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Balmont Introduces Itself with Adventure Watches 

Balmont, a new France-based maker of affordable adventure watches, hits the road with two impressive models built with solid 40mm steel cases and plenty of panache.

Balmont’s BDX debut models.

With four different dial options, the watchmaker’s BDX series offers somewhat dressy dials that nonetheless front an automatic watch designed to confront darkness, heavy rain and multiple shocks.

 

Balmont fits each watch with an automatic Soprod P024 caliber tested to -7/+7 seconds per day and offering a 38-hour power reserve.

Framed with a stainless steel case water resistant to a full 200 meters, and capped with a large screw-down crown, the BDX offers a generous application of luminous material on the dial’s hands and markers, all protected by a sapphire crystal and a clear sapphire caseback.

 

And to underscore its adventure-focused mission, Balmont provides a second strap (nylon) with each watch, which arrives on a leather strap.

Balmont offers its BDX with a choice of a ceramic-coated black, silver, slate or white dial, each priced at $715.

Limited Model

In addition to its ongoing BDX series, Balmont supercharges its debuts the LAX001, a special model offered as a limited edition of 100 pieces. As its name implies (LAX is the Los Angeles airport code) the Balmont LAX001 features a classic so-called California dial that mixes Arabic and Roman markers, all of which glow brightly with SuperLumiNova BGW9 and C3.

The LAX001 retains the same technical specifications as the BDX, but comes on a cognac-colored Italian suede strap to more closely align with its California dive-model references. The supplied second strap is black nylon.

The watch’s dial is also sportier than the dial of the BDX with railroad track markers just inside the bezel and a glowing marker triangle rather than the brand’s logo at 12 o’clock.

Interestingly, the limited edition LAX001 also retains the same $715 price tag as the ongoing BDX model. I suspect the watch will quickly sell out after its September release date.

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The Watches

Alpina Updates a Heritage Carrée Automatic 

Alpina launches a new version of its retro-styled Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years, now with a modern automatic movement instead the vintage caliber used in the model launched earlier this year. 

You might recall that in June the Geneva-based watchmaker launched a celebratory Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years outfitted with an authentic hand-wound Calibre 490 from 1938.

Now, Alpina is replicating the same watch’s retro-style with two unlimited models of the watch, one of which (the silver-dialed model) will be sold in the U.S. The second model with a black dial is available internationally outside the U.S.   

Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years. The silver-dialed model pictured above is available in the U.S.

The watch still uses a retro-sized cased, though at 32.5mm by 39mm, it’s still three millimeters larger than the initial model from June. The new watch’s dial also features a 1930s-style ‘sector’ dial with period Arabic numerals, dauphine hands, square small seconds sub-dial and the original Alpina logo.

Inside Alpina offers its AL-530 caliber, an automatic Sellita-based movement. Other contemporary updates include a domed sapphire crystal and a see-through back. Price: $1,595. 

Specifications: Alpina Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic 140 Years 

(Ref. AL-530SAC3C6)

Movement: AL-530 caliber, automatic, 38-hour power reserve, 28,800 vph. 

Case: Polished 32.50mm x 39mm x 9.71mm stainless steel two-part with anti-reflective convex sapphire crystal. Water-resistant to 30 meters, engraved and see-through screwed case-back. 

Dial: Silver with matte finishing, black printed Arabic numerals and black graduation, black hour and minute hands, small second counter at 6 o’clock with black hand.  

Strap: Light brown Ostrich leather strap with off-white stitching and pin buckle.

Price: $1,595.  

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The Watches

Maurice Lacroix Engraves a Skeletonized Aikon 

Maurice Lacroix adds to its hot Aikon series with the new Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe, a 39mm steel-cased watch characterized by an intricately engraved case and bracelet displaying a detailed architecture-themed pattern.

The new Maurice Lacroix Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe.

Framing a skeletonized Automatic ML135 automatic movement made in cooperation with Sellita, the case here is rife with lines, triangles, rays and other shapes frequently seen during a walk in any modern metropolis.

The new watch echoes the now-sold-out 2021 Aikon Urban Tribe model, but with added open-work that creates new avenues for light to reflect and refract through the watch.

Similar shapes and textures also line the entire top of the steel bracelet, enhancing the unusual nature of the Urban Tribe design.

Maurice Lacroix has even customized the oscillating weight with sandblasted and sun-brushed decor and has finished the movement itself with circular graining and snailed finishes.

To mimic street lights and building flourishes, Maurice Lacroix facets the watch’s SuperLuminova-coated hands to better reflect light. All this is framed with luminescent indexes and a dark grey flange.

As with all Aikon models, this new Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe style features Maurice Lacroix’s own Easy Strap Exchange System, which means the wearer can quickly swap the bracelet for a strap if desired. 

With this model’s specially designed bracelet, however, I suspect the quick-change system will be very infrequently used.  

