will really pay off. There are numerous watch books available, all of which are illustrated with pictures. From coffee table books, magazines and watch annuals to auction catalogs and collector's value guides, each and every book will advance your education. Many of the Italian collector's books are excellent (and expensive, but worth every penny). There are Japanese books and magazines usually focused on Rolex watches that feature amazingly in-depth picture series on the various models and their iterations over time. The Antiquorum auction house offers many, also available on Amazon and eBay. Unfortunately, many of the best books are now out of print. However, my advice is to spend liberally on books. Even after you are an experienced collector, you will find yourself referring again and again to your library. I know I do, every day.

Democratization of information is the essence of the Internet. There is no limit to the amount of learning one can achieve online. Antiquorum's online database of auction results is an educational goldmine. You can study the pictures of watches - each picture can be clicked on to open up a high definition image - and find out both what the experts on staff predicted the value of each watch would be at auction and what the watch actually sold for. Studying these results over time, one can learn which models do best in terms of value and which characteristics most closely correlate with a watch's value. Timezone is a great resource to spend days immersed in learning and DoubleRedSeaDweller is a magnificent website for Rolex Submariners and SeaDwellers. You should explore all that the Internet has to offer in terms of watch knowledge.
However, there is simply no substitute for experience. You should strive to see as many watches as possible "in the metal." Holding watches in your hands, studying them under a loupe, feeling their weight, winding them, playing with their crowns and chronograph buttons, putting them on your wrist, and noticing every last detail is the surest way to know immediately if a watch is authentic and if it is not.

Related stories:

COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (2)
COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (3)
COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (4)

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.

Some will say that if you rub greatness, there's a good chance it becomes contagious. Richard Mille doesn't really need that kind of help from the champions he endorses - he's got the Midas touch himself. And a highly touted collection of watches to prove it, many of them named for one of the most impressive group of sports personalities ever to be associated with a watch brand not named Rolex. Rolex has never quite had timepieces this highly complicated or with tailor-made features suited to the specific sporting activities of its ambassadors. Richard Mille does, through, for its very interesting and creative partnerships. And several of the new watches unveiled at the SIHH 2013 underscore this yet again.

On top of it, Richard Mille's gang has an unprecedented eclectic flavor. Why such an obsession for champions? "I've always considered a bit sad that high watchmaking was some sort of a ghetto and that it should be more open to sports, to lifestyle, to the arts. And I'm interested in working with champions because I'm not afraid to put my watches in danger. Usually, the traditional contact between watchmaking and sports is through photography; with me, it's different: all the champions I work with wear their timepieces in their respective fields and we're forced to have an extraordinary level of resistance and quality in our watches. Every champion's timepiece is an extreme watch for extreme conditions." There's a new one being developed right now for Sebastien Loeb, the exceptional French driver with a record nine World Championship Rally titles under his belt. Loeb has been associated with small and affordable brand Marvin over the past few years.

b watches, not Armb

Is there a specific star Richard Mille would like to have under his umbrella? "I'm sure there are a lot of champions I'd like to work with. Basketball players, for instance, but they're not allowed to wear a timepiece in official play. With rugby players it's the same. Unfortunately!" Richard Mille can't even name one favorite champion out of his own group: "I'm not being politically correct when I say that I love them all. I really do. Plus, I have a great relationship with each one of them. For instance, I've got a great friendship with Roberto Mancini, who's been here at the fair. The same with Rafael Nadal, Felipe Massa…each one of them. What is important to me is that they have great personalities. They are humble, really professional, true gentlemen. And I love to work with them for as much time as possible. Take my friend Massa, who's had his highs and lows and now is coming back. And such is life."

Is it a dream team? "I'd say it is, because it isn't just the performance that interests me, it's also the personality. For instance, with Roberto Mancini we developed a watch related to football. And that's what I really like: to develop a new product with them. I love working with intelligent, subtle, interesting people. It's not just the performance - and that's why I'd say mine actually really is a dream team, because they form a group of such great personalities." There's one suggested star that won't make the Richard Mille family, though: the worlds' best-known cyclist, Lance Armb. "I don't think so, no. Ha ha."

More "technorological" creations

Richard Mille has created one or more exclusive series of timepieces for golfer Bubba Watson, polo player Pablo MacDonough, tennis champion Rafael Nadal, Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa and track & field sprinter Yohan Blake. At the SIHH, five of the seven new timepieces introduced were related to sports personalities, including two associated with FIA supremo Jean Todt. A sixth one, bearing the Sebastien Loeb signature, is on its way. Here are the new products.

Automatic Flyback Chronograph RM 11-01 Roberto Mancini

Roberto Mancini, formerly a champion on the pitch and now champion of the Premier League as the Manchester City manager, helped create the original RM 11-01, an automatic flyback chronograph with annual calendar, central minute counter and a dial divided into periods of play conceived to assist a coach not only during matches but also during extra time. The dial displays match time on the basis of two 45-minute halves and up to 15 minutes of stoppage time. Pressing the pusher at 4 o'clock once actuates the flyback function and repositions the hand at 12 o'clock, ready to start the second half. If extra time is awarded, the flyback function can be reactivated to show the 15 minutes of extra match time and up to 5 minutes of stoppage time.

Tourbillon RM 27-01 Rafael Nadal watch

It weighs one gram less (!!!) than the previous ultra-light, 20-gram RM 027 that Rafael Nadal started using in his greatest season (2010). The third timepiece resulting from the partnership between Richard Mille and the Spanish tennis champion will be used by Rafa himself when he comes back to the ATP World Tour next February after an eight month absence. It boasts a tourbillon capable of sustaining Nadal's incredible arm accelerations (more than 5,000Gs) during the course of a tennis match and the architecture of the movement, suspended in the heart of the case, is a marvel in itself. The RM 27-01 is available in carbon nanotubes and on a Velcro strap in a limited run of 50 timepieces. The other Rafael Nadal timepiece by Richard Mille is the Chronofiable-certified RM 035.

Tourbillon RM 59-01 Yohan Blake

The multiple medalist and Jamaican sprinter has been wearing a tourbillon prototype on his wrist, which provides a real-life testing ground enabling Richard Mille's engineers to define the specifications of a watch specifically designed for athletics. Yohan Blake worked with Richard Mille to develop a special caliber designed for sprinters the world over and the mission was accomplished with the funky RM 59-01 tourbillon watch, featuring dynamic bridges that span the movement and evoke the claws of the "The Beast" (Yohan Blake's nickname). Machined from anticorodal aluminum Pb109 and anodized (through anodic oxidation), it is hand-painted in green and yellow, two colors that also appear on the aluminum flange in tribute to the Jamaican flag. Limited to 50 timepieces.

Tourbillon RM 58-01 World Timer Jean Todt Limited Edition

It wasn't until the 20th century that the time zones we have come to know were implemented uniformly and adopted unanimously around the globe. Jean Todt, President of FIA, is a man constantly moving through time zones. The RM 58-01 Tourbillon is a user-friendly timepiece dedicated to constant travelers. The tourbillon, positioned at 9 o'clock and oscillating at a frequency of 3Hz, is accommodated in a four-part case made from titanium and red gold. The shot-blasted, satin-brushed and polished rotating bezel bears the names of 24 world cities on its brown upper flange. In contrast to other time zone watches, the RM 58-01 does not need any adjusting push-piece to change from one time zone to another. The time is set by simply rotating the bezel anticlockwise. Profits from the sale of this 35-piece limited edition will be transferred to initiatives close to Todt's heart: the Global Campaign for Road Safety and the ICM Brain & Spine Institute.

Tourbillon G-Sensor RM 036 Jean Todt Limited Edition

Already introduced as a pre-SIHH product a few months ago, the RM 036 features the emblematic curved and ergonomic Richard Mille cushion-shaped case specifically requested by Jean Todt for a timepiece housing a tourbillon movement made entirely of grade-5 titanium and ARCAP, with a carbon-nanofiber base plate. The cocktail of futuristic materials provides the movement with optimal resistance and flatness, offering at the same time an appealing contrast with the finishing. It also boasts a brand-new complication: a mechanical G-sensor, developed and patented by Renaud et Papi exclusively for Richard Mille, which translates the movement of a small internal mechanism to an indicator, thereby enabling the wearer to visualize the number of Gs accumulated by the wearer during rapid decelerations. The scale located at 12 o'clock has a needle indicating whether the deceleration is safe (green zone) or critical (red zone) for the driver. Limited to 15 titanium pieces, profits will be donated to the global campaign for road safety and the ICM Brain & Spine Institute.

