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Ulysse Nardin Launches Freak One Ops 

Ulysse Nardin dresses its Freak One in khaki and black to unveil the Freak One Ops, a military styled version of its groundbreaking flying carrousel movement watch.

The new Ulysse Nardin Freak One Ops.

This newest Freak retains the same specifications and black DLC case of the Freak One that the watchmaker debuted earlier in 2023. That watch (recently named winner of the Iconic Watch Prize at the 2023 GPHG) combined several favorite Freak designs from the past. These include the notched bezel of the original 2001 Freak, the open gear train seen on the 2013 Freak Cruiser, plus the high-legibility of the 2018 Freak Vision.

Here, Ulysse Nardin offers a more casual version of the earlier design. Instead of the earlier watch’s luxurious gold-finished bezel and movement we see a carbon bezel, a khaki green palette and a sunray patterned barrel cover, creating a stealthier version of the watch.

As noted, the 44mm Freak One Ops maintains all the Freak One’s ‘no hands, no dial and no crown’ technical features, anchored by the highly-visible UN-240 self-winding movement with a 90-hour power reserve.

The movement’s flying carousel, silicon balance wheel and escapement are suspended by a bridge that acts as the minute hand while the second bridge serves as the hour hand.

The Freak One Ops is regulated by a silicon hairspring (which Ulysse Nardin introduced in 2008) with an escapement treated with the synthetic diamond and silicon plasma treatment called DIAMonSIL, which Ulysse Nardin added to the Freak in 2007.

Ulysse Nardin offers the Freak One Ops with a choice of two integrated straps: one in black and khaki “ballistic” rubber, and an alternate two-tone recycled-rubber strap, also in black and khaki. Both have black DLC titanium and black ceramic folding clasps.

Price: $66,500.

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Patek Philippe Adds Minute Repeater to Gem-Set Aquanaut

Patek Philippe places a minute repeater within its contemporary Aquanaut Luce collection, launching it within two rose-gold-cased, highly gem-set models. One version on a strap is resplendent in a rainbow of multicolored baguette-cut sapphires while a second model offers an invisible-set baguette-cut-diamond dial and a gem-rich rose gold bracelet.

The new multi-colored Aquanaut Luce Rainbow Minute Repeater Haute Joaillerie (Reference 5260/355R-001).
The new Aquanaut Luce Rainbow Minute Repeater Haute Joaillerie Reference 5260/1455R-001.

While we’ve seen several complications within the Aquanaut since its debut in 1997, including the very recent Annual Calendar (Reference 5261), these debuts, each measuring 38.8mm by 42.5mm, mark the first time the watchmaker has added a minute repeater to the collection.

Patek Philippe has a history of debuting new complicated watches within its collections aimed at feminine watch fans. In 2009 the watchmaker debuted its caliber CH 29-535 PS manually wound chronograph movement in a Ladies First Chronograph model.

And for six years starting in 2011 the Reference 7000 Ladies First Minute Repeater (with the superb caliber R 27 PS) graced the watchmaker’s catalog. Even as far back as 1916, Patek Philippe debuted its first-ever chiming watch as a ladies’ five-minute repeater in a platinum case with a chain bracelet.

 

The new multi-colored Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater Haute Joaillerie (Reference 5260/355R-001) shows off the watchmaker’s artisanal prowess set with fifty-two multicolored baguette-cut sapphires, 112 baguette-cut diamonds and 160 brilliant-cut diamonds.

 

Those baguette gemstones are invisibly set, which means each stone is cut with lateral grooves embedded in tiny gold rails that will be invisible once the stone is set.

 

The bracelet model, Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater Haute Joaillerie Reference 5260/1455R-001, is set with 130 baguette-cut diamonds on the dial and the outer row of the bezel and 779 multicolored baguette-cut sapphires forming a rainbow on the inner row of the bezel, the flanks of the case, the minute repeater slide-piece and the rose-gold bracelet.

 

Aware that such intense high-carat settings can distract some wearers who deign to check the time, Patek Philippe has been careful to ensure a highly legible dial on each watch. On the bracelet model specifically, twelve multicolored baguette-cut sapphires distinctly mark the hours while the hour hand is set with three baguette rubies and the minute hand is easy to see thanks to five blue sapphires.

Inside both watches, the automatic Caliber R 27 movement chimes on demand on two classic gongs (the hour, quarters and minutes elapsed since the last quarter) when the side-piece is activated. The movement’s off-center 22-karat gold guilloche mini-rotor is visible through a sapphire crystal case back.

For each model, price is on request. 

New Nautilus Models

In addition to debuting the minute repeater in two Aquanaut Luce models, Patek Philippe also debuts three new Nautilus Haute Joaillerie models.

One is cased in white gold set with 1,500 brilliant-cut diamonds with 876 brilliant-cut blue sapphires (6.58 ct, Reference 7118/1451G-001),one offers rubies (Reference 7118/1452G-001) and the third is set with emeralds (Reference 7118/1453G-001) using the “snow setting” technique.

