Oris has teamed with Kermit the Frog to produce Kermit Day, a special edition of its ProPilot X Calibre 400.
The new Oris ProPilot X Kermit Day
As debuted during Watches and Wonders 2023, the new 39mm titanium watch sports a notably bright green dial that echoes the famed amphibian’s own hue. But for added fun Oris tacks on another function: On the first of every month, the date window at 6 o’clock is filled with a Kermit the Frog emoji.
Kermit Day is all about having some fun, according to Oris. “If an Oris watch can make someone’s day better, we’ve done our job,” Oris explains in its description of the watch.
The remainder of the watch retains the existing specifications of the ProPilot X Caliber 400. The watch is an aviation-inspired vehicle that nicely exhibits the Oris Caliber 400, an Oris-built movement with an impressive five-day power reserve and highly anti-magnetic construction.
Oris notes that the Caliber 400 is accurate to -3 to +5 seconds a day (within chronometer certification standards). Its anti-magnetism stems from more than thirty non-ferrous and anti-magnetic parts (including a silicon escape wheel and a silicon anchor).
Oris underscores all its Caliber 400 Series watches with ten-year warranties and ten-year recommended service intervals.
Price: $4,600.
Also New in 2023
Oris enhances the performance of its groundbreaking automatic mechanical altimeter and places it into a new carbon-fiber composite case.
The new Oris ProPilot Altimeter
The new Oris Pro Pilot Altimeter is now thinner and more lightweight than it was in 2014. We’ll have details in a separate post next week.
Zenith in 2023 highlights its aviation watches with two new models, the Pilot Automatic and the Pilot Big Date Flyback.
Both new watches, which Zenith debuts today at the 2023 Watches & Wonders, will be available in newly designed steel or black ceramic cases.
The new Zenith Pilot Big Date Flyback, here in a black ceramic case.
The Pilot Automatic will be offered as a 40mm three-hand time and date watch while the Pilot Big Date Flyback offers a 42.5mm chronograph with both a large date display and a flyback function.
The new Zenith Pilot Automatic, in a 40mm steel case.
The flyback function allows the wearer to quickly reset the chronograph to zero and then restart it by a single push of a button. Historically, this allowed pilots to record consecutive times without stopping.
Both designs update Zenith’s long-standing pilot collection. Those familiar with the watchmaker may recall that Zenith in 1888 actually filed a trademark for the French term “Pilote” and filed for the English “Pilot” in 1904. Zenith today remains the only brand to hold the rights to mark its dials with ‘Pilot.’
In the early 20th century the watchmaker specialized in watches and dashboard instruments for pilots, notably supplying Louis Blériot, who made history by making the first flight across the English Channel in 1909.
Pilot Automatic
In addition to the new case design, Zenith gives this model a distinctive flat-top round bezel.Zenith satin-brushes the steel case version and micro-blasts the black ceramic model to give it a contemporary matte finish. On the watch’s black opaline dial Zenith fits oversized Arabic numerals in traditional early 20th-century pilot style. The dial’s horizontal grooves are meant to mimic the look of corrugated metal on the fuselage of older aircrafts.
At 6 o’clock above the date window, Zenith adds a new flat luminescent hour marker to replace an Arabic 6. This white line recalls the artificial horizon instrument found in cockpits. A similar line is found just below the date on the Pilot Big Date Flyback.
Seen through the sapphire display back is Zenith’s El Primero 3620 high-frequency manufacture movement, which delivers a power reserve of sixty hours when fully wound. Zenith will supply straps to match both models: The black ceramic version is delivered on a black cordura-effect rubber strap as well as a khaki rubber strap.
Zenith supplies the steel model on the same black rubber strap, but adds a second strap made of vintage-like brown calfskin leather. Of course, these straps can be easily swapped with the quick-release mechanism integrated directly into the back of the straps.
Pilot Big Date Flyback
Powered by the new El Primero 3652 automatic high-frequency chronograph (a new version of the Zenith El Primero 3600), the new watch displays its namesake functions with panache.