Tourbillon RM 56-01 Sapphire Crystal

When it was unveiled at the 2012 SIHH, the RM 056 Split-Seconds Competition Chronograph Sapphire bearing the name of Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa caused a stir with its case made entirely of sapphire crystal. Following such a technical feat and determined to continue challenging the very limits of fine watchmaking, Richard Mille created another "transparent" masterpiece for 2013: the RM 56-01 Sapphire Crystal. The quest for extreme transparency at the heart of a titanium movement led the engineers to use sapphire crystal for the central bridge and third wheel. Caliber RM 56-01, made from sapphire crystal and titanium, is immune to temperature variations and wear. Collaboration with Biwi SA made it possible to develop Aerospace nano, employing nanotechnology to obtain unequalled transparency and strength for a revolutionary strap. Because the machining of sapphire crystal is an extremely difficult process, the RM 56-01 is only available in a very limited edition of five timepieces.

The Tourbillon RM 039 Aviation E6-B Flyback Chronograph watch

Not quite related to any traditional sport or athlete, the RM 039 Aviation E6-B pilot's watch is the other brand-new product for 2013 and displays practically all the information provided by the famous E6-B slide rule. Incorporated into the bidirectionally rotating bezel, it can be used to read off and calculate fuel burn, flight times, ground speed and wind correction, and to quickly convert units of measurement (Naut/KM/Gallons/ Liters/Feet/KG/LBS). Another special characteristic of the RM 039 that distinguishes it from other pilot's watches is that it enables density altitude to be calculated using a movable indicator incorporated into the case band at 2 o'clock: an original function brought to watchmaking for the very first time. The Tourbillon RM 039 Aviation E6-B is a highly technical instrument that embodies the bridge between watchmaking and aeronautics. Limited edition of 30 timepieces in titanium.

WORLDTEMPUS - 16 August 2012

Dials deserve special mention when talking about the originality of vintage watches because, in my opinion, an original dial comprises approximately half to three-quarters of the watch's overall value. For example, a vintage Rolex Daytona with a normal original dial is worth only half of the same watch with an original Paul Newman dial. A Rolex Submariner from the 1950s with its original unmodified dial is worth double the same watch with a later Rolex replacement dial. Naturally, very few such early watches survive to this day with original perfect-condition dials, but such pristine original dials exist. These perfect watches command a substantial price premium over watches with degraded, but otherwise original, dials. Degraded original dials command more value than OEM (original equipment maker) replacement dials.

I mentioned last week how dials can be modified for aesthetic or functional reasons - known in the jargon as re-painted, as re-dialed, re-lumed, etc. - and dials that fall into this category have the least value. Fake dials, fairly prevalent on otherwise valuable original watches, have no value and are considered a serious demerit to the watch for obvious reasons. However, the other real parts of the watch have value, which is to be remembered for the serious collector who may have a collection of original parts accumulated over many years, which he or she can combine to form a watch comprising all original parts. So-called "put-together" watches are less than optimal because they are not original. As the years go by, however, and parts and/or entire watches get damaged, discarded or become otherwise unavailable, these spare original parts can result in a complete original watch that would otherwise be a broken or less-than-original watch. 

It's not surprising that the dial is the most important part of the watch because the dial is how the wearer interacts with the watch. A compromise with the dial is a compromise in the enjoyment of the watch, and ultimately in its value.
Cases and movements are also often less than completely original and, again, this can be for various reasons. Both are still critical factors in arriving at the value of a watch, however. Ideally, both the entirety of the case and movement will be original. Hopefully, the movement will have been serviced over the years and be running. If the movement needed or needs parts, OEM parts are preferred. However, the bottom line is that the watch is running. An original movement with some non-original parts is preferred to a broken movement that doesn't run. In more complicated watches, especially vintage Rolex Daytonas, the movements are sometimes not original. Vintage Daytonas were powered by Valjoux movements that were commonly found in other quality chronographs of the era. A vintage Daytona may have the Valjoux movement numbers 72B, 722, 722-1 or 727. Rolex made their own modifications to these movements and, of course, engraved the bridges. Given the value of vintage Daytonas, resourceful crooks have "put together" vintage Daytonas using real Valjoux movements from non-Rolex watches (without the Rolex modifications or with faked modifications), and a combination of other real or faked parts. Watch cases are not usually counterfeited, but you may find a Universal Geneve case masquerading as a Daytona case.

One other point needs to be made about cases and movements: Rolex stocks replacement cases and replacement movements for watches received for servicing with irretrievably compromised parts. These cases often have a distinct serial number starting with the numeral 44. Likewise, the movement in a vintage watch may be a replacement movement if the original was rusted or somehow destroyed. Knowing which movements belong in which watch is a matter of experience and building an excellent resource library; so many part numbers can get confusing for anyone.
The condition of the watch is the next most important variable in determining the watch's value, and sellers grade condition. Some sellers will use a number scale with 100 percent condition meaning the watch is as perfect as new. Other sellers use words like mint, mint+, near mint, excellent, etc. I like to believe most sellers make an honest attempt to describe their watches accurately. Not surprisingly, the seller often describes the condition of the watch more optimistically than the buyer will describe it once receiving it. So if you are buying a watch, make the guarded assumption that the seller's condition assessment is probably optimistic.
Obviously, the better the condition of the watch, the more valuable it is. As such, there are some specific things to pay attention to and there are tradeoffs. Every collector has to decide what is most important to him or her in this regard.

Specifically, when a watch case leaves a factory it is new, shiny and not diminished from being polished. Some collectors put a premium on a watch that has been polished so that its surfaces are clean enough to give the appearance of being like new. Other collectors prioritize originality over appearance. A watch case has a specific finish when it is new, and many watches have a combination of alternating finishes like mirror-polished, matte, sandblasted, or brushed surfaces. If a watch returns to its manufacturer for service, the watchmakers will restore the original finish, which is important. Using Rolex once again as an example, many Oyster cases are brushed on the top surfaces of the case, mirror-polished on the sides, and the case back is mirror-polished on its outer ring and brushed in the center. The center may be concentrically or laterally brushed. Send a watch to Rolex for service and it will come back looking perfect.
However, careless watchmakers have ruined hundreds of thousands of watches by applying a mono-finish when working on a case. I have seen far too many fully mirror-polished Rolex cases and all brush-finished Panerai cases that should have been polished. Fortunately, this is reversible, but remember: each and every time a watch case is polished, metal is eroded and lost forever. Also, check the case for serial and model numbers and other engraving or printing that should be on the watch. All should be crisp and legible. Many cases have been polished to the point where original markings are either illegible or removed altogether. On precious metal watch cases, look to make sure that the metal's hallmarks are present. If you are looking at what appears to be a gold or platinum watch, the case should have hallmarks. Finding a crisp, deep hallmark means the case is both made of the metal it purports to be made from and has only been lightly or never polished.

Related stories:

COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (1)
COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (2)
COLLECTING - Vintage Value Equation (4)

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.

WORLDTEMPUS - 22 June 2012

"We're building our own case making facility," general manager Yves Mathys explains as we ask about the big cranes visible from the windows of Horometrie SA in the small Swiss village of Les Breuleux. This is the home of Richard Mille and the place where most of his extraordinary watches are assembled. Others are assembled down the road at Audemars Piguet Renaud et Papi in Le Locle, and until recently many of Richard Mille's watch cases were made just across the street at case maker Donze-Baume.
When Richemont took over Donze-Baume in 2008, Richard Mille was given a five-year grace period to find a new case maker. In the end, the little company decided to build its own case making factory, which will open the end of 2012, just a stone's throw from the present location. However, the knowhow required for the incredible RM 056 Felipe Massa Sapphire Tourbillon Split-Seconds Competition Chronograph introduced earlier this year at the S.I.H.H. in Geneva was something extraordinary. It, however, was made by a different supplier - and not actually a case maker.

Luxurious sapphires
The cases of the RM 056 are made by sapphire crystal manufacturing company Stettler Sapphire AG in Lyss. "We produce 80 percent of all sapphire crystals in the luxury watch business," head of sales and marketing Hans Studer explains when we pay the company a visit to get an intimate look at the process of making the transparent case of the RM 056. "Basically, we are the main supplier for watch companies producing watches costing 2,000 Swiss francs and more," he says while showing trays full of sapphire glasses made for brands such as MB&F (Maximilian Busser & Friends), Rado, Patek Philippe, and Rolex.

