Swiss-German pioneering independent watchmaker Armin Strom launches the Tribute 1 Rose Gold Edition, the first gold-cased version of its Tribute 1 dress watch.
The new Armin Strom Tribute 1 Rose Gold Edition.
The new edition of the 38mm watch, with its off-center dial and unusual exposed motor barrel and bridge, nicely pairs the warm rose gold hue of its case, hands, the even-numbered markers and bridge with the dial’s textured anthracite tones.
Previously offered in steel, the Tribute 1 announces one of its primary technical attributes on its hand-polished skeletonized open-worked motor barrel on which the words “100 HOURS OF POWER RESERVE” are engraved. Armin Strom’s innovative motor barrel reaches its impressive power reserve thanks to its arbor that turns around the mainspring within the barrel itself, optimizing its efficiency.
Armin Strom’s AMW21, viewed from the back of the Tribute 1 Rose Gold Edition.
Seen through the watch’s sapphire caseback is the movement’s eye-catching three-quarter bridge adorned with Côtes de Genève decoration. Armin Strom artisan’s hand-finish a circular grained pattern on the main plate, while finishing the balance bridge with side graining, anglage, sand blasting and straight graining. Finally, hand-bevelled escapement and the escape bridge edges add to the watch’s sense of luxury.
Limited to 100 pieces, the new Armin Strom Tribute 1 Rose Gold Edition is sold with a black alligator strap. Price: $23,900.
Franck Muller debuts four new colorful Vanguard watches to commemorate the 1,000-mile vintage car rally known as The Colorado Grand.
One of four new Franck Muller limited Edition Vanguard watches dedicated to the Colorado Grand vintage car rally.
As the event’s exclusive watch sponsor, Franck Muller designed each model to represent an emblematic automobile: pine green for the Bentley; fire red for the Ferrari; French blue for the Bugatti; and stunning silver for the Mercedes. Each is also created using different case material.
These are: polished steel (red dial), rose gold (blue dial), titanium (green dial) and micro-blasted steel (silver dial).
The Colorado Grand, which concluded in September, is an annual charity event during which drivers and crew meet in Vail, Colorado, to drive 1,000 miles during four days.
The New Watches
The watches each feature Franck Muller’s tonneau-shaped Vanguard case measuring 30.65mm by 51.9mm by 8.15mm thick, powered by Franck Muller’s own excellent FM 708 manual-wind movement.
Franck Muller says that its artisans were inspired by high-end automakers when designing the watches. Each dial includes a“bochonné” decoration at its center while each watch’s seconds hand mimics a vintage car speedometer with its similar typography, hand design and “assuré circulaire” decoration.
The four models will be made in limited editions of thirty-three to honor the 33rd running of the Colorado Grand. Prices: $23,500 (rose gold case), $16,500 (micro-blasted steel case), $14,500 (titanium and polished steel case).
Tutima expands its high-end Patria collection with a 43mm rose-gold-cased Patria Small Second model topped with rich blue dial—a new combination for the series.
The new Tutima rose-gold-cased Patria Small Second.
The Glashütte-based watchmaker reserves Patria for its dress-watch designs fitted with its in-house Caliber 617, a stunning hand-finished manual-wind movement.
Visible through the sapphire caseback, Caliber 617 displays classic Glashütte-style assembly that includes a three-quarter plate, here set with three ruby bearings set in gold chatons.
Note too the very nice sunburst finish on the winding wheels set with a special ratchet with steel springs polished by hand. And Tutima tradition calls for polished rather than Swiss-style blued screw heads, all of which are also quite visible through the clear back.
A beautifully polished and skeletonized balance cock adds symmetry and technical strength to the scene, holding a balance that oscillates at a frequency of 21,600 vph.
While we’ve seen a blue dial in the existing Patria collection, that model is framed in a steel case and appears to reflect a slightly lighter blue hue. With its more luxurious aspect, this newest blue-dialed model serves as a background for hand-polished golden hands and indexes—including those within the seconds subdial.
The Patria series reminds collectors that Tutima’s style of Glashütte manufacturing reaches beyond the sporty and military models for which it is best known. This newest model again convinces us that alongside its tough timepieces Tutima also produces technically astute, richly finished dress watches.
Ulysse Nardin adds three new models to its Marine Torpilleur collection, a series of nautically themed watches designed to echo nineteenth-century marine chronometers.
Ulysse Nardin has a long history of making Marine Chronometers for ships.
The new models retain the collection’s fluted bezel, long hands and Roman numeral hour markers, but each also highlights one particular aspect of Ulysse Nardin’s artistic or technical expertise.
The new Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Dual Time.
The Marine Torpilleur Dual Time
The first model of the new trio adds Ulysse Nardin’s innovative dual-time display to the Marine Torpilleur collection. Fit with in-house caliber UN-334 with a silicon escapement wheel, anchor and balance-spring, the new watch adds an instant-change, dual-pusher GMT function to the series in a 44mm steel-cased model with a sun-ray satin-finished blue dial.
