swiss - Qantas

watches
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colour
and (swiss)
movement
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Trends in time? The premium watch brands
had some surprises up their sleeves
this year. Bani McSpedden reports
on the standouts competing
to adorn your wrist.
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1. Rolex Oyster
Perpetual 36mm
Day Date 2. Rotonde
de Cartier Double
Tourbillon Mystery
3. Jaeger-LeCoultre
Deep Sea Chronograph
Cermet 4. Hublot
Masterpiece LaFerrari
5. IWC Ingenieur
Constant-Force
Tourbillon
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o c tobe r 201 3 Q A N TA S 1 2 5
special report watches
1. Girard-Perregaux
Constant Escapement
2. TAG Heuer MikroPendulumS Double
Tourbillon
It’s
that time of year when the crop of
new timepieces from the major
Swiss watch fairs begins to grace
the displays of retailers, and the
customers can finally see how
they size up. About time, given
that the Salon International de la
Haute Horlogerie took place in
Geneva back in January and the
giant Baselworld fair in April.
It has been estimated that more
than 70 per cent of annual time1
piece orders are placed at these
two fairs, at the conclusion of
which the brands gear up their
production to reflect expressed
demand. Hence the wait, one that
sees some models produced in volume and others restricted to a few
pieces allocated to particular regions and brand boutiques. Some
models never make it to the high-street counter.
At this year’s fairs, it was expected the influence of China, a region
that accounts for almost one-third of Swiss production, would again
dominate brand thinking. Pundits guessed that politely styled and
sized watches – in other words, nothing complicated such as
chronographs and preferably under 40mm – would continue the
comeback first witnessed a few years ago, when the Middle
Kingdom’s appetite for wristwear seemed almost insatiable. Yearly
sales gains of 30 to 50 per cent were achieved and, understandably,
brands scrambled to cater to the new clientele.
But now sales in China have plateaued and it seems creativity has
been unleashed again. If there is a trend to emerge this year, it’s that
the elegant time-teller might be alive and well, but colour and
movements are forging their way to the fore.
There was more referencing of the colour chart than at any time
since the edgy 1970s, and regular rethinking of the traditional
mechanical movement. It’s all evidence that the watch is increasingly
fulfilling a new function, that of heady adornment, rather than handy
instrument. Here are some of the more eye-catching pieces.
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hours and minutes display.
The movement is manual-wind,
the power reserve is one week,
and production is limited to
10 pieces, all cased in white
gold. $153,000.
magical
machines
Girard-Perregaux
Constant Escapement
Five years in development, this
48mm creation harnesses the
energy created by a tiny silicon
blade rather than relying on the
venerable escapement set-up
found in virtually all watches. Just
one-sixth the width of a human
hair, the blade vibrates back and
forth, its movement doing a
superior job of regulating power
delivery, resulting in incredible
accuracy. There are 271 parts
involved and you can see the
blade – and its “butterfly wing”
frame – dial-side, below the
TAG Heuer
MikroPendulumS
Double Tourbillon
What makes this watch
interesting is its substitution
of the usual power source, the
hairspring, with friction-free
magnetic pendulums. There
are two of them, one delivering
energy to a tourbillon that
rotates every five seconds
to regulate hours and minutes,
the other to a second tourbillon
rotating in a more leisurely
way to regulate the watch’s
chronograph functions. There
are 454 tiny parts, crafted from
exotic materials ranging from
cobalt to aviation composites,
all housed in a lightweight 45mm
case. It’s not destined yet for
serial production, but you can
always ask. Ditto the price. 
o c tobe r 201 3 Q A N TA S 1 27
watches special report
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IWC Ingenieur
Constant-Force
Tourbillon
In pride of place on the left side
of the dial (p125) is the constantforce mechanism and tourbillon
that gives this watch its name.
The former ensures unwavering
amplitude and works with the
regulating tourbillon to deliver
outstanding accuracy. But if that’s
impressive – not to mention
fascinating to look at – the two
moons to the right of the dial, one
for each hemisphere, are said to
accurately reflect not only the
celestial body’s position, but its
surface, right down to tiny craters.