Record-breaking sapphires
Stettler made the 14.3-millimeter thick crystal fitted on the Rolex DeepSea Challenge that is water resistant to 12,000 meters. "We made a total of five crystals for the Sea-Dweller DeepSea Challenge model," Studer says, though he declined to reveal whether Rolex actually also produced five watches for the record-breaking dive of 10,898 meters made by film producer James Cameron in March 2012.
Even if Stettler is used to tough assignments, the case of Richard Mille's RM 056 was something else. "For Stettler it was an incredible experience to develop this sapphire case," Studer continues. "Each of the three parts made of Kyropoulos sapphire takes weeks of finishing and we have a CNC machine dedicated only to the production of the RM 056 cases," he says showing the brand-new cutting machine that runs 24 hours a day in order to meet the demand of the five people who ordered the RM 056 during the fair in January. "The case back alone takes five weeks to finish, which means it will take a whole year to finish all five cases," Studer says matter-of-factly.

Mutual invest
Leaving the Stettler premises, I can't help thinking that one could have the impression that Richard Mille and his suppliers "R&D" each other, pushing the boundaries for modern watchmaking in an otherwise rather conservative business. The innovative and unconventional mind of Mille demands a lot from his suppliers and without their skills, machinery and ? last but hardly least ? flexibility, many of Mille's timepieces would never have made it onto the wrists of their owners today.
Art of time
After the visit to the Richard Mille boutique in Geneva, Horometrie and Stettler, it also occurs to me that in fact the ultra-light RM 027 adorning tennis player Rafael Nadal's winning wrist and its white counterpart, the RM 038 that sits on golfer Bubba Watson's wrist, are much more than just innovative timepieces. They are ticking pieces of art and would fit in just as well at Art Basel as they do at S.I.H.H. in Geneva.

When you acknowledge this fact and consider Mille's watches as art you don't just buy one of his watches. You invest into his artistic and creative mind, just like you invest in a Warhol, Prince or other contemporary art that pleases not only the eyes, but also seem to justify the exuberant prices asked. And as an added bonus, Mille's watches show the time too.

When a Westerner hears the word "Sherpa," he or she immediately associates it with mountain climbing. There is a good reason for this: the Sherpa caste, at home at the foot of Mt. Everest, part of the Himalayan mountain range, makes its living by guiding tourists coming to Nepal to conquer the mountain. This is a dangerous, ungrateful job - but in many cases it is the best way for a member of the Sherpa ethnic group to support its family.

Namgel Sherpa and Thundu Sherpa probably often gratefully pray to their gods since the day that Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Michael Kobold showed up in Kathmandu in 2008, the latter having spontaneously decided to accompany his friend and the Kobold Watch Company ambassador who has been described as "the world's greatest living adventurer" on an Everest bid. Kobold was unprepared to climb, and he had not even reckoned with reaching what's known as base camp (the last acclimation settlement before serious climbers head up the earth's highest mountain, which peaks at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above sea level). He made it up much higher before both he and Fiennes had to turn back; it was then he discovered he was officially bit by the same bug that has plagued adventurers the world over.
Kobold and Fiennes returned in 2009 and made it to the summit, with Kobold repeating the feat in 2010 together with his wife Anita Ugyan, who climbed without oxygen. During the three adventurous climbs, the lives of Kobold and other members of his crew - particularly his wife - were seriously endangered. Only by the grace of the Sherpas did they survive, and in his gratitude Kobold decided to make a suggestion uttered by Fiennes in 2008 into reality and invest in an unprecedented venture: training the two Sherpas as watchmakers and having them run a new subsidiary in Kathmandu called Kobold Watch Company Nepal (Pvt.) Ltd as co-owners.

"These two caught on really quickly," Kobold's head watchmaker, Dale Poindexter, said of the Sherpas' ability to learn the complicated techniques involved in mechanical watchmaking during the official opening of Kobold Nepal on March 26. Poindexter trained them for ten months in Kobold's Pittsburgh facility.
Made in Nepal
As manufacturing and crafts only employ 6 percent of Nepal's 27 million-b population, it is safe to say that skilled labor is not one of this country's assets. In fact, Kobold is certain that his venture is a highly motivational one for the people of Nepal, a way for them to imagine a different future. "Newspapers have already written that Nepal, unable to produce even a sewing needle, now has 'watch movements' with hundreds of parts. This is sure to greatly increase the confidence of the Nepalese in themselves."

The "standard" Kobold watch model bearing the predicate "made in Nepal," assembled in the Sherpas' new workshop, which is equipped with exceedingly solid, locally custom-made benches crafted from local wood, is called the Himalaya. It is housed in a 44 mm stainless steel case that was made in the U.S.A. The three-handed dial comes in brown or black and exudes the typical Kobold legibility that is the signature element of this adventurous brand. The automatic movement is a Kobold specialty: Caliber K.2651 is based on a vintage Förster movement from Pforzheim. Kobold is the only company currently using this refurbished and improved movement in serial watches. Water-resistant to 100 meters, the timepiece is protected by a sapphire crystal that is also sourced in the U.S.A. Its rugged, understated elegance completed by an alligator skin strap also crafted in the U.S.A. will allow this watch to be worn in any circumstances: on the mountain or in the city.
To celebrate the opening, Kobold also offered a limited edition of 25 very special watches - which were unfortunately already sold out before the evening of the opening had even come to its exciting conclusion. The Himalaya Everest Edition features a very special dial crafted from a Mt. Everest summit limestone that Kobold plucked from the lofty ground and brought back down the mountain in 2009. A German specialist company located in Idar-Oberstein spent two years ensuring the structural integrity of the beautiful dials crafted from this rock that now forms the mysterious 5 mm-thick face of the Himalaya Everest Edition. Needless to say, each of the 25 pieces is unique in its own way thanks to the natural material.

Last but hardly least
Many colorful and important personages attended the evening festivity, including a handful of ambassadors to Nepal, two top generals of the Nepalese army -who ended up "guarding" the Kobold collection inspected by party guests in the new workshop - several members of the deposed royal family of Nepal, the commander-in-chief of its army and other influential fans of Kobold watches from various countries. They had all attended not only to support the new business but also to hear Kobold's famed ambassador tell stories of his exploits. Fiennes has been entered into the "Guinness Book of World Records" as "the greatest living explorer." This man, previously an esteemed Rolex ambassador for 20 years, is the author of many world firsts as well as gripping books. When he and Kobold summited Mt. Everest in 2009, Fiennes was 65 years old. He is a top celebrity in the U.K. and according to JustGiving.com, the U.K.'s top celebrity fundraiser.
Asked why he gave up the Rolex sponsorship in favor of becoming Kobold's top ambassador, Fiennes replied in his typically direct way, "Gratitude and loyalty." This seems to be a running theme in the world of Kobold, and flows in both directions.

Namgel and Thundu did not seem particularly fazed by any of this hoopla - least of all the celebrity explorer they have guided up their home mountain twice - and exuded a calm, interested outward demeanor throughout the entire event. In the space of the four years that they have known Kobold, the world of the two Sherpas who have climbed Mt. Everest a combined total of sixteen times has become an entirely different one. Though hard to get involved answers from them, when asked if they felt pride at all these accomplishments, the answer was clear: a big smile and an enthusiastic "yes!" accompanied by vigorous nodding. I'm not certain they understand the historic proportions of their actions over the last few years, but they have time to discover it - time mechanically measured by an adventurous Kobold watch that they keep running.

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.

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.

A bezel in all the colours of the rainbow
Along with its 18 ct yellow gold case and bracelet, this COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA dons a bezel entirely set with an array of sapphires in rainbow colours. All the nuances of the celestial arc are visible, a delicate palette of reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, mauves and pinks. The subtle grace of these fascinating stones meticulously selected, assembled and set by Rolex is magical, endowing the watch with a stunning radiance.
Also gem-set, the case lugs, crown guard as well as the hour markers on the dial participate in the exquisite allure of this variation on the DAYTONA theme.

Exclusive GOLD CRYSTALS counters
Contrasting with the black lacquer of the dial, the reflections of the GOLD CRYSTALS counters blend with the radiance of the precious stones. Crafted from an 18 ct gold alloy perfected by Rolex in its own foundry, these exclusive counters highlight the crystal structure of the gold in a seductive play of reflections and colours. Each counter is a natural work of art, different from every other.
The OYSTER case, symbol of waterproofness
The COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA's 40 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 TRIPLOCK triple waterproofness system, as well as the chronograph pushers screw down securely against the case. 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 COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA's high-precision movement.

