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Gucci Celebrates its Centenary with New Watches and a New Movement

By Nancy Olson

Gucci is celebrating its centenary with the launch of a high watchmaking collection, ramped up by the introduction of its first movement by parent company Kering. The in-house automatic Caliber GG727.25 makes its debut in the Gucci 25H, an ultra-slim timepiece collection available in stainless steel or precious metal.

The new Gucci 25H Automatic Steel, powered by Gucci’s first in-house automatic caliber.

The Paris-based Kering, which also claims Ulysse Nardin and Girard-Perregaux among its portfolio of luxury brands, designed and developed the movement, which is a product of Kering’s own manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. And at just 3.70mm thick, the new movement is the perfect pairing for the 25H’s own slender profile, measuring a mere 7.2mm.

The new Gucci 25H Automatic Diamonds, cased in steel.

Two tourbillon versions are also part of the new collection, and their cases measure slightly thicker, at 8mm. The self-winding 24-jewel movement, visible through the caseback, features sixty hours of power reserve, and it runs at 21,600 bph, or 3Hz.

Two tourbillon watches are also part of the new Gucci 25H collection. This model is cased in platinum.

Steel to platinum

The 40mm timepiece, designed by Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele, seamlessly morphs from sporty status in steel to a more formal designation when dressed in yellow gold or platinum, as in the tourbillon versions. The minimalist dial of the 25H marks the hours with simple indices, while skeletonized hands—dotted with luminescence—traverse the satin-brushed lined décor.

Here, too, the movement is given its proper due, with GG727.25 prominently displayed front and center, along with Gucci’s double-G logo at 12 o’clock.

The in-house automatic Caliber GG727.25 makes its debut in the Gucci 25H.

The tourbillon variations are marked GG727.25.T. Not so incidentally, even the movement identifications have significance: Michele considers the numerical designation talismanic.

The Caliber Gucci GG727.25 is visible through the sapphire-crystal caseback of the Gucci 25H Automatic Steel.

Second skin

The watch’s precision-crafted bezel obscures the crown, making it nearly invisible, and this unique architecture lends a seamless quality to the overall design, while also enhancing the fit. The five-link bracelet is both comfortable and handsome, and augments Gucci’s goal of making the timepiece “like a second skin on the wrist.”

The Gucci 25H includes several variations. The tourbillon in yellow gold with and an 18-karat bracelet is priced at $129,000, while the tourbillon in platinum with a platinum bracelet is $183,000. The 25H automatic in stainless steel with a steel bracelet is priced at $9,500; the stainless steel version with a diamond-set bezel is $12,200.

The new Gucci 25H Tourbillon Yellow Gold.

 

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The Watches

Enhanced Dials and a Steel Case Highlight Latest MB&F LM101

MB&F has expanded and updated its popular Legacy Machine 101 collection, which features one of the independent watchmaker’s most compact (40mm) creations and the first to be powered by a movement entirely designed and built by the watchmaker’s own engineering team. 

MB&F cases one of its three new LM101 debuts in steel.

A dramatic suspended balance wheel still dominates the LM101, but this latest design enhances the dial display with a double hairspring. You might recognize the addition: It’s the same hairspring found in the LM101 MB&F x H. Moser collaboration, which sold out quickly after its debut last year.

Reading the time and the power reserve on the new LM101 is also made easier thanks to larger subdials and a slimmer bezel than we’ve seen on previous versions of the watch. Underneath the new hairspring and larger subdials MB&F is offering a new dial for this latest LM101.

In addition to the three new lacquered dial colors, note the new finely engraved sunray pattern, which MB&F places directly on top of the movement plate.

Aesthetics and finishing specifications for LM101 are by Kari Voutilainen.

And finally, one of the three LM101 debuts is cased in steel, which MB&F utilizes fairly infrequently as a case material. The debut includes three editions: white gold with a striking purple dial, red gold with a handsome dark blue dial ($68,000) and in a stainless steel case with a light blue dial ($56,000).

 

Specifications: MB&F Legacy Machine 101

Movement: Three-dimensional horological movement developed in-house by MB&F. Aesthetics and finishing specifications by Kari Voutilainen. Manual winding with single mainspring barrel and power reserve of 45 hours. The balance is 14mm balance wheel with four traditional regulating screws floating above the movement. The balance spring, via H. Moser, features a traditional Breguet curve terminating in mobile stud holder and a Straumann double hairspring. Balance frequency is 18,000bph (2.5Hz). Finishing includes gold chatons with polished countersinks, fine hand finishing with superlative 19th century-style; internal bevel angles, polished bevels, Geneva waves; hand-made engravings, NAC black bridges for the 2021 editions.

Dial: Lacquered royal blue, light blue or purple. Hours, minutes and power reserve indicator and large 14mm suspended balance wheel.

Case: 40mm x16mm in white gold, red gold and stainless steel. High domed crystal sapphire on top and box sapphire crystal on back, both with anti-reflective coating on both sides.

Strap: Hand-stitched alligator or veal strap with buckle to match the case.

