Saturday, October 31, 2009

PIAGET Polo Tourbillon Relatif



This is a rough idea how a tourbillion watches inside out works.. enjoy!

Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon

The rarest complications united in a wristwatch, Patek Philippe unveiled the Star Calibre 2000, one of the most complicated pocket watches of all times.

Barely six months later, the Geneva workshops introduced another Grand Complication - in a wristwatch format.

The "Sky Moon Tourbillon" Ref. 5002 is the first double-faced wristwatch that features a complete presentation of the nocturnal sky on its reverse side.

The masterpiece displays the apparent movements of the stars, the orbit of the moon, the moon phases, as well as the hours and minutes in sidereal time.

As was already the case with the Star Caliber 2000, Patek Philippe's goal in the development of the "Sky Moon Tourbillon" was not so much the number of complications per se. The real objective was to accommodate the most fascinating complications in the small case of a wristwatch: a perpetual calendar with a retrograde date display, a minute repeater, a tourbillon, the display of sidereal time, and a depiction of the nocturnal sky with the motion of the stars, the orbit of the moon, and the moon phases. This turned out to be a formidable challenge because a chart of the heavenly canopy (as seen in the northern or southern hemisphere) requires a certain minimum space to demonstrate the movements of the stars in a sensible and clearly legible manner. The solution adopted by Patek Philippe was borrowed from the astronomical pocket watches made by the company: a moving sky chart on the reverse side of the timepiece. The mechanical module developed by Patek Philippe for the "Star Calibre 2000" was redesigned especially for the "Sky Moon Tourbillon" and was granted Swiss patent CH 688 171 B5.

One of the top 10 most expensive watch in the world. -1.3million

The Chopard Super Ice Cube

There’s no telling what this watch can do to a woman lucky enough to wear it. Will it lend its sparkles to its owner? Definitely so, what with almost 66 carats of diamonds providing star-like shine and luster to its stylishly done design.

It’s so easy to overlook the excellent craftsmanship present in the Chopard Super Ice Cube. Everyone gets blinded by the diamonds. Who wouldn’t be? Looking closely though, you will notice how each diamond is expertly placed, and then the craftsmanship hits you full in the face. Judging the Super Ice Cube by its diamonds alone is understandable and expected, but quite demeaning for a watch designed with such creativity and precision.
The Chopard Super Ice Cube hints of royalty and grace. It is also a symbol of opulence and extravagance, of success and high standing. Obviously, this watch is only for the super rich. Some jewelry shines but this Chopard shines brighter than most. If the Milky Way is made up of watches, the Chopard Super Ice Cube is the sun, the biggest star of them all.

One of the top 10 most expensive watch in the world. -1.1million

Hublot Black Caviar Bang


As part of Hublot Iconic Big Bang Collection, it’s a very exclusive timepiece as it is the one. You won’t find its clones or sister and brothers. Hublot produced only one single piece of Black Caviar Bang all the time in the world.

The materials was so lavish, luxurious, and extraordinary: 18 k white gold for the case and “Black Caviar”…It’s actually over 500 pieces of extremely rare black diamonds , with total weight of 34.5 carats, adorning all over the watch.
322 diamonds on the case, 179 diamonds on the bezel, 13 diamonds at the crown and 30 diamonds at its white gold clasp. Count it? Total sum is 544 pieces of black diamond.

One of the top 10 most expensive watch in the world. -1million

Louis Moinet Magistralis


Louis Moinet is the world’s first and only brand to create a watch featuring an authentic piece of the moon. This 2000 year-old lunar meteorite is used for the moon-phase display of the hundred-year old and extremely sophisticated complication movement (including minute repeater, perpetual calendar and single-pusher chronograph functions) powering the MAGISTRALIS. The incredibly complex 18-carat white gold case is composed of more than 100 different parts, while the presentation box is highly creative in its own right: Louis Moinet introduces the first musical instrument for watches thanks to the watch stand which serves to amplify the sound of the repeater mechanism. Finally, an original copy of Louis Moinet’s famous Traité d’Horlogerie sets the final dream touch to the fascinating history of this watch.
Magistralis is an extraordinary watch representing the expert craftsmanship of the time-honoured art of Haute Horlogerie. It is one of a kind, unlike any other, and will never be repeated.