Calibre 4130, a superlative chronograph chronometer
The COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA is equipped with calibre 4130, a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Like all PERPETUAL movements, the 4130 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 COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA is fitted with an OYSTER bracelet in 18 ct yellow gold with the latestgeneration OYSTERLOCK safety clasp to prevent accidental opening. Developed and patented by Rolex, this elegant solid-link bracelet also features the ingenious EASYLINK rapid extension system that allows the wearer to easily increase the bracelet length by approximately 5 mm, for additional comfort in any circumstance.

Asia Tatler - 15. November 2011

Last month, DKSH Holdings held its first Swiss watch auction in Hong Kong with a promising total of HK$23.4 million worth of luxury timepieces sold at the auction. With the growing number of luxury watch boutiques populating the streets of Hong Kong, it is without a doubt that the watch market has grown exponentially, and that now there are more not only willing to purchase luxury timepieces but more than ever before, there is a growing market for watch investment. We talk to Gonpo Tsering, head operations support and member of group management of DKSH in hope to learn more about the value of watches and the booming watch market.

According to Tsering, the Swiss Auctions, an activity of DKSH's business segment in luxury and lifestyle, was held in Hong Kong for the first time because the company saw the need for a platform to bridge the gap between owners of rare and important timepieces and collectors hunting for rare collectible timepieces.
"DKSH identified this niche market and is catering to this demand with a very high-end auction for watches. Hong Kong - this thriving and throbbing city - was our immediate first choice for obvious reasons. Hong Kong is becoming highly attractive to watch collectors from all over the world - and the fact that there are no sales or luxury tax here is of course very conducive to promote this trend."
Read about Boucheron's exquisite craftsmanship here.
For those who want to start their own watch collection or begin investing in watches, it is crucial to give a timepiece its rightful value. Tsering recommends a few ways to determine a watch's value:
1) Take note of the brand of the watch
2) Take into account the condition of the timepiece
3) Find out when it was manufactured
Second, potential buyers should also refer to a watch price guide and appraisal information to find out where the value ranges for the watch. Last, but not least, work with a professional watch appraisers who can value the watch and provide an appraisal certificate.
 

"I would suggest that new watch collectors learn more about the watch market and the techniques on how watches are being appreciated and valued. The internet is a good first starting point to gather knowledge about watches. Besides, they should also attend auctions so that they can get firsthand information about the value of the watch and the trend of the market. My personal advice: focus on either a brand, on a certain period, or on a special category of timepieces. My personal favourite is pocket watches, which are not so popular currently and therefore very affordable," he advised.
Apart from looking at the new watches released by major brands and manufactures, watch investors are advised to go to watch auctions to source possible investment pieces. Watch auctions does not only give collectors the choice of the best collectables at a single location, but it gives the guarantee that the watches are authentic and are in good condition while it also reduces the amount of extensive research.
 

 
Tsering shares his belief that there is a clear sign that the watch market will definitely continue to blossom with an Asian force.
"The potential growth of the market for timepieces and watch collection is indisputable. Asia's remarkable growth and the rapidly emerging middle class will lead to a significant increase in demand for luxury and lifestyle goods, driving further growth in the luxury market."
Black rolexes are a hit in the auction houses, find out where you can get your own black Rolex here.
With such new force in the watch industry, Tsering said there is also one more thing that investors should bear in mind: Asian consumers trends have now changed. In the past, Asian consumers usually follow global trends. Now, a new wealthy class with more international exposure is coming up from developing Asian countries, they tend to know more about the market and are interestingly becoming fonder of simpler and more conservative designs. So, when investors are selecting potential investment pieces, they should also be aware of which sector of the industry they are targeting.

For example, among the top lots sold at the auction was a Historie de Tourbillion, a Zalium manual-winding tourbillion from Harry Winston. This 18k white gold timepiece was manufactured in 2009 and was sold for an impressive HK$2.55 million.

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

The present Rolex ref. 5513, modified by the famous Q Branch, is certainly the most memorable Submariner to appear in movies and must be considered a veritable trophy not only for the watch aficionado but also for the amateurs of cinematography and of James Bond in general.

Especially designed for James Bond to be worn during 007''s mission in Live and Let Die, it was created in 1972 by the world-famous film production designer Syd Cain.
Featuring not only a bezel spinning at high speed to cut ropes and chains, in the movie it also bore an ultra-b magnet which was supposed to neutralize bullets but was, instead, used by 007 to unzip Ms. Solitaire's dress.
The lot will be sold together with an original construction drawing and two signed images from the set (estimate: SFr. 200,000 - 400,000).

Amongst the exceptional highlights being offered are a recently discovered Patek Philippe full 24-hour repeating, quarter and special type five-minute repeating 24- hours in one revolution pocket watch and a Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold. In addition, the auction will offer over 603 exceptional modern and vintage timepieces. Previews will be held in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Geneva.

The highlight of the sale is the recently discovered Patek Philippe full 24-hour repeating, quarter and special-type five-minute repeating 24-hours in one revolution pocket watch. This exceptional watch was originally sold to Monsieur E. Hoesch, Villa Barbaia, Mergellina, Naples, on November 27, 1894 for 3750 Swiss Francs. It is a highly important 18K pink gold, keyless pocket watch with perpetual calendar, chronograph, moon phases, and lunar calendar accompanied by the original certificate of origin and Patek Philippe sales receipt.

Another outstanding timepiece included in the sale is the Patek Philippe, ref. 1518, 1st Series. Made in 1948, it is an extremely rare, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moon phases, square button chronograph, register and tachometer accompanied by the extract from the archives.

Also offered is a Patek Philippe ref. 5959. Sold on October 3, 2007, it is a very rare, platinum and diamond wristwatch with coaxial round button split-seconds chronograph and register. The watch is accompanied by a Patek Philippe fitted box, certificate of origin and instructions.

Another patek Philippe that is sure to attract collectors around the globe is the Patek Philippe "World Time," ref 5131G. Sold on April 13, 2010, it is a self-winding, water-resistant, 18K white gold wristwatch with world-time system and cloisonne enamel dial offered with a fitted box, certificate of origin, booklets and hang tag.

 In addition, the auction will include a Patek Philippe ref. 844, movement made in 1947, completed and cased in 1973 and sold on December 1st, 1980. This exceptional piece is an elegant, 18K yellow gold, keyless, minute repeating dress watch with digital "American" perpetual calendar and moon phases accompanied by the extract from the archives.

Another exquisite piece offered in the sale is the Rolex ref. 6284 "Two Americas" with cloisonne dial by Marguerite Koch, made in only six examples circa 1950. From the property of the original owner, it is an exceptionally rare self-winding, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with cloisonne enamel map of the two Americas.

Antiquorum experts are also pleased to offer an A. Lange & Söhne minute repeater with Lange double-chronograph system, produced in 1884 and sold on September 30, 1884 for 1,750 Marks. One of three examples made, this is a large and heavy, 18K red gold, minute-repeating, keyless, hunting-cased pocket watch with 1st Quality movement with precision balance, Lange double-chronograph system with single push-piece for all four functions via one column wheel and split-seconds calipers on the dial side. This outstanding watch is accompanied by the extract from the archives.

Another noteworthy Rolex included in the sale is the Rolex , "Oyster Perpetual, COMEX, 660ft=200m, Submariner", Ref. 5514/5513 formerly belonging to Patrick Raude. Produced in 1972, it is a water-resistant, center seconds, self-winding, stainless steel diver's wristwatch with first generation helium escape valve. The watch is accompanied by a Rolex Geneva service invoice (now void, dated 2005), a photocopy of Mr Raude's passport, the original sale invoice from Mr Raude to the previous owner in 2002 and an original Rolex advertisement from circa 1985.

Antiquorum experts are also delighted to offer a Patek Philippe, ref. 1339 "Piece Unique - Pendulette Dome", "Musique de Chambre Quator". This magnificent timepiece is a unique, solar-powered and electro-mechanical, brass table clock with polychrome cloisonne enamel panels depicting an orchestral quartet. It is accompanied by the Patek Philippe box, certificate of origin, hang tag and Patek Philippe (Japan) service guarantee card.

For the miniature collector, Antiquorum experts are pleased to offer a Patek Philippe Ref. 866/8 retailed by Gubelin with unique enamel miniature "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" by Suzanne Rohr after Christian Leberecht Vogel (1759-1816), signed and dated 1971.  It is accompanied by the original Patek Philippe fitted box and Certificate of Origin.

