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Reservoir introduces the Reservoir x LabelNoir x Popeye watch, the latest in the Franco-Swiss watchmaker’s lively series of partnership watches and the second with a cartoon character theme.

The Reservoir x LabelNoir Popeye watch.

In keeping with Reservoir’s specialized jump-hour displays, Popeye’s powerful right arm doubles as the watch’s minute hand, sweeping from “00” to “60” and then snapping back again at the start of each hour. The dial displays the hour digitally at the 6 o’clock position.

As the name implies, Reservoir teamed with Swiss-based watch customizer LabelNoir to created the limited-edition 41.5mm titanium watch. With its slightly curved lugs and knurled crown, the watch echoes Reservoir’s existing models, but here displays a new satin-finished grey DLC case courtesy of LabelNoir.

Reservoir’s dial features a 240° retrograde configuration, with the minutes displayed around three-fourths of the face. Reservoir artists create Popeye’s image with bright coloring on a grey background, accented by comic-style indices and a prominent hour window, all of which make for a fun, easy-to-read dial.

Reservoir fits the watch with Caliber RSV-240, the watchmaker’s latest update of its signature jump-hour movement. Introduced last year, the caliber is made in association with the Swiss manufacture TELOS.

The automatic caliber makes use of a La Joux-Perret LJP-G100 base with a proprietary 113-piece module. 

Reservoir signs the rotor and finishes it with Geneva stripes and radial style brushing. All this is visible through the sapphire caseback additionally adorned with a winking Popeye. Reservoir then protects the movement with fifty meters of water resistance.

The new Reservoir x LabelNoir x Popeye watch is available in a limited series of 200 pieces.

Each numbered model is presented in a decorated white wooden box and a special embroidery in honor of Popeye. A certificate of authenticity accompanies the box. 

Price: $4,450.

Japanese Luxury mens fashion magazine “Mens Precious” earlier this year awarded Franck Muller its Watch Award 2022 for the Grand Central Tourbillon. 

The series of tonneau-shaped watches highlight a centrally placed tourbillon, which the judges recognized as a difficult technical feat.

“It requires considerable skill to place it (a tourbillon) in the center,” said Koichi Namiki, Professor of Toin University of Yokohama. “But it seems Franck Muller has placed it in a tonneau-shaped case, a first in the world of watches, so effortlessly. It is as if the tourbillon has been given the best possible stage.”

Franck Muller explained that its watchmakers did need to “totally rethink the watch in order to move the Tourbillon from its original position at 6 oclock to the center of the watch.”

The watch features a self-winding movement, fully manufactured in-house and offering four days of power reserve via an eccentric micro rotor.

The Grand Central Tourbillon also features a domed crystal and a redesigned Cintrée Curvex case, where the sapphire crystal extends all the way to the bracelet to highlight the beauty of the dial.

Vacheron Constantin adds a new ‘panda’-styled chronograph to its sporty Overseas collection in a nod to the chronographs of 1960s motorsports.

The new Vacheron Constantin ‘Panda’ Overseas Chronograph.

The new 42.5mm steel chronograph features a silver-toned, sunburst satin-finished dial, snailed black counters, black-velvet-finished flange, 18-karat white gold hour-markers and hands. All hands are finished with a generous dollop of SuperLuminova.

The contrasting light-dark dial styling of the so-called panda dials was aimed at enhancing the visibility of the chronograph function.

Inside the watch Vacheron Constantin fits its superb automatic Caliber 5200 that boasts twin barrels, a column wheel and vertical clutch.

The movement also features a 22-karat gold oscillating weight adorned with a wind rose, visible through the watch’s sapphire caseback.

Like all Overseas models since Vacheron Constantin launched its much-touted 2016 re-design, the new model is also sold with an interchangeable bracelet and two straps to allow the wearer to easily swap styles as desired without the need for tools. Price: $32,400.

Specifications: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph ‘Panda’

(Ref. 5500V/110A-B686) 

Movement: Caliber 5200 self-winding with 22-karat gold Overseas oscillating weight, approximately 52 hours of power reserve, 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations/hour), Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece. 

Case: 42.5mm by 13.7mm steel, soft iron casing ring ensuring anti-magnetic protection, screwed-down crown and quarter-turn screw-lock push-pieces, transparent sapphire crystal caseback,
water-resistant to 150 meters.

Dial: Silver-toned, sunburst satin-finished base, translucent varnish, black velvet-finished flange and snailed counters, 18-karat white gold hour-markers and hours, minutes, seconds and counters hands, highlighted with Super-LumiNova.

Bracelet: Steel bracelet, half Maltese cross-shaped polished and satin-brushed links, black calfskin leather with grey stitching, black rubber. Stainless steel bracelet secured by a stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and comfort-adjustment system, delivered with a stainless steel triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and patented interchangeable system compatible with both additional straps. 

Price: $32,400. 

Ulysse Nardin adds a rose gold and blue PVD titanium model to its skeletonized Blast collection. The new Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold marks the first blue two-tone model in the contemporary series, identified with its x-shaped tourbillon cage, x-shaped movement bridge, rectangular frame and three-lug strap connection.

The new Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold.

The tourbillon exposed in the lower section of the large x-shaped bridge regulates Ulysse Nardin’s UN-172 Manufacture caliber, an automatic movement with a three-day power reserve and a silicon balance spring, escapement wheel and pallet fork. At the top of the skeletal dial you’ll find a platinum rotor.

Part of the allure of the entire Blast collection is its distinctive multi-level 45mm case. This model delivers that profile with a central case in sand-blasted blue PVD titanium and an upper case in satin-finished and polished rose gold. That wide bezel is made of blue PVD titanium.

Ulysse Nardin delivers the new Blast Tourbillon Blue & Gold with a blue velvet rubber strap and its own rose gold and blue PVD titanium folding clasp. Price: $67,000. 

Alpina’s new Alpiner Extreme Automatic Freeride World Tour 2023 is the official tour watch of the Freeride World Tour (FWT), a five-stage skiing and snowboarding competition.

Alpina’s new Alpiner Extreme Automatic Freeride World Tour 2023.

Available this year within Alpina’s full collection, the 41mm by 42.5mm cushion-case watch (with a round bezel) proudly displays the Tour’s logo on the existing Alpiner Extreme patterned dial.

 

The pattern itself mimics Alpina’s own triangle logo, a natural tie-in to the Freeride World Tour and one that echoes the Alpine summits for which the brand is named. Alpina’s long-standing red triangle seconds-hand counterweight just underscores the Alpina-FWT partnership.

Alpina sun-brushes the steel case and attaches it to the wrist with a black rubber strap. The crown is located at 3 o’clock and has been fit with a rubber grip for ease of use even if the owner is wearing ski gloves. Inside, Alpina places its automatic caliber AL-525, a Sellita-based movement  beating at 4Hz (28,800 vph), which is visible through the sapphire caseback. 

Price: $1,895

Specifications: Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic Freeride World Tour 2023

Movement: Automatic Sellita-based AL-525 caliber, 38-hour power-reserve, 28,800 alt/h.

Case: 41mm by 42.5mm by 11.5mm brushed and polished stainless steel 3-part, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 200m, engraved and see-through screwed case-back, screw-in crown. 

Dial: Black with triangle pattern, Freeride World Tour logo, black outer ring with white markers, applied silver color indexes filled with white luminous treatment, date window, hand-polished silver color hour and minute hands filled with white luminous treatment, polished silver-color second hand with red triangle. 

Bracelet: Black rubber strap, folding buckle with push button.

Price: $1,895