Archives A Timely Perspective

Time Capsules: Product – Deconstructing Time with the Harry Winston Opus 11

It’s no secret that since 2001 when Harry Winston first started its Opus series – this has been one of the most anticipated watch unveilings every year. Essentially the Opus was started when the brand opted to work with independent watchmakers to bring their talents to the foreground – in a symbiotic relationship that turned into an annual event. Some of the most incredible timepieces have been created out of this relationship.

This year, the new Opus Eleven, created in partnership with Denis Giguet, engineer, watchmaker and founder of the watch brand MCT, is an extraordinary work of mechanical engineering that also indicates the time. The watch, created in a limited edition of 111 pieces, features three overlapping cylinders or circles – on three levels: the center or main circle indicates the hour; two auxiliary dials on the side of the main circle show the minutes (on a jumping disk for the tens, and on a running disk for the units), and the titanium balance wheel.

The amazing thing about this watch, however, is not the design, as much as its action. This watch is all about time exploding – or deconstructing — and then reconstructing right before your very eyes. Every hour, the digits that indicate the time in the center of the main circle (shown via pallets) split apart into seemingly tiny bits and pieces – breaking up and chaotically exploding — and then form back together again almost instantly with the new hour indication. Everything then remains calm for the next 60 minutes until the explosive fervor excites the senses all over again. The entire action works via a complex rotating gear mechanism complete with 24 revolving placards and is a fantastic sight to behold. In all, the movement consists of 566 components, 155 jewels, and 24 conical pinions. The Opus Eleven retails for $230,000.

watch the video of the movement here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWvhp4YL3Bc

Weekend Sojourn: The King’s Graceland

He started a Revolution and ended up a King – that’s Elvis Presley. Young, talented, handsome and humble in his youth, this small-town Tennessee boy grew up poor – but rich with a voice that was like velvet. What’s more, he had the moves – a little soul, a little blues, some country and a sound all his own. From a start at Sun Studio to his rise with RCA, Elvis Presley changed the face of culture, music and society.

In his youth he would stare in to the front window of Lanksy’s (a high-end men’s clothing store in Memphis). When the owner came out and invited him inside, Elvis said he had no money, but when he got rich he was going to come back and buy the store. The owner replied, “Just come back and buy from me.” And he did. Elvis was the first to wear pink and made a statement with it. He bought most of his clothes from Lansky and was an amazing dresser – complete with all the accessories.

Later, when he bought his home—Graceland Mansion – in Memphis, he appointed it with all his favorite concepts. From the Jungle Room (complete with animal carved chairs and sofas, to a brick waterfall wall), to the Music Room (art deco designed) to the stunning living room with stained glass peacocks, the beloved home was filled with beautiful accessories. Elvis even built his own racquetball building on the premises, put in a swimming pool and surrounded it with a meditation garden.

Today, one can visit historic Graceland in Memphis, tour the museum that holds his collection of more than 33 vehicles (including motorcycles and rare cars such as the Stutz Blackhawk), and even climb aboard his customized jets – one of which holds a living room, conference room and private bedroom. This is a step back in time that quickly reminds you of the King, his influence on music and his captivating roll in fashion, flash and style.

Time Capsules: SEAH® Astrological Watches Offer Insight

Swiss-made SEAH® watches are one of the more unusual timepieces on the market today, as they are the only watch that enables the wearer to express his or her inner self on the wrist. The timepieces – either quartz chronographs or automatic three-hands with dates – feature trademarked original designed astrological elements on the dial, with universal elements that embody the sun, planets and stars. The line was seven years in the making, as the designer, Rachel Levy, took her time journeying through cultures, religion and philosophy, as well as astronomy and astrology, to reach the end result.

In 2003, polarized in the moment of a post hurricane power outage, Levy considered man’s one-ness with nature. Her talent for art, combined with her own motivations based on the values of family and faith came together to form the first step in what was to be a surprisingly long journey. The making of the trademarked, registered and patented SEAH® brand evolved into a message of inner peace, spirituality and design. Quality and craftsmanship are of the highest order, as well, and Levy is uncompromising in detail and perfection. With every SEAH® watch, purchasers receive a book that reveals their astrological sign and description of their inner traits from Levy. This 38mm Taurus watch (April 21-May 20) represents the Bull, under which sign Taurus people are grounded, earthy, and practical by nature. The watch, with Swiss chronograph movement, stainless steel case and bracelet, Swiss-made dial with diamonds, retails for $1,995. This is one watch that nobody else can wear with quite the same feeling. It is a conversation piece and an individual statement.

Time Capsules: A look at the Making of the Van Cleef & Arpels Extraordinary Timepieces

Just a few months ago, Van Cleef & Arpels wowed the world with its unveiling of incredible objects d’ art in the high-jewelry collection of timepieces inspired by the Jules Verne book Les Voyages Extraordinaires. The watches mime a journey in a balloon around the world, and thus certain dials depict animals and sights one would see in different continents.

Each is a work of art more beautiful and compelling than the next. Both Nicolas Bos, head designer of the brand and Stanislas de Quercize, president and CEO, insist that it is timepieces like these that have kept this French-souled, Swiss- made brand always at the forefront of hearts and minds of watch lovers. Indeed, not only is it the allure of the timepieces, and the extreme exclusivity, but also it is the exceptional craftsmanship that goes into their making.