Patek collectors will also want to bid on the Patek Philippe "Calatrava observatory type", Produced in 1903, cased in 1936 and sold on February 5, 1936. It is a possibly unique and extremely fine stainless steel Staybrite gentleman's wristwatch with sector dial and subsidiary dial at 9. Recently overhauled by Patek Philippe Geneva, it is accompanied by an extract from the archives and the original Patek Philippe fitted box.

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Preview & Auction Schedule
Auction: Sunday, November 13
Session 1: (lots 1-176) at 10:00 am
Session 2: (lots 177 - 603) at 1:30 pm
Mandarin Oriental Hotel du Rhone
Salon Saint-Gervais
Quai Turrettini1
1201 Geneva
 
Hong Kong Preview
Friday, November 4: 11 am - 7 pm
Antiquorum Auctioneers (HK) Ltd.
Room 704, No. 9 Queen's Road Central
Hong Kong, China
Tel + 852 2522 4168
 
Shanghai Preview
Sunday, November 6: 10 am - 6pm
Antiquorum Shanghai
Room 4106B
Bund Centre Office Tower
222 Yan An Road East
Shanghai 200002,China
Tel. + 86 21 6335 1268
 
Geneva Preview
Thursday, November 10 to Saturday, November 12: 10 am - 7pm
Sunday, November 13: 10 am - 6pm
Antiquorum Showroom
3, rue du Mont-Blanc
1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. + 41 (0) 22 909 28 50

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).
 

Rumor has it that the new Rolex Explorer II was ready for presentation in 2010, but that Rolex did not present this new face-lifted version of the sporty watch until 2011 - 40 years after the first Explorer II was launched.
For many years, Rolex has been respected as well as ridiculed for its conservative approach to case sizes: 40 millimeters seemed to be the biggest case diameter offered in the sports collection. In the last few years, we have seen more and more models with a tendency toward growth: Yacht-Master II and Sea-Dweller DeepSea both come in a case of 44 millimeter diameters, and now the Explorer II also offers a diameter of 42 millimeter.
The Explorer II has never been the most popular reference made by the famed Swiss watch brand. The Submariner and GMT models have been the favored siblings, but even these two models still offer a moderate case diameter of 40 millimeters. Maybe Rolex wanted to push needed attention towards the Explorer II, hence the extra two millimeters?
 

Large watch
42 millimeters may seem like a large watch. However, since many parts and details of the new reference have grown, the visual size does not seem that radical. The case, hands, crown and hour markers are in other words dimensionally on par with the new case diameter. Visually, that is.
Wearing the watch, however, does challenge the visual impression. The Explorer II is a large watch. Comparing this to Reference 1655 or Reference 16570, which came out even later, the size difference is almost shocking. As mentioned, this will please those who have not yet bought a Rolex because they thought the watches looked too puny on their wrists.
Inspired by the past
One of the obvious details on the new Explorer II is of course the orange 24-hour hand. "Freccione," as Italian Rolex collectors long ago named this hand, means "arrow". This is a feature taken directly from the Reference 1655 Explorer II launched in 1971. The 24-hour hand was not separately adjustable on the early version, though. It merely functioned as an AM/PM indicator. However, bezel design looks more like the bezel of the short-lived Reference 16550 that was introduced in 1985 and face-lifted already four years later.
 

Phantom hands
The hands of the new Explorer II sport a so-called phantom effect, which means the lower part of the hour and minute hand is painted black. This little detail makes the hands look like they float free of the arbor. This works well on the black dial version, and merely represents a great contrast on the white dial version.
Latest movement update
Reference 216570 is outfitted with Caliber 3187, which features the latest technical updates like Paraflex shock absorbers and the non-magnetic Parachrom hairspring, which "ensures unparallel reliability, and shock resistance," according to Rolex.
 

White dial winner
The white dial version, even if it does not correspond perfectly to the 1971 version that was only offered with a black dial, gets my vote as favorite of the two dial versions. The b, graphic black/white contrast makes it stand out as this watch brand really does not offer a lot of white-dial sports watches. Actually, only the Daytona and Yacht-Master II come with a white dial, but the GMT, Submariner and Yacht-Master models do not.
Oldies but goodies
This said, I admit to favor not only Reference 1655, but also the 16550 or even the 16570. Not only due to their case diameters of "only" 40 millimeters, but also because these earlier versions have a more tool-ish approach to horology. And this is, after all, where the Explorer II started - as an instrument watch for cave explorers.
Rolex Explorer II Reference 216570 is offered with black or white dial and has a suggested retail price of 6,400 euros.
 

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.

- Christie's leads the international auction market for watches
- Geneva's Important Watches including a Connoisseur's Vision Part IV achieves a blockbuster total of more than us$ 26.3 million, +25% versus may 2010 results.
- New record price set for any rolex wristwatch at auction
- $3.6 million Patek Philippe - new record price for any simple chronograph watch
- More than a dozen record prices in one day
- 1 lot sold above us$ 3.6 million
- 3 lots sold above us$ 1 million
- More than 800 registrants from all 5 continents

TOP TEN RESULTS

Reaffirming Christie's absolute leadership in the international watch area, Geneva's sale of Important Watches including A Connoisseur's Vision Part IV achieved a blockbuster total of US$ 26,331,962 (SFr. 23,427,013 / € 18,647,902), an increase of 25% over last May's auction total in Geneva.
This is one of the highest results ever realized in the history of Christie's watch sales and leads the auction series dedicated to the category in Geneva this spring.
The top watch of the sale is a unique 18k white gold cushion-shaped single button chronograph wristwatch manufactured in 1928 by Patek Philippe which sold for more than US$ 3.6 million, a new world action record for any simple chronograph watch.
Among the other sensational new world record prices set at Christie's in Geneva is a new top price for any Rolex wristwatch at auction, achieved for an oversized stainless steel split seconds chronograph wristwatch manufactured in 1942, which sold for US$ 1,163,340.
Aurel Bacs, International Head of Christie's Watch Department, commented:
"The international community of watch collectors responded enthusiastically to this premium selection of rare wristwatches and pocket watches hand-selected by Christie's team of specialists for our spring Geneva sale. Our results confirm once again that Christie's is the auction house of choice for both buyers and sellers of the rarest and most important watches.
Today's sale was characterized by b bidding from the international trade, but dominated by private collectors and museums around the world. Eight different buyers secured the top ten lots of the sale - a sign of the immense depth of interest in this category.
The sale was notable for its spectacular moments - for the first time ever at auction, a Rolex watch surpassed the $1 million mark with the ultra-rare reference 4113 selling to a private collector for over $1.1 million.
We were also touched by the spirited bidding that led to a b result for the Hillary Tenzing Explorer set, which soared above everyone's expectations to sell for US$ 104,532 with all proceeds directed to charity.
Lastly, Christie's is extremely proud to announce that with Part IV of 'A Connoisseur's Vision', this prestigious collection of Patek Philippe watches reached the highest total ever for any collection of fine wristwatches ever dispersed at auction, reaching over US$ 22 million. We are grateful to the consignor for having entrusted Christie's team of watch specialists with the sale of this landmark collection and are immensely satisfied to see that the market rewarded his knowledge and passion to such an extent".
Earlier in the sale, the G. Garvin Brown III Collection, Part I was 100% sold with most watches selling above high estimates. Two further installments of this exceptional collection will be offered as at Christie's Hong Kong sale of Important Watches on May 30 and at Christie's New York on June 15, 2011.

b Prices for 19th Century Pieces made for the Chinese, Turkish and Indian markets A rare Chronograph Patek Philippe ref. 2499 sold for CHF 722.500 ($815.637) An 18K Gold and enamel scent flacon made for the Chinese market by Piguet & Capt circa 1807 fetched CHF 242,500 ($273,761)

Sotheby's sale of Important Watches this evening was led by a highly rare Patek Philippe chronograph which fetched CHF 722,500 ($815,637) and one of the most exclusive examples of a stainless steel Rolex Daytona "Paul Newman" with inverted lines, which realised CHF 206,500 ($233,150). With b prices for pieces made for the Chinese, Turkish and Indian markets, the sale attracted buyers from around the world and more than 300 clients had registered to participate.

• More information

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WORLDTEMPUS - 2 May 2011

The Rolex Explorer II (reference 1655) - originally only offered with black dial - was produced to meet the needs of cave explorers operating in the dark and not able to tell whether it was day or night. This explains the distinct orange fourth sweep hand on the watch, which indicates AM or PM via the 24-hour bezel. This design was nick-named "freccione" in the 1990s by Italian collectors, which means "big arrow."
Admittedly, the target group for this watch is rather narrow. One would think that Rolex would at least have taken other groupings of professional explorers that might benefit from this feature into consideration when the Explorer II was originally presented in 1971.