Price: $4,250. 

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The Watches

TAG Heuer Launches Carrera Chronosprint with Porsche

TAG Heuer teams with Porsche to launch the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche, the latest Carrera model that merges design elements from both brands.

The seventh joint launch since TAG Heuer and Porsche officially partnered in 2021, the new 42mm watch is a vision in silver and red, with red details highlighting references to the 1970s Porsche 911 dashboard design.

The new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche. A rose-gold-cased version is also available.

Beyond the dial accents, TAG Heuer has also built into the new watch a special version of its new TH20 automatic movement, which debuted this past March during Watches and Wonders.

The new reference here, the TH20-08 movement, features a chronograph seconds hand meant to echo Porsche 911’s ability to reach the 100 km/h in just 9.1 seconds.

Here, the central hand accelerates faster than usual at the start of the chronograph activation thanks to a clever use of a two snail-shaped wheels, which also create a decelerating motion for the central hand after sixty seconds. TAG Heuer makes the wheels using the so-called LiGA lithographic etching process.

On the dial, TAG Heuer continues to reference the Porsche 911.

At 6 o’clock for example you’ll find a subdial that directly recalls the area around 50 km/h that was often highlighted to indicate the recommended speed in urban areas.

The red portion of the 9 o’clock subdial is meant to be a reminder of the ‘critical engine limit.’ TAG Heuer opts to place the red line at 6.8 hours, a nice reference to that 6,800 RPM limit. Red lines on the flange recall the Porsche 911’s ability to reach the 100 km/h in just 9.1 seconds, a clear reference to the very first Porsche 911.

Look for a steel and a gold version of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche, each featuring the same retro-inspired double glassbox sapphire crystal seen on Carrera debuts earlier this year.

These domed and curved crystals echo similarly domed hesalite crystal designs from the 1970s, but here have been revamped to add a curve that flows over the tachymeter scale and blends into the case.

From the clear caseback TAG Heuer designs a rotor to replicate the famed Porsche three-spoke steering wheel.

TAG Heuer will launch the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronosprint x Porsche watches with a calfskin leather strap, in brown for the gold edition and in black for the steel edition, each with an embossed number “911” on the strap.

Prices: $9,200 (steel) and $23,550 (rose gold).

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Featured Events

Greubel Forsey Creates Carbon Convexe Cases 

During Geneva Watch Days Greubel Forsey introduced two of its Balancier Convex models in all-new carbon cases, each now measuring smaller in diameter than their existing titanium versions.

The new Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe Carbon, with its 42.5 mm carbon case.

The new cases give these complex open-work watches a sleeker, sportier look when compared to their earlier counterparts. The Convexe collection is meant to be this high-end maker’s contemporary ‘daily wear’ collection, and these debuts certainly underscore that direction.

The new Greubel Forsey Balancier Convexe S² Carbon, now available in a 41.5mm carbon case.

Greubel Forsey explains that making its new carbon cases required a new technical approach that includes higher temperatures and greater pressure. Since the undulating Convexe case is anything but conventional, the company’s case-makers applied eight times the amount of pressure to create these cases when compared to the amount needed to create standard cases. 

Double Balancier Convex

Now measuring 42.5 mm in diameter, 1mm smaller in diameter than an existing titanium version of the watch, this newest Double Balancier Convex retains its trademark dual and inclined balance wheels linked by a spherical differential (between 6 and 7 o’clock.)

Look for two versions of the new watch. One features an iridescent green finish matched with blue accents and a red tip on the power reserve display.

The second version of the debut is darker, with contrasts provided primarily by the signature Greubel Forsey hand-finished movement that boasts top-level mirror polishing, sharp internal angles, straight and circular-grained surfaces, and curved hands with luminescent tips.

Greubel Forsey will make the Double Balancier Convexe carbon in twenty-two pieces of each variation (black and green with matching strap). Price: $392,000. 

Balancier Convex S2

Greubel Forsey has redesigned the Balancier Convexe S2 to account for its all-new carbon case. Now fit into a 41.5mm diameter size, smaller than existing 46.5mm models, the newest edition displays a noticeably tighter set of components, which accounts for its more compact look on the wrist.

The watch’s signature double open-work arched bridge remains as the watch’s beautifully polished centerpiece, again framing the wheel train below to appear as if it is suspended in air. The architectural layout, set within the undulating Convexe case shape, features three large hand-decorated bridges and a newly blackened twin barrel cover with relief engraving.

Greubel Forsey notes that even within the new carbon-cased model, the watch has retained its traditional case, lug and crown finishes.

The watchmaker will produce the new carbon-cased Balancier Convexe S2  in two limited editions of 22 pieces each, the small seconds with blue or black treatment, matching textured rubber strap, and a titanium and carbon buckle. Price: $290,000.

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