One of the top 10 most expensive watch in the world. -$860,000

Blancpain 1735, Grande Complication



This Blancpain 1735 Grande Complication Le Brassus watch in platinum features a 42mm case, white dial, and crocodile strap. The Blancpain 1735 Grande Complication Le Brassus also features and automatic windning movement with hour and minute display, tourbillon escapement, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph, perpetual calendar, moon phase indicator, and 80 hour power reserve.

One of the top 10 most expensive watch in the world. -$800,000

Breguet pocket watch 1907BA/12


The Breguet Grande Complication Pocket Watch, Ref. 1907BA/12, features a 56.50mm diameter case in 18-karat yellow gold with a hinged coverlid, an engine-turned guilloche dial in silvered gold with blued hands, and an off-centered display for hours. A sapphire crystal exhibition back and cutouts in the gold dial reveals the masterful decorations and complex structure of a handwound movement which features a one-minute tourbillon regulator and a grande sonnerie chiming function. The Breguet Grande Complication pocket watch is protected against humidity only.

One of the top 10 most expensive watch in the world. -$734,000

Chopard’s $25 million watch


Yes, you read that right: twenty-five million dollars. This gaudy timepiece by Chopard is adorned with three heart-shaped diamonds—a 15-carat pink diamond, a 12-carat blue diamond and an 11-carat white diamond. For good measure, they threw in 163 carats of white and yellow diamonds to bring the total to 201 carats of diamonds. The result is something that looks rather like a geode that’s been turned inside out and dipped in lemon Kool-Aid. Add to that the fact that the size of the watch’s face must make telling time into a fun game of Where’s Waldo and you’ll see that Chopard has truly created a recipe for success.

Currently the most expensive watch in the world. -25millions

Patek Philippe’s Platinum World Time



The Platinum World Time created by Patek Philippe was sold at auction for over $4 million USD in 2002. It is believed that only one was created and, at the time, it was the most expensive wristwatch in the world.
In fact, Patek Philippe had produced all of the ten most expensive watches in the world. The company, headquartered in Geneva, made their first wristwatch in 1868. They had already made a name for themselves prior to that, however, by providing watches to Queen Victoria herself in 1851. Other notable customers include Pope Pius IX, a king and queen of Denmark, an Italian king and Saddam Hussein’s son-in-law.

One of the top 10 most expensive watches in the world. -4millions

Vacherin Constantin’s Tour de l’Ile

Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin marked its 250th anniversary in 2005 with the world’s most complicated wrist watch—the Tour de l’Ile. The watch is so complicated that it required over 10,000 hours of research to create. Its name refers to one of the historical sites of the venerable company, located next to the current Maison Vacheron Constantin on the Quai de l’Ile.

Only produced in a limited edition of seven pieces, this expensive watch is also the most complicated double-face watch. Tour de l’Ile is made with a totally original combination of horological complications (that is, features beyond the simple telling of the time of day) and astronomical indications composing a list of sixteen different points including a minute repeater, sunset time, perpetual calendar, second time zone, a tourbillion device, the equation of time and a representation of the night sky.

One of the top 10 most expensive watches in the world. -1.5millions
Limited Edition of only 7 pieces worldwide.



Friday, October 30, 2009

Titanic-DNA Tourbillon Steampunk a la Grande




The Tourbillon Steampunk echoes the A la Grande design of the Titanic-DNA collection and features a generously sized 50 mm-diameter case that reaches a full 53 mm including the screw-locked crown or the paws. The latter come in steel, ceramic or 5N pink gold depending on the model, and are applied to the entirely riveted oxidised bezel. Fashioned using 80 rivets hand-applied by the watchmaking craftsmen of the Maison Romain Jerome, the latter is inspired by the hull and the boiler room of the famous ocean liner.