The complex movement has two
barrels, offering a 96-hour power
reserve, in a 46mm platinum and
ceramics case. About $300,000.
1. A Lange &
Sohne Grand
Complication
2. Rotonde de
Cartier Double
Tourbillon Mystery
3. Rolex Perpetual
Cosmograph
Daytona
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A Lange & Sohne
Grand Complication
Grand is hardly too grand a word
for what’s on offer here, namely a
perpetual calendar, split-seconds
mono-pusher chronograph,
and minute repeater boasting a
chiming mechanism with grand
and small strikes. But it’s the
impressive look that attracted
aficionados and collectors on
its debut in Geneva, where a
giant version of the watch hung
over the A Lange & Sohne stand
entrance. Mind you, in real life
the piece is hardly recessive; the
pink-gold case is 50mm and the
five-part enamel dial is stunning.
All six examples slated for
production were snapped up
despite a ¤2m ($2.96m) price tag.
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Rotonde de
Cartier Double
Tourbillon Mystery
Hublot Masterpiece
LaFerrari
Hublot celebrated its relationship
with Ferrari with an exotic of its
own (p125), dubbed an “engine
block for the wrist”. Its horological
horsepower is undeniable, thanks
to an incredible 11 barrels – most
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watches have one, some two –
delivering a 50-day power reserve.
That, too, is a record, the standard
being 48 hours. Winding the
LaFerrari – those 11 barrels are
regulated by the usual tourbillon
– takes a special electric tool,
thankfully supplied. You’re
looking at 637 parts.
$300,000-plus.
4. Louis Vuitton
Tambour Twin Chrono
Match Racing
Cartier first produced
so-called “mystery” clocks
in the early 1900s, the
time-telling hands “carried”
by crystal discs driven from their
serrated and hidden edges. Now,
a century later, Cartier has not
only brought the idea to the
wrist, but done it with a complex
double tourbillon. A five-year
effort, it meant overcoming
problems of friction, durability
and power transfer, all with
patented new techniques.
Mesmerising to look at, the
mechanism seems to float in
space with no visible connection
to the gear train or means of
support. The 242-part movement
carries the Geneva seal and is
presented in a 45mm platinum
case. Now in production, for
under $200,000.
time for
colour
Rolex Perpetual
Cosmograph Daytona/
Rolex Oyster Perpetual
36mm Day Date
Something in the water cooler
at Rolex? This year has seen a
plethora of shades enhancing
new models, from this platinum
Daytona with its icy-blue dial and
chestnut ceramic bezel (around
$80,000), to the range of 36mm
Day Date watches in tantalising 
watches special report
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tones – green, cognac, blue,
cherry and chocolate – presented
in white, yellow or Everose gold
cases with coloured alligator
straps (p125). About $24,000.
Louis Vuitton
Tambour Twin Chrono
Match Racing
There’s not just a spectacular
cobalt-blue dial rendered
in enamel, but impressive
mechanicals here (p128). Designed
to measure split time, there are
two separate chronograph
mechanisms allowing for the
display of first elapsed time,
second elapsed time and the
time differential between
the two. This involves 437
parts, inside a 45.5mm case
in white gold. That said, it’s
the looks that are hard to
go past. About $80,000.
Tudor Heritage
Chrono Blue
1. Dior La Mini D
de Dior 2. Breitling
Emergency II
3. Patek Philippe
Ladies Aquanaut
Luce Metal Blue
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Yes, there are
diamonds, too,
but in this case
you don’t need
them to dazzle
Based on Tudor’s highly
collectable 1970s Monte Carlo
model, this chromatic chrono
comes with a steel bracelet,
but looks its brilliant best on the
matching blue, white and orange
woven strap on offer with the
package. About $4000.
calendar and
dual time readouts.
Cased in titanium,
about $20,000.