Radical change
Since 1971 the Explorer II has only been updated three times, including this year's relaunch. In 1985, Rolex introduced Reference 16550, which for the first time offered the choice of white or black dial as well as a new movement allowing quick date change and the possibility to set the 24-hour hand to a different time zone. The 16550 also introduced sapphire crystal and an upgraded font engraving on the bezel, and the hands were of a different and subtler design matching other Rolex sport models. Reference 1655's hand design was entirely unique to this reference.

Subtle update
These updated details were repeated when Rolex introduced Reference 16570 in 1989; to a layman's eyes the difference between Reference 16550 with a black dial and Reference 16570 will probably not be visible. The difference between Reference 16550 with a white dial and Reference 16570 is, however, rather obvious. The 16550 white dial version turned creamy due to a fragile coating. Also, the white dial version now had black hands instead of light-colored, white gold hands that actually made it hard to see the time with a light-colored dial in the background.
Faulty frenzy
Faults like the white dial of Reference 16550 turning creamy is, however, something Rolex collectors will pay big bucks for. Rolex today is a watch brand that oozes perfection and conservatism, which is why mishaps like a fragile dial coating is interesting for collectors around the world.

40 becomes 42
References 1655, 16550 and 16570 were all housed in a 40-millimeter case diameter, just like the Rolex GMT-Master, Daytona, Submariner and Sea-Dweller. However the new Explorer II sports a buffed-up 42-millimeter case, making it the biggest of the aforementioned ticking siblings, and 2 millimeters smaller than the Yacht-Master II and DeepSea.
Undoubtedly, many Rolex fans will appreciate the new, larger case, but I wonder if Rolex added the extra 2 millimeters to simply draw attention to the Explorer II, which has been overshadowed for decades by its best-selling siblings in the sports lines.
Of course, we will never know this as Rolex representatives are as tight about the company's watch production as the Oyster cases are about water.

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.

WORLDTEMPUS - 18 March 2011

"If you're shy, you cannot go round with this car. It's a special car for special people. You need a big ego. It's like going out in the evening with a beautiful woman - it's not for everyone," said Daniele Adetto, responsible for the PR of the Lamborghini Countach, talking to Morley Safer of the U.S.'s "60 Minutes" TV show back in 1987.
This powerful Italian car certainly was a spectacular piece of work. Only three left the Italian car factory back in the 1980s each week - hand assembled, of course, it was the hottest car around back then: dramatically low, fitted with a large back spoiler and looking like "a sexy virgin" in white, according to Adetto.
Watching the interview on YouTube, I cannot help comparing the Countach with some of the spectacular watches offered on the market today. These watches look like nothing else, and they are created by people who not only explore creative and innovative high-end horology, but also understand how to communicate it.

The Ego Watches
Wearing a watch like the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon, the MB&F ReBel, Urwerk's Tarantula, or the ultra-light Richard Mille RM 027 Tourbillon undoubtedly demands a certain ego.
These watches are the crazy Lamborghini of the 1980s. These watches are the impossibly long-legged Brazilian beauties that leave a fancy restaurant strutting their stuff between the tables - holding your hand. These watches certainly take a certain kind of man with a certain kind of ego. These watches, indeed, are not for everyone, as Adetto claimed of the Lamborghini.
Anyone can buy a Rolex, Breitling or Omega and be an instant member of the luxury watch club. But people wearing one of the more exotic watches mentioned here belong to a very different kind of club. They would probably never wear a Rolex, Breitling or Omega again (however, this is most likely where they started out when they entered the horological scene). These watches are, of course, nice, but they are too commercial for an experienced person in the know. They do not boost the inner horological ego that demands something way out of the ordinary.
Wear with Caution
Remember the movie classic "Cannonball"? Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman starred as Marcie and Jill: two Spandex-clad hotties in a black Lamborghini Countach. Pretty? Yes. Over the top? Indeed!
Just like a Countach driven by the wrong guy will expose him as a poser trying to compensate for losing his childhood sweetheart to Butch the Bully, so an Excalibur Double Tourbillon on the wrong wrist will expose the nouveau riche, the fake enthusiast who does not understand that such extravagant accessories are like every other human endeavor: understatement wins you the respect you deserve. So buy the RM 027, but wear long sleeves. Indulge in the Tarantula, but only wear it in the company of friends. And in the name of everything that's holy, don't drive a Countach AND wear a ReBel at the same time.

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.

WORLDTEMPUS - WATCHPRINT offer Rolex collector starter 
1. Rolex Gallery de Giorgia et Guido Mondani  - More details
2. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (Manual winding) Nb. 1 Pocket Expert serial by Osvaldo Patrizzi - More details
3. Rolex Oyster perpetual Cosmograph Daytona (Automatique) Nb. 2 Pocket Expert serial by Osvaldo Patrizzi - More details
*Free worldwide shipping charge for the 3 books together*

ORDER BOOK

"Rolex Gallery" is a complete journey through all the vintage and modern models produced by Rolex.
With new images and updated information, this edition shows from the rarest models to the most dressy ones, to those that represents a dream for watch collectors.

Every chapter of this book represents a type of Rolex watch:
Air-King, Bubble Back, Chronographs, Daytona, Explorer, Moon Phases, GMT-Master, Milgauss, Oyster Date, Oyster DateJust, Oyster Day-Date, Oyster No Date, Prince, Quartz, Submariner, Turn-O-Graph and Yacht Master.
Over 100 different Daytona, 100 Chronographs, 50 GMT-Master, 50 Submariner are showed together with many other watches.
"Rolex Gallery" also provides the course of Rolex history, focusing on those watches that have made history.
"Rolex Gallery" is a clear, detailed and updated guide for all those who want to approach and understand the market of Rolex wristwatches.
This book is within everyone's reach however at the same time represents a useful guide for Rolex collectors.
Text in Italiano, Français, Deustch, English, Español
224 Pages • color ill. • Format : 24 x 28.6 cm.
Price : CHF 195.00 • € 140.00
 

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WORLDTEMPUS - 2 November 2010

Few would argue that accuracy is an unimportant quality for a watch. However, every day consumers purchase mechanical watches that offer no basic assurance of horological precision. There are, however, several firms that capitalize on the services of the independent Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres (COSC) as a guarantor of their watches' fundamental accuracy within -4 to +6 seconds per day.

Last year at the SIHH, Roger Dubuis, a firm that has famously employed the aesthetic standards of the Geneva Seal, announced that it would add a second layer of external oversight by also submitting movements to the COSC.
For Claude Vuillemez, the COO of Roger Dubuis, the appeal of COSC certification is obvious.
"We are a young manufacture," Vuillemez told Worldtempus, "and to get recognition we are looking to external referees like COSC on chronometry and Timelab on functionality to validate our technical expertise."
Breitling has cultivated its image around the fact that it is first and foremost a maker of chronometer-rated instrument watches. Indeed, every Breitling timepiece, quartz or mechanical, is also a COSC-certified chronometer.

"Like in aviation, where every instrument needs to be certified, COSC is an independent laboratory checking the precision of every single Breitling movement for 15 days in 5 positions and at 3 different temperatures," said Breitling executive vice president Jean-Paul Girardin.

Who's Who?
The COSC releases annual lists ranking the brands receiving the most certifications, with Rolex, Omega and Breitling perennially occupying the top three spots.
The global recession contributed to a shake-up of the list in 2009, with Ball Watch, a relatively small producer, breaking into the top ten (at number eight) for the first time in its history — with 15,455 certifications.
Jeffrey Hess, president of Ball Watch in North America, attributes his firm's rise not so much to any specific actions taken by the Swiss watch company with American roots, but to cutbacks in production at some competitors.
While 2009 was difficult for much of the industry, Hess says it was actually a fairly good year for Ball Watch — which led to no reduction in production of certified chronometers.
Ball Watch has another reason for its interest is chronometer certification. Historically, the firm submitted pocket watches to the U.S. Bureau of Standards as a measure intended to ensure the accuracy of its famous railroad chronometers. These were the precise timekeepers used by railroad engineers to avoid potentially disastrous collisions. Hess sees the modern COSC as an extension of this legacy.

At the very least, a modern COSC-certified wristwatch will help its wearer make his or her train on time — as Webster C. Ball originally intended.
 

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."

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.