The steel model is especially notable for its vintage ‘Rainbow Flyback’references with its chronograph’s minutes totalizer finished in alternating colors, which will make it easier to distinguish between the five-minute marks.
In addition, the steel model’s central chronograph seconds and its chronograph minutes hands are bright orange. This is another nod to the Zenith El Primero Rainbow from 1997.
The model’s black ceramic version offers a more utilitarian look with luminescent white markers and hands that contrast nicely against a black corrugated dial. On both models, the date display features a new, patented mechanism that advances and stabilizes both of the big date’s wheels in less than 0.03 seconds.
Zenith will deliver the new Pilot Big Date Flyback in ceramicwith a black and khaki rubber strap. For the steel version Zenith includes the black rubber strap and a brown leather strap.
Prices:
Pilot Automatic – Black Microblasted Ceramic: $9,600
Pilot Big Date Flyback – Black Microblasted Ceramic: $13,500
Pilot Automatic – Steel: $7,500
Pilot Big Date Flyback – Steel: $11,500
More Dark 2023 Debuts
Also for Watches and Wonders 2023 Zenith debuts an all-black micro blasted titanium Defy Revival Shadow, with a matte black dial ($7,400).
Zenith’s new Defy Revival Shadow.
Additional all-black debuts include the Defy Skyline Ceramic ($15,000),which features a black galvanic dial with a sun-ray finish, and a new Defy Skyline Skeleton Ceramic ($17,000), with an open dial that highlights a blackened large central four-pointed star.
The new Zenith Defy Skyline Black Ceramic.
The watch’s skeleton movement features black bridges and main plate.
The new Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton Black Ceramic.
Doxa thins and slims its SUB 200 C-Graph dive watch series, adding a selection of models with a 42mm diameter (down from the 45mm of the existing series from 2020) and a reduced thickness of 15.85mm. The new series, called SUB 200 C-Graph II, also boasts a new sunburst dial finish, all offered in the collections’s familiar six-colors.
One of six new DOXA SUB C-Graph II models, each available with a rubber strap or ‘beads of rice’ steel bracelet.
Despite its new size, the Doxa vintage-themed series retains its Tri-Compax dial layout, its unidirectional rotating steel bezel and its minute indication highlighted in white SuperLuminova. The White Pearl model (below) features a ceramic bezel.
A close look at the dials of the bright new SUB 200 C-Graph II watches reveals the details of the light-refracting sunburst finish.
Thin brushed lines, created by artisans using metal filament brushes, radiate outward from the center of the dial (like sun rays). The effect serves to illuminates each of the collection’s six dial colors.
Devised for long dive times, the SUB 200 C-Graph II allows up to twelve hours of time to be measured using the stopwatch function.
A sweep center-seconds hand begins its revolutions, when the chronograph is activated, and works in concert with minutes and hours registers.
Doxa fits each watch with an ETA-based automatic three-hand movement offering a power reserve of 56 hours and protected with 200 meters of water resistance. Prices start at $2,850 (see details below).
Specifications: Doxa SUB 200 C-Graph II
Case: 42mm by 46mm by 15.85mm stainless steel, screw-down crown,
sapphire crystal, unidirectional rotating bezel, solid steel back, screw-in.
Water resistance: 200 meters.
Dial:Sunray-finished, available in the six colors of the collection, hour, minute and counter hands coated with Super-LumiNova. Bezel marker at 12 o’clock coated with white Super-LumiNova, Caribbean & SharkHunter models: Super-LumiNova on all markers, except the timer White Pearl ceramic model: no Super-LumiNova on the bezel.
Movement:Swiss automatic, 3 hands, chronograph power reserve of approx. 56 hours, frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz). DOXA decorations.
Strap/Bracelet:Stainless steel “beads of rice” bracelet, attached by screws for a secure fit, folding clasp with wetsuit extension, embossed “DOXA fish” symbol
or FKM rubber strap, tone-on-tone color-matched with the dial. Buckle featuring the exclusive “DOXA Fish” symbol.