Patek Philippe
Ladies Aquanaut
Luce Metal Blue
Breitling Emergency II
You can have this “survival
instrument” – the world’s first
wristwatch with a dual-frequency
locator beacon – in a black dial, but
those who like colourful pursuits
will go for the yellow or orange
version. All can pinpoint your
location if you hit trouble, but only
the yellow and orange will cheer
you up when you simply need the
time. There’s also a chronograph,
1 30 Q A N TA S o c tobe r 201 3
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4. Tudor Heritage
Chrono Blue
Patek has long used a darker and
a lighter blue on its dials, but says
this year’s vibrant hue is one you
won’t find on any other watch.
It’s accented by a metallic effect
on the traditional grid pattern
of the dial, repeated on the
tropical strap. Diamonds on the
bezel (46 of them, totalling one
carat) add even more colour. The
35.6mm case is water-resistant
to 120m. $17,800.
Dior La Mini D
de Dior
As cute as bright
little buttons, the
19mm mini-Diors fizz
thanks to setting off
the black mother-ofpearl dials with flashy
fluoro straps. Yes, there
are diamonds, too, but in this
case you don’t need them
to dazzle. About $5000.
roundly
desirable
Omega Dark
Side of the Moon
Wittily named, this all-ceramic
piece is the latest and possibly
most interesting take to date on
the iconic Speedmaster moon
watch. Unusually, the 44.25mm
case, bezel, dial, crown, pushers
and buckle are all rendered in the
black ceramic composite, while
inside beats a chronometer-grade
co-axial movement with silicon 
watches
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branding, tick. Aside from the
usual boxes ticked, it’s touches
such as the orange-coded
chrono push-button just below
the crown, and hints of orange
and bright blue on the dial and
hands that set this Panny apart.
Yes, more colour and more
movement. About $15,000.
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balance spring. It’s no surprise
Omega has been inundated with
orders. About $11,000.
Oris Aquis
Depth Gauge
Possibly the sports watch of
the year, this diver was tested on
the Great Barrier Reef and in Bass
Strait. It features a clever and
unique depth-gauge arrangement.
A barely-there hole in the 4.5mm
crystal allows water to sluice into
a channel that measures the air
resistance it encounters, and
converts this to a depth reading
on the perimeter of the dial. In
a 46mm package, it’s a lot of
engineering for about $3300.
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Deep Sea Chronograph
Cermet
Cermet is a new metal
Jaeger-LeCoultre has cooked
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1. Zenith Montre
D’Aeronef Type 20 GMT
(steel case) 2. Baume &
Mercier Clifton 1830
3. Omega Dark Side of the
Moon 4. Oris Aquis Depth
Gauge 5. Panerai Luminor
1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono
Automatic Flyback Titanio
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up, combining ceramics and
metals. It’s lighter than titanium,
doesn’t shatter like ceramics, but
apparently offers the strength
and scratch-resistance of both.
In this 44mm piece (p125), it’s
used with titanium to great visual
effect, helped by the threecounter chronograph. There’s
even a version with more
vintage-like parchment-shaded
luminescence on the hands and
markers. Powered by a selfwinding in-house column-wheel
movement. About $20,000.
Panerai Luminor
1950 Regatta
3 Days Chrono
Automatic
Flyback Titanio
Chronograph functions,
tick; regatta timing
countdown, tick; 47mm
titanium case, tick; Panerai
Zenith Montre
D’Aeronef Type 20 GMT
Touching down this year, a fleet of
pilot watches measuring 40-48mm,
from the brand favoured by
pioneering aviator Louis Blériot,
the first person to fly across
the English Channel. Despite
its giant onion-shaped winders,
the mechanicals are self-winding,
but the look is fully fledged
authenticity. Steel-cased
GMT version about $8000.
Baume & Mercier
Clifton 1830
Distil everything a classic watch
should be and this is what you
might get. The 42mm rose-gold
case allows for the right expanse
of silvered dial, the perfect
backdrop to handsome gold
hour-markers of alternating
batons and Arabic numerals,
and nicely faceted hands.
Adding to the traditional feel
is a domed sapphire crystal and
a La Joux-Perret manual-wind
mechanical movement with an
impressive 90-hour power
reserve. About $18,000.
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