So many attempts were necessary before Everest was finally conquered. It was 29 May 1953 and the heroes of the day, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay, were wearing Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches. So many expeditions all seeking to achieve a proverbially impossible dream, motivated by the simple desire to meet a challenge: "Because it's there…"
In praise of perseverance
The direct descendent of this fascinating chapter of human adventure, the Explorer persists in expressing man's irrepressible need for achievement. It continues to precisely embody perseverance, experience and creativity, and celebrate so strikingly the relationships between technical developments, experience in the field, thought and action.

The world as a test laboratory
The Explorer is the incarnation of the privileged relationship that has always existed between Rolex and the outside world. Since the late 1920s, Rolex has been using the world as a laboratory to test its watches under real conditions. In this pioneering spirit, it equipped numerous Himalayan expeditions whose observations have had a direct impact on product development.
A 39 mm case
Faithful to its heritage and unique identity, the new Oyster Perpetual Explorer exemplifies that strength in today's world, imparting a new elan to the sober and elegant lines which have long established it as an icon. Crafted from a block of 904L steel with exceptional anti-corrosion properties, its slightly larger 39 mm case offers a bolder look and added comfort for the wearer.

New heights in precision
Equipped with a self-winding mechanical movement featuring a Perpetual rotor, a Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers, it reaches new heights of chronometric precision and resistance to extreme conditions. A reliable and robust timekeeping instrument.

26th October 2009

In the world of watch collecting there are two definitive categories: the vintage watches, typically described as those older than 20 years, and the modern watches, those that are within the first decade of their life.
Sitting between vintage and modern exists a small group of collectible "neo-vintage" watches that hover around the 15-20 year mark. It is around this age that collectors first start to identify the pieces that will one day become classics. It was in the late 1980s, just short of twenty years after its release, that a Rolex Cosmograph with peculiar registers started to gain momentum as a collectable. Now the Paul Newman Daytona sits atop the world of valuable and collectable sport watches.  
The values of Newman Daytonas today range from $30,000 all the way up to $100,000 depending on reference number, condition, and color scheme. We tend to think that we know all there is to know about this particular piece, and so values are easily obtained.
What about today's neo-vintage collectibles though? The ones that are just now coming into the spotlight as the rare birds and grail watches of future generations. Just what are they, why are they poised to climb, and why do we know so little about them?

Let's take one of the few neo-vintage that has already raised a few eyebrows, although it remains relatively under the radar except with a few die-hard collectors; the Rolex Explorer I "Blackout". Since the Explorer's inception over 50 years ago, the vast majority have been made with a black face and white markers, whether applied or painted on the dial itself. For what some experts claim is as little as 6 months, Rolex introduced an instance of the Explorer where the infamous 3, 6, and 9 were actually filled with black instead of white.  
Originally thought to exist only in E serial numbers and with silver print on the dial, we now know that the production also included later X serial Explorers with white print on the dial. The Blackout Rolexes are rare, certainly, in fact some call it the rarest sapphire crystal Rolex to date. What is not so certain is the value of this neo-vintage oddity.
One year ago, in October of 2008, Antiquorum recorded a sale of a Rolex Reference 14270 Blackout at $12,000 US. Five months later, in Antiquorum's March 2009 auction, one sold for just over $5000, and after another five months, one sold again at just above $5000 via Antiquorum. Economic conditions aside, that is a dramatic decrease in value of a rare watch in one year's time. But did the value really decrease?

While impossible to dispute that these watches did sell for less than half of the price of less than a year ago, many sellers continue to believe the Blackout is worth close to, if not well into five figures. Running a quick scan of dealers around the world, the price range of these Rolex Blackouts is astonishing. From as low as $4500 from private sellers (watch alone) to as high as $16,000 from well known European dealers (NOS, Box & Papers), we were able to track down five Blackout Explorers, in excellent or mint condition, with boxes and papers, with an average price of $10,800. Over $10,000 for a Rolex Explorer I from the 1990s, we must be crazy.  Or are we?
Charles Tearle, a Director at Antiquorum USA says "In recent years we have seen transitional variations that exist in relatively modern wristwatches, such as the Rolex Explorer I "Blackout", matte dial submariners, and the transitional IWC big pilots, have speculative presence on the secondary market." But does this mean that these models are worth up to three to four times what a traditional model sells for? Things are still unclear; Tearle adds "relatively little is known about quantities produced, but as we learn more, I believe the market value of these transitional pieces will become more definitive."
While the debate over the value of these rare Rolex "Blackouts" will likely continue on, this raises a much larger issue. How are we to assess the value neo-vintage watches if experts can't seem to agree and with such a dramatic variance in auction prices? Or, maybe this isn't an issue at all, but rather one of the reasons that watch collecting continues to gain momentum as a global passion.  The question now becomes, we know the Rolex Blackout Explorer is something special, but what else is out there and when will we realize it?  
 
 

30 juillet 2009

VOIR LA GALERIE-PHOTOS

La galerie du Jeu de Paume a Paris propose actuellement et jusqu'au 27 septembre une exposition intitulee « Planete Parr. La collection de Martin Parr ». Organisee par la Haus der Kunst a Munich, en collaboration avec le Jeu de Paume, elle presente pour la premiere fois la riche collection de livres photographiques et de photos de Martin Parr, accompagnee d'une partie de sa collection d'objets heteroclites, ainsi que de quelques-uns de ses travaux recents, notamment les series «Luxury» et «Small World». Ce photographe, membre de la fameuse agence Magnum, se presente lui-même comme un « collectionneur, un editeur et un photographe », et joue ironiquement sur le cliche de l'Anglais extravagant aimant a accumuler toutes sortes d'objets divers.
Ben Laden en montre de poche
Outre le plus grand paquet de chips du monde, des theieres a la gloire de Margaret Thatcher ou un slip orne du portrait de Barack Obama, le sieur Parr a recolte une incroyable serie de garde-temps. Montres-bracelets, montres de poche, horloges, reveils, usurpant ou non le logo d'une marque celebre ou le fameux Swiss made, tous ont pour point commun de celebrer sur leur cadran une personne ou un evenement historique. Le visiteur pourra ainsi admirer des reveils commemorant les exploits de Gagarine ou divers modeles aux couleurs de Mao, de Staline ou même de Barack Obama. Certaines de ces tocantes meritent sans conteste la palme de l'originalite, comme cette montre de poche a l'effigie de Ben Laden ou cette horloge chinoise en forme de raquette de ping-pong. Une vitrine entiere est consacree aux montres a l'effigie de Saddam Hussein. Certaines, provenant vraisemblablement d'Irak, sont tout a sa gloire. D'autres, conçues apres le 11 septembre, vehiculent le propos inverse, notamment celle sur laquelle un montage photographique represente un corps de rongeur surmonte de la tête de Saddam et de ce slogan : « captured like a rat » ! La montre, objet de propagande par excellence qui permet d'afficher son opinion dans cette vitrine miniature qu'est son cadran, provient ainsi des deux côtes de l'histoire. Il en va de même pour les tapis de priere musulmans ornes des tours jumelles percutees par les avions et estampilles « made in Afghanistan » qui sont ici exposes face a des bibelots aux couleurs de l'aigle americain exaltant les slogans va-t-en-guerre de l'ere Bush.

Ironie britannique
Le dialogue entre photographies et objets nous tend ainsi un miroir de notre epoque, revelant les tendances de nos modes de vie contemporains. Comme le dit Martin Parr lui-même, « Ce travail ressemble a une epitaphe pour une periode sur le point de s'achever, faite de croissance excessive, de parade et de luxe ostentatoire. C'est une opportunite de jeter un regard retrospectif sur cette periode de nos vies. » Un regard qui n'oublie pas neanmoins la distance et l'ironie « so british » !
www.jeudepaume.org
www.martinparr.com

Antiquorum, the world's leading watch auctioneer, is pleased to announce its upcoming 'Important Collector's Wristwatches, Pocket Watches, Clocks and Horological Tools' sale on March 28 & 29, 2009 at the Grand Hotel Kempinski in Geneva. This auction will occur during Baselworld 09, which attracts the most prestigious watch manufacturers and jewelers in the world. The auction, featuring 481 lots, brings together a remarkable selection of the finest timepieces by world-renowned watchmakers.

Highlights of this spring auction include two very rare Patek Philippe watches that represent milestones in the history of the brand, respectively Ref. 1518 in 18K pink gold with a special dial with enamel numerals, estimated between 600,000 and 800,000 SFr. and a Ref. 2499/100 in 18K yellow gold made in only 349 examples, estimated at 280,000-350,000 SFr.

The Collection of an Italian Gentleman is certain to attract attention, as it is a very interesting private collection of about 30 Rolex wristwatches highlighting the most significant watches made by Rolex since the 1940's.