The dial-free Tourbillon Steampunk proudly displays its personalised RJ 2 movement exclusively developed by Concepto and decorated in harmony with the collection signature features. The transversal cross is symbolised on this model by four bolts (including two mounted on springs), vividly evoking watertight hatches used in the marine world. The 12 o’clock Roman numeral in satin-brushed and bevelled steel makes a striking contrast with the mirror-polished finish of the mainplate and the tourbillon carriage bridge. The rear of the movement features an off-centred bidirectional oscillating weight shaped like a ship’s anchor.

Omega Speedmaster- The Moon Watch







The Moon Watch

Many watchmaking companies have had many "firsts" over the years. It's difficult to think of one more impressive than that achieved by Omega at 02:56 GMT on July 20th 1969: the Omega Speedmaster became the first watch worn on the moon.

History
The Speedmaster was not designed and built especially for NASA. It had been generally on sale since 1957. In the early 1960s NASA purchased samples of a number of watches available at the time for testing - one of these was the Speedmaster (later known as the Speedmaster Professional). The watches that NASA considered needed to provide both standard timekeeping functions and the ability to time intervals.
The selected watch would, of course, need to operate accurately and reliably in the cold vacuum of space. The different makes of watch were therefore subjected to a series of tests including vacuum, gravity and temperature. Only the Omega Speedmaster Professional passed.
The Speedmaster thus became the official wristwatch of the space program - despite political pressure to use an American made brand. It was first worn by the gemini astronauts and then later on the Apollo program.
After becoming the first watch to be worn on the moon in 1970 the Speedmaster was known informally as the Moon Watch.


Apollo 13

Although the Speedmaster is most famous for being the first watch worn on the moon, the most important contribution it made to the space program was probably during the ill fated 1970 Apollo 13 mission.
When the power failed on the mission, the on-board computers and timing devices were useless. The only way the crew could make vital timings - such as engine bursts - was via their wristwatches. Had the Speedmaster failed or been inaccurate then the outcome of that mission might have been very different.
As a recognition of the contribution of the Speedmaster to the safety of the mission and the astronauts, it received the NASA "Snoopy Award". ("Snoopy" was the nickname given to the Apollo 10 Lunar Module, officially "LM-4".)

"Speedmaster" is a trademark of Omega This blog is not associated with or endorsed by Omega




Patek Philippe- The "Graves Complication" Watch



Complication" Watch
The famous Graves Complication - one of the most complicated watches ever made - was completed in 1933. In 1999 it was sold at auction for $11 million, making it the world's most expensive watch at the time.

History
The Graves Complication arose out of an informal competition between Henry Graves Jr and James Ward Packard of Ohio. These two - very rich - men each commissioned a series of ever more impressive watches from the Patek Philippe watch company during the 1920s.

The Graves Complication was the end result of this horological "arms race". It was commissioned in 1930 and completed in 1933. It was a grand complication pocket watch - one which featured more than one complication. In horological terms a "complication" is any extra feature beyond basic timekeeping functions.

This watch was at the time one of the most complicated ever built (it has since been outdone by the Calibre 89 "ultimate" watch). It included numerous complications including split-second chronograph, moon phases and even a chart of the night sky over Graves' home in New York!

Where Is It Now?
When Henry Graves died the Graves Complication went to the Time Museum in Illinois. When the museum closed in 1999 the watch was sold at auction and fetched just over $11 million. It was purchased by an anonymous bidder and has since disappeared from view, probably into a private vault somewhere.

Which is a loss to the world of horology. Hopefully it'll re-emerge one day and return to public display.

One of the top 10 most expensive watches in the world. -11millions