99 of these babies will be made.
What do you think?
[Press Release] Juggling with continents, living in step with time differences: speed and mobility are central features of the contemporary world and impose a perpetually shifting perception of time. The new Bulgari Papillon Voyageur, Daniel Roth Collection provides an original point of reference for globetrotters wishing to combine an exclusive Haute Horlogerie creation with an instrument enabling them to find their temporal bearings anywhere on the planet.
The world of Haute Horlogerie watches equipped with original and useful complications has been an integral part of the Bulgari watchmaking philosophy for many years. After the launch of the Papillon Chronograph in 2010, named after an exclusive and patented minutes display system, Bulgari is now enriching its collection by presenting a creation providing a dual-time reading. This theme is reinterpreted by the combination of the cardinal values that have always guided its approach to watchmaking: simplicity and refinement, relevance and user friendliness.
Displayed around a graduated 24-hour scale, the jumping-type local time display appears through a vertical aperture at 12 o’clock. It is adjusted via the crown, whereas the dual time-zone indication is provided by a central blued open-worked GMT hand sweeping around a 24-hour graduated guilloché disc and adjusted according to the chosen time zone by means of two push-button respectively situated at 10 o’clock (+) and 2 o’clock (-).
Meanwhile, the minutes are read off by means of the Papillon device. Placed at the dial centre, it displays the measured minutes via an ingenious device connected to the bearing disc. The latter performs a complete 360° rotation in two hours, and bears two independent retractable lozenge-shaped hands running in turn over two 180-degree segments. Whereas the first marks off the 60 minutes in an hour, the second signals the minutes in tens rather than units.
While the tip of hand A points to the minutes, hand B remains retracted throughout the disc rotation. When hand A reaches the 55th minute on the display segment, hand B makes a progressive quarter-turn to position itself parallel with hand A. The latter, as soon as the minutes start off again from zero, in turn progressively retracts to remain thus for the next 55 minutes. This complex and exclusive patented mechanism is of course coupled with the hour disc.
These sophisticated functions are driven by an in-house made mechanical self-winding movement beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and endowed with a 45-hour power reserve. The refined mechanism is treated to excellent finishing featuring meticulously hand-crafted circular graining and Côtes de Genève. The visible parts of the movement are satin-brushed, bevelled and polished, as are the screw heads.
The entire range of time measurement information is displayed on the refined split-level dial. Its white-lacquered upper part runs along an arc stretching from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock and highlighting the jumping hour aperture at 12 o’clock. In harmony with the elegant colour contrasts typical of the Daniel Roth Collection, the lower part of the dial has been given a satin-brushed black gold treatment. It displays the GMT indications on a guilloché-worked circle, along with the Papillon device accentuated by the two minute read-off segments, also adorned with a finely guilloché motif.
This sophisticated mechanism is housed within a slightly cambered double-ellipse 18-carat pink gold case that is water-resistant to 30 metres. It is fitted with a domed sapphire crystal that is glare-proofed on both sides. The watch is fitted with an alligator leather strap complete with a pink gold triple-blade folding clasp. Bulgari Papillon Voyageur is issued in a strictly limited 99-piece edition.
Whilst certain ‘brand snobs’ continue to look down their noses at anything Hamilton, I happen to think they do some really interesting pieces (I’d add Ball Watches to the same bracket).
You probably need to see this one in the flesh to appreciate it fully, but the fun part here is a completely transparent dial: a mystery indeed!
Making its way to Baselworld this year is this Blancpain Villeret – with Flinqué Lacquered Dial.
Tissot have been busy re-releasing modern updates for a number of their ‘classic’ designs.
[Press Release] At the same time classic and cutting-edge, the Vintage 1945 collection is a symbol of contemporary watchmaking that Girard-Perregaux has been careful to perfect. Taking its strong lines from the Art Deco movement, the new Vintage 1945 Large Date Moon-Phases incorporates an emblematic design. Its case, with its skilfully rounded shapes in both directions, houses a Girard-Perregaux mechanical movement with automatic winding that displays a large date and moon-phases on an equally curved dial. This contemporary piece is a resounding success in both aesthetic and technical terms.
Here’s an interesting way of representing the day, courtesy of Oris.