 

With each, the bracelet is equally eye-catching. Diamonds on the outer links of each model contrasts with colored gems on the inner links to better highlight the original construction of the bracelet. Prices on request.

 

And finally, Patek Philippe completes its late-2023 gem-set extravaganza with two new Ladies’ Nautilus models in rose gold with a purple decor.

The new Ladies’ Nautilus Reference 7010R-013.

One, the Ladies’ Nautilus Reference 7010R-013 ($39,624), offers a purple lacquered dial and a matching strap in a composite material, while the second, the Ladies’ Nautilus Reference 7010/1R-013 ($56,183), offers the purple lacquered dial with a rose gold bracelet.

 

 

 

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The Watches

Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin Launch Neo Bridges Edition

By Elizabeth Doerr 

As part of the partnership with luxury carmaker Aston Martin since 2021, Girard-Perregaux reveals a second co-creation from its quintessential Bridges collection. This line pays tribute to company cofounder Constant Girard, who was one of the very few watchmakers of the nineteenth century able to make a tourbillon; his special trio of visible bridges continues to be the focal point of the wristwatches in this collection to this day. 

 

The new Girard-Perregaux Neo Bridges Aston Martin Edition.

In 2014, Girard-Perregaux presented a radically modern evolution of the Three Bridges called the Neo Tourbillon with Three Bridges featuring changes that endowed the new sub-line with a much more avant-garde spirit thanks to the shape and material of the bridges, the crystal, and the redesigned caliber. 

The bridges, now made of titanium instead of gold, were redesigned to provide extra three-dimensionality and visually lightened the appearance of what is essentially a rather large watch (45mm x 12.18 mm). They also add sleek modernity. 

For this latest iteration – the fifth co-branded timepiece overall – the team comprising designers from both companies was inspired by the world’s first Super Tourer, the Aston Martin DB12. 

Rather unusually, though, the watch features an inverted movement: the symmetrically designed Caliber GP0840000-2164 therefore visibly relocates components usually found at the rear of the watch to the front, including the micro rotor for automatic winding at 1:30 and the mainspring barrel across from it at 11:30, whose looks are motivated by the brakes found behind the Aston Martin DB12’s spoked wheels. 

Two PVD-coated “neo” bridges in Aston Martin Green not only hold the balance wheel and gear train in place, but, along with the minute markers and strap seams, provide color splashes against the resolutely modern blacks and greys of this watch. The effect is striking.

Girard-Perregaux darkens the new watch’s 45mm titanium case with DLC and builds a skeletonized movement decorated with the green hue associated with Aston Martin. The hands and markers both glow with green SuperLuminova to match the metallic Aston Martin Green bridges that dominate the dial.

Look for additional green tints in the black rubber strap (with a fabric effect), which is enlivened with green stitches and then fitted with a titanium DLC triple folding buckle.

Girard-Perregaux will offer the Neo Bridges Aston Martin Edition as a limited edition of 250 pieces.

Price: $37,700. 

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Franck Muller Races in Las Vegas 

Franck Muller’s Las Vegas Racing Watch celebrates the inaugural Formula One race hosted by the Sin City as it hits the apex of watchmaking design and accelerates onto the Las Vegas Strip.

The Franck Muller Las Vegas Racing Watch.

The compressed carbon chassis is cast in this sport-driven Vanguard design, this time with new coach works inspired by the fastest track cars in the world coming to Las Vegas for the first time.

Under the hood is the in-house designed and manufactured Franck Muller custom engine, enhanced with a roulette wheel function as it performs late-breaking maneuvers into the exclusive point of sale at the Las Vegas Neiman Marcus.

Issued in a very limited edition, the Franck Muller Las Vegas Racing is the perfect racing partner for those who live life in the fast lane. Price: $45,000.

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Oris Adds Laser-Cut Dial to ProPilot X Calibre 400

Oris introduces a version of its ProPilot X Calibre 400 with an unusual, colorful laser-cut dial produced using a technique new to watchmaking.

The new Oris ProPilot X Calibre 400 Laser.

The titanium dial, created with the assistance of ETH Zürich university, shimmers with color changes, appearing to change from blue to green to violet to echo the colors seen on iridescent beetles.

 

Based on the principles of biomimicry, the phenomenon is a natural one called ‘optical interference.’ This means that red light waves are destroyed, while blue and green waves are reflected.

There is no color pigment on the dial.  

While the eye sees colors, there is not one drop of color pigment on watch’s dial. The surface instead splits the light into its components to create the visible rainbow effect.

The entire dial is laser cut. Oris and engineering students at ETH Zurich created the logo, indexes, minutes track and dial text using another laser process that creates a three-dimensional effect.

 

In addition to the spectacular dial, the watch retains the familiar components and specifications found on the ProPilot X Calibre 400, which Oris debuted in 2022. These include a 39mm titanium case, titanium bezel and crown and a three-link titanium bracelet.

 

Oris fits its superb Calibre 400 inside the watch, offering chronometric accuracy, high levels of anti-magnetism and a ten-year warranty with ten-year recommended service intervals.

Price: $5,200. 

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