Furthermore, in celebration of the Antiquorum's 35th anniversary, the Geneva 2009 catalogues take on a new look. Their special covers, designed by exceptional artists and photographers recognized for their unique creativity and interest in horology, highlight the excitement and elegance of extraordinary watches. In the spring catalogue, well-known French photographer Gilles Pernet brings his own personal vision to illuminate one of the exceptional watches from the auction.

The watches will be shown in Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Geneva.

Saturday March 28 and Sunday March 29, 2009 Grand Hotel Kempinski, Geneva

Highlights of the March Geneva Sale   

Patek Philippe, Geneve, Ref. 1518, 1st series. Made in 1946, sold on October 21st. 1947.

Very fine and extremely rare, 18K pink gold wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moon phases, square button chronograph, register and tachometer, fitted with an 18K pink gold Patek Philippe buckle.
Probably unique, due to the enamel numeral dial.

This watch is an exceptional example of the signature complications made by Patek Philippe at the time. Patek was the first brand to produce perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatches in series.

Estimate: 600.000/800.000 SFr
             
        
Patek Philippe, la Ref. 2499-100. Made in 1980, sold on June 30th, 1980.

Very fine and extremely rare, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, 30-minute register, perpetual calendar, moon phases and fitted with an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle.

This watch is the last variation of the above-mentioned complication. It is the last reference produced by Patek Philippe in a very small production series.

Estimate: 280.000/350.000 Sfr
             
        
Jaeger-LeCoultre, "Gyrotourbillon 1", N. 46/75. Made in a limited edition of 75 pieces from 2005.

Exceptional and highly complicated, large, water-resistant, 8-day going platinum wristwatch with visible inclined lightweight two-cage multi-axis spherical tourbillon Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 177, two barrels with sapphire covers, "marchante" equation of time, perpetual calendar with retrograde month indication.

Estimate: 300.000/400.000 Sfr
             
        
Audemars Piguet. Limited Edition No. 8 - Maserati Anniversary - Millenary MC12 Tourbillon & Chronograph.

Made in a limited edition of 150 pieces in 2006 to commemorate the success of the Maserati MC12 in the 2005 FIA GT Manufacturers' Cup, sold on December 24, 2006.
Extremely fine and very rare, oval, platinum wristwatch with twin white gold and palladium alloy barrels, black carbon movement with blue anodized aluminum bridges, 10-day power reserve, visible one-minute tourbillon regulator, oval-button chronograph, register, tachometer and a platinum Audemars Piguet deployant clasp.

Estimate: 200.000/300.000 Sfr

These last two models demonstrate the important revival of mechanical watches in the 21st century, highlighting cutting-edge technology
 
             
        
Rolex, Ref. 6270/6263, "Cosmograph, Oyster avec diamants baguette". Made in 1985.

Extremely rare and very fine, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, registers, bezel set with 28 baguette diamonds. The dial is set with 240 diamonds and nine sapphires, and fitted with an 18K yellow gold riveted Rolex Oyster bracelet.
One of the rarest Daytona Cosmograph references.

Estimate: 100.000/150.000 Sfr.
             
        
Rolex, Ref. 1665 "Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller". Made especially in 1972 for the Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, and retailed by Asprey (London retailer).

Very fine and extremely rare, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with gas-escape valve, date and a stainless steel Oyster "Fliplock" bracelet.

This is a very rare variation of the Red Sea-Dweller that will raise a lot of interest among collectors and aficionados of the model.

Estimate: 50.000/70.000 Sfr

 The Collection of an Italian Gentleman:

     
Rolex, Ref. 6541 "Oyster Perpetual, Milgauss, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified". Made in 1958.

Very fine and extremely rare, anti-magnetic, water-resistant, center seconds, self-winding, stainless steel wristwatch with straight seconds hand, honeycomb dial and a stainless steel riveted Rolex Oyster bracelet.

Estimate: 90.000/130.000 Sfr
           
        
Ref. 8171, "Padellone" N°66 Rolex, "Perpetual, Precision". Made in 1950.

Extremely fine and rare, self-winding, 18K pink gold chronometer wristwatch with triple date, moon phases and fitted with an 18K pink gold Rolex buckle.

The reference 8171 is one of the most sought-after. It was produced from 1949-1952 in 18K yellow and pink gold as well as in stainless steel. The excellent un-restored condition of the present watch, including the interior of the case back, gives the collector an excellent opportunity to better understand Rolex production techniques.

Estimate: 180.000/260.000 Sfr
             
        
Rolex, "Oyster, Chronographe, Serpico Y Laino, Anti-magnetique", Ref. 6234. Made in 1954 and retailed by Serpico Y Laino (a retailer in Caracas, Venezuela).

Very fine and equally rare, tonneau-shaped, water-resistant, 14K yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, registers, telemeter and tachometer and a polished and brushed 14K yellow gold riveted Rolex Oyster bracelet.

Estimate: 80.000/120.000 Sfr
             
        
Rolex, Ref. 1680 "Oyster, Perpetual Date, Submariner, 200m/660ft, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified". Made in 1974 for the Fuerza Aerea del Perù.

Very fine and extremely rare tropical red military submariner with Meter First, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel wristwatch with date and a stainless steel special riveted Fliplock bracelet.

Estimate: 30.000/50.000 Sfr

Revue FH - February 26 2009 - N# 4

Rolex has announced a new initiative to expand its international philanthropic programme to fund young pioneers and their groundbreaking projects around the world. In early 2010, the company will name the first five recipients of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise: Young Laureates Programme, honouring men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 with inventive ideas to solve tomorrow's challenges in science and health, applied technology, exploration, the environment and cultural preservation. Award recipients will each receive a US$50,000 cash prize to enable them to pursue an original project. Equally important, they will join the network of Rolex specialists and innovators who can offer invaluable expertise and guidance.
The Young Laureates Programme is an expansion of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, which were established in 1976. The inaugural Rolex Awards commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Oyster chronometer, the world's first waterproof watch, and were created to encourage individuals ready to take on major challenges to benefit humankind and the environment. Since 1976, 110 Rolex Awards for Enterprise have been presented to Laureates and Associate Laureates from 40 countries, implementing projects in more than 60 countries. Recent winners include a social activist who has developed an affordable strategy to build housing for the rural poor using recycled materials in her native Paraguay (Elsa Zaldivar); a Scottish physicist who created a breakthrough method to predict volcanic eruptions via an unmanned helicopter (Andrew McGonigle); and a Jordanian chemist working to save the ancient archaeological site of Petra (Talal Akasheh).
«Rolex has a history of supporting individual excellence and achievement,» said Rebecca Irvin, director of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise. «By providing project support at a critical juncture in the careers of young people, the Young Laureates Programme will reward bright new ideas and encourage the next generation to meet the challenges of the future.» Like the original Rolex Awards, the Young Laureates Programme will act as a springboard for men and women who use their creativity to improve life on the planet.
«As our world becomes more interdependent and grows more complex, young people must bring new perspectives and fresh approaches to tackling our greatest challenges,» said Gilbert Grosvenor, Chairman of the National Geographic Society and a past jury member for the Rolex Awards for Enterprise. «Particularly in this era of global change and uncertainty, the Young Laureates Programme represents a vital investment in the brightest thinkers of tomorrow.»
To find young people around the world determined to carry out projects with a significant impact, a range of institutions, organizations and individuals will be invited to nominate potential candidates. Those who accept the nomination will complete an application form that explains the scope, goals and feasibility of their projects. An independent jury will select five individuals with b potential to advance human knowledge and well-being.
Each winner will receive the $50,000 prize over the course of two years. Funding of $25,000 each in the first year will give the Young Laureates the time to bring greater focus to their projects; the second instalment of $25,000 will propel the projects forward. Rolex may also provide additional support to the Young Laureates to pursue a related activity that will add further value to their work.
The Young Laureates Programme complements the original Rolex Awards for Enterprise, it does not replace it. In 2010, five Young Laureates will be selected; in 2012, five Laureates and five Associate Laureates will again be chosen. The two variations of the programme will thus alternate every two years.
Rolex's other global philanthropic programme, the Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative, also reflects an ongoing commitment to promoting excellence in the next generation. The Arts Initiative brings together emerging artists with re-cognized masters for a year of one-to-one collaboration in music, dance, literature, theatre, film and the visual arts.
Both the Arts Initiative and the Young Laureates Programme provide the gift of time to exceptional young people at a key moment in their professional lives. Through Rolex's support, these promising individuals are able to take their work to a new level and contribute to their surrounding communities and the wider world.