Art Basel Miami Beach just wrapped up its 2012 event. Interestingly enough, in addition to drawing thousands of art lovers from around the world, the event also attracted the attention of a host of watch brands. It is no wonder – many art lovers are also watch collectors and enthusiasts. Now, the legendary Swiss watch brand Audemars Piguet has made a bold stand in the art world in an effort to underscore the relationship and further both worlds.
Audemars Piguet has announced its global sponsorship of Art Basel beginning in 2013 – for Art Basel shows in Basel, Miami, and Hong Kong. The move comes as no surprise, since this brand has been creating artistic masterpieces in the form of watches since 1875. Audemars Piguet plans to host visitors in an exclusive
Art Collectors’ Lounge, where it will feature a specially curated exhibition of timepieces and crafts to immerse visitors in the art of watchmaking. Additional special events and activities will be planned in collaboration with leading artists throughout the duration of each of the three 2013 fairs.
Time Capsules – News: Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. – What a Match
For more than a century two great brands, Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co., have been working together. Now, to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the US Patek Philippe Boutique inside Tiffany & Co, New York City, the two jointly unveil special limited-edition timepieces.
The new watches are double signed, with both the Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. logos. The limited-edition watches in clued the Art-Deco inspired Ladies Gondolo tonneau shaped case, now in 18-karat white gold and accented with 164 round brilliant-cut diamonds, offered in a version with matte blue sunburst dial, or with white mother-of-pearl dial.
The new Men’s Annual Calendar watch is also created in 18-karat white gold and features day, date, and month in apertures, as well as moonphases and 24-hour indication. The sapphire crystal caseback enables viewing of the meticulously finished Caliber 324S QA LU 24H and holds an exclusive engraving: Patek Philippe- A Shared Vision – 2008-2013 – Tiffany & Co.
While the Patek Philippe boutique in the NY store opened five years ago, Tiffany & Co and Patek Philippe’s partnership dates back to 1851.
Watch Stops: Pre-SIHH 2013 – A. Lange & Sohne Unveils Grand Lange 1 Lumen
A. Lange & Sohne understands the importance of ease of reading, and magnificently incorporates it into the all new limited Grand Lange 1 “Lumen” with a semi-transparent dial that exposes the ingenious mechanism of the first luminescent outsize date display. Long known for its superbly bold date display, A. Lange & Sohne kept the complex mechanism for the function hidden behind a solid silver dial. The Grand Lange 1 “Lumen” reveals the secret. The sapphire crystal surfaces of the dial reveal the disc mechanism of the firs outsize date to glow in the dark. The time and power reserve indicators also are legible in the dark. To achieve the luminosity took much research and development, and was ultimately accomplished using a multi-step process and contrasting luminous compounds. Just 100 pieces will be made in platinum.
Video: Audemars Piguet Celebrates Royal Oak
As this year comes to a close, we want to recall the 40th anniversary celebration of one of the most iconic 20th century watches: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. We here at Atimelyperspective have brought you a lot of behine-the-scene coverage of this brand and its newest watches that celebrate the birth of the luxury sport watch.
Here, we bring you a video whose music and images bring it all full circle. 40 years of a revolutionary timepiece — with a soundtrack by Jimi Hendrix.
Weekend Sojourn: NASCAR Racing with Tissot
It isn’t everyday one gets to official NASCAR racing. Being in the pits, walking among the drivers and the frenzied hustling of readying the cars for the track is a real thrill. Even better: actually being on the track sidelines during the race, and standing right next to the pit crew as they make their 10-second
moves! You have to be fast to catch it on camera. It is all loud, roaring, fun!
Recently, we were at Kansas Speedway for a long weekend with Tissot– the Swiss watch brand that supports NASCAR and Danica Patrick with the #7 Tissot car ( We interviewed Danica Patrick that weekend, and you can read about it here).
The weekend consisted of NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It was great weekend for races, celebration parties, the launch of the new Danica Patrick Tissot timepiece, and more. Being press,
we had the distinct pleasure of being in on all of the driver press conferences – where they share their thoughts, insights, and more – and in on the driver meeting pre-racing. It is a highly charged atmosphere of competition and camaraderie. Here are just a few exciting photos from the weekend.
- Bandit spun out and caught fire.
Watch Stops: SIHH 2013 – Baume & Mercier Unveils new Clifton Line
It has started: the unveiling of several new watch collections as sneak-peeks at what will be coming in January at the SIHH exhibition in Geneva. We’ve shown a few insights already, but here we are again.
This new Clifton collection from Baume & Mercier was inspired by a 1950’s vintage timepiece, and is an evolution of Baume & Mercier’s old Classima collection. The clean, crisp dial of the Clifton offers a contemporary interpretation of the classic round retro watch.
Highlights of the Clifton line include two 41mm watches that house automatic movements and feature either silver-colored or black dials with a sun satin-finish. Each offers three hands, features anti-glare coating on the sapphire crystal and is fitted with an alligator strap. The Clifton 10060 model is a manual-wind watch housing a La Joux-Perret 7381 mechanical 
movement that is equipped with a double barrel. It is adjusted to five positions for accuracy and precision, and is housed in an 18-karat rose gold case with domed dial. This classically alluring model is 42mm in diameter. The new Clifton line is one that really must be seen to be appreciated. It is — quite simply — elegant. It will retail from $2,700 to $6,300, and is expected to be in stores in April 2013.