One such watch traces the traveler’s discovery of Africa from the balloon’s basket, where he looks over the animals and vegetation of the land. The Lady Arpels African Elephant watch depicts an elephant who, with a nudge form its mother’s trunk, is guided through the savannah. Here we take a look at just a couple of steps in the hand creation of the sculpting of the gold that captures the tenderness of the elephant, and the placement of the dial of mother-of-pearl inlays, champlevé enamel and diamonds. It takes Van Cleef & Arpels’ master artisans hundreds of hours to perfectly carve the settings for the diamonds, to engrave the gold with the features and nuances of each animal to the most minute detail, and to finish and polish each piece perfectly. Just 22 pieces will ever be made –each one unique by the very fact that each is handmade.

Time Capsules: Take a Walk on the Wild Side with Hublot

Hublot isn’t the first company to bring out a leopard watch. No, we know a handful of other brands have done it before … but what makes Hublot’s newest Big Bang Leopard so enticing is its touches of sexy, ultra-feminine glamour such as the leopard print denim strap stitched onto black rubber for a softer feel and chic appeal. The dial, too with its leopard print look is so realistic. The fact that it is accented with eigth yellow diamonds doesn’t hurt.
The 41mm 5N rose gold case features a satin-finished rose gold bezel set with 48 andalusites, smoked quartz and baguette citrine gemstones that just brings the entire leopard-print colors together seamlessly. GRRRRRReat! The bezel lugs and lateral inserts are black composite resin for a touch of high-tech making it a night watch or a day watch. It house the HUB 4300 automatic mechanical chronograph movement. Yep, this baby is definitely one wild cat worth taming to have on hand!

Weekend Sojourn: Teach Yourself to Single out those Wine Aromas

Ever get just a little jealous of those wine connoisseurs who can tell the exact notes, flavor and aromas of wines? Well here’s your chance to one-up them. Agresti, the renowned Italian cabinet maker that has been building creates luxury jewelry armoires, safes and cases for pens, watches, cufflinks and games for decades, takes wine tasting to a new level with its elegant “In Vino Veritas” wine tasting kit.

Designed to help oenophiles train their senses to single out and identify a variety of wine flavors and aromas, the new kit features a selection of aromas commonly found in fine wines. It is accompanied by a book explaining these aromas and describing the wines in which they can be found. The “In Vino Veritas” kit is a handcrafted chest made of shiny Cluster Poplar with Red Briar inlay and includes 24 “Le Nez du Vin” liquid aromas in numbered small glass bottles, designed to educate the nose to recognize wine’s aromas. The liquids, which are only to smell, not drink, are numbered, and the accompanying book explains the aromas. The kit comes with a nice collection of shiny chrome wine accessories. It retails for $2,995.

Commentary: Watch Industry Loses Leader with Death of Ulysse Nardin’s Rolf W. Schnyder

Owner and CEO of Swiss watch firm Ulysse Nardin, Rolf Schynder died unexpectedly on April 14 after a short illness. He had acquired the once-flailing company in 1983, and led it not only back to its former greatness with his innovative spirit and determination, but also to soaring new heights. Schnyder was a visionary – a man who saw things in a different light, from a different perspective and pursued the illusive star – making it attainable. I started in the watch industry just a couple of years after Rolf bought Ulysse Nardin, and I have known him this past quarter of a century in a wonderfully professional capacity. I am happy for every time I have had the pleasure of his company. His conversations were always lively, invigorating and challenging. Rolf was easily one of the most genuine, giving people in this industry.
Without his concepts and ideas, we would not have so many special watches and watch inventions of today. Schnyder was not afraid to seek out the help of others to execute his concepts or to help bring them to reality. He turned to Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, also a pioneer, to help develop many cutting-edge technologically advanced watches that put the Brand on the global map again – the Astrolabium Galileo Galilei, Planetarium Copernicus, the Freak and Moonstruck. Schnyder was the first to power forward with high-tech materials for the brand – including silicium.
Recently Rolf celebrated his 75^th birthday – donating and asking others to donate to charities for children instead of giving him gifts. Always the adventurer, to celebrate, he went skydiving with his teenage children. I am certain that if Rolf were still alive, this Christmas I would be receiving a holiday card from him with his family and him skydiving (because I always receive a wonderful holiday card from Rolf with pictures of himself, his wife and three children on them off on some adventure). I always looked forward to those personal cards from Rolf – they were snapshots of a special adventure he had been on that year – reminding me to live life to the fullest.
Rolf Schnyder was a gentleman, a brilliant mind, a warm and wonderful person who lived with a passion for family, life and the Ulysse Nardin brand. I know the watch industry has lost a great leader, teacher and ambassador. I have lost a man I admired like few others, and I shall miss him.

Time Capsules: Chanel J12 Ceramic and Titanium Blend Boldly Shines Where No One Has Gone Before

The trend toward new materials and ceramics heats up further in this all-new Chanel J12 Chromatic watch. It may look like a steel watch, but it’s actually ceramic blended with titanium through a patented technology that was some time in the making. Chanel sought out the silvery colored ceramic material when it was looking for a new alternative to white and black. Not only is it ultra-hard, scratch-resistant and ultra chic, but also it is so high-tech that it actually changes color somewhat based on the amount of light it is exposed to, offering an array of gray hues from pale to stormy – encouraging Chanel to fondly call it stormy and cloudy in references. The watch is being offered in three sizes, with the smallest housing a quartz movement and the two larger versions housing automatic movements – all bedecked with varying degrees of diamonds.