Urwerk rebuilds its UR-102, which debuted in 1997, to create UR-102 Reloaded, a round watch that still offers the hands-free wandering-hour display of the original, which was inspired by the Sputnik satellite launch of 1957.
With its familiar semi-circular time track and digital hour marker, the new Urwerk UR-102 updates the pioneering original model with a slightly larger (41mm) case with larger lugs.
Urwerk has also merged the crown into the case and moved it from the 3 o’clock position to the 4 o’clock position. And instead of the ceramicized aluminum of the original, the new edition is cased in satin-brushed or black titanium.
“If you observe our UR-102 Reloaded in its titanium version, you will notice that the minutes track is the same blue,” explains Urwerk’s Martin Frei.
“We redesigned and shifted the crown slightly. The migration of the crown led to a change in the opening for reading the time. No longer a perfect semi-circle, this ‘window’ is wider with sloping edges, giving it a fresher, more dynamic look,” he adds.
Urwerk has also redesigned the font of the hours and minutes markers and added new information on the dial.
Urwerk offers the UR-102 Reloaded in a boxed set issued as a 25-piece limited edition comprising the titanium and black titanium versions. Later this year the watches will be available individually.Price: $60,000.
Starting April 1, Patek Philippe will display its new Rare Handcrafts 2023 collection during a public exhibition at the Patek Philippe historic headquarters on 41 Rue du Rhône in Geneva.
On display at the exhibition is this Leopard Pocket watch with wood marquetry, hand engraving and champlevé enamel.
On display until April 15, the collection will show nearly seventy one-of-a-kind or limited-edition watches and clocks made by Patek Philippe artisans showing their wide-ranging skills and creativity.
The annual exhibit this year will display timepieces that demonstrate skill in Grand Feu cloisonné enameling, miniature painting on enamel, grisaille or flinqué or paillonné or champlevé enameling, manual engraving, micro-marquetry, manual guilloching and gemsetting.
Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcrafts 2023 collection includes sixty-seven creations in total consisting of twenty-two dome clocks and miniature dome clocks, three table clocks, twelve pocket watches and thirty wristwatches. This exhibition is the public’s only opportunity to see unique pieces and limited editions before they are delivered to private collections.
The exhibits are divided into two main areas: natural beauty and human adventure.
To make the cat, the marquetry maker cut out and assembled 363 tiny veneer parts and 50 inlays, together spanning 21 species of wood of different colors, textures and veining.
Within the nature area, you’ll see, for example, the Leopard pocket watch (reference 995/137J-001) which combines wood marquetry, manual engraving and champlevé enamel.
The dial on The Leopard, in black-tinted tulipwood, presents applied Breguet numerals and leaf-shaped hands, all in yellow gold. A faceted yellow sapphire decorates the crown.
In the second area Patek Philippe gathers timepieces that pay tribute to arts, traditions and culture, with a particular set of timepieces dedicated to motor racing.
The 1948 Nations Grand Prix Calatrava wristwatch features a dial in cloisonné and paillonné enamel enriched with miniature painting on enamel.
One of these, the 1948 Nations Grand Prix Calatrava wristwatch (reference 5189G-001) features a dial in cloisonné and paillonné enamel and miniature painting on enamel.
This limited edition of ten watches shines a spotlight on the famous Nations Grand Prix, held in Geneva from 1946 to 1950.
This complete showcase also includes a selection of historical rare handcraft timepieces on loan from the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva.
The Rare Handcrafts 2023 exhibition requires no entry fee and will be open to the public from April 1 to April 15, 2023, every day except Sundays, from 11 am to 6 pm (last entry at 5 pm), at the Patek Philippe Salons on Rue du Rhône 41 in Geneva. Visitors are requested to pre-register online.
Thin brushed lines, created by artisans using metal filament brushes, radiate outward from the center of the dial (like sun rays). The effect serves to illuminates each of the collection’s six dial colors.
A sweep center-seconds hand begins its revolutions, when the chronograph is activated, and works in concert with minutes and hours registers.