 

 

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Watch Of The Day

Piaget Skeletonizes its Steel Polo

Piaget has skeletonized its luxury sport Polo steel watch, creating an airy new open-worked dial framed by the Polo’s famed cushion-shaped dial cutout, rounded bezel and curved case. And, with a notably thinner case, the new Piaget Polo Skeleton mingles Polo’s chic legacy with Piaget’s identity as a groundbreaking force in ultra-thin watches.

The new Piaget Polo Skeleton, with blue PVD Caliber 1200S movement and steel bracelet.

In order to create a thin Polo Skeleton, Piaget designed a new 42mm steel case that still echoes the familiar shape of the all-gold 1979 Polo debut. That shape was most recently revived in 2016 when Piaget debuted a new-generation sporty Polo collection cased in steel.

With this new skeleton model, Piaget introduces a new steel Polo case that measures a wispy 6.5mm thick, thirty-percent thinner than the 9.4mm cases that define current non-skeleton Polo offerings.

Equally critical here is Piaget’s work to create a pared-down version of its caliber 1200S, the ultra-thin automatic skeleton movement Piaget places within its existing Piaget Altiplano skeleton models, among others. The same Altiplano collection also includes a range of ultra-thin watches featuring Piaget’s award-winning (and even thinner) ultra-thin 910P and 900P calibers.

Robust yet thin

Piaget says that despite the leaner movement and case, its new Polo Skeleton will still act like a general sports watch. This seems fair, but the watch’s sportiness is limited as the watch demonstrates water resistance to a basic thirty meters, which will keep the Caliber 1200S movement free of moisture while worn in the rain but prevent it from being rated for diving. The movement’s platinum rotor does contribute to the robust forty-four hours of power reserve.

Piaget is offering its new Polo Skeleton with two designs – the first with a movement in Piaget Blue PVD and the second in a slate gray finish. Piaget places the watch on an interchangeable steel bracelet that allows the wearer to quickly change the look of the watch by attaching a leather strap. Piaget provides one leather strap with each watch.

Price: $28,500.

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Watch Of The Day

Frederique Constant’s Vintage Rally Healey Returns

Frederique Constant’s most recent Vintage Rally Healey limited edition was seen two years ago, so this week’s announcement of two new editions of the ode to classic Healey car races has been warmly welcomed among the racing fans.

Begun in 2004 after a partnership between the Frederique Constant Manufacture and the Austin-Healey car brand, the once-annual watch debuts were a source of kinship among not only rally fans but for enthusiasts of all manner of retro-themed industrial designs. 

No chrono

While this year Frederique Constant returns with new Vintage Rally Healey watches, the Geneva-based watchmaker diverts from tradition with two models sporting time and date only. Previous models included at least one chronograph.

Declaring a focus on “urban design,” whatever that is, Frederique Constant in 2020 debuts two automatic Vintage Rally Healey models. Each 40mm watch is issued as a limited edition of 2,888; one is cased in rose-gold plated steel and the second is all steel.

The primary differences between the two models lie in dial colors and case and strap finish.

The rose gold model features a silver-colored dial with a brown seconds flange and applied rose-gold-plated indexes.

The steel-cased edition is a bit sportier, with a true British Racing Green dial framed in a silvery seconds flange and set with applied silver-colored indexes. Both watches are deftly set with luminous material on hands and markers.

British Racing Green has long been associated with the vintage Austin Healey and was last used by Frederique Constant on a chronograph Vintage Rally Healey offering in 2018.

Both watches are fit with a calfskin strap that has been perforated to enhance air circulation, a feature of many racing watch straps during the early decades of the last century. The strap on the rose-gold-plated model is a bit darker than the strap on the steel edition. 

Each watch is powered by a Sellita-based automatic FC-303 caliber with a date window at 3 o’clock and a power reserve of 38 hours.

On each caseback you’ll find an engraving of a Healey 100S NOJ393, the same car Frederique Constant includes in miniature replica form with each watch. Price: $1,895 (both models).

Specifications: Frederique Constant Vintage Rally Healey Automatic

Reference: FC-303HVBR5B4 (rose-gold-plated, limited to 2,888 pieces)

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date

Movement: FC-303 caliber (Sellita-based), automatic, 26 jewels, 38-hour power reserve, 28’800 alt/h

Case: 40mm rose-gold-plated polished stainless steel, 2-part, convex sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 50 meters

Dial: Silver color with brown ring, applied rose-gold-plated indexes with white luminous material, date window at 3 o’clock, hand-polished rose-gold-plated hours and minutes hands with luminous and pearl black seconds hand

Strap: Dark brown calf leather

 

Reference: FC-303HGRS5B6 (steel, limited to 2,888 pieces)

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date

Movement: Automatic FC-303 caliber (Sellita-based), 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph

Case: 40mm polished stainless steel, 2-part, convex sapphire crystal, water-resistant up 50 meters

Dial: British Racing Green with silver color ring, applied silver color indexes with white luminous material, date window at 3 o’clock, hand-polished silver color hours and minutes hands with luminous and silver color seconds hand.

Strap: Light brown calf leather

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