Developed initially by Ludwig Oechslin in 1994, the dual-time function was among the first to allow an instant-change, plus-or-minus GMT hour hand, activated using one of the two push-pieces.While the home time display on the new Marine Torpilleur Dual Time operates continually in an aperture at 9 o’clock, the wearer can quickly move the hour hand forward or backward to show local time using the “+” and “-” push-pieces at 8 o’clock and 10 o’clock. All calendar functions remain in syncs regardless of the adjustment. Price: $11,500.
The new Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Tourbillon Grand Feu.
Marine Torpilleur Tourbillon Grand Feu
Initially launched last year as a limited edition with a black Grand Feu enamel dial, the Marine Torpilleur Tourbillon is now offered in unlimited production with a white Grand Feu enamel dial.
The watch highlights the work of artisans at Donzé Cadrans, Ulysse Nardin’s own watch dial facility. The term Grand Feu means ‘big fire’ and refers to the melting the enamel powder in a furnace when creating the dial finish.
Ulysse Nardin makes all its own dials at its dial-making facility Donzé Cadrans.
On this enamel dial Ulysse Nardin fits the watch’s power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock and the namesake tourbillon aperture directly across the milky white expanse at 6 o’clock.
Ulysse Nardin’s own UN-128 automatic caliber powers the flying tourbillon with constant escapement, which is fitted with a flying silicon anchor. You might recall that in 2015 Ulysse Nardinwon the Tourbillon Watch Prize at the GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève) ceremony with this patented system.
Ulysse Nardin debuted its first Marine Torpilleur Moonphase models in 2021 with a stainless-steel case and a blue or white dial as a limited edition of 300 pieces per model. This year, the watchmaker adds the watch to its permanent collection, but now sporting a more luxurious 42 mm rose gold case.
Inside Ulysse Nardin fits its automatic UN-119 caliber with silicon balance-spring and a DiamonSil escapement wheel and anchor. DiamonSil refers to the artificial diamond layer Ulysse Nardin places on the escapement wheel and silicon anchor. This coating results in improved resistance to magnetism, friction and shock.
Again, we see the power reserve display at 12 o’clock balanced on the dial layout with the small seconds and moon phase indicators at 6 o’clock. Note the silvery moon image on the disc elegantly contrasting with the blue PVD sky around it. Ulysse Nardin supplies the watch with a dark blue alligator-skin strap with rose gold folding clasp. Price: $22,600.
Zurich-based auction house Ineichen Auctioneers will offer an enticing series of auctions featuring complicated watches during the final quarter of 2022.
First up is an auction on October 29 that features more than thirty watches and will showcase tourbillons and open-worked (skeletonizied) watches. Part two of the series, slated for December 3, will focus on watches with chronograph and date functions.
Notable lots for the October auction include a Vacheron Constantin Les Complications Tourbillon Ref. 30050, an MB&F LM Perpetual, a Girard-Perregaux Laureato Flying Tourbillon Skeleton, a Daniel Roth Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, several stunning Jaeger-LeCoultre complicated pieces, an IWC minute repeater and a pair of Breguet beauties, among others.
At the October 29 auction: An IWC Schaffhausen Portuguese Minute Repeater Squelette Limited Edition.
“Despite their mechanical complexity, I think tourbillon watches and skeletonized pieces are the most visually pleasing. This auction is purely about joy-inducing aesthetics for me,” says Ineichen Auctioneers CEO Artemy Lechbinsky.
Here’s a peek at a few of the top lots for the October 29 auction.
Vacheron Constantin Les Complications Tourbillon (Ref. 30050/000P-7605)
This early and rare tourbillon (dated 1990-2000) from Vacheron Constantin is cased in platinum 950 with a diameter of 38mm, a thickness of 11.5mm and a sapphire caseback.
Silvered gold dial with Clous de Paris guilloché pattern, Caliber 1760, hand-wound, double barrel. Functions: indication of time in hours and minutes, small seconds hand on tourbillon shaft, power reserve at 12 o’clock. Black leather strap, Vacheron Constantin half Maltese cross-shaped platinum pin buckle. Estimate: CHF 30,000-40,000.
An impressive limited-edition rose gold tourbillon and chronograph wristwatch. Estimated production period: 2013–2019. Case made of 18-karat rose gold, diameter 43mm and 13.4mm thick frames anopen-worked dial, sapphire caseback. Caliber PF354 is manually wound with power reserve up to 65 hours. Functions: indication of hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock, tourbillon at 6 o’clock, chronograph with central seconds hand and 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock. Original Parmigiani Fleurier black leather strap, made by Hermes, Parmigiani Fleurier 18-karat rose gold pin buckle. Limited edition of 30 pieces. Estimate: CHF 30,000 – 40,000.
