Time Capsules: Product — SEAH® Watches Offer Astrological Inspiration

I was wearing a SEAH® watch and bracelet the other day to an event I went to. Someone asked to see my bracelet. It is a triple-wrap leather bracelet with astrological icons on it. I’m a Pisces. I love wearing my bracelet. Seah watches are not well known yet. They made their official debut  on the US market at the Couture Show in Las Vegas in June with unique Registered and patent-pending designs.  The astrological watch brand is positioned to remind people to reconnect with their inner beings. For me – it does that.

(Automatics)
“Swiss-made SEAH® Watches offer individualistic style and enable one to wear his or her own personality on the wrist,” says brand founder and creator Rachel Levy. “SEAH®, The Gift of Time®, is the only watch that brings a person back to his or her identity.  It is a spiritual brand that represents a oneness with nature and carries an underlying message of self-confidence and inner peace. Born as a tool to reconnect with nature’s life forces — the sun, moon and stars, SEAH® blends the elements of the universe with time for a harmonious personality that reflects its wearer.”
SEAH® — which is an ancient world for “time” – was seven years in the making.

(Capricorn/Pisces)

The line of quartz chronographs and three-hand automatics was developed and designed by Levy, who conceived of it during a blackout after a hurricane hit her home town in Florida.  The bezel of each SEAH® watch is engraved with waves to emulate the ocean; the center of the watch features the illuminating sun; the hands are meant to depict the Sun’s rays. At the dial’s summit is the personal astrological sign that reflects the wearer’s inner traits. Every SEAH® Watch is sold with a small book that describes the personality traits of the month’s astrological sign, and gives a horoscope from owner and founder Rachel Levy.  www.seahwatches.com
My Thoughts: Well, I really enjoy wearing my Seah. I own a quartz and an automatic, and I like that when I look at the dial, I am reminded that I am a Pisces — with versatile skills, creative, inspired, sensitive, imaginative, sensible and trustworthy.

Time Capsules: product — Audemars Piguet's Creation of Forged Carbon Casing

Recently I got to visit the Audemars Piguet factory in Le Brassus, Switzerland. A  real treat to see this legendary brand once again. The last time I visited the company was at least a dozen or so years ago and at that point they weren’t making forged carbon cases. On this visit, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting not only the antique restoration work, but the cutting-edge carbon case making
In its newest Audemars Piguet factory, opened just about 2 years ago, a total of about 350 artisans work side by side, building AP timepieces. While the watchmaking, assembling and finishing sections are all interesting to see, it is the making of these unique forged carbon cases that is really cool. After all, Audemars Piguet is one of the only brands creating its own state-of-the-art unique forged carbon cases.

It all starts with carbon strands made of thousands of threads of carbon fiber and white polyamide glue. The strands are on huge spools (like thread) and these spools are then hung on the wall behind a protective case. The strands are cut into tiny lengths of about an inch each, and the exact amount necessary to create just one case is measured out, put into a container and then placed into a mold and pressed. The strands are then heated to about 400 degrees and then cooled to about 40 degrees and pressure is added. Finally the mold is opened and the case is removed. 
From start to finish, the entire process takes about 20 minutes. The rejection rate, however, is about 20 percent, as some cases develop air pockets or other imperfections in the pressure and heat treatment and need to be discarded. These forged carbon cases are used for certain limited edition Royal Oak models.  While it has a 135-year legacy behind it, Audemars Piguet remains a brand destined for a long and bold future. www.audemarspiguet.com

Time Capsules: Product — MB&F's OWL-Time Winner Created With Boucheron

Leave it to Max Busser to surprise the heck out of all of us once again! Here, with the amazing MB&F JWlryMachine  — just unveild to the world – Max and friends wows the hoots out of watch afficianados.
 
Conceived of in collaboration with the legendary Boucheron (who has also co-partnered in timepiece designs recently with Girard-Perrgaux), the new JWLRYMACHINe is predicated on the HM3 platform – housing the superb movement that made its debut first as a magnificent new timepiece, then interpreted by Busser as a Frog and now as an avant-garde bejeweled beauty. 
Solid gold renditions include amethyst and violet sapphires with diamonds, or  18-karat rose gold with pink sapphires, pink tourmalines, rose quartz and diamonds. MB&F has placed the rotor beneath the center faceted stone of the owl – so it looks a though the bird’s feathers are ruffling or heart is beating with every turn of the rotor. Naturally – these pieces are created in extremely limited numbers.  It would be a shame to miss out on this Owlish delight. Of course, one has to be able to shell out approximatley $215,000.  Still — Kudos to MB&F and Max Busser
 

Time Capsules: News — Frederique Constant Unveils Cohiba Watch Collection

Tying in to cigars and turning up the heat, Frederique Constant recently announced its partnership with Cohiba  at one of New York City’s most exclusive clubs: Club Macanudo – and unveiled its automatic Frederique Constant for Cohiba Limited Edition watches.   Cigars were smoldering all night long – making those who don’t like the smoke leave the premises. Those of us who enjoy a good cigar, however, hung around and indulged – and got to take in the new watches, too.
Not the first brand to tie in with cigars (Cuervo y Sobrinos and Franck Muller, among others, have done this well in the past), Frederique Constant nonetheless pulled out all the stops by opening up Club Macanudo, flying key retailers in from around the US to witness the launch and staging a line-up that included execs from the Club and Cohiba.  Cases around the Club were filled with Frederique Constant



Each watch is built in a limited edition of 188 numbered pieces in each of the two finishes, and each is sold in its own select-wood humidor, along with 25 Cohiba cigars.  The steel version sells for $1,650, while the rose goldplated model sells for $1,750. The watches naturally are only being sold through authorized Frederique Constant boutiques and are limited to US sales only. Of course, due to the nature of the product, Club Macanudo is also offering the watches for sale.

The project was eight months in the making and was the result of a simple suggestion to Frederique Constant by a loyal fan and follower, who also knew that Cohiba was looking to partner with a watch brand, says Ralph Simons, president of Frederique Constant USA, who notes that they then all got together to discuss the concept and it came together with smoking success.

(Ralph Simons, president of Frederique Constant USA, presents the Cohiba series at Club Macanudo
Ralph Simons, president of Frederique Constant USA, presents the Cohiba series at Club Macanudo

 
The watches? They look sophisticated, they house good movements, they are perfectly priced, sell in a humidor with 25 cigars to celebrate and – best of all – hold both the Frederique Constant and Cohiba names. The drawback? There are only a limited number….

Other notes on Frederique Constant:
Family owned and operated, Frederique Constant was conceived of and founded by Peter C. Stas, an astute businessman with a passion for watches. His goal was to create an affordable mechanical wristwatch. In 1988, when Stas met Aletta Bax, the two mutually moved forward with the watch brand concept and created a name from their respective family histories: Frederique ( Aletta’s great-grandmother); Constant ( Peter’s great-grandfather, who had made clock dials). The brand was officially born. Its first automatic watches were revealed in 1992 and success ensued.
In addition to this exciting new venture with Cohiba, Frederique Constant is also a sponsor of the Peking to Paris vintage auto rally, which left from Peking in early September and is winding up in Place Vendome, Paris, in mid-October. The brand is also a charity supporter with its own fund and recently acted as an official partner and sponsor of the Par Coeur Gala 2010 in Paris, which helped Eva Langoria’s charity, Eva’s Heroes, to improve the lives of less fortunate people worldwide.