Harry Winston Historie deTourbillon no 1

On Wednesday, I featured the Harry Winston Opus 7. Today is also a Harry Winston...not an Opus, but also a collaboration. This time with Greubel Forsey...an interpretation of their wonderful incline tourbillons which I featured last year. Harry Winston calls it their Hiastorie de Tourbillon 1.

This very imposing timepiece features a very large 48mm case constructed of white gold and Zallium. It is a very large watch, but the aestetics and propotions are carefully worked out, that it doesn't look overly monstrous. I think it sits rather well on the wrist, and has some great presence.

I am fascinated by two toubillon escapements, 25° inclined singleaxis tourbillons with rapid 36‐second rotation. Photograph below shows the magnificent inclined tourbillons in detail

Truly magnificent watch, limited to 20 pieces. Finish, as is usual for GF and HW, is absolutely top drawer.

Harry Winston Opus 7

The Opus Project by Harry Winston is a remarkable initiative. Started some 12 years ago, now we are at edition Opus 12...the project uses the considerable resources of the Harry Winston company in cooperation with master watchmakers to create interesting and very innovative designs, marketed by Harry Winston under the Opus umbrella. Some incredible timepieces have debuted as such...amongst my favourites, the Opus 3, Opus 5, and Opus 6. Today I feature Opus 7, a collaboration with Andreas Strahler.

I understand this is probably the last of the 50 in the series to be made, in white gold, and with diamonds gracing the bezel.

The sculpted bridges give the impression of a butterfly's wings...catching the light, sparkles almost as brightly as the brilliant diamonds.

Click on the image to get a wallpaper sized image at 1920 pixel width.

The movement, is quite magnificently finished...manually wound, and showing the hours, minutes and power reserve by pressing the crown. Pressing once aligns the hour number with the wheel's triangular indicator at 10. Press a second time, the minute number aligns with the triangle. And a third push shows the power reserve. Interesting.

But for me, the magic of this beautiful timepiece is in the dial...magnificently executed, very beautiful.

Silicium in watches?

Silicium, or silicon is one of the most abundant element on Earth...so is it special enough to be put in a high end watch movement?

My friends at Watchonista has written an interesting article covering this new material as it is applied to watch movements, in particular in escapements. I wrote a soundbite on my views within the sidebar. Click here for the article.

My regular Tuesday's photo post is held back till Wednesday. I will be featuring the Strahler made Opus 7 by Harry Winston.

Omegas on wrists

Two wrist shots for today...both Omega, one vintage, one recent..

A very beautiful Speedmaster in a square/tonneau shape case, typical of the 1970s. This one is a magnificent example...excellent condition, owned by a gentleman collector.

And a more recent Proplof...a great remake of a great watch. The watch is massive, and comes with a beautiful chain mail bracelet.

And just for kicks...the Proplof has an embossed back with the image a sea creature...take the watch off...and it is embossed on the wrist.

Two wheelers at the Concorso Eleganza 2012

The Concorso is not only about cars...this year, they had an exhibit (non-competition) of two wheelers.

From the oldie...but beauties...like this magnificent Zenith

and this one...I just love the way the exhausts flare out at the back...I wonder if this affects the exhaust notes?

To the amazingly modern

And of course, this is Italy, so the ubiquitious Vespa

And the bicilettta...the bicycle...

Parmigiani PF110: Ionica and Kalpa Hebdomadaire

Parmigiani's Ionica and Kalpa Hebdomadaire shares one of my favourite movements: the PF110.

Thanks to my partners at Watchonista, my article and photography of these watch is currently featured at the Parmigiani Blog.

Click on the image above for wallpaper sized image.

For my views on this iconic watch and more photographs, please click on the Parmigiani Blog banner above, or click here.

Unusual piece: Universal Aero Compax

I saw this on the wrist of the host of one of the tastings I do as a matter of course for my food blog. What an unusual piece. A vintage, Universal Geneve Aero-Compax.

Even more amazing is the story on how he acquited it. He was on a business trip to Paris, and spied on the corner of a shop window this magnificent watch. He looked at it, and went back to his hotel...but could not stop thinking about the watch. He was not a collector, just the typical male who get excited at times, by mechanical stuff.

He returned to the store the next day and got a bargain price for this wonderful time piece.

Apologies for the poor lighting...this was taken in situ in a steakhouse...with typical steakhouse lighting. But I had to show the watch as it is a rare find these days, especially one in such a good condition.

Concorso D'Eleganza: The Concept Cars

I found some pictures I took at the Concorsa d'Eleganza della Villa D'Este which I photographed in May this year.

I seem to have forgotten the concept cars, which I show today.

The Tesla Electric

The Lexus

BMW's offering

From Ford

And Bertone

Urban eXperiment: Jean Baptise Voit

Words by owner of watch. Photograph taken by me, by a window table in a restaurant in Dempsey Hill, Singapore.

I bought this a few years ago while I was visiting Europe and Curtis Thomson advised me to visit the watchmaker Jean Baptiste Viot since France was my last stop. I tried to read up more about him prior to the visit. There wasn't much information about his watchmaking back then but I did find out JB belongs to an underground movement called Urban eXperiment. Apparently they go around infiltrating official buildings and do restoration. Eh Mission Impossible in horology? I got to meet this guy!

This watch is quite a departure from my usual taste(usually A. Lange Sohne). A bit of details overload and yet the quirkiness somehow holds the whole design together. It reminded me of earlier days FP Journe especially his prototype remontoir Tourbillon. It is also based on the Peseux 260 which I understand is a chronometer movement and the same as Kari Voutilainen's Observatorie. I found it fascinating to see individual interpretations from different independents.

The JB prototype piece has not been spoken for yet and I knew I got to act fast. Rarely do you get a chance to buy a watch that was the testbed of a design and furthermore it was made by the watchmaker himself, not assistants. JB was surprise and said a normal production piece will be of better quality. But I know this watch will have something non of the others will have, it will have history and a soul. Prototype pieces are always special in that sense.