ATimelyPerspective Event: Great Opportunity to Bid on Line for Great Jewelry, Watches to Benefit Hurricane Sandy Victims
We don’t usually write about jewelry during the watch week (we save that for Weekend Sojourns), but with the holidays around the corner and everyone shopping for a great buy, you may just want to check this out. More than 90 jewelry designers and at least one watch brand, Baume & Mercier, have donated their best work to an important fundraising auction — with all proceeds going to the Waves for Water Hurricane Sandy Relief Initiative. Waves for Water has committed long term, hands-on support and funding for the rebuilding of the beach communities in NY and NJ (wavers for water.org)
You can bid on beautiful jewelry on line and at the same time help this important effort. The auction began yesterday and ends on Thursday December 6. Coordinated by Greenwich Jewelers in New York City, there will be a holiday store event from 5-8 pm for the finale of the auction on December 6, but bidding also takes place on line at biddingowl.com/sparkle4sandyrelief.
With a storefront in lower Man
hattan and customers from all over the tri-state area, Greenwich Jewelers’ owners felt compelled to help following the devastation of Hurricane
Sandy. “Seeing the destruction in neighborhoods like ou
r home, the Financial District, and beachfront
communities …was heartbreaking. I found Waves for Water, a grassroots organization that’s done extensive work in disaster areas around the globe, and I wanted to support their Hurricane Sandy Relief Initiative,” Jennifer Gandia, owner of Greenwich Jewelers, said.
Among the brands that donated the nearly 100 rings, earrings, necklaces, cufflinks, watches and more for the cause are Aaron Basha, Charriol, DeLatori, Gurhan, Temple St. Clair, Robin Rotenier and others.
Video: One of the most alluring watch videos yet! Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater
As a writer, it isn’t often that I say it is impossible to describe something accurately. But with the recently released Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater watch, this is definitely the case. The sheer beauty and technical mastery that brings this watch – with two parent birds atop a baby bird nest – to life is breathtaking. This is one video you don’t want to miss.
Not only is this stunning watch a minute repeater, but also it is a superlative automaton – with many moving parts that bring to life nature’s beloved birds. By activating the minute repeater, the watch strikes the hours, quarter hours and minutes on a cathedral gong (visible via the sapphire caseback). Operating simultaneously with the repeater is a series of wonderfully animated automaton motions. As the repeater strikes, one parent bird lowers its beak with a worm in it to try to feed one of the baby birds, the other parent bird lifts its wing, which fans out magically to protect the other baby bird. Toward the end of time’s chiming, the center egg cracks and a tiny new bird lifts its head. In all, the automatons make eight animated sequences.
Just eight pieces of this magnificent Bird Repeater will be madein rose gold and in white gold — each requiring hundreds of hours of watchmaking mastery to build the 508-part movement. The dial is hand engraved, and painted mother of pearl, with a black onyx center. The raised birds and nest are hand sculpted and painted by an enamel artist over the course of hundreds of hours. Oh to own this watch would be wonderful. Sadly, I don’t have the nest egg of just about $472,500 available (for the rose gold version, the white gold version costs more).
Watch this amazing video here:
Weekend Sojourn: Palafitte Hotel, Lake Neuchatel, Switzerland
In the country that brings us the world’s finest chocolates and timepieces, sits one of the world’s most unique and beautiful hotels. Hotel Palafitte is unique in that it is the only five-star hotel in Europe built on water. In fact, it stands on tall piles on the Lake of Neuchatel – offering breathtaking 
views of the lake. Every room is luxurious and equipped with state-of-the-art technology. An experience of perfection and peace, staying at Hotel Palafitte makes it difficult to want to go home. The on-lake rooms feature well-appointed decks, complete with 
ladders that enable you to swim at your convenience any time during your stay. I’ve had the good fortune to stay at this hotel a couple of times now and never tire of it. Rooms are fully stocked with coffee machines, internet access, even your own computer. The huge bathroom with jacuzzi and rain-forest shower has two doorways and is separated from the living space by frosted glass walls. This hotel is spectacular. What’s more, the restaurant is top-
notch – with weekly menus. Don’t’ miss the chance to stay here the next time you are in this area! You WON’T be disappointed.
Time Capsules: Product- Backes & Strauss Victoria Blue Heart supports Charity
At the recent World Premiere of Haute Horlogerie held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, famed British jewelry and watch brand, Backes & Strauss showed off some of its most exquisite diamond-adorned timepieces. Among the highlights were pieces in the Berkeley, Piccadilly and Regent lines, as well as a specialty piece in the brand’s Victoria Collection – the Victoria Blue Heart. While this watch was unveiled to the world in January, it is currently available for sale globally.
Crafted in 18-karat white gold and set with a diamond floral motif with blue sapphires in the shape of a heart, the Victoria Blue Heart watch highlights the work of the United Nations Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking. The Victoria Collection is inspired by a 19th century Backes & Strauss design found in the company’s archives. (In fact, Backes & Strauss London is the oldest diamond company in London, doing business since 1789. All of its collections are inspired by British heritage.)
With Thanksgiving here, and as so many of us count our blessings, it seems only right to acknowledge those in trouble. Unfortunately, human trafficking is a crime that affects every country around the world, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims. It is estimated that 2.4 million people throughout the world are lured into forced labor as a result of human trafficking at any given time. (ILO, 2005) The statistics show that women and girls account for about 80% of the detected victims. Child trafficking accounts for about 15-20% of the victims. The Victoria Blue Heart watch and the Blue Heart Campaign’s goals are to mobilize support for action against human trafficking by international organizations, governments, civil society, the private sector and ultimately by individuals. Proceeds of the sales of Backes & Strauss Victoria Blue Heart watches go to this cause.