The complexity of this fully integrated perpetual calendar developed by MB&F and Stephen McDonnell limits the production. The 581-component in-house movement was developed to eliminate the drawbacks of conventional perpetual calendars. It is designed to be user-friendly, ensuring that dates are not skipped or gears jammed. Adjuster pushers automatically deactivate when the calendar changes.
This watch forms part of a collection limited to twenty-five pieces that was launched in 2020. It is presented in a yellow gold case, which contrasts beautifully with the blue detail on the dial. High-end hand finishes that respect the 19th-century style can be admired throughout. The watch is fastened with a black leather strap with 18-karat yellow and white gold MB&F triple folding clasp produced by G&F Chatelain.
The numbered edition 42mm Laureato Flying Tourbillon Skeleton, first introduced in 2017, is produced exclusively in 18-karat gold. It is arguably one of the finest complicated luxury sports watches presented on an integrated bracelet.
Caliber GP09520-0001, which powers this model, is an extremely rare movement for Girard-Perregaux. It is equipped with a flying tourbillon, devoid of a bridge on the dial side, and features a proprietary design normally with three gold bridges. The GP09520-0001 is produced exclusively in the skeletonized version and was the brand’s first self-winding flying tourbillon movement. Estimate: CHF 60,000 to 80,000.
Daniel Roth Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date ‘XV years’ Limited Edition (Ref. 199.Y.70.011.CN.BD)
This watch showcases a rare combination of complications: a perpetual calendar with two retrograde indicators (date and leap year), tourbillon and automatic winding functionality, which are powered by the DR740 caliber. All Ref. 199 sub-references were produced in very limited quantities and precious metals including platinum as seen in the current lot. It was launched in 2004 as a jubilee limited edition to commemorate the brand’s 15th anniversary.
Early Daniel Roth watches are known for their elaborate dials decorated with different guilloché motifs that highlight the placement of his signature blued steel hands as well as double ellipse-shaped Ellipsocurvex cases and haute horlogerie movement finishes.
This piece is one of the first generation (Mk1) releases of the Ref. 199 design. It features a solid dial as well as a guilloché small seconds subdial with three “XV” embossed inscriptions woven into the pattern. Such decoration is atypical of the Daniel Roth style. The presence of a tourbillon is indicated only by the inscription “Tourbillon” on the subdial because it is only visible through the sapphire caseback. There is also an engraved inscription “XV years” on the rim of the caseback. Estimate: CHF 30,000 to 40,000.
Breguet Classique Grande Complication Tourbillon ‘Senza B’ (Ref. 5357PT/1B/9V6)
Thisrare and fine platinum tourbillon wristwatch was most probably produced in 2012. Case made of platinum 950, it measures 39mm by 8.9mm, with a signed crown, sapphire caseback, 18k gold silver-plated dial with hand-made guilloché decoration, recessed hours and minutes sub-dial, Breguet double secret signature between XI and XII and XII and I. The hand-wound caliber 558.1 is hand-engraved with Breguet hairspring. Functions – hours, minutes, tourbillon, small seconds hand on the tourbillon shaft. Black leather strap with Breguet platinum 950 double folding clasp.
This Classique Grande Complication Tourbillon Ref. 5357 was introduced in 2002 as a larger 39mm alternative to the original 35mm Tourbillon Ref. 3357 (initially 3350). Unlike reference 3357, Ref. 5357 featured a new single-layer solid-gold and silvered dial, decorated by hand-made guilloché pattern, with a recessed hours and minutes sub-dial and a round tourbillon aperture, but the same original Breguet’s hand-wound tourbillon caliber 558 (version 558.1).
The reverse side of the movement deserves special attention – it is exquisitely and lavishly engraved by hand, and, moreover, there exists at least five basic engraving generations. The engraving of caliber 558 is done by hand and although it follows one of the 5 basic designs, the engraving is different each time in small details, and therefore any watch is essentially a unique piece. Estimate: CHF 30,000 – 40,000.
Silvered gold dial with Clous de Paris guilloché pattern, Caliber 1760, hand-wound, double barrel. Functions: indication of time in hours and minutes, small seconds hand on tourbillon shaft, power reserve at 12 o’clock. Black leather strap, Vacheron Constantin half Maltese cross-shaped platinum pin buckle. Estimate: CHF 30,000-40,000.
Parmigiani Fleurier Tourbillon Chronograph Tondagraph Limited Edition (Ref. PFH236)
Functions: indication of hours and minutes, small seconds at 9 o’clock, tourbillon at 6 o’clock, chronograph with central seconds hand and 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock. Original Parmigiani Fleurier black leather strap, made by Hermes, Parmigiani Fleurier 18-karat rose gold pin buckle. Limited edition of 30 pieces. Estimate: CHF 30,000 – 40,000.
